12:20 AM

This Thursday's my birthday. So what do I want?

I want to go back to New Orleans

I want to go have beignets at Cafe Du Monde and walk to the Historic New Orleans Collection to see their Battle of New Orleans display (featuring the sword surrendered to Gen. Jackson). Both open this week.

I want to drink a Monsoon and have a burger and potato at Port of Call that have absolutely nothing to do with my diet. Then I want to go to Pat O's and keep paying the piano players to sing Hey Fighting Tigers every time someone pays them to play Dixie, Rocky Top or (lord forbid) The Eyes of Texas. I've seen no news on when either will open.

I want to go to Country Day and give them whatever I have that they need. A bit of repayment for those 4 years of scholarships. School reopens a limited program on Nov 7.

I want to go see Johnny Sketch in thier first concert back in New Orleans after Katrina. Right now scheduled for November at the Howlin Wolf.

I want to go to Audubon Zoo, spend the day there and roll down Monkey Hill. The Zoo is closed indefinitely.

I want to go to the Sugar Bowl and watch LSU kick someone's ass. I've heard a rumor that the 2007 Sugar Bowl might be the first event the refurbished Superdome will hold. This aligns with the time table presented today.

I want to eat Chicken Box chicken and Popeyes biscuits on the Napoleon Avenue neutral ground and hand some up to the Thoth riders. They say Mardi Gras will go on as planned, so this one looks probable.

I want to be able to flip between WWOZ, WTIX and 106.7 while driving around at home. Kool 95.7 has taken on Bayou 105.3's format (planned pre-Katrina) and it seems like another part of New Orleans is gone.

The only thing on this list that I'll be allowed to do for my birthday is Cafe Du Monde/Historic Collection but work and LSU footbal will get in the way of that. I'll just have to be patient. Luckily, it looks like all of these things will be doable... eventually.