A season of forgetfulness

As the days go by, I find consolation in the number of people that I know who seem to be suffering the same effects as me. I hesitate to write anything that might smack of negativity, as I have gotten SUCH a response from friends and relatives over my last post that was “upbeat” sort of like “WOW! I’m glad he’s over all of that ‘hurricane stuff,’ and is better now!” but sorry to say, it comes and goes . comes and goes.

The latest “normal” for me is the fact that Katrina washed away a huge hole in my brain where my short term memory used to be. Heather and I have both noticed a marked inability to concentrate for any length of time, for instance, listening to NPR stories on the way to work. We often realize that we’ve both forgotten what the story was about before it’s over with. I used to read the comic strips every morning in the newspaper, but now I find myself unable to follow the narrative all the way through. canada goose vest I realized the other day, as we were driving out of town to a gig that I had forgotten to call Ruth (who used to run Ruth’s Cakery in BSL and makes the best King Cakes on the Coast), whom I was supposed to meet at the SBA center to get some much needed art supplies. I was standing her up as I thought this and then thought “AAAaaghh! I need to call her right now!” . AND THEN FORGOT! Luckily I saw her Thursday night, and she was very nice, didn’t hate me, and said that she’s been doing the same thing. I keep finding scraps of paper in my wallet (at least that is better . I used to just lose them immediately) with people’s names on them, and I remember the planned call or email, or contact that I forgot . but then I forget again.

I’d be a little scared if it was just me, but it is happening to nearly everyone I know (well, except for Hannah, Sarah and Noah Anderson. Those kids are just about perfect I guess.). The fact that it’s happening to everyone actually makes it scarier now that I think about it. Now is the time that we’re all having to make really important decisions, and remember really important facts and figures for insurance purposes. Now is the time when we’re having to decide how to rebuild our destroyed towns. But this is all happening while our brains aren’t working optimally. Will people on the beachfront remember that they didn’t want 20 story condo walls on their property? I can only hope.

It sort of reminds me of a joke my dad told me about an aging couple who was having trouble with their memory. The doctor encouraged them to write things down if they thought they might forget what was being discussed. One night while watching television, the wife says “You know what would be great right now? A bowl of vanilla ice cream!” The husband gets up to get it for her. She says to him “You know what the doctor said, you ought to write that down.” “No, no . I can remember that.” he replies. Then she says “Oh! Whipped cream on top of it would be great! But you’d better write it down.” “No, no. I got it, vanilla ice cream, whip cream on top.” Then she says “And strawberries!” “Alright, I got it, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream on top and strawberries!” and he disappears into the kitchen. A long while later he comes out with a big plate of bacon and eggs. His wife shakes her head in disbelief and says, “Where’s my TOAST!?!”

I have the feeling that with all of the folks suffering memory lapses (as well as all of us spending so much time on hold, and still waiting for FEMA) the concept of time in Mississippi will change. People in America have joked for years about “Latin time” and how Latin American countries operate on a relaxed time table. I think that in the future, all of us on the Coast will have a relaxed sense of punctuality and urgency as well. I’ve noticed a lot more folks wandering into Church 5, 10 or 15 minutes late, many times I’m one of them. With our current situations, and inability to remember things, we’re all being a lot more tolerant of people who are early, late or don’t show up at all. But then again, we might all just forget that, too.

Farmers’ market a choice commodity

Diane DeAngelo May God Bless You!! I lived south of the tracks in Waveland and it unbelievable but y will be glad to know that there are about 5 homes within the first block off the beach on Waveland Ave. But I have to say the loss of communication was the scariest and I urge anyone who is or knows a ham operator to dust it off and get back into it our law and fire departments, and other rescue agencies will need you. Let them know where you are or work out a plan with these agencies for communication with each other and outside rescuers and relief agencies.

I think that we all should be taking CPR and first aid courses, learning to swim if we can already, storing life jackets with our storm “kits”, teaching elderly how to operate gas powered machinery such as generators. Home Improvement stores should be holding seminars on the safe operation of generators and chain saws free to the public. We should all have more survival skills than other urban dwellers the impossible has happened and could happen again. Our federal government is no more prepared now than they were before Katrina, so you can be let down iffen ya don expect it to begin with! We hate to be a burden to our fellow Americans, but we must ask that YOU help us be ready for the coming season. We are still structurally, financially and emotionally fragile and I much rather know that all of you were ready to come when needed than all the billion dollar federally funded agencies that exist. We be strong again, but this year has gone too fast, with too much bullt from people who have no vested interest in us other than as taxpayers.

Prayers from all are needed and so appreciated. We down here pray for all of you that have shown your faith by showing up or giving it up for the cause God bless you and keep you safe, but know, that if you need us jus holler we come a bare feet and all.

Carol, Your post is giving me goose bumps. I love the bare feet!!! You know, when we moved to the south from Denver, I was six years old, and I really thought that people in the south didn wear shoes! Actually, once I landed in Alabama, I was shoeless all summer long, every year. Those new shoes really were confining each September. The rockachaws and the fire ants in the Bay made me rethink the shoeless thing a little. Here in Colorado they have something called goat heads that do the rockachaw thing. They got a little bur on each spine that just digs in and holds on and some kind of allergen too that burns like the dickens, when you pull them out. My poor dog looked like she was highstepping out in my back yard, which was full of them when we moved in. I took her to the vet she was going crazy one day and limping. Goat head bur was burried deep in her paw. Sorry for that digression. But there is truly nothing so pleasurable as walking barefoot on the beach, with the gentle lapping of the waves and the soft breeze just blowing and whispering in your ear and all the little critters that wash up on the beach are such a joy and surprise to discover. So ya get on out there and try to enjoy it, if you can this summer. We holler if we need you!

you know it goes to show how selfish our government is they can run the country they can do what they want we the people govern them. getting the things done that should be done first seems like a complete problem with the government. http://www.canadagoosereview.top/ yeah the national guard and everyone one else in the military are doing a great job and i give them props b/c they are just people like us and to see what they see really has to put a burdon on them and everyone that survived the storms. its so upsetting to hear about things on the news or to hear one of your friends or family complain about something small and petty. there are people out there that have been through the worst and seen the worst, if everyone in the united states would pitch in one dollar it would still mean a lot with the population of the country we should be able to get somewhere. i just wish everyone would realize this is life and our country why not do something to help, i am not saying there has not been any help b/c missionary and churches i know. but everyone nedds to help you know some of the richest people in the world could make a huge difference. its like a huge family and when your family is in need your there for them and people are in need so what are we waiting for?