obsession or passion

[wareagle69]

my ex always said i was paranoid but prepared. i think about wilderness survival all the time i have an hour plus drive to work and i'm always thinking of survival i have topo maps off the area i live and work in and am always going over them i spend any free time on this forum and allot of others learning everything i can, everyone here knows my passion is wild edibles and i studying them constantly i have over 100 books dedicated to survival and self sufficent lifestyle and primitive skills i am currently building two bunkers on my property and storing supplies and always trying to practice my skills. this is not fear based this is what i enjoy my hobby if you will, my wife is the same with her wildlife rehab stuff she says i'm obsessed i say i'm passionate about this.

what about you.

always be prepared.

[Assassin Pilot]

Hmmm.... I think you just have a good hobby. For some it is modifying their cars or making their house the best in the neighborhood. It would be obsession if instead of say, going to work you would call in sick to work on your bunker. If it is all you want to do, then it is obsession. It will remain a hobby as long as it does not interfere with your daily life. I suppose there is some controversy on the borderline between the 2, and it can often be flexible.

[Rick]

WE - I guess neither. I just think planning for a disaster is a necessity much like everything else in life. I don't particularly believe in some global calamity but recognize that it could happen. My planning is more on the local, natural disaster level. No bunkers or stockpiles. And it really isn't a hobby. 1. I believe the ancient ways need to be taught to our children because they are being lost. Call it respect for my fore fathers or whatever. 2. I grow tomatoes in my garden so why wouldn't I supplement that from Mother Nature's garden. 3. I've always hunted so I have weapons for that and protection. Let's face it, evil does walk the planet. 4. I just like being outdoors.

[crashdive123]

WE: Is it being obsessed making sure your auto, home or life insurance is paid up. Of course not. We don't plan to have accidents, but we want to be prepared. I feel that I am alot more confident because I'm prepared. No scrambling around like a chicken with no head as an emergency approaches. It's nice that preparedness is one of you passions. You and your family will benefit from it. Even if it's just giving you the peace of mind that makes your daily living more enjoyable. More power to ya.

[Rick]

Ah, geeez. Now I gotta take back the stuff I said about men in subs. That post made way to much sense. Nice!

[MCBushbaby]

I agree with AP: hobby

For me it's also a bit of a mindset where I try to cut down on everything when I go hiking/camping but it's certainly not a lifestyle :)

[Tony uk]

For me its more of being prepaired, I like to go into the bush for a day or two at a time to learn these skills but i dont really have it as a hobby, Although i supose you could call it that.

[crashdive123]

Ah, geeez. Now I gotta take back the stuff I said about men in subs.

Nah. It was probably all true.:D

[Tony uk]

Nah. It was probably all true.:D

Shhhh, Let him do it and keep him occupied well we steal all the twinkies

[crashdive123]

Will work (read steal) for twinkies!

[Rick]

(stringing razor wire around twinkie bunker) Dang! Cut myself again. Ya'll keep you cotton pickin' hand off of my twinkies!

[Tony uk]

(stringing razor wire around twinkie bunker) Dang! Cut myself again. Ya'll keep you cotton pickin' hand off of my twinkies!

Never, Me and my bangalore torpedo will teach you a thing or two

CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crashdive123]

Kaboom! Ahhhh. Twinkie heaven.

[Rick]

(military dictionary....bang...banga....bangalore:

N. Folk stories about banga. Typically disseminated to younger members of the community. Ex: When I was a youngun, we had fields full of a banga. Why, you couldn't hardly walk across 'em there was so much of the stuff."

N. A lot of ban. EX: Lordy, Jake. I'm tellin' ya we had ban galore. It was all over the place. Nearly as much ban as we had banga.

You think I'm afraid of that?

[Tony uk]

Kaboom! Ahhhh. Twinkie heaven.

Muahahahahahahaha We are rich i tell ya !

[Tony uk]

(military dictionary....bang...banga....bangalore:

N. Folk stories about banga. Typically disseminated to younger members of the community. Ex: When I was a youngun, we had fields full of a banga. Why, you couldn't hardly walk across 'em there was so much of the stuff."

N. A lot of ban. EX: Lordy, Jake. I'm tellin' ya we had ban galore. It was all over the place. Nearly as much ban as we had banga.

You think I'm afraid of that?

That ? Nope

This:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore_torpedo

Yes

[Rick]

But I don't live in Bangalore so your fiendish plan is thwarted again!

[crashdive123]

Guess we'll just have to use the new Indianalore models Tony.

[Tony uk]

But I don't live in Bangalore so your fiendish plan is thwarted again!

Fine then,

Im useing a Shermen tank

http://www.ian.a.paterson.btinternet.co.uk/Equipment/Armour/Sherman_flail.jpg

[Rick]

With flail I see. Perhaps I should just surrender now before I'm given 50 lashes with the thing.

[Tony uk]

With flail I see. Perhaps I should just surrender now before I'm given 50 lashes with the thing.

Good idea, I accept your surrender :)

[BraggSurvivor]

I ve never considered it a passion or an obsession. More like planning ahead. We as a society forget what it is like to have things go bad. First generation in history not to have stored provisions to even last a winter.

I think we are witnessing the fairly rapid extinction of homo-sapiens.
As you've noticed, as a species, we're getting a little light on the "sapiens" part. ;)

[trax]

Well I don't have an answer for ya WE, but I can say I'm quite happy being both obsessed and passionate about showing the common sense to learn these things and prep for them.

[cyc79]

Obsession,hobby,passion?It doesn't matter.As long as you're having fun!!

[wareagle69]

how much time do you devote everyday to this idea? i spend almost all my waking hours to thinking on preparing/learning/or planning. I know it has been said here that survival is not a game and i agree to this but learning it is fun and exciting when i learn a new plant or technique it is fun and the more i am mentally prepared the less traumatic it will be when/if it happens

[marberry]

whether its an obsession or a hobby depends on your situation, and if you enjoy doing it.

[2pinesacres]

I'm almost ready to believe that I too am on the borderline of being obsessed about learning one's survival and self sufficiency skills or else it's a passion. I can't seem to get enough to read regarding both topics! Think about it will driving, while peeling potatoes for supper, while doing routine things around the house which do not require much "thinking" at all. I think the surival instinct is part of us all but we do not realize it until a situation presents itself then kicks in. That is when the truth of just what we are made of comes out! In a strange way I sometimes find myself almost wishing for an opportunity to see how well I would do. Granted, I hope it won't be my health or injury when I need to do some fast thinking! I admire many of our ancestors. Survival was not something they really had to think about-it often was their daily existance which depended upon their survival/self sufficiency skills. I enjoy the "art" of being prepared come what may. Having said all that, I am still in the process of making those "to do", "to get", "to learn" lists in order to get to where I desire to be!! :)

[Assassin Pilot]

well I do the same thing, but I don't consider it obsession because it doesn't bother my relationships with others in the process of enjoying it.

[Rick]

Perhaps we should start Survivalist Anonymous. Hi, I'm Rick. I'm a survivalist. (all at once) Hi, Rick.

[dilligaf2u2]

I am not a big fan of the BOB philosophy. Waiting for TSHTF and running off to the woods to live for long-term survival.

I see where being prepared as a hobby can have advantages and benefits. I have maps of my area. I know the lay of the land between where I am, and where I live. I buy food in bulk. (Today: 50lbs of Basmati Rice for $16 on sale. Last week: 100 LBS of potatoes for $15. Later in the week: 25lbs of dehydrated refried pinto beans for $20) this is food I eat and replace. It does not just sit there taking up space waiting for some major reason to use it. I have 6 to 9 months of food in the pantry at all times.

Just because you know how to live off the land and can survive out in the wilds for some time, does not mean you have too. It gives you options and skills you can use, if you do, what I plan on doing. Sitting out the ruff times at home till that is no longer an option. I can survive without electricity and can filter my water. I have a means of lighting my world at night and cooking my foods.

I spend a lot of time learning how to do things. Bushcraft keeps my mind active and my hands busy. It is something TDW will tolerate. The dancing girls would not go over well! I think having a pole in the middle of the living room would get me a long rest, out in the house I build the dog, which he never uses.

Watching for sales are TDW’s area and giving her that and the money budgeted for our survival foods & gear has her involved in a way she likes. What woman does not like looking for sale items? (She found rechargeable batteries on sale this week and picked up a few AA’s & AAA’s) She watches for things like coffee, the rice and pinto beans.

She saw a little can of EVOO and got it because, I showed her a wood stove made from a can very much like the one the oil came in. And it was not a bad buy. She picked up a few Nalgene bottles because; they might come in useful. I got a call not long ago and she needed to know if we had enough ammo. She was out and found them on sale and called me to ask what kind of ammo I used and needed.

The boys that come here after school till their mom gets off work are into plants. They help TDW with her garden and we play a game. Once a week I pick a plant and the boys do a search to see what uses that plant has. This week we are doing barrel cactus and prickly pair cactus. When we do our once a month out for a walk, in the hills, in the area, the boys show off their new learned knowledge. Next week we will be working on friction fire starting.

My neighbor says I am obsessed. Mike is a good guy. He just thinks the stores will always be open, the gas stations will be waiting for him and his paper money will always be good. That is his right to feel that way. I look at it as I am buying things in bulk and saving money over the long run. I am covering things that might happen, as best I can. I am learning skills, I might some day need. I am having fun! And last bit not least. If or when TSHTF I have a way to feed TDW, TGF & myself for a time. I can cover our needs and keep us alive, as well as can be, for a lot longer then most.

Don

[Rick]

Don, BOB is not just for running off into the woods. What would happen if the sheriff knocked on your door and said you have to evacuate immediately because ________ (fill in the blank - Meth Lab, Chemical truck wreck, Railroad wreck, Plague of locusts). The BOB ensures you can grab and go even if you wind up in a red cross shelter a few miles away.

[wareagle69]

Perhaps we should start Survivalist Anonymous. Hi, I'm Rick. I'm a survivalist. (all at once) Hi, Rick.

keep coming back it gets better rick we should find you a sponser someone you can talk to when the urge to start a fire is too great to resist of course we would have to have the 12 steps to recovery, if memory serves me correctly the first step is admititng you were powerless over survival

[Rick]

(Rain Man voice) Fire. I like fire there are twelve ways to start fire one of them is matches there are 24 matches in a match book 48 if you split them into two pieces then you'd have two match books and ..........