(no subject)

My mother called me up tonight--she felt that something was wrong because we hadn't talked in awhile. (She was right.) I adore my mother, can I just say that? We talked for awhile, over an hour. I told her about shiva last week, and being in the Scottish play, and directing Paula's play. Mom was all "I think that's a great idea--it sounds like a real challenge" because Paula's play has an all-black cast and I'm stepping out of my comfort zone.

I told her about my plans for next month (more later), and she mused aloud "I always thought we should go to London together." Oh my God. How much would I love to go to London with my mother? The woman who inculcated me with the Anglophile gene, who brought me up to read about Henry VII and the Wars of the Roses and Eleanor of Acquitane? I would eat that up with a SPOON, a spoon. All that HISTORY.

Speeeeeeeeed....

I'm watching The Apple now.

Wow.

I think it's upsetting the cats--they started growling at each other soon after I put it on.

I'm walkin' to New Orleans...

I have something really fun to look forward to--in 2 1/2 weeks, my friend Krista (goldilocksprime) are goin' to New Orleans for Mardi Gras! I've been to New Orleans several times but never for an actual Mardi Gras--the closest I got was when Krista and I were there for our friend Madeleine's wedding which was during the season but nothing much was happening yet (no parades or anything). I got a little bonus from my temp agency this Christmas and I decided to put it toward this trip. The timing is great because 1) NO needs the business more than ever, because of Katrina, and 2) it will be less crowded, for the same reason.

We are staying at the Hotel LaSalle on Canal Street, 3 blocks from the Quarter. I thought about staying at the St. Vincent (where Doug and I stayed last year, and where Krista and I stayed for Mad's wedding) but I wanted something a little closer and I got a great deal at this place. I called up the hotel directly and chatted up a storm with Orlando, the clerk who answered the phone--he told me which parades were rolling that weekend (not the really good ones like Rex and Zulu--they roll on the actual Mardi Gras Day, Shrove Tuesday). Still, I've never seen a MG parade at all so it's all good. I want to do a couple of specific things that I haven't done before--I want to eat at a "name" restaurant like Antoine's or Tipitina's, and go to Preservation Hall or some other music venue. I'm also planning to take one of the "hurricane destruction" tours, so I know what we're dealing with (I am planning in a few months to have a New Orleans fundraiser party for Habitat for Humanity). Of course Krista and I will do the usual things like Pat O'Brien's, Cafe du Monde, Camellia Grill. I'd like to fit in a ghost tour if I can find one that's not too expensive.

Man, I cannot wait. Mardi Gras in my favorite city with one of my best friends. What could be more fun?

Cadiz, Spain, 1999

Tidal yearnings pull on my heart
West
   across the sea
Natural as rain to walk into the waves
   (fragile flowers skirling along the sand)
To curl up inside that tender warm arc
Like arms wrapped around me, lulling me asleep

But
the sea lies
waves expel me, thrust me away
   watery embraces collapse and disappear
   into the sand
Staring at the horizon,
   salt creeps into my heart, curing it.