Ah, your friendly neighborhood mall parking lot. Who among us hasn’t experienced the joys of circling for endless minutes looking for an empty space? How long has it been since you managed to avoid acquiring new dents in your doors? When was the last time you were cut off by a clueless fellow driver? Yes, parking lots can be huge …
Everyday “SA” – Situational Awareness for Aspiring Jane Bournes
“I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left-handed, and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs 215 pounds and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the gray truck outside….” –Jason Bourne, The Bourne Identity Wouldn’t …
Hiking Calamities: How to Avoid Them…and How to Handle Them
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, I used to get paid to hike. For over a decade, I was a professional biologist who spent a buttload of time in the field. I searched for plants. I collected data on plants. I collected plant samples and took them back to the lab for analysis. And I …
Google Maps Is Making Us Stupid! Three Steps to Repair the Damage
For me, it started with Mapquest. I am famous among my friends for getting lost on city streets, so for me, the advent of an online mapping website was a godsend. How awesome that I could punch in a starting address and an endpoint, and voila! I knew exactly how to get to my destination…and I knew how long it …
Seminar Survival: How to Survive a Seminar without FREEZING to Death!
To paraphrase the illustrious Mark Twain: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in a SEMINAR ROOM.” We’ve all been there, right? It’s 90 degrees outside, yet inside the seminar area, it’s so cold you can practically see your breath. And this phenomenon isn’t unique to seminars. Conventions, conference rooms, movie theaters…so many places that we frequent in …
Using Everyday Life to Hone your Emergency Preparedness Skills
When I meet someone for the first time and tell them that I teach emergency preparedness skills, their responses usually fall into two camps: They’re totally onboard already, and would I like to visit their retreat bunker in the woods to dine on some delectable vintage canned rations? They know they should do something to prepare for emergencies, but it’s …
Pocket Perfection: Top 5 Clothing Items for Women Who Need to Carry Sh!t
READING TIME: 4 min, 10 sec I travel. A lot. Like, more-than-a-million-air-miles-to-date a lot. Of the seven continents on Planet Earth, I’ve stepped foot on six of them…and Antarctica is mere months away on my travel calendar. So I suppose you can imagine that I take my travel clothing seriously. Specifically, I am always and forever on the lookout for …
“Desk Prep”: Emergency Plan for the Office
Q: Where do most of us spend our days? A: At the OFFICE!!! Given this rather depressing fact, chances are pretty high that you’ll be staring at your company-issued computer screen when a disaster strikes. Thankfully, a lot of corporations have solid emergency response plans in place, but even so…if you’re sitting in your office all by your lonesome when …
What Can the Homeless Teach Us About Emergency Preparedness??
Today, I will be addressing emergency preparedness in the context of a sensitive topic. Specifically, I will be looking to the lives of the homeless and examining the creative solutions they have devised for a life on the streets…because if you think about it… In the wake of a major disaster, a lot of people will find themselves HOMELESS! During my …
How to Make Swimming Pool Water (Reasonably) Safe to Drink in an Emergency
Water, water everywhere…but is it safe to drink?? You’ve thought it. I’ve thought it. We’ve all thought it. If there were ever a major catastrophe that caused a long-term disruption in the water supply, your plan is to use your swimming pool’s (or your neighbor’s pool) water to get through the crisis, right? I know that had been MY assumption …