Fire Drills and Survival Kits

There was a fire drill today… and I didn’t want to go. Looking back, this amazes me because, sure, most fire alarms are “drills,” but what if someday a fire alarm is a – pause – “fire.” Or, worse yet, a – longer pause and deep breath – “terrorist attack.” I guess I’d be screwed. There was absolutely no feeling of urgency. We filed out of the building like we had just woken up from a nice nap. “Hey Joe, whatcha up to this weekend? Oh, really. That sounds like fun. By the way, there could actually be a bomb in the building. I left my survival kit in my cube. Party! Yeah. Cool, well I’ll see you on Monday then.” And on we went…

Speaking of my survival kit, it’s really taunting me. I keep it in my left-side desk drawer. Inside, I have batteries, water, super-compressed space age food (mmmmm), a “survival blanket,” flashlight, matches, a radio… did I mention matches? Sometimes during the day, I get hungry or cold and I think, man, I have a good week’s worth of super-compressed food down there. Maybe I should have a bite or two. And then I think, “No, don’t do it man. You could be seriously jeopardizing your chance of survival if the nuclear war ever hits DC.” Do I smell false sense of security? Don’t get me wrong, you can always use a fresh set of batteries, but in the event of nuclear war, I think I’d rather just have a phone line that works so I can call my mom…

Day One of the Blog

... and I have nothing to say. Shit.