I'm sorry my phone died; thanks for the post. So, so good to hear you! And to know New Orleans is welcoming you back as she did me. "Welcome home, baby..." Sweeter words have never been spoken by a city.
It is a humbling and almost curious thing, how the residents look out for and care for you when you think your reason for being there is to help them. It is one of those things to meditate over in the small hours, and then a new understanding comes to you as the sunrise reaks over the Florida Avenue bridge, while you're still marveling that you're in the ghetto and yet you can see the stars at night as clearly as if you were in the country, and the freight train whistles take you downhome, and you realize... I'm here. I'm home.
God, I miss her.
It's -- I remember, three or four nights into my time home in December, sitting on the steps of St. Mary's at around 12 AM, having gotten in from the HoE about a half hour earlier, smoking a cigarette. A resident of the L9, Ira, walked by and came up to talk with me. "Baby," he said, "you got to slow down, or you're going to make yourself real sick." I WAS very tired then and I'd been going for 48 hours straight at that point. I wondered how he knew... and was surprised he cared.
It's true, though, that you can't help if you urn out. So remember to rest and talk to folks and don't feel bad (I felt guilty whenever I wasn't OMG! Doing Something!) when you take it slow for a day or so.
The following week, I had a bad cold, and Ira happened to e walking y again, and asked if I wanted anything at the store. "Orange juice?" he suggested when I told him I had a cold and didn't really want anything. Again... a resident looking out for me.
And those are just two incidents. There are many more.
God, I love New Orleans, and her people.
I'm going to try to find my cell charger by tomorrow. :P
I love you, hope to hear many more of these posts, y'hear? I love 'em.
Be safe, be well... as if you'll be anything else.
(As I started to ask before my phone so rudely turned itself off: are you going to the Common Ground celebration tomorrow? I wonder if James might be there... check drunah's post in neworleans - or give her a call. It'd be great if you could go!)
I wish I would have read your comment before now...I hadn't even thought of asking her to give me a ride. I was done with lunch prep. by 1 or so and could have gotten to most of it.
On the other hand, just hanging out in the dining room (they have couches in there and I was catching up on some reading) gave me a chance to talk with a resident who'd hurt his eye pretty badly thanks to a gas line in the house he and his father were gutting. He said Ryan up at CG had given him a ride to the doctor's...do you know Ryan? Anyway, this man and I had a long discussion on weather. It's cold here but not as cold as it is in Maryland, and he really likes Louisiana summers (as swelteringly hot as they are).
I'm thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing here. There's more time to get to know the residents. It's much more personal that way. It's like home. There's no reason to be scared. (But just try telling my grandma that.)
Word on the street is that we're closed on Mardi Gras. Hopefully it'll have warmed up by then. I could see my breath when I woke up this morning (I don't think there's any heat in the trailer).
I just had my first piece of king cake with dinner tonight. I didn't get the baby so I don't have to throw a Mardi Gras party. :-)
Sure, I know Ryan. We didn't work together but we hung out once or twice. Nice guy. At CG everyone's your brother or sister; I'm sure EC is the same way.
And yes, that is something I really like about being in the Ninth; you get to meet, get to know, and form relationships with the people in the community, not just see them while you gut their house. It's something I feel is very important to do, not just for the residents and workers but also for the whole effort. I don't know how EC does things or what their relationship with CG is, but if you can, I would recommend seeing if you could go to CG on a Monday or Wed. for a political education talk ut it is of course very important to talk to as many residents as you can!!! I always come home feeling like I didn't talk to people enough.
And yes, it is safe. As long as you don't ask for trouble, it's very easy to not get into trouble. :)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-02-17 05:18 am (UTC)It is a humbling and almost curious thing, how the residents look out for and care for you when you think your reason for being there is to help them. It is one of those things to meditate over in the small hours, and then a new understanding comes to you as the sunrise reaks over the Florida Avenue bridge, while you're still marveling that you're in the ghetto and yet you can see the stars at night as clearly as if you were in the country, and the freight train whistles take you downhome, and you realize... I'm here. I'm home.
God, I miss her.
It's -- I remember, three or four nights into my time home in December, sitting on the steps of St. Mary's at around 12 AM, having gotten in from the HoE about a half hour earlier, smoking a cigarette. A resident of the L9, Ira, walked by and came up to talk with me. "Baby," he said, "you got to slow down, or you're going to make yourself real sick." I WAS very tired then and I'd been going for 48 hours straight at that point. I wondered how he knew... and was surprised he cared.
It's true, though, that you can't help if you urn out. So remember to rest and talk to folks and don't feel bad (I felt guilty whenever I wasn't OMG! Doing Something!) when you take it slow for a day or so.
The following week, I had a bad cold, and Ira happened to e walking y again, and asked if I wanted anything at the store. "Orange juice?" he suggested when I told him I had a cold and didn't really want anything. Again... a resident looking out for me.
And those are just two incidents. There are many more.
God, I love New Orleans, and her people.
I'm going to try to find my cell charger by tomorrow. :P
I love you, hope to hear many more of these posts, y'hear? I love 'em.
Be safe, be well... as if you'll be anything else.
(As I started to ask before my phone so rudely turned itself off: are you going to the Common Ground celebration tomorrow? I wonder if James might be there... check
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 03:28 am (UTC)On the other hand, just hanging out in the dining room (they have couches in there and I was catching up on some reading) gave me a chance to talk with a resident who'd hurt his eye pretty badly thanks to a gas line in the house he and his father were gutting. He said Ryan up at CG had given him a ride to the doctor's...do you know Ryan? Anyway, this man and I had a long discussion on weather. It's cold here but not as cold as it is in Maryland, and he really likes Louisiana summers (as swelteringly hot as they are).
I'm thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing here. There's more time to get to know the residents. It's much more personal that way. It's like home. There's no reason to be scared. (But just try telling my grandma that.)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 03:30 am (UTC)I just had my first piece of king cake with dinner tonight. I didn't get the baby so I don't have to throw a Mardi Gras party. :-)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 06:03 am (UTC)And yes, that is something I really like about being in the Ninth; you get to meet, get to know, and form relationships with the people in the community, not just see them while you gut their house. It's something I feel is very important to do, not just for the residents and workers but also for the whole effort. I don't know how EC does things or what their relationship with CG is, but if you can, I would recommend seeing if you could go to CG on a Monday or Wed. for a political education talk ut it is of course very important to talk to as many residents as you can!!! I always come home feeling like I didn't talk to people enough.
And yes, it is safe. As long as you don't ask for trouble, it's very easy to not get into trouble. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-17 11:38 am (UTC)Have a great trip. Come back safe and happy.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 03:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 05:51 am (UTC)On YouTue there's a 3 part interview with Malik, and as hes being interviewed, he's cooking up a shrimp boil. They're so good.
Oh, hey, here's part 1:
Link to YouTube video
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 12:20 pm (UTC)