On St. Patty's Day, I found myself at Walmart aquiring a 6-pack of my favorite Irish brew. I also added a couple 5-packs of rifled 2 3/4 12 gauge slugs to the basket. A perfect combination, but it had me thinking: every time I stop at Walmart, I am going to pick some 12 gauge slugs or buckshot. It's an easy way to stockpile ammo without feeling the hit to badly. In a time of crisis, you have what you have and that's it.
Sun Tzu--or someone bad ass--once said, "The great general is not the one who wins 100 battles, but avoids 1000."
I mentioned this recently when talking about my own modus operandi with a fellow martially-minded person. The art of avoiding trouble is every bit as important as learning how to exit or neutralize trouble when it occurs. I find if you think ahead you can avoid all but the realisitically unexpected events, such as Billy-Bob and Tyrone skulking through your backyard with a pocketful of xBox. At that point, one should be so ready that the surprise is on them.
Being ready. Vigilance. Alertness. This is what seperates the warrior from the wannabe. The warrior lives by intention, not by luck. He welcomes luck, but strives to not be dependent on it. Instead he is aware. He who is aware can win many battles by seeing them before they happen, and cutting off his enemy at the pass. Whether it's avoiding the critique of a cranky boss or the jerk-ass driving 25 in 5mph zone, being aware in the present moment can be the difference between a good day or bad one, between business as usual and ending up in the hospital.
We should never underestimate the importance of our own awareness. It is the most critical skill of the warrior, one that needs to be continually refined, practiced, tried-out, honed, lived, and polished.
There are many stories repeated by students of O'Sensei, the founder of Aikido, who told his students to try and surprise him, if they ever found the opportunity. Despite many of them trying, even while he slept, none of them suceeded in doing so. He would stir from his slumber, sensing their intentions. Or walking down an alleyway alongside the dojo, he would feel them waiting behind a corner and change course. Such is the mark of a true master.
The most important skill of the warrior is a supreme awareness. But when that fails, start blasting.
Over and Out,
--Nick-dog
3 comments:
I did that for a while at Dick's because it's so close to my work. Every week or so just grab some slugs and buck and pretty soon you have like 100 or more of each. It's easier not to skimp on quality when you're just buying a few at a time too. On a related note, one of my first "prepping is becoming mainstream" moments a year or two ago was when Guns and Ammo or one of the other big gun rags ran an article on creating an ammo purchasing plan. The author said ammo was one of the few things you can buy that will always retain value and he recommended that you buy 2-4 boxes every pay period using a 1:1 shoot:stockpile ratio.
What hardware do you use on your Raven IWB holster? I am looking at either the tuckable J or C hooks. Opinions? I got the offset tuckable loops and it made the holster much too big for a little f-er like me. Need to get something that is not offset and doesn't have those loops screaming "gun!" to every aware person out there.
Hey yo! I saw your posts, but haven't had time to make a comment.
I use the tuckable loops myself. I have the j-hooks and the rigid plastic belt loops as well. I have not tried those options EDC as of yet, since I've been happy with the loops.
There are two reasons I am attached to the loops (no pun intended): 1.) They are very secure and the holster does not shift; 2.) Ease of taking on and off when I'm kind of in a rush. So far, they have fit the bill perfectly.
Still, as you say, they instantly scream "gun," not cell phone, to the average gun dude. Usually, my shirt just hangs over the loops, so it's never been an issue. However, the summer may make it one, so I may decide the hell with it and begin to open carry.
Over and Out,
--Nick-Dog
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