"How strange that nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude!" - Emily Dickinson

Photo: Rachel DeHayes, Bird Island at Audubon Park

On days when I wake not to the sound of my buzzing alarm, but rather to the chirping of busy birds in the tress of my backyard, I just know that I'm Snow White. I rise from bed, open the shades, the sun pours into my open room, and it is going to be a good day. 

I never cease to be amazed by the power of nature. Even though I live on a zero-lot line property, up several flights of stairs, with no direct exit to the outdoors, those very first sounds of nature remind me that the world is bigger than my little plot of land. Most days I have to go out of my way to indulge in its beauty, the closest outlet being a 2-mile walk around Audubon Park, but in that short time out of my day, I always feel better. 

We've created a world where we could go weeks without really experiencing nature - and trust me, that happens to the best of us - but even this born-to-be-a-city-slicker-self knows that a moment alone with nature is a therapy and catharsis money could never buy. 

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Photo: Pleated Jeans

People ask me all the time: "Why do you want to go into social work? You know there's no money in that, right?" For the record, yes, I'm aware. But as for the "why" question, it has been a bit difficult to articulate. But, just like in Gandhi's statement above, my decision to go into a field to help others has actually led to some revelations about myself.


So, here: I chose social work because its principles, ethics, and values most closely align with how I want to conduct business. While I don't know what sect I'll ultimately go into (though I have a pretty clear vision for now...), the fact of the matter is that social work emphasizes human relations skills, and any profession that does not involve other humans is not a profession for me.


In other news, I found this map above, and literally laughed out loud. I mean, poor North Dakota! Ugliest residents? And Ohio? Full of nerds! And my current state of Louisiana boasting Gonorrhea - lovely. But as I laughed, I thought, what a gold mine for my fellow social workers. Everyone seems to have a specific population they'd like to work with, so here it is ladies and gentlemen, laid out in full color display. As funny as the map is, however, it is also pretty sad. What does this map say about our country? About ourselves? 


So, true to my theme, what are your interpretations? Is your state's label representative? For more information about the research used to create this map, check out Pleated Jeans.

"The truest expression of a people is in its dance and music." - Agnes de Mille

Photo: Rachel DeHayes, Royal Street Folk Musicians

Drawing from my amateur background in anthropology, I can vouch for Agnes de Mille in her assertion about the importance of music and dance in a people's culture. Music is a unique medium through which one human can release raw energy and emotion and feel assured that his message with be received with its full intent through the ears of another human. Performer or listener, musician or groupie, perfect pitch or tone deaf, native language or foreign, music crosses all barriers to tell the story of human spirit and passion.

In very few cities do street performers earn (almost) as much respect for their talent as do professionals on a stage; and of course, New Orleans is one of those cities. Touring through the French Quarter, you'll find a bucket drummer on one corner, an eight-piece brass band on another, an a capella gospel singer outside a store front, and a six-piece folk band two blocks further down the road. Sure, some of these people could be beggars looking for their next meal, but among the nonsense are true musicians just looking for an audience with which to share their craft.

Yet, in New Orleans, this long-held tradition of street performance continues to face political controversy. Are the musicians too loud? Do they play too late? Should they even be allowed to play music on the streets at all? Or do they have the right to freedom of expression; to share their culture with their neighbors?

OffBeat Magazine tells the story better than I could, but I know, regardless of its political adversaries, the show will go on. And I, for one, look forward to hearing it. 

"In New Orleans, gluttony is a way of life" - Morton J. Horwitz

Photo: Rachel DeHayes, Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

Photo: Rachel DeHayes, Roast Beef Debris Po'Boy

There are no two ways about it: family in town = good food. Actually, since this is New Orleans, where "good food" is practically an insult, let me re-phrase: family in town = oh my god I'm so full from ridiculously delicious food that I won't be able to move for hours. 

As important as it is to take in the sites and sounds of this cultural mecca, New Orleans is the kind of city where the food easily drives the planning for the whole day. Though the city offers some of the most creative breakfast meals - Ignatius and Elizabeth's, I'm talking to you! - we decided to take one meal per day to rest our taste buds, and let's be honest, lunch and dinner weren't about to get cut from the list. 

Thanks to suggestions from local friends and a burgeoning knowledge of my new home, here is the complete list of decadent indulgences from this weekend's gluttonous extravaganza:

• Lunch: Port of Call on Esplanade Ave - Some call them hamburgers, I call them "cloudburgers." And don't even get me started on the baked potato...
• Happy Hour: The Columns on St. Charles Ave - As classy as it is reasonable, with $2 drink specials and a live Jazz trio set in a Plantation-style home turned hotel
• Dinner: Dante's Kitchen on Dante Street - Hands down, best meal of the weekend thanks to homestyle cooking with plenty of Louisiana flair
• Lunch II: Joey K's on Magazine Street - Crusty, juicy Roast Beef Debris Po'Boys, trust me, far more delicious than it sounds
• Snack: Cafe Du Monde on Decatur Street - The one and only place to indulge in fresh beignets and cafe au lait, but beware of flying powered sugar!
• Happy Hour II: Pat O'Briens on St. Peter Street - Tall, strong Hurricanes with a side of dueling pianos
• Dinner II: Pascale's Manale on Napoleon Ave - A recommendation from my grandpa and a don't miss for the barbecued shrimp - paper bib and all!
• Lunch III: Cafe Rani on Magazine Street - Redfish Po'Boy and weekend brunch specials out on the sunny courtyard with live music

If you're exhausted from reading that list, just think about my full tummy! But no complaints here, I'm happy to indulge for the weekend. Check back this week for more updates on the rest of my weekend as a tourist. But for now, I've got leftovers calling my name...

"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." - Mark Twain

Replace San Francisco with Orlando, and this Mark Twain remark just about sums up my experience with cold weather! And BRRRR is it cold in this country! I know I can't complain about New Orleans' weather to you Mid-Westerners and Northerners, but hey - we got some snow flurries yesterday. And by flurries I mean hail. Whatever. 


On a brighter note, family is coming to visit for the weekend! And barring inclement weather, I'll be playing host/tourist, so I hope to have some good inspirations and photos to post in the coming days. 


As for now, off to a hot shower and a hot dinner. I'll leave you with the cutest, possibly warmest polar bear of all time:

Photo: Rachel DeHayes, Sleepy Polar Bear


Stay warm, my friends!

“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” - Leonard Bernstein

Photo: Rachel DeHayes, Clock tower in Chicago

I'd say Leonard Bernstein got it right with this ironic statement. My Grandpa always says the key to success is the 3 P's: preparation, preparation, preparation. And while I wholeheartedly agree, all that preparation won't do too much good unless you have just enough fire under your bum to put that plan into action. 

I've always been a planner. Ask anyone. Just like any true Virgo, I crave organization and order. But when that organization and order is paired with a busy schedule and just enough of a time crunch, its a high I can't even explain. 


February is going to be the kind of month where, if Bernstein's recipe is correct, greatness shall be achieved. It will be a busy month, mixed with heavy deadlines and weekends of fun, but I say bring it. The planning is done. It's time to jump into action!

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo: U.S. National Archives (courtesy Flickr)

It is only day three of Open to Interpretation, and it is evolving in my head at the speed of light. Today, instead of searching for an inspiration, I knew exactly what I wanted to be inspired by: Black History Month. And my muse? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His perspective on the innate goodness of the human spirit is truly awe-inspiring. Can we all really put our differences aside? Can we replace our prejudices with love and respect? Martin Luther King, Jr. sacrificed the most precious gift of life, yet, are we even close to fulfilling his iconic dream?

Since moving to New Orleans, race and all that goes with it has been illuminated in some of the ugliest and darkest of ways. However, in addition to seeing the disparities that still exist between people of different colors, I have also seen the light. I've seen people come together to take a stand. To acknowledge it. To talk about it. To fix it. 

People say Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love, and perhaps it is, but the title could also go to New Orleans. The people of New Orleans love their food, love their music, love their architecture, and above all, love the Saints. So why not push that love one step further, and love each other, regardless of color. It's time to celebrate our differences, and then maybe share a bowl of jambalaya. Or alligator cheesecake. Yummm

Curious about the efforts New Orleanians are putting forth to promote love and respect among people of all colors? Check out www.eracismneworleans.org. And share your favorite Dr. Martin Luther King inspiration by commenting below. Because in the end, it's all open to interpretation!