Hurricane Sandy Is A Real B****

I've got a lot of friends that are up north dealing with this Frankenstorm. And my heart goes out to every single one of them. I've also got family up there. Which is super scary. Thankfully all my friends and family are okay.

At last count, there are seven million without power, and likely will be without it for a week (according to The Today Show). The Weather Channel showed one of their reporters standing in Atlantic City, NJ. She was standing on six inches of sand. In the middle of the street. Six. Inches. I've even seen one picture of a shark swimming the ocean-flooded streets of New Jersey, but I'm not entirely sure if that's a hoax or not.

Hoax? I'm seeing more and more pictures of this, so I'm
thinking not.
(Photo Credit: now.msn.com)

This is not real. I knew it wasn't the second I saw it.
This is from the movie The Day After Tomorrow.
(Photo Credit: abcnews.go.com)

Can you imagine that? You're hanging out in your house, worried about floods and wind and everything else that comes with hurricanes and BOOM there's a shark swimming by your porch. Okay, I live on the Florida coast, I would've thought I'd see that before someone in New Jersey for sure!

And to make this whole ordeal scarier, people are coming up with pictures that are fakes. And they look very, very real. As if people aren't terrified as it is, let's see how many computer freaks with time on their hands can bump the fear factor up to mass hysteria. I swear, some people have no brains in their heads.

And then there's the people who chose not to evacuate. Listen, I get it. Florida is sort of like Hurricane Central. It's hard to leave your home and your belongings behind. But getting you and your family to safety is really what matters the most. And honestly? I leave when there's a voluntary evac because chances are it'll turn mandatory and by that point, everyone and their momma is clogging up the gas stations and highways trying to get out.

I completely understand how ill-prepared the North East is for this type of storm. It's probably a lot like how it would be if the South East got a blizzard. It did snow here once, in 1989. I was four and thought it was so cool. I didn't even have gloves though. My sister wrapped dish towels around my hands so I could play in the snow. And you know what? We got like half an inch and it shut the entire city down. A lot of us didn't have power (I can't remember the specific number) because our power lines just aren't equipped to handle that. Bridges and roads everywhere were shut down. It was crazy. And I'm imagining that's how it is up north right now. Except no one's playing in the six inches of sand on the streets in New Jersey.

Right now, I'm so incredibly thankful that the death toll this storm has caused is under twenty (last time I checked). But that's still way too many. And no, not all of those people died because they didn't evacuate on time. Some just weren't told too, some didn't need to evacuate and got crushed by falling limbs or other objects.

And now comes the time to see how we respond as a country. If you're able to get out of your house safely, please go check on your neighbors. They don't have to be elderly to need to be checked on. If you have power and your neighbors don't, invite them over (if you know them or are comfortable with that) to help keep them warm. Especially if they have babies or young children. And when it's time to clean up? Don't hesitate for a second to help clear away the trees. If you've got a chain saw, put it to use.

It's called humanity. Right now is not the time to be stingy. And honestly, a day may come where you need help from your neighbor. And she'll remember the time you took her and her six-month-old infant in when she didn't have power to make sure they were warm. So she'll help you, without question.

All of you up north, my heart and prayers go out to you. May you stay safe during this scary time and recover stronger than ever.

~Dee

If you'd like to donate to The Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund (and I truly hope you will) please go HERE