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Reason for Personal State of Alert:
- So this is post-college life? Really? *shivers*

- The Passion of Christ featured a deleted scene where Christ called me out and told me "You're next"

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Mardi Gras Day One and 1/2
2004-03-10 - 10:50 p.m.

More catching up! I wrote a buncha stuff in my notebook about Mardi Gras while in New Orleans and right after I got back, with the intentions of putting it up here on diaryland for forever preservation. It was my first ever Mardi Gras in New Orleans, something I'd wanted to do for a long long time, so here goes!

Mardi Gras, Day One:

Sure caught a lot of beads! And somehow I started the day with $43 dollars and ent (ended!) up with $81- not too shabby! I got way too much change back from a cashier and didn't report the error, and Jesse's grandma, Hazel, sold a shirt to one of her friends from exercise class- my "Back off, I'm Code Orange" t-shirt.

So it seems the "family" version of Mardi Gras is parades, and lots of them. The first I went to, my main event for the day was Endymion- which had a "Saturday Night at the Movies" theme. There were floats dedicated to superheroes, Harry Potter, Moulin Rouge, Austin Powers- all very big and cool looking. Once the floats come in on you though, decorations become secondary to bead catching.

Float riders come by with creepy peach colored masks on, and throw out beads to those that catch their attention. While I saw no nudity, a nearby pack of females netted bead success by hoisting out a sign that boldly announced "We Swallow." Apparently, if you want stuff to come flying at your face, that's the way to go.

I had a frozen daquiri and a half to drink, and desperately wanted more. I shall do my best to make the most of my stay in New Orleans, and hopefully I'll awake much perkier and ready to go than I was on this first day. LSU! LSU! LSU! Bah!!

Mardi Gras Day Two and Three:

Saturday was nothing compared to Sunday, my second day. We were near St. Charles and Corondelette for the parades, and I started immediately, around noon, pouring and downing Attitude Adjustment frozen drinks. The ladder was out, and was perched for a perfect view of Okianas, Thoth, and the first half the Midcity parades. After three (sneakily strong) drinks and much bead catching, I travelled around ten city blocks to meet up with John and his crew of friends from Lafayette- Shawn, Athena, Michael, and Roxanne. The first obstacle was getting across the barricades set along the parade route to Bourbon Street, on the other side. I followed a drunk, scraggly, tie-dyed hippie, and then a pack of college kids in a "don't get arrested" trip across borders. Once on Bourbon Street, I was greeted by the madness of partiers on balconies, and both male and female flashers. I also probably stepped in more mystery fluids than I knew existed, which kind of took some of the luster out my choice to wear super baggy, neon green pants.

I wanted to try the famed French Quarter drinks, so we fought through the beaded, dense packs of revelers to get Hurricane's from Pat O'Brien's. The six dollar deep red fruity drink was again very sneaky- sneaky enough where I wasn't demure and immediately went searching for the next famous drink, the Hand Grenade. $7.50 later, a plastic neon grenade-shaped container with an evil face on it completed my two drink tour of Bourbon's strongest. I was holding both drinks in my hands at one point; and that's where things got hazy...

I woke up dead on Bourbon Street.

I'm writing this from beyond the grave!

Well... obviously not. But this *IS* to be continued...

Reason for Terror # 82:

Using phrase "da bomb" unwittingly in phone tapped conversations could lead to arrest and beatings by the FBI, local authorities, and hip police.

Reason for Terror # 81:

There was a little bit of mold on that bread you had this morning.

Reason for Terror # 80:

When evening falls, you can try to drive away; but the moon will be following... always following...