I saw by the NYT that Hurricane Irene is heading up the east coast of the USA so I emailed my sister who still lives in NY, I felt I needed to warn her.  She's my baby sister, after all.
She had emailed me already saying that they had just finished rebuilding from the eathquake (they picked up the lawnchair) and now she's on her way to the store for Sterno.
I suggested bread and beer, in my helpful way, and went to the weather channel to see what was cooking.
Catastrophe, of course.  Now is when I miss having a TV; I can't get enough of watching those crazy weather people standing out in the wind and rain getting hit in the head with street signs and stuff.
It's always something isn't it...