Personal Preparedness

Foreword by me: I feel I have to explain my last post. Working all day today, I couldn't get it out of my head (or get to a computer sooner to explain myself), that I feared I sounded a bit, ah...vain. I didn't mean to...at all. What I meant to convey, was how blessed I feel to be married to a man who can look past my muffin top and saddle bags, my stretch marks and bad skin, and still think I'm beautiful...'cuz he loves me for me. That's what I meant.

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And now for my "real" post:

I'm in the midst of my annual "computer based education" for work (maybe I should say, "dreaded computer based education")...ugh, it's sooooo boring, and after doing them over and over for ten years, I've practically got it memorized! This year, however, there's something new.

Probably just a sign of our times, unfortunately.

It's the discussion of a new "code" being added to our system. What used to be "code disaster" (imagine the mayhem that ensued when that was announced)...it is now "code orange". Much friendlier, huh?

Anywho, the computer was telling me what would be expected of me as an employee. Ah, yeah. Right. So, hypothetically...if a nuclear bomb goes off in central MN, I should abandon my family and rush to work. Hmmmm...ah, no. Does that make me a bad person? I hope not...it's just that my family is my priority, and I'll be darned if I'll leave them in the event of a horrible tragedy. But, I digress...

One thing that caught my attention (read: head snapping up, eyes focusing, wiping drool from my mouth) was talk about a "Personal Preparedness Plan".

Interesting. Are we prepared for disaster? Heck, no! Probably 'cuz I refuse to give in to the gloom and doom. But, will this bite me in the butt? (I figure no, 'cuz my in-laws are prepared to the hilt...generator, a room--no, not a closet, but a room full of canned goods--figure we'll just head over there!) In all seriousness, should we be that prepared? Is this what our world is coming to?

It frightens me, honestly, to think that my family's well-being could be (is currently?) threatened by disease, or, worse, evil.

So, now, I must decide. Do I give in to the hype and stock our cellar with canned goods to sustain us through being unable to leave our home for weeks on end, buy a generator, built a fallout shelter? Or, do I continue to cruise through life, totally unaffected by what the "what if's" are?

I prefer the latter. I hate to think of the bad things that could happen (which is why we don't have a will...I know, dumb, dumb, dumb...but, gosh...how do you decide who is good enough to replace you to raise your children?)...I like to live my life as an optimist, always thinking the best, seeing the best (perhaps some would call me naive?).

And besides, wouldn't a "Personal Preparedness Plan" involve a lot of, well, planning? I'm not much of a planner...I'm more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of a gal. I'm what you'd call "spon-TAN-uous" (a little "Happy Feet" for you). So, I guess what it comes down to is this...if Mr. Wonderful decides a "PPP" (I'm so sick of typing Personal Preparedness Plan...sheesh, there I go again!) is in order, his ever resourceful and organized self will, likely, plan it for us.

I think we should just head to his parent's...