Storm tracker
We had some severe weather around here over the weekend, and it reminded me just how differently Brad and I react to a stormy forecast.
My reaction to the news: Oh cool, I love storms.
Brad’s reaction: Cool? This could turn into tornados. Haven’t you seen all the news about the tornados around the country? You think it’s just going to be a little storm, but I’m worried about the roof blowing off our building!
My preparations for the storm: place a candle and some matches nearby, just in case.
Brad’s preparations: charge the flashlight, unplug the laptop, tune into the Weather Channel, pull up the local weather on the Blackberry, find a portable radio that will pick up local news in case the power goes out, close and lock all the windows, lock himself and provisions in the bathroom (okay not really).
My activities during the storm: write a paper, do a little light reading, get bored with the Weather Channel.
Brad’s activities: flip back and forth between the Weather Channel and the local news coverage, repeatedly check the weather on the Blackberry, wind the self-charing flashlight a couple more times, pace to the window regularly to watch the lightning, attempt to photograph the lightning, make sure the portable radio is working, advise girlfriend to get off the computer because surge protectors are not to be trusted, live-blog the storm from the Blackberry.
I love him for it though. I can’t join him in this kind of reaction to the weather, but I told him that someday his paranoia will probably save my life. I’ll be all, There’s cows flying through the air? I’m sure it’s fine, let’s order a pizza! And he’ll be shoving me into a basement with blankets and enough food and water to survive a week.
Also, the weather people on the local news announced that one of the stoplights in my small hometown was out. Wait no, I mean the stoplight in my small hometown was out. There’s one single stoplight there and the damn thing stopped working. I can only imagine the chaos. I bet there were multiple tractor/pick-up truck collisions at that intersection before they got it fixed.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I love storms too. I don’t do anything out of the ordinary until the power starts to flicker. Then I’ll turn off my computer and unplug it. I have candles all over the house, so I don’t need to grab anything in preparation. I guess I’ve never really had a bad experience with storms in my home. I did have a pretty scary experience in my car once. I pulled into someone’s driveway and parked, and then the car started moving, so I decided to run inside the stranger’s house. Luckily, they were home. They were totally cool with it, and it was an interesting experience.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
He’s the kind of guy you want living with you in earthquake country!
June 10th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Oh I love storms too! I do make sure to unplug stuff if I’m not using it or if I’m going to be gone all day and I know it is going to storm. (Mainly because there’s no way in hell that I could afford to replace…hmm…guess I should get some renter’s insurance, eh?) Otherwise, I continue as normal. Showers, tv, whatever.
When I’m on the road, though, it’s a whole different story. The other day, I tuned into to the weather station on the ride home and hauled ass to get home where I felt safe. I was all paranoid over nothing really and I kept telling myself to turn the radio off. It’ll be fine. But nooooo. I kept listening and becoming more paranoid by the second that some tornado was going to appear about my head and sweep me away. And I was even driving away from the storms.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Well, finally you found something that doesn’t force you into a panic and him into calm, reassuring Save The Day mode.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Hey good point lindsay! Aren’t I normally the one freaking out?
June 15th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Oh, the drama. I love the drama of a storm. If I was out on the lake in a tiny canoe it would be different. … but the whole POINT of living in civilization is because we’re safer from storms, here.