Ugh

This whole Hurricane Katrina thing really has me down. I tend to get caught up in any sort of major news event to the point where I feel the need to check all the news sites, listen to CNN or MSNBC or FoxNews on my satellite radio, and watch the various news networks when I get home at night. This natural disaster has been particularly hard for me to pull myself away from for some reason. Perhaps it's because New Orleans really is just a hop, skip and a jump from Houston, and I have enjoyed my trips there immensely. I think part of it is that a lot of the displaced people are coming right here to Houston, and many of them will probably settle here because there's nothing left to go home to. Also, I understand the destruction that can come from a hurricane. My family has a tiny house in Palacios, TX, that got hit by a Category 1 hurricane a couple of years ago. I'm not naive enough to believe that I know how those people from New Orleans and Mississippi feel, but I do remember how exhausting and stressful it was for my parents to rebuild, and they didn't even lose the whole house. The roof came off most of the house, and everything inside got soaked, trees were down all over the place, etc. Katrina has left so many people with just a foundation, no job, no money, no possessions, split up from their families, hungry, dehydrated, scared. It's just heartbreaking. And I'm unable to understand why snipers are shooting at patients being evacuated from a hospital. I know they are frustrated, and I know they are scared, but what good is it going to do to shoot at the sick and injured? I have to keep thinking of the good people who are coming out of the woodwork to help. A local radio station has been doing a "requestathon" since 6 a.m. yesterday, and last I heard, they were close to $200,000 raised for the Red Cross. The station generally plays rock music, and they said they would pay anything for a price. I have heard "All That Jazz," a song from South Park, Vanilla Ice, "We Are the World," a rubber-ducky song courtesy of Burt and Ernie, lots of '80s music, and much more. I really feel like the city of Houston is going to come together to help out the victims of Katrina, and that makes me feel a little better. There is such a long, arduous road ahead for thousands upon thousands of people, and they will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

On a happier note, Mikey and I are headed to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for the long weekend. It should be a nice, relaxing break from the daily grind. Have no fear, you will get a trip report upon our return.