One Brick New Orleans Trip

I was too sad to even say goodbye to Lorraine this morning. She kept saying she would get back to me on Tuesday in regards to the "Don't let Peter in" rule and I couldn't bring myself to tell her I wasn't going to be here and she would no longer be the one to check me in every morning after my jog.

...I guess that's just the way I am, I just disappear usually.

But tonight, at around 1 a.m., I couldn't just disappear from Blue Nile without saying goodbyes.

It fucking sucked. Finally, after a week of funky cafeteria food which I actually kinda liked, strange one way streets I always ended up in the wrong direction on, cold showers, deep-fried fried fat and hours of trying to find ways to be useful on site while getting to know the people around me with my prying for life stories and random personal factoids, I've become really accustomed to Camp Hope and NOLA and now I have to leave. And it fucking sucks. (Can I swear on this blog? Do I care right now? It's 2:33 a.m. and I wish I was still at the Blue Nile drinking whatever it was Diana got me and jamming to Rebel Souls. BUT... for those of you in the bay, I bought a CD which we should all get together and jam too. I'll deep fry donuts for you to enjoy just like you were in NO. I won't eat them but I'll make them for you.)

I keep dreading tomorrow (except the Cal/USC game) and hoping Monday never arrives... So, I'm staying up late tonight to avoid the tomorrow and prolong the tonight.

And by the way, tonight was awesome. I arrived at Frenchman Street early with Karen and Mel (two more wonderful ladies) and got a round of drinks at the Spotted Cat before getting some eats at Spun Harbor. There, we chatted about everything--great movies, strange dates, what constitutes a marriage and why divorces shouldn't be shunned, the Peace Corps (eep), cute guys, and heaven and hell (George Clooney x massage table + beach = my heaven... Lindsay Lohan + no running = my hell). Returned to the Spotted Cat to find Kinga, my dancing queena, Edna, and some other fabulous people. Listened to a few jazz bands (Panarama http://www.panoramajazzband.com/ and the Jazz Vipers) and then ran off with Tony to the Blue Nile for some Soul Rebels!! I heart the Soul Rebels! http://www.soulrebelsbrassband.com/SoulRebels/Home.asp We were able to collect a few people and bring them back to the Blue Nile to listen some more but then my premature departure arrived and I drove us back to Camp and now here I am, 2:51 a.m., wondering if I should correct the cojones misspelling on my last post or ignore Dalton's comment and thinking how I can prolong my time here and what else profound I can say.

I'll definitely miss everyone I've met and will remember something each person was able to offer--everyone is able to offer something of themselves, whether they realize it or not. That's part of the reason I always pry for life stories--they can offer me their guidance, their resemblance, or their difference and in any case I'll find something to embrace in their stories. I almost feel guilty for enjoying my time here so much. I feel like I should've suffered a bit to truly be a dutiful volunteer for all these Katrina survivors. But the back breaking work--painting while stretching my neck too far, nailing in insulation netting while crouched like some sort of contorted from underneath a house, caulking... let's say it again... CAULKING...-- was all fun.

So... ciao everyone.

*Sorry for the unorganized post... I'll have a link to pictures soon and if I left anyone off of the bye's, my bad... nothin' personal, it's 3am.*

...Some Caulking Jokes...

4. My caulk won't work.
3.My caulk is bigger than your caulk.
2. Who wants the caulk? (Edna: Me!!)
1. Where can I find more caulk? (Glance at Tony and Mick....) Hmm, not here...