#217 RockShic’s Guide to Surviving Sandy

As the chasm between the haves and the have-nots widens (otherwise known as SoPo, or south of power, and NoPo, north of power – where there is power), I sat in bed last night thinking about the lessons learned from this experience.  Many say that they’ve never seen this in their entire lifetime here in NYC, and how this is a once-in-a-century occurrence.  This being the case, what insights (if any) have I gained?

1)      Keep calm and carry on:  There’s really no-win in getting all in a tizzy (like my next-door playboy neighbor did).  When the building is swaying, and you’re getting seasick, grab a glass of chilled chardonnay and watch some telly.  I recommend not gluing yourself to the news 24-7, as it will just freak you out all the more.  How about a movie on-demand instead?  Plus, the benefits of social media lets you know that your building is not the only way moving, which, somehow, made me feel better.  The knowledge that I wasn't alone in all of this, managed to assuaged my own fears of dying (that, coupled with hubby’s seemingly nonchalant veneer). 

Our hurricane essentials, thoughtfully procured at the corner Deli on Sunday night, of course!

2)      Be resourceful and think quickly!  Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.  Any resources, contacts, or connections you’ve acquired over the years... now is the perfect time to use them!! New Yorkers are a resourceful and hardy lot, and if you don’t think of a solution fast enough, somebody else will beat you to it.  Showering in the gym?  Check.  Showering at Starbucks?  Natch!!  When you go through a week without electricity, anything is possible! In our case, I devised a plan on Day 1 to use the facilities within my alma mater club.  It was the perfect locale for two reasons: (a) It’s situated in mid-town so well above the NoPo divide; and (b) It requires membership, at least on the outskirts, so theoretically shouldn’t be teeming with people (the latter part didn’t quite hold up as the days wore on, but my intuition tells me that it could be worse!).  Originally, my ancillary plan was to take showers at our gym (good news is the 24 Hour Fitness Club has locations all over Manhattan).  As it turns out, however, that wasn’t even necessary, since our club also came equipped with showers (a knowledge I wasn’t privy to until now).  All the better!  Saves us commute time.

 

Showers at the Club... our third evening without electricity and running water. Though I suppose things could be much worse!

3)      Use those gams!  I can’t believe I’m saying this… being a taxi-whore myself.  But really, when all else fails, WALK.  It also happens to be the best way to truly witness what is going on in this city!  Yes the buses are running for free, but what they don’t televise are the mile long lines and compact squeeze-conditions on those vehicles.  I’ve seen them… they’re not pretty!  Having had some pretty traumatic experiences on public buses in mainland China, I’m inclined to pass.  And taxis you ask?  Ha!  Anytime you think you may see a lit-up service and you fling your arms up in joy, you quickly realize that there’s about half a dozen folks in front of you doing exactly the same thing.  Often times, these are people with children, or the elderly, or pregnant women – so really, you don’t want to go there!  Of course, when all else fails, there is always Uber.  Though be weary, Uber hiked up pricing as of yesterday, no doubt seizing the opportunism founded upon the laws of supply and demand.  So yes, you better work that pedestrian runway!!  Though please take caution on doing so in the dark... and extra caution on venturing too far uptown as to render your hike back home (in the dark) less than festive.   

Bus lines in front of the New York Public Library

4)      Stay in touch.  Thanks to the joys of modern technology and social media, I’ve felt much better about my own circumstances, as I learn more about the adventures of others!  Never have Facebook been so useful and addictive!  You also learn about various sources of news (i.e., New York Sports Club opens itself to the public until November 14!), including what’s happening elsewhere in the five boroughs (super grim), and the world at large (how about that election folks?).  I’ve been immensely touched by the random acts of kindness showcased by perfect strangers, who will happily share their valuable resources (aka electricity) via extra outlets to those of us less fortunate.  Some of these photos (a mix taken by myself and others) are simply priceless!

5)      Don’t be afraid to ask for help! (Or drop the Sandy Bomb).  New Yorkers may not need this reminder, but really, I am beyond appreciative of all of the texts, phone calls, and messages streaming in from friends of mine and my husband's, offering to help in some capacity.  At the end of the day, just knowing that you were there is worth more weight than gold.  So please, don’t be shy to roll out the “but I’ve lost power for five days” approach!  This can apply to most things… friends, prospective dates, your bank-teller; the list goes on and on.  Plus, my general observation is that most people like to link themselves to a crisis, call it human nature or just a need to relate. 

So, hopefully my five-point attitudinal approach resonates in some way.  All of the other basics you ought to know by now (i.e., spare batteries, pre-charged electrical devices, don’t be shy with those back-up batteries – a triumph for the blackberry, lots of candles and nonperishable foods, etc. etc.).  Hubby did show me how to install my own “Flashlight” app on the iPhone, which proves to be quite handy!

At the end of the day, humor also helps!  By this time next week, hopefully most of us will be resuming our daily responsibilities, and downtown New Yorkers can exercise their well-deserved bragging rights of how they survived Sandy.  I’m sure there will be not a shortage of Sandy t-shirts, rave-parties, and paraphernalia to make the rounds.  Either that, or Manhattan will simply resort to a state of Civil War, as envisioned by Gawker.

In the meantime, to quote Refinery29, “uptown is the new downtown!”  Perhaps instead of wasting our energy fighting the situation (to no avail of course), we should all just chill out, embrace it, and treat ourselves to a nice dinner date at some fancy uptown locale!  When else are you going to venture that far up north anyhow?   

This was taken Monday night from our window, immediately following the black-out.

Photo taken in the 50's, on our way to dinner Wednesday night -- Sandy who?