Yesterday, at the last minute, I decided to go to the movies. I searched through the reviews and nothing seemed to hit. The opening of the long awaited "2012," the doomsday scenario or latest version of Armageddon, was compelling, but my gut said, "No." There are lots of scary, Halloween films and other mainstream blockbusters. I'd already seen the good ones, like "Men Who Stare At Goats," and I was quite content just to stare at George Clooney for a couple of hours.
Then this movie trailer jumped off the computer screen, "Collapse." It is an Indy documentary about a guy who used to be a cop (LAPD) and because of his strong integrity, decided NOT to become part of the government cover up in drug trading for fun and profit. He then followed his gut and became an investigative reporter, seeking out the hidden clues on black ops and the undertow of secret government operations. For over 82 minutes I sat spellbound while Michael Ruppert was interviewed, up close and personal, about all the details of the last 30 years of examining world affairs and politics, especially where the US is concerned. His ability to foresee the current global financial collapse was uncanny, yet now he is pushing the envelope even further and revealing some bitter pill that is much harder to swallow. Many of the topics you may already know about, like how we've reached "Peak Oil" and all the easy ways to get it are used up and how it takes more energy to get it. We're using up more energy to access the oil thus wasting it on acquiring the energy more than usage. More realistic than a blockbuster film, I chose to see this movie for truth, not fiction. However, most people will probably go to see "2012" because that pill is easier to swallow and obviously closer to fiction than truth. "Collapse" is eye-opening and perhaps if you drop a little dose of his hard to swallow pill, you may expand you mind.
As an X-Shopaholic, it stirred my thoughts to practical ways to deal with glimpses of a less than ideal imminent future. So what's a girl (woman) to do right now to be prepared? If we are really running out of oil and oil by-products, then super-durable rubber soled shoes are going to be almost as valuable as gold. OK, I'm not a survivalist, but concerned about having the right (wardrobe) necessities for the upcoming doomsday scenario. Now you don't have to run out and buy up all the survival stuff just yet. But it may be a good time to start new habits, especially if you have teenage daughters who are being brainwashed by the media to look like sex kittens at 14.
Look, there probably won't be any kind of total disaster, like Armageddon, and maybe the worst-case scenario will be major power outages, so we may have to survive for a couple of days without Starbuck's and cell phones.
Here are a few thoughts about changing your fashion habits today to be prepared:
1. Shoes! Stop buying stilettos and start stocking up on good, sturdy hiking boots and durable workout shoes. Check out Zappos or REI online to familiarize yourself with the styles and options. Even trendy new Nike's are OK. Forget those amazing new metal-heeled Gucci that made popular by Gwyneth and other fashionistas. Here's some advice straight from the world-wide-web, from pinkstilettoshop.com." If you own metal-heeled Gucci stilettos you are identifying yourself with a cutting edge fashion mogul every time you wear your stilettos out of the house. Of course, this comes with a price tag. Gucci fashion items are among the most expensive in the world. Parents whose daughters wear metal-heeled Gucci stilettos face a double bind. On the one hand, they fear their daughters are growing up too fast. However they don't want to say no especially if there is significant peer pressure to own a high status item. In addition, metal-heeled Gucci stilettos can bankrupt the family. A mother may be tempted to purchase counterfeit Gucci items such as a purse, but a pair of knockoff shoes is much more difficult to come by. Of course, in an ideal world there is enough money to go around and both mother and daughter can each have a pair."
2. Jeans! OK, so it does make sense to have those True Religion jeans. Even Calvin Klein's new 2010 spring collection is hinting at a new trend for "Clean, Precise, Minimal". This is just the beginning of the wave. Think Utilitarian, (can still be sexy and fashionable). But in the future we may have to stock up on 'smart clothes' with nanotechnology to make sure we're covered for all kinds of weather conditions. After all, it may be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, so having clothes that are designed to beat the heat or frost resistant would be a good idea. Now high tech is meeting high fashion. There are smart textiles that are stain resistance showing up in Brooks Brothers shirts and Nordstrom Ties. Eventually these fabrics will be so resilient, they will never wear out! Even our stylish President wore a suit of armor during his inauguration. While most of this stuff is being designed for the military (the forever wars in Iraq and the mid-east), keep an eye out for this new technology to be showing up soon. Here's a recent blog from ZDNET.com:" Chinese and U.S. researchers have developed a carbon nanotube-coated smart yarn, which can conduct electricity and be woven into textiles to detect blood or to monitor health. According to one of the lead researchers, today's smart textiles, which are made of metallic or optical fibers, are fragile and not comfortable. So the team combined two fibers, one natural and one created by nanotechnology, to build a new kind of smart textile. If a soldier wearing clothes made with this fabric was wounded, his mobile phone could alert a nearby patrol to save his life."
3. Workout Wear: Think super stylish Lululemon (the hippest body hugging yoga wear from Canada) Avril Lavigne wears Lulu. Brooke Shields wears Lulu. Felicity Huffman, Jennifer Garner, Courteney Cox, Kate Winslet, and Kate Hudson wear Lulu. OK, so it's worn by celebs, but it's still a great brand. The next generation of workout wear is on the horizon, Be on the lookout for workout gear featuring heart rate monitoring and motion sensors, some are now in stores, and "smart clothes" that fend off insects and mask cigarette smoke are in the pipeline. Check out Xbionic brands that cool when you're sweating and warm when you're freezing. . Don't laugh at Ed Begley Jr., we may all be moving towards a self-powered, off the grid mentality. Australian researchers are working on developing shirts that will generate electricity whenever the wearer moves. These shirts would directly power mobile telephones, portable music players and other small electrical appliances. Before you go thinking science fiction, know that $4.4 million was recently awarded by the Australian Defense Department and researchers expect the tech to be available in about five years.
It's not a time to panic, just open your eyes, wake up, be aware and informed. Go beyond the tabloids and mind candy magazines and see what's really happening out there. Stay tuned for more to come.