# Definition for SHTF or TEOTWAWKI?



## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

From reading some of the replies to posts I believe most misunderstandings are because we all don't all have the same definition for a SHTF event.

My wife's definition.

Wife has always wanted to see the Osmond Brothers at a live concert. So our children make Hotel, concert, car rental and flight (AA) reservations for us.

*Plan A.* Early Friday morning we fly from Point A (a regional airport) to Point B (International airport). Friday afternoon from Point B to Point C (Branson, MO).

The Thursday night before we leave, all that can be is packed, its midnight and I'm in bed sleeping. Wife wakes me up to hand the phone to me. Our flight from Point A to B has been canceled please hold. There are no flights available that would allow us to make the original Point B to C connection. Wife was so looking forward to meeting the Osmond's, she is in orbit and cannot make a rational decision. This is a SHTF event for her.

Fine, we'll go with *Plan B*. If we get up a bit earlier than planned, we can drive to Point B and still make our connecting flight. I reset the alarm and go back to bed.

2 AM our Daughter calls. She was notified of the flight cancellation. She found us a flight with U that allows us to make the original Point B to C connection. Daughter has us pre-checked in for both flights. OK we're on to *Plan C* now.

Drive to Point A airport was uneventful. TSA Agent was a jerk. Our flight with U has been delayed. We are now going to miss our flight from Point B to C, I get in the line to be rerouted. U Agent (very nice, calm and pleasant lady) can't reroute us because we were pre-checked in for the second leg with AA. I walk over the AA Agent (jerk) and have him un-pre-check us. I ask about our luggage, "All taken care of!"

Back to the U Agent. She has us re-booked and all is good, except Wife is almost in tears. The Osmond concert starts at 8 PM, we will not make it. She's talking about *Plan D*. Turn around and go home, lose the deposits. "Dear. Please check the itinerary our daughter prepared for us. Osmond's concert is at 8 PM on Saturday." Back to *Plan C*

It's dark when we arrive in Branson. My GPS is in our check-in luggage which doesn't arrive with us. Wife is having another SHTF experience. I file a lost luggage report with AA.

Pick up the rental car. In my emergency work related "always carry" carry-on bag I pull out my map of Branson with the location of all of our scheduled events highlighted. Took a while to find our hotel (almost had to use MAPS on my iPhone or worst, ask for directions), let the front desk know to be expecting our lost luggage to be delivered.

Saturday morning. While the wife took 2 hours to shop for ONE outfit and for make up, I programed the rental car's Bluetooth to sync with my cell phone and take a nap. Now I can make calls hand free if needed without being distracted while trying to drive on unfamiliar roads.

Saturday afternoon a late meal at the Level one at the Hilton, on to the Osmond concert. Waited in a long line, Usher would not take our email printed tickets, sent us to the ticket booth. Wife SHTF. Ticket agent exchanged our emailed tickets and back in line we go. We missed most of the opening Magician act but the wife doesn't care, we were in the 4th row center and were able to see the entire Osmond Brother's show. After the show we learned that the Osmond's "don't do" autographs or pictures sessions creating another SHTF for the wife. We go out the theater door to find the rental car; the wife has a TEOTWAWKI event! She bumps into Jimmy Osmond! _"You're Jimmy Osmond! You're Jimmy Osmond! I can't believe it! You're Jimmy Osmond! Can my husband take our picture!"_, as she throws her camera in my direction. * "I CAN'T BELEIVE IT! I GOT A PICTURE OF ME AND JIMMY OSMOND!"*

Sunday. No SHTF events. Went thru the Titanic museum, saw the Texas Tenors and the Rankin Brothers concerts.

Early Monday morning. Punch in the address of the airport into the GPS and our start home begins. Arrive at the airport, it doesn't look right to me, too small, no signage on where to return the rental. I ask a pedestrian. "This is the old airport, you want the new one. Just go down that road ¼ mile turn right and&#8230;" We got home on time and as planned (luggage arrived with us too).

So I've said all of this to say this.

1.	Definitions for SHTF and TEOTWAWKI will vary from person to person.

2.	Have multiple plans for SHTF/TEOFTWAWKI events.

3.	Be flexible, quickly. Don't get so locked into a plan that you have difficulties adjusting or extreme time consuming constraints.

4.	Update the GPS maps more often then every few years or so. Especially if relying on it for a special trip.


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

Should have said something prior to your trip! I would have bought you dinner and hooked you up with discounts!


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

A serious definition of SHTF or TEOTWAWKI should include:

no electricity
no public water
no police, fire, or trash collection
stores aren't open
goods are no longer being transported across the country
there's mass panic, civil unrest, violence, and starvation


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

Transmission and distribution lines all down, roads impassable. Pretty much creates all other factors real fast. More of an "Oh Crap this is going to be a pain". Can't really picture the end of the world moment but then again, I'm a geared low, optimist.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

I see the SHTF as a major bump in the road, something that rearranges your life. TEOTWAWKI for me is something that would change the community as a whole. I've had a few SHTF times, major stand back and rework life type problems. An example would be the onset of each of my disabilities, all three meant major changes.


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## IlliniWarrior (Nov 30, 2010)

a joke or something? .... TEOTWAWKI would involve BILLIONS of people dead and you compare it to some concert trip problem ....


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

IlliniWarrior said:


> a joke or something? .... TEOTWAWKI would involve BILLIONS of people dead and you compare it to some concert trip problem ....


You have to factor in the second "W" = it means "we", which doesn't mean the whole world - - it can be a group as small as two people.

A couple who is flat broke, no immediate family, no cell phone, no credit, and has a clunker car that has the engine throw a rod as they are coasting down their driveway to see their house has burned down while they are gone...

Well, *that* might be considered the end of the world as THEY know it.

It may not affect your world, but their world is at an end as it initially appears from where their two feet are standing... how would you recover from the same situation if it had happened to you?


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

LincTex said:


> You have to factor in the second "W" = it means "we", which doesn't mean the whole world - - it can be a group as small as two people.
> 
> A couple who is flat broke, no immediate family, no cell phone, no credit, and has a clunker car that has the engine throw a rod as they are coasting down their driveway to see their house has burned down while they are gone...
> 
> ...


Or the woman in Georgia who did not get her welfare check & her babies are hunger.
It was some kind of internal computer problem, but she was raised on welfare & her babies are being raised on it to.

I think if she could stand out side the office & tell the world she needed a check, she can go work for it.
But to her it was TEOTWAWIK.

I wonder what she will do when the real thing hits Georgia.


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