Third, I think.

There was much bureacratic (I can normally spell this word. Not tonight) nonsense. Mind you, I'm just recalling the stuff that struck me. I'd recommend downloading the broadcasts TAL did, or getting them on CD. They first went to a swank complex that was not prepped, really. And there was a no-felonies clause. Oh, and one woman? Was in mild labor. They went to a much less swank place where the staff struck me as eager and much more welcoming, but a lot turned it down because of ... well, there was some hint of "all those mexicans." It was fucking depressing. So many failures, so many people really trying to help, and doing it, despite the faceless problems.

Basically, fish out of water, people being people (read: sometimes disappointing no matter the circumstance) and just..guh.

The best we can do is dispense of the other idea. There are always others. And sometimes there are us.

If I'm mischaracterizing anything, please someone say so. I listen to that show with all my filters on, so it gets...filtered.

Man, I have a 16 lb cat demanding to sit on my lap again. On a ball. Raq, how big is your cat? He looks huger. If so, I recommend you not get a balance ball.

Oof.

Ah yes, the "one or two are ok, but more than that and we'll be one of those places " Thing.

There's a lot that bothers me about the way people are being treated. From shuffling them from brueaucracy to brueaucracy to not taking them seriously because of how they talk.

My work does a very specific thing, we've expanded a bit to help these people, but when it's out of our area, we're loathe to just give them another government number to call, so we end up filling whatever gaps we can.

I did manage to get a woman her FEMA check, so small victories.

Actually, most people I know from home were the first people back and working to help. One flew all the way from NY, one drove over from here to translate into French, another went back to Lake Charles for a week to help after Rita. I think we're pretty much used to no one really getting it but our own.

Can someone cook me dinner? I need to stay still and ice.

ita, I thought we were working on the whole need-to-ice thing.

ita totally needs a keeper.

We are! I just came from the physical therapist. And I have to ice where he worked. Which is my lower back and all down the right leg. I can't just stick the floppy ice pack in my waistband like normal -- not least of all because I forgot to put the floppy ice pack back into the freezer.

The others aren't quite as pliant. Maybe I should just get out the ACE bandages and heat up something to eat.

I think you should call someone to help you.

That would constitute being plaintive.