Everyone was very close on the guessing game. My friend works here, and she sells costumes, wigs, and makeup.
This time tomorrow, I’ll be at the airport again, headed to New Orleans on a redeye flight. It seems somehow appropriate to arrive in the city exhausted and uncomfortable, as I’m sure a lot of residents still are on a daily basis. Friends are concerned about super-bacteria and the recent gang violence, and my mother, of course, is the most worried of all. But I’m looking forward to being there — I have loved New Orleans each time I’ve visited, and I’m extremely glad — and proud, actually — that ALA will be the first large association to have a conference in N.O. post-Katrina.
I’m also glad that attendees will have the chance to help with the restoration efforts. I’ll spend a day doing “clean-up and repair work. Requires the ability to lift and carry at least 50 pounds, bend or kneel for minutes at a time, and perform tasks of a strenuous nature beyond normal home maintenance and cleaning. Volunteers may be exposed to flood damaged building materials, as well as to paints, solvents, and cleaning agents. Volunteers are asked to wear work clothes appropriate to the often filthy working conditions.”
I’ll let you all know how it goes.
anonymous
June 21, 2006 at 4:15 amI love Fantasy Attic, too bad they moved from downtown. Were you with the group that went to model costumes for them back in the Theatre Guild days? I loved walking by the store downtown for years after that and seeing myself dressed as a pirate…
-Jeff
lkeele
June 21, 2006 at 9:13 amI just drove through NOLA, about a week ago. I wrote about it here if you’re interested.
Good luck at the conference! I think it’s cool they’re having a conference in NOLA, and that y’all are helping to clean up.
thisisnotanlj
June 21, 2006 at 10:44 amthanks for pointing me to that.
i feel like i’m prepared for the devastation — i mean, i know that it will make me sad — but you can’t really know how you’ll react to a situation until you’re in it.