Coffee Break: Genius!

One of my coffee cups has a quote by Thomas Edison. It reads, "GENIUS! is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration!" Probably most famous for inventing a practical, long-lasting electric light bulb, Edison held over 1000 patents for his inventions, many of which changed the world. As a young boy, Thomas was educated by his mother, who took over directing his studies after his school teacher deemed him addled. Truth be told, he was a curious and creative individual whose mind was exploding with ideas and an insatiable desire to learn. The school he had attended for only a few months couldn't handle him. And the world was forever changed.

It's wonderful to be inspired. It's great to have ideas. But in order to actually accomplish anything, a person has to work at it. Thomas Edison encountered many failures in his laboratory. But rather than quitting, he kept plugging away, saying that he had found so many ways that didn't work. 

Sometimes my mind explodes with ideas. And my curiosity is what keeps me forever looking up the answers to, what some consider, silly questions. Every so often, I even get very creative. Now, I'm no Thomas Edison, but maybe if I work a little harder I can accomplish something, too. I may not change the world, but I can change my little corner of it. The 1% is there. Now for the 99%. It's time to get to work. It's time to perspire!

Coffee Break: After the Storm

I woke up early yesterday, anxious to see the latest report on the path of Hurricane Matthew. The 5 a.m. update showed a slight shift in the "cone of uncertainty" which was encouraging to those in our area, but not so positive for those to the north of us. Nevertheless, we were prepared. The previous day had been a busy one for stores selling groceries, water, and plywood. We had everything we needed and didn't have to fight the crowds for supplies. Our hurricane impact windows were a real blessing, eliminating the question of whether or not to bother with putting up shutters for a storm that may or may not hit, and that spooky feeling of sitting in a dark house, wondering what is happening outside. I could hear the eerie silence of nearby roads with no traffic, and the sounds of circular saws and hammering as neighbors boarded up their homes.

The clouds were racing overhead from the northeast, a sure sign of a hurricane on its way. A few birds were out in the morning getting some breakfast before hunkering down for a windy day. Penny and I played ball for a while, not knowing how long we could be outside. It rained a little off and on as the outer bands of the storm passed through, and with the rain came a little wind. As the day progressed, the rain got heavier and the wind picked up, but by midnight, the worst was over.

We escaped this one. Others weren't as fortunate. We are thankful for God's protection and pray for those who lost property and  loved ones. 

Preparing for a Storm

There's a hurricane in the neighborhood, and it's a big one. With sustained winds of 140 miles per hour, Hurricane Matthew is a category 4 storm that will certainly do serious damage wherever it hits. We are currently under a hurricane warning, which means we have about 24 hours to prepare. There are plenty of checklists and information available for hurricane preparedness, so I don't think I will go through the usual list of items to have on hand. But there are a few things which have become part of my routine for getting ready and sometimes aren't mentioned in those checklists:

• Food and water are, of course, the most important items. It's best to have what you need for two weeks, but three days is the minimum. At this point, if shopping for food, get nonperishables. Tap water can be contaminated, therefore bottled water is necessary -- or at least bottle your own before the storm, in whatever containers you have handy. If you have room in the freezer, put some of those containers of water in there to freeze.
• Wash any produce, like lettuce and fruits before the storm. Again, tap water could be contaminated, and you don't want to use your drinking water for washing veggies.
• Consider doing some cooking ahead of time, like boiling eggs, browning ground meat, or baking bread. I always make cinnamon rolls -- we call them hurricane rolls. It's a tradition that just kind of happened after I made them for Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
• Begin making ice and bagging it up for a few days before the storm. You'll need it after a few days to keep your perishable food cold. 
• Because the electricity almost always goes out during these events, alternate methods of cooking must be considered. If you will be using a grill or camp stove, be sure you have fuel.
• Paper plates and cups are handy to have in order to conserve water. You don't want to be washing dishes in contaminated water. You could boil the water, but then you are using more fuel.
• Get all the laundry washed. When the power goes out, that washer and dryer won't be working. And if you need to iron clothes for work, get that done ahead of time. You may have to go back to work or school before you have electricity..
• Check the property for items that may become airborne -- patio furniture, potted plants, coconuts, etc. Strange things happen in hurricanes, and you never know what might end up in a tree or slamming into a window or somebody's car as it flies through the air.
• Get your storm shutters up or use plywood to cover the windows. A few years ago, we replaced our windows with hurricane impact-resistant ones, so thankfully, this is one job we don't need to do.
• Make sure you have flashlights, a radio, and batteries, and charge all electronic devices. 
• Take pictures of your valuables, and make sure you have important papers secure.
• Once the critical things have been taken care of, do some house cleaning while you still have electricity.
• When everything is done, take a nice, hot, luxurious shower or bath. You never know when you'll get another.
• Prepare for the worst and pray for the best. Remember, Jesus calmed the wind and the waves with His words. God is in control!