His Most Regular Azure Sontag

Got my Katrina tattoo last week(Saturday July 22, 2006) at Walt Clark's new shop. The Girls've been away to the Northeast for two weekends. They're due back on the 31st. Since they've been away, I've had two non-drinking days. While it's been rough missing the wonder of The Girls routine, they'll be home tomorrow to get me back in line.

Drinking with the Weekend Wonders, amateurs, is quite odd. Normally, I'm not out for the weekends without The Girls. We go to the movies, play basketball, eat pancakes, play and generally stay as busy as three youngsters get(6, 9, 50).

These last two weekends've been me and one group or another drinking t'put out the fire. Fortunately, I can't drink too far. The last one is always clearly the last one.

Last night, I got to see Groovesect, with Colin Davis on the drums, at the Bank's Street Bar. They were great. My friends showed up for the second set. It's pretty wonderful to have friends however casual. Chatting was simple and easy, hallylooyeah!

Jason Swesnik

Jason Swesnik died somewhere between last night and this morning.

He was an extraordinary fellow. Terrific in any kitchen, with his Culinary Institute of America knowledge of food, wine and how to put it all together.

Unfortunately, he had a couple of problems: alcohol and drugs. These two items surely killed him.

Many of you have a story about him in his cups. He could and did drink past the blacked-out stage. I would always lecture him the next time I saw him. Evedently, to no avail.

I had high hopes. He'd remained sober for nearly a year, but the devastation of Hurry Katrina wore on him. He jumped into his killer habits, but couldn't live through them this time.

I will sorely miss him.

bye, Jason.

Hurry, Katrina

What a week! Left New Orleans Sunday(28th?) after the mandatory evacuation order with Mom and my two daughters. A two hour drive to Picayune MS took 7 hours. I sacrificed the car to Katrina, but she wanted more and took it. The local sheriff vanned us to the local shelter in Poplarville where we stayed under the grace of the Baptist church. The Red Cross showed up around Thursday.

I talked to my exwife Sunday night to let'r know we were in Poplarville. Katrina blew through Monday taking trees, homes and all communications with her. Couldn't talk to anybody for the week we were in the shelter. Started to feel rather helpless about getting out of the shelter. My Mom is 78 years old, sleeping on tile in a classroom, a church and a gym.

Saturday, the 3rd o'Sept, one of my companion evacuees tol'me someone was looking for me. A Swiss fella named Peter introduced himself to me with my story. He new that I'm diabetic, knew that my (ex)wife was coming to get us, and had our friend Kim's phone number. Apparently, Kim knows a journalist who knows these Swiss fellas who were going to MS to cover the Katrina story. Voila! I got to call Kim via their satellite phone, then consented to be interviewed for Swiss radio. I lambasted the Dubya,"I'm ashamed of my country!", says I. Dubya's federal gov't CAN/should respond to this type of devastation in 24 hours but they waited Four Days!

I've never respected Dubya, but now I'm in a more desparate fury. He's a despicable man.

August 2005

As is quite normal, it's hotter than HECK down here in New Orleans. The heat doesn't bother me as much as I think it might should. My acquaintances from the North, where I'm from, complain about the heat. Maybe, because I've been down here for 25 years, I've gotten used to it being so extraordinarily hot.

I love the torpor of the heat. I love to see business fellows in full two-piece & tie regallia getting from their cars to the next VERY IMPORTANT meeting.

It rains alot down here because we're semi-tropical. I love to watch folks frozen under an awning to avoid the rain. Maybe they fear the acid in what must certainly be polluted water falling from the shy. EGAD! ]

Today, again, I got to walk in the rain and watch folks cower against buildings as though they couldn't get home/hotel/motor inn to get into warm dry clothes. I got into work pretty wet from the two block walk knowing, somehow(I must be a GENIUS!) that 1) I would dry off and 2) the a/c at work would cool me off considerably more because I was wet than if I'd arrived dry.

The Latest

Listening to Frank Zappa's version of "Tied to the Whippin' Post" while I write this. I've turned it up, so I can't be too sensible as I most certainly am on frequent stumbles through this mess. One thing about Mr Zappa was his ability to tighten the melody with his famous brain and fingers. I think that the other guitar may be Steve Vai, but correct me because I pride myself with my errors.

Last week, me and the girls went to see Johnny Depp as Willie Wonka in Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". It was, without a doubt, a splendid movie. The girls, 8 & 5, noticed that it followed the Roald Dahl book a bit closer than the Gene Wilder version which we still treasure.

Lately we've been on a bit of a Roald Dahl kick. We've nearly finished "The BFG" which came out of a series. Next we've chosen, via their Mom, "The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me". I think this series has/was published for school kids to read because these books are accessable to children who've mastered some of the reading skills that'll comfort/stretch/educate/broaden them throughout their lives.

They liked  Lemony Snicket's first three books to a degree, but have asked me to put the next three on hold till further notice.

Any book from the L. Frank Baum series of Oz books will do at any time.

Watching alot of Scooby Do movies, simply awful, but the girls love'm. Fortunately for me, they also love the Marx Brothers/Sid Caeser/Red Skelton/Charlie Chaplin/Laurel & Hardy. I'm still working on getting them to love the wonder of Buster Keaton. One day, as they grow, I hope to hook them with Humphrey de Forest Bogart, who I've modeled myself after. Although, in light of saying it out loud in computer digits, I'm not financially secure and nobody's thinking of putting me into a movie of any kind. And, of course, I haven't been married to a woman 25 years my junior as he was to Ms. Bacall.

I'm reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography. I had tears running down my stupid cheeks when she described Bogie's death. I rented their "Key Largo" movie even though I've seen it a number of times. Don't y'think I should own a copy of "The Maltese Falcon"? or maybe "The Big Sleep"? Terrific movies without a doubt. No Doubt!

As you well know, I hate to suggest to you that you read The Maltese Falcon by Dashell Hammet or The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Why should you clutter your mind with information that would help you appreciate these movies, eh? I'm sure you'd rather rent a special effects movie where there's at least one blown up car so your boyfriend'll be nice to you. But don't forget: He's a prick, he can't help it and you're there to help him be a NICE GUY, right?

I do know an upstanding fellow who's not a fan of Bogart. But when he told me that, I was so non-plussed that I've never gotten around to asking him why. Now that you mention it, I should get around to asking him how he can't be a fan of Bogie. Doesn't it seem impossible?

Okay, thanks for writing to yourself, Ralphie, keep up the good work, as though you have an idea.

July 2005

It rained buckets today, again. It's July after all, when rain is a regular afternoon occurrence. What's irregular is the power went out again, third time in the last week. They, Entergy, came out right away and fixed it. It was only out for an hour or so.

The Girls washed my car while the rain lessened, using old wash cloths sans soap. Co really likes to shake the peach tree to make it rain some more, but I've wised up and don't get caught as often.

We took Granma out for lunch after some convincing for the girls that it's necessary for Dad to see his Mom. Co told me that she finds it difficult to converse with Granma because she's hard to understand. "I just say,'o yes' or 'okay' to most of it because she talks so quietly". I understand completely, and commended her for her patience. I either say the same things Co says or I ask Mom to repeat whatever it was until I DO understand what she's saying.

Yesterday, as Mom and I were going to pick up the Girls from day-care, Mom said something about how Gail & Frank live right nearby. I had to ask her to repeat this one because 1)the last time Gail & Frank lived right nearby was a lil over 30 years ago and 2)Gail & Frank died about 10 years ago within a year of each other. I couldn't find an appropriate comment for her comment.

I think, now, that I could've reminded her, without doing any damage, that Gail & Frank are regretably no longer with us in this realm.

Frank was a Universalist minister, stock brocker, newspaper delivery manager. He was graduated from Harvard's School of Divinity and had a terrificly firm voice for delivering eulogies or social critiscism. He was wonderfully left-wing.

Gail worked at a bank. I could joke with her about foreclosing on widows, heehaw. She made me realize that not everyone working at banks were monsters. I could ask her how the other monsters were at work and she'd reply that not all of them ate children and that none of them lived under bridges.

Frank and Gail married on my birthday. I still miss'm.

Flying by July

Power went out again t'day, but not for long. Called the theatre for times to go see the newest cartoon from that guy that made,"Spirited Away". The recorded voice said,"blah, blah, 4:10, blahblahblah". It also mentioned nearby landmarks and mentioned that it's the only theatre in Chalmette. My and my eldest went out there and the ticket lady said,"eh?, we don't have any Japanese movies playing here!". Okay, we saw the "Fantastic Four" instead. Thank g-d for the tremendous advances special effects have made, eh? Can you imagine trying to make a movie that had to rely on dialogue? We were early so we went into the Goodwill store and bought Co a sweater, 'cause it's always too cold in the theatre. I bought some funnels for the kitchen so I don't have to wear so much olive oil when I'm pouring it into that lil bottle. It only rained about an inch today, then got ridiculously sunny.  I'm not certain that I've been swept into the Hollywood mega-publicity headbanging idol worship yet. I don't hate/love Tom Cruise, must've missed him at the last party I went to. I do know who Lindsey Lohan is. I'm not sure if Jessica(I did actually see Jess in the "Dukes of Hazard" trailer this afternoon, she's blond and should eat more butter)is going to break up with Nick, although I don't have a solid grip on who they are except that I'm certain they're stars of some sort. These admissions are to bolster my geezer status which I've labored tirelessly to advance. My car's brakes are sorta working again, I hope not to procrastinate until I hit something, but that's been the rule. I'd love to stay and update y'all until your eyelids get heavy, but I gatta git.

Rain & Power

Tropical storm Cindy dropped about 8" of rain in my Mid-City neighborhood t'other night. The power went out at about 10:30pm Tuesday night and stayed out at selected homes 'til this evening, Thursday, at around 5:30pm(41 hours without power). My neighbors lost their power for about 5 hours so we, the kids and I, were able to plug our refrigerator into their house to save the food.

8" of rain in a day is alot of rain for those of you who've never experienced an event like that. But I'll admit it's not a monsoon.

Losing power for 41 hours was frustrating because there's no-one to complain to that will hurry up the repair. The streets were lined with broken trees, many of which had taken down power lines. Especially frustrating because many of the neighbors'd gotten their power back so much sooner. The grid that defines who's on who's curcuit isn't a grid at all, but more like a district map drawn up to show favor in one neighborhood versus another.

My neighbor's house is 15' from mine, their grid was repaired in 5 hours while mine, 15' away, was repaired in 41.

I know, of course, that Entergy was concerned and that their workers were as busy as could be. Entergy, being a giant energy company, has nothing but concern for their lowly customers. I'm don't want to seem petty for their rapid laborious repair and recovery of my electric power.

Meanwhile, me and the girls, played in another neighbor's wading pool until Freda fell asleep. Neil, the neighbor, let me know that I can go borrow the pool whenever the girls make the request.

Next on the agenda is Hurricane Denis, due to drop into the area Monday night. There'll be a mass exodus from the city co-ordinated so that everyone'll leave at the exact same moment to guarantee horrible traffic from here to anywhere north of here.

After thousands of years of horrible traffic due to hurricane evacuation, a couple of states came up with a plan last year(!), for this years evacuation. Mississippi and Louisiana are going to make all the roads that can go north, north-bound only. All the regular south-bound lanes will be commandeered to go north.

As per usual, I'll probably stay around looking for a tavern that has sandbags blocking the rising water from harming the cooling kegs.

Hurricane Denis means a lil enforced holiday for the whole city. Get your ice and alcohol now and avoid the rush.

What's been going on lately...

oh bother! I just finished reading,"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. Compleatly wonderful story about a Baptist family living in the Congo. The Congo, as forgetable as it is, was pushed around by the Belgians, then shuffled around by the Americans vs. the Russians. In our shuffling, we succeeded in murdering as many people as we could manage,"oh, drat! We should've killed them too!". One main problem with the Congo was that beneath the ground and above the ground, they have/had precious minerals and rubber trees. Ah, woe is the Congo! You should never be born in an "uncivilized" country when there is so much for "civilized" countries to steal.  Keep this in mind if you are considering birth from the spirit world unto this one of material.

These 4 dimensions are cruel beyond belief. Time is creeping up on me to my great woe. I've come to the realization that I'm a failure in more realms than I'd like to consider. Luckily, my spirit chose to be born in america, where I don't have to consider the suffering of others and what little I'm doing about it. Instead, I'm considering how I've failed and whether it is of any value for me to continue sucking up precious resources.

It's simple for me to regard my children as the Best Greatest Things that've ever occurred. Otherwise, I have nothing.

I'm relatively intelligent, but I've made too many unintelligent choices. I'm in a state now where every action is tainted by my past's experiences. I can't apol'gize enough for my errors. I don't feel certain that I can correct these errors in my future. I'm afraid, now, that I'm going to be a miserable, bitter, old geezer.

Broken Leg {Trimalleolar fracture}

A few years ago, I broke my left leg. At the end of last year, after using it to walk and such, it stopped working. I couldn't walk without crutches through January, dang! There was alot of hoopla about surgery, but me and the docs backed off. Since the surgery would be rather dramatic, we're waiting until it doesn't work at all before any surgery will be preformed. I work three days a week standing up and marching around in a kitchen. This makes my leg hurt. Word to the wise: Don't break anything once you've passed your 40th birthday, okay?