Its not plagarism if I tell you I didn't write it.

This is a facebook post that a friend of mine wrote, she's way more serious than I oculd ever be, so I thought I'd share:

thoughts from the Mardi Gras visit

watching the snow fall from the sky, blanketing the earth, muffling my world (it needs to be quieted sometimes). how cold and dark it has become, but i remember this from when i was a kid, and i know that come spring, everyone will be reborn and the greyness of winter will feel like nothing more than a bad dream. it does make me more contemplative however, especially after being in the troubled warmth of the south. and yes, i've been dreaming of Mardi Gras and that feeling it fills me with (i think they call it "temporary insanity"), but more than that, i've been dreaming of them. my heart aches (it's a good hurt) when i remember all the times we've had: random thursday, poker night, trips to the bay house, the fly, sunday football, 50 bars in 30 days, cinco de mayo, crawfishing, White Colla Crimes, human bowling, Ms. Mae's, Balcony bar, kickball, date night wendesday, all the birthdays, and the many other good times. i dream of that utopian time after the storm that lay a blanket of hope over all of us; that perfectly chaotic time where nothing but the moment mattered, and we celebrated that we were alive, together, and that our city would not go down without a fight. for those of you who weren't there, there are not enough words in my vocabulary to fully explain that feeling of triumphant unity, that sense of oneness, that was felt throughout the people of New Orleans. we had survived. and we were ready to party like we had been reborn.

alas, reality has set in and the times, they've changed and are a changin' still. the city is still struggling, opportunities are scarce (unless you're in the superhero business, but that takes a different toll that many are not willing to pay), and we've grown restless. that blanket of hope is tattered and worn, full of holes and frayed at the edges (although some of us still wrap it around ourselves). tensions are high and the drama of life lived in a disaster zone will eat away at anyone, given enough time. for the record, out of all of the drama i could have to deal with, i'll pick the drama of New Orleans any day. i chose to leave, and it was the right choice for me at the time, but Mardi Gras (my first return home since i left) made me more convinced than ever that i will return, and the next time around i will be more prepared and able to help those who truly need it. i still have an eternally optimistic hope for the future of the city, and faith in the goodness of people. the times have changed and will never be the same, but in happening they've given me a chance to grow up. i know what i want and i'm willing to put in the time and the work to see if i can make it happen. without the disaster, without the friends during the recovery, i'd probably be living in California, studying to be a marriage counselor. food for thought. keep the faith party people. salud.

D, if you want me to take this down I will.