happy birthday to me!
Monthly Archive for June, 2006
Got lots of free books the other day. Was smart this time and mailed them home instead of having my suitcase be overweight at the airport!! Library conferences are chock full of free books, the publishers bring advance unedited copies and give them away. Got a Stephen King and a Joyce Carol Oates, fun stuff.
In my wanderings over the past couple of days I’ve lost count of how many residents I’ve spoken with who have thanked me for coming here. The conference even has made national news and I think I heard on the Today show this morning that they will be here tomorrow. Nothing like being the first enormous conference to come to NOLA to get librarians on the radar, if at least for a day or two.
I’ve eaten good food, drank many a good drink. Chad, if you are reading this, the bloody mary’s have been to DIE FOR! Of course, I haven’t had one of Ashleys yet 
Professionally it has been a good conference. Productive meetings, more networking, finally feeling like I belong.
Tomorrow is the best day of the year then I head home on Tuesday. The shuttle is coming at 3:55am to pick me up. yum.
I arrived in New Orleans today. I have to admit I’ve had mixed feelings about coming down here for the conference. At first I didn’t really want to go, then I decided I had a professional obligation to go since I was serving on a couple of committees but I still wasn’t crazy about coming here. Now I’m here, and as I write (slightly buzzed from a beer and a few bloody mary’s from some bar called Tropical Isle where Al made two of the best bloody marys I’ve ever tasted (no worries, Chuck, my colleague, was there with me!)) I am feeling better about my decision to come to New Orleans. Upon arrival it was immediate how grateful the residents of this city are to have us here. We are the first major conference to be here since Katrina hit (with an estimated 18,000 librarians arriving today and tomorrow) and the signs all over the city exude appreciation.
I was in Jackson Square listening to some music and I saw a guy walking a German Shorthaired Pointer. Of course I had to go talk to him (great dog - ticked with liver spots named Wolfgang!). We talked dogs for awhile but then he got to asking why I was here etc. I told him it was for a library conference, he thanked me for coming. He wasn’t the first. My personal feelings aside, it is great to be here, to give the residents of this city hope that things can get back to normal, whatever normal is for them.
There is evidence everywhere that not long ago something terrible happened. Skyscrapers boarded up, remnants of buildings crumbling, debris scattered on roof tops as you drive by on the highway, trailers in the yards of many homes as people rebuild their lives, a big sign on the Superdome announcing their reopening date of September 26, 2006. Even downtown and in the French Quarter where things weren’t ’so bad’ you can see visible signs of what occurred last August.
I am safe, my hotel isn’t to far from the French Quarter or the convention center. There are plenty of police around and no, no sign of the National Guard, they are here to patrol other neighborhoods that are far worse off.
While I was uncertain about coming here, now that I am here I am grateful that I can be part of something that gives New Orleans and its residents hope of better things to come.
The annual American Library Association conference is in New Orleans this year. I’m kind of up in the air about going. I’m reading some stuff now to see what it’s like there, apparently the French Quarter didn’t suffer nearly the damage as surrounding areas. That makes me feel a little better. I am glad the decision was made to keep the conference here, I wonder what attendance will be like. There is a small part of me that is excited and looking forward to going.
I know one of the places I’m going to eat is Poppy’s Grill. Nearly ten, yes ten, years ago Stephanie, Brenda and I were in New Orleans and found this gem of a place. I’m looking forward to at least one breakfast and maybe lunch there!! If only to celebrate another ten years of friendship, even tho they won’t be there!
life is chugging along smoothly. MeeMa is settled in and is so happy it isn’t even funny. She’s happy just to have a washer and dryer and able to do her own laundry again. I am enjoying having her here and getting to spend quality time with my g-ma.