No traffic on the roads, people friendlier than usual, everyone you meet is a local, and plenty of time to attack all the projects I never got around to doing yet. The financial situation is a little bit scary but it has been a great incentive to find ways to cut costs and do some business planning. Plus the surf has been good!

I bought some reloading stuff a while back and it has been sitting in a box unloved. Not high on the priority list but this might be the little push that gets me to finally dial in the .44 Magnum when the range opens back up again.

Plus new gun laws are stalled and the stock market is on sale.

Never invested in markets because I am the kind of person who really has to understand how it works and it seems like the whole thing was rigged to blow. But if my financial situation stabilizes I may consider it, especially domestic medical equipment suppliers. We all just learned a hard lesson why it is a bad idea to trust such critical equipment to foreign businesses.

But tink bout da po criminals.  How dey goin survive dis crisis wen no mo tourists fo rob and nobody stay walking in da street at night. 
Po buggahs no mo income now.  Not only Wall St stay suffah.

On the other hand, I do enjoy the light traffic and not so crowded stores in Hilo.  Is Costco and Sams still getting slammed on Oahu?

Every silver lining has a cloud.....

No traffic on the roads,

Oh yeah.  Kona was starting to look like Honolulu with all the tourist rental cars clogging things up.

No traffic on the roads, people friendlier than usual, everyone you meet is a local, and plenty of time to attack all the projects I never got around to doing yet. The financial situation is a little bit scary but it has been a great incentive to find ways to cut costs and do some business planning. Plus the surf has been good!

I bought some reloading stuff a while back and it has been sitting in a box unloved. Not high on the priority list but this might be the little push that gets me to finally dial in the .44 Magnum when the range opens back up again.

Yes you're the only one...

It's very quiet at my home now. The school across the street is closed. The park across the street is closed.
Pretty creepy.

The restaurant next door was practically giving food away because they couldn't sell it.

Dis what they call Calm before Da Storm

Enjoy but also get ready! And get isolated at home too!

I am not enjoying this, but find it interesting to see how people are reacting.  When SHTF, it will get even worst.  But that's what the 2a is for right?

My wife and I are still working, so we are part of the lucky group.  Many friends are out of jobs or will be very soon.  I know many live pay check to paycheck.  A few own businesses and for the first time,they can't pay their rent. 

It is nice to have no traffic, but for the better good of man, I would rather have traffic and people have their jobs/businesses.

I hear ya. Knowing that lots of people are suffering definitely leaves a bitter taste in my mouth too, especially given the likelihood the suicide rate will go up even more than before, but at least we are not in total lockdown like other places and can get outside for some fresh air and exercise.

After this I anticipate a lot of people will re-evaluate their careers in terms of finding an industry that focuses on essential services.

I hear ya. Knowing that lots of people are suffering definitely leaves a bitter taste in my mouth too, especially given the likelihood the suicide rate will go up even more than before, but at least we are not in total lockdown like other places and can get outside for some fresh air and exercise.

After this I anticipate a lot of people will re-evaluate their careers in terms of finding an industry that focuses on essential services.

I did get to tell Mrs. CMO a big "I told you so" when she asked if we have enough long term food.  I told her that we're fine, but could always use a little more.  So she got into it and ordered more Mountain House stuff.  She usually gives me crap about the space all the preps take up.  We only have 500sq feet to work with.  So a case of water takes up 4 sq feet alone.  I make use of vertical space.  My ammo cans are stacked taller than myself.

She has always told me to get rid of our portable gas camping stove.  Now she understands the need.  Need hot water for Mountain House food is preferred.

On a funny note, for some reason prior to CV, I would always buy more rubbing alcohol and peroxide.  Because they're so cheap.  I kept forgetting that we have enough.  So now it pays off.  We had about 8 bottles of alcohol which I gave some to my parents.

I am not enjoying this, but find it interesting to see how people are reacting.  When SHTF, it will get even worst.  But that's what the 2a is for right?

My wife and I are still working, so we are part of the lucky group.  Many friends are out of jobs or will be very soon.  I know many live pay check to paycheck.  A few own businesses and for the first time,they can't pay their rent. 

It is nice to have no traffic, but for the better good of man, I would rather have traffic and people have their jobs/businesses.

Similar for me.  While I am enjoying the convenience of working from home, I'd much rather be in the office and have the option of working from home.  While I do have the option to work from home, there are many things that I prefer about being in the office.  My job is such that I could sustain this for a while and seems like it is even expected from my employer. 

I have friends that aren't so lucky and are struggling.  All of my close friends have jobs that can be sustained in the current situation, but I know many who own restaurants, service industry, etc that if they aren't out of a job now, they soon will be.  I am trying to get takeout from places that I used to frequent or friends owned/managed, but I don't see that as being sustainable for very long. 

I also find it interesting, even if it's mostly :facepalm: at how people are reacting.  And by that I generally mean those not generally well prepared to take care of themselves in contingency type situations.  I mean not quite like this, but being generally prepared.  I get that many folks may not be able to afford having food and supplies for weeks.  I do have many friends that wondered why I have this or that and now they are understanding why.  That's both in terms of preps in many regards and firearms is definitely one of them. 

Regarding how people are reacting and the panic, it's only going to get worse. . .

The more people who semi-freak out now and buy lots of food and toilet paper and other supplies, the better.

Yes it is a hassle for the retail guys to keep stocking the shelves, but the more people with ample supplies, the better it is for all of us overall.

Later we will see the real slow laggards who are laughing now and saying people are nuts, etc. and then maybe 2 or 3 more weeks into this they are going to finally freak out. Then there will be few things left for them to buy.

THOSE are the guys who are going to lose control and put everyone else at risk.

   Don't know exactly where to post this other than starting another thread so I'll stick it in here.
Thanks DRK for somewhat of a prep for my rant. 

What's the deal with all this suffering during lockdown ? It's not even been a week.
   I've just recovered from an foot injury where I've been on a "lockdown" as I could not walk  for almost a month and did not get cabin fever, commit homicide, contemplate suicide or suffer any psychological damage (that I know of  ).
I had no kittten's or  playdough nor required an emotional hotline. 
   Folks are traumatized because they have no income and say they are short on money/paying bills even though they probably were paid last Friday and if not, are collecting their pay from last week today.
This household is far, far and far away from a 6 digit income, and being self-employed in the tourism industry's maintenance and management began to feel the effects of the CV on our income 2 weeks ago. 
Manage your money and live within your means for cripes sake !

    Being self employed as Independent Contractors does not make us eligible for Un-Employment Insurance (UEI) but that has nothing to do with why I do not understand why UEI is being increased by $600 per week IIUC.
Why do you get more money for the same reason (unemployed).

     Can't say we were living paycheck to paycheck but part of prepping means squirreling away more than beans and bullets in preparations of difficult times. 

JMHO

End of Rant

The more people who semi-freak out now and buy lots of food and toilet paper and other supplies, the better.

Yes it is a hassle for the retail guys to keep stocking the shelves, but the more people with ample supplies, the better it is for all of us overall.

Later we will see the real slow laggards who are laughing now and saying people are nuts, etc. and then maybe 2 or 3 more weeks into this they are going to finally freak out. Then there will be few things left for them to buy.

THOSE are the guys who are going to lose control and put everyone else at risk.

There are those who run to Costco and buy up everything they think they AND EVERYONE THEY KNOW might need in an upcoming emergency, only to return it when the danger is over.

That hurts the stores, the manufacturers, and the rest of the customers who can't find what they need.

Costco has a VERY friendly return policy, and many people appear to have no qualms about taking advantage.

Want a discounted power generator?  Go to Costco a week or two after a hurricane passes by the islands.  You'll find good deals in the mark-down aisle.

Agree the "returnees" are a big problem. I forgot about them.

I was only talking about folks legit buying for long term.

I think there should be a NO RETURN POLICY on EVERYTHING during this crisis.

The return policy during normal times is probably the Achilles heel of properly preparing now and definitely impacts everyone who is legit preparing.

Now they have no returns on some items but I think it should be for everything during this time.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/video/2020/03/27/people-lining-up-costco-stores-hawaii-are-definitely-not-social-distancing/

There are those who run to Costco and buy up everything they think they AND EVERYONE THEY KNOW might need in an upcoming emergency, only to return it when the danger is over.

That hurts the stores, the manufacturers, and the rest of the customers who can't find what they need.

Costco has a VERY friendly return policy, and many people appear to have no qualms about taking advantage.

Want a discounted power generator?  Go to Costco a week or two after a hurricane passes by the islands.  You'll find good deals in the mark-down aisle.

there's a mark down aisle at Costco?
I've seen the corner at sams club, but never at costco

there's a mark down aisle at Costco?
I've seen the corner at sams club, but never at costco

In Waipio, back of store near the baby diapers. 

They've been doing a lot of rearranging lately at that store to be more like Iwilei.  It's hard to find what I'm looking for without going up and down every aisle to see what's where.

   Don't know exactly where to post this other than starting another thread so I'll stick it in here.
Thanks DRK for somewhat of a prep for my rant. 

What's the deal with all this suffering during lockdown ? It's not even been a week.
   I've just recovered from an foot injury where I've been on a "lockdown" as I could not walk  for almost a month and did not get cabin fever, commit homicide, contemplate suicide or suffer any psychological damage (that I know of  ).
SNIP

It's often like that for those who are   

There will definitely be genuine suffering.  But I would agree that at least some (if not quite a bit) of it is self imposed and from perspective from folks who are spoiled.  I've been seeing some stuff about how their kids are driving some of my friends crazy being at home.  I mean much of it is in jest, but some of it is seriously "WTF did you think?"