I think that this is sadder than 9/11 and for me to say that takes a lot. It’s beyond my comprehension.
Like so many people, I look to New Orleans and Louisiana for music, good times, and of course, great food. I have never been to bayou country but have read about it so many times and imagined it even more.
A guick list of my favorite Louisiana musicians: Don’t have the time to link to their music now–but it’s out there
The Radiators–they have a washboard player and are pure fun
Marcia Ball–her voice is incredible; her style is like a fun New Orleans Patsy Cline. Makes me want to dance and eat red beans with rice everytime I hear her. And I’m not crazy about red beans
Lucinda Williams–first heard in 1979 when she introduced me to Zachary. So, yes, I have followed her amazing career. Her lyrics are poetry; her voice is a female sweeter Tom Waits (who lived in New Orleans but isn’t of Louisiana) rasp
The Neville Brothers–especially Aaron–to be at jazz fest and to dance not ten feet from Aaron Neville is an experience that is beyond beautiful. I went with 15 other people and almost fell in love with a life long friend. And he’s gay. Such is the power of the Neville’s especially Aaron–who looks very sexy when you’re ten feet from him
Dr John–in college everytime we would play a record of his something totally weird and spooky would happen. Lights would flicker or go out
stuff like that; do think that off and on college boyfriend had a very freaky experience while listening to Dr. John. Very freaky. Have to ask for permission to tell that story; we’re still friends and still just say “Dr. John” and begin to laugh.
Louis Armstrong–while he was alive I was too young and stupid to understand how brilliant he was. I regret that now. “What a wonderful world” is my all time favorite song. Have many renditions of it. Talked over one rendition and said that people were always asking him why he sang a song about the beauty of the world while a war (Viet Nam) was going on, and there was racism, and more.
Louis said that he wasn’t talking about the world as it is; but as it could be.
At Bring it on, TB has listed many hurricane relief resources. I have another post there; it’s also posted here.
Was thinking last night that we learned a bit about disasters in New York dead on four years ago. The only advice I have is: people who were affected by the hurricane need your help now, but they’re going to need your shoulder in a month, six months, a year—even four years from now. Let them be in shock now; let them scream later; let them do anything that they want except hurting themself or others.
Please I know what I’m talking about from personal experience.
I’m sure that I left many people out. If you can think of any more; please add them.
Haven’t been to blogs the past couple of days. Too crazed. But I will be around.
And right now I can’t wait to be able to go to Jazz fest again. Even the porta potties were clean. The food was amazing; and I almost fell in love with a gay male–that just doesn’t happen to me.
That doesn’t happen to me either.
I posted an article on the hurricane yesterday and then e-mailed it to the Orlando Sentinel editorial department. Darn if they didn’t print it today on their op-ed page.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-myword01a05sep01,0,7951823.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines
It gets sadder every day, what’s happening down there.
You bring up a good point about being there for the victims of this on down the road, because .. yeah right now a lot of them probably are still in shock and can’t fully comprehend what has happened.
~K
it is all mental. really odd to watch all the amateur footage feels too close…
I can’t watch the images coming out of New Orleans any more. I only had the chance to go there one time during the summer of 2003. I was there for 10 days and I expored the whole area by day and night. It was a great experience and I fell in love with New Orleans.
I stopped being able to watch the footage when I saw the Hyatt in New Orleans with all its windows blown out. The hotel I stayed in on my trip was across the street from that one.
I’ve donated already and I have a link on my site to a list of different organizations that are helping out in this disaster.
The State Office of Emergency Services has learned that trapped victims on the Gulf Coast are calling family, friends, loved-ones, or anyone they can get a call out to in other states asking for someone to rescue them. Any person with relatives or friends in the disaster area who receives a request for help, should relay the Request immediately to the US Coast Guard’s Rescue Line at 800-323-7233 and immediate assistance will be sent. Please distribute this information as widely as possible.