Training affecting your everyday life?
- Thread starter Wynterbourne
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Garand Guy
New member
Nothing wrong with being alert. Paranoid....well...ummm....just ask yourself: would you rather be paraniod or dead?
armedandsafe
New member
Some years ago, I picked up a contract with a company. My first day there, one of the guys offered to show me around. As we went down a long hallway, I noticed we were in step. When we came to the end of the hallway, we both took a little halfstep and scanned the opening and the room we were entering. I turned to him and asked, "Special Forces?" He replied, "Force Recon. And you?" I replied, "SAS." We got along fine. 
I have many of the same habits described here. I'm not obsessive about them but they make me feel more comfortable. My wife and kids have the same awareness and that makes me feel more comfortable, too.
I once took a friend who always insisted on sitting with his back to a wall and facing the door to a little Greek restaurant I had found. It was basically a long room, with a door to the outside on each end. You couldn't sit without having one of the doors at your back. Neither one of us was ever able to eat there without the other along.
Pops
I have many of the same habits described here. I'm not obsessive about them but they make me feel more comfortable. My wife and kids have the same awareness and that makes me feel more comfortable, too.
I once took a friend who always insisted on sitting with his back to a wall and facing the door to a little Greek restaurant I had found. It was basically a long room, with a door to the outside on each end. You couldn't sit without having one of the doors at your back. Neither one of us was ever able to eat there without the other along.
Pops
When I walk to my car, I always have the keys out and the door key already selected -- held ready to put in the door.
I look around while I walk.
When I put groceries into the car, I look around before I begin and I glance around before grabbing the next sack, every single time. (I think once that saved me from a mugging or worse, late one night in an otherwise empty parking lot. Two fellows walked together out of the shadows, split up to go around the car one row away from me, then came toward my car walking about 20 feet apart from each other -- both tunnelled in on me from the look of things, but ignoring each other. I saw them coming, stood up and looked at them. They barely glanced at each other, and then both turned and walked away.)
In restaurants, I usually find myself in a corner, facing the door. I don't plan this, exactly -- it just happens. The only time I'm consciously aware of it is when going out to eat with range buddies, then I notice we're all jockeying for the "tactical seat." (Heh. Once in a Chinese restaurant, a group of us sat down at a small round table; the folks with their backs to the door simply glanced around and sat without making a fuss. But a few minutes later, the waitress found out we would be ordering family-style, and suggested we move to a larger table than our group really needed, so there would be room for the platters. Oddly enough, we all ended up on the "safe side" of the new table, fanned out in a C shape.)
When I leave the house, I pat my pockets to make sure everything is there that is supposed to be there.
Entering an apparently empty public restroom, I habitually glance for ankles under the stalls to see whether I'm really alone.
Of course, I could forego any of these little rituals. But why would I? As far as I can tell, they don't harm anything and they do make me at least a little safer. Why worry about it?
pax
I look around while I walk.
When I put groceries into the car, I look around before I begin and I glance around before grabbing the next sack, every single time. (I think once that saved me from a mugging or worse, late one night in an otherwise empty parking lot. Two fellows walked together out of the shadows, split up to go around the car one row away from me, then came toward my car walking about 20 feet apart from each other -- both tunnelled in on me from the look of things, but ignoring each other. I saw them coming, stood up and looked at them. They barely glanced at each other, and then both turned and walked away.)
In restaurants, I usually find myself in a corner, facing the door. I don't plan this, exactly -- it just happens. The only time I'm consciously aware of it is when going out to eat with range buddies, then I notice we're all jockeying for the "tactical seat." (Heh. Once in a Chinese restaurant, a group of us sat down at a small round table; the folks with their backs to the door simply glanced around and sat without making a fuss. But a few minutes later, the waitress found out we would be ordering family-style, and suggested we move to a larger table than our group really needed, so there would be room for the platters. Oddly enough, we all ended up on the "safe side" of the new table, fanned out in a C shape.
)When I leave the house, I pat my pockets to make sure everything is there that is supposed to be there.
Entering an apparently empty public restroom, I habitually glance for ankles under the stalls to see whether I'm really alone.
Of course, I could forego any of these little rituals. But why would I? As far as I can tell, they don't harm anything and they do make me at least a little safer. Why worry about it?
pax
Not Quirks.
I was raised to be observant and to think outside the box.
pax,
do me a favor if you will please. I am curious. I have used my cane when I couldn't carry due to State Reg's. I have also used it - just because. Groceries get carried out and put in vehicle, even had this done with only two small sacks. I must really look pitiful. Doors get opened, groceries get carried, and so does other stuff, like my carry out order,hardware items, I have even had folks offer to carry my backpack.
Be curious how a mom with cane would be treated.
You can spot the Awareness folks in a restuarant, they are seated against the wall, and when the power goes out they are the only ones shining lights of all sorts. Had this happen in classrooms, meetings, even a hardware store once.
I don't pull all the way up the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead at a stop. Strong hand stays free. I read rooms, looking for exits, and making mental notes of my surroundings.
I too check under stalls in public restrooms. If with a lady, I often hang close to ladies restroom until she exits. If our table is near restrooms we watch ecah other enter and exit ( taking note of whom else enters, exits as well)
I try to never use my wallet in public, I don't usually keep money in it , So I often take any ID / CC out of it, and place in pocket. I don't produce my money clip either if can...I just produce what I need and pre-planned ahead of time. I always keep a few dollars in shirt pocket.
Normal to me because I was raised this way and have continued to learn and add tools to the toolbox.
Abnormalare the folks totally clueless about surroundings, the realities of life, in denial, and either choose to not train their mind and body, or not accept they may need to.
Never much really cared one whit what some folks, thought about me - or what they said about me behind my back, to others, or said to my face.
How raised - Just what you do.
I was raised to be observant and to think outside the box.
pax,
do me a favor if you will please. I am curious. I have used my cane when I couldn't carry due to State Reg's. I have also used it - just because. Groceries get carried out and put in vehicle, even had this done with only two small sacks. I must really look pitiful. Doors get opened, groceries get carried, and so does other stuff, like my carry out order,hardware items, I have even had folks offer to carry my backpack.
Be curious how a mom with cane would be treated.You can spot the Awareness folks in a restuarant, they are seated against the wall, and when the power goes out they are the only ones shining lights of all sorts. Had this happen in classrooms, meetings, even a hardware store once.
I don't pull all the way up the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead at a stop. Strong hand stays free. I read rooms, looking for exits, and making mental notes of my surroundings.
I too check under stalls in public restrooms. If with a lady, I often hang close to ladies restroom until she exits. If our table is near restrooms we watch ecah other enter and exit ( taking note of whom else enters, exits as well)
I try to never use my wallet in public, I don't usually keep money in it , So I often take any ID / CC out of it, and place in pocket. I don't produce my money clip either if can...I just produce what I need and pre-planned ahead of time. I always keep a few dollars in shirt pocket.
Normal to me because I was raised this way and have continued to learn and add tools to the toolbox.
Abnormalare the folks totally clueless about surroundings, the realities of life, in denial, and either choose to not train their mind and body, or not accept they may need to.
Never much really cared one whit what some folks, thought about me - or what they said about me behind my back, to others, or said to my face.
How raised - Just what you do.
I keep an eye out, noting the people around me when walking home. If someone is behind me, within 20 feet or so, I slow and let them pass. In movie theaters and restaraunts, I sit in the back corner, or wherever I can best keep an eye on my surroundings.
I check my car over for damage before getting in. I look in the back seat at night, as I'm getting in my car, and then reach around behind my seat with my hand, just to double check and make sure there's no one laying down back there.
blackmind,
I heard the trucks were bringing in profit of only $6,000, and less than $1,000 for the cars (on average), but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if they were really pulling in the cash on some of the more expensive models.
That's why I enjoy older vehicles. If you know how to work on them, buy 'em old and keep 'em running. And when I pop the hood, I want to look at an engine, not a bunch of plastic covers and wires. If they're not going to build new vehicles so that the home mechanic can work on them, I don't want any part in it.
I check my car over for damage before getting in. I look in the back seat at night, as I'm getting in my car, and then reach around behind my seat with my hand, just to double check and make sure there's no one laying down back there.
blackmind,
I heard the trucks were bringing in profit of only $6,000, and less than $1,000 for the cars (on average), but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if they were really pulling in the cash on some of the more expensive models.
That's why I enjoy older vehicles. If you know how to work on them, buy 'em old and keep 'em running. And when I pop the hood, I want to look at an engine, not a bunch of plastic covers and wires. If they're not going to build new vehicles so that the home mechanic can work on them, I don't want any part in it.
This is why I regret not having availed myself of automotive maintenance and repair training. I guess I used to look down on it, and now I realize that people who can fix useful things are the salt of the earth.
Maybe some day I'll take an adult ed class on auto repair or something. I would LOVE to have, say, a '68 GTO or something to work on and drive...
Simple, elegant machinery, not this computerized, good-only-for-about-10-years CRAP.
-blackmind