My thoughts on New Orleans

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door”

Were they just BSing when they came up with that? Or does it not apply if you're already a citizen? Really, I’m picturing the end of the new Batman when I hear about what’s going on in New Orleans. I think all my friends have pretty much said most of what there is to be said about it on their blogs. I’ve been to New Orleans twice this summer, so this hurricane destruction there makes me picture some of the people I’ve met – I thought I’d list them here just so everyone can picture some real people, and keep them in their thoughts. If there’s anyone you can think of, add them on in the comments.

1st Trip – Memorial Day weekend
The pirate at the Absinth bar
The pizza chef from the photo - which is my only recollection of that night
The old guy that gave the haunted New Orleans tour
The guy who gave us the swamp tour
The lady at the hotel who gave me a safety pin
The jazz band from my first trip – the clarinet player I loved and the drummer that made funny faces
The street magician
All the women that said they liked my dress, even after I spilt food all over it
The man who kissed my foot
The guy with the trained dogs
The lady who came through the street magicians show with a trash can – hilarious
The man at the coffee shop/ bar on Julia street

2nd Trip – August 5-7
The Godfather of Jackson Square
The artist in the square that explained the birthday dollar thing
The lady at Lush that started the birthday dollar thing
The funny bartender at the mechanical bull bar
The beotch’s at the front desk of the Queen and Crescent, and the cool bell guy
Bently (was his real name Tom?)
The kids in the street that we untangled beads for
The lady at the pizza place that wanted new boobs
The waitress at Emeril’s NOLA who called us rock stars
The lady at NOLA that gave Ebony the black napkin
The lady and the guy who put up with us in the bus stop while it rained
The bartender at Pat O’Briens who let us behind the bar
The doormen at Pat O’s that gave Eb birthday kisses
The guy Barbara tipped $5 to take a picture of us with the Huge Ass Beers To Go sign
The trolley driver who didn’t say the stops, and the one who did
The travel center lady who didn’t tell us the cemeteries were closed