SIDE SALAD - Everything crunchy is good.

RETURN OF THE CATASTROWHORE

I've been accused of blogging about the hurricanes this year only in the interest of ramping up my visitor stats.
Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. I was one of many who stared two hurricanes down and felt the need to vent it online. Something about that experience humbles you. Some people cook when under duress. Some people do yard work. Some people snort battery acid. I write. So some people came along for the ride and read about it. So sue me.
As I see it, 'tis better to be a catastrowhore than just a whore. Think of me as a whore with a purpose. A stormy Fred Garvin, Male Blogging Prostitute with a Category 4 windblown heart of gold. When I start posting sexy, slinky, darkly lit pictures of myself online (not that it would ever be possible to capture such a thing on film), then we'll downshift into mere whoredom. But for now, I'll be glad to be considered, say, meteorologically easy.

Anyway, we now have a bundle of fun named Ivan looking down its nose at us here on the Florida peninsula. The latest forecast and emergency dictates are not good:

All tourists and recreational vehicles were urged to evacuate the Florida Keys early Thursday because the powerful Hurricane Ivan could hit the island chain by Sunday. Ivan became a Category 5 hurricane overnight with winds up to 160 mph and gusts as high as 215 mph.

Buckle up, kids. It's going to be a bumpy ride. Posted by Jeff at September 9, 2004 07:01 AM