Being in the dark can be an enlightening experience

All the comforts of home and free coffee refills to boot. (Rochester Voice photo)h

There's not much that sucks more than being without power, which I have been without for days at a time at least three times this winter, three from weather-related issues and once from having a corroded wire between the CMP interface and the junction box.

But after suffering such misery I have learned that every cloud does have a silver lining, it's always darkest before the dawn and several other irritating bromides I shalln't bore you with.

For instance with no power, you'll never go to sleep while watching endless episodes of "Andy of Mayberry." "The And Griffith Show" or any other such iterations of same.

Also you never have to worry about leaving the coffeemaker on.

You'll also notice a slight reduction in your next month's electric bill.

But more than that you learn something about yourself, like how you react to pressure when you're in "survival mode."

I know a lot of people took the path of least resistance and grabbed a hotel room at one of several local motels, which I'm told filled up fast.

I took a more Robinson Crusoe approach.

With my stash of firewood dwindling after the snowstorm blackout two weeks ago, I realized I didn't have enough to keep me warm and toasty for an extended time.

It was flight or fight time. I stayed home staring the fates in the eye, determined to prevail.

What did I learn? Well, you know how if you're caught out on a snowy mountain, you can build an igloo of ice and keep it warm inside with a single candle, if you have a candle and lighter of course.?

Well, I learned that if you put blankets up in the doorways into the livingroom and stay in the kitchen with two stovetop burners going, it gets up to 68 degrees in about an hour and a half.

Then about a half hour before I was ready to turn in, I'd build up a roaring fire in the woodstove, bank it and turned down the flu, which kept it warm enough upstairs all though the night.

Another thing about having no power? You wake up refreshed and ready for whatever challenges may face you. Why? Because you've slept 11 hours, basically from dusk to dawn.

And here's the icing on the cake. While putting The Rochester Voice out at the McDonald's across from Spaulding High, I learned that coffee refills are free. Who knew?