I’m not positive what it is but the object always brings me back to a road trip I went on with friends while we were stationed at training school in South Carolina. Since we had a long weekend for President’s Day, we drove down to New Orleans to sightsee during Mardi Gras weekend. The tail/spear was thrown to me from a parade float. Its elaborate pattern reminds me of the culture and fanfare of Mardi Gras in NOLA. It brings back memories of the jambalaya, gumbo and beignets I tried from different restaurants all around town. It reminds me of the mini-parades up and down Bourbon Street, and of all the live music being played at bars and lounges. That road trip to New Orleans was one of the first trips I took during my service, and I’ve always kept the tail with me as a memento.
Branch of Service: United States Navy
MOS/Rate: Electronics Technician Nuclear. Operated and performed maintenance on nuclear reactor instrumentation and control systems on submarines
Program & Graduation Year: Electrical Engineering with Computer Science minor. Dec. 2025