I Wish I Was In New Orleans

My thoughts go out to all the people in FL, LA, MS, AL and everywhere affected by the hurricane Katrina. I have fond memories of the winter I spent in New Orleans; playing music on the street (and getting arrested for it) playing in a strip club, eating lots of red beans and rice (a buck a plate, can't beat it!) hanging at a cafe called "Until Waiting Fills", selling Mylar balloons at the Mardi Gras Parades, (How Much? Keep walking!), living in Amzies attic, getting completely wasted on Mardi Gras, and finally hopping a freight train out of town with Jane (sex on a moving freight car, as I remember, was not all its cracked up to be).

Those two months were magical, and I will never forget them.

I'm listening to Tom Waits' song, I Wish I Was In New Orleans. It is so beautiful, and is one of those songs that I always sing to myself; more this week than usual.

I only visited New Orleans twice after that winter, once when I was traveling with Nirvana, my Italian girlfriend, (we got the crabs on that trip - probably from the flea bag motels we stayed at) and once when I was in a traveling theatre company and we had a weekend gig in N.O. It was Bourbon St with an expense account that time, and I think we had a good time.

I want to go back to New Orleans when they rebuild. I want to see it again. I'm going to donate some money, and I'm going to think about those people down there and send them some positive energy. I hope they come through this. I want to be at the first jazz Fest in N.O. when they resume. I'm gonna drink a Hurricane!

"Make sure there's a Dixie moon,
New Orleans, I'll be there."
from I Wish I was In New Orleans by Tom Waits

Katrina - you're a bitch!