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| Power outage dinner. |
We have a problem as a society.The power was out for 2 days and people were flipping out. I'm not talking about the elderly, they seemed to be taking it just fine. But adults in fine health were complaining about how they had no TV or internet at home. What were they going to do? Their kids were going to be so annoying without the TV to watch. People have forgotten how to live without electricity and electronics. People asked me, crippled, what they should do when they got home.
Audible Noise
I always look forward to power outages. It is not ideal to be without heat in the winter, but I love the removal of developed noise. We are so used to the sounds that our heaters, fans, computers, microwaves, appliances and electronics make that the sounds are almost invisible to our conscious thought. Take them away, and you immediately realize just how loud they've been.
Mental Noise
What is exponentially worse than the audible noise is the mental noise our electronics create. With electronics, we are constantly multitasking despite the evidence that multitasking is not good. The internet makes it all too easy to fall in the rabbit hole every time you are trying to concentrate. But being constantly distracted is taking it's toll. Our brains no longer have the time to sort through information or think. Our brains and souls remain voiceless. We are too distracted to listen.
Power Outages
Power outages snap people back to reality. Suddenly they have to concentrate on what they are doing. They have to read a finite books and think about what they are reading. They have to sit with their families and talk. They have to think about how and what they will prepare for dinner. They have to plan ahead. They have to help their neighbors out and make sure everyone is safe.
I am as guilty as everyone. As a blogger, researcher, and photographer, I clearly use the internet and technology a lot. Modern technology is amazing to me. It has allowed me to meet friends I never would have without it and learn things and have hobbies I never would have been able to have without it. But I can't say I hate the relief I honestly feel when I know there's no facebook or email to check. No rabbit hole of the internet to distract me and my quiet thoughts and family close by.
2-1-2014
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While pulling a tissue out of my pocket, I accidentally dropped my change. I felt them falling and was anticipating the widespread fall that was bound to happen. I looked down and the pennies dropped to the floor almost as if a magnet attracted them. They didn't bounce at all and were all facing heads. Four lucky pennies. :)
2-2-2014
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Groundhog day. For those of you that don't know, it's a holiday that originated in PA and has now spread to other places. I can't definitively say who still celebrates it but I know they do here. One of a few fluffy groundhogs, that normally live in a library, is put into a log and let out. If the groundhog "sees his shadow" and turns back, there is supposed to be a few more weeks of winter. (Oh wait, there's a movie about this. Everyone knows what it is.) :D
2-3-2014
Big snowstorm, again. About 7 inches. Because we almost ran out of it...
2-4-2014
2-5-2014
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Start of the ice storm.
2-6-2014
The ice chunks falling from above. The ice on the power lines and trees showered with each blow of the wind.
2-7-2014
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It snowed yet again today and the power went out again.
Even as I was writing this post I had the overwhelming urge to check facebook and my email, even though I know neither of those things was urgent or would really add to my life.
Snowing back home in Toronto as well.
ReplyDelete:) I like the snow but it's been way too much for me.
DeleteWe were lucky and didn't lose our electricity, but I think people around here are still without. I love when electricity goes out as well, but maybe not so much in winter. We do have a fireplace, though, so it might not be that bad.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! :)
At least in winter you don't have to worry about food going bad. But really, isn't it relaxing? Thanks!
DeleteMany people have just forgotten or never learned in the first place,how to do things. My daughter is always amazed at how many of her friends marvel because she knits, quilts and even cooks. I can always be busy when the power is out, but I've friends who I sometimes can't chat with because they love to discuss t.v. shows and I just do not watch any t.v. at all. I'm kind of thankful for that though :) However, without skills, of course those hours are hard to fill, for both adults and kids. Perhaps we should be teaching our kids general household and hobby skills. I'm sure the adults would benefit from that as well.
ReplyDeleteSpring can come along any time now. I'm more than officially tired of winter!
Exactly! There's so much to do even when the power goes out. I'm glad you passed on those skills to your daughter.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed what you had to say about people spending time away from TV/a computer/the Internet. Many people do seem to be unable to function when those gadgets are all off, despite how many actitivies can be done without them (however, I will admit that I'm not exactly perfect in this regard!). As I've written on my blog several times, I hate it when you're trying to have a conversation with someone and they're more interested in their phone.
ReplyDeleteIt's also a relief to hear you agree that constant multitasking is not healthy or productive for us in the long run. Here was me thinking that everyone believed that we all have to multitask!
Great pictures, as usual. :) I especially liked the one with the pennies.