[thechat] Rita...

[Luther, Ron]

Joel noted:


> Everyone is okay.  Everything is okay.
>>Really good to hear.

Thanks Joel!  ;-)


>>I can't even imagine the whole thing. 

Yeah. It's a bit surreal.  Some folks 'peace-out' and become extra
polite and considerate.  Some folks freak a bit. I heard there were
fisticuffs at a few gas stations here last weekend.  Impatience was
running a tad high for some folks.  And I think some folks just wanted
to 'do something' since they couldn't do anything for Katrina a few
weeks ago.  <shrug />

>>The last time weather impacted my life in any meaningful manner 
>>was a tornado warning when I lived in Wisconsin. We spent half 
>>the night in the basement, in the dark, listening to the radio.

Heh.  I was always fascinated by the 'day after' paths the tornados made
through the trees up north. Ever see those?  Wide swath here, skinny
swath over there, across the road, now almost a figure eight ... Gee,
I've probably seen quite a few of those over the years.  

Anyway ... I always wanted to stop and 'walk the tornado', follow the
path, imagine the power ... [Oh okay, I probably wanted to run around in
the tornado path like a little kid - making great big whooshing sounds
and pretending to push the trees over myself!]   ;-)

>>I guess the fact that I still have vivid mental images of it 
>>over 40 years later says something about the effect on the 
>>human psyche of sheer helplessness in the face of forces beyond us.

+1.  There are definitely events that leave their mark on us.  2001's
tropical storm Allison scared me pretty good down here. I don't think
I'll ever get that image of sailboats on I-10 out of my head.


Ya know, one of those 'double edged sword' thingies about being on a
global list like this is that now you get to worry about dang near
everything ... and it's personal because those events can affect someone
you know.  We get to worry about our buddies, (Hi Alan!), in Fla and up
and down the coast.  We start following reports of Cali wildfires with
more than passing interest because they might be coming close to Terry.
Heck, last week I saw a news-short on the storms and flooding in So
India, (kinda like So Cal, only in Madras I guess), and started
wondering how close to coast Madhu was.

Fortunately, it's also given us the opportunity to share and celebrate
some positive life changes; weddings, births, personal and professional
milestones, travels (to Ireland for example), and ...

Egad!  Who is this smarmy old man and what is he doing with my keyboard?

Out!  Out damned spot!


Whew!  Gotta go ... It's time to abuse the peasants again.

Feudally,


RonL.