Hi all

As I am sure all of you have experienced, I have taken some ribbing (most good natured) about my preps. My mother chided me for my "lack of faith" etc. I admit I took Y2K seriously. I researched all I could and deduced that there was a risk of disruption. To that end I did buy some things I'll probably (hopefully) never need, and I have absolutely no regrets. I'm now prepared for most emergencies. Yesterday my daughter told me that all my work has made her love me more because she saw that I acted on an impulse to protect my family and neighbours when everyone else was pooh poohing it. I don't need to hear anything else!

I must admit it is quite galling to have to face people who did not look into it one iota and just laughed that nothing was going to happen and it's all just a rip off etc. I just laugh and say the power company could have at least had a half hour power outage to save face for me. That makes everyone laugh and that's the end of it. I have gleaned a lot of comfort from people here who in all good faith and responsibility did the same as I did and were happily surprised also. Thank you for everything I have learned from you and for the moral issues which arose and which I struggled with as did everyone.

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), January 03, 2000

Answers

What you did was right. May we all have the courage to stand up and act during difficult circumstances.

God bless, M.C.

-- M.C. (mountaineer60@juno.com), January 03, 2000.

Sometimes we look too deeply into things while the non-thinkers seem to come out ahead. You will always need emergency items. I am annoyed like you that some people exploited this situation for their own personal gain. However, one day we may feel lucky that we took the necessary steps to preserve our family's health and well being.

-- ron (rrest@hotmail.com), January 03, 2000.

Ever watch a mother tiger in action when something threatens her cub? There is nothing but praise for one who does all in their power to protect those whom they love.

-- Notforlong (Fsur439@aol.com), January 03, 2000.

Hang in there, Citygirl, it's the morning of the first workday of the year, fer gosh sakes. It'll be March before we start feeling some impacts, and the famine danger doesn't peak until next winter. We have a REAL long way to go, before we're out of the woods.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), January 03, 2000.

Dear citygirl,

I have been laughed at, too. It isn't pleasant. But I disagree with your statement about those who didn't prepare. You wrote "I must admit it is quite galling to have to face people who did not look into it one iota and just laughed that nothing was going to happen and it's all just a rip off etc. " I think some of them looked into it and were right.

David

-- David Micheals (davmik@email.com), January 03, 2000.

Hey, it's just one of those things. I'm relieved nothing happened. I'm glad I made some preparations because it changed how I think about things. I decided early on I wouldn't do anything that I couldn't utilize later. I have become more aware. I'm expanding my garden, because the weather is very uncertain nowadays, and the amount of pesticides on commercial food, makes home grown stuff much more attractive. I also intend to live more lightly on the earth by conserving energy and water. Maybe someday we'll even get a few solar panels.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), January 03, 2000.

I also have a kid to take care of. I prepped for 6 months+ off grid/H2O/grocery store etc. My son is not capable of preparing that way -for a possible grim Y2K scenario created by adults.

A little teasing is music to the ears compared to what we would have heard if things had gone differently and no preps were in place... I would not change a thing.

-- D. Torrey (Davidt@drtmastering.com), January 03, 2000.

The contributions from those of us who prepared for this bug are not finished yet. Just think of all the new recipes for canned beans that will be developed in the coming months!

-- ray (raykris@usaor.net), January 03, 2000.

It's just a breathing space. If you don't have batteries and solar panels, now's a good time to start saving for them. The oil companies know their business, and they weren't lying to the SEC when they detailed the possible consequences of Y2K for their industry...

-- John Whitley (jwhitley@inforamp.net), January 03, 2000.

I agree with bw and with the poster several posts down who says Only Part 1 of 4 is okay...

Also, most of us on this forum never thought that the Y2K computer bug was the only thing to worry about at this time in history. Has anyone forgotten that we also feared terrorist activity in the US? Only Saturday night on TV's "Inside Washington" panelist Charles Krauthhammer said (and no one disagreed) that he expects a major terrorist attack upon a major American city in the next few years. Anyone forgotten the recent arrests? (If I were a terrorist, I would NOT have chosen the rollover, when security was at the max around the nation, but would wait until people relaxed their guard, wouldn't you?)

Secondly, we also were concerned about the big recession/depression that many financial experts are predicting, Y2K computer bug or not, and the facts given us from these knowledgeable persons have not changed.

Why, then, would anyone think that their need for preps or apoligies to those who didn't prep are the correct actions NOW? Only time will tell whether we need them or not. I, for one, plan to keep every single item I purchased, and to enlarge the scope of my self-sufficiency, once I have cleared up the debt incurred in preparing. I have no regrets whatsoever, and have learned an entire new lifestyle about which I feel very good. I am a different person this side of Y2K than I was the other side, and it is for the better.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), January 03, 2000.

Hello all

Thank you for your kind words. They are much appreciated.

David - I did not make myself clear. I have absolutely no issue with people who looked into Y2K and decided it would be alright. That was their take and it looks like they were right. What irritated me was people who did NOT even give it a second thought and just laughed and mocked about it. But I guess it is a lesson in humility and I'll be woman enough to take it!

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), January 03, 2000.