well, THAT was terrifying...

Let me be frank: I'm scared to death of tornadoes.

I'm not really sure why. I sort of experienced one as a three-year-old, but I have vague memories of it, other than the picnic table umbrella being tossed about the backyard. I think it started after seeing that episode of Mr. Belvedere when the tornado hits and they're all down in the basement the whole time.

Whatever started it, when I was about nine I started running for the basement anytime there was a bad thunderstorm. I don't do that anymore, but I still keep a very wary eye to the sky when it storms.

So today when a severe thunderstorm watch was issued early in the day, I got uneasy. Watching The Weather Channel and seeing the utter devastation from Joplin, Mo., didn't help.

I decided to check in to TWC around 5 and see what might be popping. And, of course, there's a severe thunderstorm warning for my area. Oh goodie.

And then... it turns into a tornado warning. Ohhhhhhhhhhh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit..

Now, believe it or not, I didn't panic... exactly. I got prepared. I ran upstairs, grabbed my wedding dress and my lockbox, and took them and some blankets and pillows to the basement. Yes, if a tornado destroys my house, I at least want to make sure I don't have to get married in rags!

I called my fiance. No answer. Left a - well, I thought calm - voicemail telling him to be careful. He called me back a couple minutes later.

"Hi hon! Just left the meeting I was covering. What's up?"

Me, in quavery voice: "Didn't you listen to my voicemail???????"

Him: "No, I didn't see your voicemail."

Me: "THERE'S A TORNADO WARNING, JOEY!"

(OK, at this point I was freaked out.)

I wasn't going to run for the basement, but then the National Weather Service bulletin on my screen said "Don't wait to see a tornado; take shelter now!" And then I heard SU's warning siren.

I ran for the basement.

Here's the nifty thing: My cell phone and my wireless connection on my netbook work in the basement! I could stay online while I cowered! BTW, thanks so much Weather Channel for including OUR tornado in your breaking news tweets...

I didn't cower for long. Joe texted me to let me know it was safe to emerge. I cautiously went upstairs, just in time to hear SU's siren again with the "all clear" message. I put everything back in its place and went back to normal.

Good to know my chickenshit inner nine-year-old is still alive and kicking...

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Well, it's been... um, more than awhile since I used this. I keep thinking, "oh, I should start a blog!" and then I realized - I HAVE a blog, dopey. Use it.

So yeah, I'm gonna try this time. Really. I have oh-so-much to share with the world. I'm getting married in a little over a month. I'm trying to be a full-time freelancer. I'm still coaching. I still want to write a novel, and I still can't figure out a subject for it.

Aren't you totally psyched?!