September 15, 2004
956 millibars
9/15/04
As I write this, Hurricane Ivan is just barely missing New Orleans. This is the first hurricane in history that is only one letter from my own name, and it would be right awful if it destroyed the most magically awesome town in America. Our friend Fran in Chapel Hill hated the fact that Hurricane Fran destroyed so many of our buddies' houses in 1996.
(Actually, if we have a 19-hurricane year in 2007, then Hurricane Van will be only one stroke away from my name, and that would really suck. With my deep addiction to irony it would take out Brooklyn with me in it.)
Anyway, they say a direct Category 5 hurricane would leave New Orleans 20 feet underwater, and not nice water either - millions of gallons of fetid propane and giant balls of fire ants. Anyone who has any affection for New Orleans, or any understanding of the impossibility of evacuation, knows it would be worse than 9/11.
The Crescent City let me taste liquor for the first time (a bottle of Evan Williams with the Budster in 1987), site of some of the best times we've ever had, and is one of the few places in the world where I never feel steeped in anxiety. Tessa and I, for our part, would like to send our thoughts down to Mobile Bay, where our brother-in-law's family is riding it out, and thank the Buddha for leaving New Orleans out of this one.
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Royal Street, Sept. '01
It's possible that the fear of Van could give you a stroke - then you'd have the stroke that differentiates the two of you... Besides, you and Tessa may very well have a rugrat by then, so it would more likely end up being a mini-van. Please, somebody stop me before I hurt myself.
since you seem to have connections with the weather buddha, put in a good word and have ivan stay away from us in north georgia, including your buddy's steakhouse. its heading our way and tornados are already popping up. also, the big daddy pine in our backyard is aimed right at our bed and I swear its flipping us off every time it sways towards our window.
since you seem to have connections with the weather buddha, put in a good word and have ivan stay away from us in north georgia, including your buddy's steakhouse. its heading our way and tornados are already popping up. also, the big daddy pine in our backyard is aimed right at our bed and I swear its flipping us off every time it sways towards our window.
Ian Darling,
That hair. Dear God.
Now Tanya, you know that New Orleans' humidity adds volume.