"Alive" written by Jim Peterik

[montyollie]

You guys sometimes here me go on about that song by Van Zant called "Alive" -- it was written by Jim Peterik after his plane had to make an emergency landing and he was really grateful to be alive.

Anyhow, you may also know I recently got back from two back-to-back trips to New Orleans where I did some Katrina relief work. I just made a slideshow to that song. Here it is if you are interested. At the very least, enjoy the song!! LOL

(PS I'm the one in the beige cargo pants and brown coat in most of the pictures. It was DAMN cold that week, and I'd packed mostly shorts! LOL)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdSXhMV3wkw

[lukather4prez]

I haven't even listened to the track yet I just am responding to your post about helping out down there for Katrina relief. I have heard its still a diaster in much of the states that were affected and that is horrible!!

Your good people in my book for helping out like that. good for you and your on many peoples x-mas list im sure!


how was it down there I'd luv to hear about your journey and experiences.


c.m.

[montyollie]

how was it down there I'd luv to hear about your journey and experiences.
c.m.

It is an absolute and colossal mess. It's a disaster zone and has been for nearly two years. I distinctly remember when Katrina hit, I was glued to the tevee for weeks and felt so helpless and wanted so desperately to help or do SOMETHING. Driving down there was a head trip and a half because as you get into the city (and along the whole gulf coast for that matter) you really truly feel small in the face of what nature can and does do.

My two trips there changed EVERYTHING about me. I am a completely different person as a result of it. I kept a blog as well as a vlog (video log) when I was down there the first time -- it's in reverse chronological order, unfortunately, but it's http://vlov.blogspot.com/ <-- here if you want to see it. The second go-round I blogged less, but you can still read those entries in the first two weeks of April in my regular blog (linked at the bottom -- montyollie.livejournal.com).

I am now the kind of person who doesn't sit around and wait for life to pass me by. Life is VERY precious and very fleeting and I spend every day taking a big bite out of it. I also heartily believe in walking the walk and DOING something proactive about the things you believe in. I used to spend a lot of time talking about what I should do. Now I just do it. I didn't do MUCH down there, but trust me, everything helps. Every little bit helps. And at the very least, just seeing it and acting as an ambassador to raise awareness of issues like poverty, classism, racism and disaster preparedness... well that's an admirable thing too.

Thanks for asking. Hope you got to see the video. The pictures are astounding (I didn't take most of them! LOL)