Skip to main content

Recovering from Katrina


I had a long conversation with my landlord the other day. He was showing the house we rented from him to prospective renters. We are leaving in the middle of March for our return to Wisconsin. Our mission is complete here. There is a Democrat in the State House. It's time to get one in the Governor's mansion in Madison. (This my story, and I will stick to it.)

He told me a story about how after Katrina struck New Orleans, his son had a tough time handling the loss of his friends and the family home. His friends didn't die. This young middle schooler merely lost track of them, as they scattered all over the area. This happened naturally as their families made decisions on how they would deal with the loss of their homes, neighborhoods, and schools. The young man experienced two middle schools and three high schools as his parents bounced around the Northshore trying to resettle.

I suppose one could say that while this experience isn't anything you would wish on anybody, the situation pales in seriousness compared to what many New Orleanians went through and continue to suffer from the wrath of Katrina and Isac. And you would be right, except you have to look at this from the viewpoint of a twelve-year-old's world and imagine it from his limited perspective.

I went to many different schools in my teens (Five grade schools and three high schools.)  I know the problems of integrating into a community only to have to uproot and move on. When you are that young, you may not be able to see what's going on in your life may not be so bad, even if you are compared to someone else.

Life experiences, no matter how defining, are often only explainable by looking at them from your own viewpoint. The other concern is that often you can't really make anybody or anything responsible for your circumstance.  Maybe, in this case, we could blame Mother Nature for Katrina.  However, we all know she doesn't show up for pity parties.

 Historic Preservation by regentrifying the neighborhood.
 (Another valid comparison of NOLA & Milwaukee.)

A phenomenon in the United States is sometimes referred to as the "back to the cities movement." The regentrification of dense city environments is lead by two demographics; young people and empty nesters. Young people because they want to live with other creative people and experience the youth culture. Empty nesters, who, on the whole, are healthy, vibrant, and bored with the solitude of the "burbs."
Many things happen when the urban areas become populated by residents rather than "guest workers," who only come to work and then retreat to the city's outer rim to their residence.
First, there is an increase in businesses that supply the necessities to these people. Commercial, entertainment, medical, and other services can thrive where there is density. The streets are populated throughout the day and night, seven days a week.

What Milwaukee experienced, and from the column below we can believe is happening in New Orleans, is the repurposing of historic buildings, which provides a continuance of the use of these irreplaceable buildings and a record of the cities history.

http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/14898168-171/central-business-district-riding-wave-of-hotel-condo-projects-as-demand-for-downtown-living-surges

Coming Home

Expect to see us in the Fox Valley sometime in the middle to late March. Once we are settled, we will let people know when we will be visiting Milwaukee. I won't put a date on this since getting settled may take a while.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Once A Young Man

 My late friend Jack had a saying that's lost on young people; it sure was lost on me. With his version of a Finnish accent, he'd say, " We are too soon old and too late, smart." I've never heard anybody answer the question about returning and reliving their youth that didn't include the covariate that they would know what they know now. Maturation and accepting the onset of the later years of our life goes a long way to mellowing our passions. Chicago Bear fans are less intimidating, and the members of the opposite sex who are age appropriate are far more appealing than we might have thought in our youth. Yes, I will admit some men still try to relive their youth in ways that defy logic. This facet of two late smart prevents athletes from realizing when their best years are behind them. More men than women seem to delude themselves into believing that members of the opposite sex half their age are suitable mates.  I'm not going to deny that some of us old...
Post a Comment
Read more

Which Doctor Do I Call?

 It started with weepy, crusty eyes. Then my left leg started acting like it had a swivel for a knee. Suddenly, I was experiencing a lack of energy. To top it off, I wasn't getting a good night's sleep. Who do ya call? In my case, I'm calling my primary. My eye problem might need a specialist. Since I have CMT, my leg problem could be neuropathy or orthopedic. My cancer treatments might lead to my lack of pep. And despite using my pillows to attain perfect comfort, my aching legs and lower back keep me awake. I'm going to be cutting back a bit since my health seems to be melting before my weepy, crusty eyes. I've quit my tutoring gig. This hurts me. My student, six-year-old Aydn Collins, is a joy to be with. I had hoped my contribution to his education would be good for him. The biggest problem with the job is getting in and out of the school. Featuring long walks from and back to the parking lot and the mountain of stairs. The older schools are wonderful in almost ...
1 comment
Read more

Watching the Oldies

Note: Last week's post was late. There is a reason. Read on.  Classic Film: From Here To Eternity The film opens in Hawaii in 1941. The film stars Bur Lancaster, Mongomery Clift, Deborah Carr and Donna Reed. It is before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The only scene I remember is a scene many people who never watched the entire film have seen. It shows Bert Lancaster and Deborah Carr lying on a sandy beach, kissing as an incoming washed over them. Given the popularity of that scene, it was amazing to me that that iconic image is only seconds long in the film. The story is about the innocence of army personnel with no idea what's coming. Lancaster literally runs the squad while his Captain lets him take charge so he can campaign for his promotion and cheat on his wife.  To make up for the disrespect he has for his commanding officer, Lancaster beds his Captain's officer's wife only to fall in love with her.  Clift's character suffers the humiliation of an offic...
Post a Comment
Read more