NOLA: Magazine Street-Walking

Today, I ventured out into the world. First, I went to the bank and deposited my rent check. Second, I went home and put on sunglasses and wandered a block over and down Magazine St. for an hour or two.


I went into an Antique Mall there and I saw these two things:


I am in love with this red wardrobey-shelf thing:

Secondly, I would like to say that before I met Aaron Clark I never looked at instruments in stores and antique places. But now, he's turned me into one of his little music-finder-worker bees. I saw this harpsichord. It's cool-looking.

In The Closet

I would like to share this photo of my closet. I believe closets should look so good that you want to leave the door open all the time. If they look like they are in a hip boutique, it'll make you feel like you're shopping and trying on your own clothes when you get dressed every morning.

I am very proud of my closet. Fin.

Friending People Without Facebook

Tomorrow, it will be one whole week since I have had social interaction with anyone beside workers at restaraunts and stores and my next door neighbor Clara. Webcamming doesn't cut it when the network is slow. And Murphy only wants to talk about food.

So, tomorrow, for my one week anniversary of independance/deathy-defying loneliness, I intend to make a friend.

I talked to Nate earlier on the phone and he suggested just going up to people and saying hi. This sounds good in theory because I imagine going up and saying hi to Nate, who would totally welcome this behavior. Then, the more I've thought, I've imagined going up to other people I know, as a stranger, and just saying hi. Tyler Roberts types would think I was off or maybe going to rob him. Michael would think I thought he was straight and blurt out something about Hannah Montana to tip me off and avoid an all-too-awkward make out later. Elizabeth Rue would squint at me and either laugh and hug me, or say "So, heh, uh, whats wrong wtih you anyway?"

All these response aren't THAT bad. But then I started imagining real stranger types. Not just people who I know as strangers.

Potential Things that Could Go Wrong:

1.) The person sitting alone that I approach could be dating/engaged/married to a very jealous pyscho person who enters the cafe moments after I have guts-upped enough to say "HI." and assault me with a cafe au lait and to my utter disappointment, I would find out later that this person is the daughter of some important figure in new orleans like the Mayor or the Editor of Offbeat (the magazine i want to try to intern with.)

2.) The person I walk up to is deaf. And then, I just look like a handicap-hunter.

3.) I realize 2-3 sentences in that this person is sitting alone for a reason. Not just to shoot the shit. I realize this when I view his laptop screen and he is watching a documentary on a woman who still breastfeeds her 8-year old, and upon me seeing this, he goes "Ya ever seen this? I think she's REALLY onto something."

These are just some thoughts for now. I will report back tomorrow.


PS. What prompted my decision to go friend-hunting tomorrow, other than my absolute lunacy, was that my neighbor Clara is having a friend from Phoenix in right now. They came in her house and I just heard them yipping and hugging and yawing on and on about stuff. Chitter chattering like all of us used to do in college. And I really missed everyone. I'll make new friends, but I'll never replace the ones in Bowling Green.

NOLA: Things I Dont Get, Yet

Posts with the title "NOLA: Thing I Don't Get, Yet" are my way of admitting things I dont get and hopefully, that I will eventually get said things.

2 Things I Don't Get Today:

1. Why Nobody Understands Me When I Speak Even Though I Am Capable Of Understanding Their Creole/Cajun/Louisiana Chewing Gum Slur

I have eaten a decent bit of fast food since I've been down here because I've been cleaning and looking like crap. And because I haven't really got comfortable walking around the neighborhood alone just yet, especially since my cell phone broke. At Mcdonalds, KFC, and Wendy's, the drive-thru ordering has been a complete nightmare. They don't understand me. I am not even rhyming Sprite with Diet like my normal talk. I am enunciating and doing everything Judy Woodring taught me...damnit.

2. Whether or Not I should Feel Bad for Getting Stuck in the Middle of the Road in U-Turns when I Block The StreetCar:

In New Orleans, you have to like...make U-Turns all the time. Or like turn across the street car path thing on St. Charles. (And um Canal or whatever, but I'm not on that road as much.) I know that technically I'm probably in the good and I have the rightaway and the street car must stop. Or maybe not. Like if I think I'm going to get in a streetcar's way, I may go down a couple blocks past where it is and then turn around. But in the event that I do get stuck in that little median, and there is a streetcar waiting, I just feel bad for the tourists/locals aboard. Tourists probably ooh-ing and aww-ing at houses. Locals probably being like "that damn idiot could have turned 10 cars ago."

Moving: Still. Still Moving.

So, after exhaustive hours-long unpacking, I'm still not done. But the major things are accomplished. Furniture is arranged for temporary purposes, maybe permanent. And as Michael knows, I advise to put furniture where it goes for sure at the beginning, because you won't want to move it later.





I think this photo of Murphy explains our mood best:

I really do believe if cats had a little place we could screw in broomhandles, in their laziest states, they would be nature's swiffers.

NOLA Food: Five Happiness Chinese

During my last night at the hotel, I ordered takeout from Five Happiness Chinese. I read in one of the local magazines that it was the Best Chinese in New Orleans. I safe-ordered, Sweet N Sour Chicken, white rice, egg roll. The total was over 11.00. I'm thinking that order was approximately 5.25 back in the WKU days from Happy Inn.

Ahh, city inflation.

Anyway, the restaraunt looked pretty cool. Might be nice for a little day, but a little steep for Chinese when you can get a buffet for around that much a piece. And it was yummy, but not heart-stopping. Considerable portions. Pretty tasty. 3.5 out of 5 Stars. But maybe I'll warm up to it.

Here's a photo I sent Aaron. Who thought that the overall layout of the Chinese was phallic. I agree.

The Move: Unpacking Stage 1

After two nights in a hotel room alone, I am now back in my apt. (not as alone, Murph is here.) I got home today and the power was finally back on, which resulted in the security alarm blaring like ZONKERS when I opened the door. This security alarm actually belongs to my next door neighbor Clara, who hasn't removed it yet, because she's been busy getting shmammered and breaking her toe. Ha.

I called her to get her to shut off the alarm and she came by in her pajamas. Cute lady. And then, I drove her to get her some Burger King- she purchased a commemorative Star Trek glass as well. And then, when they sorta screwed up our order, she proceeded to throw a momentary tempter tantrum and call the drive through people "FUCKING BITCHES SHE WANTED TO KILL" I love the shit out of her.

I came and much was accomplished. If you see the boxes in the prior post, they are now gone. As seen here:








This was 3-4 hours of work. We'll see what happens with the kitchen and other rooms.

I miss my friends. I have all your pictures up with the love and care of someone who's died. Maybe the wake should have been for y'all.