Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hitting Louisiana and the Misississippi Gulf Coast. The folks I’ve talked to down here seem to be of the mind that, for the most part, the faint of heart and the slackers have pretty decided not to return, and the ones that are here are the ones that have decided to stick it out, and the ones that should be here. Of course, with three months left in the 2006 hurricane season left, people here are definitely on edge – more than a few have told me that even a category 1 storm could potentially be catastrophic, given the number of people still living in FEMA trailers with sewage and gas lines all above ground, creating a potentially deadly situation with all that plastic, glass, and sheet metal flying around.

Considering that I begin to freak out whenever our A/C unit goes on the fritz out in Arizona, I both respect and hold in awe the will and commitment of the people here in the face of true adversity. Rents have skyrocketed in the French Quarter, and a lot of people who work here have been forced into alternative living arrangements I don’t know I would able to handle too easily were I in the same situation. And it’s not only people who have it tough, but their animals as well.

It just shows how important it is for people to come down here (and to Mississippi as well) and spend your hard-earned dollars in any and every way you can. Me, I’ve tried to spend money I ordinarily wouldn’t and in places and ways I normally wouldn’t – but the whole infrastructure down here and its future are in the PEOPLE, whether they be shop owners, tarot and palm readers, or restauranteurs, and work in and for souvenier stores, bars, and tour operators. New Orleans is a cornucopia of people and experiences that make it the unique place it is, and the same holds true for the people just east of it in Mississippi. Sure, they and their political system are not perfect by any means, but those who have decided to stay and stick it out have done so because it’s their home – as any one of us would do – and love this region as much – if not more – than me, and therefore deserve whatever help and support we can provide.

If you’ve got a free weekend or some vacation time left to use, I hope you’ll consider coming down here and spending some time and money on a region that so very much still needs our help.