so i can't really say in so many words "my feelings" about Katrina, because really.. it seems like i ought to not even have any as a "sheltered" west coaster. but i was talking to a friend at work who went to tulane, and has lots of friends and family in new orleans. she's pretty down just because she hasn't heard from some of them, and of course the aftermath of a city she went to school in, and where her friends and relatives live... not so pretty. i was lucky enough to be able to go visit and hang out in baton rouge and new orleans a few years ago for mardi gras, and i'm not trying to make it about me.. but i definitely just took it all for granted being there. just like i thought nothing of it when i visited the world trade center in new york. you should appreciate what you have i guess.. not trying to preach or be a martyr or anything.. just babbling. i know what i'm feeling is so insignificant to so many others... i was watching the news today during my break.. and it's so surreal to see and watch. like 9/11 when you thought it was a movie, because great devastation like this is something you feel like is constructed for theatre.

i read this post that was forwarded to me at work.. and a small excerpt.. but you should read the whole thing...

Drove into HELL (New Orleans) last night... Sensitive types stay out
"Anyway we get to the city and it looks like a freaking war zone. The best visual I can give is the movie "Blackhawk Down" when all the Somalians are rushing the city. They are people EVERYWHERE, they are pissed off, and all have weapons, 2X4's, Axes, and guns. If this wasn't bad enough we are 2 white boys in a truck in a sea several hundred armed pissed off blacks. There wasn't a white person to be found. I couldn't get over the little 8-10yr old kids with weapons, I ever saw one carry a claw hammer!"

and then a picture i pulled off bobby schroder's blog



and then his post as well.. another first hand account...
"I don't know what's going to happen next. We are homeless, unemployed, along with about a million other people. We have about three to four pairs of clothes, some shoes, our end of August paychecks, and the few irreplaceable things we were able to cram into our cars. And compared to some people we know, we have a lot."

everyone has their own tragedies and moments of sadness. i don't think that one person's sorrow is any less than someone else's (although i know that can be argued).. it's hard because i bet a lot of these people never thought it would happen to them. i stumbled upon an older post of bobby's about another tropical storm.. where there was flooding and $30million dollars worth of damage, and i bet at that time they thought that was bad. i knew bobby through circle k, and i'm sure he doesn't remember the one or two times we met.. but i do feel bad for him and glad that at least he's "okay."

there's a fund that kiwanis has set up to help out Katrina victims. although it says it'll be going toward the children. i don't know if that's only towards children and if that makes it better or not.. but the info is here i'd probably donate there, just because it's not as advertised as red cross, and more "related" to me... i'd like to donate to clubs or something that were doing something.. but i bet any club that is close enough to do something has enough to worry about. i'm sure something will pop up though.

lastly.. here's a blog that i found off my homepage. did read a lot of it, but it has some pictures. interesting stuff: dancing with katrina