NOPD: Not Our Problem, Dude!

Today marks the year anniversary of hurricane Katrina. I got to see the devastation up close and personal this past weekend. Miles of it, truly unfathomable. Much debris had been removed - dead cars and boats, but many structures that were beyond repair were still standing. Looked like some people were inhabiting their 9th ward homes without electricity, most homes demolished or abandoned.
We toured all along the levees, down to the harbor, where Joes Crab Shack still stood but whatever building next to it was there, wasn't there any more. The dead boats had been removed, and what should have been a busy day along Lake Pontchartrain , was nearly deserted... parks overgrown, palm trees held up with supports.
In the Broadmoor neighborhood one home was built higher and only flooded the basement. And, it was the only home to not get looted. However, after 26 years of residency in this upscale neighborhood the owners have decided to move to Baton Rougue. It belongs to my boyfriend's brother.
More on the trip later, and more on my previous trip. I came back with a nasty sinus infection so it's off to bed for po' me.

Things that make me cranky

I've been having back problems due in part to a computer desk that was too high for me. I tried the pullout keyboard tray (that turned out to be a piece of sh*t), the footstool (that broke after about 6 months), taking all the feet out from the desk, even pieces of 2x4 underfoot to try to get the correct balance of chair height and desk height... to no avail. It was a nice big corner desk with an extended right arm area, full back and shelves below (along with a couple of recently discovered discarded pieces of chewing gum). All I could find to replace it in the "free" and "available" department of the Atomic Dustbin where the school stores it's decrepid furniture was a height adjustable table, and table in the leanest sense of the word.


After nearly breaking my sternum to remove the piece of sh*t keyboard tray from the blue corner desk, the 'new' table came in with the adjustable screw completely locked down. An allen wrench screw. The usual tool guys weren't around so I walked to the other repair area, where I stopped in on one of the managers... He had a blue corner desk a lot like mine and said he's been trying to get the dept. to buy him a desk for three years, but they won't. What part of worker's compensation don't they understand, plus the discomfort and expense of physical therapy for the rest of your life.


I finally got hold of an allen wrench that worked just as Work Control Center representative Jerry came by (I'd called them not knowing what else to do) and he noticed that one of the feet was missing from the table.

Missing a foot. My computer is splayed across the office with various parts scattered about, the desk is on its side, all my work is on my Mac, which is sitting useless on the floor next to the paper cutter. I'm being taken back down to the Armory to pilfer a foot off another table, but it being Monday, I'm not coming back up here. I'm half way home from down there already.

Meanwhile here's some hats to go with your croc clogs.

First Date Analysis

I wanted to try the $3.95 happy hour burgers at the Fairhaven Pub and Martini bar, but aside from the underground/dark/stuffy atmosphere there was a very loud auction going on. So we walked down to Stanello's instead for some disappointing food.

We sat on the west-facing deck and the service was a bit slow, so it was hard not to overhear the conversation across from us. An asian woman who looked Thai perhaps, and a blond haired man wearing blue-blockers and sporting a third trimester pregnancy. They looked about mid-late 20s.

I wrote on the napkin because I didn't want my conversation with Paul overheard. "Blind date, next table over?" His penned response: "Met online. Should have exchanged photos." He asked her a couple times if she collected anything... I think she said "books." She didn't ask what he collected. I wouldn't be suprised if his response had been "Star Wars action figures" and "Magic game pieces". His shiney white tennis shoes had never seen the inside of a gym. [In walks my lung specialist and her date and sits at the table beyond ours. (I've been coughing since March.)] I wrote on the napkin "Desperately seeking something in common." His response "Maybe she's into blue blockers."

He asked if she liked Sushi. I think she said no. This fellow was trying so hard. She asked about his work schedule. 6:30 am - 1pm then various things. I'm thinking it was a first meeting because the conversation had no flow, and wouldn't you know whether or not someone likes sushi if that were not the case?

They had pizza and most of it was wrapped to go. After they left we picked at our mediocre italian plates (I had to slurp my spaghetti, it was so runny) and I felt my cough coming on. I did not supress it like I might normally do at a restaurant.