how to survive the coming apocalypse

So you’ve got a budget plan. Check. A food behavior modification plan. Check. An exercise plan. Check. A career plan. Check. You’re all set, right? Just hit auto-pilot and sail through life.

But wait. What about a survival plan?

That’s right. There’s one you forgot, and it’s probably going to be the most important plan you’ll ever make. Because what good is your 401K going to do you while zombies are munching on your brain? And while a good exercise plan should help you outrun the escaped lions from the zoo, you can only run so far. As for your career plan, well, when the meteorite hits, ideally it’ll take out your boss (thereby allowing you to assume his position), but statistically speaking, the chances of that are pretty slim (most likely, the meteorite will take you out too).

Ok. Let’s get a little realistic. Zombies, meteorites, and zoo break-ins are serious business, but more the stuff of action-packed science fiction movies. But while the jungle survivalist plan might not be of too much relevance to you, a good emergency plan should be. Because depending on where you live, floods, earthquakes, power outages, and the like are not uncommon events. And 9/11 showed us that terrorism isn’t just for the movies either.

So while you’re assessing your finances and weight and career aspirations, assess your chances of survival as well. Every family should have a good emergency plan, either for sheltering in place (ideal) or regrouping in the case of evacuation. Emergencies come in different forms, but under the all-hazards model, response follows the same guiding principles.

Here are a few simple and practical steps to develop this plan:

1. Arrange a family meeting. Your household should meet to discuss steps you would take during an emergency. Everyone needs to be a part of the plan, and everyone should be made to feel as though their concerns are being addressed.

2. Make an emergency kit. The preparedness folks at CDC (as well as DHS and elsewhere) suggest a few items for this kit, including bottled water, canned food items (and a can opener), a flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kid, plastic bags and towelettes, basic tools, cash, and pet needs. Additional items should be added per need (ie, medications). And while it was a topic of amusement, I’d also suggest duct tape and plastic sheeting to reinforce shelter.

3. Create a phone tree. You can decide how inclusive this should be, but ideally, immediate family members, select neighbors, and other key people should be included. Those living outside your immediate area of residence should also be on there. In the case of an emergency, each person contacts the person before and after them to check in. In addition, programming an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact into your cell phone is useful too.

4. Set meeting points and times. Usually in an emergency, the best plan of action is to shelter in place; evacuation is a last resort. Workplaces and schools have emergency plans of their own, so there is no need to rush to school to retrieve your child. However, some mechanism should be in place for contact. Discuss with school administrators to see how they’ve included this in their plans. In the need for evacuation (for which you will be advised), there is a possibility of separation. In this situation, predetermined meeting places and times should be set (with accompanying materials such as phone cards and maps).

5. Learn about local plans. Your community should have plan as well, whether it’s your neighborhood, city or county. In addition, local hospitals and clinics have plans in place and you should make yourself familiar with those. Know where to turn for both information and medical care.

6. Don’t forget your pet. If you shelter in place, your emergency kit should include items for your pet. In the cause of evacuation, determine where you might leave your pet. Familiarize yourself with animal hospitals or kennels in neighboring areas.

7. Keep alert. Emergencies don’t just happen at home. When traveling, take a quick stroll around the hotel and check out emergency exits. Leave schedules or phone numbers with loved ones.

Planning for an emergency is not time-consuming or labor-intensive, but it is important and should take priority. The important factor to remember is that everyone should be on the same page about the plan.

carnival of liberals

And one more fun carnival with interesting inclusions - the carnival of liberals where you can read my post credit cards vs personal responsibility.

soup to nuts progressive dinner

I entered a blog carnival that I thought had a great theme: it’s based around the idea of a progressive dinner. You start at one location for the first part, and then move on to the next location for the next part, and so forth (much like a pub crawl, but with food and no annoying frat boys).

This one is the Soup to Nuts Progressive Dinner, the brainchild of Kilroy at Fear and Loathing - The Gonzo Papers. Check out all the great submissions!

hors d’oeuvres & cocktails @ The Gonzo Papers

appetizers @ ChangeTherapy, where you can read my post just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town

first course @ Fallen Words, where you can read my post see it. film it. change it.

main course @ Anja Merrett

dessert @ Fiction Scribe, where you can read my post an ode to coffee (why mass consumerism will ruin us all)

and a special after-dinner treat, a drink reception @ The Lives and Times, where you can read my post genes load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger

Enjoy!

attainment of january goals (or not)

It’s the end of the month, so I should check in on my January (and yearly) goals.

For January:

1. Be able to climb 5.9s comfortably. I’m basically there. Not quite comfortable on them, but definitely reaching the comfort zone. I think by Sunday I’ll have succeeded on this one.

2. Start an emergency fund (more than just nominally). I actually put $500 in a savings account this month that is serving as an emergency fund right now. So, it’s still nominal. I’d say 50% on this one.  ETA:  I just added myself to friend’s gym membership, so now I’m saving $15/month.  Hopefully, one other person will join us in March, dropping me another $10/month.

3. Become a 6 am riser. This one I can’t quite tell. I’m not a 6 am riser, but I think I’m basically able to get up at 7 am. The problem is that I’ve been sick twice this month, and when I’m sick, I sleep. So, we’ll say 75% on this one, and we’ll see how it goes in February.

For 2008:

1. Take the lead class in February. Signed up and all set to go!

2. Pay down all my debt and start aggressively saving. I’m working my way to this. The plan is in place and I haven’t deviated too much from it.

3. Practice Level 3 yoga regularly. Yeah, so not happening any time soon. Unfortunately, I haven’t had as much time to make a yoga class.

4. Take a vacation. A real vacation. I booked my trip to Malaysia in March. Now to work out the details.

5. Finish classes and my thesis and graduate! I’m in the third term, with one more to go. I’ve made a plan for getting my thesis done, but I don’t yet have a topic.

6. Learn to manage anger properly. This will be the focus of my February daily habit.

7. Lose 10 lbs. Unintentionally, I’ve lost about 2 lbs this month. Not bad!

life is too short for traffic

Today, I stood on the bus for almost an hour as we were trapped in completely standstill traffic.  What should have been a normal 15-20 minute trip turned into a ridiculous hour-long nightmare.

The reason?  President Bush was in town.  Now, I live in DC.  The president travels around often, and we never shut the whole city down.  So I was unused to this level of security.  First, his actual destination was confidential, so multiple places were blocked off.  Second, so that no one could guess where he was heading, the entire major east-west artery of Baltimore was blocked.

Am I the only one thinking that this is ridiculous?  There was little to no warning given, and no information as to which streets would be blocked.  Thus, not only was downtown Baltimore traffic inconvenienced, but so was any through-traffic (in which I am included).

It was a logistical nightmare.  No one could go north-south.   Thus, few people could go east-west.  I watched as ambulances, sirens blaring, sat in traffic as well, because we really could not move.  One of Baltimore’s major hospital systems, University of Maryland sat in the middle of this mess.

I made it to campus with plenty of time to spare, mostly because I gave myself a couple extra hours (I try to make it early to get work done).   But most of the people on the bus with me were late for class, appointments, and meetings.  All because the president was in town.

monday musings

I checked in with myself last weekend, so I thought I would make this a regular weekly thing.

Over the past week I:

• started the new term, and it seems to be going well. I’m excited about both my classes.
• pitched an idea to my boss about a new project.  Got a generally good response, but of course, still have to think about funders.
• made it to the climbing gym 3x (if you count yesterday, Sunday).  Yesterday, I climbed: 6, 8, 9-, 9+, 8, 9+, 9, 10, 9.  Pretty damn good.
• got some interesting comments on some recent posts.  Lots of people have very fascinating thoughts, and I’m eager to hear more!
• spent more on groceries than I had planned, but it did include paper products and fire logs, so next week should be better.
• had pretty decent results with my early wake-up plan (at least until a cold derailed it). But my body is naturally waking up earlier each day, so that’s a good sign.
• didn’t make it to yoga. 

finding an activity plan

If you’re like me (and trust me, you are), you hate to exercise. In fact, I find “exercise” to be a distasteful word - too similar to “exorcise”, a process that just scares me. I also hate the term “working out”. Unfortunately, with our eating habits and sedentary workstyle, we are all in need of a good workout now and then.

I grew up never exercising, and in college hit my all-time weight high (which isn’t really all that high). But I was ridiculously out of shape. After college, I got a gym membership, because my workplace offered a discount and the gym was right below my building. It was full-service, with machines galore and lots of group classes. I lost a lot of weight, got in better shape, and starting feeling so much better about myself. I also learned to hate exercise a little less (though I still hate the word). I no longer have that membership (or that convenience), but I did learn a few tricks to motivate myself to be more active.

1. Find a buddy. We are social animals; we like to be active together. A friend will make the “work out” seem less like “work” and more like something fun. In addition, a little healthy competition goes a long way towards motivating us to succeed. Finally, a friend provides accountability; when you’re waffling on whether to go to the gym or to go home and eat pizza, your friend will make sure you make it to the gym. An alternate option is to take group classes, and makes friends with others in the class (and the teacher). They’ll know when you miss class, and you’ll have some socializing to look forward to. I hit up my existing friends, my work colleagues, my climbing gym, and even Craigslist to find activity partners.
2. Find an activity you like. You absolutely must enjoy what you’re doing or you won’t stick with it. Again, it should feel more like fun, than work. So think hard about what you like to do (and don’t like to do). If you don’t like running, then don’t start a workout plan to jog 5 miles a day. This can be harder than it sounds, and I might post more about this later. Currently, I rock climb at a local gym; I find the activity to be both physically and mentally challenging, both things I require.
3. Find a comfortable spot. If you feel off-balance in your place of exercise, you won’t settle into the habit. It doesn’t have to be a gym, it can be your own home, your neighborhood, wherever. Whatever the activity, it has to done somewhere where you’ll feel relaxed. The people who work at my climbing gym are wonderfully supportive; they help me out whenever I need it, and make me feel welcome. In addition, my yoga studio is like my sanctuary. I look forward to going to both.
4. Find your learning curve. Think about those times you developed a hobby. You had to put in an initial investment of time and effort, yes? Building an activity plan is no different. If you’ve decided you like step aerobics, don’t expect to be an expert in your first class. You’ll trip and misstep, but that’s part of the learning curve. Climbing was extremely hard for me at first, but over time, as I learned technique, I began to eagerly anticipate hard moves that made me pop off the wall. Climbing is an activity that one can never be perfect at - there is always upward movement.
5. Find a goal. Decide what you want from your activities. Ideally, you should think big picture - not just weight loss, but also maintenance. In addition, consider other elements, such as flexibility, endurance, muscle strength, etc. There also goals within specific activities, such as running 5 miles within a certain amount of time. For me, I set a goal of being to climb at a certain level by a certain time. Then I set mini-goals to achieve it. I’ve also set a goal for my yoga practice that I will be developing in a few months.
6. Find your passion. Don’t half-ass your life. It’s the only one you’ve got. Find something bigger than yourself that’s worth living for and worth keeping yourself healthy for. Maybe your kids, your dog, your community. It doesn’t matter. Feel the interconnectedness we all share. Commit.

first blog carnival

I’ve started submitting posts to Blog Carnivals, mostly because they look like a lot of fun. Here is my first appearance, and hopefully there will be more to come.

My post how much should you save for retirement? was included in the Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by The Dividend Guy.

…and it’s all small stuff

The beginning of the year brings resolutions and goals. It also brings stress. Right now, it feels like every part of my life is conspiring with every other part to bring me as much as stress as possible. In these moments, I have to think very hard to remember that I have ways to lessen this stress.

Focus on goals. Stress often makes me feel like I’m cut adrift and wandering aimlessly. At times like these, I’m glad I set goals. Drawing my attention back to the things I find important helps me to remember that there is life outside of stress.

Take it one step at a time. Goals can’t be accomplished overnight. So it’s important to go slowly and take manageable bites. If sub-goals haven’t been set yet, this might be a good time to do so. At the same time, setting mini-goals for removing the stressors in my life helps as well.

Eat superfoods. Diet plays an essential role in reducing (or exacerbating) stress. I like to pick up some brain food at times like this. Foods like beans, blueberries, oatmeal, and walnuts are great.

Exercise. Working out raises serotonin and endorphins, hormones that help combat cortisol (the stress hormone). They also help to lift mood, which can also make the load of stress seem lighter.

Declutter. Stress can often feel overwhelming and claustrophobic. Removing the clutter helps remove those feelings. It also helps to simplify your life overall, which reduces stress over the longterm.

Keep things in perspective. It’s never as bad as it seems.

Today, I went climbing and had a really good time. Then I went grocery shopping and went a little crazy (but everything was essential and on sale!). I am probably good for the month of February now! Then I spent a couple hours at my yoga studio (didn’t take a class, but just being there makes all my stress melt away). Now I think I’m in good shape to get a paper written, and get one more thing knocked off my plate. But before I do that, I’m going to saute some veggies.

ETA:  Oh, and I decluttered my room yesterday (with the assistance of a wonderful friend) and everytime I walk in, my mood lifts.

advice to a meat-eater from a vegetarian

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m vegetarian. After a lifetime of eating meat, I chose to stop about 2 years ago. It was a gradual process that started with giving up beef about 10 years ago and slowly spread to other types of meat, until it ended with fish. I still eat eggs and dairy, though I try to go with organic and free-range, and I’m always willing to try out vegan options.

While I will fully admit that I do not condone the meat-eating lifestyle, I do not condemn it either. I don’t have a problem with people eating meat, but I do have a problem with our meat industry.

I will also confess that I am not strict about my vegetarianism - a handful of times out of the year, I do eat meat. I’ve observed a few things in these moments, and thought I’d share with the regular meat-eating crowd.

Meat has never been a main course.

In anthropological food language, meat is a fringe food, like oil and fat. The bulk of the diet for most of human kind has been produce - leaves, fruits, seeds. 10, 000 years ago, when we discovered agriculture, we added grains and dairy to our diet. But both prior to and after that moment, meat never took center-stage. It was either too energy-consumptive (ie, hunting down game) or not cost-effective (eggs are a more sustainable source of protein than the chicken).

We eat too much protein.

Americans worry about their protein intake. They shouldn’t bother. We get far more protein than we need in our diet - the real problems are refined foods, such as sugars, and too much fat.

Cheap meat is bad meat.

For years, meat was a delicacy. The fast food industry changed that for us, and now meat is relatively cheap. But with that drop in price also came a drop in quality. Factory-farmed meat is, in a word, terrible. There is a considerable difference in taste and healthfulness between free-range and organic meat vs industrial meat.

Excess meat consumption leads to health risks.

Our rates of obesity and heart disease have increased. This is partly a result of more meat consumption, and partly a result of other aspects of our diet (processed foods). It’s also a result of lowered exercise levels. In China, which is currently undergoing the nutrition transition, we are seeing the increased rates of disease first hand. As Neal Barnard put it: “If beef is your idea of ‘real food for real people’ you’d better live real close to a real good hospital.”

Industrial animal production is cruel.

It’s no secret that animals suffer in the process (and in particularly horrific ways). What we are less aware of is who else suffers. For one, workers in meat processing facilities tend to be illegal immigrants working at far below minimum wage with little to no benefits (including health care). They also suffer one of the highest rates of occupational injury. Two, communities in which concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are located tend to suffer from economic decline and poor health. Three, this industry is little regulated and is now the largest source of industrial pollution (beating out petrochemicals). Manure from CAFOs run into our drinking water and infects us with pathogens, many of which are displaying antibiotic resistance.

We are eating ourselves to famine.

A billion people in the world do not have enough to eat. It takes seven times as much as farmland and energy to produce a cow, than to produce wheat. We make meat cheaper for ourselves, at the expense of those who go without any type of food.

There is no transparency.

You don’t know that McDonalds receives huge subsidies to train workers that never get trained. You don’t know that IBP lies on its inspection reports. You don’t know that USDA doesn’t really have a clue what happens in this industry. You don’t know that industrial animal production is unnatural, every step of the way, which has a profound effect on your health. You don’t know that your tax dollars (and your spending dollars) are fueling the cycle.

So what’s a meat-eater to do?

I’m not going to advocate giving it up altogether - that’s a personal choice that we all have to make ourselves. But consider this - studies have shown that organic diets lessen allergies, vegan diets prevent diabetes, and small farms support local economies (and pollute much less). If you ate less meat than you do currently, you’d be happier and healthier, and arguably, skinnier.

The Meatless Monday campaign is based on this idea. Healthy People 2010 is aiming to cut saturated fat consumption by 15% and the largest source of saturated fat in our diet is meat. 15% is about 1 in 7, or 1 day a week.

And those days you do eat meat, consider spending a little more for quality. It’s one thing to get a cheap cut to make broth, it’s another to actually claim that store-brand chicken thighs are actually any good. Organic and free-range are better, and better for you. Even better still is locally raised on a small independent farm. These are people who take pride in their product, resulting in a better item for your consumption.

At the end of the day, your life is your life, and only you can take responsibility for it. But many of us stumble through life without awareness of our actions and their repercussions. We fail to think about what we’re eating, where it came from, how it got to our plates. As a vegetarian, if there is one thing I’d wish for a meat-eater to do, it’s to consume with mindfulness.