Mandatory Blackout: The Things That We Do To Amuse Us When The Power Is Out

A quick look on the Weather Channel recently had flash flooding and heavy storms all throughout the southeast United States, causing extensive damage everywhere in its path. Everywhere that is, except for Florida. Actually to be more specific, here in the Tampa Bay area. After several months without rain, our increasing demand for water has left us with empty water reservoirs, near drought like conditions and even tougher water restrictions. Unless you have reclaimed water, or don't mind paying excessive fines, then gone are the days of excessive lawn watering and Saturday morning carwashes. They have since been replaced by dead brown lawns and increasingly dirty vehicles.

Imagine my surprise when tonight, when my hometown was pelted with the most torrential of all rainstorms. Mother Nature up and just showed her bad 'ol ass, and brought a storm not seen since Noah brought his Ark through the village a long, long time ago. Now, months of angry rainwater came upon our city, and I was seriously worried about the safety of our new house. It didn't take but a few quick minutes of the downpour before there was that old familiar flicker of the lights and the sound of all the household electronics shutting down at once.

Damn, no power.

By stroke of good luck, Megan had just completed making dinner just before the power went out. But, when the power was still off after a half an hour, the reality of the situation started to settle in. It was getting dark outside and with the sun quickly fading, where were those candles stored at anyway? After a quick assessment of the house, it didn't take me long to realize that we are not prepared for such outages. With the upcoming hurricane season quickly coming upon us, I made the mental note that I need to go gather those things, like...Tomorrow

After four hours, the boredom took over. We tried to think of all of the fun things that we could do while the lights were out. Hey, aside from the obvious...thats how babies are born. Heres what we did...


First was to break a glass in a dark kitchen, then have no flashlight to see where you are going, all while searching for the invisible sharp remnants of the broken dish. Extra points if you are barefoot.

Take periodic trips outside, looking for the neighbors that still have their electricity on. Then raise your fist to them and shout profanities in their general direction, screaming about how revenge will be yours at the next moons light.

Maybe you had better not do that last one.

In a true bonding moment with my youngest daughter, we played guitar and sang songs...about taking a bath. Sung to the tune of some awfully bad Cheetah Girls song. Everyday should be like pre-school.

Here are a few things that we thought of, but didn't do...well, because it was bedtime, and it is a workday after all.

Play hide and seek

Drink

Set off fireworks

Wash the car (hey, its raining, and the restrictions are still on.)

Strip Poker by candle light - because everyone looks better when the lights are dim.

Have a séance: light as a feather, stiff as a … oh wait, is that a board?

Talk about the shows that we are missing on TV and how we can watch them on the computer instead anyway.

Here's A Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares

Just found out today that The Dive Bar Stalkers have been added once again to this years Taste of Pinellas Festival. The once yearly gathering, which is held at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg is now in its umteenth year and as always benefits All Children's Hospital. During the course of a weekend, locals restaurants and eateries bring out their best recipes for all to sample. Combine that with a bunch of national, regional and local bands performing on stage to a crowd of about 10,000.

Good times.

So yeah. The Dive Bar Stalkers will be playing Taste of Pinellas on Saturday May 30th. I'm told that we go on stage somewhere around 6ish. It will be our job to get the crowd primed for the nights headliner, Travis Tritt.

OK, by now, you are thinking one of two things...either, "Who in the hell is Travis Tritt?" or better yet, "Travis Tritt, what the hell is he doing there?"

Turns out that he will be in town to support his latest album of cover songs.

That's right, an album of cover songs. I can't imagine where his head was at with his selections, but some of the ones that stand out in my mind are Nickleback's "Should've Listened", Richard Marx's "Doesn't the Good Outweigh the Bad" and Hank Williams Jr's "The Pressure Is On".

Interesting

But give credit where credit is due. Travis Tritt has has won two Grammy awards, a handful of others from the Country Music Association and is also a current member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Which bring me to the title of my blog. A long time ago, in a land far away...Tennessee around 1992, I saw Travis Tritt play at the local Bristol TN High School Gymnasium, belting out his then hit, "Here's A Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares". It seems that it became somewhat of a custom for his fans to throw quarters up on stage while he played. Only at this show, some degenerate redneck hit him, hard, right in the face with a silver George Washington.

At the time, that was his big song on the radio, so he played it as his encore. Talk about a show stopper. He just up and left.

A lot has changed between then and now, and I look forward to meeting him in person, and hearing the rest of the story...and to see if he still plays that song.

Music on the Main Stage

Friday, May 29th	Saturday, May 30th	Sunday, May 31st
Headline Act:	Headline Act:	Headline Act:
Night Ranger with Special Guest Lita Ford www.nightranger.com	Travis Tritt www.TravisTritt.com	KC and the Sunshine Band www.heykcsb.com
	The Dive Bar Stalkers