So I've been here in Louisiana for a few days. My original feeling was some trepidation and, frankly, sadness. Granted, the airport isn't in the best of places but seeing some of the remaining aftermath of Katrina didn't help either. There's a lot of work left to be done in these parts. And George Bush handing out tiny flags to people getting their homes back just ain't gonna be enough.
That said, I managed to make it down to the French Quarter for an early dinner. One, the red beans and rice at the Cafe Pontalba are excellent. Also, I got to drink a couple Abitas and enjoy some of the best people watching I've done in quite awhile. Jackson Square is just covered in amateur artists, photographers, and palm/tarot/bone readers. I got to see things both happy and a little sad, like families walking around soaking the scene in, and a hot dog vendor with busted up shoes refilling with water bottle with the melt from the cooler he stored the drinks he was selling.
I walked around a bit, getting to Bourbon Street, which, even on a random Sunday afternoon is filled with the weird and the drunk. And then I drove out here to Houma.
Not to make a particularly big point of this, but when I saw my hotel was on Martin Luther King Boulevard, I wasn't the happiest guy on earth. But they've got a nice one here in Houma, just full of hotels and strip malls and the like. The people are for the most part friendly and my room is as good as can be. Much cable channels, a fridge and nuker, and a big old bed that doesn't feel like concrete or - alternately - a bean bag chair.
The job hasn't been totally great. I didn't get power to the servers until yesterday and there are some network issues. None of this is new if you've heard me rant about other projects, but I did get to make the most of it.
Monday I ran off to the McIlhenny Tabasco factory when I realized I wasn't getting any power that day, at least until late. It is the first time I've been able to do proper sightseeing on a project in some time. I forgot my camera in the hotel room but I grabbed a disposable and managed a few shots that don't totally suck. They're not very exciting but I've got them up on the Picasa site here. Enjoy.
I actually am in a good place with the project. While things have been out of a lot of people's control, the folks I'm working with are great. They're funny and light-hearted even given that they've got the most impossible schedule to keep. So that helps keep me going. I know you sometimes only here about the jerks, but I'd like to comment that these folks have been the best I've worked with in quite awhile.
So, off to bed since it is way too late and back at it tomorrow.
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