Tony Laubach
EF5
I had an interesting project come up that I thought was worth a post... it was basically telling you to write a letter to yourself in the past with pointers or whatever... I ended up making a list of chases to which I would offer advice... I thought it would be interesting, so here are the rules..
Write about as many days as you want.
While there are days you didn't go out that you wish you did, try and keep these to days you went out (a few are okay, but they are usually pretty obvious).
Don't give it away (i.e. tornadoes will be here, go there); drop hints that in the method that if you actually had this, you would have to still use some tact.
Try to avoid too many "stay home" things... obviously a clear sky bust would warrant such a thing.
The reasons can be anything from weather-related, safety advice, to goofy little things.
Use what I've listed below as examples of what I'm going for here. Be creative and have fun! Private jokes or anything that may require an explanation is perfectly fine. Leave some mystery to those reading and let them see if they can figure it out. Remember, this is for you if you had the ability to leave this in the past for you to get.
October 13, 1999 - Find any excuse you can to get yourself back home... and I mean Ohio home, and I mean your old house home.. trust me on this one.
May 5, 2002 - Leave a couple hours earlier and ignore the closer northern storms.
May 15, 2003 - Get south and look north... you'll learn there are two sides to a storm, and one is always better.
June 24, 2003 - Whatever you do, GET TO SOUTH DAKOTA!
March 27, 2004 - Leave about an hour earlier and go the RIGHT way when you leave the hotel.
May 10, 2004 - Hang around in Denver a bit longer and venture out I-70 towards Limon.. don't screw with Wyoming.
May 24, 2004 - Do one of two things; either stick with the storm in Missouri, or hang around in northern Kansas a bit longer. Or hell, just stay home! There may not be a good way to save this day.
May 29, 2004 - Make sure you have your car in park when you go to pee.
April 10, 2005 - Use a damn tripod before I come back and beat you with it!
May 12, 2005 - Find Roger Hill, you may destroy your car, but damn will it be fun!
June 2, 2005 - Business will be very slow and you won't make enough in tips to make up for this, go find a way out.
May 5, 2006 - 412 NW 21st Street, Seminole, TX
May 7, 2006 - Go home through western Kansas.
September 16, 2006 - Don't stop at Arby's no matter how much your chase partner *****es.
March 28, 2007 - My intructor later confessed I would've been fine to go, and the speaker that came wasn't worth sticking around for, so get on out and play!
April 21, 2007 - Stay in Dumas.
May 4, 2007 - You made the right decision.
May 5, 2007 - Keep your video camera armed and when you see a group of chasers at an intersection all sitting tight.. you should do the same.
January 10, 2008 - That's right.. January... but stay home for this one.
February 5, 2008 - Make sure you're tired enough to take a midafternoon nap in Memphis, and there are clearings in the trees further up the road.
May 22, 2008 - Don't stress to much over it... you'll get yours later in the day. Just watch the mud on the roads.
May 23, 2008 - CASTLE ROCK ROAD, not 212, and make sure you're ready for what you'll find up there.
May 24, 2008 - Convince the crew to go to Oklahoma.
May 29, 2008 - Don't worry about stills, you'll have plenty to get with video.
July 2, 2008 - Get into Brush before it does.
SOME ADDITIONAL ENTRIES
June 12, 2005 - Your tactic for the day was dead on, just start your tactic a couple hours before sunrise.
May 27, 2006 - I think this is the day you left Ohio for SD; take the southern route through Kansas and home; you'll be in better position for the big surprise in Illinois and you'll likely make it back to Denver before you realize you bought a Dodge minivan with its notorious transmissions.
April 12, 2007 - CHECK YOUR DAMN FOCUS!!
April 23, 2007 - Seek Protection Earlier
June 6, 2007 - Keep your original hotel reservations and suck up the longer nighttime drive.
June 7, 2007 - If you took my advice for the previous day, you'll have that extra hour and change you wanted. Just don't let it catch you!
July 13, 2007 - Get to your target when I originally left for it.
March 17, 2008 - Darrell Green jerseys on St. Patrick's Day are NOT good luck. And 300 miles is a long way to drive when you can only get to second gear.
August 24, 2008 - She's a true friend, she'll understand!
I thought this was pretty fun, and I'm sure I'll find a few other days, but I thought this was a fun thinker... so yeah, just tweak your chases using 20/20, but remember you're writing this for you in the past.
Have fun!
Write about as many days as you want.
While there are days you didn't go out that you wish you did, try and keep these to days you went out (a few are okay, but they are usually pretty obvious).
Don't give it away (i.e. tornadoes will be here, go there); drop hints that in the method that if you actually had this, you would have to still use some tact.
Try to avoid too many "stay home" things... obviously a clear sky bust would warrant such a thing.
The reasons can be anything from weather-related, safety advice, to goofy little things.
Use what I've listed below as examples of what I'm going for here. Be creative and have fun! Private jokes or anything that may require an explanation is perfectly fine. Leave some mystery to those reading and let them see if they can figure it out. Remember, this is for you if you had the ability to leave this in the past for you to get.
October 13, 1999 - Find any excuse you can to get yourself back home... and I mean Ohio home, and I mean your old house home.. trust me on this one.
May 5, 2002 - Leave a couple hours earlier and ignore the closer northern storms.
May 15, 2003 - Get south and look north... you'll learn there are two sides to a storm, and one is always better.
June 24, 2003 - Whatever you do, GET TO SOUTH DAKOTA!
March 27, 2004 - Leave about an hour earlier and go the RIGHT way when you leave the hotel.
May 10, 2004 - Hang around in Denver a bit longer and venture out I-70 towards Limon.. don't screw with Wyoming.
May 24, 2004 - Do one of two things; either stick with the storm in Missouri, or hang around in northern Kansas a bit longer. Or hell, just stay home! There may not be a good way to save this day.
May 29, 2004 - Make sure you have your car in park when you go to pee.
April 10, 2005 - Use a damn tripod before I come back and beat you with it!
May 12, 2005 - Find Roger Hill, you may destroy your car, but damn will it be fun!
June 2, 2005 - Business will be very slow and you won't make enough in tips to make up for this, go find a way out.
May 5, 2006 - 412 NW 21st Street, Seminole, TX
May 7, 2006 - Go home through western Kansas.
September 16, 2006 - Don't stop at Arby's no matter how much your chase partner *****es.
March 28, 2007 - My intructor later confessed I would've been fine to go, and the speaker that came wasn't worth sticking around for, so get on out and play!
April 21, 2007 - Stay in Dumas.
May 4, 2007 - You made the right decision.
May 5, 2007 - Keep your video camera armed and when you see a group of chasers at an intersection all sitting tight.. you should do the same.
January 10, 2008 - That's right.. January... but stay home for this one.
February 5, 2008 - Make sure you're tired enough to take a midafternoon nap in Memphis, and there are clearings in the trees further up the road.
May 22, 2008 - Don't stress to much over it... you'll get yours later in the day. Just watch the mud on the roads.
May 23, 2008 - CASTLE ROCK ROAD, not 212, and make sure you're ready for what you'll find up there.
May 24, 2008 - Convince the crew to go to Oklahoma.
May 29, 2008 - Don't worry about stills, you'll have plenty to get with video.
July 2, 2008 - Get into Brush before it does.
SOME ADDITIONAL ENTRIES
June 12, 2005 - Your tactic for the day was dead on, just start your tactic a couple hours before sunrise.
May 27, 2006 - I think this is the day you left Ohio for SD; take the southern route through Kansas and home; you'll be in better position for the big surprise in Illinois and you'll likely make it back to Denver before you realize you bought a Dodge minivan with its notorious transmissions.
April 12, 2007 - CHECK YOUR DAMN FOCUS!!
April 23, 2007 - Seek Protection Earlier
June 6, 2007 - Keep your original hotel reservations and suck up the longer nighttime drive.
June 7, 2007 - If you took my advice for the previous day, you'll have that extra hour and change you wanted. Just don't let it catch you!
July 13, 2007 - Get to your target when I originally left for it.
March 17, 2008 - Darrell Green jerseys on St. Patrick's Day are NOT good luck. And 300 miles is a long way to drive when you can only get to second gear.
August 24, 2008 - She's a true friend, she'll understand!
I thought this was pretty fun, and I'm sure I'll find a few other days, but I thought this was a fun thinker... so yeah, just tweak your chases using 20/20, but remember you're writing this for you in the past.
Have fun!
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