when is it ok to panic?

So I am REALLY tired of the phrase "cone of uncertainty" you would think something like a hurricane impending could get a more serious name that doesn't sound like a magic trick circa 1900.

My normal cynical self is trying to tell myself that this is just like every other hurricane, all talk and nothing else...but my gut is telling me this might actually be a bigger deal. Everything in me is screaming evacuate. I want nothing more than to jump ship and even if I'm overreacting, say well better safe than sorry. But I have to work, tomorrow, friday and saturday...I don't think they will see it the same way. And I'm hoping they are right, I hope the news is making a bigger deal of this than it really is...but I'm really scared.

The part I'm most scared about is that if anything happens, I'm by myself. Well, Libby is here, but something tells me that she is not the most helpful in an emergency. I don't know where my flash light is, I don't have much food that doesn't involve a microwave, I don't even have neighbors...I think that is one of the things that scares me the most...that I am literally the only person who lives on my floor of my apartments... I can't even count on helpful strangers.

Please do not comment and tell me that "I'll be ok" or "they always make a bigger deal of these things than they really are" minimizing my anxieties will just make them worse.

I'm just frustrated...I hate the unknown...I hate that this time tomorrow I could be evacuating and I have no way to know...I'm going to be at work when the storm hits at this rate, I hate that I am going to be making stupid people coffee, who don't know that coffee during a hurricane not so much a priority. I hate that when I work friday I'm sure it'll be a onslought of people driving through on their way out of town...well I can't because I have to be there to give them coffee so they can leave but I can't. I'm totally a rather be safe than sorry person and it is killing me that I am going against my judgement to stay...

But at the same time I understand that the world can't close because there "might" be a storm in 2 days...and I remember just a month ago when "eduard" was the impending threat and it barely rained...I wanted to leave then too, so I'm just hoping I'm wrong again...I have never wanted so badly to be wrong.