"Lagniappe"
is an expression used in South Louisiana that
means "something extra". Each
year the local schools get a day off from
school. It's called Lagniappe Day.
Yesterday, I dusted off my camera and wandered the neighborhood in search for great photos. Inspiration was everywhere. Houses were decorated for trick-or-treaters. It was Halloween Eve, after all.
So many times I walked in the hood and just never saw the fun in the decor until I had a camera draped around my neck. Click the link below the skeletons for results.
WMC Website says: “Simply put, there is a crisis of representation in the media. We live in a racially and ethnically diverse nation which is 51% female, but the news media itself remains staggeringly limited to a single demographic. While women hold less than 3% of decision-making “clout” positions in media, they also earned only 25% of all new media jobs created from 1990 -2005, despite constituting 65% of all undergraduate and graduate journalism and mass communications students.”
Please watch both short videos.
I add, only 15% of all stunt work in film is performed by women. Less than 1% of all working Stunt Coordinators in the film business are women. These are shameful statistics that need to be changed.
Today is my birthday. It has not been the same since 2001. In 2001, it was a day of horror. In 2002 & 2003, it was a day of mourning. In 2004, it became “Patriot Day.” It pretty much remained “Patriot Day,” until this year.
Now, it should be “Religious Tolerance Day.” It should have been “Tolerance Day” from the beginning. It’s more healing – not to mention life, time and money saving – to love, forgive and live in peace. War was the absolute worse thing to do. I was shocked when I heard war message roaring across the country. NOOOO! It was devastating news, especially since all the world showered their love on us in the aftermath of 9/11. War news broke my heart. It was just so wrong on so many levels. I still can’t believe we resorted to “war” and we’re still at “war.” Love heals all wounds.
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
So, my birthday message to all is Love, Forgive and Live in Peace.
This is a reprint of a story I wrote for Inside Stunts Magazine, which is now out of business.
The Risk Gene, Stunt-performers & Borderline Personality Disorders
By
Leigh Hennessy
According to Art Linkletter, kids say the darndest things. According to every terrified parent around the globe, kids do the dumbest things. How many daredevil young boys do you know that have endeavored to fly off the roof of their house in a make-shift Superman cape? Or, stubbornly rammed their banana-seat stingray bicycle into a brick wall convinced they could pierce a hole through it? We’ve all taken a whack at defying gravity or inertia at one time or another in our young lives. We were courageous and we were invulnerable. We thought: Where’s the danger in it all? And, stunt people were no different. (more…)
Several days ago while walking in the neighborhood, I spotted this cross on the front doors of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church on Louisiana Avenue, another joyful surprise on the colorful streets on this festive city. I snapped some shots and left them in my iPhone. However, because of a subsequent death of my dear Uncle Pete a couple of days later on March 5th (Mom’s birthday), I look at the photos and think of him.
My uncle was a relic of an era gone by. An era of farming. An era of rural America. An era of small-town religion and politics. An era of back-breaking work. An era of modesty. Even an era of sports. A devout “Bapti-costal,” Uncle Pete, also known as J.W., loved God, life and family. He also loved his team. In his final days on Superbowl Sunday, his five loyal children gathered in his hospital room to enjoy the big game with him. They cheered their favorite team together for three happy hours. As the game was winding down, Uncle Pete asked one of his kids, “How much time is left?” “Ten minutes, Paw Paw,” she answered, “Ten minutes.” With wet eyes and slight smile, he looked up and said, “OK, I think I’ll live that long.”
He knew his life on Earth was coming to an end and he made it. He had lived to see the day. Born in 1918, one of Uncle Pete’s last joys with all his children together was to witness one more unexpected miracle. A WWII vet (which I only learned about at the funeral, hence the flag-draped coffin), hard-working farmer who never missed a church service, pillar of Winfield, life-long Democrat,
unassuming cousin of Louisiana’s legendary Long family, dedicated husband of 51 years, widower for 14, proud father of five, loving grandfather and great-grandfather of dozens, he was a simple man with few needs who lived to celebrate every moment that he could squeeze out of his full life.
I never got to tell my uncle that even as a small child I always admired him. He was a decent and humble man. Although he wasn’t Catholic, I thought how he would have appreciated this sight.
This follows under the category of “Only in New Orleans.” City residents held a Second Line Funeral procession to bury the old New Orleans Saints football team, otherwise known for decades as the “Aints.” The paper bags that covered the faces of loyal fans who attended an era of losing seasons game after game to cheer the embattled team were laid to rest. Left in its wake is the joy of success.
Symbolically, New Orleans seems to be inspired to bury the old and celebrate the new. For all of us in the Big Easy, our new year starts now. Our resolutions aimed at a better future start today. As for myself, it means a greater connection to my home and family as well as a brighter outlook on my career as I learn the delicate balance of work and lifestyle.
That said, here’s the Aints Second Line Funeral march. Happy New Era!
Tuesday, the Tuesday before Mardi Gras in New Orleans, will forever be known as Dat Tuesday from here on out by the WHO DAT NATION. Another nickname for the occasion is Lombardi Gras. It was the day the Crescent City held it’s first ever Superbowl Victory Parade for the New Orleans Saints. A Mardi Gras style parade of marching bands and floats loaded with festive Saints players, coaches and staff traveled through the streets of the Big Easy to a cheerful crowd of 800,000 fans celebrating their 43 year climb to become the Superbowl Champs for the first time ever. It was undoubtedly the biggest Superbowl Victory parade in the history of the Championships because this town knows how to throw a parade best!
But, this event is bigger than a sports victory. It’s a mix of life lessons. Here’s a few: Never give up on your dreams. In life, you must take chances to succeed. Those who are willing to succeed work hard, perpare diligently, focus on execution and not fear failure. There are many more. But, it is also a message to a troubled city devastated by the blow of Katrina and poverty. New Orleans is a city of winners. This Championship season has lifted the spirits of the hopeless and given faith to the believers. The Saints Franchise understands that their function as ambassadors and role models is a responsibility to their fans and to the people of New Orleans. They fulfilled their mission flawlessly and are greatly appreciated for it.
The video doesn’t do the vision of our hike from our steading to the Balfour estate any justice. Nature is just far more beautiful. However, please enjoy.
I’ve been MIA on my blog lately. We had the craziest past few weeks and now it’s time to return to normalcy, whatever that is. I have to create “normalcy” because we finally made the official move from Los Angeles to New Orleans.
We’ve been in New Orleans several weeks considering and planning the move. Finally, we did it. We flew to L.A., tied up loose ends by reducing our obligations there significantly, drove back to New Orleans with all our worldly possessions (truck broke down twice in the Texas heat! Ugh!) and moved into our own little cottage in the Garden District.
During this time, the Louisiana Legislature passed the updated film tax incentive bills and the Governor signed them into law. With the new incentives and new home and new life, my hopes hinge on the theory that more features will be produced in Louisiana opening opportunities for my film career as a local talent in the Pelican State. By the end of the year, if this theory does not prove true, it’s OK. New Orleans is an exciting and lively town ripe with opportunity for creative individuals. Besides, the fun never ends. I feel very good about moving here.
You would think that resigning from the prestigious United Stuntwomen’s Association (USA) was a bad idea for a women who performs stunts in the film business. It wasn’t easy, but that’s exactly what I did.
Primarily, economics dictated saving since the USA monthly dues are significant and, let’s face it, as much as I love Obama, the economy isn’t going to get fixed overnight. On the other hand, my subconscious backed up the decision with the intrigue of completely reinventing my career.
