Situational Awareness or Paranoia?

[skb12172]

This is only the latest of several incidents between us. I'll confine my ranting to the most recent.

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I were in Rochester, NY over Labor Day weekend. Our hotel room was on the 12th floor of a 25 floor downtown, high-rise. As is my habit in this type of environment, I immediately scoped out the fire exit pathway, both down to lobby and street level.

SWMBO said I reminded her of an old boyfriend who was OCD. He would excuse himself, run back to a previously exited room, and re-exit in the manner prescribed by his illness. Then, she criticized me for being "paranoid." "You always have a gun. You are always scanning the people around us. All this scouting of possible exits. Really, how likely is it this stuff will actually happen? There is still no guarantee you will win. I say if something happens, then it does. I'm not going to worry about it."

I responded that I wasn't worried about it, either. I know there is no guarantee. I make what I consider to be reasonable precautions. Then, knowing that I've given myself a fighting chance, I'm at peace with whatever happens.

SWMBO admits she has control issues of her own. Not being able to control my behavior in this type of thing is very irksome to her. I don't ask you for your opinions, because I KNOW I'm right. My question is this...

How often are you guys ridiculed/dismissed by your loved ones who have a similar "sheeple" attitude? How do you respond? I've had some girlfriends who felt very safe by my preparations. Others would snort and snicker in a similar fashion, except on the rare occasion or two that something DID happen. Then, oh boy, I was the big hero. Was I ever. <snort>

Fire Away!

[Ben Rumson]

Scouting fire exits in hotels is mandatory.

The one who must be obeyed must not have ever been jumped ( I have a couple of times as a kid before I entered "will not be fucked with stage") anytime in her life or the overall situational awareness would be excused.

My future ex wife seemed puzzled by me wanting to stock extra food and stuff. Now I'm out and the pantry is damn near empty. As soon as I get in my permanent residence I'll be restocking. And actually stocking for her as well as the kids so I can feed them when the SHTF.

[Bob K]

Once, while watching "Safe House" starring Patrick Stewart as a retired secret agent. After a series of incidents, his adult children are called upon to clear his house of firearms. The daughter finds a pistol in the bath room, turns to her brother, and says, "Who keeps a pistol in the bathroom?"

I have always kept a pistol in the bathroom.

Friend/Wife had a G&T blasting out her nose.

On a serious note, yesterday the CPD posted flyers on trees on our block about a crew of home invaders/robbers. One of their hits was a half-block away. F/W suggested, "Can you get out something heavier than the hand guns?"

[blackeagle603]

Lately, I'm realizing I have a shotgun shortage around the house. Need a couple more shortbarrels 12 ga stashed around. We have a relatively long floor plan and time to access a long gun from some locations is greater than I like.

Wish we could just hang them over doors on horns or horseshoes like was common in my neck of the woods as a yute.

[Precision]

The GF used to think I was a lttle nutso in that regard.

Between her battle with (victory over) cancer and getting divorced for a psychopath, she had discovered that she values her own life. Part of that discovery has opened her eyes to the fact that without a plan you are completely flat footed. She doesn't like being at the mercy of the fates any more.

She now carries, takes the entry door viewing seat unless she is with me, understands and agrees that we need more gamma seal pails for dry food storage, helped me stock in 4 cases of bottled water, is helping accelerate my venison jerky production and storage.

Hell, she is even using the 2 is 1, 1 is 0 theory with dogfood.

Sometimes it just takes life to hit the person with the 2x4 of knowledge

[arctictom]

My wife respects my 'situational awareness' and at this point just goes with it. "No babe, he is not changing a tire he and his friend have gone around the block twice with tire irons in their hands , we are leaving this restaurant now "
I just consider it part of being a guy.

[Greg]

Never. Not once. Not even the most insane girls I've been associated with had problems with me taking precautions to keep them safe.

My wife has more firearms experience than I do. She also grew up in the country where if the sheriff or paramedics responded in only 45 minutes you were lucky, and the power going out for days at a time was a yearly thing. So looking after yourself and being prepared come naturally to her, which is nice. But I'm lucky.

The city girls I've dated who didn't have direct experience with the *need* to be prepared, they still understood physical security- knowing what are bad neighborhoods, keeping your eyes open and your head up, not putting yourself in situations where things can surprise you...

<snarky comments> Kinda sorry you find yourself being belittled by what sounds like a spoiled princess with a lifelong case of affluenza. </snarky comments>

[skb12172]

A few points of information:

Not my wife. She is my girlfriend.

She grew up in a VERY sheltered and safe area. She is also the daughter of a pacifist minister.

She has a Master's degree in Counseling and wants to save/understand everyone.

She tolerates my CCW habits, but everytime I even try to show her how to hold an unloaded handgun, she shakes and practically seizes up.

After a year, this relationship is going south for several reasons. I won't dish on my additional issues with her for the sake of politeness, but one of her many issues with me is the fact that I'm

"100%, completely All Boy. It's just too much. It's overload."

Apparently, she finds me a bit barbaric and cynical in my world-view, compared to her genteel upbringing. I am a different flavor for her, as she usually goes for the emo type.

Coincidence or not, two of her ex's have come out of the closet. Not gay-bashing here, because I spent five years in musical theater, for pete's sake. Not a homophobic bone in my body. I'm simply stating a fact.

[HTRN]

Chance favors the prepared mind ~ Louis Pasteur


HTRN

[skb12172]

Just for the sake of any fine, upstanding gov't agents who may pop in, of COURSE I realize my Kentucky CCW permit is no good in NY. I meant she puts up with my CCW habits EVERYWHERE ELSE where it's LEGAL. That weekend, I NEVER carried concealed in upstate NY, because it's NOT LEGAL. In fact, I didn't even bring a firearm WITH ME. You believe me, right???