Feeling Safe

I first noticed this sign a few weeks ago. I did some investigation. It seemed that during a recent tornado warning staff were not permitted to leave the campus but few new where the safe places were located. So the university designated funds to purchase and install these signs.

I love working here. The administration is very responsive to our needs.

The signs make me laugh

First, my ex-boyfriend at Kent State University liked to call himself “Hurricane.” He had a theme rap song, sound effects and movement for nickname. On notes, he would draw a logo. The logo looked exactly like the tornado on the sign. I used to tell him that he was drawing a tornado and not a hurricane and he would always remind me that hurricanes have a center and consist of spinning winds. He probably still draws the UNIVERSALLY recognized tornado image and calls it a hurricane.

Writing on tornadoes, I now feel that everytime there is a thunderstorm I hear the sirens. I am beginning to dislike Doppler. Doppler compels the meteorologists to “cry wolf.” I find the sirens to be distracting. Like the terrorist threat level color alert system that I used to have streaming on my desktop a few years ago. I remember the days when the “Warnings” did not broadcast until someone actually SAW the tornado. My irritation comes from warnings based on the rotations that can be seen on Doppler radar but don’t actually make a tornado. So there are more "Warnings" but the same number of real tornadoes. Now imagine a new institutional policy that requires everyone to remain where they are during a warning. ARGH!

The signs all by themselves are comforting. Don’t you think so? Don’t you just want to take it off the wall and hang it on your bedroom door? No, imagine if you were a college student. You want it now, don’t you? Well, so did about 20 other college students. These signs that were meant to save our lives during a tornado warning are now used to identify the rooms of horny jocks and frat boys. Oh, those college pranksters. Yes the same ones that will steal my parking permit, office signs and public ashtrays. I wish that they would just chalk up the sidewalks and leave stuff on the walls alone. Soon, these signs will be painted on the walls.

I am always surprised by the stuff that is done to make our lives easier and safer but backfire.

On another random thought. I am in love with my DVR although I despise Dish Network service. Because of my dvr I have been turned onto The Office, Scrubs, House and Boston Legal. Great Shows! Have me wetting my pants laughing so hard. I have also discovered Enterprise and Angel. although very lately.