Hurricane Rita was highly uneventful compared to Katrina. I couldn't visit Jeff in Houston because everyone evacuated and the interstate was contra-flowed (if that's the right word). I'm pretty bummed out about not seeing him. But I did get the day off of school since the mother-campus closed. Yay! Now I have extra time to prepare for exams, wash clothes, buy groceries, and battle my sinus infection. (I really hate having the sniffles. <_<)

Our power went out for over 24 hours. Being the over-mediated family that we are, I went a tiny bit crazy until I got out of the house. I think the areas of low pressure have an effect on me similar to altitude sickness. I felt lethargic and nauseated most of the day until I left the dark house with its sunshineless windows and into a restaurant with bright, bright artificial lights. Everything was closed except a few restaurants and the Target across town. Target has never been so beautiful.

I bought a purple wig there. Halloween really is the best holiday.

I cancelled my WoW account once the power came back. I'll reactivate it at Christmas, I'm sure. Its just with gas prices and all... you know. My bank account is only getting emptier ^_~ There is ONE good thing I'll be spending money on though... Jeff is going to get me a signed copy of Neil Gaiman's new book, Anansi Boys. I'm totally jealous that he'll actually meet one of my favorite authors, but at least I'll have a signed book. Hopefully this book will be a good one. Though Neil has yet to disappoint me.

I've not lifted a pencil since school started. I hope my drawing skills haven't atrophied, especially since I've been asked to design a shirt for the Student Nurses Association. I've a few ideas... but I'm having difficulty expressing them adequately. If only I was more properly trained in graphic design. Oh well. ^_^

Don't know when I'll get the chance to go to Houston again. When I do go, I hope I have a chance to go to the Texas Renaissance Festival. I really love visiting it each year, even if I can't afford to buy much. Its just fun to watch shows, see the crazy costumes, and listen to the baroque music.  ¶ 10:50

I've started another blog.

Don't cry, it doesn't mean the death of this one. I just wanted to record my nursing school experiences somewhere other than this place. Esunasoul is like my house, and I am a Nursing Student is like my work. I don't want to mix the two of them up.

If you seriously want to read about what I'm studying and what body fluids I come into contact with each day, go there. This site is for artistic, philosophical, and personal ramblings. If I ever have time to do them.

I'm going to cancel my WoW account soon. No time for that. Bummer.

One day... when I have all that free time again... I'm going to finish my comic and we'll all have a party. It doesn't look like I'll be able to do much more than sleep when I'm not studying this semester, much less draw. If only someone else could draw for me! (Writing isn't the time-consuming part. It's all the pictures...) Anyway, I've not stopped dreaming yet. Never that.  ¶ 19:24

You asked.
School uniforms! Weeee!  ¶ 15:05

If you can't tell, I'm really busy these days. Like whoa. I've never studied so hard in my life.

Sorry I'm not around so much.

Hopefully I can stay ahead of the game for a while.

Hospital rotations start tomorrow. Wish me luck.  ¶ 13:43

I am tired of cynicism!

Yes, there were some people who were capable of evacuation and made stupid choices. But there were countless others incapable for several other reasons (sickness, age, etc). Several people I've talked to don't have their facts straight, so I refer every one of you to this page.

Katrina strengthened overnight from a class 1 to class 4.

On Saturday 8/27 the National Hurricane Center in Miami extended a Hurricane Watch for Louisiana. At 5pm, Mayor Ray Nagin called for a voluntary evacuation of the city but Greyhound & Amtrak stopped service in New Orleans late Saturday Night.

On Sunday 8/28, Mayor Nagin issued a mandatory evacuation order and the City of Chicago offered the federal government help but was refused.

On Monday 8/29, the hurricane hit the coast. Levees broke in the late morning.

So, these people were told to go to the Superdome if they couldn't make it out of the city for whatever reason. No one expected them to be stuck there as long as they were. Also, I think it would have been a BAD idea for these people to try to walk out of the city on foot when a hurricane was coming. The closest major city is around 70 miles away.

Consider these things:

1. There was no city plan to bus out people who normally rely on public transportation to get around. There was no city plan to evacuate hospitals, nursing homes, or even the zoo animals. The appointed shelter was not stocked with emergency supplies (they told everyone to bring their own food, enough for 3-4 days "to be safe"), and there was no emergency communications grid in place. Apparently there were committees working on just such a plan and they hoped to have it completed by next year. Oops. Too late.
2. In the beginning, the interstates were so packed that cars moved at a rate of about 10 miles per hour. After the rain, the interstates were flooded.
3. The city has been ordered evacuated SEVERAL times, (twice last year alone) and nothing has EVER come of it. Those who believed they could weather the storm were caught off guard. You can only cry wolf so many times.

Don't you dare look at the news and think that every New Orleans refugee was a looter or drug addicted ward of the state. Thousands of people died. More than in 9-11, they're predicting. I happen to think that being poor might be a damned good excuse for not getting out of the city. Being stupid is one thing, but don't think that it's the same thing as being poor.  ¶ 13:45

So, New Orleans. Yeah.

Louisiana isn't doing so well.

Me? I'm very busy with school. I am in class from about 9-4 every day; even if it says I get out at noon I usually end up having to stay for something. Easily 150-200 textbook pages of reading a week. I'm still trying to adjust my sleep schedule to getting up at 6.

I am very tired.

My heart is broken for the people homeless people from along the coast. Donate to the Red Cross if you can. This is a disaster. I've talked to a lot of apathetic and cynical people who think the city got what it deserved. I'm biased as a nurse maybe, but I don't think that's the way to be at all.

I'm also sad for all those stomped Iraqis. They're hardly mentioned next to the hurricane news, and more of them died on that bridge than the whole coast I believe.

The world is short on compassion.  ¶ 21:14