I make it a habit to carry my PSK at all times, even though it is geared to wilderness use and other gear is in abundance. This past week I forgot it once and mislaid it twice. Last night in a dream I was standing next to Tom Hanks on an island. With calm demeaner and manly pose I extracted the PSK from my pocket and opened it. It was full of ALTOID MINTS AND THEY WERE CINNAMON! I don't even like the cinnamon! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

LOL... I need not say more!

How do you guys fit these things into Altoid cans? Mine takes up an entire rucksack! <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Vacuum sealer! <img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Chris

A whole lot of fiddling, wasted money, and trial and error. It can be quite a fun and frustrating task!

My wife carries an Altoids tin of cinnamon, too. I don't like cinnamon altoids. They leave a funny taste in your mouth.

I think I have to loosen up, as well. I was talking with my sister and got to talking about 9/11 (which is a bit of an issue with me). Her views are completey contrary to mine. She thinks, oh well, if it's your time to go, what are you gonna do? Why worry?

Me, I worry. My views tend more toward worrying, scanning every area I enter for people who look like terrorists, carrying a kit everywhere I go, and half-wishing our country had the rocks to take the Enola Gay out of mothballs and kick some SERIOUS ass. Screw this coalition nonsense. Do it the way Harry Truman would have. Get Fatman and Little Boy and bomb the bad guys back into the stone age.

My sister looked at me with widened eyes, and said, you need to chill out.

After thinking it over, I really have to agree.

Does anyone here know how to chill out?

I need some hints.

I always use my 100 year rule. When I find myself getting my psyche all tangled up in something HORRIBLY IMPORTANT, I ask myself"self, will this matter in a hundred years?." Few things do and it helps to clarify what will.

I don't use an Altoids tin. I use a zippered cosmetics bag that does not look overly femine.

I agree completely. That said, what really kills is that when I mentioned the Enola Gay to my sister, she asked me, "What's that?"

That is very, very, sad.

Just what in the hell are they teaching kids in school these days?

Just enjoy your life. Taking chances is a vital part of living, so try to take some.
It took me some time to realize that trying to be prepared for just about anything makes your life miserable. Constantly trying to find one more scenario to be prepared for does it even more.
There´s no real need to worry about things you can´t influence anyway. When your time has come you´ll have to go. There won´t be any bargaining. I see no need to hurry it though.

BTW:
I´m for being reasonably prepared and I have several kits. Those kits are adapted for different occasions. And I don´t leave home without one.