Ivan The Terrible

That's right, it's my turn to mention Hurricane Ivan. I was not around for Camille or Betsy, but growing up in south louisiana does not allow for a hurricane season to pass without hearing their tales. The only real taste of the season I ever got was Andrew in 92 which, though terribly destructive as well as being the most expensive natural disaster in US history, was in other ways nothing by comparison. It is pretty safe at this point to assume that new orleans will not get the worst of the storm - and thankfully the people of florida are not having to endure a third hurricane in one month. In that sense, my thoughts turn to the mississippi and alabama gulf coasts; they face destruction that could rival that of Camille's. But new orleans is certainly not out of harms way. Regardless of what kind of storm passes through, flooding becomes a huge issue, as a large portion of the city is built below sea level. The city has been evacuated, and I'm thankful that Deuze and most of my family members have left, but there are those who simply cannot leave. NPR did a piece today in which one such story was told. Listen to it here (real player) or here (windows media).

As the final hours wind down before he hits the coast, I find myself checking the national hurricane center hourly for updates. This whole thing is crazy. So for now, I think I'll go for a run and clear my head. I hate to admit it, but the weather in southeast michigan is mockingly beautiful today. Wish you were here, as they say. Cuidate.