Top 50

Every year, one of the things I look forward to is the OffBeat Top 50 Louisiana albums/CDs of the year - partly to see how well I did buying this year, partly to disagree, and partly to say, "I didn't know he/she/they released an album/CD/EP.
This year, I did pretty good in that I have the Galactic and Tab Benoit CDs from this year, both of which I love.

I don't always agree with their picks, and I would like to disagree with their choice to exclude Lucinda Williams and Mary Gauthier from the list. They discuss New Orleans and Louisiana in their songs, and they do so from a different perspective from people currently in the industry in New Orleans. Just because we move away does not make us Louisiana. Its influences last a lifetime.

I didn't know that Anders Osborne had a new CD, or Bonerama, or Joe Krown. I did know the Subdudes had a new CD, and I will be buying that ASAP at Louisiana Music Factory. Maybe Supagroup, too.

Happy Listening!

Resolutions

It seems to be that time of year - when people with the best of intentions make an effort to improve their lives as the calendar turns, hoping that this year will be different/better/more meaningful than others. I have tried to make resolutions in the past, and I really seem to have a great deal of difficulty sticking with them. But this year there is a baby on the way. My life is going to be really different no matter what, but I still have some personal goals that I feel I must achieve in order to make my life more complete.

Here is the partial list:

1. Quit all of the bad habits that I can't seem to quit.
2. Be patient and kind.
3. Organize my financial records by month and not just shove everything into a file cabinet.
4. Keep up with my blog more frequently and with better insights.
5. Return to my teaching job. It's what I was meant to do with my life.
6. Write thank you notes.
7. Cook dinner more often.
8. Keep my little office in my attic clean.
9. Take some time off work to spend with the baby.
10. Relax at the YMCA by swimming and playing.
11. Paint the shutters. (It's been two years now.)
12. Read more
13. Learn Baby Sign Language.
    

Nothing on my list is obscenely difficult or out of the realm of possibility. I tried to keep everything concrete so that I can see them take place. One day I will get my printer fixed so that I can print this up and look at them frequently.

Anyone else have a list to share?

What Americans Think

I can't believe what I read in the USA Today.

Is New Orleans experiencing a crime wave? Undoubtedly.

With the spotlight on New Orleans (such as it is), the media is more capable of showing the city warts and all. Perhaps this most recent poll is a needed shot in the arm. I, for one, think that we New Orleanians are desensitized to all the crime and murder. As long as it doesn't happen in our neighborhood or on our block, we just assume that its gangbangers or drug dealers killing each other over "turf." And we turn a blind eye. Every once in a while a Helen Hill or Dinerral Shavers innocently becomes a victim, and we decry the ineptitude of the "system" for a few weeks.

The truth is that the system is broken, crime is rampant, and the solutions are more complicated and costly and deep-rooted than we can fathom. It will take years of remediation and consistently excellent effort to make lasting change. At this time, it does not seem that we are on this path. Lots of us have ideas on how to improve the world as it relates to New Orleans, but until the leaders get on board with these ideas, begin to implement them, and follow up when needed, the out of control spiral will continue. To simply say, like Mary Beth Romig states, that "All we can say is, statistics continue to point to the fact that much of the crime is taking place in historically crime-ridden parts of the city" is not acceptable. Crime in any part of our city is bad. We simply can't turn a blind-eye to where the crime is occurring.

Everyone who is killed or is a victim of a crime is someone's son or daughter. And each killing and crime effects us whether we like it or not. From this point forward, the crime will effect New Orleans financially. Maybe that's what it takes to get the city's attention. Who wants to visit a war zone on their vacation, even if the food is divine and the attitude laid back?

But it boggles my mind that Americans, our fellow countrymen, (33% of them) think the French Quarter was one of the most severely damaged parts of the city. But even more frustrating and unimaginable is the 26.5% who still thought some parts of the city were flooded.

New Orleans has a real chance to fix some of the things that are wrong with it - 30+ years of neglected public education, a broken housing system, and a laundry list of other urban ills. I don't care where it starts, as long as it starts happening soon.

The Sugar Bowl, the BCS Championship, Mardi Gras, and the NBA All-Star game are coming soon. The sports media loves New Orleans, and they take the opportunity to highlight positives. Mardi Gras is its own press release for New Orleans. I think New Orleans needs to take advantage of the positive press in the next few months and make lasting, meaningful changes; changes it must make to continue to right generations of wrongs and continue to be a world class city.

Money Money Money

I don't subscribe to the USA Today, but I have been noticing that they seem to have tons of articles that continue to focus on New Orleans. Just for this reason, I may begin to get it. In today's paper, I saw this article. While money itself ($17.5 million) will not fix the issues with New Orleans schools (or the aftermath of the Federal Flood), the organizations that received this grant money will be able to. Among the groups receiving funds are Teach for America, New Leaders for New Schools, teachNOLA, and New Schools for New Orleans. Among the donors are Bill and Melinda Gates, Eli and Edythe Broad, and Doris and Donald Fisher.

My hats go off to them. Thank you for helping make a difference.

However, what about the RSD schools? Do they get any of the money or does it simply go to schools run by these organizations? Then what?

It looks to me like this is beginning to be a two-tiered system.

Idiots Everywhere

25 years ago, you wouldn't be caught dead in the town that spawned both baseball and Frank Sinatra (well, maybe if you were dead...). Now, however, Hoboken, NJ is a thriving small town just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. It has excellent restaurants, a bustling boutique store market, and an exciting nightlife scene. Some cops from Hoboken came to New Orleans to help in Kenner after Katrina and did some stupid things. They did even more stupid stuff in Hudson county. There is a lively blog discussion going on with this story in New Orleans. You should hear the outcry in NJ. It basically comes down to this - some people cannot handle authority in the proper manner. There are idiots everywhere.

PS - This is interesting to me because my wife was living in Hoboken before we moved out to Pennsylvania. I liked that little town. If you ever go, you need to get a Roast Beef and Mozzarella sandwich at Fiore's (only served on Saturdays). It rivals any RB poboy in New Orleans.

New Job Update

I have completed the 90 day trial period and am awaiting my meeting with the owner/general manager of the training company for which I work. It has occurred to me that I have not yet given much of an update here. I have lots of thought about this especially as my life is about to take an expected and exciting turn in the next few months. I do not wish to be enigmatic so it is here that I will announce that my wife is pregnant. Because of this fact (planned, I may add), I would like to present a list of pros and cons about my old job (a Latin teacher) and my new job (computer trainer).

I will start with the new job since it is freshest in my mind:
PROS:
a) It's mostly close to home - though I do have to travel in the area infrequently, it's mostly non-trafficked roads in the Pocono Mountains to Wilkes-Barre or down towards Reading.
b) I am meeting people who live in my area. I like meeting new people, and it gives me a chance to talk about New Orleans.
c) I like teaching computers because it gives me a chance to improve myself as well.
d) I don't have to get up at 5 AM.
e) I am given time to prepare for classes at work.
CONS:
a) My company is run poorly.
b) Communication is poor, expectations are hidden, and follow-up is lousy.
c) I have to travel 90 plus miles sometimes one way in a day.
d) I am not given much time to prepare for classes. I would love to be able to do this at home, but because of the sins of some (who no longer work for the company) we all have to sit in a small room and study.
e) I make very little pay. I am afraid that the salary for which I took the job is not going to be enough to keep me doing this.
f) One week vacation.
g) Little support or motivation unless we are part of the sales team. We are not.

It seems to me that I have have chosen a career that I will to continue to pursue. I was happy at my old school, and I had things better than I could have expected.

I will be looking to return next fall, I believe. I have a lot of work to do to make that happen, but I think I can pull it off. At least, I know what I don't want to do now.

I am funny

On Halloween this year, I was dressed like a horrifying wraith. I say horrifying because you couldn't see my face, I had on long bony finger gloves, and I stood in the shadows and sneaked (yes, sneaked) up on unsuspecting trick or treaters.
I am a Red Sox fan. As such, I hate the Yankees and their fans. Not so much that I wish them harm, but I do like to make their lives difficult and I love to talk trash. This year a young man came by trick-or-treating in a Yankees uniform. I refused to give him candy. He pleaded, but I stood firm. Ultimately, I gave him a single piece of Laffy Taffy (tm).
When a kid wearing a Red Sox uniform arrived, I poured candy into his basket noting that I refused to give any to the Yankee kid.
His father and I had a good laugh and exchanged sad sap stories about our luck over the Red Sox winning another World Series. I lamented that I hadn't even had the chance to hang up my 2004 World Series Champion yet and now it was outdated.
He said he was upset because he went and bought a jacket that said "Six Time World Series Champions," and now they've won seven.

Oh, and for the neighbors' annual Halloween party? I was the Geico Caveman complete with brow and chin.

My wife went as a positive pregnancy test. Don't ask.

UPDATE: This post was created the day after Halloween, and I don't know why I didn't publish it. So here it is. Another glimpse into my uninteresting life.