Andy's Adventures

Stuck

2006-05-22T01:54:00.000-05:00

Johannesburg, South Africa

Long strange story that I'll fill in later -- with flowcharts on how it happened, etc. -- but the short story is that we missed our connecting flight in Johannesburg back to DC. The next flight isn't out until tonight, so Adam and Danielle were gracious enough to pick us up at the airport for yet another night of lodging. Now we are at the Supreme Court, where Danielle is clerking. It is an amazing building, but utterly cold (remember, it's winter here). We're sitting in the library, shivering while telecommuting to work. Not bad, eh?

Will provide update later on how we missed flight -- not our fault -- and other details on trip.

C Town

2006-05-20T11:54:00.000-05:00

Cape Town, South Africa

Today is LBJ graduation in Austin. Bill Clinton is speaking. I'm sure it will be nice. Then again, I'm sure Cape Town is just as nice...

Despite some lousy weather, we have had a marvelous time here. I can understand why this is Adam's favorite city in the world. It's got it all: mountains, coast, culture, entertainment, good weather (except the past 3 days!), etc. We've spent a lot of time at the harbor area, where there are shops, etc. We also visited Robben Island a few days ago, where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years. That visit was very powerful -- I plan on writing up a more thoughtful post on apartheid when I have more time (right now I'm in a gay Internet cafe -- one of the best Internet cafes I've been too actually -- and we're going to dinner on Long St. in 9 minutes).

Today we had great weather on a drive down to the Cape of Good Hope, which is the most southwest point of Africa. It was a scenic drive, and the coastline is gorgeous down there. On the return we stopped at a beach and saw hundreds of penguins. I understand why Stilwell loves those guys -- their waddle is great. We then stopped in what Danielle described as South Africa's "Coney Island" -- a coastal community that once boomed. It's on the comeback though, and we enjoyed a nice coffee while watching some kite surfers, which is the sport that Adam and I plan on taking up next. Also in our plans: Newcomer's buying a house in Cape Town, Sarah in the mountains of Colorado, and Danielle a flat in Paris. My place will either be in Costa Rica or the DR. All are welcome of course. This was all decided over coffee in Muisenburg too.

Upon returning to Cape Town from the excursion, we were finally able to see Table Mountain, which sits in the background of this hip city. We drove up the mountain a bit, and are planning on hiking up early tomorrow morning. We enjoyed a sunset on Camps Bay and are now off to a Kurdish dinner. We leave right after the hike tomorrow -- Sarah and I are on a 23 hour trip back to the US tomorrow and Danielle and Adam go back to Jo'burg.

This will more than likely be my last post from over here, but I will definitely have a few followups upon return. I will say this though: the trip has been amazing and I highly recommend a visit to South Africa. It has been the perfect blend of adventure, culture, relaxtion, entertainment, history, and fellowship. I look forward to sharing stories and pictures with you in person.

"I am like a sausage" and other strange stories from Africa

2006-05-17T00:42:00.000-05:00

Johannesburg, South Africa

I have been offline for the better part of the past ten days, and I must say that it has been quite refreshing. I checked my gmail account yesterday for the first time in many a moon, and had 123 email messages waiting. I refuse to check my work account; it's time like these that I take great pleasure in not having a blackberry. Goal #27 in life: never get a blackberry. Don't get me wrong, I like being in touch. But it has been outstanding to be thousands of miles away and without any work, social, investment, fantasy baseball, etc. worries. Of course, I don't need to be a continent away for that situation. Enter goal #27.

Sarah and I arrived to Jo'burg on the 7th -- an 18ish hour direct flight from DC wearing us down. Adam Newcomer is living here in Jo'burg while his girlfriend Danielle clerks for the South African Supreme Court, and they were at the airport to greet us. The first day was a blur -- jetlag got us both down.

The adventures started immediately the next day, as we embarked for Kruger National Park on a 3-day safari. It was a pleasant drive -- Sarah slept much of it and Adam and I planned our future world domination in the heads of states consulting industry. We arrived at Mohlibetsi lodge in the late afternoon on the 8th, and as their Web site promised, we were greeted with a "warm welcome." With barely enough time to drop our stuff off in the cute little huts (which were really 3 star accomodations and quite nice) we were out on our first game drive with Monica and James, our two guides for the next few days.

We went on a total of four game drives, and had a great time. Highlights included the funny occasion in which we had to stop so I could "relieve" myself, Sarah and Adam battling hangovers on the bumpy ride the next morning, and amazing sightings of 3 of the big 5. But perhaps the funniest memory came when an elephant chased our Land Rover, blaring its trumpet and stomping after us. In the height of the chase, a German tourist (that we later befriended) yelled out "I am like a sausage!" in a funny german accent. Needless to say, it has become Adam's favorite saying during the past week and the title to this blog entry.

All in all we saw lions, elephants, zebras, water buffalo, giraffe, monkeys, impala, warthogs, crocs, hippo, and more. Pics will be online soon!

From Kruger area, we ended up on a marathon car ride to the beaches of Mozambique. We stopped overnight in Swaziland -- dinner in the capital city of Mbabane and finally found (shoddy) accomodations in the commercial center Manzini. I'll keep the description of Swazi simple: I wasn't impressed and will not be heading back anytime soon. Perhaps one day you can ask Sarah about it; she might not be so kind.

We were up early for the final leg of the ride to Mozambique, securing a stay at the Motel Do Mar on the beach and a ride from the border (Adam's car couldn't go into Moz b/o insurance). After paying 30 bucks for a visa to enter the country, we only had to wait a few moments for the ride. With a misty rain beginning to fall, Adam and I climbed into the back of a tired midsize pickup truck while Sarah enjoyed a broken conversation in English with the driver in the cab. The ride exemplified why I love to travel, and why I tell my co-workers at Deloitte that I want to be an explorer one day. Adam and I hung on for dear life as we rolled through the sandy roads of Mozambique towards the beach. The 15 kilometer ride included about 100 meters of paved road -- the rest of the way we bounced and slid through the sand dunes on the way towards the Indian Ocean. Adam and I laughed as we passed small huts and children yelling for "sweets." It was a fun adventure. I loved it.

The Do Mar proved to be a sub-standard venue for lodging, but the location was amazing. I could throw a baseball from our balcony into the ocean; it was the closest I have ever stayed to the water. We had a relaxing evening, enjoyed a good Porteugese-influenced meal, and got to bed super early for a busy day at the beach the next day. During the night, Sarah was attacked by mosquitoes but despite being convinced that she had malaria she seemed to enjoy a dive off the coast the next day. Adam and I tamed the wild waters, swimming most of the morning and afternoon. That night we enjoyed another delicious meal; they even had green wine, which I've only ever had in Portugal. It was remarkable how much Porteugese influence remained in the country, despite being independent for nearly two decades (right?) and not anywhere near Portugal. One strange/funny thing to relate about our stay in Moz: there were no banks or ATMs in the town, and we had very little cash because of the visas at the border. There were only two places in town that accepted credit cards, so we were limited to eating at those fine establishments.

We left the Motel Do Mar on the 13th in an even sketchier pickup truck. Sarah snapped a picture of it and I'll post it online at first convenience. The drive to the Drakensburg Mountains was about 5 hours, and we there in time to clean up for a nice dinner at the very scenic lodge that Danielle had reserved ( we met her there along with her co-clerk Chris). The Drakensburgs are on the border f the tiny country of Lesotho and South Africa, and truly are a beautiful and relaxing getaway. JRR Tolkien was fond of the area; evidently the mountainous region provided much inspiration for content in his writings. We were up early on the 14th for a day-long hike and it turned out most excellent. We hiked up to the top of a small peak -- probably about 3100 meters high. That night we had a "brie" which is what South African's call a BBQ or grill out. The excursion was perfect -- a good mix of exercise and relaxtion. My only regret: we didn't get to ride ponies, although we did get to hang out with some on the first night when they charged toward our porch area!

We drove back to Jo'burg yesterday and had a great meal last night at a Vietnamese restaurant. This morning we visited the South African Supreme Court and got to see Danielle in the chambers in her robe and all. Then we were off to Soweto, which the most famous of the South African townships which were used as settlements for blacks during Apartheid. Later that afternoon we went to the Apartheid Museum. The day was very powerful, as we got to see close up the effects of years of Apartheid (the extreme poverty that still exists in Soweto) and then learn about the history of Apartheid at a really great museum. I plan on writing more about today's experiences in another blog entry; these brief mentions don't do them justice.

Tomorrow we are often to Cape Town. Hope to write more in a few days, then maybe one or two entries upon my return.

Arrived safely -- after 20 hours!

2006-05-07T11:55:00.000-05:00

Johannesburg, South Africa

We've arrived safely, after a really long flight from Dulles to Johannesburg. Had a quick stop in Dakar to refuel, but had to stay on the plane. So it was 20 hrs or so on the plane. At least it was a double decker plane -- kind of cool.

We've made it to Adam and Danielle's and had a relaxing day looking around Jo'burg. We're off for a safari tomorrow to Kruger National Park.

More later...

Quick summary...and off to South Africa!

2006-05-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

Mi Madres, Austin, Texas

Well well -- too long. Entirely too long. Some of my biggest fans -- about 3 of you -- complain about this on a consistent basis. I would promise to update the mighty blog more often. The problem is that my life is not nearly as interesting as it used to be. I wake up at 7:37 every morning, go to work in a cube, go to the gym, and then drink a glass of the cheapest red wine I can find while contemplating my takeover of the DC council. Okay, so it's not that boring...

Two weeks ago I was in sunny Seaside Florida for the civil bachelor party of the William T. Elias III Esquire from Gannon Tech University. This is a kid that prides himself on not only his good looks, but his smooth ways with the ladies. But in July of this year our dear friend Willie shall be taking his wedding nuptials, and soon thereafter will move to the suburbs to buy a house with a white picket fence and raise his kids (Andy and Ivey -- Willie the IV). I look forward to the celebration, but for now revel in the fact that I was yet again able to snag some of Chip Fox's garments during the trip. I previously confiscated a pair of 1999 Gannon Tech football shorts from said Fox. Looks like I'm the real fox. All in all, the trip was a blast, although entirely too short. I will put some pictures up as they come available.

In other news, I just finished up a big report at work. I worked like a dog last week to finish it up in time for the printers. You can see it here -- I was one of the writers for section 2 of the report. Fascinating, yes I know. Now that the report is finished, I've had a bit of spare time. So I'm back on the construction scene with Cliff -- he is rehabbing a house on the Hill that he will move into with his wife. This past weekend (and through Monday) we built a brick patio. It was a lot of fun. I find it quite gratifying to bulid things with your hands -- I'm considering the possibility of doing this on the side. In part as a hobby, in part so that I can become a millionaire by 35 and retire by 40, teaching economics and politics to high schoolers while coaching the 8th grade basketball team to city championships and raising my first born (Jack) and second born (yet to be named female). Note to the Stilwells: I've now put it out there on official Internet record, so you can't use the name Jack for your first born. Sorry, but that's the way it works.

In other news, I leave for South Africa on Saturday. Yes, this is indeed big news. Another adventure. Sarah is tagging along -- she has a way of weasling into my planned trips. No, actually we're both going to see good friend Adam Newcomer. Now talk about a guy that has some adventures/scams going on. This kid is doing his PhD at Carnegie Mellon, one of the finest institutions of our day, but is doing it from South Africa from Jan to July. I don't know how he pulled that off, but I want some of it. So I guess I'll live that dream for two weeks. We'll be touring Johannesburg, Mozambique, a bit of the Kingdom of Swaziland (where Adam assures me we will meet the King), Kruger National Park for a safari, and Cape Town. I will try to post some blogs, and will definitely put the pictures of me and the King up at some point.

One last bit: at the top of this entry there is a picture of the new sign at Mi Madres. Some of you might wonder the significance of this. Well first off, Mi Madres has the best breakfast tacos west of the Mississippi (mine are the best east of the Mississippi). This fine establishment is a mere two-minute walk from 2800 Lafayette, I walked there on many occasions with the boys. Sir George Rivas especially loved Mi Madres; in fact he once attended their breakfast hours for 14 days in a row. The documentary will be released shortly. To celebrate his passion for bean and cheese Mi Madres breakfast tacos, I honor him by IMing him a link to the Mi Madres sign. you can see that picture here. As my dedicated readers will know, I have not been in Austin since this time last year and between that time, Mi Madres has actually put up a new sign, which you can see at the top of the post. Sir George was kind enough to send the picture from his camera phone, and now I am displaying his artistry for all to see. Oh, and now the picture actually has it's own link -- so all should feel free to IM George the link on a daily basis. He does appreciate it.

Good day to all.

March Madness

2006-03-14T19:02:00.000-06:00

Here is Mehul's pool

I am also running a free pool for LBJ alums. Email me if you're interested.

Shot down!

2006-02-17T16:32:00.000-06:00

Washington, D.C.

It's been a busy and interesting few weeks. First off, I bought a place and close next week! More info on that in a few days -- I'll put a picture up and further details.

At work, the client was on the Hill last week testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the report that I helped write. Very interesting, especially since the findings got Condi into a bit of trouble on the Hill yesterday!

But the latest news in my life is quite pressing. See here.

Finish line...

2006-01-27T09:09:00.000-06:00

Washington, D.C.

For those that have tried reaching me during the past few weeks, sorry that I've been so out of touch. I've just finished (as of last night) the report that I was working on for my client. It's due out to Congress early next week, so email me if you'd like to see it! I wrote one of the sections of the report, and it will probably get a bit of press so keep your eyes peeled.

All else is going well. I've been scouting out property on the weekends in DC -- wow, is it expensive here! Still, I think it's better to invest than rent so the dive will be taken soon I feel sure. Not much other activity going on this winter -- just gearing up plans for a trip to South Africa in May to see Newcomer and Danielle for two weeks.

Holiday plans

2005-12-21T15:55:00.000-06:00

Washington, D.C.

Things are winding down here in DC as I gear up for a holiday visit to Baton Rouge. This will be my shortest Christmas break ever -- Dec. 23-27. Guess that happens when you're not in school anymore! :)

Sarah will be with me in BR, so give me a ring if you happen to be in BR. 202-674-7499

Oh, btw, I never did report back on the trip to Mexico for the Chris and Ariadna wedding. Well, 34 tortillas later I can safely say that it was a great time! It was a neat experience to see what a wedding celebration is like in Mexico. Let me tell you: do they celebrate in that country! Wedding was out by 2 p.m. and we partied at the reception for 8 hours plus some. There were several meals plus three bands -- including a mariachi! Good times, just wish we could have stayed longer to explore Puebla and Mexico City.

Weekend plans with parents

2005-12-02T12:55:00.000-06:00

December 2, 2005

After a great Thanksgiving last week with Sarah and her family in Louisville, I get to see my parents this weekend! Pops is in town for a conference on Katrina, so Mom came along to see her favorite kid (you'll have to start your own blog to make those claims, Em and Lizzie!). No big plans for the weekend except watching the SEC Championship Game tomorrow night. Geaux Tigers! See a cool video that Coach Saban showed them on the last go-round here.

Looks like we saw yet another national title contender...

2005-11-14T13:13:00.000-06:00

November 14, 2005

Year 1 brought us a game with LSU, who went on to win to win a share of the national title.

Year 2 we watched the other Tigers win in Auburn and go on to a perfect 13-0 season.

Year 3 was yet another priceless experience, as we witnessed what is sure to be Rose Bowl-bound USC.

What a great time we had!

See the pictures here.

Watch for more stories -- including an analysis on how using four-syllable words can get you kicked out of a bar (no, not four LETTER words).

3rd Annual Football Road Trip

2005-11-10T21:50:00.000-06:00

Washington, D.C.

It's that time of year.

Time for the annual guys football road trip. This year's venue: defending national champs USC Trojans vs. the Cal Bears. Go Bears!

We'll be wearing out Longhorn gear in Berkeley this weekend...hopefully it will be some foreshadowing for things to come in the national championship game vs. USC. Really looking fwd to this weekend -- 12 guys are signed up and believe it or not we already have tickets. Just wish that some of those lame-o guys that didn't sign up were going to be here. Where you at Willie, Cliff, and Parker?

Speaking of Willie, I got to see him and his family and his new fiance a few weeks back in Erie for a stellar Gannon football game. Fans were saying "Did you zee that?" after backup WR Zyma scampered for the winning score in a high-scoring fare. That kid might be short, but he packs a mean bunch. It was a great game (and weekend)...a nice warmup for the game this weekend.

I was on the road the following weekend in Louisville with Sarah for her grandparents 65th wedding anniversary. It was amazing. Those oldies were dancing the night away...unbelievable! I sure hope that I'm doing that at 90....I can barely do it now. Last weekend I was in Atlanta for the Thomas Farmer wedding. Wow, what a reception at the Fox Theater! I also got to see the Jankes, which was so great...especially since I'll miss big sis and bro-in-law for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Boo. Guess I'll have to talk 'em into coming up for a visit.

Speaking of...where are the visitors? I had 20+ visitors to a different continent last year, and now no one wants to come our nation's capital? Y'all better ante up (Lizzie Redman).

Oh, I also got to see the Thills last weekend in ATL. That boy Jonathan still has it.

Alright, I've got pack and get up at 4 a.m. for this cross-country flight. Ugh.

Too long...and update from Scott

2005-10-19T11:05:00.000-05:00

Washington, D.C.

I've been away from the blog way too long. In fact, I can't even remember the last time that I wrote. I was in training last month (in Orlando and Miami) and am now in full gear at Deloitte. I'm working on a project for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. I'm on a team that is writing a "lessons learned" on Iraq Reconstruction for Congress. Quite interesting...and to be honest, kind of ironic. Writing up the lessons from Iraq -- on topics like human resources, procurement, financial management -- implies that the U.S. would need to improve the reconstruction process...or that we'll be doing it again sometime in the future. Hmmm...

I'm off to Pittsburgh this weekend to visit Adam Newcomer, then heading up to Eerie PA on Saturday to see Willie (and a Gannon University football game). Had friends visiting from Germany (Pieter and Franzi) for the past week. Fun times.

Big game this weekend that all aware most probably aware of: LSU vs. Auburn. So there aren't any doubters: I am wearing a different Auburn tie every day this week. War Eagle!

Here is an interesting update that I got from my buddy Scott Hanna, who went to UT with me and now works in New Orleans. Enjoy.

##

I arrived back in New Orleans on Thursday afternoon by plane. In many ways, the flight and airport provided foreshadowing. Half of the passengers were residents, most clearly flooded with nervousness, anxiety, and concerns over what awaited them, and the other half were construction workers and FEMA personnel. As we approached New Orleans, I was struck by the quiet, and it wasn't just because I had removed my headphones (as apparently we were only one un-stowed iPod away from a bungled landing, let's only hope al-Qaeda doesn't figure this one out). The residents quiet with wonder, and the workers silenced in uneasy anticipation of the awful work that awaited them.

In the terminal, even more strange silence was to be found. The daiquiri shops, cafes, and music stores that greet arrivals to the Big Easy and provide a final chance for a taste of New Orleans to the departing were nearly all closed and quiet. Driving into the city, the normally congested I-10 looked more like the desolate Highway 10 in western North Dakota, except for the water marks 5-feet-high on the noise barriers.

New Orleans was worse than envisioned in some ways, better in others. I was struck at how much trash remained. While never keen on tidiness, the amount of junk and rubbish that remained in the city was astonishing. The news reported that trash collection wasn't happening, but this was much more than pizza boxes and beer cans. From fallen limbs to flooded furniture to weeks of uncollected rubbish, nearly every street corner was a makeshift dump. I'd seen many a junk-pile in my day though, so the far more conspicuous street-side decorations were the front-lawn fridges festooning with nearly every residence. The funk of the Technicolor food was equally as uncool as locust-like swarming of flies encountered with each passing.

My neighborhood was slightly less stinky than the rest of the city, thanks to the absence of flood waters, but it was just as eerie. The refined raucousness of the Garden District (open-containers are allowed but few women bare their breasts for beads outside of Mardi Gras season and the bars usually close by 3 A.M., mellow by this city's standards) was gone. Most businesses were still covered with plywood and promises in spray paint of future activity, and most homes were clearly vacant. Patrols by the National Guard and State Police gave a sense of security but further reduced any feeling of normalcy.

Arriving at my house, it took little willpower to suppress my urge to fish the fresh case of Miller Light from the duct-taped confines of my icebox, undoubtedly teaming with maggots and mess within. While my landlord had dumped it outside a week before, my house smelled way, way, way worse than usual -- thanks to the decay of my food. I needed to count my blessing though: no flooding, no looting, and no major infestations of rodents or roaches.

After cleaning my kitchen and burning roughly 353 sticks of incense, I found myself bored and lonely. My friends remained scattered across the country, and my office remained closed. In my bastardized version of Buzz's saying, I set my own charge, "Bourbon and beyond!"

While many of my French Quarter favorites were open, Bourbon Street had a very different bustle to it. In terms of demographics, the most conspicuous changes were the absence of African-Americans and females. Were any questions as to who populates the military and construction sectors in this country could quickly be answered in the lexicon of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, it's men and Mexicans (of course, the Hispanics who staff so many of the contracting crews are not exclusively from Mexico, or even immigrants -- that was just for literary effect). Before Katrina, the racial composition of New Orleans was nearly literally Black and White, with only pocket populations of Hispanics and Asians. After Katrina though, the minority population is absolutely dominated by Hispanics.

Because this is America and race continues to matter, among the interesting things to watch develop will be the racial composition of New Orleans. How many African Americans (who overwhelmingly populated the most devastated areas of the city) will return? As they do return, will tensions emerge over blue-collar jobs? Will this change the level of influence – political and otherwise - of the predominately white community of old money whose lives, aside from those in Lakefront mansions, remain fundamentally unchanged, though inconvenienced?

What is most clear about my return is just how daunting the challenge of recovery and how much work remains. What is most unclear is how New Orleans will respond to this adversity. Will this be a Horatio Alger story – a story of a city overcoming a long history of adversity and a devastating crisis to achieve great things through perseverance? Or will this become a sad story of fraud, big business feeding at the trough of no-bid contracts, and government-created trailer parks plans that appear to have forgotten all the lessons and ills of housing projects. My one political cheap-shot of this message: it seems strange that a party professing such fondness of markets is so terrified of letting them work. Sadly, while I've heard stories of both, the preponderance emerging is not the one the American taxpayer, footing the bill for so much of this, should hope for.

So, what now? Well, mostly I've been keeping busy by walking around the city to see what's going on. On Friday, I went to a daiquiri shop and noticed a staff dominated by cute ladies. Fond of both, booze and babes, and out of boredom, I asked if they were hiring (knowing they were, every business in this city is).

Since then, I've been slinging booze, chatting with folks about the future, and sharing mid-afternoon Mudslides to pass my days. I'll probably quit as soon as the newness wears off or as soon as I'd like to fill my evenings otherwise, undoubtedly impressing my GED-certified manager, but it's been fun so far and gives me something to do until our office opens. Plus, I'm not sure it really counts as living in New Orleans unless you work in a bar at least once.

That's about it. In general, it's what I expected: interesting and tolerable but not terribly pleasant in many ways. I'm curious to see what happens, and it's nice to be on the front lines.

To D.C. and Gone

2005-09-15T12:32:00.000-05:00

Miami, Florida

Sorry that I have not been on here in so long. I drove to D.C. last week with Sarah (a wonderful road trip mate btw), had a stop in Atlanta to see Em, Bob, Parker, and Thomas, then moved into my apartment on Monday, and started my new job with Deloitte on Tuesday. It's nice to be living in D.C., but it was also very tough to leave Louisiana because of the current situation. I hope to be back down in the next few weeks to help out some more.

Sunday I left for Miami to take part in the "Deloitte Difference" training program. I wish that I could write about some fun times at the beach or in the clubs, but the reality is that I have not left our hotel conference center since Monday. Ugh. But we just finished the program and tomorrow I'm off to Orlando for another 8 days of training. At least I'll get a little fun time while I'm there -- Disney World on Saturday.

I'm back in D.C. late next week. Looking forward to finally moving in.

photos

2005-09-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos from the trips Trent has been taking south to donate items. Information to donate to the cause is in yesterday's post.

Click here.

Immediate help needed

2005-09-03T08:06:00.000-05:00

My best buddy Trent Rives has been towing supplies to the smaller cities that have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. Yesterday he went to Bogulusa and today it is Franklinton. These small towns have nothing, and aren't getting the relief efforts yet from the majors (Red Cross, etc.). Up to this point Trent has been buying supplies out of his own pocket.

I have had so many emails from people wanting to help out. If you'd like to help IMMEDIATELY then send donations to Trent via PayPal at trentrives@netzero.com. He will use the money to purchase much needed supplies like water, food, etc. and will personally deliver the items to those in need. If there is money left over then he willl donate it to Red Cross. This could really help out hundreds of hundreds.

In other news, special thanks to my friend Mehul Patel. We needed a Web site to connect New Orleans businesses with their employees. This is important because cell phones aren't working well, and people need to get paid, find out the company plans, etc. Mehul had the site up and running in one afternoon! Thanks so much. http://www.findyourneworleansemployer.com/

I'm about to drive to DC.

Power!

2005-09-02T14:55:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Last night around 8 p.m. we got power! It was a welcome relief and eased some of the emotional tension in our house. Sarah also arrived safely to Baton Rouge to help me move -- guess she brought the good luck for power.

Updates: Uncle Kenny is running medical supplies from Houston to New Orleans area. Mom and Aunt Cissy got Gram into a nursing home in Baton Rouge. And Dad has been helping manage a media room packed with folks from all over the country.

Thanks again for all the emails.

Helping out

2005-09-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

If you'd like to make a donation to help in the relief efforts, then I highly recommend the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

Craigslist

2005-09-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

I have been working with Craig at craigslist and just got Baton Rouge added. Now we just need to get the word out so people will post housing etc for hurricane victims. If you're reading this then pass on the link!

Thanks.

http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/

Still no power

2005-09-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The population has increased by 500,000 here in Baton Rouge, and it is very evident in the traffic, empty shelves at the grocery, and the "no room" signs at all of the hotels. I still can't believe all of this. Again, thanks to everyone for the kind thoughts and prayers.

We reached an all-time high last night at the Redman house: 87 degrees. Luckily, we got an inverter from Trent Rives that we hooked up to my car. We were able to run a few box fans in the house, which kept a little breeze going and I think made Gram more comfortable. Mind you, it was still hot. It could be worse and I am happy that all of my family is safe at this point.

Update on Katrina

2005-08-31T16:43:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Wow, I have received an overwhelming number of emails and phone calls regarding the safety of me, my family, and the entire Gulf coast region. Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers. It means a lot.

As of this morning when I left for work, we were still without power at my parents' house. Last night before I went to bed, it was about 85 degrees inside. Kind of makes it tough to fall asleep, but at least we are all safe. We still don't know whether or not houses of family members survived the storm in New Orleans, and unfortunately they won't be able to go and check until at least next week. It has been very sobering to watch my Uncle Kenny and Aunt Cissy try to piece together clues on whether their house is still in tact in Kenner. It's even more sobering to hear them talk about whether they still have jobs. And to think that there are hundreds of thousands in similar situation is very sad. I got quite depressed on Monday night, but got a good pep talk from Sarah.

Much of Baton Rouge is still shut down, as trees are still blocking many roads. I ventured out last night to try and find some ice -- took about 5 stores before I found it. We grilled out and enjoyed the burgers in the hot house. My hope is that electricity is back on upon my return to the house tonight.

Things are crazy at the Chamber as we try to get together some kind of relief effort. I am helping organize a Web site that will be the one-stop shop for available office space in the Baton Rouge area. Over a million have been displaced in New Orleans, which means lots of businesses are already trying to get leases for office space here in Baton Rouge. Same for housing market -- I've actually been in touch via email with Craig at craigslist to get Baton Rouge on the site. Kind of funny. In any event, it is remarkable to think that this city's population will probably double in a matter of days.

I had beers last night with LBJers Scott Hanna and Pascale Belizare. Pascale is at LSU Law and is fine from the hurricane, and Scott is working down in New Orleans. He is fairly sure that his house is roughed up (and all of his stuff), but is in good spirits. He left today for Minnesota for a vacaction with family until his company figures things out.

I'll try to update things as the week progresses. Oh yeah, did I mention that I move to DC on Saturday? Sarah flies down tomorrow night to help with that.

Thanks again for all the emails and calls! I appreciate it.

Here comes Katrina

2005-08-29T00:11:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

I'm back on the blog circuit just to quickly update folks on the situation for the Redmans and Hurricane Katrina. Uncle Kenny and Aunt Cissy arrived tonight with Gram -- having to evacuate from New Orleans. Scott Hanna evacuated to BR too. Other family from NO left for Florida, Jackson, and other parts of Louisiana. I'm scared for the Crescent City. This really does look like the "big one." Emily was here for the weekend for Grandma's 90th birthday party --Happy Birthday Grandma! -- and she made it back to Atlanta tonight on the last flight out of Baton Rouge. Lizzie left for Austin last week and is safe, probably drinking a Shiner and eating enchilada's or migas as I type. As for me, I just got back from a hurricane party of sorts at Stephen Moret's. Tomorrow I'm supposed to meet up with some friends to play tennis in the eye of the storm.

I can sense the calm of the storm. It is surprisingly peaceful in the capital city tonight. The wind is fresh and breezy, but not to strong yet. The streets are empty -- I think I saw 2 cars on Jefferson Hwy on the way back from Stephen's. Baton Rouge is shut down for the next few days and all we can do is wait at this point. I'll keep you posted -- if the power is here to let me.

Oh, by the way, I'm supposed to be moving to Washington DC on Saturday. Here's hoping that still happens...I'm getting excited!

One crispy noodle

2005-07-28T23:02:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

I had breakfast yesterday with Faimon Roberts and he was ragging me for not posting on the blog lately. Yes, I have been quite busy but that's not really an excuse. The excuse, I say, is that I'm staying with my parents and they're on dial-up. Yikes! Also, I've developed a new obsession with watching the 10pm episode of Ray every night. Nice.

I went to have Chinese food with Lizzie today. I had a clever little fortune there: "You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life."

Yes, I have always thought that. I am one crispy noodle.

Boy oh boy, it is hot here in Baton Rouge. I had forgotten. I played golf last week and after two holes I was drenched in sweat. And to think...I used to play 36 holes of golf everyday as a kid.

I'm off to NYC tomorrow for Sarah's birthday. More later.

My sister the actuary

2005-07-21T08:20:00.000-05:00

Congrats to my sister for passing the final exam to get her ASA certification! Em is such a smartie...she passed every exam that she took which is quite a rare thing to do.

Emily the Actuary

The heat is on

2005-07-08T15:49:00.000-05:00

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Since I've received lots of emails already, I'll point out (even though obvious from previous posts) that I wasn't in London yesterday. And as far as I know, my friends there are safe. I received a typical email from one of them today: "Not good here today, but am going out tonight to drink and show we don’t care. They can bomb us, they can shoot us, but they can’t beat us. Am getting the tube in to town, they aren’t messing with my city!"

I almost forgot how hot it is in Louisiana. I break out in a sweat just walking to my car. Luckily I'm off to cool Atlanta this weekend to visit Emily and Bob. Lizzie and Mom are already on the way.

Here is an interesting blog from an LBJ School graduate that is travelling around the US to see all of the presidents' houses and libraries.