My Friend Carol

Well it’s been awhile since I last posted on my blog. So, let me explain…the creation of my blog was a networking tool to assist me to get back to the city I love, New Orleans. In May, I packed up my house and came South for a great opportunity with Evans Graves Engineering on a contract job. By August, an even better opportunity became available to work for the premier advertising agency in the city I love, Peter A Mayer Advertising. It’s exciting and incredibly stimulating to be with creative people again!

Here’s the thing about moving to New Orleans, there is always something to do. You can listen to live music 24/7, there is a festival every weekend, galleries abound with new and exciting artists displaying work and then you have the Saints and the Hornets. There isn’t much free time to sit around and write blogs. My social calendar overflows with friends who I have not seen in years and also some new friends who are very special in my life. One of my new friends is Carol. I met her through a mutual friend in Cincinnati. We have had some fun times together and always seem to run into each other uptown. Carol recently announced that she is leaving New Orleans. Now, this was sad news to me and many others but the amazing thing is she’s moving to Cincinnati. Her feelings toward Cincinnati are as strong as my feelings about New Orleans. She still loves New Orleans with all her heart and would not leave for anywhere but Cincinnati. She had three opportunities presented over the last year and they all were for Cincinnati. Something tells me there is a reason she needs to move up North!

Carol included a letter to friends explaining her decision to make the move. I was so touched by her words that I asked her permission to publish it this week in my blog. Carol agreed and although she is in Cincinnati this weekend, she assured me she will be wearing black & gold and cheering our Saints to victory. So, Carol here’s to you and your new adventure and remember we all have sleeping space when you visit…because we know New Orleans is in your blood.

“Dear New Orleans, I came to you at a time when I had been pretty lost for awhile. I arrived 6 years ago knowing only my 24 year old niece, and you introduced me to many amazing people – the volleyball crowds, my Saints friends, the Uptowns crowds, my Entergy friend’s etc. They were exactly what I needed because while I knew I needed a fresh start, I also left many strong friendships in Cincinnati that were my safety net in many ways. You never do anything half way – whether it’s snow on Christmas Day or Katrina or the Super Bowl or the Oil Spill – you revel in the highs and persevere in the lows – and you helped me embrace those extremes and find myself again. These extremes bring out true colors. The outpouring of love and concern I received from my Cincinnati family during these extremes really touched me and reinforced my connection with them. And the bonds I formed with my NOLA family who experienced these extremes with me can never be broken.

I know many other people have been with you longer, but I’ve come to love you just as much. I have so many found memories with you – Saints games, Jazzfest, Mardi Gras, volleyball/coconut Beach, baby showers, weddings, birthday parties, French Quarter Fest, biking on the levy, Audubon Park, Jaquimos, Cats, runs along St. Charles, the Super Bowl, and my work at Entergy. My Company’s work at Entergy brought me to you and I’m forever grateful. I will miss my Entergy boys and ladies too. We’ve been through many programs and screenings, and many people discovered life changing information about their health. Now, we’re finally seeing some big things happen with safety and wellness. I’m blessed to have been a part of helping build it. I may not get to see it fully executed, but I have no doubt it will succeed. Any my Coordinators – they really understand that every time we get in front of a group, we can change someone’s life with our information. That’s powerful stuff. And Sean and Drew: In my world, it was destiny that Sean coach here since he was an assistant coach at Indiana State during my undergrad years. I’m sure that helped him prep what he needed to do to bring a team out of the ashes (ISU wasn’t exactly the power football team). And Drew, he may originally be from TX but he’s an Indiana boy to me. He was a gem in his Purdue days, and I don’t even hold the Purdue thing against him since I was an IU fan growing up. Black and gold has been running in his blood since college. And even more so off the field, words cannot describe the hope they’ve renewed in this city. But the Midwest roots run deep, and it’s time for me to go back. You are in my heart, but Cincinnati is my first home. I may be 15 pounds heavier then when I arrived 6 years ago, but I’ve never felt healthier in my life. You may ask when whey are you leaving? But I feel like I’m going to something VS going away from something because no one ever truly leaves you. People either love you or hate you – there is no middle ground, and you wouldn’t want it any other way. There is something very special about you. It’s the culture, the passion, the what-ya-see-is-what-ya-get, the perseverance, the true love for life that makes you so special. And most of all it’s the people – all the people who have touched my life here. I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have found this in two cities. I’m going to Cincinnati and will renew many old friendships as well as probably make some new ones. But I’m not leaving my NOLA friends because as long as airplanes fly and da creeks don’t rise, I will be back because you and I are forever connected (especially because I’m NOT giving up my Saints ticket! Who Dat!"
Love, Carol
Carol I couldn’t have expressed it better. Cincinnati is lucky to have you!

Peace,