Switch to mobile version

When the Power Goes Out For Good

Post image for When the Power Goes Out For Good

On Sunday the power went out, and it was so great.

All sorts of whirring and buzzing, which I had not really been aware of, stopped. My drapes were open, and the sudden disappearance of artificial light made the blue, sunny day outside extremely obvious.

I had forgotten about outside. Suddenly listless, I figured I’d go out for a minute and at least see if it was the whole world that had ground to a halt or just the inside of my apartment. I put my hat and shoes on, momentarily surprised that they still worked fine.

The outside world was the same as I remembered it. The world hadn’t shut off, it was still running. The familiar clichés of “outside” were all there: people walking, birds chirping from somewhere I couldn’t see, signs, overhead wires, buildings, clouds, all playing out over an orderly quilt of concrete and grass, and all of it underscored by countless layers of droning internal combustion engines. No stillness here.

I probably spent less than two minutes out there before I realized that I only went outside to make sure the world hadn’t ended. That mission accomplished, I went back inside. I sat in the weird quiet for a long half-minute and then the power came back on. The computer fan roared to life. The fridge resumed its stubborn hum. Whatever unidentifiable rumblings, hisses and buzzes that normally go in on this building — there are probably dozens going at any one time — jumped back into my head like they barely left.

Six weeks earlier I’m sitting with a couple of friends on someone’s deck having a beer on what we all inwardly recognize is the First Real Nice Day of the year. The conversation had petered out naturally for the moment, which is fine, because there is absolutely nothing missing. One of us is probably about to say “Isn’t this nice?” when a lawnmower explodes into life on the other side of the fence.

It’s at these sorts of moments when I begin to wonder when we as a society decided that as long as there’s something we want to do, it’s perfectly reasonable to fire up a deafening machine in order to do it faster or more easily.

I’m not making a moral judgment here. I contribute all sorts of buzzes and rumbles of my own. I’m just wondering aloud how it happened that we got so noisy, and so casual about that noise.

I’m sure the first people to witness a demonstration of the motor-car were quite thrilled at the possibilities it would provide over their current lives. The horrendous noise it made was a negligible price to pay for the wonder of a carriage with a power source that doesn’t go lame, need to sleep, or defecate six feet from your face while you’re driving.

We never decide things like that, I suppose, we just get dazzled by the upsides and quickly become accustomed to them. Attachments form and we tend to downplay the costs, regarding them as thereafter “fixed” in the same way we really believe we cannot live without a car, smart phone, or internet connection as soon as we have one.

No escape

I’ve been known to complain about crows waking me up while I’m camping, but if I bet if birds were endowed with the same sensitivity to irritation we humans enjoy, they’d probably always be thinking about what a damn racket we make all the time. But I suppose they could easily get lost if it really got to them.

It’s not so easy for us. A human — an animal that is both irritated by these bloody rackets and is also dependent on making them — would have to try much harder to get away.

One summer Saturday a friend and I decided to drive as far as we had to to get out of earshot of civilization. We quickly realized it was effectively impossible to do in a single day, so we pulled over in a field and listened to Pink Floyd instead.

If you ever actually try transport yourself to a place where you cannot hear an internal combustion engine at all, you have to go quite a distance from civilization (which is remarkably difficult where most of us live) then shut off the engine you brought with you. It would have to be an off-road vehicle, because where there are roads there are other engines. But no matter what you do you’ll still probably hear that ubiquitous sky-wide echo of a truck somewhere on some section road. Somewhere.

What you’ll probably need to do, if you’re determined not to let mechanical explosions constitute the background chorus to your life, is to find another, more pleasant noise that drowns it out. The ocean works brilliantly, if you’ve got one. If not, there’s always the radio or television. Or you can whip out a black rectangle and poke at it to distract you, if you have one of those. “Getting away from it all,” when we do manage to feel like we’ve done that, tends to be more of a mental departure than a physical one.

So I guess we’ve gone and done it now. Just by embracing technologies as they’ve come along year after year, we’ve made ourselves inextricable from them. Does that mean we’re cyborgs? Already? We don’t even have flying cars yet.

When the power goes out for good

James Burke paints a sobering picture of the danger we create with our technological dependencies in his 1978 series Connections using a nearly perfect example: an elevator.

Without really thinking about it, we get in a steel box and a door closes automatically behind us. There are buttons that we expect will control this thing and open the door when we want to get out. There’s probably a trap door for emergencies, but that is certainly not on our minds.

Until the power goes out and the box whines to a halt. The door won’t open. Where is the exit again? Above your head somewhere, like in the movies?

Burke:

…and even in this situation, closed in, with an escape route that we can’t handle… we simply strike a light, and if we find an emergency button, absolutely great. We sit back and wait for help to come. We wait for technology to come back and save our lives. Because it’s inconceivable that it won’t. Isn’t it?

The power going out in my apartment was refreshing for that few moments only because I knew it was coming back. There was never any question about that. It’s incredible, the confidence I have in the power coming back on. I have more confidence in the power coming back on than I do in my promise to myself to go running three mornings a week.

What happens when the power doesn’t come back on? In actual disaster scenarios, technological societies break down very quickly. No power, no communication. No communication, no organization. No policing, no accountability. No rules, no rights. Welcome back to the animal kingdom, I hope you’re ready.

If you knew the power wasn’t coming back on, where would you go? Everything we use is plugged in. We need food, and who among us has the capacity to feed ourselves without electric power?

How long would your current house be a safe place to stay? You’d have to get down to the store and get looting before everyone else does, for starters. Then board things up and arm yourself, or get out. Life would get grim fast, and I don’t really want to think about it.

So I’ll take these little unexpected breaks from the refrigerator hum as they come, a few times a year, and I hope I don’t forget that I don’t really want to get away from civilization.

But I’m all for push-mowers. That’s a step back I can handle.

R

Photo by FunM3D

Jay Schryer June 14, 2011 at 10:17 pm

lol. This was great, David! It’s certainly something we all need to think about. I grew up on a farm out in the middle of nowhere, and silence (at least mechanical silence-there were still plenty of animals making noise) was not all that uncommon, especially at night. When I got older and moved into town, it was a long time before I could sleep at night because of all the noise. Now, I take the noise for granted, and even have a hard time going to sleep whenever I go back to the farm!

In the Winter, our power used to go out and stay out for weeks. We had to bring water up from the lake to drink, huddle around our gas oven to keep warm, and forgo showers in favor of quick wipe-downs with warm, wet rags. Since we were so far from civilization, there were often trees that fell down across our road, leaving us trapped at home. We amused ourselves by playing board games, reading (by kerosene lantern), and telling ghost stories.

Even though those were difficult times, they are some of my fondest childhood memories. So perhaps, if the power *does* go out forever, it might not be as bad as we fear…

But then again, I’m a long way from the farm these days…

David June 15, 2011 at 6:31 am

Sounds pretty good! Occasional power outages would probably be good for a society. Disconnect us now and then so we don’t forget how to get by without being wired up all the time.

BaSH PR0MPT October 4, 2012 at 6:07 am

I’m sure all the folks who rely on power for life sustaining (even at home) medical treatments would disagree with you. As would anyone who wants to eat or drink, not have to shit in a bucket and take it to a cess pool in their back yard filled with garbage six foot high amongst shit and piss. Or those who would like to have their currency worth more than the paper it is printed on. Or those who are distanced from family, loved ones, and friends. Or those who’s social lives are primarily online because they feel more comfortable that way. Or those like you, or I, who express their opinions on the internets for others to read and muse over.

You know, I think I’d prefer it if the power stays on, thanks. :)

b.a. January 30, 2014 at 9:18 pm

Just so you know, wood ashes disinfect. If we ever do crash, know that you can pour wood ashes in the outhouse hole, and voila, no smell. It’s called cleanliness. Or, if you don’t mind the work of carrying a bucket for yourself, you can dump a bucket of water in the existing toilet and voila, it will flush. Toilets don’t use electricity :)

Tim June 15, 2011 at 12:04 am

Hi David

I’m new to your blog, and have really enjoyed reading all your insightful articles. It’s always good to know there are like-minded people out there!

In relation to the article, I often wonder at how everything depends on the power we take for granted. Whenever we talk or read about the future, technology, development etc. in the rich west, it always presupposes we have a power socket.

It always makes me want to flick the switch off and ask ‘Now what?’

Bring on the power cuts.

Tim

David June 15, 2011 at 6:32 am

Hit the breaker! See what happens.

Daniel M. Wood June 15, 2011 at 3:42 am

In stockholm they ran an add campaign about the danger of all the sounds we are exposed to, a few years back.
All around us there is noise, all the time and it overwhelms our senses.
We aren’t supposed to be hit with the constant humming, it is sometimes very relaxing to find complete peace and quiet.

David June 15, 2011 at 6:33 am

I think I’ll probably end up having a remote cottage one day, and stay there for a few months at a time. My own Walden.

Emil June 15, 2011 at 4:17 am

Interesting… I found this article to be a nice flashback to my growing up days in Nigeria where power outages were the norm… It was not unusual to be without power for weeks. And for those without generators. the wait could be endless. When I was younger, I did experience some of this. But what I realized while reading this article was that in spite of the lack of power, we got on. We ate, drank, went about our activities, and most importantly was able to create happiness beyond the realms of technological gadgets. THose Night time family tete-a-tetes in a living room lit by kerosene lanterns formed the backbone of family bonding and shaped a lot of our residual character. Thanks for sharing.

David June 15, 2011 at 6:39 am

I think that’s something that’s slowly disappearing in the west — the tête-à-tête family bonding. 75% of US families do not eat dinner together every day, and 25% eat together fewer than 3 days a week.

Just taking the television out of the equation would probably change the at-home dynamic a lot. When I canceled my cable I remember how different it felt, like I was suddenly here in the room and I had to do something with myself.

Eric | Eden Journal June 15, 2011 at 7:08 am

Ha! The (non-motorized) push mowers would be great as long as I’m not the one pushing it.

We had a power outage one evening last year. It went out shortly after I got home from work and was out for several hours. Usually when that happens it’s due to a storm, but this wasn’t the case as the weather was quite nice. With the nice weather and no power and interesting thing happend. All our neighbors came outside. We ended up spending the evening socializing while the kids all played together. It was like an instant block party minus the loud music. The evening was really peaceful and enjoyable.

Julie June 15, 2011 at 10:17 am

Beautiful, David! And a bit haunting. Silence, stillness…ahhhhh… I do think our outer world is a reflection of the increasing chaos of our inner world. Or does it flow in the other direction?

Since going vegan (high five) I’ve been drawn more and more to this concept of living off the land. Solar panels, a garden, some chickens, a well… my i-phone and my Mac : ) I definitely don’t dream of living a la 1800s style, but there is something to being independent of the grid and empowering oneself, literally! Ha!

And a sidenote, I was in NYC in the summer of 2002 when the power went out for 24 hours (and longer for certain areas). It was… AWESOME! I was in the subway at the time and got to walk down the tracks with about a hundred NYC brethren. Traffic eventually died off and everyone was walking the very dark NYC streets with flashlights and glowsticks. It felt like a great big game of hide and seek.

The main thing I remember is how adventurous life suddenly became, and how we were all called upon to summon our creativity and sense of community. When the power came back on, I felt a bit sad at having to return to this grown up/made-up world of rigid structure and isolation amongst the masses. But I was overjoyed to have my ac back : )

Thanks for all your writing, David. Hey, and how’s the book idea developing?? Love, Julie

David June 16, 2011 at 6:56 am

I remember seeing that power outage on TV. I have to say it looked pretty fun

Tatiana June 15, 2011 at 10:20 am

I love getting away from the noises of the world too, and have also experienced an adjustment period before I can sleep in either very noisy or very quiet circumstances. But I would NOT want to be unplugged for anything more than the occasional black out or going camping, although a nice remote cabin in a milder climate would not be remiss… For one, where I live is retardedly cold, and a winter power outage would quickly freeze everything solid. In the summer you’d have to be throwing a bbq to eat up all the food about to spoil, or be prepared with ice coolers or a generator.

But an extended power outage would indeed put a large strain on society. We no longer live in the world where your physical needs can be satisfied within a hundred mile radius (for better or worse), and devolving into a survivalist nightmare would not be my idea of a good time.

Yelena (Colorful Childhood) June 15, 2011 at 11:34 am

Yes, I’ve thought about this quite a bit actually. What would happen if all the computers crashed for example. The banking system would be in chaos, everybody’s bank accounts and all the records would disappear and that’s when it would get real scary. I think it is different in Nigeria where people are not relying on technology to run their lives as much as we are.

Joy June 15, 2011 at 1:01 pm

Hi David,
Since I live on a boat, one would think I would be surrounded by silence..not so..the boat is in a marina..we can hear various tools, commercial fishing boats and all the noise around them..the noise of living..But at night, when all is still, I can hear the seals barking and the herons calling and the waves gently lapping against the hull..noises of my world, reassuring to me.
When in the slip, we are hooked up to shore power for electricity. One day the electricity went out and my children panicked–until I reminded them our vessel is battery powered so all works well without shore power:)
I love night and I love stillness..and I think some people are afraid of both and in part that is why technology lights it up and creates noise..to distract “us” from fear…

Brenda June 15, 2011 at 3:33 pm

Hi David
Here on the Gulf Coast, we’ve been through a number of power outages following hurricanes. You think you’ll be fine roughing it, till night falls and you can’t sleep because the air is so hot. You’re devastated by the heat of the day, then tortured by the night. A few days like this and you can’t think straight anymore. It feels like your mind has gone numb. When you’re that hot all the time, you don’t feel like eating, then you start to get weak. Once, the power was out for three weeks. Fortunately, FEMA showed up with food and ice. Who knows what would have happened if they hadn’t?

sara June 15, 2011 at 8:42 pm

I got a lot of practice with power outages while living in DR. Sometimes they were nice, other (more often times), when I had a test to study for or a paper to do for the next day, or I had to go somewhere and hadn’t showered, or it was just really hot, they really felt like a pain. I wish I could have said I learned from them, but now that I am back in the U.S., I am very thankful that the power doesn’t go out here.

Meg June 15, 2011 at 10:41 pm

Electric lawn mowers are much quieter than gas ones ;D

The quietest day I ever heard in NW Indiana was 9/11. I lived half a block from Lake Michigan and there were no planes in the air nor boats on the water. No cars went by, everyone was riveted to the t.v. The cloudless sky was brilliant–but even the birds were silent.

Things would get feral very quickly without electricity–if no emergency services were available or up for the task, such as after Hurricane Katrina. When the electric goes out here, I find myself feeling relieved when it comes back on, and I know that I can make coffee, take a shower with hot water, cook a little something, and read your blog….

David June 16, 2011 at 6:52 am

That would be the worst part of the power going out. Many of you I wouldn’t know anymore…

Jim June 16, 2011 at 1:02 am

We are already a couple of years past peak oil.
There’s already pressure building in the system.

We are not that far from the power going off for very long periods at a time.

It really is something we should face rather than prefer not to look because it makes us uncomfortable!

EcoCatLady June 16, 2011 at 3:26 am

We are most certainly caught in the Devil’s bargain with our machine dependency. If only noise pollution were the worst price we had to pay…

I fear I am one of those odd ducks who thinks that life will be a whole lot better when the power does go off for good. Call me naive, but I really don’t think that the de-mechanized life is the horrific hell-scape that most city dwellers seem to believe. Not that I’m living off the grid by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe that with a few notable exceptions (like refrigeration) our technology robs us of much more than we get in return.

And I still can’t stop chuckling over the irony of thinking you need an off road vehicle (the worst noise polluters out there) to get away from the sounds of motors and machines. What ever happened to the idea of going for a hike?

David June 16, 2011 at 6:27 am

I think we would be surprised at how difficult life would become if the power went out for good, for everyone. Even if you live “off the grid” today, you’d probably still depend largely on the civilization outside you, if only to occupy the other people so they don’t come and steal what you have.

I’m somewhere in the middle. Our technological dependencies certainly do take things from us, but at least in my life I feel like they add a lot more. Not everybody is charmed by the Walden life.

And I still can’t stop chuckling over the irony of thinking you need an off road vehicle (the worst noise polluters out there) to get away from the sounds of motors and machines. What ever happened to the idea of going for a hike?

To get out of earshot of all roads, you’d have to hike surprisingly far from the nearest road, unless you find a noise that drowns out the distant highway, (a waterfall or something) but drowning it out is not what I’m talking about.

I suppose it does depend a lot on where you live. I live in a city in an intensive agricultural area. Hundreds of miles around me is crisscrossed with section roads. There is no hiking out of here.

EcoCatLady June 16, 2011 at 3:58 pm

I suppose I am spoiled living in Colorado. An hour drive or so and I can be so deep in the back country that you’re likely to not see another car for a week, even on the roads!

I do agree that it would be nearly impossible for today’s world to operate entirely free from machines and electricity, but I think this is largely due to the fact that there are just too many people on this planet. But that’s another topic.

If you’re really interested in what “life less mechanized” would look like, I’d suggest the book “Better Off” by Eric Brende. It’s a fascinating story of a couple who spent a year living in an Amish/Mennonite community.

Denise June 16, 2011 at 10:15 am

David, I just read this post before coming out on my deck to work from home while I wait for my car to be fixed. As I sat in the beautiful sun with the breeze blowing the papers around and my dog at my feet it was not like work at all! I live close to a grade school and it’s recess so I hear the children laughing and playing in the background. Bliss. And then the neighbour fires up his weed wacker. Followed shortly afterwards by the leaf blower. makes me want to go into the office!

I live in Toronto and there was a major power outage in 2003. We were in the dark and the quiet for several days. It was challenging (my elderly parents lived on the 9th floor of their apartment building and my husband and son had to hike up a cooler with ice & supplies) but it was also amazing. People helped to direct traffic and assist other folks. My family gathered together in the backyard, bbq’d dinner and played boardgames by candlelight. Then we talked and spent quality time together. Of course it was August, sunny and warm. It would have been very different if it was January.

I hear what you say about needing to travel to get somewhere that the noise is limited. However, interestingly, I occasionally attend a retreat at a convent in Toronto. It is only metres away from a major highway and yet the way it has been constructed, and the trees that surround it protect it from most of the noise of the city. Which reminds me of the Viet Nam War Memorial in Washington. Because it is built below the normal ground level the surrounding sounds are almost totally removed as you visit and pay your respects. An incredible structure.

Love to read your posts. Always look forward to what you have to say.

D

Axeell June 16, 2011 at 11:01 am

I really like this post I think it needs to in the best of section. This post has made it :)

Power is really everything to us. We wake up in the morning and press that damn button on the PC and wait for it to switch on. The phone battery is low, and it is always in the last place in our minds to plug it in. Until it turns off and we have to do it. But we don’t think that by then there might be no more power, and our phone could have been the last on earth that is recharged!

It is ridiculous how much we trust technology, think about how many people would die after being on a machine in a hospital. And that comes naturally to us to just plug people like that on machines.

To answer your question “Where would you go?”
Answer is: I would probably sit at home and wait, and think the power will probably be back up soon. Because damn probably is all we know. In the elevator we think someone will probably come for us.

Cheers :)

Trish Scott June 16, 2011 at 11:54 am

I’m fortunate in that I can take a 15 min. walk into stillness, have room to garden, a wood stove for heating and propane for cooking. Really fortunate since our power company seems to have a real hard time providing consistent service :). Most of my neighbors are Mormons who store enough food to last their family at least 3 months. I’d be the one out begging after a month or so of winter. Everyone is armed but I don’t see any of us killing each other for basic needs. I do see us killing some deer and rabbits from time to time since my neighbors aren’t anywhere near vegan. I think our little town could weather a failure of technology. Of course the USA altogether would crash in a really spectacular way. It’s a picture that makes me quite happy really. Back to the stone age is probably the only thing that could save this country.

But my bet is that even stone age living will be noisy. It seems to be the human thing to do. We’d figure out a way to start up noise right away. Someone would be sure to be making firecrackers right off the bat. Every surface would become a drum, every leaf a whistle. We won’t allow any amount of hardship to stem the cacophony. I’ll still have to hike to the stillness.

Vicky June 17, 2011 at 6:03 am

I *love* getting away camping for this very reason. I *love* not hearing mechanical, electrical, or vehicle hums. Oh the clarity! I don’t realise how much noise there is around my home until i get back home. Thankfully we don’t have to go too far around here to escape unnatural noise.

As for being without electricity, gosh our society really depends on it. Imagine the mayhem (potentially) without it. I’ve often thought about this (thanks to learning about the potential risks of a huge solar flare) and realise i am not at all prepared for this kind of eventuality, except for about 3 days worth of food. I currently do not have the means to be self sufficient and feed my family or defend it and our stock, for any length of time. Lets hope the power doesn’t go out for good any time in the near future… i wanna get to my self sufficient plot of land first, hehe.

Cara Stein June 17, 2011 at 4:18 pm

I live in Alabama, and we had a really horrible storm in April that knocked the power out for five days. I was really surprised at how nice it was! So quiet, and so dark at night! I was kind of sad when the power was restored, to tell you the truth.

It worked out surprisingly well, too. People treated blank stoplights as 4-ways stops, there was a lot of grilling out and neighborliness, and I don’t know when I’ve gotten so much sleep. I’m sure it wouldn’t be that orderly if we hadn’t had radio stations broadcasting the news and when to expect the power back, or huge loads of ice and generators being trucked in from surrounding areas. As it was, though, I found it a blissful retreat.

David June 17, 2011 at 9:55 pm

All these great stories about power outages have me wishing for a nice long one here. A couple days, just to shake us all up, that would be great. I think.

Adam June 18, 2011 at 1:42 am

A world without electricity is an apocalypse situation like Katrina. People looting, no police/firefighters/EMTs available, diabetics dying without their refrigerated insulin, old people dying from the heat, muggings, rape, murder.
This is when guns become the apparent preservers of life, as well as the takers. The difference is, the takers were probably purchased illegally while the preservers legally, which is why I’m pro-2nd amendment. If a guy sees you carrying a gun he’s not going to rob you or anyone else around you for that matter. Criminals are the ones who conceal their weapons in order to catch their victims off guard. Imagine if every other person was carrying a firearm openly. I do believe crime rates would plummet.

Vilx- June 21, 2011 at 3:04 pm

The downside is – not everyone is able to keep their anger in check when it counts. And people are often dumb/clumsy/unlucky. Maybe crime would go down, but accidental and in-the-heat-of-the-moment killings would go up. A lot. I’m not sure which is better. Perhaps firearms should be forbidden altogether, except for authorities and then too for use in the most extreme cases only?

Vilx- June 21, 2011 at 3:18 pm

This coincides nicely with this article: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/controlled-power-cuts-likely-as-sun-storm-threatens-national-grid-2296748.html

In short, scientists expect some huge solar flares next year, and British/US governments are drawing up plans for cutting power if necessary, to prevent damage to equipment.

It’s pretty obvious that the internal combustion engine’s days are numbered, although the day when it becomes a rarity is still far off. Electrical motors will take over, and they are much quieter. We only need some way to store large amounts of electrical power in a small container. A problem yet unsolved. However I’m confident that a breakthrough will happen in the next couple of decades, or some existing technology will get refined enough to provide us with the means necessary. Along with that, I believe, will come a reduction in dependence on huge monolith power grids and the possibility of a global blackout will retreat.

Nea | Self Improvement Saga June 22, 2011 at 7:47 pm

Hi there David. I’ve given this scenario a lot of thought lately. How could I not with all of the talk about the world ending, civilization collapsing, etc. I’ve decided to simply say screw it. Ha ha ha.

That attitude is not going to help me if/when the power goes out for good; but it helps me enjoy whatever time I have with life as it is. The things I don’t like about the modern world are still better than the alternatives I’ve thought about.

The thought of growing and killing food makes me nearly content with the idea of starving to death. No air conditioning in the summer or heat in the winter. Physically fighting people who come to steal what I’ve stored for survival. Dark nights without electricity. No flipping on the light switch, no laps in heated pools and no airplane travel (as much as I’m irritated by TSA right now I still prefer them over horses & wagons).

None of that is for me. I’ll take the buzzing, noisiness of my current life over the alternative any day.

Stephen Guise June 24, 2011 at 2:14 am

Hey David,

Just browsing around your blog (about page and a few articles), I really relate with and enjoy your perspective on our existence.

This article made me think of the very loud machine that is right next to my ear right now – my air conditioner. When it is on, I become deaf to the noise it produces – probably a good thing. :-) When I turn it off, I understand what silence is.

You’re a fantastic writer and your writing content measures up to it – a great combination!

~ Stephen

Lori June 28, 2011 at 1:37 pm

I lived on Grand Cayman awhile ago and my friend and I took a day trip over to Little Cayman. It was the quietest place I have ever been. We took a kayak over to a very small private island with nothing on it but trees. It was so quiet, all that you heard was the wind. I have to say it was a little freaky. When we got back to Grand Cayman that evening it seemed like a loud bussling city, which its not. Was an interesting comparison.

Jeff Gaver July 1, 2011 at 7:56 am

Recently. We had a power outage and it was quite profound the number of people that were outside conversing with neighbors, community; kids playing outside in what is a usually otherwise desolate seeming neighborhood. People found themselves forced from under their digitally powered distractions and into the realm of analog reality. I wouldn’t mind more outages…

Tess The Bold Life July 7, 2011 at 6:59 am

I grew up on a farm and the nearest neighbor was a half mile away. I grew up with quiet and longed for noise. As crazy as this may seem I still like the city and noise better. We do have a cottage in Northern MI that we rent out. It’s in a small town, quiet, no street lights, very black at night, can’t see your hand in front of your face. It’s magical there, I think it’s because of the lake, pine trees and quiet. I love it there as well but wouldn’t want to live there full time! Weird eh?

Baker July 7, 2011 at 10:01 am

Insightful writing, I like being in nature, that is usually where I hear the voice of God.

MK July 28, 2011 at 7:54 am

In my country power keeps on going and coming back, mostly on the same time. It comes back at 10, after an hour or two, everyday. But I must say, I am sure that it’ll return at 10.

Have to do some re-thinking, now!

Alin November 7, 2012 at 5:48 am

i find it very funny how everyone seems to think that going without power can be at any time a good thing. i don’t know how many of you actually went through constant power-outs. it’s not that nice, your everyday program is constantly messed up, u can’t realy get stuff done. As a good answer to what would happen if power went out for good i recomand watching the tv series “revolution” (aired by nbc, i think, in the us).

Hannah February 22, 2013 at 8:30 am

I am not liking this. It is so weird. I can’t imagine a world without power!!!!!

Tom Southern April 23, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Shows how much we’ve all forgotten how to live without artificial help and support. The other day someone under 25 asked me what a candle was! I was so stunned, I couldn’t speak for several minutes. Perhaps power cuts could be planned by governments as part of a “remember you’re human” campaign.

Stacy Otto May 13, 2013 at 9:19 am

Going back about 10 years ago the city I and my family live in had straight lines winds come through knocking out power throughout a lot of neighborhoods. We lost power for over a week and during that time after working all day we would come home and spend quality time outside with neighbors and friends and learning to be very creative cooking all meals on a grill. But when our power did come back on it was a welcome relief. Technology is a blessing in many ways.

Collette February 12, 2014 at 11:59 pm

Shut off the notebook.

Isiah February 25, 2014 at 1:06 am

You could place masking cassette and also label just what is in any single section.
Just another method of getting things formed.

David Cain January 31, 2014 at 9:56 am

I have a feeling I will one day find myself grateful you left this comment

Comments on this entry are closed.

{ 1 Trackbacks }

Desktop version

Raptitude is an independent blog by . Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I might earn a commission if you buy certain things I link to. In such cases the cost to the visitor remains the same.