A few years ago, I was working with a Jungian therapist who not only introduced me to my shadow side, but to the concept of accepting it. And, since I'm a woman, I had to work with the fact that I can be a Bitch - sometimes a pretty ferocious one.

For those of us brought up in 1950s-1960s middle-class America, admitting that one is a Bitch is a scary, socially-unacceptable act. But in my early 50s,  I discovered I liked owning up to it. To the contrary, admitting it was freeing.

And, more specifically, it helped when one of my out-of-control kids would try to control me by calling me a bitch. (Stay with me - this is pertinent to American politics and not personal confessions.)

More to come...

I found this email on the pages of a New Orleans blog Looka last night -dated Saturday Sept 3rd- and feel the heart of the content should be shared with you all, especially with those who are trying to find a way into NO to help. I don't know if things have changed now that the feds have taken over. The writer probably left NOLA on Friday.

This is my first diary so I don't know how to do boxes and such so this is bare bones.

The author of this piece, Joshua Mann Pailet, owner of A Gallery for Fine Photography on Chartres St., is known to the blog owner. He spent the last week in his shop on Chartres St though he has gone out and taken photos of the scene. He had enough food to stay another week but decided to get out for awhile because of the fires. He had some interesting things to say though his perspective is that of the French Quarter.

More below.