SHTF Networking

I always thought it would be great if I had a friend in each of the following professions:

1. Lawyer
2. Plumber
3. Car mechanic
4. Electrician
5. Carpenter
6. Doctor

That way, if anything happened, I at least had a 'bud' to ring up and get some advice from.  No, I wasn't looking for free work.  But it always seemed like a good idea.  Being a Navy pilot, my circle of friends was kind of limited.  But hey! If I ever needed to throw together an 'A Team' group of pilots, I was set!  Not much use when the toilet won't work or I'm getting sued for something.

Now as I contemplate TEOTWAWKI, or at least the decline and fall of the USA as we know it, I'm rethinking my list a bit.  Lawyer's are out.  They're barely useful in the best of times.  Of the others, some will be more useful than others, but it all depends on which cliff we go over.  But they will be useful.

What I'm getting at is NOW is the time to foster those relationships, which will pay off in many different ways down the road.  You still have the current advice group.  More importantly, you can start learning those skills too.  Plumber, car stuff, electrician: all the varied aspects of those professions are very useful and will add to your overall skill base.  That skill base increases your MacGyver Quotient (I just made that up, but it works).  I think one of the most useful 'skills' you can have in any 'survival' situation is the ability to adapt and over come, to use what is available to solve the problem at hand.  The more you have tinkered, and the range of skills/environments you have tinkered in, the more likely you will be able to see a solution. 

My wife rolls her eyes at me, but I think one of the best learning experiences I had that contributed to my MacGyver Quotient was playing D&D and other RPGs growing up.  Those games rewarded creativity and resourcefulness.  All you had to work with was what the DM described, and what you knew of your character.  But you were always challenged to overcome the obstacle the DM put in front of you.  I'm constantly 'MacGyvering' something out of a coat hanger, or packing tape, or just a pencil. 

So foster those relationships with folks that have skills you are lacking.  Learn from them, bring them into your circle of friends.  You'll be better off now, and when IT happens, you'll be better off whether you put those skills to use or just knowing you have that friend to seek out to help get you down the road.  I know if things got crappy and I was really trying to stretch out the life of my vehicles, and got to the point I needed to make some major repair but couldn't afford a shop, I could call up my 'car guy' and borrow his knowledge and tools to get the job done.  I'm sure all he'd charge me was my own sweat equity which I would be putting on the table up front.

Don't forget to be on the other side of this equation too.  Share your skills, and be a friend to your circle as well.  I may not be in a technical trade that folks will seek out, but my wife is (RN), and I am quick to offer my physical labor, which is always valuable.  Plus I have a high MacGyver Quotient!