Two specific pictures came to mind when thinking about this blog so I’ve included them both.  Pic number one…

This is a photo of me and my friend Jared who was killed in a car accident March 8, 2006.  Jared was very close to me and a very special person in my life.  I still sit and think how differently things would be if Jared were still here…especially the many wonderful things he would have accomplished.  Jared was so bright and had such a unique spirit.  We shared many loves…especially the love of music and photography!  I miss him dearly.  He was not wearing his seat belt.  I can’t imagine anyone today who doesn’t wear their seat belt but if you don’t please reconsider…and read this.  Jared would be alive today had he been wearing his seat belt. 

Okay…Photo number two…

This is a photo I took in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans TWO AND A HALF YEARS post Katrina.  This is a photo of a street that used to be filled with houses…now it is just empty lots.  Either way you looked, up and down the street, it was the same… empty lots with the occasional house still standing… but barely.  I took alot of pictures that day.  I saw the markings on the front of the houses that were made by the search teams, showing the count of how many were found dead.  You saw the occasional marking that showed a dead dog or cat was found.  I took pictures of the rows and rows of FEMA trailers, all the boarded up shops, schools and restaurants…it was gut wrenching.  I was glued to the TV during the Katrina coverage.  I was so ANGRY that the people in the city weren’t getting any relief.  The response was shameful.  Nearly 2,000 people were killed by hurricane Katrina… 1,600 of them in the state of Louisiana and MANY of that number died AFTER the storm hit ..due to the lack of food, water and medical attention.  New Orleans is one of my favorite cities and seeing 80% of it underwater was heartbreaking.  ALOT has changed in New Orleans since Katrina.  It saddens me when I’m there and I go to visit some little family owned spot I used to love and it’s no longer there.  Thank god the Quarter and the Garden District didn’t see the same level of devastation…although alot has changed there too.  Alot of people say New Orleans was dirty and needed to be cleaned out…personally, I can think of a lot better ways to improve the city.  New Orleans is special, it’s unique, it’s filled with history and music and culture that can be found no where else in the world.