"Interested to here more backstory about how and why your preparedness perspective has evolved."

Some of places I've been and the people I met there give me so much of a better perspective on what it means to be "prepared" for all kinds of things.

In particular:
Ukraine - huge recent protests, all that Russian stuff in the east, not so long ago collapse of soviet union. They were burning furniture in improvised wood stoves in their apartments to stay warm just one generation ago. A great perspective on what is possible and necessary to deal with a terrible urban situation.

Belarus - actual current totalitarian state, wildly devalued currency, all of the economic chaos of the former soviet union lingers. Learned a great deal about how to get what you need when you can't buy or own what you need.

Cypress - a civil war that kind of just slowed to a halt and left a UN buffer zone between two nations. Great food and surreal to walk through the gates from the Greek to the Turkish side. Learned that conflict zones can have great tea.

London - all the things that are London. There will always be a London. My corporate apartment there was damaged in WWII, was damaged by the IRA bombings and is over one of the 2005 bombing tube stations. People in London have seen some things and have a point of view that is downright cool.

Los Angeles - wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, etc.. I stay with a friend there who is in a lovely home, in a lovely area, in massive wildfire risk area. It's wonderful to be there. He always has a bag packed.

New York - all the things that make New York what New York is. I used to live in Manhattan. New Yorkers are annoyed by terrorism, not scared of it.

In these travels, I started to question my role in an emergency, got more realistic about what I can do (or not) and what my intentions are for carrying all that stuff.

In short - you don't need much, you won't get to use much, and what you do use will be simple.