I was all set to post a missive concerning the tornadoes that have passed through this area, treating the occurrence with much sensitivity and gravitas, noting only slightly humorously the coincidental news item at the top of the front page of the city's paper that proclaims that "LSU Plans Psychiatric Hospital Uptown"(and, man, are we ever gonna need it), and reassuring those who know us that our selves and ours are just fine. I looked at the Times-Picayune's website to see what I could use for such a stirring, serious post, and then I saw this lovely multimedia presentation and my plans were gone with the wind.

I watched the thing absentmindedly and then gasped when I saw the picture at 2:54 (when the thing runs down in time, pause it at 2:54 and carefully look at the picture there), because it was my old workplace. I called up my ex-boss, who sounded stuffed up, and asked her if everything was okay. She said the storms had hit on the other side of Carrollton Avenue from her business and that her building was okay. I managed to pause the image in the slideshow and get a closer look at it, and then I had to laugh. "They included your back room in a slideshow showing all the tornado damage, " I said , "probably because it's just a very messy room. They have NO clue that that's what it's like all the time."

I gave her the URL of the slideshow so that she could get a laugh and hopefully feel a little better physically as a result. Then I called Dan and told him what I saw online, and, since he's seen the back room of her shop before, he started laughing really hard. I guess I gave him a funny for the day. Happy Valentine's, honey.

I just wish and hope that the people affected by all of this can find a little laughter and a little love, too...

Update: Oh, and for some further info, including how you can help from wherever you are, go here.

To cheer on our true first responders, the NOLA bloggers, go here and post your support.