THAR SHE......doesn't blow

(All pictures borrowed from Google Images)

The excitement of the earthquake did not last long as we were forced to prepare for the treacherous hurricane, Irene. And, yes, she was just about as scary as she sounds. Allow me to fill you in on the details, per Aunt Rachel's request.

I was blissfully planning a getaway to Ocean City with "the girls" (insert finger quotations) when my roommate informed me Irene was brewing. Our trip was hastily canceled the day Ocean City mandated an evacuation (insert frown accompanied with head drooping). I then began to think about preparing for the impending doom.

(Irene smiling for the camera at Ocean City on Saturday)

When Friday rolled around, I thought perhaps I would squeeze my preparation in between work and volleyball. It turns out everyone else decided to prepare just then too. The store was swarming with people. However, the water isle was vacant due to the lack of water on the shelves. I grabbed the last two cans of chunk light tuna in water, some grapes, some bread, a can of soup, and about 7 bottles of water found in the deli section where no one thought to look. (insert triumph pose) I figured that would be sufficient in addition to my 1 dehydrated meal and gallon of water at home. I then went home, filled my freshly cleaned bathtub full of water, and went off to play volleyball with friends.

When Saturday rolled around there was a constant pouring of rain (typical of any ol' summer storm) accompanied by a breeze. Irene was teasing us with her calmness. As Irene not-so-swiftly approached, we received word that church was canceled. I called Levi some time between 4-6 pm. When I asked if the hurricane hit yet, I heard a laugh and "Has it hit yet? (insert sarcasm) Since 8 o'clock this morning!" He then proceeded to report how many trees were down and how many hours the power had been out. They were ignoring the storm at a friend's house playing cards and having a grand ol' time. (insert jealousy) I couldn't wait for Irene to visit so we could have a party! All I could do was wait for it........
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......................................wait for it................................................................
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..........wait for it...........................................................................................
...........................................(huff).............................................................
Well, I assume there was some wind and probably more rain that night, perhaps some thunder and lightning. (I wouldn't know, I'm a heavy sleeper.) When I woke up, the trees were standing, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the parking lot was dry. (insert birds chirping) No sign of Irene except for a few leaves and small branches on the ground. With no church to go to, my roommates and I went for a walk and played Rummikub for a while. It was a slightly boring day. (insert finger drumming) Thanks for nothing Irene.

(I have no clue who this kid is, but this is how I felt.)

Fight (stand-in-doorway) or Flight

Tuesday was an interesting day. My plan was to visit a few clients and then get a LOT of paperwork done at my 8th floor office on Massachusetts Avenue, in spite of the air conditioner that causes me to wrap myself in my baby blue Snuggie with clouds on it. (Don't be jealous.)

I was feeling good about my efforts to enter data, sign here, file papers, and send emails. As I stood to go get something off the printer, I heard a faint rumble and felt a small vibration coming through the floor. I looked at my coworker (#1) through the doorway. She looked at me, both frozen with an expression that said, "Did you feel that too?" Then the walls and floor began to shake more and the rumble came back louder. Something fell on a desk. My coworker and I both calmly stepped into the door frame. No words were spoken.

Just then, coworker #2 came running around the corner saying, "What's going on?!" We told her there was an earthquake and she should step into the door frame. She then began to walk hurriedly in circles not knowing what to do. Coworker #1 grabbed her and pulled her near the door frame. Coworker #2 then began hugging the wall, her leg trying to wrap around it, all the while hysterically crying, "NO!" Coworker #1 wrapped her arms around coworker #2 and told her it would be OK. I concurred by awkwardly patting coworker #2's shoulder, but really wondering how Laverne (my car) was doing in the basement.

As this is happening, coworker #3 steps into the middle of the room starring at the scene and, in his monotone voice, states "Coworker #2". Of course coworker #3 was ignored by all as he stood tempting mother nature in the middle of the room.

When the shaking ended (less than a minute after it started) coworker #3 states, "I think we are supposed to evacuate." We then calmly gather our cell phones and descend all 8 flights in a hurried manner. (Note, none of our coworkers are to be seen.) As we exit the building, there are crowds of people lining Massachusetts Avenue including all our other coworkers. My supervisor looks at me and shouts, "You're OK! I couldn't get a call through and didn't know where you were. What were you doing in there?!" As coworker #1 and I explain that we were standing in doorways, we were informed we should have evacuated by our supervisors whose eyes were glazed over with crisis. Coworker #1, from the shaky state of California, then informed everyone else that we would have lived in our door frames while they all died in the stairwell had the quake been anymore severe. As she stated this, a handful more of our coworkers exited the building with a similar report involving desks and door frames.

When we reentered the building over an hour later, I noticed I took the time to turn off my office light upon evacuation. No sense in wasting energy. Coworker #1 also noticed that she somehow found the time to pause her internet radio station. No sense letting it play if there's no one there to listen to it. It's funny what habits we pick up.

I didn't get done near as much as I had planned, but it was one eventful day!