On Having the Blues
Apr 13th, 2008 by Nola
After a big excursion, be it a vacation or Mardi Gras, or in this case, two solid days of French Quarter Fest, I am always left blue. Add to that the very little sleep I got last night (we are attempting to use the Ferber method to get Sun to omit that 3am bottle-feeding) coupled with the stress of tax time, and I have been reduced to a sappy mess. This afternoon, I read a post on the blog of a new internet friend that literally brought me to tears.
I know New Orleans has a lot of things that are negative about it. But on a weekend like this it is hard to believe someone can be sad here. The weather has just been perfect–in the 70s with breezes blowing, the city is lush in green everywhere you look. And with good food and drink (without over-imbibing), and pleasant time spent with friends and family, the blues snuck up on me unawares.
I spent part of my day at the mall. I hate, HATE, H.A.T.E. the mall. And I was there to return stuff I bought on sale earlier in the week. I got sucked into the ole “the more you spend the more you save” routine. And living with buyer’s remorse sent me back today to set things straight again. I don’t like how much emphasis this country (the world?) puts on clothing and labels and buying the latest fashion. And to find it in a store selling baby clothing really set me even further in a funk. And to tip the scales to assure my misery was that while I was there returning $60 worth of baby clothes that may or may not fit Sun in a year, the mother in front of me was buying $350 worth of stuff for her five-year old daughter: dresses, sandals, tops, pants, shorts, bracelets, sunglasses. Really? Do you need the matching bandanna AND bracelet AND sandals to go with a sundress for a five year old? If so, Sun will not be popular.
Once done with the mall (and I was outta there pretty fast), I went to St. Henry’s Church. The New Orleans Archdiocese has made the decision that it will be closing this church along with several others soon. Not because of Katrina. But because the Archdiocese is a business and these churches aren’t turning the profit they want to see. St. Henry’s is where my great-great-great-grandfather’s funeral was out of; it’s the church where my great-grandparents as well as my uncle were married. It is walking distance from property that has been in my family for over a hundred years. Its closing is very symbolic to me. And of course, very sad.
See, I live and thrive in New Orleans because I do not like change. And neither does New Orleans. For better or worse, we both like to keep on keeping on. And when we do change, that change is slow. S.L.O.W. But I do not attend St. Henry’s Church (I currently attend church very rarely). I feel I have “no dog in the fight,” that it is only for sentimental reasons that I want that church to stay open. But for St. Henry’s 300 parishioners, it’s not symbolic nor sentimental, it just plain sucks. Maitri does a much better job articulating the feelings of New Orleanians about these church closings.
So of course, getting to St. Henry’s and finding it locked really bummed me out further. I’ll be going to mass there next Sunday. At least it will afford me the opportunity to ask my family members if they’d like to accompany me. I think they will.
I know I will come out of this funk, and probably sooner on account on all this nice weather NOLA is having. And all the spring cleaning CS and I are doing in the house. It is helping just to have our windows open right now. And out one of those windows I can see a bloom on my hibiscus bush. Because that punch of red admist all the green that abounds really keeps a gal like me from staying blue too long.
Hi NOLA–I have been reading your blog for only a few short days, but I have managed to peruse most of your posts. I just wanted to say how much I enjoy it and hearing about your life in New Orleans. It also reinforces my desire to someday visit your great city.
I was linked to your blog by Legally Blonde Ambition, another fab blog. I like that blog for the humorous perspective of a fellow law student, and I appreciate your blog for the sunshine it brings into the often bleak life of a law student. So, thank you. And I’m sure you’ll cheer up soon–who wouldn’t when they live in NOLA and have a Sun?
You’re going to come out of it, I know. Just focus on that bloom — its light and color and beauty — and take the rest little by little, day by day. In time, the funk will pass.
P.S. If Ferber doesn’t do you right, I highly recommend “Good Night, Sleep Tight.” It really helped me and my husband teach our daughter Avery how to get over her initial — and quite profound — sleep issues.
I didn’t here about them closing any churches on the Northshore. If it’s really about a shortage of priests, as they claim, you would think everyone would be affected. Like Maitri was getting to, it’s all about consolidating asses in seats.
Did you hear it’s supposed to get cold again? Frankly, I’m kind of looking forward to it. And that’s terrible about the churches, I just do not understand the thinking behind those decisions.
I feel your blueness. Misery loves company.
So sorry to hear. I remember removing that that night time feeding. It’s so hard on everyone. Glad you went back to the mall to set it all straight. I never understand how parents spent a fortune on clothes that may often last a few weeks. Hope the weather and all that blooms around you pulls you out of this soon *hugs*
It sucks that the churches are closing. It doesn’t seem right for some reason. I hope you get out of the funk soon. I am feeling some of those blues right now….don’t want to be back in the real world.
I don’t know. Our church is becoming one that shares a pastor. We don’t have many asses in the seat, are down to one mass on Sundays and we are barely making payments on our debts. I was very surprised that we will still remain open. I thought for sure that we would be one of the churches closed. So, I have a little more confidence that it is not just a money issue. Our priest has been talking about the shortage of priests well before Katrina. He has made the comment that many priests are getting older and there are less students to replace them. They are, also, asking the congregation to step up and become more involved in the church.
I briefly heard on the NEWS that the same thing happened in Boston, recently. I do think that money has a part, but I, also, believe that the shortage of priest is a bigger issue. There was mention of the large settlement paid out to victims of molestion at the hands of priest (Boston). I am not sure if that has affected or happened in N.O., as well.
As for the clothes, I spend what I do on my children’s clothes because they do last long. My daughter is still wearing some clothes from 2 seasons ago and she has been this way to an extent since she was born. I look for quality. I understand that not every child can do this, but not everyone is in it for the status and I like the clothes at that particular store. Especially, since my daugther has taken to wearing mostly her Target and sounvenir t-shirts to school these days.
It’s just the changing of the seasons… once spring is fully sprung, you’ll be up and running.
Good luck with the night feeding! You’ll never believe me right now, but there will come a time that you’ll miss the times you were able to hold her in absolute quiet, just the two of you, and the world sat still.
Good luck with the funk too! I hope tomorrow is a sunshine day in all senses of the word!
BOO! I think the church my sister got married in is closing. It’s where my grandparents got married too. So sad to see something that’s been around so long come to an end.
1. I thought I was the only one falling off the deep end lately.
2. Don’t buy clothes for Sun, inherit from SoMo.
3. Just so you know, I haven’t slept through the night in 5 years. Prepare yourself. Screw all methods. Put Sun in your bed and be done with it. She won’t stay there forever. Dr. Spock approves of co-sleeping. It is the only way I get any sleep!
4. Catholic churches in Ohio have been doing this for quite a few years now. The church we held my grandma’s memorial service used to be the biggest in that area. Now, it also priest shares.
So, can you tell I am not myself by these comments?
We got married at our Lady of Good Counsel around the corner from St. Henry’s. Same with me, don’t go to church enough to have a legit beef about it except that it is very sentimental and makes me sad that my kids won’t be able to see the church in which their parents got married.
Nola Mom’s last blog post..Picture perfect
I love the way you talk about the city. You capture it so perfectly.
MammaLoves’s last blog post..The Lesser of Two Evils
And can I tell you how jealous I am of your connection to a long past there?
MammaLoves’s last blog post..The Lesser of Two Evils