If you are anything like me, you have wondered how you got stuck with a 'bad' man, more than once. You might be so sick of relationships that you believe that all men are 'bad' or that the 'good' ones are already taken. And you think you are done with it, until you find another 'bad' man.

Definition of a BAD man
It may not occur to you that recognizing a 'bad' man might help in avoiding yet another crappy relationship. What are the little signs that should put you on high alert? I do not have a psychology degree, but I think between you and I, we have a lot of experience that we can put to good use!

There's no doubt the thrill of their alluring qualities - like being attracted to a celebrity - they have charisma. They love being the center of attention, and when they finally take notice of you, you are thrilled.

They have a lot of very important things to do that occupy their time. It makes them unavailable, or you feel you are always in competition with something, or someone. It could be golf, Friday nights with the guys, or a special club. One thing is certain, you are not invited. Hard to get guys, are preoccupied with themselves and don't want a committed relationship.

He is self-centered. He takes little interest in topics that you believe are important. He expects you to agree with him or see it his way on topics ranging from politics to raising a family. He is the center of your world, not the other way around.

You feel emotionally confused. You doubt how you feel - whether you should feel this way at all. It seems your emotions are constantly influx.

There are others - I thought that would get us started with your questions and wisdom!

Stopping the Cycle
The most significant motivator for me to stop the cycle was recognizing how much pain I really felt. I had put up a good front for a long time, even fooling myself, but when I finally did allow myself to be honest I was hurting badly. And, it wasn't my fault. Feeling the pain and recognizing that it is not normal was fundamental - and it made me desperately want to change.

Nice Guys Aren't the Answer

THE PACK - Chapter 2 - Nothing More, Nothing Less

It was like riding a rolling coaster that I could not get off of, one that I paid for at every twisted turn. There had to be more.

How do you prepare for a storm when you live on the water? Where are you vulnerable when you live off the grid? How best can you survive a storm?

Storms can be very destructive - sheer winds can fall trees toppling on your cabin or destroy your docks and boathouse - and if you are off the grid, solar panels may get destroyed. There are many more scenarios when you are homesteading.

Be Prepared
Sounds like a pretty big statement - it is! Being prepared is thinking the worst of things can happen, and if they don't, that's good too! So the first thing is to stay alert about weather patterns. If you have a marine radio, you likely can get a daily update of impending storms and it is critical in telling you wind direction and strength. If you are connected to the internet, you can likely get a forecast from a weather channel but it may not be specific enough for your location. Once you start documenting pressure changes on a barometer on a daily basis, you may find just the pattern you are looking for to tell you when a storm is going to happen. If you watch nature, you will see subtle but obvious signs. Being prepared is knowing that you have a storm coming your way.

Signs in Nature
All animals forage for food heavily before a storm - squirrels, mice, or deer or any mammal gets very active in eating. They plan on 'hunkering' it down when the storm does come, and they want a full belly.

There is truth to the saying, pink sky at night, sailors delight - like the barometer. A high pressure is happening, and so it is a good indicator in the northern hemisphere that all is well.

Weather lore would say that the leaves of deciduous trees turning upside down, especially those with soft stems are a sign that rain is coming. I have seen this to be true. The stems are apparently reacting to the change in humidity in the air and flip over easily in the wind.

Knowing the seasonal changes and where the predominant weather disturbances come from in your area can be very revealing. Scouting the horizon is always a good idea.

What are some of the ways you prepare for the storm?


Chapter 1 - THE STORM The storm outside was deafening. Thunder growled loudly and giant spruce trees groaned. Lightning darted this way and that in rhythm with our fears. Read More