Weather Hits Just Keep on Comin'

Lightning map courtesy of Vaisala Lightning Explorer.

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We have exactly three days left to finish this experiment. We need every possible participant.

And the weather keeps killing me.

Above is the current lightning activity in the United States. Note how the entire *$&%ing country is lightning-free.

Except for West Texas. We've got plenty of lightning.

We obviously cannot have participants connected to the physiology equipment during thunderstorms. So we have to let them run through the experiment without the physiological data, which is what I really need.

Ugh.

Seriously? A Tornado? Today?

Ever since Friday the 13th, my life has been a freakshow.

• We got stuck at Burlington, Vt., Denny's with no taxi.
• Real Vermont maple syrup is terrible compared to Mrs. Buttersworth.
• I witnessed a hit-and-run car accident and police chase.
• The fire alarm went off at my hotel at 3 a.m.
• I was denied a tour of Ben & Jerry's, one of my goals in life.
• Seriously, I went all the way to Vermont in part to see the darned ice cream place, and the factory was closed, and I got one tiny scoop in a cup because I was yelled at and told the tour buses were leaving without us.
• The same thing happened at the Vermont cheese place 10 minutes later.
• We flew out of Vermont and dodged a major snowstorm by 15 minutes.
• Somehow I made instant friends with every eccentric person that I walked by at three airports.

And now I return to a physiology study that must be run by the end of the semester. And we cannot collect physiological data in a storm. The 1 p.m. subject no-showed. Lucky thing. I looked outside about a half hour later, and it looked like nightfall.

There was a tornado warning. Hail was coming down like crazy. We had to go to the basement.

So much for 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms, eh?

I am afraid to get out of bed tomorrow.

Reasons to Never Travel by Air

I hate to fly. I used to like it. Now I don't.

Perhaps it is because I am a control freak, and you have no control on a plane.

Right now, my half brother is stuck in Denver under two feet of snow. He has been there since 8 a.m. Wednesday. He has no idea when he will be able to leave.

Two other friends are stuck on the tarmac in Houston. They were flying here to see us ... due to arrive at 4:02 p.m. Instead the Houston airport is closed due to lightning. They are on the runway watching the light show.

This map shows current lighting activity (thanks to ultra cool site, Vaisala). Note how the country is almost free of lightning ... except for friggin' Houston.

To summarize, I know three people traveling by air today. All three are being hosed by fate.

Airlines: boo, hiss!