She'll Rise Again

My heart just keeps getting heavier as the news from New Orleans grows bleaker. This piece from the Times does a nice job of capturing some of the unique spirit of the city, the way people living there have always had this day in the back of their minds.

I particularly like this article because it ends on a hopeful note. I know she'll rise again.

If you are able, please think about making a contribution to the relief efforts through the American Red Cross.

Can't Seem to Shake Her

I don't usually blog on the same subject twice in one day, but this day is unusual. I am totally preoccupied with thoughts of New Orleans today. She is never far from my mind, having wormed her way into my soul during my year there in '94-'95, but today feels different. I have been checking in with updates on the devastation all day long, and it's breaking my heart a bit right now.

A local radio station is doing a little N'awlins tribute right now (Professor Longhair, Neville Brothers, etc.) and I have to say I am feeling a bit verklempt. I think maybe it's time to go home and play my Creole Kings of New Orleans disc at full volume.

Even if you have never been touched by her magic, please keep this very special city and her wonderful inhabitants in your thoughts this week.

The Big Easy: Here's to Her

I have to take a moment and give it up for N'awlins, that gorgeous, mysterious underwater city where I spent probably the single most important year of my life. It's a magical place, filled with spirits you can feel but not see, and though the images of Katrina's devastation are pretty hard to look at, it could have been a lot worse. I am not surprised to know that folks began celebrating their survival only moments after she rolled out of town.

Here's hoping power is restored soon to N.O. and all of her neighbors along the Gulf Coast, and that any further loss of life can be avoided.

If I was there right now, I suspect I would be popping open an Abita Amber and watching the neighbors paddle by in their pirogue (that's Cajun for "canoe.")

More B.S. from W.

It's funny, because last time I checked, the old US of A wasn't all that "strong" in the first place. How does W. measure our strength, anyway? In our alliances with other countries? In our ability to convince others that our point of view is correct? In the way we treat our own less fortunate? In our efforts to aid the impoverished around the world? In the number of innocent lives lost in the name of a seemingly endless, unjustified war?

Maybe I am the one with the problem. But as far as I can see, Cindy Sheehan and her anti-war companions are not the ones undermining US strength. On the contrary, they are demonstrating it by standing up to our cowardly leader and demanding that he account for his reckless policies that are killing our sons and daughters and brothers and sisters.

He's Joking, Right?

It's beginning to feel like this war will never end, nor will our President's cold-hearted, stubborn stupidity.

The Texas Twosome

I just can't believe that Mike and I were not invited to join George and Lance on their ride around the ranch over the weekend. Oh well. So sad. But don't they look cute together? It was very nice of Lance not to whup W's behind - he is so OBVIOUSLY the bigger bad-ass. Just look at him!

Anyway, we did a nice 30-miler on Saturday AM, and I think the Texans only did 17. So there!

What do you think they talked about? BBQ?

HE'S ONE!

It's hard to believe that it's been one whole year since I was freaking out all day while my sister was in labor up in NYC, and then spent my evening drinking tequila and crying. Hey, what else are you supposed to do when your very first nephew hits the scene??

Oscar has been providing us with non-stop thrills, giggles and general euphoria for a whole year now, and I can't wait to see what the NEXT twelve months (and beyond!) holds for us all.

Quite simply, he is the most precious little bugger in the whole world and I love him to pieces! I look forward to the belated b-day festivities in a few weeks in NYC.

A Bicycle Built for Two?

Now, I love a good bike ride just as much as the next person. (Why else would I pedal to and from Ocean City every September?) But I have to say, the thought of W. and Lance cycling together this weekend really turns my stomach. Lance, how could you? Maybe Lance will be clever enough to take W. on a little detour outside the ranch for a chance encounter with Cindy Sheehan?

For more on W's remarkable aptitude for pedalling into oblivion, see Maureen Dowd in today's Times. I am very glad she is back in action.

(Cue the Beatles Riff...) You Say It's My Birthday...

...it's Madonna's birthday, too, yeah!! My friend Kate insisted that I do a birthday blog entry, and who am I to say no to Kate, who has been the keeper of much wisdom over the course of our nearly 25 year friendship. (ZOINKS! No sense mentioning how old we are today...)

I decided to come to work today, which I historically have not done, but since I am not in court, it's pretty tolerable. Right now it's about T-minus 20 minutes to a quick shopping spree (love those gift certificates from the in-laws) and then a MASSAGE. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Now THAT'S what I call a birthday present.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to all of you fellow Leos out there, especially my old pal Madge. I still love her, even with the fake British accent. One of these years she and I will have to celebrate together.

Mind Games

I know they were a bit before my time, but the Beatles were still pretty much my introduction to rock and roll music. While I was never a particular student of the immortal John Lennon, the angry, edgy quality of his genius was always quite apparent to me. And I have to say, turning his life into a poofy, soft-focus Broadway musical was never something that struck me as a particuarly good idea. And I guess with good reason.

Philly's Got Phunk!

Even the New York Times says so!! Sure, we have repressive state control over booze sales, but we also have some pretty funky neighborhoods filled with wacky arty types - including our cousin Meg, who designed this fabulous mural. Take a peek at this article and you will see that we are not all loud-mouthed sports fans!

Curling Up With a Good Book

Whoa. Where have I been? Well, I have been surrounded by babies recently, and dealing with some upheaval on the homefront, but now that I have emerged from the sea of cheerios and sippy cups, it's time to start reconnecting with the grown-up world. Since W. gets to take a five week vacation in Crawford, and all I get is to hang out in the air-conditioning in Northern Liberties with my gin and tonic, I thought I might take a brief break from politics (sort of). I recently had the very satisfying feeling of finishing a novel I really did NOT enjoy - all I wanted to do was tear out the last hundred pages, but I hung in there! So today, chilling out with my cat and my honey, I started what seems like is going to be a great novel: Scott Simon's "Pretty Birds." (Thanks to big sis for the loan.) I am hoping to learn a lot about the Serbian/Bosnian conflict, and get a serious glimpse into life in Sarajevo during the war. I've always been fascinated by this tragic chapter in recent European history, so this novel stands to be a good start in getting some insight into how Yugoslavia self-destructed.

Mr. Simon may be familiar to you from his great work as an NPR journalist, but so far, it seems that he's a pretty snazzy fiction writer, too.

Lest We Forget

Last weekend, we were chilling out in our new living room with our pal Gabe, a smart "kid" of almost 23 years who was wondering out loud when the "defining moment" of his generation/lifetime would be. You know: Vietnam, the Great Depression, etc. It occured to me, and to Mike, my big-brained husband, that we are actually in that moment now, in this "war on terror, " or "struggle against Islamist extremism," or whatever the hell it is called now.

As we chatted, my dear husband announced that not a day goes by when he doesn't think about what it must be like for our troops in Iraq - to experience the kind of fear and horror and confusion that they must be experiencing. Well, I must confess that some days I do let it slip my mind, but not today, not when I see stories like this.

It seems right now as if there is no end to the ways which human beings can find to kill one another. And as if there is no end to the hatred.

Unintelligent Design

All right, I can't help but make one or two knee-jerk comments about a headline I saw at the bottom of today's Inquirer: "Bush Backs Teaching Intelligent Design." Some B.S. about how teaching intelligent design gives students more ideas to think about.

So I think now would be a good time for us all to go out and rent "Inherit the Wind," and not just because Gene Kelly is so sexy. And I guess I just want to underscore the profound irony of W. propounding a theory of "intelligent design" as an explanation for the creation of life/humankind. Doesn't he kind of disprove that theory every time he opens his mouth?

Like a Hurricane

Must be the mid/late-summer meltdown, but I have not been feeling very political lately. Plus we have serious niece and nephew issues on the brain. (Gotta shop for some size 4 diapers in preparation for our tiny visitor later this week.)

So I thought I would just take this mellow time to remind everyone about the MS 150 City to Shore Bike Tour. We are riding at the end of September, and though the training season is off to a bit of a slow start (moving, excessive heat) we are psyched as always. Your contributions are of course appreciated (click on "epledge" and enter my name), but if nothing else, please just keep strong anti-hurricane thoughts for the weekend of 9/24.