How many here have friends or family that think you're weird?

[sasquatch]

I have been the kind of person that has always wanted to be prepared.For years I've sought to be as self sufficient as possible.I chose to heat with wood because it was easily accessable and free.I've always kept extra things on hand "just in case...".For years my wife tolerated my ideas untill an ice storm a couple years ago knocked out power for 9 days.Because of my preparedness we survived just fine without loss to food or property.Now she's on the same page as me.
Now on the other hand our resective families poo-pood me as well till that ice storm.Then the came and lived with us while their house froze up and pipes burst.Afterwards they still think I'm nuts.Same thing after Ivan put us out of power for 6 days.We're fine but other family members lost all their freezer stocks and didn't have the things to survive at all.THEY STILL DON'T GET IT!!!

Most of my friends and family still make fun of us and still don't prepare for ANY kind of trouble.
I'm just getting sick of the derision and name calling by everyone.
Anyone else have this problem?Cuz I'm feeling kinda lonely right now...

__________________

 

[Bigum1969]

My family thinks I'm a little strange for lots of reasons.

I hope people, in general, are beginning to realize the preparedness is something that we all need to do. We had a windstorm down here in September that knocked out power for days. There were a lot of desperate people.

BTW, welcome to INGO!

 

[smokingman]

I was the crazy one for a long time lol. Then last year when the floods destroyed my moms place in princess lakes and my grandfathers house was without power or water(and partially flooded),I showed up prepared.I was there the next day with everything needed. Generators ran the fridge,shop vacs and fans. My 'silly" stove cooked all the food. And the extra things I had made a huge difference. The red cross started handing out water 4 days after the water was deemed undrikable(which you only heard if you had power).I am no longer the crazy one,but the smart one.While helping others is a great feeling something more important happened. They all became "crazy" just like me and happily are much more self sufficient than befor.I still have a sister who now thinks we are all insane...and pokes fun every chance she gets. Let them,and when the come and ask for help,give it to them...but never ever let them live it down.And hopefully when things get better they will prepare. That being said there will always be people who take everything for granted no matter what...like my sister.

 

[Mr.Hoppes]

Yeah a family member of mine "the sane one" refers to us as being "like" the folks at Ruby Ridge. Most of our other associations think we're "different" and yes they do the quotations " " in the air, when they say different.

 

[jedi]

My extended family (mom, dad, sisters, cousins) calls me PARANOID for stocking up food, guns, ammo, having a generator, gas, etc.. So 'did' my wife. She now calls me 'crazy but prepared'.

Two winters ago we have a bad ice storm that left the area without power for 5 days. We were the only ones with that continued a 'normal' life (TV for the kids with VCR, heat, food, etc..) everyone else was scrambling to get stuff (at high prices) and where mad that I was prepared. I told them they could stay with us and only my grandma took me up on the offer. Everyone else managed. Most could not leave since they needed to manually deal with the sump pump.

So after the ice storm I told them about my checklist and how I spent and extra $10 when we go grocery shopping to get extra cans, etc.. Do you know what the response was?

From my mom who spent 3 nights in the basement pumping out COLD water.
Next time I'm going to a hotel

From my sister
It won't happen again for a long time. They (news) said this is a 100 year storm so I'm not getting anything on that list

From in-laws
I can't afford to buy anything. Where am I going to store it? Well manage

From my sister-in-law
no comment, she pretends that the ice storm never happened, they did not get any water damage in their house, everything is fine.

So this past fall we got hit with the tornadoes and again lost power and then the flooding that occurred. I did not bother to tell them again. Called them to make sure they were ok and asked if they wanted to come over. No takers expect for my grandma again (she's on an oxygen tank so she needs power) and I have extra supplies SPECIFICALLY for her.

My wife asked why I did not push/tell the family to be prepared and I told her it's not my job. I gave them the checklist and kept telling them but if they don't want to do it there is nothing I can do.

So now-a-days I go about my biz and continue to stock here and there and remain quiet. Screaming, Yelling, telling them and telling them only causes you pain and stress. So like Noah's ark those that did not want to listen will be sorry when the floods come again.

They can call me crazy/paranoid/whatever but I know when the zombies come I will be ready and my babies (3 and 1 year old) have nothing to worry about.

 

[mconley]

Yah kinda My family and friends can understand the food water and other supplies due to me living in the country / suburb area and if the snow hits I have those things to fall back on. When they start to become " concerned " is when ammo is thrown into the list of things to stock up on.

 

[Turtle]

I'M just weird! No excusses here! But I always follow the boy-scouts 1st rule.

 

[IndyParts]

I for one am not prepared for anything drastic. We always have enough food on hand to make it at least a week with no power. We don't really have a flooding issue or anything of that nature to be ready for though. The only bad issue we have had, was when the tornado ripped through in the spring and we went without power for 5 days. To be honest though, I went to a hotel :-)

At that time, I had that option. Now during a huge snow/ ice storm, if I am out of power then likely the hotel will be too.

I am getting more and more acclimated to being prepared, but will take it in baby steps instead of building a bunker out back

Just my .02

 

[ATM]

...Cuz I'm feeling kinda lonely right now...

__________________

The prepared are never lonely when the SHTF. Hang out here and especially the disaster preparedness area to "fit in" with like minded planners. Remember... nearly all the great thinkers and visionaries were considered "different" in their time. Sheep can't understand Sheepdogs but they're damn glad to have them when they need them.

to where "different" fits right in.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

My parents believe as I do (or maybe I am taking after them?) to be as prepared as possible with alternate power sources to run household items, canned foods stored for emergencies, non-potable water available for flushing the commode, cash in the safe for emergencies, etc. I have a brother that makes way too much money for his own good and he has little or nothing prepared for his family, and tends to openly laugh at me, my wife and my parents for making the preparations that we have. If there is a mass power loss or something of that order I plan on doing as someone above said they would do and let him in the door, but ... He'll never live it down.

 

[Wabatuckian]

No, not for being prepared. My parents have camped for as long as I can remember, and now they have a travel trailer and a generator.

They think I'm a little paranoid about the gun thing. Mom more so than Dad. Dad at least knows how to use them and can hit whatever he's aiming at, all the time, when I ask him to try out a new gun I've gotten. He owns no guns himself. Why I do not know. Grandpa did, it skipped Dad, and I do. Strange.

Josh <><

 

[KokomoDave]

Well,you've met me and you know I'm weird!

 

[sasquatch]

Well,you've met me and you know I'm weird!

OH YEAH! Definately!But in a good way...

 

[haldir]

I just don't talk much about it to anyone outside my household. The wife is more or less on board (she thinks 1000 rounds is an awful lot of ammo, and xx number of guns is more than anyone needs (of course none of that actually exists, I am just bragging to impress you guys (really BATF)) but she is okay on the food, fuel, etc,).

 

[CPU13rother]

Some of my family and nabor/friends always implied that I was paranoid. Until a recent week long power outage my only response was "you never know". In my area during this time all the stores had sold out of generators and we have well water so no power= no water. After letting my nabor move a freezer into my garage to save there food and allowing them to shower and fill up jugs of water at my home they have not made any comments about my preparedness.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Ask any of the guys at Eagle Creek about me. They will tell you some really great stuff!!

 

[dblagent]

I think this thread would have been much shorter if you had asked "how many friends think you are normal?"

I keep preps on the down low so to speak, nobody's business but mine I suppose. Friends know I shoot, but that is about it that they know for sure. Most of my family does not even know I have guns! I'll keep it that way for now too.

 

[Seancass]

Interesting that this thread contains 2 replies from guys with only one post.I am not prepared for anything, except possibly zombie squirels. We have some canned food and a little jerky, and some propane and propane accessories. That's about it.

 

[flagtag]

I finally got my tub together to put in the bed of my truck (short on food/water tho.) and I have a backpack with some other stuff that I plan to put in the cab of the truck when weather threatens (and an extra pair of boots.).
I brought them down stairs, planning to put them in the truck and asked my son if he took his tools out of the truck (he borrowed it to work on a friends house) and he asked me why I wanted to put "all that stuff in the truck" and said that I wouldn't need it - all I would have to do is call him. (He doesn't have a car anymore - he would have to call a friend to come get me)

I just can't get him to understand that I can't depend on him or anyone else to take care of me if anything happened (truck breaks down or something). He just doesn't get it!

It's only 6 1/2 miles between work and home - by interstate - but that would still be a long walk if no one would be able to come after me.
Yeah, he thinks I'm weird! But, he won't even take the simple precaution of locking the door at night. HE'S BRAIN DEAD! And HE thinks Mom it strange!

 

[CPU13rother]

The first person that told you your paranoid for being prepared will be the first one at your door asking for your help.