(Originally posted here on Todays Survival Show Forums... but I thought I would put this here!)
I got a bit of a story to tell you guys.
Last week* for some odd
reason, I was making my usual run to the grocery store, and I was going
to add in a few stock up items. When I was there, I suddenly got this
huge urge to add a lot of extra chicken soup and cheese ravioli. Was odd
was, yes I do stock up on chicken soup, but not the ravioli so much,
and I bought a rather large amount, which is not usual, and ravioli I
almost never stock. That is mostly because 1. I dont like pre-made
canned meals all that often, and 2. the kind I like is expensive so it
is a luxury item. Just for some reason, which I will explain in a bit, I
HAD TO stock up on it.
And I am glad I did.
A few days
later, I was sick as a dog. The grocery store trip was on monday last
week. By wednesday afternoon, I got a "little scratchy throat" and by
that night I had "painful mucousy throat". The next day it was still
pretty bad, going to my sinuses, home remedies did not work, and I went
to the doctor. Doc says "I am treating you for throat and sinus
infection. Your on antibiotics for a while, and on bed rest." I was out
of commission for nearly five days as this infection went from throat to
sinuses to lungs. But the infection was not that bad, what made things a
bit more miserable was the drugs. Some of the side effects really beat
me up. What was funny was I found out that some of the things to eat to
make the side effects more bearable were what I listed above. I had to
be eating something that would be good for a sick tummy and something
with cheese for meals. Who'd have thought that chicken soup and cheese
ravioli were a few of the things that would be good for my stomach as
well as easy to make for dinners? The next 4 days I was eating peanut
butter, crackers, chicken soup, cheese, cheese ravioli, Ensure, and
gatorade. LOTS of all that and every bit I had stocked up extra on, all
from my food storage. Since then I have changed my list around and am
looking for other ways to stock up on stuff like cheese and yogurt so it
lasts longer.
But yeah, I would have been in a bit of a bind if
I did not follow that "sense". Have you guys ever gotten that weird
feeling like "I have to do this (some action here) right now for some
unexplainable reason", you know the sort of 6th sense gut feeling about
something? Personally when I get something like that I am learning to
listen to it. Do you guys do that?
(*This was a few weeks ago.)
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Prepping: Seasonal Rotation and Spring Cleaning!
Hey guys!
I am just letting you know that I am still around. Right now I have been doing a little cave spring cleaning, and donating some old bones that I don't need anymore. Books are being donated, old clothes that are too worn out are going to the trash, or rag bin. Food being rotated. Rotating and donating should be a part of prepping too! That is the difference between being a prepper and a hoarder. Move and rotate. The Rule for Rotating non prep stuff: If you have not touched it, used it, or worn it in over a year, then you are not going to miss it. Looking for cash? Sell what you do not use! It is a good way to make a bit of extra bank for your pack... I mean family. Any little bit helps to keep order in your life.
I am just letting you know that I am still around. Right now I have been doing a little cave spring cleaning, and donating some old bones that I don't need anymore. Books are being donated, old clothes that are too worn out are going to the trash, or rag bin. Food being rotated. Rotating and donating should be a part of prepping too! That is the difference between being a prepper and a hoarder. Move and rotate. The Rule for Rotating non prep stuff: If you have not touched it, used it, or worn it in over a year, then you are not going to miss it. Looking for cash? Sell what you do not use! It is a good way to make a bit of extra bank for your pack... I mean family. Any little bit helps to keep order in your life.
Monday, April 09, 2012
Survival Media: Real Day Preppers
Hey guys,
I just wanted to let you guys know about this webisode show called Real Day Preppers. It is a unlike Doomsday Preppers, this show is no spin, and shows that us Preppers are NORMAL PEOPLE! I so far am loving the hell out of this project. This show is fully produced by lowbuckprepper. Also as an aside, check out his youtube channel too, he has some good tutorials too! So far his show has 2 webisodes up and both are pretty good. Check them out!
I just wanted to let you guys know about this webisode show called Real Day Preppers. It is a unlike Doomsday Preppers, this show is no spin, and shows that us Preppers are NORMAL PEOPLE! I so far am loving the hell out of this project. This show is fully produced by lowbuckprepper. Also as an aside, check out his youtube channel too, he has some good tutorials too! So far his show has 2 webisodes up and both are pretty good. Check them out!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Some of my favorite prepping items that I use.
Hey guys, I just wanted to write a quick article on some of the prepping items that I absolutely love an I use them quite often, even almost daily!
The List:
Hiking Backpack: I picked it up cheap at a garage sale for $3, and I use it every time I go out. It is good for shopping, and carrying most items. If I am gone longer than 4 hours I will put a meal in there for when I am out and about and it can carry a ton.
4 Wheeled Cart: It is the one that I mentioned in my article Survival Gear: Carts! I use it for hauling groceries, garbage and laundry. Dead useful at the grocery store when you want your own cart and it folds down flat for storage.
Bread maker: ... for making... bread. Yeah I know I am a lazy ass, but I like my fresh bread. You can find them all the time at Goodwill for almost nothing.
Pocket Knife: I have a Leatherman Wave. The blades are demon sharp, and it works well for when I have needed it. I used it last week to cut a bread roll for my sandwich at lunch time.
Canteen with cup: Have used it numerous times when I wanted a drink when I am out doing stuff. Nice to carry on the side of my backpack.
Keychain Hand Sanitizer: I have a nice refillable one on my keychain.
Is there stuff that you carry everyday that you would not leave the house without it? Let me know!
The List:
Hiking Backpack: I picked it up cheap at a garage sale for $3, and I use it every time I go out. It is good for shopping, and carrying most items. If I am gone longer than 4 hours I will put a meal in there for when I am out and about and it can carry a ton.
4 Wheeled Cart: It is the one that I mentioned in my article Survival Gear: Carts! I use it for hauling groceries, garbage and laundry. Dead useful at the grocery store when you want your own cart and it folds down flat for storage.
Bread maker: ... for making... bread. Yeah I know I am a lazy ass, but I like my fresh bread. You can find them all the time at Goodwill for almost nothing.
Pocket Knife: I have a Leatherman Wave. The blades are demon sharp, and it works well for when I have needed it. I used it last week to cut a bread roll for my sandwich at lunch time.
Canteen with cup: Have used it numerous times when I wanted a drink when I am out doing stuff. Nice to carry on the side of my backpack.
Keychain Hand Sanitizer: I have a nice refillable one on my keychain.
Is there stuff that you carry everyday that you would not leave the house without it? Let me know!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The 'feeling' of prepping.
There are just somethings you really cannot describe when it comes to doing what I do.
There is a certain 'feeling' when you vacumme seal a package of dried blueberries as a special flavoring for later.
There is a certain 'feeling' when there is a snow storm outside, and you really dont care because you have the extra food at home to make your own hot chocolate from dry chocolate mix, dry milk, and hot water, and not panicing like everyone else is.
There is a certain 'feeling' when you're laid up for a while, yet you have pre-made dinners in the freezer, cans of soup in the cupboard and buckets of dry stuff that just takes water to boil.
There is a 'feeling' when you grow your own food, preserve it and eat it yourself.
The 'feeling' you get when you enjoy that small treat that you get yourself every once in a while because you have done really well in prepping and splurged a bit on some candy.
There is a certain 'feeling' when your car breaks down, yet you do not panic because you can either fix it yourself or know someone who can fix it for you.
Personally, I call that a measure of 'freedom and relief'.
There is a certain 'feeling' when you vacumme seal a package of dried blueberries as a special flavoring for later.
There is a certain 'feeling' when there is a snow storm outside, and you really dont care because you have the extra food at home to make your own hot chocolate from dry chocolate mix, dry milk, and hot water, and not panicing like everyone else is.
There is a certain 'feeling' when you're laid up for a while, yet you have pre-made dinners in the freezer, cans of soup in the cupboard and buckets of dry stuff that just takes water to boil.
There is a 'feeling' when you grow your own food, preserve it and eat it yourself.
The 'feeling' you get when you enjoy that small treat that you get yourself every once in a while because you have done really well in prepping and splurged a bit on some candy.
There is a certain 'feeling' when your car breaks down, yet you do not panic because you can either fix it yourself or know someone who can fix it for you.
Personally, I call that a measure of 'freedom and relief'.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Dehydrating More veggies.
Now that the issues with my paw... I mean hand are almost over, I have gone back to doing some more prepping. I went back to the project that I started 2 months ago, draining cans of veggies and dehydrating them. Did you know that 5 cans of 14.5 oz mixed veggies dried down can fill up a half of a mason jar? This is good to know if you live in an apartment. Also you can keep the water that was in the cans and save it for later for a "vegetable stock" in the freezer or just toss it out. I prefer saving it, but this time around I had to toss it because I have no room in my freezer. I found a good butcher near me and I have been stocking up on meat *DROOL*. Anyways, that is what I started now, and I just thought I would let you guys know about it. Right now I have about 4 mason jars full of veggies. Some I dried from cans, some I dried from frozen. I like doing it that way because it is cheap and it takes less to prep.
If any of you have any projects going on, please put them in the comments section, I would like to hear it.
If any of you have any projects going on, please put them in the comments section, I would like to hear it.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Prepping lessons learned during problems.
Hi guys,
As you all know, I have been dealing with some problems with my hand getting cut, and having surgery to repair the problems. Here are some things that I have learned during all these troubles. I had originally posted this in a thread on Today's Survival Show forums under the thread named "accident happen". This kind of covers when I had the first initial cut and repair at the emergency room. Then when I had it examined a week and a half later and went through surgery to correct some nerve problems after it. And also covers the subsequent cast, and then splint.
1. Do not open a can with your bare hands. (I paid the stupid tax for that one!)
2. GPS comes in handy when you are in a panic. (The directions to the E.R. were very accurate!) And this is why I have practiced with it. I knew how to look up directions to places with it beforehand (Puns intended!)
3. When in doubt with something like this, go to the ER. Better to go there and have it be nothing, then do nothing and have it be something. For me I went there and it turns out it was the best decision.
4. GET A NEW CAN OPENER! -- RECTIFIED with a new safety can opener.
5. This was a HUGE reminder to build up my medical supplies. I did not have the basic stuff like gauze or skin safe tape. It is a huge hole that I did somewhat rectify.
6. It is not a good idea to have about 50% of your food supplies relying on one can opener. Even less of an idea if you can only use one hand.
7. Having premade or homemade frozen meals that only take a bit of warming up would help on the days that you can't or don't want to cook.
8. It is a good idea to practice having a bucket bath to keep yourself clean. It helps not only when you are rationing water, but also if you can't really submerge any injuries in water and dont feel like wrapping anything in plastic. I just filled up a bucket with hot water, used my good hand with a wash cloth, soap, and kept the other hand elevated to remind me not to put it in the bucket. I could wash myself really well. To do your hair just dip a bowl in the bucket and pour it over your head. I did all of this in the tub, sitting on a second up turned bucket for a seat. (those buckets are also used for laundry too!)
9. No man is an island. Sometimes you need help, especially if you are injured.
10. Take care of your tools! This includes any and ALL bodily appendages! You do not know what you have till its gone.
11. Press and Seal Reynolds Wrap works well when you have a cast and can't get it wet.
12. Keep track of medicine reactions and keep in contact with your doctor. I did not know that Ibeprophen gives me BAD heartburn. Not good. Not fun.
13. If they tell you not to get something wet, like a cast or a splint, it is for a good reason. I once got a few drops of water under my splint, talk about SMELLY! Also that could cause other problems.
And again to repeat what I have been saying this a lot lately "Sometimes you need to learn the hard way. I sure as hell did. All of this over a stupid can lid." So yeah, I had some and still have some holes to fill.
As you all know, I have been dealing with some problems with my hand getting cut, and having surgery to repair the problems. Here are some things that I have learned during all these troubles. I had originally posted this in a thread on Today's Survival Show forums under the thread named "accident happen". This kind of covers when I had the first initial cut and repair at the emergency room. Then when I had it examined a week and a half later and went through surgery to correct some nerve problems after it. And also covers the subsequent cast, and then splint.
1. Do not open a can with your bare hands. (I paid the stupid tax for that one!)
2. GPS comes in handy when you are in a panic. (The directions to the E.R. were very accurate!) And this is why I have practiced with it. I knew how to look up directions to places with it beforehand (Puns intended!)
3. When in doubt with something like this, go to the ER. Better to go there and have it be nothing, then do nothing and have it be something. For me I went there and it turns out it was the best decision.
4. GET A NEW CAN OPENER! -- RECTIFIED with a new safety can opener.
5. This was a HUGE reminder to build up my medical supplies. I did not have the basic stuff like gauze or skin safe tape. It is a huge hole that I did somewhat rectify.
6. It is not a good idea to have about 50% of your food supplies relying on one can opener. Even less of an idea if you can only use one hand.
7. Having premade or homemade frozen meals that only take a bit of warming up would help on the days that you can't or don't want to cook.
8. It is a good idea to practice having a bucket bath to keep yourself clean. It helps not only when you are rationing water, but also if you can't really submerge any injuries in water and dont feel like wrapping anything in plastic. I just filled up a bucket with hot water, used my good hand with a wash cloth, soap, and kept the other hand elevated to remind me not to put it in the bucket. I could wash myself really well. To do your hair just dip a bowl in the bucket and pour it over your head. I did all of this in the tub, sitting on a second up turned bucket for a seat. (those buckets are also used for laundry too!)
9. No man is an island. Sometimes you need help, especially if you are injured.
10. Take care of your tools! This includes any and ALL bodily appendages! You do not know what you have till its gone.
11. Press and Seal Reynolds Wrap works well when you have a cast and can't get it wet.
12. Keep track of medicine reactions and keep in contact with your doctor. I did not know that Ibeprophen gives me BAD heartburn. Not good. Not fun.
13. If they tell you not to get something wet, like a cast or a splint, it is for a good reason. I once got a few drops of water under my splint, talk about SMELLY! Also that could cause other problems.
And again to repeat what I have been saying this a lot lately "Sometimes you need to learn the hard way. I sure as hell did. All of this over a stupid can lid." So yeah, I had some and still have some holes to fill.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Update: I have been home for a while.
Hi guys, Just an update. Had the surgery 2 weeks ago, cast and all. after 10 days I got the cast off and now I am working with a splint. It is a pain in the butt. Right now I am working with 1 and a half paws. Sooo.. not much going on with the prepping front since I cant lift much over 5 lbs. Supposed to have the splint on for a few weeks. What fun.
I did manage to get some canned meat though cheap.
I did manage to get some canned meat though cheap.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Gone for 2 weeks.
Hey guys, just a quick note. I will be having surgery on my paw... I mean hand tomorrow, and will be gone for about 2 weeks. Wish me luck.
Ravenwolf
Ravenwolf
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Food Prepping and News.
Hey guys, I know it has been a long time again since I have posted anything on here. A lot of personal problems have been getting in the way, but I am still prepping. Mostly I am sticking to food right now. I keep watching videos on food storage as much as I can. But, for all the different food items that people stock, I notice that there is one food that is not talked about. Seafood. I know that it is not as popular as storing up chicken, beef, canned goods or veggies... But outside of the occasional mention of buying canned tuna, not much is talked about. Why is that? Too expensive?
Around by me I look for deals on seafood items when I can. So far I have stocked up on stuff like salmon (frozen, canned), Tilapia (frozen), Shrimp (frozen, canned), crab meat (canned), tuna of course, and kippers (canned). Most would say "how in the world can you prep those!?! Those are LUXURY foods!" Well, ALL of what you see listed that I have, I found on sale. Tilapia and Shrimp were the most expensive. I found bags of shrimp 2 for $5 a while back at Wal-mart (yeah I know...) But still it was cheap. And with Tilapia, I found a good deal at Whole Foods once, though it was still a bit expensive. I cant remember how much I paid for it though. That being said, most of the other items you can get for $3 and under if you keep your eyes peeled for deals. Just today I got 2 cans of kippers for $2 a piece at Big Lots. Not a bad price.
Why get all of this? Well for one, we need omega-3 fatty acids in our diet, and fish is a good way to get it along with brown rice and capsules. Second, it adds variety to my food storage. Third, I just like seafood. But I just find it funny that this category does not get much of a mention in the prepping circles.
Anyways, I have some news for you guys... It will probably be another month before I can post anything, due to the fact that I am going to have surgery on one of my paws... I mean hands. I cut one of my fingers pretty badly a few weeks ago, and though the cut healed, I need surgery to fix the nerve damage. I will try to knock out a few articles during my recovery time, but I can't promise anything. I will try to keep yall updated though. This is the type of stuff we prep for though. I might share some of my experiences with you!
Thanks for reading!
Around by me I look for deals on seafood items when I can. So far I have stocked up on stuff like salmon (frozen, canned), Tilapia (frozen), Shrimp (frozen, canned), crab meat (canned), tuna of course, and kippers (canned). Most would say "how in the world can you prep those!?! Those are LUXURY foods!" Well, ALL of what you see listed that I have, I found on sale. Tilapia and Shrimp were the most expensive. I found bags of shrimp 2 for $5 a while back at Wal-mart (yeah I know...) But still it was cheap. And with Tilapia, I found a good deal at Whole Foods once, though it was still a bit expensive. I cant remember how much I paid for it though. That being said, most of the other items you can get for $3 and under if you keep your eyes peeled for deals. Just today I got 2 cans of kippers for $2 a piece at Big Lots. Not a bad price.
Why get all of this? Well for one, we need omega-3 fatty acids in our diet, and fish is a good way to get it along with brown rice and capsules. Second, it adds variety to my food storage. Third, I just like seafood. But I just find it funny that this category does not get much of a mention in the prepping circles.
Anyways, I have some news for you guys... It will probably be another month before I can post anything, due to the fact that I am going to have surgery on one of my paws... I mean hands. I cut one of my fingers pretty badly a few weeks ago, and though the cut healed, I need surgery to fix the nerve damage. I will try to knock out a few articles during my recovery time, but I can't promise anything. I will try to keep yall updated though. This is the type of stuff we prep for though. I might share some of my experiences with you!
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Dehydrating Didya know?
Did you know that a little over 5 lbs of veggies dried will fit into a quart mason jar? That is a lot of food in such a little space. Those were all frozen veggies that went directly from the freezer, out of the bag and into the dehydrator. Now I have a yummy mix of carrots, corn, broccoli, green beans and sweet peas in a mason jar.
Oh, and they were a dollar for a 1 lb bag when I got them.
Oh, and they were a dollar for a 1 lb bag when I got them.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (Post Update!)
Hey guys, I just wanted to write a quick post and say Merry Christmas to all my readers. I know that I have not posted much the last several months or so. There have been a lot of real life issues going on in my personal life. None that I would really like to share online, but those few of you whom I have spoken privately, I think you would understand. Those of you that do know, I don't want that information posted. Not that I let that get in the way of my prepping, I just have slowed down a little bit. Stopped? Nope! Prepping is so much integrated into my life, it is normal for me to grab a few extra cans when canned food is on sale. That's just how I roll.
Oh and those orange buckets that I got from home depot several months back? FOOD STORAGE! As far as this blog, I will try to get an article up this week, even though I have said that before and failed miserably. I will have some projects coming up next year. Just wait!
Now I am off to go visit Momma and Papa Wolf. From my pack.. err... Family to yours, Merry Christmas!
Oh and those orange buckets that I got from home depot several months back? FOOD STORAGE! As far as this blog, I will try to get an article up this week, even though I have said that before and failed miserably. I will have some projects coming up next year. Just wait!
Now I am off to go visit Momma and Papa Wolf. From my pack.. err... Family to yours, Merry Christmas!
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Long Time No Post... Sorry!
Hi guys! I am back, I had a bit of a busy summer and I have not written here in almost 2 months. I seriously apologize for that. I needed a little time off, though I am still prepping! Anyways, I have a little bit of a prepper story for you. This is just a small story though.
About the end of July, we had a pretty good rain storm going on. It was strong enough to make the lights flicker. So I decided to take that night and play "lets pretend". So what I did was turn off the electricity, and tried to handle everything the best I could if the electric went out for a short term. It gave me a good chance to work with my gear, practice my cooking skills on a Sterno stove, and work with alternative lighting. It was actually kind of fun, and gave me a few ideas on how to handle a power outage. One idea: Keep a flashlight in one area so that way I would not have to hunt all over for a light, and when done, return it to that spot for the next time I need it. That night I cooked noodles and spaghetti sauce over some sterno, swigged it all down with bottled water.
Somtimes playing "lets pretend" can be a pretty powerful tool.
About the end of July, we had a pretty good rain storm going on. It was strong enough to make the lights flicker. So I decided to take that night and play "lets pretend". So what I did was turn off the electricity, and tried to handle everything the best I could if the electric went out for a short term. It gave me a good chance to work with my gear, practice my cooking skills on a Sterno stove, and work with alternative lighting. It was actually kind of fun, and gave me a few ideas on how to handle a power outage. One idea: Keep a flashlight in one area so that way I would not have to hunt all over for a light, and when done, return it to that spot for the next time I need it. That night I cooked noodles and spaghetti sauce over some sterno, swigged it all down with bottled water.
Somtimes playing "lets pretend" can be a pretty powerful tool.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Need Shelves? Check out Menards!
Hey if any of you have a Menards near you, check out their shelving sale under their weekly ads. They have good shelving and storeage ideas this month. I saw 5.5 quart tubs for .99 cents and shelves for as cheap as $20.
Sorry I have not been posting too much. I should have some stuff up tonight.
Sorry I have not been posting too much. I should have some stuff up tonight.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Search for Free Knowledge in Different Formats
Anyone knows, that knowledge is power, but it rarely comes free. Well, for those of you on a budget, but have the interwebs, I have a host of places where you can either get some good .pdfs or books for relatively low cost. Or in many cases, free. Here is a list that this old she-wolf has in her bookmarks or dug up reference. Here is what I unearthed.
For .pdfs:
Scribed: This is a good place to get whole old books for virtually nothing. Some are free to download, others that are in the Scribd archive you would have to have a subscription or have wrote something yourself and posted on there. Subscription prices vary, but a one day pass for $5 will let you download anything for a day. Some info on there is priceless and the whole site covers a wide range of topics.
Project Gutenberg: This site I love to explore! They have a lot of books that are old, some of them from the mid 1800's to the mid 1900's, but the downloads are free and they have several download formats including Kindle! Again, they cover a wide range of topics from fiction and non fiction books to old how-to manuals. I found a whole 'bookshelf' section on crafting a lone! This resource is really good to check out.
Itunes: I have Itunes. I LOVE Itunes! Everyone knows this little program for just being able to download, catalogue and play music. But there is SO much more to it than just a pretty music program! I use it quite a bit for other stuff, as I download podcasts, but there was one feature that I did not explore too much until I found out what it was. ItunesU. I never really payed to much attention to it until someone told me what it does. (Sorry I dont remember his name, but I met him through a live stream chat! Who ever you are, THANK YOU!!!) If you go into Itunes Store, check out ItunesU. That is the area where college campuses take and upload course materials, work books, and recorded video and audio classroom lectures on almost every subject out there.... All FREE! And these are not just little rinky-dink vocational colleges, we are talking HARVARD, MIT, YALE, PRINCETON... you know... the big boys as well as tons of other colleges too. I personally found a good audio lecture on wild plants in New Mexico with Native teachers and also some demonstration videos on the technology that the pioneers used back in the old days. Podcasts are a good way to get information too. I have found plenty of podcasts like Todays Survival Show, The Prepper Podcast, The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast, and The Survival Podcast. All of them are excellent to listen to. Do not overlook this resource.
For Books:
Swaptree: Here you can swap books for pretty much just the cost of shipping. But what you want and what you offer has to match up with someone else. I have not used the site, but I have heard of others that have and it works.
Half.com: I have gotten a few books on there for cheap. Sellers tell what physical shape books are in, and you can read reviews of the books. Pricing is reasonable.
Amazon: I have gotten many books from here for pretty cheap, anywhere ranging from a buck or two to $15 bucks used (before shipping. Most shipping is $3.99) Added plus is you can read reviews on the books.
Craigslist and Freecycle are both good places to look for books (and other prepping supplies) too in your area, and you can place wanted ads if you are looking for something in particular.
Oh, and don't forget your local library. You can check out books if you have a library card, and many times they will sell books for a $1 or two. I have bought a few that way.
I hope this helps you guys. I have used some of these resources on my budget, (really all except Swaptree), and have added a lot to my personal library. If any of you guys have more resources that I have not covered, please post them in the comments section, they are greatly apprectiated!
For .pdfs:
Scribed: This is a good place to get whole old books for virtually nothing. Some are free to download, others that are in the Scribd archive you would have to have a subscription or have wrote something yourself and posted on there. Subscription prices vary, but a one day pass for $5 will let you download anything for a day. Some info on there is priceless and the whole site covers a wide range of topics.
Project Gutenberg: This site I love to explore! They have a lot of books that are old, some of them from the mid 1800's to the mid 1900's, but the downloads are free and they have several download formats including Kindle! Again, they cover a wide range of topics from fiction and non fiction books to old how-to manuals. I found a whole 'bookshelf' section on crafting a lone! This resource is really good to check out.
Itunes: I have Itunes. I LOVE Itunes! Everyone knows this little program for just being able to download, catalogue and play music. But there is SO much more to it than just a pretty music program! I use it quite a bit for other stuff, as I download podcasts, but there was one feature that I did not explore too much until I found out what it was. ItunesU. I never really payed to much attention to it until someone told me what it does. (Sorry I dont remember his name, but I met him through a live stream chat! Who ever you are, THANK YOU!!!) If you go into Itunes Store, check out ItunesU. That is the area where college campuses take and upload course materials, work books, and recorded video and audio classroom lectures on almost every subject out there.... All FREE! And these are not just little rinky-dink vocational colleges, we are talking HARVARD, MIT, YALE, PRINCETON... you know... the big boys as well as tons of other colleges too. I personally found a good audio lecture on wild plants in New Mexico with Native teachers and also some demonstration videos on the technology that the pioneers used back in the old days. Podcasts are a good way to get information too. I have found plenty of podcasts like Todays Survival Show, The Prepper Podcast, The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast, and The Survival Podcast. All of them are excellent to listen to. Do not overlook this resource.
For Books:
Swaptree: Here you can swap books for pretty much just the cost of shipping. But what you want and what you offer has to match up with someone else. I have not used the site, but I have heard of others that have and it works.
Half.com: I have gotten a few books on there for cheap. Sellers tell what physical shape books are in, and you can read reviews of the books. Pricing is reasonable.
Amazon: I have gotten many books from here for pretty cheap, anywhere ranging from a buck or two to $15 bucks used (before shipping. Most shipping is $3.99) Added plus is you can read reviews on the books.
Craigslist and Freecycle are both good places to look for books (and other prepping supplies) too in your area, and you can place wanted ads if you are looking for something in particular.
Oh, and don't forget your local library. You can check out books if you have a library card, and many times they will sell books for a $1 or two. I have bought a few that way.
I hope this helps you guys. I have used some of these resources on my budget, (really all except Swaptree), and have added a lot to my personal library. If any of you guys have more resources that I have not covered, please post them in the comments section, they are greatly apprectiated!
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Quick Quote
"I am FOR growing my own food at home, so that way there will be MORE food for others to enjoy in the grocery stores!" - I came up with that one today. Sometimes it is more productive to tell someone you are for something than against something.
Friday, July 01, 2011
Cyclopath!
Hey guys, I found a few interesting resources, especially if you guys use a bicycle. Check these sites out
Bike Map: This site you can find good bike routes or post bike routes of your own and this site is used all over the world. Looking for a safe bike route in your home town or in another country? Then check this site out. It is good for pre-planning routes out of town.
Cyclopath: This site is kind of like MapQuest or MapBlast, but for bikes. You just input your location and the destination where you want to go, and it comes up with a directions safe for bicycles. The only downside to this is it only covers the Minnesota areas. However they do have an area on their Wiki on if you want to set up a Cyclopath website if you live in another state. The have the source code for it. Look for it in the FAQ of their wiki under the help section on their site.
Hope this helps you guys out there.
RW ^..^___)
Bike Map: This site you can find good bike routes or post bike routes of your own and this site is used all over the world. Looking for a safe bike route in your home town or in another country? Then check this site out. It is good for pre-planning routes out of town.
Cyclopath: This site is kind of like MapQuest or MapBlast, but for bikes. You just input your location and the destination where you want to go, and it comes up with a directions safe for bicycles. The only downside to this is it only covers the Minnesota areas. However they do have an area on their Wiki on if you want to set up a Cyclopath website if you live in another state. The have the source code for it. Look for it in the FAQ of their wiki under the help section on their site.
Hope this helps you guys out there.
RW ^..^___)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Things I have learned from todays outing.
I went out again today, and I learned a few things that I should note not only for myself but for the rest of you. Maybe you guys could learn from this too.
Stuff I Learned:
1. Bikes are good!
Instead of taking my car for a minor shopping trip, I took my bike and my backpack. If I would have taken my car, and it would have cost me gas. Plus, you would have the added advantage, if you have a mountain bike, to go anywhere you want, even if there is no road. Heck even regular bikes would work then too. They are very low maintenance, and the only fuel that they take is a tiny bit of oil, some grease, and a good working human body. Plus it is FREE exercise! No gym fees!
2. Bikes can be dirty!
Bikes should be washed, and mine needs it bad. Oh and a pair of leather gloves would also work. Maybe a bike kit would help too.
3. Calculators Help.
I have an Ipod Touch. Normally I would not really go for the expensive 'toys' but I find it is very useful. It has a ton of options that I like on it, but the one that I use the most... Other than the mp3 player part of it, is the calculator. I use it to tabulate how much my grocery bill will be before the sales tax. For those who cannot afford a Touch, use a calculator. Many cheap ones work well. Plus there are other good survival applications, podcasts and e-books that you can fill it up with.
4. Watch Your Purchase Prices!
Yes, when you ring stuff up, watch the amounts and the price on the register. Today I was at the store and spotted some tuna on clearance for .69 cents. This was not marked in the store circular but I spotted it and picked it up. Well when it rang up at the register it rang up as .99. I mentioned this to the cashier, she did a price check, saw I was right and fixed it. I saved .60 cents. It is good to have a sharp eye for things like that and the cashier was gracious about it. For me, every penny counts!
Maybe you guys could find this information useful. Oh and if you take a bike anywhere, bring a canteen of water. Rushing wind makes you thirsty!
That is all.
RW ^..^___)
Stuff I Learned:
1. Bikes are good!
Instead of taking my car for a minor shopping trip, I took my bike and my backpack. If I would have taken my car, and it would have cost me gas. Plus, you would have the added advantage, if you have a mountain bike, to go anywhere you want, even if there is no road. Heck even regular bikes would work then too. They are very low maintenance, and the only fuel that they take is a tiny bit of oil, some grease, and a good working human body. Plus it is FREE exercise! No gym fees!
2. Bikes can be dirty!
Bikes should be washed, and mine needs it bad. Oh and a pair of leather gloves would also work. Maybe a bike kit would help too.
3. Calculators Help.
I have an Ipod Touch. Normally I would not really go for the expensive 'toys' but I find it is very useful. It has a ton of options that I like on it, but the one that I use the most... Other than the mp3 player part of it, is the calculator. I use it to tabulate how much my grocery bill will be before the sales tax. For those who cannot afford a Touch, use a calculator. Many cheap ones work well. Plus there are other good survival applications, podcasts and e-books that you can fill it up with.
4. Watch Your Purchase Prices!
Yes, when you ring stuff up, watch the amounts and the price on the register. Today I was at the store and spotted some tuna on clearance for .69 cents. This was not marked in the store circular but I spotted it and picked it up. Well when it rang up at the register it rang up as .99. I mentioned this to the cashier, she did a price check, saw I was right and fixed it. I saved .60 cents. It is good to have a sharp eye for things like that and the cashier was gracious about it. For me, every penny counts!
Maybe you guys could find this information useful. Oh and if you take a bike anywhere, bring a canteen of water. Rushing wind makes you thirsty!
That is all.
RW ^..^___)
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Out and About
Yesterday was the type of day that was made for enjoying the simplicity of riding a bicycle. It was warm, but not hot with a nice breeze. To me that is what prepping is about. Simplicity. I spent most of the afternoon on my bike and out enjoying the day.
Made a few rounds to some stores and a thrift shop. I like stopping there because of the different assortment of things ranging from clothes and book to cosmetics and kitchenware. I picked up a nice stoneware pampered chef bread loaf pan with the cookbook for $5! SCORE! There is also a little free 'food shelf' in the offices, which I picked up some boxes of tea and some day old bread. Then went to a dollar store and picked up 2 cans veggies and some spoons. After that I got a few Chinese egg rolls and a soda for lunch, which I ate sitting outside on the grass near my bike.
Meh, maybe I am just rambling a bit. Maybe this is not much about prepping... But it was a good day yesterday.
Made a few rounds to some stores and a thrift shop. I like stopping there because of the different assortment of things ranging from clothes and book to cosmetics and kitchenware. I picked up a nice stoneware pampered chef bread loaf pan with the cookbook for $5! SCORE! There is also a little free 'food shelf' in the offices, which I picked up some boxes of tea and some day old bread. Then went to a dollar store and picked up 2 cans veggies and some spoons. After that I got a few Chinese egg rolls and a soda for lunch, which I ate sitting outside on the grass near my bike.
Meh, maybe I am just rambling a bit. Maybe this is not much about prepping... But it was a good day yesterday.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Update love... WOOF!
Hey guys,
I am just writing to let you know that this wolf girl is not dead. I am still going. Been going out and doing some things that are mostly fun, but taking up my time. I assure you, I am still doing a bit of prepping, but I just had to take a break for a while on working on my blog. Don't worry, I will have some stuff up in a few days. I would like to show you a few projects that I did on the day that my computer went on the fritz. It is amazing what a She Wolf's mind does when it is bored as hell and I will talk about a few other things. Oh and just a little teaser preview of what might come up.... Fun with orange buckets. Use your imagination on that.
RW ^..^___)
I am just writing to let you know that this wolf girl is not dead. I am still going. Been going out and doing some things that are mostly fun, but taking up my time. I assure you, I am still doing a bit of prepping, but I just had to take a break for a while on working on my blog. Don't worry, I will have some stuff up in a few days. I would like to show you a few projects that I did on the day that my computer went on the fritz. It is amazing what a She Wolf's mind does when it is bored as hell and I will talk about a few other things. Oh and just a little teaser preview of what might come up.... Fun with orange buckets. Use your imagination on that.
RW ^..^___)
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