Now that Wilma is exiting stage-east...

So I feel like a dork.

My friend Jessie, a fellow intern at Scripps, works for the Naples Daily News in Florida. Naples, where she lives, was pretty much hit dead-on by Hurricane Wilma.

I've been concerned about her safety. She was, after all, in a freaking hurricane that a few days ago was the most intense ever recorded.

I even called her cellphone this morning to say hello since the storm was mostly over but got no answer. I didn't get scared, and in truth I was really hoping she wouldn't answer so I could just leave a friendly message for her to find when all this crap had blown over.

Fortunately, it's a Category 2 and dropping, and good riddance to Wilma.

I don't know why I'm so nervous right now. Maybe seeing all the death, destruction and destitution caused by Katrina just got to me more than I thought it would. But there's a big difference. New Orleans was built like crap, and full of poor people who couldn't get out or afford good backup infrastructure. Naples, and Bonita Springs (where she works), are much better places to live; or so I gather.

But I'd give anything to be there. I've always wanted to cover big nasty storms and conflicts and all sorts of crap like that. I'm hoping to hear some great "war stories" from Jessie when this all blows over, so to speak. Crap, I'm envious.

Yep. Dork. You may commence with the laughter.