It’s another weird flashback this week, denizens. However, it’s been a bit of a weird week in general, what with Bajoran-shaking earthquakes and now the impending arrival of Hurricane Irene. Quite a unique geological/meteorological time, indeed, for the D.C. area, eh?
All the Irene-inspired insanity that has been transpiring throughout the day has reminded me of the last time that a hurricane dared to approach the Capitol City. Ironically, this was a Lady “I” storm as well: Isabel, back in 2003. The very first year of LobaBlanca’s online blogerific lair. I kept up a running commentary back then, interspersing hurricane-related thoughts among my Angry BloggerTM diatribes. Some of them were actually kind of poetic. Or at least interesting enough to milk for a flashback š
Here, then, is the block of posts that I made back in 2003, to commemorate the arrival of our last blustery Lady of the Tropical Furies. I’ve even included the non-hurricane-related posts from that period, as a blast from the past of those wild and wacky Dubya Days…
9.16.03
Irritations abound anymore. I’m stressing about things that really shouldn’t stay on my mind 24/7; however, I’m glad to see that I can still revel in my gallows humor. Case in point: My apartment complex’s leasing office, in their infinite wisdom and caring, has provided us all with a handy hurricane survival guide in light of Isabel’s imminent arrival. They also provided a tornado survival guide, just to be extra safe.The hurricane guide tells us all to fill our bathtubs with water, which we could drink or fill our toilets with in case we lose our water service. Rather clever, right?
The tornado guide tells us that, in the event of a “twistah,” we should lie on our sides in our bathtubs and cover ourselves with pillows and blankets.
Guess we shouldn’t forget our snorkles?
9.17.03
So, I forgot another Isabel-inspired funny moment from yesterday. The Today Show interviewed Tom Ridge for his words of guidance pertaining to the hurricane. The Secretary of Homeland Security? Interviewed because of a hurricane? “We must rise up against Mother Nature’s terrorist attacks!”Next step: little “w” will wage war on the environment.
Oh wait…
9.17.03 :: midday edition
John Ashcroft is defending the USA PATRIOT Act’s provision that the Department of Justice can subpoena library records to see what we’re reading. Oh no. Now they’ll see that I recently read The Stepford Wives and my plot to replace little “w” with his Disney audio-animatronic peer will be thwarted.If I were Ashcroft, I think I would be more worried about the American people actually reading this piece of Orwellian drivel.
By the way, USA PATRIOT is actually an acronym. It stands for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.” Doesn’t it warm your heart and chap your ass to know that your tax dollars helped pay for word jockeys to come up with this absolutely useless manipulation of emotion-inducing verbiage?
9.18.03 :: Hurricane Isabel edition–8:30 a.m.
I’m sitting in my little veal pen (read: work cubicle), staring out the windows, waiting for the portentous arrival of Isabel. Only those who live in or have ever lived in the D.C. area could understand the hype that we inject into a mere meteorological event. Even one of this magnitude can be embellished to god-like status. At this point, I’m almost certain that Isabel has risen to the right hand of Zeus in her powers. Thank the gods that we never saw the likes of Hugo in this area. I don’t know what we would have done…On a more politically minded jag, I still believe that we can make a difference if we just make the effort to make our thoughts known. I also believe that politicians are only as powerful as we allow them to become. Finally (for now), I truly believe in the quote, “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It’s time to start raising our voices a little louder. It’s time to stop the power-hungry from believing that they have absolute power. Maybe Isabel will take some of the trash in D.C. with her when she sweeps through…we just need to help her out a little bit.
9.18.03 :: Hurricane Isabel edition–11:30 a.m. and still waiting…
Oh, but she is beautiful…
Thank you, NASA, for this breathtaking photo.
9.18.03 :: Hurricane Isabel edition–1:30 p.m. and there’s rain
The most powerful government of the most powerful nation in the world is now officially closed. Because of rain. And a little wind. It’s at a moment like this when I wouldn’t live anywhere else on earth.So, I don’t even know that much about Wesley Clark yet, and already the daily rag has moved on to speculate about Hillary Clinton’s potential entrance into the Democratic fray. Someone needs to take the controls of this ever-growing train. Anyone? Hello?
9.18.03 :: Hurricane Isabel edition–3:30 p.m. and it finally begins
I think this is going to be the final update for the day (I’ve hit a record for entries today, no?). It’s finally starting to look properly foreboding, and I believe I may be freed from my pen early today (either by company choice or by…personal furtive movements).Time to go watch Mother Nature at her canvas…it’s a thrilling sight to see…
9.18.03 :: Hurricane Isabel edition–9:30 p.m. with artistic reflection as I walk my dog
Smoke wisp clouds–violet in the glare of city lights still burning; silver over the dark of powerless streets–mottle and streak indigo sky.The rain has stopped–Mother Nature’s respite of water and wind near the midnight hour. Trees glow iridescent with waxy leaves shining wet and bright.
Isabel rests.
9.19.03 :: Aftermath?
Again the federal government is closed. Doesn’t it make the workers wonder, are they at all necessary?We lost power in our apartment complex at around 1:00 a.m. Even half asleep, I realized the surreal beauty of complete darkness.
Power is back though, and life continues…for some. Most, I think, have chosen to remain indoors for the moment. That’s fine with me…I like the quiet.
