Lights Out

Tonight the weather was bad and the power went completely out about 45 minutes into class. It was the most terrifying 30 seconds of my life as I tried to figure out what I was going to do while responsible with 20 adults in the middle of a storm.

All I could think about was flashlights. Specifically where mine was at home. It was until a few minutes later after the lights came back on that I remembered my bike headlight was in my purse. It's more or less a flashlight.

I didn't like that one bit. I'm smart and mature and responsible, but evidently do NOT count on me in a crisis if it is pitch black.

Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend

Busy weekends in New Orleans make me the happiest. They remind me why I moved here. I didn't move here for a job; I moved here because New Orleans is a great city NOT because I got a job. Reminders like this weekend remind me that there is more to my life than work! A wonderful gentle reminder.

Saturday afternoon my friends and I went to Hogs for a Cause. It's a big hog roast and all the proceeds go to cancer research. There was everything from Brazilian BBQ, to pork tacos, to ribs to pork belly. Did I tell the peons that I was the Pork Princess of Bureau County? Do you have to ask that question? Of COURSE I did. And imagine my surprise when I met someone who graduated from Princeton High School! We tried to small talk about people in town, but he graduated in 1992, so small talk was pretty limited. It seems only natural that I would meet someone from Princeton at a pork roast.

I went to a booth to try some of the drunken pork belly advertised on a sign, only to be disappointed with news that they were waiting for more to cook. So I shot the breeze with the people working the booth, and let it "slip" that they were privileged to be talking with royalty out mingling with the commoners for the day. When they found out I grew up on a pork farm, one of the guys at the grill pulled me back behind the booth and gave me a great big piece. Apparently people WILL give you stuff if you're important. I should let this secret slip a little bit more often....

After eating ourselves into a stupor, we headed over to the track to watch the ponies run. I have never been to a horse race before. It was only appropriate that the Louisiana Derby, a qualifier for the Kentucky Derby, was the first race I attend. I was able to watch a few of the races, but missed the big stakes races because I had to go work at Brocato's. Well, never mind the races, I saw what I came for: The old women in ridiculous hats.

After a delicious breakfast at my favorite Sunday brunch place, a place up the block called Katie's, we took the street car down to the Quarters for the Tennessee William's Literary Festival. There were all kinds of food vendors and street musicians playing. The big attraction was the Stella shout competition. In front of a balcony (presumably from the famous scene in A Streetcar Named Desire) contestants from all over the country fell on their knees and ripped their shirts in half while shouting up to Stella (or Stanley if you chose) on the balcony. The finalists then performed at La Petit Theatre. 

I can't believe I'm about to admit this to you. But I'm doing it. I sure thought Tennessee Williams was dead. I suuuuuure did. But boy did I get confused when he came on stage in his linen suit reciting lines. I realized that I had NO idea when Tennessee Williams died or IF he had died. The man was convincing with the way he recited lines and told stories. The way the crowd was cheering him was convincing. To the point where I abandon my conviction that he was dead, and thought to myself "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M REALLY SEEING TENNESSEE WILLIAMS RIGHT NOW. ALL THIS TIME I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD. BOY WAS I WRONG BECAUSE THERE HE IS IN FLESH AND BLOOD!" Upon the conclusion of the shout, I made my friend Josh get out his phone and look up the truth. I wanted to delete the pictures I took of the Tennessee Williams imposter as soon as it was confirmed that the REAL Tennessee Williams has been dead for twenty eight years.

All in all, it was a really swell weekend. 

I just watched this clip from the movie Grease II and realized that this was what I wanted my high school experience to be like. WHERE WAS ALL THE SINGING AND DANCING IN ORDINARY EVENTS?

I just realized that my how disappointed I am with my high school experience because I didn't get to dance on the bowling alley lanes.

I'm serious.



....and this is how I imagine my mom's high school experience. She would have been the tree or March.

I'm serious.