Welcome to the Storm's Eye

This morning, Hurricane Irma made landfall and began it's destruction of Florida. Earlier in the week, it devastated the Caribbean islands in it's path, virtually leveling Barbuda. Yesterday, Hurricane Katia struck Mexico, hours after they suffered a large earthquake. Houston is still recovering from Hurricane Harvey and it looks like Jose is about to strike Barbuda and several other islands for a second time.

It's not a good time to be a resident in the Gulf Coast.

Thunderstorm at the Jersey Shore

This list isn't including the many other natural disasters that are happening around the globe at the same time, let alone in the United States and Canada. As the southeast is being flooded, the northwest is being consumed by fire.

I've lived through massive storm surges, but nothing like what is happening with Irma. In 2011, an earthquake unexpectedly shook Virginia. I had been outside at the time and hadn't felt anything, but anyone inside a building did. About a week later, we had to be evacuated off of campus because of a large hurricane headed right for us. We called it the "hurrication" since it was right after summer break had ended.

My experience certainly doesn't compare to what happened in Texas, let alone what Floridians are facing with the most severe storm system ever recorded currently hovering over their state. Since the Earth is currently in a warming period, these super-storms are liable to become the norm.

What kind of damage will these storms do?

I'm not just talking about the financial damage. Though these storms will cause major financial damage, especially if the rumors are true that FEMA will run out of money before the end of the year because of Harvey and Irma.

But we shouldn't forget about the emotional and mental damage these storms will do. Losing an entire livelihood is scarring. Everything you've ever had is gone overnight.

People die during these storms.

I remember going to New Orleans a few years after Hurricane Katrina hit. My church youth group was down for a big conference with all the other ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) churches in the United States to help the city and celebrate Jesus. It was hard to see that some areas that were still suffering because of the damage the storm had caused, even after a few years. Three years later, the ELCA youth were again in New Orleans to help with the clean up.

I hope everyone is able to stay safe during Hurricanes Irma, Jose, and Katia. If you would like to help out by sending donations, I'd recommend going to Charity Navigator to check different charities that are working on relief efforts. They already have pages for Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey.

I can't even imagine what the people most affected by these storms are going through. I hope you are able to stay safe, especially those of you also in the path of Hurricane Jose.

Welcome To The Cold

When will it be spring again?

So I survived the Polar Vortex. It was not what I would call fun or ideal. In fact I kind of wish it hasn’t happened at all. My ideal temperature is 60 degrees F. I can’t quiet remember what that is in C, so sorry my non American friends who are reading. I like the fall, not snow. Maybe Queen Elsa decided to grace us with her gift (Did a congressman suggest that she couldn’t cool things down in DC?).  Whatever the case it was cold and my heater started to malfunction. 

Yes that’s right, in the middle of the coldest cold spell to hit the United States in planet only knows how many years, my heater decides die. It was cold; I was unhappy and somewhat panicky. Not having heat wouldn’t have been too bad (I actually prefer it colder in my apartment to warmer), but my mom had to tell me what happens in the winter if pipes freeze. Apparently they burst and spread chaos and destruction. I did not want that to happen. I called maintenance and they fixed it all in the same day (mainly because I wined and started crocodile tears and mentioned that is was lower than 60 degrees F). When I got home my apartment was once again at my favorite settings. There was a note that said the capacitor had needed replacing. It was a good thing they fixed it. 

I know I wasn’t the only one with heat woes. Someone I know at first did not have hot water, and then a pipe burst at his place and turned his street into a solid sheet of ice. So things could have been worse for me. I am grateful everyday that my apartment is still standing. I also now know that pipes bursting in my area is a real threat and that I should be prepared for such things happening. This is why I brought insurance. 

I also found it amusing all the people who claimed that this cold spell proved that global warming is a lie. Honestly some people just have their heads buried in the sand. Global warming is real due to humans and naturally occurring cycles. Maybe if we have a super volcanic eruption within the next ten years we won’t have to worry anymore. Not that global cooling would be a good thing either. Ice ages tend to cause bad tempers (see the little ice age on the History Channel).

Thankfully the cold spell has dissipated and things have gotten (marginally) warmer. I saw Frozen this weekend. I give it two thumbs up. I really enjoyed it and thought the “true love” aspect was perfect. I won’t give it away (spoilers) because I am already really bad about giving things away in TV shows. I highly recommend going to see it or renting / buying it when it comes out on DVD. I really like the song “Let It Go”. The transformation of Queen Elsa is incredible. 

I hope everyone is able to stay warm this week. I will hopefully finally take down my Christmas decorations. Spring can’t come fast enough.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please comment and / or share it. I love hearing back from people and it is always nice to know other people’s opinions.  Until my next post!