"I get worse every day"

Those were the words written on the dry wipe board that my mother brought out of her husband's hospital room this evening. Tears in her eyes, she pointed to them and looked at the ceiling gathering herself.
He is only a few days from radical mouth surgery, and has ahead of him and her more diagnosis, therapy and the rest of his life (hopefully without cigarettes) to master. So those words are completely understandable for his case right now.
After she calmly went back in his room (my mother can face anything, I can assure you) I sat in the waiting room thinking about them and then of course after a while, my mind switched to the other great unknown in my life-the health of my region.
Are we getting worse every day? Is the black sludge creeping closer, inevitably to fight up the Mississippi while coming in with the tide to Lake Pontchartrain, then to the beautiful Tchefuncte and to those quiet waters of Abita that I kayak in?
Will I walk to the bayou one morning with Maddie and see death? Will it happen quickly while it sends me away to live its last without me?
Well, quick answer: I don't think so. Or, most days I don't.

Just as I think he will beat it as he did 10 years ago. Just as I think he will tell us jokes again as he serves his breakfast burritos. I do. He oddly oozes Irish health (fueled by alcohol and a small vegetable diet) and the rage of the unreconstructed Marine that he is, but together those things keep him moving quickly. I know he will never be the same person that he was 10 years ago, but I also know that he has done more than survived in these 10 years; he has actually lived well. Now, he must live a little less well but also do more than survive. A hard lesson.

I sit in that odd waiting area with certainty. My certainty comes from the way that life has shown itself to me over the last 45 years as small truths wrapped in confusing, competing messages. I notice that decisions come often from lack of clarity, rather than from a grand moment. Clarity is rare and what is to be does not show itself all at once for us. Only in movies. So the dynamic duo of hope and action are the ways we manage until that moment comes. That is why I think that his moment will not come during this dramatic surgery, but how he handles the aftermath. His decision. Her decision.

So, I think this is true for all of us. I know our region will never be the same as it was before this, but we gotta accept (love) what we get. While that is so, we need to keep the rage and love and respect of natural places in the front of our hearts so we can keep hope and action ready.. We need to be prepared at every moment for meandering decision-less moments that will lead us to more tragedy. We cannot expect this to end. We can only hope it will.
And then, knowing that, walk back in there with resolve and grit trying to keep it alive.

Hey world, New Orleans here.

Hello world,
It's New Orleans calling. How've you been? We...were doing better recently, now, maybe not.
So let me catch you up.
2010 seemed like a good year. Good Mardi Gras, incredible Saints year and even the snow and floods of winter 2009/2010 were manageable. Because we felt better around here.
We were feeling the love from the city again and with old Nagin getting gone, we were hopeful.

Then right before Jazz Fest this happened. Ironic, as it is now sponsored by Shell. No, not New Orleans; the festival. The oil came gushing and it still comes. Day 34 today.
I can tell you that we knew something was up right away. Unlike the rest of America, and the media and the government, we figured those folks down there weren't telling us the truth.
No, we're not clairvoyant, just battle tested let's say.
We knew because we see how the government handled their shit after levees broke and people were left to die with school buses sitting empty. And then 5 more years of it. Governments not knowing how to tell the truth and corporations sitting around waiting for the least cost answer to show up. Still going on by the way.

So now, April 20,2010 is another date we are destined to remember. Interestingly, now we have a bunch of new people living here who thought they were moving to a place that bad things HAD happened to; we feel a little guilty that we didn't tell them-lightning does strike twice in one place.

By the way, that oil down there? hey- it's not just for US. it's for YOU TOO. It's for all of us that ask them to stick the needle in our veins that are responsible. We just have to live with the daily aftermath of the loss of our bioregion. A bioregion that we respect. I can prove that by asking you to look at a Google Map of our coast-unlike most of the rest of the US, you will see refuges and wild places along Louisiana. Fishing boats and camps to live in it, among it. Not on top of it.

sorry- I'm getting a bit angry. deep breath.

Listen, we take responsibility; we do. We just aren't going to take it all.
and when you ask when are WE going to get mad, realize that we have been mad for a long time. But, we're just a small part of this. YOU need to get mad too.

So, we're not doing so well. We just wanted to let you know that and one other thing:

We want you to help this time. Change your intake of oil, especially gasoline. Write to your representatives and ask them to save what they can. Tell them to fine BP in the millions to allow any idea to be tested-I don't give a shit which Hollywood actor comes up with it, let's fucking try it-And stop telling us "you are thinking about us down here" and realize this is happening to all of us.

Talk again soon. Let us know what you're doing, wouldja?

This Friday, bike.

Facebook page

1000 miles north

I have spent the last 4 days in Cleveland and Detroit. Flew to Cleveland, then drove to Detroit (as Detroiters would prefer, holders of the auto heritage). Cleveland is my childhood home, so I return to see family and revisit cultural touchstones. Little Italy, the Metropark, University Circle, Birdtown, Kamm's Corner, Nature's Bin. Biking and walking around Pleasant Valley Sunday.

Detroit is known to me as a place to go as a teen, so to come back to it is fascinating. I am told by many that Detroit is leading the way in rebuilding its local food system; let me just say that is hard to see in downtown, staying in the massive GM Renaissance Center overlooking Canada. Greektown is still nice but framed by a casino now. I do know that innovation is happening there; the old public market Eastern Market has done amazing work, among others.

Still, I am stunned by the massive empty buildings around downtown. I feel like I am back in 1970s Cleveland with auto company names lining the streets along with the hopes and dreams of its residents still. I do wish I had seen more but could not.

The scale is what scares me-massive highways running next to way-too-wide streets and large buildings next to small groups of houses and stores that look forlorn and bullied by all of the blank sides.
In other words, I see Mid City in 10 years if the LSU/VA complex is built.

If we want to "learn" from Detroit, why not go see what out of scale commercial districts do to cities? On your way do stop to see the same at Public Square in Cleveland, or in empty downtown Toledo. Then go to West 65th in Cleveland and see what years of neighborhood organizing has pushed to be built in a difficult area-stores, public theater, new houses with older houses alongside, decent bus stops, access to lakefront and more. In a city with foreclosure for sale signs everywhere. In a city with no industry, but willingness to fight for its neighborhoods.

We can learn from THOSE groups from those areas. Let's go see.

Oil in Gulf

Dear Jazz Fest (Quint? is that you?)

Dear Jazz Fest,

I hadn't planned on writing to you, but then realized I was composing this in my head as I walked along the Fortin fence a few times over the last month. I guess I should address this to Quint, but I am not sure if that's still the way to get things across about logistics and rain and stuff like that.
So if it's for Quint, well, I say hello and you need to slow down in that golf cart. And thanks for leaving the mumus behind and getting back into regular clothes. Hard to explain those to out-of-towners.

thing 1:
I like how the set up goes out at the fairgrounds. When I lived in the French Quarter, I just arrived on Day 1 and it was like a miracle to see the set up (although back in the early 80s, things were a lot smaller weren't they?) When I moved to the Bayou St. John area 10 years ago, I would walk by the set up in the am and see more of what it took. Then I came to work for you (as unpaid staff) on the site and realized how many people it took to get it up. Good people too. Funny, hard working and loyal.

Now, I live facing it and saw lots of set up. I tell ya, it's less noise than horses on a track somehow. I mean I like the horses (wow waking up to hear galloping is very nice) but the announcements over the speakers and the lights are more noticeable.
So good marks on set up (and now break down). Very orderly.

thing #2: Advertising. Hmmm, not thrilled by it. Never have been though. I actually have an old poster (as the base of my armoire) from mid 80s, which has so many weird colors and fonts that it is hard to believe it worked as advertising. I say update it soon. especially the ad posters- that Ganesh alligator tshirt seemed to be the hit of the year- maybe think about different styles for advertising like that. My friend desperately wanted that poster of it hanging over the tshirt tent. And as far as merch, Uncle Lionel poster was brilliant.

thing #3: social networking: I did download the app; I give it passing grade but barely. Where were the cubes?! Why not add reviews of shows from people actually at the show? or of the last show at JF? and how about linking to shows around town? The map was nice but too big so I had to move the screen to see parts of it. But you get points for trying.

thing #4: Staff at gates: very professional as always. Both Mystery and Sauvage. Give them a raise for handling most of the tough situations well.

thing #5: Love the tent over Lagniappe. Best place to be often. saw great shows there- Susan Cowsill, Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher were both top notch. Good work there.

thing #6: Keep Jazz tent at end. This is personal as I live right behind it and loved it. Came outside to hear a few shows as it sounded better out there. But it also allows for intimate feel somehow. I spend more time there than anywhere else. partly because of the people mostly because of lineup. (meaning locals who I want to see).

thing #7: Why not move one of those big BIG shows to one evening concert? I get Pearl Jam draws but it means one less jazz, blues or other relative type of music for that stage and overshadows the last show everywhere. Tie it in to a special ticket that gets you into both and charge baby charge for tickets at night. use it to subsidize our JF. and calm down the crowds who sit and drink waiting for the one show clogging Acura the whole time. Guess you can tell I'm old, huh?

Thing #7.5: if you knew on Thursday Aretha was not coming, why wait til Saturday to announce it? That felt like a grab for ticket sales. Hope it wasn't. Leave her alone. she ain't coming and now she's annoyed New Orleanians. We don't invite people a third time you know?

Thing #8: You know you need more seating for food. Seriously.

Thing #9: Craft vendors were very good, the new stuff was nice. Hope we can include more diversity as we go, in products, in faces and in types of products. How many hat vendors were there? How about more prices? What about a one tent flea market? or a fashion show at the Grandstand? or Green Project et al selling cool hardware for doors etc?

Thing #10: When people leave, how about maps outside so folks know where to go from there? It's sort of like one of those restaurants that turn, you never end up where you started. Make some nice maps. you can put one across from me...

Thing #11: Food. the BEST thing out there. seems like some things were not as good, seemed like too many sweets, but the cochon de lait, the trout baquet, the crawfish bread from Natchitoches made it better. And you should promote those Grandstand food demos more-sandwich sign hawkers maybe?

Thing #12 (almost done): Parades: too crowded on walkway; why not do it starting at Grandstand, going to Jazz?

shoot- well not making this #13- but Shell Oil as the sponsor; hey that's they way it goes in fundraising and I know they came through in tough times, but any thoughts to asking other types of funders? like Hollywood movie studios etc? Or maybe foreign governments- sorry I guess that's the same thing as Shell. (not thrilled with these folks as you can imagine- shocking they did not put out any PR during spill or at least offer help while being so visible. Not your deal I know, but really cheeky to ignore it.)

OH most important-Please move poor Mr. Okra from the hot infield and give him a golf cart and some crates, his megaphone back and let him sell his fruit every hour on the hour while slowly circling the track. My god. give him his mojo back.

Okay, will stop there. I enjoyed my time, went every day. Not sure I can do that every year but I promise to keep coming some if you keep working to make it better.

Gulf Coast and seafood

In less than 10 years, I have learned loads of info about shrimping and fishing around here-and I know next to nothing still. And the reason why is that I work for a non-profit that sees its job as convening discrete groups at a public market to revive the local food culture, not as spokespeople for those groups.
When a quote is needed, I give a phone number. Maybe some background, but that consists of those group's own words that they told me. Some pointers as to how to approach farmers or fishers or seniors or whoever--but then on your own. So if you want to know what fishers will do, or if the shrimp will remain safe or if the loss of roosting habitats will undue the refuges created, dunno. But I'll give you some numbers for those who might know.

If you want MY opinion, well...

The issue with the spill is the same one we saw with Katrina and Rita-people have abused our ecosystem and now should fix it, but probably won't. Those who dug canals and rights of way through delicate marshes, leaving huge swaths of country folks at risk for hurricanes and those that decided to drill for oil without a safety plan for platforms are the same-the oil companies.

If we want to punish them, I say this:

1. Fine them big time, then fine the owner of the platform. Take that fine and create a fund for restoring the area. Have a special tax on drilling in Gulf that goes to coastal cities and organization to monitor the ecosystem. These fuckers aren't going anywhere, they'll pay it.

2. Tax them annually for each gallon they pump out and any vehicle that gets under 35 mpg and use money for alternative energy systems. Let's stop talking about how silly they are and just try to create them in our lifetime. Each state gets a cut.

3. Let's build a light rail system for any city over 300,000 people at last census. WPA style projects now.

4. Ride a fucking bike at least every week, maybe twice a week, maybe more. Just pedal to the store, to the gym to JazzFest next year. Each ride saves. Every one. And maybe someday your rides will mean that one more shrimper is still on the water or his son or daughter.

Lighthouse

Local girl makes good:
Susan Cowsill's new album "Lighthouse" is a homage to her city, her family and her feelings about dealing with change and decisions that are thrust upon one willy-nilly, while searching for peace and a place to call home.

Top tracks:
The title track "Lighthouse" has a lovely tone and a tempo almost unheard anymore in pop music. Other standouts: "Sweet Bitter End", "ONOLA" (although its almost too much to bear so sweet and sad).
My favorite is probably "Could This Be Home" which I suspect I will return to again and again like I did to "Snow" (from the Continental Drifters last album) to hear her vocals during those dark months after Katrina.
When she is singing poignantly, there is no one better. Do yourself a favor-pick this up, and then also grab the Continental Drifters "Better Day" cd.