The days - and weeks - after the storm ...

It's heart-breaking to see the damage that Sandy has caused.
Loss of life.
Flooded subways.
Streets underwater.

This photo provided by the U.S. Air Force shows the roller coaster from the Seaside Heights amusement park submerged in surf,  (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen)

Homes damaged and destroyed and also underwater.
Businesses destroyed.
The famed boardwalks of the Shore left in splinters; there's even a roller coaster in the ocean.
Let's not forget the unbelievable blizzard in West Virginia and elsewhere in that area.
Now it's time for the residents to begin the hard part - starting over.
The federal government, in the form of FEMA, will give a hand.
The Red Cross and Salvation Army, along with churches and other organizations, will help provide food, clothing and comfort to the victims.
Insurance will help rebuild.
Maybe.
Yes, maybe.
Unfortunately, much of the damage can be classified as water or flood damage and most insurance policies don't include flood damage. That has to be a separate policy.
Homeowners' and business owners' policies cover fire and wind damage, as well as hail and tornado - speaking from experience.
But most don't include flood.
And that's where the residents will be hurt. And most of them won't realize they were not covered until their requests are denied.
Maybe it's time for the insurance companies include flood coverage in their homeowners' policies. It's like going to the hospital and finding out your insurance won't cover your broken leg.
The insurance companies ought to offer catastrophic insurance as a regular part of homeowners' and business insurance. It could cover "acts of God" - which would include floods, hurricanes and tornadoes - as well as fire and if the occasional driver parks his car in your bedroom.
In the meantime, let's offer our prayers, hopes, hearts and whatever else we can to the people as they rebuild their homes, their businesses, their communities.
And their lives.

A 'dark and stormy night ...'

"It was a dark and stormy night ..."

That's the beginning of the novel "Paul Clifford," written in 1830 by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest "honors" the worst in literature.
It's also made famous by Snoopy in the "Peanuts" comic strip in his efforts to be the great novelist.

Unfortunately, on a serious note, it's what's facing residents of the Northeast as Hurricane Sandy comes ashore this evening.
I'm writing this while Philadelphia station WPVI-TV is streaming about the hurricane as I try to keep up with my family and friends who are in the hurricane's path in South Jersey, Delaware and other points north.
What makes this different is that they're usually watching The Weather Channel to see how we're doing down here after tornadoes and hurricanes rip through, instead of me watching them.
One thing they don't need to do, though, is plant themselves in front of the TV, while they have power, or in front of the computer constantly.
There's nothing worse for stress than hearing "haven't seen the worst yet," "... really going to deteriorate," " ... 90 mph winds" and the like over and over and over again.
Check up on the conditions every half-hour or, better yet, maybe every hour. That should be enough.
Besides, the TV stations and radio stations will update every 15 minutes anyway so you won't miss anything.
You'll hear the winds howling and the rain falling on the roof so you don't need to be constantly reminded by the TV stations' wall-to-wall coverage.
In the meantime, check out HBO or USA, TBS, TNT, ESPN. Find something to get your mind off the weather.
Watch Netflix or put in a DVD.
Maybe pick up a book to read.
But not one that begins "It was a dark and stormy night ..."

The joys of (grand)parenthood ...

There is probably nothing more fulfilling - nor more exhausting - than raising children.
They can be miniature versions of us or other relatives. We have the chance to shape and mold human beings. But, maybe, they'll break those molds and become their own person.
I've been blessed with three sons - but don't tell them I said that.
Lance is a second lieutenant in the Army National Guard and works for a large defense contractor - when he's not on duty with the Guard.
Stephanie is his lovely wife and a nurse and they have a beautiful daughter, Natalie, who will be one year old this time next month - more on her later.
Shane is at the University of West Alabama and married to the also-lovely Amber, a nursing student at UWA.
Bo is a junior at Madison Academy and is your typical 16-year-old, if there is such a thing.
Anyway, it's been a blessing and thrill watching them grow, taking part in their lives - academic and athletic - and also letting them grow on their own ... somewhat.
Granted, there has been plenty of angst and anger along the way - trips to the hospital, school, "time out" and other facilities and locations.
But I wouldn't trade parenthood for anything.
Well, anything except for grandparenthood, which is a whole 'nother thing in itself.
It's our chance again to watch children grow and take part in their lives.
And Natalie is a real treat. She's now walking and, in fact, is coming over this afternoon so I have to re-childproof certain areas of the house. Luckily, some of the cabinet doors still have safety latches on them and  I put pillows around the brick base of the fireplace.
It doesn't seem like 11 months since she joined our family last Thanksgiving weekend. Boy, what a time that was!
And what a time it has been. She seems to be so happy, constantly smiling - though I'm sure Stephanie and Lance have seen her in not-so-smiling, less happier moments.
I'm sure those moments will come here, too. This is what, I guess, grandparenthood is all about - enjoying your children's children, smiles and frowns.
There's also the thrill and eagerness while anticipating their visit.
Oh! There's the doorbell ...

The art of the blog ,,,

Though I've been a writer for more than three decades, when friends urged me to start blogging I was hesitant.
For some reason, I looked at blogging as something foreign.
But when I began to think about it, I came to the realization that it isn't that different from what I have been doing for newspapers since 1978.
Blogging for some is cathartic, a release. It's similar to "journaling," a way to let go of those inner tensions or escape from the struggles of day-to-day living.
Others, like my good friend Becky Wilkenson, blog about their lives with experiences that we can identify with.
Her blog - found at beckywilkenson.blogspot.com - is called "The Extra Penny."
In her words, "So if we give our two cents worth but are only given a penny for our thoughts, where is the extra penny? I have it!"
She calls her work - which is enjoyable because we either know someone in the story or can see ourselves in there - "random thoughts from a circuitous mind."
A mother of two, Becky has stories to tell and she tells them in a enjoyable, easy-to-read way.
Blogs are also written like a diary or chronicle.
Rick Lippincott, one of my high school classmates, wrote what could've been called a blog - this was 1969-73, before the Internet - about life in high school.
He called it "Astroprison" and changed the names of school officials, teachers and students while enjoying a bit of embellishing about the activities at Pennsville Memorial High School.
"Astroprison" has not been published but if blogs were around at that time, it would have been.
Bloggers are also reporters or commentators, providing information or commentary on all issues of the day.
And you too, if you have the initiative, can be a blogger.
You don't have to have a degree in writing or English to start a blog - and it is really, really easy to start. Take it from me and I'm not the most computer savvy person around. Heck, I wouldn't even be in the top 10 in my own family.
Don't be afraid. Take the step and join the party.
You'd be surprised.

Huntsville's Nic Dowd takes the ice against his hometown UAH Chargers

They say "You can't go home again."
But, they don't say "Home can't come to you."
Well, that didn't exactly come out right but when you read this, maybe it will make sense.
Anyway, years ago, a young Nic Dowd was growing up in Huntsville, playing hockey in the Huntsville Amateur Hockey Association and watching the UAH hockey team play.
Like a lot of young hockey players here, he had dreams of playing for the Chargers.
Well, the hockey gods are giving Dowd that chance this weekend - sort of.
The Chargers are in St. Cloud, Minn., to take on the St. Cloud State Huskies in a two-game series.
When the two teams take the ice, Dowd will be in the lineup.
But it will be for St. Cloud State, not UAH.
The Huskies of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association are 0-2 this season but Dowd has three assists. The Chargers are 0-1-1.

"It's kind of come full circle for me," Dowd said. "I grew up in HAHA playing for the Huntsville Chargers (travel team) and watching Jared Ross and UAH.

"Now I'm playing the (team) I looked up to."

Dowd said he was recruited by UAH after he played prep school and junior hockey in Indianapolis.

Nic Dowd

Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times"UAH talked to me a little bit," he said. "It didn't work out, though."

With his on-ice success in St. Cloud, he also has some off-ice honors: the 2012 WCHA All-Academic team and a 2012 WCHA Scholar-Athlete.

"I take academics seriously," he said. "Some guys don't concentrate on school and just on sports. 

"St. Cloud State went out on a limb and gave me a scholarship. It wouldn't be good for me to thumb my nose at them."

But, that's not to say the 6-foot-2 forward is all academic.

In 2009, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings, making him the first Alabamian to be chosen by a National Hockey League team.

"I'll never forget that," Dowd said. "It's pretty special being the first guy from Alabama to be drafted."

It was a moment to be remembered.

"I was at Walmart and got a text message," he said. "Still, to this day, I relive that moment."

And, like most hockey players who had to go to pre-dawn practices and play all over the region and country, Dowd is appreciative of what his parents Alan and Liz Dowd have done for him.

"I wouldn't be what I am today if not for my parents," he said.

This weekend is Breast Cancer Awareness weekend for St. Cloud State teams.  The Huskies will sport pink ribbon logos on their helmets in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

But Dowd and some of his teammates are doing a bit more than wearing pink.

They are growing their hair to be cut for the Locks for Love program which supplies human hair wigs for cancer patients.

I came up with it after the season," Dowd said. "We just kept growing it."

Then, they found out exactly how long it has to be.

"We thought it was seven inches from the scalp," he said. "It has to be 10 inches of ponytail.

"But putting our hair in ponytails is no where near as bad as what the people are going through."

View a video of Nic Dowd talking about the Locks for Love program at www.scsuhuskies.com/index.aspx?path=mhockey

Livestrong and prosper ...

So, are you looking at that yellow wristband any different today?
Will you still buy Livestrong shorts? Shirts? Running shoes?
Those are the questions that people are asking in the aftermath of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.
As we know, he was the face of American cycling which, to be frank, was probably only followed by most of us during the Tour de France.
Nonetheless, his comeback from testicular cancer which had spread to his lungs and brain to win the event year after year after year after ..., well it's simply remarkable.
But he apparently - at least according to teammates and opponents - had used so-called performance enhancing drugs to keep his world-class level skills.
On the other hand, it seems, with the other international cyclists who have been kicked out of the sport as well as Armstrong's former teammates and opponents, that maybe the sport itself needs to be cleaned up because of the rampant doping.
In the meantime, Armstrong - who continues to deny the allegations - has resigned as head of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and was dropped by his primary sponsor, Nike.
He resigned so the Livestrong charity can concentrate on its fund-raising mission instead of Armstrong's problems.
I've worn and will still wear the yellow wristbands. I also have worn pink wristbands and blue wristbands, which support the fight against prostate cancer.
I still wear Livestrong Nike running shoes. They actually used to belong to my son, Bo, but he outgrew them before he wore them out.
Armstrong will still be the face of the organization and will be speaking Friday at its 15th anniversary gala. His reputation as a cyclist will forever be tarnished but we should recognize him for his work and the charity which helped raise more than $500 million to battle cancer.
Some people call him a con man, that they were duped into believing in Armstrong.
Well, I'm not one. He didn't dupe me into believing in him, I believed - and still believe - in the cause which is far greater than any person.
Live strong.

New headquarters for Intergraph means more visibility for company

Intergraph, one of the area's top employers, will be even more visible in a couple of years.
The engineering and software company said today it is building a five-story headquarters on its campus along  I-565.
It is expected to open in summer 2014.
Hexagon President/CEO Ola Rollen made the announcement in a ceremony today.
However, in off-the-record remarks with me in a 2010 interview, Rollen said the company was planning to build the new headquarters, giving it more visibility and prominence. Rollen also said keeping Intergraph here was a priority. Hexagon is the parent company of Huntsville-based Intergraph.
The five-story facility will total 250,000 square feet and will feature office space for 1,100 employees. In addition, the new headquarters will include a state-of-the-art data center, customer-friendly conference space, a food service area and lakeside terraces for both work and leisure.
“For the first time in Intergraph’s history, we are bringing employees at this location together under one
roof, which I’m confident will foster innovation and camaraderie,” Rollen said in statement today at the groundbreaking ceremony. “The building is a testament to Hexagon’s commitment to Intergraph
and the Madison County business community.”
The $58-million facility was designed by Atlanta-based architecture firm Cooper Carry, and the
construction will be carried out by general contractor Robins Morton and civil engineering firm 4Site, both from Madison.
“We are all very excited about what the new facility means for the employees of Intergraph,” said Ed
Porter, executive vice president of human resources. “We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, (Madison County Commission) Chairman (Mike) Gillespie, (Madison) Mayor (Paul) Finley and (Huntsville) Mayor (Tommy) Battle, as well as Madison city and county officials, for helping make it a reality.”