Foray into the Volunteer Realm

Yesterday I motivated myself enough to travel all around and make sure that I get some volunteering done. I’m still trying to find a literacy/social justice sort of non-profit to work with. In the mean time I’ll focus on the arts and food, two things that are also very important to me. 

First stop the 26th Annual Tennessee Williams/New OrleansLiterary Festival.  A literary explosion of over 80 events being held in 11 locations (3 of which are off The French Quarter “grid” as it were) with almost 50% of festival attendees coming in from out of town (read- have no idea where they are going). FUN! 

Honestly, if dealing with lost guests is the least of my worries... This will be the first time in 7 years that I can claim ignorance during a lit fest. No one is going to leave me alone with a register/cash box/store/phone/stack of paperwork/merchandise and assume I know what to do with it, or expect me to keep artists happy while not actually engaging them in personal conversation. No one is going to question the cut of my dress, or suggest that I’m not wearing enough make up. 

Which is to say, this is TWNOL Festival is going to be a cake walk. I’m trying to decide if I’m excited about being a nameless volunteer with no authority. Volunteering is always hard work but I’m used to something significantly more labor (of the mind, body and spirit) intensive. 

I honestly regret that I didn’t have time to say good bye to my old festival stomping grounds before shuffling off to NOLA… I think about mailing, but I don’t know how to prepare an apology for the unintentional offense. Oh well. 

I’m working Friday morning and picked up a Sunday morning shift… because the organizer asked nicely and offered me free tickets to an event that would serve free beer. I’m not super excited about many of the panels and workshops—Most of them are aimed at novelists, playwrights and T. Williams fanatics. I am none of those things. But I will be attending “Day of Music at the Palm Court Jazz Café — Drummer and Smoke: Musicians Battle for the Future of New Orleans in New Atlantis and HBO’s Treme.” I’m going to miss the NPR panel and Late Night Poetry Slam because I have work those nights. Figures. 

Next Stop! The New OrleansHealing Center  to pick up postcard flyers for The 1^st Annual Spiritual Music Festival 1st Annual Sacred Music Festival which I’ll be dropping off in cafes up and down Magazine Street this afternoon. Again, I’m going to miss Saturday night (the night I want to attend!) because of work. But if I don’t work on Sunday I’ll volunteer for the evening taking tickets and listening to some local soul-inspiring grooves. I apologized to the organizer for not being able to give him more time. He was incredibly friendly, and when he found out that I was new in town he said he’d keep his ear to the ground for leads on jobs.

Everyone in this town is friendly. It’s true! 

Then it was time to swing into the New Orleans Food Co-op to drop off my Hands-On-Owner application. I need to e-mail the outreach coordinator to introduce myself. But in all honesty I’m nervous about being around co-op people again. Not that I should categorize all co-op people as… well… kinda mean and back stabby. The wound is still deep I suppose. I’d love to get back to teaching a kids craft class. And I have an idea about starting a crochet circle when it starts cooling off with simple scarves going to Missions and Shelters. Once it comes closer to that time of year I’ll certainly pitch the idea to the outreach crew. 

I’m full of ideas. I just need a place to put them. Or as a friend says, “Naomi. You’re so good at this.” 

I was all smiles yesterday. 

insert lyrics to "Food" by Reggie and the Full Effect

Whirlwind of the last few days. 

Day before yesterday I was hired at The Melting Pot on St. Charles. I’ve never been to a Melting Pot but I hear it’s a great date place. Also, the average sales per gust pretty much dictates that I’ll be making some serious tips. Not to mention I will be at the table preparing fondue and demonstrating my mad wine skills. And being politely chatty. 

Last night while I was out with Melinda (who is such a great cheerleader!) she introduced me to a chef that might want to enlist me as a server/ Southwest food advisor. Going to speak to them this afternoon. Today I received an e-mail from a manager at Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro. He wants to interview me tomorrow. 

So, within a few days of looking for a job in New Orleans I HAVE a job, still getting call backs from other applications that I put in and still networking for more opportunities. Suck it Las Cruces. Cher and I went out for celebration drinks, hence the lack of bloggy.

Yesterday was my adventure into local foods and cooperatives. 

Found the Crescent City Farmer’s Market on Broadway. Taking the St. Charles street car I discovered lots of places. I knew that Touro Synagogue was on the route, but also Temple Sinai, the Jewish Community Center, Loyola, the Library, and the zoo. St. Charles street car pretty much rocks my socks. 

The farmer’s market is lush. LUSH! I was blown away by how much was available. Chard, carrots, beets the size of your fist, cauliflower (!), sweet potatoes, strawberries, citrus of all shapes and sizes—more produce that I’m used to seeing at market. Then there was goat milk products, chicken, seafood, beef, bread, pies, juices, PALETAS! 

One of the vendors had plant starters. I was excited to see many mints- chocolate, orange, and PINEAPPLE MINT which is my very favorite. Pineapple mint likes to try to die. This happened to me every single time I tried to raise them. I was happy (but dismayed) to see the yellowing leaves of the mint the vendor had. It’s not just me! I’m not a pineapple mint killer. Pineapple mint is just depressed. 

I wanted to purchase something from every vendor, but decided to pace myself. If I bought everything this week I wouldn’t have a reason to go back next week. 

I bought carrots from one vendor purely because the vendor had really good looking arms. Like, on the cover of a romance novel titled, “Naomi and The Farmer’s Son” arms. Next time I’m going to take a picture. Naomi= Shameless

I bought chard, garlic chevre, some beet lemonade (it sounds interesting; I still haven’t mustered the courage to drink it) and two pints of strawberries for my gracious friend Cher. 

Then it was off to the New Orleans Food Cooperative. This coop isn’t as large as the one in Las Cruces, but to be fair this is only a baby coop. They started up in October of last year. 

 

That said, they already have more of their shit together than Mountain View Market. 

Transparency and accountability for one. The member comment cards are replied to and posted on a public board. MVM management has a really bad habit of letting member comments, complaints and commendations go on ignored. Board minutes for the previous meetings are also posted publicly and from what I can tell in a timely fashion. They also provide you with a copy of the coop’s bylaws when you sign up. I don’t think many people who work at MVM know where a copy of the bylaws (just the one) is kept in the store. 

Then there’s joining. The cashier didn’t treat my joining as a chore. She didn’t send me off to another desk to finalize my membership. She didn’t apologize to the next person in line about “taking so long.” No, Brooke called a coworker over help other guests while she spent time with me to fill out my application and explain a few things. 

Once the transaction was done… she rang a cow bell over her head and shouted, “WE HAVE A NEW OWNER.” This announcement was prompted by smiles all around and a chorus of “WOO!” coming from various parts of the store. One guy came jogging from an isle—just to say, “Welcome.” 

New Orleans Food Coop has a Hands-on Owner program. I get to volunteer for MY coop and then I get a discount for the month. 12 hours gets me 15%. This kind of incentive invites the members to participate in the store and its financial health. Also- it builds a sense of community. Members aren’t anonymous folks who merely consume what the coop has to offer, they are the people IN the store helping out. 

My share in this new cooperative is $100. Membership is half of that at MVM. And if $100 is still too steep? They have a $25 low-income share. I think this is utterly brilliant. Members who are on food stamps have already admitted to being in a financial situation in which they have difficulty providing nutrition for their households. Why charge them $100? How does that benefit the health of our community? 

A cooperative should be about building up communities. Not building up barriers. Of any kind. If that attitude makes me spicy granola.... then so be it.

In other news, New Orleans Food Coop… still carries JOLLYBEANS. 

Word.