Small Personal Survival Kit

I've spent the last few months off and on puzzling over the ideal Personal Survival Kit. My goal was to make a small kit more substantial than my Mini Survival Kit and small enough to fit into a Nalgene bottle for easy transportability. I have yet to succeed, but the components will fit into a bottle + a purse/waist pack/or other option + on my key ring.

Here are six small Personal Survival Kits for your consideration.

(Prices were obtained from Amazon, Campmor, Nalgene, REI, Wal-Mart and other local stores.)

KIT #1
1. Adventure Medical Kits (AMK) Pocket Survival Pak (PSP) Plus ($60)
2. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
3. AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6)
4. Translucent lighter that adjusts up to a mini blow torch ($1)
5. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

Total cost is about $83.00. Although compact and providing the barest of essentials, the issues I have with this kit are: 1) I already have a PSP and would have to buy a PSP Plus and, 2) if the expiration date for the chlorine dioxide tablets aren't 4-5 years in the future, I'd have to return the entire kit and buy another just to get the maximum expiration date.

Thinking I could do better, I devised the following according to my 15 Essential Systems...

KIT #2 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - in the PSP.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2) - for prefiltering floaties and sediment out of water
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur water purification tablets ($13) - scissors or a knife is needed to open the foil; tearing the foil open is difficult due to the child safety precaution. The PSP includes a scalpel blade which is not TSA-compliant.

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP.

6. FIRE - Adjustable lighter ($1).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1) - this is the larger version of the P-38 used by the U.S. military and is easier to use; authentic P-38 and P-51 can openers are made by and have "US Shelby" stamped on them.

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. Swiss Army knife (SAK) Classic ($12)
b. Braided wire saw ($5) - a braided wire saw is stronger than a twisted or spiral wire saw
c. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

11. DOCUMENTATION - This list (also use as tinder).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet. I once went for six weeks in 1998 with only 11 cents plus a credit card. It saved me money because I didn't charge less than $10, but is definitely not advised for emergency situations. What if electricity had gone out and I couldn't use my credit card?

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner – to clip bottle to belt or bag strap, not for climbing ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag - to store contents while bottle is used for water ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $89.

But, what if the wire saw breaks and shouldn't every traveler carry along a corkscrew?

KIT #3 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - in the PSP.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2)
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13).

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP.

6. FIRE - Adjustable lighter ($1).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1) - optional because the SAK Camper has one, but it's been on my key ring for a while and I prefer it to the SAK can opener.

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper (instead of the corkscrew, the Hiker has a Phillips screwdriver) ($20) OR Huntsman (II) (instead of the corkscrew, the Fieldmaster has a Phillips screwdriver) ($25) - (I was given the Classic years ago which lives on my key ring, then bought the Camper, but sometimes think I'd like to carry just one SAK.)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional, perfect for tightening the tiny screws in eye/sun glasses
c. Braided wire saw ($5) - because the SAK(s) are not TSA-compliant
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

11. DOCUMENTATION - This list (also use as tinder).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $104-115 depending on the SAK(s).

Hmm, what if I hadn't already bought the AMK PSP?...

KIT #4

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10).

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2)
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13).

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION -
a. Fox 40 Mini whistle ($7) - this is easier to blow than the Howler/Micro included in the PSP
b. Signal mirror ($8) - because I don't carry a mirrored compact.

6. FIRE -
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR Huntsman (II) ($25)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional
c. Braided wire saw ($5)
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5) OR 100 ft. 550# parachute cord ($8) which is better because the core is 7 strands of 2 twisted together that may be extracted for use, but it won't fit in the bottle
e. AMK roll of duct tape ($3) - listed for pricing purposes. I actually wrapped 5+ ft. of heavy-duty duct tape I already had around an old non-credit card.

11. DOCUMENTATION -
a. This list (also use as tinder)
b. Pro Knots cards ($5) - I know some knots, but in a time of stress such as a survival event, will I be able to remember them? The PSP comes with survival information including a few essential knots.

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $120-133 depending on the cordage and SAK(s), so not only did the PSP save me money, it gave me more.

The next kit fills some gaps.

KIT #5

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10).

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION - because water is crucial, I believe in at least two ways to purify water, chemical halogens and boiling.
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. 5’ aquarium airline tubing – for siphoning water from sources too narrow or too shallow to collect directly with the bottle ($0.60)
c. Bandanna ($2)
d. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13)
e. Foil loaf pan ($1) & quart zip bag ($0.10) - for boiling water and to keep soot off of other stuff after use
f. Large oven bag & tie ($0.55) - to hold more water & to collect water by transpiration.

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION -
a. Fox 40 Mini whistle ($7)
b. Signal mirror ($8).

6. FIRE -
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR Huntsman (II) ($25)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional
c. Braided wire saw ($5)
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5)
e. AMK roll of duct tape ($3).

11. DOCUMENTATION -
a. This list (also use as tinder).
b. Pro Knots cards ($5).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $125-137 depending on the SAK(s).

The largest kit I can justify and still call a small survival kit contains something for each of my 15 Essential Systems...

KIT #6 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10) - because it's handier than hauling out the PSP to check the compass, plus this one is luminous.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - Emergency poncho ($1).

3. HYDRATION -
a. 1 qt./L Nalgene bottle ($11)
b. 5’ tubing ($0.60)
c. (2) orange bandannas ($4) - any bright color is good for signaling, orange is best; two bandannas are better than one
d. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13)
e. Foil loaf pan ($1) & qt zip bag for storage ($0.10) - redundant because the sheet of foil in the PSP is easy to tear
f. Large oven bag & tie ($0.55).

4. SHELTER -
a. AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets survival blanket ($6)
b. 9' x 6' plastic sheet 0.7 mil ($5) - multiple uses such as a ground cover, collect rain water, build a solar still; I cut a 9' x 12' sheet in half. Some lists recommend (2) 30-33 gallon trash bags or 50-55 gallon barrel liners, but as an apartment-dweller, I don't need the extra bags that come in a box. Splitting a box with friends or neighbors would work except not everyone in close proximity is on the same page. So be it. I have to look out for #1.

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP. I added a Rite In The Rain pocket notepad ($5.30) and EDC a Space Pen Trekker. Please note that Parker pens accept a Fisher Space pen refill using the included adapter and Fisher makes other Space refills for other pen brands.

6. FIRE - because fire is crucial, I believe in three ways to start a fire; the PSP contains one of them.
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION -
a. Key ring LED ($2)
b. LED headlamp or mini LED flashlight ($20) - added because the key ring LED's button has to be pressed constantly and it will be difficult to work with only one hand with such a small light.

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - Johnson & Johnson On The Go FAK ($1) - transferred to a snack zip bag to save space & added more items I already had on hand.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. 100’ 550# parachute cord ($8)
b. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR SAK Huntsman (II) ($25)
c. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6)
d. Braided wire saw ($5)
e. Utility gloves (women's Mechanix, $12.50) - because my bare hands are sure to get blistered in a survival situation putting me at risk for infection
f. Lansky Quick Fix pocket sharpener ($7) - the most important tool is a knife and a dull knife is dangerous
g. (12) safety pins (4 each size) sizes 1, 2, 3 ($1)
h. Quart freezer zip bag ($0.10)
i. ResQMe key ring car escape tool ($10)

11. DOCUMENTATION - covered by the PSP; add this list.

12. FINANCES - add cash and some coins for a pay phone.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Hunter's waist pack, 410 cu. in./6.7 L (I don't know how they measured these things because the main compartment is more like 4.5 L and the smaller, flatter compartment isn't more than .5 L; $7 at Wal-Mart) - because I prefer to carry a smaller purse
b. Large utility carabiner ($3)
c. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT -
a. Mini deck of cards - to help pass the time while waiting for rescue ($3)
b. Key ring pocket kite - in case it's too windy to play cards as long as there are no kite-eating trees nearby; might also help with signaling (I bought this from a kite store in California several years ago and since forgot the price; figure on $6-10 each.).

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle. Add bear spray if passing through bear country.

Total cost is <$198-211 depending on the SAK(s) plus emergency cash, plus kite, plus bear spray.

Except for the PSP and the key ring items which should be kept on you, and the water bottle and bear spray, everything in Kit #6 fits into half of a gallon zip bag making it easy to tuck into a bag, a waist pack, a desk drawer, or a vehicle.

Of course, emergency rations need to be added to any kit. Clif bars are good or any foods containing sugar, carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Also add personal medications, lip balm, sun screen, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, and biodegradable soap.

The PSP was designed to be carried at all times in a pocket, purse, briefcase, or pack and is the basis for my Mini Kit. The other kit components detailed above could be the basis of an office, car survival, or travel kit and are good for just about any outdoor activity. Please note, however, that you should keep the water purification tablets with you during warm weather instead of leaving them in a hot vehicle.

I trust this post gives you ideas for assembling personal survival kits for yourself and your loved ones. The advantage of assembling your own kit is it is customized for you, you know exactly what is in it and the quality of and purpose for each item.

To spread out the expense, I suggest starting with Kit #1 or 2 to have the bare minimum then expand from there as you see fit. The key ring items could be Christmas stocking stuffers or "just thinking of you" impromptu gifts while a SAK could be a birthday, graduation, or holiday gift.

To see how I customized my PSP, please see my post, "Mini Survival Kit."

Mobile Survival Kit

Supplemental to my EDC mini survival kit, the reason I had so much trouble with this kit is because I wanted it for everything from hiking to air travel. The purposes, however, are different enough that separate kits are needed although they may share the same items.

For example, a backpacker goes out with the intention of spending a night or more in a wilderness area and prepares appropriately. The wise hiker packs the Ten Essential Systems intending to be home at night knowing it may not be possible because getting lost or terrain difficulty may lengthen the hike so a night to usually no more than three nights have to be spent outdoors.

On the other hand, nobody else from day-trippers and travelers to office workers, has any intention or expectation of sleeping anywhere other than in a bed. The survival kit is in case something happens to throw us into a survival situation.

This kit is for when I'm in somebody else's vehicle. It can easily be taken up to my room on my own road trips without rummaging through or dismantling my car kit. I might integrate the two kits later making this a subset of my car kit, but because I already had duplicate items because of camping and hiking and trying out various products, it's not an issue at this time.

1. NAVIGATION - Luminous compass; the same as for my Micro Survival Kit, this is an EDC item on my key ring.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - Now that I have all the other components for my exposure kit in my purse, the only items for this category are swim goggles for eye protection and a couple of oven bags to wear inside my shoes to waterproof my feet.

3. HYDRATION - Because water is vital, I want at least two methods for making water safe to drink. For the first method, I have (20) Micropur MP1 tablets, a quart zip bag, and 4 feet of aquarium airline tubing to aid collection.

If I don't carry a stainless steel water bottle which can be used for boiling water (I've been using my Brita bottle), a (1 qt. capacity) 8" x 3-7/8" x 2-15/32" foil loaf pan, flattened by folding in the sides and ends to make it easy to carry, is a lightweight and considerably less bulky alternative to a pot.

If I take my Katadyn water bottle, the ViruStat cartridge or the microfilter cartridge used with the MP1 tablets will purify water for me.

4. SHELTER - Two 2-person Heatsheets survival blankets. One for me plus one to share with the friend whose vehicle we're in, or one for a blanket for us and the second to be rigged as a shelter. If there are more passengers than what my blankets will cover, I don't know what will happen. While I'm willing to carry an extra blanket, I don't feel obligated to provide survival gear for everybody who may or may not be along especially since I've had to order many things online, including the Heatsheets.

5. COMMUNICATION - In addition to my EDC: (2) orange bandannas, Sharpie, mechanical pencil, eraser, Rite In The Rain pocket notebook, AM/FM/NOAA radio, and a small kite. My Mini Maglite LED flashlight has SOS and strobe features.

The kite is tricky because it can't be flown near kite-eating trees and a mini kite isn't as easy to see as a full-size kite is from a distance. Still, under the right conditions a kite would help show others where I am and a key ring, pocket, or mini kite takes hardly any space in the kit.

If you decide to get a kite for this and entertainment purposes, bear in mind that a parafoil kite is excellent because it won't have any sticks. However, parafoils fly lower, closer to the horizon, and need more wind than other types. A sled kite is similar and may have sticks.

The common diamond kite flies higher and needs less wind than parafoils and sleds while a delta kite flies the highest of all and needs the least wind.

Another idea is to fly a small American flag upside-down several feet below the kite because an upside-down flag is an official distress signal. For country flags that look the same either way or that duplicate a different country's flag when flown upside-down, tie a knot in the flag.

I recommend you visit a kite store to find the best assortment of small and specialty kites and that you select a predominantly red and orange kite because those colors show up against the sky better than other colors.

6. FIRE - Since I already EDC three methods to start a fire including tinder and magic birthday candles, only a tealight candle and hand sanitizing gel are needed for this kit.

7. ILLUMINATION - A Mini Maglite LED, a neck lanyard because I really don't like wearing a headlamp, and a headlamp because sometimes a flashlight swinging from a lanyard isn't good enough. Because my key ring LED flashlight has a pressure switch to turn and keep it on which also means something can turn it on accidentally, and because I have no way of knowing when the battery will fail, I added another key ring LED to this kit with an on-off switch that can't be turned on accidentally.

8. NUTRITION - (4) Clif and Zone Perfect energy bars plus a tin of Altoids.

9. FIRST AID KIT, HEALTH, AND HYGIENE - A pocket FAK to cleanse and protect minor wounds from infection, a tube of Super Glue with a brush to keep larger wounds closed until medical help can be received, Ultra (SPF 30) Chapstick, a stick of sun screen, StingEze, (10) Wet Ones, mint dental floss, (5) panty liners to make an unpleasant situation more bearable, hair elastic, a folding trowel for digging cat holes, travel toilet tissue roll, and (2) gallon zip bags for trash. I still need to add insect repellent wipes.

In an extra small Pac-It Sac by Eagle Creek, I have a FUD (feminine urinary device) kit: Freshette in its zip storage bag, toilet tissue, hand sanitizing gel, (5) Wet Ones, and (2) quart zip bags for trash.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS - A sheath knife with 4.48" blade. a folder with a 3.4" blade, Leatherman Mini, Lansky pocket knife sharpener, wire saw, leather gloves, and pry bar. The pry bar is in case of an earthquake and to have something to knock out a ground-floor window to climb out in case I can't get a door open.

For cordage and repairs: (4) safety pins, 50' utility cord 1/8" diameter, 150 yds. unflavored floss, large-eye straight & curved needles, 30' invisible nylon thread wrapped onto a dental floss core, self-threading sewing needle, thimble.

Extras: (2) gallon zip bags, (2) extra AA cells for Mini Mag, (3) extra AAA cells for headlamp.

11. DOCUMENTATION - Cloud and survival information cards; this list. The cloud cards are to help predict the weather in case the radio fails.

12. FINANCES - $1.00 in quarters for a pay phone. A phone card would also be good. Obviously, this is for an urban survival situation.

13. TRANSPORTATION - I took a webbed, clip-on strap I had lying around and put it on the U.S. Army sustainment pouch I bought last month so I can carry it as a shoulder or cross-body bag or a waist pack.

14. ENTERTAINMENT - In addition to my EDC items, the same kite listed under 5. COMMUNICATION.

15. SECURITY & SELF-DEFENSE - A fire and in extreme circumstances, my knives, will keep wildlife at bay.

Excluding the water bottle and extra batteries, the total weight of everything listed is 6.5 lbs.

Traveler's Key Ring

I've been fiddling with my traveler's key ring and decided I may as well post the list.

It originated many years ago when I got tired of digging out a coin every time I wanted to use my tripod. That was before getting a tripod with a quick-release mount. I put a coin-like screwdriver onto a split-ring and hung it on my waistband with a belt clip. Items gradually accumulated until last weekend when I decided to see how everything fit into my 15 Essential Systems.

1. Navigation - luminous compass, mini highlighter. I used to have a Suunto Clipper on a fob I liberated from a cheap no-name compass that developed a honking huge bubble during the first part of my road trip in 2006. Before getting the Suunto, I tried using one of those several-function compass-whistle contraptions, but the compass was too small, the luminous points too dim, and the whistle too soft.

I bought a Brunton 9041 last year so I wouldn't have to move the Clipper from my car key ring to my traveler's key ring and back again. Currently, the 9041 is kept on a small carabiner so it's easy to remove from the split-ring to avoid letting other metal objects influence the compass.

As for the highlighter, I plan my routes using a yellow highlighter and use a darker color to mark where I actually go since I travel with a "that looks interesting" attitude and often stray from my intended path whether driving or walking. It helps me get back on track and is a reminder of what I did and where I went after the trip is over and I'm back home. The mini highlighter, bought at Staples, is a Sharpie Accent with a metal loop on the cap to attach it to a key ring.

2. Personal Attire.

3. Hydration.

4. Shelter - mini umbrella. Since this goes on another belt clip on the other side of my waistband when it looks like it might rain, it really doesn't count although it could. That's why I am.

5. Communication - Fox 40 Micro whistle, Trekker Space Pen. Every woman needs a loud, dependable whistle at hand and I don't like digging around in my purse for a pen whenever I want to make a note, either.

Fisher Space pens and the pressurized Space refills made for other pens are great because they write on any paper, even that slick thermal stuff, under any temperature, at any angle including the gravity-defying position of upside-down.

6. Fire - Spark-Lite, invented by the owner of Four Seasons Survival and also distributed by Adventure Medical Kits, or a Mini Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire. This is an offshoot from my hiker's survival necklace. Realizing I got carried away with this preparedness endeavor and having too many items on my traveler's key ring, I put the sparker on a second small carabiner to live in my travel purse until needed. Since the Spark-Lite doesn't come with a lanyard, I duct-taped the melted and knotted ends of 1/8" orange utility cord onto the stem of the Spark-Lite.

I occasionally swap the two sparkers because I can't decide which I prefer to have where. The Spark-Lite is operated with one hand so is probably better for hiking where the potential for getting injured is greater. However, a Swedish FireSteel is much easier for me to use.

7. Illumination - Garrity key ring LED. Acknowledging this is never used until it's too dark for me to see without it, I relegated it to live in my travel purse on my second carabiner with my sparker until needed.

8. Nutrition - P-51 can opener, bottle cap lifter-can punch. For those who don't know, the P-51 is the big brother of the P-38 military can opener. The other is an Ekco Pocket Boy I happened to see in a local grocery store. It folds in half making it a nice size for key rings. To reduce weight and the number of items on my traveler's key ring, I added these to my second carabiner as well.

9. FAK, Health - Chapstick in a Leashable, Pro Tick remover. The Leashable is a clip-on neoprene holder that came with a tube of different lip balm. I borrow the Pro Tick remover from my hiking survival necklace for areas where I might encounter ticks I'd want to remove as soon as possible. Maybe I should buy another tick remover to ensure I don't forget it.

10. Repair & Tools - Craftsman 9-4160 screwdriver, Swiss Army Knife Classic model, ResQMe. The Craftsman 4-in-1 screwdriver I bought at Sears is what got me started on creating my traveler's key ring. Even though my current Slik tripod has a quick-release mount, I still use it to change over to my mini tripod, and change batteries and memory cards.

The SAK is now on the second carabiner in my travel purse and will have to be left behind or put in checked luggage when I fly.

The ResQMe only goes on my traveler's key ring when I rent a car. Otherwise, it remains on my house key ring for when I ride with other people since my own car has a LifeHammer mounted on the center console.

11. Documentation - USB drive. It fits into a clip-on holder and contains a copy of my current computer files since my laptop and backup external hard drive were both stolen in 2007. Eventually, I'll get around to putting report-loss-to phone numbers and critical information on it, password-protected, of course, if not encrypted.

12. Finances - emergency cash in a fob. I saw what looked like spy capsules online, designed to hold one or two folded and rolled bills in a key ring fob. CVS and Wal-Mart have good-sized pill fobs that will hold more which I think is better since I prefer to have easier-to-spend ten and twenty dollar bills than fifties and hundreds.

I may be wrong, but when it comes to traveling, I think of emergency cash in terms of a few meals and maybe cab fare back to my lodging where I can use the phone to get stolen credit/debit cards replaced or to a bank to cash a check. Never one to carry much over $25, I once spent six weeks with nothing more than a dime and a penny in my wallet. Hey, if I don't have it on me, I can't spend it, right?

13. Transportation.

14. Entertainment - pocket kite. Yup, a mini kite on a key ring means I'm ready to fly a kite any time there's enough breeze and the room for it.

15. Security & Self-defense - the same Fox 40 whistle in 5. Communication and the same USB drive in 11. Documentation. Having the USB drive on me is more secure or makes me feel like it is because losing all the work I did over the 10 months to that point of my trip was terrible.

There it is. Twelve categories out of fifteen on a key ring! Admittedly, it's better to wear it under a blouse that isn't tucked in to avoid looking like a building superintendent, but it's a great convenience to have often-used items at my fingertips and a comfort knowing I can add the items of the second carabiner back to it at any time.

To recap, the 17 items are:

On my traveler's key ring clipped to my waistband - highlighter, kite*, lip balm, pen, pill fob, ResQMe*, screwdriver, tick remover*, USB drive, whistle, luminous compass on a small utility carabiner.

On my second carabiner - Ekco Pocket Boy, LED flashlight, P-51, sparker, SAK.

On another belt clip - umbrella*.

* when conditions warrant it.

Cabin Fever

It's overcast and cold which is to be expected of February.

Imagining myself outside flying a kite under a warm, blue sky, I think of things I want to do, need to do, could and should do. They range from going through mail to shopping for new clothes to (re)learning French, German, and Spanish because I want to travel, to redesigning my websites. Yesterday, I tried a couple of color schemes.

Reconnecting with a past president of my former writers group whose memoir chapbook is scheduled to be published next year, reminded me that I need to learn how to use the aids I've acquired to market my own books which I have to actually finish writing first in order to get published.

The horse goes before the cart.

Honestly, I have so much to do, I don't see how I'll ever die.

If only life worked that way for everyone.

James 4:
13. Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Rude Spouses

The mind works in interesting ways. Between the receptionist I mentioned in my last post and the Ft. Hood shootings this week, memories came up of two incredibly rude spouses I've met.

The first was when I was living in Killeen, just outside Ft. Hood, and working in Temple, Texas. My supervisor had invited me to a dinner party that he and his wife were having at their home in Temple.

When I arrived, I discovered that I was the only guest from his work. The others were her college friends. Nevertheless, I had a good time.

When it came time for me to leave, I went to say good-bye to the wife.

"Thank you for inviting me," I said.

She looked at me coldly and replied, "I didn't invite you," then walked away.

Wow.

Technically, though, she was right. She hadn't invited me.

The second rude spouse was encountered last year. A former co-worker had invited me to join her and her husband for a pleasant afternoon flying kites on their acreage. Since he is the kite aficionado, I was telling him something I learned from enthusiasts I met who belong to the San Diego Kite Club. His wife was behind me, about six feet away.

And he walked away, entering their house.

Yes, just like that. While I was speaking, right in front of him, without any sort of, "Excuse me," or gesture to warn me.

Amazing. I bet he didn't do that to people when he was trying to get elected to public office.

What's even more appalling is that these spouses call themselves, "Christians."

So much for their practicing the Golden Rule.

I'm glad rude spouses are few and far between.

Luke 6:31. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

First Kite Day of 2009

Wednesday afternoon was the first time I was able to go kite-flying since the chill of last fall through the thunderstorms of nearly the last three weeks.

With the ground still muddy in spots, I carefully picked my way through the park to select where to place my stakes after launching each kite. I usually like to fly two or three kites at a time, anchoring them with light tent stakes, because they look so much better when flown in small groups, keeping each other company.

The first and third kites are favorite deltas of mine, Flip Flops #33195 and Warm Checkerboard #33123, both by Premier. They were doing well, so I launched my Parafoil 5 Rainbow Tecmo, Premier item #12035, between them for variety. The color-blocked tube tail proved to be too heavy for the existing wind, so I exchanged it after a while for the streamers that came with the kite.

There's something about kites. At the same time, they are both calming and uplifting, their bright colors cheering the soul while the fresh air and sunshine clear away the stresses of modern life.

The parafoil rode low above the horizon as sleds and parafoils usually do, and was easy to watch while the deltas surfed the vagaries of the wind. At times, they soared directly overhead and I felt like I was bending over backwards to view them from under the brim of my hat. When I was too lazy to check overhead, I searched for their shadows flitting along the grass.

After a while, I brought down the parafoil by walking it down with my hand on the line to lower the kite. Replacing it with a ladybug kite I bought last week at Walmart, I launched the ladybug only to have it crash almost immediately.

Bother!

Launching it again, I kept a suspicious eye on it until it got up to altitude having never flown that type of kite before and having had trouble with a previous kite by that company. The ladybug is a 25" wide modified diamond kite in that the top is a diamond while the lower section is rounded like the shape of a ladybug.

In addition to a center spine with cross spars to be inserted by the customer like a standard diamond kite, the top edges of the LadyBug also have fiberglass rods sewn in. The tail consists of a 3/8" wide length of nylon with nine small ladybugs stitched on at intervals.

After the relaunch, it flew nicely for a while, the loose legs wiggling realistically as if the ladybug was crawling across the sky. Oddly enough, this kite was flying west, directly into the descending sun while my other kites were flying toward the north. While I pondered why this might be, considering the wind was from the southeast, the ladybug headed downward as though it was going to do a gentle loop then accelerated to... CRASH!

Hmm.

Relaunching it made me review how other kites behaved. My deltas, diamonds, birds, and butterflies, usually make loops or simply drift downwards like sleds and parafoils when the wind goes away. I have a seagull kite, Go Fly A Kite item #15200, that consists mostly of outstretched wings that settles to the ground when the wind dies and has been known to relaunch itself when the wind picks up again, if I'm patient and leave it alone.

This ladybug?

There it goes again. CRASH! Now, I'm annoyed. How does X Kites test their kites, anyway? The other kite I had problems with was their SpinBox Spectrum, #82402, that I returned to the store I bought it from when I was in California. I tried that one out at Tecolate Shores in San Diego, and while it looked great while flying and drew compliments, it wasn't long before the fins came off of the cross spars which then popped out of the clips causing the section to collapse and the entire kite to drop out of the sky.

I relaunched the LadyBug, recalling that I haven't had problems with the delta or CloudBuster diamond kites made by X Kites that I own. Maybe it's only their kites with unique construction that have problems. Since too much wind causes kites to spin while too little wind causes kites to drift down tail first, maybe there's something about the wind conditions that this kite, rated for 5-18 MPH/8-29 KPH wind speeds, doesn't like.

I recalled the afternoon in 2007 when I was flying two kites at Mission Bay, San Diego. A family of three arrived and tried to launch a fairy princess kite unsuccessfully many times with frequent looks at mine flying successfully. The father got bored and wandered off to check the water.

Moved with pity, I went over and asked if I might help. The mother agreed, saying they bought the kite from Target, manufacturer unknown, for their daughter's eighth birthday and it was the first time they were trying to fly it.

Well, I tried and had the same crashing results. Turning it over, I found that there was a huge, heavy, sprocket in the center of the fairy's chest that I was sure was the reason the kite wouldn't fly.

Pulling down one of my butterfly kites that was made by New Tech, because the shape was similar to the fairy princess, I showed it to the mother, pointing out the differences in construction between it and their fairy, that there was no good reason for the heavy sprocket, and recommending that they return their daughter's birthday kite and go to a kite store to buy another that was sure to fly in the lighter wind conditions that prevail during the San Diego summers.

CRASH! The LadyBug, X Kites item #80472, came down again, breaking my reverie. No wonder people get discouraged about flying kites; some are really persnickety about the wind conditions in which they fly. The worst part was that I had also purchased the TurTle kite for a relative of mine, X Kites item #80476. Since it's the same as the LadyBug except for being a green turtle instead of a red ladybug, I have no reason to expect it to fly any better and plan to return it rather than subject the intended recipient to its crashing in variable conditions.

I launched a cellular kite, the eo6 Fire by Prism, in the place of the LadyBug and watched it soar, tumble, and dart up again while my deltas continued to dance until it was time for me to leave. Except for the experience with the LadyBug, it was a wonderful few hours spent flying kites on a beautiful spring afternoon.

Highly recommended.

"The Kite Runner"

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini, © 2003, ISBN: 978-1-59448-000-3, trade paperback, 371 pages. My favorite author is Ken Follett who also wrote my favorite book, "The Pillars of the Earth." However, his first novel, like the early works of many other authors, doesn't have the depth he developed later.

That's why "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini is remarkable. Not only is it a powerfully moving story of a boy in Afghanistan who later emigrates to the United States, marries, and finds himself confronting the prospect of returning to Afghanistan, it's rich with culture, settings, characters, and relationships, accomplishing it all in a first novel without the awkwardness of stilted flow or obvious attempts at technique that I've found in other first books.

It intrigues me that Hosseini, a medical doctor who spent his youth overseas, has a first novel that is significantly better than the first novels of native English-speaking novelists such as Ken Follett and Lee Child who started their careers as journalists. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that journalists can't write good first books; it's that Hosseini did such an excellent job, it's no wonder that "The Kite Runner" is an international best-seller.

Thanks to KitePilotCA for recommending this slice-of-life novel to me. It is an easy, yet compelling, read that was hard to put down.

Welcome Aboard!

I'm not normally a jealous person, but when my friend Roxie started blogging, I felt tendrils of green sprouting within me.

You see, I considered starting a blog when they first became popular several years ago and many times since, but some things are best kept to oneself and other people are much better at blowing whistles at businesses and politicians and keeping up with current events than I am.

As for the rest, basically my life is too boring for words unless I'm traveling. When I'm not traveling, about all I do is research, work on my writing, and fly kites. I enjoy hiking, too, except when it's too cold for me, too hot, under thunderstorm skies, or during allergy season which, considering where I live, pretty well covers the entire year.

So, there I was watching TV the other evening when the lightbulb went on: I can blog my "Sound Off!" pieces - my raves, rants, and ramblings that need their own platform. I did a few previously through email to friends, starting with the worldwide Millennium celebration that was held an entire year too early (as if the general public starts counting from zero the same as OS programmers do!), and can continue by blogging whatever strikes my fancy in the future. Please be forewarned, however, because of the nature of the beast, rants are more likely to be forthcoming than are raves or ramblings. If you are offended:

(a) please accept my deepest apology, or

(b) that's just too bad although you might be comforted by the fact that it's the least you'll suffer for ticking me off because I'll be praying for you to receive the light of Christ and only God knows how He'll answer that prayer or what else I'll be motivated to do. Although I've yet to be motivated to do anything more drastic than complain or write letters of complaint to the Powers That Be in your miserable life to get them to hold you accountable for doing to me as you did, you never know. Therefore, don't push me or you may very well find yourself banging your head against a brick wall and bleeding from the injury you caused to yourself.

Nevertheless, I hope you are entertained and amused as well as get your thoughts provoked from time to time.

Welcome aboard!