The Daily News
1 Okay, so it’s five a.m. and I’ve no coffee.
2 I awakened to realizing I had not written this.
3 I must needs have some coffee.
4 My entire weekend was taken from me.
5 And now I must needs go into a classroom for six or seven or eight hours.
6 I must avoid what I delicately refer to as “scramblers.”
7 They are the ones who wish to steal one’s time with things that are important to themselves.
8 They are massive and many, and they take away your life.
9 I already have enough of my own life taken away.
10 Sound familiar?
11 Yesterday morning awakened at five a.m. and finished grading all my papers and planning all my week’s lessons. Yes, I was in the five a.m. so that I could have somewhat of a life.
12 The second I finished, a news flash hit the teevee telling me that there was a definite threat of flooding about two scissors’ steps from my living room.
13 I have been through a real evacuation just once in my life, but had to plead with family to leave.
14 Of course I looked like an alarmist, but when I finally got everyone into the car and drove down the threatened highway, I got us all safely home. It was on a New Year’s Day, and it was ridiculous trying to convince people that when the teevee tells you to evacuate, that you should do so.
15 We did get home safely, and later that evening the news showed film of flooding in the very area in which we drove. It had film of cows standing atop barns, and areas that looked normal with rivers covering front doors.
16 When the Emergency Broadcast System tells you to evacuate, it doesn’t mean somebody else.
17 Yes, you might look stupid evacuating, but you also save your family and pets.
18 Yesterday was scary to me.
19 I’m sorry.
20 I’m still scared.
21 I packed all the stuff I would need to survive and wound up going to a church up in the hills. I couldn’t care less about the Niners or their idiotic game against the Rams.
22 I realized how few things I really cared about. All I cared about was my family, my pets, and blankets and water.
23 And I thought enough to warn people on Facebook.
24 Fortunately, the rains lightened and all turned out okay.
25 I sort of gave an “all clear” on Facebook, but was astounded at how many people remained in denial.
26 I wound up watching some extremely bad football and decorating for Christmas. It was swell, and my house looks lovely, and not at all flooded.
27 I naturally went to sleep early, and subsequently found myself up early and writing this in the freezing cold of the morning.
28 The computer naturally decided it would screw around and change font sizes and other things.
29 Good old computers.
30 So my fingers are frozen, the room decidedly different for decorations, and I am up for the day.
31 I’m glad that I am frozen and in a decorated room, and not in slosh.
32 I could have spent the night in that church.
33 Thank God for tomfoolery and inaccurate reporting.
34 Life is normal, and that is good.
35 I guess we sort of ducked the storm.
36 I’m safe.
37 My family is safe.
38 My pets are safe.
39 My Facebook peeps are safe.
40 Dude.
41 Next time listen.
42 See you again.
43 Stay safe, and stop living in a dream world.
44 Peace.
~H~
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