Heart Balm

Thanks to my friend and fellow lover-of-New-Orleans Rachael Sbuttoni for turning me on to this video by the Be Good Tonyas showing New Orleans in happier times. It's been very comforting to me to watch this video, which captures the chill atmosphere of the city, pre-hurricane. It's very different now; not chill, but eerie, empty and depressed. Since my visit, I feel like I am in mourning for New Orleans. The way my heart aches and my dreams are haunted is very similar to when people I have loved have died. When I tell people I feel I am in mourning, they look at me blankly. I guess it's hard to understand if you've never lost a city.

Rachael and I share a mutual friend: fabulous human being Patsy Story, who is dilligently rebuilding her home in the lower Ninth Ward. She is seen in the video, smiling and drumming her legs to the music. Patsy's house took on 11 feet of water. I was lucky enough to find her working on her home when I was in New Orleans. Her warmth and buoyancy are a true inspiration.

Rachael is a talented illustrator living in San Francisco, as well as a very cool chick. Check out her charming blog! She is proof that good stuff comes from Tennessee. (Other examples: James Agee, country ham, Jack Daniels, documentaries about cool kids doing socially responsible projects, Al Green, Elvis.