When I started thinking way too much about zombies: When I saw my first zombie movie at about the tender age of ten. As I got older I thought less about zombies until I had children. Then after watching "28 Days Later" I realized that unless I prepared for the zombie apocalypse, my children and I would never survive.

What started my zombie fixation: When I saw my first zombie movie.

Favorite zombie book: I don't have one...yet, although some were kindly suggested. My favorite post-apocalypse book is "The Stand" by Stephen King.

Favorite zombie movie: "Night of the Living Dead"(Original) and now "28 Days Later." But I'll be honest, zombie movies scare me more now than they ever did when I was a kid, and I don't watch them like I used to. So I'm not up-to-date and current.

Education: Bachelor of Science (2000)

Major: Biology, mostly a zoological emphasis.

Minor: Chemistry

Skills: None of post-apocalyptic use.




My location:

Is my plan dependent on zombies in your home town, or anywhere? I have a plan for the places I frequent most often. Trying to work on something for the in-between places. That is proving to be more difficult. Mostly it involves keeping BOBs with us when we leave the house.

Will I be staying in my home or headed somewhere else?
My house is a trap, but if I don't have time to get out I've got a temporary place to hide. If there is time, I want to go to my parents house. This place is more easily defensible than my own. Later, after the initial chaos has died down, I'll move to my primary BOL. I also have a place in mind should I have to leave my home on foot.

If I'm heading out, how do I plan to get there? By car. I'm not counting on outrunning zombies on foot with four children--not unless I have to.

Got anyone I want to take with me? I have four children. And a husband. Whether he will be with me depends on his location when the SHTF, and if we are able to communicate at all. If he is not with me at the time, I will be leaving a message for him to notify him of my plans.

How will I communicate with the outside world, or do I plan to go the hermit route? I will be incommunicado.

How am I planning to get food and water? This is a stickler for me. My husband isn't of the survival mindset. I'll be taking what I've got with me. Along with bleach and matches for the streams. I have a 72 hour supply of food and water for a family of six. I am currently working on building a two week supply of water and a one year supply of food, for a family of eight people. I have decided to add food for two extra people because I know there may come a time when we would feed someone not of our family for many days, and I think it would be prudent to prepare for the eventuality. Hospitality will become important again post z-day. I will, as time permits, begin to keep an account of my food stores on this page.

What’s my weapon of choice? Do you need to reload that thing? Gotta plan for that?

Got a survival philosophy? Keep myself and my children alive.

Am I willing to hook up with other survivors? Yes. However, I will not have the time or inclination to take care of adults who will not take care of themselves. No Barbaras! Children are always welcome. You do not need any special or specific skills to join me, only the willingness to learn and pull your own weight. People are capable of learning and I will not abandon someone because they have nothing *at that time* that they can offer me.

BOB Contents: in a backpack that was originally a diaper bag. It has a lot of handy compartments, for people who are cherish organization. I keep most items in individual zip-lock bags to make sure that everything is dry when I need them.

• Change of clothes.
• Food: instant oatmeal, Ramen noodles, tuna and crackers, craisins, instant coffee, condiments (sugar, salt, pepper flakes), electrolyte drink mix, boil-in-bag meals.
• Tin can for cooking.
• Personal hygiene: brush, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, individual floss packets, shampoo, extra hair ti, fem hygiene.
• Water bottle and iodine tablets for water purification.
• Emergency rain poncho and emergency blanket.
• LED headlamp and extra batteries. (I keep batteries separate from the light because I have found that switches acidentally get turned on, draining batteries). An extra handheld LED flashlight.
• Matches, two lighters, and emergency candle pack.
• State and local maps.
• Notebook and pens.
• Whistle and compass.
• Paring knife and knife sharpener.
• Still incomplete personal first aid kit.
• 50 rounds of .38 special ammo for .357 mag.
• Spare change in quarters.

I still need a small alcohol stove (which I plan on making out of a tuna can when I get around to it), and I need to complete my first aid kit. I also need a hands-free way to carry my machete. I also plan on including a small survival kit in a tin box.

Please see my full survival plan here


Things of Interest:
Real-World Zombie Biology Real life zombie possibilities

$10 x 12 Survival Kit Building a survival kit one month and $10 at a time.

Zombie Quiz here
My score: Zombie Killer 1st Class
8.98/10
I'm not sure how. It must be a terrible quiz, or I was smart enough to outwit it.

For your viewing pleasure:

Entire film of "Night of the Living Dead," now, luckily, public domain.




"Often A Bird"



Bad tidings...



"This is Sparta!" (300 and Rammstein):




For my kids...



The Cranberries and "28 Weeks Later."