Insomnia and tsunamis

Sleep eludes me. I've flipped past every news channel and absorbed as much as I want to hear. Everything from Nancy Grace's shrill voice (that invokes some carnal desire to shove a sock that has been living on a slimeliner's foot wrapped by mid-season X-tra Tuffs into her mouth) to news of David Duchovney's trip to rehab for sex addiction - yeah big surprise there. I've avoided pausing at the gaggling over poor B.P., I really truly feel for her... bad enough to have to face the music of consequence, but to be ripped to shreds on national media for nothing more that what brought a great portion of us into the world in the first place.

I did pause and watch the aftermath of Gustav, breathing a small sigh of relief that the storm weakened before the complete disaster repeated itself. I am curious now, however, whether or not evacuations will be as successful the next few times there is a spinner heading toward New Orleans, or if people eventually will become placated that level of destruction can't or won't happen again.

This leads me to start thinking about our own state of Kodiak placation. My generation was raised in the shadow of the '64 earthquake / tsunami, with the frightening tales freshly embedded within mealtime chatter. I know I'm not alone in my childhood nightmare of the sea coming to eat your house out from underneath you while you sleep. We even evacuated a few times in the 80s, which led me as an adult to purchase my home as far away from the shore to prevent that occurance, should it occur.

With all this deeply ingrained in my psyche, you'd think I'd be prepared ... or that I'd have confidence that our island would be truly prepared. I know too many people who live paycheck to paycheck, barely scraping by... and I doubt they either have stockpiles, or alternate heating, or even a clue as to the disaster game plan.

Sure the city has the official Emergency Preparedness Guide that covers earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, chemical leaks (wow, did you know that each of the canneries on cannery row has enough ammonia to wipe out downtown?) ... and the Mirror used to annually produce a Disaster Preparedness special section. I'm certain people read these things, and think to themselves, I should get my disaster kit prepared... maybe tomorrow, or the next day, or next week, month, year. I know I'm one of them.

So I propose this, with your extra special dividend this year, set aside just a few dollars and build up your kit. (Some ideas seen left from page 39). Keep in mind we are likely to be without power for quite a while if KEA gets drenched, and you should think about what you will do about heat, food, and communication. The schools disperse a plan within their admission packets, wouldn't be a bad idea to read that again. If I thought the influx at Taco Bell was a bit overwhelming, I can't imagine the already combat status parking lots filled with panicked parents.





Okay, I'm done with the gloom and doom and apocolyptic babble... I'm starting to sound like S.O., sans conspiracy theories. I'm about ready to force pop-culture tourettes on myself and start spitting out random 80s lyrics.

"That's great it starts with an earthquake,
birds and snakes and aeroplanes...
lenny bruce was not afraid,
eye of a hurricane listen to yourself churn..."

incoherently rambling...
I'll stop.