Camera Flashback: How to light up during a black out

Flashback to the 8th of September, 2011.

 I was at my apartment enjoying the afternoon off from class.

Probably playing video games when everything suddenly shut off.

Nothing that unusual, until I rang the San Diego electric company.

Normally, someone takes down your info and sends a technician out.

This time I was sent to an eerie recording.

 It warned that this was a state wide emergency that could last a long time.

Shut off and save your remaining phone batteries.

Stock up on supplies.  

Thanks, I hate it!

I peeked in the fridge and cabinets

if this was a cartoon this is what it would look like

Annoyed at myself for not being more prepared, I strolled down the block.

I was also not ready for what was out there.

All the neighbors that had come out of the woodwork and were wandering the streets like lost mutts.  

I overheard a lot of worries and "what if's"

I walked past the Chevron with a caravan of honking, angry gas guzzlers.

Past the Mickey D's with a scribbly CLOSED!!! sign taped to the door.

You really don't realize what you have until it has been taken away.

We are so dependent on our supplied power, without it we are rendered bored and useless.

Spoiled, like all the food was about to be. 

Our ancestors would be ashamed.

At the convenience store I was greeted with a very unsettling sight.  

The already dingy, cramped space was stuffed to the brim with other scavengers.

Bottles of booze and packs of cigarettes were flying off the racks.  (blackout party, anyone?)

The cashier was angry with someone who was trying to pay with a card.

I foraged ravaged shelves for whatever I could find.

I stood in line for an hour with a depressing package of hot dogs and can of corn.

Better than nothing.

Afterwards I sat on the stairs outside my door for a while, people watching.

There was such a surreal feeling in the air, like nothing I have ever witnessed before.

The sun began to leave us to fend for ourselves, and everyone retreated into their little caves.

I lit a few candles and spread across the living room carpet.

I zoned out watching the flickering shadows dance across the ceiling.

Suddenly a metaphorical light bulb came on.

I had a fully charged camera battery.

What is normally a street teeming with life, now vacant.

There was just enough light from a really ominous glow in the sky that could work.

I left my jammies on, put on a wig, and armed myself with a tripod.

I was still just learning how to use the dslr back then.

Usually looking back at old photos makes me cringe, but there is just something about this set that I still like.

Maybe part of it is knowing that they would certainly not exist if this event didn't occur.
Looking it up later, I found out that it was one of the worst outages in American history.
Apparently caused by a fluke of 23 distinct events that occurred on 5 separate power grids in a span of 11 minutes.

Thanks to this experiment, I'll always vividly recall that strange time, and have a little unique pieces of it.
It makes me wonder what everyone else remembers.
What happened, or not.
Who else was made the most of it?
Was anyone else out there running around in the shadows, snapping photos?

Somehow I was not worried,
and managed to have a great time in what felt like an alternate dimension.

But the glow faded and the darkness settled in.

 I was taking what I thought was my very last picture;

When suddenly the power returned.

It felt like a sign.

Here, have more light. 

keep going.

It was such a relief to know it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
but by then I'm fairly certain not that many others were aware, as they probably just went to bed early.

There was only a few glowing windows in the vast complex.

The streets and sidewalks remained empty, and they were all mine for that night.

And for that one only.  

Luckily, nothing like that happened again.

I'm really glad that when inspiration hit, I followed it.
I recommend you find a way to do the same.

Try to not be scared of the dark.
Try not to worry about the what if's.
Try not think about looking silly.
Try to capture history.  
Especially if its a small piece, and yours alone.

This is what the camera tells me.
Im far from the bravest, most confident, or the most outgoing,
but somehow the act of hitting the shutter button gives me strength. 

It allows me glimpses of other sides of myself,

and helps me be present and do things I'd never expect.
If I fail I can at least say I tried.

I went to bed that night feeling grateful and satisfied. 
In the face of uncertainty and darkness, I was illuminated.

Not bored, 
useless, 
or powerless.