Where were you when the lights went out?

[brooklynite]

The East Coast blackout was ten years ago today. I was -just- about to push the SAVE button on my office computer when the power failed. After calling relatives on the west coast to see if they could find out what was happenin on the east coast, I walked down to the street and then walked home -- 10 miles.

[Earth_First]

1. I was in college...

Walked to the corner store, purchases a twelve pack and a pack of ciggarettes, recieved no change; no biggie. Walked home and drank it with two roommates.

Went to class in the morning.

[badtoworse]

2. Walking to the bus stop in lower Manhattan

[Habibi]

3. God, ten years already?

I was in Syracuse, visiting friends and dropping off my mom to spend the night at her brother's place. It was freaky--no street lights, stores running out of batteries and candles. My mom wigged.

[Link Speed]

4. I was at the Javitz, tearing down from a Trade Show

When the lights went out in Javitz, the place became a pitch-black cavern. There was a bit of hysteria on the part of the locals inside, but I, too, phoned home and got the lowdown.

We were staying at the Westin Times Square (I know, I know) and were the only people there who they would let charge liquor to our room (I was quite a familiar guest of that hotel). Everyone else was cash-only. I made a lot of short-term friends that night in the bar.

We bought a few cases of wine, got some plastic glasses and headed down to the river with a cart full of wine. We came back empty and as drunk as skunks. Thankfully, the hotel had one elevator working and we did not have to climb 47 flights of stairs.

I have some really fine memories of that night and the next day, like standing at TKTS in broad daylight without hearing a single car horn.

[Arcanetrance]

5. In my room back in the old apartment in Brooklyn I shared with my mom and sis

I had just gotten my first guitar and was going through that phase when you can't help but look at it and pick it up to play every 2 minutes

[joeybee12]

6. There was a movie made about the more infamous one in 1965

[etherealtruth]

7. On the shores of Lake Michigan, in northern Michigan

We had power and I refused to go home until I could be sure the power issues were resolved (as much as they could be, given the state of the power grid)

[Boom Sound 416]

8. Statan Island

Asked some one to turn the AC off and just as I said that it clicked off. We were outside so no one knew the power was out until our batteries stopped charging.


Later that night we stayed in Jersey and saw the black siloutte of the city against a dark sky from the palisades. A thing of beauty.

[Zorra]

9. Living on a beach in Mexico. I hadn't heard about this blackout before now. nt

[GreenEyedLefty]

10. On I-75 in Auburn Hills, MI

I had my 3 year old daughter and newborn son with me. I was returning home from my mom's in the Flint area. I was planning on driving to campus at the University of Michigan-Dearborn that afternoon to turn in a paper.

I was listening to the radio - local sports/talk channel. Suddenly the signal cut out... 30 seconds later they came back on, saying there was something "big" going on downtown Detroit... where my husband was working at the time.

I could not get a hold of DH, or anyone else (did not know the cell towers were dead).

Trying not to panic, I decided right then and there to turn around and go back to my mom's house. I exited at Joslyn Road, noticed the dark traffic signals, and went right back north on I-75. The Flint area had power. The next morning, I left my kids at my mom's, bought a little generator in Flint, and took it to our house. Luckily I also had the presence of mind to buy a gas can and some gas up there, too.

It was surreal... no electricity, no running water, no telephone, for 3 solid days. We had gas, though, so I was able to boil bottled water to cook, and use the grill.

[Motown_Johnny]

11. In the dark.. OK at work actually

[JustAnotherGen]

12. Doing my weekly

face To Face in Rochester NY. It took me three hours to get home and I only had four lights on that route. My then SO and I were going to go camping that weekend and kept only what we needed in our refrigerator and freezer. So we cooked out, jumped in the pool and slept in the great room with the French doors open. I remember it was in the upper 90's when it happened.

[bluestate10]

13. I don't remember the blackout, but did read about it. My recollection is that I was

in one of the few east coast pockets that didn't have a blackout.

[Brickbat]

14. Here's hoping it wasn't the "save" button on your version of the Great American Novel.