Prepper brain?

[spencer rifle]

I'm afraid I've gotten a bit OCD about all this.
In the morning when getting out cereal and milk, I think "Won't be long before I'll have to grind my own grain and have my own cow to get this."
Brushing teeth? "Will likely be using baking soda for toothpaste, and a bucket since there will be no running water."
Toilet? "Soon will be using old rags that go into bleach water after wiping, and refilling the toilet with a bucket afterwards to flush."
Newspaper? "Soon none of that, which might not be a bad thing."
Flick on a light? "Might be striking a match to a lamp someday soon."
A/C? "Better get used to high humidity and windows open in summer."
Turn on the tap? "Make sure I have plenty of good buckets to haul water from the river."
Get in the car? "I'm gonna miss driving."
Etc.

While it does get me thinking about and acquiring potential alternatives, it sucks some of the spontaneous joy out of today. But I spend most of the day really appreciating all the wonderful things we have that so many will never have.

The happiest outcome would be dying at home surrounded by family and realizing "It was all for nothing - I never needed it."

 

[Tactically Fat]

Seems that perhaps your mentality is sucking the joy out of your life a little bit?

 

[spencer rifle]

Seems that perhaps your mentality is sucking the joy out of your life a little bit?

Somewhat. When we still had kids at home I was my direct and unevadable responsibility to provide for them. Now that we are about to be empty-nesters for the first time in over 30 years, some change is in order.

I usually don't worry too much - I study alternatives, acquire knowledge and skills, and leave it in the Big Guy's hands.

 

[Leadeye]

When the gardener and I talk about this I figure we could go a fair amount of time with out a lot of convinces even though we enjoy them. Growing up rural and ag probably has something to do with that thinking. I've wondered sometimes how long the country would last with the electricity off, and what it would look like.

I see the future more as a steady decline in standard of living as everything gets more expensive, but I take some hope as that's what the late 70s looked like and things got better.

 

[maxwelhse]

The happiest outcome would be dying at home surrounded by family and realizing "It was all for nothing - I never needed it."

Despite everything we see around us, that really is the most likely outcome. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and take what comes has always been how I try to do it.

The real truth of the matter is that I know if everything went to pot the best I could really hope for is to end up as a cook or a mechanic in a camp somewhere, hopefully for the good guys. Even if I had all of the resources I would ever need, I'd have no way to secure them by myself and I'm no elite operator that is going to pretend that I could. So... worrying about being able to do it all, or do it perfectly, or whatever else isn't something I occupy much of my mind with.

Each day I get a little older, a little slower, and just generally a little worse. But what I also get is a little wiser, slightly more skilled in general, a little better supplied, and a little better educated. In the long run the supplies and education will be more valuable to a community than they would be to me alone even if I had every resource possible.

So... Don't sweat it. You're going to end up being one of the camp elders. Learn to dance!

 

[Magyars]

With the current JIT supply chain breakdown, and seeing the empty shelves plus little depth in some of the product on hand I believe it's prudent to ( at the very least ) think about back ups and items that can do double duty.....

 

[spencer rifle]

Each day I get a little older, a little slower, and just generally a little worse. But what I also get is a little wiser, slightly more skilled in general, a little better supplied, and a little better educated. In the long run the supplies and education will be more valuable to a community than they would be to me alone even if I had every resource possible.

This. Because I'll never get rich in my field, we have long depended on skills to get by. From conversations with younger people, it would appear that many of the skills we learned are vanishing. People don't know how to sew on a button or make yogurt or repair a ripped item or change brake pads or get tomatoes to grow, much less anything about replacing a head gasket or making maple syrup or butchering a deer or harvesting ramps or processing acorns. SWMBO had 8th grade students that didn't know that boiling water was hot or what a cucumber was. She works with late 20-somethings that don't know how to do their own laundry. Canning jars are for drinking out of, ground meat comes from the store.

Learning those things, whatever the motivation, helps make a well-rounded human. Our children know most of them, but they are anomalies. When the phones go off the fun will really start.

Since we will be looking for a new place in a few years, I still find myself analyzing each location for afternoon shade, access to multiple water sources, defense aspects, proximity to population centers, fireproofness, etc.

 

[maxwelhse]

This. Because I'll never get rich in my field, we have long depended on skills to get by. From conversations with younger people, it would appear that many of the skills we learned are vanishing. People don't know how to sew on a button or make yogurt or repair a ripped item or change brake pads or get tomatoes to grow, much less anything about replacing a head gasket or making maple syrup or butchering a deer or harvesting ramps or processing acorns. SWMBO had 8th grade students that didn't know that boiling water was hot or what a cucumber was. She works with late 20-somethings that don't know how to do their own laundry. Canning jars are for drinking out of, ground meat comes from the store.

Learning those things, whatever the motivation, helps make a well-rounded human. Our children know most of them, but they are anomalies. When the phones go off the fun will really start.

Since we will be looking for a new place in a few years, I still find myself analyzing each location for afternoon shade, access to multiple water sources, defense aspects, proximity to population centers, fireproofness, etc.

I know about half of that stuff. I'll never be as skilled of a hunter as someone who started when they were 5 even if I tried my hardest now. But, I don't need that guy to know how to fix the generator or the irrigation system. I got that. I also have plenty of ammo for him to use to put the food in my face hole. I believe that's what the apocalypse, that is really unlikely to come, will look like if any of us expect to survive.

I believe the people that don't even know how to turn a washing machine on are just going to be dead. Other stupid people, but armed stupid people, will shoot them for a can of soup. Eventually those armed stupid people will find armed skilled people and I'm hoping to be fixing generators and stews while other people that know what they're doing are taking out the trash.

---

Side bar: I'm also in the market for some land in the coming years and availability of fresh water, particularly flowing fresh water, is a big deal for me too. Even if everything is awesome for the rest of my days, snatching some fresh fish to munch, tinkering with my own hydroelectric setup, and having a good fire control system would all be strongly in my plus column just as nice/fun/good ideas.

Avoiding population centers is mandatory. There are no "good days" coming for the cities.

 

[Lex Concord]

This. Because I'll never get rich in my field, we have long depended on skills to get by. From conversations with younger people, it would appear that many of the skills we learned are vanishing. People don't know how to sew on a button or make yogurt or repair a ripped item or change brake pads or get tomatoes to grow, much less anything about replacing a head gasket or making maple syrup or butchering a deer or harvesting ramps or processing acorns. SWMBO had 8th grade students that didn't know that boiling water was hot or what a cucumber was. She works with late 20-somethings that don't know how to do their own laundry. Canning jars are for drinking out of, ground meat comes from the store.

Learning those things, whatever the motivation, helps make a well-rounded human. Our children know most of them, but they are anomalies. When the phones go off the fun will really start.

Since we will be looking for a new place in a few years, I still find myself analyzing each location for afternoon shade, access to multiple water sources, defense aspects, proximity to population centers, fireproofness, etc.

A Man should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
-- Robert Heinlein

I've always agreed with that philosophy; I DIY whenever I have the time. Still much to learn.

 

[2in1evtime]

My wife wanted to know why i kept all my old socks,-shirts, practically anything that was cloth--- told her there may come a day that since shr goes thru so much TP and can't get any she will have something to use didn't go over so well, but she is a prepper and never really thought about that scenario

 

[Steve]

Better to have and not need than to need and not have. :0)

 

[JeepHammer]

I'm afraid I've gotten a bit OCD about all this.
In the morning when getting out cereal and milk, I think "Won't be long before I'll have to grind my own grain and have my own cow to get this."
Brushing teeth? "Will likely be using baking soda for toothpaste, and a bucket since there will be no running water."
Toilet? "Soon will be using old rags that go into bleach water after wiping, and refilling the toilet with a bucket afterwards to flush."
Newspaper? "Soon none of that, which might not be a bad thing."
Flick on a light? "Might be striking a match to a lamp someday soon."
A/C? "Better get used to high humidity and windows open in summer."
Turn on the tap? "Make sure I have plenty of good buckets to haul water from the river."
Get in the car? "I'm gonna miss driving."
Etc.

While it does get me thinking about and acquiring potential alternatives, it sucks some of the spontaneous joy out of today. But I spend most of the day really appreciating all the wonderful things we have that so many will never have.

The happiest outcome would be dying at home surrounded by family and realizing "It was all for nothing - I never needed it."

And there you have it...

'Prepper' is a scared bunny completely baffled by politics, infighting and opinions pressed upon them by others.

Sustainable is a person that's actually DOING SOMETHING rather than hiding some crap in the basement...

'Preppers' don't have the education, and refuse to aquire the education, to DO FOR THEMSELVES.

Every single 'Prepper' I've ever met wants someone else to do the work and have someone else make the stuff for them.

I saw a rich 'Prepper' that bought into the 12/21/12 thing and wasted over $3 million dollars on stuff that got flooded, ruined or stolen because he had other people do everything for him...
Bad judgment all around.

Can't knit a sock or repair a garment?
Better get back to the NON-'Consumer' economy!

Things built to last, do for yourself...
60-120 year old sewing machines that have lasted 60-120 years and only needed cleaning & tuning.
I pick them up for as little as free, up to $45...




Circular sock knitting machines, 70-140 years old, still work great, no electrical power required.
Socks, scarfs, mittens, caps, etc are all 20 minutes to an hour away with these.
$35 in junk stores to $1,000 brand new.



Don't want to carry water on your back, have cut wood or waste fuel to clean/boil it?
Some solar panels, pipe and a DC pump, runs directly off the panels.
Wait until you actually have to supply yourself/family/household with water and you will realize how back breaking & endless a job it is...
Maybe forget about stockpiling toilet paper or ammo and get a pump/power.

A MANUAL grain grinder is $20.
A cordless drill with dead battery is $5 at a yard sale.
A solar panel makes DC electricity directly,
And in the 4.5 billion year history of planet earth, the sun has never failed to rise.
Drill + grain grinder + solar panel = powered food processor.

No matter how long the guns/ammo are cooked, you still can't stick a fork in the gravy,

Think about what 'Survival' actually means...

A very big change in situation in a very short period of time.

Once food, water & shelter are obtained, then is a question of SUSTAINABILITY,
How do you replace the food you initially found?
How do you produce enough water to wash with/grow crops/water any livestock, etc?

Ignorance is killed by education, simple to solve.

Scared, Lazy & Stupid are life long...

 

[Magyars]

Better to have and not need than to need and not have. :0)

Use it up
wear it out
Make it do
Or do without

 

[BigRed]

I must be hungry.....read the title as peppered brain.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I hate the term or concept of “prepper.”

I have been a survivalist since I was a kid. Just because the term survivalist got coopted by the popular culture to mean religious whacko hoarding beans, guns, and gold, didn’t make it so.
Survivalism is based on the tenet that one will survive and thrive. Doesn’t matter what. From TEOTWAWKI and SHTF, to major life events that can and do happen to all of us like loss of job or partner or health.
Skills and “preps” are part of it, but more important is attitude.

Far from making me worried about “what if,” I don’t have existential dread because I know I will handle it. Even if “it” is a terminal illness diagnosis or life altering accident. Both being more likely than complete societal collapse.

 

[Leadeye]

I still use old socks as wrist cuffs in cold weather. Keeps the cold air from getting around your gloves and help with those outside jobs when you have to take gloves off.

 

[Cozy439]

I have had friends ask if I was a "Prepper" because of what I have done around my home. Much of what I have done, I learned from my folks, grandparents and great-grandparents (and I still have MUCH to learn). Stuff they had to do daily from the 1880s into the 1970s. They were not preppers, they just did what they needed to do. Has modern life made many things easier? A lot easier? Yep. Folks in here understand how fast much of that could "go-away" very quickly. Spencer Rifle, Jeep Hammer, Shibumiseeker and many others here understand that and have said it in their own ways. World geo-political events not withstanding (and I am NOT ruling them out) we still get blizzards, storms, droughts, etc. YOU should be able to DO what you NEED TO DO. Some day you may need to DO IT.

 

[NKBJ]

No cell phones or pepperoni pizza.
The world will sink into madness.

 

[JeepHammer]

I have had friends ask if I was a "Prepper" because of what I have done around my home. Much of what I have done, I learned from my folks, grandparents and great-grandparents (and I still have MUCH to learn). Stuff they had to do daily from the 1880s into the 1970s. They were not preppers, they just did what they needed to do. Has modern life made many things easier? A lot easier? Yep. Folks in here understand how fast much of that could "go-away" very quickly. Spencer Rifle, Jeep Hammer, Shibumiseeker and many others here understand that and have said it in their own ways. World geo-political events not withstanding (and I am NOT ruling them out) we still get blizzards, storms, droughts, etc. YOU should be able to DO what you NEED TO DO. Some day you may need to DO IT.

I get clean food, and exactly how I like it.
No rule says sustainable can't taste good!

I enjoy target shooting, not exactly an accident I shoot military style rifles more than anything else since I was in the military 16 years.

It's not an accident I can see most of the important things from my house.
Line of sight keeps things where I put them, they don't get carried off by random people.
The trees, buildings, fences have range from my patio painted on them.
This was for coyotes, cats & other varmints that infested the place when I got it, but it works for other things too...

Buy quality, durable, take care of it.
The frivolous stuff makes you take care of it, while concentrating on things that work for you things get much easier, or make you more capable.
A big house you only sleep in costs you a lot of money,
While a big shop makes money should you choose to have a home business.

I don't want to take care of 3,000 firearms,
I can only shoot one at a time, cleaning is time consuming, proper storage & security get expensive...

My tools, canning equipment, etc doesn't kill people should it be stolen.
I do take responsibility for my firearms, same with chemicals, etc.

I don't entirely discount social upheaval, but invasion by foreign power is about 0%.
Too many firearms, vehicles, stored food, etc for a foreign power to have a supply line crossing an ocean to invade.
More likely to have upheaval in US citizens and that will be short lived, but it will create shortages, manufacturing/supply chain problems.

Pandemics, like current COVID issues create manufacture, processing & supply chain problems.
Have two or three of these at once, shelves get bare.

Trucking companies are having problems with parts suppliers, that takes trucks off the road,
Manufacturers & processors are having supply chain issues along with labor issues, that's causing supply problems.

Panic buying, toilet paper, ammo, etc are headline news,
But nothing about 1/3 truck driver shortage, the usual 7 days of fresh food in the supply chain is down to 24 hours,
Food is rotting in the fields without labor to harvest it.

Although US producers have a surplus of petroleum products, export of US production is keeping prices on the rise...

If a guy had $10,000 to spend, I'd tell them insulation in the home to reduce energy costs,
Switch to energy efficient everything to reduce energy costs.
Conservation of the heat, cooling you already spent the money on is the best money you will spend.
It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Learning how to garden,
Just some planters,
Learn to adjust soil pH, what grows best in what pH, what will and won't grow well together, water effectively, compost for fertilizers,
You can go larger scale if you have the working knowledge, but without it your attempts from scratch will take at least a couple of years for good production/effective use of space.

'I Specialize' are words that lead to failure when a 'Generalist' is needed.
When SHTF happens (and it's happened to every civilization, no reason to think it won't happen to ours)
You will need to be a 'Jack Of All Trades',
A good working plan today is better than a 'Perfect' plan that never happens, or you don't have materials/education to do...

 

[rugertoter]

When the gardener and I talk about this I figure we could go a fair amount of time with out a lot of convinces even though we enjoy them. Growing up rural and ag probably has something to do with that thinking. I've wondered sometimes how long the country would last with the electricity off, and what it would look like.

I see the future more as a steady decline in standard of living as everything gets more expensive, but I take some hope as that's what the late 70s looked like and things got better.

There is always ups and downs in the economy, but it seems like our society is taking more steps down than up...that is what worries me. As a people are concerned, you can only go so many steps, before you bottom out.

Maybe the American people, as a whole, will start climbing back up those stairs? I sure hope so, because I don't feel like living through the whole "bottoming out" thing. Time will tell.