things I'm not good at ...

Self-portraits!
Thank goodness Jenny and Shirley are better at it!

Bullet's

What a great venue! We got to hear Kermit Ruffins who is great. He was a founding member of Rebirth Brass Band, whom I totally love. Nothing puts me in a great mood better than their Do Whatcha Wanna. Oh, and special treat tonight was when Irvin Mayfield showed up, and he and Kermit mimicked each other and played around totally - playing trumpet into the mike without a trumpet - all lips' buzz. They were so funny.

This bar was like I pictured New Orleans to be. An interesting mix of people and great, loud music. My ears are still ringing, which is one reason I didn't stay too long.

And no bullets were flying.

And soon I leave. If I go to bed right now and fall asleep immediately I'll get less than 6 hours of sleep.

I packed in an hour. Just under. And most of that was carrying up and down the stairs and pulling apart Mardi Gras beads to take to kids across the West Coast. I'm sure I'm forgetting a million things, since I'm going to four quite different places with different climates and activities. But hopefully somebody can take me to the store to pick up stuff I forgot, and hopefully the boudin I bought for Sabine makes it before it spoils. The thought of uncooked sausage going bad in my luggage - well, NASTY.

By the way, when I entered the house I called out, "I'm so NOT in the mood to see any of your kind tonight!" and I haven't seen a single cockroach. I've been seeing at least five a night, so this is wonderful. I have one more trip to make through the kitchen, but hopefully they continue to respect my wishes.

tempura cheesecake

What else can I say? Cheesecake, dipped in batter and deep fried.

Let's just say I'm more than a little queasy. After the BBQ eel salad and shared Louisiana roll (okra and other local stuff) and shared mochi and shared cassava cake (our fave), it was more than enough.

But, two thumbs up for Asian Pacific Cafe! Ayanna's mom is NOTHING like her - they are so different I was startled. But, a fun time. And then a quick trip out to Slidell and now packing in an hour and then off to Bullets (I'm cringing every time I say it) and then to bed and then up and leaving the house in 11 hours from now.

Let's hope I don't forget anything important!

morning in the 'hood

Chat with landlord went well - he is cool with fixing up everything while I'm gone. I gave him a list of about 15 things, and he was fine with everything and actually thanked me. I'm only sad I'll miss that hot Honduran handyman when he's working away for me. Landlord continues to seem really cool and concerned about our happiness in the apartments. When I went to drop off my old keys, Landlady was outside so we got to catch up.

Neighborwoman will keep a close eye on my place and be in and out to make it appear inhabited - she's more concerned about it than I am.

This morning when landlord came over, neighbordog Tikkun came over (they crawl under the house to say hello and good morning to me). Later NW and I were talking through the fence and Oly, the other dog, had her head stuck through so I pet and greeted her. NW said, "Wait, can you say hello to Tik, too? She's all sad and keeps trying to get to you to say hi." I like Oly, but Tik is the one who first snuck over to see me when I was very first moving in, and we have that little special bond. These dogs are really, really well-behaved. I know people always say that about Selma and Otter, but Selma is passive aggressive and Otter pretends she's stupid.

My neighborhood is very entertaining. Anytime I feel like I want some human contact I just open up my front door and step out on the stoop. Today the neighbor's granddaughter (she's almost 2) was cracking me up - she's very animated and lively. She runs around shouting excitedly, so I got to chase her around a little for kicks. I met more people and chatted with people walking up the street.

Still haven't started packing and my day is full of work (which I'm ostensibly doing), lunch with Ay and her mom, music with NW & the girls, going to Slidell to drop off my truck and rent a car. And I'm tired - garbage trucks came through early this morning. And I'm eating a chocolate muffin now, so I'll be in a bad mood by this afternoon, and it's getting hot and humid outside. But, still a good day so far.

Tami, avert your eyes

We're gonna need those magnum-size cockroach traps.

These suckers are freakin huge. Sometimes I just stare in awe and wonder - before I grab my roach-killing sneaker and wale the hell out of it. I'm getting quicker - my reflexes are sharpened as is my eye. I walk into the kitchen now and feel myself poised like a cat ready to pounce. A tigress. A hungry tigress. First I look at the lightswitch in the dark to be sure I don't accidentally grab one with my bare hand, then I flip it on and scan the room, muscles tautened.

I only killed - and saw - one today. Landlord comes tomorrow for a chat and I'll let him know that I am not accepting these roommates and he's in charge of eviction.

Neighborwoman says she's seen 'em too now, and when she and I were discussing that the neighbor kids said them, too. Maybe it's the weather and all that, that these huge beasts are seeking refuge indoors.

They're seeking refuge with the wrong biatch if they think they're going to peaceably coexist with me. I'm not freaked out like Tami or Jenny or others who think they're gross. I think they're pretty damn cool - I just don't want them in my effing kitchen. And it's become like a video game to me, to kill the space invaders to protect the planet.

NW is vacuuming in her kitchen - wonder if she killed an invader.

Man, I have to start packing - I need to be in bed tomorrow at this time.

I just got home from Red Cross training - they're really gearing up for the hurricane season. Hopefully for naught. As much as I may be a disaster junkie, this town doesn't need more drama.

gone are those beautiful days

Of $25 electric bills. The most I ever paid was $45, and that's when the heater was running a lot.

Sigh. Just received my bill for my old place and I will miss those days. The person moving said the lowest she paid was around $250. I have no idea how it can be that much, but there are many energy inefficient things - such as no windows opening, and six lightbulbs per light fixture (none of them energy efficient), that sort of thing.

My plan? Put up a clothesline. Turn down the water heater. Open up some windows. Be gone during the heat of day, and then stoop sit in the early evenings - my porch is in the shade after noon, which is swell. I'll put up weather stripping during winter, and I put up curtains for summer. Replace lightbulbs as they burn out (or as I break them, as I did this weekend) with energy efficient bulbs. Use fans instead of A/C unless I'm miserable. Put up screen doors to air out mornings & evenings.

I know with this apartment being five times larger than my old place, and have dishwasher and washer/dryer, that I'll be paying more electricity. But here's to keeping it under $100.

are they freakin kidding me?

I emailed Craigslist lesson posters about taking cello and French lessons.

Cello: $50/hour
French: $40/hour

They have to be high. On drugs. Dang.

nay nay

"Bye Nay!" Hustler shouted down the street to me as I left to go to the grocery store. I hadn't seen her because there were five women on the stairs blocking view of her. (She told me earlier that Hustler is her nickname, and I was like, "Really? Your parents didn't name you that?")

What's funny about it is my friend's recent post of her "non-nay accordion lesson" (that is, somebody teaching her the accordion who isn't the Upstairs Boy she used to screw and who gave her ... ok, maybe I've already overshared more than enough).

I'm in the nay world. Shenaynay?

Have I mentioned how much I love my neighborhood? Or 'hood as Hustla would say - when I asked her if she fixes cars for a living she said she just does it as a hobby in the 'hood.

I'm a Grrl in da Hood, and I already got two women, two dogs, and a 5-year-old football whiz in my posse. And drunken men in various dental states. Point is, don't fuck wit me. I may not always love my hood, but right now I'm blissfully deliriously in love.

Honestly, I would be more sketched out about this area if the projects down the way were still open. Not that I discriminate in any way against people from the projects - one of the ladies yesterday was talking about the hell of growing up in them, and the worst was how people outside looked at them - all the girls were treated like hos.

Of course that's no worse than other discrimination. Why I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Sara V came back to visit Gail last year and was looking for me, too, to report to us. She's off to college and doing great - and only four years ago, a fellow teacher said it was just a matter of whether she'd get knocked up before 15 or wait until then. I just about punched him, but I didn't have to - Sara proved him wrong many times over. And Gail and I have to take some credit because we tough loved that girl until she gave up the fight. Gail and I were a great tag team with those poor kids - they never stood a chance. Heck, any nonsense they pulled in my room, Gail already knew before they showed and they got scolded again by her - and vice versa.

My point is NOT that kids or people from the projects are less than other places. I just know how sketchy the projects can be here. They haven't reopened since Katrina, and I feel really ambivalent about that - but mostly I just am ignorant and need to learn a lot.

When I was outside with Ernest and Hustla, a young woman (maybe 17) walked up to me and asked me something, then showed me a text message with a street name and I didn't know it. I thought she was just hoarse and couldn't speak - but when I called out (they were under the car) and asked them to tell her how to get to that street, they realized she was deaf. She's walking through a part of town that she doesn't know and she's deaf? I gotta give major props to her. And to approach me and ask for help and then figure out what she needs to do - what independence she's got.

But that's New Orleans. I could be deaf and blind and the overwhelming majority of people here would look out for me and help me get around and do what I need to do. Have I ever mentioned that I love this city?

sperm donor

So the ladies yesterday told me that if I want to have a baby I better do it fast, and all I need is a man who passes the medical tests. Every one says the one thing they absolutely don't regret in their lives is having children, and many of their friends (several of them were from the same high school class of 1976 - the one just down the street from me) who didn't have children really regret it now.

"But I don't want to raise a child alone," I protested.
"There's no guarantee that even under the best of partner circumstances that you won't end up raising your children alone. That's what happened to me."
"But it's hard work raising a child alone," I protested again.
"Family helps -"
"I don't have family," I interrupted.
"You have us, and sisterhood is even better. Have a damn baby!"

Now, I'm not desperate to have a baby. I would like to and I know that fertility window is slamming shut (despite all the anecdotes from yesterday, and V's, "If all your lady parts are still working, why not?"), but it's not like I'm consumed with that desire.

But now they got me thinking, and Ernest may just fit the bill because grills aren't hereditary. Hustler is Dodo's grandma (they're in the house on the other side of Neighborwoman), and she's the one I always see out working on cars, and she is a dyke so my gay-dar still works just fine. Her brother was visiting today and he was really nice - but here's the kicker: the man has 10 children. He passes all fertility tests. And while he might be a man-ho, all 10 are from two wives - which just makes him damn fertile but not immoral. I just need "Too Boring for Jerry Springer" standard really.

So no, I didn't give him a survey to fill out about family medical history and all that, but it's all got me thinking.

Then there was also very cool lesbian from yesterday who's adopting as soon as her house is fixed up, and she's 44. If only I could bat for that team I'd be happy.

Sheryl Crow just adopted and she's 45. I think she and M are on to something there. Sure, they'll be old when their kids graduate high school, but not geriatric.

Well, next time Ernest visits, depending on my cycle ...

the best grilled catfish ...

... I've ever eaten is two blocks away. It's an always-bustling place so I didn't really want to go, but nothing else is so close. It was awesome.

While waiting I had an interesting conversation with a drunk disinherited Mississippian. He did have his teeth, but still not my type. His friends were a little embarrassed about his behavior but he ignored them. "You look smart," he said. "Is that so?" "Well, at least you white folks always think you're smart." "So, you're saying you think all white folks are the same?" "Don't be making what I say sound all racial." "I'm clarifying - are we all the same in your mind?" "No, no, I don't mean it like that." "Oh, because that's what it sounds like."

I don't care how drunk a person is - I still get to call 'em on their shit. And when I walked out a woman I hadn't noticed said, "I bet you're glad to get away from him. Talk talk talk." "He's ok, he just wanted free legal advice and I'm not a lawyer yet." She was really friendly and made me realize that she was keeping an eye on the whole situation just in case he got out of control - as were most of the many people in there. He was a cultural lesson - or at least purported to be, telling me how black folks are and how white folks are. Apparently it's pretty simple, so once Randy gets his word out a bunch of sociologists will be out of work.

Anyway, this place also sells fresh seafood, so now I know where to go for fresh trout, catfish, etc. (like shrimp - when hell freezes over, since I don't like shrimp and nothing's going to make me like it). I have a really hard time buying fish at the grocery stores here - it always looks pretty nasty and is way expensive. But here it's not too pricey, and looked really good and fresh.

Oh, and the part funny to me - woman in front of me ordered a turkey neck. That was it - just a turkey neck.

Only in New Orleans. And Hawaii, apparently, since Stephen loves his turkey necks. That and the Saints may actually lure the Yamasakis here to visit some day.