I'm a mild prepper. I've got enough supplies and water on hand for a couple of weeks, plus a solar backpack with rechargeable batteries, USB ports, and a car charger port (cigarette lighter adapter). Other stuff, too.

Some people rib me on occasion: "Waiting for the end times amirite?" The hardcore preppers catch even more grief. "Dude, you're just paranoid. Lighten up." Guess the joke isn't on us anymore.

Seriously, I lost power for a week when Isabel swung through. I decided to be more prepared going forward.

You don't have to be a frontiersman, able to live off the land for months on end. Just think through what you'll need for a week or two to get by. And then get them.

Eldest was working on his Emergency Preparedness merit badge and had o make both a personal and family go bag. He said "Dad, I don't how I'm going to make them. Where do I find this stuff?" Me: "Um, I keep the stuff over here. Make a note of it."

He seemed surprised that I had so much stuff on hand, but as I told him, the fecal matter will inevitably hit the rotary impeller and it's wise to be at lease somewhat prepared.

Now you can't prepare for everything. A hasn't-happened-since-1896 weather occurrence might be outside the normal bounds of preparedness. But you can prepare for a lot of things without too much effort.

And if you're prepared for a lot of things, it usually helps when the really bad things occur. Just an FYI.