Anyone else preparing just for the fun of it?

I'm not personally too worried about the future; I'm in a strategically insignificant location far away from any volcanoes or fault lines, and generally well protected against tsunamis, that has never had a tornado or hurricane hit. I'm generally pretty upbeat about the future. But I'm stocking up for a sitX just the same.

Why? Just because of how fun it is, to make plans and hoard interesting survival things, some of which I have no business owning. Body armor? guns? absurd quantities of nonperishables and water? Not part of my daily routine. Why have them? Because they're pretty cool things to have around, and god forbid something too interesting happens, they might come in handy.

Maybe it's because I'm an eagle scout, but I think it's fun to learn all kinds of useful survival tips. Gardening, metalworking, electrical engineering, first aid, and auto repair are all useful skills to have in almost any circumstance.

Seems like it's a decent time to make plans for the unforeseeable; you'll at least get some interesting conversations out of it.

I for one plan to, when my laptop is badly outdated, stock it with all the technical knowledge I can get together (including a backup of wikipedia), and bury it with the power inverter I bought for it, and a multimeter, inside a sealed, metal lined box that will act as a Faraday cage.

Anyone else think this way? Or do y'all got some specific upcoming unforseeable event in mind?

reply to post by mdiinican


Somebody has to do it.

Our government gave up on Our Citizens civil defense in the late 50's. ) Russia and China Did'nt )

We are on our own, Katrina Style. Get it?

It just was'nt evident to most people until then.

I'd much rather have a Big Screen, and a boom box stereo, and go to Alcapulco, and eat out at a nice restaraunt.

I'd love to have 22 inch rims and hydraulics. On my 1994 Honda.

I'd love to see the new Indiana Jones movie.

I'd love to have a credit line to buy faded ripped jeans and Air Jordans.

I really want a big dollar sign made out of gold to hang around my neck.

I want to pimp my ride.

I want a Harley.

I want to go to a topless bar and spend 100 dollars in a half hour.

I want to buy the bar a round... or two.

I want Satellite TV and Sirrus Satellite Radio.

I want an X box and computer that screams.

I want I want I want...... what Everyone else has.

Ignorance is bliss. Truly......

Once you peer into Pandoras Box, there is No shutting the lid.

I wouldnt call it "fun", its a necessity in 2008 USA.

In the Last 45 Years, we all got screwed.

Best regards,

Blitzkreigen

Just for the fun of it Blitz? That type of rhetoric is unsettling at best. Whoa, actually opened my eyes and read. I get it.

[edit on 5/20/2008 by jpm1602]

reply to post by jpm1602


Everything I see people doing today ( in my city anyway ) is short sighted to say the least.


All that stuff I listed, is what I would call "Useless" in a Sit X.

Thats what I see people doing. ( Lets loot Tv's in a FLOOD with no power )

I still would not call Preparing "fun" 'light' and 'entertaining', but Practical, Logical and Truly a necessity.

I do get a deep sense of self sufficiency knowing I can have a gallon or two to drink and a few saltine crackers with packets of peanut butter by candlelight if necessary. A good history book to read about the way things were supposed to be. ( bill of goods )

I really dont miss a big honkin chain around my neck, or the X box.

I really dont know what those people are gonna do when TSHTF.

I guess they are Having Their Fun Now though huh?

Best Regards,

Blitzkreigen

Originally posted by Blitzkreigen
( Lets loot Tv's in a FLOOD with no power )

This is one one the best examples of how crazy people can get in a disaster..
It makes you wonder if they are a totally different breed of human.

Maybe lash the TV's together to make a boat..??

It's the like movie scene where there is a 10-mile wide comet heating towards Earth at 200,000mph ...
...so people steal radios and microwave ovens!!

Ah well... I suppose it shows an underlying optimism that thing would improve and they'd have somewhere to plug them in.


I have a lot of those useless items you listed ..and more.. but also a total willingness to abandon them at a drop of a hat..

[edit on 20-5-2008 by AGENT_T]

Understood Blitz, and well understood. The true patriots will be known when the time comes. Initially totally missed the rasberries.

[edit on 5/20/2008 by jpm1602]

reply to post by jpm1602




Thats why there is the bunny hole

Hide hide hide away live to fight another day.

I have a feeling True Patriots are gonna be the targets. As well as the Christians.

Woefully outnumbered, Woefully outgunned, Woefully out of date.

Never Outsmarted.

Best regards,

Blitzkreigen

They will have to shoot me in the face. Mano a mano. American to American. Tienaman style.

Originally posted by AGENT_T

Originally posted by Blitzkreigen
( Lets loot Tv's in a FLOOD with no power )

This is one one the best examples of how crazy people can get in a disaster..
It makes you wonder if they are a totally different breed of human.

Maybe lash the TV's together to make a boat..??

It's the like movie scene where there is a 10-mile wide comet heating towards Earth at 200,000mph ...
...so people steal radios and microwave ovens!!

What still gets me is all the hotel freezers and restaraunt stock rooms that went untouched RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET fom the "Dome", while people killed for snickers bars and bottled water inside.

That feeling of "things will get better " and "I can plug my TV back in" lasted about 20 hours. Then it stated getting really really ugly.

I cant see the National guard coming in 3 or 4 days later to "Restore Order" on a National Level, and being very successful without massive force applied against citizens.

Nope this is not FUN... and it is not good for the average Joe or Jane and billy and sally. there are Not many choices...

Do you take the Red Pill or do you take the Blue pill....

There is no going back. Most choose to stay asleep.

Just how far 'down the rabbit hole' do you think the average person could handle?

Nope Not fun... Necessity to be self sufficient.

Blitzkreigen

reply to post by mdiinican


About 25 gallons worth of water bottles...haven't stocked on the toilet paper/napkins yet...medical supplies...duct tape...rechargeable batteries...those relflective survival blankets...some dehydrated food rations...and I can't own a gun yet so waiting on that...and i was thinking of getting some body armor and pixelated urban camo from an online surplus store...

better safe than sorry I think.

Hmmm... For the fun of it?

When given the choice between sitting inside in the air conditioning, playing GTA 4 on my 360, or working outside in 100+ degree heat to try and develop a super-efficient way to grow tomatoes in my back yard, which would count as fun versus a helluva lot of hot, stinking, sweaty, sunburny work?

Likewise, I'm an Eagle Scout. I love learning things, especially things that help me survive, but the practical and efficient application of those things requires practice, and that practice often requires work and money and time that could be going towards far more enjoyable activities.

That said, I'm man of the house. Not in the "woman, bring me a beer and my slippers and cook me some dinner" sort of way, but rather in the "survival of my wife and child is my absolute primary responsibility" sort of way. The absolute highest chance of surviving Situation X is in being prepared; one's reaction is secondary to that. So I keep us prepared.

I start small: smoke detectors, battery checks, tire pressure checks, keeping at least half a tank of gas in the car at all times, flashlight by the bed, 3 days food and water in the closet, emergency plan for tornadoes and storms, etc. Then I work my way up towards bigger and grander schemes: how to grow a food supply for the family, get an emergency radio, 8 mile walkie talkies, weapons, keeping house repair materials, lumber and hand-tools on-hand, etc.

It's not a hobby, or a fun activity. When I want fun, I play with my son, or go on a date with the wife, or play a video game. But my "fun" time rarely amounts to more than an hour a day, because the rest of the time I'm either working my job, working our preparedness, doing everyday chores, or sleeping.

I just consider working our preparedness as part of daily life that must be done, and anything I can do to increase that preparedness skillset is another way that I've helped prevent my family from coming to harm. It's not fun, it's just common sense, responsibility, and taking one's job as man of the house seriously.

I'm just taking life as it comes after about 35 surgeries and now having strokes I'm just trying to do what I want,I just feel sorry for my kids and grandkid,if the world was to end they would lose out on lifes experiances some very bad some very good ,I just wish they to could live and learn,but I am prepared always have been have camping gear and all,try to teach kids some survival skills

I've come to the conclusion that I prepare because I'm a total paranoid born 50,000 years too late to fit in with modern society.

If I were single and had no family, I'd say bring on the Apocalypse! But from the prospective of a parent and husband, I pray it never comes.

Should it happen though, I'm prepared.

Mentally, yeah i'm prepared.

Prepared the same way that kung-fu masters were mentally prepared when they decided to create a new martial art, the same way that the medieval tinkerers were mentally prepared when they decided to create a new gadget for travelling the oceans of the world, mentally prepared the same way that a soldier is when faced with mile after mile of enemy territory.

Acknowledgement of the fact that you are in a survival situation is half the battle, i believe.

[edit on 20-5-2008 by Anti-Tyrant]

At least, for someone like myself that is still living in the illusion of luxury that the modern world offers, yeah, i'm prepared.

I put the OP right up there with the mindset of people who go to websites like rotten dot com and watch movies like faces of death.

Read my lips there is nothing fun about tragedy. its not a game, its post like this that give survivalist a bad name. I had to read the post twice to make sure it wasn't a joke.

[edit on 20-5-2008 by angryamerican]

You got three regular types.

1. The allstar. He does everything so he does not have to worry. This is the adult version of the boyscout/eagle scout. might be ex military, or other but is smart enough and proud enough to take care of himself and family.

2. The Not again. These folks live in places where ma nature kicks their buts constantly. For them feeding the kids a dry roof and water are a constant on their minds. Ma nature has done them wrong so many times they are just waiting for the next round. (me, cause the river does rise and ziplock bags don't cure everything)

3. The scared rabbit. These people wake up one day and realize they are adults and need to be able to take care of themselves. They often by big generators and expensive things they don't need because they never went through a flood, hurricane etc. Newbs making costly mistakes.





The 'others'.

1. paranoiac. who knows what is going on with these types..... they worry me.

2. rambo wannabees. Usualy found on the paintball course every saturday. Lots of talk and no preparation or tested skills.

3. The idiot, like the guy ranting about closing off his valley from the outside world. You know where the stores , hospitals and emergency services like police and fire are.

Originally posted by Illahee

3. The scared rabbit. These people wake up one day and realize they are adults and need to be able to take care of themselves. They often by big generators and expensive things they don't need because they never went through a flood, hurricane etc. Newbs making costly mistakes.

There's a difference between a scared rabbit and a rabbit who knows he is going to make mistakes, and that it's nessecary to maintain a high level of mental agility in order to compensate for them.

The best i can say about myself is that i don't make the same mistake twice, and i'm quick enough to realise i've made a mistake before the plan backfires.

Modesty is quite important in all this, you realise?

Originally posted by Blitzkreigen
All that stuff I listed, is what I would call "Useless" in a Sit X.

Thats what I see people doing. ( Lets loot Tv's in a FLOOD with no power )

True, but assuming that global civilization itself hasn't ended just because of a flood, they've just scored a television, representing like two months of wages, without consequence. As long as they can survive until the authorities "help", their douchebaugery has scored them a hell of a luxury item.

That said, I'd certainly expect people to do dumb # like that even in a global catastrophe, one that could well mean no electricity for decades, if ever again.

reply to post by Blitzkreigen


"When I sent you without a purse bag or sandals did you lack anything?" "Nothing they answered." "But now if you have a purse, take, it and also a bag, and if you do not have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one".

"See Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough" he replied.