How was my Paratus? Well, I got some very nice and thoughtful gifts from a few people this year and I am very grateful, and very touched at the generosity. I got stamps, bullets, magazines, borescopes, cards, greenmail, and a few other goodies as well. (And if I didnt mention your generous gift there, its just me being too lazy to sit down and comprise a list…your gift is appreciated, thank you!)

I also got more than a few emails from various people saying that theyve been following the property purchase saga and how they bought their property 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago and here’s the lessons they learned and want to pass on. I’ve gotten several of those emails and I really do appreciate, and take to heart, every one of them. A broad section of advice from folks who have BTDT is a powerful tool, and I thank you for sharing your experiences.

This year’s Paratus, like every year, always seems to have something hanging ominously in the air…pandemic, war, economy, assassinations,etc. But thats one of the things Paratus is for…to remind us that we do the things we do in order to be prepared against the unknown. We all know it’s going to happen, we just don’t know when…so, we prepare. Paratus is a day to recognize our efforts and maybe pat ourselves and our friends on the back and say ‘good job…you’re on the right track.’ And its a good time to re-focus, re-group, and re-engage on those things that maybe we haven’t been paying as much attention to as we should have.

So…that was Paratus 2025. On to 2026!

Happy Paratus, guys!

Today is the holiday for, by, and of survivalists.  Bask in your uniqueness! Spend time with your fellow bunker-dwellers! Exchange gifts, go shooting, and have a good time!

Like any other holiday, its what you make it…so make it memorable!

Paratus 2025

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Its been a bit of a hectic week and while most peoples Paratus cards went out Monday, there are still three or four packages sitting here that I’m not going to be able to get out until tomorrow. So, better late than never, I suppose.

One other item of interest was brought to my attention by a couple of people this week. A couple folks emailed me to let me know that they were getting warnings about malware or security certificate issues from this website. Unfortunately, I know nothing about that sort of thing so I suspect I’ll be having to spend a lot of time with Google and WordPress to try and see what the issue is without accidentally burning this place to the ground. Wish me luck.

Paratus, the holiday of survivalists, by survivalists, is next week. A few people have sent early Paratus gifts which is quite thoughtful. To my surprise, there were some very thoughtful gifts and I offer my sincere thanks to those who sent them.

Paratus cards/gifts will go out on Monday, so if youre on the list…keep an eye on your mailbox.

So…get your Paratus events and plans laid out. Its your holiday!

In other news, Im still researching that property I mentioned last week. Still haven’t made an offer…I need more background detail and hopefully will  have that info soon.

Just a reminder, guys… Paratus is September 19th this year. We are about four weeks out. Get your shopping done early. Don’t forget a little something for your internet buddy Commander Zero. If you got a card last year, odds are good you’re still on the list. If you got a card last year and your mailing address has changed….dude, ya gotta let me know.

Cards have been ordered and will be going out around the beginning of the third week of September. How do you get on the Paratus card list? Glad you asked….

Please read the Paratus FAQ to learn more about this holiday of, by, and for survivalists everywhere.

I’d be an ungrateful person if I didn’t take time to acknowledge the several people who sent me Paratus gifts. Gifts included knitted headgear, cartridge brass, pocket notebooks, and a few other goodies. For privacy’s sake I won’t go into who sent what, but I want to make sure everyone who sent a gift knows I appreciate it. Very generous of you dudes (and dudettes).

AH, I know,,,it seems like we just got through taking down the decorations from the last Paratus. Yet, here we are!

So, first off, Happy Paratus to everyone. About 40 people made the list for cards/gifts this year. If you didn’t get a Paratus card, have no fear…here’s this years card:

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Did I get myself anything for Paratus? Well, not really….but trust me, I’ve spent enough on myself this year that it more than makes up for not buying myself a gift. Really, I spent way too much on boomtoys and whisperpickles this year. I suspect that is something that will rapidly be coming to a middle here shortly as I try to put money together for other purposes.

I hope YOU had a happy (and safe) Paratus. And I hope you got to spend Paratus the way it was meant to be spent – getting cool gear and hanging out with your like-minded friends discussing the upcoming kamalapocalypse. But feel free to tell me in comments how you made it in the gift department and if you did anything special. It is, after all, your holiday.

Paratus gifts/cards went out in today’s mail. Paratus is this Friday so I am hoping that most of these will have reached their destination by then.
Dang near $180 just in postage. Geez.

Just a reminder, guys….Paratus is four weeks out. This year, Paratus, the holiday of survivalists, falls on September 20.

I’ve got the gifts and cards for this year all ready, and at this point I’m just double checking addresses. If you got a card/gift from me last year, and your address has changed, then you need to email me and let me know the new address. Soon!

From the FAQ:

How do I get on the Paratus card list?

It’s pretty simple and blatantly selfish. If you’ve signed up at Patreon, sent me a gift of any kind, are someone I know ‘in real life’, are an ‘internet friend’ with whom I’ve exchanged many emails, or otherwise have interacted with me on more than a casual basis…and you’ve provided an address…you’ll get on the list.

Simply emailing or commenting with your address and “Please send me a Paratus card” will not work.

The original idea for Paratus was over twenty years ago. But I never really codified it and got into it until ten years ago.

I guess this means this is officially the tenth Paratus. Although, to be fair, its only in the last five years I’ve actually gone through the expense of having cards made up and sent.