Ready for the Storm

We just had one of the most amazing storms here in central Ohio.  The tornado sirens were blaring, and at one point lightening struck so close to us, it made a huge cracking sound that was deafening.  We had to get the cats into carriers and take cover, it was all so close.  My sister was over, and the three of us had to jam in a closet when a huge gush of wind swept by, making me think there was a tornado in our back yard.  It may have been a dramatic response, but I was in a better safe than sorry mood.

It's amazing that the sky can be so light and so dark at the same time.

I couldn't help from seeing the beauty in the storm, even in the midst of a sort of chaos.  I had trouble tearing myself away from the window at first, even though it is not a safe place to be.  I watched a sheet of rain blow in from our upstairs window, and the lightning was so thick and bright.  There was a moment when we were all in the closet that I felt completely surrounded by, and at the mercy of, nature.  I recalled a dream I had when I was younger that has stuck with me for over 20 years.  In the dream, we were living in our old house in Springfield, IL.  There was a tornado, and we all sat on the stairs going from the kitchen to the basement as the tornado swirled around us.  It completely enveloped the house, and I could see the swirling wind from where I sat.  The tornado was talking to us in it's own way, snarling almost.  And yet I wasn't scared of it.  It was almost as if we were all in it together; us, the tornado, the house.  I'm not sure how else to describe the feeling.

Proof that good comes with the bad.

I left the windows open at first: 1. because I like them open during storms so I can see and smell everything, and 2. because that's what we always did growing up when there was a tornado, and so I thought it was the right thing to do.  My sister, however, informed me this time around that you are actually supposed to close the windows:

To get to the very center of a mature tornado (where the pressure may be low enough to cause some explosive effects), the windows would have to endure 100-200 mph winds in the walls of the vortex. Those winds would be laden with boards, stones, cars, trees, telephone poles, and the neighbor's roof shingles as well as wind pressure of more than 100 pounds per square foot. This barrage would blow more than enough ventilation holes in the building to allow any pressure difference to be equalized.  Even with the windows closed, most houses and commercial buildings have enough openings to vent the pressure difference in the time that it takes for a tornado to pass.

                        ~Tornado Project

If you would like to learn more about Tornado Safety, visit FEMA.

My thoughts are with those who have not been as fortunate as us.

1. By horrormove on Deviant Art   2. By Eric Nguyen on picbitz

California Dreamin'

It's been a while since I've been to California, and I was only there for a short time.  It was during a two month cross-country trip with National Theatre for Arts and Education shortly after graduating college.  The West holds me in complete fascination, and recently I've been itching to get back out there.

With tour mates at Sequoia National Park, 2005.

There's something magical and wild about being in the vastness of the west as opposed to the cramped east (large cities being the exception).  It makes me want to build a log cabin and turn off my iPhone.  For good.  Then the thought of missing civilization, as well as family and friends, creeps in and the thought returns to a dream.

I remember visiting Sequoia National Park.  As you can tell from the picture, it looked like Middle Earth:)  I listened to a lot of Loreena McKennitt during that drive; her expansive, medieval sounding music fit the mood perfectly.  We saw the redwoods, and both brown and black bears during our day trip in the park.  

San Diego was one of the cleanest cities I've ever been in.  It had a lovely waterfront park, Seaport Village, in which we played Frisbee.  There is also a fantastic bookstore called Upstart Crow!

 And then there was San Fransisco...

I was very much in a hippie phase at the time, and spending my birthday weekend on Haight-Ashbury Street suited me just fine.  I bought a little wood carved traveling chess set at one of the shops, and we lounged in a park close by before going to an all-beer bar that had hundreds of brews on tap.  I tried looking up this haven online, but unfortunately it was many years ago, and my birthday ;) so I was unable to find a link for it.  If anyone else knows which bar this is, feel free to mention it in a comment!

 

 

Besides it being so crowded, there were some parts of Los Angeles that were enjoyable.  I was surprised to find out how compact certain landmarks were, such as Grauman's Chinese Theater and Rodeo Drive.  Santa Monica Pier was beautiful, and we had dinner one night at a family style Italian restaurant in Venice Beach that was superb.  We sat on the patio at large banquet tables, surrounded by candles and large bottles of Chianti.  At one point, servers handed out the words to That's Amore and the band played the song while everyone in the restaurant sang.  It was truly unforgettable.

Will and I have been talking about a California visit this fall, and I hope we can manage it!  Is there a place that is in your mind to visit right now?

1. Taken by my pal Adam.  2. Destination 360  3. nps.gov  4. News and Prayer  5. IgoUgo  6. Found SF  7. Thundermoon  8. World Gallery  9. Asymptotia 

Do We Believe the Jokes We Make?

In a world where so many have fought (and are still fighting!) for equality, I wonder sometimes if the jokes said in the break room or at the bar are really jokes, or if they are in actuality reflections of our inner prejudices.  At work, I am the only gal at the lunch table in a group of guys, so I've heard every "women do the weirdest things" comment.  But are the things anyone does really that weird, or are they just misunderstood?  Since women and men really do seem to operate on different wavelengths, I'm thinking it's more a question of priority than propriety.  And if the priorities are not the same between men and women, it would be hard for one to understand why something is such a big deal to the other.

This is not to say that women are innocent of sexist remarks.  There is, however, the fact that most famous comedians are men, and so they get a leg up in the joke department.  With a lack of Tina Fey's on the air, how is it that a girl can get a word in edgewise?

We've all been told that stereotypes are based on truth, and I can see the point.  The issue seems to come, however, when those casual comments are taken as fact.  It may only be subconsciously, but when the joke is believed, harm can be done.  A barrier is reinforced that stalls progress.  And while women and other cultural groups are making great headway, it will be hard to have complete equality until these prejudices are dealt with.

Guys and gals, what do you think?  Can equality be achieved while the casual sexist/racist joke exists?  Or is it a release that shouldn't be taken too seriously?  

(Photo from Soda Head)