From Hermit Economics to Emergency Preparedness

It's 4:09 PM Eastern on Tuesday as I start to write. Earlier this morning, I published Hermit Economics. It's been a relatively poor mental health day for me, and I haven't gotten much else done, though I did just put in a load of laundry not too long ago, which is a big accomplishment. Things took a wrong turn when I couldn't go for a walk because of the poor air quality caused by the Canadian wildfire smoke that is blowing into upstate New York from the north and west. The wildfire smoke causes some discomfort in my throat, even indoors. It also triggers my eco-anxiety and depression. But that's only part of it. Hermit Economics is a difficult role for me emotionally right now. The projects that I need to work on in this role also trigger anxiety and depression. My point, however, is not to dwell in the negative, but to name it and pass through it. God is surely calling me to pay attention and make progress in all my Areas of Responsibility. Each of my life roles is a unique vehicle for learning and teaching in the body of Messiah.

There, it's 4:53 PM, the load of wash is now in the dryer, and I even took a few minutes to test all the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the house, which is something that has been weighing on me since the last time I did it and discovered that the smoke alarms had expired and that we needed an additional carbon monoxide monitor in the basement. My elderly mom had lost track. Replacing those smoke alarms with new ten-year units was a big project for me last year. Now I am working on my follow-through. Just how many chirps signifies a carbon monoxide alarm, versus a smoke alarm? Do I have clear plans for what to do in either event? My carbon monoxide alarm uses four beeps to signal an emergency, and my smoke alarms use three beeps to signal an emergency. Google Gemini suggests that I should behave differently in the event of a four-alarm carbon monoxide emergency than I should for a three-alarm smoke detector emergency. I feel like it is my responsibility to know what to do to protect myself and help my mom downstairs in the event of a crisis. I feel that I have to train myself to be prepared despite the anxiety that comes up for me just by thinking about a possible future crisis. Maybe next Tuesday I will proceed to a mock evacuation walk-through. I don't think I have ever gone that far. Ours has never been that kind of family. Should I keep a go-bag beside my bed? Google Gemini says there are good reasons to consider an underbed go-bag. Wow. Am I falling down a paranoid prepper rabbit hole, or is this part of what it means to be making progress in my recovery?

For next week's session: How to Pack a Go Bag Evacuation Kit. 

If I want to build a Net Zero Hermitage "Gear Kit" from the ground up, it might be a good idea to start with a Go Bag. It feels like an essential part of a resilient American skill set. On the other hand, it might be important to start with something less demanding. Like more laundry, and some vacuuming and dusting in the loft.