I’ve now been down in New Orleans for roughly two months. Some interesting things:

Visits: Yes, I love to see a familiar face or two. Rick made the trek all the way from CT, to attend an important conference on health care with Dianne. Who’d of thought? We had a temporary setback when the restaurant that had been recommended was inexplicably closed, but managed to find some okay grub (with a great view) on Burbon St. Rick, if you are reading this, next time I’m taking you to the Upperline (more on that below.) Later that night we visited the Polo Club, a fittingly named establishment, for some upscale entertainment and cocktails. It was a lovely night that I hope to repeat. // Kate and Nate also have come by casa lui Barison. While in town visiting Nate’s brother, who is working hard with Habitat, they all found some time to enjoy the culinary delights of the city. We visited Upperline restaurant, which I had been salivating over since visiting their website and perusing the menu. It wasn’t cheap, but it was all New Orleans. During the course of our meal we were greeted by the owner and the chef. Dishes included: turtle soup, gumbo, fried green tomatoes, lamb shank, seared tuna, etc… We topped off our evening of culinary delight with Blue Bell brand “Butter Pecan” ice cream, a sumptuous and fatty indulgence.

Parties: Tulane is a bit of a party school, and since law school is often equated with high school, there is lots to be done. I’ve been to a few birthday parties, quite a few happy hours, bar reviews, religious themed parties, pool parties, some seriously odd bars and one desert competition. As a poor student I’ve discovered two things: 1) if you look hard enough, you will find a drink special on whatever night of the week you may be craving libation, and 2) when one holds a party in one’s own house, all leftover goods become the property of said householder. Should you require any further details, feel free to contact me…

Trips: Not including my trip to Athens during the hurricane, I’ve gotten around a bit. A bike trip with the Environmental Law Society brought me and a handful of schoolmates to Lake Pontchartrain. The trip was leisurely and the only disappointment was the the amount of litter strewn about the lake-shore and the rather unpleasant condition of the water itself - there’s work to be done yet! Next week I may be going on a canoe trip, and there is a chance that I will soon visit the state’s notorious prison.

Improvement: I always feel the need to improve wherever it is I am. This tendency is currently being manifest in our house’s backyard. It seems as if the previous tenants decided to go with the “total neglect” theme, thus resulting in a wild lawn, trees overrun by vines and a pathetic remnant of a garden. It’s still a work in progress, but I’ve taken great satisfaction cleaning up this area. My great goal is to restore an old brick grill that is built into the ground out back. If I get that baby going, I’ll be sure to post some pictures of the resulting feast.

Cool Peeps: I won’t go into too much detail, for fear of not mentioning someone, but suffice to say that I have some pretty cool classmates - and by cool of course I mean interesting, articulate, funny and with lots of perspective from which I can learn. It’s re-assuring to know that not all future lawyers spent the majority of their college days in frat-house basements conceiving ways to torture one another… it’ll be a fight, but there may be some justice ahead. And to my former cool peeps, a blanket apology if I have not been great about being in touch. You see, while all this great stuff is going down, I still have to go shopping, pay the bills and, oh yeah, study. Best way to get my attention is to buy a plane ticket down here, you won’t regret it

I have been spending the past few days in Athens, GA with my friend Josh. I left town on Saturday, at which points the roads were still clear. Those who left on Sunday, however, ended up sitting in gridlock for hours. It’s been a bit disconcerting having to do this the 2nd week of classes, but considering how bad things could have been, we were all very lucky this time around. Tulane did not sustain any major damage and classes are slated to resume next Monday. I find this a bit strange to say, but I am actually looking forward to getting back to school! Law school is a strange beast, and finding some sort of rhythm regarding work/study habits is key. So, let’s hope for no more drama, at least for a while!

I’m still alive - in fact, I’ve been feeling very alive these past few weeks, so excuse the lack of postings. A brief update: I have secured housing in New Orleans; I will be sharing a small house about a mile from campus with two other guys. The process was not easy but it seems to have worked out well. I have met a wonderful guy, someone with whom I can be myself. I got to see a bunch of my very good friends in a special place. Not all is well in the world, but Fortuna’s wheel (too often down,) is now up. Any suggestions?

The Kancamagus highway is one of the nicest roads in the Northeast. Running from Lincoln to Conway New Hampshire, it traverses Mt. Kancamagus, headwater of both the Saco and Swift River. It is sometimes difficult to maintain in the winter, but the summer months are a breeze. The area is within a national forest, so the area is managed Federally. The roads, thus, are in very good condition.

Along the highway, you’ll pass many scenic areas. From Lincoln, the first and more hidden openings are trailheads for longer forays. Further along you enter a scenic vista area as the road winds it way up the mountain. The pavement for this serpentine and sometimes hairpin stretch is flat and solid, perfect for a cruise. Coming down is much of the same. Entering the foothills the terrain moderates somewhat as you follow the Swift River. Lucky for the early summer passerby, the river offers many recreational venues. In addition to hike accessible waterfalls and large mountain lakes, the river provides fishing, swimming and limited boating potential.

I first learned about the place as a summer camp student at Waziyatah. Lower falls is an area of the river which offers some thrilling play; here the flow of the river has created some natural waterslides. The experience varies based on how high the river is running, but there is a predictable pattern of water which has, over the centuries, worn some very smooth crevices into the rock. But this ain’t no cheesy kids park. In fact, the area is quite dangerous. Visitors could, theoretically, slip and be seriously injured (but rest assured dear reader, the Feds certainly have a few good lawyers in their arsenal.) These chutes have formed within the larger context of jagged boulders, little swirling pools, and a myriad of river creatures; here nature has allowed mankind to play. On a sunny day, you can swim, scamper between outcroppings, sun, or, if you are brave, ride a little.

But don’t go right in the middle of the day, after all, I’m not the only one to know about this. The region is just south of Franconia via I-93 and is dotted with ski slopes, mostly tasteful amenities and ample other outdoor opportunities from tame to eXtreme.

I returned from New Orleans early this morning not having accomplished my goal. The main reason I went down there was to find housing with three other guys. Although we spent an enjoyable evening eating and listening to great music, and found some very nice places the following day, I decided to withdraw from the group. I did not make this decision lightly. The three other guys (one of which I had met during the admitted students weekend) are all great people. My decision was based on a largely gut level reaction which told me that I would not be a good fit within the group. I discussed this feeling with some family and friends, and received reinforcement to trust my instincts.

This has been very difficult, but I am at the stage in my life (25 going on 26,) where I need to be entirely comfortable and at home in my surroundings. Although I am still trying to define just what that is, exactly, I feel like I do have a better understanding of what it is not; this, my working definition, is something I may not have been able to articulate a few years ago. I can only hope that those guys understood and were not offended.

Although it is a bit crushing to be nowhere further along tangibly on the housing front, I did get a better idea of what to expect housing-wise when I make my next trip down there to try again. Though I’m not yet sure what form my next housing attempt will embody, I’m willing to try again. I can only hope I “have right.”