Advice on plans for 2012

[Scarecrow]

So a while ago, someone asked on this forum if they should go on a family vacation this summer as they were afraid the crap would hit the fan while they were gone. All of the advice, including mine, was to go forward and not be afraid.

However, let's change things up for a bit. Assume that your 20th wedding anniversary—the one where you and your spouse were planning on leaving the kids and flying away for a week to Hawaii—just so happened to be within a few days of 12/21/2012. Would your advice still be the same?

[Original_Intent]

Oddly enough, my 20th anniversary does fall in summer of 2012. Until my kids are married and on their own, anything we do, we do as a family. Other than things like special dinners, I do not feel right about getaways, and certainly not as far as Hawaii. But that's me. Maybe your wife and you need to "get away" more than we do. Maybe I am more cautious and/or paranoid than you. Maybe you are closer to the Spirit than me (very likely). So, ultimately you need to make your own decision, i am basically treating every day as a gift to prepare, but feel that the stuff could be hitting the fan at any day or it could still be years away.

My gut feeling is that by 2012, being able to buy a pineapple on the mainland is going to be a luxury and as close to going to Hawaii as most of us will be able to contemplate.

[Col. Flagg]

Nothing is going to happen that will abruptly change the world we live in on or about 12/21/12... it will come and go just like any other day. The only thing I would caution against is living lavishly right now or going into more debt to buy things you don't need. The world is bankrupt and living on borrowed time thanks to phony money manipulation by governments and banks. And even that hasn't stemmed the tide as sovereign defaults are accelerating and on the horizon, many banks are still insolvent, even after billions worth of injections (primarily due to derivatives and Wall Street turning into a giant casino about 10 years ago thanks to the Bush admin.), unemployment remains high and will accelerate big time in 2011 and the list goes on and on. We aren't going to need the Mayan calendar to bring us doom... greed, debt, fraud, corruption, criminal government activities, immorality, apathy, ignorance and reckless spending by we, the people, government and our banks have brought it! The best thing we can do is try to live a frugal, modest, prepared lifestyle built around gospel principles, the law of consecration and righteousness to help us get through the adversity and trials dead ahead that are going to try the best of us. IMHO, it will constitute the separation of the wheat from the tares.

As far as vacation planning and spending time/money with family, I wouldn't change a thing because of 2012.

[armedtotheteeth]

So a while ago, someone asked on this forum if they should go on a family vacation this summer as they were afraid the crap would hit the fan while they were gone. All of the advice, including mine, was to go forward and not be afraid.

However, let's change things up for a bit. Assume that your 20th wedding anniversary—the one where you and your spouse were planning on leaving the kids and flying away for a week to Hawaii—just so happened to be within a few days of 12/21/2012. Would your advice still be the same?

My wife is English, and we fly "home" every year or so to see her family. I feel more and more anxious to go each year.....almost like a Russian Roulette game. All my gear and plans are here. I have started making plans if the bubble goes up while we are in the UK. Her family has a small amount of supplies and a shotgun (if they are not rounded up during the chaos), so i will do the best I can and the Lord would help. I would follow the spirit. You may cancel and nothing happens..........but we will be staying close to home if at all possible. FWIW.

[Scarecrow]

Nothing is going to happen that will abruptly change the world we live in on or about 12/21/12... it will come and go just like any other day.

I tend to agree with you, and my caution isn't so much about the supposed Mayan calendar, but it sure seems like things seem to be crescendo'ing (is that a word?) and the number 2012 seems to come up more and more in widely different things. Regardless of the day, I honestly think we'll still be staying close to home for our anniversary anyway.

[Jason]

So a while ago, someone asked on this forum if they should go on a family vacation this summer as they were afraid the crap would hit the fan while they were gone. All of the advice, including mine, was to go forward and not be afraid.

However, let's change things up for a bit. Assume that your 20th wedding anniversary—the one where you and your spouse were planning on leaving the kids and flying away for a week to Hawaii—just so happened to be within a few days of 12/21/2012. Would your advice still be the same?

My wife is English, and we fly "home" every year or so to see her family. I feel more and more anxious to go each year.....almost like a Russian Roulette game. All my gear and plans are here. I have started making plans if the bubble goes up while we are in the UK. Her family has a small amount of supplies and a shotgun (if they are not rounded up during the chaos), so i will do the best I can and the Lord would help. I would follow the spirit. You may cancel and nothing happens..........but we will be staying close to home if at all possible. FWIW.

I would be more worried about Katla going off and being stranded there for months more than anything else.....

[Wiikwajio]

My wife is English, and we fly "home" every year or so to see her family.

It must be very difficult being married to a Limey. Since I am Scottish I have great difficulty having anything to do with English people which makes my life difficult since I am also partly English as is my wife. I hate myself a lot but try to realize that it is not my fault that I have some English blood in me.