How I charged my phone when the lights were out...

So, this weekend I returned to good old Fort Pierce after 12 days in Jacksonville with family. Where do I start? I left Jax at about midnight Saturday night and got into FP at about 3am early Sunday morning. I arrived to find out my electricity had been turned off! Really?! C'mon!

Here's the irony of the situation - I left so late Saturday night because I was determined to be productive on Sunday and get a lot accomplished for my first week back at work. Ugh. I woke up super early....called the Fort Pierce Utility Authority...and found out that it was turned off due to non payment! Um, are you kidding me?!

Long story short - I found out Monday afternoon that they tried turning off my neighbor's electricity - but got mine instead. Lucky Me....I really enjoyed throwing away two and a half garbage bags FULL of food from the refrigerator and freezer. Awesome. Including two packs of bacon...which is NOT cheap! lol. [moment of silence please for the bacon and two packs of butter].

So I had to find some way to soak up electricity...so I went to the fort pierce library...believe it or not, there were 22 people waiting outside to get in!! Are you kidding me?! It MUST be the place to be! Probably because of all the computers, or the 2,000 square feet of books, the wide selection of large print books...or WAIT, maybe it's the free wi-fi. OH...that's right...they don't have wi-fi! Can you believe it...NONE of the libraries in this county have wi-fi. umm...ridiculous!

I did make a friend at the library though!! Yes...add ONE to the FP/PSL friends tally!!

But I digress.

So late Sunday night, I realize my phone is barely holding a charge...but I need my phone to act as an alarm clock for Monday morning's return to work. One would think that I would recognize the importance of preserving my battery....but, no. I decide to keep Alexia and Jessica posted on every aspect of my life....and spend the last of my battery calling them. Ohhh, I never learn.

I jumped in my car, determined to find a place to charge my phone. But before I drove too far, I made sure my apartment complex didn't have any spare outlets, just calling my name. Nope. None. I drove toward the "truckstop" area...the half mile stretch between I-95 and the Florida Turnpike....just searching for some place to charge my phone. No luck. Eventually, I decided to "man up" and go to all lengths necessary in order to charge my darn phone.

And it HIT Me...just as i passed a ton of hotels, I stopped and pulled into the Hampton Inn parking lot. I stuffed my phone charger in my jacket pocket, and began the "inconspicous" walk into the lobby. Darn!!! No outlets in the lobby...hmm...what to do? what to do??? Then, as I looked up, a bright, beautiful light shone on my saving grace: The Business Center!!! Ta-Daahhh!

And, thank goodness...a small box filled with expired hotel flyers, propped the door open...giving me an "in" to the business center! ya-hoo!!! Back in Business [center]!! I plugged my phone in, took my jacket off to get comfortable, and logged into FACEBOOK!! Oh, FB, how I missed you so!!

I hung out long enough in the business center to charge my phone, check facebook, myspace, and spend time on the website: http://www.randomhouse.com/broadway/breakup/

So - there ya go - how to check facebook when you don't have electricity....and other tales from rock bottom...