And Then There was No Light...

Electricity has become part of our everyday life, we take it for granted. We do not sit there and think what life today would be like without it until, you guess it, the lights go out.

Today has been raining cats and dogs here in Houston. This morning the rain was so thick that I could not even see out the window. The morning started like any other...I got up late, checked my email, and proceeded to read some blogs. As I was talking to my work travel coordinator on my cell phone (I am rescheduling my trip to Boston because it coincides with the All-Star Games, but more about that later) the lights went out. They just did not go out, the started flickering on and off for a while before turning completely off as it thundered (just like a scene from a scary movie). Anyway, I finished my cell phone conversation and sat there for a while thinking of what I could do next. As I looked around it dawned on me...oh my gosh...What do I do now??! There is no computer, no TV, no landline, no washer (I need to do laundry really bad), no anything, and is not like I could go out for a walk since it was raining. I went into the kitchen and said "I have a gas stove that should work", but it didn't. Gas comes out, but I guess it needs electricity to make the spark, urgh!!

It was then that I realized how much my life depends on electricity. Then I started thinking about our forefathers. They braved the extreme cold and sizzling heat just to make the world what it is today. Then I thought, huh, maybe that is why electricity was invented...Our forefathers were just sick and tired of going to bed at dusk, having to make a fire before they were able to eat, and washing their clothes in the river.

So, with that thought I put on my raincoat, braved the elements, and got in my car. This is America, damn it, and I am sure someone out there has a generator and a credit card machine that works without electricity.