Prepping for February

My prepping list for February looks like this:

• Do taxes.  Everything is ready to go and should be filed within the next week.
• Super Bowl.  It will be this Sunday...I need to get myself to a sports book to make a small bet.
• Valentine's Day.  A reminder not to forget this holiday, some people find it quite important.
• Spring landscaping.  Yes it is already spring in the desert Southwest.  I usually do a major landscaping project each spring.
• Air conditioner and furnace annual maintenance.  Since we aren't using either right now, it is a good time to do the annual maintenance before air conditioning season starts in a month or two.
• Rotate stored food and water in the home, vehicle, BOB, and EDC bag.
• Call around for home and auto insurance.  Our rates got jacked up again so I will do some phoning around to see if it is possible to lower these rates.
• Home repairs.  There are several small jobs I have been putting off (like changing the wax rings in several bathrooms which I am not looking forward to) that need to be done soon.
• Hiking.  The weather is perfect this month so it is a great time to get some hiking in.
• A major home improvement project.  The spouse is set on getting tile floors that look like wood floors.  But we already have wood floors I say.  Yes but tile that looks like wood is better.  Uh OK...
• Shooting practice.  I've been lax on this over the past month and need to get back into regular practice.

Prepper 101: 100 Things to Do, Be, Have, and Experience

A reader recently asked that I update a post I wrote over a decade ago...something about things to do, be, and have.  Unfortunately I can't find that post (or even remember what I wrote) so here is the all-new list of things to do, be, have, and experience...100 prepper basics.  And a small bonus.

First the bonus:  If you want to get your shit together (or just want to confirm that it is already together) check out this list of life tasks.

And now the lists...

25 Things to Do

1. Run (or walk) a marathon.
2. Set a huge goal and achieve it.
3. Volunteer as an EMT.
4. Build something from scratch (house, computer, etc).
5. Go on an extended backpacking trip of a week or more.
6. Learn a new skill monthly.
7. Earn a black belt in a martial art.
8. Attend a preparedness training course (tactical shooting, bush craft, NOLS, etc.)
9. Cut yourself off from normal society for an entire month (wilderness retreat, 30 day cruise, etc)
10. Put together your own security system.
11. Take a road trip around the US.
12. Learn how to use specialized tools (chainsaw, winch, welding, etc)
13. Learn how to navigate (via map and compass, GPS, by the stars, etc)
14. Join clubs and organizations to help you improve your skills (HAM radio club, bowling league, running club, writer's club, etc)
15. Sew or knit something you can actually wear.
16. Participate in/attend community activities (charity event, county fair, high school football game, etc)
17. Respond to a large disaster (as part of a CERT team, as a volunteer, etc)
18. Get rid of at least one bad habit.
19. Pick a lock.
20. Learn the basics of parkour.
21. Volunteer as a support person for a major event (Chicago Marathon, Iditerod, Ironman, etc)
22. Eat all meals at home (or brought from home) for an entire month.
23. Vote in each and every election.
24. Do something unique and unusual (race a sports car, drive a dump truck, shoot an AR-15, etc)
25. Start your own business.

25 Things to Be

1. Healthy.
2. Fit.
3. Fluent in a second language.
4. Proficient in a wide range of sports.
5. Debt free (including your home)
6. Of good character (honest, dependable, trustworthy, etc)
7. Generous (with your time, knowledge, and money if possible)
8. Responsible for those who depend on you (kids, parents, SO, etc)
9. Continually educating yourself (read, do online courses, etc)
10. Creative (do art, play an instrument, etc)
11. Sociable (good interpersonal skills, get along well with others, good manners, etc)
12. Optimistic (prepare for the worst, hope for the best)
13. Financially literate.
14. Skilled at various games (chess, poker, blackjack, etc)
15. Always willing to go above and beyond (at work, in the community, etc)
16. An expert in your field.
17. Proficient in negotiating and haggling.
18. Always dressed appropriately for the situation.
19. Knowledgeable in basic skills (how to jump a car, how to tie knots, how to change a tire, etc)
20. Proficient in the kitchen (can cook, bake, etc. with a reasonable amount of skill)
21. Reasonably entertaining (tell good jokes, sing karaoke, amuse children, etc)
22. A problem solver (logic--and Google--can go a long way towards this)
23. Able to control anger, frustration, and other negative traits.
24. Productive on a daily basis (ie: no procrastination, laziness, etc)
25. Appreciative of all you have

25 Things to Have

1. A passport.
2. Insurance of all kinds (home, life, health, auto)
3. A year's worth of expenses in savings.
4. Good credit.
5. Connections to other people (spouse, SO, kids, friends, etc)
6. Concealed carry permit.
7. An assortment of weapons (and the knowledge to use them)
8. A HAM operator's license.
9. A home base.
10. Basic survival gear (BOB, EDC, etc)
11. A good set of tools.
12. Alternate sources for: heating, cooking, water, food, shelter, transportation, etc.
13. A good pair of walking shoes.
14. Multiple sources of income.
15. Investments (stocks, bonds, 401k, Roth IRA, gold, mutual funds, etc)
16. A Will, Living Will, and Medical Power of Attorney
17. All of your important documents and photos backed up in triplicate.
18. A safe room.
19. Basic tech items (smart phone, laptop, GPS if necessary, appropriate apps, etc)
20. A driver's license.
21. A resource library (either regular survival skills books or books on Kindle, maps, etc)
22. All of your vaccinations up to date.
23. Appropriate clothing for all occasions (outdoors, work, formal, casual, etc)
24. Plans (communications, bug out, bug in, evacuation, etc)
25. Connections in the community (know a good plumber, a good auto mechanic, have a doctor and dentist, etc)

25 Things to Experience

1. Travel in a third-world country.  
2. Go skydiving.
3. Go SCUBA diving.
4. Speak in front of a crowd.
5. Teach other people a useful skill.
6. Participate in a competitive event (Spartan Race, Senior Games, etc)
7. Drive a range of vehicles (car, boat, motorcycle, kayak, etc)
8. Start a fire in multiple ways without matches.
9. Procure your own food (hunting, fishing, gardening, etc).
10. Preserve your own food (drying, canning, smoking, etc).
11. Hang out with people who are not at all like you.
12. Barter for things you want and need.
13. Have someone drop you off 100 miles from home and figure out how to get back with no money.
14. Spend an entire weekend at home with no power/electronic devices/gas for heating or cooking, etc.
15. Be chased or hunted by people (ie: play paintball, do a Zombie Run, Laser Tag, etc)
16. Go to unique restaurants and experience unusual food (Ethiopian, Filipino, real Chinese, Indian, etc)
17. Go backpacking/camping in various environs (desert, jungle, winter, summer, mountains, beach, etc)
18. Live abroad for a period of time.
19. Own animals (dogs, cats, horses, pigs, etc)
20. Fly in a variety of crafts (airplane, helicopter, balloon, glider, etc)
21. Spend a weekend outdoors with only what you can make (shelter) and forage for (food)
22. Live as a homeless person for the weekend (stay in a shelter, eat at a soup kitchen, etc)
23. Attend a large event (Burning Man, World Series of Poker, Super Bowl, etc)
24. Challenge yourself to not spend any money at all for an entire week.
25. Do a Polar Plunge to celebrate the new year.

101 Prepper Tasks

Now that we are starting from the beginning again, I figured I would lay out a "syllabus" of sorts for the tasks that we will be working on.  Here are the first 101 prepper tasks we will go over in future posts:

1. I have a mini emergency fund of $2000 in cash--half kept at home, half kept in the bank.
2. I am debt free including my credit cards, cars, student loans, and home.
3. My EDC (everyday carry) stuff is streamlined and of good quality.
4. I exercise every day.
5. I have a basically good diet every day.
6. I have regular medical exams, have my vaccinations updated, and take my medications as directed.
7. I have done a personal threat assessment which will allow me to focus on specific threats to the area in which I live.
8. I have a fully funded emergency fund which can easily cover six months of living expenses.
9. I have a BOB (bug out bag) which will allow me to be totally self sustaining for a week.
10. I have a six to twelve month stockpile of food at my home.
11. I have a stockpile of water in my home.
12. I have a comprehensive first aid kit at my home.
13. I have done a thorough home safety assessment and made corrections to ensure my family's safety.
14. I have experience camping/backpacking in all conditions.
15. I have firearms and ammo stockpiled (and the knowledge to use these items).
16. I have multiple sources of income.
17. I have a disaster communications plan.
18. I have an evacuation plan.
19. I hold regular fire drills and lock down drills for me and my family.
20. I have a valid passport.
21. I have a disaster plan for my pets.
22. I have a disaster plan for anyone who is dependent on me (children, elderly relatives, an ill family member, etc).
23. I have multiple means of communication.
24. I have multiple means of heating my home.
25. I have multiple sources of water.
26. I am familiar with multiple ways to purify water.
27. I have multiple means of cooking food and heating water if needed.
28. I have multiple ways to make fire.
29. My car in in excellent repair and includes a comprehensive car emergency kit.
30. I have multiple means of transportation at my disposal.
31. I have advanced medical training.
32. I am active in clubs that will increase my skills (HAM radio, shooting, Search and Rescue, hiking, etc).
33. I have friends and family I can count on when I am in desperate straights.
34. I am technically savvy.
35. I take precautions to prevent identity theft.
36. I have taken steps to increase the security of my home.
37. I have a garden that allows me to produce some of the food I need.
38. I can raise animals for food if needed.
39. I know how to cook from scratch.
40. I know how to forage for wild food.
41. I know how to fish.
42. I know how to hunt.
43. I know how to dress animals and fish that I have caught.
44. I know how to preserve an animal hide as well as other old time skills that are rarely practiced today.
45. I can improvise my own survival gear if needed.
46. I know how to can, dry, freeze, pickle and otherwise preserve food for future use.
47. I am familiar with multiple ways to signal for help.
48. I keep up with the news (international news, national news, and news that affects my area).
49. I know how to use a variety of items to defend myself (pepper spray, knife, bow and arrow, taser, etc).
50. I know how to navigate with a map and compass.
51. I know how to navigate with a GPS device.
52. My library includes many books that would be useful in a survival situation.
53. I regularly put myself in situations where I can test my survival skills.
54. I am well acquainted with the area in which I live (including water sources, evacuation routes, common game and wild edibles, etc).
55. I know how to grow and use medicinal herbs.
56. I know how to make primitive weapons and snares.
57. I keep inventories of my food, camping gear, household supplies, etc. and ensure missing items are regularly replaced.
58. I am always observant and regularly practice situation awareness.
59. I am familiar with my children's school's disaster plan.
60. I have a range of quality tools (for gardening, for camping, etc).
61. I am continually increasing my job skills.
62. I am familiar with survival skills required in a variety of zones (desert, arctic, jungle, etc).
63. I avoid legal entanglements as much as possible (no DUIs, court actions, etc).
64. My spouse and children are on board with prepping so we can operate as a family unit during a disaster.
65. I have learned advanced tactical skills.
66. I practice with my firearms regularly.
67. I know how to reload my own ammo.
68. I regularly practice unarmed combat techniques (karate, krav maga, etc).
69. I am familiar with old fashioned ways of predicting the weather.
70. I know how to handle wilderness dangers (bears, hypothermia, getting lost, etc).
71. I know how to handle urban dangers (dangerous places, threatening people, etc).
72. I have ensured that my workplace is as safe as possible.
73. I am skilled at bartering and trading.
74. I have multiple items I could use for cash (money, credit cards, gold, silver, jewelry, etc).
75. I am extremely careful with how I use social media.
76. I could disappear completely within 24 hours if necessary.
77. I am familiar with NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) preps.
78. I am familiar with and train with any advanced survival items I purchase.
79. I have a safe in my home.
80. I have a safe room in my home.
81. I know basic carpentry skills.
82. I know basic electrical skills.
83. I know basic plumbing skills.
84. I have quality clothing and footwear that will allow me to remain comfortable in all weather conditions.
85. I travel nationally and internationally regularly.
86. I have a variety of transportation skills (boating, off roading, mountain biking, etc).
87. I have very good interpersonal skills.
88. I work and train with a preparedness team who have agreed to help each other out during a disaster.
89. I am familiar with caches, drops, ciphers, lock picking, and other clandestine skills.
90. I am familiar with my city, county, and state disaster plans (as well as shelter locations, siren warnings, alerts, etc).
91. I have comprehensive insurance including health insurance, car insurance, home insurance, and life insurance.
92. I have a Will, Living Will, Medical Power of attorney, etc.
93. I have "when I die" instructions for my next of kin.
94. I have secure, off-site storage for important items.
95. I have advanced driving skills.
96. I have an attorney and physician on speed dial.
97. I live a low profile life.
98. I seek out and learn from people who have greater skills than myself (and the corollary, I never stop learning).
99. I make safety an everyday part of my life (wear a seat belt, wear a helmet, avoid dangerous places, etc).
100. I don't brag about my skills or my preps (ie: I don't want people showing up at my door when TSHTF).
101. I have a life (other than prepping).