Unemployment and Rehersal

It has been a strange and interesting start to a new year. Things that should make someone insane have made me more relaxed and happy that I have been in years and then other things continue to make me stressed. First of all I got fired from my job that I have had for over eight years. Yes, yes it is insane and I should be so upset and worried and stressed but since my job made me upset and stressed on a daily basis I am actually happier than I have been in years. I have a ton of prospect already and I think that 2005 will be the year for new beginnings and I am so happy and relaxed. Everything, except for one thing seems to be coming together and it is a wonderful feeling. It is very hard to leave somewhere you have been for over eight years. For most people they have established relationships and friendships and it is hard to break those ties. More important to me was the fact that I had three weeks of vacation and I got all of the two weeks of Mardi Gras off every year. Well no big deal. I have worked through Mardi Gras more than not and I can do it again no problem. After everything that has happened I still keep thinking that I am crazy for feeling so great when a normal person would feel so bad but of course I am not and never have been normal. Well enough about that.

Yesterday I went to the annual rehearsal for one of my Mardi Gras organizations. Rehearsal is an event in which we go through the process of what we will do when we present our tableau to our guest at the ball. It is normally a fun and exciting event. (TO SEE THE REST OF THIS STORY AND THE PICTURES CLICK ON THE TITLE LINK.)

Conde Cavalier Roll

A large crowd grew on the streets of downtown last night to see the first Mobile Mardi Gras parade of the season roll through the streets. The Conde Cavaliers have chose the them Ports of Paradise. Their floats are built by a New Orleans float builder so they have a different style than the majority of the Mobile floats. The Conde floats are very boxy except for a figure on the front. The airbrushed paint on the rest of the float however is very bright. Big Bertha, a 1943 search light, lead the parade, followed by the organization's three permanent floats. The first permanent float was is a large train followed by the organzation's emblem float which was rebuilt this year. The new emblem float has the head of a horse on the front and Fort Conde on the back and the third had the head of Chief Slac on the front. Marshals, marching bands, truck bands, and fillers such as the ABBA Hillbillies and thirteen theme floats completed the parade.

After the parade several of the girls from one of my Mardi Gras organizations had been asked to work the doors at the Conde ball. We gathered to see what doors we were working and took our places. We were suppose to take up tickets and tell the ball guests where to go to be seated, look for dress code violations, and above all ID people to keep underage people from coming in. The ABC board has really been cracking down on the downtown bars and are suppose to have undercover agents at the balls as well as city police to look for underage drinking. The Conde ball is known by most other organizations for letting in a lot of underage people, especially girls. We stopped many people and turned them away but one masker who claimed to be the ticket chairman and a past board memeber forced us to let in several underage girls, two of whom were 17 years old. He swore they would not be drinking but of course that is silly. We finally got fed up and left it to the police to work the doors and went inside to try and enjoy the rest of the ball. I missed the tableaux because we were trapped at the front door. Later in the night I saw the two 17 year old girls at one of the room bars ordering drinks and beer. Imagine that!

Luke made it to the ball after the tableaux and I found him on the dance floor when I went to look for doubloons. There were lots of people I knew there, some of whom I have not seen since last Mardi Gras. The ball was lots of fun. When the ball came to a close Luke and I went over to Dauphin street to Monsoons for a couple of drinks.

There are several parades today but none in Mobile. The Tillman's Tricksters will roll throught Tillman's Corner today at 1pm. Then the Krewe de Spaniards will celebrate in Old Town Daphne at 4. Finally, the Krewe de Carnival will parade in Spanish Fort at 6:45.
Read the Article from the Mobile Register
Visiting Ports of Paradise
9onde Cavaliers set bar high by showering revelers with throws
Saturday, January 22, 200510y LEE DAVIDSON
Staff Reporter

GMAC Bowl Game Parade

Memphis and Bowling Green are playing in the GMAC Bowl Game tonight here in Mobile. Last night we had a Mardi Gras parade and pep rally downtown. All the Mardi Gras organization are able to put one float in the parade if they want to.

Mardi Gras Christmas

Last night one of my mystic societies had their Christmas meeting/party. Everyone that was there was excited and fun was in the air.

Christmas Party

My room in one of my Mardi Gras organizations had a Christmas Party last night. It was a lot of fun.

Clyde and Clydette

On Saturday we had a work party for my room in one of my Mardi Gras societies. The main focus was out camels who have been around for over 10 years. These camels, named Clyde and Clydette were introduces when we did an arabian theme and for some reason we loved them so much we have dressed them up in every outfit you can imagine. However after all of these years they needed a bit of a makeover.

Fire Marshal

The meeting with the fire marshal was rescheduled for Monday and he showed up this time with three other guys.

New Orleans Bus Trip

On October 30 one of my Mardi Gras organization took thier annual Bus trip to New Orleans.

Costume Showcase

This is a meeting that we had back on 9-23-04. At this meeting the costume committe did a presentation to unveil our costumes for the coming year.

Fire!!

The Mobile Civic Center where a lot of the Mardi Gras balls are held has really strict rules about what you can and can't decorate with.

Roll Tide Roll

Here in the wonderful state of Alabama we have one of the biggest football rivalries in the country. The University of Alabama and the University of Auburn will face off tomorrow at 2:30 in the Iron Bowl. Even though Auburn is favored to win this game you never know what will happen when these two teams meet. In the weeks leading up to the BIG game everyone around here gets a little wild and the comments and jokes fly.

Last night I had a meeting for one of my Mardi Gras societies and the Roll Tides and War Eagles interupted the meeting at regular intervals. Most people had their teams colors on and it was really wild.

Once again I just have to say ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Click on title link to see pictures.)

Seek Peek

The Order of Incas have a wonderful website. You can see the parade schedule for the 2005 season, find out the rules for their ball, join their mailing list and catch a sneek peek at their floats. In most societies only the members of the organization and a very select few get to see the floats before they hit the streets on the night of the parade. Even the membership is not usually allowed to see the floats until they are completed and the organization holds and 'open house' or 'float review'. The Order of Inca site gives you a sneek peek at the floats while they are in progress of being built. Click on 'Sneek Peek' at the top of this article to see for yourself.

Fun Filled Saturday

Luke and I had ti go to the Queen and Emblem party for one of my Mardi Gras organizations. We went and had a wonderful dinner at Blu Bistro and then went over to the party. All the drinks and food were free and it was a lot of fun. When the Queen, Emblem and President started opening gifts it was taking so long so we decided to leave and go downtown. (You will have to click on the title link to see these pictures.)

Mardi Gras Pictures

Not much happening this week except a bunch of meetings. It is getting closer and closer to Mardi Gras and that means more meeting and work to get ready for all the fun and excitement. There are a couple of things going on this weekend so I will post pictures of those later. Just put together a slide show of some various Mardi Gras pictures I had lying around. Hope you enjoy.

View my slideshow!

Huge Garage Sale Fundraiser

On Saturday the Float Barn committee for one of my organizations held their first ever fundraiser.

Ghost and Gobblins Party

On Friday night my dad and I went to two different Halloween parties. One was hosted by one of my Mardi Gras societies and the other was hosted by one of his. We decided to dress 'punk'.
Here we are in our costumes.

Marshal Do Dah

Friday night the Marshals of one of my organizations held their only fundraiser of the year.

Fall Dance

One of my Mardi Gras organization had their Fall Dance fundraiser last night. The Dance was suppose to be the Friday after Hurricane Ivan but the location had some damage and we had to postpone.

Drawdown

Last night I want to a drawdown presented by a couple of the rooms in one of my Mardi Gras societies. The theme of the evening was USA and remembering September 11th.

Royalty Celebrated

On Friday night my husband and I went to the Magnolia Ballroom at Brookley Field to celebrate and honor the Queen and Emblem of one of my Mardi Gras societies.