Storm Chasers!

I don't know how many of you watch Storm Chasers, but we're pretty big fans! We LOVE extreme/severe weather! Yes, it's a double edged sword-- frequently people and property are harmed and families lose loved ones and means of living, BUT the Storm Chasers who do it for research are doing a great service to us by learning more about how these storms form and how to predict them.

Fermbank Museum of Natural History is right up the road from us and they are a real TREASURE! They have so many awesome exhibits, recently they've had Geckos and Water, and now at the IMAX they have a Storm Chasers film called "Tornado Alley"-- we haven't gotten to see it yet, but plan on fitting it in. I was lazing around one day on Facebook and noticed the Fernbank page had a picture of the TIV-- THEN I noticed that Fernbank HAD the TIV! The TIV is the Tornado Intercept Vehicle and is SUPER cool! Sean Casey, the IMAX film guy, helped design and build this thing to withstand severe weather so they can get awesome IMAX footage and scientific data!

Rear shot of the TIV

IMAX Camera Turret

Side shot of the TIV

Cameraman's chair

Me and Marcus Guttierez-- the TIV's driver!!

Imagine driving this thing! And yes, that IS a light switch from a house!

Flash Flood Warning, much?

Last night was supposed to start a few days of rain, possibly heavy rain. Apparently I'm the only one who looks at the radar. The storm system stretches from Mexico to Canada and is hitting pretty hard; I took mom to work this morning to go shopping, but unless the rain lets up I may not go-- driving back from Emory was like driving through the rain that hit Memphis during Katrina! No, really! I told mom when I dropped her off that there was totally a chance there'd be a tornado today, and about a half hour after I got home, they issued a tornado watch which may become a warning if the lightning and wind keeps up like it is now. I'm wondering if anyone's told the construction crew next door, even if they did wake me up at 7am I'd rather they not get blown away.

I really love severe weather (I know, I know, I'm strange-- but it's totally fascinating!), but it's putting a cramp in my win style right now. Not thrilled about that. I was also going to pick up some new fake chucks at Target since my old ones are getting a little, well, old, and see what their wedding organizer looks like. I'm stuck between that one and the Real Simple one, but you have to go to Crate and Barrel to get the Real Simple one, which is highly inconvenient.

Rhodes Singers had their Christmas at St. Mary's last night; obviously I couldn't go but I love you all and I'm sure it was amazing!

That's about it for now. I'm going to attempt a 30 minute nap since Casey kept me up and then the construction woke me up-- I'm sure you can imagine better than I how large drills can permeate a dream where you've just finished building your own house. All I know is that it ended in destruction and we were pretty ticked off.