Kolda Mardi Gras

          Muses was the first real Mardi Gras parade I had ever attended, and it was AWESOME! I had to learn the rules though. I yelled for a shoe half the night until I learned that the shoes were only given out to men. And only the tall men got them. My favorite part about the parade though (apart from all the free toys) was watching the dancers in the marching bands. I could definitely tell that a lot of hard work and planning was put into that parade. In Austin, where I’m from, I don’t think anyone notices Mardi Gras, so I was amazed to see how much is invested in it in New Orleans.

          I think the tradition is very cool. Mardi Gras is the day before Lent, which is a season of fasting in which meat and other luxury foods are not to be eaten. And why let all that food sit out for a month and go bad? Solution: eat everything. Other solution: party hardy. That is why it is called “Mardi Gras,” which means, “Fat Tuesday.”

          It is also important that Mardi Gras is a religious celebration. The holiday is meant to be fun and full of happiness, which makes it a mistake to claim that it is a day full of sin. It is simply a day to be as decadent as possible in preparation for Lent, and it is celebrated everywhere around the world where there are Catholics. I can’t believe I lived my whole life without it.

          Here is a picture of me next to a horse in the Krewe d’Etat parade. I figured out that if you’re in the middle of the parade route, you are more likely to catch stuff and get cool pictures because everyone else crowds at the beginning and end of the parade. Also, avoid standing next to children and tall people. They get all the best toys. I find it helpful to dance violently so that no one wants to get in your space and the people on the floats are more likely to notice you. However, if a toy falls on the ground between you and a small child, don’t be that guy and pick it up. Pretend you don’t see it so the kid thinks he’s being sneaky and quick when he gets to it first.

          And that is what I learned at Mardi Gras.