au revoir New Orleans

blatz · #1 08-28-2005, 01:02 AM

Sticking it out here...spent the day helping some friends batten down their hatches. (My hatches are rented, so they need no battening)

We've been through a bunch of these warnings before, but when I was in the supermarket, everyone was so nonplussed it was eerie. It felt just like the pleasant scene in any movie right before the moment that the huge disaster strikes. People were stocking up on water, but their hearts were not into it. Seriously spooked me a little. Not enough, though, to sit in traffic for hours on end.

I have my water wings and camera ready and am hoping to have as much fun as possible without actually getting killed.

And wish the best to my fellow New Orleanians (and all Gulf Coasters, depending on where it hits, if it does), their families, pets, and houses. If things get desperate, I got plenty of canned tuna, enough for all of you.

garyjacosta · #2 08-28-2005, 02:08 AM

I live in Dallas now, but I grew up south of New Orleans and both my family and my in-laws still live in the area. I think the apathetic attitude can be explained by all the near misses in the past 2 decades. I can remember vacuating on several occasions as a child, only to have the hurricane change course at the last minute and head for wherever we had run off to!

I sure hope this one is a miss too. (Don't have room to put up the inlaws if their house gets demolished!) Stay safe guys.

Ed Miller · #3 08-28-2005, 12:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I can remember vacuating on several occasions as a child, only to have the hurricane change course at the last minute and head for wherever we had run off to!

[/ QUOTE ]

We did that too. In 1985 we evacuated to Picayune for Elena only to have the eye go straight over us.

BreakEvenPlayer · #4 08-28-2005, 03:29 AM

I know you've been through the warnings a lot, but this Katrina is a huge bitch. You should really consider leaving.

BreakEvenPlayer · #5 08-28-2005, 06:43 AM

This is going to be ugly.

Benholio · #6 08-28-2005, 07:03 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I know you've been through the warnings a lot, but this Katrina is a huge bitch. You should really consider leaving.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously. This thing just about fills the entire Gulf, and has strengthened from 115mph to 150mph winds at the core. (5 mph shy of category 5). I don't see how this thing could 'miss'.

Lazymeatball · #7 08-28-2005, 07:42 AM

Now a category 5

also, this isn't anything new, but is anyone else pissed that they now alternate between male and female names for hurricanes. You wouldn't name a boat Steven, and there shouldn't be any hurricanes named Harvey.

astroglide · #8 08-28-2005, 12:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
...but when I was in the supermarket, everyone was so nonplussed it was eerie. It felt just like the pleasant scene in any movie...

[/ QUOTE ]

nonplussed means bewildered, not unaffected

i would definitely leave if i were you, even though the experience of staying would sound like fun

mosta · #9 08-28-2005, 02:38 PM

I'm staying too. I could have left with friends for houston yesterday, but preferred to try to get more work done at home. May not happen. But I'm in one of the massive old warehouses in the w'house dist. I don't think there's any risk of major structural damage, but I really hope my windows don't get blown out. I face south, and I have all the GNO ramps right in front of me so hopefully that buffers wind which hopefully won't be right into me. If the windows blow, I'll just go to the hall. If the water comes up more than 20 feet, I'll just go to the third floor hall. A couple other friends staying will have their boat ready to ride, so I'll be able to exit by my window on Tuesday. We've got the week off for law school. and I guess maybe we'll have the whole semester off. too bad there's no way the building is going to board up the hundreds of huge windows. I wish I'd thought to do it from the inside yesterday.