Category: Survival Mindset

Board Games in TEOTWAWKI, by Gridley

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In “Sleeping With the Friendlies, by Heidi C.”, the author mentions some of the problems of group integration and building group cohesion, and the author touches on a point that I would like to expand on– board games. In this article I will discuss how I feel board games have uses in: Finding like-minded people Building group cohesion Maintaining morale in a retreat location or shelter-in-place I will take these points in reverse order. Board Games? Why board games? First, let’s imagine the following scenario. The fall has happened. You’ve reached your retreat location and found with relief that the …


Letter Re: Long-Term Caches

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Dear SurvivalBlog, I have searched your databases and even some youtube areas, but see much conflicting information. I was going to use a plastic bucket, but found out they are not rodent proof, so I am moving to the coated ammo cans. The primary question is regarding firearm storage. Some say to grease them, others don’t mention anything. Would putting them in a sealed bad work? I would think you might not have the time to clean a greased gun. What about storing any gun oil? I have also heard lighting a tea candle right before sealing it to get …


The Invisible Prepper, by Grey Woman

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I am the invisible prepper. I am, on the surface, a caricature of everything that most SurvivalBlog readers seem to deplore. On the surface, I am a caricature of what the non-prepper community expects me to be– completely average in every way. Who I Am I am a twice divorced middle-aged woman, a committed democrat, a sincere atheist, a successful product of public schools, and what you would likely call a coastal liberal elite. If you met me, you would probably ignore me, scoff under your breath, and label me as sheeple or a snowflake. What You Would Not Know …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 6, by J.M.

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We are wrapping up this article series on surviving a short or mid-length emergency while in an urban apartment or dorm. We’ve covered escaping the work place, water, food, skills, safety and security, and much more. Let’s get on with what else you need now. Other Equipment and Supplies There are a few other types of equipment and supplies that you should consider stocking as part of your urban preparations: Medical Supplies Stock up on medical supplies, such as bandages, gauze, medications, antibiotic ointments and antibiotics, along with books and training on how to use them. Note that medications will …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 5, by J.M.

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We are in the middle of reviewing ways to improve your security if you are caught in a short or mid-length emergency while in an urban apartment or dorm. Safety and Security (continued) Let’s continue with our list of ways to improve our security in case of an emergency. Know Maintenance People Get friendly with your apartment’s maintenance people. Tell them you have an interest in or are taking a class in civil engineering and want to know more about your building’s systems. They can show you all of the hidden nooks and crannies in your building, particularly if it’s …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 4, by J.M.

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I am sharing experience and ideas about surviving in an urban environment in the event of short-term or major, long-term emergency situation. I have covered the topic of the getting home, the Get Home Bag, skills required for a trek home. Now, I’ve begun to cover what might be needed to survive a mid-length crisis of weeks or months. So far, we looked at the subjects of water and food. Now, let’s move on. Hygiene As the saying about hygiene goes, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” That’s especially true, if you’re confined to a limited enclosed area for a long …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 3, by J.M.

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I am sharing experience and ideas about surviving in an urban environment in the event of short-term or major, long-term emergency situation. We just wrapped up the Get Home Bag, list of recommended contents, and explanations. Let’s look at skills. Skills For the Trek Home You’ll need to develop some skills necessary to survive a trek home under potentially difficult circumstances. These include: Physical Fitness Your physical fitness is fundamentally important. If your only regular exercise is from walking to and from the subway, you’re going to have a hard time walking 20 blocks to your apartment in any reasonable …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 2, by J.M.

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I am sharing experience and ideas about surviving in an urban environment in the event of short-term or major, long-term emergency situation. We’re currently talking about getting home, whether from work or campus, since home is where our supplies are most likely stored. Get Home Bag On the subject of equipment and supplies, you’ve probably heard the term “Get Home Bag” (GHB). A lot of the discussion you can find regarding GHBs deals with handling a multi-day trek through the wilderness. Most of the time, the recommended content focuses on things like starting fires, building shelter, finding water, et cetera. …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 1, by J.M.

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Let’s talk about surviving in an urban environment. In my younger days, one of my first jobs was in a mid-sized city in the Midwest. Being young, I wanted to enjoy all of the virtues and vices that the city had to offer. So, I got an apartment that was close to the city center. I had camping gear, and I always made sure to have a decent stock of food, water and medical supplies. However, with the knowledge and experience I’ve picked up in the ensuing decades, I look back and realize how unprepared I really was to survive …


Discipline: The Most Critical Piece of Your Emergency Preparations By J.D.

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There is a wonderful meme making the rounds on the Internet that applies to our emergency preparations. It states: “He who lives without discipline dies without honor.” Some claim it to either be a quote attributed to Odin, a pagan god of the Germans and Norse, or an ancient Icelandic proverb. Similarly, if you read survivalist literature long enough, you will come across this idea: “software is more important than hardware.” I have no idea if these quotes are attributable to anyone, but I believe these ideas hold the key to becoming truly survivable in any situation. It’s Not Enough- …


One of the World’s Most Useful Skills, by S.V.

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My father impressed upon me a useful skill that has saved my life on more than one occasion. Whether it be traveling on dangerous highways in the saddle of a motorcycle or watching for a gun in the hands of a suspect, constant and consistent situational awareness is a critical survival skill. When the grid shudders to a stop or money becomes more useful as toilet paper than currency, our exercise of practical situational awareness will mean the difference between life and death on a daily basis. This is why we should take actionable steps to continually hone this perishable …


Letter: Asking for Preparedness Advice

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Hi there! I heard JWR on InfoWars speaking on investing. This evening, my husband and I looked up your website and found the investment area and read your wisdom. We really already knew what to do, but I find myself overwhelmed and then get distracted. Your advice was to get prepared for a crisis first with beans, bullets, and Band-Aids! I love that. So now we’ll get going back in that direction. We have 13 children. And that’s not a joke. We were wondering if your readers could please point me in a direction that would give me a simple …


Letter: Learning New Skills Well

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Hugh, It’s already February and I suppose a good 90% of all new years resolutions have come and gone. Personally I’m not a big believer in defining the thing I will start or quit each new year. Instead, every November to December, for the past 4 or 5 years, I start thinking the following: what skills will I focus on learning? To help with the learning process, I group these skills into a few major groups: self-defense, food, medical, and technical/communications. I decide which of those major groups I want to increase my knowledge in, and I focus on it …


Letter Re: What Is It That Will Really Help You Survive TEOTWAWKI?

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Hugh, I wanted to let folks know how deep this goes. The writer is very prescient in identifying the threat(s). In March, I lost my job. I had worked at this corporation for 19 years, but did not survive the political culture. In early November, I lost the love of my life to a devastating disease. While I have large stockpiles of beans, bullets, and band-aids – enough to provide for my own family plus many others for a long time – these were two things that I didn’t see coming, and was totally unprepared for. I’m struggling to deal …


Reindustrialization After The Fall- Part 2, By Redneck Granddaddy

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Yesterday, we took inventory of the situation two years after the balloon went up after the fall, and we realized that things could be pretty challenging. However, with charcoal and a forge, the problems we mentioned wouldn’t be such a dilemma. Yesterday, I shared several options for how to make charcoal. Today, I will share how to make a forge and more tips for smithing. So, let’s get started. Masonry Forge Boy you are ambitious to look at a masonry forge! That’s okay. Depending on your particular situation, this might be easier and or better for you. A masonry forge …