To Be Ready Is Not
 

“To Be Ready Is Not” Ponce Cuba

I was thinking about Ponce’s quote the other day as I was looking for holes to fill in our preps. I don’t think this endeavour will ever end until SHTF, as I can always think of something I don’t have, don’t have enough of or don’t have backups for. When was the last time you didn’t have the need to go buy something for, oh say, a few weeks? months? years? Even guys like TN...Andy and Ponce do not feel they are 'ready', why, no one knows what we are preparing for, when it will happen or how long it will last. Sure, we all have a few good ideas as to what may be coming our way, however, there are too many missing particulars to get a clear picture what we may need. With all the unknown scenarios at hand, what food, meds, clothing, shoes, ammo, guns, tools, materials or you name it, will either be in short supply, disappear, be illegal, or... no longer imported.

Some of the guys and gals here started prepping back in the 90’s with the Y2K issue at hand, they knew the exact 'event' they were preparing for, they also had a target date for when the S would/could HTF (right down to the very minute). As I said the problem about 'getting ready' now is, we don’t know the what, when or how long we are prepping for. Many of us relentlessly search the net for 'clues' as to whats coming down the pike and when. That being said, there are so many missing or hidden details that we (as in me) rely heavily on our gut feeling for direction and guidance. Past experience has taught me if I feel it in my gut, there’s a +90% chance it’s spot on. My gut tells me we are heading for very deep doodoo, and soon.

My gut tells me we are preparing for 'something', something big, so we keep adding to our provisions and stockpiles (i.e., how much food we store = how long we want to eat). And don’t forget there is always the personal SHTF, (i.e., job loss, divorce, accident, et cetera). The worst that can happen if the S does not HTF is we’ll save a $hit load of money on what we already use/eat.

Bottom line, Now is not the time to be complacent. “To Be Ready Is Not” trust your gut and keep prepping.

Good Luck To All,

RM

P.S. Here is an old quote from Ponce.

Re: To Be Ready Is Not
 

I feel the same way.

I miss Ponce.

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Great post..... I concur with Ponce.

I finally figured out that this is not just prepping for an event for us; it's become a lifestyle. I get a kick out of hunting down the bargains, making my own yogurt, canning my own homegrown veggies and keeping animals. I ENJOY being somewhat self-reliant.

We know that there may come a time when we find that we didn't think of something, but then we'll fall back on our motto of "Improvise and Overcome."

Hubby & I started back in '98 when we moved back to the farm he was raised on and when we started our own business. Since our business revolves around art & entertainment, we've always known it would become obsolete if there was a major "event" in our lifetime, but that wasn't the reason we started.... we didn't have health insurance back when and knew we'd be screwed if anything happened to one of us, so that was the initial catalyst. Then we started going to Burning Man and vending at large music festivals where you HAVE to be self-reliant for a week at a time at each of those.... It's been quite the adventure these last 10 years!

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Why did Ponce stop posting? I've read some of his posts, but I never saw why he stopped....

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Great post. That nagging feeling that the prep - physical and mental - will ever be done is spot on. Glad to know others feeling the same. I think a verbal declaration of, "I'm Prepared" is the only way out of that feeling / thought / belief and I don't see being able to say that for this one. Too many ugly scenarios.

Oh well, back to being as busy as a 40 toothed beaver ... lot's of prep to go.

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With ya on that MagpieFairy

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Been my lifestyle for 30 years.


Ponce's "To be ready is not" are words to live by......along with "If you don't hold it, you don't own it".

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It is a very strange irony.

The more you prep, the more you start feeling like there is SO much more to do.

When working on preps, my list gets LONGER, not shorter.

Oh, one more thing... Anyone noticed that the longer you prep, the more expensive your preps become?

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Tell me about it.

Imagine you were a relative NOOOOBIE at this stuff (such as me). Think how daughnting a task this would seem then.

How much?
What to buy first?
What are the bare essentials?
How much money will I need to get a decent supply of preps?
Where do I buy?
Where is best deals?
Where is best stuff?
Who has the best large preps packaged? Is this the way to proceed?
How much to get? (nuff for me and the misses, family, friends, neighbors)
etc....etc...

We live in a regular development, so it's to late to sell and try to find a compound/farm. That ship sailed. Will have to make do with what we have and just keep preppin betwinxt now and when TSHTF.

OR find one of you prep'd out guys and come for a SHORT visit ? :23_30_104:

PM me with your address. Sorry, First volunteer gets our company

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One of the things I firmly believe is "if things seem to be going smoothly...you've probably forgotten something!":wink:

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o

They key is to start doing SOMETHING. It is the ONLY way you learn what works and what doesn't.

When I first started,I was staying awake at night thinking about everything. But once I started doing SOMETHING, I felt much better and found peace with it.

Am I fully prepped? NO WAY, the more I know, the less I am prepped. But I do something every week to get prepped, even if it is something little and low cost, like building a new flower bed with good fertile dirt....or planting a fruit tree.

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I've been over the past couple months.

Got a couple pistols. (they go with the rifles and shot guns)
Wife and I are now CCW qualified.
Been buying some Gold and Silver
Have about 550 meals (albeit these are 1200 calories each)
Water jugs at the ready, but looking at a Berkey/Aqua Rain

A modest start but will continue from here.

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ANY ACTION in ANY direction,
is a 100 % success,
regardless of the immediate apparent result.

One of my favorites when trying to resolve " what to do next "
Hah, reminds me of one of THE all time great GIM posts
of TN Andy that was on the subject matter of " Get to work "...
And if you do, with resolve, then things will begin to fall into place.

Regards,
Haystackneedle

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I would like to agree, but can't.

Ponce is fondly remembered for some great quips that will always ring true. All Gim'ers can project themselves as being as prepped and forward thinking as his persona projected. Personally, I was glad to have conversed with him and learned much. But I am also glad that he is gone.

He is no longer a GIM member for many reasons. Do some research and use the search function to find out when and why he was banned.

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It is a rather strange illness, isn't it. :biggrin:

I was at Lowe's yesterday, and they got their fruit trees in....came home and opined to MrsTnAndy about how dang good they looked....so, 8pm last night, we're coming home for a second time from town with a 10 MORE trees, in addition to the 8 I'd already set last week ( ordered bareroot from an orchard in NC ), in addition to the ones I already have growing for years.

We passed an "upper scale" restaurant whose parking lot was full and she remarked "You know, I'd rather have this truck full of fruit trees that will produce something to eat for the next 30 years as to be sitting in that place getting a hundred buck meal you won't remember next month"

What a gal.

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She's a keeper!

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I read this in regard to food but I think it applies to most things we need to stock.

It is better to have 90 days of complete edible meals than to have 2 years worth of rice and nothing else.

Work on being able to sustain your family for a week. Than add items until you are good for a month, than 3 months etc.

Start with 2 boxes of ammo for each gun and work up from there. 17 cases of ammo does you no good if you don't have any water.

I think you get the idea. Few of us will ever be totally self sufficient long term. Just do the best you can and try to cover the issues relevant to your family and situation.

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You took the words right out of my mouth. Do it a little at a time and when you have the funds. When the power goes out, even if only for a couple hours, pretend it's forever. What do you have? What do you wish you had? What would you be needing soon? Then, make a list. None of us will ever be 100% prepared for anything, and those who try will simply go insane. Prep, but take several breaks along the way to enjoy life. Otherwise, what are you protecting?

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to like Ponce is not

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lol, hubby and I were talking about this the other day. Our list *does* keep getting longer.... I think because we set certain goals that did not include some things and the more ground we cover, the more we add those things that seemed like they wouldn't be necessary....

Tn...Andy, I'm working on the fruit trees hard this year, too.... I need to find almond trees that grow well in N GA, too. Mmmm, nothing as good as homemade preserves from your own fruit!!