I’m often amazed how many simple things people hire out. Mowing the lawn, plowing the driveway, having their house cleaned, simple drain unclogging, oil changes, installing windshield wipers, getting a chimney cleaned, painting, even getting groceries delivered to your house. I’m taking people who are home all day and don’t work. I think with everything so easily accessible people are getting lazier and lazier. If there were a big crisis the vast majority of people would be screwed.
In addition, but not quite related, last summer we canceled TV and internet. Don't get me wrong, I did miss FHC and every single one of it's members...….. (well, close! ) but it was no where near the inconvenience we thought it would be. I had tried to talk her into it for a number of years and it ended up saving $$ last summer and once after we hooked up, they gave us a lower rate for a year.
Society has become dependent on these mobile phones, all they (be it friendlies or foe) have to do is take out service and you cripple many. People will loose their chit, it's just a matter of time. In defense of said "apps". My new employer set me up with an app on the phone they provided. All I have to do is take a picture of my expense receipt and it automatically adds it to my report. Easy peezy lemon squeezy. So I get to carry around 2 phones., yay. While I am in no way dependent on either, as mentioned, the younger generations are sailing toward failure. Just my opinion.
A lot of the problem is parents. We all blame the kids, but you can instill work ethics and skills in a kid. A lot of parents want to be buddies not parents to their kids. Then again most parents I see (of a variety of ages), even those in their 40’s and 50’s are just as glued to their cell phones as their kids are. Don’t believe it, next time your in a waiting room, on a bus, etc, look around.
Me thinks we are talking different berries! I'm not sure how the "berries" you are talking about go for breakfast but mine taste really good on toast when in jam form.
I was thinking the same thing when I read Beetle-Kill 's post. What you guys discuss is one of the major reasons I could never live in a large city. Services go out for a week (possibly less) and the societal fabric is torn. While not 100% self sufficient (yet), I know that we are prepared for any moderate loss of services, and could sustain ourselves for probably 2 months if it came right down to it. Biggest issue would be preserving the meat in the freezer when we run out of fuel for the generator. I'd like to have enough solar power generation to alleviate that concern. Although I'd miss not having my
Ha... we did that too Yoops. My honey and I got off the computer entirely for 2 years, 2009-2011... I loved it... then our daughter had her 1st baby... and, grammy was losing her mind... ... I think it took all of 1/2 day, and she had the computer back up and runnin' baby pics...
Simple. First, they would borrow, then they would beg, then they would steal. Well, actually, first they'd whine, cry and throw a little tantrum...tell everybody that, they [anybody but them)...should do something... ...then they'd borrow, beg and steal. Oh, and guess who they'd BB&S from first. Yep, the ones they know were prepared. The ones that warned them. Don't worry though.... Because, they are weak, and tender, and will be good eating. Keep room in the freezer for one. Or 2.
For sure there are way too many who can't get along without many things. And people wonder about folks like us. Many hoarders have been to our place and they know we don't live in a city or suburb. You have to travel on some rough roads then gravel roads (Egads!) to get to our place and then turn onto a dead end road. Wow! Back in the sticks is where you live! Yet, most everyone loves it back here. People have asked us for years why we raise gardens; why do we burn wood, etc. Those on this forum know. Yet, it does pain me a bit when I read from time to time people putting down some technology and also things like farcebook. Many say, "You wouldn't catch me going on that junk." Well, I go there. I've found some friend there that I had not seen for many years. I have relatives there. I freely admit that probably 98% of the stuff on there is junk, but not all of it and one does not have to look at all the junk; just go where you want; just like you do when you go to town; drive the roads you want to drive on. As for phones, I remember when cell phones came on the scene. I was amazed then and still am amazed when I see so many glued to their phones. People getting out of stores, doctor's offices, hospitals, offices, etc and the first thing they do is grab their phones. People walk into things because they look at phones rather than where they are going. But yet, I too have a cell phone. A simple flip phone, but it rarely gets used and most times when I leave home I forget to take it with me. I rarely carry it on me; it just sits on the table and many times it will ring but before I get to it to pick it up, it stops ringing. Okay. No message? It was not important. Carry on. We were just discussing this yesterday about people having to be told various things and not having to think for themselves. Even to the point that every time I start our car at this time of the year I'm warned about there might be ice. I can't imagine. Ice? In winter? It seems like people are warned so many times about so many things that it is dumbing Americans; well, people everywhere.
I was just talking to someone the other day about this same subject. What gets me is they don’t even use their phones as a tool or to learn. They Face , Twitt , and text and that’s it. Example . My kids will be sitting in the living room talking and say ,,, “ hey , I heard something about XYZ , do you know what that’s about??? “ All the while with the greatest learning tool known to man directly in there hand !!!!!!!!!! If I don’t know the answer I say “ google it” !!! WTF !!! It really is as simple as that !
But, that is the same thing as they used to preach to us: look it up in the dictionary. Some learned and some didn't.
I thought this was the answer to how do you spell.. D • I • C. T I O N. OK. OK. It was later in life I realized my mother might not have been a spelling bee champion
I talk to my wife about this all the time. I get bored with fakebook, crapchat, twitster, etc etc. If I want to know what so-and-so is doing I will pick up the phone and call them. She loves looking at fakebook. I tell her she has the most incredible tool known to man in her hand. All of the worlds knowledge is at our disposal through this tiny little device yet we use it to argue with people we've never/will never meet over nonsense. If not that then we're looking at other people's pictures about they're 'totally awesome' beach trip that they want to share with all of the 'virtual friends'.
I got Facebook, haven’t posted in 5 years, what it’s good for is pictures! When you got over 40 first cousins it’s nice to have pics. As many here know I lost power for over 3 weeks couple years back. Internet was when you went to store. Power very limited, generators, certainly not apoplectic for me. 12 YO daughter might disagree. Wife commented showering by candlelight loses its romantic allure after 3 days! I worry about the elderly, everyone seems to be able to set up a go fund me and page. In the north main reason seniors are going to apartments: 1) cheaper than paid for homes 2) cannot find kids willing to help with Snow/ grass
cannot find kids willing to help with Snow/ grass... for the first 4 years we were here in this home, we had no one nearby that we could rely on for help (at least that we knew of) Our neighbors, 2 homes away, have become our "go to" in emergencies (had a couple in last few years). Great folks. Dad and his son are willin to help anytime, and I do the same. He's borrowed my JD a couple times. Means a lot to have someone you can count on close by.
Agree. I am glad we still have some of our old homestead land, and our newer off grid retreat up there. I am also glad we currently live outside the big city on the edge of the outer ring of suburbs, just wish we were a little further out. Regarding your meat stock in the freezer and becoming as prepared as possible, you should think about stocking up on jars, lids, bands, canning salt, a good caning book, and a good pressure canner. When we lived up north our power would go out for days on end. More than once I saved the bulk of our meat by having an extended canning session.
