Craziness is consuming my life right now, so haven't had much chance to stay up with anyone. I feel very out of the loop (my own doing). Here's an update on me. :)
School is going well. After we come back from the break next week, I'll be starting co-therapy. Kind of scary, but everything is so busy I haven't had time to get truly nervous about it yet. Schools in LA are off from Mon.-Wed. of next week for Mardi Gras. Then Thurs.-Sat. is the Louisiana MFT conference in Baton Rouge and I'll be going to that. Should be great. Several MFT big names will be there presenting, so I'm looking forward to it.
My job at the center is going well. The people there are great. Every Wed. are small group meetings called Huddle. (This place is like no other place I've worked before.) My group is called Catfish and Grits and is all about learning about the Mississippi Delta. I could devote several blogs to talking about that. The culture here is very different and so we've talked about that and had a chance to take some field trips. Yesterday we went to the Tensas Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately we got lost so didn't see too much wildlife. Mainly deer and a few birds. There are alligators and Louisiana black bears (estimated count on the refuge is between 400 and 650) and tons of other wildlife. Really wanted to see a bear, but of course, didn't happen. I could have settled for an alligator, too. Instead just got to see cypress trees and cypress knees. Very interesting. Loved the trip. It was so nice to be outdoors and I heard it was 85 degrees yesterday, so it was a pleasant day for a trip like that. Not too humid either. :)
A couple weeks ago I went to a local Mardi Gras parade. It's a big deal here, of course, and hearing what I've heard about New Orleans, I didn't know how much I wanted to go to this one, but I was assured it was family friendly and pretty harmless. The parade was at night, so taht was different. I still need to look this up, but the theme or name of the parade or something was the Crewe of Janis. Not sure what that is all about, something French maybe? Lots of people were wearing masks. I saw some crazy hats and a lot of green, purple, and gold. The other big thing was all of the beads. People on every float were throwing the beads and the idea was to get as many as possible. It's different than New Orleans, because here, all you have to do is yell and scream and they throw them at you. Like I said, it's the family friendly version. I've never seen so many beads in my life. Side note, today a guy I know had beads that he had gotten from the Catholic student center at lunch, so there are different meanings for them depending on where you are. There were the normal bands that came through, which is always my favorite part. One of the most interesting parts was the sons of the confederacy. According to my friends there were many more participants this year than there have been in the past; they believed it was due to Obama becoming president. All I know is that there were a lot of rebel flags and there were definitely no black people in the group. They didn't reenact anything, but they did shoot a few times. So that was my Mardi Gras experience. Also, a girl brought a King Cake to class this morning. It was pretty good -- more like sweet bread with gold, purple, and green sprinkles on top. This one didn't have a baby in it. Supposedly the baby represents baby Jesus. I asked what you get if you find the baby in your piece and they said that you get to bring the next King cake. After being here and seeing all the fun traditions, I have a new take on Mardi Gras. Don't really care to experience the New Orleans version after what I've heard about it, but the Monroe version has been a blast! Which brings me to the all-important question that must be asked at this time of year. What are you giving up for Lent? It's a great chance to put a little discipline into your life. I recommend it. I believe this is year number 8 for me, and each year it gets a little sweeter. That is, if I don't give up sweets.
4 comments:
Ahhh. The blog I've been waiting for. :) Mardi Gras does sound fun in Monroe. And that is so awesome that you get a Mardi Gras break. Maybe I can talk DBU into putting that on their calendar. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA! I am making Jambalaya this week in honor of the Mardi Gras season.
Very interesting. I wouldn't mind going to a Mardi Gras parade, and honestly I wouldn't mind going to the one in New Orleans, just to see what it is like.
I have many fond memories of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I have no idea why my family always went, but it was a bit of a tradition. Your experience sounds cool! I want to hear about the co-therapy as soon as you get settled into it. Details, please! I made red beans and rice and sausage tonight, but it was just because I was trying to get rid of some red beans. But now I'm going to say it was in honor of Mardi Gras.
Your blog made me curious about the beads. I remember my first boss telling me the meaning of each color, but I could only remember faith. Here is something that I found and wanted to share.
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Mardi Gras Beads or throws are a fun part of the Carnival festivities in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Carnival season begins on Twelfth Night or January 6th. Carnival refers to the whole season from January 6 through Fat Tuesday, which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday or the beginning of the Lent season. Mardi Gras generally refers to Fat Tuesday only, but many tourists describe the whole carnival season as Mardi Gras so locals began to refer to Fat Tuesday as Mardi Gras Day to alleviate any confusion. Festivities during the Carnival Season include parties or balls, parades, and king cake. Beginning two weeks before Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras Day, there is at least one parade daily. It is during these parades that the beads or throws are primarily used.
The New Orleans parades are organized by Krewes which are member sponsored communities. During the course of the parade, the krewe members toss out a number of different types of throws such as beads, doubloons, cups, and stuffed animals or small toys. Make sure you bring a large bag, pillow case, or any other sturdy container to bring your "catch" home in.
Prior to the 1960's, the beads were made from glass; however, they are currently being made from plastic. In the early 90's, people began to tire of the thin strands of plastic beads and would actually just leave them laying on the ground so some krewe members began to throw larger beads or novelty type beads with a theme. So why throw Mardi Gras beads? There is a school of thought that the beads or representative of the jewelry that was worn by royalty. People stand on the side of the road begging trinkets. "Throw me something, Mister" is a phrase you can hear over and over again. If you catch the eye of a krewe member, they will reward you by throwing a string of beads or more to you.
Mardi Gras colors chosen by Rex, king of carnival in 1892, are purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power). Generally, Mardi Gras beads are a thin strip of beads made from plastic in one color only, but the beads can come in every color under the sun. The most prized colors to receive are the Mardi Gras colors. Strands of bead also come in a wide variety of diameters and designs. The larger the beads and the more elaborate the design, the more desirable the strand of beads.
Carnival and specifically Mardi Gras Day is a fantastic way to spend time together as a family. You can pack a picnic lunch, play ball, watch the parades, and enjoy the festivities. Because Mardi Gras Day lasts the majority of the day, wear sunscreen, bring your lunch, and make sure you have enough bags to bring home a large catch. Mardi Gras Day parades are the biggest and utilize the largest number of throws. Have loads of fun and catch a lot of Mardi Gras beads.
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