I hope you don't mind my venting. As I look around me I am so weirded out. I go around town and everyone is acting as if everything is perfectly normal. The malls are packed and everyone is buying fun, useless stuff like mad. My neighbor just bought a nice cadillac, my best friends are totally wrapped up with their son at an exclusive tennis school, my parents are going to Maui on the 4th of Jan., my sister in law is planning on taking my niece to NYC for her 16th BD in February, my other close friends just bought a nice, expensive house in Santa Barbara, my other close friend has to go back to Rome in Feb., my cousin has millions(literally) in the stock market and on and on. They don't want to hear what I have been going through the past couple years at all. If they knew all the preps we've done I don't know what they would do. They do not want me to tell them(even if I would) They do not want to hear anything at all. It is the weirdest freakin thing in creation. I am starting to feel like this is a real spiritual thing that we can't even begin to understand. Like a biblical happening. Thanks for hearing me out.

-- a mom (exodus@soon.com), November 27, 1999

Answers

Hang in there mom. What you've done for your family is terrific. If this whole thing turns out to be a non-event...you loose nothing. If it turns out to be catastrophic...you may be able to save your family because of some basic preparations. So for you, please consider it a win-win situation. Not so for the other people who have not prepared.

May God be with you!!

-- nothing (better@to.do), November 27, 1999.

I agree with you A mom, I feel the same! It is truly bizaare isn't it! I wonder what all of those people will do next year...

-- Crono (Crono@timesend.com), November 28, 1999.

The blindness is spiritual.

-- Me (me@me.me), November 28, 1999.

Best thoughts to you, Mom!

We all have to buy insurance on our houses and cars, but when we get home we're not unhappy when our house has not burned down or if we haven't had an accident; no-o-o!! We're overjoyed. It's the same with Y2k. Except for the ones who will ridicule us if we are wrong, we'll be O.K. If we are right? We'll actually be pretty sad, won't we? We must resist saying "I told you so!" and we must forgive those who will not listen now.

-- Constance A Iversen (hive@gte.net), November 28, 1999.

When I get what I call "weirded out" by a change in people (either me or them) I draw some comfort from an old Rod McKuen poem: People change So it goes Every midnight turns itself to dawn

Such is the ebb and flow of life; change is constant. Take comfort in nature and focus less on the details of others. Go outside, breathe deep, and be at peace. You have provided for those you love. Be well. P.S. Venting is good for your soul and costs you nothing!

-- Big D (ddac@yahoo.com), November 28, 1999.

Yes, I know how you feel! Its insane. I feel like a schizophrenic most days. This holiday weekend has been the worst. Its one of the most profound experiences I have ever had in my life - seeing the paradoxes, dichotemies and madness!

Hope I can stay sane a little bit longer.

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), November 28, 1999.

>Is this a Bible story or something?

You GI!

2 Thessalonians 2 [KJV] 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth.......

-- Slobby Don (slobbydon@hotmail.com), November 28, 1999.

It is totally weird. You go to work and everyone is talking about new products, new shows, 2nd quarter and 3rd quarter activities. In sports everyone is talking about trades, managers, coaches and the upcoming season.

You want to jump up on the conference table and scream "IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN, PEOPLE", but you can't.

In a few months we will see if we were crazy or not.

KEEP THE FAITH MOM, IT WON'T BE MUCH LONGER

-- John (john@babtist.god), November 28, 1999.

I'm with Slobby and I can't get over how polar the division has become. It makes me think of the sheep and goats. Oh, and the weirdest is trying to talk about news articles with ANYone, maybe to warn or more to kinda bounce it off other people and ask what they've heard, what they're doing for prep,..but their eyes just glass over and they either become hostile (kill the messenger, heh) or walk away. I'm soft spoken, so I know it ain't my approach...go figure.

So anyway, if just talking about what might happen induces a psychotic break, then how are these people gonna act if the SHTF? I shudder to think...

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), November 28, 1999.

Greetings a mom,

These passages come to mind. Matt 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Remember that these are tribulation time passages. However, the strange disconnect people have with the troubled times we live in seems to mirror these scriptures. Beware of believing that folks can predict the return of the Lord, as Matt 24:36 cautions.

-- trafficjam (bottleneck@ahead.soon), November 28, 1999.

This country *will* be judged, and the "blindness" to that fact is indeed spiritual. Those who mom describes will shudder at the consequences of what we have done as a nation.

-- Zev Barak (zev@no.com), November 28, 1999.

Mom, here's a Bible "story": Proverbs 2:6-11, 20-22: "For the Lord giveth wisdom:out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous....he keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee....For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it." Not my words, but the Word's word. Could a loving God be so harsh?

-- Tishaminga (steverromano@aol.com), November 28, 1999.

The thing is, is that we love those people who don't get it and the thought of their kids cold and hungry is too hard to think about but when you say anything to the parents, who are our very good freinds o they get soooo incredibly defensive. Just last night as the bottom line I said simply that if I'm wrong it's no big deal but if your wrong, what will you do? I know it made him mad but I guess i'll risk it.Very frustrated with the whole damn thing and just really realized what a horrible thing our gov't has done by fooling these people. My friend actually told me that some guy at work brings in info on y2k and other things we talk about here and another guy says it's perpetrated by commies and has some kind of proof or something.Feel like crying.Actually some times I just feel like believing him. It would be sooooo much easier.

-- tress (tress59@aol.com), November 28, 1999.

Slobby Don, that there is Infomagic's sig line. Hhhmmm.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 28, 1999.

Mom, My daughter just called me and ask me if I would keep her 3 yr old son, the weekend of Jan. 1, she told me her husband and her have been invited to a big company party in Dallas (ex-co workers of her husband) I of course tried to talk her out of this. She said she knew I would keep him since I was all worried about "all that Y2K STUFF" I begged and pleaded with her, she said "I can't believe you are acting like this". She told me I really need to get a grip and that I have really gone off the deep end.. Her father-in-law is into the stock market BIG TIME. She said "He thinks this is all a big joke" and so does all of his family. What can a person do? Prayer is all I know. You know the prayer that goes, "Dear God Please cancel all flight leaving here for Dallas December 28 the through Jan.1"

-- Marli (can'tget@it.duh), November 28, 1999.

Ever seen the movie "The Sound of Music" ??

It is based on a true story but Hollywood made the ending dramatic. In reality the Von Tropp's prepared to leave Austria over the course of several months. All of their friends (the VonKoskinens and VonClintons among others) knew what was going on and they all urged them to stay. Real estate was in the dumps because of the war fears so they took a huge loss when they sold their beautiful mansion and left for the USA.

Needless to say all of their friends were wiped out. Only the VonTropps survived with the majority of their wealth and not to mention their lives and honor.

-- Dana (A_Non_O_Moose@xxx.com), November 28, 1999.

I'm not Crazy and neither are any of you.

When I read in the Wash. Post this Sunday morning and I see in the A-section a big picture of Teachers Protesting a paycheck debacle that has not been rectified after 6-weeks, some have quit.

I ask myself---is this a figment of my imagination? Do I have the mental ability of seeing this situation on a much larger basis? You bet!!!

-- d----- (dciinc@aol.com), November 28, 1999.

What you all said. Wow, weird. Yes, it's DEFINITELY spiritual!!! Those who have ears to hear...meaning inner ears. I asked my friend who knows everything WHY this is. It's not that God punishes, it just gives these souls time to develop...(not necessarily in this domain-- world.)

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 28, 1999.

Wait a second there, mom.

How do you know these people aren't prepared? We are. But we're also living our lives as normally as possible, doing our jobs, going to church, shopping, going to restaurants, movies, trying to enjoy each & every day that God lets us have.

What should change? Should we all wear sackcloth & rub ashes in our faces? Should we stop planning for any future at all? Should we all stay home & stop living our lives because SOMETHING bad might happen in January?

Something bad might happen today or tomorrow. Every day of the week is someone's last day, after all.

And a word to the wise: don't even try to tell people about your preps. Just prepare as best you can & keep your mouth shut. Remember, "They won't prepare but they WILL remember (that you did)."

-- everything really (is@perfectly.normal), November 28, 1999.

I have read some of the books about 1929, and this period really reminds me of the summer of 1929. People don't want to hear about any bad news that might affect their lives, and the media avoid running negative stories.

-- Danny (dcox@ix.netcom.com), November 28, 1999.

"Needless to say all of their friends were wiped out. Only the VonTropps survived with the majority of their wealth and not to mention their lives and honor."

Dana, I read that the VanTrapps left Austria back in the late 1920's, WAY before Hitler even came to power. The whole WWII connection in the film was pure fiction, altho such things did happen to other families.

-- looks like we're (off@topic.again), November 28, 1999.

Aloha Mom!

Thanks!

Some Indians call this the "Great Purification"?

Lokelo

-- Lokelo (lokelo@hotmail.com), November 28, 1999.

ditto mom. right on traffic jam. it is really strange isn't it when god gets a hold of you and you begin to see things very differently than the rest of the world. like Y2K. like other types of spiritual discernment---things bother you that no one cares about. its sort of like it grates on your soul.

i felt like such a freak this thanksgiving when i got together with my family. not that i am judging them because i love them but they are so worldly and seem so lukewarm about their faith. and i feel like this fanatic. they think i am a fanatic and were actually kind of making fun of me both about my spiritual self and y2k too. very strange.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), November 28, 1999.

I wonder sometimes. Why is it that the christian leaders of the world don't have a clue about y2k? If y2k is going to be so life changing why haven't hardly any gotten it? I get it, but I wonder if I might be wrong. Maybe this is God's way of bringing the church to it's knee's. Maybe the rapture will happen and God's people don't have to worry about a thing. I guess we only have a short time to go and we won't have to wonder any more.

-- Gambler (scotanna@arosnet.com), November 28, 1999.

Hang in there A Mom. You're doing the right thing.

and in all seriousness ... why would *we* be chosen to GI ... and so many others ... including our neighbors ... not be chosen?

Anyone have an answer?

It's like survivors guilt in advance.

-- Sincerely (wondering@ndpraying.com), November 28, 1999.

Mom.... You are not alone in feeling and asking yourself are you parnoid? Especailly since only about 1% or less of people are doing any serious preps beyond the 3 day normal, already in the pantry, gov recommendation. My own family is the same. Of around 20 family members we are the only ones who have preped for more than 1 week. And the majority of our family (especially the ones who are rich) have done absolutely nothing. I myself have tried to strike an optomistic balance. Much like when we buy life insurance. Heck, I don't buy it cause I'm expecting to die, but because odds say its an unknown possibility. Same with y2k, I bought the insurance (preps) to be partially insured, and at the same time I'm involved in a new online shopping venture that has to have a non-event to be successful. Just do the best you can to prep within reason, plan on having to just barely get by if things go bad, cause those kin people didn't prep... and ignore them the first of the year if all is well. cya.

-- A Guy (waiting@y2kgetit.com), November 28, 1999.