NOLA

Yes, a dark time passed over this land, but now there is something like light. ~Dave Eggers - Zeitoun

This was the first spring break of my life, I think, where I actually took a trip somewhere other than home. It's made me think about what spring break experiences are perceived as in our culture versus what they actually are. Not everyone is having The Real Cancun-esque spring breaks, but that's what we see on MTV and in movies. In fact, this article was just published about tamer spring breaks due to the advent of social networking that almost ensures unfortunate pictures will be searchable in perpetuity. Yes, there's a picture or two on Jill's phone of us drinking on Bourbon Street, but I think I'm safe from the watchful eyes of employers. (And I already got into law school! Whew!)

Though a very tame spring break, it was definitely entertaining and necessary. As I've been crossing the small stuff off of my Memphis bucket list, I've neglected the things that require more planning than an, "Oh hey, wanna try this new restaurant?" I've still yet to make it to the zoo or Tunica, but at least I can now cross off NOLA. (If you're wondering why New Orleans would make it onto a Memphis bucket list, the answer is simply that I don't know if I will ever be living this close to New Orleans again.) I can now also say that I've completed two six-hour car trips, one with a passenger, and one on my own. 870.8 miles on the "new" car without a single speeding ticket (and believe me, I was pushing it on some lonely stretches in Mississippi). Win.

Jill and I stayed at a hostel on Magazine Street - great deal - and had the benefit of a friend in the city to show us around while we were there. We also took some time to simply wander on our own, stopping for beignets at Cafe Du Monde (twice!) and taking a Haunted History Tour in the French Quarter. It was a trip largely governed by appetite: we sampled the [completely unhealthy] goods at Cooter Brown's, Juan's Flying Burrito, The Gumbo Pot, Cake Cafe, and The Rum House. Over the whole three-day trip, I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time. Our last night, for some quiet entertainment, we went to the movies and saw Friends With Kids (Jennifer Westfeldt is so underrated, though I can't decide if I liked the way the plot went or not).

The next day, I dropped Jill off at the airport so she could go home home, and I drove back to Memphis solo with several CDs to entertain me (will Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers and Kim's '80s mix ever get old?). The trip back felt a lot shorter than the trip there, for whatever reason. Back in the 901, I've been chilling since Tuesday, doing very little of substance, though I did submit a resume and cover letter for a summer job here. Went out with roommates and friends to not one, but two, trivia nights, and watched Undefeated, an incredible, Oscar-winning documentary about a Memphis high school's football team. Had some really great roommate time with Rita and Jeff. Overall, this has been a pretty fantastic spring break. Only a couple short months before the real break begins!