Iamjoe.name

Yup that’s correct folks, I’m stuck.  I have been trying to create content for three different projects for the past month, nothing is coming to me.  I cant even do a proper re-design for my own blog at this point.

I keep trying to find excuses for why nothing is coming, It’s too hot or there are too many  distractions etc etc.

Maybe my ADD is just taking over

Well when I figure it out or if the muse bites again I’m sure I will create a blog post worth reading.

Brandi and I are now safe in sound in a new house in Council Bluffs Iowa.  Boxes are being unpacked, my office is being setup and jobs are being hunted for.

After I get the office back to full power I’m going to give this poor blog a much needed face lift.

Look for allot more updates and more of my mindless ramblings to come.

Just filled up two planter boxes.  One with all of the cooking herbs I want store over the winter.  The other with some nice hearty lettuce that should grow well into first frost.   I still want to setup two more raised beds for Salad greens.

Went to the dentist to have my front tooth looked at again.  I chipped off the top part of the temporary crown a couple of days ago.  Dropped about $260.00 on Xrays and molds and what not.  So my reserves are sapped until either I get paid for some big jobs coming up or blogging and website projects take off.  I think I need to lay of the non paying work and do more paying jobs.  But I’m not sure my design skill is were I need to it to be.

Sitting here in bed with Brandi relaxing at the end of a very long day. Enjoying some nice chamomile tea and watching The Colony.   Still waiting for the garden to give up the rest of it’s bounty.  I can almost feel the fall setting in.

Yay Autumn is here.

Ok, so there were a few things last night that really got to me as being some of the dumbest things to do in a survival SHTF scenario.  Maybe some of you out there can clear them up for me.

1. When making their security and fortifications, why on earth did they make a flame thrower? It uses propane, people, and that’s a fuel; a fuel you can use for heat and other things.

2. Why were there not more hand weapons made? Shivs/Knives/ clubs etc

3. Why on earth did they trade any amount of salt they had on hand?

4. Why did they not try to trade supplies for one of the trader’s guns or some ammo?

There is a member of the team, Leilani, who is really starting to get on my last nerve.  During the food trade, she lost her cool and started to break rank during the food trade. She began to question the two men that were conducting the trade with armed merchants.  I think had the scenario been reality, she would have been shot.  The way she was yelling and waving her hands and making commotion would have gotten her shot.  I would really like to know what sort of martial arts trainer she really is.  After watching the short clips of what she was showing the other female team members, I think she is nothing more than a Tae Bo instructor.  I don’t think she has ever been in a real fight outside of training in a McDojo.

I will look into this issue more and let you know what I find out.  If she is a real martial arts instructor, then I hope she changes her training to the team to more things like blocking, single handed blade or weapon use, and lock breaking and escape.

Did any of you catch it last night?

What did you think?

I could have swore I had my calendar reminder setup to tell me to register for Wordcamp Portland, I guess not.  I’m a week late and the conference is sold out.  I did how ever get myself on the waiting list.  Now I hope and pray and beg and pray some more that some one cant make it.

Last year I paid and ended up not being able to go.

*Crosses fingers*

Or maybe I can sell myself into volunteer slavery for it.

After the cancer scare of 08 I decided it was time to make sure that my family and I were in a much better position.  Between recovering from the surgery and the blizzard that disabled the greater Portland area, I was hurting financial. The house was getting low on food, There was no fire wood for the fireplace if power went out.

To be honest it greatly freaked me out, I was getting stressed and it was wearing on me and my wife at the time. I immediately began to look around the internet for survival resources. I mostly found sites for militia groups and conspiracy theorist, most of the sites and blogs were trying to get me to dump thirteen to fourteen hundred dollars into   a years supply of food.  But none of them gave me answers or knowledge.

Then I looked into I-tunes and found Jack Spirko and The Survival Podcast.   Not only did I  the best information on prepping for emergency’s,  but I also was given piratical easy to do tips and steps for creating my own survival plan.  I thought to myself finally some one that has practical experience that is able to teach people to do things for themselves and allow people to think.

Now the show is only one part, The forums are over flowing with a wealth of experience and knowledge, and it’s not just a  bunch of gun toting anti government tin foil hat waring conspiracy theorist.  There people like you and me,  I have had ever question I have asked answered.  It’s a great community and I highly suggest you all check it out.

Now I will admit I have not had the money to join the member support brigade.  This should be taken care of  here shortly. The show is recorded while Jack makes his commute everyday, So I will warn you now there are times that you get to listen to jack go off on other drivers.  Also he is very opinionated, I honestly like this about him. His rants and tirades are often justified and backed with research.  I don’t always agree with Jack but then again no one ever completely agrees with some one else political views do they?

Well enough of me today.  Go check it out

The Survival Podcast

Also I love the show sponsors, I myself have shopped at Ready Made Resources

Most of you by now know that I have recently gotten into being in a survivalist mindset, No I’m not creating a bomb shelter. No I don’t think a bunch of black vans are going to pull up and take me in the night.  I do think how ever our economy could crash and things could get really really bad.  The threat could be anything from global flue, to economic collapse to a earth quake.

I have been watching a new Show on discovery called The Colony. It’s a reality show about a group of 10 people who are put together to survive after a post apocalyptic event.  Last night really annoyed me,

1. I don’t think putting creature comforts first was a wise idea, Don’t wast things on a show when you should be worried about fortifying and securing your location.

2. When you scavenge food what ever you don’t use needs’ to be preserved or saves some how. I think more could have been done with the oranges then just having them sit around.

3.  People need to work every day, Now one should doddle around. Simple if you don’t work you dont’ eat. You don’t eat you die. Very simple

As most of you know my contract ends August 19th.  After that day I will no longer have a day job, this makes me both happy and sad.  I am looking forward to taking a few weeks off to clean up the garden and get a few things done around the house.  I’m thinking about making some blue berry mead and some honey mead this year.  I’m also going to start getting my canning and preserving supplies out so I can begin to can and freeze for the winter.

The Red corn is now above the apartment.  I’m down to 5 stalks now, I think 4 of them were blown down by a strong wind.  This should still be enough corn to make a decent batch of cornmeal. Remember the red corn this year is just an experiment.

I’m also applying for jobs that are different then the jobs I have been doing over the past few years. I’m applying for low level PHP/CSS/web support positions.  When I worked at Aisle 7 I really enjoyed supporting web apps for clients.  I enjoy using my PHP knowledge and SQL knowledge. I would love to get paid to just sit and solve customer problems.  I’m taking on a few more web based projects for clients to get my chops back up, I really wish I would have just stuck with developing in PHP from the time I started until now.

The few people I have told about this decision have all asked the same thing “But Joe the money is horrible.” For me it’s not about the money it’s about being happy.  Hell while I’m on unemployment I’m willing to intern to prove my skills to some one.

I could call some one up and see about going and working with them, but I’m not sure i’ts going to be worth it in the long run.  Good experience but also could make me misserable.

This is going to be a great event, there are going to be multiple local instructions demonstrationg and teaching many styles.  There should be a little something here for every one.

For more information check out Ben’s blog at

www.lakanarnis.com