I'm very boring. I plan and prep for what is likely to happen -- If it has happened here in the last ten years it will likely happen again. ( Though our '100 year floods' seem to be hitting every 12 years or so...)


So I plan for boring things; storms, 1 day water off, or power out and not the sexy ones like (*insert banned topic of your choice here*) or Godzilla.

I don't plan for everything and I don't have 9 months of food; but I do have working smoke alarms and a flashlight. Pragmatic and boring.

Science and statistics - that's how I roll.

I think it was Roald Amundsen, the arctic explorer, who said (more or less) that "adventure" was just another word for poor planning. Real survival is rather boring, and it is best to keep it that way. Inevitably, there will be plenty of adventure.

Every day is a survival situation. Stop at a stop sign and you are one set of failed brakes away from massive trauma, bleeding, a potential catastrophic fire and a whole lot of pain and suffering; a survival situation.

Safety, sometimes just being aware and careful, is the boring side of survival. It also provides the best return on investment. Not every survival situation is survivable; but every survival situation you avoid is.

i'm the same way. i started by feeling "grown up" by having some extras on hand, then got freaked when i became a parent and tried to prep for everyhing, and now i'm right in the middle of the road, prepping for the most likely scenarios, like waiting out bad weather for a few days, an injury on the trail, on ending up in a ditch and having to wait for a tow, etc.

I don't know what the rest of the conversation was about, but I overheard a conversation between two women:

"I don't care what I'm short of as long as I've got plenty of diapers."

I'm assuming she had a baby/child.

Sue

I'm with you. The zombies will have to wait their turn.

It's like the news, the well-prepared and thinking traveler doesn't make the news, the unprepared and dumb always do.

Sue

One of my favorite quotes:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen

I do not wish to start a flame war with our British friends about their beloved national hero Robert Falcon Scott, but I believe the difference in the preparations and attitude was paramount in the outcome of the two parallel South Pole expeditions. Every minute tiny detail of the equipment of Amundsen (who succeeded) was scrutinized, tested and improved. They did not include a single item that was not proven field worthy. Compare that with the struggles of Scott (who died in his herculean struggle to get back) to get even started ... (including snow tractors and horses, both of which 1. did not work very well in the snow, 2. broke down/died). I am thoroughly impressed by the stamina and courage of both Amundsen and Scott, but in terms of preparations, it is no doubt that one is a positive example and the other is not.

LOL and shaking my head. Rookie mistake, on so many levels!

Nh,

Good point - and an unexpected benefit. For me its basics, basics, basics...And plan at lest a little bit ahead.

Teacher

...... and I tell you, nothing will wreck your day quicker than not having diapers for the little one.