Comfortably Secure.

triple divide · #1 07/22/13, 09:45 PM

I have a confession to make. I've never considered myself "normal". Well, at least not normal in the eyes of the majority of the population, especially the baby-boom generation.

Let me explain. Lately on this forum there have been several really good, well thought out posts with some excellent feedback from a lot of members here. Kudos to us all. The good, bad and ugly comments thread comes to mind as well as another thread that is still currently developing by a member that is somewhat new to prepping. Good for her to take charge of her life and listening to her instincts to prep. I have a saying I believe in to my core; "Trust your instincts. They will rarely let you down as often as other people will."

Prepping, at least to me, is empowering. Yet, I have to admit, I can't help myself.

Let me explore this a little deeper using myself as an example. I'm not what I would consider a "pack-rat" In fact compared to some of the preppers on this forum, I would blush to have to compare my preps to some others that have been kind enough to share their individual set-ups. But! I'm comfortable with my preps and feel relatively secure that I have done my job as a man, husband and father.

As long as I can remember I have been laying in food and supplies as best I could afford. It's just something I've always done. It's who I am. I can no more change this fact about me than I can change the color of my eyes. For years, when company would come, I would always catch those sideways glances from my relatives or friends when they see our pantry, cupboards, shelves, etc. stocked in, what I would consider, a normal fashion. So, I gave up trying to explain our household habits and trying to educate people (which only seemed to confirm to our guests I was nuts) and just told people I stored food for the church pantry until the end of the month to restock the shelves (sorry Lord). This seemed to work.

Now, as prepping has gone a little more mainstream and some very nice people are feeling the inexplicable desire to prep, let me offer a little advise. Don't pay one bit of attention to your peers, friends, or relatives as you strike out down this new trail. Learn to laugh to yourselves when you catch those sideways glances. Get comfortable with the knowledge you are doing something for yourself and your family's security. Most of all, get used to the idea that you are no longer "normal" After all, something brought you here, right? You followed your instincts. Now, just press on and to hell everyone else.

We are all in different stages of prepping, don't get discouraged by not having started earlier or not having that kick-butt solar/wind hybrid power system yet. Everything will come together just fine. All in time. You'll see.

unregistered65598 · #2 07/22/13, 10:21 PM

Wow!!!! and Just wow!!!! Triple, that was an amazing post!

AR Transplant · #3 07/22/13, 10:34 PM

well said. I loved the " it's for the church " line, I might steal that from you.

Are you a little worried about too many knowing that you are a "crazy prepper"?

triple divide · #4 07/22/13, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merks

Wow!!!! and Just wow!!!! Triple, that was an amazing post!

Aww... Shucks. Thank you. You're very kind, indeed.

triple divide · #5 07/22/13, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AR Transplant

Are you a little worried about too many knowing that you are a "crazy prepper"?

No. Not in the least. I train protection dogs. Have hunted professionally. Can outlast most 25 year olds physically. And fear the Lord. I gave up on worry years ago actually.

backwoods · #6 07/23/13, 12:58 AM

Well said! The "event" we think we need to prepare for, is not necessarily the "event" that will happen either. So the things we think we really need, may not be what we turn out to need at all. But we all need food, water, shelter, clothing, med's, etc... no matter WHAT happens.

Txsteader · #7 07/23/13, 06:30 AM

Wise words & very well said!!!!

7thswan · #8 07/23/13, 07:00 AM

Thanks. I guess I'll explain to my weeklong company why I have a worm farm in a container in the bathroom. It didn't occure to me before, but they have been asking so many questions(good for them) about everything else.They probably have had some wild thoughts about what the heck is that yecky stuff in that thingie.

partndn · #9 07/23/13, 07:25 AM

Great post TD. A good balance of struggle and encouragement.

Reality! Just what we need.

willow_girl · #10 07/23/13, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Thanks. I guess I'll explain to my weeklong company why I have a worm farm in a container in the bathroom.

Tell them it's for the church food pantry.

Ann-NWIowa · #11 07/25/13, 12:00 AM

Good thoughts. I've never been one to march with the crowd. In fact, if the crowd was headed north you could be sure I'd be going south. Drove my mom nuts which is probably one reason I was pushed out at 17!!

I make every attempt NOT to allow visitors to see my preps. If they do, I simply say I shop sales, buy enough of an item to last until the next sale and virtually never pay full price for anything. Also, I live 25 miles from shopping so I can't afford to run out of anything. Which are both true, but not the reason for preps.

Occasionally some friend will express a serious interest in prepping and after a discussion will ask to see how I have my preps organized. Depending on my gut feeling I may or may not show them.

Ohio dreamer · #12 07/25/13, 07:34 AM

I too, keep "people" from seeing our preps. But that isn't too hard as we have a "cold" room in the basement that is step up (plumbing and electric were an after thought in this house)....so it's a very low ceiling and far from our mechanical. No real reason why anyone other then household would be in there. I lucked out when we had "guys" in to fix our plumbing a few years ago. The show "couponing" just came out so when the young plumber saw my shelving unit full of cleaning supplies (my food was two rooms over and he couldn't see that) he asked if I was one of those couponing people, lol. I had no idea what he was talking about at the time, but I just agreed, lol. From the look in his eye and tone of his voice I could tell that was a "good" thing, not a crazy thing....he was almost envious.

Like Ann, I've never been accused of being normal....always went against the stream. But then I've never thought of myself as anything but normal....it's only been in the last 75-100 years that people stopped living like we do (prepped with food and stuff). So if you look at the history of the world....we are the normal ones!

skeeter · #13 07/25/13, 08:04 AM

I can't help this and if I offend then I am sorry.

Normal...it is a moving point based on the sample of people that you get the information. If the sample is biased, like only asking 20 year olds about storing food as a way to identify how a population's will act when storing food which will give you a really skewed picture (or in my opinion I believe that has a high probability). Thus, normal for country people may not be the normal for city people but it is still normal in both instances. Also, for the entire population of city and country people the range for normal storage activities will be much more varied due to those differences.

So normal must have some context. I believe it is usually based on the people that we know and what they do but for the entire population of people it may be more normal than those you know. :-)

Nothing wrong with doing something that makes you happy and doesn't hurt someone else.
Blessings

Ernie · #14 07/25/13, 09:38 AM

I'm normal. Perfectly normal. In the range of normal, I fall exactly in the middle of the normality scale. As measured by normal instrumentation and methodologies.

NORMAL. Stop saying I'm not.

jwal10 · #15 07/25/13, 10:24 AM

I have been "different" all my life, never followed my generations "normal". If you look at my property you don't see much, BUT I have several properties, all sparse but everything I need is there. Most, no one else would want. I move around a lot, day to day, no schedule. I just see different people at different places, not the same people each day. I walk a lot, take short cuts, ride my bike. I barter and trade, one thing here, something else over there. I walk the timberlands all around me. The timber companies know I am there, I look out for their properties and report as needed if something is out of the normal. I keep clean and look presentable. I am a shadow in this world, few really know me but I recognize a lot of people....James

wormlady · #16 07/25/13, 10:47 AM

"Normal" is just a setting on the dryer (Patsy Clairmont).

Oh, wait, what's a dryer?

elkhound · #17 07/25/13, 10:50 AM

one persons normal is another persons weird.

BlueRose · #18 07/25/13, 01:12 PM

TD thank you for the words of encouragement

sss3 · #19 07/25/13, 04:23 PM

Because of gout, I had several things I couldn't eat. Cans of salmon, bags of beans, etc. I made a mistake; giving them to neighbors. Later, another neighbor, mentioned about me stocking up. These houses aren't close; but neighbors can see people; if they make the effort. Have to go outside in yard, to see others. They all work; so gone all day.

Txsteader · #20 07/25/13, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio dreamer

Like Ann, I've never been accused of being normal....always went against the stream. But then I've never thought of myself as anything but normal....it's only been in the last 75-100 years that people stopped living like we do (prepped with food and stuff). So if you look at the history of the world....we are the normal ones!

At the very least, we're the sensible ones.