Guest Post: Neighboring Matters: Preparing For Unknown Unknowns

Prepared Christian ^ | CHRIS RAY | 11/21/12

[Kartographer]

Friends that you can trust, and can trust you, is more valuable than all the stuff we’re told to pack in our bug out bags, pantries, and gun vaults. Trusted friends are anchors of preparedness. Neighbors can be our wildcard.

[Old Sarge]

We here are re-evaluating things this holiday. Lots of changes coming. And our "neighbors" will not be along for the ride.

As our good friend and mentor Kartographer is so fond of quoting Star Trek, there is another quote of Star Trek lore that perhaps folks aren't aware of:

There is a word in the Vulcan language: "tviokh". Literally translated it means "neighbor", but the cultural use of the word is something different. Tviokh means that though you occupy the land next to me, I would rather see you under it than on it. In its cultural reference, tviokh really means "outlander", or "alien".

Regrettably, that's how we see the people living close to The Bunker...

[Kartographer]

In George Stewart novel ‘Earth Abides’ the post-apocalyptic Americans turn tribal. I can see that, in fact in some ways it’s happening already and I see it accelerating as things grow worse.

So we may all soon be members of groups that consider themselves Diné, which means “the people”.

As for me I thought about it last night while watching a episode of ‘Firefly’, I now consider myself a ‘Brown Coat’.

[sport]

I have a feeling that before obama is through with us, plople will be glad to get peas and okra. Or anything else they can eat. When I was growing up, we ate whatever mama put on the table and was thankful to get it. And so did every other family around where I lived. I never did hear,”I don’t likt that.” I did hear a lot of, “I wish I could have had another piece of chicken”, “I wish I could have had another piece of mackrel”, another bowl of soup, another helping of ....

[blam]

"I have a feeling that before obama is through with us, plople will be glad to get peas and okra. Or anything else they can eat. When I was growing up, we ate whatever mama put on the table and was thankful to get it. And so did every other family around where I lived. I never did hear,”I don’t likt that.” I did hear a lot of, “I wish I could have had another piece of chicken”, “I wish I could have had another piece of mackrel”, another bowl of soup, another helping of ...."

Ditto.

I love peas and okra with sliced tomato, green onion, cornbread and a glass of milk.....boy o boy!

[piroque]

What time you gonna have it ready ? I’ll be right over...mmmm

[MissMagnolia]

Spent Thanksgiving today with my brother - he's about two hours away & I took my folks to visit/feast for the day. He was roasting oysters on the grill for us (did I mention he's a GREAT brother?) and I brought up the subject of being "prepared" .... which I am doing with all of my family. He turned and gave me this big grin and said "have you turned into one of those crazy prepper people?" I told him I was well on my way to that status, but I considered it 'crazy like a fox'. He started laughing and then turned very serious ..... turns out he's a bit of a 'crazy prepper person' himself & got quite a bit stashed away for emergencies already - I was surprised at how much thought he's given the subject .... and impressed. He's a smart brother, too. ☺

[Redcitizen]

well now your neighbor knows who not to trust. So it was good work figuring out the wheat and the tares.