New Orleans Metblogs » Rayna

Cao Steps Up

Rayna — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:39:41 +0000

It’s about freakin’ time the health care bill passed on to the next stage in the process. I like health care, I bet you like health care too. Everyone needs it and we all need it to be inexpensive and accessible, to me making that happen as fast as possible is a no brainer but evidently to a lot of congressmen and women it just isn’t. I didn’t vote for Anh “Joseph” Cao, why? Because he is a Republican (I’m a Dem) and I was a bad voter who didn’t do any research before hitting the polls. As of last night I have had a change of opinion, I like this guy.

Cao was the one and only Republican Congressman who crossed over and voted to pass the health care bill last night. Knowing he represents me puts a smile on my face. Here are a few things he said about his vote:

“Tonight, I voted to keep taxpayer dollars from funding abortion and to deliver access to affordable health care to the people of Louisiana.”

“I read the versions of the House [health reform] bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health care costs are exploding – if they are able to obtain health care at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children. [...]

“Today, I obtained a commitment from President Obama that he and I will work together to address the critical health care issues of Louisiana including the FMAP crisis and community disaster loan forgiveness, as well as issues related to Charity and Methodist Hospitals. And, I call on my constituents to support me as I work with him on these issues.

“I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents.”

I could do without the anti-abortion part but otherwise I couldn’t agree more. He negotiated to get us the best deal, rather than voting down party lines and not really listening to his people. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) called him “The Future” of the GOP, I hope he is right.

(Quotes taken from huffingtonpost.com)

The Valley of Silent Men Walk For Peace TONIGHT

Rayna — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:33:21 +0000

This one is pretty much copied from an email I received today but I want to get the word out so here is the info:

This evening at 6pm, the Valley of Silent Men Social Aid and Pleasure Club will lead SilenceIsViolence and the Social Aid and Pleasure Club Task Force in a Walk For Peace through the Central City neighborhood. The peace walk begins and ends at 2220 Jackson Avenue, near Van McMurray Park. Earlier this year, the Task Force memorialized two-year-old homicide victim Ja’Shawn Powell in this location as part of the January 9 Strike Against Crime. We all pledged on that day to keep the park as a special site of remembrance and anti-violence activism. Please join the Valley of Silent Men, the Task Force, and SilenceIsViolence as we stand up for peace in our communities this evening.

WHAT: A Walk For Peace

WHEN: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 6pm-7pm

WHERE: 2220 Jackson Avenue

WHO: Valley of Silent Men SAPC; SAPC Task Force; SilenceIsViolence

WHY: WE WALK FOR PEACE through our neighborhoods each month!

For more information about this evening s walk or the SilenceIsViolence/Social Aid and Pleasure Club Task Force partnership, call Tamara Jackson at (504) 453-1155.

www.silenceisviolence.org

Down on the Corner…

Rayna — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:02:09 +0000

Today we went to Satchmo Summerfest in the French Quarter. It was the perfect afternoon for it, there was a little rain earlier and the sky remained overcast which means the whole area stayed much cooler than it had been yesterday. We began our Search for good music at the U.S. Mint building, a logical choice since it seemed to be the center of all the festivities this year but so many people in such a small space overwhelmed us so we moved on down the French Market toward Jackson Square, after a while we crossed over and watched the boats on the river for a while before beginning our leisurely journey in the direction of home. That is when the real fun began, we ran into the Baby Boyz Brass Band playing on a street corner. This band put a smile on my face not to mention a dance in the step. I want to ask you a question. Do you see the young man in this first picture, see his dreads and his sagging pants? Do you also see that he is playing an instrument with a band? These things put together completely endear him to me, I love that he can be at seemingly two ends of a spectrum. This picture (ok it’s not the picture but the subject) represents what I love about New Orleans. After 4…5…6 songs with the Boyz we walked on till we came to the Balcony Music Club where we dropped in to listen to Dominic who we used to live across the street from and who has known the little guy since before he was born. We all had a seat and the little guy danced and was given a Sprite by the bar back for doing nothing more than being little and looking cute, he is good at that. It was a great day, we listened to some great music and had tons of fun doing it, couldn’t ask for much more than that.

New Orleans one of the 10 Best cities for Local Food

Rayna — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:20:50 +0000

I was reading through the Huffington Post this morning and came across the list of 10 Best Cities for Local Food. I knew there was no way New Orleans didn’t make the list so I clicked through and there we were at number 6. They say that we are “continuously endeavoring to green its cuisine.” which I suppose is true of nearly everywhere in America right now but come on, our best food isn’t exactly good for you but it’s still oh so good.

It’s not the destination

Rayna — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:25:52 +0000

It’s the journey. And today was a perfect example of why that saying is spot on. The Little Guy and I headed out to the Creole Tomato Festival at the French Market today after nap time.

If anyone went outside at all today you will know it was damn hot so our adventure had a lot of pit stops and every single one of them was better than the actual festival.First we stopped over at Washington Square Park to play and rest, there were more than the usual crowd in the park, I think there was a memory service being held for someone who has passed but with the little one I did not want to disturb anyone and so I could not get close enough to really hear what was going on. As we left the park we noticed what someone has done with the old pay phone box on the Royal side, it does not specify what the money is for but there are flowers and other decoration inside a custom made shadow box and a request for change. If I had any change on me i would have given to Chance to put in the box. We didn’t get much farther before it was pit stop time again as we passed Cafe Rose Nicaud I was informed that we needed a cookie from the coffee shop so in we went and cookie we did procure. After we filled up on cookie off we set for the push to the actual festival crossing Esplanade and crossing Decatur over to the French Market and into the action or more realistically the crowd of tourists in fleur-de-leis T-shirts and too short, impossibly plaid shorts fanning themselves with cardboard fans shaped like (Creole?) tomatos, talking loud and occationally doing what they could to insult the local people.

I was told (though under their breath) in so many words more than once that because I wasn’t carrying my son he would get kidnapped. Well, I am happy to say there were not a million people around, I was walking two feet behind him at all times, it’s none of your damn business and as far as i could tell the worst people around at that time were their sorry asses. I’m sorry but the next time a swarovski crystal embellished grandma wants to give me parenting tips, I say bring it on but, Do It To My Face!

Where was i? Oh yeah it was hot really, really hot and the booths for the festival were all out in the sun so we took ourselves through the festivities at a pretty quick pace, landing ourselves at the fountain near Decatur and Ursuline where we rested another few minutes in the shade, I could have sat a little longer but a two year old never really rests no matter how hot and tired they are so off we went again. This time we followed Decatur back till we hit Angeli’s a tasty restaurant with highchairs (even though we didn’t need one this time) where we went in for a drink and a bite to eat. The place was nearly empty which I though strange for all the people that were out and about but I guess we were a little early for the dinner rush. The little guy amazingly sat in a regular chair the whole time amusing himself by making faces in one of the mirrors that decorate the dinning area.
We made one more stop at Washington Square Park, much shorter this time, before heading on home. Just a block from the house someone stopped us and told me that “something smells dead back there” as he gestured over his shoulder in the direction we were going. Nothing came of it since I did not smell or see anything that smelled/looked dead all the way home but it did add to the adventure of the day.

And then there was Twitter

Rayna — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:12:23 +0000

tweet, tweet

Ever wish there was an easier way to follow New Orleans Metblogs? Well, now there is because we have our very own Twitter feed!

Whether you are in the New Orleans area or just wish you were @nolametblogs is the twitter account to follow. Stay in touch with us in a whole new way and you’ll get a new tweet every time there is a new post to read on New Orleans Metblogs as well as some additional tidbits here and there.

So, remember what’s the new twitter feed to follow? The one that will keep you up-to-date on all the goings on here on the New Orleans Metblogs and more? @nolametblogs That’s right!

We’ve known him before he was born.

Rayna — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:55:31 +0000

That’s what they say at French Quarter Postal Emporium when my little guy walks behind the counter. I love that. Not just that they let him back there and help me keep him occupied while I am trying to fill in an address on an envelope but that they have actually known him that long. Well…wait…maybe it isn’t that either on second thought I love that they are friendly enough to say that, friendly enough to give him lollipops and Alligators (see our new friend below), friendly enough to talk to him in a non-condescending manor. Truth is we only see these people when we go in to pick up our mail or ship something out but we have been doing it for about three years now and unlike in most other places in the country (especially cities of this size) we act like it. I love it.

Sidewalk Chalk and Sprinklers day

Rayna — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:38:00 +0000

The way I always pictured it.

Today was a sidewalk chalk and sprinklers kind of day. It was warm and sunny with a few white puffy clouds. If you sat in the sun too long you could almost feel your skin burning red. I took the Little Guy outside and turned on the sprinkler. He loved running through the water getting soaked while I sat in the shade drawing with sidewalk chalk. We didn’t do much in teh way of St. Paddy’s Day but no worries, it was a good day.

Plessy V Ferguson

Rayna — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:37:52 +0000

New historical marker at Royal and Press Streets

.Today the little one and I walked down to to corner of Royal and Press streets where a ceremony was taking place to unveil the new historical marker to mark the spot where Homer Plessy boarded a train in 1892 and was subsequently arrested. This led to the court case of Plessy V Ferguson which in turn led to the formalizing of ’separate but equal’ which stood until Brown V The Board of Education in 1954. It also happened to be the 200th anniversary of Abe Lincoln’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the formation of the NAACP so it was actually a pretty big event. Obviously bigger than anyone organizing thought it would be anyway. It was great to be there when something like this was announced to the public. It is great to have an historical marker for all to see and to have the privilege to live just blocks away from the place where such an important piece of history occurred. Although the little guy had more fun running around in circles in the green space behind all the action I am still happy to have the opportunity to take him to things like this and one day I will tell him about it and I hope I have raised him to care that he was there today.

She was my friend

Rayna — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:33:39 +0000

Ok she was not really a friend of mine, in fact I only met her once and through one of those twists of life she actually watched my dog for a couple days, a couple years ago. Wendy Byrne was a good friend of a good friend of mine and that is the thin line that held us together. On Saturday night she was fatally shot while walking in the French Quarter.
It seems she was shot by two fifteen year old guys. After they robbed her and the man she was walking with. The two 15 year olds had robbed others earlier in the night. I fight the urge to call them kids because when you have graduated to robbing people at gun point you are no longer a child. I have a hard time wrapping my head around whatever could have occurred in these young people’s lives to lead them to a point where they shoot an innocent person in the street but none of that matters any more. Turns out other people are having a hard time calling them kids too, they will be tried as adults when their days in court arrive.
Today, my son drew a picture, I added a sentiment and together we delivered it to the makeshift memorial that has sprung up on the corner of Dauphine and Governor Nichols where she was murdered. He is only two years old but it was like he understood something was different about this place, He pointed out the flowers and candles which were still burning but he was quiet and calm. Not like a two year old at all.
Wendy, knowing who you were and where you worked and just that you lived close-by added a comfort to my fragile world here that you will never know and that not even I did not know until a few days ago. I’ll miss you…Oh yeah and thanks for watching Rosco that one time.