Intro to the Preparers

Just for clarification, we know that "preparers" isn't a word (stupid spell check gives it that ugly red error underline thing every time!), but it was the best word to describe what we're trying to do: PREPARE. Like our title suggests, our goal is to become prepared enough to withstand the most disastrous scenario of all - the Apocalypse. So below are some FAQs (though these questions are usually asked with strange looks and judgement from the people we've discussed our ideas with rather than an actual audience) about us and our blog:

WHY THE APOCALYPSE?

Yes, the title of our blog states that we're preparing for the apocalypse - but not in the way that has become frighteningly popular (Doomsday Preppers, hoarders, zombie enthusiasts, etc). When we say apocalypse we aren't referring to the end of the world where there is nothing left but wasteland infested with zombies ripe for the killing - not that we're discrediting that approach - but we see it more as an over-categorization of anything catastrophic that could happen. Though we'll mostly be focusing on large scale potential scenarios, much of our advise could come in handy on a more personal level (we are more than aware of the economy these days and the effects that it is having on all of us). Thus, we use "Apocalypse" to stand as a representative for anything potentially destructive.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? (usually asked while stifling laughter)

Have you not noticed our societal obsession with the end of the world? All these movies and TV shows (even books) reflect our societal fear that something awful could be coming and it would be stupid not to be prepared just in case we're right. And because we want to help normal people, like us (though probably less randomly crazy), who have NO experience in emergency preparedness, become prepared for any type of emergency (i.e. the Apocalypse). We are doing this because, unlike the Boy Scouts, Kylar and I are rarely ever prepared. For anything. But that ends now.

WHAT TYPES OF EMERGENCIES, OUTSIDE OF THE APOCALYPSE, MIGHT YOU BE PREPPING FOR?

ANYTHING! Some of the things we find to be emergencies might be really mundane to most people. We want to be prepared for anything from natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, etc.), terrorist attacks, war (world, civil, or otherwise), fires, homelessness, lost in the woods, fired from your job, kidnapping (you laugh now, but you just wait til our tutorial helps you get out of zip-ties and escape your attackers, then who'll be laughing?!), any type of basic first aid... I've hit a blank with this, but you get the point: we want to prepare you for ANYTHING!

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DO THIS?(This question is almost always asked in conjunction with a strange look of judgement)

A year ago, for a school project I had to write a research paper (and I got to choose my own topic). A week later I was watching the Super Bowl with my family - and by watch I mean I left the room during the game and came back to enjoy the commercials. It was during these commercial breaks that two separate companies had chosen zombies as part of their marketing strategy. My brother and I began discussing the "zombie renaissance" (as I've come to call it) and we couldn't figure out why we were so obsessed with it. I had my theories but I decided that this would be a fun direction to take my essay. For the next several weeks I researched zombies and the apocalypse, and the ever-increasing popularity of both in modern culture, and let's just say  I was hooked (Kylar might have a different word for it, but it's fine). My conclusion: Society, on some level, fears that the world we know is coming to an end (even if that just means great change) and we don't know how to handle it so we watch movies which allow us to live vicariously through survivalist scenarios, and it's cathartic, and... yeah... I have enough to say to fill several posts so just trust me when I say "You'll get more than enough of that later." But for now, I'll just say that not only was I intrigued but I realized that if something catastrophic was to happen, I'd be screwed. I'm prepared for nothing. And I'd be a fool to spend so much time studying this cultural trend without heeding it's warning. Yes, I recognize how ridiculous it sounds to be taking a pop culture trend so seriously, but what the heck? I don't know of anyone who ever got caught up in a bad situation and thought "Crap, I was just too prepared?!"... yeah, not likely. I'd rather be that guy, than the alternative. Just sayin'.

WHAT MAKES YOU QUALIFIED?

Absolutely nothing! That's the beauty of it. We, like many of you, have nothing more than a couple band aids and half a bottle of ibuprofen to get us through an emergency. We're starting at ground level. You'll be able to learn through, and hopefully with, us about the best ways to be prepared and survive. There's is no harm in being prepared.

HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST?

We're poor single girls trying to get started in the world, we don't have much money to spare. And, like I said earlier about the economy, I'm sure many of you are having similar problems. We want to find the most cost effective ways to become prepared. Think of it as survival prepping on a budget.