I'm sure not all who read my blog will agree with me here - the wonderful thing about writing a blog is it's "my" opinion. You don't have to agree, you don't even have to read it and I get it off my chest!
So here is my opinion:
If you are going to have a pet - be it a parrot, a cat, a dog or a goldfish - for heaven's sake think it through.
I am heartbroken by the plaintive posts on Facebook crying that their dog is missing (yeah, my angst is mostly focused on dogs). "He went out to potty and he always comes back but this time he never did". Well, WHAT THE HELL? Are you telling me that you opened the door and effectively said "Ok, you are on your own - do come back when you are done if it's not too much trouble".
Backing down a little here: stuff happens - the most careful dog owner can lose their dog due to unforeseen circumstances but anyone who consistently turns their dog out alone and/or walks them off leash (especially in a strange area) is asking to lose them. Most of us who adopt from rescue actually sign a promise to never let our dogs run off leash unless they are in an enclosed area. And, people, if your dog is small I still would be out there with them - coyotes are on the increase and even a big old owl can take a small dog and be gone in a heartbeat.
In my opinion unless a dog is in an enclosed area (or is some sort of obedience champion or too old and infirm to run away and I question it even then) they belong on a leash. Period.
We all see it all the time:
Lost while hiking in a strange area.
Jumped out of a car window at a stop light (why wasn't the dog in a crate or a seat belt harness?).
Went out to potty and never came back.
Lost while staying with a friend - ran out the door when one of the kids opened it.
Spooked by fireworks/gun shots/loud noise of some sort and ran into the woods.
We were walking him off leash on the road and we think someone picked him up as a stray. (Exactly how far ahead was he?)
Had no microchip.
Had no collar.
Slipped his harness.
These dog owners are sincerely heartbroken and truly do not understand that they set up their pet to be lost. I read somewhere that the best trained dog has the sense of a 6 year old child - think on that for a while.
I may live to eat my words but if I do I can at least be sure I did my level best to keep my dog safe. And god forbid he get lost, I know that he is chipped and tagged and collared and harnessed probably to a ridiculous level but in this case I'd go for overkill every time!
And may I touch lightly on obedience training here? It's a bonding experience for you and your dog and also gives you the best chance of his coming back to you rather than continuing into those enticing woods following that yummy smell should he escape his leash.
So consider what time and effort you have available to contribute to your pet - no shame in deciding that a goldfish is the way to go!
P.S. Unpaid promotional ad here: Granite State Dog Recovery has a wonderful set of tips for finding your dog - do's and don't's - should it ever by your misfortune to lose your pet. Check them out on Facebook if you get a chance!
Monday, February 29, 2016
Friday, February 26, 2016
How we can hold contradictory ideas all in the same bucket (our heads)
My first try at linking to another blog:
Theoretically if you click on the comment I made above about linking to another blog a link appears that takes you (with their permission) to an explanation of a lot of what's going on in today's political world.
This is a step away from what I usually post but it resonated with me so here it is!
PS I tried it after I published and it actually worked - I'm stoked!
Just a little pinch...
All this talk about being ready for emergencies got me to remembering something that I'm betting few of us do....remember, that is. :)
Tetanus shots - I don't know anyone who really looks forward to hearing "it's only a little pinch" when they are hanging at the doctor's office. I've found that to be an understatement at times and sometimes a bald faced lie! But some things are worth putting on your big boy (or girl) panties and getting done.
Another "back in the day" story: a few years ago a micro-burst came blasting through my world and dropped a very nice (very big) oak tree on my house.
Side note: the dog never believed me again when the wind was roaring and I told him everything was going to be ok. Turned out he was right to be worried!
After the dust had settled and I decided that the worst was probably over I started on the list of things that needed doing. Reports for the insurance company. An assessor to give me a replacement quote. Someone to dismantle and rebuild - got all that taken care of and settled down to enjoying at least a minor case of PTSD.
As I was picking my way through the debris of my greenhouse a little voice murmured in my ear "when was your last tetanus shot?". Like any of us have that information on the tip of our tongues!
Other comments regarding all the broken glass and metal that I was standing in the middle of kept drifting through my mind until in an effort to shut that little voice up I went and got a tetanus booster!
Think on it - what are the chances after any kind of damage to your buildings that you won't at least cut a finger, never mind step on a nail?
They do tell us ("they" being the "authorities") not to handle anything unless we have sturdy shoes and long sleeves and long pants and gloves.
Right...
I went looking for more information on signs and symptoms and places you can "catch" tetanus and came back being very grateful that I know when my last booster shot was. It's an ugly thing, is tetanus, and even in this day and age has a very high fatality rate. It can't be cured - medical professionals can only try to support you through the process and hope for the best.
Don't wait for the emergency to happen - be proactive and stay protected.
I have shamelessly stolen the following insert that answers the burning question:
What kind of injuries might allow tetanus to enter the body?
Tetanus bacilli live in the soil, so the most dangerous kind of injury involves possible contamination with dirt, animal feces, and manure. Although we have traditionally worried about deep puncture wounds, in reality many types of injuries can allow tetanus bacilli to enter the body. In recent years, a higher proportion of cases had minor wounds than had major ones, probably because severe wounds were more likely to be properly managed. People can also get tetanus from splinters, self-piercing, and self-tattooing. Injecting drug users are also at risk for tetanus.
So it's back in your laps, guys - I'm still beating the same old drum - take care of yourselves!
Tetanus shots - I don't know anyone who really looks forward to hearing "it's only a little pinch" when they are hanging at the doctor's office. I've found that to be an understatement at times and sometimes a bald faced lie! But some things are worth putting on your big boy (or girl) panties and getting done.
Another "back in the day" story: a few years ago a micro-burst came blasting through my world and dropped a very nice (very big) oak tree on my house.
Side note: the dog never believed me again when the wind was roaring and I told him everything was going to be ok. Turned out he was right to be worried!
After the dust had settled and I decided that the worst was probably over I started on the list of things that needed doing. Reports for the insurance company. An assessor to give me a replacement quote. Someone to dismantle and rebuild - got all that taken care of and settled down to enjoying at least a minor case of PTSD.
As I was picking my way through the debris of my greenhouse a little voice murmured in my ear "when was your last tetanus shot?". Like any of us have that information on the tip of our tongues!
Other comments regarding all the broken glass and metal that I was standing in the middle of kept drifting through my mind until in an effort to shut that little voice up I went and got a tetanus booster!
Think on it - what are the chances after any kind of damage to your buildings that you won't at least cut a finger, never mind step on a nail?
They do tell us ("they" being the "authorities") not to handle anything unless we have sturdy shoes and long sleeves and long pants and gloves.
Right...
I went looking for more information on signs and symptoms and places you can "catch" tetanus and came back being very grateful that I know when my last booster shot was. It's an ugly thing, is tetanus, and even in this day and age has a very high fatality rate. It can't be cured - medical professionals can only try to support you through the process and hope for the best.
Don't wait for the emergency to happen - be proactive and stay protected.
I have shamelessly stolen the following insert that answers the burning question:
What kind of injuries might allow tetanus to enter the body?
Tetanus bacilli live in the soil, so the most dangerous kind of injury involves possible contamination with dirt, animal feces, and manure. Although we have traditionally worried about deep puncture wounds, in reality many types of injuries can allow tetanus bacilli to enter the body. In recent years, a higher proportion of cases had minor wounds than had major ones, probably because severe wounds were more likely to be properly managed. People can also get tetanus from splinters, self-piercing, and self-tattooing. Injecting drug users are also at risk for tetanus.
So it's back in your laps, guys - I'm still beating the same old drum - take care of yourselves!
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
The 20 minute thing? It happens :(
And a night or so ago somewhere in the south it happened. The people in the trailer park had actually only 19 minutes to get to a safe place.
Now I know we don't have many tornadoes in New England - used to be able to say we had none but that's gone by the boards in the last few years - but things still do happen.
This may be my shortest post ever. We all need to be thinking about how fast and with what we can get out of Dodge. And where is a safe place to head to. Or where in our houses should we shelter in that 20 minutes.
People lost their lives, others are badly hurt - and still other were lucky enough so they "only" lost everything they owned and escaped with their family and lives intact.
It's up to us to be aware and protect ourselves and have a plan! And if I sound like a government announcement or a shill for the Weather Channel it just means that once in a while they are correct - just cause the government says it doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong!
Even a plan that doesn't work perfectly is a place to start! As my son says, you have to have something to deviate from!
I think there is no doubt what my point is this time!
Now I know we don't have many tornadoes in New England - used to be able to say we had none but that's gone by the boards in the last few years - but things still do happen.
This may be my shortest post ever. We all need to be thinking about how fast and with what we can get out of Dodge. And where is a safe place to head to. Or where in our houses should we shelter in that 20 minutes.
People lost their lives, others are badly hurt - and still other were lucky enough so they "only" lost everything they owned and escaped with their family and lives intact.
It's up to us to be aware and protect ourselves and have a plan! And if I sound like a government announcement or a shill for the Weather Channel it just means that once in a while they are correct - just cause the government says it doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong!
Even a plan that doesn't work perfectly is a place to start! As my son says, you have to have something to deviate from!
I think there is no doubt what my point is this time!
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Approach can mean everything
Lately it seems as if the most popular method of convincing someone of the error of their ways and the total wrongness of their opinions is to insult them, berate them and generally act so nasty that they finally agree with the other guy to get some peace! Trust me - sheer volume and vitriol rarely makes a point!
I stay away from political issues on my blog mostly because I'm not educated enough ON the issues to make convincing arguments pro or con relative to most of today's politics. And frankly having grown up with a mother for whom politics was the equivalent of the air she breathed, my eyes glaze over at the very mention of the word "politics"!
One thing I know for damn sure is that politeness is never out of style - and that an aggressive approach to a situation can only result in an aggressive response. Unless of course the person being attacked is an extremely passive personality and even one of those (a vanishing breed in today's world) can be pushed to the point of reacting in a way their mother would not have approved!
Believe it or not it is quite possible to think very highly of a person and still deplore their opinions/attitudes/ideas - that doesn't mean they are wrong, it means you don't agree with them. And that is not necessarily the same thing.
The term "agree to disagree" exists for a reason: it means that although you and I have differing opinions we think enough of each other to not beat the proverbial dead horse trying to get to a point where we think alike on a subject. It means that, heaven forbid, even if *I* am wrong, I am probably not going to change my opinion (especially not if you are snarling at me) nor are you apt to have a sudden epiphany and realize you've been standing on the dark side all along!
In many cases statistics play little role in the making of opinions - some, of course, are irrefutable while others can be made to prove almost anything. The old saying don't confuse me with facts didn't just pop out of nowhere - a lot of people (probably myself included) sometimes hold tight to ideas that can be disproved by facts, In some cases it's pure stupidity or stubbornness that causes a person to cling to a concept or idea and in others it's flat denial of the truth. Either way a gentle approach is much more apt to help them see the light (according to you) than ridicule or sarcasm.
Many times a person's core values drive their opinions and beliefs regardless of what is literally slapping them in the face for facts. My mother, for instance, in spite of 40 years in the legislature truly believed that most politicians were trying to do their best to forward the interests of their constituency. That is not so much any more but driven by her core values she was incapable of viewing them otherwise in spite of repeated proof to the contrary.
So anyhow, arriving at my sometimes obscure point: be kind to each other and you will find in the long run you will accomplish a lot more than by attacking anyone who does not share your point of view. Remember the old saying "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar"?
True that!
I stay away from political issues on my blog mostly because I'm not educated enough ON the issues to make convincing arguments pro or con relative to most of today's politics. And frankly having grown up with a mother for whom politics was the equivalent of the air she breathed, my eyes glaze over at the very mention of the word "politics"!
One thing I know for damn sure is that politeness is never out of style - and that an aggressive approach to a situation can only result in an aggressive response. Unless of course the person being attacked is an extremely passive personality and even one of those (a vanishing breed in today's world) can be pushed to the point of reacting in a way their mother would not have approved!
Believe it or not it is quite possible to think very highly of a person and still deplore their opinions/attitudes/ideas - that doesn't mean they are wrong, it means you don't agree with them. And that is not necessarily the same thing.
The term "agree to disagree" exists for a reason: it means that although you and I have differing opinions we think enough of each other to not beat the proverbial dead horse trying to get to a point where we think alike on a subject. It means that, heaven forbid, even if *I* am wrong, I am probably not going to change my opinion (especially not if you are snarling at me) nor are you apt to have a sudden epiphany and realize you've been standing on the dark side all along!
In many cases statistics play little role in the making of opinions - some, of course, are irrefutable while others can be made to prove almost anything. The old saying don't confuse me with facts didn't just pop out of nowhere - a lot of people (probably myself included) sometimes hold tight to ideas that can be disproved by facts, In some cases it's pure stupidity or stubbornness that causes a person to cling to a concept or idea and in others it's flat denial of the truth. Either way a gentle approach is much more apt to help them see the light (according to you) than ridicule or sarcasm.
Many times a person's core values drive their opinions and beliefs regardless of what is literally slapping them in the face for facts. My mother, for instance, in spite of 40 years in the legislature truly believed that most politicians were trying to do their best to forward the interests of their constituency. That is not so much any more but driven by her core values she was incapable of viewing them otherwise in spite of repeated proof to the contrary.
So anyhow, arriving at my sometimes obscure point: be kind to each other and you will find in the long run you will accomplish a lot more than by attacking anyone who does not share your point of view. Remember the old saying "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar"?
True that!
Monday, February 15, 2016
A day in the life
Valentine's Day is a special time for couples. Yesterday my couple was myself and the furnace repair guy. Don't get me wrong, he is absolutely the best of the best. Who else can you call at 3 pm on a freezing Sunday when you know full well that he is and has been jumping around like a crazy person all day. Who else can you call with any expectation that he will (a) answer you and/or return your call and (b) actually have time for you?
Yesterday started out not so badly. The bathtub faucets were still trickling although when I cranked them open and waited for that wonderful gush of water it's just as well I wasn't holding my breath cause it wasn't happening.
There are steps to be taken: go down cellar, trace the pipes and locate the ones feeding the bath tub which, by the way, is actually outside the main building in a bump out . Move the kayak over enough so that you can get a box in next to the foundation to stand on and take a look out there to see if there is anything obviously wrong. Well, other than the water isn't running.
Think about things for a while - it's refreshing to have a nice breeze blowing your hair back while you contemplate a situation but normally that is reserved for outside. It's more disturbing than refreshing when you are inside the house. Note to self: next summer find out where the wind is getting into the house. Moving forward put a drop light braced in there and run the hair dryer for a while, Perhaps things will magically heal themselves.
That only works until the fuse on the drop light needs resetting cause the hair dryer is too much of a load on it.
Plan B - just leave the drop light up in there and run a space heater in the bathroom and try to make everything so warm that nothing can stay frozen. Addendum to Plan B - dump some boiling water down the bath tub drain cause after all the drain runs right along the water in-feed so it can only help..
After a mere 2 or 3 hours it actually worked and I could shower - awesome!
So now what is that humming - which is coming from the furnace - which stops when you smack the side of the furnace? Move the tool box, open the intake panel and check the temp of the blower motor - hotter to my hand than it should be. The noise was the motor trying to start and not.
Back to me and my buddy the plumber and our Valentine's Day moment. Phone discussion on symptoms and decision on action resulting in a visit. One nice thing is he trusts my judgement and if I say something is wrong he believes me - refreshing - the good kind.
He checks voltage and all those other mysterious things that make a furnace work and agrees that the motor is on it's way out - it's taking way too many ergs or ohms or volts to get it to start turning and when it does start the bearings are already complaining. Also pretty cool that he could take a picture of the specs on the motor and go to the other end of the furnace and check actual against standard. He even let me hold the flashlight!
So today I wait for him to call and hope today he can find a new blower motor.
The best thing about yesterday? The big hug and kiss and "Happy Valentine's Day" that he gave me when he came through the door!
And the dog didn't jump up on him.
I made brownie points for defrosting my pipes.
And I had help to git 'er done!
Yesterday started out not so badly. The bathtub faucets were still trickling although when I cranked them open and waited for that wonderful gush of water it's just as well I wasn't holding my breath cause it wasn't happening.
There are steps to be taken: go down cellar, trace the pipes and locate the ones feeding the bath tub which, by the way, is actually outside the main building in a bump out . Move the kayak over enough so that you can get a box in next to the foundation to stand on and take a look out there to see if there is anything obviously wrong. Well, other than the water isn't running.
Think about things for a while - it's refreshing to have a nice breeze blowing your hair back while you contemplate a situation but normally that is reserved for outside. It's more disturbing than refreshing when you are inside the house. Note to self: next summer find out where the wind is getting into the house. Moving forward put a drop light braced in there and run the hair dryer for a while, Perhaps things will magically heal themselves.
That only works until the fuse on the drop light needs resetting cause the hair dryer is too much of a load on it.
Plan B - just leave the drop light up in there and run a space heater in the bathroom and try to make everything so warm that nothing can stay frozen. Addendum to Plan B - dump some boiling water down the bath tub drain cause after all the drain runs right along the water in-feed so it can only help..
After a mere 2 or 3 hours it actually worked and I could shower - awesome!
So now what is that humming - which is coming from the furnace - which stops when you smack the side of the furnace? Move the tool box, open the intake panel and check the temp of the blower motor - hotter to my hand than it should be. The noise was the motor trying to start and not.
Back to me and my buddy the plumber and our Valentine's Day moment. Phone discussion on symptoms and decision on action resulting in a visit. One nice thing is he trusts my judgement and if I say something is wrong he believes me - refreshing - the good kind.
He checks voltage and all those other mysterious things that make a furnace work and agrees that the motor is on it's way out - it's taking way too many ergs or ohms or volts to get it to start turning and when it does start the bearings are already complaining. Also pretty cool that he could take a picture of the specs on the motor and go to the other end of the furnace and check actual against standard. He even let me hold the flashlight!
So today I wait for him to call and hope today he can find a new blower motor.
The best thing about yesterday? The big hug and kiss and "Happy Valentine's Day" that he gave me when he came through the door!
And the dog didn't jump up on him.
I made brownie points for defrosting my pipes.
And I had help to git 'er done!
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
It's called First Aid for a reason...
Ever wonder how they came up with the term "first aid"? No? Not on the top of your list of things to ponder?
How about don't ponder but practice? First Aid is one of the most important life skills. Because it's just what it says it is - first aid. First Aid lets you be the person to do the sometimes simple things that can actually save a person's life in a medical or trauma emergency.
Not being melodramatic here - but unless a person happens to plan their emergency on the doorstep of the hospital emergency room or the parking lot of the local fire/rescue station, help is going to be at the very least a few minutes away. The bystander who has even minimal training in basic first aid can literally be the difference between life and death for that victim. That is not even considering the issue of something happening while you are out hiking in the back country or even on a day hike in the Whites.
I'm not going to try to teach you first aid in a blog (although it's remarkably easy to do a few things that are critically life saving) but to hopefully start the thought process of considering getting a bit of training.
The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross all run First Aid and CPR classes and I'd be pretty sure there is one in your area. The cost is minimal considering what you get out of it. You can even set up a class for the members of your organization. Most of us belong to some sort of group - or even just a bunch of friends who spend time doing things they love? Individual trainers are usually more than willing to teach a day class for just the cost of materials. When I was teaching I figured the more people I trained the better off we all were.
Think of it this way: if you had your choice in an emergency would you rather have a solid idea of what to do or would you want to be stuck freezing in place in panic and confusion? Trust me when I tell you there is nothing more frightening than not knowing how to help when something goes south. I know that most of us would actually rather not ever be involved in a medical emergency - however it is particularly scary if you have no training! So I'm giving you an alternative here!
Think it over and look around for a class - hey, it's cold outside now and this is a great way to occupy some of those lousy winter days when you've watched so many reruns of Criminal Minds that you are starting to suspect your next door neighbor of being a serial killer! As always it's up to you to git er done!
How about don't ponder but practice? First Aid is one of the most important life skills. Because it's just what it says it is - first aid. First Aid lets you be the person to do the sometimes simple things that can actually save a person's life in a medical or trauma emergency.
Not being melodramatic here - but unless a person happens to plan their emergency on the doorstep of the hospital emergency room or the parking lot of the local fire/rescue station, help is going to be at the very least a few minutes away. The bystander who has even minimal training in basic first aid can literally be the difference between life and death for that victim. That is not even considering the issue of something happening while you are out hiking in the back country or even on a day hike in the Whites.
I'm not going to try to teach you first aid in a blog (although it's remarkably easy to do a few things that are critically life saving) but to hopefully start the thought process of considering getting a bit of training.
The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross all run First Aid and CPR classes and I'd be pretty sure there is one in your area. The cost is minimal considering what you get out of it. You can even set up a class for the members of your organization. Most of us belong to some sort of group - or even just a bunch of friends who spend time doing things they love? Individual trainers are usually more than willing to teach a day class for just the cost of materials. When I was teaching I figured the more people I trained the better off we all were.
Think of it this way: if you had your choice in an emergency would you rather have a solid idea of what to do or would you want to be stuck freezing in place in panic and confusion? Trust me when I tell you there is nothing more frightening than not knowing how to help when something goes south. I know that most of us would actually rather not ever be involved in a medical emergency - however it is particularly scary if you have no training! So I'm giving you an alternative here!
Think it over and look around for a class - hey, it's cold outside now and this is a great way to occupy some of those lousy winter days when you've watched so many reruns of Criminal Minds that you are starting to suspect your next door neighbor of being a serial killer! As always it's up to you to git er done!
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Only 20 minutes -
If you were told you had only 20 minutes to get out of your house what would you take? Would you have a plan and a list or at least a general idea? Or would you run around like that proverbial headless chicken - maybe even clucking?
There are only a couple rules for this drill -
(1) You have to be able to carry the items out yourself (well, at least the ones without their own feet).
(2) They must be able to fit in your car/van/truck so, no, you can't take the piano (see rule #1)!
That's it..
Take a minute and consider the most important things to bring.
Your family and pets are the first priority of course . But where does it go from there?
Medications? Are there some that you absolutely must have on a daily basis? Do you have extra and do you know where they are? Do you get your prescriptions refilled on a timely basis or do you wait until the day they run out - that could present some obvious issues in an emergency.
How about clothes - weather changes so perhaps it's coming on to rain or snow and you are in a light jacket. Do you have boots or are you running out the door in sneakers? How about grabbing a heavier coat?
Records? I mean bank accounts, tax records, birth certificates or perhaps insurance documents - we don't know why you are leaving yet but if it's flood or hurricane or another potentially destructive event you will need those things after the fact. And not in a water soaked or mushed up condition.
How about food and water?. If you paid heed to the list of things in my car, a lot of what you would take may already be in your vehicle.
Part of the reason I ended up with "Sometimes I talk to myself" as a blog title (other than the certainty of at least a one person audience - that'd be me) is because my mind tends to bounce around from topic to topic (especially at 3 am when I wish I were sleeping). I go from what ifs to what ifs to why I ride my motorcycle to should I repaint the spare room to another round of what ifs. So my blog tends to do the same - from the kitchen cupboards to water essentials to the karma of gift giving it's all over the map (you remember maps, right?).
I admit to being singularly lax in this 20 minute evacuation exercise. Every time I consider finally getting a real plan in place I see something shiny and get distracted. I think that as I get older it will only get worse! Sort of like starting to clean the living room and ending up taking a side trip to scrub the utility sink in the basement and on to sorting out the contents of my saddlebags! You see the problem?
My point (I always try to arrive at some sort of point no matter how convoluted the trail I follow) is to at least think about this 20 minute deal from time to time. Consider what is really important to you if you have to bail and try to have at least a general idea of categories if not specifics! No one else can define your priorities - back to the theme of depending on yourself and not someone else to "git er done"!
There are only a couple rules for this drill -
(1) You have to be able to carry the items out yourself (well, at least the ones without their own feet).
(2) They must be able to fit in your car/van/truck so, no, you can't take the piano (see rule #1)!
That's it..
Take a minute and consider the most important things to bring.
Your family and pets are the first priority of course . But where does it go from there?
Medications? Are there some that you absolutely must have on a daily basis? Do you have extra and do you know where they are? Do you get your prescriptions refilled on a timely basis or do you wait until the day they run out - that could present some obvious issues in an emergency.
How about clothes - weather changes so perhaps it's coming on to rain or snow and you are in a light jacket. Do you have boots or are you running out the door in sneakers? How about grabbing a heavier coat?
Records? I mean bank accounts, tax records, birth certificates or perhaps insurance documents - we don't know why you are leaving yet but if it's flood or hurricane or another potentially destructive event you will need those things after the fact. And not in a water soaked or mushed up condition.
How about food and water?. If you paid heed to the list of things in my car, a lot of what you would take may already be in your vehicle.
Part of the reason I ended up with "Sometimes I talk to myself" as a blog title (other than the certainty of at least a one person audience - that'd be me) is because my mind tends to bounce around from topic to topic (especially at 3 am when I wish I were sleeping). I go from what ifs to what ifs to why I ride my motorcycle to should I repaint the spare room to another round of what ifs. So my blog tends to do the same - from the kitchen cupboards to water essentials to the karma of gift giving it's all over the map (you remember maps, right?).
I admit to being singularly lax in this 20 minute evacuation exercise. Every time I consider finally getting a real plan in place I see something shiny and get distracted. I think that as I get older it will only get worse! Sort of like starting to clean the living room and ending up taking a side trip to scrub the utility sink in the basement and on to sorting out the contents of my saddlebags! You see the problem?
My point (I always try to arrive at some sort of point no matter how convoluted the trail I follow) is to at least think about this 20 minute deal from time to time. Consider what is really important to you if you have to bail and try to have at least a general idea of categories if not specifics! No one else can define your priorities - back to the theme of depending on yourself and not someone else to "git er done"!
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