Abry Brothers started to dig out the foundations of our houses’s new addition. They dug out paths for the cement and did an amazing job. Unfortunately, because of the new fire policy that says that houses have to be at least 3 ft. away from the property line of the neighbor’s house, they dug in the wrong place and are going to have to redo it.
The new television series K-ville is out and you can see it here. It’s about two cops living in New Orleans who are trying to rebuild. You can see me near the end of the video, at the 40:44 mark. I was washing paint off of a house. So it’s about 40 minutes long and the rest you can see for yourself. But here is a photo, and I’m to the right.
When we took off the paneling in my room as we gut our house after Katrina, we found some very old wallpaper with ballerinas on it. I wrote this story to explain how one of them got on the wallpaper
At the sound of “Swan Lake,” I leaped into the air and started to dance. I had it all memorized, every step of the dance. But that was expected, as I had been practicing it for a few weeks. Not only that, but I was the great Calisa.
One, two, two, one, two, two, leap, step, leap, went the dance. One two two, one two, and “oh” I gasped as I fell. I didn’t know what it was, but I could never master that step.
“Vat arecht tchooo doing?” came the official familiar voice of my instructor. “Tchou aren’t zuppozed chto fall!”
“I know, haven’t I told you a thousand times, I can’t get that one ste….”
What was that noise? It sounded like a loud far off explosion. There was again, but closer, and growing louder each time. And then just when the volume of the noise was unbearable, it stopped. From the roof came the sound of crunching wood. Then all of a sudden, a giant hand came out of nowhere, grabbed me, and after that, darkness.
The next thing I knew was that there were noises all around me. I opened my eyes to a blinding light which slowly turned into a factory. I was on a moving platform with many other ballerinas, still sleeping. Up ahead were many machines of gigantic proportion. As one person went in, an exact replica came out. The only difference was that there was a cold nothingness about the person, like they were now two dimensional. Almost as if they were…
“Ahhhhhh!” I let out a scream. I can’t let that happen to me. I was closer to the machine now. The lifeless bodies were attached to paper and stored up in boxes. No, I won’t let this happen to me! I started to struggle but realized that I was tied down. The machine was 100 feet away. I started to kick. I started to scream and struggle. 50 feet. The faces of my loved ones hung over me…mom, dad, my little brother, even our cat Sasha was clear in my mind. 20 feet. I couldn’t let this happen, but why me? It wasn’t fair to me or these other ballerinas. My eyes started to water. As I started to cry, a tear rolled down my cheek. It fell. It hit the rope tying me and rope vanished, but it was too late. I said goodbye just as I was turned into wall paper.
I’m making another movie about Katrina and this time it’s what life is like 1 year after Katrina through the eyes of an 11 year old girl. It is a bit longer than the last one and should be ready in a few days but it will take a while to get it online. So when it comes out, I hope that you like it.
I’m making another movie about Katrina and this time it’s what life is like 1 year after Katrina through the eyes of an 11 year old girl. It is a bit longer than the last one and should be ready in a few days but it will take a while to get it online. So when it comes out, I hope that you like it.
It has been one year since Katrina, one year since the flood waters took our city, and one year since the devastation of our people took place. Today I went to Warren Easton High School to hear the president speek. If only he were here a year ago when we needed so much help. But we still need help on many levels like federal, state, and city. I am glad, though, that our city is grouping together to make a plan but we need more help from more people in more places. I’ve been working on my second movie. It should be ready in a few days.
There is an article about me and my 6 months after Katrina movie (called Kalypso’s New Orleans) in Psychology Today/MSN Health. It says that I was unconsciously using art to deal with trauma. The article is by Jessica Heasley, and there is a link to my movie at the end of the article. So far, YouTube says that 4,929 people have seen my movie. Thanks Jessica.
Over the past few weeks I made a Quicktime video about Mardi Gras & New Orleans six months after Katrina.
You can see my movie on YouTube.
My father saw an amazing thing the other day. It was this picture. 
He asked for an explanation and this is my version of the story:
Ted the bear was terrified, as the waters were rising, and he could not swim. He tried to learn to swim once, but it turned out that he was a stuffed bear, and without blubber and lungs, let alone gills, he didn’t have much luck in the water. He asked several neighbors if he could come along with them as they evacuated. But the neighbors all knew Ted’s secret: he was fond of women’s underwear. And not just plain women’s underwear, oh no, Ted liked the red fancy kinds, especially teddies. When the water was high enough for boats to come by Ted started to get very tired and scared. He asked a Cajun guy named Boodreaux in a motor boat if he could come along. Boodreaux said “I done been warned not to pick up de bears, and I be knowin’ bout you, and youse underwear.” Ted got angry and took off his clothes, except for the underwear of course. He made a lasso out of his clothes and he latched it on to Boodreaux’s motor. Ted pulled and pulled, and finally the motor came off of the boat. Boodreaux drowned after cursing the bear. Ted died in his fancy red underwear, right next to the motor that almost motored him to dry land.
We cry, we weep, we cannot sleep
Without nighmares short and long,
I’ll ask of you not to feel sorry
as you read this song.
A hurricane wrecked our things
and even how we live,
I’ll tell you now I’ll tell you once
People this is no fib.
Katrina destroyed our house
and the things we own,
And even worse we still have to pay
off all of our family’s loans.
We have little money for toys,
though we have a Christmas tree,
We barely have enough
for decorations you see.
A hurricane wrecked our Christmas
there’s really not much to know,
but please oh please
don’t give us any pity so.
Have a happy Christmas,
please do that for us,
This might sound crazy but please
give me some trust.