1991

I am posting this mainly just to ruminate some more before I really need to.

You should try it.  Freaking yourself out.  Borrowing worry from tomorrow.  It's so good for your health.

I remember this tornado. I was 11.  This was about 20 minutes south of  where I lived.  Remember the Andover tornado, my Kansas friends?  Really, I remember too many such tornadoes from those years.  I also clearly remember the Hesston tornado (the mile-wide tornado) from the year before.

Today, a retired teacher who used to work at my building and who regularly substitutes for us showed us some pictures she took in 1991 of our building after the tornado that tore across McConnell AFB hit our school and moved its way a couple miles northeast to Andover.  She told us that weeks after the tornado, someone from Emporia called to tell them that they had found SpEd records from our school.  That's an hour northeast of here!

The wing of the building that I currently teach in was rebuilt because it was completely destroyed.  I can't imagine losing all my teaching materials... the things I've built up in six short years.  My materials alone represent hundreds- even thousands- of dollars and HOURS that I've poured in to my profession.  (You should see how much I exceeded my limit for work-related expenses on my taxes last year.)

Hopefully I won't have to take cover this year, but I know the chances of that hope are slim.  If last year was any indicator.  Like I've said before, I'm more frightened now than I ever was before because I don't have a near-enough shelter.

Oi. yuh.