PENNY PACKET’S LITTLE DABBLES: MEET SYD THE CYNIC

            With all the new folks discovering us, I thought it would be a good time to introduce Syd the Cynic. I chose Syd because this is the type of time and situation both locally for us and nationwide that he may bring out his comments.

            Syd sneers an anything that even sounds like prepping. To him, no storm or situation would even knock you off the grid long enough to be a problem and that individuals shouldn’t try to take care of themselves. They should trust their government to rush to their aid.

            Right now, Syd is laughing at anyone that was in the path of the tropical storm and did any kind of prepping. See, he sneers, nothing happened.

            Syd is why we stress two ideas, especially to new preppers. First, don’t talk about your prepping to others, and second, stick to normal looking supplies and gear. Save the camo backpacks and combat vests for the zombie hunters.

            But what about the points he makes, that it’s a waste of time, money, space and effort to prep? Well, that’s his opinion and his choice. What he fails to see is that your prepping doesn’t have to be anything too out of the ordinary. Simply put, your prepping can be having an extra 72 hours, or a week or two weeks of water and non-perishable food along with the other support items on hand, with foods you eat normally. You eat or use and replace the items, always keeping your stock at your chosen level.

            Let’s take the first case, a possible bad storm for us here. The roads might be blocked, the power lines down and the water/sanitation affected if it were severe. But because we are stocked up with normal items we have enough water and food, and the means to cook and have lights at hand at any given moment.

            You may be seeing a pattern here. It’s one we have seen work time after time. Simply put, it’s NOT what knocks you off the grid as much as you being able to be off the grid. That’s not to discount the seriousness of a hurricane. But in the end it comes out the same, you and yours are “hunkered down” in your home or other safe haven with the supplies you need and the means to take care of yourself. That’s why we talk about being prepped using the least in time, space, money and effort. Each extra can of stew or ravioli, each extra case of bottled water, each pack of first aid items gives you one more ace up your sleeve in case something does go bad.

            In short WE PRAY FOR THE BEST, WE PREP FOR THE WORST.