Well, I ordered some new grips for the Ruger Redhawk .357, they arrived, and I’ll take it out tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. While I’m at it, I’ll also take the CZ457 ‘Jaguar’ .22 out for a spin and see how quiet a 29″ barrel is with another 8″ of suppressor on the end. I expect it to sound like a staplegun.
I didn’t watch the State of The Union speech yesterday because, well, it’s pretty predictable and I saw no need to rush into my first heart attack. Nice of whoever was feeding Biden lines to make sure to get that whole ‘assault weapon’ thing in there. I am amazed at how the Democrats never seem to learn that it’s not an issue that does them any favors. Republicans do the same thing with the abortion issue, and Libertarians just can’t let go of their drug legalization fantasies.
I have spent the last thirty years as a survivalist and I do think that every year I say “this coming year is the one that will justify everything I’ve done”. And…I’ve been right every year.This year will be no different.
Is the economy ‘the envy of the world’ as was said at the speech? Maybe. I suppose when everyone is dying of cancer the guy with ‘only’ diabetes is the envy of everyone else. But if you ran the question of ‘are things better now than they were four years ago’ I think you’d have a strong case for a negative response. Inflation, interest rates, foreign affairs, crime, and the price of gas….there’s a bit to look back at fondly a bit over four years ago.
Nothing is perfect, though, and we tend to look at the past with a bit of rose-tint. The future, on the other hand……is there anyone who thinks good things are in store? “Good” will be defined as things not going as badly as we expected.
As the man(?) said, the avalanche has started…it is too late for the pebbles to vote.There’s no magic pill that’s going to just make things better. Even if you elected the perfect candidate, you can’t unscramble these eggs overnight. No matter who gets elected, it’s still going to be a bumpy ride…just a question of whether its a bumpy ride towards the better or a bumpy ride towards the worse. Either way: bumpy ride.
But, hey, those are just observations and musings. What’s the useful part? I suppose the useful part is that it’s worth noting that no matter who gets elected, the ride is still gonna be humvee-at-55-mph bumpy. So don’t let your guard down thinking that ‘after the election the threat will be reduced’. Nope. Nada.
I’ll continue to do what I’ve always done: stay on top of food and supplies, avoid debt and liabilities, sock away cash and cash-like instruments, be ready for things to go (further) downhill, but also be prepared for them not to. What not to do is get complacent and think there’s a light at the end of the tunnel because someone is going to get/notget re-elected.
Tomorrow, in addition to the range, I’m heading to Winco, CostCo, and WalMart, and continue to keep the pantry full, the gas cans topped of, and supply shelves stocked. Then I’m going to spend time in my budget spreadsheet and make sure I’ve got enough cash tucked away for an emergency. And then it’s a trip to pick up some precious metals. And when it’s all over, I’ll feel like I have some control over my future instead of just being a victim of it. I recommend you do something similar. Weekends are two days: one to do what you want and one to do what you need. Invest a few hours in a more resilient future for you and your loved ones.