OK, with all this awareness talk, now what? I'm aware that Y2K could potentially be disasterous. Now What? I'm aware that I may not have any water, sewer, food, medicine, or a job, now what? I'm aware that all the luxuries that I once enjoyed will only be a dream, now what? I know the government won't take care of me, and I have no where to go or money to start anew, now what? If I go and talk to my city officials and tell them that my life is going to be miserable unless they do what? If I call the White House and chew Gore's ass out because of Y2K, they'll come take me away and then what? I need to know the "Now What!"

-- Headache (Headache@Excedrin.com), January 03, 1999

Answers

You had better stop wondering what everyone else is going to "DO FOR YOU" and start DOING your own preparations. You are going to be stuck in a rut until you get over your "poor me" mentallity, and you don't have the time to waste on that.

Texas Terri

-- Texas Terri (DeepInTheHeart@Texas.com), January 03, 1999.

Maybe you should get in touch with Diane Squire and she'll take you in. You and her can go for walks, sniff the flowers, hug the trees and have cafe latte together. Then you can stroll on down to the mayors office with your Y2K awareness poster signs in hand demanding that they do something about the computer glitch. You may even get on television, become discovered, and maybe put you in a Y2K special feature movie, "My Day With Y2K Diane." Could be a blockbuster hit. Then you'll have enough money to buy that bungalow in the hills, enough food and water for a couple years, and a library to reeducate yourself when it all blows over. Sounds like a plan to me.

-- Envious (Envious@hotmail.copm), January 04, 1999.

Well, what can I say... Tough nipples jerky. I just graduated from art school. I just started my career. I love it. It may become worthless real soon. What's new? I'd be more sympathetic if you hadn't included all that "government taking care of me," crap. This country isn't supposed to be about the government taking care of you. They certainly can't take care of you now. So, buy some bleach, buy some rice, buy some wheat, buy a few guns while you can, and pray that this mess is a hell of a lot less of a problem than I (we) think it will be. It's harsh, but that's life. One year from now we may be fine. If we aren't then those of us that depend on the government will not be alive any more. It's that simple. You'll find little sympathy here. This information has been around for a long time. Kilgore

-- Kilgore Trout (kigore@fictitious.com), January 04, 1999.

here's whats next

approach thy grave as one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams

have a nice nap

dave

-- dave (wootendave@hotmail.com), January 04, 1999.

Well you asked, I'll answer.

Act like you got some common sense. Which the Y2K doom people don't. The way to prepare, in my view, is like there was a hurricane coming, times 2.

There is a storm coming, but it isn't the end of civilization as we know it!

-- John Howard (Greenville, NC) (pcdir@prodigy.net), January 04, 1999.

John,

Let us ass-u-me the analogy that you and John Koskinen like so well is a good one. We are going to see hurricane Mitch x 2 make a pass over the 'entirety' of the industrialized world and we will end up, as you said on another thread, a "4.5 to 6".

BWAhahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!

That is some great cognitive thinking!

c

-- c (c@c.c), January 04, 1999.

Headache, Okay. Now you take inventory of what you absolutely need to live (water, food). Take inventory of what part of that is dependent on the availability of electricity,(cooking?), water, etc. Prioritize from 'absolutely necessary' to 'would be nice'. Then take stock of your resources, both tangible and intangible. Choose a realistic time of disruption to prepare for,(and if you have to call city hall to ask about your sewer services, do it), given your particular resources. Start at the top of your list and work your way down. When you run out of resources, stop. You have done what you can, which is all anyone can be expected to do. And don't forget to live now and not just in the uncertain and scary future. Now is the only time you actually ever have. Hope this helps. By the way, old threads in the archives can give concrete details and alternatives when you get that far.

-- Maria (encelia@mailexcite.com), January 04, 1999.

Headache: No matter when you become aware of Y2K, you always wish that you knew about it sooner. Time is horribly short at this point. The chance that Y2K could be the end of the world as we know it ("TEOTWAWKI") should not be lightly dismissed, and in fact if you prepare with this in mind, you cannot go wrong.

Just as a forest fire can be put out by lighting the underbrush, so the World Wide Web can be used (while it is still with us) to get all kinds of info that is current. A great web site is www.prepare4y2k.com, which has great links to others.

Don't waste time. The ship is sinking, and there are only a few lifeboats. Get you and yours in a position to survive what is coming, and do it now.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), January 04, 1999.

"Don't ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your family." Mike

-- flierdude (mkessler0101@sprynet.com), January 04, 1999.

Dear Envious,...okay,..I had a decent education, and understand the literary use of hyperbole,...(can you?) but I don't understand the necessity to bash Diane Squires, when you are definitely misunderstanding her perspective on Y2K and life. From my psychology armchair, I suggest you find some other target for your displaced bitterness, and hostility. Jokes stop being jokes when you misrepresent the character of people you don't know. I have never met Diane except on this forum, however, I would not presume, in this ignorant fashion to be so frigging passive-aggressive. Take a risk,...tell someone directly that you are scared of your potential for survival,...and quit bashing forum posters.

I'll take a risk now and suggest that you may have a few things to learn about human beings and human behavior. 'Course, I do not know you and you may just be goofing. If so, you can excuse me the rant. Other passive-aggressive readers may not.

...Oh,..I feel so much better.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), January 04, 1999.

Curse the fates, the government, the media and your fellow self absorbed humans then.....

You PERSONALLY need to acquire water, shelter, food, weapons. Simple, isn't it!

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), January 04, 1999.

Buy canned goods, prepare to bottle water, stock up on essential medicines, get a generator or kerosene heater, get some cash, gold, silver, and some means of self defense. Like, say, a 12 ga. shotgun. Also buy ordinary items like toiletries and clothes, trash bags, etc. Get enough of these things actually inside your home to last the duration of the event, which is the tricky part since nobody in the world knows how long that will be. Could be a few days (ha!), could be a few months, could be a few years. Decide and prepare. Envious, what's your deal? Diane is a valuable, eloquent, and prolific poster and probably a darn nice lady on top of that. Go pick on Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts if you feel like insulting someone. He'll probably enjoy it.

-- YourFullName (email@ddress.com), January 04, 1999.