All I can say is 'the big easy' doesn't seem very easy!

So I'm in New Orleans for a conference on Marketing in Higher Education. I can say I consider myself lucky that its in New Orleans this year because last year it was in Chicago. Me, Chicago AND in November don't mix - I simply refused to put in a request to go....and side note, next year its in San Diego *SWEEET*

So anyways, I've never been to New Orleans before. Maybe someone who's been here can help me out a bit....but I'm having a hard time figuring out if what i'm seeing is just the life in Louisiana and the 'dirty south' and what parts of it can be attributed to the devastation of Katrina.

But what I have come up with from my trip -

-'dirty south' music is as annoying in the 'dirty south' as it is up north.

-Its no wonder that people from other parts of the country don't like New Yorkers. At the luncheon today a guy from New York was explaining to people at our table that even though Giuliani wasn't liked because of his arrogance, when 9/11 happened, everyone in New York had to respect him because he was a great leader. Unlike when Katrina happened, Mayor Nagin of New Orleans got what he asked for because all he did was tell everyone they should have been helping him.... HUH???

-Do residents resent that is seems like everything about New Orleans has been overshadowed by the effects of Katrina? Or does that help them to rebuild? Ironically their famous drink there is The Hurricane....

-It is actually possible for me to be tired of seeing seafood on a menu. But damn New Orleans has some great food!

-My favorite tourist t-shirt for sale was the one that said 'FEMA Evacuation Plan - Run Bitch Run.'

-Men, especially those with gold teeth, regardless of where they are, kiss out of car windows at women..


*after thinking a lot about my trip and talking to a couple people, I did some research....and Louisiana is one of the poorest states in the country. Helps to explain some....but makes me wonder how some conditions that could easily be of the "third world" - how or WHY should they exist in a country with so much wealth....