**

We got a lot of wind, a little rain and not much else. The electricity went out for about an hour and a half, but that was the worst of it.

Well not really.

My office is on the second floor of our building. Everybody who lives in tornado country knows that the safest place to ride out a tornado is on the lowest floor of the building you are in. You should find a windowless room in the center of the building and hide under a desk or other similar cover and put pillows and blankets on top of you.

They say a tornado sounds like a train coming through. Well, I worked a 12-hour shift while Hurricane Ike was coming on shore (6 p.m.-6 a.m.). My responsibility was to update the crawl on the bottom of the Camp Swampy TV channel when new information came in. One of the things I updated was that "If a tornado forms on Camp Swampy, a siren will sound. If you hear the siren, take shelter immediately!"

So I'm sitting in my office watching "The Fantastic Four" on DVD (at about 3:30 a.m.) and the siren goes off. That means a tornado has formed in our area (just in case you missed the part above about the siren). I run next door to the TV station (also on the second floor) and start updating the crawl. I am the only one in the building so it's pretty quiet but I have been worried about the tornado thing ... because I'm on the second floor ... again ... obviously.

Suddenly, I hear this "freight train" sounding noise coming from behind me. I am FREAKING OUT! I'M ON THE SECOND FLOOR! WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING HERE? I rush and get as much of the update on the screen as I can and notice that the sound isn't getting louder.

It was the freaking window unit air conditioner ramping up.

I think I peed my pants a little bit.

Thank you God ... even though you hate me.

By the way. I'm divorcing my wife and devoting my life to wooing this woman as the mother of my kids:

Just sayin ...
(Graphic courtesy of Rachel Lucas)

Posted by Tommy Gunn at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

And I just got done chainsawing up the last tree in my yard left from Hurricane Gustav. God hates me, I think. **Sigh**

Posted by Tommy Gunn at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Oh.My.God!

I have been following the media frenzy surrounding Sen. John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. I know there is a lot of stuff out there that proves why she should drop out as his running mate. I mean, she has a special needs child and an unwed teenager to think of. She should probably take off her shoes and get back in the kitchen and start making supper.

But up until now, there has not been any real proof of wrongdoing. Until now:

The felonious couple were handcuffed and taken to the local police station for booking, where they are being held without bail as potential flight risks and a danger to the public order. This blatant criminal conduct threatens to be the "mote in the eye" that will force Palin to withdraw her nomination for Vice President, as the McCain team debates the imagery of filming her next series of campaign speeches from a jail cell.

Read the entire, slimy saga here

Tsk, tsk. Damned hypocritical Republicans! Shame on you Sarah and Todd Palin.

**UPDATE**
You may know I love the new Battlestar Galactica series. I never put this together in my own mind but check this comparison out. Is it just me or does Sarah Palin look like the twin of the woman playing President Rosalin? And McCain as TIgh is no slouch either. I guess the good new is that if this President/Vice President thing doesn't work out ...

Posted by Tommy Gunn at 6:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Yesterday evening, Hurricane Gustav hit central Louisiana and immediately took a jog north, bypassing DeRidder. We didn't even lose electricity or cable. All is well with us and we are celebrating with a dinner of Chef Boyardee Ravioli and watching the Republican National Convention. Yeah, I know I'm a freak but I watched all four nights of the Democratic National Convention and I'm an equal opportunity employer. Sue me.

One thing I have to say, however, is that I have never been prouder to be a Louisianian. Bobby Jindal? Governor Bobby Jindal? I have a total man-crush on him and want to have his babies. Piyush "Bobby" Jindal showed us what a difference a proactive response to a disaster like Hurricane Gustav can make. Louisiana is a better place because of his leadership and I look forward to what the future holds under his guidance. Thank you Piyush.

Posted by Tommy Gunn at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I went in to work this morning at 8 a.m., helped update the information on Camp Swampy T.V. Mrs. Gunn came in to work with me. She got called in to work at about 8:30 a.m. Unfortunately, she works in the emergency room of the (that's right, THE) local hospital, so now she has to stay there until the hurricane is past and the emergency is over.
When I got back from taking her to work (we still only have one car, hence her coming in with me) I surfed the Internet for a while until my boss came and let me go. It was 11:30 p.m.

Because of a miscommunication I got a call telling me to come back in. **sigh** I went back in, leaving my two boys to fend for themselves, thinking I would be gone for a couple of days. That's okay. I'm cool with that. They are adults who know how to cook and can take care of themselves. After a few hours of surfing the Internet again, I was released ... again. So here I sit, preparing to make supper and waiting for the arrival of Gustav, which should be on the doorstep in a couple of hours.

Not that we are terribly worried, but again, I ask for your prayers. See you on the other side with pics ... I hope.

Posted by Tommy Gunn at 5:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)