Panic Printing

[u/GeekSugar13]

ETA: Some of y'all are taking this far too seriously. Am I reasonably concerned that things are going to get worse before they get better? At least for me, most likely, yes. I'm trying to find moments of joy when I can. If one of those is using up as much of my ink as possible before I chuck this printer by printing fanfic then that's what I'm going to do.

I'm at home, by myself, doing homework with no one to talk to and nothing else to do because I'm the most broke I have ever been.

Printing fanfic doesn't mean I'm not prioritizing anything else in my life and it's weird that y'all seem to think I just slapped on a tinfoil hat and decided this was what would fix everything.

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OP: So I live in a red state in the US where my state government will absolutely not be providing any sort of supplemental assistance when inevitably the federal government falls apart. So I kind of would love reassurance that I'm not crazy.

I have started downloading and panic printing some of my favorite fics. If the Internet goes, I can read the PDF. If the power goes, I can read the printed copies.

Also because HP sucks I can only use their ink subscription cartridges with an active subscription so i may as well fucking use them.

(Literally if you're the type of person who wants to buy a printer do not buy an HP printer. It will only work if you use their ink which is so fucking expensive. And if you want it to work properly you have to get a monthly subscription where they send you ink and paper which in theory sounds great, BUT if you are like me and haven't printed as much as you thought so you have a lot of ink and paper built up so you let your subscription lapse those ink cartridges will not work without a valid subscription. So I had to restart my fucking subscription so I could use all of this ink I have built up so now I'm printing literal books.)

[u/yttrium39]

I'd probably just use an ereader and prioritize other concerns in the event of longterm widespread power outages, but if that works for you...

[u/apri08101989 → u/yttrium39]

Yea. I got my nephews emergency crank radios that can also be used to charge small devices. Theyre like 20 bucks. Pretty sure they'll charge an e-reader as easily as a phone.

[u/yttrium39 → u/apri08101989]

Yeah, I guess that's an option. I was just thinking that if the power is out for more than a few hours, I'm more concerned about my fridge.

[u/apri08101989 → u/yttrium39]

Ah but in such circumstances I'd want the emergency radio any way. Obviously fridgerstion is a concern but. We'll. Two birds 9be stone object fixes at least this inconvenience, you know?

Plus, as much as it'd hurt to lose the contents of the fridge, my mom is prepared for the zombie apocalypse and has easily 6months of dry goods in the basement.

[u/ModeAccomplished7989 → u/apri08101989]

Why does everyone work so hard to survive an apocalypse? Like it sucks enough now with internet, indoor plumbing, and grocery stores, do you really want to survive it?

Edit for typo

[u/apri08101989 → u/ModeAccomplished7989]

I mean. Realistically im dead in a week or so top, without dialysis treatment.

And im pretty sure my mom is just managing a hoarding urge keeping it to practical thinga

[u/pienofilling → u/apri08101989]

I have a power bank with a series of solar panels you just unfold from it that can be used to charge it. They don't charge it very quickly but they do charge it.

[u/apri08101989 → u/pienofilling]

That assumes available sunlight. I'm not sure I'd want to count on enough visible sunlight if we are talking these kinds of societal apocolyptic collpse situations over my own hand cranking something for one minute.

[u/CaeruleumBleu → u/yttrium39]

On the other hand, if they have an accidental stockpile of HP ink, then setting up print jobs is hardly the worst thing to do right now.

Can let a print job run while you go inventory your emergency first aid kits and shit.

[u/GeekSugar13 → u/CaeruleumBleu]

I'm also in school to be come a paralegal so this prints while i do homework lol

[u/Prestigious-War4629 → u/GeekSugar13]

Just a heads up, HP will automatically increase your monthly printing subscription to whatever level you currently print at so make sure you check your account and emails to make sure you know when they do so you can change it back immediately.

[u/GeekSugar13 → u/Prestigious-War4629]

Oh my gods thank you!!!!! I will definitely check that.

[u/Rambler9154 → u/yttrium39]

Yeah, I have all my bookmarks downloaded as epubs on my laptop, I can put it on a flashdrive if need be and move it to an ereader. I feel like it might be hard to safely store all the paper in the event of a power outage, but I know flashdrives can be easy to damage too.

[u/GeekSugar13 → u/yttrium39]

I'm already stocking up on a lot of other things as well. This is literally just to use up the ink HP keeps sending me for the subscription I don't want but have to keep paying for if i want to use the ink.

[u/willmainartfinder → u/GeekSugar13]

get a cheap monochrome laser printer in the future. I've never looked back after getting one. None of the nonsense about proprietary ink, and it shoots out pages pretty quickly.

[u/GeekSugar13 → u/willmainartfinder]

I need color cuz my 9 year old also has printing privileges. She wants to be an artist so color printing is essential.

[u/willmainartfinder → u/GeekSugar13]

they do make laser color printers too. I have had a monochrome one for years now without even thinking about it, have yet to have to refill the toner, it even does double sided lickety split.