This is a synthesis of two recent Mardi-Gras-related posts from my LiveJournal (my personal journal). The first was relatively popular as my LJ posts go.

Happy Mardi Gras
Ahh, even with everything all messed up post-katrina, sometimes I really love this city. Yesterday evening when I was out for my run, I passed some guys in the Neutral Ground on St.Charles, near Louisiana I think, wearing clown outfits with a cooler on wheels and a portable radio. On the way back toward home, I heard the distinct sound of Mardi Gras music as I approached, and one of them held out a strand of beads for me.

“Happy Mardi Gras!,” he yelled happily as I snagged the beads. “Hey, Happy Mardi Gras,” I replied, and went on my merry way, the beads bouncing with each step as I ran.

Some things have changed forever, but it’s good to know that some things haven’t changed a bit.

No bus? I’ll run.
I realized a bit too late this afternoon that I wouldn’t make it to the bus before they shut down most of the route for parades. I took the bus to Napoleon and then got off (as I had to).

Then I started walking on the neutral ground.

Then I saw some people running, and I thought, “you could just run, Brock.”

So I cinched down the straps on my backpack, took my umbrella in one hand and my 20oz diet coke in the other, and I started running. In my 10-year-old $7 sandals from K-Mart. I ran past Fat Harry’s, and I ran past Louisiana, and then I passed Washington and Jackson, and now I’m home. I got a lot of strange looks, and I worry that my calves might hurt tomorrow, but you know what? It actually felt pretty good, sandals or no. It was probably just over a mile and a half, maybe 1.75 or something.

I feel better about not running earlier in the week, like somehow running in normal clothes and sandals with my backpack for 1.75 miles makes up for not running 3 miles in proper attire. I might wander back out there later to catch Muses…

ADDENDUM: By the way, it’s only 5 hours later and my calves are already quite tight from the run in sandals.