Let Me Know
Saturday. I was tired today. I wonder if I'm kidding myself about “only” drinking two large bottles of beer last night or if I was just ”tired“ after a long week of days and nights doing good works and saving the nation? What the hell, it happens. And, as it happens, there was a Sistahs Steppin' In Pride ’05 (gay women of color although, as you can see from the pictures, everyone was invited) forming up for a march down the street today at noon and I walked down and shot a couple of pictures and, tired or not, hung over or not, whining or not, I was pleased.
Sunday. This hurricane closing in on New Orleans does not sound good. I've read news articles in the last year analyzing what might happen to New Orleans if a “perfect storm” were to hit and this, a category five (175 mph winds), sounds something very much like the storm they were worried about. Something about New Orleans being built below sea level and a twenty-eight foot storm surge could put twenty plus feet of water on the streets, something about their system of levies having been built to withstand a category three hurricane and not a five. The news reports are saying this is very serious, they're saying everyone needs to leave the city pronto, but no one's emphasized this “perfect storm” city floats away into the sunset business.
I heard on the radio today FEMA began a series of worst case disaster plans two years ago and their first case was New Orleans, presumably for these very reasons. How much of my interest stems from a voyeuristic fascination with mayhem; how much of it comes from living in an earthquake zone capable of similar damage? Then again, how much of it has to do with a lazy Sunday afternoon (no tiredness or hangovers here, let me tell you) after returning from photographing the local Chinese festival being held near the office? I know we all spend sleepless nights pondering these very questions. If you should figure any of them out, let me know. Here in Oakland.
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