The Ordeal: understanding Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs

For about the twentieth time I went in the laundry room and flipped the light switch. Nothing. There was no power, there had been no power for days actually. It was funny in an ironic way, it was a habit I guess, almost a reflex action I had grown quite used to, flipping on the light, and now it was gone.

The storm was something to behold, I guess several people were killed, I didn’t care that much about them, I was dealing with my own mess. I had to go to work, I was working as a warehouse manager and I needed to get ready for inventory. This involved all the regular standard work on top of the inventory gig. I told the owners the only way possible to make it happen was to open the purse strings for overtime, they said no.
When I first left the house after the storm, trees and power lines were down everywhere, I didn’t actually grasp how bad it was or I wouldn’t have gone “out there”, because then I had to get back. I was driving under trees across the road, under and over live power lines. Coming back, to help things out, the cops were closing all the roads. That is nice when all the local hotels are full and there is no way to even gas up because the gas stations can’t pump either with no juice. Very rapidly it starts to dawn on you how fucked everything is.

I did have a wood stove for heat and some possible cooking. Of course I didn’t really have a bunch of wood. The next morning a cold snap hit to make it really an insult-to-injury kind of cold. Normally to be really windy and stormy it isn’t that cold here, now it was. I wondered just how all the people in apartments with no insulation and no wood stove were making it. Soon there was no hot water and it was getting a little depressing. At one time the power had been connected with the local fire station and so it was a priority to get it back on. Now it seemed they had changed the lines and they had generators and things were different.
At work there was power, but no showers of course and coming home was no longer very appetizing. I learned some things. Hot coffee in the morning is a very important ritual. Light to put in contact lenses is very helpful. I began to understand Mazlow’s Heirarchy of needs much better.

I missed light the most, and then heat, after that most likely my computer and a line to the outside world, (yes I had a cell phone). It was funny but most people complained about TV the most, apparently it is impossible to raise children without one today. Recently, being snowed in for Christmas 2008, that was OK, plans with family had to be changed, we still haven’t had our Christmas roast dinner, but having light and heat, things were OK.

Surveying the Neighborhood

Currently, I am more intimately acquainted with the daily doings of my neighbors than previously, and it is good to know what is happening around the neighborhood. Who know if I live near criminals, or child molesters or maybe Neo-Cons..? Egad! If I walked around by myself previously, the way I have been recently, I would be most likely stopped and questioned by the police, people would call in and report me for being “suspicious”, some people think I look that way simply sitting in a chair anyway. Now however, I am walking the dog and so everything is okey-dokey, instead of them wondering what I am doing they think ‘he better not let his dog shit in MY yard, damn his eyes”!!

We now know the kids across the street who stand outside and furtively smoke by the storm drain, people we most likely never would have met before. We know other dog people out on their own walk-abouts, since of course the dogs have to meet and size each other up. I see houses for sale and open houses and kids playing, junk for sale, and all manner of goofy things I would normally not bother with. I meet and talk with people that I have nothing in common with but they own a dog, and I own a dog, and…Wheee..I guess.

Some people are afraid of Pinky, especially kids, and I suppose I can’t blame them she is large and black, and almost ridiculously strong, although really just a big puppy. I was surprised to learn recently that the number one dog-bite offender in the US, are in fact black labs, go figure.

So we troop around and inspect stop sign smells, and “trails by their wear attesting to their utility” or whatever Thoreau said. We try and chase squirrels up the ladder and analyze whether we can jump up in the air and catch birds. We stare at airplanes with tilted heads and wonder respectively what they are, or wonder whether I built that particular one. After a while people are used to us, and we fit in, and people don’t notice us much as we inspect our world just a little closer, together.

Keep the Home Fires Burning

It is interesting now when thinking of going out to eat or purchasing a new kitchen faucet, I actually consider; this purchase might very well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for this or that local business.

I know that seems overly dramatic, but in these economic times there is a point, maybe late on a cold March evening, when you have to look at your business, maybe look in the mirror and then shut the door forever. This is important for more than just being nice to people for me. I live a ways out, and although Costco might be a bit cheaper, even though their shopping experience is hellish, I don’t always want to drive 10 miles for small things. The Safeway here is much bigger, brighter and nicer, but the local store is cheaper, friendlier and has much better meat and local produce, it is also closer, within walking distance and I would really miss their small weird little store if they closed.

Camera stores, like Kenmore Camera, are one of my favorite stores. When buying a new camera it is tough to buy there when the online equivalent will be maybe $200 cheaper. I really want them to stay in business though. For one thing when shopping I want to be able to hold something in my hands and get a feel for it. Ah, what to do.., I try and throw them business to show appreciation for what they do for me when I can.

Locally we have too many restaurants; we had five teriyaki places for a small town. Some shakeout is inevitable; I would like to pick and choose what stays though. The way I vote is money I suppose. Right now the town in its infinite wisdom has decided to re-do all the major downtown roads which makes it even harder to shop the local shops. The tavern a somewhat famous biker type place had been in business for 86 years, it is now gone.

It would appear when done a year or more from now the economy will close about half the stores in town. Right now I have to think and ponder a bit when making purchases, if not I may lose a piece of town I take for granted. The local hardware store is important, when needing small items I don’t want to have to drive to Monroe or Woodinville all the time, I bought the faucet from them. You are welcome True Value, may you live long and prosper!