It is fast coming to fish or cut bait time. I have only one goal for y2k: that not one single innocent person in or near my immediate community suffer severe injury or loss of life due to y2k or related disruptions next year , so help me god, if it is in my power to prevent it. I have 25 years tactical training and experience, I have lots of chunkers and rocks. I have large amounts of food and other supplies, including water storage. My wife is an experienced Nurse Practitioner with ability to suture, set bones, prescribe medicines. I have huge amounts of non-hybrid seeds and gardening supplies and also related knowledge. Though my own place is kinda small, I have a good friend (Vietnam combat vet) .25 miles away with 10 acres of pasture fronting on a good clean strong creek with loads of fish. We're going to ride it out here in this suburb, and I'll go down with the ship and die myself before I'll let one single innocent person in this community be hurt by this, if it is in my power to prevent it. Yes, my neighbors are mostly DGI's, though lately I can see one or two on the fence. But I'll take care of every one them to the best of my ability or die trying.

-RC

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), January 28, 1999

Answers

You sir, are a very fortunate human being and with your skills and preparation, I wish I lived near you, but I would rather be situated where your buddy is up the road. Almost perfect.

-- Rick Reilly (rreilly@home.com), January 28, 1999.

Interesting and heartfelt. It makes one wonder why the focus tends to be on "saving the computers".

"For the love of money.........."

It is reassuring to see people worry about people instead of machines.

-- Mr. Kennedy (y2kPCfixes@MotivatedSeller.com), January 28, 1999.

Runway, That kind of attitude is why this country will never be defeated by any enemy, including a computer glitch.

Everybody in the burbs needs to remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

-- Puddintame (dit@dot.com), January 28, 1999.

Right on and amen, RC. Spoken like a true man. Trivial in relation to your post, but I wish every GI who knows how to grow things would buy huge quantities of seeds (non-hybrid and hybrid/to-store): this will be life-saving to hundreds in a community in 2001. We have done that and my nurse-midwife spouse will be "standing alongside yours" in spirit (tell her).

BTW, you could capitalize "god". We Christians on NG are going to sneak up on you in prayer (I've already started and I'm hereby alerting the other zealots) until "He" (the capitalized one who already did what you're talking about on that ugly tree long ago) finds you. NO FLAMES, PLEASE, guys, can't reach RC privately by email, ya know).

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 28, 1999.

At the risk of sound a bit mushy, you have just "inspired" me to resolve to do what I can too. I don't have the same quantity of supplies, but I still will do what I can...

...even the 70% that thinks Clinton is OK as long as the stock market does well!

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous.com), January 28, 1999.

Cat - Right On! I lack many of your skills and experience, but I feel exactly the same way that you do, and it gave me goosebumps when I read your post. Thank you!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to follow up on my call to the local Disaster Office about FEMA training. Used to be in an Explorer Search-and-Rescue team - who knew I'd ever use that experience again?

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), January 28, 1999.

Runway Cat, come to Seattle for the Y2K Expo this Saturday. We want to meet you!

Ashton & Leska (and Diane, prolly) in Cascadia

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 28, 1999.

I can understand that attitude! I'm surrounded by people who won't listen at all. I'm prepared to feed them all, right now. Expensive, but we can do it so we will. We live with these people now; we'll live with them later if there's anything we can do about it. Really, food to feed your clueless neighbors sure beats bullets to shoot them when they need you. We make no secret of our preparations, and shame on those who do.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 28, 1999.

Everything you said sounds very noble and admirable, but I wonder why it makes me feel so guilty. I am what I consider to be a good Christian; charitable and always available when there is a need.

Just today I thought I had made up my mind that the best thing for our family was to move out of the suburbs to a safer location. I was rehearsing all day how I was going to present this life-changing decision to my husband.

Your post now has me very confused. Of course I want my neighbors and friends to be safe, but considering the uncertainty of the length of the siege, I am having a hard time deciding how much to store for my husband, myself and our four grown children. I can just imagine how many of you reading this think how selfish I am.

I agree with the theory that it would be better for everyone if the neighbors could be convinced to make adequate preparations, but we know the reality is, most of our neighbors will not. As I'm thinking more about this, it seems that a solution may be to try to get your neighbors to prepare as best you can, but make sure you have another residence when your intuition tells you it's time to go there. Mary

-- Mary (sweep@gateway.net), January 28, 1999.

Mary, you are NOT selfish! If you relocate, I'll be you'll be an asset to your new community, wherever you go. Do what your God leads you to do. I know I have to be here for these people, DGI's or whatever they are. But, as Keats said "one set of people is as good as another"

-RC

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), January 28, 1999.

RC, you are an extremely honorable person and I admire you. If new leaders emerge from this crisis, I sincerely hope that you get to be one of them.

-- Leo (lchampion@ozemail.com.au), January 28, 1999.

Can I come mooch off of you?

-- ~~ (~~@~~.com), January 28, 1999.

RC

keep 5 and remember that the hostiles have very few people trained in dealing with improvised systems.

vaya con Dios, Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), January 29, 1999.

Mr. Cat,

Thank you for such an inspiring entry. I live about an hour's walk from the downtown area of a 400,000+ city. I am hoping for the best, but expecting and planning for the worst as I can. My neighbors don't have a clue about what's coming from what I see, though I plan to host a Y2k discussion "party" next week to find out. The couple across the street are expecting their first child. A dear elderly couple on Social Security live next door to me.

My preparations are similar to yours, though I certainly could use your experience. However, I am determined that, whatever I have, I'll share it as best I can with those around me. Thank you again for the magnificent encouragement. If Milne is right, and I'm to become toast, then by God's grace may I become very darkly burned toast before I abandon my friends and neighbors. There are better things to life, and afterward, as Someone greater than I once said.

- Joe Newbie

-- Joe Newbie (newbie@allthis.com), January 29, 1999.

RC,

More power to you - you seem to have the almost ideal set-up, the most important being your own brain - I'm also inspired that everyone who responded so far are positive about intending to help those worse off than themselves or in need in some way...

I have no doubt the reason we are all on earth NOW is to experience the next few years - I am being very careful what I say - I really do mean the next few years, this is my gut feeling, and it is reinforced constantly - we are all testing ourselves, it is not by chance that we are drawn to this forum, to this subject, to think the unthinkable, to worry about the DGI's, to think of other peoples' safety and welfare and future in all respects...

When all are panicking, you should be a rock, you will have prepared yourself emotionally, physically, and spiritually - do what the golden rule says tempered with a healthy dose of street smarts. Don't be a victim - otherwise your wisdom will be lost. Don't feed a man, teach him how to fish... after feeding him.

God speed

Andy

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 29, 1999.

Muriel,

DYDAIC - do you do an Irissh coffee... :)

it means do not get it - dgi, as in y2k...

dwgi - don't wanna get it

gi - get it

pgi - partially get it

pgibdwgir - partially get it but don't wanna get it really

etc. :)

All the best,

Andy

Two digits. One mechanism. The smallest mistake.

"The conveniences and comforts of humanity in general will be linked up by one mechanism, which will produce comforts and conveniences beyond human imagination. But the smallest mistake will bring the whole mechanism to a certain collapse. In this way the end of the world will be brought about."

Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, 1922 (Sufi Prophet)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 29, 1999.

RC

Great post!

Just a tip from Mom:

I recently went to a local gardening center and found all of their 1998 seeds piled in a basket at 90% off. I walked out (with strange looks from everyone) with about 20 pounds of every kind of bean and pea seed you can imagine. The germination rate may not be as high as fresh seeds but for $11.95, I couldn't resist. I figure that I'll put up packages with a variety of seeds to give to family and neighbors if need be. If not, the chickens will like a little variety in what I grow in the pasture for them. Maybe I should go back and get some more....

Check your gardening centers now..

Mom (not frustrated today)

-- Mom (kitty@cat.com), January 29, 1999.

RC,

That is probably the most noble goal one can have facing this kind of mess. I second your motion and let's all work to "keep the wolves at bay" from everyone around us during the coming crisis.

It doesn't matter to a true soldier that he gets back alive. Because to him, what matters is that all his comrades get through the battle whole. And if every soldier feels that way, then their company will all survive.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), January 29, 1999.