New Orleans 2: Jaguar Tattoo
Over the past two or three years, I completely cyber-stalked a henna artist in NOLA, the daughter of a friend from MD who now lives in Singapore. Swan of 504 Henna has been creating beautiful works of art in plant-based pigments for years, and her neck henna tats have had me enthralled. I once promised myself that if ever in New Orleans, I’d find her and get her to create something beautiful for me. Having never met her, or knowing where to find her this was to be a big task. But, serendipitously, I find myself in the French Quarter of NOLA.…
New Orleans 1: First Time
I planned this trip a few weeks ago, when I learned that my favorite uncle was heading out on the cruise of a lifetime—to see the ancient ruins of the Aztec, Inca, and Maya civilizations. While I couldn’t take the equivalent time from work (new job), I was able to book a few days off, in order to meet my uncle and cousin on their way back. So here I am in New Orleans, for the first time, sat poolside at the Best Western in the French Quarter. I have never been to New Orleans before, but did spend some time in Baton Rouge as a teen—back when I…
Planning for the Future
Laser Hair Removal, a choice. 'Round about the time I decided to schedule my hysterectomy surgery , I also decided to get laser hair removal on my chinny-chin. A few years ago I noticed a couple stray hairs growing thicker and longer on my lower face and planned to do something about them. Waxing and plucking offered a temporary solution, but my skin was often irritated from the process for days. Shaving scared me, as I once sliced out a meaty chunk of flesh when learning to shave my legs at age 15 (the reason I don't shave my legs to…
What's a MD Style Crab Feast
Crab picking and beer drinking, photo by Jay fleming A few folks outside of this state wanted more details about this uniquely Maryland dining experience. The crab feast begins with trapping and catching crabs. The Maryland Blue Crab is lured into under-water traps with a bit of their favorite food, raw chicken necks. Once inside, crabbers pull up the traps and pot up these crustaceans. Next the catch is seasoned with heaps of seafood seasoning (Old Bay is the famous one) , and steamed in five-gallon pots--in beer and vinegar. They they ar…
(Not) My Bucket List
Early this year, I was busy avoiding thoughts of my mid-February major surgery (the Hysterectomy Saga) . Rather than face my fears of general anesthetic and surgical complications, I immersed myself in thoughts, ideas, and daydreams of something else altogether. Almost daily my fixation carried me ever closer to surgery without directly facing my fears. It kept me occupied. In that month, I both dreamed and daydreamed about introducing a new friend to novel life experiences. As it happens, most were also things I have not yet done, myself: Si…
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