Bread and Circuses

      Happy Bacchus Sunday/Joe Cain Day to all who celebrate! Here we are, on the last Sunday of the Mardi Gras season. Here in Mobile, there were fears that it would be a rainy day, but the storms rolled through overnight and now it's sunny and breezy- perfect weather for everyone going to the parades today. We'll be sticking close to home, getting chores done and making some ramen for late lunch.     Today, I'm basking in the peace that comes from having made a big ask that I've been dreading for a couple of months. A warning in advance: this is going to be pretty vague, because there's still a lot of details to work out, but what I want to focus on is the ask itself, rather than what I was requesting. If all goes to plan, I'll have awesome news to share soon!     Those of you who know me, know how much I hate to ask for help. For example, when I was moving from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, my movers fell through, and I had to ask for friends and fami...

           It's been a weird couple of weeks, y'all. "Official" Mardi Gras season kicked off here in Mobile, and it has been one of the funniest, strangest experiences of my life. The people of Mobile will never hesitate to let you know that Mardi Gras "started here." They're very insistent about this, and they are correct. The first recorded Mardi Gras celebration in the United States occurred in Mobile in 1703. I'm not going to debate historical fact. Among the questions I have asked and have not been given satisfactory answers to: When does [name of parade] start tonight? What is the most popular parade? Which local high school has the best marching band?     No one has a firm idea of when the parades actually start here. You can ask five people and get five different answers. Answers also vary wildly about the most popular parade. Fair enough. New Orleanians also have their personal favorites, but people in New Orleans also are so particular i...