I am happy to report that we escaped any injuries. However, I am angry, make that damn angry, to report that due to this hurricane, we have lost damn near everything. Sadly, it wasn’t the hurricane that did it this time. For those of you who read my post about our loss and experience with Charley, this time, we lost the rest of our possessions to get this…looters. That’s right. There are some sickos who don’t care that people’s lives were being tormented by a second unprecedented hurricane that they took the opportunity to steal what others had left.
Where do I begin? My family and I lost a lot in Charley. So much that our only option was to stay in a hotel (Comfort Inn), for the last two weeks. When the hurricane hit our beloved state over the weekend, we lost power on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the locks on our hotel doors were powered by the electricity so once they were shut, you couldn’t get back into your room, whether you had a key or not. At one point during the storm Sunday night, someone decided to pull a fire alarm and the wife and I had to bundle both babies up and take them out in to the whipping rain and winds. Now, I am not sure if the theft took place during the “fire drill” or if someone came in the middle night while my family and I were sleeping. I tend to think I would at least hear someone if I was in the same room. So what did they get? My editing machines (laptop and computer system.), some clothes, and money. Luckily, I had one system in storage that I had lying around but certainly not enough power to do any serious editing. But at least it gets me online. It made me angry as hell because my wife and I had helped many people in our hotel that were refugees from the hurricane with food, diapers, etc… and then this crap happens to us. The hotel said it is not responsible for theft unless something is stolen from the hotel safes that were provided. So let this be a lesson about staying at the Comfort Inn on Lee Road in Orlando.
I am fortunate for our health though. I can accept that my dreams to work in video/weddings/films will not happen now. I can accept the fact that we lost damn near everything we owned through two hurricanes. What I cant accept is watching others like myself suffer through these horrible hurricanes. It wasn’t too long ago that I wrote a post saying I felt as if I had hit rock bottom. Now, I know what rock bottom is. Still, we stiffened our upper lips and helped out those that we could with the clean up.
There was a kind person who not too long ago tried to help out getting me back on my feet with help of getting a Panasonic DVC30. I promised this person that one day I would take his kindness and pay it forward. I am proud to say that I have done just that. I have basically accepted the fact that the DVC30 isnt going to happen for me. But I do feel better knowing that the help that was given to me was given to others in need as well. Ice, food, baby items, etc… were shared with all. I hope this person isn’t angry with me for not using the help for what it was intended for and instead, helping others out.
I urge and beg of all of you, if you can spare anything at all, please help out the families that have been hurt through these tragedies. I am not asking for myself, as that is not my nature. Actually, I refuse to accept any help. But for others that have lost everything they own, any support you can provide for them will make the world of difference. I don’t mind sacrificing all of the luxuries. I know life will never be as good as it once was with income, possessions, etc…But these families have worked hard for everything they lost. Donate to the Red Cross and they will make sure it gets to the families that were hurt by this storm. Depending on where Hurricane Ivan, these same families may need your help more than ever.
Just as Spot said, sometimes, living in paradise has its price. A price that my family and many others have paid dearly in the last three weeks. My board involvement will obviously be less from here on out. Not as much reason to hang out here with no camera, no laptop to edit on. I cant even do weddings to get me by. I tried to get financing for the DVC30 through Tiger Direct but credit still isn’t good enough. So unless some good fortune comes back my way, my involvement in video has come to a halt. If anyone ever comes across a good deal on a DVC30, let me know. I would love to get back to video.
I just want to say to everyone on this forum, thank you for all the chats and help. Be proud of your community. It is great people like Spot, Jay, John Cline, Billy Boy, etc… that make Vegas Users the best in the world. Never once have I ever seen anyone refuse to answer questions or offer help. You guys are number in my book.
May God bless you all.
Patrick and family.
Where do I begin? My family and I lost a lot in Charley. So much that our only option was to stay in a hotel (Comfort Inn), for the last two weeks. When the hurricane hit our beloved state over the weekend, we lost power on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the locks on our hotel doors were powered by the electricity so once they were shut, you couldn’t get back into your room, whether you had a key or not. At one point during the storm Sunday night, someone decided to pull a fire alarm and the wife and I had to bundle both babies up and take them out in to the whipping rain and winds. Now, I am not sure if the theft took place during the “fire drill” or if someone came in the middle night while my family and I were sleeping. I tend to think I would at least hear someone if I was in the same room. So what did they get? My editing machines (laptop and computer system.), some clothes, and money. Luckily, I had one system in storage that I had lying around but certainly not enough power to do any serious editing. But at least it gets me online. It made me angry as hell because my wife and I had helped many people in our hotel that were refugees from the hurricane with food, diapers, etc… and then this crap happens to us. The hotel said it is not responsible for theft unless something is stolen from the hotel safes that were provided. So let this be a lesson about staying at the Comfort Inn on Lee Road in Orlando.
I am fortunate for our health though. I can accept that my dreams to work in video/weddings/films will not happen now. I can accept the fact that we lost damn near everything we owned through two hurricanes. What I cant accept is watching others like myself suffer through these horrible hurricanes. It wasn’t too long ago that I wrote a post saying I felt as if I had hit rock bottom. Now, I know what rock bottom is. Still, we stiffened our upper lips and helped out those that we could with the clean up.
There was a kind person who not too long ago tried to help out getting me back on my feet with help of getting a Panasonic DVC30. I promised this person that one day I would take his kindness and pay it forward. I am proud to say that I have done just that. I have basically accepted the fact that the DVC30 isnt going to happen for me. But I do feel better knowing that the help that was given to me was given to others in need as well. Ice, food, baby items, etc… were shared with all. I hope this person isn’t angry with me for not using the help for what it was intended for and instead, helping others out.
I urge and beg of all of you, if you can spare anything at all, please help out the families that have been hurt through these tragedies. I am not asking for myself, as that is not my nature. Actually, I refuse to accept any help. But for others that have lost everything they own, any support you can provide for them will make the world of difference. I don’t mind sacrificing all of the luxuries. I know life will never be as good as it once was with income, possessions, etc…But these families have worked hard for everything they lost. Donate to the Red Cross and they will make sure it gets to the families that were hurt by this storm. Depending on where Hurricane Ivan, these same families may need your help more than ever.
Just as Spot said, sometimes, living in paradise has its price. A price that my family and many others have paid dearly in the last three weeks. My board involvement will obviously be less from here on out. Not as much reason to hang out here with no camera, no laptop to edit on. I cant even do weddings to get me by. I tried to get financing for the DVC30 through Tiger Direct but credit still isn’t good enough. So unless some good fortune comes back my way, my involvement in video has come to a halt. If anyone ever comes across a good deal on a DVC30, let me know. I would love to get back to video.
I just want to say to everyone on this forum, thank you for all the chats and help. Be proud of your community. It is great people like Spot, Jay, John Cline, Billy Boy, etc… that make Vegas Users the best in the world. Never once have I ever seen anyone refuse to answer questions or offer help. You guys are number in my book.
May God bless you all.
Patrick and family.