What's in YOUR Purse?

Man Bag… Murse… or as a male friend of my daughter calls them, Thatchel (there is a lisp in there). I like to think of mine as a Possibles Bag because that’s what the mountain men called them. Let’s face it though – it’s a purse.

I carry mine around most days to and from my tent–making business and, just like my wife’s purse, mine accumulates STUFF. I decided to clean it out and see just what I have in there and, what the heck – I bet you want to know what I tote around too, huh?

What you don’t see in the picture below is my lunch which I usually toss in there. Typically it is leftovers from supper in a Tupperware container with a spoon or fork as needed.

I reckon we’ll just start in the upper left corner and work our way around…(you can click on the picture to enlarge it)



Steno pad and some mail I still need to deal with.
My badges. I work in a secure facility so I have to go through combination locks, key locks and little machines one “swipes” one’s magnetic card across. That’s the card you see. While walking around this prison, er, place of employment, one must display the required picture ID – it’s on the other side but hanging on the same lanyard (you are not allowed to see it). What I did was Scotch-tape the two cards on either side of a Tool Logic “Survival Card”. It’s about as big as a credit card (or ID badge) but thicker. It contains an LED light, a knife, toothpick and tweezers. When I get to work I wear this gizmo around my neck.

A bunch of pens (I only put two back in the bag) and a little notebook – I have started to write everything down. If I think of something – bam, it goes in the notebook. Quite handy.

My daily carry knife. I was actually wondering where I put that thing – I usually carry it in my front pocket but I put it in the bag one day as I was headed to CrossFit because I didn’t want to lose it in the gym. It will be in my pocket tomorrow.

I have a snap link (“NOT FOR CLIMBING!” shyea, like anyone would try)…. that I clip my keys to. A water bottle. I carry a variety of water bottles and at least one 3-liter bottle of water (not shown) every day.

A ziplock of cash and a fire starter that fell out of the survival kit.

Some AA batteries - don’t know why they were there, but what the heck – I kept them.
That black fanny pack is a survival kit I have carried around the world several times. I had to make some modifications (removals) after 9-11. I really don’t like going anywhere without it – it comforts me. Perhaps I’ll blog about it next.

Three lighters “Viking Pocket Fire” with inner tube pieces. I think one fell out of the survival kit – I tossed it back in there, kept one more and removed the other. I typically also carry one in my pants pocket.

An Army “Demo Knife” (sounds cooler than Boy Scout knife) – it fell out of the survival kit because its zippers are toast.
Tupperware sandwich box containing a first aid kit I have carried all over the world.
Two permanent markers – for marking stuff…

A little ratchet set for the Leatherman Wave you see below it. I’ve never used it but got it for free. I put it back in the bag – what the heck, good a place as any to keep it…
Cold Steel Bushman survival knife with some wraps of tape around the handle for grip. Sometimes you just need a bigger blade.

Some tiny zipties I picked up from a techie and a comb for my long locks (beard).
One rubber glove – we have boxes of them at home we use for medical calls (Volunteer Fire Department) and I guess I tossed some in there one day. It was trashed – it’s gone now.

Ya know those $5 flashlights they sell at the counter of the auto parts store? The LED ones that take three AAA batteries? Real bright in the store? Yeah….they don’t hold up well bouncing around the bottom of a Man Bag. The batteries are fine – the light does not work anymore. Chinese junk.

Fork and a plastic knife from some lunch long ago – put in the dishwasher.
A magazine a buddy gave me containing an article on a DIY solar hot water heater – I still need to read it – moved to the bathroom.

Blood powder – so if I had some free time I could look up the ingredients on the Internet. I did. The bottle is now in the medical closet.
Some chestnuts a buddy gave me last fall – they are now on the kitchen table….

Assorted paper trash – in the burn pile now.

So that’s it. Obviously not a super thought-out Uber Kit. But it’s real. And it’s what I’ve been toting around.

I’ll see ya out there!

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. - Luke 22:36
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If you have any comments I’d love to hear them.
If they really interest me, I may even post them.
You can reach me at Joe

You can also join us to discuss this and other issues at Viking Preparedness Forums

Prepared Americans for a Strong America

Viking Fest 2010

Viking Fest 2010 is fast approaching! August 12 - 15 within an hour of Kansas City.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Old Crew and meeting some new Vikings.

We have some slots left so if you are interested, check out the link above, sign up and tell me how many folks you are bringing.

Here is a REVIEW (with pictures) from last year. And this is the last "cheap" year - only $50 a car/truck/BOV.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24 - 25

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If you have any comments I’d love to hear them.
If they really interest me, I may even post them.
You can reach me at Joe

You can also join us to discuss this and other issues at Viking Preparedness Forums

Prepared Americans for a Strong America

Why should WE care about THEM?

The dichotomy:
We and Them
Us and Them
“We’re Number ONE! – They suck!”
I win – you lose

Or the related:
I got MINE
Sucks to be YOU

Those thoughts (my thoughts) came to me after I recently received an email from a reader referencing the last blog entry. He said he’d answer my question, “why are these guys at the gun show so angry?” if I’d answer his which basically boiled down to, why should I (Joe) care if others are prepared or not? That kind of gets to the heart of this blog.
My reply follows:

Hey xxxxxx,
Thanks for taking the time to write.

My question about the angry dudes was mostly rhetorical. Yes, I get that the world looks less and less pleasant every day. I can see, hear, and feel that locomotive coming down the tunnel. But life is short. We really need to enjoy what we have while we have it. THESE are the good times....just wait...

It is certainly written in the Bible that we are "to witness" but the "Bible" doesn't tell us to do so - Jesus did.

Your base question "but do you have a reason other than that, which makes you want to save all those folks from themselves?" and the additional but related one "why do you care?" can also be answered in something Jesus said.

Some lawyer was trying to trick him - put him in legal corner and he asked Jesus - "What is the most important commandment in all of God's law?"

No matter WHAT Jesus answered, this lawyer was going to try and say something like, "A-HA! so you are saying that X is more important than Y?!"

Jesus said, "The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart and all your soul and your strength and all your mind AND to love your neighbor as yourself."

Elsewhere he defines "neighbor" as your fellow man - humans.

SO first off we are "commanded" to care. But that gets into legalism. If the only reason I care about others is BECAUSE God told me to care - then I don't get it.

See, God loves me and he loves you too. Whether you love him or not. Kinda like the perfect parent vis a vie their child. The closer I walk with God, the more I love my fellow man.

I DO care about others - primarily because God has changed my heart to be more loving and caring. I was not always so...

There is also an earthly practical (and therefore more selfish) reality to "trying to save all those people from themselves" - there is a lot of truth to the old saw, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem."

Would you rather be surrounded in a crisis by 2,000 unprepared people or 2,000 squared away people? A family man with an AK and some ammo but no food and no plan is going to part of the problem when his hungry little girl looks up at him with tears in her eyes and says, "Daddy, I'm hungry - when can we eat something?"

I am prepared to deal with "problems" but I would really rather not have to. Every prepared American strengthens our country. So I do my bit...

Every prepared American is one less who will look to suck off the government teat.

Every prepared American is one less who will actively work towards giving away our God-given rights to GOV.com in return for the lie/promise of more "security".

Every prepared American lessens the burden on relief efforts and lets those efforts go to where they are really needed.

Preparedness = Strength.
I CrossFit and there is a quote in CrossFit (from Olympic lifting coach Mark Rippetoe) that says, "Strong people are harder to kill and generally more useful".

I like strong people.
I like prepared people.
I try to surround myself with them.
I try to help others become strong and prepared.
Life is better that way.

I'll see ya out there.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. – Luke 1:49 - 51

.................................................................................

If you have any comments I’d love to hear them.
If they really interest me, I may even post them.
You can reach me at Joe

You can also join us to discuss this and other issues at Viking Preparedness Forums

Prepared Americans for a Strong America