That's My Final Answer...for now

I had to go to the mall today, something that I have come to despise over the years. Chuck it all up it impatience; I just hate having to search high and low for that adequate item of clothing to wear.

I needed a dress for a wedding. No, not mine, but for a friend’s (in June) and eventually one for my cousin's (in July). I made sure to9 leave as early as I could do to the only mall that is open--in our post-Katrina world--is located in the bowels of hell itself.

Okay, I may be exaggerating.

For those of you not familiar with the New Orleans area, there are two main locations here: the Westbank (where I reside) and the Eastbank. The Westbank is made fun of by the Eastbankers. It's mainly a residential area with not much to do other than your everyday norm stuff. One of those use to be shopping at Oakwood mall, but during Katrina, some people didn't evacuate and decided the best way to past the time after Katrina left the area was to loot and set fire to the mall. Oakwood wasn't completely lost, but it hasn't been back in action since that faithful day. This now brings me to the Eastbank.

Now the Eastbank is made fun of by Westbankers (me excluded.) The Eastbank is more "city." This is where the French Quarter, Garden District, New Orleans East and Lakeview are located. This is also where the other mall, Lakeside, is located.

Since Katrina ruined a number of people's homes and businesses, there has been a population boom in the case of workers: construction, electricians, etc... Now, because over 1/3 of the Eastbank area is inhabitable, people kinda moved onto the neighboring cities/neighborhoods. If you see where I'm going, there is a LOT more people in areas where there wasn't so many people. Traffic is a major BITCH! Horrible. Horrendous. Lakeside Mall is practically dead center in all this mess. (Which I so aptly called it the "bowels of hell."

I was able to get in and out alive, though it's kinda hard to get use to the fact that what use to be a 20 minute drive has become a 1 1/2 hour drive just to get from Locale A to Locale B.

I found my dress (thank you Ann Taylor) and I got to make my WAY overdo stop at Whole Foods (fresh fruit to kill for!) I also became 100% sure that I will move out of New Orleans come next June.

Don't get me wrong, I love New Orleans, LOVE IT. I want to raise a family here. I want to purchase and renovate my very own Nineteenth Century Creole Cottage. I want to watch my city be like the mythological phoenix and rise out of the ashes. I know that if I don't get out of here, that very love will metamorph into pure hatred. I can feel it.

So come next year, I gonna move myself to good ole' Jackson Mississippi. Why Jackoson, you ask? Well I know the area...somewhat. It's practically small town (the surrounding towns/cities, that is), which would provide the much needed tranquility that I yearn for. Yet it is still close by to civilization when things like, let us say, a movie theatre and a manicure are needed. Oh, and it is SOOOO much more affordable over there than it is over here for rent. (E.g., cheapest one bedroom here= $750, cheapest one bedroom there=$475. ANd yes, I have done my homework, it's not cheap for a reason, say, crackhouses next door..)

And for those of you worried, I even have a job lined up: relief babysitter for S&D ;)