So here I am, the morning after the biggest power outage in North American history. For the moment I’ve got electricity (though there’s talk of rolling blackouts) but no cable. I’ve been keeping tabs on the situation solely through my Treo, and the twenty-dollar AM clock radio beside my bed.
After posting here last night and finding myself with nothing to do, I decided to head to my local pub and rescue as much draft beer as I could from going tepid. Apparently bars across downtown T.O. Were filled with brave souls on the same noble mission.
Funny how a disaster can make us forget we’re all strangers, at least for a few fun moments…
Andrew Currie 
9 responses to “The Morning After”
Yeah, it seems that rolling blackouts will be the norm for a bit. Of course, they are ‘anticipating’ that all should be clear by Sunday evening. I was actually on Lakeshore heading to Ontario Place (yes, I was going to the Steely Dan concert) when the blackout hit and got to see some interesting chaos firsthand. I wish I had my camera. Also, props to The Second City for taking in my and my brother for a few hours while we were waiting for a good chance to take off back home. Nice to see you online so soon ^_~
Yeah, I heard a bunch of people ended up at Second City, and also that Naomi Snieckus had a big BBQ, which for some reason I wasn’t invited to.
As for being back online, my hi-speed Internet has only come back up in the last few minutes. Before that, it was all thanks to Fido and my Treo!
Hey Andrew,
Congrats on the Treo purchase and the great look of the new site!
Personally, I wouldn’t stop with just one visit to your local pub. In dark times like these, all of us have to do our best to help the economy. Canada needs you, man; so stand up and drink!
lol. There were a few bbq invitations tossed around at SC. It seems that anyone who lived reasonably close was inviting people over, both from the casts and staff. It seems that Mississauga has had better luck than Etobicoke, as my home is still in the dark and I lucked out being able to stay with my parents.
Have you seen the article about “Polite Toronto taking power outage in stride”?
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14296655.htm
Neato.
Just got my power back after 24 hours without. I was in the middle of a recording session for a cartoon when it happened. A first for me! Eek! A young male actor from the show joined me in hitching three rides north from Spadina & King to St. Clair & Avenue Road. It took us about 90 minutes. I simply asked people stalled in traffic how far they were going and they kindly invited us into their CBC news-filled, air-conditioned vehicles. I was amazed to see so many civilians helping direct traffic, giving traffic cops water, etc. Everyone was so calm, despite the apocalyptic feel of the crowds, sirens and blank stares. My friends Melody Johnson & Allen Cole kindly invited me to their cooler home for the night. Sitting in their comfortably cool back yard late last evening with a glass of still-cold white wine and noticing the stars over Toronto for the first time in years was a real highlight. Rebecca Northan had also kindly lent me a flashlight, which made the 20- minute walk there in the dark much safer. As Blanch Du Bois said: “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers!” This experience was was also an opportunity for me to realize that I needed 6 D batteries for my ghetto blaster, a flashlight of my own and a non-electric phone. Thanks for letting me share, Andrew! I was starving for some communication! Isn’t it amazing how addictive tele- and e-communicating really is? (Now why am I asking YOU that?)
Glad to hear you’re okay!
I did have one hiccup in my otherwise pleasant jaunt to the local brewpub last night. While attempting to cross Dundas Street some yahoos in a souped-up Honda Civic (if that’s possible) decided to play Mad Max—that is, bear down on us at full speed, honking their horn.
Good luck to all with the rolling blackouts!
Well I think it’s important that we don’t forget about the biggest economic tragedy that has come out of this ordeal. Sure the big car companies are losing some dough, and yes the bill to clean up the mess left behind in our cities will be huge, but we have to look at the big picture, Freddy VS Jason was supposed to open this weekend. The automotive industry will survive, we will re-build, but a movie of such caliber will only come along once in a lifetime, and with so many major cities unable to screen the film it may parish, let us not forget the real tragedy.
Oh, and if you want to check out some picture I took during the blackout here they are:
http://www.bewarethecheese.com/blackout.htm
Nice photos Chris!
Shortly after the blackout started I took to the streets with my camera, but even with the stoplights out, the amount of traffic in my neighbourhood wasn’t that much more than usual…
Hi Andrew,
I’m coming to town in April.
Wanna hang?
ray