Not so powerless

One day and 6 hours without power.

I was able to keep 10 degrees C in my freezer, so a little more than a normal fridge.

I had 4 ice creams for lunch, and now I'm cooking 3 bags of shrimps.

The Registrar decided to extend the grades submission after I spent the whole morning trying to post them with a 1% charge phone on a website large 3 pixels.

Everything is good for me.

I hope also for all families that had to throw away food when they have already a very limited amount.

I wish I could do more.

I loved to read that someone shared a 'charging zone' for phones for people, like me, that do not have a car. With the care of making it socially distanced. This is the kind of world that I want to live in.

Some folks, in other small towns away from here, will need to wait two more days (!!!) for the power to be restored. And they are lovely and positive and making jokes (and practicing with lightsabers in the total darkness).

And I was able to see the Milky way (and two shooting stars) for the first time in Ames, ever. The International Dark-Sky Association (of which I am a member) would be proud.

I want to close with a nerd note that seems unrelated (but it is not).

Many years ago, with Shari, we acknowledged that being a geek is one of the most amazing things that can happen to a person.

Not just a sci-fi geek or a tv show geek.

Anything. Sport, cooking, sewing, fishing. Anything you are really really really into.

So that, contrary to what other people think, this does not alienate us from reality, but it is a meta-layer that is added on top of it.

Everything, even the smallest irrelevant thing for most, can add value, can give us joy.

Also when not so great stuff happens.

[Tell me again that lightsabers are useless].