Earl Turn’s Me On
I was beginning to get a bit disappointed since it is September and we haven’t had any real tropical storms or hurricanes thus far this year. Yeah, I know. Some might say it’s a blessing or some sort of other positive shit.
But once you’ve lived in a tourist area for over 17 years, you look for the distraction. Oh, and the mandatory evacuation of all of those tourons is pretty exciting, too. Sometimes the blood life of the area gets to be quite annoying and I wish they would just go away. I know if that happened the Outer Banks would become the Ghost Banks as all but the retired and recluse would dry up and leave, so when something like Earl happens I get pretty turned on.
Plus, I suppose you could call me a disaster freak. I love watching disaster movies and following real-life disasters around the world. No, no, I am not the anti-Christ or a sadist. I just find them interesting, intriguing and awesome!
Okay, so I’ll explain. As I mentioned in a previous post, survival of the fittest is one of my strongest beliefs (I promise to get on my soapbox about that very soon) and disasters tend to work with that design. However, I think it’s more that I find human nature showing it’s true colors when the need is urgent.
There will always be those ass-holes that can’t seem to look beyond the “poor-me” syndrome or have the “to hell with everybody else” attitude, but mostly people put there differences, selfish tendencies and bad behaviors aside and step-up to the challenges faced during and after disasters.
It provides hope that human-kind is not a total disaster in and of itself! This is what really finds me in awe of any disaster. The humanitarian efforts and volunteerism of ordinary people. The strength and willingness of professionals that put their personal and family needs second to saving the masses.
It’s a wake up call, a slap in the face if you will, to provide us with a renewed sense of how equal we really are. How important each human is. How coming to the aid of others can save ourselves from getting lost in the “rat-race” of self-absorption.
So we prepare.
Yes, I am a main-lander now, living across the sound from the Outer Banks somewhere near the point of Sanderling, but we will still get quite a punch from the winds and rains. Generator, check. Gas, check. Flashlights, check. Batteries, check. Water, check. Food, check.
Propane for the grill, definitely! Beer and wine, absolutely! Can you believe they stop selling alcohol if a big hurricane hits??! I know, there are idiots who go overboard with that during disasters, but I’m all for a Hurricane Party.
For all my friends and family that live on the beach: stay safe and get out before you can’t if things go to hell! We got the room and you are welcome, just give me a ringy-ding.
So bring it on, Earl! Let’s see what you got!
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13 Comments
Okay, this is freaky…as I’m reading your post it starts to violently storm outside! I think Central IL is getting the after effects of Earl right now! And why do I want to keep calling it “My Name Is Earl?”
Brookeamanda, I know, right? About the Earl name thing. And your storm system is what keeps our storms from getting too bad. Thanks!
I am not making any of this up: I have survived EVERY natural disaster one can imagine; earthquakes (San Diego), fires (San Diego, Colorado), hurricanes (Mississippi coast, Florida coast), tornadoes (Colorado plains), floods (Phoenix, Denver), mild tsunami (San Diego) blizzard/avalanche (Colorado), and yes, I was within 1 hour of Mt. St. Hellens the day it blew in 1980. All true.
That said, though there have been (some serious) hardships caused by these to loved ones, friends, and even myself, I have LOVED and learned from every disaster which I have survived. And I have always enjoyed the floods, hurricanes, blizzard, earthquakes, and I don’t really know why — I just like severity.
Among the better qualities of the human condition, and barring those rare asshole exceptions, is that when things are at their very worst, we are at our very best.
Emergefit´s last [type] ..Unfriending Myself…
Extremist’s. I think that’s what that might label people like us, Roy. Whether by choice or not It’s all or nothing most of the time and the more intense the more exciting.
My daughter tells me that I am relentlessy addicted to severity. The good news is, I don’t have to create it — it usually finds me
Emergefit´s last [type] ..Unfriending Myself…
Nice…we attract what we exude/need, right?
While in college we had a bunch of hurricane parties down here in south Florida especially back in 2005 with hurricane Wilma. I never thought the body was capable of living off just kegs of beer and bottles of booze for a week. Thank God, we’ve been lucky not to get hit hard the past few years, I don’t think my liver could handle it.
Sorry to say, MMA, but this is what I put in the category of idiots who over do during disasters!
Lisa… I LOVE YOU! HA HA! You made me laugh SO HARD about TOURONS. We now have an official word for them! We always referred to them as “stupid tourists” mumbled under our breath. But now… Tourons…. LOVE IT.
I was disappointed at the tiny bit of wind we had in Va Bch. Our Corolla neighbor told us the traffic out of OBX was unbelievable… three hours for 20 miles? WOW. TOURONS. LOLOL!!!
Katherine´s last [type] ..Did You Hear The One About Hurricane Earl
Katherine, yeah, Earl was all talk and no action. Most would say we dodged a bullet. I say pooh, where’s the fun in that.
And yep, most tourists check their brain at the bridge. Hence the term: tourist + moron = touron!
We never get to evacuate here, nothing every interesting happens except for tornadoes and you don’t get any warning for those. I do love to watch a good hurricane on the news however.
Jen´s last [type] ..And…They Are Back!
Jen, I’ll take a hurricane over a tornado any day! Those things drop, like you say, without warning. Now that’s exciting! But very scary, too. Can’t plan for a tornado party…
Everyone has their opinions on things. You do have a unique way of looking at things though. Keep posting. I am looking forward to seeing more on this topic.