Destiny Survival

One viewer who built his own dome offered to share more information about it. I asked him this past weekend if he’d like to write a couple of paragraphs I could use here. He quickly obliged and sent the following, complete with pictures and a diagram. My thanks for the info.

If you’re looking for a book on losing weight, this isn’t it. It’s about shedding possessions, not pounds.

The deteriorating economy has forced many of us into making transitions we hadn’t planned on. If not the economy, maybe it’s a divorce, major illness, being widowed, or some other personal upheaval that forces us to reinvent our lives.

All of the above scenarios require making transitions from life as we know it now to something that’s not so familiar. When I came across Right Sizing Your Life, I thought it might be of interest to anyone preparing for a new lifestyle. And many of us who are prepping are doing just that.

Right Sizing Your Life was published in 2007 before the economic crash we’ve experienced in the past couple of years. But because so many are forced into making transitions that were once made deliberately and voluntarily, it’s a book to consider for your survival library.

If your survival plans are to toss a few essentials in a garbage bag and live in a tent in the woods, this book is more than you need. However, Ware does briefly mention the possibility of paring down to bare essentials when threatened by tsunami or hurricane.

Right sizing doesn’t necessarily mean down sizing, though it most often does. It may mean upscaling, such as when you’re moving from the city to a place out in the country for homesteading. Or it may mean staying where you are and making major adjustments. Maybe you need to make accommodations for elderly parents or grown children moving in with you.

This book is mainly aimed at affluent urban dwellers who need to move to smaller living quarters. But the principles apply to anybody on any income scale. For instance, we could all use some decluttering from time to time. You know how it is. What do you do about that giant collection of penguin salt and pepper shakers?

Also, the book is meant for those over 50 who are in need of making a transition in life. But Don’t let that keep you from reading through it because it shares principles that can apply to anyone of any age.

When making a major change in life, talk things over with one another in your family. Realize there’s a significant emotional component involved. It’s hard to give up what we’ve been attached to. Change doesn’t come easily.

Are you or those in your household prisoners of your possessions? How can you determine what’s suitable to bring with you into your new lifestyle? How can you clear the clutter and simplify?

Ware discusses donating, gifting, selling, recycling, repairing, or trashing everything from household appliances and computers to clothes, photos and papers. When is it time to call in the professionals? Is there a right time to rent storage space?

Right Sizing Your Life provides guidance for taking deliberate steps to prepare for your new way of life. It’s a major undertaking and deserves adequate consideration and time. Ware assumes you’ve got the time and means to make changes that need to be made.

There’s a resource directory at the end of the book that covers a wide range of topics you might not have thought of. The book is worth it for the directory alone. Plus, there’s a Web site with an updated directory at www.rightsizingyourlife.com .

Frankly, Right Sizing Your Life contains a great deal of narrative that didn’t interest me, but there is useful information throughout the book. Because it’s not aimed at preppers, you may have to look for what applies to you. A reviewer who said the book doesn’t take packrats into consideration apparently didn’t read the relevant sections.

Whether your preparedness and survival strategy calls for down sizing or upscaling, get a copy of Right Sizing Your Life. Click now on the image of the book below and you’ll be taken to the Amazon.com page where it’s featured. Add it to your cart to start the order process.

It’s times like these that you need a road map and all the practical advice you can get. Right Sizing Your Life has the suggestions and tips that will get you started today.

We were without a working air conditioner for about 12 days last summer during a heat spell, and it sure makes a person think and act differently.

Since much of the nation is forecast to experience a summer time heat wave this week, it’s timely that Lehman’s Country Life blog features a post on staying cool. The tips are for those who want to cut down on air conditioning to save electricity, or for those without air conditioning.

I’ll summarize a few key points below and add a comment or two of my own.

When outdoors, stay in the shade. Yes, that’s obvious, but it really does make a difference.

If your house isn’t shaded, consider planting a tree or some shading vines. Plant more houseplants indoors.

In your house, shade windows that get sunshine during late morning on into evening. Close blinds or drapes if you’re going to be gone.

Put light colored covers over furniture. Put down lighter colored throw rugs. You’ll at least perceive that it’s cooler.

Don’t open your refrigerator door any more than necessary and don’t leave it open.

Unplug the TV and computer, or turn off the power strip they may be on.

Use fluorescent lights rather than incandescent lights. If you can’t do that, at least don’t leave on incandescent bulbs any more than you have to.

Don’t cook indoors. Consider grilling out or using a solar oven.

Use a fan before turning on the air conditioner. Doing so at least circulates the air.

If there’s no electricity at all, it’s still possible to circulate the air with a battery powered or solar powered fan.

Of course, there’s the old fashioned method of using a hand fan. Any semi-sturdy piece of paper will do. I remember the hand fans at church years ago that advertised the local funeral home.

You’re no doubt familiar with other basic rules, such as wear light colored clothing and stay hydrated.

Running cool water over hands and feet is another way to cool off. A reader suggested a wrist ice pack as well. Amazon.com has plenty, like the one pictured in the image below. Click on it to order it or search for others.

This is by no means a conclusive list of tips for staying cool, so feel free to leave a comment below with your own suggestions.

To read the post on Lehman’s Country Life blog, click on the Lehman’s ad banner below. Then click on Country Life Blog on the sidebar. Look for the post entitled “Stay Cool…Simply,” by Pat Veretto. It was posted on July 15th, 2010. If it’s not on the main blog page when you read this, type key words Stay Cool in the search box.

Security Pro USA has solar garden lights that look like traditional garden lights, except you don’t have to wire anything up. All you have to do is stick them in the ground where you want them. They’ll automatically charge during the day and light up all night.

Security Pro USA’s solar garden lights are the brightest in their class. Use them to light steps, driveways, pathways, around ponds, and, of course, your garden. Take one or two when you go camping to provide a light by your tent.

Have you thought what to do for outdoor lighting one day when electricity is out for a prolonged period of time? You can still have outdoor lights for safety and security at night thanks to these solar garden lights from Security Pro USA.

Security Pro USA has solar garden lights at a reasonable price and passes the savings on to you. Buy solar garden lights by clicking on the Security Pro USA banner below. Then type key words Solar Garden Light in the home page search box and you’ll see a page featuring this item at the top of the listing. Click on the solar garden light image to view a page with a more thorough description, and add it to your cart.

In a survival situation, you don’t have to light a fire in the dark or use flashlight battery power when you can use solar garden lights. Add some to your survival supplies today.

If you’re worried about intruders while you’re traveling, at work, or even at home, put your mind at ease with a simple door alarm. You can get one on sale for just under $12 at SecurityProUSA. Save 25% off the regular price.

This door alarm serves as a doorstop that blocks a door from being opened. When someone tries to open the door, a 125db alarm goes off. Your intruder doesn’t want to draw attention to himself and will leave you alone.

This door alarm also has a movement sensor with adjustable sensitivity. The alarm will go off is somebody tries tampering with it. Plus, there’s a switch to turn the alarm off so it doesn’t go off in your suitcase when you travel. Incidentally, it’s powered by a 9 volt battery.

To order this inexpensive door larm, click on the SecurityProUSA logo below. On their home page, type code ST dsal-2 In the search box. The door alarm will be the first item among several on the page that comes up. Click on its image to get more info and to place your order.

When improving your chances for safety and survival are so simple, why not get one of these door alarms for yourself. Perhaps you have a daughter, niece or granddaughter who ought to have a door alarm. You’d feel better if she had one. Why not get it for her today?