Hey Andy, seems to me you are in the right frame of mind more or less. Having thought through and researched the notion of what it is you are likely to need to be prepared for, you have a better idea what to expect and how to respond.

One thing I would elaborate on is the likelihood of armed confrontation. Not going where you shouldn't be is a great step toward avoiding such a situation, but sometimes it cannot be avoided. Given the frequency with which carjackings, home invasions, parking lot assaults and such occur, I'm convinced part of my preparedness issue is being well armed and able to defend myself. It seems to me the prevalence of criminal activity in our country is getting worse overall, not better. It also seems that there's a lot of people who are on the edge, just waiting for some major incident as an excuse to loot, harm, or otherwise disturb the peace and order of our society.

Firearms are not for everyone, and you should not bother with them if you are not certain you can use them when the time comes, and be responsible about having them otherwise. It is just as disconcerting to contemplate the number of people out there who have firearms and probably shouldn't as to consider those who would willingly use them to commit offensive acts against the public.

As far as I can tell, it was the only hole in your philosophy I could poke. Otherwise I would say you are there.