LSU Tailgating

New Orleans was in the news a fair bit today. The big news, of course, is that the LSU Tigers won the Sugar Bowl, which was once again held in the New Orleans SuperDome. Oh, how I wish I could have been among the raucous tailgaters. LSU tailgating is something you just have to experience to understand.

Once, four years ago, Jorge and I wrangled tickets for a big game at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. We drove out with Jorge's Brother-in-law Jeff, and met up some friends who are members of the Halfass Tailgatin' Tigers. There was a DJ, a tent to dance under, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and coolers and coolers full of Coors Light. Good times.

Jorge and I had a blast. We had been dating for about a year at the time, and had a bit too much to drink. Just before we were about to enter the stadium, Jorge turned to me and said "I promise I'll do this again sometime, and I'll do it right then," and then he dropped to one knee and asked if I would marry him, as hundreds of LSU fans and college students cheered. Of course I said yes, we hugged, there were more cheers, and then we looked sheepishly at Jorge's brother-in-law, who just said "Well, I'll just keep this to myself for now, huh?" to which we eagerly agreed.

True to their word, Jeff didn't say a thing, and Jorge proposed properly a year later.

For another, not so positive story about New Orleans in the news, read here. I know that the gulf coast is increasingly vulnerable to hurricanes, but I can't say I blame people for rebuilding their homes. Why is it OK to rebuild in Northridge, or Miami, or San Francisco, but not New Orleans? If the government hadn't built shoddy, criminally negligent levees in the first place, we wouldn't even be in this mess.