Surviving Tomorrow

A walk in the woods

2011-09-20T19:59:00.000-04:00

I recorded a short video during my walk in the woods this evening. I will make this post brief as the video explains it all. Stay frosty.

Something Foul pt 2

2011-09-14T20:32:00.001-04:00

This is an extension to the post "Something Foul." I know a lot of this is far fetched, but its scary to think this stuff could be true! I have a list with brief descriptions of some interesting executive orders. Again, research everything you read and don't take anything as 100% fact until doing so. Stay frosty.

Executive Order Number 12656 appointed the National Security Council as the principal body that should consider emergency powers. This allows the government to increase domestic intelligence and surveillance of U.S. citizens and would restrict the freedom of movement within the United States and grant the government the right to isolate large groups of civilians. The National Guard could be federalized to seal all borders and take control of U.S. air space and all ports of entry. Here are just a few Executive Orders associated with FEMA that would suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These Executive Orders have been on record for nearly 30 years and could be enacted by the stroke of a Presidential pen:

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10990 allows the government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10995 allows the government to seize and control the communication media.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10997 allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels and minerals.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10998 allows the government to take over all food resources and farms.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11000 allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11001 allows the government to take over all health, education and welfare functions.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11002 designates the Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11003 allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11004 allows the Housing and Finance Authority to relocate communities, build new housing with public funds, designate areas to be abandoned, and establish new locations for populations.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11005 allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways and public storage facilities.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11051 specifies the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Planning and gives authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11310 grants authority to the Department of Justice to enforce the plans set out in Executive Orders, to institute industrial support, to establish judicial and legislative liaison, to control all aliens, to operate penal and correctional institutions, and to advise and assist the President.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11049 assigns emergency preparedness function to federal departments and agencies, consolidating 21 operative Executive Orders issued over a fifteen year period.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution, of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit and the flow of money in U.S. financial institution in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, Congress cannot review the action for six months. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has broad powers in every aspect of the nation.

List taken from a page onhttp://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com.

Survival Rifle

2011-09-14T19:57:00.001-04:00

I wanted to do a quick entry about what I thought was a good survival rifle. Now a lot of people on the internet are all about face value. A ton of videos show people sporting their illegal assault rifle, or favorite handgun. They all revolve around trying to be "cool" and such. They have every tactical accessory strapped to their rifle imaginable. But I wanted to be a bit more practical, so I chose the Marlin Model 60. Before you tell me a .22lr won't hold up against that AR-15 or M1 let me ask you a question. What is a survival rifle anyway?

To me a survival rifle is a rifle that is easily maintained in poor conditions. It can give you the ability to harvest wild game for food, and potentially defend you against those who seek to do you harm. Now sure that AR-15 or AK-47 your dragging around with you could do all three, but for how long? And how effectively could you harvest small game with such a rifle? Also how many rounds could you carry if you had to bug out at a moments notice?

I can strip and clean my marlin in about 2 minutes; taking my time not to lose any parts or damage the receiver spring. The caliber is small enough to take small game like squirrel and rabbit while leaving the kill intact to harvest. Even though it has less power than the two rifles I stated earlier it can still kill a human. I can carry 500 rounds of .22lr in the same space you might carry 35 rounds of 5.56mm or 9mm. Also the gun is a lot quieter than most, so you won't easily attract things to your location.

I will list the URL of the manufacturer so you can check this nice little rifle out. Also you can buy them at your local walmart for close to $100USD! Thanks for your time, stay frosty.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/selfloading/60.asp

Something foul (Updated Sept19)

2011-09-14T19:42:00.001-04:00

Here lately I've had a bad feeling in the back of my mind. Like something bad was in the works. On the internet one can easily find thousands of conspiracy theories, some seem to far out to believe and others just seem damn scary and real. But isn't the saying, where there's smoke there's fire? In the news we see Law Enforcement continuing to use excessive force and abusing their powers. We see scandals about high ranking political figures stealing money and resources. Unfortunately its the things we don't see on the news that worry me. I'm going to link a few youtube videos, and let you see some of the things I've looked at. Just remember, with most stuff on youtube relating to conspiracy its probably made up or only partly true. Make sure to research everything anyone tells you before taking it as a fact! Stay frosty.

UPDATE: Added a new Video

Water Purification

2011-09-01T14:50:00.003-04:00

I want to do a quick entry on water purification. Shortly after Hurricane Irene passed we lost access to county water. Luckily I was able to drive over to the next town and buy all the water we needed at a Walmart. But, in a survival situation that Walmart may not be available. I would like to list a few methods of purifying water that may help you in the uncertain future. Please be aware, nothing is 100% safe and there are special things you should know with each type of water purification. Stay Frosty.

Boiling for water sterilization

Boiling can be used as a method of water disinfection but is only advocated as an emergency water treatment method, or as a method of portable water purification in rural or wilderness settings without access to a potable water infrastructure. Bringing water to the boil is effective in killing or inactivating most bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Boiling is the most certain way of killing all microorganisms. According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude. To be extra safe, let the water boil rapidly for one minute, especially at higher altitudes since water boils at a lower temperature. If you are gathering water for boiling, you should also filter this water through something before boiling it. Filtering the water with something as simple as a bandana will remove large chunks of debris and trash. Boiling water does not make it safe if there are chemicals present, such as chemicals from highway run off or industrial sites.

Chemical Disinfection

If boiling water is not possible, chemical disinfection with iodine (e.g., Globaline, Potable-Aqua, or Coghlan’s, found in pharmacies and sporting goods stores) is another method for making water safer to drink. Cryptosporidium (a parasite that can cause diarrhea) and other coccidian parasites (e.g., Cyclospora, Toxoplasma) might not be killed by this method. Cloudy water should be strained through a clean cloth(like the bandana stated earlier) into a container to remove any sediment or floating matter, and then the water should be treated with iodine. Iodine does not make it safe if there are chemicals present, such as chemicals from highway run off or industrial sites.

Directions for disinfecting water with iodine

Iodine tablets

Follow the tablet manufacturers' instructions.
If water is cloudy, double the number of tablets.
If water is extremely cold, less than 5° C (41° F), an attempt should be made to warm the water, and the recommended contact time (standing time between adding a chemical disinfectant to the water and drinking the water) should be increased to achieve reliable disinfection.

Note: Be sure the tablet size is correct for a liter of water.

Tincture of Iodine - measure out your dose to water.

If using tincture of iodine 2% solution, add 5 drops to a Liter or Quart of clear water. If the water is cloudy, add 10 drops per Liter or Quart. (Note: 20 drops=1 ml.)
Allow the water to stand for 30 minutes before drinking when the water temperature is at least 25°C (77°F). Increase the standing time for colder water: (e.g., for each 10° less than 25°C (77°F), allow the water to stand for double the time before drinking it.

Bleach Disinfection

Treating water with bleach is very effective at killing germs and it doesn't taste funny to most of us because this is basically what most city water supplies do. You need to have a bottle of plain liquid chlorine bleach and a dropper. The bleach should be 5 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite with no preservatives and no additional ingredients. Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches, powdered bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. To treat water with chlorine bleach, put the water in a clean container and add 16 drops of bleach for every gallon of water. Stir in the bleach and let the water stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a little smell of bleach, repeat the dosage of 16 drops per gallon and let it sit for another 15 minutes. If it smells of bleach now it is OK to drink. If it doesn't smell of bleach after two treatments, the water is too dirty to use. Throw it away and treat a new batch of water. Bleach does not make it safe if there are chemicals present, such as chemicals from highway run off or industrial sites.

Short break

2011-09-01T14:08:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Been a while since I wrote an entry. Hurricane Irene plowed through North Carolina and our power has been out for almost a week. It just came back on about 30 minutes ago. I'm also in the process of starting a new career so my time has been stretched thin. I'll be writing a new entry within the next 24 hours so please check back soon. Stay Frosty.

The following pictures are property of WITN and those that uploaded them. Unfortunately my camera died during the storm and I was unable to take any pictures or video.

UPROOTED FROM IRENE

Flooded...

Hurricane Irene, Plymouth NC

Hurricane Irene, Plymouth NC

flood

WYCC Gas Dock

Tree in our house

Railroad Tracks In Bridgton NC

at the house with irene

Morehead NC

Havelock NC

It finally stopped!

high water in Winterville

Fire starting (Firesteel)

2011-08-23T21:51:00.002-04:00

I wanted to make a quick video about an alternate way to start a fire. Its safe to assume we all can start a fire with a common heat source like a lighter, but what if we didn't have one available. In the following video I will demonstrate how to start a fire with a Firesteel. It is a tool similar to that of flint and steel. It will last longer than any lighter, and can make fires under more circumstances. Striking the Firesteel with a knife or the striker included with it, generates sparks. These sparks will ignite our fuel and start the fire. I build my fire in three steps, tender, kindling, and lastly fuel wood which you will see in the video. Please be aware this is my first video ever, so its not of the highest quality. Also I made this directly after getting off work(hence why I look so rough!) Stay frosty.

Basic Nutrition

2011-08-22T14:02:00.001-04:00

I would like to say ahead of time that I do not claim to understand or know 100% of how the human body works, but I believe I have a decent enough understanding to write this article. As with anything you read on the internet you should always research the facts so you know for sure what is correct and what is not. If you notice something I have written is incorrect, please contact me so I may correct it.

We as humans need a wide amount of things to keep us going. Generally, all of this we get from what we eat and drink. We need to take in enough calories to supply us with energy for the day. We need amino acids for synthesizing protein. We need fatty acid for the diffusion of oxygen in the blood stream, as well as the production of hemoglobin. Lastly we need vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system, support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. Unfortunately, most of us do not get everything we need and sometimes we get way more than we should(i.e. calories.) In a survival situation, finding everything your body needs will be a thousand times harder than how it is now. Right now you can drive over to your local grocery and buy anything you want. But that grocery store won't always be available. This article won't go into explaining every vitamin or mineral, just some helpful information on getting a few of the previously stated things when your supplies are running low or gone.

WARNING: DO NOT EAT ANY WILD PLANT UNLESS YOU ARE 100% CERTAIN THAT YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS, ITS POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES AND THE PROPER WAY TO PREPARE IT. I AM ONLY GIVING EXAMPLES WITH A BRIEF DESCRIPTION. PLEASE RESEARCH THE PLANTS IVE LISTED AND IF POSSIBLE BUY A WILD EDIBLE FIELD GUIDE.

Calories are found in everything we consume, somethings have far greater calories than others. Nuts are packed full of calories as well as vitamins, minerals, and heart healthy fats and fibers. This leads us to my first example, Acorns. The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives. Before you say that they are poisonous lets take a closer look. Acorns served an important role in early human history and were a source of food for many cultures around the world. For instance, the poorer Ancient Greeks would eat acorns in their food and in the Jōmon period of Japan, acorns were harvested, peeled and soaked in natural or artificial ponds for several days to remove tannins, then processed to make acorn cakes. Once they have been soaked and the tannins removed they can be consumed, in many different ways. Please research on the correct way to soak Acorns, this is very important! After they are processed they can be eaten whole, added to a trail mix or used in pemmican, ground up into a flour for making bread(bannock!) and much more. Animal fats are also packed with calories, but I will be writing an entire article on trapping and the like, so I will avoid using that as an example.

Now lets move to amino acids. Nearly every food, with the exception of fruits, sugars and fats and oils, has enough protein to supply our necessary amino acids if we eat enough of it to get our day's worth of calories. In order from highest protein count to lowest is beef, chicken, fish, pork, eggs and dairy, beans, and finally nuts and seeds. We will skip the first two, beef and chicken as they will generally only be found on a farm and go directly to fish. The good thing about fish is that they also take care of our fatty acid requirements, as they are packed full of them!

Fish are relatively easy to catch, and sometimes require little effort. Its safe to assume you live by or close to a water source that has fish life. If not, you can go on to the next section. There are numerous pocket fishing kits one may buy on the internet, which should be placed in your survival kit. I myself also keep a rod or two in the trunk of my vehicle. Fish, just like other foods can be prepared in numerous ways. But the most important thing is that they are cleaned and gutted then cooked! You may have enjoyed sushi at a local restaurant but in a survival situation eating a raw fish could make you sick. There are a lot of videos on YouTube on how to process and cook a fish in a survival setting. Just search for "bushcraft cooking fish."

This leads us to vitamins and minerals. This may seem like the hardest thing to find in a survival situation but actually its not that bad. I will give you a few examples that are quite common in North America. Again I would like to stress you research all the plants I use as examples.

Dandelions are found on all continents and have been gathered since prehistory, but the varieties cultivated for consumption are mainly native to Eurasia. A perennial plant, its leaves will grow back if the taproot is left intact. To make leaves more palatable, they are often blanched to remove bitterness. Dandelion leaves and buds have been a part of traditional Sephardic, Chinese and Korean cuisine. In the north-eastern United States, dandelion is cultivated and eaten in salad. Seeing as it is so common I thought it deserved a place in this article. The dandelion has traces of nearly every vitamin and mineral you need! Its root can also be used for making coffee.

While not as abundant in vitamins and minerals as the Dandelion, clovers are a valuable survival food. The fresh plants have been used for centuries as additives to salads and other meals consisting of leafy vegetables. They are not easy for humans to digest raw, however, but this is easily fixed by boiling the harvested plants for 5–10 minutes. Dried flowerheads and seedpods can also be ground up into a nutritious flour and mixed with other foods, or can be steeped into a tisane. White clover flour is sometimes sprinkled onto cooked foods such as boiled rice. When used in soups, the leaves are often harvested before the plant flowers. The roots are also edible, although they are most often cooked firsthand.

How many of you have pine trees near your home or even on your property? To many they are just a tree, but they are a good survival resource. The soft, moist, white inner bark (cambium) found clinging to the woody outer bark is edible and very high in vitamins A and C. It can be eaten raw in slices as a snack or dried and ground up into a powder for use as a thickener in stews, soups, and other foods, The needles can be brewed and used for tea, although with a very acquired taste.

I hope this article has given you some information that you may find useful. I also hope you take the time to research everything you've read. I barely touched on these examples, and there is a lot more you should know about them before using them in a survival situation. I recommend if you live in North America, to buy "Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide." It has many color pictures of different wild edibles and their poisonous look-alikes. It also explains how to process and prepare them for consumption. Stay frosty.

CDC Survival Kit

2011-08-21T15:34:00.003-04:00

I wanted to share some great information. A lot of people are really stuck on what to keep in their home,car, etc. And some just don't know where to start. Below is a nice list supplied to us by our good friends at the CDC. You can find them at Center for Disease Control. This is a great start, don't be caught without a survival kit. In future entries I will show you my personalized survival kit with pictures and maybe even a video. My survival kit has incorporated a slightly different approach, and I have used some of the knowledge I've gained through Bushcraft to augment it. Stay frosty.

First Aid Kit

Store your first aid supplies in a tool box or fishing tackle box so they will be easy to carry and protected from water. Inspect your kit regularly and keep it freshly stocked. NOTE: Important medical information and most prescriptions can be stored in the refrigerator, which also provides excellent protection from fires.

Drugs/Medications

Hydrogen peroxide to wash and disinfect wounds
Antibiotic ointment
Individually wrapped alcohol swabs
Aspirin and non-aspirin tablets
Prescriptions and any long-term medications (keep these current)
Diarrhea medicine
Eye drops

Dressings

Bandage strips
Ace bandages
Rolled gauze
Cotton-tipped swabs
Adhesive tape roll

Other First Aid Supplies

First aid book
Scissors
Tweezers
Thermometer
Bar soap
Tissues
Sunscreen
Paper cups
Pocket knife
Small plastic bags
Safety pins
Needle and thread
Instant cold packs for sprains
Sanitary napkins
Splinting materials

Survival Kit for Your Home

Assemble a survival kit for your home with the following items:

Tools and supplies

ax, shovel, broom
screwdriver, pliers, hammer, adjustable wrench
rope for towing or rescue
plastic sheeting and tape

Items for safety and comfort

sturdy shoes that can provide protection from broken glass, nails, and other debris
gloves (heavy and durable for cleaning up debris)
candles
waterproof matches
change of clothing
knife
garden hose (for siphoning and firefighting)
tent
recreational supplies for children and adults
blankets or sleeping bags
portable radio, flashlight, and extra batteries
essential medications and eyeglasses
fire extinguisher -- multipurpose, dry chemical type
food and water for pets
toilet tissue
cash

Survival Kit for Your Automobile

Assemble a survival kit for your automobile with the following items. Storing some of these supplies in a small bag or backpack will make them more convenient to carry if you need to walk.

Blankets
Bottled water
Change of clothes
Coins for telephone calls
Fire extinguisher -- multipurpose, dry chemical type
First aid kit and manual
Emergency signal device (light sticks, battery-type flasher, reflector, etc.)
Flashlight with fresh batteries
Food (nonperishable -- nutrition bars, trail mix, etc.)
Gloves
Local map and compass
Rope for towing, rescue, etc.
Paper and pencils
Premoistened towelettes
Prescription medicines
Battery-operated radio with fresh batteries
Small mirror for signaling
Toilet tissue
Tools (pliers, adjustable wrench, screwdriver, etc.)
Whistle for signaling
Jumper cables
Duct tape

Survival Kit for Your Workplace

Assemble a survival kit for the workplace with the following supplies:

Food (nonperishable -- nutrition bars, trail mix, etc.)
Bottled water
Jacket or sweatshirt
Pair of sturdy shoes
Flashlight with fresh batteries
Battery-operated radio with fresh batteries
Essential medications
Blanket
Small first aid kit
Extra pair of eyeglasses and/or contact lens solution
Whistle or other signaling device

The rule of 3

2011-08-21T13:52:00.002-04:00

I assume that the description of my blog is rather vague. You may be asking yourselves what hardships or bad situations are you talking about? Well I'm talking about all of "them", and by "them" I mean the ones you aren't prepared for! Yes, I know that sounds crazy, and I'm being horribly cryptic. But the purpose of this blog is just get you aware and give you the means(knowledge) to overcome them.

I want to talk about the very basics of surviving as my first real entry for this blog. Below will be the most basic rules of survival. Please keep in mind these rules vary from region to region(only barely and I will give examples in more detail shortly)

Three minutes without air and you die.
Three hours of exposure and you die.
Three days without water and you die.
Three weeks without food and you die.

I know after you read the first rule, you were like "no really??" It may go without saying but it is one of the most important and I will explain. Pretend with me; You are driving on a bridge. Its early in the morning before the light of dawn has broken the tree tops. You are driving in the right lane closest to the bridge railing. An 18-wheeler is in the left lane. You've been noticing him creeping slowly toward your lane, but before crossing it he corrects himself and straightens out in his lane. Thinking nothing of this, as there are so many bad drivers(which is a mistake, always assume the other drivers are going to cause an accident in which you will be part of) you shake it off. As the last half mile of the bridge has almost passed the 18-wheeler crosses over into your lane. The truck is so long that even as you slam on breaks to avoid the collision the trailer being carried behind the truck strikes your vehicle. This sends you over the railing into the dark cold water below. I understand this may be an exaggeration of what could happen in an accident but please bare with me. Your vehicle hits nose first into the water. As the front of the vehicle slows sinks you hear the water rushing into the areas around your motor. You desperately try to open the door but are unable to. It seems the collision has bent the center frame of your vehicle and pinning the driver door. You frantically jump into the passenger seat but find that door also will not open. This time, however it is the water pressure pressing against it, blocking your exit. You feel water rushing by your legs, the interior of the car is now quickly filling with water. Once the interior completely fills with water, you will have only three minutes to get out before you drown. Those three minutes are so very important now, could you use live through this? I only wanted to use this as an example, I won't be going into explaining the way to safely get out of each scenario just yet, merely reinforcing the previously stated rules. But generally speaking, once the interior is completely flooded the pressure will be equalized and that passenger door(and all doors not effected by collision) can be opened.

The second rule may also seem a little odd to some. Three hours of exposure from what you may be asking. This mainly applies to the extreme climates, those with either high or low temperatures. Three hours of exposure to arctic and desert environments can be fatal given the right settings. But it can effect even us in the milder climates too. Imagine a hot summer day, even in the Carolinas if you were to be in direct exposure of the sun for three hours you would run the risk of sun stroke and death. Also, lets say you were out fishing in the late fall. Its not winter yet, and so its not freezing. But at night the temperature drops to a crisp cool. Its now dark, and you are heading back to the dock, etc. You somehow get throw overboard or capsize. Maybe your canoe flipped over. You are now in 50-60 degree water soaking wet. You make it to shore but your clothes are soaked. Water is a better conductor of heat than air, and will cool your body off quickly. This could cause hypothermia, and without knowing what to do could be fatal. If you were far from home or a heat source could you survive?

Our third rule is easily explained. A large portion of our body is made up of water. As we go about our daily lives we lose water from sweat, urine, and many other bodily functions. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids under normal settings. Also depending on our environment we do so at a faster pace than normal. If you were to walk a mile in the desert you would lose more water than walking a mile on a temperate plain or grassland. Water is vital, and in future entries I will even explain ways to procure it, and clean it in the event good water is not available.

Lastly three weeks without food and you die, this rule has a lot of variance. Its safe to assume a healthy person could manage three weeks or more given the right settings. But the possibly of someone that is sick or with numerous issues may be different. Food gives us energy, and even morale. We have grown to expect three(or more meals for some lol) a day, and when we do not get our meals in we tend to have emotional and mental issues. It ranges from person to person, but typically we all know someone that is a total grouch if they have missed a meal. A diet does have a big impact on this rule when going into a survival situation though, but that would take an entry of its own! Just remember, food is typically always the last thing to worry about in a survival situation. Most people are rescued within 72 hours of the event. Also please be aware, if you have food but you do not have water, DO NOT EAT. Digestion will sap the remaining water from you and make you dehydrated quicker.

These rules are always something to take into account. In the future I will try to use them again in ways to reinforce my blog entries.

Surviving is a mix of your knowledge, the gear you have and you will to survive. Stay frosty.

An introduction

2011-08-21T11:14:00.002-04:00

Greetings, I would like to introduce myself before starting any articles so you, the reader can get more familiar with me. I was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1984. I have lived in and around there for half of my life. At the age of thirteen, I moved to Beaufort County. I was part of an average family. Having two other siblings of my own blood, and three which were step-family. Both parents worked at a business they owned. I had three square meals, clothing on my back and a roof over my head. I was able to go out on the weekends and have fun with my friends. So I can say I was blessed, and did not go without. We were far from wealthy but we were happy. Shortly after high school I joined the Navy. Initially I worked as a Sonar Technician in Groton, Connecticut. This lasted for two years, after having a change of heart I decided to try something new. I was given orders to Great Lakes, for my training as a Hospital Corpsman. Doing another two years as a Corpsman, I had decided that I did not want to be a lifer(a term we gave to those staying a full twenty years of longer in the Navy) so I left for the civilian world.

It has been four years since I had left the service. I tried going to college, but was never fond of academics. I dropped out after my first semester. I decided it would be best finding an entry-level job doing something different. Maybe I would find a career that I enjoyed. While searching the job market I was invited to work with my parents. They sold, and worked on Electric and Gas utility vehicles(golf carts!) I enjoyed this for sometime, though working with family can cause a lot of stress. As business slowed down during that winter I decided to find something else. For the next two years I bounced around jobs, working as a CNC operator, PC Technician, and finally back to working with my parents. Again, as sure as the tide rises and falls business slowed back down. Leaving my parents business again during the winter season, I would once again enter the job market.

With extra time on my hands while I searched for employment, I would focus a little on what I enjoyed, and maybe grab a hobby or two! Living in eastern North Carolina I had access to the Pamlico River. There were many things to do, swimming, fishing, camping and canoeing to name just a few. I really enjoyed the canoeing. My family often went on trips to a special tributary, that few knew of. It was a quiet and relaxing trip that took about two hours of slow paddling from end to end. Nature flourished here, and seeing as few knew of it, was rarely disturbed. This tributary would eventually lead to a small beachhead on the Pamlico. A small sandy area that stretched half a mile. Sandy hills rose behind it to almost forty feet. We could fish and swim here. The water was waste deep and clean. The normal sunken stumps and massive roots that plagued the inner Pamlico river were not found here. So many great memories were taken from that place.

Eventually the canoeing drew me deeper, and deeper into nature. I started to pick up other hobbies like deer hunting and trapping. All these experiences, new and old began to change me. I grew a terrible thirst for more knowledge and experience. At one point I was camping every weekend. With my new found thirst I decided to turn to the internet. After a few days of watching YouTube videos I came upon a new term unknown to me, "Bushcraft." Wikipedia says Bushcraft is a long-term extension of survival skills. I had to find out more about this bushcraft. Instantly I was hooked. There were videos on everything, from minimalistic camping, water purification to primitive fire making and so much more. This opened a whole new layer that I was totally unaware of. These videos just weren't about being in nature, they were about surviving in nature, and in some cases thriving.

After watching a lot of videos, I began to notice how immensely helpful these skills and could be. Say your ATV broke down while driving in some remote area, or your fishing boat capsizes and your left afloat miles away from docks. Maybe you went off the ski trail and got lost while on a trip in the mountains. All these scenarios are events that you don't ever expect to happen, and almost never are prepared for. But these are just a handful of the things that could happen. There are things that could happen even in the busy city you call home. A freak flood, or earthquake could change your bustling metropolis into a wasteland in minutes. But with bushcraft skills you gave yourself one more tool(knowledge) that would help you live through all these bad events. I realized that my love for nature and being in the outdoors combined with this new knowledge I had would help in so many areas of my life. I thought while I learn and experience these new things I could write about them, and maybe help others and introduce them to something new.

As you can see, I haven't lived an extraordinary life or done anything far out. I haven't lived on the edge. I'm just an average guy, no different than you. So with this being said, thanks for reading my blog and I hope it helps you out somehow. Stay frosty.