How New Orleans has helped me!

A portion of my collection from all the Mardi Gras Parades.

I wonder sometimes how I ended up in New Orleans, Louisiana, working as a full time volunteer doing what I want to and partying like the locals do during Carnival. I ended up in a city that fits my personality, uses streetcars alongside buses, the street lights are on the side of the road, they invented the go-cup, po-boy, and the fine art of partying all night long. New Orleanians perfected the art of taking it slow, and enjoying the very life that God has given them. Lessaiz Le Bon Temps Roulez is engrained into their mindset here, and taking a break for an hour or so is not a completely alien ideology. Somehow I found this place, not by my own decisions but rather by a beautiful chance. A city that is as weird and backwards as I am, enjoys life, doesn't judge, allows for all people to come and just sit back and take it slow on a hot Sunday evening, then turns around and dances down Claiborne Avenue for a random Sunday Second Line.

Best Costume of Mardi Gras

Every once in a while I wonder how I got here, then I am gently reminded by the city why I am here, because I belong here. I may not have been born here, but I definitely have no problem calling it my home city. I know it sounds silly, but I feel like this city gave me a rebirth of myself, I have found more of who I am here than anywhere else I have been in my life. I have learned how to just stop worrying about what comes next and just take life as it is handed to me, and enjoy every part of what is given to me. I have learned how to have fun with who I am, being me, realizing that while I do like helping people, I am also one who can stop and enjoy myself, I am a gay man who likes the fact that I have finally become comfortable with my sexuality. I am feminine, I can be and more often than not am a diva, while also just being a free spirited human being. I like color, all of them, and i like to keep them in my life, I wear color, and I love to give it to people. I love music, dancing to it, singing it all the time, and listening to it, God gave me music, and dancing is something that has been instilled in my heart. I am idealistic, sometimes too much so, but regardless, I hold on to the amazing power of ideas, I am enchanted with the idea the peace and love can solve all of the worlds problems.

Guy from random dance party in Quarter

I am not able to sit still, in any way possible, if God wants me to still, then that time will come. I like to make my life as interesting as possible. I have learned that one of my many life motto's is to "LIVE LIFE LOUD" and that "Life is only as interesting as I make it." Labels are not for me, and I will never define myself by them, so when I say I am feminine, I also say that I just who I am, because I do understand masculine things, but I just sway to the fem side of life.

Anyway, I am ending this post with a little saying we use down here in New Orleans.
Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulez!



Peace y'all.