Shoe Personality of the Week: 8/29/2011

You wouldn't know it but I actually don't appreciate how the focus on rain boots/shoes has kind of taken over as of late. Or maybe it just feels like it has & it's really only been 2 weekends in a row. OK, so I'm being melodramatic. I considered doing a back to school shoe but I decided after what came through the Right Coast yesterday, it would only be apropos to focus #oncetagain (thank Steve Harvey) on rain gear.

If you live under a rock or don't watch the news, the East Coast found itself in the path of a chick name Irene yesterday. On Friday, her anticipated arrival at the breakfast table Saturday morning drove everyone in the DMV, & beyond, into a frenzy. Everyone was tryna make sure they had all her favorite dry & canned goods for the day long feast. She arrived before noon & kicked her feet up. Between her weekend visit & Tuesday's earthquake, folks in this area learned just how much they really DON'T KNOW about safety, disaster preparedness, or respect for nature.

Preparedness is the part I want to focus on. I wasn't really anticipating that the end of days was here. We lose power all the time from regular rain storms out here so that was really all I anticipated. Not that I trust weathermen but it was my understanding that Irene's eye wasn't gon' be looking through my window or nothin'. I was really confident that I was going to be alive & still in my apartment. The only questionable thing was would I be with or without electricity. I grabbed a GOOD book, saddown with some snacks & kicked back, thankful for the stillness & the chance to read in peace.

We should all see by now that things we once thought were regional or even relegated to other parts of the world are switchin' plays & bringing offense worldwide. Americans, in all our arrogant naïveté, don't ever believe we really need to know anything. We live in a perpetual state of "that ain't gon' happen to me." Maybe we don't live in California, & there are no mountains in the immediate area that could go all mud-slidey or dry brush firey on us, but it might be helpful to know what to do in the event of one. At the rate we're going, a mountain range will spring up out of 1 of these closer-than-you-knew fault lines & create a whole new set of problems. I started researching what to do in the event of (fill in the blank) & realized most of what we're told to do is WRONG. Why? Cuz it's coming from people taking guesses, not from experience. Good job!! I'm sure the sale of fall-out shelters at Costco & canned goods will skyrocket in the coming weeks, along with church attendance. Oh, how familiar we become with prayer when we don't know what to do. Suggestion: learn which actions to take that better ensure survival. I'm sure many a person clinging to a branch prayed frantically & still didn't make it. #Imjessayin

More than anything, I'm challenging myself on being prepared to just DO the things I want to do. Bucket lists don't mean a thing if you don't actually cross something off of them. We also must be prepared for the unexpected to come around the bend. Whether that means keeping your resume updated--ahem--or finally starting to put money IN the savings account instead of always withdrawing, we need to assess where we are in terms of making things happen in our lives or keeping what we have. Comfort often leads to stagnation & stagnation leads to being caught off guard. It's easier to be knocked on your ass when your feet are already up. Think on that. In the meantime, I'm taking my own advice & looking into my own Life Preparedness kit.

Watch me move.

Post Script--these horrendous thigh high rubbers will NOT be a part of the plan.