New Orleans

New Orleans is definitely in the top 3 of international cities I've visited.....number one is still held by Edinburgh, Scotland. Number two is New Orleans. Number three....hmmm, difficult decisions to be made. It's hard to really compare large cities to small cities since what is enticing about them is comparing apples to oranges. Whitefish, MT and Banff, AB are both up there, along with Seattle, London, Brussels, San Francisco and Manhattan. Uggh. No matter. Good times to be had by all. First time experiencing a Hurricane and a Mint Julep, seeing Ann Rice's previous residence (I recently learned she was driven out to the suburbs by the Historical Garden District Women's Society), and actually realizing that there is more architectural history to America than Home Depot and Lowe's....but you'd never know it living in the midwest. New Orleans has been a breath of fresh air to my experience with the rest of the country. I know that the city has bad crime and integration issues...but the beauty and atmosphere of the french quarter and garden district have really taken me by surprise. Why is it that vampires can only exist in cities with masoleums, wrought iron, and french architecture?

"That morning I was not yet a vampire, and I saw my last sunrise. I remember it completely, and yet I can't recall any sunrise before it. I watched its whole magnificence for the last time as if it were the first. And then I said farewell to sun light, and set out to become what I became." - Louis

222-2222

Gus, I think it's great Paris Hilton gave you Christina Aguilera's phone number, but I still don't think she wants you to call her. Maybe I'm wrong. Oh, wait a minute my phone is ringing....it's Vin Diesel....gotta go.

Goodbye

Hunter S. Thompson. Great writer. Great gonzo journalist. Everything from novels like Hell's Angels to political satire to ESPN sports columns, the writing was unique and full of personality. Sigh. I'm gonna miss you :(

Blah

Flu of 2005
Flu of 1998
It better be another 7 years before I get this again.

Last Night

Definitely should know by now that starting off the night with the comment "think I'll just have one drink then leave" is a doorway to untold late night shenanigans. The offending bar was "Talayna's" which seems to be a strip club gone karaoke. Every spare inch of wall and ceiling is mirrored and the center of the bar is a raised stage/dance floor surrounded by neon red and blue light. People actually get down and dirty dancing to karaoke...and somehow it was wonderful. Highlights of the night include a group pact to have a stranger sign a buttcheek, it's a great conversation starter....kudos to those who got both buttcheeks signed (you know who you are.... and if you don't look in the mirror)! Having a dance off with Julia using our new found breakdancing skillz -- to be continued....and teaming up with Michelle to perform multiple, um, necessary interventions.

*Good times*

Happy Chinese New Year

...oops, one day late. Off to an evening of dumplings, duck, hot and sour soup, and other tasty Chinese delights.

Yahoooooooo

BODYWORLDS is in Chicago!!!

Napolean Dynamite

You know, skills. Like numchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills, tetherball skills.

The first time I saw this movie I was all alone (literally- the only person in the audience) in a Little Rock, AR theatre. And it has taken a little while to grow on me, kind of like another masterpiece "The Big Lebowski" which gets better with every viewing. So The Seattle Times has a pretty good article about the sleepy success of Napolean, and how it was made according to the "mormon moral code" at Brigham Young.