The Survival Weekly Dispatch - Volume 11, Issue 47
Hey everyone, thanks for checking out the newsletter this week. We put up our Christmas tree over the weekend. Our youngest son and his longtime girlfriend came over to help decorate it. Our other two sons will add their own ornaments this coming weekend when they’re home. A tradition we started when our boys were very young was that every year, they each receive a new ornament. When they eventually move out and get their own place, they get a box with all of their ornaments to decorate their own Christmas tree. It sounds kind of silly, but we think it’s fun.
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Prepper Tip -- This has come up in a couple of recent discussions I’ve had with people. It’s important to understand that prepping is not solely the accumulation of stuff. While stocking up on food and other supplies is part of the equation, don’t overlook learning valuable skills like first aid, CPR, scratch cooking, food preservation, basic car maintenance, budgeting, conflict resolution, and so much more.
I firmly believe that a preparedness mindset should extend beyond simply being ready for disasters. It’s about being self-reliant, but also with an emphasis on making your life easier in the long run. Tripping over endless piles of stuff that have been acquired “just in case” is going in the opposite direction.
Something else to keep in mind. One of the most common complaints from non-prepper spouses is how the “stuff” is just scattered throughout the house and left in disarray. If your prepping is threatening to take over every living space you have, that’s a problem. It’s a pain in the arse for everyone, plus it’s a potential safety hazard.
Be practical and avoid falling into the hoarder mindset.
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If you're planning to gift a Real World Prepping or Point to Pommel calendar this season, better get your orders in soon or they might not arrive before Christmas. If you're looking to buy several, give me a shout to discuss bulk pricing.
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Another end of the world prediction came and went last week without anything happening. Apparently, a guy named Clif High had said we would be invaded by aliens from outer space on December 3rd, with great battles between us and them taking place. When the day came, not so much. One more punch on my “I Survived the End of the World” wallet card.
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My friend Ed Combs put together a short article on cold weather preparedness. Like me, he’s based in Wisconsin and we’re both quite familiar with frigid weather.
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One of my more recent contributions to the GAT Daily website is this article on Flexible Utility Tools.
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For our hike this past weekend, we went to Natureland County Park, outside Whitewater, Wisconsin. We had an appointment to tour a property for sale not far from there, but it fell through at the last minute. The house and land weren’t anything truly earth-shattering, thankfully.
Survival Tip – Combat Breathing
In a crisis, it’s important to avoid panic and to remain calm, as much as possible. To that end, combat breathing is a tool to remember. It’s an effective breathing technique that will help reduce stress and anxiety, particularly when you’re in a bad situation. It’s pretty simple.
Breathe in while counting to four in your head.
Hold your breath for another count of four.
Breathe out while counting to four once again.
A fourth step is sometimes added where after exhaling you hold your breath again for another four count. When this step is involved, the process is often called box breathing rather than combat breathing.
Whichever way you choose to do it, the end result will slow your breathing and hopefully calm you down.
Backwoods Survival Guide Magazine
For those new to my little corner of the Internet, I am the Editor in Chief for Backwoods Survival Guide magazine. Here is the cover for the current issue available in stores right now.
You can find Backwoods Survival Guide just about anywhere magazines are sold, including:
Walmart
Sam's Club
Costco
Publix
Walgreens
Rite Aid
CVS
Tractor Supply
Fleet Farm
Barnes & Noble
Subscriptions are available here.
Questions, Comments, Complaints, Concerns?
I am always just an email away - jim@survivalweekly.com.