Not Prepared

Apr 30, 2025

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh area was ambushed by a particularily nasty storm storm. Trees swayed, winds howled, roofs were ripped off of buildings, thunder…thundered. And then the power went out. I’ve always liked to think that I’m a resourceful guy. That I’d do fine in a hypothetical zombie apocalypse: cooking over a campfire, rationing supplies, and outsmarting the undead with my trusty Swiss Army knife.

Reality check: three hours into blackout purgatory, I was bored out of my mind. It’s amazing (and scary) just how much I’ve become dependent on the internet to keep myself from having to be alone with my thoughts. I opened the fridge and realized I didn’t have a single snack that didn’t require a blender or microwave. I mean, I was a Boy Scout. In rural Alaska. I should be better prepared for this kind of thing.

Moral of the story, all those merit badges in wilderness survival didn’t prepare me for a power-less kitchen. Next time, I’ll keep granola bars on hand and practice my campfire cooking skills. Until then, I guess I’ll stick to binge-watching Alone and taking notes. Once the lights come back on, of course.