Every Tuesday at noon, here in San Francisco, an alarm goes off.  A city-wide alarm.  It sounds this very eerie moan three times.  I always stop for just a moment, look up in the sky and usually say, outloud or to myself (not necessarily dependent on if i'm with someone either!),
it must be noon on tuesday

it feels movie-esque.
{RK, i know you and i have that thing about people always saying episodes in real life feel like a movie. hence, i hesitate to use this comparison here.  BUT i do hope you'll give it to me this once}

I was with my first graders when many of them heard/noticed it for the first time.  They, too, stop.  Look up in the air.  Usually mouths agape and then look at me with a blank stare,
what was that?!

That, my friends, is a TEST.  It is ONLY a test.  But, that IS a test.
And then you usually have to explain to them who/what and why someone would be testing us?  And what if you didn't hear it in time?  Or what does 'disaster' mean?
And it always makes me wonder.

Today I heard, for the first time, this deep, computer-generated voice speak after the alarm.  He assured us THIS was only a test.  But the first two times he said it, I couldn't exactly hear.  The wind carried his message away, I couldn't get the windows open wide enough, quick enough, ohmygod, I thought, what if this is IT??!  Not so much TEST anymore!  Is THIS how it happens?!  I craned my neck under the  barely open window and strained to hear the voice.

I guess I think it's sort of quaint that in 2010 we're still relying on a big horn and an automated voice to tell us alls well or not so hot.

{images via a new favorite}