The PREPAREDNESS issue continues to be on my mind pretty strongly lately... I was wondering what *skills* everyone thinks might be helpful in a doomsday scenario...? Now, if the whole doomsday scenario isn't something you like thinking about, that's fine... this probably won't be of much interest then. But I was thinking of some things like --
a) getting in stronger, physical shape - specifically strength and stamina
b) skills in procuring food if needed, like tracking or trapping (stuff besides or in addition to shooting, or if one doesn't have guns or is not trained with guns) Anyone read Tom Brown, Jr. books? What do you think of him?
c) other skills like hiding, avoiding evil people, protecting yourself, etc....
Any skills anyone has made a point of learning that you think could be useful?
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Sounds like you're looking for a level 16 Ranger Thief, Coco
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
I like the Boy Scout Manual and the Marine Corps Winter Survival Manual. The Marine Corps Winter Survival Manual is very good and available for download online for free. It covers shelter, water, food, trapping, tracking, evasion, signaling, and how to make a slew of survival tools, traps, and weapons. The boy scout manual has good info on knots and other stuff to survive.
Some kind of creative talent, like music, art, drama, writing, storytelling, etc. Most likely there will be a lot of waiting or down time, and you gotta have something you enjoy doing and something to entertain the kids with to keep everyone from going stir crazy.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
Creative talent... hmm... Cococlan loves charades! Ready kids? We're playing "Name That Evil World Leader". Mom's first... Seriously, that sounds like a good idea. Haven't thought about the "downtime" so much. MrCoco's mom probably had 100s of songs memorized - little kid songs, old Stephen Foster-types, classics from old movies, etc... She calmed down the beastly kids in the car for us more than once... awesome.
You know, I love the Boy Scout manual, too. Cocokid#1 seems to have "misplaced" his - I'll probably just buy an extra for me. I think I may scan Amazon for that Marine Corps Winter Survival Manual... then search the lists it's on... then go from list to list... shoot, I better wait 'till I have like an hour to do that one.
One thing that sort of bothers me is the idea of trying to leave - go somewhere - and not wanting people to be able to follow me. I have this feeling I leave a huge, easily-followed trail, at least to someone who's semi-trained in tracking. I wonder how I could learn to be more... "silent" ? I guess this is where some of those Tom Brown books might be helpful...
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Believe it or not, Mrs. HSR actually has the skills and equipment to remove hair from hairy animals, process it into yarn, and then turn it into something useful like socks or sweaters. Sometimes I actually look forward to the day civilization crumbles, so I can go from being annoyed at all the stray hairs, to falling at her feet in gratitude for her ability to make stuff we can barter.
Hopefully you'll live long enough to do that very thing!
Awesome, for Mrs. HSR!! I'll be bartering with you, cuz I can't sew and it holds little interest for me to learn. And yes, I make a point of making friends with those who can.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
-medical/dental -mechanical (machine/auto) -tool and die -weapons proficiency/reloading -martial skills -canning/food/gardening/farming -electrical (thinking about getting electricity again) -engineering/chemical (think about getting society some of the goods it had) -brewing/distilling (people want distractions, booze gives it to them) -refining or able to obtain raw materials
Old timey skills, this is a great series of books for a lot of skills if the lights ever go out: http://www.foxfire.org/prodFFbooks.html
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Lo, there I see my mother, my sisters, my brothers Lo, there I see the line of my people back to the beginning Lo, they call to me, they bid me take my place among them In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live...forever
Lo, there I see my mother, my sisters, my brothers Lo, there I see the line of my people back to the beginning Lo, they call to me, they bid me take my place among them In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live...forever
I like this quote, because I don't know how to translate myself, but I sure know how to handle a gun:
In reference to 3 Nephi 4:33* President Hinckley said:
"While we must have science, while we must have education, while we must have arms, we must also have righteousness if we are to merit the protection of God" (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 40).
*33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.
I think slings are cool, too. My dad made cocokid#1 a sling... they went up to this mountain area and picked out the "Y" branch, got it all ready, got the leather... pretty cool.
Awesome, Euph!! You guys so totally ROCK! MrEuph's a lefty? MrCoco's a lefty, too. Well, he throws/bats with his right but writes with his left... anyway.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
I was pretty proud of myself. I got 2 or 3 bullseyes, and I shot the "deer" target in the neck. I understand I was supposed to be aiming for the shoulderish area above the leg, but...when the head fell off... Dead is dead, I say. Of course, it wasn't moving. Then again, I'm thinking the post-Apocalyptic deer will probably be moving slower.