Best Buy Rocks! Thank you for connecting me to the world again!

[Sue Baker]

Hi from Hurricane Ike country. I am still out of work and out of power, but thankfully the temperatures have been very comfortable since Monday so we can sleep at night. One of my problems is no internet access or computer access (as well as no fresh meats, perishables, ice) but we've been dealing with it, very fortunate our home was spared. I have been looking for electric access to charge phones or get to my email and saw this Best Buy was open on I-10 and Blalock. They have a nice long table with a power strip to charge your stuff, a computer, printer, TV, comfy chairs. It is awesome!! It's my first time to see TV or the internet since Friday. Hope to get back to work next week, but I kind of doubt it. Downtown had a lot of damage, I heard. The Chase tower lost windows on all 74 floors on the east side of the building, just for one. I talked to someone who saw Vinson & Elkins paperwork all over the streets, computers, desks littering the sidewalks, unreal. I'm sure it's cleaned up some and some buildings have re-opening, some have not. Schools are not back in until next week, hopefully Monday. We now know what a POD is (point of distribution for ice, water and MREs, which are Meals Ready to Eat). We are all laughing about eating "government cheese," which my kids actually like. (Did you ever see Chris Farley on SNL with the "eating government cheese in a van down by the river" skit?) It's my first time to get help from the government, a new experience. So we are doing okay here, thanks to FEMA and some very nice folks here. And thanks again, Best Buy!

[Annemarie Grant]

Speaking of Broom Hilda, I went on a depo on one of our sans electricity days to one of my firms largest clients. They have a really nice cushy office, very fancy. Anyhow, during a break, I went to the ladies room and when I looked in the mirror, my unblowdried hair had crumpled up and was sticking STRAIGHT OUT on both sides of my head. I swear I looked just like SHREK!!

Sue, I'm sending you a private message!!

[Annemarie Grant]

Yes, Louisville got the remnants of Ike last Sunday. We had 75 mph winds for five hours straight. Winds that strong and huge trees don't mix well, and about 300,000 of us lost power along with our trees and, in some cases, cars and houses. We had a tree fall on our house, but thankfully no one was hurt and damage seems minor at this point. All in all, could have been so much worse and I'm thankful we were spared major injuries! Compared to what happened to the coast in Texas, this all seems like small stuff, though.

[Sue Baker]

Hey, back at Best Buy again this morning. I didn't realize Louisville was in dire straits, too. I had heard about Illinois. Good luck to you all. I hear you on the blowdryer. My daughter is missing her straightener. I like everyone going to sleep at 9pm, heehee!

[Annemarie Grant]

Hi Sue, Annemarie from Kentucky here. I'm right there with you on the no power thing. We've been without electricity in the Louisville area since Sunday afternoon. Some people have power but many (100,000+) still don't. My kids have enjoyed getting to grill every day during their week off from school. Now this may sound silly, but I sure do miss my blowdryer.

[Kyung]

Hey, don't knock the government cheese. It's pretty good.

But seriously, glad you're safe.