Memoirous

Weather service have yet to determine if the severe storm May 15/16 was a weak tornado—I can only say that when I woke up Friday a.m. the damage was considerable. That being said: I slept through it. The Tiny House held. Thursday had been a beautiful albeit HOT day. I’d run and biked and made food on my day off, which also included a playdate with both grandkids. That night I folded up lawn chairs and covered my fledgling tomato plants because I’d had a couple alerts that a strong storm was going to come through. In bed I checked radar and it said about midnight. I was way too tired and closed down for the night, thinking if I heard it I’d get up and check the garden. I did hear it! My phone went off with a National Weather Alert—but I was too out of it to put 2 and 2 together. I told myself to ignore it, the garden would be fine, there was nothing I could do about it, etc. Not once imagining I could be killed. The next morning I went out to inspect the garden and everything was ...

Remember how I last wrote that I wanted to make people uncomfortable. Well, watch this: It is a first-person account of the RECENT Joplin, MO tornado. It depicts a crowded backroom at a convenient store where 18 or 19 people have gathered. We don't know if they know each other. Obviously some have come there together, but mostly they are thrown together because of a disaster. And then . . . . About half way through you start hearing people say I love you. They are saying good bye. It's amazing in one way because this is life boiled down to its most basic. It's not about stuff or plans for tomorrow or the normal routine. You can actually feel in your gut the REALNESS in this first-person account video. Yup, it's intense and very uncomfortable. I've also tried to be real with myself--am I simply watching/listening to be voyeuristic. Honestly, I am. but that's also why I read certain things. I want to live vicariously. We are drawn, however much it makes us ...