Learning Valuable Skills

There are all sorts of folks who prepare in all sorts
of ways and for all sorts of reasons. It seems everyone who does has
their own reasons for doing so.  What ever the reasons, I am just happy
that they do. When I first started prepping I was just trying to stay
ahead of the price of groceries.  I’m still trying.  The problem is that
now it is getting harder and harder to stay ahead. That is where having
and using skills comes in handy.  

I
think one of the most important things we can do is to learn everything
we can.  The more we can do for ourselves the less we will have to
depend on others to do them for us.  There might even come a time that
the things you have learned may well help  keep you alive. Besides,
learning new things can be alot of fun as well as being useful.

Is there something that you have always been interested in but don’t
know how to do?  Why not try your hand at it? Make a list of things that
you would like to learn.  Things that you want to be able to do. Then
just pick one and go for it.  Some might require that you take some
classes but I guarantee that there are plenty that  don’t.  These days
with the internet right at your fingertips there really isn’t much of a
reason not to try your hand at learning something new.  There are great
places to find out how to do a million things. Heck,  there are even
places like YouTube that can show you step by step how to do tons of
things.  There are forums on just about anything as well. Most of the
forums  would be happy to answer any questions you might have.  I am
living proof that even an old dog can learn many new tricks.   I look
back now and am amazed at how just setting your mind to doing something
can make a “want to”  into a “can do”. 

I’ll
give you a couple of examples.  Since I first knew Mars, every year
he’s grown at least a couple of tomato and pepper plants. Of course
these days that has expanded but… back then we would eat all the fresh
stuff we could and the rest ended up being given away or it would just
go to waste.  Now it just broke my heart seeing it go to waste and so I
decided I wanted to learn how to put them up.  So I asked a few
questions and did some research.  I even found a free online canning
class. I started with the easier methods and gathered up the “tools” I
needed to begin.  That year I taught myself how to do Water Bath
Canning. I learned how to put up pickled peppers and tomato’s that year.
I was so excited that I had learned a new skill! Then  I decided I
wanted to learn to put up other things. So I did some more research and I
started saving my money and the next year I bought a pressure canner.  
I learned how to put up lots of different kinds of vegetables.  

Since
then I have learned lots of things that have helped me tremendously in
my prepping.  I consider all  these skills valuable. I also truly enjoy
doing them.  I still have a list and am still learning new things.  I
guess what I am trying to say is why not take some time and learn a new
skill? It may really come in handy some day.  And heck, even if it
doesn’t,  you will be all the wiser for having learned something new.

                              ~~~ Hey … I’m Just Sayin’ … ~~~