My day was the usual waking up late and in bed writing some documents and doing some research for a paper. I was on facebook, telling a friend that i would be leaving soon to go somewhere.
Then, suddenly there was a very loud clap of thunder, and lightning drew its way across the afternoon sky. It was like any other afternoon that strong rains would suddenly pour after a very hot midday.
Just for the heck of it, I fooled around with my status and wrote "OMG, there's a storm... run for your lives!". I drew numerous reactions right away, all wondering what on earth am i talking about. But those near my area, and were enjoying their facebooks at that time, affirmed to my skeptic readers that there really was strong down pour in our area.
Later, I learned from reports that there really was a strong typhoon entering the Philippine territory and it was named "BASYANG". The rain was tolerable, but Basyang really whipped up the wind, that literally, you can hear the wind howl. Our neighbor's tin roof trimmings were banging all night due to the strong winds and rain.
A few minutes past 12mn, I had to say goodbye to my farms in facebook because we lost power. It had been a long time since I could remember that we ever experienced power loss. Thinking that it was just an hour or so loss of power... I finally fell fast asleep.
When i woke up, i was surprised that the current was not yet restored. No internet, no cellphone (low battery), no cable no nothing...
A surge of panic-- my phone is dead!!!!
I went out of the house to find a diner operated by generators so that i could simply charge my cellphone just enough for messages to at least come in.
I was surprised to find many establishments closed.
I later found out that the convenient stores were all lined up all over, not because there was food hoardings but rather, many were just like me, wanting to charge their cell phones.
In desperation, and frantic I hoped into a waiting cab and asked the driver to drop me off at a 24 hour fastfood chain where I often stay when i want to eat and study at the same time.
It was packed with people, sharing the same idea, to charge their cellphones.
The sight of so many people in one sitting worried about their cp batteries and their laptops due to the loss of electricity all over luzon was an amazing sight.
At that moment.... I realized that our lives were so entwined with technology that instead of worrying of how many people have been displaced by the storm or other more socially relevant issues happening in relation to the storms rampage, many young people and the working class were more concerned on how to stay connected despite the impossible.
This is a glimpse of the slowly changing Pilipinos and the influence of technology in our lives that it causes that kind of anxiety. While others worried about their shelter, food and family... Here were the yuppies (young professionals) braving the storm just to stay ONLINE.
As we worried about our gadgets-- this news link tells us of how others worried about their life, loved ones and propery. -- http://www.dzmm.com.ph/tabid/82/Article/10190/4-naitalang-nasawi-sa-pananalasa-ng-Bagyong-Basyang-sa-Cavite-.aspx
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