Must read the book The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes

interesting website... perhaps to avoid

Looks like someone is making some money off people panicking:

http://www.shelfreliance.com

The shelves are way cheaper at Costco.com. But I wouldn't mind trying some freeze-dried food... to see how horrible it is.

Might want to mention in the book NOT to go to places like this. That you can find the shelves, food, supplies at other places cheaper.

ideas for chapters/organization

Intro -- what's already happening, what could be coming, why you should care, why the suburbs are at risk

Shelter
Food/Water
Non-food items
Money/currency -- hoard and earn
Transportation
Entertainment
Medical
Community
Security

End: more extreme options


An option for organizing the chapters:

What you can do with money and little time
What you can do with time and little money
What you can do with time and money
What you can do with little money and time

Always include anecdotes of what others are doing/have tried. -- as a pull-out box?

End (or start?) each chapter with:

Best-case scenario -- how it helps you now even if nothing else goes wrong, aka how to justify to the neighbors/friends what you are doing
Worst-case scenario -- how this will help in a bad situation

random catch up post -- let's get serious again

OK, time to get serious. A new link...

Xurbia -- a Canadian who's talking about the folks in the suburbs not being ready. Awesome site.

Things to do:

Finally install that rain barrel.
Plant some radishes and carrots in the old sandbox and a few tomato plants.
Have a "no electric" day.
Try some recipes using raw rice or beans.
Stock up on more canned goods.
Sew pants for Sean and pajamas for Peter.


interview people about:

canning
raising chickens
container gardening
guns and knives
sewing
extreme options -- buying a farm

staying healthy to survive

Oh, now I remember what I was going to write about.

The BIGGEST goal of 2009 will be to lose weight, stay healthy and need fewer medications. If it is the end of the world as we know it, the start of hard financial times, and a time when we'll have to do more things for ourselves, it might be a good idea to be in the best shape we can be in. That is something major any suburban "survivalist" can do for their own good. Get off the processed foods as much as possible. Get healthier so there's less need for medicine.

If there's one goal I can accomplish this year to make me and my family more ready to handle difficult times, it's to lose some weight and get fit.

Fresh Start

New Year... time for new focus on this subject. It was easy to fall away after a delightful vacation, then the hubbub of school, lowering gas prices, an election that went "our" way (as in, the only chance we have for now of improving the economy and environment and international relations), and then the hubbub of the holidays... after all that, this blog fell by the wayside.

New Year, new resolutions... and new concerns about the future.

In 2008, we greatly increased our food supply at home. We acquired knives, a dutch oven, batteries, charcoal, and other items that may help if life in America changes. We attempted to decrease our electrical usage with very little results. We gained appreciation for the things we have and that we can do that do not require electricity. We saved money and stayed out of debt. I learned a lot more about gardening through classes and books. Outfitted our bikes to be more useful. I tried my hand at some sewing. The house is more organized. However, I never did follow through on rolling over investment accounts, and the garden still is not in. We got a rain barrel... still haven't installed it! And we got two sling shots -- the cheap goofy one actually being easier to use than the fancy one. Har.

In 2009, we're going to be researching a solar water heater. We're continuing to educate ourselves about gardening through actual experience. We're going to try to live on less money to save even more. Make more of our own (healthier) cleansers and not purchase the chemical-based ones. Continue to use the bikes (and upgrade) as much as possible. Possibly move the children to a closer school so less fuel is used for that endeavor. Get those retirement accounts into our hands (via IRAs). Do a lot more sewing.

I had something else to say... but I was interrupted by hungry children!

Back to Basics and Fertilizer

Here's a link to a pdf about fertilizer on Back-to-Basics.net

http://www.back-to-basics.net/agronomic/pdffiles/fertilizer_quality.pdf

Other things to think about ...

BlueTwilight (love the web handle by the way) opines that ...

Land would not increase in value. Without money, property owners could not pay property tax. Counties would seize the land to collect back taxes and flood the market with real estate for sale to whom ever has something the government wants in exchange. Price would plummet. It would be a massive real estate swindle benefiting wealthy businessmen leaving the middle class homeless and small farmers without farms. Possessions that could not be carried would become burdens soon to be abandoned.

Fresh air and sunlight would be worthless in a city, deemed immensely less significant that survival. People would burn everything in sight to stay warm filling the air with choking smoke blocking sunlight.

What to have on-hand if it all goes bad

With 2009 upon us, I want to start posting to this blog again.

WaveRider at the OilDrum.com offers this list of low-cost ways to provide food and be versatile ...
Purchase a dozen Frost brand blue handled fishing knives. Lovely Swedish stainless. Cost $11 to $14. Great tool and everyone can use them.

Purchase fishing rod and tackle and lures. $100 fresh water. $200 salt water

Purchase a handful of silver quarters. Each should buy a loaf of bread. Cost about $2.50 each.

Purchase a dozen Mars energy bars at $1.25 each. Well rated and taste fine

OK now you can feed yourself for 3 days and will find a body of water with an edible and saleable food source.

Longer term you need to provide a useful service or food. Fishing works well and you're already there. Sharpening tools will be useful. From scissors to saws, shovels. Become a tinker. Since communication will be toast, everyone will want it. Get a used ham rig and solar panel and become the new AT&T with bicycle messengers for final delivery. Ham licenses are now only written questions and in an ' emergency ' anybody can use a ham radio. Think what you will need. Everyone else will also need those services. $1.00 haircuts anyone?

Sure to appear for the less than fastidious are the categories of : faith healer, ' protection ' services, black marketeers, push cart food vendors, alcohol distillers, drug providers, abortionist , arsonists and butchers for pets.

Dress down and try to keep as low a profile as possible. Don't try to get ahead, just get by. Remember; " The tall poppy gets cut."

Longer term, you'll need to organize a co-op for mutual protection and reliable providing. Work by suggesting rather than leading. Avoid political organizing and arguments. Always try to help others. At the very least the Tribunal may allow you to go to re education camp.

Happy New Year . Heath and prosperity to all