11/4/12
I will start by saying that I feel terrible for people who have lost their homes and the devastation in NJ and NYC is heart wrenching.
Was in Binghamton this weekend, and many people from that area have made their way there, as well as my hometown in Kingston, in a quest for hotel rooms, gas, etc. While waiting to check into our hotel in Vestal, NY, a couple from LI came in ahead of us and were loudly telling the clerk and everyone in the lobby about their lack of gas at home and availability of fresh food (they had power apparently but no TV) which made them decide to come visit their daughter who was at SUNY Binghamton. The desk clerk listened for the 10 minutes it took to listen to their story and get them checked in, and genuinely sympathized several times. When checking me in, she mentioned that I was coming from Kingston, and whispered to me that she had lost everything in Hurricane Irene last summer. Most of the area there was hit very hard with flooding. She didn't say anything negative about the couple, I think she just needed to say it.
It makes me thankful for how lucky we have been (although members of my family were not last summer). And that we should all be a little more aware and compassionate..