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So I am about to sink into the abyss of a Seasonal Affective Depression brought on my a combination of too much work for no $ and nearly 40 days (and 40 nights) of rain. It’s Easter tomorrow and I’m dressed like it’s Thanksgiving, contemplating building an ark or moving to Mexico forever…
Perhaps it’s a quarter life crisis but I was feeling restless and recently became preoccupied with going and piercing my navel.
Anyways,now I’m all excited, in May I’ll be back to New Orleans for 4 days to give feedback about the experience of my SAMHSA deployment in the Katrina Assistance project. Though my role was small, I am excited to see some of my colleagues again, and to help make sense of what we have all learned form what is apparently one of the largest scale mental health projects ever attempted.
Then in AUgust I am booked for 5 days back in NOLA for the APA convention, I’ll be presenting with 3 of my honorable colleagues and fellow volunteers, and trying to get in on a Habitat for Humanity 1 day building project in the much beleagured 9th ward. Of course I am also thrilled to death about eating gumbo and seeing the Preservation Hall jazz band & more beignets than my arteries can stand!
Hmmm. I remember my very 1st visit to NOLA. I got on a gray line bus by myself and did the cemeteries tour, went to the aquarium and zoo and boat ride on the Missisipi, met a self proclaimed "Southern Democrat" who bought us drinks, hung at a vampire bar and ordered flaming absinthe, had to buy a tiny, stringy, halter top to wear as it was sweltering, and ate oysters and drank Heinekens before I got on the plane home.
Against all commons sense, I signed up for the 5k race as well. Now lest you scoff that 5K is a piddly run, let me remind you that NOLA in August is SWAMP weather. Last year’s 5K in D.C. felt like suffocation under a wet blanket, I can only imagine what this year will be like! But hey, I like a challenge. I guess it’s like thos folks who go run around in high altitudes or humidty on purpose when they train-so that in normal conditions they can leave the rest of us in their literal dust.
I hope I can track down some of the NOPD I worked with, they are all scattered now-kicked off their temporary shelters on the ships. I know many left town for good, and others are in trailers or other temporary shelter.
So, 2 trips back to NOLA this year give me a lot to look forward to.
And a friend’s informative e-mail about her painful belly ring infections have led me to rethink the body art for now! Guess I’ll just settle for working on these abs in yoga class…
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