Amy and I are headed to Florida tomorrow to finish our dive certification. Our scuba instructor suggested we do it in Florida because of the warm water and visibility. Of course, we booked our trip without even thinking that it would be hurricane season. Clearly neither of us have ever lived in a place where you need to pay attention to that. So as the time for the trip has been getting closer, we have been watching the weather in what is known as a “record hurricane year.” We have been mostly checking on Tropical Storm Irene.
This got me to thinking that they were going to have a male name that starts with J for the next storm and I thought if I hurricane was going to ruin our trip, I wanted it to be Hurricane Josh. Well, no such luck. The next male name will be Jose. You can find the whole list here.
What I was pleased to find is that while Josh won’t be used any time soon, during this record breaking hurricane season we may see a Hurricane Nate. Given that this page of retired hurricane names contains Andrew (1992) and Michelle (2001), the Etters may want to check it out for some name ideas so they can keep with the family theme. I say you name the next one Beulah (1967). When they become a traveling family singing group a la the Partridge family, they can be the Hurricanes! I crack myself up.
Aren’t you glad that you missed Hurricane Emily?
Only wimps get certified in warm clear water
. In Monterey you get the added excitement of constantly losing sight your instructor in the lovely 5 feet of visibility, not being able to keep balance because of the surge, and a nice jolt of hyperventilation when you have to flood your mask in the freezing water.
Woohoo! Three cheers for Hurricane Nate!
Seriously, though, who knew so much existed about the name “Beulah?” I found these links:
1. Did you know they were “America’s favorite band?” (“Check out America’s favorite band, Beulah, at http://www.beulahmania.com“)
2. Beulah Park – Ohio’s Original Home of Thoroughbred Racing
3. Beulah, North Dakota – small town appeal…big city looks.
Anyhow, I can safely assure all of you that our next Etter family addition will NOT be being named after a town with 33 residents in Wyoming. Or America’s favorite band.
Oh, and we’re already well on our way to becoming a traveling family singing group. Scott & Jul, bless their souls, gave Andrew a drum set for his 1st birthday which he took to with an incredible affinity. I actually didn’t think Andrew could make any more noise than he already was (pounding his toys on the ground, etc) but he’s really taken it up a notch now that he has an actual drum to work with!
Damn, Hurricane Greg is in the Eastern North Pacific this year which couldn’t possibly produce a storm worthy of the name.
Oh man! Next year I make the list easy…it kind of takes the fun out of it that they have it all already figured out though…