I know. I said I was back when I wasn't really back. It seems I can't quite catch up -- we just got back from the laundromat since the dryer's on the blink, and though the landlady's brother has come by once to work on it, we're still disheveled here in our bedroom because of the nasty (and I mean NASTY!!) ceiling leak where the termites were. Ah, life in the swamp.

Anyway, enough excuses. Onward, I say!!

There's been a ton to write about and therefore a ton I've missed. Bear with me; I'll try to list all that's been on my mind.

First, Anna Mae's murder is solved. (Or at least settled legally.) Unbelievable! Arlo Looking Cloud, an AIM member, was found guilty two days ago. This past week, the NY Times has run three articles about the trial and the conviction. That the only story coming out of Indian Country is about a murder trial (and the assumption that AIM and AIM alone was behind her killing -- there's nothing about the FBI's questionable behavior during those years) is sad, but at least it's something. Most Americans think there are no actual bonifide living Native Americans in large part because the press only come out to cover historic reenactments and other nonsense. My only hope is the story of her murder doesn't overshadow the story of her life. She fought for the civil rights of Native Americans and lost her life doing it. I don't think the fact that an AIM member was convicted takes away from this. From what I've read, there was so much fear within the movement because there had been high-profile FBI spies outed that there was an assumption that some members were spies too. It's all so terribly sad.

More news. New Orleans is the murder capital of the US for the second year in a row. Really. The Times-Picayune is running a series about it all week: "Cycle of Death." They actually discuss crime in terms of poverty, unemployment, and drugs. Go figure. And they are running the articles the first week of Mardi Gras. An even bigger surprise. There's a map of the murders, and what do you know, many come from where we hear gunshots. The violence is, by and large, localized, and according to the article, is caused in part by an "unorganized" drug trade. There aren't gangs here the same way there are in Chicago. Chicago, where the crime rate has been climbing too (the Trib has run a few articles about it the past two weeks), has three times less the murder rate per capita than New Orleans. The numbers alone are staggering: 275 murders in 03. In a city with less than 500,000 people.

In the business section of yesterday's paper, business leaders and the tourism commission discussed whether or not all these killings were bad for NOLA's "image." They compared New Orleans to Miami in the mid-nineties.( I kept thinking they should just compare New Orleans to New Orleans. It's not like they had some low crime glory days in the past or something!) Three tourists were murdered here last year and Ray Davies, the singer from the Kinks, was shot in the leg chasing down a purse snatcher. Two of those murdered were conventioneers. One was bludgeoned to death in a botched robbery (or so it's presumed) and the other, the so-called "goth murder" victim, was found dead in his hot tub. Yes, New Orleans is charming, and it seems like a small town, but clearly it's got big city crime. Don't let the lack of police patroling the streets fool you! It's not because there's no crime!! It's just all the money goes into paying for those cheap plastic beads, I guess. Nothing left for paying the police. That's why they're escorting wedding parties instead of cruising their beats.

I'm not sure how this tarnishes NOLA's image more than it already was. The city seems to pride itself on the fact that its dark underbelly is fully exposed. Decay in all its forms, on display. It's much more "authentic" that way, don't you think?

Peace. Please.

"And now for something completely different."

Coldplay endorsed John Kerry at the Grammies last night. I watched about ten minutes of the whole thing and -- what luck! -- saw the endorsement live. I've always thought Kerry was the man. I'm glad he's ahead. He's liberal enough for me and he knows how to fight. I want to see him kick Bush's ass. (In more ways that one, but I guess I'll never see that. I don't watch Celebrity Death Match much.) Bush has the religious right wackos in his corner; luckily, we outnumber them. Rock the vote, my sisters and brothers! I'm feeling positive for the first time in four years. Wow.

Okay, back to New Orleans.

We went to our first (and probably only) Mardi Gras ball a week ago. Aren't we special!! Our downstairs neighbors invited us -- they know the queen and therefore could get us balcony seats. It was absolutely fabulous. The Krewe of Amonra is the largest gay krewe in the city. And do they know how to dress! The queen, Michael, had an outfit (all handmade) that was out of this world. All white, with sequins up and down his slim brocade dress, a glass and chrystal crown with a fitted cloth helmet (sort of like the witch in Snow White -- and I mean that in a good way. Really!), and the piece de resistance, an outrageous ostrich feather fan that framed her torso (and was probably six feet across) and flowed to the ground in a fifteen foot heart-shaped train. The music started, stage fog billowed from beneath the curtain, and then there she was: absolutely glorious. Stunning!!

The whole evening was such fun in part because of all the prep we'd done the two weeks before. S got a new suit (he looked FINE, I tell you) and I got a new dress ($30 at a designer liquidation place -- wow) and a wacky fur purse. Crazy!! And I got to wear the feather boa S gave me for Christmas last year. Tell me that isn't great!

(I know -- who cares what we wore. If you know us, you're laughing already. S wears tees and jeans every day. I wear pretty much the same, though I usually skip the tee and wear one of the few shirts I love, all of which I've owned for years. We aren't the most fashionable couple. Dressing up was actually a big deal. S hadn't bought a new suit in over ten years. And I'd not put on a dress since we got married four years ago. Ha!)

It was such fun I'm sure the parades will pale in comparison. Still, we're going to set the alarm Mardi Gras day and head down the street (we're VERY close to the parade route here) and see Zulu at chipper chipper 8 am. I want one of those gold-painted coconuts, dammit.

I'll write a bit more about Mardi Gras in the next few days. The ball was such an eye-opening experience. I have no idea what the socialite balls are like -- Rex, etc. etc. I'd guess they're awful, not unlike other socialite events anywhere. But who knows. Maybe they make fun of the whole thing as much as Amonra did (without taking away from the pomp and beauty of the event -- that's what was so interesting). Who knows! Now I've got to go record grades for my morning class. Oh the joy. I'm vaklempt.