In the location in which I live, only three people out of 50,000 are preparing for Y2K!. It cannot be lack of funds, for almost everyone is spending at least $150. for Xmas lights!. That amount will supply the basics to a family of three, for one month. Just what is the problem?. When are they going to pull their heads out of the sand?. Most people are still under the impression that FEMA, the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and other relief agencies, will come riding up on white horses to rescue them!. Don't they realize that these organizations depend on donations coming in after the fact, to help people. They have no huge stockpile to draw from. If the problem is widespread, then it means no donations, and that in turn means; NO HELP!. I urge everyone to prepare like your life depends in it, because in the end my friends, IT WILL!!!. Very Sincerely, The Happy Hoarder.

-- The Happy Hoarder (relief@coastalnet.com), December 07, 1999

Answers

HH, Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions! Our lights are out, they have been in the family for years, no expense beyond January's electric bill. :>). The lights bring so much joy to the children. It doesn't mean the pantry isn't stocked!

-- ohioan (ohioan@lost.com), December 07, 1999.

I put half my lights up yesterday, the other half will go up this afternoon. I bought two more 40' strings at $3 piece to take care of the extra growth on the conifers. Six bucks plus three weeks of extra electricity doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Er, let me rephrase that. . .

Please don't begrudge us this simple pleasure. If energy costs spiral next year (as I think they will), we may not be able to afford the cost again.

P.S. Do you know everything about the personal lives of those 50,000 people?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), December 07, 1999.

We have lots of lites on our gingerbread trimmed farmhouse...one of the small pleasures of life we enjoy...doesn't mean we aren't ready to hunker down come next year if need be....life doesn't have to be ALL gloom and doom. Today the tree goes up and it will have lots of lites,too...and the nativity and the antique choir boy/girl candlesticks. We are prepared for ourselves and our neighbors if they need our help. Happy Holidays !

-- mutti (mutti66@hotmail.com), December 07, 1999.

It seems that I have struck a nerve!. Let me make myself just a little clearer. The people in our area seem to be having a contest!. They are decorating every thing that don't run away!. Some of the yards can be seen from 20,000 ft. in the air. When you see someone in the checkout line with two shoping carts full of lights, that cost between $7, $15, per string, and you hear them say that they are not worried about Y2K, because the safety nets will catch them. Then thats when I worry!. If you can afford to do it, plus prepare for the future, then go for it. Around my area the landfills are littered with Xmas lights every year. Thats right they have a long pole with a hook, to rip the lights down after the holidays. They are to lazy to save them for next year. I didn't mean to piss you folks off, but when I see people spending so much for lights, but nothing for the future, then I get pissed. I know these same people will be expecting YOU, and I to feed them when times get rough!. Again my apologies for raising your Hackles, HH.

-- The Happy Hoarder (relief@coastalnet.com), December 07, 1999.

Happy, I don't think it's that they expect others to take care of them as much as it is confidence that nothing bad is going to happen. The mainstream press is full of Yes-we're-ready stories, and most people believe them.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), December 07, 1999.

Happy,

*Tradition* plays a big role in why we do things. The Christmas season for many is lights, shopping, family, music, and a house full of decorations in the midst of a cold winter....brightens ones life and brings cheer into the home. I imagine that it is difficult for the majority of the population to put aside the holiday season (esp. with the millenium celebrations) to focus on preparing for a *non- event*, as they see Y2K+ through the eyes of the media.

As a Christian, my greater focus always at this time of year is on human kindness and family...the gifts, decorations (none this year), always take a back seat, so it was easy to keep focused on the more important issues of the day. I'm still finding more ways to prepare, even though I thought I'd be done months ago.

It is easy to get caught up in the motives and actions of others, but it isn't productive. Let them do what they will, enjoy their lights, and continue with your agenda. I know it is hard when you think they are not bothering to prepare, but if this event happened in the middle of summer, you'd see people vacationing, partying, and sunning instead of preparing.

-- Kenin Marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), December 07, 1999.

Calling everyone who replied to your note "p*ssed off" is rather crass, don't you think, HH? We know what you mean. Nobody here is mad at your observation, just trying to enjoy a last "normal" holiday in the midst of our preps. Calm down, have a cookie. Buy a few boxes extra for the storage.

St.Nick

-- S. Claus (jolly.old@saint.nik), December 07, 1999.

I understand (I *think*) what has HH griped: People spending tons of money on holiday 'pretties' all the while saying that they CAN'T do any preparing because they just don't have any money. I've heard the "but it takes a lot of money to stock up at the store, and we are stretched to the limit as it is!" more times than I care to remember. These same folks who 'don't have the money' are busy re- creating Clark Griswold's masterpiece, spending massive amounts of money having holiday parties catered, spent tons of money on Halloween decorations, etc., ad nauseum! One set of my in-laws claim they don't have the money to buy any extra supplies, yet in the last 2 months have spent literally tens of thousands of dollars re- decorating their home. Let me tell you, *that* sticks in our craw!

Just for the record: we have our lights up and turned on, as we usually do. : )

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), December 07, 1999.

Well, you guys have cheered me up at last. I was hoping to get Deputy Dawg in on this one, but maybe next time. The post about the people not being informed was by far the most correct response. There is one fact that I should have mentioned, and that being; Our area went through a small disaster back in the summer. There were three Hurricane strikes, and a flood!. Now before you break out the rope again, please let me explain why I call them small. The three hurricane strikes only had slight wind damage. Ok now for the flood. If the flood had been accompanied with 155 mph winds, then the property damage, and death toll would have been 10 to 20 times higher. Now I know a lot of people lost almost everything, including myself, but for most of the victims, the Red Cross, FEMA, and other relief agencies were there to help. I thought this would serve as a wakeup call for these people, but they have been lulled into complacency by the prompt action of these organizations. Now the people here think, If Y2K is a large problem, then the relief groups will come back, and make things better!. If the problems are wide spread, and last for a long period of time, There will not be much help on the way, for these groups rely on donations to help others with. These donations come in after the disaster occurs, for they have no stockpiles of supplies. What I'm trying to say is, if the problem is nation-wide, and almost everyone is without, then who will donate the food, and supplies?. They just may have a deadly awakenen coming to them. The very few here that are preparing, are looked on as nutcases, and militants. Anyway I hope you don't think I'm a scrooge, because I also have Xmas lights (last years, of course). Take care, and be nice, The Happy Hoarder.

-- The Happy Hoarder (relief@coastalnet.com), December 07, 1999.