Jessica's lack-of-power struggle, Wednesday

NOTE: This harrowing tale was originally recorded using the ancient methods of a pencil and paper. It was transcribed Monday night in a format easily readable by others (because no one can read my handwriting) and set to autopost throughout the week.

Translation: Jessica was unable to watch “My Name is Earl” reruns on Netflix after a nasty windstorm knocked out power for several days, so she continued to blog on paper. She watches too many apocalyptic movies, so the second she has access to Netflix you will find her motionless on the couch rewatching “The Stand”, because that’s what she’s been comparing her experiences to all weekend (even though they didn’t have smart phones or iPods). Oh, and also the #Anniesmove episode of Community.

See all parts here.

 

Power lines caught in downed trees on Church Street -- likely why I'm still out.

Wednesday, 11 a.m. – I am now the 31%.

Most of Licking County has power and I still don’t. I kind of wish today was a work day. Can’t I just take my holiday when the lights come back on? I dropped my phone off at work to charge for a bit. Time to keep packing, one week until the move!

An Alabama Power worker on Church Street, near me.

Wednesday, 3 p.m. – It’s one thing when the whole city is out. You get into a “we’re all in this together, let’s go get a bottle of wine” mindset.

But when AEP is celebrating 70% power, you want to yell at each passing utility truck: “Hey!! Me next!”

I felt a glimmer of hope as an AEP pickup rolled slowly through the alley and stop by the neighbor’s. I went inside to get two bottles of water and snack bars, the best bribes I could come up with for information, but when I came back out they were already gone.

My neighbor tipped me off to some crews working on Church Street, one block over and two blocks up. Armed with my self-appointed “Official Advocate Tweeter” title, I went over to scope out the scene and take some photos.

It was ugly, tree trunks in yards and power lines snarled up in branches.

My buddy’s here. Time to go seek out a cold beverage.

Bad damage to another house.

Wednesday, 5 p.m. – Nothing yet. But now that I’ve had some hard cider and good food I’m feeling a bit better. 

It’s been 120 hours. I need to pack, but I’m climbing the walls. It’s 87 degrees in my apartment, so I can only get a bit of packing done at a time. Upstairs is completely uninhabitable. I’m so over this.

Time to run my phone to work to charge again.

Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. – Arg.

Perhaps the worst part? The sign in UDF’s window: “We are out of ice cream.”

Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – I was picking out all the hoodies from my closet to pack and loud cheering erupts across the street. I try the light switch. Nada.

Seconds later, I hear a click.

Then there’s cold air blowing against my heels and the light above me illuminates.

I squeal loudly, then I see the neighbor in his yard. “We’re back!!!” I yell. Then I punch the down button on my thermostat all the way to 65, and close all my windows. “Isn’t it great to have power,” someone walking down the street says as I close my living room window. “Yep,” I say. Once I’m sufficiently sealed from the noises of my neighborhood, “Now I don’t have to listen to you clowns anymore.”

Time to zoom to work to get my phone to broadcast the good news to the world on Twitter, go to Brandie’s to get my food, then spend the evening comatose on the couch.

My favorite episode, and quite appropriate.

The epilogue: 121 hours without power. That’s longer than I’ve ever had to go – by about 118 hours.

I spent last night watching the Walking Dead and Community under a blanket. I was cold and I was loving it. 

I posted celebratory posts on Facebook and Twitter, but knew I couldn’t gloat too much. Lots of people I know are still out.

I offer up my washer and dryer and AC to those that need it, as others did for me. Now it's back to work -- lots to do before I skip town next week!

Jessica's lack-of-power struggle, Tuesday

NOTE: This harrowing tale was originally recorded using the ancient methods of a pencil and paper. It was transcribed Monday night in a format easily readable by others (because no one can read my handwriting) and set to autopost throughout the week.

Translation: Jessica was unable to watch “My Name is Earl” reruns on Netflix after a nasty windstorm knocked out power for several days, so she continued to blog on paper. She watches too many apocalyptic movies, so the second she has access to Netflix you will find her motionless on the couch rewatching “The Stand”, because that’s what she’s been comparing her experiences to all weekend (even though they didn’t have smart phones or iPods). Oh, and also the #Anniesmove episode of Community.

See all parts here.

TUESDAY 1 p.m.: The lights came back on at the Advocate this morning. We were able to move back upstairs a couple hours ago.

I got my hopes up after I got a text from my landlord, so an hour ago I ran home to check. Still no lights on at home L I’m getting anxious, mostly because many areas of Newark are coming back up but I’m still in the dark. If the lights are still off tonight I’m going to go to Brandie’s to do laundry and take a long, hot shower.

Breakfast was melon and a protein bar. Lunch was almond butter on rice cakes. I really want some real food, something that doesn’t have a bar code or come in a package.

Jessica's lack-of-power struggle, Sunday

NOTE: This harrowing tale was originally recorded using the ancient methods of a pencil and paper. It was transcribed Monday night in a format easily readable by others (because no one can read my handwriting) and set to autopost throughout the week.

Translation: Jessica was unable to watch “My Name is Earl” reruns on Netflix after a nasty windstorm knocked out power for several days, so she continued to blog on paper. She watches too many apocalyptic movies, so the second she has access to Netflix you will find her motionless on the couch rewatching “The Stand”, because that’s what she’s been comparing her experiences to all weekend (even though they didn’t have smart phones or iPods). Oh, and also the #Anniesmove episode of Community.

See all parts here.

PART 4

Sunday's paper.

Sunday, 1ish: This situation sucks. No getting around it. It’s not funny anymore. The “te-he time to live like the Amish” jokes are old.

I didn’t feel truly stressed about all this until I turned into the Newark Meijer today.

There were long lines waiting for the gas pumps. Inside, people wandered aimlessly, looking frazzled with full carts, as if they weren’t quite sure what they wanted, other than to drag the shopping trip out as much as possible. The parking lot was a zoo. Apparently, when the power goes out, all the common rules of courtesy in a parking lot are voided. Miraculously my Fit made it out unscathed.

Meijer gas pumps.

The store was filled with rude, stressed out people. “America, the Beautiful” was playing over the speakers.

They didn’t have any battery alarm clocks. I thought about a pint of ice cream, but it wasn’t worth the massive lines. I had to get out of there.

Now I’m listening to the country station again. I hate country music. I’d like to plug in my iPod instead. But I have no Internet access so the radio station is my only source of current news, so I’m bearing with the terrible music. There have been more reports of ice and generators delivered to local stores, they keep announcing the hours and locations for people in need, but no word on any progress. There’s going to be a press conference at 3 p.m. The Advocate did a great job at covering the storm. I stopped in the office today and heard that if they can get the hospital back online it might be a tipping point for the whole city. 

Could it really be a whole week?

Sunday, 7 p.m.: Went to Easton for a reprieve from the heat, a burger, sweet potato fries and some ice cream.

I’m feeling a little better.

At the press conference, local officials said they were working hard, but did not give an indication of when the power might be back on. Their first priorities are the hospitals and the elderly, of course.

Sunday, 9 p.m.: Brandie just texted me. She has power! Time to see what’s salvageable in my freezer and head over to her house.

Part 5 will autopost at 8 a.m. tomorrow. 

 

It's time to move on

Life can change in a hurry. In one month I will be leaving Newark, Ohio and the Columbus area for Rochester, New York.

This all came about very suddenly. It started when my phone rang and I heard a voice I haven't heard in a couple months, my former editor, who had since moved on to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, also a Gannett paper.

I ask him how he's doing. He gets right to the point. "Good... except... I need a good political reporter."

I've been looking for a new gig. Not seriously, "oh-my-gawd-get-me-outta-here" looking, but keeping my eyes open. My resume was posted and here and there I'd drop a resume. I kept my search to Columbus and Cleveland, with the exception of another job in my company I had no desire to make another out-of-state move.

I'm fortunate to have the job I have now. The hours are good. The people I work for and with are extremely talented. It's a professional atmosphere and there's no workplace drama and bickering like the horror stories I hear from my friends.

But I worked well with my former editor, and the Rochester paper has a great reputation, so I decided to go check it out. Last week, I spent a day at the paper. I was impressed. The Democrat and Chronicle is a very forward-thinking news organization. It immediately struck me as a place that I could fit into and do very well for myself.

The thing that kills me about my current job is the location. I don't want to bash Newark, it has been good to me, but it's not ideal for a single young professional, and the walls have been closing in lately. Through MIT I've made a ton of friends in Columbus, just a 45 minute drive, and became more than accustomed to waking up before 5 a.m. Saturdays for our runs. I looked at moving then commuting in from every angle, but never could justify it.

And that's what, in the end, sold me on Rochester. The city has a very active young professionals community and a lot of character to go with it. I like places with character. There's an active running community, many places to bike and I'm sure no shortage of gyms that have a Spinning program, and I'm sure at least one will need an instructor!!

I start my new job July 16. I've been a little overwhelmed with all the packing and moving I need to do in the next few weeks.

So since this is my training blog, I must address the question: What happens next with my training?

I'll come to MIT this Saturday, won't be there the following week, then I'll be there for two more weeks. I've already let the other coaches know that they'll need to replace me. I'd like to still be able to run the Columbus Marathon, but my top priority has to be getting moved and settled into the new city and job! I'll keep up my training as best I can, hopefully hooking up with a group there. Once the month is over, I'll reassess and decide whether to do one full or several halves. Some of my wonderful running friends have already starting looking at races they can do in wine country with me!

I promise I will leave Team 12:00 in good hands! I've already emailed a couple of suggestions for new coaches :) Even though I've only been a coach for a couple weeks, I love it, and I hope the opportunity to do it will present itself again.

I told the Y I could still teach through the first week of July. After that, I'll be done with Spinning for awhile. My hope is to get back into it in Rochester, but I need to first take a couple months to get a feel for the new job and what kind of schedule I will be working.

There's lots more to write, so there will be many posts to come. All day I've been truly touched by the number of people RSVPing to the going away party some MIT friends are throwing for me. These are people who really have changed my life for the better in the past year, and I'm going to miss them terribly. In my adult life, this is the first time I've ever had good friends, or a life outside of work.

Yet I'm sitting in my huge, two bedroom apartment in small town USA, looking at small studio apartments in the arts district of Rochester, New York, and I won't deny it -- I'm really excited!

Foodie Friday: Restaurant tip!

One of the biggest challenges of being gluten free is that you can't eat bread (unless it's GF bread!)

Most restaurants have salads, which are almost always safe, but sometimes I'm just not in a salad mood. One trick I've used in a few places is to ask the restaurant to turn the sandwich into a salad by replacing the bread with spinach or other greens. I just got back from the Chop House in Newark with Brandie D. I wanted something meaty, so I ordered the chicken salad wrap, but with spinach instead of the wrap. It was delicious! I wish I had taken a photo.

And this is when Jessica hurts herself

I've been sidelined. Three days in, and it's already killing me. I'm really scared I won't be able to run my marathon in May.

I've been having some calf issues. And knee issues. And tightness in my right IT band. But it hasn't been serious so I haven't worried about it. 

I started to have some real pain the week before the Granville Winter Run. Miraculously, I made it through the 15-miler with no pain whatsoever and with a great time (I still need to blog about it). 

But that was it. The next week, I couldn't barely run at all. I went to MIT Saturday, but after two miles I felt like there was something tearing in both my lower calves. I quit. It was time to call a chiropractor. I got a recommendation for a local guy in town and went today.

Dr. Harrison was wonderful. He took lots of time to really look me over, even though his diagnoses was instant.

I'm lopsided.