My New Orleans Experience 2016

I'm breaking away from my studies to give a quick update on the NOLA vacation. I finally chose the pictures I want to share. They are the most memorable.

Well, a few weren't, but I'm sharing them anyway because they're just fun moments. It's not my first rodeo in New Orleans.

New Orleans: sexy man, art, fountain.
Who wouldn't enjoy this?

I'm not going in chronological order, not unless I discover that my storytelling isn't making sense. I never said I was a good storyteller. So here we go!

From left to right: Kathy Henderson Tradewell (my sister), me (duh), and
Terri Lanham Claunch (close childhood friend)

That picture above was taken at this place called "I forget." No, literally, I forget where we were. If my sister or Terri reads this post and reminds me, I will update the text and tell you where this was taken.

What man would get duped into being in this photo?
Let me introduce from left to right: Charles Harding (my boyfriend),
Mike Tradewell (my brother-in-law), and Stan Claunch (friend's husband). 

They didn't realize we were going to insist on going inside later in the evening. Don't worry, I got video. I will share it at the end of this post. DO NOT scroll down to see it! You must finish reading this post.

I insist!

Yes, we realize we aren't supposed to take pictures.

Why do it? Because we can!

Realize this, though. If taunted with signs, we will disobey. I'm saving up for The Art of Sign Disobedience, Part II.

Somebody's dessert at Emiril's Nola Restaurant

My dessert was beer, but just look at that! The folks at Emiril's NOLA Restaurant know how to present food, there's no question about it.

Charles and I at NOLA Restaurant in New Orleans

And later that evening...

There were no honeys hustling during the day.

There we were. Hanging in the streets. The night life hadn't started yet. You know, the drinking, the naked women, the con artists wanting your money.

One naked lady, breasts painted red, white, and blue, approached and asked us if we wanted to take a picture with  her. I thought her motive was money so I simply stated, "No thanks." She looked heart-broken. But, damn. We'd already gotten conned into paying $40.00 for two hats we'll never wear, and a book I'll never read.

Waiting on the show to start!

Remember "the real drag queen sign" at the beginning of this post? Yeah, that's where this photo was taken later that evening. I told you we would insist. Doesn't Charles look excited to be there? 

Another touristy photo
under the Bourbon Street sign.

The people in the street started early the next day. We got our beads but didn't have to expose ourselves for them. How nice of you, sir. Here, I have $3.00 left. Spend it wisely!

Two people being silly in New Orleans!

I'm not sure why it was so much fun sneaking photos of ourselves holding up masks. I think it was because the store owners weren't really aware of the things going on or they've just become immune to folks disregarding their signs. It felt like stealing. Recall Breakfast at Tiffany's with George Peppard and Audrey Hepburn when they steal masks?

Okay, so enough of that.

Yes, I ate shrimp and grits!

I never have been a fan of grits, even cheese grits. But, for some reason, I don't know if it's because we were in New Orleans or what, but this tiny bowl of shrimp and grits was amazing! If you have a chance to visit Cafe Fleur De Lis, this is what you need to order.

We are Anonymous. We will find you and expose the truth.
But first, I need another beer.

I'm with Anonymous. Hilary Clinton, your lies will be exposed. Seriously though, that was one freaky mask, but I liked it.

He's like some fallen angel or something. Maybe a premonition
of what was to come that evening? Who knows...

There are so many props to find while hanging out on Bourbon Street. You never know what's right around the corner. 

Like maybe a demon or two?

It was so much fun just hanging out in New Orleans over the weekend. Every night seemed to be another party and everyone wants to hang out and take photos with everyone else. It's a very hospitable place out on the streets.

This dude let me pose on his bicycle. It is not motorized,
so I'm not really incriminating myself here.
See the pedal?

That was my weekend trip a few weeks ago. I'm much rested and ready to get back to work and hit the books. What have you been up to Blogosphere?

Okay, drag queen video...as promised.

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Uber Experience in NOLA

I'm not going to blog about school or work. Today, I'm blogging about a different kind of progress.

This blog post is about my new best friend, Uber.

This is progress because Uber replaces a service (the commercial taxi), which has monopolized travel and, in essence, has impacted entertainment and tourism for so many years. I'm going to eventually share my NOLA vacation, but first I need to share an experience with the Uber phenomenon.

I understand that Uber isn't everywhere, so when we arrived in New Orleans and settled down, being that I'd experienced NOLA four short years prior, I made an executive decision. Uber would be our mode of transportation the duration of our stay. There existed the perfect scenario: the meeting of three couples arriving in three different cars, each wanting to spend time together in the great city of New Orleans, and possibly engaging in the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

I gave consideration to the current state of the economy and called on a local taxi service. They were booked and it would take 45 minutes to get a ride, but then, they'd have to send two cars to pick up six people. The cost estimate? A whopping $50.00.

Screw that! Ridiculous, right? 

So, I contacted Uber, requesting an extra large vehicle to fit all six in my party. My driver arrived in less than eight minutes.  That's not the amazing part. I was able to track his progress toward my destination, including every turn he made and every mile he reached. What, what?! The cost at peak time? Check it out in the photo.

I'm not saying you should use Uber as a means of putting the finger to the current state of affairs in transportation services, but rather, consider it if you really want to get moving and don't want to put up with the bullshit of being shafted by commercial tourism. Trust me, if taxi cab drivers had their own vehicles, they'd be jumping on the Uber bandwagon.

Trust that my group and I witnessed a few middle fingers expressing the International language of love by taxi cab drivers as we entered Uber vehicles. Was this their way of telling us that they disliked our choice of service? Will Uber be the end of commercial services? Is this a formula of people taking care of people?

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Some WTF Moments Traveling to DC

I've been remiss in not posting the photos from last weekend where I spent my time with friends who participated in this year's Marine Corps Marathon. My trip started last Thursday when I bumped into my friend Yvette at the Tallahassee airport. I was like WTF are you doing here? And she was like, no wait...WTF are YOU doing here?

Turns out we were both traveling. She was going to Texas, and I was going to D.C. Funniest thing ever? We were both on the same flight to Tampa where Yvette had a 2 hour lay over, and I had a 4 hour lay over. Is there a better way to spend time with a friend than getting our buzz on before noon?

Drinking Mai Tais & Strawberry Martinis

Okay, so enough of that shit. Eventually, we said our goodbyes, Yvette took off to Texas, and I popped another Oxy in preparation for my flight into D.C. where I would eventually meet up with my other pals from Tallahassee, the ones who were all running as part of team Tim Carlisle, in honor of my late husband. Yes, you should visit the link and see how much his friends raised for their charity, Semper Fi Fund. Here's a video outside the Smithsonian's American History Museum.

Team Tim Carlisle and their families celebrate
after the run on Sunday.

My friends, Lisa and Robert Roddy

Tim's buddy, Garrick. Responsible
for creating the team and raising over
$11,000.00 of their $10,000.00 goal!

Despite the long trip, parts of which I can't even explain (like the 50 foot drop the plane took during a bout of turbulence), I had some "me" moments where I was able to reflect on the past and even ruminate on my future a bit. Where I'd once had fears of eating alone in a restaurant, I was forced to do so while experiencing my first encounter with Vietnamese cuisine. I ordered this stuff called Pho.

When this came, I was like, "Okay, I get it."
Pho fuck's sake! Where's the rest of my food!!

I soon discovered that wasn't all there was to my order. That's just the nasty stuff you're supposed to use to make your meal look more enticing. Wait for it....

Yeah, that's meat floating inside the
soup bowl. It's like some kind of beef
brisket, floating around in hot soup.
I'm not kidding. LOOK at it!

Did I eat it? Yes. I was hungry. Despite the fact that I'm only 5'3" weighing in at 115 pounds, I still do require some sustenance. No worries either, I did not skimp on my caloric intake.

Less calories than an entire bowl
of Fettuccine Alfredo

Nestle Dibs wasn't the only thing I consumed during my alone time. I walked to the local 7 Eleven (yes they still have those in D.C.) and picked up a sugar free Red Bull to drink on my way back to my room, though I did pass a crowd of Mexicans hovered over what looked to be a scratch off lottery ticket.

This is true. I experienced it, so don't call me a racist. I can't help it they were Mexican. I really wish they had been Asian so that I could say they were Asians. But, if they were Asian, they'd have been taking pictures of each other standing in front of the local 7 Eleven and maybe holding up a sugar free Red Bull.

Life's too short not to enjoy one of these.
I bought the sunglasses at the 7 Eleven, too.
Classy? Maybe more like classic.

So anyway, my trip to D.C. was just another journey on my path to making progress. I'm doing me, and me says it's time to celebrate the meaning of life, try new things, experience the freedom of being you, and take an Oxy 45 minutes before you get on an airplane.

Cheers!

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A Celebrity Picture Story

I know you all have been wondering where I've been for the past week. Not.

Tim and I visited Washington D.C. and met my sister and brother-in-law there along with a childhood friend and her husband. We showed up on the red carpet, under-dressed for the occasion I'm sure. But it was fun and nobody said a word about our attire. As a matter of fact, they were pretty stunned to silence. It was awfully quiet!

Firstly, we were greeted by the lovely Marilyn Monroe, just as gorgeous as ever. What do you mean she's dead? Look at her! She's literally singing Happy Birthday, Mr. President.

And by the way, after she greeted the philandering...er, President and First Lady, I made it a point to encourage the two iconic figures to enjoy our company. They could hardly refuse.

I'll try not to annoy you too much, Mr. President.

When you start mingling with the heavy duty crowds like the political figures, they get a little uppity at times and think they can run you off by making you feel like you don't belong, but Tim fixed that very quickly. You have to treat his wife (that's me) like excellency or you'll be the one high tailing it out of there. Get it?

Beware, I have a lighter in my pocket.

Anyway, egos flared, tempers culminated into a standoff, but soon enough all was well and we moved on. Why? Because, someone got Tim's attention and his man hairs settled into a nice down pelt.

So this is how you're supposed to treat them...

Julia Roberts made sure he felt at home in the star-studded atmosphere. Watch it, Missy. I can assure you he's not going without a fight. I have to warn you, I pull hair and it hurts. Plus, he doesn't like big teeth.

So now I'm forced to lure my man away from the clutches of the tooth fairy and what better way than to have Mr. Clooney propose to me!

Sorry, Amal, but I think he just got tired of your good looks and humble attitude. I promise you, I won't be signing a pre-nup. There's a price for everything, but I'm priceless. Ask Tim.

Why yes, George, but the pre-nup is a no go.

Alas, I cannot compete with these Hollywood types. They come out of nowhere! How do I show Tim that I'm the better catch? I don't have the money, the fans, the looks, the ASS. I mean look at THAT!

He DID put a ring on it!

Beyonce's got all that, plus a mean ass look on her face. Does she have to rub it in so nastily? Men will be men, I guess. A warning to you lovely ladies out there. A cheater is always a cheater. If he does it to me, he'll do it to you. You haven't won anything! You'll see. Karma's a bitch.

Mmmhmmm. Go on, girl!

So what do we do to keep our marriages going? How do we compete in a world filled with people who believe that beauty is the catch-all when it comes to mating? We put our men in the field, that's what we do!

Sharing strategy!

Keep them busy. Allow them to compete and play hard. There are plenty of sports for them to get involved in and to help blow off testosterone.

Sharing jabs!

Soon enough, they will be so busy patting themselves on the back, shaking hands with their competitors.

I thoroughly enjoyed kicking your ass at Mario Brothers.

They will encourage one another, build future bonds, and share fist bumps.

 and all the while...back at the fortress....we're helping out as best we can to make this a better place, opening lines of communication, and sharing knowledge.

You missed a comma. See, right there.

We're bringing our passions to the table and opening our worlds to younger geeks who are eager to contribute!

See that? It's an integral. Amazing stuff!

Seriously, I had no idea this would turn into a "making progress in our relationships" type of post, but there you go!

And, that's a wrap!

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Things Got Ugly at PCB

We're in Panama City Beach this week, so if I missed posting anything for you, you now know why! Actually, I felt an urge to share something with you. Knowing I love to break rules whenever I have the chance, I thought you might enjoy my latest display of rebel awesomeness.

These were my own empties. Multiple rules were broken on this evening.

1. Alcoholic beverages were consumed in the spa
2. Motrin for our aching backs were consumed before entering the spa
3. No adult supervision existed for the lot of us
4. We did not seek consultation from our respective doctors as they were not available

Then we made it out to Coyote Ugly where most of us rode the mechanical bull. I didn't make it onto the bull, mainly because I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I discovered the next morning, I'd found myself on the bar instead. So much for making of the fool.

Here's my son Cameron's attempt at mastering the beast. Sorry, but I have confiscated and destroyed all videos pertaining to the bar.

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My Grandson Meme - Caption Contest!

This is our grandson, Levi. My stepson Timmy and his wife Kelly brought Levi with them on a visit to Tallahassee. We had a wonderful time showing them around and we even took Levi on his first boat ride ever!

Here he is, on the boat with Mommy and ready for some action. He's always pointing with the one finger and we couldn't understand what it meant. But will you look at the expression on his face?

I've decided to create a meme and capture the moment. This is what I think is being conveyed here.

Please join me for this caption contest. Simply provide yours in the comments below. The prize? An opportunity to post about your work in progress, an upcoming release, or a guest article here at Are We There Yet? I know, I know! Don't get all excited there. [insert sarcastic emoticon here]

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Photo Story - My Vacation in the Bahamas

We're back!


Just a brief lesson to you about traveling outside the United States -- You will be roaming the entire time!

I didn't realize how much I would miss my texting and being able to instantly send photos to friends and family. But, at least now I am able to share a little of the Bahamas with you, because my character of the day is Miss Eloise. Well, that's what I'm calling her as I didn't get permission to use her real name because I didn't know I was going to blog about her until just now. No, really. I didn't.

Miss Eloise is an 82 year old Bahamian woman who has lived her entire life in Georgetown, Bahamas, which is where we stayed (at the Sandals Emerald Bay resort). It's a place I will recommend to anyone planning to make that trip. It's the most popular resort in Georgetown according to our guide, Miss Eloise.

View from our room

When she first loaded us up into her large SUV at the airport and before she proceeded forward toward the resort, she paused and said in her thick Bahamian accent, "Welcome to the Bahamas." Her voice was crackled with age, but she seemed well animated and passionate about her country. It was dark out, so I couldn't see her well enough to tell her age, but the shaking in her voice gave me a little hesitation and I was honestly hoping she wouldn't keel over while driving us to the resort.

She didn't keel over. We made it!

She gave us each a business card with the name and number to her taxi services. We wouldn't pull this card out until the last full day we were to stay on this beautiful island. When we called her, she was delighted to pick us up and take us out to the docks where we would ride in a water taxi to Stocking Island, but first she showed us around the surrounding areas and gave us a little history of the place.

Miss Eloise's accent was so beautiful, and with the age and wisdom in her voice, I felt mesmerized. It was like I was in a movie and the narrator was right beside me walking me through it. Then I realized I wouldn't have wanted anyone else narrating but her.

A small, brown snake slithered between two planks on the walkway leading toward the ancient tombs we'd come to witness. I stopped, "Is it safe to go back there?"

"It's okay, darling." Her accent strung out the word darling and it reminded me of Eva Gabor in Green Acres. "Those snakes won't harm you."

They didn't harm us, but they were everywhere. Even one popped out of a stony piece of ruin at the base of the tombs. I'm not lying. I have the picture to prove it. See, I knew you might question me on this. I was close enough to get some detail.

They should have named the place Tomb of the Snakes!

When we were finished touring the area of Georgetown, Miss Eloise drove us to the water taxis and called out to a large Bahamian man, "Elvis, darling! Take my friends to the island, will you man." And he did. He asked what time to pick us up and we told him around 3:00 p.m. because it was only 10:00 a.m. and we wanted to enjoy all the stuff there was to do and discover on Stocking Island. Then he nodded and left.

Let me share this with you. Stocking Island isn't like the boardwalk of things to do like we have in the States. When you go to an attraction here in the US, there are actually things that "attract" you as in things to do. Remember this, because the only thing to do on Stocking Island is hang out at the Chat n' Chill…when it's open, which it was not.

Stranded with nothing to do!

I think everything would have been fine had we arrived when the place was open. It was as if we were on a deserted island, only there was an audience to watch us as we wandered around in awe that we had absolutely not a thing to do. Yes, there were sailboats anchored in the water, EVERYWHERE! And there were probably people on those boats laughing their asses off at the only two people on the entire island, looking dumbfounded as we certainly felt.

However, no worries! After about an hour of wandering around, we went back to the Chat n' Chill and thank the heavens above there was a boat and some people unloading supplies of food and beer and marching them up the beach and into the small building that is the Chat n' Chill.

Nothing to do but take photos

"Excuse me, but what time do you open?" Tim asked one of the unloaders.

"Eleven O'clock," the kid offered as he marched up the steps.

I looked at my watch. Yes! It was 11:15 a.m. so we went inside and got a Diet Coke. When I asked about food, the bartender told me the kitchen wasn't open yet and they needed another hour to prepare. So, there were two things to do at that moment. Hang out with my husband in the Chat n' Chill and drink a Diet Coke. Ain't that fancy. You know me. I didn't care that it was before noon.

"Bartender? I think I'll have a Kalik Light." If there's one thing I know how to do when there's nothing else around is have a good time.

And finally, to drink some Bahamian beer...

Cheers!

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