Mid-year I got a reader question inviting me to review the DuoLingo language-learning application. Since then I have given a lot of thought as to how to present such a review and after almost a full year of daily use I feel prepared to do so. This article is an in-depth DuoLingo review. Continue reading “An In-Depth DuoLingo Review”
Category: Self Reliance
Building resiliency into your life, both for increased freedom and for dealing with emergencies big and small.
Beyond Tactical: Black Medical Gloves
I’ve observed a recent trend of cops and even some firefighters wearing black medical gloves. Black medical gloves come with a lot of popular prepacked “IFAK”-style medical kits. This is a good example of “too tactical,” or the cart leading the horse. If you buy a first aid kit that comes with black medical gloves, find some new gloves. I’ll explain why.
Micropreparedness: Keep Your Gas Tank Half Full
This isn’t exactly news to the preppers out there, but an excellent way to improve your preparedness is to keep your car’s gas tank half full..at least. Keeping some gas in your tank serves more purposes than you might think. Let’s talk about them. Continue reading “Micropreparedness: Keep Your Gas Tank Half Full”
Fire Emergency Preparedness
Most people reading this blog have spent thousands of dollars on guns, ammo, holsters, and training. I’m betting most of you would balk at the idea of spending a few hundred bucks on fire prevention stuff. Fire will kill you and your family just as dead as a mass shooter…and is a much more likely threat. How much energy and attention have you put into fire emergency preparedness? Continue reading “Fire Emergency Preparedness”
2021 Goal Progress: October
In January of 2021 I committed to some New Year’s resolutions: spend 15 minutes per day learning Spanish, workout 3 times per week, shoot my bow 3 times per week, read 73 books, and stay off tobacco. This is my progress so far in the year. Continue reading “2021 Goal Progress: October”
Preparedness: A Realistic Bug Out Bag
The Bug Out Bag (bugout bag, B.O.B., or go bag) is the first place many people start with preparedness. Honestly, if it gets you started, GREAT – it’s a start! Unfortunately the bug out bag is often plagued with unrealistic expectations. Fantasies of “living off the land,” “heading for the hills,” and the “zombie apocalypse” too often color the concept of the bug out. Today I offer you a treatise on a much more useful, realistic bug out bag. Continue reading “Preparedness: A Realistic Bug Out Bag”
2021 Goal Progress – September
In January of 2021 I committed to some New Year’s resolutions: spend 15 minutes per day learning Spanish, workout 3 times per week, shoot my bow 3 times per week, read 73 books, and stay off tobacco. This is my progress so far in the year. Continue reading “2021 Goal Progress – September”
Becoming a Paramedic
Today I write to you as a a fully-credentialed, practicing paramedic. This post is going to talk about how I got here, and the road to becoming a paramedic. I’ve written about this a little bit before, when I had just started school. There seems to be a lot of mystery about becoming a paramedic, so today I’d like to go into a bit more depth. Here’s my experience. Yours might be a bit different. Continue reading “Becoming a Paramedic”
Survival Cooking: DIY Denatured Alcohol Stove
The soda can stove has always intrigued me. It’s about as cheap as a camping stove can possibly get: it takes about 30 minutes of your time and can be made from two soda cans. Fuel is also cheap; a gallon of denatured alcohol will cost you under $20 at Lowes. Today I’m going to talk about the infinitely accessible “soda can stove” or DIY denatured alcohol stove. Continue reading “Survival Cooking: DIY Denatured Alcohol Stove”
Build Rapport: Give a Toast and Tell a Joke
Several years ago I found myself needing to give a toast in front of a bunch of co-workers. I was able to give one, but it certainly wasn’t pretty. I vowed never to be in that scenario again. If ever again asked to make a toast, I would be ready. Likewise with a joke. Everyone should know how to give a toast and tell a joke. Let’s discuss. Continue reading “Build Rapport: Give a Toast and Tell a Joke”