In some ways this post is an open response to “Wally”, who wrote in the comments of a post:
I believe that people today are strangely attracted to becoming fatalists and allow that fear to give them a sense of purpose, and if that’s the truth for the individual, it’s pretty shallow motivation in my opinion.
My response:
I don’t know, I think rational prepping makes sense, but what really motivates me about prepping is that it’s just plain fun. Zombies, doomsday babes, throwing lead down range and organic gardening? I’ll take it!
Wally:
Even though you take my quote out of context, I can accept the fun of being prepared but, quite frankly don’t believe your tone of sweet innocence. Why do you call it the SHTF blog and visually display war, destruction, chemical attacks and the rest?
Either you believe the S is going to HTF or it’s just a vogue thing to do & will ride it out until the next thing comes along. Help me understand where you are coming from with your blog.
I think Wally is tuning into something that I’ve been meaning to address since I talked about SHTFblog getting a makeover, and that is that the current site design isn’t what I want. I don’t necessarily want the site to convey just the “hardcore” side of preparedness. I’ve wanted to replace the website header since I started writing again, but I can’t settle on a new design.
Do YOU have suggestions?
I’d want something somewhat cartoon style. Here are a couple ideas my friends and I came up with:
- some guy in an underground bunker reading a book by gas light with his feet up and stacks of canned goods behind him while people run wild and crazy above ground
- a guy standing on the side of a big hill on the right hand side, rifle in hand and pack on, watching a city burn in the distance
- could do an alternate like family inside their fortified home vs the wrath of the balloon cloud outside the door. It would give people an easier way to identify an attainable goal & spend cash’ola vs diggin a ho’la, which they would see as far fetched or unobtainable
These ideas aren’t bad, but they’re still too hardcore. What about the …. “softer” side of shit hits the fan …. errrrrrr …. I mean, I don’t know. It needs an element of humor to it, and it doesn’t have to be a scene, it can be a character likeness of a guy weighted down with ridiculous gear, carrying canned goods, wearing a goofy face.
I really like zombies, they’re perfect for this stuff, but going with zombies might be a little too ridiculous. I don’t know ….
Do YOU have suggestions?
– Ranger Man
BTW: Hey Wally, thanks for suggesting I’m in vogue. I LOVE hearing that!
Kick the sound up on this one!
18 comments
Why would you not want to be prepared?Wanting to live is poor Motivation?Maybe Wally is scared.I say kick it up a notch,there are many newbie sites.Go hardcore! My vote is first option,kicked back in bunker letting craziness happen.Gotta love Zombies.
China
III
I’m gonna go with what China said. Whatever you do, keep the babe on the AR!
That was an interesting comment from Wally. I never thought about prepping as a way for someone to give themselves purpose, but I suppose there are some folks like that. I like the guy comfy in the bunker too while chaos reigns outside. I really enjoy your blog, regardless of your design.
These’s guys seem to be doing alrrigth witht we Zombie approach.
http://zombiehunters.org/forum/
p
Don’t change the content. I don’t care what the graphics are.
SHTF got us when two family members had to move in with us.
Thankfully we have/had extra everything.
Beds, linens, clothing, food, toys, board games, food, soaps, food, books, paper pencils, art supplies. It hit the fan, and for this little ‘storm’ we were ready.
Lavender Mouse
every one who is prepared, is one fewer “victim”, a person who doesn’t need a government program to manage each aspect of his life. this isn’t such a bad thing, considering that the nanny state can’t deliver all that the dependent expect from it. preparedness is freedom. those who can’t handle being free, shouldn’t discourage those of us who would like to try it. anyway it is better to give yourself a purpose than to have the state choose one for you.
I’m thinking I see both sides, as an example of an inlaw who once learned that maybe he should pay attention to whatz going on around him to the point of now he awaits doomsday morbidly happy versus myself who enjoys having a stash of goodies, gardening is ever joyful in it’s challenge, hearding goats and chickens is weirdly hilarious to this city slicker and it sure beats TV, clubbing, hanging out talking smack…. so I see a faction that may use a crisis to be sad sacks versus the brighter challenge of I (we) can beat this and win challenge….
My 2 cents. First, the guy’s name is Wally for crying out loud.
And B, I can understand your desire to update the graphics, but don’t just become commercialized by trying to appeal to everyone…unless that’s the new business plan. I would think that you don’t want to become like the awesome rock band that all of the sudden 12 year old girls are listening too, becuase they “sold out”.
It’s your site, so it should have your twist…just my opinion.
Wally is just a pen name kind of like JeSter.
Ranger Man,
A bunker can take many forms depending upon the location and climate. For some it could be anything from a very secluded well built, reinforced home to an actual in ground bunker similar to our tornado shelter. I would find a blog article looking into the wide range of what form a “bunker” could take with respect to being a rational and untilitarian structure that meets specific needs.
Some other topics of interest that catch my eye are self sufficiency issues that pertain to living off grid. For instance off grid solar power ad the actual support and maintenance requirements involed. Here is an example of friends solar power setup that required replacement of the strorage battery bank:
http://forum.tractorfarmandfamily.com/showthread.php?t=12946
http://forum.tractorfarmandfamily.com/showthread.php?t=12958
http://www.city-data.com/forum/tennessee/359683-going-off-grid-east-tennessee.html
Here is another example of off grid power showing a micro-hydro Pelton Wheel electric generator:
http://forum.tractorfarmandfamily.com/showthread.php?t=12713
Some other areas of interest are ammuntion reloading, bullet casting, bullet swaging, firearms disassembly & maintenance.
Rifle and pistol marksmanship to include long distance sniper markmanship and skills are an essential survival skill especially if you care to eat well in a grid down environment.
note: In your top 10 rifle blog article, I noticed that the M1 Garand was missing from this line up. These rifles are readily available from the CMP Program, are very well built, many time over proven in battle, are relatively inexpensive for a good quality multipurpose rifle, as well as employ and enbock clip vs. a box magazine which allows for that carriage of MUCH more ammo by the user. Perhaps since the writing of this article, the times and circumstances have changed and the Top 10 rifle selection maybe could use a second look?
http://www.thecmp.org/
I think you are already planning on looking at gardening and canning. This another essential survival skill of great interest.
Grid down refridgeration? Remember the old spring houses our ancestors used? Now we have propane and kerosene powered refridgerators.
I’ll just throw in one last area for you to consider………in a grid down, survival environment have you considered where or how you would get basic although not essential staples such as sugar? Growning sugar cane is not practical for many, sugar beets is one albeit labor/energy intensive option. You can get 2 birds with one stone with beekeeping. Bees not only provide honey which is a great alternative source of sugar but provide an essential function of pollination.
I have some other ideas about tractor/vehicle/engine type selection and maintenance issues but can go into that later.
Anyhow, just my 2 cents worth. Hope this helps and gives you a few ideas to consider.
Indeed, I have been thinking about giving the Top 10 list another look.
I think the content of this site is where it needs to be, and if prepping gives a person a purpose in life thats great at least they have a purpose.
At least they wont have there head in the sand if/when shtf.
Good ideas, folks. Please keep sending more if you have them. You need 100 ideas in order to piece together a good one.
How about a Zombie using a pointer for a man who is staring at an eye chart with the following letters on it:
S H T F
T E O T W A W K I
Very clever.
We in the West are so spoiled with wealth and sound economies that it is difficult for most of us to wrestle with the possibility of an economic breakdown. When food stores are full, prices are low and the government is handing out money like a drunken sailor why would you think you need to prepare? The problem is that although a depression or economic collapse doesn’t happen suddenly it does progress fairly fast once it begins and it will probably last a long time. If you do not prepare then you are depending on the possibility that once you figure it out that most of the rest of the world is still unaware and you can make 3 or 4 trips to the grocery store to buy a years supply (or two) of food and be set for the worst. While this is indeed possible it is unlikely and statistically not going to save 99% of the procrastinators because once the public figures this out the stores will be empty and the food riots will begin. If you don’t have ayears supply of food then you are “gambling” on your life and the life of your family.
Gonewiththewind.
Very true! I like to think of prepping as contrarian investors do investing.Every one is screaming sell.Buy!
China
III
Re-design is good but if I’d advise against making this site look like Mother Earth News, the original preppers guide.