The east coast earthquake(s) are just the latest example of how unprepared we are for an emergency or major disaster.
Whether we’re talking about earthquakes, snow storms, hurricanes, floods, electrical outages or terrorist attacks, government officials, as well as individuals, have demonstrated time and again that we have a psychological inability to cope with high stress situations, a lack of foresight to stock emergency reserves, and have failed to prepare effective emergency response plans.
Though we hardly felt any movement here in the city of New York as a result of the earthquake, panic seemed to overtake a lot of people, as indicated by various news programs and social networking sites.
A single tremor was enough to cause mass confusion, building evacuations and cell phone service outages across the city.
…
So, I ask, are we ready for this possibility [Hurricane Irene], New York?
Consider: This region, more than any other, relies on electrical power. From high rise apartment buildings, to business computers, to the subway system, a massive power outage caused by a hurricane will have a significant impact on people’s lives.
Imagine if you were sick or paralyzed, and stuck on a building’s 35th floor without elevator service for days. Or, simply picture the isolation caused by television and cell phone outages. Ask yourself, where are your flashlights? Your radio? How will you keep up to date with important emergency information if the storm knocks out electrical services?
In order to prepare for this hurricane, ultimately we have to think not of the earthquake, which caused no lasting damage, but rather everything that went wrong during this past winter’s big snowstorm.
People were unable to leave their apartments, and emergency buildings were essentially unable to move around on the streets. We were woefully under-prepared, and most city workers had to play catch up to fix the significant problems that resulted from the storm.
Source: Fox News [Hat tip Bill]
Once cell phone service went out following high volumes of calls across the eastern seaboard, local police, fire and medical response was effectively shut down. Add congestion and confusion on roadways and you have a recipe for disaster.
The earthquakes this week were minor events in terms of severity and damage. But consider what might happen in a prolonged regional-disaster. Hurricane Katrina was such an incident, albeit still a short-term event, and luckily the rest of the country was unaffected. Emergency response took a week or more in some instances, and it reportedly took some three days to get bottled water into New Orleans. Bottled Water! And this is with a completely intact national infrastructure around the disaster zone.
Images of the looting, violence, preventable deaths and confiscatory martial law sweeps were beamed to millions of Americans. No one was paying attention, save a few individuals willing to think outside the box of complaceny and the status quo.
We realize the government has spent billions of our tax dollars making preparations. But how that money has been directed and managed is anybody’s guess. When it comes down to it, whatever preparations are being made by emergency preparedness experts at DHS, FEMA and other agencies, they will likely not benefit you all that much. If the time ever came that the infrastructure of the entire United States, not just an isolated region, experienced a far-from-equilibrium event we need to assume help is not coming. No ambulances. No police. No grocery delivery trucks. And no electricians to fix the power.
It’s going to be up to you.
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You know, yesterday i went out and bought my wife a backpack with everything she would need for a 72 hour plan. I went outside came back in and she was crying. When asked her why, all she had to say was whatifs, I am so freaking sick and tired of trying to get people on board, and i am ready to walk away. It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it! Sorry for the Rant guys. If something does happen people need a plan and a way to execute it. The helping hand is at the end of your sleeve!
Yep, been there. All we can do is to be quiet and do your business preparing.
CopOut – your wife (and mine) are the true examples of how the populous is. They rather pretend everything is fine (and maybe it’ll stay that way because they think it)
These folks don’t want to know that everything is about to change.
I’m with TooBad – just quietly keep prepping so that you can sleep at night and not stress over it.
When the time comes (and it will) you’ll be able to make the moves you’ve prepared for!
Good luck – you’re not alone!
Same too you and yours Man up!
I’m fortunate to have a wife who is permissive (if not completely energetic) about my little habits. This is mostly because there have been a couple of times so far (only minor crises, but big enough to matter to her) when my focus on preparedness has ‘saved the day’, for things ranging from an outing, to living happy and comfortably without electricity for a week (a storm had dropped a tree, taking the power lines down with it)
She’s figured out that if I can ‘save the day’ without skipping a beat over the smaller things, then she has (IMHO correctly) deduced that preparing to save our bacon when it really matters is something that she can tolerate gracefully. 🙂
I am the woman of the house and the only prepper. I know he thinks I’m crazy but I’ve been exhausting myself putting together enough stuff for MY family to live through what I believe is coming very shortly. I’ve been canning and drying everything that doesn’t outrun me, stocking food enough for a year (i hope) ways to cook it without electricity, water purification stuff, knives, weapons, stuff to trade (barter times ahead!) and tools that don’t need a plug. I put together medical kits, SHTF
bugout bags, needles, threads and know-how books. My family and friends except one or 2 think I’ve gone insane but I believe what I believe and I haven’t stopped putting things by and learning old skills like fire starting, locating/harvesting/fermenting wild foods, candle making, etc to keep us and those around us better straits than most. So it isn’t just the guys, honest! He begged me to stop buying TP but I just mumbled “you’ll thank me for it someday believe me!” Which at least got a laugh….Go preppers!
Just a thought for all you hard-core coffee hounds out there…no electricity = no autodrip coffeemakers. Went to a local thrift shop and purchased an old Corningware coffee pot with metal basket/stem insert for $1. Used it last winter when our electric went out. Husband impressed – “where did THAT come from?” Made our down time more bearable. Pray and prep…
i know what you mean,my clan thinks i’m nutso too! but they will wake up to someday. have to do a little at a time,money wise.
@WestVaFolks:
Percolators rock! 🙂
Fortunately, I’m not much for drinking coffee, but for the times I do, that’s actually one of the best ways to make it, IMHO.
I’m a woman prepping alone. I definitely feel disconnected as no one I know is prepping. Also feel frustrated as friends/family are in denial and long past the “toleration” stage of even listening to me.
I would appreciate recommendations for freeze dried foods, and other food staples.I now have the means to stock up and want to go with prepared/ freeze dried foods asap.
Anyone have any preferences of brands or types of foods based on taste, value etc. that you can share??
Darc…..I make him BEG long and hard for that TP!!!!! LOL!! Hmmm…A couple of hours might be sufficient…maybe…
You go girl! I am also a woman prepping without support from a scoffing husband. Mostly I buy extra non-perishable groceries every time I shop, and I cruise garage sales and flea markets for useful items, which I stash. Much of my prepping is done behind my husband’s back without his knowledge because all he does is talk about the waste of money. But if we ever enter an economy where food is the only valuable commodity, I will suddenly be one of the wealthiest women around!
@Kathy: I use http://www.efoodsdirect.com
keep at it baby good women the rest of the world is nuts
On Monday when my wife saw the morning news with the 72 hour backpacks she turned to me and said we need to get prepared. I just looked at her in amazement.
I mean for our 22 years together, I’ve always been a good boy scout. The last 3 years I’ve been updating all the stuff I already had and adding to it. Every week when I restock bottled water she asks me why we have so much on hand.
Two or three times a year I make her try on her backpack, web gear and body armor to check the adjustments. Just what does she think that stuff is for? She doesn’t even know another women with that type of equipment.
I could rant for hours, but you think she would know we are already prepared and ready to roll.
Lord! I’m 25 and my wife of 4 years (different ages and times, same boat) is OBLIVIOUS to what’s going on. Of course she doesn’t know any women who are prepared either.
One of my church buddies is the same way. His wife is oblivious too. Their 6 year old is more on board than she is.
Patriot One: I have several body armor units from when i was a cop. I gave my wife a tactical molle vest for Christmas. Everyone laughed at me. Last night i ordered a Gravity drip water filter from homespun enviro. the type that usees two foodgrade 5 gal. buckets. It is almost the last thing i will need, the cheapest i have found so far $25.00, physically my wife is not very tall and with the gear she saids she wont make it very far. I told her its for something happening during work, you go outside and the car wont start because of an e.m.p. or a bright flash due to a nuke. you will have the ability to survive even for a short time, even the gasmask i bought her was a joke, who would want to live anyway she said. I Will be blamed if something does happen, just like everyone else for not trying to warn. What the sense, and we have been married for 29 years for PETE SAKES. What is with the church, why cant the people Christians Wake up, WE ARE IN DEEP DO DO!
Tried to get my wife read “Patriot” and ” One Second Later” but she wouldn’t. I’ve asked her what she thinks we’d do after 10 days of no city water, power, and sewer service….no answer. Whenever I start these discussions I get no where. I have managed to get her on board with some basic planning, and she doesn’t begrudge my expenditures on the subject. She will actually say she’s thankful I’m on it. I know if SHTF she will probably either get tough and be part of the solution or bail. I just don’t know which 🙁
I hear you on Christians. Seems that many churches think “God will provide”. God provided you to drag your wife along.
My wife is somewhat tolerant. Odd, since she lived through the USSR meltdown. She probably don’t want to even THINK she may have to do it again.
Same here Ben. Your wife is from Ukraine as mine is and probably believes it can’t happen here, this is America!
I guess that’s why we are the men and they are the woman. We are the hunter-gatherers and they are the homemakers. When the SHTF, they will realize why we have done what we have and will come onboard real quick at that point, and fortunatly for us, we have all the right stuff.
In my situation, it’s reversed. My husband thinks I’m nuts, but knows I’ll throw a hissy if I can’t “play house in my pantry”. When I bought my first Mossy and then took a CCP class for his handguns, he almost fainted.His reasoning was that was what “he ” was for: protection. My kids are on board, and have been trained since they were old enough to understand how to manage if mom or dad isn’t around . It is MY JOB as a mother and wife to try and make sure my family has everything needed, for anything we may have to endure. It is MY JOB as a mother and wife to make sure I have as many skills as I can to replace and/or produce most of the items we buy in the stores now, should need be. It is MY JOB as a wife and mother to have all the skills that I can use to barter and/or secure a position in the event we have to join up with other folks should we have to leave our home or something happens to my husband in the event of teofwawki. I am a profficient knitter/seamstress, gardener,canner, food prep and livestock caretaker. I am proficient in the skill of dentistry(retired) and could pass for field nurse if need be. If the old man can’t handle it, Im ready. All he needs to do is follow directions.He can give me all the funny looks he likes or make jokes, I could care less, most of THAT is just him being nervous because I might be right. Kinda reminds me of the phobia he has about asking for directions. And holding my purse in public.
Hey guys, not all wives are oblivious to what’s going on. I started prepping in 2008 while my husband shook his head at me. When I would try to talk to him about what was coming, he would get mad, and at one point told me that he just “didn’t want to hear it, I don’t want to know what’s going on.” Lucky for me, he’s finally come around, but he still occasionally rolls his eyes at me (like when I come back from the store with a few cases of canned goods).
Don’t give up on your spouses. It was my husband that started me prepping a few years ago. Sometimes, I feel kind of “alone” as a woman prepper. I don’t know any others around here, except my oldest daughter who is married and lives on a farm.
There is a website called “As A Mom” – focuses on Preserving our Constitution, Country and Children’s future. They put out a weekly newsletter with good articles and readers can respond and interact. http://www.asamom.org/
There are a number of informative preparedness articles by Peggy Layton that might help. (You could try printing out a couple and leave them on the table.)
http://www.personalliberty.com/index.php?s=peggy+layton
But, if they won’t read them…it won’t help.
If they like to see movies, watch “Jericho”. (It is a series available on Netflix) The first show … that should open their eyes!
Glad to hear some woman are onboard, That’s great! The hubbies will come around as well, will just take time like some of the wives.
Luckily I’m one of those “awake” women. I also know how to handle firearms and am a former girlscout. I’m also lucky my husband is “awake” but I’m doing most of the prepping. One thing I know for sure – is we are getting the hell out of SoCal and moving back to my home state of MN. I feel badly for those of you whose spouse is either freaked out about prepping or couldn’t care less. Good luck & be safe.
Watch it—I have done ALL the prepping in this house–I just filled 10 more 30 gallon drums with water!!!!
Oh, sorry, dh did bring home a case of mushrooms from Aldi’s one day…oh voy!!!
Jen10: He asks for directions???? (gasp) And he will hold your purse in public???? He’s a keeper!!! 🙂
Hey seriously, your post tickled my inards!
As a wife who has been pulled onboard the Prepping train, I think that some spouses may find more peace of mind from knowing that their partner is taking the bull by the horns and relieving them of much of the worry. If a worrywort (like me) starts putting too much thought into the worst-case scenarios we would never get any sleep, regardless of how much we might actually be doing to prepare. Don’t give up on your partners. If they’re cooperative, just give them specific tasks to do as part of your plan. It’s probably easier for them that way.
I agree with you 100%. My husband laughs and jokes to his friends about all the water I’ve stocked, the garden I’ve planted, the general preps. Calls me “Ms Survivalist”. Deep down I know he appreciates what I’m doing and doesn’t give me too much of a hard time about the money I spend stocking up. He’s not on board yet with buying a gun, but I’m working on him 🙂 I’ve learned not to push the “what if’s” with him. It just makes him scared because in reality he’s got that gut feeling too that things are not going well, and that we need to get ready. I’m confident he’ll step up to the plate when things go down.
In my marriage, I am the wife and my husband thinks Im paranoid. He is slowly coming around in little ways (like helping a little with the garden, buying a freezer for the garage, and finally we are getting that house in the country I have been after for the last 5 years). It sucks when our “friends” compare me to a Y2K’er and laugh at me when I tell them to start stockpiling food.
I try and tell my Dad who lives in ID and is on a fixed income to start by just buying an extra can of beans or some rice with each shopping trip and all I hear is “I can’t”. Now THAT pisses me off big time because in the next sentence he tells me as long as he has his beer and cigarettes he’s fine. My Dad has NEVER listened to me anyway and never once have I told him “I told you so….” even tho a lot of what I say comes to fruition!
🙁
NCDolphin: Buy the ammo for the gun you want. As the ammo starts to stack up he will get the message. Try shtf weapons for links and resources.
I wonder about my wife too.
She thinks I’m crazy every time I get a package of silver rounds. She wonders why I keep my camping gear from scouts and the stuff the army didn’t want me to turn back in.
And YES!!!, the most frustrating thing is TRYING to EXPLAIN to people about it all. I go to school (debt free at the end of it) and it’s sad to see all these kids 5-7 years younger than me who’ve never taken their mouths off of mommy’s left tit walk around as if the world is still going to be their spiffy little oyster.
LOL W74 – too funny! and true.
W74: Hey i would by SILVER ROUNDS, but i havent seen any WEREWOLFS in years, just joking, THANKS
Rounds = Coins.
Thanks, got the joke. No no, I’m invested in metals all around: Gold, Silver & Lead. Got my copper pennies for the melting too.
I meant BUY, Dammit i am so frustrated, LOL
We all make typos Copout.
Most Americans don’t know the differences between By, Buy, and Bye. Or” to/too/two, or your/you’re or their/there/they’re.
I think you’ve got a leg up there and we can ignore the typos.
My wife was telling me I was an idiot for buying silver until her boss and all the shareholders of her company said I was brilliant at buying silver at $16 an ounce. then she looked at me and asked how much WE had. I told her I have plenty, you have none. She used to tease me about my “Spam closet” until once again her boss and all the major players of her company were envious of my closet and have ones of their own. She has since stopped harrassing me about preps and smiles and keeps walking. She is now semi-awake. It only took 20 years…… sigh
LMAO, THANKS for the perspective on what I have and my wife doesn’t.
It’s interesting that the men are ranting on this subject matter and the women are strangely quiet.
Its cause we don’t want every tom, dick or harry in our preps when the shtf…WE are stocked, locked and cocked, and as a WOMAN, I can assure you there are a lot of us out there that gets it…
@JJsan – Why does it ALWAYS take a third party for our spouses to realize WE’RE NOT SUCH IDIOT’S AFTERALL???
W74, you might think it is sad, but what is even sadder is all these people who are “career” students who have racked up multiple degrees will ultimately get debt forgiveness. In the end, it is the “debtors” who are going to be rewarded when they vote themselves “debt forgiveness”, which is a bill already being proposed. What this means is these career students who racked up lots of debt but got lots of degrees to hang on the wall will get to walk away with no debt but be more competive in our “degree” society.
Bottom line is I am with you, but sadly, like most things in today’s “America”, the responsible get punished by the irresonsible that make up the large majority of “voters”. They vote themselves money—-YOUR MONEY!
WSP,
Our Founding Father’s fought a revolution over “taxation without representation”, and now thanks to the Democrats most of our population wants and receives “representation WITHOUT taxation”. Welcome to the new America.
Understood. So many people in la-la land. A woman in my office complained loudly earlier this week that Avon had discontinued her favorite color of nail polish and she didn’t know what she was going to do (I’m not making this up).
@W74: thought I was the only one collecting those pennies.
Do you happen to know their melting point?
You did the right thing bro, it might take time..but she will thank you for it, and wake up to the need in her own time..
I hope it never happens where she will need it, but even getting caught in a bad back up on the freeway or bad snow storm socks her in on a road trip one day and she has that bag with her..you will be the back bone your family needs
I come from the belief that I am my families protector, and provider..thats my dam job. I asked myself years ago.how would i feel, what kind of man would I be , if i didnt take the protection and future of my family serious..could i look into the eyes of my lovely wife or child and say , Im sorry i didnt have what we needed to survive, so we get to sit here in each others arms and die, because i was too short sighted, or lazy..or trusted my government
Fuck that..I will be the one bringing it on , when the shit is down..I’ll have your back too.
what do you do when you work, bring home the paycheck, and your wife is the one who pays the bills with it? It’s gone before we make it, but even when you have a little extra she finds somewhere besides preps for it to go to! She says she’s on board, but she rarely acts like it. I, too, am concerned I’ll have to look in my children’s eyes and say, “Sorry, kids. We get to quietly starve to death because mommy spent every dime somewhere else, and daddy didn’t have the balls to stand up to her!”
Sounds like you need to learn how to rathole money away, that is what I do for preps. If I didn’t my wife would spend it on shit we don’t need like new furniture or going out to dinner more often.
Blow-up the T.V., throw away the papers…Change you familys’ lifestyle. Seriosly, turn off the cable TV, get rid of the cell phones; decrease your expenditures. The key to any budget is to live within your means, if you cut spending you will find an immidiate surplus.
Do like I did; take over shopping detail. I shop now and as much as many hate it here I shop mostly at Wal Mart. Good prices on ammo, and she never notices that on the food budget.
That’s easy: Demand an allocation from the budget for preps. If she refuses, then you have much bigger problems than budgeting, and I suggest you get them ironed out now, before they grow into something ugly (whether the SHTF or not).
CS:
I’m not trying to be an ass, but can you p/u a side job and devote the $$$ to preps?
Mal
Beefcake, I’ve tried rat-holing, but something always comes up. We each only make $8.75/hr. So, bills hit us hard all the time. So, I hide the money and we hit a brick wall. I have to dig it out and give it to her for the unexpected bill. I’m still trying, though.
elcid-77, good suggestions, but we don’t have cable/satellite, no landline (so the cells are our only phones), and you are right: “live within your means”, but our means are pretty mean, right now…
Jim, that’s a good point. Maybe I should take over shopping. That would certainly blow her mind. I know how this sounds, but I’m not sure she’d let me. I mean, it would be so freaky to her. Gotta think on that one.
Odd Questioner, demanding an allocation would elicit the response, “we can’t afford it”. We may potentially have problems, but the area of money allocation is about all we significantly disagree on. We actually have a blessed relationship, but the one or two things we disagree on COULD have serious ramifications.
To all who commented here, THANK YOU. An outside perspective on my problems is one of my most cherished treasures. May God Bless and Keep You All Safe.
“Odd Questioner, demanding an allocation would elicit the response, “we can’t afford it”. ”
So what does the money get spent on? You go from there. Actual money problems (barely having enough for rent/food/etc) I can totally empathize with. Not being able to afford it because of hair styling, a big new car, a video game habit, or subscriptions to things like online music services? Not so much. YMMV, though, and I haven’t the authority to know what you do with your money.
“We may potentially have problems, but the area of money allocation is about all we significantly disagree on. We actually have a blessed relationship, but the one or two things we disagree on COULD have serious ramifications.”
Yep (on the second part). Money is actually a subject that has torn apart as many marriages as the subject of sex.
“I’ve tried rat-holing, but something always comes up. We each only make $8.75/hr. So, bills hit us hard all the time. So, I hide the money and we hit a brick wall. I have to dig it out and give it to her for the unexpected bill. I’m still trying, though.”
The whole point of a rathole pile is the spouse doesn’t know about it! OPSEC dude 🙂 It sounds like you are not living within your means and may want to look at doing a home budget spreadsheet(they do help). Do you have personal stuff you can sell?
You go, daddy–hope there are zillions out there like you.
Ditto. Mother thinks I am nuts, wife puts up with me. So my mother drops by yesterday to talk and catch up and she sees the well I am pounding in…explained that if we lose power for whatever reason, we can get water the old fashioned way. I told her to come downstairs to storage room. She ASSUMED she was going to see the work of crazy doom monger…..she was shocked and said she expected to see a basement filled to the ceiling. It’s one room with shelves, food, tp, first aid kit, lotsa ammo, stuff I have canned….etc etc etc. I said “Does this look much different than what grandma and grandpa had during the depression”? . So she side tracked and said that SHTF was all I talked about. And I simply told her I just wanted her and other family to be prepared. She ended with, “well if I have to escape the burbs and come here to the boonies, you don’t even have a bed for me”………. I CAN’T WIN….. I am calling ‘uncle’ and keeping my mouth shut…..
11Bravo: Got the same thing last night but,but I will need jeans, and a pillow and blanket, when JESUS said flee to the hills and dont go back in to grab your coat or something like that, he was saying GOOOOOOOOOOOO you dont have time to mess around!
Pretty sure that was a guy named Lot. While I don’t believe his wife was turned into salt because she looked back, as a survivalist I get the allegory.
It’s all a matter of what perspective you look at things from. My wife is the churchie, I take the practical lessons you can learn from that book and roll with it.
Most of my family lives a few states away… getting to me in a SHTF situation would be tough to do.
You do bring up a good point, though – While you can turn away strangers who come begging, turning away Mom and Dad when they show up on your doorstep (or worse, Mom/Dad-in-law!) is going to be impossible.
My solution is simple: OPSEC. I have enough extra set aside for the in-laws if they can get their way up here (two reasons: they live a couple hours’ drive away, and their place makes an excellent bug-out location if it came to that). Otherwise, the rest of my family lives half a continent away, and some of them farther still. All that said, not even my parents *or* my in-laws know that I prep. The missus may blab to her parents (I have yet to hear her do it), but even she knows only a small bit of the whole thing.
Once I’m all set up in the sticks, then getting to me in a SHTF situation will be likely impossible for the parents. If there is sufficient time, I might fly my mother out (she’ll say “no” anyway, but still), and let the in-laws know that I may be coming down if their house looks to be in a better position than mine… but that’ll be the first they hear about my little habits.
No apology needed. My wife told me I was crazy about my bug out bag 20 years ago. I made my kids ones a few years ago and didn’t make her one. After the 9.0 in Japan, she asked me where her’s was and I told her at the store. You can’t turn your nose up at something and someoone and then expect them to make you a kit too. She said sorry and her’s is now being prepared.
JJsan
So… you’d seriously ditch your wife if SHTF came around, or were you just proving a point to her?
Proving a point. I wouldn’t ditch her, but until she quit making fun and demeaning prepping I could not include her. It was her choice, not mine…
I have already given up on trying to get people on board. My wife doesn’t want to hear anything negative I have to say regarding what is really going on right now with the world. She strongly believes in this banking system and looks at the Dow as an indicator for economic/financial health. My dad is half way on the same page as us and my mom is maybe a quarter of the way there. I only have one good friend on the same boat as we are, how sad is that!
I keep my preps and my knowledge of what’s to come very quiet. I only share this info with my dad and my good friend. I’m at the point where I don’t even warn my mother and my wife about anything. Mentally I’m trying to be as ready as possible to accept the fact that me and my loved ones may very well perish in the coming years.
VG10: Remember those that believe on HIM shall never perish, its an insurance policy Jesus Christ Mutual Life!
AMEN! Now, that’s a policy I’d buy, but He paid the price!!!!
VG10, I’m totally in the same boat you are. I only know one person who isn’t completely clueless. All my relatives and the people I work with just figure it’s business as usual. Stock market went up today. World must be just fine, right? Ugggh! And my wife is totally in denial and says I’m paranoid and it embarrasses her. She says I dwell on the negative stuff in the world way too much. For her it’s just easier to look at facebook all day long and gossip about other people or maybe play farmville or something like that. She hates all the websites, like this one, that I read and has given me such a hard time in the past about stocking up on food that I now wait until she goes out of town to the beach with her friends every few months and then I go out and buy a heap of rice, beans, canned food, camping supplies, etc and bury it in the floor of our shed while she’s gone. I fully expect WTSHTF one day and I start uncovering my supplies, I’ll hear something like “Why didn’t you get more of this stuff?” Oh snap!!
Please tell your wife she is not alone. I face constant frustration trying to get just the people I love to get ready. I do not think there will be anyone you can rely on. Save yourself and maybe if you’re lucky the light will dawn on others before it’s too late.
Yep, this type of situation lead me to an unwarranted divorce.
Mainly the inlaws who twisted my wifes head so bad against preperations that she threw her beautiful life right out the window.
Its the kids that get hurt, because when something happens, now they will have to leave their mother, period.
You got it. Wish in one hand and sh** in the other….Which one fills first?
sounds like your wives dont’ respect you. i bet they have little reason to. you guys that can’t explain things to your wives are pathetic communicators and probably rarely got laid before you got married, if at all. see, being able to coax some poon is comparable with being able to convince your wife of something.
my wife is on board because i talk to her like she’s a human being with a brain between her ears. i actually respect her and that respect comes back to me. i actually listen to her, so she actually listens to me. i help her reach her goals, so she helps me reach mine.
it ain’t that hard, dudes. you just can’t be an authoritarian prick and expect your wife to walk the line.
Boy, my dopple ganger is one stupid SOB.. Ain’t he ?
Oh, yeah. I mean, he talks about “coaxing poon” in the first paragraph, then says he respects his wife and talks to her like she’s a human being with a brain…
I treat my wife as completely equal to me. She’d kill me in my sleep if I tried that authoritarian crap on her. However, because she has a brain of her own, she also has opinions of her own, and worse, she’s a control freak (which I’ve told her, and she agreed). She HAS to be in control of the money because she has HAD to be all her life. Issues from the past…
The more I listen to the comments here and look at my situation, the more I realize WE JUST DON’T make enough MONEY. We can’t afford to prep as much as I’d like because of a tiny paycheck and large bills (like a large house note, but it will be paid off sooner).
Anyway, boy, this topic really touches home.
Maybe one day I can be just like you, I can only hope!
Sam – Can you read?
She understands, Or she did for some time anyway? That is why the children will be with me when whatever hits, as she agrees.
She indeed has no respect, for twelve years of goodness, debt freedom, love, compassion, and support.
The name for her and her and her entire family is narcissistic. As in self destructive. It is her record, I tried to help her, and failed. Talk to anyone in my shoes and you will understand that her problems are beyond my help, she needs a professional. I gave it my all asshole. And that did not inculde scaring her, it envolved trying to educate a hardcore zombie squad.
Thanks for making the good guy feel like shit, when he needs it least.
Sam huh, got it!
Dude – no worries… my ex-wife was like that. Fortunately no kids, but hey, if that’s what she wants, I can’t stop her from having it. She now lives two states away, and when the SHTF, she’s on her own.
Francis Le O- it’s the sam with a little ‘s’. Not our other Sam. little sam is a troll or perhaps, merely a dipshit. Just respond with a few multi-syllable words and he’ll get confused or frightened and go away!
Thanks Smokie… LMAO.. but so true.
Wow – exactly how easy is it to walk round with gonads that damned big? Do the folks at Levi’s have to use a special crotch pattern to make your pants?
Clue: Some folks were already well-past married when they first woke up. Sometimes the spouse figures it out, sometimes they don’t.
In my own case, she’s on board, but leaves me to do all the actual figuring and preparations, which suits me.
+1
That was me. Well-past married when I woke up.
I peeked an eye out from under the covers TEN YEARS after being married when I read some next-level shit about 9/11.
Since then, it’s been snowballing. Been prepping a little here and there ever since. Still not enough though.
My waking-up actually involved seeing world political and economic trends, and realizing quite on my own that they’re currently unsustainable.
We’re due for some harsh corrections in economy, and in politics… without going into too much detail, I can say for certain that things are getting just a little too delicate and brittle. A big event or series thereof would be enough to crack it for good.
Only question is, when? It took Rome and Imperial China hundreds of years to fall apart, but it only took the USSR two. The Mongol Empire came apart in fits and starts, but only took a couple of generations.
OTOH, the British Empire never did fall apart – Pax Britannica simply segued into Pax Americana.
Aside from the last example, most transitions get pretty rough. With our current infrastructure, I suspect ours won’t be pretty.
amen Sam…my husband and I are equal partners, always have been…communication, respect..ah a breath of fresh air…you said it right on!
Green eggs and ham.
Well, Copout—I am on the other end…been prepping for about 3 years…
My tears are for the sacrifices, resources, time spent,and the effort wasted if the New Madrid gets me.
Because if they get me here, noone can use those preps–they will be TOAST!!!
Put it in terms she can understand, such as: I just love you and want you safe in any emergency. Please just keep it in your car for my peace of mind. I don’t want anything to happen to you.
YES….just say “I can not imagine having to live without you” This will get her everytime. It even works in reverse. I have told my husband this because after 30+ years of marriage I was the one who WOKE UP 3 years ago. I rarely get PASSIONATE” about a lot of things but when I do…I serious about it. I guess in my house I am like EF Hutten “WHEN EF HUTTEN TALKS PEOPLE LISTEN” well….or at least he does.
I know that in the back of his mind he really thought I had LOST IT, but all my efforts were reinforced when people at his work started talking about ‘getting prepared” I think that now he realizes that we are ahead of the curve.
I think your wife just got scared of the possible SHTF scenario. Did she ever cry before? If not, this was probably a moment that her eyes opened. Be patient with her, she is coming around.
But if she cries every time you buy a prep, then it is possible that she thinks you are insane and she cries for you… 🙂
Don’t feel bad, you are in a good company 🙂
Two words for ya, Copout…Normalcy Bias, look it up….and don’t feel bad, my family has it to!!
Just got off the phone with my sister…she lives in a large city with a large black/hispanic population…and if you look at where she lives and where the bad sections of town are, she is only blocks away!! But hey, she’s gonna be fine, they have some guns…that they shoot maybe once or twice a year…but they are gonna be able to fight off those coco puffers…yes they are!!! The first one they shoot they are gonna put in a chair with a sign on ’em that says “He got it first, who’s next”!!! LOL!! Yea right!!! I had to get of the phone cuz I was ready to blow my top….the sad thing is up til a few months ago she was right on board…but her husband is a lily livered chicken who can’t deal with change…but change is coming, whether he admits it or not!!
Well said CopOut – Ya know I visit a lot of sites to get good info and read the comments as a barometer…
What strikes me is (no offence ladies) how far behind the majority of women (around the world) are in the realisation that things are about to get very REAL and very BAD.
Society and many women for so long have been looking and telling men to become metro sexual “fake” men – well, guess what, pretty soon the world will again require the leadership of REAL MEN.
I applaud and salute the REAL MEN like me and you, with blood, passion and justice in our veins because we will be the ones who will have to carry the greatest burden and pass one of the greatest of tests in the all the known history of world – we live in a time which future generations will tell tales of heroic deed and legend….
copout, the very first thing I would do in your shoes is stop trying to get everyone else “onboard.” I would just do my preps and when she ask what something is for, you calmly explain why you got it.
sounds like you’re pushing to make prepping into an activity. when it’s a responsibility. everyone preps to some level. most people buy shampoo before they run out for example.
by telling your wife everything that could go wrong your are doing two things. Appealing to emotions and appealing to fright. You’re simply scaring her.
when she is ready she will come to you.
Rachel: My wife is heavy into going to church, she thinks that we will be Raptured out and not have to go through pain, i dont push anything on her,how can two walk together unless they are in agreement. The jackasses in her church dont prepare at all, I understand faith. I asked the Pastor who daughter is married to my son, what will you do when they come and take you or kill you, and he said well i dont have anything else too lose. Rachel this morning she was leaving for work and said let me give you one last kiss totally being sarcastic, this makes my blood boil. I am not. Anyway i dont want to take away from this article, but the preps i have gathered she has said well i will help those from the church. What the Hell, Freaking prepare for yourselves. I wouldnt turn someone away, but for crying out loud, I cant feed the whole world! Thanks for youe comments!
Copout, maybe share this with your wife: “RAPTURE – A DANGEROUS DECEPTION” – 261 PAGE PAPERBACK – available at Amazon.com and other places.
The whole “rapture” movement is sketchy at best. For every twisted rapture inference in the Bible (which I say there are none), there are dozens of direct quotes from Jesus saying we all will be here during the end times.
Rapturists are taking the easy and lazy way out. “I don’t need to do nuthin! Jesus is coming to take me away!” Remind these people of the parable of the barren fig tree:
Lk 13:6-9 He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?’ He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and fertilize it. If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’”
The fact is, the Rapture WILL happen, but who knows what’s going to happen between now and then? The Rapture may happen tomorrow or 20,000 years from now. We have to prepare for what we will live through until that time.
A big part of my preps is salvation. A larder full of food helps too, though.
Chris: Can you imagine there are church people today who dont even belive we are in the end times?
agreed. ezek ch 13 around vs18-24 i think(im going off top of my head, talks about how phony/misguided religions use fly away to save your soul doctrines and how God hates it. it covers his outstrecthed arms of salvation. of course that isnt how its said in the NIV(because NIV=lies, 1611KJV=closest to original texts) its simple, in sodom who was taken who was left? in time of noah who was taken who was left? the three in the furnace didnt need to fly away. God protected them right in the fire. and totally agree on the verses people use to describe their rapture security blanket are totally taken out of context or just plain twisted. so much is lost in translastions and transliterations. nvm original hebrew, chaldean, greek and such all texts were wrote in. doesnt helped we live in a very dumbed down and chemically induced haze nowadays as well.
It doesn’t matter if you are Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, or Post Trib. Prep! If you think you are going in the “first wave”, leave a note on your preps and sign it “Love. Jesus”.
Me? I’m sitting at the bus stop right now with my bug out bag waiting for Jesus! 🙂
Heck, Chris, just direct them to the Noah story…God didn’t build that ark; Noah did and he was the first prepper.
Also I heard someone say the Bible says God closed that door–Noah didn’t.
Don’t ask God to guide your footsteps if ya ain’t gonna use your feet!!
Being very passionate about horticulture I have always loved that parable.
Being a moral human being, I have always gone above and beyond to those deserving.
For my wife and her kin, above and beyond did not produce the fruit; I allowed the tree to be cut down with great sorrow.
Thanks to Copout for bringing this up, it is nice knowing I’m not the only one. And to the rest of you whom clearly have a moral sense of you, and helped me see the troll in our mist.
Sorry big S Sam, I hope you did not see what was edited from my later comment.
Copout, hang in there. I have no advice for you, but I feel your position strongly.
With love and respect for your future path, you are in my thoughts tonight.
Copout…
Man your a trooper as well as everyone else here who has a loved one and wants that piece of mind when it comes to protecting our love one. I on the other hand got lucky in 2009 in PA with my wife of 7 years, all it took was 42 inches of snow, the services disabled by weather and a vehicle stuck in a garage with me shoveling 40 ft of driveway to change her opinion, by the way it sucked. Sure we cut into some supplies but in the end she was grateful and understood finally what being prepared was all about. Not saying your significant other wouldn’t be, but she has faith, and she’ll come around when the time comes not to worry. Remember that her faith is the focal point between understanding and acting, use that as your guide. The man in the bible is the head of the household that bring the word of God and the strength of his faith to his family(something along those lines)and that’s your way of saying Gods has given you the strength and ability to protect your family and to fight the evil as a warrior for God; well hopefully you got the point, I never have been good at remembering the bible and where thing are located 🙁 maybe someone could help me out here but I believe in the big guy 🙂 and keep strong this is our test.
I can hope to fight right along side of everyone here for our freedoms if it comes down to it.
JediMindTrick: Thanks We are the priests of our household, faith without works is dead!
Man, it really sounds like your wife is a member of an apostate church. I am but an infant in the faith and can therefore give you no ammunition to help, but maybe you and her should give Michael Bunker a try. He is a preacher that lives in Texas on a “plain” community (read: self reliance). My wife and I read his books, listen to his sermons (on-line @ lazurusunbound.com), and also listen to his radio show on blogtalk radio. I don’t know if this is for you, but I hope you check it out!
No one knows when the Rapture will happen. The Bible doesn’t specifically tell us when this will occur. In fact, numerous times in the book of Revelation, we are reminded to “remain faithful” and for “patient endurance.”
I have read that only since the mid 1800’s has the belief grown that the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation. (See Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13:23-27, Kings James Version)
Remind her of the story of Joseph – when he stocked up on food and how it fed them during the 7 years of famine.
With each new event, my wife gets a better grasp of why I do the overall planning and prepping. Has taken some time to get her onboard but she understands with each passing day. As for others I know, I have given up.
My wife is the same way…she’s getting it more and more and rationalizing the reality less and less….she can’t take-in the whole picture yet; but she’s not denying or resisting the truth as events pointing to en eventual catastrophe continue to unfold.
I became a lot less crazy in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma when my in-laws and other assorted extended family were cooking on my Coleman 2-burner stove out on the patio.
LOL!
Reading the above comments regarding wives, I guess I should count my blessings, since my wife has been on board – enthusiastically, I might add – since I started moving on the preps. In fact, every Friday, while I’m at work, she goes out to the Dollar Store and comes home with – stuff. One week it might be first aid stuff, another oil lamps and oil for each, another week, neosporin and benadryl, Tums, crossword puzzle and word find books, toilet paper, other things I don’t think of, since I’m more concentrated on food, water, and ammo. With my two sons and my wife all in agreement, and the rest of our group – which isn’t big, but is quite powerful – I think we’re pretty well ready for whatever comes down the road. We are also all heavily reliant on God and what He tells us.
Speaking of that, and the rapture stuff, I would strongly recommend reading the writings of Ellis Skolfield. He’s an elderly guy, I think might have been a minister or something, but has done extensive research into the “end times” stuff. His stuff can be read for free at ellisskolfield.com. and another site called fishhouse.com or one of those dot things, I’m not sure which. Very credible, well researched, and every word is backed up by the Bible. Basically, the rapture, the “anti-christ” and the related stuff with all that is a huge hoax that was perpetrated by none other than the Pope back in the medieval age.
I’d put the links in here for you to click on, but I’m old and don’t know how to do all that fancy stuff.
Grabbed my cell and started down the 14 flights of stairs. Typical NY’ers were joking and moving with absolutely no sense of urgency. Some deserve to perish.
Sometimes I wonder, what if those Neolithic Ice-Age Hunter Gatherers failed to prepare for winter?
Oh wait, the ones that didn’t died off and failed pass on their bloodline. Preparedness and gratification deterrence go a long way to explaining differences between modern humans.
Nature has a way of culling the weak.
Some of us are going to get slapped around a little when nature comes back. Some others are going to run smack into nature at 100mph. and not know what they hit.
Yupp
I’ve e-mailed sugestions to friends and neighbors three or four times over the last five years and NOBODY has ever taken me up on a conversation about prep.
If they come scratching at my door when TSHTF I’ll tell ’em where to go if there’s still time to acquire supplies….(like hitting up Walgreens for food instead of the local overrun grocery store) but when the going gets tough and they’re still asking for more charity out of my pantry I’ll only tell them their place on my priority list once…..
after that they’re just another zombie to me unless they’re willing to EARN my assistance and follow my orders.
By this time I’ll already be at my fallback location riding-out the crisis so they’ll have to break-into my home like common criminals.
Mac: Thank you for this site and I apologize for dominating with my comments. There just is no where I can appreciate other like minded people!
Copout – I am a FIRM believer in the “Rapture” as well.. however; throughout history, there have been major events which the people who experienced them thought “this is it”. Country’s have fallen, whole groups of people have been exterminated and for them; it was “it”; but for the world as a whole; it was just another step towards “it”. Many Believers “believe” that “we” will not see all the bad stuff, but will be taken away. Personally, I hope so; but I do not recall any such clear statement. I do recall the following from 2 Thes. Chapt. 2, pasted below.. Perhaps if your wife thinks on these things; she might realize that no one, not even the Lord himself, knows the hour nor the day when the Father will declare “Go, get my people”. As such, we should be as wise as serpants, yet as harmless as doves. Redeeming the time, for the days are evil ( prepare, for you don’t know what will happen next ).
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for THAT DAY SHALL NOT COME, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
SAM: Maybe no RAPTURE until theres a RUPTURE, Jesus told his disciples from this day forward go and sell your cloak and buy ye a sword. The church is gotten weak, and like to stand on Romans 13, they dont realise that we are to submit to GOOD government, not to this SATANIC TRASH we have now, Thanks and AMEN!
Yes, Christians HAVE become lazy – not jus with preps but also in fighting the NWO. They say it’s prophecy and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I say BS on that! The Lord helps those who help themselves. If you lay down and die, 6 feet under is where you will end up!
Copout….ask your wife about those “Left Behind”.
I have a prepper friend who has a Bible with the Plan of Salvation and Rapture information permanantly displayed in her entrance way. If the Church is Raptured before the BIG SHTF, it is my friend’s desire that her preps and spiritual guidance will benefit someone…in both ways. Just an idea. 🙂
I have the same on the wall in my house, funny I led my wife to Christ and she saids I will be left behind because o got sick of going to church. Same message nothing about living while things crumbling around us!
Dunno – I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with the whole “rapture” thing (I’m Catholic – we do that 🙂 ).
But – whether it happens or not, and whether it happens within my lifetime or not, there are too many instances (OT and NT) where folks had to take it on themselves to get things done.
For instance, yes, God fed and cared for the Israelites post-Pharaoh. However, they still had to do all the walking themselves, and they still had to gather that manna up themselves. Noah had to build the Ark with only family (and a buttload of jeering neighbors) for company. Lot still had to pack supplies when he and his family fled Sodom. Mary and Joseph weren’t magically transported to Bethlehem, nor to Egypt – they had to get there on their own. Even Christ Himself had to put up with a whole lot of unspeakable torture, and that whole execution on a cross thing, before His resurrection.
Argue all you wish for or against, but the fact remains that folks still had to do at least some of the work, even when given some rather incredible miracles to help them along.
It stands to reason that even if prophets, blessed individuals, and even Our Savior had to put some effort and discomfort into it, what makes you think you won’t have to?
…and finally, how do you know that the next massive SHTF event means the advent of Apocalypse?
Pfft! I bet the early Christian Church thought it was all over when the Romans sacked Jerusalem. Romans probably thought the same thing when Attila sacked Rome. Spaniards may have had the same idea when the Moors (Islamic invaders) took over Spain (before being driven out again in the late 15th Century).
Sorry folks, but God acts only on His schedule, not ours.
Well said OQ! I’m still fleshing out my own understanding of the rapture. I don’t see anything biblically to support a pre-trib rapture. Still, it’s interesting to read the differing opinions. We all just need to keep learning and growing.
All the best–okie
I have an opinion of the Rapture that a lot of people don’t understand. It’s simple. I don’t worry about it. After all, pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, doesn’t matter. All that matters is “ARE YOU SAVED?” Just keep plodding along, taking care of business until Christ DOES return. In essence, that’s what He told His disciples. “Keep doing your thang and watch out for me when I come back.” (NOT a direct quote from our Lord and Savior!)
So, prep to your hearts content. Work to ensure your survival and that of your loved-ones. Keep an eye out for the Lord. Treat each day like it’s your last. Plan like you’ve got the rest of it ahead of you. God’s got your back.
Absolutely 100% correct Sam. I am an Evangelical and a prepper. I believe in the Rapture, however, a lot of biblical events have to happen before it takes place and there is a lot of controversy on when it will happen. I’m not playing games with the “what ifs” it’s before and after the tribulation. There is a reason God gave us a higher intelligence but unfortunately we preppers seem to be the only ones using it. Keep prepping folks and ignore the criticism.
Have no wife (divorced)
Do you know why divorce is so expensive?………….
BECAUSE IT’s Worth it….that’s why!
My children are all grown with their own families. I have warned them repeatedly. That’s all I can do.
Peace and God’s love to all! Pray……it’s the only answer!
OMG, LMAO I’m going to send this to my brother who’s getting ready for divorce #3.
I say to the people getting prepared today, where has your head been for the past ten years?
Some of us have just awakened from a long slumber… My wife thinks I’ve lost my mind too. Thought II was nuts for buying treat and chili and extra toilet tissue… Until she “forgot it” and need to get into that stuff. Killed her to admit it made sense to have extra stuff.
The wife heard our daughter cussing in the bathroom the other day about being out of tampons. She told our daughter to; “…… go and talk to your father about that.”
I finally relented and ‘fronted’ my daughter a box of 36 tampons with instructions to “replace them within the week…. or else!”
They start looking at you just a little bit differently when you are able to provide them with something that then need in an emergency.
We stock such “stuff” too.. but I ain’t getting involved in it. I made it clear to my wife that she was 100% responsible for stocking up on such things. She got my point clearly when I handed her a pack of 100% cotton wash rags and told her ” this is just in case you don’t stock up “. She’s stocked.
Good lesson, but I would have demanded two boxes.
its easy for me, my wife comes from South America
all I had to do was tell her its my responsibility to provide for my family , food and security.
when the or if the system breaks down. I gave a few examples of recent events in her country and in this one, and she saw the light without any problem. It also helped that we have had a few smaller events that were local , where we were on our own for a while.
I showed her how fragile our food system is, and what drives it, and the weak points in it. same with the power grid, and fuel supply
She is also the type to keep it hush hush..
probably coming from a country that is and has struggled thru some really hard times , she sees the need for being preped for as many senarios as one can muster.
She also has that ability to sense a dangerous situation, and is alert about her surroundings.
and she can be pretty phisical when the chips are down.
With some people you have to take a more gentle aproach..or prep in secrecy, with their safety in mind. And if you know that person as well as you should, than you know the threshold you can bring to their table, try not to push them out of their comfort zone to fast or hard..watch for the signs of “too much too fast”
and back off a bit..go back to your..” do it alone” stance until you see them aproach you with a concern..if they dont, dont wait til they do, you know what needs to be done
As the man of my house I take my responsibility to provide for my family very serously..I dont call 911, and I dont take food stamps, or freebees
But what I do is, Take care of Buisness.
I carry , because im too young to die, and too old to take an ass beating, and why shouldnt the playing field be level? a criminal bent on doing what ever it is they want , isnt going to stop because you ask them to
The police are not carring that gun for your protection..its for thiers.
If i had to take someone out with my carry weapon , than im only excercising the same righs the police would be if given the same situation.
that is a God given right to protect ones self..not a government given or paper given right.
Problem is today too many people look to their government to do it all for them, or when the SHTF they look for the gov. to bail them out or to come to their aid..
I got a rifle , a pistol and a 4 wheel drive, skills and a brain
I dont need the government.. they need me, but i cant be bought
Amen
Again Amen. Faith aint standing in the rain praying for an umbrella – thats ignorance. So don’t ignore all the signs – Get your SHTF together. Ray Charles can see this coming and he is blind … and dead gone. Peace
Again, Amen Anonymous
From all the great comments above, I have a question. How do you guys, with common sense and foresight, marry a woman who is so unlike you, and after 20 years, you find out that she has little or nothing in common with you? I couldn’t take it if when a crisis threatens, my wife would just start crying and deny what is happening around her. These are just some thoughts that have persuaded me to not EVER get married. Just having a wife ridicule my prepping would have me escaping forever to a far away place. Good luck to all, keep prepping.
I think it’s in the male’s psyche to be protective of their brood. Having said that, some of us “get it” and some of us don…will die.
Those of us who “get it” can just feel it in our bones.
It’s like what Rachel hinted at in another post: she’ll come to her husband when she’s scared enough. If your wives see you prepping guys, it’s probably a good thing and they may think you crazy at first but something will jolt them into coming around.
Before feminism we had tens of thousands of years to develop social roles which worked pretty well. We just spent the last 50 odd years trying to reverse that. It obviously did not work, nor did all the wealth redistribution and destruction of family that accompanied it.
Now you see women returning to their husbands for guidance instead of tossing them out on the streets and taking everything they had and then some. Those who tossed their men out and have lived off the teat of the government and the courts might not survive and their brood likely doesn’t have the skills to do so either.
A young female coworker who lamented that she couldn’t stay at home with her baby. An older male told her that her generation had gotten what their mothers wanted.
Another issue is today people walk away from marriages for selfish reasons, i have always understood it aint no picnic at times but it suppose to be for life. Maybe thats why our judicial systems gives out LIFE sentences! If i had to do it all over again i would not, but since i made the commitment i will stick to it! Is that ok?
I’m 25, that’s where I’m at brother.
Reminds me of the story about a couple our celebrating the 50th anniversary. They were coming home and the wife waxed reminecent and related with a laugh.. ” you remember my dad “catching” us and then pointing the shotgun at you saying Son, you have a choice, either marry my daughter or go to jail for 50 years, we’ve had such a good life together.. it’s amazing how things work out.” The husband was quiet, she looked at his face and saw a single tear coming down his cheek. She squeezed his hand and said “oh honey, you know we’ve got at least another 25 years together. He replied, yes, I know.. but I just realized that if I had taken your dad’s other offer, tomorrow, I would’ve been a free man.
I like it Sam, good stuff, would you mind if i share with my cuban wife, i told her yesterday i like to watch Green Acres reruns because it reminds me of our relationship, and Yes O FREAKING BAMA she is an AMERICAN CITIZEN, she went through the front door!
to emptyhandkiller…I was not awake when I got married, had I been …no s h it I would’ve never married her, turning out to be the worst possible decision I’ve ever made –concerning whats coming. I have considered writing her off and leaving the country or at least my home. Driving me crazy is not just a saying here…she’s been unemployed for 2 years and keeps asking “why” , well, OPEN YOUR EYES I tell her but I ca’nt be expected to do it all, all the time. I signed up for a partner not a fkn liability/dead weight. Believe me , she’s all dead weight. Sucking my prep finances, expecting “shopping” money, watchin fn soaps and on facebook but doesn’t “talk” to anyone. Talk about a complete waste. I’m sick of feeling so g__ damned alone.
Mine’s not that bad but dude I understand. The one I’ve got is two years younger and, like my youngest brother, got her college degree a couple years ago and has only worked part-time if they’re working at all.
All that money for nothing from my family for my brother (Iraq is paying for mine) and a whole lot more from her family down the drain. She doesn’t make crap and expects me to splurge.
Like an earlier post said, learn to rathole. I’ve ratholed 150K but I tell her we’re flat broke when she asks for money or wants to go on a trip. She wants to eat out but I’d rather have an ounce of silver and cook at home. We have some fun but damn, now’s the time to get down and dirty.
I don’t mean to sound crass, but thank you. I feel much better about my situation. My wife works as hard as I do (in the same hell-hole factory). And, really, even though she spends all our money, it’s nearly always on bills or something necessary. I think maybe I’m just expecting too much out of her. I’m expecting her to part with a little money to buy beans, bullets and bandaids, and she’s trying to pay the bills so they don’t take our house, cut off the electricity and shut down our phones. You’ve opened my eyes.
emptyhandkiller
I’m with you – I was a single parent and prepped as $$$ allowed and when the children were out of the nest – went prepping full time.
I knew the lifestyle I wanted was not the traditional 9-5 to keep up with the Jones. For some reason, I’ve also known of the coming times, the need to prepare and that there was a purpose for people like me.
Thirty years ago if you were to talk about “these things” you were shunned and that included the men. I didn’t think it right to marry and then knowing my agenda, beg, nag and bitch to get a husband on board.
So,it has been a solitary effort, and it means I’ve had to go outside my comfort zone as I was raised like many of the women described here. I graduated from a private “finishing school” where one learned to be a good wife, mother and community member. We were to be taken care of and in return we took care of our family and home.
That was the path I didn’t take. Being a prepper comes with a whole different mind set, requiring abilities and skills of a different nature. I look back on those years and sometimes ask was the price worth it – not having to compromise or ask permission.
Empty
It simple really, opposites attract, 2 people who come together with different traits and either become stronger unit and able to endure or they don’t work out. In respect to those here, their women ( no offense guys) are their support, the better half that makes them whole; just like my wife. But the point being is when the time comes that support will drive us as Free Americans to do what is right. I.M.O.
also being single has its advantages too, so please take no offense as me saying marriage is better then being single its all a matter or how you, we, or myself perceives things, no matter what no one is alone no matter their lifestyle
Certainly being single would lead to more flexibility.
I love my wife, but she’s not quite on board and isn’t frugal although probably better than the average American in that regard.
emptyhandkiller, people change. 20 years ago a marries couple maybe was on the same page, but for the next 20 years they were both maturing and growing, sometimes people grow in opposite directions. It is VERY common for people who got married in their 20’s to divorce in their 30’s or 40’s. But it doesn’t mean they didn’t get along when they were younger.
Because of what everyone is saying above, I realize how blest I am.. my wife has been on board from day one. Perhaps living in Hurricane Alley for so many years or her watching Glenn Beck when he was on Fox helped.. but she would willingly dump everything and bug out at anytime. My daughters on the other hand are different issues.. one “thinks” I am crazy and the other is “certain” of it.
Just keep doing what you feel that you should do to take care of the ones you love. Do it quietly and without insisting that anyone else understand or participate. You’re reward isn’t their buy in; it is knowing that you have done what you can do to make sure that they are in the best position possible should the SHFT..
Kids/teens have a hard time grasping this concept. Childhood & youth are normally fun times in life and they just don’t like to think about it.
If your daughters are teenagers (and even if they aren’t), have them read Stacy’s Quest. My teenager read it & now she doesn’t think we are as crazy as she used to think we are. She willingly took the bug out bag we prepared for her when she went to college this year.
You lost me at Glenn Beck!!
Sam – you talk to much dipshit, and have nothing much of anything useful to say. Like speaking of the Rapture. LMAO
Grow up, or come to Kansas where we teach people like you what respect is, and how not to acquire it.
*This comment was edited
SmokinOkie says:
August 25, 2011 at 6:55 pm Francis Le O- it’s the sam with a little ‘s’. Not our other Sam. little sam is a troll or perhaps, merely a dipshit. Just respond with a few multi-syllable words and he’ll get confused or frightened and go away!
Francis – what SmokinOkie ( thanks again, Smokie ) was trying to explain is that there are, apparently, 2 people using this handle here.. one is lower case “sam” the other is capital “Sam”, which is me. Even as a joke, I would never reply so heartlessly to someones post about a failed marriage in the way that “sam” did. “I ain’t hidin’ from nobyedee, nobyedees hidin’ from me..”. Although “sam” is starting to “harsh my mellow” just a bit..
I feel terrible. Sorry capital S Sam!
I have no excuse.
None needed.. I’m just glad you caught the post.. I’d hate to be just passing through Kansas and get smacked up side the head by some big ol guy named Francis.. 😉
You’re response though, was correct and understandable.. the guy is inexplicably heartless, cruel and just plain mean. Maybe we’ll all get lucky and his keyboard will break..
Just to give another perspective here, I am a wife with the opposite problem. For years now, I have been saying that we HAVE to start moving on things. We live right a block from the ocean. Can you say earthquake/tsunami/wipeout?? Have said for years, we have to sell and get to higher ground, build a small home off the grid, etc. etc. He agrees with everything and has done nothing! Talk about frustrating. Have reached the point where I am seriously wondering if I ‘bug out’ of this marriage or stick with it and take the consequences!! Sheesh …
FisherPal
History repeats itself. Families of Jews in WW2 remained because Gramma or Mom coudn’t or wouldn’t leave their home or possessions. They didn’t perceive the threat and lived to regret it.
How about you taking a vacation and find some land – Car or van camp on it and add a storage container to fill with prep type items. Get solar and wind and set it up. It’s your hobby. When hubby sees you are serious maybe he will come on board.
Stick with it, you could always buy a boat!
I got one and still get sick on it….I guess I’ll never get my sea legs or how ever the phrase goes…
FisherPal…I understand. I’m on the New Madrid faultline in Ky.
Scared isn’t even the word.
I can’t sell; just not the right time-but I am alert.
Will we get a warning?? Probably not, and there go all my preps.
I am a christian and I do have faith–just not the kind telling me God will lift me from those waters if it happens…..at a loss is what I am.
JJ
Hope you read my 3 part response on the previous post. It wasn’t meant to scare, but to inform and give a heads up – meaning options to take action.
I’ve updated the post which I hope helps. Believe me, I too am struggling with the idea of losing 30 years of preps. Not to a disaster, but age. Mine. As you said, all the sacrifices, sweat, hard work, the skills and abilities and the wealth of knowledge. All gone. And I have no one to bequeath the stores of supplies and essential goods to. I worry the people around me, who are not preppers, will yard sale what they think is of value and destroy the rest and it breaks my heart. I too am at a loss as to what to do. I’m a woman of faith too and for now I’ll just put it in God’s hands.
Lady, I just wanted to say that your post broke my heart.
[after sex with The Monster]
Elizabeth: Oh. Where you going?… Oh, you men are all alike. Seven or eight quick ones and then you’re out with the boys to boast and brag. YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. Oh… I think I love him.
Somebody help me out here – what is this about? Fairy tale – Classics – Cartoon – What?
I had to physically put a shovel and blanket in my sons car last year. He didn’t care if his car broke down in the winter. No gloves. No hat. Just light weight street shoes. We had a huge blizzard here in Chicago last winter. Thousand motorists got stranded on the lakefront. The fire dept. and police couldn’t get to all of them. People called 911 on their cell phones and were given bad info by dispatchers who had no idea the extent of the problem. This is what a crisis will look like x100.
Your son? You need to get him on board. I know girls in this country live in a fantasy world that they can always just marry a rich guy (even into their 30s they think this not realizing that eventually it’s too late) and be finanically provided for or that they’ll make alimony in a divorce.
I know I had to dig myself out in Jan 2010 when we had snow in MD. Shut the engine off (you must do this or a block of ice will build under your engine, the heat inside is negligible and you’re screwed more if you run out of gas) and get digging. I was in pretty deep but glad I had some Gen III gear, my Army boots and, if necessary, blankets and a pillow.
Getting bands of wind and rain from Irene now in So Flo.. no biggie here; but you guys up North better be getting in high gear..
People keep saying that. Some of us are already ready. It’s not like it’s a category 6, this too shall pass.
Already prepared Sam. My wife just returned from the city helping my daughter get her fourth grade classroom straight. Food has been cooked up. Plenty of propane and good gasoline (no gas-a-hol) for my generator. Solar lights (Dlights) are all charged. Pantries are full, plenty of water and chickens are ready. We got a small tremor here around 1a.m. this morning, made me sit up in bed then was gone. I think this ‘cane is gonna be stronger here than Isabel was and the water it shoved up the Bay’s tributaries was enormous. We shall see.
Be safe.. May God Bless.
The reason I believe that most people don’t prepare is because they think the government or someone else will take care of them. They’re going to suck hind teat when they discover that there’s never enough to go around.
Cyber_Samurai says:
August 25, 2011 at 11:15 am
The fact is, the Rapture WILL happen, but who knows what’s going to happen between now and then? The Rapture may happen tomorrow or 20,000 years from now. We have to prepare for what we will live through until that time.
A big part of my preps is salvation. A larder full of food helps too, though.
———————————
Where’s the “fact that the Rapture will happen?” In all the millions of years man has been on earth it hasn’t happened yet even though man has lived through horrific times. If you sit around waiting for a maybe you’ll find yourself sorely disappointed and empty. JMHO.
2cnd Peter, Chapt. 3….verse 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for SINCE THE FATHERS FELL ASLEEP, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
verse 9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Man, this is becoming a regular Bible Study group… 😉
Classic Van Impe scripture quote!
Goldenfoxx, I think the reason why people don’t prepare is because most of them have never had to do without. Most people seem to think that they will always be able to get to the grocery store, or the gas station. If there is a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Irene, or a blizzard, they just figure that they might have a few days of roughing it, and then everything will be back to normal.
I don’t agree—many preparing just know the dangers in not preparing.
It’s a seventh sense maybe…some have it–some don’t?/
That’s what the hubs and I have been talking about, JJ…why are we awake and prepping and others are not? We just don’t get it…can’t they see what’s happening all around them? Maybe it’s because we canceled cable 2 yrs ago so we don’t sit around watching TV and being lazy. We had a nice garden this year, we are raising chickens…we also started exercising to lose that last stubborn 20 pounds so if we have to walk out we can. I’m up to walking 2 miles in 30 mins, most of it uphill…downhill is my new best friend, lol!!!
We are doing what we can to prepare, but right now, we are alone! It’s a sad place to be, that’s for sure!
I think people know what is going on. I just don’t think they believe that it will ever get to the extent that you guys do – they see a temporary situation, not the fall of society. At least this is my conclusion when I try to discuss the subject with my family. (Although some of them completely dismiss the idea altogether that anything could happen) I think it can be hard for the mind to grasp the complete collapse of society. I mean, honestly, if you are not already self sufficient at this point there is no way you are going to survive long term on your own if there is a complete collapse.
I think you are on to something with the 7th sense though, some people do not have that fight in them – the will to survive in the worst environment imaginable. I don’t know if I do. I keep thinking that I can save as much water, food, and supplies that I want only to live in daily fear that some mob is going to loot and kill my family. If you could get the whole neighborhood to prepare and band together to protect what you have I think it would work, but most people do not even know or want to know their neighbors.
My entire family grew up dirt poor in the south, my grandfather constructed their house out of a barn. They had a farm, my grandmother canned food and lived from a garden, she sewed all our clothes up until I was in elementary school (20 years ago) and we did not have any air conditioning, just an attic fan. There was only a wood heater in the front room. My grandmother kept jugs and jugs filled with water, she kept a ton of food canned, and had bad weather supplies. So, these are people who have lived a very poor life and they do not prep, so I don’t agree with the idea that it is just because they have never had to do without. I think rooom #6 is right about the psychological thing.
[quote]MB says:
August 25, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Goldenfoxx, I think the reason why people don’t prepare is because most of them have never had to do without.[/quote]I agree with you MB. Most people don’t know what REAL hunger is. But then there is also a so called “normalcy bias”, they are unable to deal with a possibility of SHTF psychologically. They can’t accept that their “normal” is no more.
Wow…the Y chromosome domination on this thread is overwhelming. I guess I’ll speak up as the lone wife reading Mac’s site….
I became a prepper first, but DH followed VERY shortly after. We’ve been a prepping force for years now. I can’t imagine doing this without my best friend, partner, and greatest love. I guess I just made sure I chose a man who was like-minded and who has amazing common sense. (I think he’d say the same about me. 😉 )
BTW ~ Perhaps the lack of female comments on this thread could be the tone that was set early. Most ladies are probaby over at Lisa Bedford’s ~ The Survival Mom site…learning how to sterlize 2 liter bottles for packing away beans and rice. 🙂
There are more Survival Moms out there than the naive wives complained about here. Don’t underestimate the need for women to “nest” and create safe home enviroments for their families…when the “hunters” have returned with their animal carcuses!
(Forgive the rant….I just know SEVERAL preppers who are women!)
I don’t know about MORE, but you ladies are definitely out there. I know I’m majorly guilty of gender discrimination.
I still adamantly stand by my notions of what gender roles should be and I’m not a fan of how our government tries to implement discrimination against males or screw them over in court (often for life).
There’s a lot more women here than some think aren’t.:) DH leaves all the prepping up to me. Him and my son do all the reloading. Got my mom to store a few things away, she grew up in the Depression and made it through the WWII rationing. The younger generation have never had to experience hard times and it will be an eye opener for them.
Uh, yeah. I’d be another survival-minded wife who finds the contempt with which many of the guys in the comments here talk about their wives to be quite offputting. It doesn’t seem a very welcoming place for survival girls here and that’s why we don’t comment. :p
Didi: Please don’t be angry with the comments, I started the conversation and take the blame in full, this is not my site, and your comments can only help with the ignorance and frustration I personally am experiencing! Again please accept my apology.
I am glad My wife is tolerant of my “hoarding”. She realizes that if nothing terruible happens, we can eat my mistake, and none of it is getting less expensive.
She is happy that I am not a football junkie who blows $$$ on flat screens and beer.
Maybe she is more “on board” than she appears to be but trusts me to handle things.
Note: In school in Ukraine she learned to handle an AK and a grenade. Try that lesson plan in USA!
I’m here RWM…I too started prepping first…my husband came around several months later…thank goodness!! I hated doing it all alone! Now our oldest son and his new wife are prepping, my next to oldest son is reading up on solar flares and how to prepare…and my youngest two boys just roll their eyes and go back to their video games, lol! But they do help bag up the rice and beans and such when told too…it has become a family affair, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Thanks for the responses all! 🙂
Feeling much more of a community now. Copout….if you can’t vent here, where can you vent? No harm, no foul. 😉
I feel for the guys (and some gals) who’s spouses are not on board. It must be frustrating to be the lone prepper. Not sure how I’d react, esp. if I were mocked for my beliefs.
W74…I’m definately a “blue is for boys & pink is for girls” person too. Gender confusion (propoganda by the public schools and feds.) frustrates me too. That said, I also feel a woman can be VERY pink, and tough too. You don’t have to go dike to be a strong woman. 🙂
Stay strong everyone…we’re ALL in this together!
I have been entertaining my husband with excerpts of the article and then this series of comments. In our house, I am the one that has the credit card charged up with silver and longterm food storage (about 3 years worth). I have always had some previsions (days, weeks and months) at the car, home, and farm. I am still sneeking in food at night when I can get away with it.
I am working on power/fuel options more closely now. I have some shortterm options, but not enough to go months and years. Some of you Godly men need to really sit down with your wife and have one of those chats-it would be a good time while the news has so much attention. Good luck fellows.
Read the book The Survivors Club (it’s excellent). Very few are prepared for adversity or tragedy. In fact, many of those who are prepared and think they will be leaders will also revert to a state of shock or disbelief.
There are very few personality types who can rise to the occasion when there is an emergency. Most go into a zombie-like state and wait for someone to tell them what to do (and many die doing it).
Even the author of the book admitted that he is not a “disaster/emergency leader” based on his own mini-emergency experience.
You do not know how you will handle a situation until you are until you are confronted with it.
I believe that most (but not all) preppers will be leaders & deal with an emergency with a clear head (primarily because we’ve played the scenes out – over and over and OVER in our heads!).
You do not know how you will handle a situation until you are until you are confronted with it.
This!
I am trying to train myself to not panic during emergencies but it is a difficult task. As stated, it is a personality thing – and it is so hard to change things about your personality.
Padded Walls is back again (Sunflower). I forgot to mention, my hubby is the brains in the family. He has the skills. I have some medical issues which limit my physical contributions. He is paralysized – post stroke 2002, and has several forms of cancer.
I just wanted to clarify. My hubby is not a deadbeat with the prep talk completly. Keep writing all. I have enjoyed this article so very much. I am glad it has stirred so much commentary.
One of the reasons I like this site is that I don’t feel so alone. I don’t always agree with some of the stories and comments, but by and large it’s comforting to know that there are people out there with the same mindset. I’ve known for most of my adult life that some kind of catastrophe is going to happen to this old world and I’ve spent years thinking about how to survive. My daughter and I have bug-out bags in our cars, we are stocking provisions and have plans for how we will get to our safe place. Maybe it’s Celtic intuition; the feeling that we are approaching very dark times gets stronger every day.
It’s all called normalcy bias.
Let me explain. People in the developed world have modified their immediate environment at the cost of developing a dependency on technology. We get out of a nice warm bed ($1200) to a warm/cool house with central heating/AC. Grab some food and toss in the nuke and grab some coffee from the timer operated coffee maker. Dash to the Car with all its amenities for the entertained ride to work on a paved hwy (damn potholes, seem to be more nowadays. Park in the underground garage and take the elevator up to the 8th floor where we have Central heating/AC. End of day, reverse. Stop at big-box (heated/AC) to buy some Fuji apples imported from NZ. And then home.
We have no idea about anything dealing with life in the real environment. Any disruption leaves the masses quivering like a cornered rabbit. Couple this with no preps and panic ensues. Nothing good has ever come from panic.
And our wives/partners? We conditioned them to be like us. Dependant.
There are only two ways to break this cycle. Disaster or force. The force is pack your bags cause we are going primitive camping for the next month. Turn the month into a few acres in the country.
We are products of the environment we grew up in. For better or worse. Some never left the country way of life and most will NEVER know the country life.
We can light’em up, smoke and joke but reality is one missed paycheck away. The mechanism of the missing paycheck is immaterial. The reality just is.
Prep or don’t. Your choice. Failure to be an active participant in the new environment is fatal. By all means, please be free to put all your eggs in the religion basket. You won’t be competing in the supply/demand curve driving up prices. Your choice to do so is good for me and others. Any and all disruptions in the production/distribution chain reduces us to deal with our immediate environment. If you don’t have what you need for the short/long term survival needs, tough shit. You get what you pay for. Hope that 42″ flat panel HDTV works out for you.
Some have chosen the harsh life. We chose to be dependant on ourselves. It has never been survival of the strongest, but rather the fittest. Fittest is defined as adaptability to a changing environment. Isolating yourself from the environment ensures lack of adaptability. Long-term practice ensures long-term results. Life is all about choices. My slow decline into financial poverty has made me totally dependant upon myself.
——————-
Marriage and divorce are new paradigms. History just is no matter who edits it. Don’t get confused by dogma; religious or political. Dogma is all about controlling the masses. Do what you will. So far I have managed to run off every woman in my life and all but the first came out ahead. Still care for all of them; well except the first. Hope the education I helped pay for and the extremes I went to in order to help their self-esteem serves them well. A good partner in life makes the miles of hard trail more enjoyable and it is awful nice to curl up to a warm body when the cold night wind blows. I’d do it again; except for the first wife.
———————–
Wanted: Physically fit 45+YO hard loving and wise woman pleasant to look at to share harsh life with old curmudgeon on edge of Alaska Bush. Must have their own tools, shotgun/rifle, and preps. Must hunt, fish, trap and garden. Send video of you field dressing big game as well as preparing favorite recipe over campfire with it (preferably in tank-top and cut-offs).
P.S. If you send the video, you have pretty much proven you ain’t so damn wise.
See if she has a sister!
What a hoot!
+1
I’ll reverse it – Wanted – Man with all those skills – age 45 -55 YO – Send pictures of tool box and guns!
Email address, pretty please? LOL
Copout
Like the government agent said – if he tells ya – he has to kill ya
If I email ya – your wife will kill ya 😀
Then I want to know where the yard sale is of all ya stuff
LadyHawk: Excuse me, but that’s a …”copout!” 🙂 Pun intended. First, you post an ad getting all of US single prepping men from South Florida to Southeast Alaska excited, then you …. “opt out”.
I mean you either want a prepping man with tools and skills, or you don’t. Which is it????
I am looking for a fit, prepping woman. Any hot prepping chicks out there who want to make whoopie, water the plants, bake bread and chocolate chip cookies can reach me at
[email protected]
Applications / resumes are being accepted. Please Jonny V, no fake submissions. 🙂 However this could be your opportunity to get rid of your daughter’s boyfriend!
Photos are required.
Applicants should be between 18 and 48 nonsmoker / nondrinker, 100 to 145 lbs, 5’3″ to 5’9″; weight appropriate to height. Women with their own metal detector willing to bait their own hook, will receive priority!
Ok, LadyHawk, anything I can do you can do better.
would you settle for 40?…..lol 😛
I have a brother. But he hasn’t brought my tools back….if you take him he can keep em…jk
Possibly – but to the men from South Florida to Southeast Alaska – I’ve not “opt out” as the Durango Kidd inferred.
I’m looking for a “special man”. A alpha man. A man that…. Sorry, must run for now – Doing a motorcycle run and want to be back before the sun gets high in the sky ….Oh, and I do finish what I start.
I love your humor!
JJ
you guys are hilarious! thanks for the laughs, i needed them!
The kind of tools and guns can tell a lot.
Sounds like you’ve been burned a time or two. We’re not all silly fools. And it sounds like first wife still means something to you. Or does she hold the mortgage on the cabin in the woods?
No, not really burned except she ran off with her brother and got the sewing machine. The rest of the stuff and money, no problem. But the sewing macine just pissed me off. She never sewed crap, I did and her brother probably pawned it for Olympia beer. Oly pop for god’s sakes.
I’d pay all the divorce costs again, but you can bet the sewing machine would have vanished into the great unknown. Only to resurface later with a new woodland camo pattern paint.
Only the ‘survivors’ of the tribulation that also keep the faith will be raptured. I think more than a few of these pre-trib types will fall away after they start to experience the full force of the tribulation. They are in general a mile wide and an inch deep (ie God let us down so he must not exist).
Reflect on the story of Sodom and Gomorrah where the last of the good people were removed under the direction of God ‘before’ the final destruction. Living in Sodom and Gomorrah was not picnic for them either and tested their faith. That is closer to what is in store, keeping alive while keeping the faith, it will be very hard to do both at the same time.
The Rapture is also not some reward as much as a necessity in order to clear the deck for the full on wrath of God. Read the parable on the weeds sown in the wheat field. It’s truly amazing to sit back and see the weave of themes within the Bible. It’s almost as if it was divinely inspired.
Speaking of which peppers are like Noah; for some reason God has taken pity on us and inspired us to get prepared. Like all grace from God its not earned but those who understand it fall to their knees in thanks, except the difficult tasks before them and press forward in securing those God has given them responsibility for (namely under age kids).
I have to observe as well that many peoples OPSEC is really bad. I know you have the best of intentions for your extended family and friends but if even God can’t save everyone you can’t either. You seriously risk jeopardizing your ability to protect what you alone are responsible for protecting. If God had given them even an ounce of Grace you don’t need to tell them, they will know. If your OPSEC is blown then maybe God is asking you to make your boat just a bit bigger?
Also I value the perspective of female preppers especially those who once thought their spouses were crazy. It’s given me great insight into the best way to logically approach my wife. In some ways it’s like trying to feeding a peanut to squirrel, sudden violent movements just scare them up a tree even though all you want to do is give them a peanut.
So don’t make an uber everyone is going to die if we don’t do this sales pitch. It need not be scarier than say buying medical, life, car or fire insurance. The only fundamental difference is that this kind of insurance can’t be purchased with a 15 minute phone call. But given rising food prices there is good chance you’ll save more than 15%.
Like Tommy Lee Jones’ character in MIB said “A person is smart, people are dumb panicky animals and you know it” or something like that. Just wait until we have earthquakes in one place after another and everything we have been taught by society goes out the window. I suggest everyone go to Kico or DG or http://www.certifiedgoldexchange.com (my personal favorite) and get your hands on some hard assets now or you might be trapped in a soup line tomorrow. Just my two cents.
i brought home some web gear and a gas mask for my girlfriend, her response? “I’m NOT wearing that for haloween!!! it isn’t cute”
so now i just put things away and don’t even tell her, it’s gona be like christmas for her when SHTF….
personally, i HOPE i’m crazy and wasting my money, but it’s starting to look like i might actually get to use some of this stuff someday…
Unbelievable, I’m the only one in my family that’s awake….just drove by my in-laws….empty 40″ lcd flatscreen box out by the curb !(don’t knock on my door) These are same people who, when tornadoes struck and knocked out power for a week they fled to another state and stayed in a hotel wasting lots o dollars
But if haven’t already, everyone needs to watch DVD called “Collapse” with Michael C Ruppert, hits nail on the head.
TWO WORDS “COGNITIVE DISSONANCE” MOST PEOPLE AND NOT TO BE SEXIST BUT IT SEEMS MORE WOMEN THAN MEN CANT HANDLE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEIR LIFE MAY BE DISRUPTED POSSIBLY FOR GOOD. DONT LOOK DOWN ON THEM ITS KIND OF LIKE THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE. PREPARE,PREPARE,PREPARE.
Hey y’all men! 🙂
Trust me, there are women on board with prepping. I am one of them. Try to relate to your wives/daughters/mothers on a level they can relate to. Most women, if you toss some body armor and ammo at them, will just look at you like you are crazy. (Not me, I love that kind of stuff…but then again, I’m kinda wierd! LOL) Explain to them about how learning to can and dehydrate can save their childrens’ lives, how acquiring knowledge about gardening and sewing can protect their loved ones — and maybe you’ll catch their attention. Appeal to their God-given instinct to protect and care for the family and friends that they so care for, and you just might catch their attention. It’s worth a shot! 🙂
TurtleChick
Hey – those are the chores 🙁
Oh yeah – can’t wait to wash and hang the clothes again.
Do we really have to go back to women and men chores?
How about some of the “sexy” tasks of prepping? OPSEC for instance. Teach the little woman how to be aware of her surroundings. I see so many women jogging or walking with headphones on BOTH ears. Duh! They walk to their vehicle without checking the area or who is around them. They fumble for keys in their purse. They don’t notice something is out of place. Stranger at door scenario.
Test her to see if she has implemented the training – role play a few scenarios. Being momentarily frightened can lead to some great sex after wards.
Another prep skill-power outage. Show her how to start the generator and refuel it. Next time the man is chopping wood, have the little lady give a hand. How to use the axe, best way not to be hurt, stack a few logs. How to use those logs to start and keep a fire going. Got a rug in front of that fireplace? Hmmm!
Guns are powerful and intimidating. Next time you are cleaning one of the small ones. Take it apart – THEN bring the little lady over explaining it’s about protecting their loved ones if you are not home. Let her hold a bullet. Then the mag. Part by part. If she can use a cloth to clean something let her handle it. Put some bullets in the mag. Then put it together -together. You do it then she does it. Do that a few times. The gun becomes less intimidating. Just like another gun she had to handle and was afraid would go off.
Let her watch a range shooting video – so she knows what to expect. Also, I like Top Shot – they shoot all kinds of guns and rifles. Even if she doesn’t shoot it, she will feel better about it being in the nightstand drawer. Get the picture.
TurtleChick, your comments will go over well, given this audience, however, I want to put my two cents in that as a woman prepper I like non traditional tasks too. Let’s see where did I put those pliers – that’s righty tighty and lefty loosey.
I don’t mind the line clothes drying and I just started the generator(every month check); so does that make me weird or okay??? smiley face inserted here.
JJ
I don’t mind that or making the laundry detergent or dehydrating. In fact I feel good doing it. A sense of accomplishment. I just don’t want to go back to those sexist days of yesterday where Him Tarzan and us Jane.
When one person is better at something and not able to do it because it is not manly or womanly.
Please Lord, lets not go backwards. Let’s not be like the Taliban – where women have their place and treated as chattel. Too many of our men …and women have sacrificed life and limbs for that not to be. When SHTF – let’s do it different this time. Respect the person for the abilities and skills they bring to the situation and assign and use accordingly. And on the whole everyone’s hands fits a shovel.
Also, I don’t have cable either – What TV or movies I watch is on the internet – HULU and it’s free with limited commercials.
LOL I make my own laundry soap, and if I let my husband do the laundry, he’ll shrink all my clothes — that’s why I insist on doing it! — I can, cook, and clean, but my husband does that stuff, too. I’m not saying that we have to get into rigid roles, I’m just encouraging the frustrated men here on ways to relate to the women in their lives who are not interested in — or too scared to entertain the idea of — preparing in a significant manner.
BTW, the one thing I do that my husband doesn’t? Shooting. He’s never been hunting, and doesn’t even know firearm safety, whereas I go to the range and pump rounds into the targets because I LOVE IT, and to practice for hunting season come fall. 😉
No gender roles here! Just wanted to offer advice on how the guys here can relate to their wives instead of getting mad at them. 🙂
elcid-77 says:
August 25, 2011 at 2:13 pm Blow-up the T.V., throw away the papers…Change you familys’ lifestyle. Seriosly, turn off the cable TV, get rid of the cell phones; decrease your expenditures. The key to any budget is to live within your means, if you cut spending you will find an immidiate surplus.
elcid, my neighbor who came into $300 working cleaning dorms came to get something I bought her and asked again, when are you gonna leave this room(store food) alone??? Every time I come it’s different–and she is using the 300 to buy preps.
Leaving the room, I said well, without cable, I have that to buy rice and I need to store it, don’t I??
She looked funny and asked why don’t we have cable?? I looked her right in the damn eyes and said, I have my priorities in order and I have other uses for that money!!! Like rice and beans!!
She had nothing to say. And she knows about our recent 30 gallon drums too!!
Right on!
The wife loves her new pistol and my kids are learning archery for this next season. My wife breeds great danes and qets it. 4 kids and all but the 7 year old get it. I’m lucky! Living in Nebraska, you prep for weather anyhow. Luck all
Holy crap, alot of good posts.. And I feel like I’m not alone also. My wife just puts up with the prepping. And unfortunatly,,,, she told her parents a few years ago what I was doing. So they think I’m a little kooky. 🙁
A while back we were at a party at their house and the economic conversation came up, and he pointed at me and made fun the I had a year of food stored. 🙁 🙁
They better hope they don’t have to come over here if TSHTF
He’ll be the FIRST one at your door.. give him something to eat; then assign him the job of carrying in buckets of water to flush the toilets..
Try to make sure folks don’t spread your situation around too much.. you don’t want your prepping to make you a known target for those who were too lazy or un-informed to do their own..
## Attention Atheists/Agnostics- heavy duty sermon type comment ahead! Proceed carefully. you may get PO’d or converted. Me, I’m happy with either of those! ##
I shall now endeavor to enlighten (or offend) as many people as possible with a single post. It won’t be easy, but I believe I’m up to the challenge…
*note- I do not believe that anyone will lose their salvation just because they misunderstand the tribulation, or any other minor point of doctrine. By ‘minor point’ I don’t mean it’s not important, just that it’s not essential to salvation. We are all called to grow in faith and understanding, so…let’s keep doing that.*
1st the religion stuff- Pre tribulation rapture is not biblical. 1st Thessalonians 4:16,17 (caught up together in the clouds…) is primarily the apostle Paul reassuring the believers of the early church that their loved ones who had already died have not missed out on anything. He was telling them, it’s ok because the dead will be raised first, then we who still live will join the Lord too. The passage is not saying that believers would avoid all the hard times of the great tribulation. Another misunderstood passage is Matthew 24:40,41. (two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left…) In this instance, Jesus is speaking of those who believe God and those who don’t. The verses immediately preceeding this are referring to Noah’s flood and the Lord was saying, in essence “the flood TOOK them by surprise because they didn’t believe Noah.” The ones ‘taken’ were taken by the flood, which is to say, they perished. It’s the ones not ‘taken’ that were saved. This passage can not be used to justify a rapture-type ‘taking’ away.
The comment from Paul67 (a few posts above) states this very well in his 1st paragraph. Believers will go through some tough times. Our faith will be tested.
Now, about all the comments concerning a non-prepping spouse. This is to the women AND the men: first, let’s realize that we are all messed up, faulty humans. We’re sinners so what else would you expect? Still, we are called, even commanded, to strive for a higher standard of behavior. (we’re actually told to be LIKE Christ, which is not just difficult, it’s impossible without the grace of God making you able to do it) And, yes, we keep messing it up daily. That’s what grace and forgiveness is for.
Men- we are told to ‘cherish’ our wives. Regardless of what she says or does, we are told to ‘cherish’ her. If you had a million-dollar race horse and it stumbled now and then, would you beat the horse? Or starve it, or abandon it? Of course not, because it has great value to you. With that in mind, and despite her faults, try to treat your wife at least as well as a horse! Next time you get angry with her, remember that word ‘cherish’ before you respond. Men, we can lead and guide and correct and do all that we’re supposed to as a husband, but we can do it with gentleness and love. And any of you guys that hit your wives(and I seriously doubt that any of the regulars here would do that) are hereby invited to the okie compound for some ‘attitude adjustment therapy.’ Remember, “mean” is not the same as “strong” and “gentle” is not the same as “weak.” We are to be strong but gentle with our wives.
Women- a few words about men: we evaluate ourselves based on what we can achieve(possessions, job, wealth, nice kids etc) We are designed that way and we see ourselves as a success or failure based on those things. It’s not that we’re entirely materialistic, but we do judge ourselves that way. Keep that in mind when asking us(for the 10th time) to fix the old washer, or get a better house or whatever. In your mind you’re just encouraging us to do better. In our mind, you’re saying we failed to achieve or acquire enough. We know you didn’t mean it that way, but that’s the way we heard it. Please understand the differences in Perception for male and female ears. And wives- don’t forget that our male ego is just as fragile as your feelings.
Probably the greatest source of marital problems is not knowing HOW the other person percieves what we said. Women want love and tenderness above all. Men think we’re giving enough of that, but our wives don’t see it that way. They want more and we don’t understand why. Men want respect more than anything. Women think they’re giving plenty but the men just don’t percieve it that way. God, who designed our mouths, ears, and minds must be laughing sometimes at how difficult it is for us to communicate!
To the men and women- if a spouse is not on board and you’re prepping alone, just keep doing what your common sense tells you. There will be plenty of snowstorms and hurricanes and such to justify your planning. Eventually, they may understand. But even if they never do, forgive them and love them anyway. With or without the preps, and crash or no crash, life goes on and a good mate that you can at least get along with peacefully(most of the time!) is a genuine gift from God. Only a few of us are truly equipped to go through life alone and thrive. The rest of us just have to ‘put up’ with each other! And, regardless of your religious views, you have lots of family right here at shtfplan. We’ll gladly keep arguing, debating and sharing ideas with you. You’re NOT ALONE!
I shall now adjourn from the pulpit and retire to the financial office of the Okieville 3rd Baptist Methopiscopal Catholutheran Holy Roller Bible Thumpin’ Hoe-Down Get-Down Downtown Prepo-Pocalypse Church of the Gear-Jammin’ Believers, where I’ll see how many of you put a hot check in the collection plate again this week.
PS- I should have mentioned that, yes, there are times when a seperation or divorce is the best, or maybe the only alternative. So, nobody is gonna dis you or condemn you for that. At least I won’t. The justification for it is between you, the ex, and God. If you gave it your best shot and it still ended, then it’s not my prerogative to judge you.
Now, who the heck put these fake morgans in the collection plate?
Well said, nice.
Except for any divine nature stuff of course. LOL
And hey, don’t leave us Realist’s out? We’re highly spiritual Atheist/Agnostic/Pantheist/New Testament Christians.
No one has all the answers.
My awakening actually started about 5 yrs ago. While we have always been of the conservative, rat-pack kind of folks because we have an imagination to re-use stuff; DH picked up Carla Emory’s Encyclopedia of Country Living. He would read 30-40 minutes to me each night out loud as I waited until my brain let me go to sleep. Guess all that sunk in, because we increasing would say – What would Carla do; or where’s Carla (meaning where’s the book). Past year has been a hard push to shore up our lives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
We have lived so long in a dream world that it’s very difficult for folks to wake… so don’t be too hard on the peeps. Imagine you have been sleeping so very soundly, having a wonderful dream and you have to wake to a serious emergency. Now imagine that you have a choice – to wake or not. I have a little more patience and I have steady woke some up – takes time and evidence and calm patience. In-Your-Face, reveille was harsh in the AF and I try not to use it on civilians.
our group has almost an equal number of men and women, and 2 of the women REALLY push the others to get things done on the TO DO list. We’re almost there (if there IS such a thing) have plenty of food for manymouths and many months, plenty of security, working on improving communications using HAMs and working on solar set-ups. Several men and one woman hunt. All the women and a couple of men know how to can and make bread. Some know how to re-load and everyone knows how to shoot. Some are better at breaking a gun down than others, but everyone makes a contribution. The biggest problem is being sure we can all get there, when the time comes, and we’re working on that.
Wow! I must say that I LOVE all of you guys and gals. What I am reading here really gives me faith in humanity. No bickering over whether one has faith or not or whether someone does or doesn’t believe in preparing. Just telling of each experience in preparation.
As a young individual it gives me hope that should some event happen that we can all work together to survive without being only about self. My two cents is that should something happen the first two things that I am going to do is get to my “safe place” and plant a few rows of potatoes and buy a few rabbits and a few chickens. The potatoes have a turn around of around 2 months and rabbits and chickens have a very low gestation period and period to full maturity. Just a thought.
quote:
“Probably the greatest source of marital problems is not knowing HOW the other person percieves what we said.”
unquote
Amen brother Okie. It ain’t lack of communications. It’s lack of effective communications. Neither gets the drift of what the other is trying to say. Enter emotional defense system to complicate the mess.
In defense of the perception that women are the emotional gender; BULLSHIT. Generally, men are the emotional cripples. We have been conditioned from the time we were toddlers to only display aggressive emotions. Suck it up. It’s only a scratch. Nobody likes a whiner. Or the worst of them all; I’ll give you something to really cry about. Ergo, the best defense is an aggressive offense. Hell hath no fury like a mother protecting her children.
What do you think is really meant by the term “gentleman”? You best tip your hat to the ladies.
My paternal gram was a true matriarch. She ruled the family with a velvet glove. Soft, gentle, but damn firm. You did as you were asked because she made you feel good to do it. But she didn’t take no crap off her man. Even had the first deported for being such a jackass.
So for the men here, prep on even if she who will not be ignored thinks your being silly. When SHTF, she will love you the more for your foresight in prepping.
Besides the feminine hygiene products mentioned earlier, don’t forget some feel-good cosmetic stuff too. You can bet that there will be lotsa times when she wants to be all woman for her man. Uh and bath stuff as well as shaving cream and double edge blades for yourself. You can resharpen dbl edge blades by holding them vertical and rubbing them around the inside of a frosted glass tumbler.
OTE, you speak the truth! Books are written about women like that. My mother, all 5’2″ of her is like a wolverine clothed in rabbit fur! I’ve seen her handle all kinds of things without the slightest hint of fear. Even now, at 82 years old she’d step in front of a freight train without hesitation if any of her kids or grandkids or greatgrandkids were in danger.
I’d rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy!
Hey I just want to thank all the ladies that chimed in, it gives me some hope. Do any of you live in NE Fl?
Essentially “The Herd” as in “The Sheople” panic when anything unusually frightening happens.
Ever heard of a “Stampede”? Well, thats what you have when you have a heard of mindless beasts. While they drive cars and wear clothes, the average person cannot think for themselves. They’ve been dumbed down for years ESPECIALLY in the metro areas. After all, there is way less money and control when sheople are INDEPENDENT. Just follow instructions and be a good little government asset.
If any of you are in metro areas or visit metro areas frequently be sure you have a bugout bag or, in that case, a GHB (Get Home Bag). Illegal or not, you should have a firearm buried in all that food and supplies. Being judged by 12 is always better than being carried by 6.
These earthquakes prove, time and time again, that people are totally unprepared mentally to handle ANYTHING.
NetRanger, I have a small anecdote.
Last autumn I had a few friends over. I live alone in a small apartment.
Two guys went into my kitchen (I was cooking) and they saw my closet, with many canned goods, and they both laughed. “Safeman, are you building a nuclear fallout shelter?”
I laughed back but they had no idea just on whom the joke really was.
And a woman who was there that day made a remark about how I buy food to buy a family when in fact I live alone.
Thanks for this website, btw.
I was reading on this site when the earthquake happened the other day while eating my lunch at work. It was this article:
“5 Reasons Why American Riots Will Be The Worst In The World”
Is it a sign? Anyhow..
I was the first one out of the building and the rest of the company was about 20+ seconds behind me. If it would have been a serious earthquake they would all be gone. Those who don’t possess the fight or flight reflexes at the moment of imminent danger IMO automatically off themselves (makes life easier for the survivors). For the ones that make it past the initial event who had the foresight to plan ahead, well those are the ones that play the “what is game” and visit excellent sites like this.
It’s coming and what it is I haven’t a damn clue, but it is coming.
There was another earthquake last night (I’m 80 miles from the epicenter).
This is now an everyday site for me! -thanks
OK.. nuff O this.. everyone can now yell at plain ol “sam”… just not at “Sam not sam”
Good night all! WhewGood night all! Whew
My hubby lets me prep, not to happy about taking up room in his garage with alternative cooking systems,etc, but he humors me. He got me a shotgun for Christmas that I wanted, but will not teach me how to use it!! Where can I learn to handle a gun like that?? I am kind of scared of it now, so I need to learn.
K in San D…
There are plenty of Ranges in the San Diego area, the one I remember the most from my time @ Coronado Island was in Lemon Grove, but here is another for you to look into http://www.sandiegoshotgunsports.com/
, Enjoy and don’t worry you control your weapon not the other way around, ah before I forget if you get a chance buy a rifled barrel for you crowd pleaser so you can shoot slug and not wear out you original 🙂
http://www.lemongrovegunclub.com/
Kin
NRA – National Rifle Association – they have qualified instructors across the country. From basic to competition. I’ve taken several courses mixed with both men and women and my latest specializing in classes for women. This was on deadly force training on when and how to use it. goggle them
They have access to shooting ranges which allows you to practice what you learn – you will find guys especially helpful offering help to increase your knowledge and understanding of the guns and ammo. Bless you guys for that.
Kin: I don’t know what part of the country you are in I take it California, there is a guy named Dutch joens he has a radio show. Google his name and you can get in touch with him, he is a firearms instructor and does different survival course at the Church of Kaweah. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your help, all of you who responded!!
I live in south jersey, and am evacuating tomorrow morning due to irene.. while i fear for my home and my town, i believe that this hurricane can be the tipping point if it avoids the coast and strikes NYC with full force. anybody else thing that?
skslover
We think you are spot on. Saw on the Weather Channel that the eye is expected to end up directly over NYC. Gridlock to be expected – cars, buses, cabs at standstill and prob. subway as well. If power goes out, then security systems go as well. Could mean teeming hordes of angry, fired-up ghetto denizens with no lights, no a/c, no money and no stored food swarming through the streets, breaking windows and looting everything that’s not nailed down. Hope we’re wrong. God help the law-abiding citizens and the police – they’re gonna need it.
only thing i can think of is Que Sera Sera. if it all goes to hell, theres not much we can do about it on the large scale, only on the family and comunity scale.
I don’t know how bad this storm will be but…
I live in a rural area in MS about 30 miles north of the gulf. Power was out 11 days at our house after Katrina. After a weel or so some of the gas staions opened up, cash only for a limited amount. I want to say it was 20$. Word of mouth traveled fast and the lines were long. Let me remind you this is a small town, everyone knows everyone,people still wave and open doors for each other here, people usually look out for each other kindly. In the gas line, people were not really talking or making any type of normal human interaction, everyone was guarding their spot in line, people at the back of the line were mumbling about them running out of gas. Some of the younger guys had wild looks in their eyes.There was so much tension in the air – I can’t explain it – it was just very creepy. We went home and did not come back out.
Later that week a man shot his sister over a bag of ice.
Anyway, what I am saying is don’t go out unless you have to until things return to normal after the store.
i meant storm not store
By the looks on the faces in the post-earthquake photos I have seen, have to agree with you. Doesn’t have to be that way, but those photos didn’t inspire confidence.
My daughter and grandchildren love hearing me tell my grandfather’s stories about gathering civet cat oil. During during the 40’s in South Dakota they got $1 a pelt and $1 a gallon for the rendered oil and the men fed their families.
My daughter can sew, cook from scratch, has a full pantry and is a great partner to her husband. She learned from me, how to keep a cookfire going in the rain, when she was ten. As a matriarch, my example taught her to become one.
I am so glad she also learned the “you can figure it out” attitude my grandfather left as a heritage to me.
I am hopeful there are enough matriarchs and storytellers left to help rebuild this nation when the dust settles.
Humans are very adaptable, this country will be here in some form, although it may be very different.
You who are in the heartland should really have been here in New York City when the Mineral, VA earthquake hit the other day. People here freaked out. Granted, with the memory of 9/11, many here do not like to take chances, and many were sent home from work; others evacuated their buildings.
NYC authorities are considering suspending all mass transit this weekend from Saturday afternoon into Monday morning and possibly beyond, depending on whether Hurricane Irene really does hit this area.
Reports have stated that many have scrambled to buy water and food as well as flashlights and batteries.
I live right outside NYC in a small town with roads, and most here have cars and garages… so whereas people where I live are technically better positioned to prep, I wonder how many really do. But you guys can bet that if this weekend Irene does a number on NYC, it will get quite messy and ugly and I don’t mean flooding in low-lying areas, garbage strewn on the streets, or the stench of fish and trash. I mean people in the poorer neighborhoods and the better-off Manhattanites who will think they can just go downstairs in the middle of a hurricane-induced storm, buy $50 worth of food, and go back upstairs.
I do not want a SHTF scenario in NYC this weekend or ever but Irene may provide a serious glimpse on what it would look like.
For my part, I have enough food to last me around 4 to 6 weeks, 10 cases of bottled water (I had 25 at one point – 10 seems like a little, LOL), first aid materials, a multitool, flashlights and batteries aplenty, a firearm and ammo, and items to substitute running water so I don’t feel dirty and filthy if I can’t shower. Also have a powerpack so that if the power goes out I can at least have a few hours worth of electricity.
It’s amazing how prepping can be “easy” if one does it incrementally. Rather than going out to eat at a restaurant, take $30, $40, or $50 and invest in water, or tools, or canned food. Bit by bit the stash grows.
If Irene wreaks havoc here, at least, I’ll be ready. In a sick kind of way I almost want Irene to “test” us preppers so I can learn from this experience.
Amazing how many use up their extra supplies before the next emergency.
My hubby was the one that gave me the wake up call…and I was stunned – for months – literally. After I got over the shock/fear/depression – I got mad. I decided I was NOT okay with the status quo, and took the reins over the home preps. Hubby is still in charge of the weapons and vehicles. I have young children and I don’t intend to have them suffer because I didn’t do my best to be their provider. We have had a 180 degree turn in our lifestyle and shifted priorities. We have even decided to home school and am still working on becoming more self-sufficient…still have much to learn as I have never canned a vegetable in my life or sewn anything since Home Ec. in high school…but I’m ready and willing.
Don’t be so hard on your spouses…before you throw in the towel try more extreme measures, like Alex Jones ( A bit sensationalist – but *may* do the trick)…don’t ask if they want to watch it just put it in the player – but be prepared for what may ensue…shock/fear/depression…anger. Because honestly I wouldn’t want to have to do this without my partner and best friend…
Prepare for what?!?! Bug out to where?!?! There are 6.6 billion people on this planet and, really, there is no more “wilderness”. Trust me, I go hunting and camping..there are no more “wilds”. Wherever you go there will be people. And from what you are describing, there will be many DESPERATE people. Quite looking at everyone else as the “enemy” that are ready to take what you have but rather look at others as possible friends that can help each other cope and survive. Build a network of trusted people instead of cultivating this consumerist, “me-first” attitude that places you against the world. You will not win in the end with that attitude. There is always someone more cunning and more ruthless than you that strike at the those that are stragglers from the herd. Don’t deceive yourselves that you can store enough food, ammunition, and valuables to stave off the entire population around you. It just won’t happen. In the end, there are just too many zombies and not enough bullets.
The Lord has given us a good 2000 year ride and, unfortunately, it has just got to end. Nothing lasts forever. Put your trust in Him and whether you live or die, you will be with Him.
@Norton
Yes, there is Plenty of space.
Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah.
I live in Salt Lake, and it only takes 15 min. to get to wide open nothing.
But, there is no where to run, when the Savior makes HIS Glorious Return!!
Rather simplistic analysis that totally disregards distribution and density of the population. Example: NYC – 19 million, Entire state of Alaska – 720,000 with about half within 75 airmiles of Anchorage. My area? 22,000,000 acres and 2000-2500 depending on season. roughly 1 person to 10,000 acres.
Now factor in this tidbit. 35% fo the US population has never left their hometown and 65% has never left their homestate even for vacations. People don’t change except by force majour. There are exceptions: college out of state and military service are two.
Believe what you will and obviously do. Hope it works out for you. Myself? I take positive pre-emptive actions to avoid the populace aka sheeple.
Uh, bit curious. Just who is gonna provide the needed supplies to keep this horde of zombies on the march? Have you ever heard of just-in-time delivery? 3 days worth of supplies in the stores and at best no more than that in the average home. Same with automotive fuels. Now couple this with the zombies staying on their home turf until supplies run out and what’cha figure they’re gonna do? They will die in massive numbers.
Trust you because you go hunting and camping? Not bloody likely. If you haven’t prepped, you will be the enemy of those who did. TANSTAAFL
“The Lord has given us a good 2000 year ride and, unfortunately, it has just got to end.” Got to end after just 2000? Aha, why not in 2500 years or 10,000? Like I said, “Hope it works out for you.” Am a bit curious why the devoted-to-immediate rapture crowd hangs out here. You’d think they would be in church. Rapture might happen, but I don’t put any confidence in Rev. John Nelson Darby and his clever claims to Dispensationalism. Bet you never heard of him, did ya? Good luck with YOUR plan.
There’s no more wilderness??
Norton, you ain’t been to Kentucky!!!
I’ve been in places in Kentucky that I couldn’t wait to get back to civilization!
Having traveled a bit in the southwest US, I’ve learned a few lessons (some at great personal expense) about the immigration check stations down there. The following is presented as a public service to fellow travelers.
A Few Things You Should NEVER Say At The Immigration Check Station:
1-Cool uniform, dude! Are you an eagle scout?
2-(Q: are you a US citizen?) A: Si! Me americano. Me bueno americano!
3-No need to check back there, officer. He’s probably barking at that case of beef jerky I bought in Tijuana.
4-Jennifer Lopez is in the car behind me. If you hurry and let me go, you can probably get her autograph.
5-Sorry about your dog, but he shouldn’t have barked at my gorilla.
6-Boy it’s hot out here! But, you know, for a bunch of fat guys, yall don’t sweat much.
7-Hey! Haven’t I seen you before? Didn’t you used to work at the airport, wearing those blue latex gloves?
8-Se habla donut?
I should have bought a gorilla.
Instead of a meat eating falcon.
In my case I AM the wife and I’ve been prepping for over a year. I jumped in with both feet becausse I felt time is short. My husband gave me no problem and helped by buying a generator etc. I even bought the best locking alarm system from an Israel site to secure our generator to the deck. American made just couldn’t compare. The normalcy bias (if it never happened before it can’t happen now) is working overtime in the populous. We’re ready for anything at this point but there is still the unexpected. My kids are in the crosshairs of hurricane Irene. They live on Long Island,NY which will be the worst hit, and still, they laugh at me. Nothing I can do about that but pray. Keep prepping folks and sleep well.
Your post made me think you can handle this..
I heard today a man say on video..the reason the international seed bank underground in ice has been accomplished is the elites planned the famine and know it’s time soon for it to begin…and looking around, seeing all the droughts, floods, locusts, and detrimental elements happening–dang if I don’t believe them.
Of course all these people are totally unprepared. They’re living the lifestyle that corporate America wants them to. Just in time food chain, maximum spending, minimum saving…..
This is why electing “business leaders” to political office is so stupid. What’s good for business, is NOT good for America. Government is not a “for profit” enterprise. We need to elect people who will go directly against big business when need be. No one we’ve elected in the last 100 years fits this description however. Our nation is hosed……
The news showed a local Walmart this morning. They were out of flashlights and the reporter had the last one. They went to the local Home Depot and they were out of generators and D-sized batteries.
Looks like many whom we might call “sheeple” are taking at least basic precautions. This is good news, IMO – however much we may bash “sheeple,” many “sheeple” have innocent children who need to eat and be cared for. If adult “sheeple” have nobody but themselves to blame if/when SHTF, at the very least I would hope their innocent children don’t suffer for their parents’ shortsightedness.
I disageee–if the sheeple were alert, they’d have prepared long ago.
My wife is from old skool commie China. She thinks that Uncle Mao, er, Uncle Sam is suppose to spoon feed her. Not in my house Honey! I have been teaching her how to prep but she does not pay attention and is not interested. Oh well.
JJ The Fed
Don’t discount all Christians as not being interested in prepping. My church is, we actually hosted a food prepping class last year that got me and my wife started, well maybe more like pushed us past step 1. There are plenty of churches out there that are getting more into this. Folks are waking up to realize that they have a responsibility to prepare for disaster ahead of the event and that is the only way they will be able to be charitable when an event occurs.
If I lived on the east coast in a major population center in Irene’s path, I’d think about taking a drive inland for the weekend with a truck full of my preps. I would not be waiting around to get stuck in this storm, especially in NYC or any other major city.
As for anyone having trouble getting a spouse on board God bless you. I don’t know what I’d do if my wife was oblivious to this stuff. I guess I’d just try to relate it to her daily life and show her that it doesn’t have to be hopeless. I think that is what you are fighting with most folks in denial. They feel there would be no hope in a collapse so “who would want to live anyway” the trick I think is to show them that they would want to live and lving wouldn’t be all that bad if you took steps to make sure of it ahead of time. Well prepped it could even be an adventure. Unprepared it will be a living hell.
Jason, how sad. My wife grew up in abject poverty in asia and is totally self-reliant and says trust no one ever.
What happened to the article posted comparing seismic activity graphs from an earthquake to seismic activity graphs associated with a muclear underground detonation? The article implied the recent earthquake near DC was not an earthquake. Why was it scrubbed?
More “MODERATION” of comments?
If the laughter in my office is any indication of what constitutes a “panic” then my suspicions of the government using “widespread panic” as an excuse to lie any time they want is confirmed as an “excuse.” Widespread panic? What a joke. No doubt the city of London experienced true widespread panic when the Luftwaffe was bombing them in 1940, and “somehow,” in spite of the widespread panic, the city continues to this day.