Day 92: Does It Really Pour When It Rains?; See Ya, C-U; Mini Blogger MeetUp

Walking out of the airport into the hot humidity of Houston after Thanksgiving, I checked my voicemail only to retrieve a message from my brother informing me that my uncle passed away the same day as D’s mom. Half a world away in southern India, my dad’s younger brother also lost a long-fought battle with lung cancer.

While we grieve for my uncle and his family, my brother and I take some comfort from knowing that my father was there when my uncle passed on. Dad, the eldest male of his family, would never have forgiven his own absence and may perform his responsibility of funerary rites and lighting the pyre. The sadness comes from knowing that this is not the last time he is to bear such a torch – his mother, my grandmother, may not be far behind. My heart also goes out to my younger cousin, S, who has given a lot of her health and career opportunities to live at home and provide physical and moral support to her parents. This must be so hard for her.

With a staccato of jabs, life seems to be doing its job in reminding me not to take anything for granted. What we project onto our future is not reality – reality is the twists and turns away from the charted path. As I said to a friend yesterday, it is time to “let things happen, with your strength but without expectation, and see where its leads you.” It’s surrender, not in the sense of giving up, but in understanding that Things Happen.

New Orleans, we have to make this our motto. Only then can we survive and rebuild with sanity and awareness.

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See Ya, C-U: My week in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois was fabulous. Anne, Scott, a cast of thousands (ok, hundreds … ok, tens) and I enjoyed Thanksgiving with all being nice to, civil with and undemanding of me. Downtown Champaign has taken a turn for the metropolitan better but still has a way to go, while Urbana remains mostly sleepy college town. When I first showed up in CU last week, a part of me whined that I wasn’t with family while others were. And then, the much-needed brain reset* showed me that there’s family and then there’s … family.

* known to happen in the presence of old and trustworthy friends and freezing temperatures

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Mini Blogger MeetUp: On Saturday evening, I met Ashvin, fellow desi blogger and Sepia Mutiny commenter, for coffee at the Oregon St. Espresso Royale Cafe in the heart of the University of Illinois campus. We had a great time channeling each other’s energy with conversations on remote sensing, medical imaging, borehole tools, Houston, New Orleans, Vellore, the nuances of spoken vs. formal Tamil, family backgrounds and, as Ashvin so succinctly puts it, issues related to Indian moms.

Pictures forthcoming.

Temporary home again, temporary home again, jiggity jig.

November 28, 2005 | new orleans, travel | 3 Comments »

Sharon Erwin 1939-2005

Today I will not speak as VatulBlog. I will express myself as Maitri.

This droplet in virtual space and time is dedicated to honoring the life and death of D’s mother, a great woman, a terrific maternal figure and, until recently, a vivacious being. After valiantly fighting a renewed battle with cancer over the course of the last few weeks, Sharon Erwin passed away peacefully in her sleep early this morning, with her second son, David, by her side. Diagnosed with cancer of the lung and brain on St. Patrick’s Day this year, Sharon gritted her teeth through the year-long gauntlet of radiation and chemotherapy. Remission wasn’t meant to be and, very recently, the illness took control all over again. Praise the pantheon that she didn’t suffer much and refused to linger in pain and a severely diminished quality of life. Some comfort may be derived from knowing that this is how Sharon would have wanted to die. If she was anything, it was the living example of dignity.

Sharon Ann Erwin was born on January 13, 1939 in Door County, Wisconsin to Leona Kroogman and Merritt Churches. As a child, she liked to play on her Dutch grandparents’ farm with her older brother, Lee, and loved to dance. Sharon grew up to be the very tall, very blonde and very hard-working mother of Rick, David and D, and loved dogs. Rarely seen without a German Shepherd and, lately, an Akita by her side, she was the type specimen of imposing, fun-loving and charitable. Never have I met a woman so forgiving of her children and pets, never have I interacted with a woman so erudite, capable (best seamstress ever!) and cosmopolitan despite not having journeyed beyond high school and the United States. Sharon completed the picture of Strong Midwestern Woman and she did it well.

Survived and, more importantly, remembered fondly by her husband, Marshall Robert, her sons Rick, David and D, her daughter-in-law Lisa, brother Lee, half-sister Candy and a host of extended relations, Sharon lived a full life. Say a kind word or a prayer if you knew this great woman and, if you didn’t, say one anyway. This world suffers from a severe shortage of cool people and we’ve definitely lost one.

D mourns his mother like I mourn New Orleans. The nature of Door County now changes for him, as does the texture of New Orleans after the storm, in my case. Death and destruction don’t just affect the immediate, but can and do change the entire complexion and perception of a place and time. How many mothers died here.  According to D, it’s not just Sharon who has left, it’s the meaning she imbued in the place that her children called home.

Home is not a place, it’s a feeling. It’s a spirit. It’s a living thing.

Fly in peace, dearest Sharon. Thank you for being my “American mom,” never judging me, teaching me how to paint clouds, every blissful shopping trip and admonishing me with “You have two masters degrees and don’t think you can knit?” I will wear everything you made me with great pride. Most of all, I love you for your big heart and every great smile you flashed at me. May your soul attain moksha.

November 26, 2005 | family & friends, wisconsin | 4 Comments »

Day 89: New Orleanians, Please Take This Mayoral Survey; Houston Hurricane Maps

Mayoral Survey For Congress: New Orleanians interested in returning home and/or restoring the city’s cultural offerings are requested to fill out this survey prepared by the cultural wing of the Bring New Orleans Back organization. Whether you are active in Performance Arts, Visual Arts, Design, Education, Literature or Culinary Arts, the survey is designed to assess your current status and what your organization will require to return to pre-Katrina status.

According to the Cultural Committee’s website, the compiled information “will be presented to Congress in hopes of acquiring their assistance in rebuilding the cultural fabric of New Orleans.” While the entry of old and new business is critical to New Orleans’ survival and recovery, the city will die without its soul. Your opinion is being sought; this is the time to organize those armchair woulda-coulda-shoulda thoughts and BE USEFUL in the rebuilding of our city.

The survey must be completed by Sunday, December 4, 2005. Please pass this information on to those without computer access as they can call (800) 691-8313 ( M-F, 9AM-5PM) or visit the local library’s computing facility to complete the survey.

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Interesting Houston-Related Hurricane Maps Provide Fodder For Thought: While poking around the WaPo’s Storm Coverage section this morning, I came across this heretofore unseen graphic on hurricane/TS wind strength during Hurricane Rita.

What caught my attention is a rectangle in the southwest of the map that reads “Houston Flooding Simulation.”

Houston Flooding Simuation - Courtesy washingtonpost.com
Houston Flooding Simulation . courtesy The Washington Post

According to this map, merely storm surge from a Category 4 or 5 would flood portions of Houston inside the 610 loop and that too only in the southeast. Granted, this is damage enough, and South Houston, Pearland, Hobby Airport, Pasadena and the Houston Ship Canal would be, pardon the expression, up a creek without a paddle. But, what about the areas of Houston that were flooded by TS Allison in 2001? One must remember that a storm surge will cause the flooding postulated in the above map, but, the rains associated with such a fierce storm will also contribute to the drowning of areas not colored in on this map.

Back to the topic at hand – Have drainage basin, will surge. Also note the chemical plants and oil refineries that dot Houston’s water outlets to the sea. I sincerely hope that the industrial canals of eastern Houston do not turn into our MR-GO and Intracoastal Waterway, manmade navigational conduits that contributed greatly to the destruction of eastern New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish.

November 25, 2005 | hurricane katrina, new orleans | 2 Comments »

Day 88: Music On The River This Saturday; R.I.P., Ragin’ Cajun

Music On The River: Offbeat Magazine and New Orleans Musicians Relief welcome you to a concert at Woldenberg Park this Saturday.

Come on down to Woldenberg Park (Conti & the Mississippi River) on Saturday November 26 from 1pm to 5pm to enjoy Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Jon Cleary, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, John Boutte, Wanda Rouzan and Topsy Chapman for a special celebration of New Orleans Music. A second line featuring the Hot 8 Brass Band begins at 10am at Sweet Lorraine’s (1931 St. Claude Avenue) and rolls down Esplanade to Decatur to Canal Street. [You can also] listen to the concert live at WWOZ.com.

Interesting to note that the event is sponsored by Putumayo Music and Southern Comfort.

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Rest In Peace, Ragin’ Cajun: WWOZ Radio sadly reports that John “Johnny” Joseph Fasullo, a.k.a. The Ragin’ Cajun died on Sunday, November 20, 2005, at his home in Marrero, LA.

Mostly indsicernible with his deep voice and rich Cajun accent, The RC played some of the oldest and heartfelt Cajun music I have had the pleasure of hearing. My weekend radio experience will suffer for this, as it will for a lot of OZ listeners. As I’ve said of Karl Haas and beloved on-air personalities, you’re in the airwaves now.

Instead of flowers, donations may be made to WWOZ in Mr. Fasullo’s name. WWOZ radio is one of the scintillating jewels in New Orleans’ crown, one that attracted and endeared me to the city on my first visit, long before knowing I was to live there. I highly encourage you to give what you can to this wonderful community radio station that lives and thrives on the generosity of its listeners.

November 24, 2005 | hurricane katrina, new orleans | Comments Closed

Day 88: Eight Days Of Mardi Gras

Not Six, But Eight Days Of Mardi Gras: An extra weekend of Mardi Gras has been added to the lineup, allowing the usual Uptown krewes to parade and not in Metairie, according to nola.com. Prepare for regular-season parades beginning February 18th.

“… faced with a growing mutiny among krewes, the administration agreed to expand the schedule to eight days and to let parades roll for more than eight hours on some days. Although no one yet knows where the money-starved city will find the cash to pay for the police overtime and other additional city services needed for the expanded schedule, the city is considering seeking corporate sponsorships and the krewes may be asked to pitch in some money.”

The only Eastbank krewes that will not roll are Oshun, Shangri-La, Ancient Druids and Saturn, due to monetary constraints.

Krewe du Vieux, not officially a part of Mardi Gras, but that which signals the start of parade season will roll through the French Quarter on Saturday, February 11th. C’est levee!

| hurricane katrina, new orleans | 3 Comments »

Day 85: So Much To Be Thankful For

On This Thanksgiving: Some time last month, it occurred to me that I have not had a vacation since my trip to Dublin last year. A vacation usually entails a departure from normal and Katrina & Aftermath provided just that, but it was obviously far from relaxing. With colleagues and friends mysteriously disappearing for chunks of time, I pondered an escape myself. Vacation criteria: A getaway from the southern United States, nothing too foreign or too new – must reserve the mental energy for dealing with not living in my home – and some place with a home-for-the-holidays feel. Aha! Champaign-Urbana, Illinois – my home of seven years, where I received my high school and undergraduate education and current home of several close friends who have grown with the place. CU will always have me back and for this, I am thankful.

Besides, I now have the opportunity to satiate my photojournalistic curiosity about the revitalization of Champaign, the growth of Urbana and the overall change the region currently enjoys. Chronicling the growth-change of a city and friends – some of us have since switched careers several times, married, married and divorced, so on and so forth – is quite the challenge.

Across Walnut St. From Cafe Kopi
Across Walnut St. From Cafe Kopi

Other things for which I give thanks:

. that it could have been a lot worse in New Orleans. From absolute destruction to people and businesses never coming back, the fate of the city may have taken a turn for abandonment. However, the damage and hurt was just enough for the emergence of awful secrets, lessons and hope. Everyday, I grieve for my city and its people. But, here on out, the future is all we have. If we turn out to be better, rather than bigger, humanity will have risen above nature in a healthy and sustainable manner. I am thankful for “Onwards!”

. txyankee, without whom I would not have made it through these past few months. A great friend and confidante, he has never led me astray and continues to provide advice, solace, home and the opportunity to hug and kiss the wonderdogs almost everyday.

. my parents, who love me unconditionally despite the inherent difficulty of raising and elevating a daughter like me

. my friends, online and off. The subtle ways in which you show your support are unparalleled. From long email matches, IMs and phone conversations to allowing me to raid your library, pantry and aromatherapy, you tolerate, provide and extend. I am beyond indebted, but you know that (and I know what buys you off!)

. my life, which I love, will never exchange for another’s and don’t wish on anyone else. My greatest teacher has placed me in the most interesting situations when I least expect it. There is always a door – the trick is to find it and the strength to walk through to the other side.

Appreciative of benefits received, grateful to be in the small percentage that have access to computing and a zippy internet connection and loving the cuisine of the season. Happy Thanksgiving, all!

November 21, 2005 | hurricane katrina, new orleans, travel | 3 Comments »
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