What creative ideas do you come up with when you lose electricity?

Singing.

New York City has no power
And the milk is getting sour
But for me that is not scary
‘Cause I stay away from dairy
La la la, la la la la la la, la la la la la la la

I always keep a supply of AA batteries and some audio books on CD’s for Walkman. I also have one phone with a cord so I can talk to the other 1600 neighbors w/o power.When I moved into this house, I had the contractor change the stove from electric to gas so I can heat something up.

My iPhone is my light. And I cry that there’s no internet.

And the obvious; reading by a good flashlight (also with lots of spare batteries. We lose power here regularly. I also keep a bathtub filled with water so I can flush a toilet from time to time. (if it is warm, I pee in the woods or on the dandelions.)

We had a similar power outage one night two weeks ago and couldn’t stand the heat, so we took a drive to stay cool. We also surveyed the area that was hit and made a rare run to a gas station convenience store for a soda, Ding Dongs, and a scratcher lottery ticket.

I suppose that means that if there were real chaos we’d be prone to riot as if the Rodney King verdict had just come down.

Well, when I was younger, I used to play flashlight hide and seek with my friends and little sisters. =)

As for now? If there’s still enough daylight, I like to read, or listen to my iPod if I’m stuck at home. I go out with some friends if I have the chance. If the weather is right, going for a good bike ride is nice, too. It’s also a great chance to think…you know, just sit back, relax, and think about life or whatever you want to think about.

we found the flashlight thanks to my kids’ nintendo DSs which were very powered up.

Make shadow puppets with my girlfriend using various body parts other than our hands.

generally, i sleep….or try to scare my family members by jumping out at them when they enter a room not that that is immature or anything Frankly, i kinda like it when the electricity goes out once in a blue moon. It puts life in perspective for me. I get too attached to my laptop and the internet. Its fun just sitting with family or friends and just talking. We also like to play simple board games or cards (with candles lit of course). Of course…if this lasted more than a day….I would have to shoot myself. need.to.check.email.

One of my favorite memories ever was once when my best friend and I were in high school and the power went out through our entire county… we were on the phone and we pretended we were watching TV… we’d sing the theme song to one of our favorite shows, recite a few lines from a favorite episode, and then we’d say “okay this is boring change the channel” and then we’d sing another theme song and another few lines… it sounds stupid to most of you I’m sure but we thought it was hysterical at the time. Still do, looking back on it.

Sex is always a good option :)

@poof – actually, that sounds really fun to me :)

A storm on a hot summer evening? That just doesn’t happen here. Our power usually goes out in the middle of the day when it’s 110 outside. It’s then that I get creative about finding ways to cool down and keep my cats from frying.

We had a power outage for a few hours a few weeks ago. It was in the middle of the night; everyone else was asleep. I had been reading in bed when the light went out. I just sat on my bed for a while and enjoyed the quiet (the noise from fans and air conditioners and computers and refrigerators adds up, but you don’t realize how loud it all is until it turns off). Then I went for a walk around the block, came home and went to bed.

Gee, we don’t hake blocks around here. I have to walk 3/10 of a mile to the end of my drive and then another 1/4 mile to nearest house – all on dirt.

No street lights either.

Fortunately I have a grandfather who lives in upstate New York who I can visit for three nights every week in the summer (the reason you won’t usually find me fluthering from Monday afternoon until Wednesday night). Last night I went for a long (three miles or so) walk through a light rain along dark country roads. Darkness is a luxury when you live five miles from the George Washington Bridge.

@Pete:Where does grandpa live? (Check yourself for lyme ticks after you’ve been out on a dark country lane. They are pandemic here.)

I usually light a few candles, break out an old sketchbook or notepad, and draw whatever comes to mind. I’m nowhere near decent artistically, but I’ve always enjoyed drawing.

If the mood strikes, I might start in on a new book or finish whatever title is sitting on my nightstand.

Any other time, I’d be on the computer doing something or other. I never really seem to have the time to do anything else, except in the summer; there is always something school-related to be done online.

no electricity but my ipod works hah! xD
but it would be greater with a book and candles

Go out on the porch and listen to the Swing Years and Beyond on battery powered radio, play Scrabble by candle/flashlight or huddle up and watch a movie on a laptop.

Forgot. I have a crank-up radio. 90 seconds of cranking and 30 minutes of reception. Plus it is good for the biceps.