Summertime related Poll

[Karen]

Just curious, we lost electricity yesterday, apparently a transformer substation near us quit under the extreme load of the heat wave he've been having, so we were without electricity for a couple hours. We have UPS - uninterruptible power supplies - for both computers, so didn't lose anything from the computers, or anything. But what do you do when the power goes out, whether it's from a thunderstorm, high demand on the power grid, or whatever?

I sat by the window and read a book before heading off to rehearsal later. I know where the flashlights are, so I could have done so by flashlight if it was dark out. But what do you do when the power's out?

[Randi]

I light candles and get my flashlight, then I change the fuses and the light is back on. :)

Sometimes, the lights in the street are out. I enjoy that, it gives me a feeling of being out in the countryside. :D

[Taz_Zoee]

One year we lost power New Year's Eve. It was out for almost 24 hours. I sat near the window curled up with a blanket and my dog and read. Then one time during the summer there was a brown-out and we went to the mall hoping to get some AC....we were sadly mistaken. So we went to our local bar which was air conditioned. :)
I also think one time we watched a movie on Bruce's laptop. Charged the battery in the car.
I think it's kinda fun when the power goes out. Kinda.

[Karen]

Also, as we currently have a thunderstorm beginning, when I was a kid, we'd sit out on the porch and play cards during the storms, whether or not we lost power! Sometimes we'd have to move the table around the corner if the wind changed directions mid-storm and the cards were getting wet!

[kitten645]

I just bought a Nook so even if it's dark out, I'll be able to read, surf the web, email etc. I'm loving the little thing! I kinda like power outages too. Everything gets really quiet. You meet neighbors cause you're all in the same boat! I don't like the frying of computers etc but it would be nice to turn EVERYTHING off once in a while.
Claudia

[pomtzu]

I said "something else", since it really depends a lot on what the weather is. During the summer - find a cooler area. During the winter - find a way to stay warm. At night - just stay in bed and wait. During a blizzard - cross my fingers and hope it's not out long enough for the pipes to freeze. During a hurricane or Nor'easter - worry and pace.

I'm surprised we didn't lose power at all these past 3 days - the power grids are way overloaded in this heat. Yesterday and Wednesday we officially hit 100, but today it was only 97! I don't know how anyone lives without a.c., or works where there is none. My DIL works on the 2nd level of the huge Walmart Distribution Center in town - it has been 120 in her area.

[chocolatepuppy]

I think eating the ice cream when the power goes off is a great suggestion. :D I've done that before!;)

[momcat]

When that happens, I love to get under my headphones and battery operated CD player, light a few candles settle in with a pad and pen then write a personal handwritten letter to one of my friends. Around here it's known as "Edgar Allen Poe Night."

[Alysser]

I do the things I'd normally do. I take showers, read, listen to music, play board games, play with the dog, walk the dog (during the day), sleep (at night), eat, watch movies on my laptop (battery lasts for 5+ hours usually), etc. My life doesn't stop when the power goes out. I don't mind life without the air conditioning much. I APPRECIATE A/C but don't seem to notice it as much as everyone else due to my last job as a costume character. Heat never bothers me anymore.

[mrspunkysmom]

My other thing is to get out of the house, if possible. If it went out during the summer, I would open the windows to ventilate the house.

If the power went out during a storm, I would be holding kitties.

[cassiesmom]

Fight panicky feelings. Call Com Ed for the limited amount of information they provide. Find the flashlight. I received a chargeable flashlight as a housewarming gift and it's been a lifesaver through numerous power outages over the years! Light some candles, try to read by candlelight / flashlight. Call the management company to report that the emergency lighting system doesn't work (again) and it's dark in the hallways and stairways. Wait. I hate power outages and traffic jams because they are things over which I have absolutely no control. Hate 'em.


Completely off the topic -- it's 11:30 PM as I'm typing. My downstairs neighbor one door down works 3-11 PM. He's outside grilling right now, I can smell the food cooking. He must have not had time to eat during his shift (I know he works 3-11, but I'm not sure what he does; his girlfriend is a nurse and she also works 3-11). This happens about once a week. Smells good!

[Freedom]

If it is after dark, good excuse to get an early night, lol.

If it is daytime, depends on the cause of the outage. A weather related outage (lightening strike) I stay in and read, but if it is unknown (car accident, etc) I can walk the dogs. Now, in that high heat, I would NOT be out walking the dogs, lol. Just sit inside or outside and read.

[Grace]

Depends upon the reason - and the season as Ellie said.

If we think it will be out for an extended period - like the tornado we had in March - we get out the dependable generator. Then we 'll have water, refrigeration, some lights, heat in the winter and TV.

Pretty much around here, if it's out more than 5 minutes, it will be out for hours.

[DJFyrewolf36]

I end up petting/playing with Spook and messing with my phone. Luckily the battery lasts for quite a while if I'm not using the phone part of it lol. I have a Kindle app on it and quite a few books so I can be entertained for hours! I also have quite a few games and I can get to quite a few web sites too!

Smart phones: Good for everything but phone calls. ;)

[Suki Wingy]

Freak out because my computer is over 5 years old and the battery lasts about 30 minutes. And I can be triggered by a lot of small sounds so I rely on headphones+ ipod or computer to help drown out the noises so I can be panicky if I think/know I don't have that as back up. Sometimes getting my ipod on in time has been the difference between just feeling very tense and angry and a full blown panic attack with hyperventilation.

[ramanth]

If there is still daylight, I'll read. It hurts my eyes to read by candlelight, so if the power goes out and it's already dark, I just go to bed early. :)

[kuhio98]

As far as I know, the summer has never been hot enough in Anchorage, Alaska to lose power. :D And if we did lose power....since the sun doesn't set in the summer.... we'd carry on as normal.

But, we do lose power in the winter. When that happens, we light a fire, light some candles and cuddle up with kitties.

[Karen]

As far as I know, the summer has never been hot enough in Anchorage, Alaska to lose power. :D And if we did lose power....since the sun doesn't set in the summer.... we'd carry on as normal.

But, we do lose power in the winter. When that happens, we light a fire, light some candles and cuddle up with kitties.


Do you get thunderstorms ever? Just curious! That's usually the only reason the power goes out around here, besides car accidents and the like - this was unusual.

[sasvermont]

I usually wander around for a few minutes, collecting candles, matches etc. then settle in with a good book. I LOVE how quiet it gets. No noise from the refrigerator, freezer, etc. Totally quiet! I used to love it in the office when the power went out (except all the serge protectors beeped)! I have surge protectors here at the house too, but the beep for only a couple of minutes.

I can usually take a shower etc. within a few hours. Then the water turns ice cold. I do have water though. People with wells and electric pumps are out of luck in that area. The phone well, I usually call a friend to see if it is a town problem or local (on my street).

I once lived in my house for a week without electricity or heat! I borrowed a kerrocene (sp) portable heater and ate sandwiches and drank beer. I began to feel like an ice fishing person.

I like power outages.

[kuhio98]

Do you get thunderstorms ever? Just curious! That's usually the only reason the power goes out around here, besides car accidents and the like - this was unusual.

Funny you should ask. Just 2 weeks ago -- for maybe the 4th time since I've lived in Anchorage -- we heard thunder. The poor cats freaked. They had never heard it in their lifetimes. Willy hid under the bed. Pepper went running towards the windows to get closer to the "danger". :D

It almost never gets warm enough in Anchorage for the heat to build up for a thunderstorm. We usually having a misting kind of rain.

But, in interior Alaska (like Fairbanks) it gets up into the 90's in the summer and lightning strikes cause fires every year.

[Karen]

Poor kitties! They must have thought some cat-eating monster was coming!

[cassiesmom]

I am doing a happy dance because it's raining and we need the rain sooooo much! Yesterday it rained for about a minute. I hope it rains harder today. It's still really hot and muggy out, though. Mother Nature, please, just one good soaking rain today. Please.

[Karen]

Hope you get just enough rain! Lots of people seem to have either too much or none at all, we're about at a happy medium here, thankfully.

[Felicia's Mom]

I would use my computer as long as the batteries lasted. After that, I would either read or go to bed early.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

If the power out was due to a storm, I usually start filling up pitchers and everything else I can find with water. I have several battery operated candles that come on when lights go out at night so I can see to move around. Our towns water pump has gone down twice during storms and we have been without water for almost 2 days at a time several times.

[Karen]

Oh, I did want to mention a couple things that, as the daughter of a stationery engineer, I was taught as a kid.

1. Do not open and close the refrigerator too much when the power goes out, as every time you do, you are letting room-temperature air in, and things will spoil/melt faster. Just open the freezer once to get the ice cream out and call it good!

2. If the power is out for a long enough time that you know everything in the fridge that is perishable has perished (depends on what time of year/ambient temp., etc.) but over 12 hours, you can unplug the refrigerator, and make sure as many things are turned off - light switches, etc., as possible, so there is not an overwhelming spike in demand when the power comes back on, and it will immediately have so much demand that it bumps back off.

[cassiesmom]

From our park district Web site: "You'll want to get to Walker Park at dust to settle in for an annual tradition - our spectacular fireworks display!" (I added the italics)

Yepper... Walker Park is very dusty and dry because we've had so little rain! It's a good thing the fire station is right next door!