trying times

It's been a difficult few days. I've been both glued to, and disgusted by the news. Everyone keeps asking me what I think about Palin. In a nutshell, she's not qualified to be vice-president OR president, and putting an unqualified, and now scandal-ridden woman up for the job hurts all women. So does crying "sexism" everytime someone asks a legitimate question about her qualifications.

And... New Orleans. Some people are saying they won't evacuate next time because they think officials overreacted. This distresses me, of course.

I love New Orleans. Every time I've been, I've been made to feel like part of someone's family. I've been to Mardi Gras, when I took Jeff there for his surprise 30th birthday trip. We returned the next year with our 8 month old for Tulane graduation. And last year I went for a work conference.

During Katrina, all I could think of was, where were the people who helped me carry my stroller on a streetcar, who ooh-ed and aah-ed over my baby at the convention center when she wouldn't stop babbling at graduation. They were warm and helpful and kind unlike people in other tourist cities (yeah, I'm looking at you San Francisco).

Those were the people who were proud of their home and wanted other people to enjoy it. Those were the people that were screwed over after Katrina.

When I went back last year, I was told on multiple occasions, "Thank you for coming! Please come back!" They would ask me what I was there for. I would tell them a work conference, but I was too embarrassed to say who I worked for; the same people who didn't come in August of 2005.

And now, another evacuation. More kids displaced and insecure, more schools closed. I cannot tell you how disruptive these storms are on the children's lives. The schools of Louisiana have not fared well with the children of Louisiana. I won't go into it now.

Hold these people in your prayers, and help them out when you can.