Powerless is exactly how you feel when there's a major power outage. Even if there are plenty of candles, matches, a small battery powered LED light (very useful for the bathroom), torches, some tinned food and, best of all, a gas cook top and a battery powered radio in the house, you still feel out of control. During the recent severe Sydney storms (Cyclone 2 rating apparently), we were without power for 30 or more hours. We didn't lose our water supply but for a day and most of two nights we entered into a state of lethargy that I can only describe as feeling powerless ... at the mercy of authorities and circumstances beyond our control.
In spite of having an apartment with just about as much natural light as any apartment could expect to have, as the skies were leaden, there was not quite enough light to make reading or writing pleasurable. The SES (State Emergency Services) were advising people not to venture out of doors because of the very real danger of being knocked out - or worse - by falling branches and power lines.
But as soon as there was a bit of a lull, we ventured out on foot to the local supermarket - about a seven-minute walk away. We bought the second-to-last battery powered LED light for the other bathroom and some more batteries (though we completely forgot to supplement our supply of matches). Walking home the danger of being out in such weather was self-evident but we made it and the little outing put off going stir crazy for the moment. Richard observed and was amazed by how the wind had ripped the bark off the paperbark trees and flung it around.
It's amazing how many candles are required to make light at night. Taper candles and a candelabra are the most effective - tea lights and scented candles in glass jars are completely ineffective - they are simple not designed to shed light on anything and you really understand the principle of downlighting in this situation.
E-books and mobile phones and other devices are great - but only if you have them fully charged when the power cut out ... and we didn't. Portable solar chargers are no good when the sun is completely blocked out.
Suddenly you cannot access contact numbers for anyone or watch your favourite old DVDs etc etc etc. There is quite a strong pull to get into bed and simply sleep it off, probably the hibernation instinct at work. For however long you allow yourself, you can feel quite disabled.
Time for electrifying, getting the energy within to kick in. Get the emergency generator going, jolt back into life as if nothing has happened. Not realistic when there is nothing urgent needing doing. Let's say motivation is the expectation of reward for effort. Hunger is something of a motivator but somehow food and wine in the dark with uncertainty hanging over your head has less appeal. Makes us realise we are definitely among the privileged few. Perhaps the biggest reward in this situation is to just go to bed and wake up when it's all over?
A useful lesson of retirement is the calm you can create for yourself with acceptance. It's a good idea to start adjusting to being powerless when you reach your sixties. Hand in hand with aging is an increasing possibility that you will lose control over more and more. So it's a good idea to learn to accept what you are powerless to control. Not relinquishing all control over your life but understanding what it's worthwhile putting your effort into influencing.
Walking around the supermarket it was clear that for some men it's shaving ... for others it was clearly shave come hell or high water quite literally.
In the middle of a storm, it's sensible to fix whatever is life-threatening but there's not much point in trying to repair the situation until the danger is past.
Acceptance helps you wait it out, clear your mind and then electrify if necessary. With a clear mind there is more chance you will see the rainbow and the
first mushrooms of autumn that the rain has conjured out of the ground. And you can reflect on what the storm has taught you. The storm taught me (as has the recent horrendous disaster in Nepal) how many wonderful people there are who throw caution and their own safety to the wind to try and restore the basic necessities of life to those in great peril. As well as how many people put the lives of these special people at risk by thrill seeking or selfishness in times of disaster. But as I keep on reminding myself, "It was ever thus" in society. Oh, the wisdom of hindsight!
In spite of having an apartment with just about as much natural light as any apartment could expect to have, as the skies were leaden, there was not quite enough light to make reading or writing pleasurable. The SES (State Emergency Services) were advising people not to venture out of doors because of the very real danger of being knocked out - or worse - by falling branches and power lines.But as soon as there was a bit of a lull, we ventured out on foot to the local supermarket - about a seven-minute walk away. We bought the second-to-last battery powered LED light for the other bathroom and some more batteries (though we completely forgot to supplement our supply of matches). Walking home the danger of being out in such weather was self-evident but we made it and the little outing put off going stir crazy for the moment. Richard observed and was amazed by how the wind had ripped the bark off the paperbark trees and flung it around.
It's amazing how many candles are required to make light at night. Taper candles and a candelabra are the most effective - tea lights and scented candles in glass jars are completely ineffective - they are simple not designed to shed light on anything and you really understand the principle of downlighting in this situation.
E-books and mobile phones and other devices are great - but only if you have them fully charged when the power cut out ... and we didn't. Portable solar chargers are no good when the sun is completely blocked out.
Suddenly you cannot access contact numbers for anyone or watch your favourite old DVDs etc etc etc. There is quite a strong pull to get into bed and simply sleep it off, probably the hibernation instinct at work. For however long you allow yourself, you can feel quite disabled. Time for electrifying, getting the energy within to kick in. Get the emergency generator going, jolt back into life as if nothing has happened. Not realistic when there is nothing urgent needing doing. Let's say motivation is the expectation of reward for effort. Hunger is something of a motivator but somehow food and wine in the dark with uncertainty hanging over your head has less appeal. Makes us realise we are definitely among the privileged few. Perhaps the biggest reward in this situation is to just go to bed and wake up when it's all over?
A useful lesson of retirement is the calm you can create for yourself with acceptance. It's a good idea to start adjusting to being powerless when you reach your sixties. Hand in hand with aging is an increasing possibility that you will lose control over more and more. So it's a good idea to learn to accept what you are powerless to control. Not relinquishing all control over your life but understanding what it's worthwhile putting your effort into influencing.
Walking around the supermarket it was clear that for some men it's shaving ... for others it was clearly shave come hell or high water quite literally.
In the middle of a storm, it's sensible to fix whatever is life-threatening but there's not much point in trying to repair the situation until the danger is past.
Acceptance helps you wait it out, clear your mind and then electrify if necessary. With a clear mind there is more chance you will see the rainbow and the
first mushrooms of autumn that the rain has conjured out of the ground. And you can reflect on what the storm has taught you. The storm taught me (as has the recent horrendous disaster in Nepal) how many wonderful people there are who throw caution and their own safety to the wind to try and restore the basic necessities of life to those in great peril. As well as how many people put the lives of these special people at risk by thrill seeking or selfishness in times of disaster. But as I keep on reminding myself, "It was ever thus" in society. Oh, the wisdom of hindsight!
********
The photos show a huge tree that the wind blew over in exactly the right direction to avoid damaging a manufacturing plant, the ripped sail of a yacht on Pittwater, the sand blown off the beach (which covered the whole carpark out of sight to the right of the picture), a bulldozer trying to get the sand back on the beach again, a rainbow over the Mona Vale golf course and some of the mushrooms that have sprung up everywhere ... and unfortunately probably harmful to health.
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