I've been through hell and would like to share some wisdom tested in real life situations. Please reflect on it and think how it applies to you.
1. When I told a close friend of mind that we should stock up on military-type rations and offered him to take a half at symbolic cost, he told me without blinking "you stock up, I'll know where I will find food". I was shocked.
The morale: make sure to get rid of fair-weather friends before you start preparations.
2. Most humans are not mentally prepared to kill another human. If you have firearms, condition yourself to shoot to kill with the first shot. Plan ahead, and practice with pop up targets.
3. Make a blueprint of your home as if you are house invader. Plan to install booby traps. Leave one weapon in EVERY room, you'll have no time to go to another room for your rifle. Keep spare pants close to weapon - never fire weapon without your pants on.
4. Sleep is a weapon. The more you sleep, the more alert you will be when awake. The more you sleep, the less calories you will need. But you need trusted buddy to be on watch while you sleep.
5. Stock up not only on foods, but luxuries as well. Cigars, luxury chocolates, luxury perfume. Use it to treat family members to keep their and spirit high. The name of the game is not to survive, but to survive as YOURSELF. If you become an animal in the process, it is not worthwhile.
6. Shave every morining. Even if eating Spam, dress up like for the nigh on the town. It will keep your spirit high and your mind alert.
7. Depression could kill you. Arm yourself with antidepressants if you are at risk.
8. Fill an Ipod with the music that uplift your spirit. It will keep you amused while you lube your weapons.
9. I've heard from people who have lost all their possession that they miss their family photos the most. Don't be like them - backup all your family photos and keep digital copies at various locations, online, with your friends, everywhere. If you have to leave your home, your most prized possession will be safe.
10. Buy manually operated reverse osmosis filter. And again, buy manually operated reverse osmosis filter.
11. If streets become dangerous, make habit of emptying bowels and bladder before getting out. In case you are injured it will help.
12. Prepare nondescript street smarts uniform for all your family members. Hoodie, baggy pants, doc martins. Predators will look for affluent people. Escape their attention. I hope that Freepers with actual survival training and/or no-nonsense experience will continue the list. Godspeed to us all !
You should have told him right then and there that if he showed up empty handed you'd shoot him right on your doorstep. I've done it.