Surviving is not enough

[Pauls]

We prep to survive but that won't be enough. We need to live (actively enjoy being alive) to remain healthy and sane during and after a SHTF scenario.

What are some ideas to bring joy into your survival life?

[James m]

Keeping the rest of family alive.

[hawgrider]

We prep to survive but that won't be enough. We need to live (actively enjoy being alive) to remain healthy and sane during and after a SHTF scenario.

What are some ideas to bring joy into your survival life?Booze, tobacco, food, Woman and grandkids.


And gasoline for my hawg.



" That's all I need is this thermos.....

and this lamp.....

and this chair....

and my dog stupid that's all I need. "

[Innkeeper]

As long as I have a few good books to read on downtime, and some family and friends to while the time away, we can make it through, just like multiple deployments....besides the end times might bring back the Imagination....it is missing but not gone.

[Sparkyprep]

My music, my friends, my wife, and my children. These are the things that give me the greatest joy, and inspire my life to be great.

[Pauls]

I have paper, charcoal, and some pencils and my drafting gear. (triangles, compass, scale and eraser and guard) Being creative and solving problems is what I do for enjoyment.

[Arklatex]

I have a feeling that if SHTF I'll be really busy all the time. But it's the little things that can take the stress away. Things to get your mind off of the daily grind. Taking some time with friend and family around a fire and passing the jug around while reminiscing about the good times will be one. Learning to play music will be another. Games like horseshoes, chess and poker. Rereading my favorite books. Telling stories. Just thoughts off the top of my head. I already do this stuff.

[Montana Rancher]

This is a great question and I'm sure more than me have pondered it.

I am in the process of teaching 1 of my 5 children to play the guitar, you really only need a couple of decent musicians to turn a family gathering into a reunion IMO.

Besides that all of my kids know how to play Pinocle and Spades, and younger bring some really interesting card games with them like we played last Christmas (can't remember the name), but if they like to play card games they will come with fresh ideas.

All of my kids (oldest is 29) are decent at Risk, and spoons is a contact sport.

I agree that when the lights go out we need to be able to entertain ourselves without the Net. As we home schooled our kids a LOT or sent them to alternate education their entire lives, they are the cream of the crop IMO.

It is fun when we all get together that bucking hay bales is a top rememberance.

[Inor]

As long as I have a goal and am actively working towards something, I am a happy man. It does not matter if I am building software, building furniture, building a business, working on my shooting skills or growing a garden. As long as I have an endpoint in mind and plan to get there, I am plenty happy.

The other half to that is being able to be smug during adversity. :biglaugh: When we get extended power outages here (doesn't happen often), but our neighbors freak out; Mrs Inor and I break out the oil lamps, kick back and read a book or play a game. That feeling that we do not care if other people come, stay, lay or pray; whatever happens, our toes are still tappin' is the greatest feeling in the world.

[dsdmmat]

I think there is more to that question than meets the eye. There are a lot of people who are not comfortable in their own skin. They will go nuts without distractions. The first thing you have to be able to do is like yourself, then the rest will come easy. If you are not comfortable alone you are not going to survive long in SHTF times.

I tinker with theings when I want something to do. I build things, repurpose things, load bullets and so on. I most enjoy going to the range to chase the smallest hole possible (it is a maddening thing). I suppose during SHTF times I will not be going to the range but more out to the woods or on the perimeter chasing bigger problems.

[Dwight55]

I'm not hard to please, . . .

Since the probability of internet / Ebay / and the like will be 0% or so, . . . I'll just spend a bit more time in the Bible.

In all liklihood if the stuff is dripping off the fan blades, . . . it is probably mentioned in there, . . . and I'll be searching for it.

Just for starters, . . . out of all the "prophesy" books that were written in the past 40 or so years, . . . most of them look at Russia and China as the bad guys in all the end time scenarios. They are not mentioned in any form whatsoever by name.

Only Libya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Persia (Iran) are actually mentioned by name in the Scriptures when dealing with prophesy. AND, . . . lo and behold, . . . which countries are involved in today's middle-east hanky panky???

May God bless,
Dwight

[Montana Rancher]

I'm adding to my last post since my youngest daughter flew in from California for her birthday and we had several family events with 4 of the 5 kids in the area.

My first impression was having everyone over and cooking a good meal, it felt like home.

My second impression was the joy seeing my daughters saddling up the horses and riding them several miles to the nearest town for ice cream cones.

Then there was the fun (in my opinion only) of the family taking a evening to buck some hay bales, just a couple tons to remind them, but it was fun.

And lets not forget the card games 3-13 and some other games my kids brought, I'm not sure I like them yet but they are growing on me.

And finally just a chance to remind my kids.... When you wake up in the morning and the electricity doesn't work or if you turn on the radio and there is civil unrest the ATM's don't work. Don't panic, just pack up anything you feel is valuable and head to the "ranch". If it was just a mistake we will cook a good meal and play some more cards. If however the SHTF then you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

[Inor]

I'm adding to my last post since my youngest daughter flew in from California for her birthday and we had several family events with 4 of the 5 kids in the area.

My first impression was having everyone over and cooking a good meal, it felt like home.

My second impression was the joy seeing my daughters saddling up the horses and riding them several miles to the nearest town for ice cream cones.

Then there was the fun (in my opinion only) of the family taking a evening to buck some hay bales, just a couple tons to remind them, but it was fun.

And lets not forget the card games 3-13 and some other games my kids brought, I'm not sure I like them yet but they are growing on me.

And finally just a chance to remind my kids.... When you wake up in the morning and the electricity doesn't work or if you turn on the radio and there is civil unrest the ATM's don't work. Don't panic, just pack up anything you feel is valuable and head to the "ranch". If it was just a mistake we will cook a good meal and play some more cards. If however the SHTF then you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

That's the kind of stuff that makes life worth living Rancher! Good job!

[Coppertop]

I was watching "Alone" on TV last night. Hadn't seen it before but apparently it's been on a couple of weeks. Anyhow, the gist is that there are a bunch of guys (10-12) in the Pacific Northwest but they have no contact with anyone and whomever stays the longest wins half a million dollars.

One of the guys on there last night was bitching that he has a LOT of down time. His biggest issue with the "game" is that he was bored. He would go check his gill net in the morning and dig for clams etc when the tide was out. He had built 2 very small lean-to's to cook and sleep in. I was floored that he had so much down time.

Maybe it's the fact that he knows this can only go on for so long and he isn't going to put any extra effort into life, But to me- if you are busy you can accomplish 2 things.... Making survival a lot easier (friendly as it were) and keeping your self busy. A "neighbor" in the game had made a whole set of silverware and cooking utensils for himself. It seemed easier for him to cook and eat than the first guy and he was busy all the time. (I'm sure making time go buy faster) His next project was working on a canoe.

My thought anyhow.