Y2K is quite overwhelming a subject, especially for newbies who are trying to sort it all out for themselves. One of the most often heard reactions is frustration with the unknown, which causes worry, and sometimes inaction. Perhaps the best cure for worry is knowledge: a combination of thought, education and then preparation based on that knowledge.

After taking Y2K seriously enough to really look into it, the question "what should I do" soon follows. One answer is to keep looking into the various aspects of Y2K until you can understand it as a threat. Once you do, a plan of preparation can be made. Each person will need to prepare according to their means as well as their expectation of what the impact will be, based on the perceived threats identified. People have a great deal in common as far as what threats they face from Y2K. If you can, find others who are like-minded in your community. This greatly reduces worry too, since you realize that you are not so alone, and also there are others who you may rely on, and vice versa, when crunch time comes. Just knowing that some folks close to you are getting ready can take a load off your mind.

As you prepare against each potential individual Y2K threat, you will become more confident in your ability to meet that particular challenge, and worry decreases. Preparation is the cure for what ails you in that it not only helps you meet the problem head-on, it also allows you a sense of accomplishment. It is hard work, and so will help focus your mind off of worrying and on to solving. Good all the way around. Worry may not go away completely, but it should be reduced a lot - perhaps in direct correlation to the amount of successful preparation you and others near you actually do.

So take it one step at a time. If you think you will have a potential water problem, or food problem, or whatever, solve them by learning how to prepare, and then do it. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to look in the mirror and say "I solved this problem". Life is full of choices. You can worry, or you can solve. Worrying may seem like the easy way out, but the doors of the room may all be locked when you are ready to go. Take what appears now to be the harder way - learn and prepare - make it easier for yourself and others later. Have you ever regretted solving a problem?

Do it now. Start solving. And remember, preparation itself can be a cure for worry.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), February 01, 1999

Answers

Now that I've been a good little squirrel and have packed away 6 months worth of food, how do I prevent the other squirrels from invading my pad? There's this one squirrel in the hood, his name is Rocket-J-Squirrel. He came by the other day asking what my plans were for the soon-to-be famine. I told him it was none of his business, and he knocked me up the side of my head with his tail. He told me that he'll be back to get what I've stored away and get use to the idea that I've got to live on less and scrounge for the rest. And in return he'll see to it that no harm comes my way just as long as he's kept fat and happy. My name is Bushey, I don't have any firearms in my pad, so I've got to be fast on my feet. I guess I better spring into action and store more acorns and food for Rocket-J, who knows, he may turn me over to the forest authorities. Guess I better pack up and find a more secluded place to live. Hope I don;t run into any more Rocket J Squirrels in the meantime.

-- Bushey (Bushey@tail.com), February 02, 1999.

wow a truly squirrelly troll...that may be a first, even for us!

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 02, 1999.

Roleigh Martin's excellent site provides an up-to-date DGI brochure which I intend to blanket my neighborhood and town meeting. It is a very compact 1-page, double-sided document (if printed on legal size paper). It covers a lot of ground, including recommendations for a "low budget Y2K fallback plan". The handout also references a Y2K article in Januarys Scientific American which is probably worth checking out. Couldnt find Scientific American at my newsstand this morning. Has anyone seen it? Any comments, links?

Roleigh Martins neighborhood handout

html hyperlink version to view handout; use other link to print out

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), February 02, 1999.

Someone has a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, I thought it was funny.

-- HaHa (HaHa@HaHa.com), February 02, 1999.

Brooks: Thanks for the links - I will print it out tomorrow.

One thing that I thought about after I hit the return key is what I will call the 'chronic worrier', for lack of a better name. I have known some folks who worry by default, that is, they always seem worried in varying degrees about something. It is their natural state of mind. I post this because the adivce given applies to them just as well as anyone else from what I have seen. They simply trade one thing to worry about for another (Y2K), but the difference, and it is a big difference, is that Y2K demands action, unlike so many of the 'normal' things that usually concern them. It has the ability of forcing them into action, which means they are busy, and they are worrying less and accomplishing something. They don't stop the worry, they just replace a part of it, which is still an improvement. Just a thought.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), February 02, 1999.