Survival isn't a subject to be studied...it is a way of life to prepare for what you think might be coming down the pike.

The reason I have started this thread is to give you ideas what others are doing to prepare. Here is how it works; post everytime you make some sort of survival enhancement to your situation.

I guarantee you that someone will post something they have done that you overlooked.

My plans for this week are to inventory what I have stocked and salted away. I have alot of the basics, but I haven't been a loyal to myself on this over the past year...so it's time to take an inventory, make a list and start to fill in the gaps.

What are you doing today?

I do appreciate your interest in other peoples survival plans. However, I will tell you nothing about any such survival plans or provisions I or anyone else makes.

It sure seems very ignorant to disclose such information to a total stranger on an open forum on the world wide Internet.

I'm sure you mean well and have no bad intentions. But, I don't know that. So, I don't trust you. It's nothing against you at all.

I don't trust anyone and I walk very lightly around the dead.

I do like your post. It will be nice to see what other people have stored in case of an emergency.

I agree with Dizzie Dame. As for me, today I will probably play some tennis, listen to some new U2 tracks, take my (drop dead gorgeous) girlfriend to lunch and I have absolutely no interest in sharing with the world what I'm doing to prepare for the next 18 months. Although you should certainly be preparing!

That said, I am very interested to know what others are doing and how they're doing it. This will certainly be a thread to watch alertly.

If the first two replies to this thread are any indication of the 'survival' types then this thread is doomed to page X.

I have spent today goofing off at work looking at ATS as a silent protest of them not letting me go home early because it is a gorgeous warm day and I want to go hiking.

The rest of the day will be spent doing something active in the nice weather!

Yeah no offense OP, with as closed off most of us survivalesqe people are when it comes to letting people online know what we have, dead thread, but I've been checking for the funny responses. Not a total loss though, I just gave you points by posting!

And NR, I agree that today has been even more chock full of crazy humor coming from the paranoid than normal. Is it a full moon?

Today, I ordered seeds for this years garden.

Last weekend, I planted two more fruit trees and made another run to the big box store. We also got another years worth of firewood.

This weekend we're buying 3 more fruit trees. Peach, Nectarine, and Apple.

Next weekend, hopefully, I'll be tilling my big garden with my monster rototiller and planting my melons and my first corn, and starting my tomatoes, peppers etc.

It is a lifestyle, not something to do on a one time basis.

Well today I have been dealing with the Office of Unemployment and their red tape...long story.

On a daily basis I patrol various sites including the ATS Survival Forum and look for ideas and judge for myself their practicality and occasionally add an idea or two of my own, if the mood hits. Rather than go through the merits and flaws of common gear that are brought up I'll throw out some uncommon ones.

A survival journal. Liked by some and chided by others. I have a small book about 4 inches by 6 inches by 1/2 inch that I have personally filled with various notes, descriptions and crude drawings of various snares, knots, material and tool crafting and other vital bits of info for reference. Most I have done (and made revisions) some I have not but seemed logical and practical enough to be included. I might not make it in the end, but the guy that runs across this book may find it valuable enough to bury me out of respect.

A fishing vest. This is my BOB. Light, easily covered or explained and most of all sufficient to carry the majority of what I need.

A small files. Yep, a standard wood/metal file and a small triangular file. It saves the edge of my good knives and last way longer than sandpaper for detail work. Not everyone can make an effective crossbow out a short 2 X 4, some Spiderwire fishing line, scavenged metal, and time. A 50lbs. pull might seem weak for my first one but I honestly doubt I could have spent less for an equal one. And yes, plans are in the journal.

Magnifying glasses. I have a cheap plastic one that is 3X, a jeweler's that is 17x10mm and a frenzel lens. They all have their uses and except for the jeweler's the weight is nil.

I do have a couple of "doctor bag" type of tool bags. Nice to have if I can manage it. I won't cry too bad if I can not keep them.

One other personal item is a small pocket sized hardbound book. It contains The Analects of Confucius and Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. Yes, it is a luxury item and has little to do with survival. But in the event that society can be reformed in my lifetime, it would be good to have some people that were not guided by animalistic principles alone. Those two works have the foundations of a very humane morality and philosophy.

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What am I doing today?

I took the day off from the books to stock up on emergency cider rations, declared the afternoon to be a national emergency and hit the ice-cold sweeeeet appley rations.

Unfortunately, 'They' must have gotten to my cache and doped it with mind-altering chemicals as I woke up to find myself face first in a kebab, my socks and shoes on fire, and a situation-x going on in my head

...ah well, just another one of those days

Well, since this thread in in the 'Survival' forum, I've been looking for work. This equates to being able to buy food and water just to live (survive). Other than that, I'm enjoying some warm sun while being poor and posting on conspiracy sites like ATS. There is nothing else available to help me prepare for any emergency.

I am so confused........but I'm not ignorant! Why would the govn. or anyone else monitering this thread care in the least that any of us were "stocking up". How could that be used against us and why the paranoia about sharing with others what you're doing to prepare for hard times? Personally I am far more worried about the guy down the street than some nameless member on ATS. If you people are too scared to share info. don't waste my time reading your reply to this post. If you are prepared enough to not need advice and some good beta on what you may have overlooked, then why are you even reading this thread? Every one of us will need the help of others to survive what may be coming. Those who think that they can go it alone will be statistics faster than the rest of us, I assure you. This warrants another thread but one already exists, so I'll get back on the topic of helping someone who may actually be reading this because they need need it.
Personally, I'm also considering buying seeds. What I now have will only take my family so far. Dry goods, canned food, lots of water, and basic luxeries like toilet paper and candles are things I've been slowly accumulating for some time. If I had to give advice, it would be....get to know your neighbors! The most dangerous part of any disaster will be people right down the street, not someone that you shared survival info with on the net. You don't have to trust them...but knowing them may come in handy if they decide to do either of two things. If they decide to barter, you may be the first house they choose. If they decide to rob someone, you may be the last one they choose.
It's each other that will pull this country out of this. We have to stand together, of "they" win!

Here is a list of stuff I bought today to prepare for the doom of the next year.

-400 cases of duct tape.
-127 kegs of Budwiser.
-10,000 gallons of premium unleaded.
-26 pallets of Jack Daniels
-5000 miles of romex
-3 milsurp huey's
-29 m2 .50 caliber machine guns
-1,500,000 rounds of linked .50 bmg ammo
-5 russian t-72 tanks
-12 mig 29's
-full flight, and ground crews for the air force.
-2,000,000 gallons of Jet A
-AP and AT mines
-2500 miles of barbed wire
-A D9 caterpillar
-road grader
-Peterbuilt dump truck
-full compliment of farm equipment including a drilling rig

Man, and to think tomorrow will be much busier.

Originally posted by Tunatarian
If I had to give advice, it would be....get to know your neighbors!

And sound advice that is indeed

Originally posted by citizen smith

Originally posted by Tunatarian
If I had to give advice, it would be....get to know your neighbors!

And sound advice that is indeed

Agreed.

It's been a little slow here at work so I decided to peruse a catalog from Midway and put together a small order for a few odds and ends to help me bring some neglected .22's back to speed.

One is a 70+ yo Winchester that was my Grand Fathers. Now Grandpa knew what survival was about. You see he had six brothers and sisters...all younger. When he was 12 yo his mother (My Great GrandMom) died. His father left them all in my Grandpas care as he headed out west for work. This was in the 30's in the mountains of North Carolina.

My Grandpa from the age of 14 became the head of house for the six brothers and sisters. This .22 put meat on the table and his abilities fishing and gardening rounded out things. Everyone pitched in...so as I was growing up I understood about hunting and fishing and all of that. I knew that squirrel was tough as heck to clean and when in a stew was awesome. Bluegill and bass are the best tasting fish, IMHO. BTW, Grandpa didn't care too much for game laws...poaching was just part of the game in keeping everyone fed.

So I'm working on this piece of history that has marvelous memories for me. When Grandpa died, the Winchester was the only thing of his that I requested.

So now this gun shoots a tad to the left, about 3" at 50yds. I'm using some Kriol to seep into the dovetail sight and will tap it to try and bring it back true.

I think i'm going to hang out with Northern Raider and laugh at the overly paranoid!

Other than that the only thing i have done today is mentally go over all my gear about twenty times. I have everything i need so i am only buying more ammo. But i still go over my gear thinking about all possible scenarios and if i will need anything else.

[edit on 6-3-2009 by Anuubis]

Tomorrow I'm taking a quick trip to a reservoir near the Pa line. This area is where I'll take my daughter fishing.

So it's a good time to start cycling through my stored gas. I'lll dump 5 gal at a time and then refill my containers with fresh and then stabil. This batch is a year old.

I spent a great day down the beach with my daughters, and on the way back we picked up a load of gear to start growing fruit and veg from home.

Never done it before, so am totaly new to it all. I want to do it as a learning curve for myself and the kids too, but i guess in the back of my mind i am thinking about the future. Yes i know it takes a few months to see rewards, but at least i'll be learning as i go.

We got a load of seeds for severaly different veggies and fruits, and will be sorting the seed trays and beds out tomorrow.

Have also been making a home for bees to hang up in the garden. Just a little project for the kids to keep them happy during the day, but also something to learn from later when the bees come.

I joined a beekeeping forum last night and found a wealth of info on keeping bees. Unfortunately i don't have the room or the neighbours for a proper hive, but reading about the keeping of them has been inspirational. Honey seems to be an amazing thing.

So yeah, thats been my day, nothing rambo today i'm afraid.

CX.