Though it's often good to know when something is going to occur, sometimes there is no clear answer. Occasionally there is no answer at all.
When
I'm not particularly fond of uncertainty. If something is supposed to happen then I like to know the time and place so I can be ready for it. In most cases, knowing when is essential if you are coordinating with others. Not knowing when can lead to being too early, too late, or not even considering being anywhere at all.
Then there are those ambiguous whens. There is the unspecified anticipation that something will happen someday but we just don't know when. We might have some vague idea or perhaps no idea whatsoever. When might be dependent on our meeting some other prerequisite. On the other hand, that time we are waiting for might be in the hands of someone else. When might even be a function of natural or spiritual forces coming together at the right time--or the wrong time.
If you know when something will happen then you can try to be ready for it. Not that you will be ready, but at least you have that option to try. We now know when A to Z will happen because it's called the April Challenge. Christmas, Halloween, or U.S. Independence Day have their dates predetermined so that we can make plans before those days arrive.
Fortunately, time is organized for us so that we can prepare for when. That is if we know precisely when is. Otherwise we can ready ourselves for those ambiguities such as when the big one hits, when the power goes out, or when we are facing nuclear attack. Those with foresight might even put a plan B or plan C or even more contingencies into place. Not many of us probably even have a first option set up. Of course we all know how any plan can go astray.
Hopefully, whatever happens, the government will take care of us. At least we like to think that the government has a plan for just about anything when it happens. When it does. When...
Do you have any contingency plans set up for emergencies or disasters? Do you like to improvise actions for unprepared occurrences? If you had a fifteen minute warning of an impending nuclear strike, what would you do?
I have the same title today Lee.
ReplyDeleteI too don't like uncertainty but when it comes one has to handle it the best way we can.
Most enjoyable to read Lee.Excellent choice of word and subject.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, life is always filled with uncertainty so we have to be ready to improvise and hope for the best.
DeleteLee
If we have a tropical cyclone come our plan is for me to go to work and wife evacuate if needed, that's about all the planning we have.
ReplyDeleteMike, even if we plan things might turn out the way we planned for.
DeleteLee
Zero preparedness for nuclear strike. Maybe get family and self into the nearest available underground space? Don't know if that will help though.
ReplyDeleteNilanjana, if a nuclear strike happened where we lived we might not want to survive it.
DeleteLee
That's a really thought provoking read. I vaguely have thought about the scenario of if war breaks out in the world I will be moving to one of a few of the shortlisted places in my mind. That is all the planning I have, a mental list of remote places. I don't think under real threat this would be even possible. The other day I had saved an article about how to survive a nuke attack, but never came to read it. I guess I acknowledge the possibility of world turning upside down. At the same time, I take the threat for granted.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Weltschmerz
Best wishes!
Karnika, If another major war encompassing the entire world broke out it would probably turn out badly for all of us.
DeleteLee
We're more or less ready for hurricanes, which is about the only natural disaster likely to strike. If it came to nuclear war, well the whole town would be gone, so no need to plan for anything.
ReplyDeleteL.Diane, Some people do have plans for nuclear strike though maybe not like they did back in the sixties.
DeleteLee
Wow! Nuclear attack!!?? That is a fear that we actually have no control over so I just let that one go. I have had u expected occurrences happen that have left me unprepared because there was no control over it. For death, I have a will and have things worked out so people left behind don't have to worry. We have an emergency kit in the event power goes out or something occurs where we can't visit the bank. In the end, I'm not going to let the when rule but just be prepared as best as one can.
ReplyDeleteBirgit, What we plan for might not be what we really need when disaster did strike. Hopefully the power grid will never go out like some say. In Los Angeles something like that would probably turn out extremely bad.
DeleteLee
If the power goes out from hurricanes or something, meh, I'll survive. But if a nuke goes boom, 15 mins isn't going to do crap. You can't out run it, so may as well kiss your arse goodbye.
ReplyDeletePat, I think you're right. Even a fallout shelter well stocked might get you through the initial devastation, but the long term effects might not be worth being around to experience.
DeleteLee
Those unspecified whens! I mostly have contingency plans.
ReplyDeleteHR, if you have plans I'll bet you're in a minority.
DeleteLee
Que sera sera. I don't plan for problematical events. A for a nuclear attack, I'd sit back and down as much as I can from my bar! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteAnother day in Amble Bay!
Keith, might as well go out with a bang and get blasted in the process.
DeleteLee
I keep extra water, food and flashlights for minor issues. No contingency plans for major ones because thinking about it makes me anxious.
ReplyDeleteNancy, I try not to think about disaster plans that much and always end up not doing things I thought about doing.
DeleteLee
I used to keep an 'earthquake/storm' kit back in CA & WA but here not so much. I don't want to think about a nuclear strike but you guys elected a dangerous man for President. If you are relying on our govt to take care of us, no matter who is Pres, then you are screwed. They don't give a crap about Americans.
ReplyDeleteJoJo, I don't think anybody anywhere can really rely on their governments. I have greater confidence in the U.S. government than any other and if a nuclear war happened I think it would get started by a wacko country with not much to care about.
DeleteLee
Whoa!!! Contingency plans for emergencies or disasters? Hmmmm Well, not sure I guess kinda sorta... We have a basement and we have a bathroom down there with no windows. We thought of using that in a tornado.. but a nuke.. guess I'll have to die in my love's arms... unless we can make it to our City Hall which is about 10 minutes from us they do have a shelter there. Good question though my friend. Have a great day.. xmasdolly signing off here.
ReplyDeleteMarie, a community shelter might be madness especially if there was not enough room for everyone in town. I don't even know where such a thing is in my community if there are any shelters.
DeleteLee
There are so many 'whens' we have absolutely no control over and I refuse to worry about something that may or may not happen. This attitude has left me unprepared for many a bad situation, but I've survived, so far. ☺ That said, it is a good idea to make end of life arrangements so your loved ones won't be burdened with the stress. Mere lip service at this point, as I haven't done a thing about that, either. At least, we have flashlights in the house to deal with power failures, but those are extremely rare. Pantry and fridge are normally well-stocked, as well. Only 15 minutes to oblivion? (That's the reality of a nuclear strike, IMO.) Hopefully, hubby would be beside me and we would die together.
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, I'm not going to worry over those things that I can't control. Nor am I going to overly prepare for things. We've got cases of water and enough food to last for a while, but that's what happens when you shop at Costco.
DeleteLee
'When' is a very unsettling word. As you said, you might know 'when' is, so you have the option to get ready, and this is comforting. But I think most of what happens to us, especially the most importnat things, we don't know when they will happen.
ReplyDeleteIt's scary. But then, it's also what makes life worth it. Isn't it?
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir
Sarah, the ambiguous "when" can be a bit unsettling, but the matter-of-fact when is essential. I like certain life events to be according to a schedule so I don't waste too much of my time.
DeleteLee
If there were an upcoming nuclear strike, I'd immediately run into the cellar. Even if I were close to the hypocenter, some A-bomb survivors close to the hypocenter were spared because they were below ground, or in the right place at the right time.
ReplyDeleteCarrie-Anne, since we don't have a cellar then we'd just have to stay in the house and see what happened. Nevertheless, if the initial blast didn't kill us and we managed to evade radiation sickness, the civil unrest that would likely follow in an urban area like ours would probably be fatal to us. Let's hope no nuclear disaster hits the U.S.
DeleteLee
It's tough to dwell in the "whens" of possible disasters. We have a couple emergency backpacks and some plans of where to meet up if we are not together if disaster strikes.
ReplyDeleteBut my thoughts went a different direction as I read your post... to the elusive "when" that contains my supposed happiness if I'm not careful...
*When such-a-such stressful time ends, then I can breathe again.
*I'll be happy when we leave for vacation.
*When the weekend arrives, I'm going to relax.
*I'll have more time when the kids are raised. (HA, that never happened.)
Trudy @ Reel Focus
Food in Film: Watermelon
Trudy, since my kids moved away and started their own families I do seem to have more time. Still I wouldn't mind babysitting and other family things if I could be closer to them.
DeleteThere is a lot of uncertainty in life, but that's a big part of what keeps us on our toes.
Lee
Do you ever consider that God set up time so our poor minds could process things in "order", what it is going to be like in heaven when time won't be in existence?
ReplyDeleteCW, I do think there is God "time" which is the same as Heaven time. We are so accustomed to the linear order of time that it makes sense and probably because it really does make sense.
DeleteDid that make sense?
Lee
Hm... WHEN something happens I'll THINK about making some kind of plans. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteCalen~
Impromptu Promptlings
A to Z Challenge Letter W
Calen, I tend to be more of a wing-it type person as well. Rather than make plans that might not work when the time come I'll just improvise.
DeleteLee
If there's going to be a nuclear strike in NYC or DC, I'm gonna die or at least get really sick. I could maybe get to a fallout shelter in 15 minutes, maybe. But I wouldn't count on it.
ReplyDeleteI don't live my life worrying about what I can't control. This is the land of my people, and outsiders have nearly wiped us out before. I take the fact that I'm still here, born among the same trees, as a good sign.
When is a tough thought. Better to get lost working on Zen. ;)
J, surviving the nuclear attack could mean wishing one had died.
DeleteLee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI like being prepared if possible. It's hard to be prepared for everything but everything within reason but if I had 15 mins before a nuclear strike then I'd grab the Duck Tape and seal the windows up. I'm sure that's not enough time and my goose will be cooked. Maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones to die in the blast, earth's loss is heaven's gain. :)
Art Sketching Through the Alphabet "W" (Walking Dead & Waves)