Here...have a 30 MINUTE THUNDERSTORM. Yer welcome.
http://www.beebstuff.net/misc/AustinThunderstorm02-21-1998.mp3
That post about hints to overcome the night manifestations of PTSD earlier set me to thinkin’ a minute about my “nightly thunderstorm” and how much it helps me. So I figured I’d share it. Maybe someone might get some comfort from it, like I do. I recorded this “live” a long time ago.
Tried to upload this file here, and no freakin’ way. Too big.
Tried to upload it as an audio only file on YouTube. No workee.
SO...here’s what I decided to do. I have got tons of webspace I pay out the nose to Dotster for. I uploaded the file to the URL above (and below). You can download it to your computer/phone/ipod/whatever. I was going to try to monetize it, but I just figured, nah...the world needs to hear this. it might help somebody.
The story goes like this:
On February 21, 1998, a hum-dinger of a “squall line” came through Austin. This line of thunderstorms was pretty damn intense on the radar, so just as it was coming into range, I decided to record it.
One Shure SM-58 was out the east-facing front screen door. One Shure SM-57 was pointed out the screened north-facing window. Both mics were plugged directly into my Nakamichi CR-1A cassette deck. Recorded onto a Maxell UDXLII, of course.
I have had this recording in digital form since about 2000. It existed only as that direct-to-cassette recording before. This is the “final version”, as far as me tweaking the levels/etc.
Texas went through some hideous drought years in the early-mid 2000′s. There was one year where it didn’t rain from like April until September. At all. SO, I would burn this onto CD and give it to friends to use as “Drought Therapy”. This CD blasting on a good stereo, coupled with some super-cold AC? DROUGHT THERAPY!
After moving out here to SF Bay in 2016, it quickly became apparent I was having “RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM WITHDRAWALS”.
SO...if there are any other transplanted Texans or any other people who find a REAL THUNDERSTOM to be comforting, relaxing and, yes, spiritual, then please enjoy. CERAUNOPHILIA at it’s finest. lol.
It’s about 60MB as an MP3. I am going to dig out the original source tape and do a fresh transfer one of these days...when the War is over.
ONE CONDITION, please: Don’t anybody dare try to make money off this. Share it freely ONLY. Spread it to people you know in drought-stricken areas. People who miss rain. It builds, ebbs and flows, as a squall-line of storms does.
Here’s the link again:
http://www.beebstuff.net/misc/AustinThunderstorm02-21-1998.mp3
Lemme know if you enjoy.
Love y’all. Stay safe. Stand proud. We are winning this War.
PostTexasStressDisorder
