Preparedness

In the last few weeks it only took having news releases become news reports with the mention of one word for consumers to go bananas as they headed for the grocery store.(pun intended). The word? Ration!

There had been rumors and reports for weeks, even months, about food shortages in war torn countries. We read reports of greedy warlords keeping food supplies from reaching starving citizens.

And of course there were all of the political pundits and rhetoric about “the other” candidate’s party being the cause of escalating prices and out-of-site, soaring oil prices causing more shortages, including foods.

Within an extremely short time panic had hit the checkout and suddenly many, many people were intensely interested. Not necessarily in a preparedness program, but above all they wanted to get their share of the rice and flour that was no longer going to be available – because of the threat of rationing. And the rationing was immediately accomplished in the stores by cardboard signs proclaiming “LIMIT” 2 – 20# BAGS PER CUSTOMER.” Bags of rice and flour, stacked on carts, were being brought into the store. My husband and I witnessed 20-pound bags of rice, which the week before had cost $3.69, whisked off the cart as people jostled to make sure they got their two bags at $11.99 each! That weekend, just such a short time ago, the same scene played out in every supermarket that we went into, the shelves were depleted of flour and rice.

Of course my warped sense of humor came into play and I thought about all of these many, many customers who had been convinced to load up on lots of rice and flour at highly inflated prices. I wondered what they were going to be able to do with excessive amounts of just rice and flour, especially if the foods they previously purchased had been mostly prepared or partially prepared convenience foods.

Which brings me to the point! Is it Preparedness or Panic? I would suggest that many of those who bought as much rice and flour as they could, bought with a sincerity of heart, but not too much common sense. I would also suggest that fear, driven by marketing strategies is what caused many of those substantial purchases.

Some of you could be thinking, “Well, Barbara, at least something is better than nothing! After all they were trying!” Yes – sort of.

Let me offer a few insights to help if any of you are caught in the position of wanting to buy; knowing that you need to buy, and in many instances feeling pressured because of the headlines and the resulting, rampant tidal wave of panic.

First, be knowledgeable about what you or your family can or can’t eat. Just because a food is being promoted or someone says it is good for you does not mean you should buy it. There is a rule of thumb that must be followed – don’t buy just to be buying, especially when it comes to food! Always consider allergies, food triggers or other dietary problems such as diabetes before
stocking–up.

Next, if you are counting on having a small amount of money or a set amount of money to purchase preparedness items, such as a tax return do not spend it all on one or two items. Stretch it as far as it will go. Stretch it until screams. Remember, according to Barbara, the thrill of the hunt and finding the best way to stock your cupboard is sometimes one of the “best parts” of preparedness.

Variety is a key word. You will hear this emphasized over and over in my blogs. Plan on paper how to stretch your buying power. Rather than buying two 20-pound bags of rice, buy one 10-pound bag rice, some flour, some seasonings, some canned tomato sauce, a small bag of lentils and a few cans of cream soups, as well as some oil and sugar. Or after thinking about it, make your own list. A sufficient amount of a variety of foods could be put back so that you could do more than exist on boiled grain should an emergency arise.

Remember, it is not meant to be food–storage! Make sure that you and your family will consider whatever foods you buy now as edible when you need to eat it. If not it is a total waste of money – and food.

Yes, you must store them, as in take care of them properly. But don’t store them - or just keep them - with the attitude that they can be an inheritance for your great grandchildren. You can be in big trouble if you buy foods to store but not to eat.

If you purchase foods to store, of course, you can always stash them under the bed where the dust bunnies roam. Soon the nests of bunnies can be joined by the colonies of weevil and there will be a regular zoo under there. But … you will have stored your supply.

Another most important point is that you want a preparedness program, not just food! What kind of equipment do you need? What other areas will leave you in the dark if you have not prepared adequately.

We have been taught that even in Book of Mormon days that provisions were required, not just food. . In 1 Nephi 18:6 we read, “ … After we had prepared all things, much fruit and meat from the wilderness and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship …”

Listen to the news, but more importantly listen to the prophet and plan your preparedness.

And almost as important, remember the chocolate!

Being caught with an out-of-date resume is not a pleasant experience. But normally it would not matter ... unless you've just been laid off.

That is why it is important that you stay on top of keeping your resume current. Not a fun job, perhaps, but your future job just may rely on it.

Here are a few tips and ideas to help you complete this task - not only once, but consistently. And before we get to the tips, just know that my family has faced this situation not once, but twice.

Both of my husband's layoffs came as a surprise to us. Even with word of pending layoffs, my husband had been guaranteed his job would not be impacted. Well, apparently in this life there are no guarantees, because both times his job was swallowed up in the gaping hole that submerged all the other newly un-employed individuals.

Quicker than he could mouth the word, "What?," he then faced dusting off his resume to bring it up-to-date. Both times it was a laborious process, because it wasn't something he'd thought about much. Now we know better and he at least yearly revisits the thing. But in this world, perhaps even yearly is not enough to keep a resume vibrant and current.

Thus, here are a few suggestions to help you keep your resume current.

1) Find sample resume books.

Constructing a current resume need not be hard. Why re-create the wheel? If you want to be prepared (and being prepared includes job preparedness), at least once a year check out a few resume books. There are many different kinds in libraries and in book stores. Glance through them and decide if you would like to adjust the format of yours. Take one hour on a Saturday yearly to do so - and voila! That part is done!

2) Talk with others.

Ask others what they've felt to be most impact-full in the format of their resumes. Invite feedback from others. Host a resume swap party where those you trust all come for treats and a chance to inspect each other's resumes and share constructive criticism. Make it simple. Use the approach, "Each one brings one." In other words, don't have people bring multiple copies of their resumes; each person just brings one copy to pass around and for people to make notes on.

You might be surprised just how effective this can be. Book authors don't get a book published without an editor making essential tweaks; why let your job rest on your thoughts alone? Instead, make use of good friends and family members to help edit this all important document. You never know when you might need it desperately to bring in your next job.

3) Get a journal and keep it.

On the last Saturday of the month, set aside an early hour in the day before everyone else is awake. Treat yourself to donuts and while enjoying them, jot down any new job assignments you received in the past month. Also, record any completed responsibilities you feel particularly good about. You know what they say: "Little by little soon becomes a lot." Nowhere is this more evident than over time: in monthly installments, record your successes from your place of employment (even if self-employed). Then when your yearly "resume date" rolls around (see step #1), you'll have much to expand or add to your resume.

Again, little by little soon becomes a lot. One might remain in their job for decades. But as most modern-day employees know, those pink slips can show up at annoyingly and frighteningly difficult times. But now you'll be ready!

Oh, that other aspects of preparedness could be this easy!

(Not only will this activity help you keep a dynamic resume, but it also will help you in your yearly review with your employer.)