Dreams....wow

Like most people, I don't always remember my dreams, but sometimes there is a dream that will stick out amongst the others.

My dream last night started out with me entering a large department store. I remember thinking that it was Wal-Mart, but it was more of an upper-class Wal-Mart. I'm not even sure if those exist. All I know is that they don't exist here.

So, I walk into the store, and it seems that they are trying a new stragegy. Right past where you usually get your buggies, and a little past the mile-long row of closed cash registers is another cash register on a fold-out table. There's an older woman there that I know from somewhere. She is really sweet, and we chat for a good while. Soon, she is replaced by a younger guy around my age. I know him as well, and a couple other guys join us in conversation. Upset, the older woman, who was previously there, summons a manager to break up the group chat. I found it strange that it was perfectly fine for her to do such a thing, but when someone else is doing it...Well, that just rubs her the wrong way.

So, I proceed further into the department store, taking notice of the shiny black floors and nicely stained wooden shelves. I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, this is a really nice Wal-Mart." By the way, this dream is in color. I have heard it said that we do not dream in color, but I find that I always dream in color.

I end up meeting up with a friend of mine, Erin, that I worked with at Lafayette's Restaurant. We were pretty tight then, and we are still good friends, we just do not get to see each other or talk as often as before. We wander around the store, but not really doing any shopping. It does not take long for Zee to find us, and fuss at us for doing or not doing something. Zee is the owner of Lafayette's restaurant, and he told us that he was following us around the store with the security cameras. I have always noticed that he distrusts everyone, and to me this is a way of projecting his own dishonesty onto everyone else.

We begin to wander to the back of the store, and the department store turns into a nice hotel. There were stone-like walls, black granite countertops, and I remember thinking that it reminded me of the new Drury Inn here in Lafayette. I have never been there, but I somewhat have an idea of what it looks like because I have seen inside through the windows.

Zee also owns the hotel, and the girl at the front desk tells us that there is a "secret locked hallway that leads to the attic." A secret locked hallway? That sounds right up my alley! Now, this hallway is secret and locked, but she has the key, which she gives to us.

We unlock the door and immediately there is a staircase leading up to a single door. We open the door, and it is the door to the attic. I never go in, but Erin does. The door is at the far right of the attic, and inside the attic, all the way to the left of the doorway is an eyeball sitting on the rafter. The eyeball looks fresh with all of its nerve-endings still in tact. However, we knew that it was not recently placed there. The eyeball is always there, and it never decomposes or dessicates. It is not looking straight at us, but it is facing the same way as we were when we opened the door.

After taking notice of the eyeball, and a little freaked out that an eyeball is sitting on the rafter, we look in the general direction that the eyeball is facing. There sits a guy in a blue shirt. This really frightens us because we had not noticed him before, and how would he be in a a secret attic that was locked?

He told us that he was sent by God, and that we must join him. I looked back at the eyeball for what seemed like a half of a second, and when I turn back, Erin is sitting beside the man as if to join him to be with God.

I get this intense feeling that he was not sent by God, but he is a demon who is trying to trick us. Still standing just outside of the doorway, I had never entered the attic. I begin to scream at Erin to run. I had to scream more than once because she was in some sort of trance, but she soon snapped out and tried running to me. It was a difficult task because he kept trying to pull her down, and she was tripping over rafters and insulation.

I felt like this was a battle of her own that I could not help her in. I stood at the door, and all I could do was encourage her and keep her motivated. As I said, I could not physically help her; she could only help herself.

I continue to scream, and she continues to fight and struggle. Bright flashes of blue, pink, yellow, purple and white lightening repeatedly fill the room. At the top of my lungs, with everything in me, I do all that I can to encourage Erin to save herself. The demon is putting up quite a battle, and it is not an easy task for her. I tell her she can beat it just like the other demons that she has been faced with in her life. She's a strong person, and she can overcome anything.

Finally, she is only inches in front of me, and I wake up from my sleep.

I wanted to call Erin, but I'm not going to call her at 3am on a school night. All I can guess is that she was able to overcome the struggle since she was at the doorway. I'm shocked at how vividly I can recall this dream, but it touched me so deeply.

I did end up calling Erin and sharing it with her, and she was glad that I didn't call her at 3am and freaking her out. We tried to pick it apart and analyze it. She is a psychology major, and we both think that it is deep, dark, and interesting.

Buster Update

A week ago today, I got Buster. He is growing so fast. He is getting better at using the bathroom outside, crying less, and he is also learning how to sit and stay. He is a good puppy, when he wants to be. After all, he is still a puppy.

Don't get me wrong, every now and then he makes a mess. He gets upset from time to time when he's alone, and he will take a poop in his playpen. The good thing is that he does it on his "pee pee pads." The bad thing is that he is so worried about being alone and wanting someone to hold him that he ends up walking in his poop and walking all over his pen. It has not happened in a couple of days, so I'm hoping that it's getting better.

He loves playing with his toys. He has tons of fun with balls because they roll away, and he can pounce on them. Outside, he attacks leaves, pine cones, and tall weeds or flowers. The boy loves to play. He can go on and on, but when he decides that he is tired, he will just curl up and any spot will do.

Now that he's becoming accustomed to being away from momma and the family, we can start working on his behavior. I can't have him chewing everything around him. He'll end up tearing the house to pieces. He has come so far in just a week, and I think, by next week, he will become even more obedient. Maybe he can be a show dog! Haha...Well, maybe not. I don't plan on being that strict with him. I just want him to be a happy puppy that doesn't tear everything up, uses the bathroom outdoors, and knows how to act in front of people.

On a separate note, I get a kick out of reading bumper stickers. I saw two, on a truck, that was on campus, and I had take a picture of them.

Friends

FRIENDS: Never ask for anything to eat or drink.
BEST FRIENDS: Helps themselves and are the reason why you have no food.

FRIENDS: Call your parents and grandparents by Mr. and Mrs.
BEST FRIENDS: Call your parents DAD and MOM and Grandpa, GRAMPS!

FRIENDS: Would bail you out of jail.
BEST FRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you sayin "DAMN!" We fucked up!

FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
BEST FRIENDS: Wont tell everyone else you cried... just laugh about it with you in private when you're not down anymore.

FRIENDS: Asks you to write down your number.
BEST FRIENDS: Has you on speed dial.

FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then gives it back.
BEST FRIENDS: Lose your shit and tells you, "My bad...here's a tissue."

FRIENDS: Only know a few things about you.
BEST FRIENDS: Could write a very embarrassing biography on your life story...

FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that is what the crowd is doing.
BEST FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds ass that left you.

FRIENDS: Would knock on your front door.
BEST FRIENDS: Walk right in and say "I'M HOME."

FRIENDS: You have to tell them not to tell anyone.
BEST FRIENDS: Already know not to tell.

FRIENDS: Are only through highschool/college. (aka: drinking buddies)
BEST FRIENDS: Are for life.

FRIENDS: Will be there to take your drink away from you when they think you've had enough.
BEST FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place & say, "Finish that! Drink up bitch! You know we don't waste!"

Unbelievable

Rebecca told me about a story that was featured on the news. This new phenomenon is called unschooling. Basically, the unstudent makes all of their own decisions of what they are going to do throughout each day. If they want to learn something, all that they have to do is look it up online. Also, if they decide they want to go out and play, there is nothing to stop them.

I think this is wrong on many levels. I didn't review the entire website, and I remain unsure of all the details. Still, this doesn't teach the youth how to think and learn as a group. It encourages anti-social behavior. Also, when the kids grow up, as the tend to do, how are they going to cope on the university level? Better yet, how are they going to hold down a job? It is not exactly acceptable to have playtime in the middle of the work day, and if they have no experience working with others, it will be miserable for all parties.

Also, as a child, they may be unaware of reputable websites that are out there on the internet. The internet and magazines are filled with information written by people or groups with zero credentials. This just means that they may be teaching themselves the wrong information.

Have you ever tried to look up mathematical or chemical equations and calculations? There isn't much out there, and some of the ones that exist, that I have seen, are quite vague.

Some things are just better with a teacher.

As random as it gets

As I go throughout my day, I think about things that I want to write in here. Ideas after ideas flow through my head, but when it comes down to it, I have nothing. So, I'm just going to put a bunch of random thoughts that I have, which don't make any sense.

I just detailed my car, and tonight I hit about 500,000 bugs on my way home.

I'm tired of parents fussing their kids in public, but never following-through.

Today, the song "I'm in love with a stripper" was playing on the radio, and I decided that I really like that song. It makes me wanna go out and have fun. After that song played, Eminem came on. I don't like him. He's an angry little Toby.

I think I have an eye infection, and I lost my glasses.

For my nursing class, we had to develop a healthy habit. I listed my goal was to run 3 miles, 3 times a week, within a month. I reached my goal early, last week.

When will Chuck Huebner quit wearing that orange suit?

I got Buster Saturday, and he's so fun. He slept pretty much the entire day Saturday, but I played with him today. I think I wore him out.

People ask stupid questions in class. I think it's annoying when the teacher just finishes explaining something, and someone raises there hand and asks, "Can you explain: blah blah blah?" I just wanna scream, "That's just what he freakin' said!" Today, people started asking questions about something they should have read in their email (and the syllabus), while the teacher was calling roll. I thought that was inconsiderate.

I can't stand the girl whose last name sounds like "Apple Jelly." I hope she reads this. She's a moron.

I believe in radio to the power of X.

I wonder if I should tell this guy I know that his girlfriend wants to trick him into getting her pregnant?

Do you think Tom Cruise's baby's momma is going to get post-pardom depression?

I should have bought a lottery ticket tonight.

I have a Faith Hill song stuck in my head. It's "I'm the Lucky One."

I've picked out what songs I would sing on American Idol. Have you?

After tomorrow, the worry about my income taxes will be lifted from my shoulders. I'm happy about that.

I've lost 20 pounds since this past summer.

I'm petty, but if you're a regular, you already knew that.

I like working nights better than days, for now.

Lori Meaux-Steele is a man.

I'm going shower. Have a goodnight.

America has voted

All I have to say is: Thank the Lord Brenna Gethers got kicked off American Idol tonight. She's got a nasty little attitude, and I'm convinced that this will be the last we will see of her. The only other place that she may be seen is in porn "to try and get her career started."

Allons a Lafayette, Louisiane

I have never been one to go to all ends to celebrate Mardi Gras. Well, other than celebrating the literal meaning, "Fat Tuesday." Mardi Gras is the last day, for us Catholics, to cut lose before the Lenten season. Practical Catholics typically give up a favorite food or activity during this season, and before we give it up, we have to get that one last day of feast.

The pomp and splendor of Mardi Gras was made popular in New Orleans but has since spread across the state and beyond. The Marquis de Vaudreuil, a person of elegant manners and sophistication became Governor of the French Louisiana Colony and served a term from 1743-1753, in the capitol of New Orleans. His sponsorship of a regular series of balls, dinners, and formal social engagements increased his popularity with French Officials and members of the upper class in New Orleans, all of whom were hungry for this type of atmosphere. It is believed that he is responsible for the pageantry that we see in some Mardi Gras celebrations today.

Contrary to popular belief, the first-known Mardi Gras celebrations were not celebrated in New Orleans, but in Mobile, in 1703, before New Orleans existed. Mobile was a prior capitol to Louisiana, and is now located in present day Alabama.

Still continuing are some non-commercialized raw Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana, rich in all of its original traditions. Colors of Carnival is a tradition that began decades ago, when blacks were not welcomed at white Mardi Gras festivities. Some began creating their own costumes, using boxes to make hats and masks, which afforded them the secrecy to celebrate with lack of restraint. Additionally, The Independent has a great article outlining some of the Mardi Gras activities more common to the black Creole communities in Lafayette and New Orleans.

Another type of Mardi Gras common to Southwest Louisiana is the traditional Cajun Courrir de Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday Run"). It consists of a gang of locals masking their identities with hats we call capuchons (tall cone hats) who knock at doors in the neighborhood demanding charité ("charity"), in other words, ingredients to make a communal gumbo. Chickens are chased in designated yards and fields, caught, skinned, and cleaned. At the end of the day, a gumbo is made from the total of all communal charity received, and the entire neighborhood meets to eat the gumbo. This link offers great pictures and descriptions of the Cajun Courrir de Mardi Gras.

This year I decided to laissez les bon temps roulez, downtown Lafayette. I only went downtown on Mardi Gras day, and it was the disappointment of the year. The parade was short, and there was about a 30-minute gap, which separated the parade into two parts. The floats were extremely low budget. I've seen better parade presentation at the Rice Festival.

Most of the people who were interviewed on the news said that they enjoyed Lafayette's "family friendly festivities." To me, this means it sucked. I wasn't asking for anything vulgar, but some spice of the culture would have been welcomed.

Thankfully, quality entertainment was not far away. Our little party crew consisted of Aaron, Amber, Chad, Cypress, John, and myself. After the parade we went to The Blue Moon Saloon, which if you haven't been, I highly recommend it. The bar area is outdoors and completely covered. It is on a wooden deck, and they are good to count on for a great band. The entertainment Tuesday consisted of Joe Black, Horace Trahan, and Asparagus AllStars.

I never knew that Horace Trahan was close to my age. Below is a picture of him during his performance. While his band was setting up, some girl actually approached me because she thought that I was Horace. She wanted a picture, but unfortunately for her, I am just me.
After Blue Moon, we went to Artmosphere. Six String Rodeo was playing there, and my picture of the band didn't come out to good, so I'm not going to post it. When I first walked into Artmosphere, I saw quite a show, and it wasn't from the band. There was a little squabble, and Cypress got a punch in! That's my girl! I was glad, that plug deserved it and so much more. Not to discredit Six Finger Rodeo, I thought they rocked. They played some good ole' boy country music, and you can't end the night much better than that.

I'm glad I decided to get out of Crowley. I celebrated with a great bunch of friends, and I don't need a special holiday for that. We'll have fun regardless of the circumstance. I'm sure we'll be causing trouble again sometime soon.

Oh, and Cypress and I ate at some little Chinese place behind Mel's Diner. I had seen the place before, but never had the pleasure of eating there. They have the best eggrolls I have ever tasted in my life. They told us that they were homemade from scratch. The buffet is only $5.95. I encourage you to check it out.

It's Buster!

For a while now I have been wanting a little dog. I wanted one that was sweet, and not too hyper. My grandparents used to have really hyper dogs that would jump all over anyone who walked through the door.

So, I thought about it, and I really like weiner dogs. It seems like close to a year that I have been wanting one, and I had been pressing my nose up against the glass in pet stores.

Beth told me that her mom had both a male and a female. Issy had her litter on January 25th, and here is my Buster. I picked him out last week. He's a fiesty little sucker.

I picked him because he was the most playful out of the group, and he tried crawling out of the box to play with me too. I say that I like this quality in him now, but I've been thinking that I may come to regret it. Before long, he will probably be tearing everything up in the house. Nah...he's gonna be a good dog!

I should be able to get him around March 8th. I almost feel guilty about taking him away from his momma, daddy, brothers, and sisters. He's going to be lonely at first. He'll be ok though. We'll be friends.

I go to the #1 Unhealthiest University in America

Nov 1, 2005 12:00 PM
Jennipher Shaver

NEW YORK — College life is known for dorm food, cheap beer and all-nighters pulled off by a strong pot of coffee. While this stereotypical lifestyle holds true at some schools, others are opting for healthier habits.

Brigham Young University, the University of Southern California at Santa Barbara and Boston University took the top spots on Men's Fitness' Fittest Colleges list. On the magazine's Fattest Colleges list, the South didn't fare well with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of New Orleans and Mississippi State University coming in at number one, two and three, respectively.

The magazine partnered with the Princeton Review to survey nearly 10,000 students from more than 660 of the nation's top colleges and universities, asking them 18 questions grouped into five categories: student bodies (sex, height, weight and total weight gained or lost since beginning college), exercise, bad habits (fast food, alcohol, smoking, sedentary activities), other lifestyle choices (supplements, sleep, whether student's significant others help or hinder their fitness goals) and the campus culture of fitness (a school's physical-fitness requirements or recommendations and student impressions).

Top 5 Fittest Colleges:
1. Brigham Young University
2. University of California, Santa Barbara
3. Boston University
4. University of Vermont
5. Northwestern University

Top 5 Fattest Colleges:
1. University of Louisiana, Lafayette
2. University of New Orleans
3. Mississippi State University
4. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
5. Portland State University

Dancing with the Stars

I hate to say it, but I got hooked on a reality TV show. Dancing with the Stars is a show that I thought I would never watch because it sounds so dumb. Well, I watched it this year, and I kind of got into it. The star finalists are Jerry Rice, Drew Lachey, and Stacy Keibler.

Since the beginning, my personal favorite has been Stacy Keibler, WWE Superstar. Other than the obvious, she is a great dancer. I can't wait for the final results. She didn't do so well on her freestyle dance tonight, but that was her trainers fault. He is the one that choreographed the routine.

I have a feeling Jerry Rice might win because he had such a large fan base. Although, Drew has a good chance too because I think it is mostly teenage girls who do all the voting for these shows. Stay tuned to ABC to find out.

Hot

Well, you just gotta love Louisiana weather. Monday of this week, the temperatures were in the 30s. Today, they are in the 70s. I'm not sure what tomorrow holds. I think it is going to get cooler again, but I haven't checked with Rob.

I don't think that the buildings on campus have noticed the temperature change outside. I think they still have the heaters on. It is so freakin' hot!

My face is flushed, and when I get to class, I am sweating buckets, which, by the way, is not hot.

Outside is not pleasant. Currently it is 78 degrees Fahrenheit, but the heat index is 81. Yeah, during the winter, we have a heat index. It is partly-cloudy, and the humidity is at 61.4%.

If this is our "winter," I hate to see what the summer is going to hold in store.

One of MANY

There are millions of little things that get under my skin. In fact, there are so many that I couldn't possibly make one post to include them all.

For the past couple of meals, I have been eating gumbo. MmmMmm...mais I love me some gumbo, cher. I have a big pet peeve when it comes to gumbo. I am sure you're saying, "What could possibly get on his nerves about gumbo?" Well, leave it to me to find something, but I will say that the gumbo is just the innocent by-stander in it all.

Whether you choose to eat seafood, or chicken and sausage gumbo, the story remains the same. There will always be someone that tries to "fish" all the "meat" out of the gumbo. It just so happens that my dad is one of these fishermen.

I don't know what you think, but in my opinion, gumbo is always better the next day. Tonight, while I was serving myself, I noticed that we had a vast amount of the roux stock. (I guess that's what you would call it.) On the other hand, the meat was barely detectable. I did some fishing of my own. I was not greedy. I even took less than I would prefer, but since dad fished most of the meat out last night, it did not leave too much for tonight.

To sum it up, the left-over gumbo that we usually have in this happy home typically consists of rice with a whole lot of gravy. [sigh]

Bon Anniversaire

"It's your birthday...shake ya booty...like Sha-nay-nay!" That's a song my friend Katie's little sister, Maggie, used to sing.

Unfortunately, another year brings another birthday. Up to this point, birthdays were fun. Don't get me wrong, they are still fun because it is MY day, or so I like to think.

Well, I am 26 this year. [sighs] I'm now closer to 30 than 20. There's nothing too exciting from this point on. At least last year, I got that insurance discount. Now, the only thing that I can count on next is that Senior Citizen discount, but that is still a few years down the road.

The picture above was taken on my third birthday at my Grandmother's house. It was a cake with peanut butter icing. I still remember taking that picture. It's funny how I remember bits and pieces of things from my childhood. I'm glad I can hang on to those memories.

The most memorable thing I have this year is that I got a King Cake for my birthday. It was so good. Although, I didn't get much because Kevin ate most of it. It was gone is less than 2 days.

I spent tonight hanging out with some of my closest friends, and those great friends that I didn't get the pleasure of being with, in person, gave me a call with birthday wishes. Thanks for thinking about me and making my 26th birthday another one to remember.

Oh, and Cheryl, thanks for the pin that came with my card. My booty got slapped several times. Thankfully, not a full 26. I would come up swinging from that.

Leisure Time in the Legislature

THE DEAD PELICAN has obtained an interesting photo from the February 14, 2006, 3:00 pm session of the House of Representatives .

If you look closely, the unknown legislator talking to that lady in the above picture has a nice game of solitaire on his computer screen.

Positive I.D. of the person sitting at the computer terminal could not be determined.

But based upon analysis of the legislative seating chart, the seat and the computer terminal are those of Rep. Danny Martiny of Kenner (Republican).

Louisiana tax dollars at work!

February 16, 2006 UPDATED 6:10 PM CT
by Chad E. Rogers
© THE DEAD PELICAN 2006
http://www.thedeadpelican.com

A Family Tale...

From the moment that I saw the preview for Failure to Launch, I had one thought on my mind. This movie was written after my brother! It hits the nail on the head.

I keep waiting for the parents to make a comment when they see the previews, but they are stone-cold silent. They don't see anything wrong with a 30 year old still living at home. Dr. Phil would have a field day.

Well, I would like to watch the movie. I probably won't pay to see it in the theatre because I'm tight. I think it will be entertaining.

Valentine's Day

I'm not a bitter, but I think love today is over-rated. Everyone is looking for that perfect person, which doesn't exist. They dream of that fairy-tale love that they see in movies, on TV, or read in stories. That stuff isn't real! I never hear them burping or farting in love stories.

I have been noticing the little lovers of Lafayette running around looking for goodies for their Valentine. Yeah, it's a nice gesture. I'll give it that. It is just that today, relationships seem to be preoccupied with material possessions. Girls are worried about getting married, and as soon as her man pops the question, it is all about the wedding ceremony.

She and her girlfriends are first evaluating the ring. "How much was it? How big is it? Where did he get it? Color/cut/clarity?" Yeah, they need to chill out. Of course, she has got to get the best dress and design her wedding bigger and better than her best friend that got married last year. It's all a competition. Not all girls are this way, thank goodness. It just seems like the majority of the ones of the 20-something age group are just skin deep.

Last week, I overheard a conversation in my Statistics class. I'm nosy, and I'm not shy about eavesdropping. I don't know their real names, so I'll just make some up. Gertrude was talking about how she is dating her high school sweetheart, and they have been together since they were freshmen in high school. They are now engaged, but they don't plan on getting married anytime soon because they need to focus on school. Shaneeka said that she's been with her boyfriend for a few years, and they are content with where they are right now. Ramona said, that she has been with her boyfriend for 4 months, and she is ready to get married NOW. She knows that he's the one, and she doesn't want to waste any time.

Gertrude and Shaneeka look at her like she just feel out of a tree. Ramona, unaffected goes on to talk about how great their love has been, and it can only continue to grow and flourish. I had to stop listening at that point because my stomach got a little upset.

This week, Ramona comes to class and talks about her boyfriend again. He asked her to give him space, and she wants to do everything that he asks. What else would she do? She's a psycho puppet. It's so hard for her not to call him 20 times a day because she just loves him so much.

Yeah, I can see why he wants his space. Can you?

Anyway, since it was Valentine's Day, I thought I would talk about "love." Also, I know the day is historically significant, but I didn't know all of the details. I went to The History Channel Website, and got the following information:

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged
between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious
saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day --
and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has
long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains
vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint
Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the
Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or
Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third
century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better
soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men
-- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the
decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in
secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be
put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to
help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and
tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine'
greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love
with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him
during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a
letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in
use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories
certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly,
romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of
the most popular saints in England and France

Well, if you are on my mass email list, I will send you a poem that I send out annually. It's funny, and I'm sure you will enjoy it.


Happy Birthday Anne! I hope you have a great day, and I'll talk to you later.

I am petty

I forgot to blog about it when it happened, but Kevin turned 30 on January 26th. His girlfriend bought him an entire new bedroom set. She must have spent a fortune. I must admit; it is pretty nice. Nevertheless, the boy is still living with momma, after 30 years.

Friday night, I didn't get home until about 3am. Upon arriving, I noticed that there was an extra vehicle in the parking lot that we call a driveway. For me, this meant that I had to park a fairly good distance away from the house. So, to get this straight, there were 4 cars parked, all side by side, from the door where we enter the house. After the 4th vehicle, was Kevin's boat. So, I had to park in the "6th slot" if you get my drift.

Well, I was not too pleased. I have the newest vehicle, and I had to park in the mud. Not only getting mud on my shoes, but tracking it back into my car the next day. I decided to be real mature about the situation. I was going down the driveway at a relatively quick pace, and I veered off the driveway, and slammed on my breaks once I was onto the grass. This tore up the yard a little and left some tiny ruts. I wanted to leave my mark. It also made me feel pretty good. We usually always park straight, but I was positioned at a 45 degree angle from everyone else. So....ruts and an angle, I wanted to make sure they noticed.

Then, I go into the house. Everyone is asleep, and I proceed to slam everything that I touch, which were the doors, refrigerator, cabinets. Now, I didn't slam them too hard because I didn't want to mess anything up or be too loud. Just loud enough to be noticed. Oh, and I kept saying, "I hate living here."

As if I wasn't annoyed enough, I noticed that Kevin has been using some of my bathroom stuff. I already have to take things like soap and toothpaste and lock them in my desk. If I don't, we will run out, and he won't buy anymore. He's a mooch. Remember? So, me, the college student just making enough to pay the bills, has to support the FLUF that brags about making +$60K a year.

So, noticing that he used something else of mine tonight, was just the icing on the cake. In the process of all of this, I woke up Mom. She came and started pulling on my doorknob, but it was locked. I didn't want anyone coming into my room because privacy isn't something that I get at home. As I am told, "we share everything."

She never knocked on my door. No one knocks. They just barge in. She kept turning the knob, applying more and more pressure. Finally she said, "Brian?"

In a rude tone, I said, "Yes?"

She said, "What's the matter?"

I said, "I am sick and tired of having to park in the _____ rice fields because someone, who doesn't live here, and who owns their own home is here AGAIN!"

To that, she replied, "Oh." Then, she went back to bed.

Nothing was ever discussed about this later. No solution....No anything. It was just swept under the rug. They assumed I was drinking. That's what Kevin's girlfriend thought. Much to the contrary, I had nothing to drink. I was just tired of a really crappy situation.

This semester, I have a really hectic schedule. Since I am living in Crowley, the buttcrack of Louisiana, I can't exactly go home and eat lunch. So, to avoid spending lots of money and gaining lots of weight, I started buying things to make sandwiches and bringing my own lunch everyday.

It's well-known that Kevin wakes up during the night and eats everything that he can find. To avoid my food from being devoured, I kept in the shopping bag, and I put a note on it that says, "Do Not Eat." I left it in the bag so the visual of food wouldn't be tempting. He's usually too lazy to open things. That is, until he discovers what it is. After that, he'll eat it all until it's gone.

This morning, I noticed that my bag was untied. Also, my unopened package of cheese, had now been opened and 2 slices were missing. Yes, I arrange things in a certain way and count them to see if anything is missing. I am that petty. I have to be.

Basically, the outcome is now I have to suck it up to Kevin eating all of my food. I could confront him about it, but that wouldn't get anything accomplished. He would treat me like I'm stupid, and tell me that I use his things, which I don't. He doesn't buy any food, so I can't eat that. I don't use or borrow any of his stuff. (Although I should, since he wore a pair of my good running shoes to paint his girlfriend's house spilling paint all over them.) I don't even go into his room because I have no desire. I don't owe him a thing. I prefer to keep it that way.

Plus, if I bring anything up, my parents will look at me like I'm the monster. Also, they may offer to pay for it, or take the blame that they ate it. So, once again, they are protecting their precious Kevin. I don't want their money. It's time for Kevin to face up to reality. They bow down to him like he's royalty, and I have no clue as to why.

I am still highly irritated, and the day that I move out cannot come soon enough. It's driving me crazy.

Tobys of America

I joined a new group on facebook today. For those who do not know, facebook is much like myspace, but you have to have a university email address to become a member. This group is so funny that I must share it with everyone, and I also feel that most will agree with this group's mission. I copied the following from the description that was posted on facebook. Enjoy.



The Tobys of America, or T.O.A., is an organization designed to help rid the world of a growing epidemic known as Tobys or T-Boys. This idea was first started back in 1996 by three innovative and creative young men from Lafayette Middle School. These three men had one common goal and that was to one day exterminate all living Tobys in the world.

Since 1996, the toby epidemic has grown exponentially. With the rise of hip hop music it seems more and more Tobys are running the streets now more than ever. Local people cannot shop at our own malls anymore without fear of being mugged or jumped by a gang of Tobys. Even people who are brave enough to walk the mean streets of the Acadiana Mall must look at the floor at all times so that they do not make eye contact with one of theses creatures. We must stop this growing epidemic before it reaches heights that even President Bush can not handle. We need to stop them while they are young and before they start breeding baby Tobys known as TITS (Tobys in Training.)

We can do this. This is what this group is for. To help stop the worldwide epidemic known as Tobys. Gather up everyone you know. We need everyone, otherwise we will either be forced to join them or our next President of the United States will have the nickname T-Money. We need to hurry before its too late. These once cowboys are trading their Garth Brooks CDs in for 2 Pac and Master P albums. They are trading their cowboy hats for black stockings that fit tightly over their head. Their once proud cowboy boots are being sold for solid white K-Swiss. Even their beautiful horses are being thrown out for yellow and orange lowrider trucks (with dice and a crooked license plates.)

But be very careful guys. The Tobys are extremely dangerous. These guys want respect from the real street thugs more than they want anything else in life. There are no limits as to what they will do to get that respect. They will beat up anything, they will steal anything and they will rap to anything. So be careful. It is up to us to make sure they stay in their own country towns and away from our city, our malls, and our clubs.

COMMON PLACES TOBYS HANG OUT: New Iberia, Cecila, Duson, Bunkie, Rayne, and most other small towns. Skate Zones, fairs, malls and Sonic parking lots are also common stomping grounds. Since they are growing I am sure there are others so be careful.

COMMON TOBY CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Gold Teeth
2. Baggy Clothes
3. White Shoes (No Other Color)
4. Perfectly straight bangs (Tobe-cicles)
5. Starched Jeans
6. Crooked Hats
7. Lowrider Trucks/Cars
8. Car accessories would include the basic dice, rims, crooked license plates, neon lights, etc.
9. A real toby will peel out next to you and drive real fast as soon as a light turns from red to green. (This is a toby who likes to show off.) Do not race him unless you are willing to throw down. Racing to a Toby is like shooting his mom, he will take you down.
10. Any person who uses an adjective in front of their name for no reason. Examples of this include: Lil Mike, T-Mike, G-Mike, Big Mike, Money Mike etc. They are many more but you get my drift.
11. Guys who wear XXXL shirts when they should be wearing Mediums.
----#11 follows the basic "Toby Rule of Three" which states, "If your shirt is big enough to fit three tobys inside, the size is just right.
12. They have a distinct mustache. Also known by the common people as a Tobe-Stache. What the hell is that growing on their lip? I mean, its not too thick, its not too thin, its not too much of nothing. Its gross, terrible and unexplainable.
13. Beepers/Pagers. They still carry beepers. Many modern day tobys have switched to cellular phones. The real Tobys still have the green and blue see through pagers attached on the outside of their pants pocket. Be careful around these Tobys, as they are considered Old School.
14. Bright Colors. These colors include bright green, bright orange, bright yellow and baby blue. Be very careful with the Tobys who wear these bright colors. They have gone out of their way to make sure everything from their visor to shoes match. They have expertly picked out their clothes and will kill you if you make a comment to them about it.

Yet, another good reason to stop this weird breed of a human.


The picture to the left is a great example of what a true toby looks like. His bright colors and gold give him that distinct Toby look. His cocked back head and expressionless face show the world that he is ready for any drama. He is pretty much daring you to "diss" his outfit.

Quote of the Week:
When asked why Bobby Brignac is not too fond of Tobys, Bobby had this to say. "When I gel my hair, I gel it up. When they gel their hair, they gel it on their forehead."

Something to remember...

I watched it happen!

Ship slams into New Orleans riverfront mall
Dozens of people injured
December 14, 1996
Web posted at: 10:10 p.m. EST

NEW ORLEANS (CNN) -- A freighter slammed into a packed riverfront mall in New Orleans Saturday. Panicked holiday shoppers and tourists jumped into the Mississippi River to escape. Others were trampled in the rush.

The Liberian-registered freighter, MV Bright Field, apparently lost its steering power and rammed into the Riverwalk shopping mall around 2:30 p.m. Thousands of people were at the mall at the time of the accident.

The impact collapsed four floors of the multi-tiered mall, a strip of stores and condominiums overlooking the Mississippi River. About 200 feet of the dock was destroyed.

The freighter's bow slammed into the dock between the Flamingo Casino boat and two cruise ships that were tied up at the dock. The ship's captain blew a distress signal moments before the crash, a warning that sent people scurrying.

"It was just panic. People were trying to get off the casino boat. People began jumping into the river," said Wood Thomas, who was standing in the mall at the time.

Sylvia Brooks also witnessed the crash. "People were falling down. People were picking up babies. People were crying."

The 700-foot freighter struck in the middle of the Riverwalk at Cafe du Monde. The cafe's walls collapsed, its girders twisted.

The Riverwalk opened in 1986 at a cost of $58 million. Stores include Abercrombie & Fitch, The Sharper Image, and Eddie Bauer.

The freighter was tied up after the crash, and several tugs worked to hold it in place. Other accidents have occurred in which boats have struck the riverfront but none was as devastating as Saturday's accident.


We were in New Orleans because Crowley High was playing in the state championship that weekend. We were standing near the waterfalls, in front of the Riverwalk Mall, and watched the entire thing. People were acting crazy. They were actually jumping off the boat, in between the boat and the riverwalk. Now the Riverwalk is solid, so if the freighter would have hit that boat, they would have been smashed.

I Love Sushi

I have officially been introducted to sushi. I have been wanting to try it forever, and I love it. I cannot remember all the different types that we tried. Let me try to remember....We had crunchy rolls, miami rolls, eel rolls, and tiger eye rolls. There was one other kind, but I don't remember the name. The eel rolls were my least favorite. I think it was the eel sauce that I didn't care for.

I actually ate with chopsticks. I was nervous about the chopstick idea. I did not even know that I had to eat with them, until we were driving up to the restaurant. I thought to myself, "I'm going to look like a big ole' donkey." I did well with the chopsticks. I didn't drop a piece, and I looked like a pro.

Things I have I learned...

At most sushi bars, the waitress will offer a hot towel to wash your hands so you can pick up sushi with clean fingers.

Sushi is meant to be finger food, quick and tasty. It is preferable to eat sushi with ones hands rather than with chopsticks, but both ways are acceptable in America.

With your Sushi order, you will be served some pickled ginger, a small mound of wasabi, and soy sauce. Eat a slice of pickled ginger after each variety of sushi to cleanse your palate. It is not proper to mix the wasabi with the soy sauce.

Eat the whole sushi roll at once. It is not appropriate to eat part of a piece of sushi and place the other piece back on a plate. Once you have picked something up you should eat all of it.

After eating, Cypress and I went to the Blue Moon Saloon. We sat and listened to a couple bands. I had a good night. I'm glad I had a chance to relax because the past few weeks have been a little hectic.


"The pleasant experience of eating something you have never had before, will extend your life by 75 days."
-- Japanese proverb

School is cool

I have a few minutes before class, so I decided to do something a little different. I am blogging from the library. I really don't have much to say. Well, I have heartburn, and this library is always full of people.

I have been staying pretty busy with school and the new job. So far, I've been a good student. Although, I haven't taken any tests or quizzes to support that statement.

Yesterday, I found out that the nursing program has their own computer lab. I am excited about that. I can go in there, anytime, and use the computers without waiting in line forever. The only bad thing is I can't print anything there. I'll get over it.

I have a lot of classes where I have to take quizzes and turn in assignments online. It would probably be best to do them there. The instructors recommend that you don't take the quizzes on a dial-up internet connection. There is only one chance and 20 minutes. I don't think I will take a chance of getting booted at home.

Get Books Online!

I love amazon.com!

I bought a used chemistry book from a bookstore on campus, and I paid $106. On amazon.com, I paid $40 less for the same text. I was so impressed. Obviously, I returned the book from the campus bookstore. I did the same today with another text book. I sound like a commercial.

After I bought my text today from a bookstore on campus, I brought my butt to the library to check out the same book on amazon. Well, low and behold, UL has blocked the use of amazon. It let me browse for books, but I could not look at the prices from individual sellers. I am not sure if it is blocked for security reasons. Perhaps, it is blocked because it is competition. Major competition!

I much prefer buying from other students online. It is better than things that have happened to me in the past. I have bought books for $150, and the bookstore "bought them back" for $30. Then, I'm sure they turn around and sell them the next semester for $100 or more. I am not getting screwed like that again.

First Day

Actually, I had two first days. Today was my first day of orientation at my new job, and also my first day back at UL.

Orientation was boring, and the one class that I attended had idiots for students. I can tell for sure that they are going to get on my nerves.

Movies

Tonight, I went with Cypress and Amber to see that new movie w/ Jim Carrey, "Fun with Dick and Jane." The movie was predictable. It was cute, but the previews let you know what it's all about.

People do not know how to act in theatres. Last time I saw a movie, a black couple beside us talked throughout the entire film. They made stupid little comments about the movie, and said out loud what they thought would happen next.

This evening, a similar family sat behind us with two young children. Hundreds of empty seats, and they sat down on the row immediately behind us with children. I was not impressed from the get go. They want to talk and move around because, let's face it, parents do not know how to raise their children today. The kids rule the roost.

Anyway, about 5 minutes after they "sit," I feel kicking on the back of my seat. Not something that I like to tolerate. I decided to end things, and I just grabbed my junk and took it to the next row. I wonder if they got the hint.

That's why

A few days ago, I posted the lyrics to the song "Another one bites the dust." Why in the world would I do such a thing?

If you know me, I changed jobs, in 2005, more than some folks change their underwear. Well, once again, I have decided to leave another job. However, this time I actually put in my two-weeks notice. I'm growing up!

I am going back to school, which is a priority. My schedule for school is a crazy mess, and it just would not allow me to ask if someone wanted soup or salad.

I'm glad. It feels like such a weight has been lifted.

I just threw up a little in my mouth

It is slash KLFY week! Do you remember the former reporter David Begnaud? Well, here he is, on the right, with the orange tan. This is a picture that he, himself, posted on his myspace profile.

I did no processing to make this photograph disturbing.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

I'm HOT. You're Not.

This beauty has been with TV 10 since 1899. She was no stranger to the TV 10 family when she started her career having completed an internship in the News Department while in college. She landed the internship using the Monica Lewenski method. After graduating magna cum laude from USL (no surprise there), now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with a B.A. in Mass Communications/Broadcasting, she began as a General Assignments Reporter and quickly became the Anchor and Producer for the weekend editions of Eyewitness News, and it is a good thing for her. You can't do anything else with that degree. In two years, she was promoted to her current position as news anchor for Passe Partout, her skills will blow your mind.

Originally from a Duson trailerpark, the girl from lot #14 says the best thing about this area is, of course, "friendly people." She's happy for the opportunity to stay in Acadiana after obtaining her degree. She cannot imagine living anywhere other than here because she spends her days barefoot. It is impossible for her to find a pair of shoes to fit her massive feet.

In her spare time, she enjoys watching aerobics, shaving her back, crossword puzzles, word finds and playing the board game "Taboo." According to the Queen, "Music is the best medicine," so don't be surprised if you see her enjoying a little karaoke. Although, if you see her, run. Her favorite movies include the classic, "Greasy Face," "The People Under the Stairs" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." She highly recommends "Chicken Soup for a Cyclops" if you're looking for a good book.

She received the Hearst Journalism Award and was named "Best Anchor/Reporter" in a special edition of The Times of Acadiana and was also named "Best TV Personality" in a special edition of Lifestyle Magazine. There were no other canidates nominated. That girl is quite the character. She did everyone a favor and filled out the ballots for them. She is a true sweetheart.

Miss Thing was selected to be the TV 10 coordinator for the "Jefferson Award." The segment recognizes excellence in volunteering in the community of Acadiana. She is always ready, willing, and able to take on any task.

She is married to chunky co-worker, who is a General Assignments Reporter for KLFY TV 10. She has one step-son, she says he never ceases to amaze her! That is her generic statement when she doesn't have anything better to say about someone. Poor kid.

Just One for Now

Which OS are You?

Swipe

Small things make me happy. I live by the card, my debit card, that is. More and more restaurants are hoping on the bandwagon, and accepting this method of payment. Now, it is becoming more rare to find places that do not accept the plastic.

I do not eat at Sonic often, but when I do, I am happy that they accept cards. It sucks when they have to walk all the way back in, and then out, to run your card. Now, Sonic on Johnston street has these outdoor debit/credit/gift card processors. This excites me, and this is my new favorite Sonic. "Drive in for a change."

Another One Bites The Dust

Written by John Deacon.
Sung by Freddie Mercury.

Released 22nd August, 1980 - Spent 9 weeks on chart and reached number 7.

Ooh, let's go
Steve walks warily down the street
With the brim pulled way down low
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet
Machine guns ready to go

Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this
Are you hangin' on the edge of your seat
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat - yeah

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust, eh
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

How do you think I'm going to get along
Without you when you're gone
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own

Are you happy? Are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat
Look out

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust, eh
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

Hey
Oh take it
Bites the dust - bite the dust hey
HeyAnother one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust, ow
Another one bites the dust, hey hey
Another one bites the dust, heeey
Ooh show down

There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man
And bring him to the ground
You can beat him
You can cheat him
You can treat him bad and leave him
When he's down, yeah
But I'm ready, yes I'm ready for you
I'm standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating to the sound of the beat
Oh yeah

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust, yeah
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
Shoot out
Hey, alright

*Cough-Cough, Sniff-Sniff*

For the past couple of weeks, I have been feeling less than perfect. Today, I went to the doctor. I thought that, perhaps, I had strep throat. I had a friend, who may have infected me. I got my throat swabbed, which I would never recommend. The test came out negative. That is good, if it was accurate.

I still feel crappy. I didn't get any antibiotics, which I think is good and bad. Good because antibiotics are over-prescribed, and that may cause evolution of bigger and badder germs. Bad because...well, I'm still sick!

I decided to self-medicate. After dinner tonight, I had chips and dip, and I just had some M&M's. I feel pretty good. Now, I just want a nice carbonated beverage to wash it all down. I think I'll go get that now.

Body Log

Way back when, I made a body log for myself. I took my weight, and I measured every part of my body that I could. This way, I am staying motivated. I started my running program, and I am eating right. Although, I do have some exceptions for eating. I do live to eat, and anything in moderation is ok.

I am going for a physical, for my new job, on Tuesday. I wasn't going to weigh myself until then, but I think I might hop on the scale today. I'm going to take all my measurements, since I am in the beginning stages of it all.

OK...Wish me luck!

Epiphany is Here

The Mardi Gras season begins on January 6 and continues until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. During this time of year, one of the most beloved traditions in South Louisiana is that of the King Cake.

On the Christian calendar, the twelfth day after Christmas is known as Epiphany, Twelfth Night, or Kings Day. It is the day the gift-bearing Magi visited the baby Jesus, and is celebrated with its own unique rituals.

The Louisiana tradition, begun in the 1870s, borrows heavily from European customs. As part of the celebration of Mardi Gras, it is traditional to bake an oval cake in honor of the three kings - the King Cake. The shape of a King Cake symbolizes the unity of faiths. Each cake is decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple represents justice, green represents faith and gold represents power. A small baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is baked into each cake.

In South Louisiana, King Cake parties are held throughout the Mardi Gras season. In offices, classrooms, and homes, King Cakes are sliced and enjoyed by all. Like the biblical story, the "search for the baby" adds excitement, as each person waits to see in whose slice of cake the baby will be discovered. While custom holds that the person who finds the baby in their slice will be rewarded with good luck, that person is also traditionally responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next party or gathering.

The traditional King Cake is made from twisted strands of cinnamon dough, topped with icing, and sprinkled with purple, green, and gold colored sugar. Today, many additional varieties of King Cake are also available, with fillings such as cream cheese, bavarian cream, strawberry, apple, and lemon.

Pure Joi

The Times of Acadiana: Welcome Back - Thursday, August 25, 2005
By Stella Theriot.

There was a time in Lafayette’s history when it was home to a coffee-roasting and grinding facility. The Mello Joy Pure Coffee Company was located at 1013 9th St. from 1936 until 1975, when founder Louis R. Begnaud sold certain assets of his business to the Community Coffee Company. After about a year, Mello Joy disappeared from grocers’ shelves.

Begnaud and his brother Will were both working for Grimmer Coffee Company, the makers of Creole Belle Coffee, at the time that they decided to go into business for themselves. They created the smooth blend of Mello Joy in an era before drinking coffee was cool. When they came up with their original blend, they never dreamed eclectic coffeehouses would be a part of Lafayette’s business landscape or that exotic flavored coffees would gain such popularity.
Early on, Louis bought Will’s part of the company. He then grew his coffee business and made Mello Joy a familiar household name.

According to his grandson, Brian Begnaud, the firm became the predominant coffee provider in the state of Louisiana and in the southern territory. Because of its popularity, Mello Joy commonly became known as the “King of the Deep South”.

Brian says when he came back to Louisiana a year ago, he found that people were still talking about his grandfather’s coffee. That’s when he got the idea to stage a comeback.
He started fine tuning the recipe earlier this year and that’s when he discovered that some of the coffee beans his grandfather used aren’t available anymore. “We’ve got the taste profile as close as we can,” Brian says. He says countless taste tests were performed and the results show the flavor is right on the mark with the original blend.

The roasting, grinding and packaging are being done in Atlanta right now until the demand gets higher, Brian says. His ultimate goal is to have a facility in Acadiana once again.
He says numerous restaurants and grocery stores have been contacting him and Mello Joy is debuting around the area. “We’re going to be the exclusive coffee in all of the Cajundome,” Brian says, “as well as the convention center.” Adrien’s and Billeaud’s Supermarket in Broussard have agreed to stock Mello Joy and CajunGrocer.com has decided to sell the coffee online and Albertson’s and Super 1 Foods. Brian says it’s also in Camellia Country Market, a couple of stores in Houma and in Kroger in The Woodlands, Texas.

Although word is getting around that Mello Joy is back and sales have been increasing, bringing the coffee back to the masses has not been as smooth as its blend. Besides the unavailability of certain coffee beans, Community Coffee has filed suit to stop the process.
Joe Lemoine of Onebane, Bernard, Torian, Diaz, McNamara & Abell is Brian’s attorney. Lemoine says the crux of the suit is that it appears Community Coffee abandoned all use of the Mello Joy trademark by not promoting the brand. That opened the door for Brian to use and register the mark.

“In July of 2000, (Community Coffee Co.) would have had to renew that registration in order to keep it alive and they elected not to do so,” says Lemoine. He adds that the company’s failure to use the trademark for about 23 years — unless it was temporarily suspended with specific intention to resume use — waived its right to the brand name.

“When (Community Coffee) let the registration lapse in the year 2000, Brian decided he wanted to pick it up,” Lemoine says, “and see if he could restore that which was the Mello Joy tradition to Lafayette — a Lafayette brand coffee — and to restore the cultural tradition.”

He says that after learning what Brian had done, Community Coffee filed a competing trademark application and has brought suit in U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge to block Brian from producing and selling Mello Joy. “We don’t think it has any merit,” says Lemoine. Nancy St. Pierre, public relations director for Community Coffee, says, “Because it’s a legal matter with proceedings surrounding it, I really don’t think it’s proper to speak about it publicly.”

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will decide which one has rights to the trademark, Lemoine says. “We believe the jurisdiction over who gets registration resides with the Patent Office, not with the courts,” he says. That preliminary ruling should be made within three to four months.

Meanwhile, Brian is moving forward selling Mello Joy. He has a Web page, www.mellojoy.com, and a toll-free number, 1-86-MELLO-JOY. And he’s looking for reliable employees like his grandfather found.

Mastern St. Julien was hired as roastmaster in 1936 and worked with the Begnauds until the company was sold to Community Coffee Co. in 1975. St. Julien was working for the Roy Coffee Company at the time, but he believed in the Begnauds and their new venture enough to take a chance.

“Every 28 minutes — we had two roasters — 500 pounds of coffee used to come out,” St. Julien recalls, “and I used to take care of both of those roasters by myself.” Their day started at 5 a.m. and by 11:30 a.m. about 20,000 pounds of Mello Joy had been bagged and workers were free to go. St. Julien operated a small trucking business on the side that he would attend to after his roasting duties were done each day.

The aroma of those roasting coffee beans would permeate Downtown and complement the smell of baking bread rising from Evangeline Bakery only a few blocks away on St. John Street.
Says St. Julien: “At 5 o’clock in the morning, everybody opened their windows.”

He says the Begnauds kept adding to the plant facility, which was located at 1013 9th St., until the warehouse portion fronted 8th Street. The building is still partially in use today, with Louis Begnaud’s son, Donald, housing his fiberglass business there.

Brian’s father, Mike Begnaud, remembers working at Mello Joy. “I started working with my dad when I was 12 years old,” says Mike. He worked in a variety of positions through the years, including packaging and delivering coffee, putting Mello Joy decals in clocks and keeping the books.

Mike says people never stopped asking about Mello Joy. So when Brian decided to bring it back, he wasn’t surprised by the overwhelming interest. He says numerous former customers out there have been hoping to see their old favorite again. “I think it’s going to really be accepted again,” he says, “because everybody referred to it as the good old Cajun dark roast coffee.”
St. Julien says he believes Louis Begnaud would be proud that Mello Joy is back on the market and he is confident that suppliers and consumers will welcome it back. Mike agrees: “All my dad ever did was brew coffee. That was his pride and joy.”

“They’re going to have a lot of people going back to Mello Joy,” says St. Julien.

Brian Begnaud is counting on that.

Are you that important?

I decided that I am not finished with my cell phone bashing. Today at the track, I noticed not one, but several, people holding their cell phones while walking/running. Some where talking, and some where sending text messages, and others...well, I guess they were just waiting for that important call.

Still, I do not see the need to be in touch at all times. When I am at the track, it is me and the track. The only other thing I have is my MP3 player. The tunes keep me going. I feel that the track is therapy. It is a time for me to take out my agression, a time to think, and a time to be alone. If I was waiting for a call, I would get stressed out. Then, I would be defeating one of the purposes of being at the track.

I have moments where I have to disconnect from everyone. It is not often, but I like to take the time here and there to do it. It gives me time to appreciate other things in life. My friends are great, and I love talking to most of them. However, it is nice to escape all the distractions that are now considered a daily part of life.

Eat Fresh

I ate lunch at Subway yesterday. No, I am not one of those people who made a New Year's resolution to lose weight. Actually, I never make resolutions. If I want to do something, I start today. In November, I'm not going to say: "I'm going to lose weight, next year." No, that's dumb. I procrastinate. I admit it. On the other hand, I realize there are some things that you just cannot put off.

So, back to lunch at Subway. There was a lady sitting across from me, eating. Yes eating because that is what you do after you get your food at a restaurant. She was heavy-set, but not huge. I couldn't tell her age, but she was probably in her fifties.

I was trying not to stare, but I noticed that as she would eat, she would glance up at the menu. It looks like she was not that familiar with the menu, so she was browsing at all the items. After finishing her six-inch sub, she started looking at the napkin. The napkins have the calorie and fat contents of some of their sandwiches.

My heart went out to her. It struck me that she made a new year's resolution. She is desperate to lose weight. She has probably tried every fad diet out there, and failed miserably. Well, she isn't alone. Fad diets don't work. The problem is that many people are clueless when it comes to nutrition. So, she followed the media, and ate at Subway.

Why Subway? Well, all the promotions with Jared. Look how much weight he lost.

I could not imagine eating Subway all the time. It's a good choice here and there, but nothing there has a flavor; the cookies are good. Quiznos....Now there is a good choice. Those sandwiches have flavor, and they are GOOD.

OOC

Bluetooth technology, all the latest and greatest phones come with it today. Hands-free talking works great in the car. Driving down the road and carrying on a conversation without a hassle, it is great. However, it should remain in the car.

I was standing in line today waiting to pay my tuition, while some chick had a bluetooth headset on her ear. She looked like a fool. Are you so lazy that you have to wear a phone attached to your ear at all times? I hate wearing a watch. I hate wearing glasses. I hate wearing a ring, or a necklace. I could not imagine having a phone attached to my ear for God knows how long.

I do have a cell phone, but personally, I do not think that it is of that much importance to be "in touch" around the clock. The exception is for work, like doctors.

Cell phones are truly annoying. They ring at all times. People talk on them in restaurants, in check out lines, and I have even heard them go off in church and funerals. Have you no respect? If I am around anyone, I usually turn my phone to vibrate. My phone has never made a sound in public. I think it's rude, and somewhat embarrassing.

Do your part, and try some cell phone etiquette.

Year at a Glance

Wow...2005 has been a roller-coaster ride. In my entire life, I have had eight different jobs. In 2005 alone, I have had five. I did not like any of them, which is why they were all so short lived.

This year, I decided something that I never thought I would be willing do to. I have decided to go back to school. I hated school, so why would I want to go back? Well, Vita-hell taught me that I can no longer settle for anything. I want to be able to find a good job. More importantly, I want to be able to simply find a job! I want job availability, and I want employers to come looking for me. The answer to that...find a job that is in high demand. That is just what I have done.

Tonight is New Year's Eve. We are getting together at some friends' house in Broussard. Once I am there, I am staying there. The roads are far too dangerous to get out on this holiday. Also, Crowley is too long of a drive.

Goodbye 2005! I've made some friends, and I have met some people I hope never to see again. One thing is for sure, I hope 2006 is a happier year.

Jared

Tonight we attended Jared's wake. Funerals are always sad, but when it is someone young, it hurts even more. Here is a card that I picked up. I thought it fit him well.

Holiday Tragedy

This evening, Amber called to tell me a guy we worked with at Lafayette's passed away. He went out Christmas night, and he was in an automobile accident on his way home in the early morning hours. It was a single car accident, and he was alone in the vehicle. He was not wearing his seat belt.

Merry Christmas

Ahh...I love sleeping in, and not having to work. Guys, it does not get much better than this. Today when I woke up, Santa brought me what I really wanted. The house was empty, and there was peace and quiet. It is what I have always wanted. It was short-lived. I guess beggars can't be choosers.

Today brings more time with the family, or more appropriately put, too much time with the family. Finally, evening comes, and I'm out of the house.

Cypress and Amber called me to go hang out, and it did not take much convincing. Although, plans changed when Amber's roommate got home. Needless to say, neither were we expecting her, nor her guest. So, Plan B was Grant Street Dancehall.


I had totally forgotten that Christmas night was the final night that Grant Street was open, and I had been wanting to go. It is a great old building, and many famous people have performed there. Some include: Stevie Ray Vaughn, Candlebox, BB King, Korn, and Ray Charles, just to name a few.


Amber took a self-portrait, that she probably would not appreciate me posting on my blog. Also, they upload quicker when I crop them. I noticed that the guy standing behind her was wearing a shirt that Grant Street made to commemorate all of the great years in business. Listed on the back of the shirt, where names of some of the performers that have graced the stage over the years. Check it out.

Marc Broussard was behind us in line tonight. Amber was not feeling it, and she refused to take a picture of Cypress and I, with Marc conveniently located behind us. It would have been great blog material. Amber doesn't like Marc because he sleeps around, eventhough he has a girlfriend, and he is a baby-daddy.

The performance of the night was Curley Taylor. He plays zydeco music, and it is awesome. I am going to keep a lookout in The Times for this guy. He put on a great concert, and we had a blast. Surprisingly, I saw a bunch of people that I have not had the chance to see in a long time, at Grant Street.

Sadly, not only is Grant Street closing, but this beautiful historic building will be torn down. The lot that it now stands on will become a parking lot. The only thing that will remain are memories.


Last but not least, here is a picture of Amber and I leaving Grant Street. It was fun while it lasted.

Ghetto Resume

Rozonda LaQueeta "Pookie" Jenkins
2036 South Side Skreet Projects
Compton, CA 11122
Phone: Cut off right now but will be back on by the 15th.

OBJECTIVE
To one day fulfill my dream of becoming a SoulTrain Dancer and, you know, just gittin my life togetha and stuff. I also hope to one day be the best cosmotologecalist in the 'hood.'

SKILLS
I do hurh and nails in my kitchen and I use my glitter and weave bonding glue for arts and crafts and stuff. I do braids in any texture or color; synthetoc or human hurh.

EDUCATION
The "GET YOURS" Home Correspondence Course, INC: Big Mamma's House of Hair 'N Nails 'N Fried Chicken 'N Stuff (Gradiated with honors for the most extensions don in a year's time)

WORK EXPERIENCE
January 10, 1999-January 30, 1999
Big Daddy's Motel Motor Lodge Bar & Grill Pool Hall & Bait 'N TackleShop
Reason for leaving; I got sick 'n tired of Big Daddy hittin on me.

March 1, 1999-November 1, 1999
The Golden Tooth Dental & Jewelry Emporium
I loveded this job cuz they gave me a free toof ary monf and now I can spell my baby daddy name but they done up and fired me cuz I let one of my homeboys sniff the laughing gas. He just smelt it, he don't do drugs no mo.

November 2, 1999-November 10, 1999
My Baby Daddy's Day Care Center Car Wash & Barber Shop
Reason for leaving: They tried to work a sistuh ta deaf and I got thangs ta do

November 12, 1999- November 14, 1999
Kim Fung Toi's House of Rice & Skrimps and Stuff
Reason for Leaving: You don't even wanna know

Jimmy's Jheri Curls & Motor Lube
Reason for leaving: Hospitalized for spine injury when I slipped on an overflow of activator.

The Ike Turner Pimp Slap Recovery Center (They have lovely commodations; yes I worked there and was a patient too.)
Reason for leaving: Center closed down cuz Tina Turner done refused Ike's request to give a benefit concert and donate the money to Ike. Ike say Tina done got beside haself since she a big star and arythang. He say he remember when she was Anna Mae Bullock from Nut Bush, Tennessee.

REFERENCES
Lawanda Jenkins (from up the skreet)

Hezakiah Clevestus "The Playa" Jones (my homie's cuzzin's babydaddy)

The Right Reverend Aliza Benjarmin "ineedadrank" O'grady (pastor of the Greater Mt. Carmel Church of God in Christ Kingdom Hall of Our Lady of Saints Holy Rosary Latter Day Seventh Advent Saints Episcapaleen Sanctified Non-Denominational Baptist Church Inc., a not-for-profit agency.)

Great Day

Today was my first day at my new job, and ironically, I got offered another good job, with GREAT opportunities. Yes, I am being vague. Does that bother you? Good. You don't need to know every detail of my life.

Tonight I hung out with two of my closest friends. We just chilled, watched TV, ate take out, and thought about doing things that we never got around to doing. Gotta love those nights. That reminds me of an older country song: "I love a rainy night."

Speaking of rain, man...it poured tonight. I have always been a fan of thunderstorms. I find the sound of rain comforting. Tonight, we had a brief discussion about rain. It is water just falling from the sky. Is it not crazy? I find that normally we do not put much thought into it because it is something that has always happened throughout our lives. I find it interesting, too bad if you don't.

D-list?

I love watching comedy. HBO specials, The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and the Queens of Comedy are some of my favorites. Currently, one of my favorite comedians is Kathy Griffin. There is nothing this chick will not say. It's great. That is the type of girl I want to entertain me.

I was watching one of her stand ups recently, and she was talking about a trip she went to in Iraq. They were there to entertain the troops. She was talking about the people of Iraq, and their religious beliefs. Mostly, how the women should be dressed, and the way they are treated by their husbands. Also, she talked about the female circumcision. I would go into detail, but it is much more funny from her mouth. Check it out, it is a must see. Anyone that can make fun of a camel jockey is an A-list in my book.

Oh, and she is no longer allowed to appear on The View. She went toe to toe with the legendary Barbara Walters. I saw her on The View, but I wasn't paying attention. OH...I bet it was great. Live TV is the best.

'Tis the Season

This years Christmas Village Scene at The Lakeside Mall. I hope it touches the hearts of you and yours, as it has touched mine.

Washington Post

I just noticed that my blog has been linked on the Washington Post website, for the article I that I posted about post hurricane aftermath. Does this mean I'm published? haha...I found that interesting, and maybe my few readers might as well. Here's the link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090101813.html

Now I'm thinking that I must remember to run spell check.

Owls are Wise

Over the past two months, my sleeping patterns have changed. I am working evenings now. I usually do not get home until about midnight. Of course, I am too wired to sleep as soon as I get home, so I stay up a little longer. In the mornings I have been sleeping later. Unfortunately, the majority of my friends have the opposite schedule. They wake up in the early morning hours, and they are sleeping before I get off work. It is getting slightly lonely. On the other hand, I like not having to deal with family as much. Ahh...there is a light at the end of every tunnel.

Also, everyday for the past month and a half, I have been thankful that I am no longer in vitamin hell. It feels so great to be free. Thank God I don't stink anymore. Praise Jesus!

TESTS!

Global Personality Test Results

Stability (70%) high which suggests you are very relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic.. Orderliness (80%) high which suggests you are overly organized, reliable, neat, and hard working at the expense too often of flexibility, efficiency, spontaneity, and fun. Extraversion (50%) medium which suggests you are moderately talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting.

Take Free Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Another test...

Brain Lateralization Test Results

Right Brain (32%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (78%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

Are You Right or Left Brained?
personality tests by similarminds.com

And Another...

Personality Disorder Test Results Paranoid |||| 18% Schizoid |||||||||||| 50% Schizotypal |||||| 30% Antisocial |||||||||||| 42% Borderline |||||| 30% Histrionic |||| 14% Narcissistic |||||||||||||| 54% Avoidant |||||| 30% Dependent || 10% Obsessive-Compulsive |||||||||||| 46%

Take Free Personality Disorder Test
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So...am I crazy?

We're Watching You

Wrong

Career Inventory Test Results Extroversion 46% Emotional Stability 56% Orderliness 90% Altruism 46% Inquisitiveness 33% You are a Trustee, possible professions include - management,accounting, auditing, efficiency expert, engineer, geologist, bank examiners, organization development, electricians, dentists, pharmacist, school principals, school bus drivers, file clerk, stock broker, legal secretary, computer operator, computer programmer, technical writer, chief information officer, police officer, real estate agent.

Take Free Career Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Eugh, those are all jobs that I would hate. Funny how I answered "very inaccurate" to the teacher, police officer, and computer technician questions....yet those look like what it picked for me. Oh well, that's why I never listened to these things in the first place. They all seem like very repetitive jobs, all of which I would despise in five minutes.