Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #51
Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #51
Good morning!
Thanks everyone for stopping by to read this week's Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #51. We are one week away from our 1st year anniversary at Hope for Survival. I know many of you joined this journey at the start. We appreciate your time and support Very much. It has been an amazing learning experience as we put this site together.
What a crazy week. I thought last week was upside down. Wow. Hopefully we are all here again to share a few minutes together. The coffee is fresh so load your cup or grab some hot tea. We are practicing virtual social distancing so relax and enjoy some time. Enjoy! I tried to get Ms. Lucy to make us some zero calorie virtual Belgian waffles but that seemed to fail. Maybe next time?
I posted the audio clip from my radio interview on WTKI, Huntsville, AL, to discuss Preparedness. It is about 15 total minutes. It is posted on HFS video page and HFS YouTube channel if you would like to listen. As time permits, I will try and post short training type videos to help assist folks with some basics of Preparedness. Security, Communication, Water, Shelter and such. Check it out when you have time. Subscribe to the site if you desire. Bring family and friends.
Here is the link to the podcast – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQn_1coaGM&feature=emb_logo
I need to mention a couple of items really quick before we go find out which hole the rabbit is hiding in.
Complete - March Madness HFS Donation Drive – Ms. Lucy and I want to give a huge thanks of appreciation to those who donated to the HFS Donation Drive. It was the first time we have conducted a donation drive for the HFS site and we are very pleased with the overwhelming kindness and giving. Thank you very much for your support and generosity.
Hope for Survival 1st Anniversary website fun….. Let’s do something fun to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the HFS Website. Fun!!!! We like fun, right? I heard a rumor Festus has been practicing his Elvis act. Relax Festus, it has been a tense week. Back to the contest, this is wide open and anyone who reads the website can participate.
During the next week I would like for those interested in participating to draft an article for submission to the Hope for Survival team for review. On Saturday, April 11, 2020 (Week 52) we will announce a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place winner if enough folks participate. Your name will be protected and not posted. I will only share your submission with your approval. There will be prizes. I have a box of goodies that I purchase throughout the year to use as prizes at the end of my classes at Heritage Life Skills. I will probably use some of the goodies from it, except for the 1st Place Prize. Okay, 3rd place will be a $25 gift card, 2nd place will be a $50 gift card, and 1st place will be a $100 gift card. If you want or plan to participate please send me a quick email letting me know and title the message HFS Anniversary contest. Thanks.
The topic I want you to address is to tell us how the HFS website and information has aided and/or helped your Preparedness efforts in some way. Telling us you are more motivated is great. But you need to tell us what you accomplished with the motivation? How has it helped you in building plans? Has it helped change you personally? Share how you are helping and encouraging others to start preparing, and why. If you need further clarity just message me. I know without a doubt you are a thinking group of very smart individuals. I know this from the emails you send to me. This is not a talent contest or writing contest for grammatical skills. This is about you and your preparedness growth.
If the supporting authors would like to participate feel free. This is a great chance to share your thoughts, lessons learned and have fun. Let me tell you, do not use “I don’t like to write” as your excuse. I would guess at least 5 of the 8 guest authors will tell you when I first approached them, they said “I can’t write” or “I don’t like to write” and guess what? They now tell me they enjoy writing but they just have trouble picking a topic.
So, bottom line, start drafting and email us your product by Thursday, April 9th. That gives you basically 6 days to think about it and 1 day to write it. Ha. Just pretend you are posting on Facebook and put a title on it. Make it fun!!!
Time is precious so let's move ahead .......
HEALTH ALERT: The Coronavirus awareness level should have increased during the recent weeks. The infected numbers are still sky rocketing and deaths the same. We just suffered our first 24-hour period where over 1,000 deaths occurred in America. Like I have said previously, there is no need to panic but folks should remain ALERT to their news and surroundings as well as guidance from the national leadership. Maintain your social distancing as a priority. If you are healthy count your blessings. Here is the link to my weekly C-Virus update posted on Wednesday of each week. https://www.hopeforsurvival.com/post/covid-19-coronavirus-update-april-1-2020?siteRevision=17
Here is some non-CDC approved Coronavirus training for your pleasure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr_tEdQvFcc&feature=youtu.be It was important to share that bit of guidance. Lastly, Festus sent this down from the mountain on how the social distancing is working out for him. I asked if him and his family remained healthy and intact and he sent this back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmUXntGlqFI&feature=youtu.be I would take that as a yes. Remember, keep grounded, don’t panic, and take a deep breath.
TRAINING: I don’t know about you, but I love training. Anything and everything to improve my skills, thinking, and ability to do task better in smarter ways. With the cancellation of Heritage Life Skills 2020, which is a great event, I will be doing some training type podcast and posting on the HFS YouTube channel for your watching pleasure. I will offer some of the basic framework and concepts to the subject being discussed, however time constraints will force a briefer version to in-resident training.
Zoom Video Teleconferencing - I would like to start a once per week, conference call type set up using Zoom. I participated in an event this week with like minded individuals using Zoom and it was easy, clear in video and audio, and worked out great. Each person has download Zoom on their computer or phone, and then let me know if you want to participate in the event that I set up. I will then email that person or group the meeting ID number and they simply load that meeting ID number in to the Zoom event registration box and they are entered in. So, as an example, let’s say I have scheduled a group video teleconference for Sunday at 5 pm EST, I will then email anyone with zoom who wants to participate the meeting ID ahead of the event. Then, at 455 pm EST on Sunday, they would go to the zoom site and enter the ID I provide to them and then we could hang out and chat about preparedness and how things are going. It allows for social distancing so its an easy way to be safe and still learn and share. If you are interested please let me know via email ASAP. By the way, it’s free.
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
NOTE: Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and authors of this site are not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. We do our best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. We take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay.) When all else fails…remember the famous words of General Joseph Stillwell, ”illegitimis non carborundum!!” (Don’t let the bas-turds grind you down)
Okay, lets get moving forward…
Thoughts for the week –
Ms. Lucy and I decided a couple weeks ago to grab our “stuff” and head east to our eastern TN home to ride out the virus and any other impacts of the virus. Anyone who said teleworking is easier than going to the office is easier should have their head examined. But, through technology and lots of patience we are able to continue doing the nations work and call to duty. How long this takes is unknown. we must plan for the long haul and pray for the short to mid term length. My gut tells me mid to late summer as the best outcome. I don’t have a magic ball so we must plan for the long haul. So should you.
Next…
Teleworking starts around 5 AM EST. I connect my government laptop and start pulling charts and Covid 19 numbers impacting the nation and a few specific states. It is important information that someone is using at some location out of my site. I don’t know the person who uses the data. I’m inputting numbers yet I feel so far away. I find myself drifting away in thought as I admire the beauty of the sun rising from the east over the lake and hills.
Life changes as the sun lights up my view. In ways it’s like being on an island. Sometimes I feel like Tom Hanks must have felt stranded on the island. Granted I do have lots of squirrels running and playing as the sun rises before my eyes. It’s spectacular to watch. Sometimes I wonder if I should name one particular squirrel “Wilson” as he just hangs around not really serving a purpose it seems. Here I am in a small TN town that hasn’t awaken or perked up to life on this day. Will it be any different than yesterday or tomorrow? I don’t know. No one seems