Another one of them new worlds. No beer, no women, no pool parlors, nothin’. Nothin’ to do but throw rocks at tin cans, and we gotta bring our own tin cans. — Forbidden Planet
Boredom is a killer. Boredom in a group of people under stress will quickly kill their relationship, which might mean the difference between getting through a problem relatively unscathed or not.
Like a lot of people nowadays, I’m doing what I can do to be prepared for emergencies. I’ve gotten first aid training, we stock non-perishable food and water, and, of course, I keep a few firearms around. We talk about what we would do if a tornado struck Louisville while I was at work and couldn’t get home. We make sure there are ‘get home’ kits in all the vehicles. We even have contingency plans for what we would do if a disaster hits and we are asked to house family and friends for a while.
One thing that Irish Woman has done, and this shows just how well I married, is to make sure we have a lot of things to keep us from going stir crazy in the event of a disaster. She maintains an entire closet full of nothing but school and art supplies. We have shelf upon shelf of books, with everything from Dr. Seuss to Tolkien. She even stocks educational and reference materials so that learning won’t stop if the schools aren’t open. She makes sure that every Christmas we get a few more board games, and that we have something for everyone. In the event that we’re snowed in or lose power for a week or so, we will be fed, warm, safe, and entertained.
How is entertainment fitting into y’all’s prepping plans?
DaddyBear’s Den 
3boxesofbs
/ February 4, 2014We keep a stock of board games, a large supply of books on hand. We don’t have small children in the house currently but still have toys from the grandkids around.
We also live near a park.
Another one of them new worlds.
My take on it? Don’t forget how good you have it at home. Exploration has its rewards but sometimes we forget how well off we actually are.
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Old NFO
/ February 4, 2014Books and board games! 🙂
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Geodkyt
/ February 4, 2014Heck, there’s a double-waterproofed deck of playing cards in the bugout bag for that reason. Even if you’re bugging out to a relief shelter, need something to kill time, and a deck of cards is cheap, small, and lightweight.
Hell, I used to carry a Tom Clancy novel in my buttpack on patrols. (If you don;t have it, you’re guaranteed you’ll have a long delay somewhere in a secure area — if you go ahead and hump it, you’ll never have time to read it. Just like ordering a meal at the airport guarantees that your mechanical delay will get cleared up 30 seconds after the waitress serves the food. 😉 )
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Geodkyt
/ February 4, 2014Of course, if I’m sheltering in place at home, I’ve got plenty of non-electrical diversions — like chess, books, cribbage, Uno, and craft supplies. Hell, I cannot recall the last time I turned my television ON. . .
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Old NFO
/ February 4, 2014Oh… Forgot the deck of cards too… 🙂
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michigan doug
/ February 4, 2014window to window, looking for movement. who’s got time to be bored?
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