As most of you probably know, it will not be long until Florida is hit by the third hurricane in something like a month. Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Frances both caused a lot of damage in Florida. They destroyed many people's homes and even took lives.

Now my friends and I are watching Hurricane Ivan like a hawk. Ivan is an extremely powerful hurricane, and as of now it is headed straight for us. Of course, Ivan's path could change, so we won't know exactly where he will hit for another couple of days. But he still has me worried. If he hits anywhere near here, we will be affected. And Ivan is the kind of hurricane that kills people and changes lives forever. He is very frightening indeed.

Yet there is still a part of me, deep down inside, that wants to be affected by this hurricane. It's not as hard to explain as I first thought - this hurricane would be a big break from my routine, and such a thing is always attractive. Just missing school is exciting enough, but we also need to prepare for this hurricane and then probably evacuate. It's all a little bit of excitement thrown into our everyday lives.

This excitement comes at a cost, though. A category five hurricane is an extremely dangerous thing. I literally feel bad for having that part of me that wants this hurricane. In fact, I think I should feel bad. If you think about it, it's selfish. I want that excitement, but at the same time Ivan is very likely to take lives. That's not something to take lightly.

In my defense, I don't think the only reason I want Ivan to come here is because it would break my routine. I think that there is a basic need to be challenged in all human beings. An instinctive feeling that compels all of us to face enormous odds and still rise above. I can see this instinct to challenge myself in every part of my life - my pursuit of a college education, my quest to build a boat, and even my desire to swim in the ocean when the waves are over my head. Basically, I want Ivan to come here so that I can stare him in the face and give him the finger - by surviving.