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FOLIO LINE FOLIO LINE M c C l a t c h y - Tr i b u n e

BY MICHAEL MAYO
Sun Sentinel

On your mark, get set, fret! Hurricane season is underway, and


you know what that means.
Six long months of watching, waiting and worrying.
Six long months of satellite maps, com-
puter models and the dreaded cone
of concern.
Six long months, followed by
six short ones until it starts
all over again.
Here now, an A-to-Z
guide to the storm
season.

A is for Anxiety, the state


we’ll be in until Dec. 1.

B is for Batteries, which


have been sitting on my
shelf so long I hope they
MCT still work. Especially the
ones for the remote control,
after I get sick of hyperven-
tilating weathercasters.

C is for Candles, which


also come in handy when
the faintest thunderstorm
knocks out your power.

D is for Depression, as in
tropical depression. Used in a
sentence: I went into a tropical
depression when my windstorm
insurance bill arrived.

E is for Eclairs, which I like to eat


by the dozen when we’re in the cone of
concern.

F is for Fugate, Craig Fugate, the head of


FEMA. Fugate, the former Florida hurricane czar,
actually knows his stuff.

G is for Government, which everyone likes to complain about.


Until there’s a storm. Then we want lots of government, as soon as possible.

H is for Hysterical, the tone too many strike when two clouds start
wrapping around each other in the Lesser Antilles.

I is for Ice, which you’ll need to keep your hurricane party beer cold.
Also comes in handy if a storm actually hits.

J is for June 1, the start of the hurricane season in the Atlantic.


K is for Katrina. You may recall her.
BY TARAH NOVAK PLAY GAMES L is for Long-range Forecasts, the silliest things ever. Sorry, here’s
Sun Sentinel what we should say: Nobody knows how many storms there’ll be or
Find those old board games
Hurricanes are a serious sub- where they’ll hit, but all it takes is one Big One to seriously ruin your
you have stuffed away in the clos-
ject. They have the ability to decade. Right, New Orleans?
et and have some old-fashioned
cause devastation and damage
that seems irreversible. More
family fun. You also can play
cards. Start a game of Old Maid
M is for Media Hogs, what local politicians turn into when a big
storm looms near.
often than not, they cause power and play with a little enthusiasm.
outages that can last hours or
even days. So if you find yourself
Your kids will enjoy it and the
next thing you know, it’ll be time
N is for the National Hurricane Center, based in Miami. Another
essential website (www.nhc.noaa.gov).
with no electricity and loads of for bed.
time on your hands, here are
some things you can do to stay
REVIVE
ARTS AND
O is for Oreos, which I also like to eat by the dozen when we’re in
RELATIONSHIPS the cone of concern.
busy.
CRAFTS
LISTEN TO MUSIC
Remember the days of hand-
written letters and stopping by Now’s the time to be creative.
P is for Plywood. Along with bottled water and gasoline, part of the
Holy Trinity of frantic pre-storm purchases. And did I mention gas is
just to say “hi”? Well, now is the Put the scrapbooking set from now $67 a gallon?
Listening to music can be an Aunt Betty to good use
time to bring that back. Go out
escape, and that’s what you’ll
need after the stress that
and talk to your neighbors. See
what’s new in their lives and with
or get the crayons and
coloring books out for
Q is for Quick, the speed you’ll need if a Cat 5 is coming and you
comes with endur- live on the beach.
their families. the kids. Check out these
ing a hurricane.
Put on your
links below for even more crafty
ideas. You would be surprised
R is for Read/Rappaport, Bill Read and Ed Rappaport, the National
headphones, Hurricane Center’s top cucumbers who’ll coolly guide us through storms.
what paper, glue, scissors and a
relax and
enjoy the
little imagination can do. S is for Shutters, which everyone in the world has except me.
■ Scrapbooking can seem like
tunes.
an intimidating process at first. T is for Twitter, the hip new way some folks will communicate dur-
Visit www.artsncrafts-ideas.com ing a storm (if the cell towers hold).
GET LOST LAUGH A LITTLE
IN A BOOK Tell some jokes or stories that
for helpful tips.
U is for UKMET, one of the major computer models used to project
■ Greeting cards are always a hurricane paths. If you can name more than three, you’ve lived in a
Reading, who has time will get you and your family
great idea for craft time. See hurricane zone too long.
for that anymore? Well, laughing. It’s not only good
www.craftcards.info for some
with no TV or Internet to for your health, but it will
get in the way, you do! bring up stories and
card ideas. V is for Vapid, the storm coverage that entails live shots of bending
Catch up on the year’s best good times that will ■ Still stuck? Visit palm trees and surfers on the beach as a television reporter stands out-
sellers or re-read your keep the conversation www.craftideas.info for more side admonishing people for being outside.
favorite classics. going for hours. ideas!
W is for Walter, Whitney, William, Wendy, Wilfred and Wanda, the
last names on the storm lists. Beyond that, it’s on to the Greek alphabet.

X is for X-rays, what you’ll need if you attempt to go windsurfing


during a hurricane.

Y is for Yucatan, the peninsula that sees plenty of its own storm action.
DAV I D S T E I N L I C H T / S T. PAU L P I O N E E R P R E S S / M C T
Z is for Zantac. At the peak of the season, when your stomach is
churning like the Atlantic, it comes in handy. Good luck to us all.

HURRICANE A TO Z
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

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