Going to have a whack at this topic...

[fern]

I believe that those on this forum that have been in the military have a "mindset" already in place to readily face the unknown. They approach issues differently than others. Those of us that do not have that knowledge and experience are left with attempting to learn so much in such a small space of time. For me, the true beginning was when I joined this forum. Preparing is so important but truly...how does anyone prepare if they do not have constant updated information and a broad understanding of so many things that may or can happen? Not making excuses for the sheeple at all but getting a stable outlook is an internal fight and it is much easier to say...oh that could never happen and look the other way! Without true updated and daily news of the facts from many perspectives...how could anyone know?

At first I studied, read a lot of good and bad info and watched the forum input and info constantly. I would go off to other sites and read whatever they were putting out there. I followed supplier sites and prices and also survival/preparing videos and survival sites that only offered info. I purchased the books that were discussed on this forum and asked questions of everyone. Watchman can attest to that! I was slowly beginning to get an understanding that the majority of the so-called preparedness sites were not what they needed to be and preparedness suppliers are very expensive. I ordered different things from many of them in the beginning...certain foods, buckets, mylar bags, etc but upon studying my invoices and factoring those costs into 15 people times 365 days per year times x number of years, I knew there had to be a better way. A person would go broke trying to put away food purchased from those places and there would be no money to purchase all the other important items. I bought the ten for $10 sales at the grocery stores and visited restaurant wholesalers that were open to the public. I joined a wholesale club. It became a ritual for me to go to all of the different places and get what the specials or best pricing allowed and did this throughout all the months of reading and studying I was doing. The fact is...that over time...you gain better knowledge and know how to accomplish more with less. The ways will be unique to your area and your ability to troubleshoot to overcome those problems. Oh...and I discovered craigslist.

After reading Patriots and then Collapse, my mind truly started getting a better handle on a "potential" reality. I visited Rawles' blog site and although there is a lot of good info there if you want to read through a ton of letters full of opinions, the area that I was glued to for several days was the posts by other preparers listing what they had stocked in what amounts, what their homes were like and where they were located and why they chose them, and their backup plans. That was good info for me even if it didn't apply to my particular situation. It made me think and question just as this forum constantly does.

I have driven my family crazy with my constant forum talk, forwarded news, stuffing Patriots and Unintended Consequences into everyone's hands, begging for help with my lists or packing/carrying buckets/storage bins/neverending questions. In the last 16 months that I have been a part of this forum, I have changed in every single way of my life. My entire thought process is now different. I spend money differently. The thought of a vacation or an extra something that would be nice is no longer even on my radar. Every move that I now make has a solid reason behind it. I have made friends on this forum and care deeply about the people and their opinions and feedback here.

I have read and studied military manuals on almost every topic whether I will ever need or use that info or not. I spend as much time at the book sellers tables at every gun show now as I do traveling the other tables. There are new and especially old books there with info that you will never find on amazon. I have learned to go to flea markets and take my time to look and consider...the same with yard sales and previously you could not have paid me to go to a yard sale. I have always enjoyed auctions and go as often as I can now but no longer for anything I would have gone for previously. I have also noticed that often my cupboards are now bare because I am so busy thinking of the long term that I am overlooking the short term. Definitely room for improvement! I shop at general dollar and tractor supply and now have set up with wholesalers to buy in bulk. Thanks to LG, we have the same path for defense necessities and I believe I now know every army navy outlet in several states and which are the best for certain things.

I have gotten my game up to speed in so many areas (still have too many to go but I am working on it!) and it is somewhat ever changing based on current events that bring new thought processes and that same thing applies to my list of priorities, which are forever changing. Thank God I have always embraced change and truly stink at repetitive anything. Without the ability to embrace change with an open mind, it could well be too hard to ever truly try.

I still have a long way to go. Some folks in my life have a really long way to go. Not sure what I can do about it but I am going to keep trying in whatever way I can for me (so I can live with me) and for them (so hopefully they can live). If I see an opportunity I just take it. I am okay with others believing I am off my rocker. Actually I often pray that I am and all of this will just disappear with me...but it isn't going to. "The Quickening" is upon us and there is no time to waste worrying if you will offend anyone or make them dislike you. At least I am beyond caring about that...I take every opportunity I have now to plant a seed in anyone's mind that could possibly be receptive or simply to bring a question or thought to them at a later date.

So I say to every new person on this forum...go to sites that are not the mainstream for the true current events and study this forum in detail. Ask questions and share any knowledge you have because we would all appreciate it. The tiniest bit of shared knowledge can open so many other doors of discovery. I would love to list good websites for you and perhaps other forum members will add their favorites to this message so you can gather real info on current events that you will never hear about on any tv station, reality about our nation's problems and how they will affect you, what you truly need to be considering, and how to get the strongest plan possible in front of you. And please...do not believe for one nano second that there is urban or suburban survival. There are silly plans at many website on those topics...but not one is tried nor true and not one can be justified with common sense. Use your own reasoning abilities and read, read, read, study with an open mind. There is no place for any tilt whether political, religious, or culturally in this effort. It is called preparedness survival for only one reason. And...3 weeks or 3 months of food is not enough.

[308gun]

mindset , the way you think, or view things may be the most important item , you can not buy it,,, in times when i have faced great danger , i have learned to control my fears , I tell my self , DO IT, as I move forward into any danger , i have no time to panic , because what you have trained yourself ahead of , the answers come on their own , what to do next, and the best part moving forward into danger brings answers that you never did think of before hand ... you or anyone can survive , ANY WHERE , under any type of events .... YES stuff helps ,,,,,,,,,,BUT as they say MURPHY's LAW , if it can go wrong it will ,, in the end ONLY your mind and God's will can save you ........