| There's an old southern saying that goes, | | | | of tornadoes ripped through North Alabama, |
| "Don't like the weather? Just hang around a | | | | causing much damage and loss of life. I |
| few minutes. It'll change."Anyone who's spent | | | | remember sitting on the back porch of my |
| much time in Alabama can relate to that one. | | | | Limestone County home with my old man, |
| It's not uncommon to wake up to a blue sky | | | | watching a spindly tornado pass by just a few |
| filled with brilliant sunshine and white | | | | miles to the north. What were we doing |
| puffy clouds, then go to bed that evening | | | | outside in such a storm, propped up on milk |
| with the wind and rain beating against your | | | | crates like two yokels waiting on a bus to |
| window. Alabama weather is about as | | | | take them to the big city? You'd have to know |
| predictable as watching The Jerry Springer | | | | my old man to appreciate the answer to that |
| Show. You know something's going to happen, | | | | one. You see, he was one of those men who |
| you're just not sure what it will be.Given | | | | would rather stand outside and face a storm |
| the unpredictability of Alabama weather, I | | | | head-on than get caught hiding from it in a |
| sometimes wonder why television stations | | | | bathtub. At the time, I thought it was pretty |
| bother employing weathermen at all. Oh sure, | | | | cool, sitting out there with him in the rain, |
| they razzle-dazzle us with their color radars | | | | watching the butts of his cigarettes float |
| and storm trackers and incoherent | | | | off the edge of the porch. It was the |
| weather-speak, and when the weather is | | | | ultimate father and son bonding ritual: two |
| popping we can count on them to keep us | | | | brave souls valiantly facing Mother Nature |
| well-informed, but on an average day you | | | | and all that. Looking back now, I can see |
| could get just as accurate a forecast by | | | | that we were not heroes. We were just a |
| calling the Psychic Hotline.I've got an | | | | couple of idiots who were too stupid to be |
| eighty-year-old aunt who predicts the weather | | | | scared.Last week, Alabama was faced once |
| with what she calls her "magic bunion." To be | | | | again with an onslaught of killer storms much |
| honest, the magic bunion is not as easy to | | | | like those that hit in 1974. During the storm |
| look at as color radar (it's actually pretty | | | | that passed over my house, it rained harder |
| disgusting), but it's usually right on the | | | | than I've ever seen it rain before. Powerful |
| money when it comes to predicting rain or | | | | gusts of wind blew my plastic porch furniture |
| drought (it throbs when it's going to rain | | | | down the street and the night sky was alive |
| and itches when it's not). Okay, it's not a | | | | with heavy thunder and brilliant flashes of |
| perfect science, but the magic bunion would | | | | lightning. My TV weather buddies told me that |
| never interrupt your favorite show just to | | | | a severe thunderstorm was headed my way and |
| tell you it's raining in Tokyo, as many TV | | | | they encouraged me to seek shelter. Hmm, |
| weathermen would.Most television stations | | | | maybe they weren't such bad guys to have |
| seem to think that, when it comes to | | | | around, after all.My wife and daughters were |
| predicting the weather, a magic bunion just | | | | snugly bedded down in the bathtub. Heavy |
| isn't enough. They all have a meteorologist | | | | blankets, candles, a battery-powered radio, a |
| or two on staff, though they rarely speak of | | | | box of Ding-Dongs and a jug of Kool Ade were |
| meteors, and enough weather gizmos and | | | | close by. My wife, in her infinite wisdom, |
| gadgets to make Mr. Wizard green with Doppler | | | | wanted to be prepared for a power outage or a |
| envy. Some stations have taken things to the | | | | sudden case of the munchies.And where was I |
| next level by reporting the weather from | | | | during this potentially deadly storm? For the |
| outside of all places. It makes sense, I | | | | most part, I was sitting on the toilet |
| guess, since that's where the majority of | | | | singing Barney songs with my girls. But there |
| weather occurs. And it's sure to cut down on | | | | was a moment when I stepped out onto the |
| the number of missed forecasts since all they | | | | front porch to face the oncoming unknown. I |
| have to do is look up. It's hard to predict | | | | stared up into the black sky and waited for a |
| sunshine when rain is falling on your | | | | flash of lightning to illuminate the clouds, |
| head.While I make light of TV weathermen and | | | | to reveal what was hiding up there. After a |
| their toys, I do take the weather very | | | | minute, I decided there was nothing to see. I |
| seriously. North Alabama is my home. It's | | | | turned to go inside, but not before stealing |
| also the place my grampa often called, "the | | | | one last look at the storm.I briefly thought |
| ass end of tornado alley." In modern | | | | of my old man.I wondered if he was doing the |
| weather-speak, that means that North Alabama | | | | same.From "Small Business Q&A" With Tim Knox |
| is historically prone to weather patterns | | | | |
| that could (and often do) spawn dangerous | | | | Tim Knox is a nationally-known entrepreneur, |
| storms and tornadoes. Most North Alabamians | | | | author, speaker, and radio show host. |
| have either lived through such a storm | | | | |
| themselves or know someone who has.Myself, | | | | Tim has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs |
| included.April 7, 1974: a night when dozens | | | | realize their business dreams. |