Cold Spaghetti

Will, experimenting with the hairdryer.

Finally — we have figured out how to be warm.

We had the fans on low (going “backwards” of course) to help circulate the air. This morning, Paul used the ladder to bring down some winter clothes bins from our second closets (our ceilings are so high that we have a full second closet above the first) — and he said it was literally stifling hot after about 8-feet up. So, we put the fans on a higher setting (3 of 4) and while it did seem breezy at first (why we were using low in the first place) after about a minute — magic! A warm room. If you stand in the corners, you can literally feel the heat pouring down from the ceiling. Finally!

How wonderful! I can only imagine how wonderful it will be once we actually have insulation and no cracks in the floors! Hooray!

Scott Cowen, President of Tulane University, announced the renewal plan for Tulane. The basic jist is that the U lost a lot of money in the wake of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history and is scaling back on some stuff. They are cutting back athletic programs and dropping some graduate programs, focusing on those that “have demonstrated ability to be world-class and, in the sciences and engineering, have the proven ability to obtain competitively awarded grant funding”. The chart outlines the current degree programs.

First signs suggest minimal disruption for our Department (International Health and Development) and very little for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in general. (A plus for chosing a top program, I guess!) From a short message from Pierre Buekens (the Dean of the SPH&TM): “the Plan opens many new opportunities for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. No major change is planned for any of our Departments or our teaching programs.” So, no major surprises seem to be lurking on that horizon.

In fact, there are signs for opportunity. Some neat initiatives: all new and future students will be required to perform service learning in rebuilding efforts (this is in addition to the wonderful service learning that Tulane undergrads already participate in — something that has very much impressed me about the undergrad experience here); all first and second year students will live in residence halls to rebuild the community; and (the most interesting), “our professional schools will augment their current programs to increase interaction with undergraduate students.”

I am curious about how and if undergraduates will have “increased interaction” with our professional school. (FYI: “Professional School” means just graduate students. Every School I’ve attended post-bachelors has been a professional school.) Possibilities for teaching positions, etc? It will be interesting to see how it all falls out… especially since current faculty are already majorly strapped.

Need something unique for that special someone?

Consider supporting New Orleans! Some ideas:

The “Save Nola” organization has a little shop where you can purchase gear — 100% of proceeds go to rebuilding efforts.

Basin Street Records is a NOLA-based label representing 9 local musicians (all great: these include some of our favorites in the city). Office, staff, and homes were destroyed, so anything you buy from them helps. Also, the Putumayo “New Orleans” CD ($15 on the BSR website) is donating 100% of the revenue from this CD to New Orleans’ musicians causes such as the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. (And if you order 2 CDs from BSR, you get a free compilation CD and free shipping.)

Treats are a staple of New Orleans! Send your loved ones goodies from Cafe du Monde or fresh pralines from Aunt Sally’s! Keep our treasures open for sweet business!

And finally, you can reach out to your cuddly side and adopt an animal, visit the marketplace, or gift a membership to Audubon Institute (includes Zoo and Aquarium).

I’ve noticed that when other folks talk about doing a project “themselves” it is really code for: “I hired a contractor, who hired other folks.” When we say that we “did it ourselves,” we really, really mean it. We are the first to point out when someone other than the two of us did something: mostly because no one (barring a few select family and friends) does a better job than we do and we are quick to notice the differences.

As of this morning, Paul announced the plan to “hit the ground running” with our renovations to the back of the house upon returning from Lima in February:

– Demo the entire back to the slab.
– Frame out new walls (hooray — insulation on about 200 square feet!)
– Frame them out a “normal” ceiling height, 8 feet
– Build a second story on top with a peaked roof line that mimics our current roof
– Install windows and door
– New siding on new portion of house
– Move the interior doors to match up on where they need to go in the new plan
– Install a spiral staircase in our bedroom that will lead into the new section over the back of our house
– Slowly start to assemble the backrooms (master bath, his/her closets, walk-through laundry room with utility sink)
– Build the upstairs study

Considering how long it takes us to do “easy” things like paint a room, how long do you think it will take us to complete this monster? Granted, we’re not trying to finish fast (unless we win the lottery, we have to take it slow in order to save enough month-to-month to buy materials) but even with a load of cash — a year? two years? I would love to get this thing started, but I admit that it is a little overwhelming to think about all at once.

Our bums are freezing here in the Big Easy.

Now, now. Before y’all get up in arms over the fact that it is at least 20 or more degrees warmer here than where you are (it’s the mid-50s today), let me remind you of this:

With no insulation in the walls or floors, heating and cooling our house is like heating and cooling a tent. The house does not get cool when it is hot outside. Likewise, the house does not get warm when it is cold outside. We can control humidity (within reason) in the summertime, and in the winter, we can do enough to keep pipes and things from freezing. And there are some temperate spots. The hall bath, with no exterior walls and being super tiny right off the hallway (where the temperature gauge rests) is always perfect in all seasons. But as for comfort in the remaining big, open rooms with 12-foot ceilings… well, bundle up. (Plus, 50 degrees with high humidity is one heck of a lot colder than 50 degrees with low humidity… and we live just blocks from the river.)

Our options? Well, we are trying to get a crew out to put a sealant coat under the house. (We can see daylight through a bunch of floor cracks.) One day (like when we hit the lottery?) we will look into replacing all the siding on the house and putting in insulation at that time. We dream of that day. Until then, 50 degrees will feel like the North Pole.

So last night was another gross out. A night of searing pain in my chest was somewhat relieved when I turned my insides outside around 2am. (Was it heartburn? Ulcer? A pin from a voodoo doll? I have no idea. I can only say it was terrible and continues to be annoying.) It came on so fast and so violently that I did not make it to the lavatory.

As if that wasn’t bad enough…. it was at this time that I discovered someone else was having a rough night. Scout had another, much worse, performance of illness (both ends). Every room, both beds, and more. Thank goodness for my penchant for having washable linens. Scout and Paul took at shower and we were done cleaning up by about 3:30am. Will did us the favor of staying asleep.

After checking in with the midwife this morning, I’ve been in bed most of the day. Weak, tired, achy. Attention bugs: no more. We are done with you here. Leave us alone!

Aunt Fran’s neice is Fear Factor Champion!!!

She managed to: collect a bunch of flags hanging from a helicopter going 90 mph hanging 40 feet in the air; crawl through a ventilation unit through sewage, spiders, spider webs, rats, flames, and darkness; and get heat from her competitors as not strong enough to hack it. After winning through all of that, she and her partner got to the finals, where they had to swim into a submerged armored car, open it with one of several keys, get inside, and open up boxes (again with the keys) containing gold bars and coins. They did an incredible job, beating out a sister and brother body builder team (they were really scary) to collect over $225,000! How impressive is that?!

This Tuesday, December 6th, at 8pm EST on NBC, a member of my extended family is going to be on Fear Factor!

The family member is Angela — she is the niece of my Aunt Frances, the long-time girlfriend of my Uncle Gus (Uncle Gus is Grandma Betty’s brother). For those who know me, you know that I come from a very fun and loving extended family and Fran is a great example of the wonderful people who help round it out. (You can see pictures of Gus and Frannie’s visit to New Orleans in the blog archives from July.)

So tune in and cheer Angela on! (And, for Aunt Fran’s sake, keep your fingers crossed that Angela won’t be eating any bugs!)

We (finally!) ventured over to the University/Carrolton neighborhood to try Lebanon’s Cafe. It was *excellent!!!* It is my new favorite place to eat in the city: awesome food, great menu, tons of veggie dishes, fun atmostphere, very kid friendly, and totally affordable. The one upside to Paul being sick is that I get to have all of last night’s leftovers!!