I'M WEARY

Haven't posted in a long time, but I did want to do so on this last day of October.

I'm alive, but I am in despair.

I was born and raised in Louisiana, and New Orleans was one of my favorite cities.

Our family spent many happy summers on the Gulf Coast (which was the destination for many Southerners before the Ft. Walton - Destin areas were developed. In fact, I remember when Destin was mostly desolate beach. It was quite nice back then).

My family still has many friends who live on the coast of Mississippi and Alabama, and so many have lost so much. A couple of them have lost their homes. Their houses are just gone -- they've disappeared.

Not only that, there seems to be a conspiracy by the insurance companies to cheat everyone. It's unconscionable!

And I'm infuriated by the federal government's response. If we can rebuild a major city (Baghdad) in a foreign country -- that we have destroyed, by the way -- why can't we rebuild New Orleans, an American city, without all this criticism.

I fear that New Orleans will become another Disneyland. (Don't ask. I don't want to discuss it.)

Anyway, I just cannot shake this malaise.