The so-called flood of Y2K good news is pitiful. Alas. I had hoped and expected for much more. My expectation of 7.5 nine months months ago now 8.5 to 9. Do this:

1. Complete your family preps by July 31. You may have more time, but can't count on it. Whether you retreat from market and banks or not, make your decision by then and know why you have made it.

2. Your contingency planning must include sniffing out potential team-members in your community, even if they are currently DGIs. Think long-term character, skills, flexibility and loyalty. The number of GIs will approach 100% by Jan. 31 next year. The worse Y2K proves to be, the less you can make it entirely alone.

3. Focus on your family's physical, psychological and spiritual readiness. Don't neglect this. It is more important than your preps (re-read that, ponder it and believe it).

4. Decide which one or two skills you must have to survive a very bad outcome (fitness? bug-out? weapons? new job skills?). Take it one step at a time, just as you have done with your preps and make progress through end of year. The world won't end on Dec. 31 ... think next several years.

5. Don't be distracted by temporary news on Y2K, good or bad. Doesn't affect your preparing and readiness during the Y2K end game.

6. While we don't know whether DGIs will panic, try to be in situation where you don't *have* to do serious shopping in November or December. This includes cash and gasoline.

Don't forget our offline chat sessions are forging ahead. We are covering a range of preparation and recovery topics in real-time, with regulars who have expertise in various subjects serving as moderators. Email me if you are interested in participating.

Most important, you are not alone. There are hidden folks in your community who are preparing. Use your head ... they can be found. The regulars here care about you. If we have anything to say about it, we will be available to help people in trouble throughout rollover and recovery. That might mean you.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 19, 1999

Answers

Thanks Big Dog. This *is* the two minute warning. Even those of us who have been and are prepared, needed to hear this. #3 is in fact, my primary focus right now. Those who have been GI's, I'm finding, are beginning to slip back into denial as the facts unfold. This is a step that MUST be overcome. You got past it once....don't let it happen again. Cool heads and diligent direction must be adhered to. I've felt as if I'm wandering around in a fog from time to time. Get it cleared up and put back into perspective AGAIN. There just isn't any time for walking around in circles muttering, "my God, I was right". Thanks again BD.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 19, 1999.

Big Dog, Let me add my thanks as well for this important post.

Part of me would still like to be in denial. After all, there have not been any life-threatening breakdowns, bank runs, or bankrupcies (yet). And the various spin-meisters have been doing a marvelous job of saying that everything is going to be fine. The news media is continuing in their mode of covering one story at a time, but not trying to tie the indiviual stories into a pattern.

But the various releases of news that we have had showing that most government entities, business, etc. are not done with their remediation AND TESTING, especially the news from our overseas trading partners and suppliers, makes a bad outcome next year seem more possible all the time. Doubters, and those who are tired of preparation, please keep that in mind. Convincing good news, if it is out there, is just not getting out in front of us where we can see it.

I especially like Big Dog point that we will need the help of neighbors that may currently be DGI. If things get really bad next year, I beleive that most people will try and help each other out, just as they do in a natural disaster. (I live out in the country, so I may have a different perspective on this than some of you who don't). I have tried to buy extra seeds to help neighbors with next year's gardening. There are probably other useful items that could be found at yard sales this summer that would be worth picking up for your neighbors: gardening tools, plastic storage containers, iron cooking ware, and so on.

Will Continue--I live in the west central part of Missouri, near the Kansas border. Are you in the eastern part of Kansas or out in the western dry lands?

---Alexi.

-- Alexi (Alexi@not-in-the-dark.com), June 19, 1999.

Sorry Alexi. I'm in the center of kansas on the Oklahoma border. Several full days on horseback, away, HA! (this just isn't friggin' funny. Where's Milne? I could use a good gut-buster right about now)

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 19, 1999.

Thanks BD for keeping the seriousness out front & center. It has been fun poking in the sploosh of the silly threads, but this weekend we're on a major push to finish preps, as minor as they are for apartment living in the burbs. And this weekend we're gonna meet a fellow Yourdynamite :^) The weather is glorious and we have a lot of energy going into prepping now.

Monday is the Summer Solstice -- the longest day of the year, most sunlight. It's all downhill from there, past the high noon mark, so WORK AT IT NOW, folks!

xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 19, 1999.

Alexi -- Yes, seeds are inexpensive and shared with appreciation on part of recipient. Ammo expensive but good to share and barter. Again, with DGIs, consider what the trustworthy ones could bring to the table and what they will both need AND, in one way or the other, pay you back for having thoughtfully considered.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 19, 1999.

Thanks Big Dog for the great post. Do you have any ideas how to find other preppers in your community without shouting off the rooftops?

-- NSmith (nitnat3@aol.com), June 19, 1999.

NSmith --- First, send Critt Jarvis (a regular) an email (critt@critt.com), tell him Big Dog sent you, and where you've from and he may know some people (we are building networks, ya know).

Second, attend any local meeting about Y2K. You don't have to say who you are. When the local Y2K GI kooks stand up to talk, you'll know you've found kindred spirits. Go up to them afterwards and take it one step at a time.

Third, watch your area newspapers for articles about Y2K. Often, they'll quote someone local who is a GI. Call them. Don't be bashful.

Fourth, if you are a Christian, you can probably directly ask one or more pastors to point you to someone in their church who is pestering everyone about Y2K. While a few may think you're a nut, you won't get into any trouble and they won't remember you later. More than likely, they'll indicate someone.

Fifth, put an ad in the classified section of your newspaper, selling something that could be used for Y2K and/or seeking something that could be used by you. Not foolproof, but you'll probably discover a few people

Use your imagination is what it boils down to. Other suggestions from regulars?

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 19, 1999.

Go take this FEMA class if it is offered anywhere in your area. Excellent training for coping with disasters. Yes, many newcomers are taking the classes because of Y2K. They congregate during breaks/afterwards and share tips and bemoan the conspiracy of silence and pooh-pooh. These people are do-ers and awake!

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)

xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 19, 1999.

Our neighborhood is mostly DGI, as far as I can tell from the few neighbors I've talked to. Still, I know they are fundamentally good people I talk with at neighborhood watch get togethers. I have stored some extra food and non-hybrid seeds (plenty for most) to be able to help out a group effort. Knowing your neighbors is very important, IMHO, even if you are rural and the neighbors are living a mile away. One of mine, living across the street, is a doctor. I feel better just knowing he is there, DGI or GI. By spring next year, all the neighbors will be GI.

-- Leslie (***@***.net), June 19, 1999.

Alexi, I'm a long time GI. We live in eastern Kansas. My e-mail works if you'd like to chat. Will Continue and I are of a similar philosophy.

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), June 19, 1999.

Not only Christians assemble in places designated for communal worship. I've also heard tell of synagogues and mosques. Same counsel applies for these, I would imagine....

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 19, 1999.

Alexi -

I'm in SW Missouri probably pretty close to you, and so is another forum regular. Midwest Mike started "gathering" those of us in this general area a few days ago. I saved the thread but can't bring it up right now. We may have a good network started; I haven't heard much more. My email is real - do mail me any time you'd like to.

And thanks (from a cat lady), Big Dog.

-- Scat (sgcatique@webtv.net), June 19, 1999.

Alexi...Wilferd does a mmmmmean sing-song, too! That's tops in my book!! (but watch out for Ashton....little bit obsessed)

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 19, 1999.

Thanks again BigDog. Sometimes also, a simple precept or two can act like a whack on the side of the head to bring clarity to a confused mind suffering from information overload swirling around an intractable problem. So, for the bewildered and hesitant, I repost a couple of precepts that have helped me.

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." "If you start late, you finish late."

-- bdb (cb_rex99@hotmail.com), June 19, 1999.

Wilferd:

Is that why you recommended adding a touch of blush to Lisa's post a while back regarding the comet scenario?

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), June 19, 1999.

It sounds like I've got some interesting neighbors out there (grin). I'll crank up my real e-mail as soon as I can rest my tired old back. I've been out picking blue berries (from the pick-your-own place down the road) and wild blackberries today.

Its tough work, but someone has to do it.

Alexi.

-- Alexi (Alexi@not-in-the-dark.com), June 19, 1999.

Big Dog, I've read thru your list of suggestions mid-thread several times - will try the first one & hope critt isn't busy being bombarded. Don't mean to be contentious, but as for the rest- There are no local meetings in my town. There is a website; it hasn't been updated since Nov. 98, last meeting they posted was Dec., before I found the site. Our newspaper ignores y2k except for one pitiful spread awhile back that listed some .gov sites & quoted absolutely nobody. I'm a Christian but I'm not a fool - inquiries will be remembered. I'm just as loathe to meet strangers of unknown ilk thru a church as thru a classified. A stranger is a stranger. I've followed up every email contact that invited it, from this forum and North's - much as I want that to work, it hasn't been. This is the first phony email I've ever used, so guess I'm about to "go silent into that good (I wish) night."

-- Getting (nervous@last.scared), June 19, 1999.

Still good advice!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 20, 1999.