I was sitting at the StarBucks on 7th Avenue at 4:10pm on Thursday when the lights went out. It was wierd to be in a blackout in New York. A few of us kept working on our laptops on battery power before we walked out and realized the power outage was not just local to the coffee shop. Walking down 7th Ave. was wierd with all the people hanging around on the streets. But, when I found out that the blackout was widely affecting the North East, I started trying to locate R and L. With wife and son (R and L) found, and emergency supplies purchased, we began to make the most of the evening staying in the house as we heard the streams of people and cars making their way up Flatbush Avenue outside.

Entertaining L was the biggest challenge of the night, but we found a lot to keep him busy. Above, he's playing by booklight with his Bob the Builder cookies. He talks about them rather than eating them.

R was also smart enough to buy some craft supplies for us to play with. We made little pipe cleaner insects and played with all the pom poms. The glitter glue was a big hit. The glitter has found its way onto L's face everyday since we got it, making him look like he's ready to got out to a disco.

But the best idea of the night was R's shadow puppets and animal sillhouettes. Against candles and her booklight, they had fun casting the shadows of make believe animals. We later watched the shadows of L's plastic animals walk across the room as I moved the book light behind them. It was really sort of magical. All in all, the blackout was actually one of the most fun evenings we've spent in the house. Who needs electricity?