Wicked Weather

The weather has been pretty wild here the past few days. Incredibly rainy... well further north it's been crazy, it just got really windy and rainy here yesterday. A huge barge got stuck on a sand bar and has basically been pushed up onto some public beach in Newcastle; worries of the waves breaking it apart overnight were all over the news reports last night. Roads have been washed out in flooding, and people are missing from cars being swept down rivers where roads once travelled.

Weather is daunting. But I like it. Not to disregard the people and families who have been aversely affected by such weather, I give them all of my love. There's still some kind of guilty pleasure and fascination I have with inclimate weather. Is inclimate a word? Should I look it up on a dictionary site? Am I being overly lazy right now because I don't feel like doing so?

The sublime power it has. The feeling of smallness it can make one feel. The vastness of the universe it reminds you of. Walking to uni today I was reminded of those scenes - walking to uni Ryan? I thought you were done with classes? OH BUT I AM! However I still have two papers to write and two exams to take... which is why I'm not doing them right now (?).

Walking to uni today, amistd the litter of leaves and branches, unmoving from the howling wind because they're so saturated with rainwater, I saw unbrellas tossed lifelessly in gutters, bushes, trees, in the middle of the sidewalk, and on doorsteps. They were opened, closed, half way mangled, upside down, rightside up, and even entirely destroyed. Like fallen soldiers from the previous night's battle, I envisioned the umbrella's owners trying to do nothing more than get home, only to flip out at the last umbrella inverting gust of wind that spays that innocent individual in the face with a cold blast of air and sheet of water.

I'm finding myself wondering if I made the analogy of fallen soldiers because I watched a war movie last night. I also find myself (I think) not enjoying the war movies quite so much because my cousin is overseas playing bang bang right now (I think), as are family members of so many other people. Interesting point for me to ponder.

The umbrella warriors throw down their umbrella in disgust and desperate frustration at the weakness and lack of courage their thankless umbrella has shown. Reminiscent of those scenes in Forest Gump and Bruce Almighty, as Leutenant Dan sits atop the boat lookout being swalled by the treacherous seas challenging God; and Bruce screams defiantly into the sky, "Smite me you almighty smiter!" Or whatever it was he said... Tossing their spent comrades to the side, the umbrella warriors scream psychotically into the stormy evening air, soaked to the bone, and continue onto their fateful journey home towards warmth and comfort - If they are infact as blessed as you or I to have some place to shelter themselves for the night.

Jazz festival tomorrow. Hot dog, can't wait!