Our recent community garage sale sent me to my attic to ask myself again "Why do I still have that?" I have always used garage sales to purge stuff I no longer need.
This year I saw something in the corner of my attic that I put together some 30 years ago. It was my Mal-Pak survival kit. Around 1982 we were led to believe the end of our country was near. There was going to be an inevitable collapse of everything. The best plan was to head to the wilderness and live off the land when (not if) things collapsed. This was before the internet and cell phones. The advice was to become expert at survival techniques, move out to some remote area and fend for yourself if not defend yourself. What's not shown in the picture are my gun and bullets.
It was a scary time, not because of the condition of our country. It was scary because of what we were being told was coming.
The months and years rolled by and so did everyday life. Nothing happened. In fact our country experienced great prosperity and economic growth unlike we have seen since. Meanwhile my Mal Pak collected dust in the attic.
Turns out the best advice would have been to invest in America and buy stocks of little known or smaller companies at the time like Wal Mart, McDonalds, Apple and Microsoft among dozens of others. (Glad I did later.) The more conspiratorial among us could have even hoarded gold and not done too bad.
I feel we are at another turning point in this great country and that good times are ahead. Though some may disagree and say to "head for the hills", I am looking forward to seeing what God will do for us in the next 30 years.
Comments
Wasn't there one guy who came and lectured about The Beatles?
Ah - those were the good old days. There is nothing like a good conspiracy! I remember some of them - but during our final year in-residence I got distracted by meeting Lisa. Not that I'm complaining. She was (and is) a lot more interesting than the Bilderbergers, the CFR, the Illuminati, the Freemasons and David Rockefeller all combined! I could sure enjoy spending an afternoon and evening with you and Hope. Love to you.
Mike - conspiracy theories abounded. Especially around the time of the 7th Corps when we were in residence it seems. I confess too...I secretely never really believed in them. But it was a lot of fun to listen to them. It seems like we were constantly flooded with special tapes or speakers that year in Emporia remember?
One of the audio sharings was Mike Warnke, author of Satan Seller, remember? He spoke about being a high priest in Satanism and all the powers he weilded and things he saw. He got born again and started giving testimony. I was suspicious since he was so young at the time. Later he was proven to be a hoax: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Warnke
Ahh the good ole pre-internet era! When things could be so easily believed and not so easily disproven.
What, no i-phone, i-pod, i-pad, kindle? John, you'll never survive!
I am still looking at John's photo and haven't identified everything yet.
John, It was probably around 35 years ago because we were in the Corps at the time. I've heard your story about 2000. Luckily we were long gone by then. BTW: there were plenty of people in TWI hording gold at the time as I'm sure you're aware of. Anyway, I grew up in the Bronx so I figure I have all the survival skills I need:-) Plus, my toiletry bag alone now would weigh me down!!! My daughter is back-packing through Europe this summer; now that's good use of a back pack!
I don't even keep my "Val-Pak" coupons that come in the mail.
I figured you didn't keep it - and I thought the expiration date thing was kind of funny. I have a confession to make - I never put my pack together. I probably had excuses at the time - but mostly I just didn't want to. Still don't! John - you are the best and it was quite a hoot to see your pack stuff. Someof it does look kind of cool.
I threw it all out Mike. My daughter wanted some of the items. Lois, about 30 years. Point is......nothing happened that I know of. I should tell you the story of what we had to do in 2000 to prepare for Y2K!
This stuff has always been around: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/doomsday-2012-preppers-prepare-worst...
My neighbor is a "prepper". She asked the other night if I was interested in leaning about it. I told her of my experiences and politely declined. Her husband rejects it too and says "come what may".
You were late to the party if you didn't put your mal-pak together til 1982.