Thursday, February 13, 2025

A New Style of Survivalist Articles

By Tim Gamble
   Between Shadows and Light.

Let's be honest for a few minutes. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of websites, video channels, podcasts, and blogs that revolve around various aspects of preparedness and survival. Want to learn about food storage? Bugging out? Growing tomatoes? Tips on the many uses of baking soda? You have hundreds of articles and videos to choose from. In fact, many of those articles are by me, written over the course of the 20 years I've been doing this. 

Unless you are brand new to prepping, and I realize some of you are, do you really want to read yet another article telling you why it is important to store some water, or to improve your fitness? You are probably as tired of reading the same advice over and over again, as I am tired of writing it.

That is why I am changing the type of articles I write, and how I write them, both on DystopianSurvival.com and TimGamble.com, striving to be more interesting and bring something new to the preparedness and survival community. You may have noticed some of my articles this year are different than your typical prepper articles, in content and style.

Using Pop Culture Icons To Better Explain Survival: 
Entertaining and surprisingly deep.

Quirky Gems of Survivalism:
Roads less traveled. 

Modern Formatting for Speed Reading:
Text-style articles for modern folks.
So, what do you think of my efforts to make preparedness and survival articles that are new, fresh, interesting, entertaining, and useful? Leave me a comment down below!
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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

An Everyday Readiness Mindset

By Tim Gamble
   Between Shadows and Light.

Not just about surviving major disasters, an everyday readiness mindset involves preparing both mentally and physically for the challenges and opportunities that each day might bring. Here are some key components of such a mindset:

1. Mental Preparedness:
  • Awareness: Stay alert to your surroundings and current events. This doesn't mean being paranoid, but rather being informed and aware.
  • Adaptability: Life is unpredictable. Cultivate the ability to adapt to changing circumstances with flexibility in thinking and planning.
  • Resilience: Develop a mindset that views setbacks as temporary and surmountable. Learn from failures and continue moving forward.

2. Physical Preparedness:
  • Health: Maintain good physical health through regular exercise, balanced diet, and adequate sleep. This ensures you're ready to tackle physical challenges.
  • Organization: Keep your living and working spaces organized. This reduces stress and allows for quicker, more efficient responses to unexpected tasks or emergencies.
  • Emergency Supplies: Have basic emergency supplies on hand, like first aid kits (Refuge Medical link for 10% off at checkout), food, water, and a list of emergency and important contacts. This isn't just for disasters but for everyday minor crises.

3. Skill Development:
  • Continuous Learning: Equip yourself with skills that could be useful in various scenarios, from basic first aid to more complex skills like negotiation or self-defense.
  • Problem-Solving: Enhance your ability to think critically and solve problems on the fly. This could be as simple as fixing a flat tire or as complex as resolving a conflict at work.

4. Emotional and Psychological Readiness:
  • Stress Management: Learn techniques like mindfulness, meditation, or even simple deep breathing exercises to manage stress in high-pressure situations.
  • Support Networks: Cultivate relationships where you can give and receive support. Having a network can be crucial in personal crises or when facing daily challenges.

5. Routine and Planning:
  • Daily Planning: Start your day with a plan. Even if plans change, having a structure helps in managing time and tasks more effectively.
  • Long-term Vision: Keep an eye on your long-term goals while handling daily tasks. This helps in aligning daily actions with broader life objectives.

6. Preparedness for Emergencies:
  • Basic Training: Consider basic training in areas like CPR, fire safety, or even preparedness for natural disasters relevant to your area.
  • Mental Drills: Occasionally, run through scenarios in your mind or with family about what to do in case of emergencies like fires, medical issues, or natural disasters.

An everyday readiness mindset isn't about living in fear but about embracing life with confidence and competence. It's about being prepared to enjoy the good days and handle the tough ones with grace and efficiency.

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Basic Vitals Set (Refuge Medical link) includes digital thermometer, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter. Great for home use by Doctor Mom to care for her family, for a nursing student, or to self-monitor your own health.
 
 

Friday, February 7, 2025

14 Reasons To Take Up Gardening This Year

By Tim Gamble
   Between Shadows and Light.

Gardening season is almost upon us. I want to encourage people to take up gardening this year. Here's why:

  1. Grow a Portion of Your Own Food: As a hedge against inflation and supply chain issues, growing your own food can ensure availability and affordability.
  2. Know What's in Your Food: Gardening allows you to control what goes into your food, ensuring it's clean and free from unwanted GMOs, chemicals or pesticides.
  3. Learning to Grow Food: Gain skills that could become essential if food production systems face disruptions in the future.
  4. Healthy Exercise: Gardening involves physical activity that benefits your health.
  5. Relaxation and Stress Reduction: Working with plants can be a soothing and calming activity, helping to reduce stress levels.
  6. Environmental Impact: Reduce your carbon footprint, promote local biodiversity, and contribute positively to the environment.
  7. Mental Health Benefits: Interaction with nature can enhance mental well-being in addition to reducing stress, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
  8. Community Building: Share your knowledge and garden's bounty with others, strengthening community ties and support networks.
  9. Educational Value: Teach children or learn yourself about biology, ecology, and environmental stewardship.
  10. Economic Savings: Potentially save money on groceries by growing high-cost or organic produce.
  11. Aesthetic Pleasure: Enhance your living space with beauty and personal pride in your garden's design and health.
  12. Physical Health: Beyond exercise, gardening can boost your immune system and contribute to a healthier diet through fresh produce.
  13. Seasonal Awareness: Become more connected with natural cycles, enhancing your understanding and appreciation of seasonal changes.
  14. Creative Outlet: Use gardening as an artistic expression, experimenting with different plants, designs, and landscapes.

Don't know where to begin? Here are two books that can help:

The Old Farmer's Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook (Amazon link) - Created for novices, aspiring growers, green thumbs, and old hands alike, Contains step-by-step advice for successfully growing 32 vegetables; scores of timesaving tips and proven veggie-growing techniques; more than 150 stunning, full-color photos; insightful and entertaining anecdotes from experienced gardeners; recommended varieties; essential reference tables and charts; dedicated pages for recording ongoing observations; and much more! 


Plant Science for Gardeners: Essentials for Growing Better Plants (Amazon link) - Excellent book for serious gardeners (or those that want to be). This book empowers growers to analyze common problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden for optimal plant health and productivity.