No this is not a plug for a new Twelve-Step Program. Although they do have a Higher Power.

“Hi, I’m Holly … and I am a Powerholic.”

Step One – We admitted we were Powerless over Power … and that our lives had become unmanageable.

But I am not talking about a Higher Power here.

Maybe even the type of power that you are probably thinking right now. No power-brokers around here.

I’m talking about the electricity / battery type power. The kind that you don’t have to understand, but which comes in mighty handy on a daily basis.

The kind that somehow seems to be avoiding me today.

Let me tell you about my day.

It started as many days do, with me sitting on the bed … sipping my morning coffee (some days tea) … and using my trusty Netpad to check the latest Facebook Posts, WordPress Activity, Headlines and E-mails. I might even play a game of Sudoku if I have the time. Nothing like Sudoku to get your brain started.

The database I had to work on was patiently waiting for me in the office downstairs, but this was me time.

Right in mid Facebook, the Netpad dinged … like it often does … “You have 7% power left in your battery. Charge or die.”

OK.

Those aren’t the exact words but that’s sure what happens.

Turn off Netpad. Plug in Charger.

Figured I would make a quick phone call to a friend before I started my work day. Started to share the latest goings on in my life. And in mid sentence the phone went dead.

Seems if you use the phone a whole, whole lot one night … and don’t recharge it … it dies the next time you use it.

Turn off Phone. Put in Charger.

Okay.

No problem. Could happen to anyone. Maybe there really is someone up there letting me know I need to get to work. Time to power up the old PC and start work on the long overdue database.

After a short while of working on it, I suddenly lost connection with the host.  No more “reaching out and touching” the database for me. No use picking up the phone to call the customer. It’s dead too.

Looking at the Modem and Router, I saw that the lights were doing a very odd flashing pattern. Not the normal “Everything is fine” pattern I see 999 times out of a thousand. This was the 1 out of a thousand.

Deep sigh.

No problem. It happens.

Unplug Router and Modem. Reset Modem.

After a while of working remotely on the database I started to feel pretty good about things. Just an odd combination of events earlier, no doubt.

Then the connection dropped with the server … again. And this time my Router and Modem looked just fine.

After trying to connect several times, I called the customer. Just to let them know I was not able to work directly on the database.

“The strangest thing just happened here.” she said. “There was this huge power surge. Then all of the lights went out. The server went out, too.”

Oh goodie.

Just what any computer person wants to hear. I hoped the hardware guy had given them a surge protector.

“We’ll be turning it on here in a few minutes.” she continued. “Let us know if you have problems getting back in.”

Turn off the computer. Start back up again. Answer automatic “what happened” form.

About this time I started to wonder about the odd power-related happenings. But I went back to work and put it out of my mind.

Later in the afternoon, I checked my bank balances … to see if a long promised payment had arrived. Two balances. One for $1.32 and the other for two cents.”

Great.

Well, no time like the present. Use the phone to call and see what’s up with that. After all it had been plugged in for a while. Must have enough juice in it, right?

“Your wait time will be … thirty minutes …” the voice droned. So I set the phone down and went back to my work.

At forty-eight minutes the phone went dead. Again.

Hang up the phone. Again. Put it back in the charger. Again.

Shaking off the ominous “I am accursed” feeling I decided to try again … using my cell phone. Which I could not find.

And then I remembered I had it out in the car … being recharged as I drove. Great it should be …

It wasn’t.

And I couldn’t find the charger inside.

Try hard not to throw the phone in the circular file. Put it in my purse for later.

At that point I decided that I was not meant to do anything productive and might as well take a break … and read some more of a book I was almost done reading … on my beloved Nook.

You know.

It had turned itself off … and left the message. “You really need to recharge the Nook” or words to that effect.

Walk across the room. Plug Nook into charger.

I quit.

I am obviously not meant to do anything … at least with anything having anything to do with power.  So I’m posting this, taking my lemonade upstairs and reading a script someone asked me to review.

It’s on paper.

There is a snowstorm on its way … and depending on which weather service or channel you watch, we are getting anywhere from two inches to 37 feet of snow.

I’m guessing the power will go out.