Cmon Irene! Is That All You Got?
by Jenners • 08/28/2011 • My Take On... • 71 Comments
If you were in any way concerned, Hurricane Irene turned out to be rather underwhelming (at least around where I live). After being subjected to 24/7 news reports about how horrible it was going to be, nothing really happened except some flooding. In fact, a pile of sticks that I had piled under a bush in the backyard were undisturbed this morning—despite promises of sustained winds up to 75 mph. I’m not saying I’m not happy to get off so easily, but it did seem a bit like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”
In a related note, I got the blog redesign bug again. You are looking at the results. I’m still tweaking it but it is pretty much done. Sigh. Why do I do this?
I like the new look. Very sharp and organized.
Most of my town are not thrilled with Irene still. I was lucky that we only lost power for 10 hours. There are people who are still without power here. Lots of flooding too.
Sounds like you guys got hit a lot worse than we were. For us, it ended up being a non-event. We had a much worse storm last year that didn’t get nearly the amount of news coverage. I’m so thankful that you made it through relatively unscathed and have your power back.
I’m a fan of the redesign and am glad to hear you got off easy with the hurricane.
We did get off easy. Others weren’t so lucky unfortunately.
Ha! I like your reaction to Hurricane Irene and the hype leading up to it. I think it was the same with my family when Caltrans made a big deal with the weekend shutdown of the 405 freeway (which, in truth, is a very busy freeway). In the end, there was no Carmaggedon (a stupid but actual word that they created for this event) and everyone stayed home that weekend and there was no chaos on the road. It was quite a disappointment to many of my friends and family in LA.
As for the redesign….I like the clean look and simple colors.
I heard about that Carmaggedon!! I didn’t know it turned out to be another non-event. Maybe the hype made everyone stay home out of fear.
I’m glad Irene passed you by without too much fuss. The storm did a job on our town. Trees toppled, the beach and sections of the boardwalk torn up, flooding all over town and we were without power for a day and a half. Thankfully I don’t think anyone in our town was killed.
Sounds like your town got hammered by Irene. I’m so sorry, and I hope things get back to normal soon. I’m sure it was a scary experience. Thank God no one was killed. I felt lucky to get off so easily.
I’m so glad that Irene didn’t bother you. I figured that she wouldn’t hold up to the hype, it was A LOT of hype.
Love the clean redesign.
It was a lot of hype. I mean I’m glad it didn’t live up to the hype but the reality (at least in our immediate area — Philadelphia) was much much less than the hype.
I’m glad you got off easy–and your blog design looks great!
I’m glad to get off easy too. And the blog redesign looks best if your browser supports Helvetica Neue font. Then the whole thing looks fantastic!
I’m glad that you didn’t get too hard either, but I know what you mean about the let down!
A friend of mine the next town over is STILL out of power tonight! Blech! Also our water tastes weird like dirt!
Anyway, another event blown out of proportion by the media! (in a good way this time!)
I’m glad you got through safely without too many ill effects … even if you now are drinking dirt water!
I heard a whether guy on TV answering the overhype issue. As he said, yes, thank God, it impacted the shore of the east coast less than expected. But at least 30-40 are dead and estimates loses in the 20-30 billion dollar range (only 7 billion covered by insurance) and millions of people still without power..was it over hype? What makes it major? 45 dead…50…100?
Even in NJ, the flooding in the north is terrible and our gov is saving the loses..much of which we the taxpayers will pay, are in the “tens of billions”.
My fear about thinking that is next time people may not prepare and the loses of property…and especially life…will be even worse.
then people will saw we weren’t told about it enough.
I know that our neighbors (who rode out the storm with us with their very frightened children because they didn’t have a basement) were very upset that the reporting was so off from the reality. I’m talking about our local news stations, which kept beating the drums of doom all night long despite the threat not actually materializing in this immediate area. I think they didn’t want to back down from their reporting and tell us that the storm had shifted or weakened. In other words, I’m all for getting people prepared and informing us but the reporting needs to accurate and in line with what is really happening during the actual event.
I’m not saying that Irene wasn’t a bad storm that didn’t do any damage. My issue is with the reporting that was done during the storm by our local news stations didn’t reflect what was actually happening … partly because then it wouldn’t have been news.
I’m all for erring on the side of caution, but I know that my neighbors won’t take future warnings as seriously due to what happened.
I like the clean simple look and i am glad you are safe
I’m glad to be safe too.
I’m glad u Jersey Girls are okay!
And I’m glad you made it through OK too.
Jenners, the new design has a very clean look. I like it.
I think some areas were hit hard by Irene. I’m very glad it wasn’t worse.
I’m taking a short blogging break but will be back soon.
Some areas were definitely hit hard and I feel for them. I was just amazed how much they got us worked up about the storm and then hardly anything happened here. Seriously, the local news really went crazy and overhyped everything and then it did almost nothing.
Enjoy your blogging break.
Very nice redesign! I’m thinking of doing some quick updates to my look but nothing drastic. Maybe once school starts later this week …
Every so often, I get the blog redesign bug and I HAVE to do it RIGHT THEN regardless of what is going on. It is weird. I’m sick I think. Have fun with yours.
Poor New England…totally didn’t get their money’s worth! Though, like you, I can’t say that I’m upset that most of my family failed to get pummeled by the weather!
Exactly … I’m thankful it ended up being not too bad (for us) but still felt kind of angry how they got us so worked up and freaked out.
So glad you are o.k. we too didn’t feel anything much here. I even took my exercise bike in from the deck thinking I didn’t want it flying off into my window, but nothing, not even a droplet. Now I have to water. Apparently there is quite a water issue in other places though. I haven’t even watched the news, still sort of recuperating from making too many meals in the past two weeks. Love your new look, you’re an inspiration.
I have to tell you, I kept thinking of you with the name of the storm!!! Glad you took mercy on us in this area.
Glad to hear you’re okay! I like the new design – very clean and minimalist!
Clean and minimalist was my goal. Though I realized it looks better on my iMac than on a Windows computer.
I like the redesign. You’re kinda good behind the scenes!
Here in NC, Irene gave us a little more oomph, I think. I’m a little mad at her right now.
Each time I redesign my blog, I learn more. And I think NC got the worse of Irene … sorry for that.
I’m so glad Irene fizzled out. My daughter lives on the coast in southern Maine. They lost power (still not back) but otherwise they fared much better than expected. Vermont sounds like a total mess though.
The blog looks great!
I think many areas weren’t hit as bad as predicted but I know quite a few areas are pretty messed up. Hope your daughter gets her power back soon!
So glad to hear that it wasn’t as disastrous to you. I am sure that it is in some parts. But the TV usually makes out NYC to be the epicenter of the Universe as if things like that have never happened elsewhere. Where were they when we had horrendous floods in our neck of the woods? Or tornadoes? Okay. We don’t get earthquakes and hurricanes are a mighty remote possibility (unless Lake Michigan would somehow crest, and then we would have big problems that would likely make the national news). I feel very bad for all those millions without power and the fact that the roads are washed out. I hope that everyone on the East coast stays safe and dry. Thinking of all of you!
P.S. I like the new look. Very simple and uncluttered. I should try that myself but my computer died.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
I agree with you … it feels like if NYC or Washington DC gets affected, it is major news for everyone but they don’t give the same coverage to other parts of the country. It isn’t right. Hope your computer gets fixed soon!!
Because you’re a creative spirit and you just can’t help yourself, Jenners
Well, the “just can’t help myself” part is true.
Living in Florida, and getting tons of hurricanes, I have to say that most of them are over-hyped. I think they do this “just in case” the storm turns out to be wild and uncontrollable. But the problem is that people stop taking things seriously when everything is over-hyped, and then when a big one does come, everyone is unprepared. I blame the news organizations for this. If they just reported the realities, instead of trying to make everything so dire, people would be better prepared, and also they wouldn’t waste their whole weekend on a large thunder storm. In any case, I am glad you are ok over there!
Exactly! They need to tone it down and be reasonable and judicious in what they are saying. It got very out of control here and it frightened so many people needlessly. Still, I guess you never really know what is going to happen.
I’m glad it didn’t do much, because I was definitely wondering if we’d have a post showing you moving trees! (not that I wouldn’t have enjoyed it from a schadenfreude standpoint, of course)
Very much like the streamlining! (but I know not to get too attached since you’ll be redecorating again before long…)
Sorry to disappoint on the trees.
And you are correct not to get too attached to this look. I’m sure in 6 to 9 months, it will be a goner. I just can’t shake this redesign need!!
I like the new design. I’m glad to hear that Irene was pretty mild. It was definitely hyped. Even here in the UK people were talking about it.
I tell you … anything that happens (or could happen) to the East Coast of the U.S. where all the major media are located (and the President) gets massive news attention.
I like the new streamlined design! So I have to ask, did you put the pile of sticks there for the specific purpose of seeing if they would get blown away?
No … I did not put the sticks there for that reason. It is my little “fire pit” pile of wood. : )
Well I had to ask because I could see doing that on purpose just to see what happened.
I don’t know, I think it would have been bad if people were out in it. Better to evacuate just in case, and definitely shut down public transportation for that kind of wind.
I know, I know. Better to be safe than sorry. I just don’t get how it was so much less than they told … right up to an hour before it arrived, they were hyping it like the “end of the world.”
Well, it’s kind of like the Little Prince caring for the dormant volcano – one never knows.
I am glad you are fine. I know another blog I’m following, the author there is going on 24 hours without power. At least that’s all thus far.
We were lucky. It seemed that it hit more inland than expected. Hope your blogging friend gets power soon! Jeez … I hope it isn’t Caitlin!!!! I can’t imagine her surviving with her little “imps” without power without going insane!!!
Whew. I’m glad Irene was pretty much a non-event for you. Out here on the west coast it was sounding like you all were going to wash away into the ocean.
It was sounding like that to us too!!! I know it is good that is was pretty underwhelming but it still leaves me perturbed that the discrepancy between what we were told to expect and what happened was so huge!
Your blog looks fantastic, so clean and modern. I love it!
Holy cow has Irene been under-whelming but I think that’s a good thing. Aside from Bloomberg et al. over reacting a bit (shutting down public transportation?!) better safe than sorry…I just am so thankful we didn’t lose power as soooooo many people did…I’m guessing and hoping you didn’t?
No power loss here … barely even a light flicker. I am glad it wasn’t a major disaster but I wish they could be a little less “it is the end of the world” in their reporting!!!
I’ve seen some of the pictures – in some areas, the damage from flooding is extensive. You were lucky. We’ve had one natural disaster after another this summer (and I’m not talking about Michele Bachmann).
I think the governments is damned if they do, damned if they don’t as far as to how much they scare folks. I think it’s better to err on the side of caution rather than have millions of people unprepared and screaming for help.
You are right, of course. It just amazed me that we felt barely anything after they practically swore up and down that we would definitely be having sustained 70 mph wind gusts for 6 hours.
Love the redesign. You are my hero. And girl, they ALWAYS overplay it! I mean, God forbid they don’t and people get hurt. They do this to us all the time down here, getting all bug-eyed and foaming at the mouth, telling us it is the end of the world. But you know the first time we don’t listen, it will be the Big One. So better safe than sorry. At least the flowers and grass are flourishing.
That is what we figured “Better safe than sorry.” But it did help me understand the people who were on TV saying “We’re just going to ride it out.” They’d been duped one too many times I think. I guess this is your “way of life” during hurricane season.
I knew it would be weaker than expected….they just need news to talk about.
I wish I knew how to redesign my blog…..sigh
Blog redesign is relatively easy … if you are willing to invest hours of time and make numerous mistakes and jeopardize your whole blog in the process. HAHA! It isn’t really so bad. Seriously.
I think after the whole Katrina mess they went with the “I’d rather be safe than sorry” thought. I’m glad to know it didn’t cause you any problems. Wasn’t sure if you’d have power or cell service, so thanks for checking in with us so quickly.
I like this new look. Clean and simple.
I’m sure Katrina does play a role in the way this was handled. And I decided to simplify everything on the blog … so thanks for the feedback. That was what I was looking for.
I like your new look- love your header- perfect for your blog. And it is good it is weak- but yes two many wolves will make people eventually stop listening.
All the hype makes you less inclined to listen as much next time, which isn’t good.
The redesign looks nice! If Irene had stayed a category 3, it could have been bad; I think modern Americans expect a little more safety than life can offer.
I know it could have been bad and they were trying to err on the side of safety but it was so much less than they made it out to be. It bordered on hysteria.
Well better prepared and safe than sorry, right?!
True! But we went to a lot of trouble to prepare … and then nothing really happened.
I definitely think they over-hyped Irene. I’m not saying it wasn’t a bad storm, but they kept saying “historic.” The sad part is no one’s going to listen the next time when there really is a “historic” storm. I’m glad you’re safe and sound.
They did overhype it. I mean, they almost evacuated NYC! I know it affected a lot of people but it was nowhere near the level that they projected.