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We finally got our 27.2 kWp solar array (80 panels) and Propane Kohler 30 kW generator installed. Took almost 2 years. Permits, unexpected hazards, roof repairs, excuses, rescheduling, supply chain issues. Was a bit spendy. But now I have a surplus of energy production and run the A/C whenever I want - at any temperature. Next car I get will likely be electric. PG&E (pacific gas & electric) is crazy expensive. Summer monthly electric bills over 1K are no joke. And they will turn off the power with a threat of high winds (forest fire threat / prior lawsuits) for days at a time. We had to buy a second propane tank 500 gallons dedicated for the generator. When we bought the house 2 years ago I got a used propane tank for $500. The one I bought last month cost 4K. Unbelievable… The break-even point is likely 15 years or so. But I love to watch the power production and review PG&E bills with a credit instead of 4 figure payment request. Previously I would get a warning that I was using too much energy for a single family on the 10th of the month and I would get charged on the 4th tier for energy usage. Ridiculous.

Personally excited to hear the prophet’s council for the next 6 months this weekend.

Since I've had a few people ask me about meals that can be made without electricity - Check the shelf-stable meats aisle of your local grocery store. There are a number of pouched meal options available nowadays, such as seasoned tuna and seasoned chicken. You can simply pop open the pouch, spread it on a sandwich, and you have protein on the go. https://www.heb.com/product-detail/starkist-chicken-creations-classic-bbq-pouch-2-6-oz/3531028 For example, you have this name-brand product, which is chicken in barbecue sauce. https://www.heb.com/product-detail/starkist-tuna-creations-honey-bbq-tuna-pouch-2-6-oz/1964757 Or there's this name-brand tuna in barbecue sauce, which I actually had for lunch earlier in order to try it out. It's not the best thing around, but it's relatively inexpensive shelf-stable protein that actually tastes pretty decent. edit - https://www.heb.com/product-detail/isadora-original-refried-beans-15-2-oz/1533976 Pouched refried beans are also a thing, so you have a vegetarian protein source as well. Again, just pop open the pouch (you're supposed to boil-in-pouch, but it's refried beans...) and spread it on bread.

Far too many people are unaware of what's out there already, and so they either don't prepare for what's coming or go for a few generic items that people commonly envision. For example, Gossner Farms (which is headquartered in Utah) has been making shelf-stable milk products since the 1980s, but people *still* react in shock when I tell them about it - https://www.dollartree.com/drinks/milk Yes, Dollar Tree sells Gossner Farms milk products *by the quart* as well as a number of nut-based milk alternatives. What else does Dollar Tree have? https://www.dollartree.com/post-cocoa-pebbles-cereal-3oz-packs/335912 3 - ounce bags of cereal that you can re-seal. I've actually had to take the Gossner Farms milk, pour it in one of these pouches, and eat it that way. So we've got breakfast (cereal + milk), lunch (barbecue chicken sandwich), dinner (barbecue tuna sandwich), and a vegetable blitz (the refried beans) as a possible fourth meal to keep calories going. That's on top of whatever vitamins and supplements a person could have.

Holy crap! Here's my power/gas averages for the last few years, for a single family in a home here in Colorado. (It's an annual average of the monthly bills.) The electric bump over the last year is due to having another structure to heat. The gas increases were not due to anything we did. I'd also get periodic notices that my home used more energy than the average, but never any threats. Just an offer to do a free energy audit to see where the air leaks are, and suggest some fixes.

May or may not apply. May or may not be interesting. But my buddy and I did a podcast on The Recession, if anyone has the time or interest:

Ten generations hence, my descendants will be your descendants. We will each be but one of a thousand ancestors of our generation. I dearly hope my precious great-great-etc-grandchildren receive from you, either genetically or by teachings that have perpetuated through the generations, traits and understandings that improve their lives and make them happier and holier. It truly is not a competition, but more like a joint venture where all parties profit by the success of the other parties.

Nothing wrong with a split infinitive. Never was. We split our infinitives just like we divide our verbs and end sentences with prepositions. English ain't Latin. As for "begs the question", that particular misusage stretches to the breaking point my acceptance of Noam Chomsky's linguistic ideas. I'm a big proponent of linguistic descriptivism instead of prescriptivism. In linguistics, today's connotation is often tomorrow's denotation, and I think it's important to recognize and teach that principle to our children. But "begs the question" simply does not mean "raises the question", no matter how much people might misuse it. I am sympathetic to arguments that "beg the question" is a strange word choice that does not make obvious sense in 21st-century spoken English. But I don't care. (How's that for sympathy?)

An important refinement on this to make (speaking as an LDS Christian lady) Free will is foundational to what it is to be. It is intrinsic to whom person is. The Father acknowledges this. Christ (whom was always the chosen to be the Savior) choose to follow in His Father's wisdom in this regard. It was Lucifer whom then said (in essence) "Time out-- no no, that's a horrible idea. I'll force everyone to behave. I'll be the Savior I"ll be the most High!". The Father already had the Plan, Lucifer's rebellion was never a valid option. But Lucifer did always have the option to obey or rebel, and he choose rebellion. You can't get a more anti-Calvinist view point than LDS Christians. The "sovereignty of God" is... not a concern. Just zero. We have all have choices- you, me, the Father, etc. They are intrinsic. Obviously some things aren't possible and consequences comes with choices. Even the Father acknowledges this and works within that framework.

What I have to tell myself every day until the hurricane hits. and if anyone can send more Hershey’s bars, thanks.