“I am thoroughly convinced that I am paying off karma at a vastly accelerated rate.” – Cdr Susan Ivonova from “Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczinski, writer
Ok, here’s where my life takes one of its absolutely incredible twists and turns; where the roller coaster goes flying off the rails or where the thing that could never possibly happen in a million years does. And it happens to YOU. Come to think of it, stuff like this always seemed to happen to me throughout my life anyway. Perfect example: Back in 1980, I wanted to see one of my favorite musicians, Bill Bruford, and his jazz fusion group that were playing at the late lamented Bottom Line in Greenwich Village. I had planned on going to either the early or late show…no difference to me; and I was walking with my then girlfriend from the subway toward the nightclub just about a two block walk from the subway station. As we exit the stairwell, the guy in a mad dash zips past us on roller blades, almost knocking my girlfriend to the ground (the is was era of girls wearing pumps for everything and every outfit; so she almost broke her neck tripping. Caught her just in time). Being a Staten Island guy at the time (yeah, I grew up there but I was born and raised for 5 years in Brooklyn..so that’s my hometown, not that horrid place), I shouted some choice epithets in his general direction, made sure Caroline was OK, and we continued on our way. One go no less than one more block and this guys cuts us off again, and I’m ready to take his head off at this point because he was dangerously Blading through the streets on what was a beautiful and unusually cool August day. Again, i hurled some choice words his way, and he disappears.
A few minutes later we get to the Box Office, and as we get there, I see Rollerboy jetting off into the distance (probably having bought tickets for Tom Petty or The Village People). I nicely ask the gentleman for two tickets to see Bruford that evening, either show will do fine. I was then informed that Rollerboy had just bought out the last 8 tickets for BOTH shows. With no show to go to, we then spent the better part of the afternoon drinking and the better part of the evening engaged in more pleasurable pursuits (you can do this when you’re 19). But what were the odds of that happening? A guy on rollerblades beating me out for the last tickets to the show I wanted to see…and while Bruford was popular among jazz-rock and progressive rock aficionados, it wasn’t the hot ticket that night. I mean, beat me out on foot…beat me out running to the box office…but beat me on the way there on ROLLERBLADES? That could only happen to me.
Same thing twenty one years later when I was caught in the WTC during the 9/11 attacks. Then this past week, the East Coast gets hit with an EARTHQUAKE. A fucking earthquake! 5.8 Richter that had people in California laughing at us because they have those for breakfast every morning. Oh, and this happened just shortly before my consult with my cardiologist…nice timing, huh? And now comes the piece de resistance: the hurricane of this young century and one of the worst ever seen in over 100 years heading our way. So let’s do the math together: Earthquake, hurricane, and the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 all happening with a couple of weeks of each other. I’m always a bit of a basket case this time of year anyway because of the 9/11 remembrances. And of course this year will be bigger than all of them.
Can you say “xanax”? Sure you can…I like the way you say “xanax” (Could you imagine Mister Rogers saying that? Oh, that would be hilarious). This only goes to prove that it’s 3 am, I’m delirious, nervous, and am getting ready for a lot of unpleasant things I have to do tomorrow. I just thought a bit of humor before I eventually have to go silent because we will most assuredly lose power (and that should be even more fun!) might put a smile on someone’s face in the crosshairs of this monster called Irene. So I guess I am going to be joined as one with the universe faster than I anticipated, because of all the crazy things that are happening to me lately. But all I keep asking myself is what the hell did I do in a former life to deserve this? Most especially, this hurricane called Irene…
She should be called Irony.
“Goodnight, Irene…Irene Goodnight!” – popular song from the Dark Ages, LOL.
Intersections In Real Time 
Personally, I am kinda pissed at the West Coasties who are scoffing at the East Coast EQ. First of all, their EQs are usually deeper than .1 kilometers. That is an extremely shallow EQ. Shallow EQs transmit their power more easily. Second, the rock of the East Coast also transmits more readily. Thus a 5.8/.9/6.0 which that EQ was rated at more than once during the day, is more like a larger quake in the West coast. So it just goes to show that West Coasties are naive, arrogant bastards — at least the ones that posted their inane dumped over plastic lawn chairs with the “We will rebuild” captions.
As for Irene… it was only a few years back that another I-storm (Ike) devastated Houston/Upper Texas Coast — my home town — just about this time of year, too. Entire barrier islands were raked almost clean… they still haven’t re-built… Google “Crystal Beach, Texas” and look at the sat pictures. You can see that only about 1 in a hundred houses have been rebuilt. The place used to be teeming with houses from the Gulf to the Back Bay. Bottom line — take I-storms seriously. If they start talking about evacuation, don’t wait… evacuate! You don’t want to be stuck on an interstate when a bus blows up in front of you (happened!).
My brother was without power for 4 weeks. The power company kept telling him he “should” have power… he kept telling them that his entire street didn’t. They were still running one refrigerator for about 20 houses on one generator… most had gas so they could cook… or they cooked on grills outside — much better since it was HOT in early September in Houston. The benefit of all of it was that they got to know all their neighbors — people they had only waved at when mowing — or shouted at because the dog pooped on their perfectly manicured lawns. One day, my brother saw where the power problems were coming from… so he tracked down a power repair crew and talked the supervisor into coming with him so he could show him where the problem was. After 4 weeks they had power within two days.
All I can says is the same thing I told our daughter, who is now living in Queens… enough flashlights so every one in the house has one, 3 sets of batteries for each flashlight (store them in the fridge after this is over – the batteries that is), a battery powered radio, fill the bathtubs with water so you can flush, fill up every container in the kitchen with water – if the pump station power goes out you have no water, if you are going to be getting gale force winds, tape your windows so if a low flying branch comes through you have less glass flying around, take in any patio and lawn accouterments that might become flying projectiles, gather everyone in the central part of your house and enjoy the 12 hours of wind and rain! Cards and board games rule! I’m hopeful you won’t lose your power, but if you do for any length of time, get to know the neighbors.
Lastly, just think of all the karma you’ve cleared… when you go on to your “reward” maybe you won’t have to come back again!
I’m glad you’re writing regularly again. You inspire me… I may have to get back to it myself.
Love and prayers for you and your family!
Deb
PS — it is supposed to be a Cat 1 when it passes by NJ so unless it makes a left hand turn, you should only have gale force winds. Daughter just called and said she was going to Hamilton to stay with friends… I feel better. Queens is too close to the middle of Long Island – Cat 1 or no Cat 1!
D
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