Full disclosure: I have been sad this last week or so. And I only mention it, because it has given me writer’s block and drawer’s block (Is this a thing? Whatever. It is now. I do what I want.)
Against my own will, I convinced myself that talking about it might help me to move beyond it. I tried reasoning with myself on this issue, but sometimes there’s just no talking to me. And then, as if on cue, my drawing tablet broke. And that is the place where this post was made. I’m sorry if it’s weird or not what you came for.
Come back, and I’ll do better next time.
As a Florida native, I am familiar with all things hurricane. Hurricane preparedness, hurricane days, hurricane warnings. And I know one thing about hurricanes with absolute certainty: They do whatever the fuck they want.
You can be a weatherman and wear a blazer and a comb over, and you can point at a map and be all “stock up on water and beef jerky, Miami”, but hurricanes don’t take shit from anyone. Especially not weathermen named Chip.
One minute, hurricanes can be all
(hurricane image from Discovery News)
And the next, they’re like
And we all just have to go with it, because you can’t fight a hurricane. You just have to duck and cover, or whatever.
And sometimes, that’s how life goes. Because one minute, it’s June and you’re like “I have made reasonable life plans and now, I will put them into action.” And then, almost over night, you’re supposed to accept that Christmas is almost here and things don’t always go according to plan and HOLY SHIT, they’re still making Chipmunk movies? And that is a complex and difficult pill to swallow, because who is seeing these stupid movies? And also, how long am I going to be following this weird, unpredictable path? One minute, things seem to be headed in one direction and the next we’re going somewhere totally different. And why does stuff have to take so long to work out? How long is the anticipated wait time? Like, should I get a lawn chair? Or a cot? Or a baseball bat?
But sometimes, I have to go with it. Because if strange, winding paths to unpredictable destinations are good enough for hurricanes, then they’re probably good enough for me, and I should just be cool.
15 Responses to life plans and hurricanes
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A Baseball bat works against a hurricane or a chipmunk movie? I’m lost?
I remember talking to a guy in California after they had a quake. he’s all “no big deal” and then he says “I’d hate to be out there with hurricanes, you just have to sit there and watch it approach not knowing how much damage its bringing with it.” So funny the perspective because the thought of quakes just freaks me out. The one we had in MD recently was my first awake quake and it was just surreal.
“HOLY SHIT, they’re still making Chipmunk movies? And that is a complex and difficult pill to swallow, because who is seeing these stupid movies?”
This. Exact. Conversation happened last night between me and Husband. I started screeching for him to mute the TV because OMG, why?! Why are they still making this crap?!
And seriously: You have to just roll with the punches sometimes. As long as you’re actually making an active attempt to go somewhere, you are good. You can’t expect everything to go to plan, and sometimes those deviations open your world up to new people, experiences, and opportunities.
I’m going through a similar situation, where Husband and I have a topsekrut plan and we’re just trying to gather resources and money until we can do this plan, but in the interim I have to deal with stupid work and traffic and dumb people. But I just remember that goal and sometimes it just makes it all feel a little more manageable.
Sometimes it makes me feel imprisioned in this life, too…so I guess there’s that catch.
Chin up, girlie. You’ll make it through, just like in a hurricane.
bf and I had that convo last night also! It’s just fucked up.
Come to think of it, I have been pretty lethargic lately. And I too recently discovered the unparalleled travesty of a 3RD!!!! Chipmunks movie. I am convinced after reading your post that these two things cannot be unrelated.
It’s clear now that all the ills of our lives are because of those damned pipsqueak rodents. And maybe hurricanes. But at least with hurricanes, there are hurricane parties. When it comes to Alvin and the gang, rabies is the best possible outcome.
I am much older than you and still grappling with that bitter pill, which probably does not comfort you (okay, I know it doesn’t comfort you, but bear with me), but you will get through this and discover better things on the other side. Happens. Every. Time. Maybe not right away, but eventually. Promise.
She is absolutely correct. The waiting room is not so fun but it’s always worth the wait. Always.
Aw – that’s a great metaphor. It’s ture that sometimes things seem to be going in the direction you hope for and then moments later you can be all “sorry, what direction was that again?” I think the key is, to just keep going.
Also, I can’t believe they’re still making Chipmunk movies… and that they’ve now made a Smurfs movie too. It makes my head want to explode.
Drawer’s block is absolutely legit!! I will stand proud in your corner on this one!!!!
Worst feeling ever.
I’m a control freak who is trying, with great difficulty, to give over and let stuff happen.
I don’t care for it, but I’m getting better at it.
I think.
Also, is Jason Lee still doing those movies? WHAT THE FUCK? HE USED TO BE SO AWESOME. And then he grew that fucking mustache for that stupid tv show and now? I can’t even have sex dreams about him anymore.
Fucking hurricanes.
I am also a control freak/planner/lister/omg when is shit going to finally start happening-type person. I’m finally to the point in my life where I have realized and accepted that once things start to go as planned, or I start to get used to how things are going, they do a total flip in the opposite direction.
And as the mother of a 5-year old, I have to admit that we watch the Chipmunks movies. Whether we like it or not.
2011 has been a hell of a year. I believe every single plan I made for this year has been annihilated like a trailer park in a…. well, hurricane.
That’s not to say it’s been all bad, but it’s been a difficult lesson in Learning to Stop Being Such a Freak When Things Don’t Go According To Your Stupid Little Plans, OMG.
I read that first sentence of “drawer’s block” and thought you weren’t able to write anything because your dresser had gone rogue and had cornered you. That would be horrible, so I’m glad that isn’t the case.
Hurricanes and tornadoes are like the climatological honey badgers. Hope u feel better soon. Same thing happens to me, I get depressed or sick or anxious and can’t post to my blog. It sux but then the clouds life and I get back in the saddle.
All the best,
GF
I am in the same boat out in the ocean with you…. thought I was headed somewhere and then bam! Winds shifted and now I am drifting in a different direction… its hard to grasp but it only helps to accept, get the compass out and pick your next direction. 🙂
Just finding your blog, reviewing backwards through the posts. This made me laugh out loud, and read it to my coworker, who should probably not be in the loop to my workday blogosphere jaunts, but I couldn’t resist. (we understand the randomness apparent in hurricanes’ paths.)
…Whatever you gotta do to get through the darkness.