I’ve been in New Orleans for most of this week working.

Friday R flew in and I took Saturday off. Friday night and Saturday we walked around the French Quarter. We learned the service is S-L-O-W at restaurants. I think it’s supposed to be that old world cache where everyone sits and talks around their meals. But since it was just the two of us and we were together already, it was freaking annoying.

I learned some good stuff at the conference, including getting lots of ideas for my writing in the health sciences course that I will be teaching in the fall.

I gave my paper and was not lynched. I think they were so surprised by what I said they didn’t think to grab the rope. But it was interesting. Thankfully I had brought my notes with me so I was able to answer the serious objection in a timely and effective manner.

The conference was fun.

New Orleans… was there. I’d say about a quarter of the businesses in the French Quarter were closed. That was a place not hit by Katrina. Didn’t see a lot of the rest of the town, so I don’t know how it fared. But I know the recovery has been very slow.