The New Orleans bug

A common theme I hear from people who live in New Orleans is that people move here to enjoy their lives.  I hear this over and over again, whether directly or through surreptitious eavesdropping.  Conversations repeatedly turn back to the theme of this city being a good place in which to spend one's days.  I believe it.

Most recently:  "I lived in Chicago for ten years.  People there know how to get on with their lives, they know how to get busy and do their work, but they don't know how to enjoy themselves when their work is done."

Yesterday: "I lived in Upstate New York.  People stay inside all the time.  They don't know how to get out and socialize and have a good time.  I couldn't take it anymore.  I had to come here."

The day before:  "I'm from Iowa.  This is a big change but I jumped at the chance.  I got here three weeks before The Storm and lost everything I had.  I didn't evacuate.  I didn't have anywhere to go so I stayed.  I'm still staying and I don't regret it."

Variations of these paraphrases crop up endlessly.  I can tell you one thing for sure: New Orleans is the opposite of Boston.  Whether that is good or bad, I can't say; probably neither.  Each city is what it is and the world would be a poorer place if it didn't have a Boston.  For the time being, I am throwing in my lot with New Orleans.  I've been bitten by the bug.    Soon enough people may eavesdrop on me and I suspect I'll be saying things along the lines quoted above.

Cheers!
WK