"Hide from the wind, run from the water"

I walked in to my mother's room this morning, on lesson three of four from a local news cast's advice for hurricanes and what we've learned from Ian. 

Lesson three was don't compare all storms to each other because not all are equal. Irma in 2017 was to be bad with the storm surge, yet Ian was the worst. Plus, the 2022 hurricane season was pretty low in tropical activity, which hasn't been that low since 2014. 

Lesson four was what I took for the title of this post: Hide from the wind, run from the water. Which relates to lesson three of storm surges. National weather services / meteorologists / emergency management will say that in the event of a hurricane, it is more damaging in water than it is in the wind, solely due to the storm surging and flooding. Therefore, the wind won't kill you; the water will (live by the gun, die by the gun? Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger?). 

Why won't the wind kill you? Because modern buildings (at least in the last decade or so) are built with specific reinforcement codes (laws / rules), so that 130+ mile per hour winds won't get blown over, but because we have window and doors and other areas that can have water leak in and retain the water, you can have flooding in your house before you know it. Unfortunately, this doesn't include manufactured /mobile homes, as they are typically the first thing to get flattened in the upper category wind storms (as I've noticed first hand). 

To quote a meteorology website:

"[I]n areas with modern building codes and construction, structures can withstand long duration strong winds. Even when structures are significantly damaged by debris or the wind itself, they continue to offer some shelter and protection from the wind. This is why people in the path of a tornado are advised not to jump in their car and drive away but rather to shelter in place in an interior room on the lowest floor. The roof can be ripped off a building and the exterior walls toppled, yet a tiny bathroom or closet often remains intact and offers a pocket of safety amidst the chaos.

Water is different. It rises inexorably, under doors and through windows. No room is safe. Entire neighborhoods are engulfed at once – there is no accessible safe haven once the water begins to rise. Storm surge water seethes with debris, from toxic waste to power lines to floating vehicles. And unlike the wind, which weakens quickly as a storm departs, storm surge and inland floodwaters can engulf a region for days to weeks. Those who don’t drown during the storm are often trapped without water or food until rescue personnel arrive, and when the impacted area is large and damage is extensive, rescue can be slow coming."

Considering in my community alone, we had houses that had roof shingles ripped off, but the houses themselves are still fully intact. Yet, we had a solid two feet (maybe 2½ - it was knee deep on most people) of water in the middle of the road for days after Ian went away. Other places had 4 feet or more, making people swim to safety. A couple my mother is good friends with, lost their house because they had 4 feet of water circling every inch inside the home and damaged everything it touched. 

There is something to be said about water if a common quote is "Turn around, don't drown". 

Mainly due to "A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars and just 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks. It is NEVER safe to drive or walk into flood waters". (https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drown)

I've heard that six inch rule for the last few storms and was amazed people still walked through the river called our road, especially since everyone would tell me when we first moved here "don't trust or go near standing water because of possible alligators. They can hide in just a foot of water". How many times have I seen alligators in my community? Plenty. How many times had I seen alligators in my previous job? Plenty. Besides, there are other things that go bump in the night that can hide in water. Snakes for example. Those slithering fools can swim pretty quick, for having no limbs. 

It's already 7:21 in the morning. I need to start getting ready for work, so I'm going to end it here. If you're wondering why I posted this, it's all because today marks exactly six months since Hurricane Ian!!

Stay safe

Cheers

Can't screen mirror??

Well, in some sort of insane update / redo of the Hotwire routing system, we can't get our devices to talk to each other and mirror what's on our phones. 

Tonight is a master board meeting in my community. I went to try to screen mirror my mother's tablet to the streaming device we use to watch the various apps on. 

The tablet mirroring system says we're connected to the Apple TV device, but nothing is casting. I tried her phone and my phone and neither showed what I was seeing on their screens.

Since we ended up getting a brand new VIZIO smart TV for the living room, I tried to connect that way, since you can cast directly to the television if everything is on the same network (which they are). So connecting to Airplay with a generated code is what I attempted.

On all three devices. 

Not one wanted to show my screen. 

I tried my phone to my Roku. 

I could play audio for some reason (cast a podcast) but it wouldn't share the phone screen. 

Odd that Airplay / mirroring played a podcast but not showed my screen, even though it's the same thing I always do to connect to the TV... 

I'm really thinking that there is a discrepancy with the Nokia gateway Hotwire provides and the bands need to be split. We didn't have any of these problems before and I know when we had the Comcast box, all I needed to do was log in to the Comcast portal on the gateway and split the bands. 

You can't do that with the Hotwire equipment. 

Like I said in a previous post regarding trying to fix the problems myself, Hotwire doesn't allow you to do that, and there's no way in hell we're about to pay fifty dollars for a service call on something I can do for free. 

I really wish this wasn't so damn hard and the stubborn mules in charge of the community didn't go jump into a company that is beyond junk. We lost internet and television again the other day and other people are still posting online that they continually lose service. 

If any one is reading this, and they live in a community thinking about Hotwire, DON'T GET IT. 

Seriously. Do some research on this crap company. You will see a lot of negative reviews about it, and it's not pretty. 

Just because the community wants to get away from a conglomerate like Comcast, doesn't mean the grass will be greener with someone else. Please do look up Hotwire before you sign up. It's nothing but trouble. 

So like... 35 minutes after I wrote the above gripe, I was tooling around on my phone because I had updated the iOS. 

I'm the dumbest monkey in the jungle. Although I do stand by the above whine (I'll have a cheese platter with that please), I have to say that I was pressing the wrong Airplay button on all our devices. 

I was pressing the actual Airplay button  instead of the mirror button .

Yup. 

I'm a  .

It's funny; every time I do something stupid, I think of That 70's Show and Red calling Eric a dumbass. I seem to be doing that a lot lately... my brain is becoming not as educated as it was once, and I think part of it is the lack of socialization I do. 

Yes, it is my own fault for not going out and doing things, but I also don't get to talk to loads of people like I did at my last few jobs. I don't get to be in crowds or deal with anything. I sit at a computer for 8 hours and listen to podcasts, where I can't even talk about them with my co workers because my co workers don't want to hear it. 

So I get  moments and it's not fun.

Although my mother calls tonight's antics a "senior moment".

Until I can sort out my shenanigans, have a good night!

Cheers;

"Take a little trip, take a little trip"

"Take a little trip and see

Take a little trip, take a little trip

Take a little trip with me"

War. Low Rider from the "Why Can't We Be Friends?" album. 1975

Today we had company from the East Coast. Since the friend hasn't visited in well over a year, she wanted to see some areas of the city that got hit from the hurricane. We've talked about the challenges faced within limits, she's seen pictures, but she wanted to see some places we've taken her in person. 

So off we went to the Outlets towards Sanibel, the next block which is the retirement community, back around to ice cream (because it's 90° and why not?) and into another outlet mall. 

This was the first time since the hurricane my mother and I have travelled down to the Outlets and just past the area. We haven't ventured past the beach Walmart because we know the Outlets were destroyed and they still want only Sanibel (and Fort Myers Beach in the other direction) traffic crossing the bridges while the state is still trying to fix everything. Less tourist, more hyper local residents the better. 

After seeing what the areas look like, it's no wonder why I was told by someone to not go towards Sanibel unless you really have to. It's still looking a little war zony, but since we were in the car, all my pictures are blurs. I tried to get the better of the best, and after 270 something pictures, I made out with 39 that are okay enough to post. I could probably do without some of them, but at least you get the idea. 

All photos taken with my (now discontinued but sold as refurbished online) Canon EOS Rebel T7i camera. I did nothing but a quick sharpen to the photos and add my name to them. Again, we were in the car and my mother has tints on her windows. 

The ice cream shop we went into is a fan favorite and is always packed no matter what time of year. There are so many flavors and combinations to choose from, and I decided to go for something new. 

The Cold Brew Float.

I chose coconut ice cream for the "choose your ice cream" part and wow, I made an interesting choice! I wanted something that would compliment the coffee, so some crazy flavor might have killed the coffee effect. The sweetness of the coconut (with good size shreds for coconut) really made the coffee a little too sweet, but when it completely mixed together, it was definitely a change from what I normally am used to (straight coffee with creamer). As I got to the end of the drink and all that was left was clumps of coffee flavored ice, the ice chips were more on the bitter coffee side than the sweet brew I was drinking. It wasn't horrendous, but I would probably try another flavor in it if I were to get it again. My friend Shawn thought mint chip when I told him about it, and even though that would be good too, I told him you want an ice cream that would compliment the coffee.. not take away. He agreed and I wasn't going to tell him he was wrong, because I see his point too. I think the mint would throw off the flavor, but again, something to think about. 

They did have a sign at the bathrooms, that a lot of patrons were taking pictures of. It's "Just Please Wash Your Hands Sign - Inclusive Sign for Bathroom Door and is really all inclusive for those who feel like sticking it to the current governor for all the stupid bills he's trying to pass. 

But as per usual, I'm not trying to make a political statement by calling out certain things our country does, because I'm not looking to get shut down. I do feel like there are a lot of instances where those who "lead" us aren't doing what's in the best interest of the general population and are only pulling stunts to get certain votes. What's happening in Florida is just that - the appeasement of a certain side of the political spectrum that will completely destroy the future of all the generations to come once an elected official gets higher in office and continues down the "are you serious????" path he is on. 

Let's just say that I've got friends who have had first hand experiences in certain aspects of what's being shut down in schools as well as myself being a product of what's now the banned books society. I read some of them in my lifetime and I'm fine. 

I think.

Well I guess I will call it a night. Hopefully things get better tomorrow.

Cheers;

It's the fall of the American Dream?

I'm sitting in my room, minding my business, staring at my laptop. Since my desk faces my window, I can see directly outside and watch things happen pass me by.

Well, as I'm working on a webpage, I see something quickly move in the bushes. It was big and swift enough that I thought maybe some birds were fighting out there, because they do that sometimes. They like to chase each other. 

However, it being 90° outside, I don't think they're doing anything extra. So I look out and lo and behold, the flag fell from its holder. There must have been some wind that passed by, as I was watching the trees in the back go through some heavy swaying before. 

My upstairs neighbor thought she'd be honoring our neighbor after the hurricane and put up a flag on her apartment. She hadn't had any interest in hanging one prior to the storm (she is an original owner - 19 years and counting), but once she saw him do so much for the neighbors while we all were dealing with the aftermath, she went out and bought everything (well, Ed went out because he could get what was needed from the VA and she just paid him back). She then had Ed hang it up, and now it's been out since she's been home (she was out of state from December to January). 

I'm not going out and fixing it as it's not my flag to fix. Yes, the longer I don't say anything, the longer it stays disrespectful, but if I weren't sitting here, it'd be laying in the bushes regardless. Plus, she and I aren't top on each other's lists right now as we had some not so great conversations after we got back to normal from Ian. So let it sit. It's not my deal.

All said and done, it's not stopping me from writing about it and taking pictures. Again, I know by "ignoring" it, I'm not doing anyone any favors, but I'd rather let it sit there than say something. #Pettyneighbors

Oh well. I'm sure a friend or two might have something to say about this... and it won't be for me to go fix it... it'll be the conspiracy type stuff. But I'll leave that to their own private messages.

Until I hear from them... 

Don't touch the hot metal until dark.

Cheers;