it’s no real pleasure in life
Today is Flannery O’Connor’s birthday. She is my favorite writer of all time, though I can’t pinpoint the exact reason why, exactly, except to say that she was a champion for truth in art, regardless of whose truth it is or if truth exists at all.
I was trying to find a good quote from one of my favorite stories, but I simply can’t decide on one. Instead, I’ll leave with this pearl:
When in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville.
another word for special
Every day I read the noaa weather reports for this area and areas of people I know, like Akron and Colorado Springs. It’s just an ocd fascination, but I love to watch real time weather on the radars. The concepts of the equilibrium of pressure systems really calm me. Today for the Athens-area there was something in the red warming box I’ve never seen before: “special weather statement.”
I read the “warning” on the following page and it basically said that there is a system forming over the Gulf of Mexico that will move into north Georgia by early Thursday morning. And that gasp it might drop a little “winter precipitation” in Georgia, especially around the mountains.
At first I didn’t understand. Why didn’t they just say “winter precipitation warning” or “winter storm warning” or even just “sleet and freezing rain warning.” Then I remembered visiting here last year when there was a “sleet and freezing rain warning.” People were actually taking off work to get to the grocery store early before the batteries, bread, and water ran out. So clearly, the government knows this about Georgia and didn’t want to start a state-wide panic. I suppose calling it “special” weather is a good strategy.
So while everyone up in Ohio is suffering in the gray, back- to- school snow, I’m in Georgia, under a strict “special” weather alert mode. Everywhere people are preparing to make their mad dashes to Kroger and the Piggly Wiggly for supplies under this beautiful and piercing 50 degree sun.
Special Weather Statement
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 335 AM EST TUE JAN 15 2008 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-152045- DADE-WALKER-CATOOSA-WHITFIELD-MURRAY-FANNIN-GILMER-UNION-TOWNS- CHATTOOGA-GORDON-PICKENS-DAWSON-LUMPKIN-WHITE-FLOYD-BARTOW- CHEROKEE-FORSYTH-HALL-BANKS-JACKSON-MADISON-POLK-PAULDING-COBB- NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT-BARROW-CLARKE-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-WILKES- HARALSON-CARROLL-DOUGLAS-SOUTH FULTON-DEKALB-ROCKDALE-WALTON- NEWTON-MORGAN-GREENE-TALIAFERRO-HEARD-COWETA-FAYETTE-CLAYTON- SPALDING-HENRY-BUTTS-JASPER-PUTNAM-HANCOCK-WARREN-TROUP- MERIWETHER-PIKE-UPSON-LAMAR-MONROE-JONES-BALDWIN-WASHINGTON- GLASCOCK-JEFFERSON-HARRIS-TALBOT-TAYLOR-CRAWFORD-BIBB-TWIGGS- WILKINSON-JOHNSON-EMANUEL-MUSCOGEE-CHATTAHOOCHEE-MARION-SCHLEY- MACON-PEACH-HOUSTON-BLECKLEY-LAURENS-TREUTLEN-STEWART-WEBSTER- SUMTER-DOOLY-CRISP-PULASKI-WILCOX-DODGE-TELFAIR-WHEELER- MONTGOMERY-TOOMBS- 335 AM EST TUE JAN 15 2008 ...WINTER PRECIPITATION POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY...
