images2000

The New Orleans French Quarter Market is a great place to act silly. Amy, Kyle and Anna tried on these wonderful hats to model for me before we noticed the "no pictures" sign. Well, I'm glad we risked it.

Such a happy gal. I'm so glad that I had a chance to visit New Orleans with Amy before she graduated and headed off for D.C. I miss her terribly. But I'm glad that we can continue our friendship, despite the miles.

Kyle and I share an intimate moment with the camera here. We dressed up for a night on the town. I can't remember why we did it... But I'm glad that we got the opportunity to capture it on film. I dated Kyle for the first few months of 2000. Fond memories.

Erika (behind me) had a great idea to attend a small Louisiana festival in South Louisiana. We got to experience a delightful, small-town celebration with plenty of friendly folks. I'd recommend Tee Mamou to any tourist who wants to get a glimpse of how the Cajun people have an old-fashioned good time.

Here, Kyle, Erika and Amanda (back row) stand with Rose and me on the middle of the main street in downtown Iota. This is right before the parade began. We are full of boudin balls, etouffee and (ick) domestic beer.

Cliff and Anna moved away in early 2000, so I wanted to include this picture of them. While they were in Baton Rouge, I always enjoyed spending time with them. Right now, Cliff is pursuing his interests in theology while Anna's working as a children's librarian just outside of Chicago.

This is my latest photo album. It's a work in progress. This is probably going to be my last full year of being a student. While I spent most of my time in school, my extra-curricular activities have been great, thanks to all my graduate school buddies. I dedicate this page to them.

This is just a composite image that I made. The main reason I wanted to make it is that I didn't feel like I'd adequately captured the feel of the event with my pictures. In all the excitement, I didn't take any pictures of our group really interacting with the parade-goers. (I suppose I was too busy socializing with all the friendly people around me.) So I created this image. Oh, the other reason I love this one -- Rose and I are acting so sultry that I had to include it.

Jason is the first person I've ever met that's crazy enough to fly to Baton Rouge from half way across the country just to meet me, star of the small screen. So I showed him the town. New Orleans is just a quick trip away, so we hung out gorging ourselves on food and seeing the sights. Thanks to Jason, I finally saw the Mardi Gras warehouse, where they store all those floats and parade things throughout most of the year. It was fascinating.

Gavin is the second mildly insane person who has come to visit me. We didn't do much touring around when he came. Mainly, he just came to visit your host, moi. That was fine. We had a swell time just chatting. He's that kind of guy: real cerebral. Here we are trying to figure something out on the 'puter.

Gavin brought a friend with him from Chicago. (Gavin's actually met the man who plays Mr. Snuffalumpagus. Or maybe he just told me that as a ploy so that I'd invite him over to play with my toys... I don't really know.)

It takes a lot to make Christian, my brother, dress up. A wedding or a funeral is usually what it requires. Here we are at the former. Christian's best friend from way back was getting married. That much I remember. Just exactly why Christian and I started making gang-style hand signals is beyond me. (Blame it on the cheesy music and the freely flowing champagne.)

In New Orleans, Jason snapped this one of me acting out the old fable about the large metal fish robot painted with scenes of nude mermaids. You know the one. The Festival of the Fins is a great mix of high camp and low art. Thanks, Jason, for this great picture!

You know, I bet it would be great to live during ante bellum times. Except if you were a slave, of course. That would bite. But spending time under the quiet oaks of the Magnolia Mound plantation made me contemplate what an unhurried, genteel way of life it must have been for the lucky few that were on the top of the social ladder back then.

Had a great time at the Baton Rouge High Magnet School Reunion for the Class of 1990. It rocked. I didn't feel like the quiet little geek I was in high school. Nope, I was a much taller, more outgoing geek.

What can I say? Gavin makes me smile. He's more effective than "Hooked on Phonics" when it comes to being entertaining and educational. And he's just got a whole crack-baby vibe that I adore. See for yourself if you don't believe me.

Christian traveled down to Baton Rouge from the boondocks of North Louisiana to visit Francoise and Kristine during their time in the states. Fran was kind enough to be our tourguide during our time in Paris a few years back. I showed the girls around plantation country while Christian introduced them to California-style wraps at a semi-trendy restaurant. (More details are in my journal.)

Molly, Christian and I were glad to show off our domestic version of haute cuisine to our French delegation. They said they were impressed by the food. "It's great! I love it!" Fran enthused. Kristine just grinned demurely at us.

Do you know the expression about "behind every great man, there's a great woman?" Well, here's the proof that it's true: These are my officers (the little pooh-bahs) to my big pooh-bah. They're all my fellow student officers in graduate school.

For my birthday this year, I was fortunate enough to spend it in a luxury condo in Destin, Florida. Some new friends worked very hard to make me feel at home and show me a great time. Thanks, Tim and Caleb, for a great time!

Jason and I went to the Myrtles Plantation, supposedly one of the most haunted spots in the country. Sitting out behind the house, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming presence. Then I realized that it was just me! When Jason took this picture of me, I had absolutely no idea that my presence would exhibit itself so visibly in the picture. Who knew?

It's such a small world. Sarah went to the same graduate school that I do, just a few months before I arrived. She decided it wasn't for her and is now attending the University of New Orleans for her MA in English literature. She and I just chilled out while Caleb took this picture.

"And see, that, Sarah? See that flaming ball of gas? Don't stare directly into it, or you may cause severe retinal damage." What can I say about sunsets? They're something that I always appreciate, especially when I have a seascape horizon.

Jane and I have the same birthday. Jane (deer-in-headlights girl, far left), Allison, Jeffery, Jennifer and Lori celebrated the "twins'" birthday October 17th at a swank Lebanese place. During the meal, Jennifer suggested I apply for a job -- it turned out to be the best-paying present all year. I started 3 weeks later.

When Molly first met Christian, my little brother, in Astronomy class all those years ago, how could she have known that she would've eventually met up with me, the crazy older brother? Fate works in mysterious friggin' ways sometimes.

Molly and I have so much in common -- we both love to drink and we both love to party. We're practically the same person, only in separate bodies. Frankly, it's scary. Uber-narcissist that I am, I had to marry her. Sort of. We attended a wedding ceremony a few months back and found ourselves the second-to-last couple to exit the reception. There was a 30-foot row of people on both sides of us. We ran down the corridor of people, hand in hand, giggling and shielding our eyes from the imaginary rice that was being thrown. Loads of fun! So, ever since then, she's been my "wife" and I've been her "husband." (Catchy nicknames, huh?) Thankfully, she respects my autonomy and we have a very open arrangement. (We're both free to see other men.)

John made a great Dalai Lama. He had the best eyeglasses of anyone at the party. My grandmother used to call those coke bottle glasses because they're so thick. Well, I don't know how he could even walk while wearing them, because they barely let any light through, let alone any clear images. Ah, the perils of a good costume....