It was a long night for some folks. For a while, we were looking at a Marathon Key live cam online, just to see the wind and waves and so forth. It's such an exposed place to the storm. I remember staying there for a few nights, how isolated it all is, and the history of the place as it comes to storms. The bridge there was still broken from the 1935 hurricane, which led to reading that book, "The Storm of the Century," which was terrifying. Safety and technology have come a long way since then, which of course led us to checking out this live cam on top of a roof of some building in Marathon.
There wasn't as much to see, other than palm trees blowing fiercely in the wind, and crashing waves. Yet closer to the shoreline was this tiki hut/umbrella thing, which has apparently captivated us, and others online. How is that still there? Since when does an umbrella withstand any substantial winds? And yet it still remained. People were waiting for this thing to blow away, perhaps wishing it to launch upwards with some sort of dramatic exit. But it stood its ground, and that was the birth of a movement: #teamtiki.
Posting online with this chat group, Madison and I would periodically share on the related chat site phrases like:
"The tiki isn't afraid of the dark. The tiki isn't afraid of anything."
"Tiki is silent. But deadly."
"Tiki has your back."
"Tiki is sizing up the enemy."
"Tiki is love."
"The tiki abides."
And so on. There were many others enjoying the tiki watch, coining hashtag phrases like "#teamtiki" or "#tikistrong" or "#tikiafterdark." There was even a t-shirt for sale (raising money for charity).
Unfortunately, as with most chat groups, things get ugly when new visitors we call "trolls" begin to post random and unrelated insults about politics, religion, and expletives. The soul purpose of these posts is to incite hate, of course.
I was careful to keep these bits from Madison's viewing. Still, she was enjoying the tiki bit a lot, hoping that the tiki makes it through the storm. We'll just have to wait and see, but that's the thing about it: it's so ludicrous to expect something like that to survive a hurricane. Yet, it just might, and we'll all hopefully be celebrating.
The power is off at the Keys, and Irma is finally approaching tonight. The course is further west than anticipated, with a direct hit on Tampa expected. It's continually shifting west though, so we'll just have to wait and see in the morning what to expect next. Presently though, Georgia will see a tropical storm on Monday, according to forecasts, and with that a lot of rain and wind.
Tomorrow morning may be terrifying for some people that remained. Some are foolish, stubbornly risking their lives to say they did it, or because they have pride, or, to quote a local police department, because of the "stupid factor." We've seen water sucked up offshore, a half mile of dry land where ocean used to be, all because of the strength of this hurricane. Of course, it's going to be replaced later by a rushing surge of ocean water. Yet people walk out there on the dry land, because why not?
It's about respect. Some people don't respect the danger they're in, or don't appreciate the grace that is given to them during their stupidity. Driving around while trees and power lines are falling all around you, just to get views on your social media channel? Or how about this one: wind surfing during a hurricane. We saw that in Miami behind a newscaster. There was a surfer a few weeks ago during Hurricane Harvey, someone who drowned.
We're in a place where our structures are stronger and can withstand more. Our technology predicts more, and our abilities to withstand a storm are better than they've ever been. But there's always a danger, regardless, and it's so amazingly stupid to risk your life for a thrill, a video, or any reason. Yet, people test fate regardless. And then they brag about it afterwards.
Meanwhile, others lose their homes while rescue teams rush out to assist trapped and struggling families. But you just go ahead and windsurf, because it's cool.
You hate to wish calamity upon someone doing something so amazingly unwise, but at the same time they sit there mocking all of this, and this righteous sort of anger builds up inside.
You hear the disrespect online as well. We were watching this tiki, and watching the weather come in. What we call "trolls" lurk online, posting hateful comments wishing destruction or expressing distress at the storm not being strong enough, or mocking God, or whatever.
Instead of all of this foolishness, we need to be like the tiki. We need to be like an umbrella, a covering that helps others, and stands up against the assaults. #tikistrong!
Okay, anyway, today was a bit of work for me. I was setting up for tomorrow's service, which is going to be fun. The rest of the family went to Goodwill, as they might not be able to do so on Tuesday, depending on the weather. Tuesday is Senior Discount Day, and by gum you don't want to miss that. But that might happen - you never know. So off to shop the thrift stores they went, coming back with some clothing items and fun stuff. They got me a "Wizard of Oz" tie, of all things. Madison for her part is enjoying the clothing shopping lately. Of course, it's not just Goodwill. The other day, we were on the Gainesville Square and she and Mommy were at a little boutique there shopping a while, trying on clothing and doing that girl thing. She loved it, and walked away with some new outfits that she had to model for me when she got home.
She comes down the stairs after getting changed, and does the runway walk thing, posing and posturing, smiling, and then walking right back up the stairs again, as Mom and I applaud. She's got her own fashion sense now!
Anyway, tomorrow morning the storm will arrive. Tonight, we prayed for our friends in its path. We know several that are down there in Florida. One family we just met at Tom Sawyer Island - they live near Tampa Bay. Another one of Madison's China sisters is down near Miami. We haven't heard too much from them today, and we're praying.
There wasn't as much to see, other than palm trees blowing fiercely in the wind, and crashing waves. Yet closer to the shoreline was this tiki hut/umbrella thing, which has apparently captivated us, and others online. How is that still there? Since when does an umbrella withstand any substantial winds? And yet it still remained. People were waiting for this thing to blow away, perhaps wishing it to launch upwards with some sort of dramatic exit. But it stood its ground, and that was the birth of a movement: #teamtiki.
Posting online with this chat group, Madison and I would periodically share on the related chat site phrases like:
"The tiki isn't afraid of the dark. The tiki isn't afraid of anything."
"Tiki is silent. But deadly."
"Tiki has your back."
"Tiki is sizing up the enemy."
"Tiki is love."
"The tiki abides."
Unfortunately, as with most chat groups, things get ugly when new visitors we call "trolls" begin to post random and unrelated insults about politics, religion, and expletives. The soul purpose of these posts is to incite hate, of course.
I was careful to keep these bits from Madison's viewing. Still, she was enjoying the tiki bit a lot, hoping that the tiki makes it through the storm. We'll just have to wait and see, but that's the thing about it: it's so ludicrous to expect something like that to survive a hurricane. Yet, it just might, and we'll all hopefully be celebrating.
The power is off at the Keys, and Irma is finally approaching tonight. The course is further west than anticipated, with a direct hit on Tampa expected. It's continually shifting west though, so we'll just have to wait and see in the morning what to expect next. Presently though, Georgia will see a tropical storm on Monday, according to forecasts, and with that a lot of rain and wind.
Tomorrow morning may be terrifying for some people that remained. Some are foolish, stubbornly risking their lives to say they did it, or because they have pride, or, to quote a local police department, because of the "stupid factor." We've seen water sucked up offshore, a half mile of dry land where ocean used to be, all because of the strength of this hurricane. Of course, it's going to be replaced later by a rushing surge of ocean water. Yet people walk out there on the dry land, because why not?
It's about respect. Some people don't respect the danger they're in, or don't appreciate the grace that is given to them during their stupidity. Driving around while trees and power lines are falling all around you, just to get views on your social media channel? Or how about this one: wind surfing during a hurricane. We saw that in Miami behind a newscaster. There was a surfer a few weeks ago during Hurricane Harvey, someone who drowned.
We're in a place where our structures are stronger and can withstand more. Our technology predicts more, and our abilities to withstand a storm are better than they've ever been. But there's always a danger, regardless, and it's so amazingly stupid to risk your life for a thrill, a video, or any reason. Yet, people test fate regardless. And then they brag about it afterwards.
Meanwhile, others lose their homes while rescue teams rush out to assist trapped and struggling families. But you just go ahead and windsurf, because it's cool.
You hate to wish calamity upon someone doing something so amazingly unwise, but at the same time they sit there mocking all of this, and this righteous sort of anger builds up inside.
You hear the disrespect online as well. We were watching this tiki, and watching the weather come in. What we call "trolls" lurk online, posting hateful comments wishing destruction or expressing distress at the storm not being strong enough, or mocking God, or whatever.
Instead of all of this foolishness, we need to be like the tiki. We need to be like an umbrella, a covering that helps others, and stands up against the assaults. #tikistrong!
Okay, anyway, today was a bit of work for me. I was setting up for tomorrow's service, which is going to be fun. The rest of the family went to Goodwill, as they might not be able to do so on Tuesday, depending on the weather. Tuesday is Senior Discount Day, and by gum you don't want to miss that. But that might happen - you never know. So off to shop the thrift stores they went, coming back with some clothing items and fun stuff. They got me a "Wizard of Oz" tie, of all things. Madison for her part is enjoying the clothing shopping lately. Of course, it's not just Goodwill. The other day, we were on the Gainesville Square and she and Mommy were at a little boutique there shopping a while, trying on clothing and doing that girl thing. She loved it, and walked away with some new outfits that she had to model for me when she got home.
She comes down the stairs after getting changed, and does the runway walk thing, posing and posturing, smiling, and then walking right back up the stairs again, as Mom and I applaud. She's got her own fashion sense now!
Anyway, tomorrow morning the storm will arrive. Tonight, we prayed for our friends in its path. We know several that are down there in Florida. One family we just met at Tom Sawyer Island - they live near Tampa Bay. Another one of Madison's China sisters is down near Miami. We haven't heard too much from them today, and we're praying.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment