So I’m sure that I’m not going to say anything that a U.S. resident hasn’t experienced for himself, but allow me to blow off some steam.

So yesterday, my gas tank was on empty and Paul convinced me that it would be worth my while to get gas on the way to work. It was $2.69.

This morning – 24 hours later – the same station is now $3.15.

This gas freakout is the talk of the town. Everyone is freaking out about gas running out. People are driving up with separate containers and filling those up too. I read one report where a guy drove up with two 55-gallon gas containers and filled up those too. The newscaster yesterday said it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Everyone is afraid that gas will run out, so they freak out and fill up as much as possible even if they don’t need gas, and so the gas stations run out of gas. My coworker took a gun with her to the gas station while she was filling up, because she was afraid someone was going to rob her.

Let me tell you, Paul is the smartest person out there to convince me to fill up yesterday morning. :-) I thank God I have a full tank, and a short commute to work. However, I did have plans to go south this weekend to Orlando to visit my family. I’m debating about whether or not I should go. I get about 30 mpg, so it would cost $150 in gas to get there and back. Financially, I should just stay put. But I’ve been looking forward to this trip for many many weeks now, and I would be SOOO sad not to go. If I don’t go now, then I might not see my family again until Christmas. If I stay in Atlanta, then I’m subject to vicious gas crowds and boredom. So what do ya’ll think?

Now that that’s out of my system, I am really saddened by the devastation along the Gulf by Katrina. :-( My heart goes out to all the people who have lost everything but their lives. I read a story ysterday about a woman whose cancer-stricken husband died during/after the hurricane and she couldn’t get anyone to help her – they were only concerned about saving the living. I definitely understand their point of view, but here is a woman whose grief must be more than I can imagine, and in the face of tragedy she has kind of been left behind.

I am praying that this is the last hurricane that hits for a long time.