The fire in the soul got me ready to fight, And I'm ready for war: Taking Graduate School by the Horns and Surviving NAWLINS

Take A Deep Breath, Freedom for a Hot Minute
    
Now that I'm officially done with my first set of graduate school midterms, I'm able to resume blogging. Slowly but surely, I'm getting more adjusted to my new habitat. After living in many different places and traveling to many regions of the world, I understand that there's no such thing as a perfect home. Even when it comes to domestic life, every family has its fair share of social challenges. New Orleans is a very unique place. Not a place that I can see myself living in post graduate school or raising a family, though definitely a place for the bucket list. If I had to be completely honest, New Orleans is one of the dirtiest places I've been to in the world. Maybe not quite as bad as the smog-infested cities in China, though it's definitely high up there on my list. Sometimes when walking in the French Quarter or driving down the checker board streets, I forget that I'm in the states. There's plenty of room for improvement as far as New Orleans' infrastructure goes, especially the damaged streets that are going to cause my car to have mechanical issues in due time. The quality of the roads and highways are piss poor to say the least. Moving outside of my car and on to the streets, it's a war zone! Even when walking down Saint Charles Avenue and Magazine Street, two of the more affluent areas in New Orleans, I never fail to be approached by a homeless person. These homeless people are not like the ones in Washington, DC or Boston, they'll give you lip if you unintentionally break their dreams. There's a reason that I do not carry bills in my wallet, so don't project your frustrations on to me when I am not able to magically produce dollars. In addition, I'm not going to contribute to your alcohol or drug fund. No joke, when walking down Decatur Street in the French Quarter, I saw signs and was approached by a few homeless individuals who explicitly asked me to contribute to their "Get Me Drunk Fund". If I'm going to share any of my hard earned money with you, it sure as hell will not be going to your "Get Me Drunk Fund". That's that for my rant on the motives of select homeless people here.

Celebrating 26 in New Orleans

Since my last entry, I had a birthday. Shockingly, I still feel and look the same (sarcasm for those slow at catching my humor). In order to welcome in the new age, my parents came to celebrate with me. My mother's first and last time visiting New Orleans. Looks like I won't be walking down the aisle of the Superdome, or at least I won't have my family in the crowds cheering me on. For those of you who do not live here, you should know that as locals we avoid Bourbon Street like the black plague. Every time a family member or friend visits, I must play tourist, put on my mask and walk down the vile streets of Bourbon. 

Having traveled to Las Vegas, spending time in the "Red-Light District" (Pat Pong) in Bangkok, and being exposed to other profane and provocative environments, I can confidently say that nothing quite compares to Bourbon Street. I'm not sure that I agree with some of the parenting that takes place on Bourbon Street, I for sure as hell know that I would not want to expose my newborn or young child to the derelicts of society. From the half exposed female adult entertainers to the drunk tourists (of all ages), it is not a place for children. Please reconsider your life decisions next time you decide to strap little Michelle to your chest or push newborn Nicholas down the trash-infested corridors. Though, I must admit that it was fun watching my mother strike a pose with the street artist. To contribute to the "tourist for a weekend" itinerary,  we decided to take a steamboat down the Mississippi. Unfortunately we didn't know that we'd be navigating rough seas in a re-enactment of "Cast Away". Ready for a change in scenery, my parents and I decided to see how the other half of Louisiana lives, and took a road trip to Tiger Country. I must admit that Baton Rouge, or at least where LSU is located, is a very quaint and clean area. I mean I won't be sending my children to LSU anytime soon nor do I feel upset that I did not apply or attend it for my undergrad, though it seems like it would be a great experience, especially for in-state residents.
   

        The real topping on the cake,  no pun intended, was learning that the one and only Sir Paul McCartney was performing at the Smoothie King Center (local concert venue in New Orleans) on October 11th, my birthday. Having grown up on the classics like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, and Elton John, I was so pumped that my parents wanted to surprise me and take me to the concert. Even though I wasn't alive to see all of the originals perform, I must say that I feel extra lucky to have seen Paul McCartney. The man has still got it; from his amazing vocals to his "studly" looks and captivating stage presence.

A Tar Heel Born, A Tar Heel Bred, And When I Die I'll Be Tar Heel Dead!
      

       I knew that nothing could live up to my undergrad experience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Still, I'm trying... and struggling to get sucked up into the green waves of Tulane. Students here are not fond of school-spirit. Even though Carolina blue has always been my favorite color, I've been trying very hard to incorporate Tulane's school colors into my daily attire. I'm a sucker for Sperry Top Siders boat shoes, having had a pair in Carolina Blue, I made it a priority to buy a pair in Tulane Green before moving to New Orleans. Now this shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone, though graduate school is on a different level than undergrad. I'm talking a night and day difference. Even though I try to be involved as much as I can, the options are not as plentiful, nor do I have the time to dedicate to extracurricular activities. My liver has obtained enough damage from my undergrad days and nights of debauchery in DC, so I'm not one who needs to go out every weekend night. I'm at the age where I'm ready to settle down when and if I find the right girl; someone to put me in my place, LOL. Moving away from social surroundings, academics at Tulane have exceeded my expectations. Aside from some of the simpler forms of "testing our knowledge", the course work has all been very engaging, and has been keeping me plenty busy. I know my blogs are redundant, though I must make mention that I came to graduate school with a different attitude and perspective than the one I brought with me to undergrad. Professors are very fair here so my grades are pretty solid, however I'm not focusing my time and energy on obtaining all A's. Graduate school, the struggle continues, that's life! Stay tuned!