|
|
At the age of
75 and after a 5-year leukemia battle, Sheriff Harry Lee died
yesterday. For those not from New Orleans, the meaning and significance
is perhaps lost. He was the original Cajun-Chinese cowboy – a rarity
anywhere – and about to run for his 8th term in a few weeks. He’s been
the Jefferson parish sheriff all my (and my friends’) lives and that is
an amazing feat. 27 years as one of the most vibrant warm genuine men
I’ve ever been lucky to meet.
He had a strong presence in New Orleans, especially the Chinese
community and I grew up with a great respect for the giant sheriff.
Through their years with Chinese school and other organization, my
parents became acquaintances and always spoke highly of him; pictures
of them together are framed proudly in our home. His Mardi Gras float
is a local favorite and our house is filled with miscellaneous Harry
Lee items collected through years of fundraisers and parades: magnets
of his jolly face, plastic cups, bobble-heads, stuffed toys. I even
have a signed copy of his biography from my mom.
As you can tell, we’re huge fans. I mean, this is the man who got on
the stage at Jazz Fest and sang with Willie Nelson; how can you not
appreciate that? He was, after all, the original Cajun-Chinese cowboy.
R.I.P. Sheriff Harry Lee
| | |
| HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Okay, I realize I’m 5 months late, but
this is my first entry in the “new” year, so I thought I would throw
that out there. I’m home finally for a much needed break from life and
work.
Life’s been pretty decent in ‘07. It’s finally the year of
the pig and filled with superstitions and good luck charms, I am
determined to have a good year. I finally finished the Bandolier site
(www.bandoliergroup.com) which was pretty fantastic to be done with
(and I got an unplanned raise!). Now I’m redesigning my own site
(again) and started a more “professional” blog on wordpress
(gumboho.wordpress.com), but it’s lame and I’ll rarely update it. I
decided to clear out all the networking sites though and no longer on
bebo or Friendster.
The one thing I desperately need to work on is my weight. It fluctuates with insanity. Sigh.
The weather has been so incredibly fabulous. I was expecting severe
heat, but it’s been cool with just the right amount of warmth. Anytime
the breeze blows while I’m driving and a good song is on, I can’t help
but smile at the poetry of it all. Life should be spring/summer always:
flip flops, shorts, dripping ice cream cones, bbqs on a rooftop
terrace, driving at night with the windows down and radio cranked up.
| | |
| merry christmas!
WHO DAT SAINTS?! (10-5)
As you can tell, I’m pretty damn
excited. The Saints kicking the NY Giants’ ass made my Christmas Eve
[and made up for the crappy grey day and pouring rain]. I love watching
the game at home with the group; in STL, it’s just me watching alone in
my apartment (if it’s on) and yelling at the tv screen (or computer).
McArdle’s place is gorgeous and huge and much bigger than his crappy
place on U-Drive senior year. Even better, a massive 50” screen and HD
sports channels! It was a good time and with a score of 30-7, the
Saints brought some much needed cheer and the NCF South! I love
football.
I have to say though, it’s
really great to be home; I’ve always loved Christmas in NoLa. Now, with
everyone coming in for only a week, events and get-togethers are
crammed in, so we end up seeing everyone practically every day and I
gotta admit, kinda love it that way. No thinking, just having fun.
| | |
| happy thanksgiving!
carpe
diem is apparently the theme of my life in the last 2 days. and by
carpe diem, i mean, 3 hours of total sleep since tuesday and coming
home at 4:15am two nights in a row. awesome.
much has happened
in the last 4 months since i've been home; only a few things worth
mentioning (and most having happened in the last few weeks).
it's weird coming home w/out mom or
dad at home. there's a large stack of mail, newspapers and a dirty fish
tank. since ruby isn't here during the week, the house just sits quiety
by itself waiting for some warmth. hopefully, i'll get some time before
i leave to clean house and pay the bills for them. this is the first
thankgiving i haven't spent with them and while thanksgiving itself
isn't so significant in the chinese culture, it made me realize how
lucky i was to have somewhere to go home to for holidays. and even more
blessed that it's a place like new orleans where family and
one-of-a-kind friends are. it's weird how i don't miss STL at all once
i step off the plane.
due to not being able to stay awake any longer and my body yelling at me, i must crash.
prayers for dad.
| | |
| This weekend has been such a flurry of high school memories and people. It's been a bit surreal, like we went back in time and everyone's
changed. My own bedroom looks like I've never grown up from high school
on. There's only one photo from college and the only other indicator is
my college diploma next to the Dominican one. Otherwise, the room is
filled with framed photos of cheery fresh-faced girls smiling brightly
with no understanding of the future or the real world. My tv cabinet is
stuffed with shoe boxes of letters and notes written with carefully
chosen colored markers and folded with even more care. i never realized
how much I loved the Dominican years and New Orleans until I left...
Tonight,
at Laegers with Brandon, Bob, Elle, Katie and Kate, it almost felt like
no time has gone by. 'Cept there were beers on the table and everyone
was not as skinny (well, cept kate & ellen & katie) and we were
talking about the real world (not even college anymore!). It's both
really comforting and startling at the same time. Like the fact that
some friends have become raving belligerent drunks still kinda throws
me sometimes, but at the core of it, we're all the same southern group
that loves home and good food.
| | |
|
