New Orleans - The Arrival, and begining of my adventure

So, this weekend was incredible. So incredible, I am breaking it into three parts. This is the first of those.

I took off for New Orleans on Saturday night, in search of a relaxing day before the birthday party, which was the reason I was heading to New Orleans.
I arrived in New Orleans and directly went to the India House Hostel where I was staying. After checking in and getting my key, I grabbed my knitting stuff, and sat out on the front porch. I immediately met 2 of the people staying there, we talked for a little while. After getting a bit of my knitting done, I decided to go do some exploring. I had never been to the Marigny or Old Algiers, so I decided to tackle that.

I took the trolley to the river and hopped on the ferry. The ride was beautiful, windy and best of all FREE! When I hopped off the large boat, I noticed there was a festival on the bank of the river. It was the Old Algiers Riverfest, so of course i found the beer trailer, grabbed a $3.00 cup of Abita Amber, a bowl of red beans and rice and a spot on the grassy levee to watch the Old Algiers Brass Band. They were really exactly what you would expect out of a New Orleans brass band, my red beans and rice were delicious, and the beer, well it was quenching and as reliably good as Abita always is.

The next band to come on the stage was Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs. They were young, fresh, a little political, and very entertaining. They were finishing up, and I decided that I would go find the bar that I was recomended by a man from the hostel.

I walked up to the Crown and Anchor Pub, and asked for a belgium beer(i was told the name by the hostel guy, but I had forgotten it at this point. I was served this great beer, [name] with a blood orange, and sat there talking to the bar tender and a man that i assume is sitting at that bar often. Aside from the people, the two neatest things about the place were their extensive collection of rubber duckies and a stack of post card that were sent from all over the world, which sit on the bar for all to read.

The bar fly recomended that i go to Mona's Cafe in the Marigny for some Mediteranian food. That is where I left to go to; I was hungry, and at this point I had several beers in my stomach, and needed something to ballence it. I board the ferry in search of this highly recomended restaurant.

The next part of my adventure will be posted soon.

I will probably be posting several articles.

Here is the first of many

The inflection is Near from the NYTimes!

My happy birthday!

This has been one of the best birthday weeks I have ever had, especially in the lines of all of the stuff I got! Oh, I know it is not the best virtue, but I like presents! I dont by any means expect them, I just love them when I get them. Especially when they are special, which all of this year's were!

My dad sent me one of the paintings he recently made. My mom sent me this really cute bag for my laptop, and it has so many pockets. I got a nice smelling bar of soap(is this a hint?) and a handmaid wash cloth, a shirt with a picture drawn on it in sharpie, a very geometric tank top, a stack of cds, a little calender, cupcakes, a tallboy, biscuits, a bottle of champagne, a wonderful card, and a stack of sea glass, a viewing of a bad movie with some kind of special dinner(i think this is coming sunday) I think i am forgetting something, i dont mean to.

In addition to presents this week has been pretty amazing. It started off with the MLK parade here in Biloxi, then we got a new president, one that i am very proud of, then thursday night we had a siminar, which was great.

Last night my friends got to gether to sit around a fire. There were folks playing the guitar, and singing and playing the harmonica, and people made me cupcakes, and there were smores, and there was beer. it was really nice. There were so many people there. The cops even came, partially because of the noise, and probably more so because of the guy passed out on the sidewalk in front of my friends' house. It was a full night.

Tonight we are going to celebrate my friend Jeremy's birthday. I am really looking forward to it.

Well that is about it.

Ginger Cookies and time with Friends

I have had a series of very productive days at work recently, which always makes me feel really good. Yesterday, I finished a review of a project in the area, and had a super wonderful meeting about our work in Moss Point in the near future. That meeting ran a little late, and I was looking forward to being a home body, but Nadene stopped me, and reminded me that earlier in the day, I had wanted to go over to her house and make these beautiful ginger cookies i had seen on one of my new favorite recipe sites.

So, I sucked it up (i love to bake so it wasnt that difficult)

I gathered all of the ingredients and headed over to her house.
We had a night of fun, i was cooking, and everyone was around talking. What a pleasant scene.
And we ate most of the cookies as they were coming out of the oven.

anyways that was last night.

Ethics, Morals, Values

Definitions from Dictionaries:

Ethics

1. a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture.

2. the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics.

3. moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.

4. that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.

5. A set of principles of right conduct.

6. A theory or a system of moral values

7. The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.

8. The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession: medical ethics.

9. motivation based on ideas of right and wrong [syn: ethical motive]

10. the philosophical study of moral values and rules

11. The science of human duty; the body of rules of duty drawn from this science; a particular system of principles and rules concerting duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; as, political or social ethics; medical ethics.

1602, "the science of morals," pl. of M.E. ethik "study of morals" (1387), from O.Fr. ethique, from L.L. ethica, from Gk. ethike philosophia "moral philosophy," fem. of ethikos "ethical," from ethos "moral character," related to ethos "custom" (see ethos). The word also traces to Ta Ethika, title of Aristotle's work. Ethic "a person's moral principles," attested from 1651.

Morals

1. of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.

2. expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct, as a speaker or a literary work; moralizing: a moral novel.

3. founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom: moral obligations.

4. capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct: a moral being.

5. conforming to the rules of right conduct (opposed to immoral ): a moral man.

6. virtuous in sexual matters; chaste.

7. of, pertaining to, or acting on the mind, feelings, will, or character: moral support.

8. resting upon convincing grounds of probability; virtual: a moral certainty.

9. the moral teaching or practical lesson contained in a fable, tale, experience, etc.

10. the embodiment or type of something.

11. morals, principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.

Values

1. Sociology. the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy.

2. Ethics. any object or quality desirable as a means or as an end in itself.

3. beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment

Oh... another night of friends.

Well, I had yet another evening spent with friends. I went to a friend's house and ate this chicken lime soup. oh goodness it was good.

I had a funny day at work but I cannot talk about it because it isnt so much public... but you should know it was real funny.

The real reason I am writing this is because I wanted to say the thing that most surprised me today. I realize that this habit that I am trying to develop is starting to become pretty personal, and usually involving people around me. I hope this is ok. I am trying to really appreciate other peoples actions. Not that I dont appreciate them now, but I guess I am trying to see more of the actions that happen around me.

Today, a Man(i am protecting that identity) that our office is working with was given a bunch of advice on how to do his job better, and not in the friendliest way. The advise was pretty straight forward, and at times a bit overwelming. The Man, he thought about what was being told to him. He realised that this advise he was getting, although a bit strong in delivery, was correct. He immediatly reacted to that fact. That is a sign of a person that belongs in a position of leadership. He listened to the message and not the way it was delivered. I would also like to say that the delivery was not overly offiencive, it was just very forward. that was the moment that today I really appreciated the most.

Wake Me Up.... Before you GO GO!

So, its late. My dog is already in bed. Way past my bed time. It is 11:27 pm. Goodness. I had better whip something out quick.

First I would like to apologize to my friend Vince from Virginia. I did not mean to lump you into two states(although if it were four, it would be a tourist attraction). I honestly put that in there because for some reason, I could not remember if you were from Virginia or West Virginia. I deeply apologize.

Anyway. Today was such a good day.

The morning started out with my normal walk with Deloris, and listening to an exceptionally funny podcast from the Moth, and those 30 minutes on the track were the funniest of the day. The story was by Adam Wade and was called Development. look it up! I was laughing while walking around this track, in circles. I must have looked a little crazy, but it was a funny story.

Then I got to work, answered some emails, started doing this evaluation of this development, read an article about the suburban blight, and what to do with it, worked on a lease agreement, went to the bay, went to the country, got back in the office, finished this evaluation, worked on the lease a little more, and headed home to change in to my swim suit.

It was a busy work day, but I really got a lot done.

I got home, and went swimming. Oh, I swam hard today. I have just recently started going back to the Natatorium (also not a new years resolution) and that place is so good. I always leave there feeling so relaxed and tired and energized all at the same time. it is a great feeling. If I can just get over my flailing when I do the free style it will all be good. One day... i will get there.

I met my friend Britton for some Pho and Bun, and had a few drinks, and here I am, at home writing my blog when i should be sleeping, but i have this new found sense of purpose and feel the need to write this darned thing when i should be curled up cozy in my comfy bed!

Before I sign off, I have a few things that made my day wonderful or that surprised me:
1) I heard the Wham song Wake me up be fore you go go, which was my favorite song when i was in preschool, and was on my first tape that i used to listen to on my Mister Microphone.

2) I got to see some really cute white cows.

3) the most important, and significant. My friend lost his father on Friday. He had been sick for some time. My friend did not just leave a message for one of us telling us what was going on, but he sent all of us at the GCCDS an email letting us know not only that his father had passed away, but also how much we(most of whom had never met him, and only knew his son) meant to him. I thought that it was such an amazing gesture of love for his father, that this became the moment of the day that suprised me the most. My heart goes out to you and your family James.