Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?

Our old friend, Hallyx gave me that line a couple of days ago in e-mail, and I just thought I'd share it with you. After I quit laughing, I realized it would be a good title for a book about Y2K, the stock market, or my autobiography.

I've been around here for quite awhile, and something I've noticed about the times we live in, is that things are not as stable as I've always believed them to be. Gold, normally so quiet, is all over the charts now. Rock-solid companies are loosing value overnight. And on the Y2K issue alone, people are scared, and people are complacent; some are confident, some are paranoid. Folks are gleeful, depresssed, uncertain or unconcerned.

There are people shouting from the rooftops about Y2K, and there are people quietly digging trenches in the dark of the night. Some are fomenting ideas for recovery, while others are contemplating suicide. And the man on the street seems oblivious to the winds of change raging around him.

Is it just me, or are things truly different now? Has Y2K just nudged the rose-colored glasses off my face, and allowed me to see normal, everyday chaos? Have the ideas and discussions expressed on this forum opened my eyes to a plethora of problems possibilities that have always existed? Are the shepherds of our society leading us into greener pastures, or are they snoozing while the wolf creeps in among us? Will we move along quietly, calmed by the soothing voices of the talking heads, or will we bolt headlong over the cliff?

I guess that Y2K is simply life. The only thing certain, is uncertainty. As a small businessman incredibly prone to large blunders, I've learned that my ability to recover is more important than my ability to envision. Time is short now. What will happen, will happen soon.

Many posters lately are stressed because they haven't "finished" their preparations. To you I say, stay flexible, don't cling to bad investments (financial or emotional), keep your balance and land on your feet. Take it from me; I've spent quite a bit of time in this handbasket.

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), October 08, 1999

Answers

I agree with your post Lon, but one of the big problems that I see for most people, is the fact that they will loose it emotionally. It has been a roller coaster ride for all of us and it still is. It is torture not to know what the future holds or how it will all turn out. You worry whether your preps are going to be good enough, will there be violence, will I have to shoot someone, will you become a victim, what about your family and neighbors who did not prepare and I am sure the list goes on for many. These are normal emotions and worries to have. However, I try not to dwell on it and have resolved in my mind that I have done the best I could and whatever is to be will be. There's nothing we can do about what is going to happen in the future but only prepare for what we think may happen and leave it at that. I don't have a generator, I don't have a wheat grinder, a dehydrator, 50 gallon barrels of gasoline, etc. Bit I do have food, water, shelter, ammo, and an alternative heating source, just the basics. If people in third world countries can survive with far less than this, then I figure I can too. Chill out, quit worrying about it, and roll with it. These are exciting times we live in, we are fortunate enough to see a new millineum, I want to see what's going to happen whether it be good or bad.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), October 08, 1999.

Lon,

Thanks for that nice piece of writing. I can always appriciate a well thought-out work and the time that went in to it.

If only I had the answers to the questions you pose.

We are all in this handbasket together.

-- semper paratus (llmcl@usa.net), October 08, 1999.

As Steve Tyler would say from AeroSmith's "Get A Grip" album:

"We're living on the edge"

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), October 08, 1999.

Dear Lon, Thank you for this post. I keep wondering the same things. I keep wondering are things really falling apart more than ever or am I just more aware of it.(aside from Y2k) And why are so many people walking around blind? Has the internet allowed people to see more truth? This reminds me of when some people were building bomb shelters in the late 50's - early 60's. Then people were poopooing that. As I see it, the people that I knew who did build bomb shelters were more aware of the real truth. There just seems to be so many rotten things to worry about right now. The only answers are prayer and preparations.

-- a mom (is@itme.com), October 08, 1999.

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.

-- Helium (Heliumavid@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Lon,

Nice piece of writing and overview analysis of our predicament.

I've also come to the conclusion, that whatever state our personal and community preps are in as we ride the wave (tsunami!?) into the new millennium, that flexibility in the moment may be the key to survival.

Thanks for writing. Greg

-- greg (walshbros1@aol.com), October 08, 1999.

There's something wrong with the world today
I don't know what it is
Something's wrong with our eyes

We're seeing things in a different way
And God knows it ain't His
It sure ain't no surprise
 

Chorus:
We're livin' on the edge
We're livin' on the edge
We're livin' on the edge
We're livin' on the edge

There's someting wrong with the world today
The lightbulb's gettin' dimmed
There's meltdown in the sky

If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin
Then mister, you're a better man than I
 

Chorus:
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
 

Tell me what you think about our situation
Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you

If Chicken Little tells you that the sky is fallin'
Even if it wasn't would you still come crawling
Back again - I bet you would my friend
Again & Again & Again & Again & Again
 

Somthin' ain't right with the world today
And everybody knows it's wrong
But we can tell 'em no
Or we could let it go
But I would rather be a hanging on
 

Chorus

Chorus
 

-- spirit (spirit@iserv.net), October 08, 1999.

In the twenties it was gangsters...

In the thirties it was the Depression...

In the forties it was Hitler and Tojo...

In the fifties it was nukes...

In the sixties it was 'Nam...

The seventies brought sex/drugs...

and the eighties had greed...

Nineties...the fear of the future...

and the next, your guess is as good as mine...

-- Billy-Boy (Rakkasn@Yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

I've noticed that over the last week or so, many in this group have been showing these kinds of signs. Personally, I've seen Y2K coming since my first Cobol job back in the late 70's. Began to give the issue serious attention (personally) about 3 years ago. Initially, my wife and I went through confusion, what's important, how much to do, what to do, we've all been there, done that ......

We met up with a wise ole Indian dude. (to which I think bardou may relate). We spent lots of time with him. He was aware of Y2K, but also a lot more. In working with him, we discovered and became aware of the need for Spiritual preparation and the importance of solid Faith. Unfortuantely, this took a long, long time (for those who didn't figure this one out, time is almost gone). Anyway, we declared ourselves 'prepared' a couple of months ago and have just been sitting back watching and waiting. (feels really good, though the patience part is tough). Like bardou, no generator, guns and ammo for hunting primarily, about 3 years into shooting a bow, gardening for 3 years. Got enough food and water stashed to get the family, relatives and a few others well into the growing season. Wood stove, wood, kerosene, lamps and a small propane range (w/oven), stashed LP gas and enough regular gas to run the tiller for as long as the gas stays good. Wife's been into edible and medicinal plants, canning, etc. Stocked on canning supplies. 26 hens, 1 rooster, a male rabbit and the intent on trapping a female at the right time. All in all, we both sleep very well at night. Me better than her, she get pissed caused I'm asleep in about 2 minutes after lying down. We now live a much simplier life and all parts of it are better than before. I agree with bardou that this is really an exciting time to be alive and to be a part of what is currently happenin and what is coming. If you have never visited, www.y2kchaos.com, try it. This guy is very much into the order of prepartion activities that worked for us, 1-Spiritual 2-physical and 3-financial. Doing things in any other order seems to create a lot of the 'symptoms' I've been seeing lately. Hang in there, get comfortable with where you are, and then just wait and watch......

-- BH (silentvoice@pobox.com), October 08, 1999.

...as for the old ones...

'The People' here had their way of life changed dramatically a couple hundred years ago. The Spanish missionaries kept journals, with observations of the way things were. From these, we have one creation story and one partial line from a song:

'...dancing at the edge of the world...'

-- flora (***@__._), October 08, 1999.

Tsunami surfing anyone?

Whether its an emotional tidal wave or a more Y2K-physical one?

All I know is... Im back in the Depressed stage. (But just over the flu though and still feeling crummy, so thats part of the equation). Seems the best preparations possible, need to be topped off with the ability to remain unattached to ALL the outcomes... and to remain as flexible as possible.

Be prepared... to change. And be mobile.

Its part of what Ive had reinforced by Y2K research. The other is that what shows on the surface... is NOT what is beneath. Thats true of the newsmedia... the dot govs... the dot mils... the dot coms... life in general... etc.

Also...

Got spirt? Its what lasts.

(In the long-term view of stackable events).

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Indecision, the key to flexibility.

Inmate

-- inmate (inmate@hand.basket.con), October 08, 1999.

"Indecision, the key to flexibility. "

I like it. I think. But maybe not. Yeah, I think I do.....but...

:

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), October 08, 1999.

Speaking of good one liners - i saw Cory use this one the other day:

"I DOD not fail testing with that system - Mission Critical!"

-- a (a@a.a), October 08, 1999.

Livin on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century

See the world in revolution
Spinnin' faster all the time
We're headin' for the end of somethin'
Just about to step across that line
Ohhh, can't you see ?
We're starin' in the face of reality
Ohhh, and you and me
We're livin' on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century

Hear the way the earth is shakin'
Feel the rumble miles away
Say goodbye to Checkpoint Charlie
Walls are fallin' everyday
Ohhh can't you see ?
Every step we take we're makin' history
Ohh baby you and me
Livin on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century
Livin on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century

You can't turn off the information
Can't sit back in your easy chair
Just can't ignore a generation
Better get ready cause we're almost there
Ohhh and we're movin' at the speed of life, yeah
Ohhh into a brave new world where the strong will survive
And dawn's gonna break and I'll meet you on the other side


You can't stand still while the earth is turnin'
Can't take cover till the coast is clear
Can't play guitar while Rome is burnin'
Look out now 'cause the future's here
Ohhhh
And were movin at the speed of life, yeah
Ohhhh
Livin on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century
Livin on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century
Livin on the edge on the edge on the edge of the century
On the edge.....


-- Dennis DeYoung (livin@the.edge), October 08, 1999.

"And everything under the Sun is in tune, But the Sun is eclipsed, And I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon" Oh! how far away it seems! And then I saw by looking into my past, that important things should be done at the moment one realizes that they are important. Sooo, 18 months ago we started preps, 'cause it was important. And now, when we are almost ready, I sit down and marvel at all that we've acomplished. All is more quiet now. I, again, "see" my children. So much pushing and pulling. My hubby and I "see" each other, again. Little by little. What's to come, will come. And in all my doomness for what's to come, we feel like a peace. Can you believe me? Do you understand me?...sniff sniff I'm just rambling. This thread gets me rambling. I'm gonna miss this bunch of doomers if the web goes...yeah, I will...sniff sniff Oh! this rollercoaster!...

-- Eli (Eli@zephyr.net), October 08, 1999.

This from Ambrosia's Life Beyond L.A. album:

I was living in Angola
reading in the papers
'bought the new depresion
got the States upset

Still I just can't see
how only one T.V.
and two slightly used cars
causing such regrets

In this country such as ours
if we had these things
we'd be a U.N. delegation
or descent from Kings

Sometimes you know
I hunger for more than food
For more than the shelter
from the cold monsoon
I'd like swimming pools
and refridgerated air
and an extra room to spare
no more ten to a room
and a thinking color set
with a close up zoom

But in this country such as ours
if we had these things
we'd either be European
or a visiting queen

And you remember well
the day that old wall street fell?
And do you fear it again?

Still there is one major difference
in just how we see such things
what you call poor we call prosperity...

The point being...people do survive on less than what we tend to have. When I am able to actually to put myself in this perspective (hey, I'm a twentieth century, 1st world kinda guy, so that perspective kinda comes and goes), I find that I can actually laugh at all this, TEOTWAWKI or not.

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), October 08, 1999.