NOLA:

I didn't do the best job of journaling on the trip, but I did take down a few thoughts as those twelve days passed. I'll post up a few reflections while they're still fresh in my mind. Don't expect them all to make sense, and they may not be in chronological order but I'll try my best:

- As soon as we entered a devastated area the van became dead silent
- I was affirmed in my ability to feel and empathize with the sadness, loss, depression, hopelessnss
- I, and perhaps others, wanted to see the destruction and effects of Katrina ("oh, the ninth ward got hit the hardest? I want to see!" and "I want to see a car up in a tree")... makes it a little bit easier to see where the people who go to NO on destruction tours are coming from
- The boys hit the town part one, when we saw the most gutter punks... they're a crazy but kind of cool people. I can see myself being like one of them, oddly.
- Separate guys and girls for a while, but then bring them back together and it's just exciting
- Some boys hit the town part two, Bourbon street this time. Anything you want to see, feel, or hear... it's there. A lot of talent, a lot of sin, a lot of diversity but a lot of separation
- Jonathan (yonder fan.. I'm sorry! It was my first try) is so much more fun when Cheryl's not around, and by that I mean less rational i guess
- Boys have a real talk, I like that
- Shattered Cat and their trees... that was some really fun climbing
- Quiet time, fresh air, porch, swinging bench... so beautiful I couldn't help but smile
- Having to get over that Myron did not hate us
- That horrible work day... oh where was the team?
- There are some mind games we should never play... they'll only end in hurting hearts
- Guess who? Who would of guessed?
- The Newlyweds game, Tiff and I headed up some awesome questions
- MJ's and a pirate... maybe some of the most WTC moments
- Airports and airplanes, prepare to watch us be embarassing
- Our team was/is a body... a demolitioning machine... I may have been like an ear and an elbow... an earbow... or maybe also a little like the teeth since I could cut things... an earboweeth
- Regret is simply not an option
- Best destruction moment, when that entire ceiling came down
- Funniest ending moment, I'm introduced as "And this is Bert, he likes Grothe's too"... I mean, it's not untrue but who says that?

It's now almost midnight and it's certainly almost bedtime. A lot of other life stuff (ie. school logistics and all that catching up jazz) comes at ya fast. Poor Cobert has caught pneumonia. But I hope to never stop sorting memories and reminiscing because the learning and doing must spill over.