sleepless in new orleans

September 28, 2008 at 11:24 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: , ,

hi.  i’m the green butterfly, and i’m sleepless in new orleans (that sounds a little too much like a personal ad).  it’s after 11pm, and my mind is racing.  don’t you hate it when that happens??  i guess you could say that there’s a lot going on in my life at the moment…

there is a decision awaiting me at my doorstep… one that i had not considered a viable option until i received a fateful phone call this afternoon.  still, it would take God-sized resources to make it happen.  my pastor (a very wise man) preached today about God’s resources and his protection- very applicable to my life at the moment.  see, pastor- i do listen to you… 

so i’m praying about God’s will in the matter.  i know, you probably are dying to know what the heck i’m talking about, but i’m just not at liberty to say.  it’s one of those things that i giggle about when i say it out loud because it just seems to be out of the realm of possibility for me.  however, as i’ve been reminded a LOT lately, with God all things are possible. 

if you pray, i would appreciate your prayers for my family.  i’m watching and waiting to see how God will choose to move in my life. 

7 Comments

bloom where you’re planted, oh, and grab ahold of that fat naked bronze lady!!

September 22, 2008 at 9:20 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: , , ,

hey ya’ll (a tribute to my alabama upbringing)!!  i hope this evening finds you content.  happiness is such a transitory state that i wouldn’t wish it on anyone… but contentment, that’s an elusive but wonderful thing, and i hope you have some tonight. 

i have spent the day with my sister doing photographer things (because we have a small but AWESOME photography business and that’s what we do when we are together). specifically, we played around with some new lighting equipment.  while i have never had the desire to be a techno-geek, today it really would have helped-lol.  i keep reminding myself of the learning curve…  so as i sit on my red sofa at the end of my day with my head chock-full of information both foreign and elusive to me, i look at some of my pictures and remember why i like photography so darn much.  there are some pretty cool things in this world to see, and a picture really IS worth a thousand words. 

i don’t know how many of you have been to the new orleans museum of art lately, but there is a very interesting bronze sculpture to greet you.  it is the most GINORMOUS naked woman you have ever seen. 

what did i tell you??  did you think i would LIE about it??  EXAGGERATE?  i think not.  and don’t even THINK about laying a hand on her.  do you know why??  because if you even remotely appear to be thinking about touching any part of her lovely magnificence, the fat lady statue nazis will come running out of the front doors of noma and remind you that there is a sign on the front of the statue that clearly states “do NOT touch OR sit upon the statue”.  sirens will sound and lights will flash and you will truly be sorry… lol

so one day we were taking pictures in city park (yes, for a paying client), when the front steps of noma appeared deserted.  no sign of life stirred within.  should we???  could we??????  did we??????  HECK YEAH, you bet we did!!!!!!!  and our client was a happy and willing participant in our mischief.  some of the most fun pictures i ever shot.  not only did we SIT by the statue, WE TOUCHED IT TOO!!  lol.  no statue nazis that day.  tsk, tsk… sleeping on the job, statue nazis.

ok, now you know the depths of my perversion.  i just want to bloom where i’m planted.  i’m here and i’m happy. no- i’m content. even better.  take a close look at the flower- also from my city park/ noma experience- it’s blooming underwater.

may i learn to bloom where ever i am.

2 Comments

comments, people!!!

September 18, 2008 at 3:28 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: , ,

comments are great.  really… the two of you who read my blog should leave comments.  and as for the rest of you people who find my blog through happenstance, your dashboard, or through tag-surfing, feel free to let me know what you think as well.  EVEN if it is negative.  don’t worry about offending me: i can delete ANY comment that i don’t like.  i get to see them all before they are posted for the world’s viewing.  so please: LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.   that will make this whole blogging thing much more interesting for me, and let’s face it- that’s what it’s all about, right???  ;)

i enjoyed a beautiful day with my lovely daughters.  we went shopping, ate at the foodcourt of our mall (during which my oldest daughter exclaimed, “i have SUCH a fabulous life…”), and LOVED the “cold” front.  i am, or course, being facetious, because it’s never cold here.  so when someone says “there will be snowballs in hell before that happens”, i totally understand.  the one christmas i spent in new orleans brought me snow on christmas day.  we drove through the french quarter and around the city and it was beautiful.  even better were the looks of wonder on the faces of others as they stood in the middle of the streets and took pictures with their cell phones.  that was the christmas before katrina.  i should have realized then that the next year would not be quite normal…

so, anyhoo, we enjoyed our day.  i love my girls.  they are my sunshine, my only sunshine.  i love to hear their thoughts.  same with you people.  so, please, leave your comments.  butterfly musings will only be enriched by them!!!

9 Comments

to those affected by ike

September 13, 2008 at 4:29 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags:

the winds are beginning to die down here in new orleans.   as i look at the pictures of damage left in the wake of hurricane ike, my heart goes out to you, texas.  i have extended family who live in houston, and we haven’t heard from them.  the pictures aren’t pretty.  what a mess… maybe my katrina memories have faded over time, but the damage looks worse to me. 

this is going to be a short post.  i just want to say that my prayers go out to the people in galveston, houston, and the surrounding areas.  i have been in that place of trying desparately to get home, to stand there with your mouth hanging open at what greets you.  i am praying for you. 

Leave a Comment

kudos to sarah

September 10, 2008 at 1:43 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: , , , ,

i was reading the paper today (an unusual occurrence), and i actually found something thought-provoking.  a columnist for the washington post published an article about sarah palin and her son, trig, who has down’s syndrome.  a picture of trig, held by his older sister at the republican national convention, was displayed with the article.  he discusses how palin’s choice to not abort this baby reflects the views of the republican party.  he alludes to the chromosomal testing that is increasingly used to screen pregnancies, not only of older, at risk populations of women, but younger women as well.  women are encouraged to terminate pregnancies involving abnormalities.  democrats (as a party) are pro-choice.  the writer presents the question of how they can reconcile their pro-choice stance with promoting equal rights and a better life for the disabled.  i am inclined to ask the same thing.  do we just eliminate those who aren’t perfect??  do we pick and choose who gets a chance at life and who doesn’t??  WHO DESERVES THAT RIGHT?? 

my friends, there is a word for this.  EUGENICS. no, it’s not pretty.  any pro-choice person would most likely cringe at the word, as they should, but isn’t that what’s happening here?  abortion is not so simple a matter as a woman’s right to choose.  what about a person’s right to live?  it leads us down so many other paths.  so many blessings in life are NOT convenient.  if we can’t treat life with respect in it’s most innocent and helpless state, then who are we, really, and do we have respect for anything at all?

this is one of the several reasons that i’m a registered repulican.  politicians on both sides can argue til they are blue in the face about what they think.  many of them have attempted to do so, without producing any new arguments.  they can accuse without end their opponent and drag his/her name through the proverbial mud.  both republicans and democrats are guilty.  however, when it comes down to what is important, at least to me, i choose the conservative stance.  you look at the palin family, loving on that beautiful baby.  what a picture of things being right with the world.

kudos to you, sarah, for choosing the blessing.

Leave a Comment

help send my brother-in-law home!! VOLUNTEER!!

September 7, 2008 at 8:29 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: , , ,

hi everyone (translation- hey ya’ll)!!  it’s sunday night and i’m chillin’ out in my den, watching a fox news special on sarah palin.  finally, something besides hurricane coverage on which to focus my attention.  while keeping a watchful eye on IKE, i have to say i’m enjoying following this election.  (i say that loosely, as i don’t really follow politics.  i mean, politicians are well-trained to say what appeals to the most people.  who knows what they really think??).  i am socially and fiscally conservative, and i’m intrigued to see what the mccain/palin combo can do.  however, if the other side wins, then i say it’s high time we had a black man (or woman) in office. 

hurricane recovery is very different this time around.  no mass destruction, water lines, or mold.  at least not here in new orleans.  there are some predictable issues, like overcrowding in the grocery stores and some empty shelves. i bought hot dogs but no buns!!!  sadface…

 we have houseguests, courtesy of gustav’s time in houma.  my sister and brother-in-law are staying with us until their power, sewage, and water are restored.  if any of you guys remember all of the assistance we received from volunteers after katrina, PLEASE go down to terrebone parish and volunteer some of your time to help with the cleanup process, as my brother-in-law really misses his bed.  after katrina, he worked tirelessly in the town where he lived, then came down to nola to help us.  HELP TO SEND HIM HOME!! how, you may ask???  let me tell you.  VOLUNTEER!!!  THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.  it’s time to help our neighbors.  after all, after ike comes through it may be NEW ORLEANS  who needs the help- lol…

Leave a Comment

live hurricane coverage from coker, al

September 4, 2008 at 9:31 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: ,

safe at home… i feel so incredibly blessed. 

we arrived this evening around 5pm to see our home intact and OUR PORCHLIGHTS ON!!!!!!! dang, what a beautiful sight!  not only that, i have cable and internet as well.  i’m sooooooooo not worthy…

traffic really was not that bad.  so i guess i have to hand it to the local officials yet again.  reentry was successful.  honestly, the only complaint i have is the putrid smell that greeted me when i opened my car door-lol.  we still haven’t figured that one out.

so, yeah, i’m blessed.  blessed to be spared this time.  blessed to have another place of safety in alabama.  blessed to have soooooooo much support from family and friends back in my other home.

my sister, brother-in-law, and i have decided that on the next evacuation we will film our very own hurricane coverage, straight from coker, al.  i think we can cover the storm at least as well as the weather channel and geraldo.  we’ve decided to go out on the back porch with a fan and show the trees blowing in the breeze for a few minutes.  then, we are going down to the hot tub and splash the water over the edge.  after about 20 minutes of that, we are going to conclude our hurricane coverage- lol. 

i don’t mean to diminish the role of the media under such circumstances, well, yes actually, i think i do.  they do have an important role, but sometimes i think that role gets lost in the translation.  so next time, well, just read my suggestions in my last post, and perhaps learn from the example set by the local newstations, who did an excellent job of tirelessly covering the events surrounding the hurricane.  oh, and don’t forget to stay tuned for live hurricane coverage from coker, al!!!! 

i’m sleepy, so i will cease my ramblings with reiterating how blessed i feel myself to be.  i am so happy to be home… and GRATEFUL.

Leave a Comment

in reflection

September 2, 2008 at 8:42 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: , ,

good morning new orleans!!!!!

all i can say is THANK YOU, GOD…

i will be so glad to get back home.  i will be so happy to no longer feel glued to the news- lol.  for those of you who know me well, you know i have an aversion to the news.  i know a lot of it is bad, and i like to avoid depression.  however, sometimes the news is a necessary evil, i guess.  this weekend it has also been our lifeline. 

the leadership of new orleans learned soooooooo many lessons after katrina.  so many, in fact, that i don’t have the time or the space to write them here.  in immediate retrospect of gustav, i have to say that i think the local government handled things very well.  they gave the appearance of organization, which is always helpful, even when you think things are going to hell in a handbasket.  they had a plan for getting people out- especially those who don’t have their own transportation.  they allowed them to bring pets- i know it sounds unimportant, but a lot of crazy people will stay for their animals.  in their defense, i would have a difficult time leaving my own dog- lol.  in the hospital where i work, only minimal staffing was allowed.  pre- katrina, employees brought family members and pets.  hospitals thought they were doing a good thing for their employees, that is, until katrina hit and they were responsible for getting all of those people out.  so, there you have just a few of the things that i feel were handled well this time.  i will continue to monitor the progress of re-entry and give commentary on the capabilities of local government. 

in conclusion, i have kudos to bestow and a few suggestions for the next time (which may be sooner than later):

1.  kudos to ray nagin for keeping it together and giving that stern address when we thought this was going to actually be the “mother of all storms”

2.  kudos to local law enforcement for staying to do a possibly very dangerous job.  kudos to your families for understanding.  keep on shooting looters!!!!!  (and i’m really sorry for setting off those fireworks in the backyard last summer when it wasn’t the 4th of july)

3.  kudos to the doctors and nurses who stayed in local hospitals to keep them open, especially to those of you who stayed for katrina and didn’t flee the country when you found out you had to stay for gustav.

4.  kudos to the bright mind who decided to broadcast wdsu nationwide on direct tv.

5.  kudos to the local newstations, whose tireless and informative broadcasts kept me informed and helped me not to feel so far away and helpless.

6.  kudos to the volunteers who helped transport our people out.

7.  kudos to the person who decided NOT to broadcast specifically where you were taking these people.  someone had the forethought to know that these people would likely NOT have evacuated had they known that their bus was going to be parked on a plane and flown away (with them on it) lol!!! 

8. kudos to aaron broussard for turning on those pumps!!!!!  my friends who live in metairie are especially grateful. 

9.  kudos to my friends in st bernard who intended to come back and rebuild AGAIN, even when we thought this was going to be the big one.  you were such an encouragement to me.

10.  kudos to mayor nagin for understanding that chocolate comes in WHITE as well as BROWN.  enough said…

now, nothing in life is perfect, so i do have a few suggestions for the next time, which could possibly be in the next couple of weeks:

to the local government:

1.  how about we keep ALL  vessels, barges and otherwise, out of the industrial canal???  as a member of the bywater community who lives uncomfortably close to the canal, i would really appreciate it.

2. contraflow- REALLY??? i mean, i know we only have a few ways out of this city to accomodate not only the citizens of orleans parish, but also everyone else, but it really is a slow-moving parking lot (in the words of my brother-in-law, chris) which leads me to the next suggestion…

3.  is there any reason that we couldn’t just call for mandatory evacuation a day earlier??  is it really that hard?   i know it costs money, but so does the gas it takes to make what is normally a  5 hour drive take 13 hours. 

4.  could someone please suggest to the national media that they show more than canal street??  NOTHING IS HAPPENING ON CANAL STREET.  we would like to see our neighborhoods, please. we don’t want to see the same roof flying off again and again (ad nauseum).  we don’t want to see the same palm trees swaying in the wind, NOR do we want to see the dashboard of  the car where your webcam is mounted.  (that one is for you, kelly)  also, don’t start talking about the musicians village like it’s more than 5-10 houses on a block north of st claude avenue.  talk about the 5-10 blocks around it.  same goes for the brad pitt HOUSE. 

to the evacuees:

1.  LEAVE EARLIER AND NOT ALL AT ONCE

2.  when you pack all of your worldly possessions on an open trailer, cover it w/ a tarp so it doesn’t get rained on.  water is water whether it comes up from the ground or down from the sky.

3.  regarding contraflow- 2 words: state highways.

4.  also regarding contraflow: for those of you who have pets who think they are too good to pee on concrete bridges- 2 words: sod squares.  they are biodegradeable, so you’ll make those tree huggers as happy as your dogs.

5.  txt msg, txt msg, txt msg!!!

6.  if you can’t find a local station on direct tv, go online to www.wwltv.com, go to video, and click on LIVE NEWSCASTS.  that way you won’t feel disconnected and uninformed.

7.  when you go home, support the mississippi economy and buy your groceries, tarps, and gas before you come back.  new orleans doesn’t need a riot over the last roll of duct tape.

8.  say thank you to the people who held things together while you were gone.  nothing is perfect.  this time, i really think they did their best.  you have a home to go back to and you get to come back in 6 days instead of 6 months.

9. last but not least, thank GOD.  i don’t care if you’re baptist, catholic, atheist, WHATEVER.  he’s the only reason new orleans is not under water.  you know it’s true…

2 Comments

peace

September 1, 2008 at 12:30 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: ,

ok… i’m feeling purple again, and the great news is that i figured out why i was purpley-challenged earlier today.  life can move forward now…

as i sit in my room on the eve of landfall, i feel a strange sense of peace.  i know that i know nothing-lol.  things are about to get a little crazy down there, and it’s not that i don’t care, but i know that things will be ok.  i guess it is the peace that passes understanding…  very different from what i experienced 3 years ago (to this very weekend)… i told someone earlier tonight that practice makes perfect.  i have wwltv going on my laptop and i’m sure i will check it throughout the night… it apparently is my “hurricane routine” to not sleep the night of landfall.  (does anybody else think it is odd that i even HAVE a hurricane routine??) i think about those people who i love who are scattered once again, but safe, nonetheless.  to you, i pray the peace of God for you.  i think about the people who i love who had to stay behind to keep things going.  to you, i pray for your safety.  i am coming back to you as soon as i can get there.

so, i’m signing off for the night.  the morning will come soon enough.

Leave a Comment