i must admit, i am excited about hurricane irene. philadelphia is about 70 miles from the oceans so it doesn't get hurricanes in the sense that coastal cities like miami (or new york or boston) do. instead we get a storm that has been downgraded before it reaches us, or we get a miss from the main hurricane, with the storm itself centered off the coast of new jersey and with philly getting just the periphery of the real storm. either way what that means is some high winds and a ton of rain. we're not in any serious danger, other than from falling tree limbs. basements may flood, the power may go out for a little while and flights will cancel. but otherwise it will just be a big dramatic rain storm.
but even without much real danger, people like to freak out. and that's what makes it fun. we all get to play emergency. we get to dream up disaster scenarios and then try to be ready for them--batten down the hatches and stock up on food as if civilization itself will collapse this weekend. i love this stuff.
this has happened before. every few years a hurricane comes out way and each time (alas) civilization stubbornly fails to collapse. but this year seems to have a little more tension in the air. we are still coming off from the high of the (no damage/no injury) earthquake that rattled us on tuesday. and do you know what that means? that means we are in the few days between two natural disasters!!!! (how cool is that?) my main regret is that irene won't pass us until sunday, so i won't be in my 51st floor office to feel the swaying (the shaking/bouncing from the earthquake was terrifying, but still an experience)
(why hasn't anyone posted a video for this song?!?! that was my first choice. damn you youtube!!!)
but even without much real danger, people like to freak out. and that's what makes it fun. we all get to play emergency. we get to dream up disaster scenarios and then try to be ready for them--batten down the hatches and stock up on food as if civilization itself will collapse this weekend. i love this stuff.
this has happened before. every few years a hurricane comes out way and each time (alas) civilization stubbornly fails to collapse. but this year seems to have a little more tension in the air. we are still coming off from the high of the (no damage/no injury) earthquake that rattled us on tuesday. and do you know what that means? that means we are in the few days between two natural disasters!!!! (how cool is that?) my main regret is that irene won't pass us until sunday, so i won't be in my 51st floor office to feel the swaying (the shaking/bouncing from the earthquake was terrifying, but still an experience)
(why hasn't anyone posted a video for this song?!?! that was my first choice. damn you youtube!!!)
