Looking over some blogs today, and trying to decide where the balance is when it comes to "prepping." I live in a suburban area, and while I'm fortunate enough to own another property that's remote, has an independent water supply, and great land for farming, it's just too darned far away from anything to live there full time. My family needs some contact with modern society, and that property, as much as I love it there, just doesn't cut it.

So, as a suburbanite, how do you balance being cautious and prepared, and having realistic expectations of your logistical situation, all while not morphing into a raving Kazinskiite?

Some of these blogs... wow. Many are good, with great, practical info. But some of these folks take it just a bit too far. They've got three-thousand pounds of rice and wheat squirreled away around their property in five gallon buckets. ("Hey honey, what's for dinner?" "Wheat." There's only so much surviving you can do.) Not only have these folks drawn up strategic defense plans for their "retreat," but in each of their 300 food buckets they've packed a 9mm handgun and two spare magazines, and they've learned how to fashion claymore mines out of a latex glove, a handful of dried kidney beans and hairspray. They can rebuild a car engine with a pair of pliers and a butter knife. Some of them have shot their dogs, just so they could practice their field surgery skills and nurse the poor damned thing back to health. The dogs are no good for hunting after a couple of these experiences.

These are the folks that make me wonder exactly how long I'd want to stick around if things went south. But, there's certainly nothing wrong with buying an extra can of ravioli every payday, and keeping a couple of weeks worth of water on hand. Some "home defense implements" are nice to have around, and while I might not be able to fend of a raving pack of zombies, I'm betting I could defend myself against a large racoon or a few cranky possums.

So, I'm going to continue "prepping," but only in the reasoned, measured scale of one who's just slightly paranoid.

Be nice, relax, and hug the census worker who comes to your house, she's probably bugged.