Electricity-Free Entertainment

Photo of Irene from NASA

It's possible that come this weekend, I will be hunkering down for my first hurricane. Technically, it's my second; I was evacuated from school in 2003 when Isabel hit Virginia. But this time, it's totally different.

This time, I'm a reporter and my husband works on a copy desk, so we have to be on hand to report on any news that comes out of any potential storm. Rather than make plans to go out of town for the weekend, I actually went to Target and bought nonperishable foods, a cooler, and some other necessities, like YooHoo. 

When Isabel hit, Hampton Roads lost power for about two weeks. I can't really fathom that, but if you, like me, might lose power this weekend (or any time), I thought I'd share some suggestions on how to pass the time:

• Clean out your magazine collection. Any picture that looks pretty goes in your "future collage project" folder. Cut out flowers and put them on the wall, a la Idgie in Fried Green Tomatoes.
• Pull out the board games!
• Tackle that DIY project that's been on the backburner forever
• Don't bother waiting for NanoWrimo month...start your novel now.
• Write letters to your future children (Seriously, why not? My mom gave me a letter when I turned 16 that she had written in 1986.)
• Clean out the closet and put together the most massive "giveaway" pile ever. Some people might need that stuff once the storm is over.
• If you have a working CD player/iPod, take this moment, THIS MOMENT, to choreograph a signature dance. Why the hell not?
• Master the art of curling your hair with no heat. Learn to french braid!