Thursday 13 -- Special Double Issue!

Songs on the CD I Just Burned/Things I'd Rather Be Doing

Since I'm visiting Fat Dog this weekend, I made a new mixed CD to listen to during my 6 1/2 hour drive. I decided to create a 90s rock/alternative mix. I am in l-o-v-e with my new CD. I haven't heard some of these songs in almost 10 years! Ah, 22 tracks of sheer bliss as K and I head up to Virginia Beach...

And, just like every other trip I take, I never get everything done ahead of time. So I will be up laaaaaate tonight getting ready and doing stuff. (I'm stuck at work right now. I'll be here until 9pm) When really, what I want to do is blow everything off and go hit the bars!

1. Santa Monica -- Everclear / At home packing

2. Some Day -- Sugar Ray / Watching the USC (that's South Carolina, not California) football game that starts at 8pm on ESPN. Go Gamecocks!!!

3. Jumper -- Third Eye Blind / Watching the MTV Video Music Awards (the only awards show I could actually stand to watch from beginning to end). I'd flip back and forth between that and the game.

4. Pretty Little Ditty -- Red Hot Chili Peppers / Going out with MJ to Liberty's so I can meet this guy she's kinda seeing.

5. What's My Age Again? -- Blink 182 / Going to the Wild Hare (another bar) to watch the game with YPS (the Young Professionals Society). I always meet cool people at their monthly gatherings.

6. Going the Distance -- Cake / Following the news reports on Ernesto...it's almost a hurricane...not really much danger, but it would be good to know the updates, just in case. It's strengthening as I type this.

7. My Own Worst Enemy -- Lit / Switching my Visa account over to this other great offer I got in the mail. No interest for a year, on transfers and balances! Woo-hoo!

8. I'm Only Happy When It Rains -- Garbage / Cleaning out my car in preparation for the trip. I need to get gas, too.

9. Father of Mine -- Everclear / Giving Sammy a birthday celebration -- today he turns 3!!!

10. Semi-Charmed Life -- Third Eye Blind / Actually, he really needs a bath more than anything...

11. When It's Over -- Sugar Ray / Running up to Best Buy or to Wal-Mart to buy a digital camera before my trip.

12. What It's Like -- Everlast / Actually, I'd rather be doing just about anything other than sitting here at work right now.

13. Scarlet Begonias -- Sublime / More than anything, I wish I could leave and go to Bed, Bath and Beyond. Why?

Because The Czarina just emailed me some awful news. Our friends, the P family, lost their home yesterday to a fire. The whole thing. Up in flames. They have lost everything. Everyone made it out alive, which is the important thing, but so far, they have recovered very little. And of course, things like photos, jewelry, family heirlooms, etc are all gone forever. At least they can replace furniture and clothes and housewares. That's why I want to go get them a big, fat BB&B gift card.

I don't know the cause of the fire--Aunt P was too busy to get into details with Czarina--but Czarina's theory is that Uncle P's cigarette ashes got the best of them.

As far as I know, their dog is ok. But it's not just my Uncle and Aunt P that are affected. They have to take care of their youngest daughter (a senior in high school), their son, their daughter-in-law and their granddaughter--who is about a year old. So they have a full household! Czarina has already sent them a Target giftcard, and has told them that she has some extra furniture they can borrow until they can buy some.

This isn't just some casual friends of the family, y'all. The P family are like the other half of my family. All of the kids grew up together, the moms are best friends, the dads were best friends (until my dad died)...these are my Aunt and Uncle P, here. They aren't blood, but they might as well be. I am really upset and worried about them. They will be ok, eventually. They are going to rent a house and stay there for a while. Hopefully soon the insurance money will come in. The biggest problem is this: They have been living there in Northern Virginia for about 20 years. And the insurance coverage probably isn't keeping pace with the true value of their home--Northern Virginia property values have skyrocketed since they moved in. So who knows where they will end up. Uncle P already has a terribly long commute. I can't even imagine how scared they must have been or how stressed out they are now. You always think about that question--What would you grab in a fire?--but really, I bet you are way too freaked out to even think about material goods! God I'm glad they are all ok. I really could not handle another funeral right now. Neither could their family.

I feel so helpless. I wish I could just go buy them a new house--just like the Everclear song, full of everything they need. Or give them all the clothes in my closet and all the stuff in my house! (Ironically, I am too fat for any of them to fit into my clothes...) There aren't too many people in this world that I would give the shirt off my back to, but this family is it. I will have to go through my stuff at home and give them whatever I can find.

Does anyone know of anything else I can do for them?? Are there programs out there for people who have had this happen to them? I am out of my element here. Any advice or tales of experience you can provide would be really helpful.

I sure would feel better if they would all just go stay at Czarina's house for a while, but Uncle P needs to keep working and Aunt P just has too much stuff to do with this happening. They are currently staying with a neighbor.

Their family has been through about as much crap as mine has been through lately, and this is a huge burden on them. Seriously, it is the last thing they needed. So keep them in your thoughts, guys. If you are a pray-er, then pray for them. I know I will be.

And check your fire alarms this weekend!!!