Need advice from the older generation of ATS.

Kudos to your way of thinking...As others have mentioned on this thread - be prepared, but don't become obsessed. While we all may wear our tin-foil hats around here from time to time, overly worrying about everything coming down the pike does not help with your well-being.

Plan for the smaller disasters (ice storms, tornadoes, etc.) If you have a basic plan for something on that scale you should be able to adapt as needed for the larger ones that you would have some control over.

Massive solar flare or asteroid strike - only so much you can do there, so enjoy life.

And there will be no zombie apocalypse.....

I'm over 60 so definitely a member of the ATS 'Older Generation'. My best advice to you as you live your life is to learn stuff. Practical stuff. Learn simple wiring, plumbing, how to use a variety of tools. Learn about basic gardening, camp, fish, hunt. Just learn practical skills. It's gratifying to learn and these kinds of skills come in handy later on in life no matter what comes down the pike.

reply to post by daryllyn


I had a similar situation a few years ago, an ice storm, freezing temps, and power out for a week.

And I also found out the hard way how vulnerable I was.

But today My family and I can stand off-the-grid for well over a month in any weather.
And worse case scenario, we have a full bug-out plan of action.

I wont let myself be in that situation again.

Just a side note, I don't think any previous generations are harder as such, they just dealt with the situation at hand, just as you will if it comes to it. We're all just people, all the same, the only difference is the way we see things and handle things. And there's a miriad of ways to do that. Just remain calm in any situation which gets a bit "edgy" and you will make better decisions. I've had some crazy on the spot situations to deal with in my life, as have most of us. You've just got to remember to keep your cool, thinking clearly in hectic situations, it helps to keep your head nice and level. This goes for anything, if you ever find yourself getting all worked up and stressed from school/work/any life situation, just remember one of the best ways to calm down, breathe nice and deeply. If your brain gets starved of oxygen (you get very short in breath when worked up and angry/scared) then it isn't able to think at top capacity. It's amazing how a few intakes of breath can calm you and help you handle anything life throws at you. You'll be ok dude, learning survival skills is a great idea, even if thetre is no great happenings going on. It's just nice to know that you can hold your own if you have to. You're young, you have all the time to get lots of information into you as possible.
,
Someone said earlier, learn as much as you can. This is top notch advice, you should always be learning, wether you're 16, or 96.

You will be surprised at how a group of people will come together in time of need, its in our nature.

A number of years ago when Hurricane Fran came through our county, leaving us without power, water, gas for transportation, and a number of other things, etc... survival mode kicks in for all, people start working with each other, helping other, teaching others... our whole county worked together as a team, that included our government agencies. We all did what was needed... I think its part of our nature to do so.

People are resilient... I think you will find that to be the case in most situations.

Well, you have one major thing going for you it appears. Common sense. I think the best way for you to see the real world for what it is, is to go out into nature and take it all in. We are miniscule in comparison to Mother Earth. Just breath and experience it. All that electronic gadgetry is not what life is about.

reply to post by vendettent


There is nothing stupid about the way you expressed yourself, in fact you brought up concerns we are all facing ,no matter how old we are. I'm 66, so you're my grandkids age. I've seen some hard times...2 years in Viet Nam...my wife died of cancer at home in our bed.....did demolition work tearing down barns and out buildings for 14 years.
Your ability to see that hard times are approaching is admirable, since you are 16. Try to enjoy life the best you can and at the same time get yourself in shape, learn some survival skills, find some friends that think like you. Talk to your Mom about how you feel and find some way to work together getting prepared, if that's what you decide to do.
Now to your concern about coping with the loss of our technological system. That's going to be a tough one for all of us . There is no simple answer and it's something we all may face . Try to find like-minded friends and relatives to work out the details.

It is interesting that you posted this at this time = just last week I was talking to my 96 year old mother (yes I am in my late 60's).

She was born in 1917... few cars, no radio etc BUT she ate all Organic Food! Her mother always lived on a farm. So all fresh veggies and "raw" milk etc. No additives to any food products.

My father smoked like a chimney and the "second hand smoke" had NO effect on her health at all.

She takes NO medication(s) and still has all of her own teeth (she is really proud of that so I had to add it here LOL).

Not long ago (she lives in Connecticut) she was without power (yes she lives in her own home and drives where she wants) for over a week. She has a well so was still connected to water. She has a gas stove. She has a fireplace. Neighbors helped shovel and did bring her some food - but other than that she had no problems at all.

I also grew up spending a lot of time with my Grandmother and Step-Grandfather. I learned to milk cows, collect eggs and "watched her cook" (she was odd in that it was HER kitchen and Nobody was allowed to mess it up). She "put-up" all of her own pickles, jams, veggies etc so she had food for the winter. She would grab a chicken and just swing it around and break it's neck..... yuck.

The point = knowledge at your age is the best advice I can give you! Search the net and then print out what you find interesting or worth knowing. Get a 3 ring binder and save "chapters" on information.

Take a look at your everday life - what do you use? What do you eat? What do you NEED everyday (from Toilet paper to toothbrush etc). Keep track for a few days and then LEARN alternitive ways to do the same thing. It is actually a fun excercise! Keep a sort of journal.

Good luck young one and have fun as you learn. Talk to "old people" LOL They can be REALLY interesting.....

I apologize if this is a stupid or hard to answer question and I hope that this is the appropriate forum.

reply to post by vendettent


First lesson young Jedi
There is no such thing as a stupid question, just a question you don't know the answer to

Second lesson
Be confident in yourself and your abilities, you'd be amazed at how capable you are.

Third lesson
Take time to always look for the cool headed option, it's there, just a bit hard to find sometimes.

Here endeth the lesson

You young Jedi; are already light years ahead of the majority of your generation

I thank you for giving me hope for the future *Bows*

Cody

reply to post by smirkley


No grandpa you might be able to HELP!

Originally posted by zonetripper2065
reply to post by smirkley

 

No grandpa you might be able to HELP!

But only after my mid-morning early-afternoon nap, and definetly not after Matlock.


(danged-gummed whipper-snappers)

What a good post OP.
Well I'm 62 and I've lived through various scares. If I had worried a lot about what COULD happen, I'd have had no life at all!
But like others my age I have seen huge technological advances. It was a totally different life in the 1950s for example. My concern is that if hardship sent us back to times like that, younger people wouldn't be able to cope because they have never known life without the gadgets, the computers, the household equipment etc. But it is quite do-able. We were happy, we did not feel deprived, the sky did not fall in.
So my advice for what it's worth is to learn the difference between needing something and wanting something. That's harder than it sounds because it means building up a resistance to what you are being told you 'need'.
Then, with respect to the bad things happening in our world, they always did happen. If you dwelt too much on it all, it would be difficult getting out of bed in the morning. So take it day by day, get joy out of the small things and know that you can make a difference to those around you..

Originally posted by starchild10
What a good post OP.
Well I'm 62 and I've lived through various scares. If I had worried a lot about what COULD happen, I'd have had no life at all!
But like others my age I have seen huge technological advances. It was a totally different life in the 1950s for example. My concern is that if hardship sent us back to times like that, younger people wouldn't be able to cope because they have never known life without the gadgets, the computers, the household equipment etc. But it is quite do-able. We were happy, we did not feel deprived, the sky did not fall in.
So my advice for what it's worth is to learn the difference between needing something and wanting something. That's harder than it sounds because it means building up a resistance to what you are being told you 'need'.
Then, with respect to the bad things happening in our world, they always did happen. If you dwelt too much on it all it would be difficult getting out of bed in the morning. So take it day by day, get joy out of the small things and try to make a difference to those aroundyou..

If I was staff
I would applaud you for that
Succinct honest and Intelligent, thank you
Cody

Originally posted by IvanAstikov
Tl;dr - life's too short to waste it worrying about the End Times.

Not only that, but there's very little you can do to prepare yourself. The grander movements of the planet and history happen without your input, and don't care about you as an individual. You can think you have the system beaten, but it's all just a joke. All of your best laid plans will frequently come to naught.

So, yeah. Try to stay out of trouble. Enjoy the pleasures of life. Plan as well as you can for the future, but when the SHTF, and everything falls apart, just pick yourself back up and see what you can do. Keep trying until you die. That's all any of us can do.

You've gotten good advice. Living in a rural area helps. I find I learn so much from the people aroudn here who are running the family farm they were born on... even if they didn't stay in school past 15, and have never been out of their region, they know things. They know things that aren't in books, but are essential to surviving.

But if that isn't possible, camping. Get a couple of friends together and start going camping for a weekend. Look up info on how to find food, and prepare it, make a fire, use a compass, track animals, know the plants and wildlife. Start in areas where there are is water available and all, and slowly work yoru way to areas that are more and more isolated.

With time, you can learn a sort of confidence, in yourself, in your ability solve problems, to be creative.
You won't know everything about survival, but you will have a better sense that you could figure it out along the way if you have to.

If something happens, you'll survive. If you want to test yourself, just observe what you do during the day and what conveniences you take for granted. Try going without those conveniences.

Think about it as you are sitting on the toilet. I think everyone is a captive audience there. What would it be like if there was no toilet or toilet paper every day. What if you had to sit on a bucket and haul it out every day. what if there were no lights in the bathroom and you couldn't just hop in a shower. Having to heat some water to take a bath and hauling it from a pump to the tub. This is just one little room in the house that we take for granted. Thank god for toilet paper, I don't think they make Sears catalogs anymore.

A lot of people will be in the same boat if the economy collapses. You won't be alone.

reply to post by vendettent


Learn my young friend, learn as much as you can about as many things as you can and never, ever be afraid to try and when you try, try your very best.

If I could give you advice in one sentence that would be it..

Here is my reason behind that. Some years ago my friend and neighbor got cancer. One night he said to me, he could only speak in a whisper then.."Frogs, look after my boys. Help them learn. There is so much they don't know.." My friend and neighbor was gone by morning..

His boys aged from 19 to 11. They seemed like smart kids. They did good in school. I thought he was exaggerating. He was not. There were so many, little, piratical things they did not know that I would have thought every young man knew.

They didn't know that without oil a lawnmower engine would seize up and ruin. Heck, they didn't even know how to check the oil. They didn't know that money for a new one was hard to come by.

I remember when the pump on their well quit working. The older boy stood there. He had no idea what was wrong or how to fix it (neither did I). But we both knew mom had no money to call a repairman..

We had this conversation..
"What are we gonna do??"
"We're gonna fix it.."
"How?! What's wrong with it.."
"I dunno, but me and you are gonna figure it out and get it running again..."
"But.."
"Go get the tools.." ..and he went off, came back with tools and we fixed it.

There is little substitute for actually trying, learning and doing..

Some great advice here for you OP. Remember as well that your spirit also needs to be prepared. Take a walk in the countryside, be still, smell whats around you, train your ears to hear and you will feel at one with this lovely blue planet we inhabit.

Ive been doing that for near on 50 years now and the benefits to me have been positive. See the glass half full and the good in the bad as there is no "black & white".We are here for a reason, there are no gods, you are your own god....you just havnt learned that yet.

Respects

Great advice everyone. Kid you have already taken one of the best steps you can. Seeking the advise of your elders. IMO not enough young people do. I would add to the advice above a self defense class with a friend. It' is another way to build your self confidence . Plus you know your buddy has your back in a pinch. Read and practice what you learn. I can't emphasize that enough. Practice. You can have all the knowledge in the world but if you can't USE it it's just useless information. As others have said the future is uncertain. Worrying can drive you mad. In times like these it's easy to get caught up in the bad news. Enjoy life and see the beauty in the world. It's all around you just have to look for it.

reply to post by vendettent


When I was your age my father told me that there was three types of jobs. The white collar and the blue collar.
That is a desk job or a trade. The third is the gold collar. That is the best at anything you do. Just try too be the best that you can do at what ever you do. Be worth your weight in gold.
If you want to survive a disaster you have to work on leadership skills. People need to be told what to do in that type of situation Look at all the peoples needs. take control