(ot) Y2K Burnout Stories

[AbbyLane2001]

I see a post here on preps stories, but what about burnout, you know where someone went over the deep end, how many divorces, how many stress related illnesses?

I know this is strange but I for one can attest to BURNOUT happening and people just acting plan loco, and I ain't talking about me.

Abby

 

[city]

yes, the burnout is felt amongst alot of people, and i know some are still sore from lugging water cubes. To quote my mother,
"y2k prep did me in".

 

[AbbyLane2001]

Hi City,

Water, all the broken leaking plastic containers.

All the Aroebic7(Sp?) used.

Take 6, 7 years of prepping, and then move 500 miles with it. Now thats a nightmare.

Abby

 

[city]

Hi Abby, you would have to remind me of the
leaking water jugs! Yikes, move a 7 year prep
500 miles?! The work alone to move and then
re-store it, making my arms hurt right now!

 

[CrystalWaters]

Do I ever know the feeling.I bought a house last month.Had been prepping for 3 years.I think half the stuff we moved was just my stockpile.We will finish with the moving this weekend.But you wouldn't believe how the garage looks and I still have to put it all away.Been working night and day and no end in sight yet.

 

[city]

Hi Marcy, moving the preps, as with Abby, also "been there, done that" Amazing at what
you haven't needed to buy. Good time to slap on date labels and rotate to the front.
Would you say, 1/2 a big U-haul or more?

 

[Taz]

After we sailed through Y2k with no major problems, all I could think of was the money spent on the big items. I didn't mind the food as we could eat that and ended up sharing a lot of it with an out of work friend. It was the new well with the top of the line hand pump on it, and the 40kw genny with all its attached items, ie, transefer box, etc. and the 2000 gal of diesel all stored in new 500 gallon tanks and with the preservative in it. These 3 items came to about $25,000. But then as things began to progress, and gas/diesel prices rose, electricity is becoming so iffy and food is going out of sight, I began to be thankful for y2k and this forum. I really wanted a new little red truck but instead got a genny and a well. All in all, its a good trade off, I be thinking!
Taz

 

[Live Oak]

In the Oak household it wasn't so bad. Mostly I just felt embarassed that so little happened. Yes, I know there were some negative affects but they were for the most part isolated and not very visible to the average joe. I've been trying to get my extended family to prep for years without much success then along came Y2K with both the Red Cross and FEMA saying that at least minimal preps would be a good idea. After all these years of letting it go in one ear and out the other many of them actually listened and put in a few preps. Well, so far as they're concerned it was a total non-event and I haven't felt like even bringing the subject up again since. The only saving grace was that Hurricane Floyd blew by the next year and reminded everyone that disasters come natural as well as man-made.

={(Oak)-

 

[Jesse]

Embarrasment wasn't an issue for us! We're STILL prepping!

When you've been a missionary for well over a quarter of a century telling people that Jesus is coming back "anytime," (and He hasn't yet) warning about Y2K had about as much effect on them as an old lady peeing in the ocean.

Besides, I happen to think we've had a couple of years of SERIOUS "happening" things!

Has anyone on this board EVER lived through a time when your life (and privacy) has been MORE invaded by TPTB, you've watched MORE prophecy fulfilled, witnessed MORE wars and reports of wars, MORE potentially globally disasterous dis-eases to humans and animals, MORE ridiculous weather patterns, MORE inept government, MORE earthquakes than at any other time in history, MORE economic uncertainty globally, MORE religious persecution, MORE TEOTWAWKI scenarios...ad infinitum!

I haven't! STILL prepping here for sure. And "The End Of The World As We Knew It" happened a while ago. It just isn't finished with us yet! MOO, - YMMV. - Jesse.

[ 06-01-2001: Message edited by: Jesse ]

 

[window2watcher]

Jesse
Yes WWII.

I prepared for 8 and took most the food preps for 6 accross country in my trusty Toyota long bed after roll over. Was slow going at times. Within months of 2000 I quit my job and went into retirement. Just plain pooped and y2k prep was the last big push or so I thought. Now I'm cranking up to another adventure. Wonder what it will be? plotting, plotting, plottiing-------

 

[AbbyLane2001]

See I knew there were some stories to be told. As for moving the water, no way I had to give away hundreds of gallons, to a know not that filled their goldfish pond.

The there was the kerosine, major, I couldn't put in a uhaul, so I called the city to see what to do with and guess who showed up, the city FEMA, tried to fine me for having it plus the heaters, now these were all in an out building, but they took it the heaters and lamps anything they saw once they were there. But decided not to fine me when they saw a few lawn mowers and said 'lady you want to keep those' and I said no and they left without hauling me off.

My husband bailed in Sept before roll(traitor!) over so I was alone for roll over, but with my niece following the roll over as they occured around the world and it was a email hectic day.

I kept most of the food. The stuff that was getting old I gave to churches.

So now I sit in a city with 3 million people just knowing that this will be a nightmare when it comes down.

I don't regret prepping wish I was where I was then because there was a good chance I could have held out with what I had learned about surviving.

Now I need to be able to get to take a look at this stuff to see whats what, but thats hard without the space to spread out.

I gave away so much stuff it wasn't funny, cook stoves.

I am near the 'traitor' now who is still no help, oh he may save his butt but will be no help to me, and I will now have to be careful that he doesn't take me out to get what I have left.

I hate naysayers and saying I told you so will not be of much comfort in this case.

Abby who made a REAL BIG MISTAKE!

 

[dr wongski]

1

You want to talk burnout! How about living in the jewel of the Northwest Vancouver B.C.,visiting Starcucks coffee everyday and having people say oh oh here comes that weird guy again.Almost lost 2 of my best friends,till i found some stranger friends to vent on.Spent 4 grand on some preps but mostly wanting to party till the end[still paying of course[stocked up my apartment with lot's of junk food had to throw most of it out.The worst was being totally schizoid believeing one moment we'll get through it, the next if I can get used to BBQ squirrel.The only consolation I have is I know from further searching Y2k indeed had a major impact but it's the slo mo while is good,gives us real doomers a second chance.

[ 06-01-2001: Message edited by: dr wongski ]

 

[AbbyLane2001]

dr,

Here on losing friends, neighbors would say well if it happens we'll just come over to your place, and I had visions of all these people standing in my yard saying hey you made this happen (duh?) and now you take care of us.

Now as for the ex, he said I needed to stop living on the edge so much (don't worry be happy mentality), he is a programmer and he knew what was coming and you are right it did come but different than we expected, but what we are going to see is much worse than we had imagined when we were waiting for roll over.

Abby

 

[ittybit]

Still recovering from it all (maybe). I'm an inverterate doomer, though I'm trying to mend ma' ways. Every bet I've made in the past 5 years has gone against me. My wife sayz I'm just 'early' on these things (she's being sweet). What I'm trying to do now is get some sense of balance going so that I can keep from driving myself into the ground.

I've got about 3 tonnes of wheat sitting in bags out under a tent...just staring at me every time I go past. The current home we are finishing was all designed for 'hard times', but not done yet...its getting to be a drag doing it all myself. Seems I've often put a great burden on myself to accomplish huge loads, when no one else is doing much other than living day to day.

Once the place is set enough for us to move in I will take a break, slow down, do some vacating, mentally zone out and chill. I've stopped monitoring the world for the next sign of downturn, doom or alien invasion. (Oh, hi! Do you want a glass of fruit juice? No, I don't know any leaders on this planet, sorry...but maybe you'd like to take a seat and just talk about the weather or how the kids are doing...)

(Formerly ditdot)

 

[dkulha]

"...but what we are going to see is much worse than we had imagined when we were waiting for roll over".

I'm afeared you're right there Abby. My original concept was that "Y2K" didn't define the timing for an event but the beginning of a period of drastic change and to all appearances I believe I was right. Never expected things to crash and burn on 1/1/00 but for things to start becoming increasingly tougher around the world (markets, resources, conflicts, etc.). Looking at the financial world, international relations, energy, world health and the like I'm starting to regroup and continue to fine tune my preps.

 

[stillprepping]

jesse,
<<.. We're STILL prepping!>>

hey thats my line! i'm still serious here about continuting/increasing with our preps. unfortunately, wife isnt in the same frame of mind, but she puts up with me i guess.

and things SURE have been getting worse since the rollover. almost like y2k in slow motion. it gets me to thinking what this time next year will be like. hmmm .. think i'll start another post on that topic.

anyway, the biggest change i've made is once i realized that the food we stored would be gone in the not-too-distant future, and how vital it was that we try to create a 'system' for producing as much of our own as possible.

its pretty much a foregone conclusion that we cant be 100% self-sufficient, so i've started growing/raising a lot more food and raising a lot more chickens than i think we'll need .. for barter, selling, whatever .. and let me tell you ... ITS TOUGH BEING A FARMER! especially when u dont know what you're doing!

but we're learning a lot, and having fun in the meantime. the kids love the our 'ladies' (all 100 of em) with all their idiosyncracies.

so like mr natural would say .. keep on prepping .. err .. trucking!

 

[jed brulen]

I'm still waiting for that y2k movie ...Year to Kill. That was my title btw. Fortunately there's still an enhanced calm in the sheeple. I'm inclined now to think they will never awaken because they were already DOA. I don't have a burnout story, mostly since it all was such a surprise. I would have expected the economy to be more in the dumps but it isn't so ... that's life. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Michiana MaJo]

Some of you preppers are howlarious! I can sure identify with you, too! I'm really not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you!

I bought so much storage food, before the rollover (thinking my adults kids would need a refuge, from their city place), and I'm still adding to my preps.

My basement is so full of stuff that I won't even let my own (grown) kids down there....they'd really think I'm whacked out! I'll never have the oomph to move all this stuff, if I wanted to move to a nice retirement place. I'll have to stay here 'til they carry me out!

I'm looking into getting some shelving to put up, which would alleviate the problem of things still in the grocery bags, but whatever needs doing, will have to be done by me. I'd be embarassed to have a handyman see my unorganized stash! One of these days!
Actually, one room does have boxes and boxes of storage food neatly stacked, but the bags of groceries I've added since then, have no home, as yet. I haven't started to use the #10 cans of anything, yet- I'll give them another year. Bought some more dairy items, recently- with the worry about Mad Cow and shortages, if F&M Disease comes here.

Abby, not that it's any of our business, but I'm wondering why you moved closer to your "traitor" ex? In fact, you sounded like you preferred the former location.

Also, I am utterly shocked that the FEMA guys would confiscate your heaters, Abby.
What did they do with your kerosene? I think everyone and his brother bought kero and heaters, before the rollover. I know I did! If I don't need my kero in another year or so, don't know what to do with it. Guess I should call FEMA to dispose of it, then!

Ittybit- I love your story! That wheat concerns me, tho- I'm afraid it will be infested with bugs, or rodents will get to it, or dampness will cause mold. That's a lot of wheat to just be lying around in plastic bags, unless you're just pulling our legs.

Taz, you two sure did spend a lot of money prepping (I spent plenty, too, but not that much.) But, you can rest assured you'll be ready for about anything, and some of you writers could be correct.....what's coming down the pike might be worse than Y2K. Like Jesse pointed out, there are just too many potential crises we face.

It's nice to have friends who share the same doomer mentality and understand each other.

 

[Manyhats]

I did not have a clue about what I was doing.Just buying and following the advice of all the posters who really seemed to know a lot.What was bad for me was it all got to my mind.Would wake up in the middle of the night sweating from a bad dream that the desperate were trying to break into the house to kill and steal.Was really stressed out for about 6 weeks.Still have the dream now and then,But my friends'Smith&Wesson' provide some comfort.

 

[Michiana MaJo]

Manyhats.....what a sad tale. It's good to know that that Smith cough drops and Wesson oil give you so much comfort. (Just being punch-drunk, tonite, with all of these bedtime stories!)

 

[Manyhats]

Michiana...of course they are cough drops.Better to be a little punch drunk than just punched Sleep well Manyhats

 

[Prairie Lady]

No nightmares here! It took me 2 years to prep for 6 months and I am glad i did! I fed anywhere from 2-11 for six months and fed us all well. TSHTF for us this winter with reduced pay, reduced hours, and increased costs so I was GLAD I had preps! Consequently, we survived and were in a position to assist others who ran into some hard times this winter.

Had we not prepped, it would most certainly have been a night mare!

The only things I bought during those 6 months were occasional milk, butter, cereal, eggs...ok..fresh dairy. And if I found a sale on really cheap meat, I bought that to keep things going, but that was rare as prices began to increase and stay high.

I am very glad I kept all the rice in the freezer or I would have lost that. My only regret was in not having cash enuf to buy more than I did, and in not home canning/drying meats.

This year I put in a bigger garden and I pray it produces well for us! It's already fought tornados (18 in one day) and baseball hail for it's survival and we are thanking God that they didn't hit our house as we saw them fall...

Made me realize once again how vulnarable I still am without emergency shelter, or any way of obtaining such.

I am not at all embarassed about 2k rollover as I didn't expect a whole lot to happen with that. My antenna was more focused on recession and hardship we could expect to endure once the veil of deceit was removed from the phaux monarchy we had as a government and the pretend good economy. It will get worse before it gets better! Keep prepping!

PL