Coronavirus

The prepper thing cracks me up. Its fascinating to watch (on the tv show), but I don't understand why they don't prepare for the most likely scenario: that one day you will get old and be unable to work. Its amazing how much $$ they spend on bunkers n ammo n such when they should at least put some away for something 10,000 times more likely to happen! ... that being said, this virus is a nasty one. Hug yer family and trust your Lord.

I have to agree with this. If a person isn't wealthy, physically fit, spiritually strong, contributing to the lives of others in a big way, and just absolutely rockin it in today's amazing world then they're wasting their time, money, and energy preparing to thrive in an apocalypse. If you're not knockin the ball out of the park when times are good, nothing you do now will make an apocalypse bearable.

I can understand preparing for a normal natural disaster like a hurricane or earthquake where you might need food and water for a time. That's totally reasonable. But building bunkers and stockpiling ammo and all that stuff cracks me up.

Personally, I'm focusing my time, money, and energy on improving my finances, improving my fitness, developing spiritual strength and peace, chasing my dreams, and contributing to the lives of the people around me today. I want to thrive in today's world and make the most of the incredible opportunities we have.

Amen Brett. I have about a weeks worth of food and water in the truck. Not much at home. Simple reason. I’m never there!!

Y'know, I been thinkin about it. I was rude. I thought I was yukkin it up, joking, not realizing that I'm dealing with folks from all over the country with different cultures and attitudes. What flies in South Philly could get me flat on my face out west, and I feel like I just stepped in a pile! So, for that, I apologize. Thank you, Pack Rat, for your fair warning and I'll try to remember my manners, 'cause if I can't get along with strangers in a blog, how am I gonna get along with people out there!... It seems to me that anyone could learn the skills to drive, yet, there is a huge failure rate, so it stands to reason, that what you're saying is true: in this business, attitude is everything, and I just got checked!

Y'know, I been thinkin about it. I was rude. I thought I was yukkin it up, joking, not realizing that I'm dealing with folks from all over the country with different cultures and attitudes. What flies in South Philly could get me flat on my face out west, and I feel like I just stepped in a pile! So, for that, I apologize. Thank you, Pack Rat, for your fair warning and I'll try to remember my manners, 'cause if I can't get along with strangers in a blog, how am I gonna get along with people out there!... It seems to me that anyone could learn the skills to drive, yet, there is a huge failure rate, so it stands to reason, that what you're saying is true: in this business, attitude is everything, and I just got checked!

Living at the end of the grid, there are some preppers and off-gridders in the tiny, eclectic community and environs around me. I frequently appreciate the contrast between this culture and the urban, "little United Nations" buildings and neighborhoods I grew up in (during which time I was appreciating the contrast between that and the rural Irish farmlands my parents and family came from).

I appreciate these views as strengths resonating with me:

..... If a person isn't wealthy, physically fit, spiritually strong, contributing to the lives of others in a big way, and just absolutely rockin it in today's amazing world then they're wasting their time, money, and energy preparing to thrive in an apocalypse. If you're not knockin the ball out of the park when times are good, nothing you do now will make an apocalypse bearable. ..... ..... I'm focusing my time, money, and energy on improving my finances, improving my fitness, developing spiritual strength and peace, chasing my dreams, and contributing to the lives of the people around me today. I want to thrive in today's world and make the most of the incredible opportunities we have.

Considering how the relative strengths of views pro/con prepping attract or repel (speaking only for myself), I split those out as being based either in fear or, let me dare to use the word "love".

What pulls anyone into either camp? Nothing that can't be modified or amended, and that goes either way.

What a world.

I'm not neutral, here's my bias and it does take work to sustain:

..... contributing to the lives of the people around me today. I want to thrive in today's world and make the most of the incredible opportunities we have.

Y'know, I been thinkin about it. I was rude. I thought I was yukkin it up, joking, not realizing that I'm dealing with folks from all over the country with different cultures and attitudes. What flies in South Philly could get me flat on my face out west, and I feel like I just stepped in a pile! So, for that, I apologize. Thank you, Pack Rat, for your fair warning and I'll try to remember my manners, 'cause if I can't get along with strangers in a blog, how am I gonna get along with people out there!... It seems to me that anyone could learn the skills to drive, yet, there is a huge failure rate, so it stands to reason, that what you're saying is true: in this business, attitude is everything, and I just got checked!

Don't worry about that in the least.

I don't have a bunker; I have a 100% off-grid cabin with a full basement on top of a high ridge where I can see and hear anything coming for over a mile. If I'm able to get there if something major happens, I'm confident I could survive for at least two years with no human connection, probably longer.

Food, power, livestock, garden, water, etc. is already taken care of.

This is the front porch and the meanest acting thing on four paws for my doorbell.

..... I have a 100% off-grid cabin with a full basement on top of a high ridge.....

PackRat, that look is loaded with charm. I have a similar woodpile, in fact as I write, got some nice, seasoned white oak burning in the wood stove; it's a chilly pre-storm day here in these mountains!

But my wood cannot be stored as close to a flammable structure, by fire code, tho; this area is in the top rank of fire risk zones in the state.

In settings like this one I have neighbors whose primary drive to be there was safety / survival in a major catastrophe. For me, it's the layers of "charm" - pragmatics of a lifestyle, in natural surroundings, that's paramount.

I absolutely have keen awareness of the value of preparedness, which got heightened on my radar out of 9/11. I worked in the Trade Center for years and while not downtown myself that fateful day, I was in the vicinity, had many family members and acquaintances who were on the island or were responders - one brother was the recorded number 11 responder on the scene. No one I've observed in this group was spared some measure of variable effects and especially in some cases, I can clearly see how lives were changed that day.

I came to realize that while tested, my core views didn't change much, although I think it's true that this background was the influence to bring me to my current involvements in emergency radio communications.

I think about this in contrast to some I've met who do have the "bunker" mentality, despite a lack of any overt experiential trauma. Point is, what it is that brings each of us to where we're at......

And that is a good stopping point, lol. Let me just say this backdrop works for me as reinforcement of some fundamental tenets of this site in bringing to bear a positive attitude for driver success in the trucking industry.

That's a mean lookin doorbell! haha. I wouldn't mind being holed up there for a year or two! I always dreamed of sailing, being away for a few years. If you don't need it for a hideout, it looks like a great place to just hang out! ... my personal preparedness plan to to just be a useful as possible to others. I wouldn't "bug out" as they say, but rather stay put for a while and watch events unfold. I try to learn as many skills as I can so that I would be useful to a group (I was an Army medic and have lots of outdoor type skills... y'know, once a Boy Scout, always a pyromaniac, LOL). I feel that I'm pretty handy and real good at scrounging.. I like to take notice in the city and think to myself, "how would i use that piece of junk? where would I sleep for the night?".. that kind of thing. I also can fight if I have to (but I only like it on the mat, haha). ... basically, I try to build a set of skills that are just handy to have, even not in an emergency.

That's how I got my handle, "PackRat"....

"How would I use that piece of junk?" OR "I'm going to keep this, because I may need it later."

I agree with you Brett, if you cant modestly survive when life is good, than how much more so if life as we know it ends it changes drastically. It never ceases to amaze me, that folks - I hate to sound a bit sexist but I need to say it - Men especially, get deluded into fantasy thinking that they can go from out of shape couch potato office worker or tradesman to the shtf, hero...always makes me chuckle.

Today, I got my personal vehicle repairs finished. The heater core supply hose (which runs form the water pump up to the heater core) developed a leak, so I had to take care of that earlier in the week. During the course of things, I decided to replace eye upper radiator hose as it was 18 years old - yes I never bought a new car, waste if money imho. So i was doing that and then discovered the plastic was brittle on the radiator when the hose fitting snapped off as i tried rolled remove the hose!

This whole week was lesson in doing for myself, being resourceful and asking for help when i needed it! Thank god my buddy is good with cars and has small hands he was able to take care if some of the things i couldn't. My hands are big and fat, so fittin em into tight spaces is a bit rough for me. I I the bulk of the work done though radiator out, new on in. Did what I could with hoses up to today.

Here's my point, alot of these fantasy warrior types think they will be doing it all and saving people when or if a shtf happens, they couldn't be farther from the truth. We need our health, our God and others.

Pack - I in no way intended to lump you in with the fantasy warrior prepper types. Imho you do things the correct way and would be reliable during a shtf (and not weird) Hope we can meet in real life when I get otr.

Family pizza night over ky brothers house, gotta fly

Later all!

The prepper thing cracks me up. Its fascinating to watch (on the tv show), but I don't understand why they don't prepare for the most likely scenario: that one day you will get old and be unable to work. Its amazing how much $$ they spend on bunkers n ammo n such when they should at least put some away for something 10,000 times more likely to happen! ... that being said, this virus is a nasty one. Hug yer family and trust your Lord.

I have to agree with this. If a person isn't wealthy, physically fit, spiritually strong, contributing to the lives of others in a big way, and just absolutely rockin it in today's amazing world then they're wasting their time, money, and energy preparing to thrive in an apocalypse. If you're not knockin the ball out of the park when times are good, nothing you do now will make an apocalypse bearable.

I can understand preparing for a normal natural disaster like a hurricane or earthquake where you might need food and water for a time. That's totally reasonable. But building bunkers and stockpiling ammo and all that stuff cracks me up.

Personally, I'm focusing my time, money, and energy on improving my finances, improving my fitness, developing spiritual strength and peace, chasing my dreams, and contributing to the lives of the people around me today. I want to thrive in today's world and make the most of the incredible opportunities we have.

Business insider had an article about Walmart and Amazon drivers not being told how to deal with the coronavirus. I doubt most of our companies have. To be honest, it's not the employers job to. The way I interpreted the article was they're trying to make both companies look like they don't give a crap about their drivers. It even says that drivers don't handle the freight so why does B.I. make it into a big deal? I would think you're more likely to catch it by having poor hygiene practices or catching it due to poor hygiene of food workers than by standing next to your trailer being unloaded. The local news this morning said that the flu kills a fraction of a percent, while the coronavirus kills about 2%. Most of these people are those that are vulnerable such as elderly, very young or weakened immune systems. I don't like being sick even with a cold but I'll take my chances rather than being one of these paranoid people walking around with a facemask on and using sanitizer every couple minutes. With the amount of drivers I see leaving a bathroom stall without washing their hands we should be concerned more about illnesses we're more likely to catch. You have roughly the same chance of dying from E-coli yet people don't wash their hands.