…so here’s the info on this grant and loan program for small businesses affected by Katrina. And, as suspected, there’s going to be paper shuffled and much moaning and gnashing of teeth for those owners who are waiting to see if they’ll get a little help. But, as noted, about 2/3 of the businesses that had to shut down in the post-K world won’t get anything except a shrugged shoulder and a pat on the back. I figure I’ll go ahead and fill out the paperwork because my business qualifies — at least on the surface. What the hell, right? At least I didn’t fold the corporation and I’ve still got a valid city business license. And some of my equipment, though about half of it had to be sold to pay debts. No one ever said entrepreneurship was easy. But I get the feeling I’d have better luck playing Lotto each week, y’know?

I didn’t expect Dubya to mention us in his State of the Union address tonight. Not only are we old news, but we’re also a pesky chihuahua compared to the Dobermans and pit bulls he’s facing on other fronts like Eye-rack. Running that ol’ baseball team was a piece o’ king cake, right George? And I bet you’d much rather being dealing with the Texas Legislature than dealin’ with them pointyheads in Congress. Welcome to our world, bobblehead — where “staying the course” means adjusting your sails about every four minutes. Deal widdit.

Speaking of adjusting — it’s great to be back in New Orleans. I’ve been up in Dallas for a little over three weeks, helping care for my terminally ill mother. Man — it ain’t easy living in a city where Creole mustard ain’t a stock item at the grocery stores. And traffic? I’ll never bitch about I-10 and Causeway ever again. But I tell ya — it was great walking around town for a couple of weeks wearing a Saints cap after watching the Cowboys collapse like an Italian coalition government. Of course, the Saints had their own collapse this past Sunday, but at least we made the Final Four. I wish I could find my old Billy Kilmer poster from Back In The Day.

The front page of the T-P said it best Monday morning. “Thank you, boys.”

Indeed.

Related posts:

1. Onward, through the blog….
2. The Paper Chase Part II
3. Saints + Second Harvest food drive
4. good news for Louisiana
5. Oh lord, it’s hard to be humble…