This article has been shared for your reading pleasure by TJ Miller, a long-time contributor to our web site often posting under his online moniker of ‘Odd Questioner’. TJ is the author of the comprehensive and must-have guide Beyond Collapse: Surviving and Rebuilding Civilization from Scratch. You can read an excerpt from the book here. You can also follow his regular thoughts and musings at the Beyond Collapse web site.
Yesterday, I came across something that, while simple, turns out to be pretty profound; it was enough that I got to thinking beyond that.
You have folks that stock up on almost every conceivable thing – bullets, food of every sort, tools, and whatever the big sites have managed to scare them into either buying, building, or improvising. However, that one little post has brought something to light that few preppers ever bother with in their rush to get out ahead of doomsday: Stocking up on good memories.
Certainly, this is covered in the book, and multiple times – enjoying life is a prime reason that we as humans live (right behind reproduction), and one really does need to enjoy civilization while it is still around – else why the hell would you want to bother trying to rebuild it?
There are too many out there who have their heads down, openly eschewing the world as we know it entirely. Some avoid it because they’re fixated (way too much) on whatever their pet prophesy happens to be. Some can’t because they’re too busy working on top of getting the preparations down. Some aren’t able to because they reason that buying an AR-15 before the government bans them all is more important than taking the kids out on a one-in-a-lifetime trip to Yellowstone.
It’s been 45 years since The Big One. Your little community has managed to come together, and in spite of all the death, destruction, and various other hardships, things have become stable, and look to be growing for your little town. Your little group of survivors have turned what used to be an elementary school into your community buildings, and converted its wide grassy fields into a farm from which most of you garden off your own plots and eat. The playground became the market, which has become quite prosperous in the past 10 years. Everyone is reasonably well-fed and relatively happy, and have made their homes and fortifications among the houses along the periphery of the school property.
As the oldest resident, you wound up being the village elder of sorts. At 66 years old, you are among the last to have lived as an adult during the pre-collapse era. Once a week, you sit by the side of the building after church. Almost all of the kids (and not a few adults) all gather around, listening to your stories of life during “The Magical Times”. What exactly do you intend to tell them there, Mr Storyteller? If your answer involves talking about prepper websites and books, and how you packed all your stuff in preparation, then man – is your town ever going to be boring! If your answer involves made-up conspiracies and the greatest editions of The Tinfoil Bulletin? That’s even worse, and I wouldn’t blame the kids for blowing you off and going somewhere else to play. Most of the kids would think: “What a miserable effing experience! No wonder the world blew up – they deserved it!”
Now what if your stories told of wonderful things – wild-but-accurate descriptions of amusement parks, of driving for hundreds of miles in one day just to see a beautiful valley? What if you could tell them of magical gatherings of people to light a Christmas tree, or to celebrate a new year? What if you could tell them of the time you walked the streets of cities across the ocean, and how you got there in less than a day by flying? What about all the basketball games you and your long-dead friends once attended, and how you and thousands of other people shouted and cheered as one? You could even tell them about the games you would play on a box, and play against people from all around the world. Then there was the time you went on this giant ship and sailed to some cool island…
As you might have noticed by this point, there’s more to preps and gearing up for a civilization reboot than just stacking, racking, and packing. There’s more to it all than just getting good at the rifle range.
There is civilization itself. It contains a vast catalog of really awesome stuff to see and do. It not only provides you with enough leisure time to prep, it helps give you time to create, to ponder, and to wonder. It has the means to let you do some really cool stuff. While I harp on it in the book, I want to harp on it here, too. Get your ass out there and have some fun once in awhile. I don’t mean fun like in camping and drilling for preps, I mean fun like take a camping trip to a national park. Go out sport fishing some time. Pick a random town on the other side of the continent (or for those in the middle, pick a side) and go play tourist. If you have the means and the world situation isn’t too far gone, pick some spot on the globe and go visit it.
The idea here is that if you’re going to want to rebuild civilization after it’s gone, you need to explain to future generations why they should even bother. That’s where the good memories come in, no?
Taking time to make these memories is pretty important for you too, boyo. It does more than provide a lot of cool stuff to talk about, and even does more than help educate future generations. It allows you time to relax a little. It gives you the very needed chance to talk to other people you don’t know, and to get their insights and viewpoints – that alone will force your mind to stretch a little. It prevents you from your own form of normalcy bias… or rather, your growing abnormalcy bias. It helps give you greater insight of your own.
As someone who does prep, I do gain one benefit that most non-preppers never will: I appreciate the things I see – and do so far more than they can ever hope to. In an age where you can see wonders on your television in retina-stretching HD, seeing them for real has an almost transcendental effect. Knowing that it could be gone within a decade or two means that my mind soaks it in just that much more intensely – I find that my enjoyment of the item, act, and people last long, long after the photos, tchotskies, souvenirs and baubles have broken, faded, or become lost.
I think that if you seriously do prep, you may indeed experience much the same things – you enjoy that which may be gone tomorrow, whereas the typical tourist yawns and wonders when the buffet comes up next.
I’d like to close this wee blather with a mission for you: get out there and have some serious fun at least once this year. Plan and take a vacation. Get you and your family out somewhere cool, interesting, and fun. Talk to everyone you meet (just don’t get suckered), and enjoy the hell out of it. Try some new activities, new food, and new stuff. Do something that scares the crap out of you. Don’t forget to buy a cheesy t-shirt of the event.
Most importantly, soak it all up as if it will be the last vacation you will ever get to take. Why? Because you never know – it may well be.
This article has been shared for your reading pleasure by TJ Miller, a long-time contributor to our web site often posting under his online moniker of ‘Odd Questioner’. TJ is the author of the comprehensive and must-have guide Beyond Collapse: Surviving and Rebuilding Civilization from Scratch. You can read an excerpt from the book here. You can also follow his regular thoughts and musings at the Beyond Collapse web site.
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http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/02/04/texas-lesson-plan-instructs-6th-graders-to-design-flags-for-a-new-socialist-nation/
Wow, never been first. Sorry.
You know.. I don’t thing our government fears us any more.
They do fear us deeply. This is why they are doing everything they can to disarm us, poison us and destroy us, including invading the minds of our youth. The time is close at hand to decide what you will do, “as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
Joe….the MOST important statement you made was “invading the minds of our youth”……they (in general) will be those massive “armies” we will be facing…..May God Help US….they do not fear US….yet. Many Young People have already “gone over”……and, as for me….I will either live free or die free…
fob
You may be interested in finding a local chapter in defensive partnership.
http://www.modernmilitiamovement.com
I know this isn’t for everyone, but the time to organize with like minds in your area is now.
i agree..
Give me liberty or I’ll TAKE your death.
You should have started your comment with WTF, how appropriate. 🙂
With out true spiritual fortitude – which is the stuff that relationships are made of… we won’t pull through – or make it through. We will just.. be through.
Yes, and I see the article is from Beck’s site. And all of his bragging on how great Texas is. Makes me wonder WTH is going on? I’ll probably get a ton of thumbs down from the Texans because I dared criticize TX, blah, blah and blah. It happened right under your nose Texans, you’d better wake up and get into the fight.
cosmos,
I lived in Texas a while ago, I personally hated it there. Fire ants everywhere, not a pretty place and not a place where I would want to have a farm. In my opinion, Texas is not a hospitable place for people or animals. Our first night there, had to stop someone from stealing my car, caught him in the act just in time and this was a pretty nice area. I’ll take the north east any day. To each his own I guess.
Well if the goverment didn’t know already why guns are flying off the selves, they will sure no it the see the POS Piers show tonight.. Gotta love the store owner telling Piers that people are buying them because they don’t trust our Goverment..Btw Piers shots like a puss…
NOMI- Come And Take It MF
DPS
DPS;
That will never happen, besides, how far can you throw a PURSE>>>>>>>>>>
TxRngr,
Was it you that brouhgt stopping the semi load that had the signs in the back of it?
DPS
I don’t know about the rest, but I have over a half a century of memories, most of them pleasant. The last 7 years I’ve dedicated to making sure that I
I DON’T KNOW HOW THAT POSTED BEFORE I WAS DONE TYPING, but—I don’t know about the rest, but I have over a half a century of memories, most of them pleasant, all of them detailed and clear. The last 7 years, I’ve dedicated myself to making sure that I LIVE LONG ENOUGH to tell the tales. My life didn’t begin when I started prepping, it continued on. I have plenty of memories to pass on, without taking time out right now to smell the roses—I already know what roses smell like. I’m more interested in preserving a rose for the next generation to smell.
Gee, draw a communist flag to replace your own and little Betsy gets an “A”. Little Johnnie-Joe draws a picture of a pistol, gets cuffed and stuffed. WTF is wrong with this picture?
But back to the topic. My mother-in-law is a great lady. Many times we have her over for supper and we’d talk of times long past. I love to listen to her stories of how as a child, she lived through the Great Depression. One of several children, her father commited suicide when she was very young. Left fatherless it was indeed “hardscrabble” to get enough to eat. Her Grandfather a farmer and a bootlegger, took them in until her mother eventually remarried. The stories she would tell of living with her Grandfather and what went on in the bootlegging end of it was very fascinating. These types of stories must be retained and kept alive to be passed on to the younger ones or we all will be lost.
WTF…
Here’s your proof(see link below):..
http://12160.org/forum/topics/u-s-army-s-ctc-combatting-terrorism-center-says-opposition-to-a
First things first, I work to live, I don’t live to work. At one time in my life I was an absolute workaholic and my world revolved around work. Work was how I identified myself. Events happened and I had an epiphany. Now my life has become like an onion, in that I have different layers and for the most part I keep them separate. I will not become someone that lives to prep or lives to homestead or have any other single minded obsession. I’ve learned to live life and find enjoyment in simple ways. Pleasant memories are constantly made and I do stop to smell the roses and share it with whom ever is willing. I don’t need to travel to a vacation destination to make memories Recently my wife and I had a party in our home and invited friends from the different layers of our life that would never otherwise meet. We had friends from work, fishing, hunting, music, backpacking, neighbors and community as well as life long friends all come together and it was a lot of fun. My wife is a people person and having personal contact brings her great joy. I agree with the gist of the article, you sometimes have to take your mind other places or you will go nuts.
You actually expressed it better than I did…
The idea is to get away once in awhile. To do something that you can tell your grandkids about. Most importantly, it lessens the chances of regret once all these awesome things go away once and for all.
Fear Us…check out the headline on Drudge
EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans
They must fear us, or they wouldn’t be doing this crap
knightowl, their fear is due to the facts that many of us know freedom and have the willingness to fight for it. That they (ptb, obama, etc..) know they aren’t able to fool all the people.
I found that article elsewhere, and my comment was as follows…
First, we’re told that if the President does it, it must be legal. Okay, so be it. We now know the President has his own personal kill list, therefore US having a kill list must be just as legal as OBAMA having one!
Secondly, they might start trying to “black hood” people, but I’m warning that that might be the catalyst that activates any “kill lists” that might be out there.
They don’t want to draw first blood, but neither do We The People.
It is possible to construe that the recent “suspicious” deaths of anti-government, pro-second amendment activists may already have been “first blood”…let us hope that evidence doesn’t come out confirming that it was, and let us hope, for their sakes, that the trend does not continue.
NOT ONE MORE INCH.
OQ/TJ Miller
Excellent piece and definitely something to think about.
Thanks for sharing it
Take care
Great article OQ!
Back when I was in my 20’s it was asked of me “Which is better, the actual event or the memory of that event?”. I had to think on it a while and I think it’s the memory of that event.
Every year we try and take a one week vacation somewhere. We don’t eat out or buy a lot of “gadgets” so we can take this trip without too much guilt.
Every year, I wonder if it will be our last and try to enjoy it like it IS our last without feeling too sad or apprehensive.
The concepts involved in self-reliant living are simple. The implementation is not. It takes dedication and effort to prepare for adversity. The beneficial need of prudent preparations is self-evident. With proper preparedness comes security and peace of mind. Problems will slide away as you enable yourself to believe in your ability to just live without fear and struggle. You will not have to rely on government handouts, a community shelter, a food line, or daily onerous trips laden down with milk jugs to the county water tanker truck if available. Those who are not prepared will be controlled. Those who are prepared can live free. The choice is yours to make.
MS
Unfortunately if an event happens in this country to cause a prolonged widespread power outage it will not matter how many preps you have unless you can get them to South America. Our nuclear power plants are small issues compared to the cool down ponds for on site storage of spent reactor rods. There are 100s of these in the US. It would only take a few to go off line and lose cooling to do in the northern hemisphere. In fact fukushima by itself could potentially do it. This is not remedied by going into a bunker for a month then coming up and planting the garden.
A lot of folks think that events like one second after are horrible – the truth is if were like that it would be a cake walk and I don’t know how to sail.
I agree with making good memories but really don’t want to stray too far from home. I don’t want to get stranded or run the risk of a break in back home while I am away.
There is one thing I learned from my dad that made a huge difference in how I approached life. He spent his whole life working and saving for retirement…for someday when…
By the time he retired he had all the money one could want but was several years into COPD. Spent the next 12 years sick and unable to travel.
Had the money, had the time but didn’t have his health. I chose to live life now and not spend my life saving up for retirement. I have no regrets. I chose to take the time and explore all the things I dreamed of.
Wound up poor but happy with lots of good memories.
I’ve seen what they do to older folks who have saved up money to steal…I choose to avoid a large reserve of temptation. I’d rather die free than stuck in some nursing facility with a damn guardian stealing my hard earned money. That is what really happens when you have something worth stealing and you get old.
I’ve advocated for elderly victims rights for decades. I know very well how the system works for the vulnerable among us. First, they claim you can’t handle your own money, then they take it from you and lock you up. No, they are not working to “protect” anyone. They are simply looting the elderly who have scrimped and saved for their retirement. It only happens to those who have amassed some assets.
Case in point: A man with a paid for home and $10,000 in savings ends up in a conservatorship, while another man who is homeless and literally dying on the street is left to die…why? Because the first man saved up something for retirement, but the second old man has nothing for them to divvy up. If you die with an estate, the government takes most or all of it.
I choose to let the state bury me on their dime, which is why I live for today…tomorrow will inevitable belong to someone else. That is the way it is in probate land. I’m going to die poor AND free.
“You could be dead tomorrow. Today may be your last chance to drink from life’s well”–Shooting Star
The only thing I remember doing with my father is working. Same story, dad has a cushy retirement spent sitting in a chair, waiting to die. If I die penniless sleeping in a cardboard box, at least my kids went on picnics and played games in the park. The commercial is right–Not every meal is about food.
“If there’s no time for fun, why are we saving the world?”–Lost in Space
I agree with Kindle, I don’t want to stray too far away. But there are lots of things we do locally. I agree it is easy to get wrapped up in everything, but my family is why I do what I do. If it was just me, I wouldn’t prep really hard. I am 47 and I know where I am going after I die, so I don’t worry about it. I spend time with my granddaughter, am very close to my daughter and son in law, and they are on board with all of this. I think the only people that might tend to focus too hard would be single people as they don’t have a family to worry about. (Me being a prime example).
My food storage is still a joke, but slowly working on it. Our first practice will be in March. I don’t want to shock my family, thus we will do Fri PM until Sun AM. We will do this about every 5th or 6th week so we know what we lack.
Practice is the only way you will know what you lack and what you need. No other way around it.
Are you doing a lights out drill, Ugly? Those are so much fun!
Daisy. Yes, we will have lights out and tv off. I have some 200 hour candles. Also, I bought a latern that is either battery or power and it works very well, much light. I bought a hand crank latern but broke it on about the 5th crank, so won’t use that.
The rules are that we must eat from our food storage. We must cook without ovens, thus either my new solo-stove, or a solar stove, or a solar generator.
At night we must either read, talk, or listen to radio. I plan on buying a ‘short-wave’ radio. We can listen to radio and maybe play some games.
During sleep, we will use extra blankets and stuff. No turning on heat.
Not sure about water yet. We may cheat our first go around.
I’ll let you know how we do. I’ll say what we liked and did not like, and what we need to do to make changes.
Good for you, run the practice, it’ll help heaps. Look forward to hearing what happens.
Jasmine….Thanks. I’ll let everyone know. It will be our first one, so hopefully the hoot from an owl won;t scare us too much.
Ugly, if you get the chance, look up “d.light”. I have two and love them. They are a solar recharged light. I have the S250 model. I use these all the time and they are very rugged. They did cost around 40 bucks each. The solar panels that come with them can be used to charge ipads and cell phones. One of the best purchases I have made thus far.
@POd Patriots….Thanks for the info, and yes I will look into it and most likely buy some. Are they carried at Cabelas and other sporting goods, or are they an online purchase?
@Dont Tread….the going ‘without the heat’ is so we don’t get too comfy. I live in the outskirts of Pocatello, Idaho in a subdivision that is about 12 years old now. My house is a cottage style that sits on about 0.40 acres. We have 2 garden spots and 16 fruit trees. My home is on the last street of city limits. Across the road are farms.
Pocatello is about 4 hours to Butte Montana, about 3 hours to Boise and about 90 minutes to Salt Lake City. It is a pretty nice area with plenty of potatoes and grain. Also, numerous dairies in area too.
We actually did a mini-run this past weekend at the retreat/BO location. I do have electricity there, but no heat source but wood. Thank God we had plenty stockpiled because the temps got down to 16 degrees with wind Fri. nite.
We had put together a “worst case scenario SHTF food cache” about two years ago. A 55 gal. steel drum with a sealed ring clamp lid. It was stuffed with dry beans and rice and vacuum sealed bags of cornbread mix and wheat berries for grinding to make bread. There were also stuff like pancake mix and tea bags, salt and sugar, etc.,etc.,etc. Nothing that would be affected by freezing temps like liquids.
I unlocked the lid and found everything to be as it was two years earlier. I pulled out the three gallon glass jug of pinto beans and jars of cornmeal and put fresher back in.
We cooked up a big pot of pintos,seasoned with Amish country ham and simmered half a day on the woodstove. I made a cake of cornbread in a cast iron skillet using olive oil and baking on the woodstove and using heavy tin foil as a little oven over the top.
The little woman said it was the best cornbread and beans ever. She was gonna give a bj, for she was so happy, but after the bottle of homemade wine for dessert she passed out on the couch near the woodstove with sighs of delight. I just went out on the porch and had a smoke while watching the wind snow in the dim light and thanking God for our peace and our animals and our food and drink.
That’s my way of enjoying life.
Get the moose oil lamp.
I look forward to hearing how it went and what you learned! We never fail to notice at least some small thing when we drill.
Good idea Ugly. But, I don’t understand the “going without heat” part. Do you live in an apartment or somewhere you can’t have a woodstove? A backup wood heat system is a priority unless you live in south Florida or San Diego.
Use propane to heat water for splash bathing. The feel of being refreshed and clean helps with keeping a good and positive mental attitude during tough times.
I have drills for my family even thoug it’s just my son & I. we take turns writing up a scenario which makes it more fun. last time my sons was a catastrophic storm hit and food supplies/trucks are unable to get thru. Live for 10 days with what u have on hand. Then afterwards we talk about items we need, comfort foods, books we wish we had etc. it really ends up being fun. BTW we include not being able to get gas at gas stations. This led us to keeping and rotating 50 gal gas cans, which is easier than I thought.
@Amy,
Very wise to let your son help write up the scenario. He sees things from a different perspective, and he probably is more willing to go along with the drill when he helped create the scenario. Well done, great idea, thanks for mentioning it.
Fuel stabalizer will assit in longer storage, thus less turn around. Have 3 50 gallon containers w/ stabilizer for years (5) and fuel is still good. Use the fuel on generators, etc., for short use of lights, heat etc., and disconnect and return to underground for concealment reasons. Prep, prep more, and continue to prep for you and yours!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well said O.Q. – and I concur. It is far to easy to get loaded down by the weight of having both eyes open. It is far to easy to become consumed by even an appropriate and rational passion.
We’re alive.. we all only get one shot at that and the older you get, the more you realize how painfully short life actually is.
I spend a lot of time traveling around.. I go to places off the beaten path.. like little pueblos in the mountains of Mexico.. small villages in Panama.. a little, hardly noticed waterfall in Brazil.. man, those are memories..
But you don’t have to go far if you can’t afford it..
I’ve found wonderful places just off a road.. a little stand of trees that when entered, shuts off the rest of the world and it seems to be it’s own little universe.. out of the way places, places passed by, unnoticed by the world.. slow down, look around.. we live on an astounding little blue ball of life.. and life is indeed short. Enjoy !! Now shut the hell up and get back to prepping.. 😉
EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans.
Sorry to be off topic but just read this on msn, unbelievable. Google it, this is exactly what we already knew on this site.
It is coming folks so get ready.
Live free;Probably the only thing the libs will see is at the bottom of the article, is that “The Colleges are gearing up for drone pilots” Good more jobs!!! You just can’t make this shit up!
Thinker
Was there ever any doubt once the Globalists in Government announced 20k drones in OUR skies by 2020? That probably means that their time lime is 2015.
Need I say “engage”?
Washington’s Vision was a message to every generation of Americans but particularly to US. WE are the End Times Generation who must face the Changes and the adversaries, foreign and domestic who will seek to strip US of ALL OUR liberties.
They will force US and OUR children to live in Mega Cities and Micro Apartments along the light rail, work for peanuts, and pay interest on everything WE might own, to them.
The gun grab is their mistake. They are over reaching in their rush to enslave US and established their NWO. It won’t happen.
Washington’s Vision is OUR future. Pass the word. Raise that understanding everywhere. It must go viral.
Fore warned is well armed. Lock and load.
“overreaching”, not “over reaching”
Eisenkreutz, When you have 8 kids and they’re all trying to get a biscuit at the same time, are they “over reaching” or “overreaching” just wondering. Trekker Out!
W and O didn’t need to be capitalized.
In prose, use “eight”, not “8”.
Just wondering could be its own separate sentence with a question mark after overreaching.
You mean they will TRY.
Was thinking about this New Years eve, Planned a ski trip for 4 days this month. Got together with old friends and rented the bigest condo we could find. Gotta have some fun in life…
NOMI
DPS
TJ,
Great article.
Building good relationships with your neighbors if possible is very rewarding.
I do trips with neighbors, friends, and family as often as I can afford it and
organize it.
I am often blown away by people that know nothing about their neighbors.
Granted, not everyone is friend material, and some people are down right dicks.
But you may end up becoming a good aquaintance or friend with someone
you never considered, only because you didn’t make it a point to meet them.
Hell, they might just keep an eye on your digs while you are on one of those
Memory making trips, TJ is talking about.
“downright” not “down right”
Eisenkreutz, Just one more question. If I shoot a Chukar, and it goes down in the sage, and my friend goes to get it for me, and I’m giving him directions. Would I say it’s “downright” there or “down right” there. Just wondering. Trekker Out. P.S. Sure glad your on this site, I failed English.
Doubt he would know what a chuckar is without wika.
O yeah, like I’ve never been hunting before.
“you’re”, not “your”
Thanks, Eisenkreutz. These will be some of my memories. Now it’s time for us to go and make a New Flag! Trekker Out. You’res truly or is it your’s.
Good Stuff!! Thanks Mac, no time like the present to snag a couple good memories!
The timing on reading this is a little strange…I was having similar thoughts over the weekend, and actually booked a trip this morning to take the wife and daughters to Maui in June to “make some memories”.
I used to live on Maui, you will love it!
On February 24, 2004, Edgar Steele said: “…you need to ensure that you personally prepare for the coming hard times. Some will think your nuts. But, there are things you can do quietly and covertly, even in that context. Most importantly, you must plan now and be ready to implement that plan the moment the wheels come off. If you live in a city, you need to plan how to get out in the event of a catastrophe. Immediately. Not the next day. Not that night. Immediately.”
.
If you live in a large city, you should be prepared to evacuate if you plan to survive, and that means leaving quickly with your preparations intact and following a pre-planned route on side roads to your ultimate destination. If you live in a safe area, you will still need to know what is happening and why, particularly if your area is designated as a “host zone” for an evacuated area.
The primary target in any conflict is always the infrastructure: electricity, water, sewer, food warehouses, rail systems, highway bridges, etc. Large cities will be obvious targets. The loss of electricity alone would be the end of civilization as we know it, as it would take decades to rebuild that essential infrastructure. The primary objective of a terrorist attack is ultimately to destroy the economy and thus bring the country to it’s knees, so everything is fair game, domestic or foreign.
In the event of terrorist use of any chemical, biological or even “dirty” nuclear weapons, the survivors will be those who evacuate the cities. Unless they have prepared to travel “off road” to safety, those left behind will be known as “victims,” as freeways most probably will be closed quickly by Martial Law: only the first to leave will make it using the Eisenhower Military Highway System, now known simply as “freeways.” Yes, that is correct. The so-called “freeways” are in fact military roads which can be closed at their convenience.
Do what you can to prepare now by taking the easy steps first, rather than simply sit back and dream about a fully stocked, remote retreat. A 48 hour pack to carry in your vehicle at all times is a good beginning. Then build up your supply of “camping” gear, including dried food, a tent, camo tarps, medical kit, etc.
We live in a major city, as in one of the favorite pet peeve major cities, so yep, I hear that! Just fighting standard traffic is a daily test for me, learning which streets and alleys to take to get around congestion. I’ve gotten quite good at that, which I am indeed proud of. There’s so many streets and alleys I take people who just move here are surprised to learn even exist. For example, if a sign says “No Outlet”, that doesn’t necessarily mean “Dead End” – there’s probably an alley behind it to get around and back on the road, or at the very least, you can hoof/bike it.
We’re extremely well-stocked on well-maintained camping gear, and we own some property 4 hours downstate, or 76 hours by foot. I always joke if we find ourselves homeless, we can always shelter well. (Food, not so much *yet*, but we’ll at least be warm and dry.)
That’s the thing.
Nobody is saying to not prepare. No one is saying to replace needed supplies with airline tickets.
What I am saying is this: once in awhile, you need to get your head out of the bunker.
If you have zero preps, then get off your ass and start.
However! If your end-all be-all in life has become prepping and keeping all hunkered-down, your life has essentially lost its meaning. Your family will leave your ass once they get bored with it – and if you do it too much or all of the time, I guarantee that they will be bored with it.
This may ruffle some feathers, but I have a question for you: What is the difference between a religion and a cult? Answer: Religion lets you take time off to think of (and do) other things. Cults do not.
The idea here is that prepping should not lead you down the primrose path towards Jonestown. You do not want to wind up hiding in a bunker 24/7 with a rifle at the ready… especially when circumstances most certainly do not dictate it.
Yes, prepare! For the love of all that is holy, make sure you can withstand what is coming, and be sure you have what you need. However, don’t hyper-focus on it to the exclusion of everything else. If you do, you’ll lose friends, family… and eventually your sanity.
I totally agree, we are planning a day trip next month. Then this summer going across the country to visit family and do some fun stuff. My older son has been all over the country, my little one is getting big enough to travel more. He’s almost 4, I want him to do and see all the great and fun things we have. There are so many things to do that cost little or nothing.
Take a hike, go fishing, a picnic, and even all of us going to the park. If we don’t take time to relax and have fun we will put ourselves in an early grave.
I hope there are those who are keeping journals again…to simply state what is now going on in our Republic…..my son recently told me I should write a book because, in his opinion, I have led a very interesting life….I, of course, thought that “my life” would be of very little interest to any but those whom I love and love me…..but, mayhap, he may be correct….we need to actually write things down on paper in order to preserve each and every legacy which brought us to where we are….and who we are..and why we want this Republic to continue for those who come after us….food for thought…
fob
FOB ~
It’s a really important thing that you have mentioned. A few years ago, when my dad first became ill, I interviewed him for several weeks about his life, and then put it together into a biography. He felt the same as you, that his life was not that interesting, but having it written down has been a wonderful gift for his grandchildren, including a couple of great grandchildren who were not old enough to have the pleasure of knowing him. You should seriously consider it!
If you have trouble getting started, there are some journals out there that provide questions to get you going. I used one of those as the basic format and then questions and stories came from our conversations.
Daisy
Touching.
These journals you are talking about, are they electronic (websites) or actual paper books? Starting a Journal is one of my 13 in 13 goals this year. Thanks!
Scott….Paper, of course, for an “old broad” such as myself…:) Journals written on paper in your own hand are a wonderful gift/legacy you can leave to your children….who in turn will give it to their children…in these times I would trust nothing of importance to anything electronic…good luck with your journal…it really will be worth the effort! 🙂
fob
Excellent.
All depends on what actually makes someone happy. There are many people out there that get tremendous pleasure out of preparation, ESPECIALL IF IT IS DONE AS A FAMILY EVENT. It can be taking a son and/or daughter into the woods on a camping trip/survival experience. What memories can be is the time that a family spends together. If that time is spent preparing for what is coming and there is enjoyment with that, then pleasant memories serve up quite well.
I have found that throughout my observations of families is that the best memories that children have of their growing up years is that the family spent time together. There are plenty of exercises of preparation that are fun and kids just enjoy the togetherness that everyone spends with each other. Screw the modern day distractions, and take a child out into the outdoors collecting wild food, then canning it, cooking up some of it, having a few meals with it. Kids’ memories are most happy when they feel like they are part of everything and have contributed.
There is a real special thing when there is something there after time spent together, something for future use. Each Christmas kids get chinese junk that ends up soon thereafter unused. Those memories are HOLLOW. However you spend a good weekend gathering up supplies and make a child feel like they have a purpose and have helped make the family safer for the future, PRICELESS.
Preparation doesn’t have to rigid, cold, and demanding, it can be fun and can be constructive. Children that grew up on farms and had chores and responsibilites usually don’t grow up into these walking messes that depend on pizza man or cheap fast food restaurants to eat. Children that were taught to be self reliant and had group together work towards the betterment of the family as whole usually are quite successful later in life.
Much time and money is spent on over blown vacations with all the tricks. Go to a pro basketball game for 5 people, say a mother, father, two kids and another relative. Tickets= $150-$300, parking $15, drinks and food per person $20×5= $100, sporting fan junk, shirts, banners, etc. $25-$50. You are talking about $300-almost $500. For a one night stand is what I call it. For that type of money you can purcahse all sorts of survival equipment or food, or water. I can think of a practical use of that money, going out to the shooting range and having several family competetion games, or just going out together to practice.
I guess I am pragmatic when it comes to just blowing money, time and resources on what I call “WASTED MEMORIES” when it is like a National Lampoon’s Vacation style fun. I feel that time spent together will usually build a lot more character for the future that going out and blowing the little time we have left on horse crap activities. NOT AT ALL THAT TJ MILLER WAS SUGGESTING THIS. I just want people out there to think about that preparation and good solid memories can go hand and hand with preparation. Time spent together as a family and/or spent with friends can be constructive and purposeful, rather than saying to yourself later that you wish you had not blown that wad of cash or that extra time you had on something that brought very little or no type of return.
BI,
Are you married? Do you have kids? Just asking I read your post everyday and know nothing about you..
NOMI
DPS
@ DPS. I don’t really go much into myself because I truly believe that ANYONE that prepares needs to remain as anonymous as possible. I have that personality that everyone remembers, and I truly don’t want to have to defend what I have sacrificed for with perfect strangers. So few people have anything, and when they know you have something they expect you to be an open grocery store to them and everyone around them. Say as little as possible because the non-preppers will flock to you like flies to honey when they know you have anything they can use.
Anyway, never had kids, but have many relatives that do, along with friends. What I have seen is two sides of the spectrum, excellent children that feel useful and enjoy their time spent with their familes, and others that have utterly failed with their children. The parents that spent time with their kids and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life have the most fulfillment. Those parents that have indulged their kids and tried to purchase their affections have turned these kids into rotten people. These kids have turned into arrogant self absorped rectums as adults.
I wanted to press that time spent together is so much more valuable, and this can go hand in hand with preparing for what is coming. Kids and adults need to mentally be prepared for extremely lean times and they should start getting use to this right now. Memories can be extremely painful when all is taken away from you. That song about Glory Times in which an washed up high school baseball pitcher that could throw the speed ball by you and make you look like a fool, and the lady that was everyone’s prime choice, and how they have these memories while drinking themselves silly to wash away their present day lives that suck. In other words when you lose a lot it is painful as hell. If those pleasant memories are prepartion based, you won’t lose much when SHTF in mega fashion. People that prepare now for the rough times ahead will fare a lot better than someone that is hardly ready for it that have lived for the moment like way too many do constantly.
This is the harsh reality of what is coming. You don’t have to live life terrible now so you can adapt to what terrible times are coming. You though can make the transaction to a post catastrophe a lot easier by the marriage of enjoyment with prepping. Kids just usually want to be part of the action and when you include them, they will usually adapt to even work and find it rewarding. It is all the preception of the mind to what brings pleasure. People young and old want to be part of a goal, they usually want approval also.
Too much time, money and resources is wasted on useless activities that could be spent on something that can help a family wake up a few more mornings to be together after a mega disaster. Fun doesn’t have to be expensive. Good memories don’t have to be spent by the per dollar value.
We have such little time left, and in my opinion ALL of us have to kick the preparation into really high gear. Tomorrow Israel could attack Iran, and within a day the whole world could be in such turmoil that all the time wasted having the fun of the moment is now at the zero hour. It could happen 6 months from now. It doesn’t matter, families that spend time together working towards a common goal are a lot better off than families that live for the moment. To me a family that spends the weekend together gathering wild food, then canning it or dehydarting all together are lot better off than the family that goes on some cruise and wastes the family budget only to get that stomach virus from the idiots fixing the food that have not learned to wash their hands.
I could be wrong, but right now we need to stock up on practicality before the time runs out on us and those unprepared fall through the bottleneck when the sand falls all through to the bottom.
BI,
wasn’t trying to disrespect you I know you are a smart man. As far as a weekend gathering food and canning while it maybe fun for some most 4 to 10 yr olds would boring. I got your point buddy in your first post.. A smilpy yes or no would have worked for me. Once again I respect your knowledge.
NOMI,
DPS
Ps I really hope my knees will take snow sking again, if not the kids will have a good time laughing at me.
Ha, we just did a day-trip to ski. Yeah, I looked ridiculous, but the kids had fun. I’m doubling down for next year, buying boots and planning a week long trip. I’m hoping good fitting boots and shaped skis will get me down the hill in decent shape.
Good luck!
@ DPS. I know many kids would get bored with survival exercises, but it is getting so close now that I just personally feel that all of us need to kind of forget the entertainment side of life and truly get ready for the nightmare coming. This is of course just a personal opinion, and I could be wrong, but it sure doesn’t seem like it though. By the way I really like most everyone here and I know you were not trying to disrespect me. I just tend to ramble a bit too much because I have so much to say. I hope you a good time sking.
I feel the same way about kids and I won’t get into a story about mine cause it’s way too personal. I’ll just say family can be precious and family can be a pain in the ass. I have had it both ways and it becomes a balancing act in order to treat family as Christ would.
Internet posting is no substitute for professional psychiatric help.
Psychiatric help is NO substitute for a good outing to the shootin’ range.
I heard that brother.
230JHP and Eisenkreutz. Y’all must have missed the News about the Navy Seal. Trekker Out.
No, I was very happy to hear that a serial killer got what he deserved.
Ouch, that was harsh….
You live through a war zone, then you can tell us about your “support our troops” crap.
@MTrekker,
No, I did not miss the news about what happened in TX, and I was saddened to read what happened. I don’t understand your comment, nor do I understand being put on the same level as EisenKreutz. I do understand what I wrote, I said a “good” outing. What happened in TX was anything but a good outing.
230JHP, sorry no slam intended. Didn’t mean to put you on the same level as Eisenkraut. But we do have to take him with a grain of salt. My point was, if that low life had been on a psychiatrist couch instead of at a gun range,(not you Eisenkraut),a couple of our war heroes would still be alive.So in that case psychiatric help would have been a better substitute than a day at the shootin range. That was my point, nothing more, nothing less. Just one question? I know what 223 Jacketed Hollow Point is and a 45JHP is but what is 230JHP. Trekker Out.
Sorry, ” Call of Duty” does not count.
All the shrink does is listen to you for $200 an hour. SHTF members will do that for free.
This is likely the ONLY subject you are qualified to speak on as an expert.
Only because we have no choice. Trekker Out.
Psychiatric help is an oxymoron.
No, it isn’t.
Somewhat off topic, but the month my oldest son turned ten, we had a number of bills that needed to be paid and we couldn’t afford the big “bash” his friends were having. He had six buddies spend the night, I splurged on pizza with coupons and a deal, but made a box-mix chocolate cake with a can of vanilla frosting and decorated it with an m&m #10 on it. They played video games (which we had on hand), others watched playoff basket ball and the group went on a night march through the woods behind our house with toy light-sabres.
Seven years later, these boys still talk about it being one of the best parties, ever! I had put a the guilty burden on myself. They had a great time, apparently.
In hind-site, I feel silly for having worried. Clearly, they just needed to be together!
Ferfal and Selco wished they would have had more supplies and less vacation memories when SHTF.
I have fond memories of bantering with all of you on here. I love you all, my friends.
Be well.
Point Of Order: They started with little-to-no preps at all.
This article is spot on. Can’t concentrate on prepping 24/7. Still have to work x number of hours per day to make a living and have money to buy preps. i’ve never bothered with saving for retirement because i’ve seen things like this coming for decades. I don’t expect to live long enough to collect SS because it won’t be there for me. I’ve always expected I’ll have to work until i just kick the bucket. I still go out and have some fun on weekends. It does help me to keep my sanity. i was planning a trip to see my Dad in March-April, but with the vote on the UN Small Arms Treaty scheduled for that time frame, better stay at home. SHTF could very well hit around that time. All my extra money goes into preps now. I don’t care about anything but survival and trying to take this country back. best wishes to all. braveheart
Your dead on.
Memories of when the EBT cards were refilled every month like magic and the rent check showed up in the mail box like clockwork. The Good Old Days.
http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/04/16843014-exclusive-justice-department-memo-reveals-legal-case-for-drone-strikes-on-americans?lite
Lets get it on.
Drone strikes on Americans — Big deal.
They been doing that for years already:
HAARP induced tornadoes and hurricanes.
Awesome article OddQ! It is so true! We all need to stop and smell the roses a bit. Its funny how much I appreciate it every time I go through a drive through. Some day we will look back and realize even with the aggrivation of today how lucky we are to have lived during a time where clean water came out of the tap, food is plentiful, heat comes atvtge touch of a button….I could go on.
We are blessed!!
Fine. I’m going skiing first chance I get, seriously. But anyone get what has already ‘faded’ and ‘become lost’? The attack on our culture hasn’t rallied anyone enough to take a consequential stand. This ‘bitch-slapping’ SHTF scenario is going on right before our very eyes in slow motion. Our children are suffering for it already. You guys’ entrenching into your survival scenario may not be helping. We’re going to take this crouching down in a bunker (or respective BOL)? Our way of life isn’t worth fighting for; opening our mouths and putting ourselves out there for? I’m not trying to criticize but ask an honest question to the true patriots here – people I relate to and value for the most part. As a mother, this has been my struggle, and my indoc into prepping. My way of life is already under attack. I am ready, thanks to all of you, for a throw down. But now I see that it’s already happening – has been happening. NO, I don’t think the polls are any answer at this point. It’s funny, we had a snow issue last week where some kids went on the bus before they called the school day for weather and boy, did the ‘comments’ abound! None of ’em chime in about the Marxist indoc curriculum and misappropriation of funds for outrageous bee-ess but they screwed up the bus run for some snow and there’s hell to pay! HA! I weep for the culture and community already lost. Memories? What about our lives? Tomorrow is not promised. What else is there but today? Prepare. But live FREE!! I’m so SICK of this!
Nautigirl,
I am suprised the kids did have you out have a good old fashion snowball fight.I have put off 2 yrs of vacations thinking that something might happen while I out of town. I guess Tyler was right in fight club the things that we bust our asses to buy end up owning us. My dauhgter is all grown up now but this old man still has a couple of black diamonds left in him, just hope my knees do LOL. Hell I may have to enter a few enduros this yr too. Don’t get me wrong I will still have a g.b.h.b. with me. But damn I miss having fun, besides shooting the hell out of my personal defense weapons.
NOMI
DPS, good on the enduros!!! I race a little vet class MX now and then, but would love to get back into enduros. A lot more seat time and less air-time than MX!! PS, two stroke or four stroke for you?
MX,
Raced the TSCEC circuit for 5 yours had a Team KTM gave my alot of my stuff, All I had to do was buy the bikes. Did make the qualifier for the 6day but blow my knee out 3 weeks before getting to go. And yes I’m a 2 stroke man.Still have my old 2004 300exc, just can’t part with it, that and my Harley Wideglide. Could get alot of prepps if I sold them, but can do it still love to ride buddy..
NOMI
DPS
Personal responsibility, that is the whole constitution and the bill of rights. Difficult to implement w/o resources. I don’t think those of us who “romanticize” about the self reliant lifestyle are really taking into account how actual refugees fare, which is what most will become.
Greetings!
I fully agree with the article’s premise that after “the big one”(what I consider THE CHANGE)memories both oral and written,will have immense value.I continue to buy books with a intrinsic story value(sorry 50 shades of gray,you don’t begin to cut it for value)LOTR,Grimm’s fairy tales,and Huck Finn and the like.When our power grid gets sketchy at best(and it will,even for the Rich and “powerful”)all these “kindles” will be near worthless coasters.All the usual stuff for prepping IS important as a first,but these other items will be worth a can or two during those endless nights with “time to spare”.
Just my thoughts,
Best to folks here,
GFG
The big secret to being an “old” country boy has always been about weaving fun into survival, not treating them
as seperate entities. When one takes a kid fishing for
fun they are actually teaching them a craft for enduring survival, no need to even mention the two together, It
becomes self-evident on it’s own to the lad in time.
Amen to that
Orwells Ghost.
Same here OG. Teach them. How to build a fire. Also to cut wood. Show them the constellations. Have cook outs and fish frys. Take them out and play in the mud holes and get your truck stuck. Show them the world around them. Do it with your friends.
I have watch young children grow into adults. No drugs or trouble with the law. Now they have families. I miss the Old Timers who told their stories of the woods.
Now I am the Old Timer who passes down my stories with the ones I was told.
I use to say that I am glad the trees can’t talk.
Over time I regret that they can not.
Tell boring stories after the fall? No way! The kids in my neighborhood will get there fill every Halloween when I recount the stories of the evil Obummer Troll and his Goblin minion named Helicopter Ben.
Mal
I get it, how sad is it gonna be if your the village elder and all you have are war stories about American Idol and Dancing with…yup that would be sad. However I think if you end up in that position some ten, twenty plus yrs down the road. If that is you some time in the future I submit that your life will be prolly more than over filled with the action packed drama tradgedy apocalypse shoot-em-up stories than Paul Harvey could ever shake a stick at.
Should you be out there having fun doing the stuff your kids need to know, you betcha. Land navigation, fishing, hunting, weapons practice, climbing, identifying wild edibles, gardening, oh boy the list goes on for ever, but it all can be fun if you just lighten up, make fun of yourself, laugh at your mistakes, be a goofball most folks appreciate a good goof, besides all the uptight asshats will die-off first. Yup little documented but well know fact asshats go first, all true….
THE point, sharko. Your ‘resources’ are vulnerable – without freedom. So ‘hunker down’ and ‘eff’ everyone else? Patriots? ‘Milita’? All the talk I’ve heard here? What, exactly are you waiting for? I am drop dead serious. ?? Because I love America. And… my own mindset is, if I ‘sail away’, it’s over. My chances of survival – however prepared – are slim. You think any of yours are better in the woods somewhere? For how long? Years? Decades? Will you be the Siberian family on the mountainside? Seriously? I’m asking here. I have precious, blond-haired, blue-eyed little girls. You wouldn’t believe how wonderful. I know some of you have children in your lives. WHAT IS the PLAN?? Cuz I’m a frikkin Girl Scout and then some. And DO NOT eff with me. But what’s the bigger picture here? I gotta go rogue water-world? You white Christian men – no offense to anyone, we’re talking in the context on the thread here I-think-you-get-me. The ones who gave me an unprecedented era of pax-americana, star-sailing and night-skiing. The peers of my grandfathers and uncles who fought and bled? SHTFplan – you’re… hiding? Waiting? I seriously don’t get what’s going on. I wanna know cuz I’m ready. And if none of you can see it, I’ll tell you. It’s on.
NautiGirl.
Everybody wants to Know! You are going to find out exactly how it will go down at the most unopportuned time. There is more at stake than preparing for a natural/man cause disaster. That is the death of liberty and freedom, not only of this nation but around the world. Will you survive? Chances are better if you do some preps. Educate yourself of your surroundings. The Plan is that there is no Plan. Only your Plan. You can not reveil your plan to others cause you do not know which side they are on, and you will not know till it happens and they run around like chickens with their heads cut off. Myself I would like to have it happen now. You can use the extra time to better prepare.
Nautigirl,
Yes eveybody is waiting, does everybody have a plan set in stone well No. Talking with a few of the older men here in my area I was told to stand easy and till the the other boyes fire the first shot. Right now all the eyes are upon NY State. It looks to be the first to butt heads, its being called ground zero. Not sure how many states are watching it but I can tell you the eyes of Texas are sure watching. So we hold for now. Thats all I can and will say..
NOMI
Ive always believed in doing all I can to try to stop the evil from taking over…never wanted to be in a war and not be able to say I did everything I could to try and make a difference.
Ive seen some blood and gore in my time and never wanted to see it on the streets and to have friends and family go through it…but most of my time on earth has been spent farming,oh Ive had all kinds of jobs and experiences over the years but farming has been my happiest time spent…thats all I wanted, to grow things and kids and grandkids and to just have the govt leave me be…course they wouldnt so I got involved in politics and such…had some victories and seen some defeats…I keep on doing it,and keep on living as self-sufficent as I can knowing that TPTB are throwing down the gauntlet and I cant retreat much farther…but we try…no one wants to fire that first shot…especially fire it too soon and wind up out there in front all alone and wacked by the system with no one comming to your aid…its a sad thing but true for most anyone whos really honest….make no mistake theres alot of us who will fight but till something really blows up I dont think we’ll see too many rambos taking on the tyrants men…as DK says you gotta engage them and I think thats true…thats where alot of folks are right now,scared to death and hoping for a miracle…personally I see time running out for any peaceful solution,that doesnt mean we shouldnt keep trying but when the talkins all done we gotta be ready for the actions itll take to slap these usurpers back into the darkness where they belong…wish I could be more helpful…Ive got some babies myself and I fear for their futures sometimes but at other times it gives me more resolve to make sure the bassturds who did this to my country do not fully succede or even survive! Live life as good as you can…enjoy it and those kids just be ready to act if it falls apart…thanks! “Live free or die tryin”
Ever since I have been REALLY concerned about our future (about 11 years ago( I have spent much time and money taking my kids places they may never get a chance to see again. We have driven cross country (from Michigan to Oregon Coast, stopping at almost every national park along the way), Disney World, Down South (not Disney), the far ends of our State, etc. I have tried to plan trips to the east Coast and Southwest but we have run out of time I fear. Each year the discussion with the wife has been, “This could be our last chance” ( a good way to look at life in general, not just because of the future we all fear). Fortunately each year we have been proven wrong,TPTB have strung things along a little longer but time is running out. This past summer we bought a 40 acre Farm in Northern Michigan and we move there permanently this June for we feel it is time to hunker down now. WE picked the area we did because of its natural beauty, outdoor activities, and hopefully relative safety to whats coming. We will continue to do the things we love, but now we will be living close to the land and that which we cherish doing, enjoying it all while at the same time patiently waiting, and when it all comes down, hopefully it won’t be feel so far from normal.
I think I’ll bug out to Detroit. Nobody will want to come there to get me.
thats where I am currently, NO you do NOT want to come here except to see what the rest of the country is gonna look like soon
sorry for the fat finger typos
and I should have added, I had most preps in place before we spent money on the trips. So long ago in fact, if I needed to and morally could bring myself to do so, I could sell SOME of my ammo for 1000 percent or more profit right now if some of the going price rumors are true ($80 for a brick of 22LR!!!???!?)
For Those of those who choose not write
Do recordings.
You can go into much greater detail about the events of the day and so much can be conveyed in the sound of your voice.
Fear , anger , hopefulness, Love , Laughter
I started to do them incase of a untimely demise my daughter has a lifetime of wisdom she can acess at any time. No one will ever have to tell her that I loved her . She can here it for herself and THAT makes a huge difference.
We all have the obligation to make the path straight for those that follow in our line.
Fail them not as your Fore Mother and Fathers did not fail you.
Don’t put all of your memories on your computer. I still take a few pictures and have film developed just in case.
I’ve digitally enhanced my favorite memories on my computer AND printed out hard copies for safe keeping. I have a little photo album in my BOB. I’m determined not to lose my “first” this or that photo in a SHTF situation.
I agree, stocking up on good memories is as good as any prepper practice. The future has the right to know how life was before ‘the Big One’ as you say, and it is the responsibility of the survivors to show how things were. That is how they can learn important lessons and not make the same mistakes if they are going to rebuild civilization.
Thank God for books!!!
The Collapse
December 2073
http://www.literotica.com/s/the-collapse-ch-01
I get the article, enjoy life. But one thing stands out in my head I can’t ignore, I was always told you can’t go out and play till your homework is done.
As a Christian I believe we must be vigilant in all ways. Keeping our heads up and our faith strong. Prepping is not a lack of faith but using the God given wisdom he gave us. And yes as I watch carefully all of the prophecies being fulfilled I to get caught up in the whole mess of having my energy just devoted to prepping. But the srticle brings up very good points, we do need to enjoy our life and freedoms while we have them. We are headed for some very scarey times. It is called the tribulation During these dark years we are headied for I am sure there will be times I would love to just take off with the grankids and go fishing etc. So we better do it now. BY enjoying life to its fullest I do not believe I will be caught sleeping. Remember it is all about balance. God Bless and stay right with God
We have a cross-country road trip planned this summer. Planning it is a huge part of the fun. I have mapped a general route and the girls are researching interesting destinations along the way.
We have no timeline – we’re just going wander around. I was thinking that we might not get another chance to pass through these roads, so we might as well make the most of the opportunity and see what we can learn.
I remember, one weekend I took my girls on an impromptu camping trip. We put up the tent, started a fire, whittled sticks for wieners and cooked beans in the can.
We took trips to Branson, Silver Dollar City, going in at the time when you got the next day free. We stayed at the cheapest motel. We ate pb&j, bologna, kool-aid. Even had a picnic in the grass in front of our car in the parking lot of SDC, because we couldn’t afford the food.
We went out to eat at Bonanza on Tuesday, cause kids ate free that night, all I had to do was order a simple burger and drink. We saved pennies to go to a movie for a treat.
I got the up in the middle of the night to go storm watching, and it was nothing for us to take off in the day to look for the end of rainbows. The zoo was a favorite place to go, as well as the local parks.
Oh how I miss those days! Enjoy your trip with your girls and make lots of memories! Wish I could do it again!
How sweet.
Daisy,
I used to take a lot of those cross-country road trips and have been thinking if I might be able to get one more in before the SHTF.
For me, I’m afraid the hour is late and I don’t want to get caught far from home. What if it was an EMP or solar flare and your car no go? What if it is economic and cards don’t work? How do you get gas to get home, food to eat? On and on…
If you do go, pack very wisely.
I go to a week-long festival each year that is on primitive camping grounds with no in-and-out privileges. There are ~1000 of us. The idea is to build community in that time, bringing in everything we need to live the week, from gear, to food, to money, and yes, money, because there are a wide variety of vendors offering items you just can’t get anyplace else.
For some people, it can seem boring to be “stuck” in the same place for an entire week, living in a tent without electricity. But really, it’s an incredible experience. You actually get to *know* people. You share your insight with others, and in turn, they share theirs. We have over a hundred activities which you can choose to attend or not, including music performances. Many people are married there, as well as other rites of passage, as well as holding memorials for those who have passed in the last year.
For many of us, this retreat is our only vacation of the year, which is at a pittance by comparison, so it’s multi-generational. For that week, we live the way we truly want to live without outside influence. Sure, there’s some people who wilt in the summer sun, and yes, there are the occasional dramatic flare-ups, but quite honestly, I truly wish I could live with these people 24/7 – taking it up a notch as homesteading. It’s kind of like moving into a Renaissance Faire for a week, without the phony accents.
1000 people is indeed a village, and if/when SHTF, I would like to hope some of us can get together and make our week-long community become permanent. If for anything else, we already have plenty of camping gear to get started. And, many of us are skilled craftsmen, gardeners and hunters. I hope everyone has such a community of like-minded folks they too can meet up with.
I wanted to add too, on top of our other combined skill sets mentioned, we are also doctors, nurses, dentists, therapists, EMTs and police officers, on top of many of us having military background, and many of us are damned fine cooks, including a couple genuine chefs. That of course also includes – yup – accountants, hi tech gurus, traders, bankers, real estate agents and lawyers – the people we sometimes think we /don’t/ want in our new community. But the thing is, if/when SHTF, a strong community will need all of these different types of people in order to rebuild.
Sure, some of us are “merely” retail clerks, servers and gas jockeys, but we all have our own special talents, wisdom and knowledge passed down to us by our family and friends, even bad experiences we can learn from (what /not/ to do). 🙂
Awesome! Wish I had a group to do that with!
Hippie chicks might make it. Hippie dudes, no way.
No gas, no grass, no ass — NO FREE RIDE!
Is this Woodstock III Lori?
No, nor would I want it to be. I believe they renamed that music festival as rapestock!
For people who think what I do is all rainbow farts and whatnot, well, some people in my community are like that, but certainly not all. This video clip was filmed yesterday featuring one of my best camping buddies. I’m sure some of yas would approve:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151399266444494
Most of what’s going on today I’d like to forget.
Take a Rare Look at How Obama Decides to Send Drones to Kill Americans
Human rights advocates were floored on Monday night when NBC News published the details of an alarming Justice Department memo detailing the protocol for sending drones after United States citizens. It’s not as if they hadn’t suspected that the Obama administration’s top secret drone attack protocol contained some unsavory details. They just didn’t expect them to be so frightfully broad. The scoop by Michael Isikoff is actually startling not for the details but rather for the lack of details. It’s very vague about a decision-making process that puts American lives on the line. Put simply, the government believes that a lethal drone attack against an American citizen is justified if the targets are a) “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaeda or b) “an associated force.”
“associated force” can mean anything people
VRF:
Read that this morning, and put up a link. Looks like several others have as well.
If that doesn’t chill you, then nothing will. Informed Mac that it needed to be in its own thread.
“Not One More Inch!”
KySSG . . . out.
Yeah , I see im not the first to bring this up, and its been contemplated about on here before, bastards will stop at nothing. once the collapse takes hold the rules for engagement go out the window, we can probably bet we will see hits here in the homeland before we both pass on.
they will always use us and our money to become technologically advanced over the general population. there are a few senarios where they would also be rendered out of action.
being aware that this is on the table is and always will be a game changer, but not necessarily a game ender.
As far as the article goes; I totally agree with the part about trying to have some fun with life. We try to have a little fun everyday, even it’s just telling a funny story or picking at each other.
The thing about traveling is a little bit of a personal financial thing that depends on how much it will cost,time, and what can be taken from it. If a family has a good amount of prepping done and enough food stockpiled to stave off starvation for six months, then maybe a cross country trip would be great.
No way in hell am i getting on a plane to go anywhere out of the country, unless i’m planning on not returning.
We stopped spending $1000.00 on beach vacations several years ago. They were fun at the time but as we began to realize how much food preps we could have put away… it scared us.
We now go on a two or three day fishing adventure and actually add to our preps with the fish we catch. Canned or smoked fish can greatly add to the preps and the memories will stay with you longer.
Prioritize and plan with prepping in mind. It can be a double bonus. If i had the extra funds, a $3000.00 trip to Jackson Hole to snow ski and snowmobile around Yellowstone would be great! But I’ll just wait on a Lottery check for that. One can dream.
There will be plenty of stries to tell the kids and laugh about. Ones like…(pulls out old creased and torn FRN)…They used to give us these fancy colored papers for working all week. Or…See that road over there? If you crossed at the wrong place, the blue shirts would arrest you for something called “jaywalking”. Or…See that old bluetick laying over there? They had guys in special uniforms that would go around and take ol hound dog and pen him in doggie jail if he didn’t have a special metal tag on his neck. Yessir, there will be laughs aplenty to go around at how ridiculous our life used to be.
off topic
Rahm Emanuel doing a great job isn’t he ?
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/02/04/chicago-police-changing-response-plan-for-some-911-calls/
but the cops will be happy to take your call
“Police said officers will always take information about crimes at district stations, or over the phone – even if officers don’t respond in person.”
astronomical taxes,corrupt leadership,poor police protection
why in the hell do people live in large cities ???
I agree, sometimes we have to force ourselves to not prep and remember why we are doing it the first place.
I plan on driving up the east coast this summer. See friends along the way. Then section hike part of the Appalachian Trail – 280 miles. So will be a good experience and also good bug out training. Kill Two Birds sort of thing.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/north-korea-dream-video-us-missile-attack-140005920.html
I see a totally different future. We’re going to see events from the Bible’s book of Revelation being fulfilled. The 7 year Great Tribulation period is coming soon. The Rapture will come first. I’m convinced that the collapse of America will come before that.
Well, I decided to have a memory for lunch the other day.
Honestly can’t say that it was all that filling.
Hell, even an old MRE would have done a better job.
Yeah –
“Dad, I’m hungry.”
“Here you go Junior, have a nice tasty memory.”
:-/
Thanks, Branefrees, I thought I was the only one thinking like that.
For the wealthy, travel on!!
For us living from one S.S. and VA check to the next—we have our memories too.
however, we are terrified that check will be the last.
I am not going any further than preps in Bowling Green.
Different strokes for different folks…and this woman hasn’t been outside since week before Christmas.
Yeah… building memories on a fixed income – well, fine for those with the bucks.
As for all the thumbs down, I seem to rub some cat’s fur the wrong way.
I’m crestfallen.
I responded to something similar already:
https://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-preparedness/stocking-up-on-memories_02042013#comment-1111163
Cheers!
stories to tell about the fun times? yes I am over a half century old and yes had some great times as being world traveled, worked around the globe! seen about as much as a person could see or wants to see.
now days my idea of fun is going fishing, hunting and having a party here and there to talk of the good days of past because you see my story telling has already begun. the crowd that lives near me, closest at about a mile and a half away is having their so called good time living pay check to pay check and is leveraged to the hilt but still tries to keep up with the JONES by buying crap that puts them furter in debt!yes I had my good times and still have a few but now is the time for to be debt free and livea simple life with simple pleasure!
Can people stop writing in that our government can create tornados and hurricanes. That is the dumbest thing I have ever read and it really diminishes what the prep movement is all about.
I really wouldnt worry about picking one issue apart for validity, besides do you have unfailable proof that this isnt a possibility? Im talking tangeble.
Besides, we all have our areas of knowledge, some of us have our strengths else where, but that doesnt render cause to go against an unknown possibility these days.
Also just because someone voices a possibility, doesnt diminish anything in a true preppers eye..at least it shouldnt if you are true to your cause and any possibilities you may not have the full on knowledge about.
Did any of y’all read the LEFT BEHIND series? Sure wish I hadn’t given my collection away!
thank you for this article.
the war talk in this site lately has been pretty exhausting.
prepping will only end when shit does hit the fan. until then, i figured a nice family walk to the park so the toddler can have herself some good memories to look back to is just as important. plus we get some exercise just in case we have to bug out on foot…
Can people stop writing about that our government wants to limit or confiscate guns. That is the second dumbest thing I have ever read and it really diminishes what the prep movement is all about.
Ellas,
What good are preps if someone can take them away from you? Guns are an essential part of prepping for most. I don’t know what “prep movement” you are looking at but all the ones I know understand the need for defense.
TROLL!!!
My inlaws were far more successful then me. I think my wife has a hard time with that; they bought a major franchise in food service, built 3 stores and retired millionaires and lived a good life. When they passed a few years ago their kinds (my wifes’ brothers) were amazed at the food storage they had. They made comments about them being ready for armaggedon except the guns (they had none and were not into them). Still I will remember the cruises they took us on, the trips to Club 33 in Disneyland, week long vacations on the sunny San Diego coast. Good memories, good people, I have regrets I couldn’t improve upon their life. All I can do now is make sure my hephews and neices will be armed, prepped and have a place to go when SHTF.
If the UN ATT passes, that will be the END of LEGAL Gun Ownership in this communist country.
If it passes,and we sign it, we will then be under “UN Law” and no longer “US Law” and UN countries do not allow the people to own firearms!
Soon the war starts the way it looks.
Shit House Rumor that some ATF agents visited Wal- Mart and told them to sell “NO MORE” AR15’s even though they still had some in stock!
DUNNO????? Anyone heard this?
Live Free, Die Free
Molon Labe
NOMI
pr
Breaking News
Ahmadinejad lands in Cairo 4-6 months before Iran reaches nuclear capacity.
Feb.5,2013
As Israeli parties haggle over a new government coalition, Bashar Assad, backed by Iran and Moscow, sits firmly in the saddle and plays hardball with the Syrian opposition. Former military intelligence chief Asher Yadlin says Iran can “achieve nuclear breakout in four to six months.” Ahmadinejad invites Egypt to join Syria, Hizballah and a nuclear Iran for an unbeatable coalition to “solve the Palestinian question” and wipe Israel off the map so that he can pray on Temple Mount, Jerusalem.
Read more @ DEBKA.com
DEBKA = Zionist propaganda
This article makes a lot of sense. Live life and remember. I’m all prepped up already and live a life where I think, “Remember this…” Often that might be something as simple hand feeding a wild squirrel or watching an eagle on the wing. Most of the posters here still don’t get this article and what it’s trying to say.
Get your head the hell out of conspiracy theories and prepping and sense the here and now. Kids some day will appreciate that someone remained who knew how it it used to be and what the future could be again.
Many, many thumbs up !!!!
Did anybody catch the N Korea video posted on the drudge report?
DPS
I was lucky enough to have been slapped awake almost a decade ago. I will admit the first five years or so were quite obsessive. One September, I was obliged to attend a memorial for a fellow service member in CO Springs. I was not excited to be out of my “safety” range.
After some thought I decided to bring my (at the time) 8 yr old along. We ended up fishing at Crystal Resevore where my boy caught his first fish. He looked at Pikes Peak and said “I wanna go there.” We hiked up the next day and rode the train down.
8 months later, he and I were standing on the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite. Ever since, my prepping has been all about memories and experience. With the occassional bonus can of #10 AF or exrta ammo here and there.
2013 will be amazing if it holds together. Sedona, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Moab. Such a relief to be in the final stages of prepping. Such a joy to show my son these places, to do these adventures. Good luck everyone!
Take your kid prospecting too. If he finds so much as a sliver he will remember it all his life.
My Dad took me to an Indian Battle Ground State Park in Indiana and I found an arrow head. How convenient!
Thinking back, it was strangely commercial looking in nature. 🙂
Lived in Wickenburg for a few years and tried prospecting.(several months ago I saw you comment about Remuda) He was to young to remember. I was more interested in smelting but had difficulty with impurities and discoloration. Mixing flux is no joke and I’m no chemist. Funny about the arrowhead, have a similar memory myself. I’m still a youngn’ though.