John wrote:
As I skimmed through this manual, it occurred to me that to prepare for everything would be a full time job for weeks, and then still require lots of time to keep supplies up to date.
You're correct it can be seen in that manner. Nor are the items acquired free, but you buy homeowners insurance, and auto insurance every year, and for them you have nothing to show for the outlay expended. The items acquired in preparation are at least tangible - they can be used, or eaten. And after all, rhetorically speaking, your going to need to eat something aren't you?
Don't go crazy, just do a bit at a time, crazy is just stupid, and the object isn't to be stupid. It isn't so much a task to be finished as a mind set. A manner of thinking, if you will. "I am going to go shopping today, what can I buy that will have a shelf life of 20-30 years? Oh, OK I need some dry spaghetti, so I'll buy 2 lbs instead of 1 pound" Once you start thinking in terms of being prepared, the object of what you do is to assure that you are able to care/feed yourself, both now and in the future. That is, to care for yourself and your family, now and in the future especially in the event of a traumatic event.
A sizable water container may be obtained cheaply (55 gal food grade drum) for roughly $5-$20. Food processors get their raw materials delivered in them and per the FDA the food processor can't reuse them, thus the processor must pay to have them removed - thus they sell them very cheap, or simply give them away. Obtain a few, wash the contents, fill it from a source of known good potable water, and store it for a year, when that year has passed, then change it for the next year. Each 55 gal drum provides a gallon of clean water per day for a single person for roughly 2 months, and you only need to cycle the water once a year. Don't want to mess with finding a cheap source, then buy them new, they're about $60 each, buy one a year.
And the message is that doing something is far better than nothing - anything that you might pick up that you can eat, drink, or use is something that you didn't have before. You quickly learn to acquire long lived (15-30 year shelf life food items, again the Mormons are helpful) food stuffs, and strangely, almost automatically, you start to look at food expiration dates as you shop; it's easy; you're already doing the shopping. Buy a pellet gun they are roughly $130, and a thousand pellets are roughly $20. If you have a fire arm(s) select items that use the same ammo and sell the others, then pick up a few cartridges each month, or every other month and throw them in a milk crate - so long as you keep them dry, they have a shelf life of decades. Don't have a gun, consider obtaining one, and most importantly become proficient with its use. Don't like guns? Don't buy one. Buy a bow - it's silent, and you can reuse the arrows. Find and subscribe to a Prepper blog on the Internet, they're everywhere. Remember don't go crazy - just a little bit at a time - something is better than nothing.
I must add, that there is nothing that takes the trauma out of the prospect of nuclear conflict - a bit of preparation, however, provides just a bit of insurance just in case you are fortunate, or unfortunate enough, as you may see it, to happen to survive.
