An old proverb says; “a man in his twenties who is not liberal in his views is jaded (actually, I think it was “cynical,” but I prefer jaded), and a man in his thirties who is not conservative in his views is irresponsible.”

Or some drivel along those lines.

While I’m not talking politics here, I must be showing my age because I got conservative real quick when storms swept across the land last Wednesday, knocking power out in several areas of Genesee County around 7 p.m.

No lights. No radios. No television. No cordless phone (I actually didn’t mind that, I’m accessible enough). Not a single luxury.

Of course I had to turn on the television, lights and radio just to make sure the power really was out everywhere in the house.

After about a half-hour I came to one immutable conclusion — I was bored. Yahtzee was even starting to sound like fun. No wonder the pioneers died so young: after a hard day in the fields or hunting elk, they went back to their Spartan homes and eventually died from boredom.

Al Gore and his Inconvenient Truth be damned, I wanted some technology and the electricity to make my gadgets work. I didn’t spend a long, hard day at my computer at work to come home and, well, not be able to use my computer.

It’s one thing to go powerless, or electricity-less, by choice to save the rainforests and baby whales: it’s a whole different matter when you’re forced to do so.

So I went into suburban survival mode and did the only thing I could. I jumped into my SUV and headed for the nearest Borders store (waving to my selfish neighbors who were filling up their gas-powered generators) to sip fresh coffee and get ahead on some paperwork. Heck, I couldn’t decompress from the day’s tensions by vegging out in front of the television; I might as well work. Can’t miss that coronary or aneurysm waiting for me in 40 years.

I know, this sounds pretty pathetic, especially from someone from a long line of outdoorsmen — myself included — who relish an open fire and communing with nature. But there is a point to this, I think.

On the way home I stopped by a Kroger store (do stores ever lose power?) to stock up on much-needed supplies. While I didn’t see the need to fight the septuagenarians for the corned beef hash and instant breakfast drinks, I did grab some batteries for my flashlight and radio. Except when I got home, I realized I hadn’t bought enough batteries for the radio.

I amused myself by tormenting my dog — having her chase the beam from the flashlight across the darkened floor. I quickly got bored of this, and she got tired, so I had to find something else to do.

I sat down at my desk and read, by candlelight, an excellent article in Time about media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s efforts to buy the world. (I bet he has a generator.)

Then I read another article, and another and began to feel ... relaxed. Serene even. I was becoming reacquainted with my rustic side, savoring the hypnotic flickering of the candle flames.

I got into bed with a sense of calm, not caring that I didn’t have a working alarm clock to wake me up for work. I had a good excuse.

You can imagine my surprise, and anger, when shortly before midnight — a mere five hours without electricity — the power came back on and I had to jump up and turn off the lights, radio, television and all the other appliances I had left turned on.

Very soon, I might be moving to a cabin in Montana.

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