"Too young for wisdom, too handsome for virtue." Perhaps I've seen 'Yentl' too many times but it never ceases to amaze me how young people can be to become reverends in various Christian sects. How anyone can take these dudes seriously is beyond me.

The time in Houston went by glacially slow, while the time back in New Orleans has gone by very quickly. This year has seemed unreal. Midsummer Mardi Gras was a couple of weeks ago, so only six months until Mardi Gras again.

I love President Clinton's constant referral to himself as a wealthy person.

If you want your heart broken repeatedly for four-and-a-half minutes, listen to Nina Simone's "For A While" at Ronnie Scott's. Even better, watch the video at Youtube. She dedicates it "to my lover, who is gone from me," whatever that means. You may not think that you want your heart broken repeatedly, but you're wrong.

For a trip back to another time, visit your local shoe repair store. There's a gumball machine, different brands of shoe polish, leather, nails, hammers, no organizational system at all, old men wearing worker aprons with hands stained black and fingernails chipped.