marathoner452

I saw tourists step right out in front of me while biking down to The Historic New Orleans Collection.  Look, I know we're all in a heat daze and you can get go-cups and drink in the streets and yes, the French Quarter is very pretty and we all need to stop and take pictures of it, but would you mind looking before stepping into the middle of the street?
Do I get extra points for actually running into one, or maybe free beignets or an Abita or at least new brakes for my bike?
I smelled fresh strawberries on my cereal, fresh blueberries and/or blackberries coming soon to a bowl of cereal near you.
I felt like the weather was cooler today, fancy that, 85* almost feels refreshing.  It is refreshing I think, even with matching humidity, so long as there's a good breeze.  The breeze keeps away the mosquitos too.  Stupid mosquito bites from sitting on the porch at 1 am.
I tasted margaritas at Tomatillo's and double chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven at midnight.  That's the best time to bake cookies, late at night after a couple drinks.
I heard Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan's on Thursday night.  It was entertaining to watch the tourists show up in cabs wearing beads and looking so out of place, that is if they even dared to get out of the cab, because we do live in such a terrifying neighborhood.  (Bodies found in trash cans notwithstanding.)  The music was better enjoyed from the wooden bench out front, away from the crowds and the heat in a too-tight little black dress and sneakers.  This is the 9th ward, I don't care if I'm overdressed and don't match.
We should go hear him play somewhere somewhat less crazy, somewhere where we can enjoy the music.

I saw Mardi Gras decorations everywhere on my run, and one of the Zulu coconuts at school.  The teacher I work with is riding in the Zulu parade on Mardi Gras Day and I need to find someone to go with me.  They paint the coveted Zulu coconuts in art class at my school, or the art teacher does, or something like that.
I smelled delicious red beans, shrimp pasta, and jambalaya at the all-black birthday party D. brought me along to.
I felt somewhat frazzled from working with a hyperactive kindergarten student all day.  More on that later.
I tasted king cake in the front lot of the elementary school, and I brought the leftovers home with me for the our Mardi Gras costume making endeavor tomorrow.
I heard my new Professor Longhair CD en route to and from work.  I'm just impressed that my mom was able to find that in Maryland.

I learned the CI,  or Crisis Intervention, hold today.  That should tell you something about the student I'm working with.

I saw the brightly-colored houses of the Musician's Village.
I smelled a clean house ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow.
I felt overwhelmed by coming into my own and accepting responsibility for a sliver of the future of New Orleans by becoming a teacher.
I tasted pesto pasta for dinner because I was too lazy to do anything more for dinner than boil water for spaghetti.
I heard the voices of many friends telling me I'll be okay, that I can make it as a New Orleans Public School teacher.

Strength does not mean the absence of fear.  I moved 1100 miles from home to thrive and to make a difference.

I saw soymilk in the fridge at Mardi Gras Zone, yay soymilk and I will try not to spill it on my keyboard this time.
I smelled Aunt Sally's Creole Pralines biking down Chartres to Mardi Gras Zone.
I felt stiff from biking all over town and running mile repeats this afternoon to boot.
I tasted cheesy rice and chili for lunch at Emergency Communities.
I heard Doc Otis at Kajun's until midnight, then a train whistling as we biked back to the Bywater but we made it across the tracks in time.