Onward, through the blog….
Week 1 was the disaster, Week 2 was for standing around slackjawed and catching breath and now Week 3 is for consolidating and looking ahead. And for wondering just when the hell they’re going to get enough going for us to get back to town and join with everyone in the rebuilding.
I’ve talked to about all the people we pay bills to and have at least made them aware of our situation. We’ve registered with all hte various agencies who can help and I have to say I’m floored by the generosity, kind faces and the selfless enthusiasm of nearly everyone. Thank you more than we can ever repay, except possibly to return all these great favors when/if they face their own disaster.
I wish I could say I was surprised by some of the negative, hateful and obnoxious responses to the blogging here and elsewhere. But I learned a long time ago that there’s no Asshole Vaccine, so none of it is taken personally (as much as they’d like it to be).
Part of me wants so badly to just go back, despite the lack of services and everything. I know lots of people have remained in place this entire time and, so you’ll know, I respect and admire your perserverence. We’ll be joining you as soon as some personal things are taken care of here in the Dallas area. I’m trying to keep up with any business recovery efforts in Orleans Parish, so please pass along any numbers or e-mail addresses you can find.
Businesses won’t come back until the customers do. But customers won’t come back until they know they can find basics like gasoline, food and safety. It’ll have to be a mutual thing, though business owners like me are going to have to be willing to take the lead and bite a few bullets. I’m still waiting to talk to the SBA and I have to see what kind of damage my place has suffered before I’m sure what I can do, but it won’t be long before Mid-City water levels subside enough to provide more information.
For now, it’s just a case of waiting and getting as much information as possible. Folks keep asking what our “plans” are and, frankly, we have none. It’s not a case of apathy — it’s just a case of not knowing what our status might be tomorrow. We’re glad there are some family thing to take care of here, since it helps retain focus. And at least we know we have a place to go back to — and that’s more than a lot of others can say these days.
Related posts:
I would just like to say how much, reading all of these blogs has meant to me. I live in Arizona and I am a single mom so my funds are very tight. I have given what I can and feel helpless that I can’t give more. After reading about New Orleans, it makes me sad I never had the opportunity to visit before this happened. However, I can’t wait for it to be rebuilt! I want to visit all the place you have talked about. I want to be part of the recovery, to bring money back into the economy. I can’t even begin to imagin the loss you have all felt, my heart aches for you. I work for a company that owns a few hosiptals all over the US. We had a representative vist our hospital in LA, all she could say was how everyone was in such great spirits. Really ready to get the rebuilding underway, staring over no doubts! It is a tribute to the human spirit. I am also disgusted at all the negative comments that have been posted. There should be no question as to rebuild or not to rebuild. I wish everyone the very best, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Thanks for providing the rest of us with a connection to you.
Like Niki I want to say how much reading all of your blogs has meant. Ignore the harsh comments; I was able to visit New Orleans this past New Years and the spirit of the city is the most wonderful part! I’m from NJ, and I remember reprimanding myself for being so jaded when perfect strangers stopped to chat or wish us a Happy New Year and I caught myself thinking “Ok, what do these people want from me?” I quickly learned that all they wanted was a dialogue. I was staying with a friend who is in the Teach for America program (they’ve already moved his post to Houston!) so we stayed with him in a residential neighborhood near Jefferson Davis & Canal. We enjoyed sitting on the porch chatting with his neighbors just as much as (if not more than) the “touristy” attractions.
I thank you for writing your thoughts, reactions, and pieces of news on this blog. I wish you the best of luck… I’ll continue reading as long as you keep writing!
I am in the same type of situation as Niki except living in Massachusetts. To her comment I have to say Amen! and I second that emotion! I have a very good friend living in the suburbs of Baton Rouge. I came to this blog via her. I have been reading since the day after the storm hit. We have been discussing the local media’s coverage versus the national media’s coverage a lot. I was curled up in a ball completely distraught for almost two weeks watching the continuing coverage every free second I had.(yes I am a slightly dramatic person normally) I was riveted to the television. As a fellow human my whole being ached for you all and in every action I took during the course of the day pondered what I would do if it was me? In talking with my friend and also in reading this blog I am finding that a lot of the coverage is not necessarily completely accurate and not all spirits are broken there. I have to say reading this blog (along with my friend’s) has given me HOPE. I know this sounds funny because I don’t live there and my actual physical life and possesions have not been touched by this tragedy. My heart, my emotions, my soul has been though. Your positivity is catchy. The hope you all seem to feel in your hearts is contagious. It is beautiful. Not just for your state and community but for the everyday person like me in my own life. Thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. I wish you all nothing but the best! You are courageous warriors and the road ahead is long and hard but I have absolute faith in y’all ;)
Also… “Asshole Vaccine” HA! I love it Craig!
I agree! I wish you all the best and can understand you wanting to get back home again.
Thanks for the blog! I have been reading daily. You do a great job of keeping us posted. God Bless.
lmao @ asshole vaccine.. you bottle that you will be RICH!
i think out of everything the uncertainty and inability to plan would drive me up the wall!
you guys seem to be handling it all well and i hope you find the strength to keep on keepin on!
Just a note to say I read Metroblogging New Orleans every day and have come to depend on it as a source for the real story. I’m in Seattle but have unaccounted for friends in New Orleans, have visited and absolutely love the city. When it is ready to handle tourists again we are planning to come visit. We love New Orleans. God bless you.
Thanks for keeping us informed. I was born in New Orleans and went through many of the Hurricanes and the one thing I can remember is that no matter how bad the damage and how much it looks like it can’t be put back together again, it is, and much sooner than one could imagine. Hang in there, before you know it things will begin to happen. Just enjoy the ride you’re making memories you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.
Good for you guys! I hope you make that leap of faith and stay in NO.You wouldn’t believe the evacuees here in Eunice and n Lafayette who are just treading water around here until they can get back in and start ‘gettin down to it’.
Myself, I truly plan to be back at the circle bar soon, knocking back a few.
Wow. Must be nice to just not have any “plans”.
Thousands and thousands of evacuees knew that their first plan, after learning that they “might not”, but not necessarily “will not”, be able to get back into town for a while, was to get jobs. I’m QUITE sure that obtaining a job, especially at this time of year, wouldn’t be hard. And when potential employers know your situation, they will be understanding that you may be leaving at any time.
But….WHATEVER!
Enjoy your vacation and your government money.
Hey from Canada.
Just a note saying we are all concerned and caring (at least most of us, pass the vaccine if you find it!).
Glad we could help as a neighbour, wish we had done more, and wish you every success in rebuilding lives and dreams. New Orleans will return better than ever with the spirit shown here.
All the best from the neighbours.
Craig, you have got to be the biggest whiner! Waaaahhhhhh!!!
Y’know, it’s funny how some folks’ e-mail addresses reflect who and what they are.
Each time someone responds to one of these blogs, their e-mail address ends up in the bloggers’ inbox. I now have the e-mail addresses for folks who name themselves “fuckjews” and “fukup,” among many others. For the most part, those who are the most abusive are the ones with the most obnoxious names.
Thank you for confirming who you are.
Don’t worry about the assholes. They’re loud and obnoxious. They love whatever attention (positive OR negative) they can attract. And they’ll constantly yammer away (blah blah blah). But it don’t matter coz karma always catches up in the end.
Keep on keepin on, all yall!
A big issue about the future of NO is the political situation. Why has NO not kept pace with cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh or Houston. Doesn’t NO’s location give it an advantage over these other cities that has been squandered? Should the blame be laid at the feet of the political class that is virtually unchanged since before Huey Long?
I would worry when Nagin says that the city will be in charge of the reconstruction. Does anyone have confidence that every tin-horn potentate will figure out how to skim off his fair share? Nagin might be the first honest mayor the city has had but I doubt ha has cleaned out all of the crooked deadwood from city hall.
The local police department has to be upgraded also. You can’t have 20%-30% of the police force either quit or join in the looting when the city needed them the most. Raise your hand if you think the police’s reputation for corruption and incomeptance was unearned.
The politicians from city hall to BR had better realize that NO will not come back without businesses, especially small businesses. If the political class is only concerned with getting as much as they can from the rebuilding funds, it will doom the city.
I read on nola.com that Nagin hopes to reopen parts of the city next week, pending the water analysis (the Quarter, Uptown, CBD, and Algiers)
http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/
mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09_13.html
#079429
maybe you’ll be home sooner than you think! :-)
I have been following this disaster from its start, and I can not even begin to imagine just what the people are feeling down there. I live in New Jersey, where they are supposed to take in a few evacuees, for which I strongly welcome them. I live on the East, but I am a West coast person, and planning on moving in the near future. I’ve never had a desire to travel much on the East or the South, but now I want to go to New Orleans. I have trouble struggling with the idea that a large city was destroyed in just a day. It really bothers me, and now I want to see it rebuilt. I want to see it rebuilt better, more colorful, more picturesque, and with less poverty. And once it is rebuilt, I plan on coming down. All I know is pictures of it, but I know of its historical, cultural and scenic value, and to lose that bothers me.
I have donated off and on with what little money I do have, and would love to do even more. By posting in these blogs allows some sort of communication with those struggling down there, knowing that at least there are those on the outside that really do care. We know up here in New York and New Jersey that you were one of the first to help us out on 9/11, and now you need all the help you can get. We are glad to help you out in any way possible.
– Ray M –
Our plans were to go back home this weekend. But it turns out my mom is likely facing some cancer surgery here in Dallas, so we’ll stay to see her through that.
But yeah –things are improving rapidly uptown and in the lower Garden District where we live, so we’re very optimistic about things. Thank you.
Why doesnt the Attorney General of Louisiana arrest the Mayor of New Orleans? He completely ignored his evacuation plan, and because he didnt use the buses or Railroad (Amtrak) at his disposal for evacuation for the poor, many, many died. Come on Foti, do your hob!! Also arrest the Governor, she is also gulty of the same thing!
I find it absolutely amazing that the gentle who was rescued after 16 days (he is 74) was able to live that long, shows he must’ve had an incredible will to live, thought I heard they were starving to death after 2 days in the Superdome…my gosh how things do get blown out of proportion…I know you get hungry after 2 days , but starving to death takes quite a considerable amount of time unless you’re very weak, sick, old or an infant,yes we need water and we need it soon.. but most of us could live on our own fat for 2 weeks.I think we did the very best that was possible for those poor people,,, the storm was out of there Monday night….they realized they were flooding on Tuesday afternoon and the first rescue was under way by Wednesday… under the difficult conditions, I doubt any Democrat could do it any better….Can’t wait till the Demo’s take over and we have a disaster…then let’s see what happens.
Gaylnn - you obviously have not been reading the same news reports I have - “they” not only knew “they” would flood, “they” alerted the Feds not only DURING the storm, but BEFORE the storm hit. And the feds promoptly did what? Essentially nothing until Wed. AFTER the mayor had a very public, very emotional melt down.
BTW - you ever been in an unairconditioned building in Louisiana in August and September? Imagine sweating so much your clothes stick to your skin, your hair takes on a sheen that would make Soul-Glo proud, you are so physically drained by the heat and humidity that you have trouble even making the effort to breathe. Now, imagine being in this condition in a fetid swamp of human filth, with no avenue of respite, much less escape with thousands of others equally desperate. Can’t do it? Well, maybe you should’ve experienced it first hand then in order to get a true understanding of the reality of the situation in the Dome and the Convention Center.
We can drop 3000 pound sand bags but can’t use an amphibibous vehicle to truck in water and ice? Please. The need for potable water was crucial and dire - that responsibility and capability was in FEMA’s hands and they botched it.
Gaylnn, it was the lack of drinking water, no food for infants and babies, idiots toting automatic weapons, people dying and no one to take care of the dying or dead that helped push people to the edge. Imagine being trapped and having no way to leave a space with 15 thousand people, no toitlet, high heat and humidity, and no idea what was happening. Rescues at the superdome really didn’t start until Friday, food and water on Thursday. Four day without either, trapped,with no information is a long time. Also, for George, Amtrack was not available and there was not enough public transportation available to do more than move people to the superdome. The failed evac plan was because it was based on individual car ownership, which was lacking for a large number of people. So, yes the plan was there, but it was founded on people driving themselves out of town. Obviously, this was a big flaw in planning.
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