Lafayette

Yep, I'd move back in a heartbeat. Or to Arkansas, or even Georgia. Hell, I'm just tired of this town. Of course it's a temporary condition. I always feel this way when (a) I go out of town, or (b) someone I care about is moving. Both apply at the moment, so the feeling is strong. It could also have something to do with the fact that the school year is about to begin, and I know I won't think about much else for a while. Sophie's in first grade; Emme is in pre-K; Olivia's almost two, and Wendy is free for the first time in almost 7 years...

We've talked about moving before, but haven't got farther than a weekend of fantasizing about a place full of greener pastures -- good schools, good (like-minded) people. Then I'll go out in the backyard at night and look at my house with my wife and kids, in bed, asleep, fans blowing and AC turned down to 72, snug and safe. And I'm an emotional wreck.

And I think, too, of our friends and family that are here. The community surrounding my school, even, after only a year. My gig with Jeremy, especially on those nights when I get to lose myself in the music, creating something new. But the town, well. It kinda sucks a lot of the time. We have in town what could be the coolest riverfront in the state, along with what could be one of the coolest festivals, as well. But both are underutilized, underfunded, unsupported. There are some good things going on at the university, but the city is divorced from it, too wrapped up in opening new strip malls, by the mall.

So, Lafayette. They have a unified government, which means the money in the parish is unified, which means if you elect good people, then something can actually happen. While our city won't fund the Louisiana Folklife Festival, the city of Lafayette hosts the Festival International de Louisiane, bringing thousands downtown to their recently constructed stage and market. They have a huge Children's Museum, next to a newly located Museum of Natural History. There are many galleries downtown, as well as an Arts Center. Oh, and last when we were visiting, I learned about a new park/fountain, Parc Sans Souci (Park Without Worries). We took the kids and they got very wet.



We stayed with our friends Matt and Parv and their two kids, Charlotte and Vishwa. Matt and Parv are awesome people, both English teachers, transplanted from the northeast about ten years ago. They treated us like family and we had a great time. I went over to Wally's Friday night and then everyone met for lunch the next day at Deano's Pizzaria (home of the Cajun Executioner). Sophie and Charlotte became fast friends.



We actually got to go out Saturday night, without kids. My almost-sister-in-law Suzie (who owns the bar where Wendy's been moonlighting) has a good friend there, and they came over with cookies and popcorn and entertained the kids for us. Man, it was nice. We went to the Blue Moon Saloon and drank and danced to a cajun band (Dewey Balfa's daughter's band). The bar is just off downtown, a porch wrapped around a youth hostel. Afterwards, we went across the street to a place called Artmosphere, a sort of living room with couches and tables, with a bar attached, where our friend Kevin Gordon was playing.

Olivia now plays the accordian. Lil Pookie better step aside.



Anyway, it was a good trip. We need to go visit more often. Even now, after writing this, the burning desire to move has subsided, thankfully. Because I've got lunch to fix, the lit magazine to finish, summer books to read, ebay drum shopping to do. Friends are coming over tonight. The gravational pull of Monroe is hugging my pantsleg.