Power outage: Day 4

The last few days have been trying, to say the least.

Following Saturday's freak October snowstorm, which brought nearly a foot of snow to Western Mass, we lost power due to the  damage from fallen trees/wires. From what I've heard, every one of the 144 streets in my small town suffered significant tree damage and today — roughly four days since the power went out — we still haven't been restored.

At first, it was fun to "rough it" at home...I'm all about being independent, after all. But without basic amenities such as hot water or heat, it's a challenge to live comfortably with overnight temperatures plummeting to below the freezing mark. I managed to make it three days in my apartment before the cold finally got to me and I sought shelter with a friend from work instead.

The worst part of this whole experience isn't necessarily the power loss; it's actually forced me to read more and spend more time at my office than I ordinarily would so in that respect, it hasn't been all bad. But I still feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness, and I'm having a difficult time coping with that. Being alone and being lonely are two different things, you see. I relish the idea of being alone, but I hate feeling lonely. Being a prisoner in my own apartment —with nothing but candles/flashlights to light my way and without TV or radio to keep me company — I started to sink into a depression I haven't experienced since one particularly bad breakup two years ago, and at least then I had the luxury of heat when I spent my days with the blinds/curtains drawn and in bed.

For the first time in the nearly six years that I've lived in western Mass, I regret my decision to move so far away from my family. Mom and dad have power at their house and have invited me to stay with them, but in order to do so I'd have to take time off work. I've tried communicating with my executive editor about the possibility of jumping ship and heading home to my family, but I haven't been given the go ahead yet.

Instead, I abandoned my apartment in favor of my friend's which, though not fully-restored with electricity, is being powered by a generator. At the very least, I was able to take a hot shower — my first in four days! It was glorious, but I hate the feeling of being homeless, given I have a home; I don't like to impose on others.

I guess I'll just accept this for what it is: a life lesson: To appreciate those people who love you enough to check in on you, and to not take for granted the creature comforts we've all come to expect in our day to day life. Like flipping a power switch, we can loose it all in a flash.