Hello-Everyone

[sheisnot]

I'm so happy to find this site. I've been lurking about for a few days and finally decided to register. I've got a lot of DS pics to share with you all.

[Silver Moon]

Hello!

Welcome to the boards- I'm glad you decided to sign up! I can't wait to see your pictures!

-K-

[krausy]

"I Second That Emotion"

Great to have you here!!!!

Noticed you are in or near NOLA, I am going there in October for the Voodoo Fest----Duran Duran is headlining the Sunday shows!!!! Thus, I gotta be there!!!!

[lastgoldstar]

Welcome to our cult!

Noticed you are in or near NOLA, I am going there in October for the Voodoo Fest----Duran Duran is headlining the Sunday shows!!!! Thus, I gotta be there!!!!

Really? I may be going, too. I have to make sure that that's an okay time for me to go and that I have money and everything, because I only live about four hours away.

[krausy]

Welcome to our cult!

Noticed you are in or near NOLA, I am going there in October for the Voodoo Fest----Duran Duran is headlining the Sunday shows!!!! Thus, I gotta be there!!!!

Really? I may be going, too. I have to make sure that that's an okay time for me to go and that I have money and everything, because I only live about four hours away.

THat would be Seeeweeeeet!!!!! Maybe we can meet up? Keep me posted on this as we get closer. I did buy the weekend VIP pass so I could attend both days, but even so we can meet up one day or the other.

[godisinthesilences]

WELCOME TO THE SITE!!!! WE LOVE PICTURES!!!!!

[kinki]

Welcome Sheisnot...to our little corner of Nipponese dreams. Hope you have fun.

[sheisnot]

Thanks for the welcome, all.

I'll be at Voodoofest, too...that is, if we don't get nearly washed away again this year!

[krausy]

Thanks for the welcome, all.

I'll be at Voodoofest, too...that is, if we don't get nearly washed away again this year!

Omigosh, no!!!!

I am praying that does not happen again!!!!

[kinki]

Did you get badly affected by the hurricane? (Voodoofest sounds interesting..)

[krausy]

yes, Kinki, they got hit very hard last year by Hurricane Katrina. Parts of New Orleans are still devastated. It will be a slow process recovering but they have the spirit down there to do it, I just hope this hurricane season is merciful so they do not have any setbacks.

[kinki]

Well, quite. I remember watching it all on TV - absolutely tragic. and the way it was handled by the powers that be - so awful. What I meant was how badly was she affected herself....didnt certain areas escape devastation?

New Orleans is such a beautiful, atmospheric, and lively city-I was gutted when I saw how badly it and its people were f*cked, once by the weather and again by the government - sorry to be so graphic in my language but it really got me so angry, how so many people couldve been let down so badly.

[krausy]

I don't blame you one bit for feeling that way Kinki. Many people feel the same way over here---I think it was just a shock to everyone when it happened---I think no one really expected that kind of devastation, or, at least they were in complete denial that it would be so bad. The only ones that were realistic about it were the meteorologists. Problem is no one ever wants to agree with them or take them seriously.

Then, of course when Katrina went through and the devastation left behind, all the fingers were pointing at each other. I guess no one will really know what went wrong or how--it will be covered up for years. I do know that the FEMA director at the time infuriated me the way he would get so defensive and turn into a monster--he could not handle the criticism hurled at him, he would totally crack!! Most likely he was restricted in what he wanted to do because of the powers that be--that is the kind of answer we will never get anytime soon--who really dropped the ball here.

Then there is the situation of people getting aid under false pretense---it has been discovered that approx a billion dollars has been issued to fraud claims---so sad, because some people need the help and can't get it.

As far as the areas affected, some areas worse than others. I visited the city in 2004 and I don't know if that area I stayed in was devastated or not. Another gal i know had water in her house, but I don't know what neighborhood she is in. Another old acquaintance of mine is one of the big wigs at Zatarains, and I understand that he is basically trying to help his own employees that have been hit hard by the storm and that their company had to relocate due to damage.

When the Voodoo fest was first announced some people had concerns about the state of things in the city, but some residents spoke up and said that many parts of the city are fine and encouraged us to consider coming after all---the way i see it as a way of supporting their cause. Attracting interest in the city is what they need now more than ever.

[sheisnot]

"Did you get badly affected by the hurricane?"

No, I didn't. I live Uptown (what most outsiders know as the Garden District) which is one of the few areas that didn't flood. My job was okay, too. Still, it has been very hard to live here since Katrina. Nothing feels stable anymore. If we have a hurricane this year, that might be it for New Orleans. I think there are very few other places in America where the residents could understand what it's like to live in a city that might not be there next month or next year. It's very, very hard. I've been in love with this city since I was a kid, moved here a few years ago thinking it would be forever but now I just don't know. The area of town I live in is pretty much back to normal, but that is definitely not the case for the other 75% of this city. On the way back from Pensacola earlier today, I came into NOLA from the East (you'll remember that New Orleans East had very bad flooding) and saw very little progress being made--miles and miles of homes, apartment buildings, shopping centers, gas stations and more still abandoned. There were some workers but not nearly enough. What was eye-opening was seeing the damage in Pensacola from Ivan; two years later you can still see evidence of the storm. It just made me realize how long it's going to take NOLA to recover from this, if we ever really do.

[krausy]

Thanks for that response----it really gives us insight on what is really going on (or not going on) down there. The truth comes from the ones that really know, and are experiencing New Orleans post-Katrina. I am happy that your home and your job were for the most part spared, and it has got to be hard to see whole neighborhoods just abandoned. I pray that things get better for everyone down there.