It was a 9-hour round trip, but worth it. The room was filled with avowed Democrats and Republicans. Mayoral candidates for New Orleans were there. Young people, older people, black and white gathered to talk about the levees. They saw a film of founder Sandy Rosenthal of Levees. org. They watched another of a journalist who wrote a six-part series on the levees. They applauded them both along with a brave engineer who spoke up about the engineering failures that led to the flooding of a great city. One of the people there came up to me and said, "You'll always be 19, when you write. Your written work is fresh , new and needed." I walked away, having worried about the lines that showed up close on the film, the thin shoulders, the face looking a gaunt and strained. I walked away, having worried about continuing to write in a blogworld where anybody can, does and sometimes doesn't either ethically or well. I walked away, having thought before I went to New Orleans this time I would finally retire from the writing game and leave it to whatever and whoever comes along and have it not matter any way. I walked away, however, changing my mind about all these things. A 9-hour trip was worth the journey to get thank yous for having written the story about a wonderful group of people, many of whom lost homes and friends in the floods of Katrina and to receive their thank yous. And to hear "you'll always be 19 again" was the best reason for the drive to New Orleans at the last and to remind myself again age is truly what we make it. Today, as I write, I want to remain 19 forever.

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