Get out of this place.

Welp…I’m officially 30 now. And Liz nearly gave me a heart attack when she arranged for 10 people to surprise me when we showed up for our dinner reservation. Coleen, Jessica, Laura, Melissa, Shelley, Whitney, Josh, Kelly, Carrie, Daniel. Thanks for coming out. So long, Twenties…

New Orleans, Louisiana. 1.8.2012.

SIDENOTE: Kaia turns eight years old today.

Laura grades papers on her porch in the Treme before we move her to her new apartment. I feel like she had a pretty good Sunday morning alarm clock—the Zion Hill Baptist Church Choir was no more than a few feet from her bedroom window.

New Orleans, Louisiana. 11.14.2011.

Here, we see Laura demonstrating Teaching Assistant Stress-Coping Mechanism #22: The Handstand.

New Orleans, Lousiana. 10.4.2011.

EARLIER: #14.

Trivial Pursuit with Coleen, Tom and Laura.

What New Orleans Mid-City bar features $1.50 PBRs every day and free wings on Wednesday nights?

New Orleans, Louisiana. 6.29.2011.

Listening to Laura and Chuck play Chuck Berry on the porch while I practice my scales on the trumpet and Kaia stalks the tourists. They’re all better than me at their respective tasks. Sigh.

New Orleans, Louisiana. 6.20.2011.

Kind of jealous that Laura gets to practice her bass on the porch because without the amp, no one can hear it. She can sit there all night long looking like she knows what she’s doing. Meanwhile, my trumpet’s in its case in my room because I don’t want to scare the neighborhood cats. First lesson Friday, though. Can’t wait.

New Orleans, Louisiana. 6.11.2011.

Strolling down Frenchmen Street, Kaia and I ran into my Cajun roommate wearing a beach towel and a bass guitar. While that didn’t seem like a lot of clothes to be walking around in, I later found myself walking down Chartres Street barefoot in my boxer shorts following a late-night kiddie pool party at the neighbors’. It’s hot down here, y’all.

New Orleans, Louisiana. 6.4.2011.

This just in: My roommate has a trombone. I am currently searching for a trumpet. We have a few other writers with instruments lined up. Coincidentally, they’re all female, so I think we’ve decided I’ll be the frontman and we’ll call ourselves Guy & The Gals. Stay tuned.

New Orleans, Louisiana. 5.3.2011.

SIDENOTE: Apologies in advance to our neighbors for having to listen to us teaching ourselves how to play our instruments.

Laura getting her face pierced at Electric Ladyland on Frenchmen Street.

“I think I want that grey one.”

“That’s blue.”

“Oh. Okay.”

New Orleans, Louisiana. 4.15.2011.