Sandy

Storm's coming.

Well, actually, it's already here. We have been hearing about Frankenstorm/ Snowicane/Snoreastercane Sandy for days now. We have been urged to prepare. To make sure we have enough food, water, flashlights, batteries, and candles to last us until the end of time. And the residents of the Upper West Side of Manhattan sure took that advice in stride.

That was the line yesterday afternoon just to get in to the Trader Joe's down the block from my apartment. Because nothing will do but that we have organic produce and free trade coffee when we hunker down for the storm.

But I joke. In all seriousness, this seemed like a storm we should take seriously. It's a red-letter day when the Governor orders the entire New York City transit system shut down, so that was ominous enough to give everyone pause. Since our move to the new house was postponed until Friday because of the weather, I joined right in on the preparations, although I skipped the organic produce and free trade coffee in favor of regular old Folgers, and stuff to make grilled cheese and cookies. Priorities, right?

Since there are no subways, buses, or trains, and the bridges and tunnels were shutting down, my office is closed for at least today, and likely until they get the subways and buses back up and running once the storm is over. And seriously, I feel exactly the same was I did when I was growing up in Pittsburgh, and school closed for a blizzard. Completely, and utterly ecstatic.

This morning when I woke up, the weather didn't look so bad, and I was curious if the wind was as strong as it sounded whistling against our 23rd floor windows, so I got dressed and headed outside to check it out. Most of the businesses along my street are closed today, but my corner deli is certainly open.

Nothing shuts these guys down.

There were people on the streets, and the wind wasn't terrible, so I thought it might be fun to take a quick run through the windy park with all the leaves dancing around. I quickly ran back upstairs, threw on some running gear, and headed to the park. I failed to mention that most of the people on the streets were other runners. We are a strange breed, to be sure. There is just something fierce about running in the elements. Even (especially) a hurricane.

But when I got to the park, I was greeted by this:

My normal 72nd street entrance was barricaded, and there were literally guards at the gate. It seemed the Mayor decided that the city parks were unsafe, and closed them for the duration of the storm. The wind wasn't terrible, I wasn't really afraid of getting hit in the head by any falling trees or branches, and I know the park better than anyone, including all the backdoor ways to get in, so I decided to sneak in for a quick run along the deserted roads. Maybe not my most intelligent idea, but once I started thinking about a park run during the outer bands of a hurricane, I was obsessed. So I walked a few blocks in each direction, but lo and behold, they got every single one of my secret entrances, including this rarely used staircase behind Tavern on the Green.

God, Mayor Bloomberg, don't you trust people to just stay out when you tell them to?

Anyway, I was relegated to a run on the east side of Central Park West, looking into the park as I motored along.

It's kind of eerie completely empty like this, isn't it?

I finished my run, and after a quick stop for bagels (priorities, I told you), I made it home in the ever strengthening wind.

We will be hanging out here for at least the next day or two, and it's kind of fun, actually. The only caveat is that, since we were supposed to be moving today, we have already transferred our cable over to the new house, leaving us without cable in our apartment, while we are stuck inside for the storm. And if there two people less likely to be stuck inside without cable, it is us. I mean, last year, during the day and a half we were stuck inside during Hurricane Irene we watched a season and a half of The West Wing. That's dedication.

But my man never lets me down. Between a portable 4G modem, Hulu, a Netflix subscription, an HDMI cable hooking up a computer to our TV, downloaded movies, and ABC, CW, CBS, Showtime and HBO Apps for both of our iPads, it's like the cable isn't even gone.

Stay safe everyone, and stay entertained. Looks like we are settling in for a long haul.

Bring it on, Sandy.