(no subject)
It clouded over and the rain began to fall at about noon on Thursday. It didn't pause until well into the evening when the first arm of the storm finally rotated away from the city. It was well enough to stand out in the open air hallways at the school and watch the rain cascade off of the terraced roofs, but when it was time to go I looked around and realized that I hadn't brought an umbrella with me the previous morning.
Predictably, the government announced a typhoon day on Friday. This meant that all of the government offices and institutions were closed for the day out of safety concerns and so I was no longer expected to show up at school. The notice came with an admonition to stock up on food, water and batteries just in case. I have enough rice and tea to last a week.
On Friday I woke up late to the odor of ozone. The fan in my room had shorted out and the temperature had risen to match the perpetual mugginess outside. I went about turning things on again. The floor must have been shaken during the night because I found several of my things knocked over. The view from my balcony was spectacular. The wind tore through the alleys below, tossing sheets of rain about in every direction. I sat down at my computer and caught up on the news. I took a look at my andante and added a note or two. I grabbed a book from my shelf. I leafed through my sketchbook. I pounded away on my guitar. I looked at my email. I looked at my andante and erased a few notes.
Just before sunset the wind and rain let up long enough for a trip to the grocery store. I stocked up on ice cream and pistachios.
On Saturday morning one band of clouds had passed and the next was still on its way and for a while the sky turned blue again. I took the opportunity to get out and hunt down a cup of coffee. I discovered that a good many private businesses had followed the government's example and shuttered their doors. Shops with big glass storefronts had put strips of packing tape over their windows. The first two coffee places that I went to were closed up. When I found one that was open there were two people inside, other than the girl behind the counter, a far cry from a typical day when one would expect to see every table occupied by mid-morning.
In the newspaper, the highs for the day were below 30 degrees for the first time in weeks.
Don't panic. I have a towel.
Predictably, the government announced a typhoon day on Friday. This meant that all of the government offices and institutions were closed for the day out of safety concerns and so I was no longer expected to show up at school. The notice came with an admonition to stock up on food, water and batteries just in case. I have enough rice and tea to last a week.
On Friday I woke up late to the odor of ozone. The fan in my room had shorted out and the temperature had risen to match the perpetual mugginess outside. I went about turning things on again. The floor must have been shaken during the night because I found several of my things knocked over. The view from my balcony was spectacular. The wind tore through the alleys below, tossing sheets of rain about in every direction. I sat down at my computer and caught up on the news. I took a look at my andante and added a note or two. I grabbed a book from my shelf. I leafed through my sketchbook. I pounded away on my guitar. I looked at my email. I looked at my andante and erased a few notes.
Just before sunset the wind and rain let up long enough for a trip to the grocery store. I stocked up on ice cream and pistachios.
On Saturday morning one band of clouds had passed and the next was still on its way and for a while the sky turned blue again. I took the opportunity to get out and hunt down a cup of coffee. I discovered that a good many private businesses had followed the government's example and shuttered their doors. Shops with big glass storefronts had put strips of packing tape over their windows. The first two coffee places that I went to were closed up. When I found one that was open there were two people inside, other than the girl behind the counter, a far cry from a typical day when one would expect to see every table occupied by mid-morning.
In the newspaper, the highs for the day were below 30 degrees for the first time in weeks.
Don't panic. I have a towel.