What Are You Still Doing Here?

A lot of my friends who have lived in New Orleans most of their lives have always had this love/hate relationship with the City. I never really understood the hate part until lately. One day someone said to me, "Why are you still here?" From that day forward, I started thinking hard about that statement. The equation is rather absurd. Now I am tying up loose ends and getting out. The thing is, people around here make countless excuses about why it is sooo fucking charming. I have a much less romantic perspective of New Orleans these days.

After Katrina we have been watching things spiral back to their previous welfare state along with painful embarrassment that Mayor Nagin has become in the past year. I now understand my friends' complete disgust. Add to the politics/race problem, the poverty and ignorance, all the new bullshit we have to put up with after Katrina and it's just a losing and possibly deadly proposition to put your convictions and allegiance behind New Orleans.

I will begin this blog with an email from my friend who is also planning on an exit in 250 Days. The $800 Sewerage and Water bill he got recently (for his apartment which he shares with one room mate) has pushed him over the edge. He has lived here almost his entire life.

Thanks. Much appreciated. I'll let you know. The only thing is that, with what I feel about work, and with all this crap with Sewerage and Water Board, I really, really, NEED to leave the area (to preserve my sanity, if nothing else). I'll talk to you later......