[duke]

Through the observations of life I have noticed some things as most of you have also noticed. One thing to do with these observations is to organize them to become a tool for you to better stabilize your life. Sort of set things in perspective?

I will inject throughout this commentary what I believe are words of wisdom or one might say guidelines to avoid self destruction

One hero character of mine “Dirty Harry”once had the line...”A man has got to know his limitations” Most things in life we attempt to bring to pass in the natural require cash/income, will power, careful thought, observing others and their accomplishments and mistakes, learn from both, skill, talent, ability, cash again, drive and more. Honestly understanding what you have in your arsenal of the above and what you simply don’t have should be key in determining your realistic goals in life.

This subject is designed to help us all locate what we currently believe, expect and are prepared for or trying to prepare for. In life one can quickly discourage ourselves by setting their goals way to high to obtain from where they are...if ever. The result is we stop trying in any way after awhile.

Let me mention “Comparison” In most cases comparison leads to and ends up with one of two things happening.... One party or object being elevated and the other being lowered. Or the other persons position or accomplishments being torn down while yours are built up. In general this is non productive outside of stroking your own ego...

Now on to the subject at hand....

“What does each of us believe the future might hold for us and what steps have we taken to prepare for it”

Simple....don’t go making this complicated, alright? I will attempt in this piece to outline the levels or expectations I have heard about and place them in some form of ascending order. I am doing this to help us all identify where we are in life on this subject...not to tell you in anyway where “I:” think you should be. From this I would hope we could then break these levels up within this “site” and those who focus on a particular level or goal can more readily communicate with others of the same concerns or expectations.

Here goes;

First level, life is grand and I am confident that nothing bad will ever happen to me. Besides what little event will probably (wishful thinking here) ever occur will be in good weather anyway.

Second level, so many things could happen...why worry about it. What will be...will be.

Third level, I am a Christian or of another faith....all my needs will be provided for me...I am sure of it. They aren’t at this point in time but again I want to just believe they will be then....

Fourth level, something bad might happen to me thus I have great insurance. However bad things in life can still happen which no insurance company offers coverage for. What then? Then what happens if the insurance company fails or goes under?

Fifth level, in any economy I could lose my job and have no income. I need to start saving six months of cash to live on and build up my consumable (food, hygiene supplies, daily use stuff).

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure....

Sixth level, as long as the utilities stay on (electric, gas, water, etc.) I can stay in my home with what I am setting aside for the length of time I expect to need them.

Seventh level, something bad could happen to my area ( hurricane, earthquake, extended power outage, flood, etc.). I need to start preparing to take care of myself now in order to survive such an event which has been known to frequent my area. In that event I intend on working with my neighbors...sure hope they have some stuff and want to work with me? I must also realize that as history shows us parts of society have become much more dangerous and threatening during these events. I must take solid steps to defend myself.

In all levels of preparation balance is most important. The area you fail the most in funding will be the one most likely to fail you first...

Eighth level, I am convinced that my community will all work together for the common good...like in my good. There will food and heat for all. It is not my responsibility to figure out where it will come from...but it will because we all will need it.

I also believe in “world peace”.

Ninth level, if the grid goes down and the utilities around my region are gone I will just need to go to a shelter to stay warm and be fed. After all isn’t that what FEMA is all about? If winter my plumbing will freeze and so will I .. Just don’t have the income levels to do anything else about it.

Tenth level, my area or region could suffer a wide spread economic collapse or disaster which could result in little or no supplies and or services being available. I need to set aside more survival supplies, as my cash will not be able to help me much. Again I must be prepared to defend myself.

A word to the wise is sufficient...

Eleventh level, civil order is going down the tubes. I figured something like this could happen. There is more need among the populations than resources can provide for them. It is becoming to dangerous to even leave your home anymore. I am becoming trapped here. Was this a good place to be trapped in? I always thought so...up until now?

Twelfth level, one of my worst nightmares is happening. The grid is down and not coming on for some time. There is no fuel to be bought, no transportation, no food resupply to the stores, to darn dangerous to even go to the stores, most folks have left their homes or are being forced to because of starvation, no heat, no utilities, no normal communications. Why? Natural event? Nuke event? Terrorist event? Bio event? Economic event? Lack of planning and maintenance of our nation event? Other event? Bottom line...am I prepared for this or not? If not at least I had bought some suitcases to pack up as I am going to hit the road now....

Thirteenth level, same situation as above. However you thought this might happen, were actually able to prepare for it and are now able to last it out where you are. But for how long before you run out of supplies? Are there others with you capable of watching your back and place while you get your much needed sleep?

Fourteenth level, where I live will never work no matter how much stuff I acquired. I should have planned for a fall back location ahead of time. I knew it...too late now.

Fifteenth level, I am just going to pack up my “bug out rig” and head for the mountains. I am sure no one else will be doing that. I can live off the land because I can not really carry all that much stuff in one trip. It will be just like camping trips before in the summer....well not really and I sure hope it will be summer if I need to do that....(later) got to the woods and found all the wild life had already been consumed and..that I was sure not alone out here either.

Sixteenth level, I have the plans and means to depart from this area but am not sure where I would be headed.

Seventeenth level; I have a good location but no real supplies or fellow team players.... Someday they will find my body out here.

Eighteenth level, I realized my current location would never really last long. So I had networked with others to set up a fall back location we would meet at. However it is to late to get there now because I waited way to long to leave. I did not want to appear scared, panicked or something...

Nineteenth level, I left way early while it was still safe to travel and the roads were even open. I am now here with most of the others. We have safety in numbers, great supplies, alternate heat, out of the way location and should be able to handle most any situation for sometime.

.... I am sure I missed several level, but as all things worth doing it has a start.



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[sittinguy]

Level 4 5 6 sound like my thinking.

Seems like alot of the levels above that were variations of similar things. Like I have said before NO ONE, I personally know has anything. NOTHING.

A few people that I know just have alot of guns, and I think that gives them a false sense of security. They think they could hunt thier way to survival. Not gonna last long that way I think.

I fear the day I have to turn away freinds and family, and lie to them that I don't have much

[Boo38]

I condider myself at level ten. I don't think we'll be headed for a "Mad Max" scenario, but we might have to look out for ourselves for a few weeks or even months until things slowly return to more normal levels. I just don't want to be fighting/waiting in line for FEMA or National Guard help with all the zombies that might be running around!

[Ludi]

The whole idea of "levels" leads to comparison between one "level" and another.

[duke]

One is lost until one identifies just where they are...first. Then from there a course can be determined to obtain the goal. if where you are is your goal...great.


The levels are just one way to help determine where you really are along these lines. For the simple minded I will clear it up....comparision here is knocking where each other is.

This is simply between you and yourself.... check up in the real world.

I happen to know a dozen or so folks with more than enough for over a year. Some out to year four....

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('duke', ' ')For the simple minded I will clear it up

[duke]

Wow...I thought I had covered that point Ludi????

Try re-reading the last line of the original post we placed above... But if you can not find it...I will copy it here... read slowly:):)

.... I am sure I missed several levels, but as all things worth doing it has a start.

That sort of says the level list is not complete and you are sure welcomed to add some more to it . The more options the better. So please post you additional levels and stop tearing down someones work.

No need to feel you must use the word level...heck it only one option here. Call the goals or whatever.... just don't feel so threatened OK?

[InToWishin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('duke', 'T')hrough the observations of life I have noticed some things as most of you have also noticed.

[duke]

Never saw this site... interesting. There is only so much a poor old guy can do to try to save his family and friends. In the end...we all die.

To us prepping some is much like insurance policy shopping and buying. You hope you never need it. However there is no real insurance policy available for what we are posting about...it is up to you to pick the level of coverage you wish to have in place and then make it happen on your own.