b.rox

Music really helped me get through this year, and so I wanted to do a year-end post about my favorite songs and audio oddities of 2007. I’d imagined writing a detailed annotated list itemizing what each song meant to me. Alas, I find I don’t have the time or the wherewithal for that. So I [...]

Today is Xy’s birthday. She wanted a Kurt Cobain lunch box (I am not making this up) so I went to FunRock’N on Magazine where said item had been spotted. After a comedy of errors (including being turned away from the store in error) I ascertained that they did not have the lunch box anymore. [...]

It’s not all drudgery. We’ve taken some very pleasant breaks from working on the house to visit friends. Today we went to Li’l Red’s wedding in Madisonville. Li’l Red is one of Xy’s co-workers, a young Teach NOLA recruit slugging it out through her first year as a teacher in our public schools. I’d never [...]

What have I been doing over the holiday break? Painting. Every day. Yes, even on Christmas. I’ve finished painting the walls of our living room. I painted the balusters (banisters if you prefer) which took three days, because I did three coats of two different colors. I’ve been painting the wall above the mantel gold, [...]

Now that Christmas is past and campaign season is swinging into full gear, I will permit myself the following cranky thoughts. Remember the mantra from 2004? Anybody but Bush… Anybody but Bush… Well, it turns out now there is someone worse than Bush, and it just so happens that he’s running for president. I’m speaking [...]

I got some clothes and a swell electric garlic roaster for Christmas this year, but by far the coolest gift comes from my dear departed Grandma Mildred. It’s a crib blanket that I used as a child forty years ago, handmade by Grandma. The theme seems to be travel. It says: “BY AIR, BY SEA, [...]

There are nineteen balusters In our balustrade. I painted them all orange today Each one a different shade. Actually that’s not true. I painted sets of two In alternating hue. This tortured verse Has gone from bad to worse But do not curse My name. I plan to have a merry Christmas And hope you [...]

Story on the front page of today’s paper confirms what I wrote in November.

I’ve started a new tradition. I’m not shaving between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. This gives me an annual chance to appreciate just how gray my beard is getting. I’d say I’m about 50% gray at this point. Then, on New Year’s Day, I’ll shave it clean and get a fresh start. Footnote: [...]

Xy and I went to see Sweeney Todd at a suburban cineplex last night. It’s a truly impressive film, masterful, the latest iteration of a story that goes back at least 160 years — and yet I had two major reservations. For one thing, both Xy and I were somewhat squeamish with regard to the [...]

Today’s the northern solstice, the longest night of the year and the shortest day. Tomorrow the days will start to get longer again. In the fiction of Ursula K. le Guin, this day is known as Sun-Return. Out of darkness, light. I’m always surprised how many people are completely unaware of the solstice. You could [...]

I wish I could take comfort in the unity of our City Council today, as they closed ranks and voted for the redevelopment of our public housing projects. I wish I could believe that the planned redevelopment will truly lead to a more just and humane society, with greater opportunity for all. But I can’t. [...]

Here’s another brain teaser: If I’d left for work ten minutes later this morning, I would have arrived ten minutes earlier. How can this be?

Here’s the note I’m sending off with our solstice cards this year, mainly to people who (I think!) don’t read this blog.

Something tells me the picture of Sharon Jasper sitting next to her widescreen TV on page A-14 of today’s Times-Picayune will not advance the cause of public housing.

A question to all the Christians out there: How would you like to see non-Christians act with regard to Christmas? How can we be both respectful to you and true to ourselves? Clearly we can’t celebrate the religious aspect of the holiday, so would you rather we not participate at all? That doesn’t seem quite [...]

The struggle over public housing has been building for years here in New Orleans. Now it’s ramping up to new levels. It’s a disgusting and pathetic spectacle. With apologies to Mom and Dad, it’s a clusterfuck. There’s just no other word to describe it. I don’t have it in me to play reporter and account [...]

I almost forgot — the 27th story on our renovation appeared in today’s paper, with a cool picture of yours truly working on the staircase. It’s nice to have a picture of me actually working for a change instead of just standing in front of someone else’s work with a cheesy grin.

Xy and I had our initial appointment with the Road Home program this morning. Yes, that’s right, initial. We’re only just now getting started. For once this tardiness cannot be blamed on governmental ineptitude or bureaucratic bungling. It’s our fault. We’ve dragged out feet and postponed this because we don’t really expect to get any [...]

Last night Xy and I took one of her students out to dinner at Venezia’s. We had pasta and pizza and then got desert at Angelo Brocato’s. After that we went to see The Golden Compass at the Prytania. Caitlyn is very quiet and serious, one of Xy’s smartest students. In fact, Xy’s says Caitlyn [...]