Your longest time without seeing a new face?

Oldprepper - March 24, 2021

I would be interested to know your experience of not seeing or communicating with other people for a good while.?

Did it go as expected?….. What pitfalls did you encounter?… Were your preparation adequate? Would you have done something different?

12  

Not sure if you’ve heard of it, but everyone else here on the forum has because I talk about it all the time! haha, but there is a tv show called ALONE that is, in my opinion, the best survival tv show out there. I’ll copy and paste a short description: “Ten survival “experts” attempt to survive alone. The winner receives $500,000.”

I don’t want to spoil too much, but many are “kicked out” or “tap out” of the competition because of injuries, starvation, getting scared, or just plain loneliness. Some of the contestants really struggle with the solitude and others are just fine with it. I bring this up because that is the best example that I can give you of the mental hurdles and challenges that being alone and without human contact can do to a person. Especially in later seasons. Good series, check it out.

Personally, I’ve probably only had at most a day to myself and that was before I was married. And maybe like 3 days where it has just been my wife and I. I would love to have more solitude and alone time. I wish I could just go out to the woods like the people on the show and just be with myself for a week or more. But my wife is so attached to me that it’ll never be possible. Which I am blessed to have such an incredible woman that is devoted to me, but still, a guy needs some alone time here and there.

 

Robert

Not exactly what I meant….. but will check it out.

Bug outs could be for months??

Thanks

 

Robert, I can’t imagine not having time to myself. I spent a lot of time alone as a kid (plus my dog and other farm animals).

Every person I’ve been with knows I need time to myself. I know one couple where his wife is a nurse. She comes home and goes straight to a room where she can decompress and be alone while she meditates. When she is done, then they have supper together and enjoy their evening.

It’s time for a “he-shed”, and even better, you could lovingly also build your beloved a “she-shed”. There’s a win-win situation. It introduces the concept of a little club house for each of you and both of you can have some “me” time.

Some people take plain inexpensive garden sheds and turn them into little pieces of paradise. Or if, you are handy, well then, now we’re talking he shed, she shed.

I firmly believe people need that time, if anything to relax, but also to process things internally that pile up from living on this earth.

Here’s some inspiration and you could challenge yourself to furnish it inexpensively (Ikea/secondhand stores/items or found items on hand)

she sheds:

https://onekindesign.com/2019/04/19/she-shed-ideas-backyard-getaway/#:~:text=A%20she%20shed%20is%20similar,it%20into%20your%20private%20oasis.

and he sheds:

https://www.pinterest.ca/pav1580/he-sheds/

 

I’ve been telling my wife that we need to buy a house with an extra bedroom next time we move and that will be my room where I can decorate and do whatever I want with it. She can decorate the entire house, but I get that room. She still doesn’t understand why I need that, but I’m going to be firm in that request and make sure I get that little room.

Sure is funny looking at the differences in the pictures of the she shed and he shed that you shared. Guys and gals sure are different sometimes.

Thanks for reaffirming my need for my own downtime and personal space.

 

Oldprepper – 

I believe you are referring to long term bug outs? If so, Robert’s answer was based on a television program here “Alone” that simulates that idea. People react as if there were truly alone.

For myself, being alone isn’t a problem. As I told Robert, below, I was used to it as a kid. If I had my dog or was in nature and had things to do, I can’t see it being a problem. 

Under bug out conditions, that implies that one has had to leave his home because of a crisis situation. That also implies that security and safety is probably going to a factor.

If so, then the psychology of being alone changes. It is not a bad thing but instead a good thing.

In this last year, I have communicated with very few people and spent a lot of time indoors. I stay busy and it doesn’t bother me. Even under normal conditions, when I am outside, saying walking, I prefer to be alone away from crowds.

Perhaps someone else will note your thread who has had to actually leave during bug out conditions and have better input for you.

 

Ubique

Good reply!

I was asking because I just wonder how people would cope if they stayed from people for a while….. a long while…. and if they were organized.

In my case without actually seeing others was 31 days on an Atlantic crossing I did solo in the 90’s……..and I cannot think of one unexpected thing that went wrong that I had not planned for.

I learned to adjust to a new daily system and learned how to stay sane by staying busy….. chores, cooking, sun sights and a cigar and a whisky every evening while watching the sun go down………..

At the finish I nearly turned around and went straight back it was so cool, (a bit like Bernard Moitessier ‘Golden globe’)

A few years back I decided to build my current man cave…where I spend a lot of time building things that can be used for every day life…… and these days………… leaning toward how to stay alive if the thing turns nasty, and, perhaps helping others to stay alive!

But I feel much the same as you really being comfortable the way I am…….

This of course led to my initial question……. not all people survive easily without others…….. But unless they have tried it….. in an emergency is not the time to find out!

 

Oldprepper –

I think your point about others not having tried this type of solitude is an excellent point about preparedness. As you said, an emergency is not the time to find out.

31 days of bliss – sailing the Atlantic on a solo voyage. How wonderful that you pursued and fulfilled such an extraordinary adventure. Bernard Moitessier would be proud of you. 

What you describe as part of the adjustment, cooking, chores, sun sights, etc. is what happens when we put ourselves in a position to see just how little we need.

Moitessier used yoga to calm himself while sailing. He was a born writer and had a way of expressing his experiences physically and spiritually in a tangible way. He made it easy for his audience to navigate his world.

His Golden Globe voyage was remarkable, to actually continue and make a statement against the commercialism of long distance sailing speaks to his character and integrity.

His voyages and writing should be required reading for anyone who preps. The tenacity it took for him to continue during some of the conditions he faced is incredible.

It would probably be a good idea for anyone who practices this lifestyle to go on an extended retreat or some sort of solo adventure.

I think some people are afraid to be alone with themselves. Every aspect of their lives is directed toward some kind of distraction.

What you describe doing now is a continuation of your journey, building, creating, considering with a view to survival and helping others.  That, Oldprepper, is a very good life and one you can be proud of.

Thank you for raising the point of practising solitude before an emergency occurs. People who practice preparedness should try it.

This is a lovely quote from Bernard Moitessier:

“I can only give them my first log, with birds, sea, daily sights and little everyday problems. My real log is written in the sea and sky; it can’t be photographed and given to others. It has gradually come to life out of all that has surrounded us for months: the sounds of water on the hull, the sounds of wind gliding on the sails, the silences full of secret things between my boat and me, like the times I spent as a child listening to the forest talk.”

His final resting place in France is a bit sad to me. I would have scattered his ashes and given him back to the sea.

 

Ubique…. You really understand solitude my friend.

I am not going to add to your profound message….. but I will say this.

I was about 13 when that race occurred and it kinda played on my mind a bit and I wanted to taste what these guys had done.There were 9 boats that for one reason or another gave it a shot.

5 retired, 1 committed suicide, 1 sank, 1 almost in sight of the finish line… turned and went back……………. and the one that actually made it was probably……. the least likely to succeed!

I firmly expect that to be the same sort of result we can expect in a SHFT situation!

 

Oldprepper – 

At 13, you were exposed to the concept of people who chose to enter multiple arenas of battle contained in one boat, one race and one man. How could that not play on your mind?

They battled nature as they sailed. The competitors battled each other as they raced. They battled their own inner demons and insecurities in a test of courage, strength, endurance and will to finish the incredible race they had embarked upon. 

The ending and aftermath of the race for the contestants is a metaphor for many things we encounter in life: survival, surrender, success and failure.

It doesn’t surprise me that the person who won was the one considered the least likely to succeed.

People make judgements on the external, how someone looks. Does he look like he will win?

They can’t see the heart and soul of the person who enters that arena. They can’t feel the determination coursing through his veins or hear the beating of an ancient warrior rhythm in his heart.

“There are two terrible things for a man: not to have fulfilled his dream, and to have fulfilled it…” Bernard Moitessier

I agree that if the SHTF, the race will also be a metaphor for the survival we see around us. There is an aspect to prepping that is like the untested metal in a sword. If you haven’t gone to battle…

It is hard for me to relate to people who haven’t actually had to fight for their lives. Self-defence is talked about in prepping but few have had the actual experience of fighting for their life, one on one, without back up. 

I view safety and security matters differently.

I survived multiple attacks, at different ages and circumstances. It was my younger self who was very naive. I survived because I refused to die.

If the SHTF, I hope to continue that thinking as part of my preparedness.

So, what do you think it will be like for you if the SHTF?

 

 

Ubique

I agree with every single point you have written there.

Perhaps I should say that Knox Johnson was least likely to win because of the vessel really, which leaked pretty well from the start. He was an experienced seaman.

For me when everything blows up it is not really a point of concern at all for me….. given my preparation, unless of course we have a military conflict. (Here we are not a military target though!)

Earthquake and tidal waves would be formidable opponents and I deliberately disregarded any major sort of preparation for those given that we then throw ourselves at their mercy……

I have enough food, water and medical supplies….. so have focused my efforts towards defense…..I have no intention of going anywhere!

Anything that cuts, can be shot, fired from a bow or sling I have tried to make at some time…..and have settled on a slam fire, with lots of mechanical alarms …….tasers, take downs and machetes….

With most of them….. the average person would walk straight past without seeing their potential.

I do not keep any assembled illegal weapon. Legal ones are bad enough!

As a SHTF is hardly ever spontaneous,….in a very short time I can construct everything that I could possible need for my use.

Imagine having all the legal ingredients of a cake, that just needs to be baked …….is a good way of describing things!

In fact every item I have have has been purchased legally in the local stores. But I have some great recipes!

An important part of my preparation is to look how I can utilize what is around me…. I do not subscribe to the notion of replacement items ……simply because I do not think it practical.

I think that my threat comes from impulse, walk by crime, and they could find many easier targets than me to feast on……. with a little persuasion if necessary!

Leave me alone in a typical commercial garage for a while and I can create some works of wonder for survival. Ingenuity is how others have survived and your local dump is a wonderland of supplies that people throw away……

Since building my Garage about 6 years ago I have been able to play a lot in my spare time. I have made things for testing that can be used in an emergency situation like Fema Gasifier, BP, Water maker using distillation, solar power etc that have already be proven by others. I keep only the ones that cannot be constructed easily in a short period of time.

I am now 67 and very mobile but at some point expect my daughter to take over the home I have ……..so I am writing a sort of How To Manual for her to avoid having to learn all the things I have that have taken many hours learning about …….but she should be aware of…..for a survival situation.

It is a step by step Dummies guide to survival really……….

I would like to share that with anyone that wanted it when it is finished……. but I, like many are wary of the dangers of saying too much on the internet and am as paranoid, as others, about who may be listening in!

But the one thing I base my preparation on is……. I do not believe help will come…….. Katrina was a good example of that……..the error was waiting for that help!

And its a great hobby of sorts!!!

 

Oldprepper

The situation Knox Johnson experienced is an example of the variable that can happen to the best of us in a situation. It is the unforeseeable and is a good lesson for preppers to remember.

Your preparedness for your environment sounds practical. It is what it is – earthquake, tidal wave. You cover the basics and hope for the best in the face of events of that magnitude.

You and I have similar situations with respect to security and the limitations of the weapons at our disposal. I agree with what you have said about weapons.

On a different thread, I mentioned some of the issues I have experienced with a neighbour. My security cameras keep him at bay for now.

However, there are more sketchy people moving into town lately. So, I adjust my security protocols accordingly.

You made a good point about SHTF as hardly ever spontaneous and the ability to construct what is required. The cake baking description is a very good way of describing it.

Predators want the easiest target and your awareness of that is a major advantage.

It’s amazing what people throw away and dumps are a good source of supplies, especially in a disaster. 

I read your post on the water distiller. Very ingenious. There is a lot of creativity that can go into prepping, if people want to approach it creatively.

It’s is wonderful that you are writing a how to manual for your daughter and are handing down what you have learned. You may be able to share your manual or publish it when it’s finished, if you can disguise the details enough. 

I tried doing the same thing with my niece and nephew, but it was hopeless. They have no survival skills. If the SHTF, they both better hope that they can run faster than the rest of the herd.

It’s not paranoid to be careful of what one discloses on the internet or in any public way. Aside from keeping our preparedness private to avoid predators in a crisis, there are also people who can exploit our information for criminal reasons. It is better to be cautious than sorry.

I agree that help isn’t going to come the way people imagine it. And really, who wants to just sit there helplessly waiting for some imaginary calvary to come riding over the hill? I like to rely on myself and if someone helps, that’s a bonus.

I also like the hobby aspect of preparedness. Everything I do around my home and property has some aspect of that incorporated into it.

For example, the partition wall I am working on in my kitchen is related to prepping, as is the way I am expanding and designing my garden this year.

We are never bored this way!

I hope others use your ingenuity and creativity as inspiration for how they approach prepping. From one of your comments on another thread, you also mentioned (I am paraphrasing) how you are balanced in your approach to any threats or crisis and that it is important to live and enjoy life.

Being prepared doesn’t have to be some grim, humourless existence. It can fun and focussed on living life to the fullest while being prepared for the worst.

 

I spent most of 12 years living off grid and I didnt see anyone at all until I went off site which wasnt very often, I’m a bit of a loner so it wasnt really a problem.