Storm season is fast approaching, and you better get ready.

For folks in the mid-west, 2008 brought some interesting weather: a hurricane in September and ice storms in winter. Two periods of terrible weather that left thousands with no power. Which meant no TV, no refrigerator, no microwaves. No light.

Growing up in the '70s, I don't remember power outages being so bad. We had candles. We could still cook food on the gas oven. There were only four channels on TV and often there was nothing on anyway.

The 21st Century is so different. No power means no cordless phones. No internet. No DVDs, video games or satellite TV. It sucks.

And when I went out to buy a generator to preserve all the food in our fridge, there were none to be had. I was wishing for all that canned food we used to eat in the 70s.

But I'm ready now. I've prepared for the worst, and can not only survive, but pass the time. Without a generator.

First off, there's light. If nothing else, you need a source of light to help you make it through the night- it's comforting for kids and adults. Candles are good, but cyalume sticks (glow sticks that you break and shake to create a chemical light) are even better. Fall asleep with a cyalume activated and your house won't burn down.

Next there's the radio. How many people even own a portable radio anymore in this age of MP3 players? We have a big honkin' boombox left over from the '80s, but it takes a couple dozen D Cell batteries and weighs as much as my youngest daughter. So instead of the ghetto blaster, we now have a hand-held, crank-powered flashlight/radio combo. Under $20 and it picks up AM and FM.

But what about those MP3 players? Not a bad idea to keep those charged up. And maybe a handheld gaming system like a DS or PSP if you have kids. A portable DVD player is a great idea too. Of course, you can't know when the power is going to go out, so how to charge these invaluable items- and your laptop too? Easy, get power inverter for your car. Under $40, these swell gadgets plug into the cigarette lighter of any car, and give you one or two regular household plugs. Just don't leave your car unattended. Drive around the block. Or stay parked in a well-ventilated area while you charge.

And if you can charge your gadgets, you can charge your cellphone. Car get crushed by a fallen tree? Well there's hand-cranked flashlights that can charge a cellphone too. Better still, get one of those old-school corded phones. They don't need power to work, as phone lines carry their own power.

Now that you've got entertainment and communications covered, what about sustenance? Always a good idea to keep a few gallons of water per family member in the home- for drinking, washing hands and faces or mixing up some powdered food. Try and change out the water every few months, though. And pick some durable containers to store your water in. As we learned, plastic milk jugs can only hold water for so long  before it gets a terrible taste. And then there was the time something jammed into the closet, poked a hole in the milk jug, allowing the precious water stored there to evaporate away over time. Quite disconcerting to go to get the jugs of emergency water out and find one empty with a big gash in the side.

As for food, you don't just need soups and canned meats that keep you alive. You need some snacks to pass the time or keep the kids in line. Marshmallows, crackers, cookies. Always keep extras of these comfort foods on hand.

Finally, there's unpowered entertainment. When the sun's up, read a book, let the kids color, or maybe even play a board game or cards. Save the powered gadgets for nightfall- assuming you don't decide to sleep.

It really doesn't take a lot to be prepared, whether it be for storms or worse. The time you spend stockpiling some basic stuff in your home can definitely pay off later.