travelogue/homelogue

When I moved away from New Orleans over a year ago, I was so ready to
get away that I felt as though I'd never miss a single thing about it,
ever again. Well, apart from the restaurants, which I missed from the
first day I left and several of which I had programmed into the speed
dial on my phone and never took off, as if I will be dialing for
takeout from Mona's tonight when I get home form work. But enough
time has passed now that I am feeling a little friendlier to the city
that broke my heart into a million pieces on the floor (spectacular
and humiliating heartbreak being a thing that New Orleans is
especially good at, that tawdry old whore).

Talking about moving, and being in love with cities, this week, has
reminded me that much as I hated The Banana Republic of New Orleans
when I left it, I loved it that much, too, for the longest time, for
years. Many of the things I loved about it at first are things I grew
to hate, and now, with hundreds of miles and lots of months between me
and the some of the worst bits of my life, they seem fun to me again,
adventures and not inconveniences, anecdotes and not psychotic
episodes.

And to celebrate my newfound peace with my ex-city, I feel like
talking about some of my favorite things about it.

( Ten things )

It's funny how it happens, isn't it? I broke up with my city after
a long, codependent, rocky relationship, and it felt like grief
seventeen months ago, but now I am feeling stronger and happier and
reminiscent, as though I may be able to visit one day without having a
psychotic episode of my own. Right on schedule, man.