The Great California Blackout Count of 2022: A Chronicle of Darkness (and Maybe Some Flashlight Tag)
Ah, California. Land of sunshine, surf, and...well, let's be honest, a whole lotta blackouts in 2022. But just how many blackouts are we talking about? Buckle up, buttercup, because this is where things get a little fuzzy, like trying to see your hand in front of your face during a power outage.
Hold on, how can the blackout count be fuzzy?
You might think counting blackouts is as easy as counting sheep (which, let's face it, is hard enough when you're wide awake in the dark). But here's the thing: there are two main ways to look at this blackout bonanza.
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Blackout Blitz: The Individual Event Smackdown Some reports claim there were over 50,000 individual blackout events in 2022. That's a whole lot of scrambling for candles and hoping the fridge doesn't become a science experiment.
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The Blackoutening: A Symphony of Darkness Other reports focus on the total duration of all the outages combined. Basically, how long, in total darkness hours, were Californians collectively suffering? This number is tricky because some folks might have been out for a quick flicker, while others enjoyed an extended blackout Netflix marathon (because what else are you gonna do?).
So, what's the verdict? How many blackouts did we have?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind (which, ironically, isn't reliable enough to power California all the time). There's no single, definitive number. It depends on how you count those pesky outages. But hey, at least it's a conversation starter, right?
California Blackout Bingo: A Fun (or Maybe Not So Fun) Game for the Whole Family!
Here's a little something to lighten the mood (or maybe add some anxiety, depending on your perspective). Print out this bingo card:
- Square A1: Blackout during dinner prep (bonus points for frozen pizza)
- Square B2: Power outage forces a family board game night (bonus points for competitive Scrabble)
- Square C3: You spend the blackout yelling at your Alexa who can't answer anything without electricity
Mark off the squares as you (un)fortunately experience these blackout delights. First one to blackout...well, they already are!
Look, folks, blackouts aren't exactly a laughing matter. But a little humor can help us cope. Here's hoping California can find a way to keep the lights on in 2024 (and beyond). In the meantime, stock up on those candles and maybe invest in a good deck of cards. You never know when you might need them.
