Kristin, at least you're not here on the left coast. It's after 1:30, and I can't sleep for watching the hurricane coverage.

Me, too.

Though at least a friend is indulging me in HP conversation, and I have Scotch to soothe the fear.

Me too. I know work will be talking about it tomorrow. One of our regional offices is there. We have our conference down there. Our bills and expenses are sent there. It was one of the perks of the job for me. Once a year a paid trip to NO.

Kristin, at least you're not here on the left coast. It's after 1:30, and I can't sleep for watching the hurricane coverage.

Tep, I hear you. I just posted in F2F because I am deeply scared for the city right now. I know this isn't a fair comparison in many ways, but if Katrina does as much damage as it seems she's likely to do, I think I'm going to feel a bit like I did the day after 9/11. A city I love so much changed inexoribly. So many people lost. So much history lost.

Having finally experienced New Orleans, I think what hurts the most right now is that I don't think there's anything else like it anywhere in the world. It is the least American city I've ever seen in the United States, and I mean that as a compliment. I fell deeply in love with the French Quarter alone in just five days. I can't imagine this country without this place, and yet I can't imagine how it could ever be the New Orleans I fell for if it has to be drained and rebuilt.

I need to sleep. The students come to school tomorrow, and I'm still up working on schoolwork. It just seems so trivial in comparison.

Well, cities are resilient--London still has its historical personality, even after the immense destruction wreaked on it over WWII by the Germans. I think NO will be the same way. It will take some years, but that's not long considering the very long history of the city.

I don't think there's anything else like it anywhere in the world. It is the least American city I've ever seen in the United States, and I mean that as a compliment. I fell deeply in love with the French Quarter alone in just five days. I can't imagine this country without this place, and yet I can't imagine how it could ever be the New Orleans I fell for if it has to be drained and rebuilt.

Yeah. I mean, I think it does have some sister cities in Havana and San Juan and a bit of Key West. It's a Carribbean city, really. But yeah, it's irreplaceable. It's the only place I've traveled to in the last five years that I've visited for the place itself, instead of to see people. I've spent a full week there on three different trips including my honeymoon with JZ.

I'm praying to Buddy Bolden tonight. Louis. Blow you horn players! Turn it aside.

If it gets flooded like they're talking, the rot's gonna set in. They won't be able to keep those buildings anyway. That's what caused so much damage in south Florida with Hurricane Andrew after the fact.

But bombing feels so much more evitable than natural disaster. Do you really think the people of the city will be able to shake off the fear of a repeat? I mean, honestly, they've held off nature for a long time there. It should have been underwater decades ago. If this makes that happen, do you think they'll be able to shake that feeling?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I have my doubts.

Either way, lots of people are going to be hurt or killed in the next 24 hours. My people, in a way. My brother was born in New Orleans. My dad's worked in hospitals there. I'm not ready for it to go away, no matter how temporarily.

Can't y'all be in Natter, that's where I'm doing all my hair pulling and railing at the heavens.

But bombing feels so much more evitable than natural disaster. Do you really think the people of the city will be able to shake off the fear of a repeat?

Ask the people living in the floodplain all up and down the Mississippi.

Weather and natural disaster-wise, I think New Orleans barely makes the standard of "habitable", and never has. And yet, it's risen before. I'm praying this won't go down the way it looks to be going, and I can't imagine it ever being the same, and it's heartbreaking. But damn, people are resilient.

Skipping and skimming to wish meara and Jen happy Birthdayafters! Sorry I missed you yesterday, but I was away with the guests.

Who are now packed off to Mykonos, Knossos, and Santorini for the week. I've never been so glad to see guests depart ever, not even my MiL after two months. And I'm kind of giggling at the thought of our friend's reaction when he gets to Mykonos and realizes how gay-friendly it is.

I'm probably going to revise the recipes I sent in for the cookbook, as I've been playing Raq's Test Kitchen and serving them to my guests, and I think I tweaked them for the better.

Mykonos

That's where I got my hair cut! Actually it was at Salon Mykonos, because my hairdresser's from there.