Quaking

In 1999, in preparation of Y2K, my family stocked an upstairs closet with jugs of water, canned food, first aid supplies, etc. Y2K came and passed ... and eventually those cans of pinto beans made their way to the dinner table.

Then, after September 11, 2001, we restocked the closet (this time throwing in several rolls of duct tape). But, alas, the United States kept the terrorists at bay ... and again, the contents of the closet were slowly depleted (hey, it beats a trip to the grocery store).

Now, it's time to restock the closet.

I live on the New Madrid fault line. In the last few weeks, a number of earthquakes have hit the region (see this map). It's only a matter of time before the city crumbles. And I have no doubt that it would largely crumble, since so many buildings are not earthquake-retrofitted. Why? Because we went 150 years without a serious earthquake ... and builders got a little lax somewhere in the middle there. I work in a converted police stable. Yeah, like a horse stable. No way that thing is going to stand up to even a minor quake. I think I need to go shopping for a stylish -- yet functional -- hard hat. Whatcha think?

Now on to something completely different...

I'm sorry if I came off sounding like the victim in my previous post(s). And I'm sorry if I've made Matt out to be worse than he is. Paul likes him. I like him. He's easy to like. And, at least this morning, I'm getting a little defensive of him because I feel like you guys think he's a monster -- that I've portrayed him some way I shouldn't have.

It looks as if I'm losing another dear friend, who's probably moving away too soon for my liking. Last night, I got in my car and just cried about the whole situation, how this winter has been so amazing and how everything's coming to an end. After half an hour, I had a poem. It's downstairs, but maybe I'll share it later.

I'm defensive because I'm loyal and jealous and stubborn. But mostly loyal. And that makes me sometimes changes my view of reality ... like now.

::sighs:: Running late for work. All my love. Peace.