[at-l] UMBLES

[shane at theplacewithnoname.com (Shane Steinkamp)]

> I'm certain he was joking, but many folks never seem
> to consider the reality that brain failure happens,
> and not just from hypothermia.

People who don't know me, but watch me pull stuff out of my pack probably
wonder if I'm stupid or something because I write big words in black marker
on things.  Like the ziploc bag that has some food in it will be marked FOOD
and HUNGRY in big bold letters.  Lighters and match cases have FIRE written
on them.

If anybody bothers to ask, I tell the story about a time I woke up very cold
and hungry.  I got up and scattered all the contents of my pack looking for
FOOD because I was HUNGRY but nothing registered in my brain as food.  I was
also cold and needed FIRE, but I couldn't find FIRE either.  Suddenly, I
decided to smoke, and since smoking is a process of habitual patterns, I
fished my ZIPPO out of my pocket and lit my smoke, and my cold brain
registered FIRE!  I mananged to light the wood I had previously arranged for
the mornings fire (I habitually set up that way so I don't waste time being
cold in the morning) and managed to stay alive.

Once I started writing on things, I never have to worry that through cold,
injury, shock, or other mental disability that I won't be able to see what's
right in front of me...

Shane