The Embodiment of RED :fire_t:<p><strong>About Me:</strong> I live in Houston, TX now, where a couple of years ago we lost power due to a freeze for <em>weeks</em>. Remember when Ted Cruz went to the Bahamas or whatever? That was then. Before I moved to Houston, I lived in Winnipeg, MB, Canada for several years, often called "Winterpeg" by other Canadians. Experienced temps of 40 below on more than one occasion. </p><p><strong>Suggestions:</strong></p><ul><li>FORGET stocking up on toilet paper. Buy unscented baby wipes. They clean your butt, your hands, your face, your pits, your bits, without needing any water from potentially frozen pipes. DO NOT FLUSH THEM, EVER, NO MATTER WHAT THE FUCKIN' PACKAGING SAYS.</li><li>BUY a single-burner camp stove that uses Coleman fuel/white gas. Not some shitty, compact thing designed for self-flagellating backpackers; a STOVE on which you can, if needed, rest the largest pot you own when it is full to the brim with water. If you need it, you'll have it. Also, as one might imagine, buy a couple canisters of fuel, anything you might need like connectors to make that fuel... well, fuel, the stove, and something to light the stove if it doesn't do it itself.</li><li>PROTECT any area of your body where blood vessels run close to the surface of the skin: hands, head, feet, inner elbows, backs of knees, EARS, NOSE, etc. You <strong>must NOT</strong> get these areas wet unless you can dry them thoroughly, and fabric towels do not dry things thoroughly. (Paper towels get close.) This may mean buying a big box of nitrile gloves if all you have are knit gloves, fabric mittens without water resistance, etc. This will CERTAINLY mean wearing a scarf, neck gaiter, or the like to cover your nose (which is perpetually moist inside), a hat or muffs to cover your ears. </li><li>HOT water bottle, and a funnel to fill it if you're not great at pouring things. It'll be great near your feet when you want to sleep; it's also great on one's lower back, near the kidneys and adrenal glands (<em>ad renal</em>, "to the kidneys"; I took Latin for two years and didn't put that shit together) when the cold stresses you out and floods your shivering self with cortisol.</li><li>DOLLAR store plastic tubs. At least three: one for soapy water, one for rinsing that soapy water off, and a third for a final rinse (& sanitize if you wanna pick up sanitizing tabs or whatever.) Sponges, scrubbies, and dish soap. Dishwashing gloves–remember, you can't get your hands wet–or the nitrile gloves you maybe bought because of the suggestion two before this one. </li><li>WASH your laundry <strong>before</strong> things hit the fan. Like, now. Likewise with your dishes. </li><li>GET a flashlight that isn't your phone–maybe several–and put batteries in 'em. Half the time that I want a flashlight, I also want the use of my phone. </li><li>IF you stock up on a paper product, go with a giant pack of paper towels. An 8- or 10-roll pack should do you; don't give into worry and buy 85 rolls of paper towels. You're better than that. 💕</li></ul><p>I think that's it for now. I know I didn't cover a lot of the "basics"; <em>everyone</em> covers "the basics". This that Real Knowledge® that your local newscaster doesn't get from the AP Wire.</p><p><a href="https://hackers.town/tags/WinterStorm" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WinterStorm</span></a> <a href="https://hackers.town/tags/Snowpocalypse" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Snowpocalypse</span></a> <a href="https://hackers.town/tags/ArcticBlast" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ArcticBlast</span></a> <a href="https://hackers.town/tags/winter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>winter</span></a> <a href="https://hackers.town/tags/StayWarm" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>StayWarm</span></a> <a href="https://hackers.town/tags/freeze" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>freeze</span></a></p>