Working Like a Dog

I filled out paperwork today at a staffing agency. Hey, it's better than nothing and I think this will be an opportunity for me to meet as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. I have come to realize that finding a job in this city doesn't have anything to do with my education or work experience, rather, it's who you know. And I know no one.

Well, except for my new friend Jermaine that hooked me up with the temp agency contact. We met him when we went down to Vic's Kangaroo Cafe down in the Quarter. (Great bar - cold beer, cool people, and delicious air conditioning!) So, I'd like to give a proper shout out to my new friend. He's really nice and outgoing and I'm impressed with his mad skills for remembering names.

In fact, everyone at the staffing agency was great. Very friendly and helpful and encouraging. Thank you for not making me feel like a total reject and giving me some hope in finding success in our new home town.

I had to take the typical typing tests as well as some testing in Excel and Word. Thank you symphony for helping me hone my mad spreadsheet skills. They came in handy today!

What was funny about this process was the personality questionnaire that I had to fill out before I started the testing. It asked the usual run of the mill questions like, "How often are you late to work" and "How often do you take merchandise from your employer". You answer with the typical Leichert Scale responses, 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree.

Of course, there were questions about drug use. One question asked, "How often do you use Meth?" The scale ranged from "I don't have a problem, but every day" to "Never". Now I have to ask, who in their right mind would answer "I don't have a problem, but every day"? You are trying to get a job! Even if it is a temporary position, it is still a job and why would you EVER sabotage yourself right out of the gate? (No worries, people. I answered honestly and informed them that I never use meth.)

The funniest question I came across during this test was about violence in the work place. It was a situational question: "If someone mouths off to me, he deserves a punch to the mouth." Ummm...I strongly disagree, I promise. (However, I'm sure a lot of you have imagined yourself punching a nasty coworker in his or her mouth because they were being jerky. No? Hrrmmm...I don't think you are being honest with yourself.) ;) Again, these questions are so obvious as to what you should say, I wonder if anyone answered "Strongly Agree"?

So, I'm excited for the new people I will meet in this new avenue. And who knows, I could actually land a permanent position from this adventure.

On a side note, the picture of the Blue Dog is from artist George Rodrigue. Pretty famous art in these parts. If you have an opportunity, check out his website. I particularly like the painting titled "Once More I'm thinking of You".

Cheers!

Let's Cook Like a True Southerner

Since I now live in a city that is known for it's unique cuisine, I decided it's time that I learn how to cook like the locals. For some reason I have been craving collard greens. I have never eaten collard greens before so it is odd that I would be craving something like this. Nevertheless, I looked up a few recipes and decided to try my hand at cooking greens.

You will need one bunch of collard greens, an onion, some ham hocks, salt, pepper and some sugar (salt, pepper and sugar not pictured).


Kevin wasn't so sure about this adventure into cooking. He doesn't like cooked spinach so he didn't think he would be a fan of the greens. Just you wait, m'dear...just you wait.


Put about 8 cups of water in a big pot. Add some salt. (Probably add more salt than you would be comfortable adding--trust me, you want some flavor).


Put your ham hocks in the salted water. You are going to bring these babies to a boil and cook them for about an hour and a half.


While you are bringing the ham hocks to a boil, go ahead and chop your onions. Then, add them to the boiling pot of ham hock salt water and continue boiling for the hour and a half (again, you want some flavor, baby!).


While that is cooking, go ahead and wash your greens thoroughly. I soaked mine in a sink full of water and rinsed each one before cutting. Speaking of cutting, you are going to cut out the giant middle stem of each leaf. These babies are HUGE!


Stack a big bunch of the cut leaves together.


Then, start rolling up your stack o' greens.


Like a burrito. I'm sure everyone knows how to roll something into a burrito.


Then, slice the burrito o' greens. This would be called a chiffon cut, for all the chefs out there.


Do this until you have washed, rolled, and cut all the greens.


I had just finished cutting all the greens when I heard a big monkey shriek! What's that, Monkey Peeler? You don't believe that I can successfully cook collards like a true Southerner? I'll show you!


Ding! The hour and a half is up on the ham hocks. Remove them from the bubbling liquid and shred the meat. Keep in mind that we used ham hocks. Lots of fat and not a whole lot of actual meat, so your goal is to find all the actual meaty parts and remove them from the bones. Disregard the rest (does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do with all the left over bits?).


I probably ended up with about a cup of actual ham from the two ham hocks. Make sure you chop this up really well because you are going to add this back in later.


While I was chopping up the ham, I noticed that Mr. Toucan and Jamie Hayes Devil Doll were chatting up a storm over by the microwave. Maybe the Monkey Peeler had gotten them riled up.


Then, Monkey Peeler showed up and told them he didn't know what I was thinking trying to cook something like this. Just you wait, my friends...just you wait.


Add the greens to the boiling liquid that you used to cook the ham hocks in. Prior to adding the greens, go ahead and add a good bit of pepper and throw in about a handful of sugar. You need some sweet to balance out the salt.


Like I said before, you want to cook this in a BIG pot. You are going to need the room in order to fit everything in (at the beginning, at least).


Once the greens have wilted a bit, go ahead and add the ham back into the pot and cook for another hour. The collard greens need some time to cook - very thick and very green and very leafy. Put a lid on the pot so you don't cook out all your yummy juices.


"This smells good", said Monkey Peeler. Mr. Toucan and Jamie Hayes Devil Doll also agreed, "Mmmm...maybe she's onto something". Take that, Peanut Gallery!


After an hour, you have greens! They look like spinach but with all the other yummy (a.k.a. bad for you) things we added, it's going to be delicious.


What do you think, Monkey Peeler, Mr. Toucan and Jamie Hayes Devil Doll? "Yummy, yummy! Can we get a bowl of that!?!"

Sorry guys, you are going to have to wait until tomorrow. This southern cooking thing takes some time and I'm going to let the flavors merry over night.

"Awww, MAN!", said Jamie Hayes Devil Doll. I already have my bottle of pepper sauce out and ready!

All in due time, my friends. All in due time.

Enjoy!

Don't tell me it's not art

I repeat. DO NOT TELL ME IT IS NOT ART! I had an interview recently with someone who works on the outside of the arts industry. A supplier of sorts. He needed someone educated (obviously, because he couldn't even seem to spell educated correctly) and I know that this post will wipe out any chance I ever had of working with him, but I do not care.

He asked me what my hopes were in working with him. I answered, to work in an arts associated field and still have the flexibility to take a ballet class if I wanted. Then he informed me that his industry was not the arts. Excuse my language, but BULLSHIT! To all my friends who are lighting designers and set designers and stage managers, you are artists. You may not be on the stage when the lights go up and the audience is anxiously awaiting your performance, but YOU make the production happen. YOU are just as much a part of the entire theatre experience as any actor, dancer, or singer.

Therefore, to my uneducated interviewer. Suck it. You need some perspective on what truly goes on when making a production, whether it be a stage show or a major film production. IT IS ALL ART. It is a type of thinking. It is a common thread of creativity that brings everyone together and frankly, can make even the most common of person feel something. Thank you for your time but, no thank you. Perhaps you were threatened and that is why you reposted your job listing an hour after I left your presence. I feel sorry for you. Feel something. Create something. Struggle through something rather than have something just handed to you because you were born into it. That is not living and I consider it a blessing that the Great Universe is keeping that position away from me. That keeps you safe because if I were your employee and had to listen to how much we weren't a part of the arts, I think I would have to stab you with a blunt object. (Not really, I'm not the violent type, but I would atleast play out that scenario in my head repeatedly.)

Thank you for the opportunity to practice my interviewing skills, once again. Also, thank you for showing me that just because I interview with someone does not mean I have to accept a job just because it is available. I will find my place here and it will be with individuals that understand me and understand what it is to be creatively minded.

On the corner of St. Ann & N. Claiborne...

Under the highway, there is a mini art gallery. Local artists have turned the support columns for the highway into works of art. Rather than have graffiti covering every last inch of these concrete pillars, people have taken the time to tell a cultural story of New Orleans.


Here is a depiction of a southern lady carrying her "Second Line" umbrella. It does get hot around here and portable shade can be a necessity.


There are depictions of the delicious. There are multiple pillars that focus on the local cuisine. Anyone up for a bowl of gumbo and a crawfish boil?


Here is a Mardi Gras Indian. Mysterious and grand, consider yourself lucky if you happen to run into one during Carnival.


There are depictions of the uglier side of the city. This pillar shows the Freedom Riders and how African Americans struggled for equality during the Civil Rights Movement. In my opinion, racism is still a huge problem in this city. A friend of mine in the city told me one time, "If you're white, you're all right. If you're black, watch your back." Unfortunately, the longer I have been here, the more I have to agree with him.


Krewe of Zulu is one of the many Mardi Gras krewes that actively participate in the festivities of Carnival. They have the privilege of rolling (that is, their parade rolls) on Fat Tuesday. I think this guy has been working out! Look at those washboard abs!


What is New Orleans without some Voodoo thrown in. I particularly like this pillar because it reminds me of Texas and the Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Plus, I think I just have a thing for pictures of skeletons. Don't ask me why.


Here is the other side of that pillar. You get two pictures of this one because I think it is particularly awesome.

This city continues to amaze me with the combination of complete destruction and awe inspiring beauty. I admire how the city's residents can take something so ordinary and turn it into art. And because these artists took the time to create something meaningful, the amount of scribble and graffiti has been somewhat lessened. I think I have found my muse in this city.