Passing of the Torch

In recognition of the superb blogging before me and the superb blogging to come, I now re-enact the passing of the torch ceremony with great pomp and awe. Readers, prepare to be smitten by the humor, the insight, and the downright captivating life and times of the new blogger!

Without further ado, that mystery man is:

Stu Kent, RN!

You’ll remember Stu from his enjoyable Month in the Life blogging stint in February, as well as his annual book review and his help to graduates. A Georgian, he has followed a life of high adventures through the perils of firefighting, nursing, and reading serious fiction.

But why I don’t I let him tell you himself:

Lee Ann Alexander (LA): If a movie was made about your life, share what the blurb on back of the movie box would say.
Stu Kent (SK): The title would probably be "Return of Forrest Gump" because it seems I'm always the last one to get it. "It" meaning anything, including jokes. But the blurb on the back of the movie might read:

If you loved "Forrest Gump," then this is the true story you won't want to miss. He's always in the background, always the follower, usually tearing stuff up or getting into trouble. A true misfit if there ever was one, yet somehow he always comes away unscathed and a part of the winning team. A real Gump.

LA: What songs would be on the movie soundtrack?
SK: -Discoteque/U2 since I was a disco king once.
-Grey Morning/James Taylor 'cause it reminds me of raising kids.
-Holy Ground was sung at my wedding.
-Meant to Live/Switchfoot for the reason that I'm always looking for more and must be the most hopeful pessimist who ever lived.
-I Feel Good/James Brown because I feel good most days and my man JB has the best moves on the Soul Train.
-Oh How I Love Him (spiritual Italian song) as I can really belt it out in the shower and those in charge of Gen Conference would pay my way every year just to hear me sing it...if they only knew!

LA: What’s the stupidest (yet funniest) thing you’ve ever done that you can tell us about?
SK: The stupidest thing I ever did was convince my wife to marry me even though I was unemployed. It's funny now when I mention it, say, in a group of close friends as long as 1.I'm near an house exit, and 2. There are no potential missiles near my wife's hand (she's ex-softball queen).

LA: What sort of topics are you passionate (read: highly opinionated) about that we can expect to read about on your blog?
SK: Lee Ann, I'm highly passionate about duct tape, but that's already been done. So I'll have to say a close second is headline news, and the sheer ludicrousness of what networks come up with on a daily basis. It's almost like watching The Daily Show but pretending it's real. And I get most of my news right here on this thang called the internet.

LA: What books are you currently reading, just finished, or have on the "to read next" list?
SK: I'm reading the last chapter of "To Kill A Mockingbird" which is an amazing book in that it is a walk into the past when times were simpler and Southern prejudice ran amok. Amazing to me that some human beings were treated slightly better than cattle, but far from "created equal" standing.

LA: If you were a cartoon or comic strip character, who would you be andwhy?
SK: Linus from Peanuts. He's a follower but with the wisdom of Aristotle, so I'd like to be able to say really wise statements at the spur of the moment that would sway everyone in listening range to glow with understanding. And I wish I had a friend like Charles P. Brown IV.

LA: What do you think the "d" stands for in Kent d Curry's name?
SK: That's easy. The "d" stands for deviant, because anyone who runs an underground webzine right under the noses of High Party Officials and gets away with it is right up there with this month's CIA chief.

LA: Why do you read ninetyandnine.com every week?
SK: Every week there is one gold nugget planted within the articles/blogs/poems that lights my fire once again and reminds my why we're all part of the greatest body of people on earth.

LA: And there you have it, dear readers. Stu Kent joins the ranks of great ninetyandnine bloggers. Enjoy!

Farewell, Dear Readers, Farewell!

Dear Faithful Readers,

It is now that time where the blog torch passes from one happy blogger to another. As you may realize, this week marks my one-year anniversary of blogging here at Duct Tape, Dixie, and Me. I have enjoyed getting to share my wacky adventures, unusual observations, and everything in between. What’s more, I’ve enjoyed the dialogue this blog has provided and the opportunity to meet so many wonderful, diverse people of like and precious faith.

I hope somewhere along the journey you’ve been entertained and perhaps spurred to think more thoroughly about the day-to-day life issues common to the A/P community.

As I conclude my blog on the eve of a new month, I reminisce about some of my favorite blog moments. In closing I share them with you now:

* The Infamous American Idol Post – While my interview with Kaitlin Johnson actually appeared directly on ninetyandnine and not the blog itself, the initial blog post has logged a record 35 comments to date—something remarkable by any standards.

* Getting in Trouble over Pets and Kids – I’m not usually known for incendiary remarks, so imagine my shock when readers took me to task early in the blog. Believe it or not, I don’t hate children and small dogs. Really.

* Lee Ann’s First Sushi Trip

* Valentine’s Day Top 10

* My Tribute to Waffle House

* More Katrina Pics and Predictions for 2006

Adieu!
I now join you in the role of reader, and we are in for a treat with the new blog. Meanwhile, I’m honing my duct tape skills and preparing for my first “real” winter.

Thanks to everyone involved for allowing me to share a year of my life on the blog. Thank your readers for your participation, and thank you ninetyandnine for the incredible opportunity.

Grateful for all the fun times and great memories,

Lee Ann

Variation on a Theme (Winter): Duct tape vest and scarf I designed and crafted

Remembering Katrina

As you've no doubt heard, today marks the one year anniversary (that sounds like too happy a word) of Katrina's landfall just east of New Orleans. I've been listening to the coverage on NPR. Being 650 miles removed from the area makes it seem less real, but a few things came back to mind this week with the media coverage. Here's what I remember from Katrina:

- Seeing the line at my favorite gas station extend about a quarter of a mile (with workers having to serve as security and direct the next-in-line).
- Waiting 45 minutes for gas.
- The day the rumor came in that riots had broken out in downtown Baton Rouge (not true) and that all government employees were sent home as a safety precaution (true); newscasters saying the city was on the verge of martial law; everyone in Baton Rouge rushing out to buy a handgun.
- Wal-Mart grocery aisles being completely empty, especially bread and water; the 24 hr supercenter reducing hours to 8 - 8 because they simply ran out of food.
- My co-workers from New Orleans not knowing if they had a house to go back to.
- My co-workers from New Orleans finding out they, in fact, did not have a house to go back to.
- Taking supplies to a church in Slidell (east of New Orleans) and seeing what was left of one family's belongings--a box of water-logged pictures spread out on pews to dry.
- The first Sunday morning we resumed church services; the displaced people living in hotels and on Sunday School room floors that were there and how they dealt with it all.
- Everyone wanting somehow in some way to help.
- Anger and frustration from not being able to do enough.
- Insurance. Massive, unreal amounts of people, stress, and stress. The date "8/29/05" being forever burned in my brain from seeing it stamped as the "Date of Loss" on the Claims screen of a software program developed by my company at the time.
- Going down to New Orleans in October to provide training. Armed guard at the door to protect us from the daily insureds who came to try to get their checks and turned to threats when things didn't go as planned.
- My tour of the 17th street canal breach--Lakeshore subdivision. Residents out in their yards with rubber boats and masks (to avoid mold inhalation) trying to dig through the grayish brown filth everywhere for any salvageable belongings.

Not the most comprehensive way to remember it, and especially selfish in that the first thing I thought of was gas lines instead of something much more important. But I'm not going to go back and edit that; it's what I remember. Everyone down there has his or her story. Maybe those more directly impacted by the storm will post comments so we can get broader perspectives.

We would like to blame someone for not waving a magic wand and making everything better. But the fact remains that Katrina was unprecedented, and only when you've seen the devastation firsthand can you realize that no matter how many agencies get involved, New Orleans will be a long time healing.

My thoughts and prayers today are especially with the churches still trying to return to normalcy.

Once and Again
My Reports of Katrina During the First Week of Blogging

My Reports and Pictures of New Orleans - Oct 2005

Church (S)hopping

One of the difficult aspects about moving that never occurred to me until now is finding a new church. After spending my life in one church, I don’t even really know what I’m looking for in a prospective new home. St. Louis is blessed to have many wonderful churches. It’s a good thing, but it makes it hard for notoriously indecisive me to make a decision when there is a lot to like at each church.

Humor in the Midst of It All
I seem to have a special knack—yea, gift—for showing up on out-of-the-ordinary service nights. Every service I attend always starts with a, “Well, it’s not usually like this…” explanation, which makes the process of getting a feel for my new home on a typical night that much harder.

I don’t know how often these churches normally have revivals and special services, but after eight services, I am beginning to believe that I am unwittingly bringing revival to the city of St. Louis.

The Play by Play:
Church 1
Service 1 – Special Sunday School Seminar with Bro. Haney
Service 2 – Ministry Fair

Church 2
Service 1 – Promotion Sunday
Service 2 – Children’s Revival
Service 3 – Special Florida Boot Camp Report

Church 3
Service 1 – Dive Youth Revival Weekend with Bro. Elms

If you do the math, that only leaves two “ordinary” services I’ve attended. I think at this point I would be safe in prophesying that the next church I visit will be having Communion, dedications, annual revival, or an installation. If you want your church to have a special service, give me a call and I’ll come visit. I’ll only take half the offering.