idleprocess
Flashaholic
Here's hoping we can continue discussing themes from the previous thread without stepping on toes.
I've noticed that blackouts during the day lasting more than a few minutes commonly induce this strange behavior in Americans that I've seen everywhere I've lived. For the first 60 seconds nothing happens as everyone sits in their residences in confusion and denial that the power is actually out. 2-3 minutes after it goes out - almost on queue - 25-50% of the people in the area walk outside and look around confused, wondering if it's just them. They encounter one another - the neighbors who they might know as a face and a name - and awkwardly ask one another if their power is out too. This sense of relief washes over as they realize that it's not just them and they start to talk to each other, something they usually do not do. Whatever sense of community people lose due to electricity they seem to naturally rebuild in its absence. I've seen this same thing on camping trips around the campfire in the Boy Scouts when all these modern kids are removed from their Xboxes, internet, and phones - they interact with those around them, tell stories, make up songs, and often find they have much less interest in staying up all hours.
Another thing I've noticed is just how quiet the average neighborhood is during a power outage. Birds chirping, cars passing by, neighbors talking outdoors, the wind blowing - all things that go unnoticed with the air conditioning running, computers humming (and playing music, youtube, etc), TV's running, and all the other electronics that let us distract ourselves indoors and oftentimes alone. The passage of time becomes much more apparent - especially if you choose to pass the time reading by sunlight or do some other activity suddenly dictated by the hour.
At night, I find myself lighting the house with oil lanterns - of which I have a few - and only use flashlights for specific short-duration tasks.
I occasionally consider battery backup for the secondary DC-powered lighting project I plan to finish later this year, but power outages are quite rare here - on the order of perhaps twice a year for 4 hours or less. I might do a forced local outage by throwing the main breaker on occasion just to see how well I can manage and to see how my preparedness preparations work.
I've noticed that blackouts during the day lasting more than a few minutes commonly induce this strange behavior in Americans that I've seen everywhere I've lived. For the first 60 seconds nothing happens as everyone sits in their residences in confusion and denial that the power is actually out. 2-3 minutes after it goes out - almost on queue - 25-50% of the people in the area walk outside and look around confused, wondering if it's just them. They encounter one another - the neighbors who they might know as a face and a name - and awkwardly ask one another if their power is out too. This sense of relief washes over as they realize that it's not just them and they start to talk to each other, something they usually do not do. Whatever sense of community people lose due to electricity they seem to naturally rebuild in its absence. I've seen this same thing on camping trips around the campfire in the Boy Scouts when all these modern kids are removed from their Xboxes, internet, and phones - they interact with those around them, tell stories, make up songs, and often find they have much less interest in staying up all hours.
Another thing I've noticed is just how quiet the average neighborhood is during a power outage. Birds chirping, cars passing by, neighbors talking outdoors, the wind blowing - all things that go unnoticed with the air conditioning running, computers humming (and playing music, youtube, etc), TV's running, and all the other electronics that let us distract ourselves indoors and oftentimes alone. The passage of time becomes much more apparent - especially if you choose to pass the time reading by sunlight or do some other activity suddenly dictated by the hour.
At night, I find myself lighting the house with oil lanterns - of which I have a few - and only use flashlights for specific short-duration tasks.
I occasionally consider battery backup for the secondary DC-powered lighting project I plan to finish later this year, but power outages are quite rare here - on the order of perhaps twice a year for 4 hours or less. I might do a forced local outage by throwing the main breaker on occasion just to see how well I can manage and to see how my preparedness preparations work.