Posted: 9/16/2012 5:35:24 PM EDT
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I am fairly new in the realm of taking an organized approach to becoming more self reliant. I have always tried to keep enough food, water and supplies on hand for bad weather. Growing up in the northeast on an Island hurricanes and bad snow were not foreign concepts. Now that I'm in the southeast in the foothills it's tornado risk, flooding and ice that I have to contend with.
For pretty much all of my adult life I have been content with my supplies....until now. In the last week I have doubled my food stores from 2 weeks to 4. I have an assortment of medical supplies (with the requisite knowledge of how/when/why to use them), clothes, water and filtration, camping supplies, multiple fire starting and fuel sources and stoves for cooking, candles, lights, batteries and fuel. This is not a comprehensive list just and overview. I'm pretty sure that I Will be fine without having to leave the house during that period of time if the need arises. I am not finished covering my bases but I think I have covered the most likely emergencies. I am by no means prepared for TEOTWAWKI. But I have a decent BOB in the vehicle and am comfortable with roughing it a bit through a few weeks of SHTF. The end needs to hold off for another 15-20 years fro me to have any shot at self reliance and comfort long term. My question I guess is this. Is it unusual to have random spikes in the.... I guess urgency in which you try to get things accomplished. Do the goals stop evolving? I'm at 1 month now and I am thinking that 6 would be more comfortable. |
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Happens to me all the time as I get busy with work, family etc.
The only piece of advice I can offer is to avoid getting so caught up in preparing for the future that you stop living in the present. I'm not suggesting that this is happening to you, but if you do find yourself getting caught in a frenzy then you should step back for a bit. My big push lately has been to develop and deploy a sensible backup communications plan for family and like-minded friends. I'm in good shape in other categories, but unifying our backup communications infrastructure has been a pressing need for some time. Aside from that, I'm not doing much prep-wise outside of carbine classes and keeping my medical knowledge up to date. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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If you are like most people, there is always an evolving set of goals. Some goals "evolve" because you met them and need to set new ones. Others change because your life's circumstances change. The "urgency" with which you conduct certain activities is a function of what you perceive as the intersection of need and external events/environment.
For example, with winter coming up, you might place more urgency on making sure you have some form of backup heating available. If you have a new bundle of joy joining your family unit, there is a need to shift priorities accordingly, re-adjust preps, etc. If you see the economy taking the Thelma and Louise approach over the fiscal cliff, you're likely to focus on a different set of priorities than if you think drought-related fire might be a bigger threat to your well being. As you achieve a certain level of "disaster" and/or self sufficiency preparedness, your confidence level in your own abilities and circumstances should improve, along with having a certain level of satisfaction in having achieved same. You will then have to decide whether you want to stand pat or attempt to achieve the next "level", whatever you define that level to be. Sometimes, it helps to take a break and really see where you're at and how far you've come. Having that "inventory" in hand will also provide a more accurate roadmap of where you need to go. Just like on your job, vacation time is required away from "work life" to "recharge the batteries", so too do you need to take a break occasionally from "home life", in a manner of speaking. Do what you can, don't panic but don't be complacent either, and don't forget to live your life while you're doing all those other things. 
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I've hit a plateau myself... have lived in hurricane country since 1955, and over the last 20 or so years have identified an area or two yearly in which to procure or upgrade equipment, most recently from the lessons learned in 04/05 where we were over run by storms...I retired 3 years ago, and researched without any particular direction...unfortunately incorporated a piece meal approach.... some longer term food storage... upgrade to my pantry system for rotating canned supplies...medicaI supplies, etc..... wish I had seen the Wendy DeWitt video first....I've been a competitive practical pistol shooter since 1982, in the last 15 or so years 3 gun....I reload centerfire ammo...I have a shallow well on site, and a volume filter system...
when I catch my second wind, will try out the All American and Nesco to add to the protein storage....I think the decision will be around early November.... |
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After 30 years it all levels out. Ops I think this may be part of my problem. I think I may be trying to do a lifetime worth of work in a much more condensed time period. I'm currently trying to set up a better budget for monthly preps and to be more efficient in how I spend that money. I haven't figured out yet how to incorporate longer term foods in to daily cooking. I have a bunch more reading to do in that department. I have basic firearm groups covered but I seem to practice often enough to make it difficult to keep a decent stash of ammo. The .22 conversions have greatly reduced the .45 and 5.56 I go through now. I'm getting tired of static shooting and I think I need to either participate in some competitions or start taking some classes. Learning how to reload and getting started is also in the short list. Communications I haven't even touched yet. I have a couple of older CB radios that could be installed in a few minutes if the need arose but that's about as complex as it gets right now. Mindset..... That is killer. I can't escape from the degenerates of society. 40 hours a week I'm subjected to the worst of what an inner city has to offer. My current biggest "tinfoil" concern is that the welfare will stop flowing. That scares me more than any natural disaster likely to occur in my AO. I'm 30 miles outside a major city in a nice neighborhood but I don't think that is far enough away. My current plan has me here for about 6 more years before relocating to a more comfortable environment is feasible. Last month I took the opportunity to take and pass some blue water navigation and keelboat chartering sailing certification classes with my dad on vacation. That was another tool to put in the tool box and a nice relaxing week without cell service or television. More time away from the stresses of everyday life may be a good way for me to relax about my feeling of being under prepared. After all As inadequate as I feel my preps are, I am still better prepared than the majority of the populace. |
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Is it unusual to have random spikes in the.... I guess urgency in which you try to get things accomplished. Do the goals stop evolving? I'm at 1 month now and I am thinking that 6 would be more comfortable. Not unusual at all in my opinion and no, they never do  . You set a goal either based on new data or a new experience, then work toward it. Your pace will vary based on the significance of the hole this new factor illustrates ("caulking siding" versus "hail holes in the roof, letting in critters and weather"). It's like climbing a mountain - you reach a new height, take pride in your progress and rest a little, then you notice the next peak that you couldn't see from your last position.
My wife and I were good with about a month. Then we had a kid and wanted six months. Then we started gardening. Then we had a second kid and wanted a year. Now we grow a chunk of our food, have learned to can our own stuff, are getting to know some local ranchers for beef/pork/chicken and farmers for wheat/oats. Next step is we're looking into battery banks and alternative power sources. The only thing I'd suggest for your near-term is a plan to GTFO if things get ugly in the city. Sailing might be a good skill to have but really think through where you would go, what would trigger your decision to leave and at least three different ways of getting there. Have a plan and then practice it as much as is realistic. |
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Displacedone... if you haven't already seen the Wendy DeWitt videos on YouTube, would suggest a look....if you have an interest in practical shooting, would highly suggest a visit to a USPSA pistol match (take ear and eye protection) and talk to people, you can get an idea of their skill level just by watching...pick a squad that has stock looking pistols.... then for multi gun fun, go to a 3 gun match.... you really need to shoot a couple of pistol matches before participating in a 3 gun match...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOLuIApyNPc |
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Displacedone... if you haven't already seen the Wendy DeWitt videos on YouTube, would suggest a look....if you have an interest in practical shooting, would highly suggest a visit to a USPSA pistol match (take ear and eye protection) and talk to people, you can get an idea of their skill level just by watching...pick a squad that has stock looking pistols.... then for multi gun fun, go to a 3 gun match.... you really need to shoot a couple of pistol matches before participating in a 3 gun match... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOLuIApyNPc I haven't seen the Wendy Dewitt videos yet. I wasn't sure if I could just go and watch some competitions without being with a group or being in the competition. Sounds like more research is required at this point. |
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Displacedone...just show up with hearing and eye protection... most clubs will have an official greeter, if not just stand around fairly close to the squad and ask someone after they have shot the stage...
Georgia has a lot of active clubs.. I'm most familiar with South River Gun Club between Conyers and McDonough, and Cherokee at Gainesville, Ga...check the USPSA home page for a list of clubs http://www.uspsa.org/ |