Are you better prepared today than for Y2K? Original post 9/22/05

[oldladydoolin]

I didn't prep for Y2K, because I knew nothing would happen. In fact, we flew to Las Vegas the day after Christmas for two EAGLES concerts. We then drove to L.A. to spend New Year's Eve at the Staples Center watching the EAGLES again.

I have become a prepper after 911. I still have a long ways to go.

 

[rhealady]

Way more prepared. I subscribe to the web bots. Chilling reading, not for the faint of heart. Think locally grown, locally made.

Although reading this thread one would think that TP was #1 on the list. Maybe it is. Even if it doesn't pan out it makes a great insulating material while we use it up.

 

[cin]

With a lot more knowledge and experience under my belt, I have to say much better prepared now than pre-y2k.

 

[ferret]

Y2K occurred at least 9 years after I first started prepping. All it took was a few good shakes in Southern California for me to realize that emergencies happen. Based on the quantity I had to move recently, I'd say I'm MUCH better prepared than anytime in the past!

 

[RJC]

The expectation for y2k was for short period disruption, a few months. Preparation now is for disruption that never stops until all things are brought to ruin, a few years. Prep as you believe, but prep to never return to what is now.

 

[MtnGal]

Far more prepared mentally and spiritually. A lot of new family issues to face and prepare for such as two elderly not so well parents. That is a real wake up call knowing I'll have to be prepared in how to handle them possibally being bed fast and their death in a SHTF scenario.

As far as food, I've learned to scale back on variety and have just what is necessary for survival. I do have a freezer full with generator and gas for a good period of time. Have been collecting canning jars/lids for outside canning. Also collecting gardening tools. Still behind on the heating problem which I hope to have completed this summer if time holds out.

I've learned so much from this board that I know I could go it alone, but I'll have parents in ill health and grown kids that will help once TSHTF and if they can get home.

I'd love to have the finances of some here to install solar, root cellars and safe rooms. Because I don't so I'll have to do with makeshift preperations.

Yes, it does become a way of life after a while. When grocery shopping I have it in the back of my mind and always pick up extras for rotation. Always keep my eyes and ears open for good bargins on extra needs.

With little space I'm thankful water is the least of worries due to all the clean springs on property. I do need to replace some hose and get more PVC pipe to run the water down to the house if TSHTF as our main spring is downhill from us. Of course an earthquake could close the springs, highly unlikely. Not so worried about fallout here.

We would have made it if Y2k had happened, the hard way. At least now if we make it it will be a lot more comfortable.

 

[Southron]

We were stocked for Y2K and I'd partially convinced my family and close friends/neighbors to prep, but when "it" didn't happen as I had anticipated I was written off as an unreliable doomer. So, now, nobody listens to me (including Wonder Wife) so, in that since I'm a lot worse off prep wise.
While we now have 11+ acres of farmable land, and Wonder Wife and I have food/water covered for 60 days, our family and friends don't prep (except for one bro-in-law who has enough food put up for a looooong time but only I know about it) and they'll suspect we do and I'm afraid conflict will be coming to our little Alabama Delta community cause we can't feed many others for long.

 

[Amanda Blue]

When y2k came, I was busy setting off fireworks, with no preps at all. I didn't believe in the need to prep, but my mom(Tessa Blue) tried to get me to. Eventually she got me started reading tb2k and it was all over after that. Now I'm the weird one with all the water, according to my friends. Of course that is untill the hurricanes start coming, then they are all coming to ask me what to do.

 

[blueberry]

I voted - about the same. I was well prepped for Y2K, and I have tried to keep it that way. My garden is larger now, and I have more fruit trees - which means more food to dry and can for storage.

 

[jed turtle]

considerably better. finished the "root cellar" i had merely begun before y2k.
since added onto that and filled it. replaced the roof on the house, took down the solar panels and then put them up again, this time with a larger battery bank and new controller, inverters and fuses. bought 4 large solar water heaters. am doubling the insulation on the house. making major investments in natural fertilizer for the land. have built additional (portable) shelters out in the woods. acquired much better arms and ammo. 2 new freezers. trying to gear up for a wood-gasified or methane-powered generator, car, and furnace. still slacking in getting a homestead pond filled with fish. but rome wasn't built in a day either.

 

[night driver]

The physical preps have slid somewhat, the SKILL preps have goten MUC better.

The financials have gotten poorer, somewhat.

Other avenues are opening up even as I type.

 

[macten_1]

I would say that I'm much better preped now. I've got the #10 cans on the shelves but more importantly, I've got my Kelty pack loaded down with freezdried food and quality gear. This is the first time in 30 years that the pack has been fully loaded. Everything in that pack will function the way it's supposed to under worst case conditions. To me that represents peace of mind.....

 

[housemouse]

. The only way I can think of to survive is for like minded folks to get together and form an enclave that is strong enough to withstand a hungry mob. However, if you do it before anything happens (and that's when you need to) then the govt. comes in and blows you away. What to do? So my idea is to prep for a local disaster and pray that if an asteroid hits it lands on Russia or China.

I agree with you, Intergator. We are prepared for local disasters, but if the entire social structure disintegrates, we are dependant upon God and luck in the location we have chosen.

At our age, self-defense isn't practical for long, and I doubt that our far-flung family would be able to get here to help us with defending the farmstead.

But, being prepared for local disaster is sensible, and we are.

 

[Wiscontessa]

I was somewhat prepared for Y2K, but didn't really know what I was doing. Stored mostly food and water. A few candles and the odd flashlight. Since I had recently moved here from Southern California (where I was well prepped for earthquakes) I had no idea what to do about many, many things. If anything really bad had happened, we'd all have been "DGI-sicles".

I learn so much here (and a couple of other places I still visit occasionally) that, even though I am far from being adequately prepped, I am much better off than I was before. And my son is beginning to "get it", too.

I thank you all.

M