My ode to Henri (which must be pronounced en francais, of course)

Dear Henri,
Please do not come into the Gulf. I would so appreciate you avoiding this whole region like the plague. Now I am aware this plea is counter to those I have sent up to the hurricane forces that be before. But I have a few claims I would like to level against your plan to pay us a visit:

1. I know, you are probably feeling neglected by the lack of attention on hurricanes this year. I, however, was not one of the "out of forecast, out of mind" legions. No, I actively cheered on and hoped for a little mild tropical disturbance to come our way over the summer and beginning of school. All through those long, hot months of June, July, and August I waited. No hurrication. The school started and I was even hopeful then of a weekend away.

2. Your time has come and past. Practice exams are in 2 weeks and I barely have time to sleep, much less pack up my, Em, and Tulip's lives and vacate for a week. No time at all.

3. Law school is stressful enough, thank you very much, without you lurking out there in the Atlantic. Your menacing presence is not helping me out, and hurricanes are really only fun when they help you out: when they are strong enough to get classes to cancel, but too weak to cause serious harm and damage. And a key component of hurricane fun is when they either delay school or get you out of exams/assignments, etc. The only thing your visit, dear Henri, would do for me is guarantee Saturday classes for the rest of the semester. And maybe some night ones as well. And since I am already doing school work at those times, I don't need your help in this matter.

4. And you would really throw a wrench into the sailing schedule if you paid a visit.

All in all, I appreciate all of the good you and your kin have done over the years: Gustav was great last year and Ivan was fine too. Both were perfectly timed at the beginning of the school year or just a few weeks in. Both caused little damage to NOLA. Neither were during my 1L year.

So you see Mr. Henri, this just isn't a good time for you to come around. Maybe next year, around the middle of August? Everyone likes a break from the heat and summer grind 'round about that time.

Truly,
Your number #1 fan cheering on your turn up into the Northern Atlantic