What's First?

Generally speaking, all survivalists talk about stockpiling food, and goods, and acquiring skills.  However, I'm of the opinion that you need to start with a plan.  I've looked at a lot of sites that give lists, and some even suggest the order to buy things in.

In my ramblings on the internet, I have come across a few sites that I think offer some valuable information that can help you plan.

Food Storage Made Easy is a good site when you are trying to figure out how to get started with food storage.  They have a newsletter you can sign up for with "baby steps" to getting your food storage going on, or get the whole thing as an e-book.

Secrets of Urban Survival is another great site from David Morris.  He sells a course which helps you to decide what you need to prepare for and then how to plan your preparations.  It has gotten very good reviews, and I'm saving up to buy it for myself.  Sign up for his newsletter.  You can also check out his new book, Urban Survival Guide: Learn The Secrets Of Urban Survival To Keep You Alive After Man-Made Disasters, Natural Disasters, and Breakdowns In Civil Order.

The book One Second After has generated a certain amount of interest in preparedness due to its realistic portrayal of what could/would happen after an EMP event.  The progression of societal breakdown would be fairly similar after any large-scale sudden breakdown of the commercial system which moves food and goods around North America.  I read it with great interest and recommend it as both a good read, and food for thought.

My Two Cents' Worth

I've been reading blogs and sites about the various aspects of preparedness, survivalism, food storage, and all the scenarios that are floating around in peoples' heads about why they need to "stock up and hunker down" for quite a while now, and I thought I would post my thoughts.  Why not!  Everyone is these days it seems.

I'm in my 50s, female, and have the usual weight accumulation that seems to afflict women my age.  It's pretty hard to stay active when the fastest you can go is the speed of your youngest child.  By the time that one gets going faster, you've washed out of the race.  Sucks, but that's life.

I've been more interested in the preppers who are looking long and hard at the reality that when some disaster strikes, or slowly erodes our lifestyle, few of us are going to be able to "get out of Dodge" because there's nowhere to go.  I live on an island.  Mind you, it's a big island, but just the same, most of the goods for sale in the stores are imported from the mainland, so barring a volcano or tsunami happening here, most folks will stay put.

That having been said, I still see the value in being quietly prepared for "unquiet" times.  My partner thinks I'm a "freak" for putting by extras even though those extras saved us when I was laid off work.

My two cents' worth?  Life is uncertain, so it's just smart to prepare for the unexpected.  Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.