The Third Y2K Practice Day is this coming weekend. Despite the current lull in national Y2K conscousness, and the understandable desire with the wonderful warm weather to forget it all and go play, the fundamental situation has not changed, and we still must be mindful that we face serious problems in a few months. It has been our experience that you can stockpile all the things you want, but if you are not experienced in living a low tech lifestyle, even for a few days, you are in for some rough surprises. In other words, if you have not practiced, you are not prepared.

As this is Memorial Day weekend, it may be impractical for some people to do it then. If so, it can be done another weekend. Or you may want to take a certain area such as food, electricity, water, or sanitiation, and just work with that for a few days instead of doing everything at once. Please send your feedback and experiences to us at The important thing is to do something, and get used to doing some kind of preparedness discipline at least every two months.

The computers won't all be fixed. Let's at least fix ourselves. And our communities.

Alan & Donna Y2K AWAKE alandonnaj@aol.com (Alan) seraphima@aol.com (Donna)

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Y2K PRACTICE DAY #3

FRIDAY, MAY 28 NOON - 3:00 P.M. SATURDAY, MAY 29

TAKE A Y2K VACATION! GO CAMPING AT HOME! BE FLEXIBLE, ADAPT THIS GAME TO YOUR OWN SITUATION! YOU MAY DO ONLY PART OF THE GAME, OR DO IT ON ANOTHER DAY

RULES OF THE GAME

CAUTION: SAFETY FIRST!

1. Explain in advance to family and friends who might telephone that you will not be answering the phone and why. Change your phone message as needed, and make provision for emergency contacts if necessary. 2. Use extreme caution with fire, especially candles, kerosene lamps and stoves. Charcoal MUST be used outside. Ventilate heating devices properly! 3. YOU MAY MAKE ANY PREPARATIONS IN ADVANCE THAT YOU WISH! 4. Transportation: Once you get home from work or school, only human or animal powered transport. Walk, bike, horse, skis or dogsled, etc. 5. Electricity: Tape freezer and refrigerator shut. Unplug all electrical devices. Open the garage door by hand. (You dont have to shut off the house master switch.) *You may use electrical devices only if connected to a working generator actually operating during the practice. 6. Heat: Any safe source that does not use electricity: woodstove, fireplace, bearskin, buffalo robe or long underwear! IF YOU LIVE IN THE COLD NORTH, YOU MAY KEEP YOUR HEAT ON LOW IN WINTER, rather than risk freezing your pipes. 7. Light: Any safe source that does not use electricity: kerosene, oil, and camp lanterns, candles, flashlights. 8. Cooking: Any safe source that does not use electricity or city natural gas: camp stoves, gas grills, Dutch ovens buried in a firepit, solar ovens. 9. Water: Any safe source that does not use city water or an electrical pump. No tap water! Toilets must be flushed with stored or carried water: rainwater, cisterns, streams, handpumps, bottled water. 10. Entertainment: Books, handcrank radio, games, crafts, chocolate, campfires, making popcorn, telling stories. Have a party with your friends and neighbors!

This is a test of your wits, wisdom and ingenuity! Enjoy yourselves! Practice day repeats the last weekend of every other month. Next regularly scheduled games: July 30-31, September 24-25, November 26-27. Reality begins: December 31-Jan 1, 2000. For more info, or to send your experiences of practice day, contact seraphima@aol.com

-- alan & donna (alandonnaj@aol.com), May 25, 1999