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If Your House Were on Fire, What Would You Take?

SodaHead Living 2012/08/12 22:15:12
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In his new book (titled The Burning House: What Would You Take?) Foster Huntintgon reveals what 200 of his blog readers from around the world would save during an emergency. Huntington’s decision to explore this timeless question began at a dinner party where he and his friends discussed typical online dating questions and what they reveal about people’s values and priorities. This discussion turned into a blog (which has the same title as his book) and now a book (from HarperCollins’ It Books).

The description on Hungtington’s blog reads: “If your house was burning, what would you bring with you? It’s a philosophical conflict between what’s practical, valuable and sentimental. You’re forced to prioritize and boil down a life of accrued possessions into what you can carry out with you. What you would bring reflects your interests, background and priorities. People’s stage in life also dictates their selection. A father of five in his forties would grab very different things than he would have as a bachelor in his twenties. Think of it as a full interview condensed into one question.”

Readers are asked to send in a photo of the items they would save, along with their name, age, location, and occupation. And their selections run the gamut. They include the obvious (themselves, children, pets), the sentimental (photos, letters, irreplaceable family heirlooms), and the survivalist (flashlights, food, pocket knives).

So, what about you SodaHeads? What would you take if your house were on fire?

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-fo...

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  • Oli 2012/08/13 10:20:43
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Oli
    I would grab whatever is nearest and then save all the family pictures.
  • Kam 2012/08/13 09:53:29
    The Obvious
    Kam
    +1
    My dog, my cell phone and my pocket money
  • Yankee Traveler 2012/08/13 09:28:20
    The Obvious
    Yankee Traveler
    +3
    My wife........
  • Xed0 2012/08/13 08:57:37
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Xed0
    +1
    Animals excluded, My laptop, wallet, cell phone, car keys, contact lenses, and my guns.
    Everything else is kept in a Vault in my basement(previous owner ran a lending company, I have a whole room full of documents and some of my rare guns, best part? its located outside the main perimeter of the house, fire would be hard pressed to make it down a 30 ft downward sloped concrete hallway, it may as well be a safe room.).
  • meshell 2012/08/13 08:37:49
    Other (please leave a comment)
    meshell
    +1
    my Wallaby and a box of pics and important stuff i cant replace. but firstly my Wallaby.
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/13 15:30:34
    SteveMarine- JLA
    Wallaby?
  • meshell SteveMa... 2012/08/13 15:40:05 (edited)
    meshell
    +1
    Of the Kangaroo family. but lots smaller. lucky http://images.sodahead.com/pr...
    Lucky, she is my baby girl, i love her to pieces. haha and yes in the next pic she is wearing a nappy. lol
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/13 15:59:06
    SteveMarine- JLA
    You can have a roo type animal as a pet?
  • meshell SteveMa... 2012/08/13 16:22:34
    meshell
    +1
    unfortunately we need to be a carer to have her, and we cant keep them for pets, they have to be released to the wild. :( however in America you can buy them for exotic pets, go figure?? BUT she was tiny furless and so damn fragile when we found her, everyone said she wouldnt make it, W.I.R.E.S, (like P.E.T.A) wanted her put down.. Me being me figured she has at least a small chance of survival and i was going to give her that chance, so i kept her, Told the vets she passed on, had more sleepless nights and worry than i did when raising my sons. lol but she is the most precious thing. not considered a pet, part of the family. is very much like a dog but heaps cuter. hehe
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/14 01:02:29
    SteveMarine- JLA
    +1
    Thats pretty neat. You probably did the right thing.
  • meshell SteveMa... 2012/08/14 01:27:40
    meshell
    +1
    Thank You...Oh I know I did. :) she is a treasure. if we left her she would have been killed when another car hit her dead mum, she would have frozen to death or she would have been eaten alive by foxes.. poor darling. couldnt let that happen. She is adored by everyone that knows her and anyone we come across in our travels.. I bought a stationwagon so we had room for her in the car. LOL She is like a dog in the car, its so cute. :) She is honestly looked after and loved more than a lot of children are. and is too humanise to go into the wild, she would die. so yes i seen it as right..
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/14 04:47:52
    SteveMarine- JLA
    Thats really a cool but sad story all in one. So its mother was killed by a vehicle? These animals roam free in your city?
  • meshell SteveMa... 2012/08/14 10:30:39
    meshell
    +1
    No not in the cities but you do see them hopping down the main street in some small towns. They mostly get hit on the opened roads, Most wont check to see if there is a baby or even if the animal is dead. the poor things get both legs broken and ppl drive past, they dont care. We carry a hockey stick and if need be my partner will stop and finish one off its so sad to leave them suffer. I couldnt, id get ripped to pieces trying to cuddle it to comfort it till someone could do what needs to be done. We have a couple in the area who drive around finding freshly hit roos and wallabies, and rescuing the joey if there is one.
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/14 13:56:49
    SteveMarine- JLA
    Sounds sort of like the white tail deer here.... They get hit often....problem is these deer can destroy a cars front end.
  • meshell SteveMa... 2012/08/14 15:17:28
    meshell
    +1
    yeah so can a roo , they dont seem big at a distance but when a roo takes on a car it causes a lot of damage. a friend of dads had one jump on the bonnet of his car, it ruined the hood and the carbi. They are solid lil buggers and can grow to 8ft +. But not my Lucky she isnt even a metre tall and i dont think she will grow much more..
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/14 18:42:15
    SteveMarine- JLA
    8feet? Holy moly thats rather big. I bet they can jump rather high. Thats interesting info. I didnt know they got so big. I dont know much about your country.
  • meshell SteveMa... 2012/08/14 22:03:55 (edited)
    meshell
    This is an image of a new born Joey, making its was to the pouch, JellyBean, lol
    joey

    It is not documented but Roos have been known to leap an 8ft fence from standing position. and their bounds can reach up to 40ft. they are an incredible animal. if you were to see them for yourself, you wouldnt need documented proof.. :)
  • SteveMa... meshell 2012/08/15 05:27:06
    SteveMarine- JLA
    Wow thats rather impressive... Haha too bad they cant teach basket ball players to jump that high.
  • ««Gingey, the Master Debate... 2012/08/13 07:17:35
    The Obvious
    ««Gingey, the Master Debater of Þ|-|Дэ†»»
    +1
    I'd get Stacy, my dog. My brother and his gf can get themselves out. Also I'd get my laptop and perhaps my wallet and keys. I have a spare change of clothes in my car (some scrubs, haha!) and I don't have anything else worth much.
  • Bulbasaurus Rex. 2012/08/13 06:26:16
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Bulbasaurus Rex.
    I'd be the typical teenager, grab my iPod, my phone and my laptop.
    As well as my pets and a picture of me and my grandfather when I was a toddler.
  • Wyveryx 2012/08/13 06:05:23
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Wyveryx
    Wallet and Cell phone. That's after everyone is out safely.
  • xxx 2012/08/13 05:30:07
    Other (please leave a comment)
    xxx
    +5
    I have a bag ready. And my kitty cat. I trust my bf will know how to get out alive
  • meshell xxx 2012/08/13 08:39:14
    meshell
    +1
    hahaha. love it.
  • Gabsters<3 2012/08/13 05:29:05
    The Obvious
    Gabsters<3
    +3
    Fire extinguisher. Lol
  • Nilam 2012/08/13 05:21:17
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Nilam
    i suppose what ever comes to mind in the event. its not like ide have time to think about it so i wouldnt know until it happened, id be more worried about an exit strategy then grabbing things....
  • Nekosarethebest 2012/08/13 05:21:07
    All of the above!
    Nekosarethebest
    +2
    Get the PORN and NUTELLA!
  • meshell Nekosar... 2012/08/13 08:47:23
    meshell
    +1
    gotta love the Nutella. its made in a factory 50kms from me. mmmmm when it first came out dads friend worked there, its a tictac factory as well. he would give dad this big old suitcase full of tictacs of every flavour, cinnamon isnt real crash hot. lol and heaps of jars and snack packs of NUTELLA
    .mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.Nutella.
    holmer simpson mmmm nutella
  • Nekosar... meshell 2012/08/13 11:07:10
    Nekosarethebest
    Oh. My. Gawd. I am jealous! :0
  • meshell Nekosar... 2012/08/13 11:23:44
    meshell
    id be happy to move there if i got a jod at the factory. LOL.. i can sit and eat a jar myself easy in a day. I'm a chocky pig. hehehe
    chocolate pig
  • Nekosar... meshell 2012/08/13 11:36:14
    Nekosarethebest
    Aw! Thats adorable! We bought store brand "Nutella" and it just isn't the same... :(
  • meshell Nekosar... 2012/08/13 11:59:44
    meshell
    they have a rip off 1 nutellex it almost tastes the same, but really NOTHING tastes as good as Nutella..hehe
  • ashlee 2012/08/13 05:20:14
    The Obvious
    ashlee
    With my cell phone and charger. Possibly an change of clothes.
  • KB 2012/08/13 05:07:18
    The Obvious
    KB
    Animals, family, money, video game stuff
  • DizziNY KB 2012/08/13 11:07:35
    DizziNY
    Aren't your pets your family too? They are to me :)
  • KB DizziNY 2012/08/13 17:34:31
    KB
    They are. I just had a mentally impaired moment there.
  • Jo 2012/08/13 04:50:57
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Jo
    my babies (the 4 legged variety), my daddy's picture(s), and my wallet.
  • boss hawg 2012/08/13 04:40:39
    Other (please leave a comment)
    boss hawg
    forget the stuff. just get out
  • AndyWolf 2012/08/13 04:23:44
    The Survivalist
    AndyWolf
    +2
    My better half, my german shepherd and at least my Glock 26 and my emergency go-kit. (Flashlight, Blanket, Clothes, Hotel Soaps, First Aid, Emergency Credit Card, ETC)
  • RENEGADE 34 2012/08/13 04:04:52
    Other (please leave a comment)
    RENEGADE 34
    +1
    My walls are 12 inchs of brick the ceiling is 18 inches of steel reenforced concret, and the floor is 1-1/2 inch pavers. Steel roof. I live alone, havent dated in a few years so no chance the bedroom would get set on fire. No pets, so no worries there, photos and important things are in a walk in safe. So it would be the same things I always grab when I leave, billfold, cell, and my keys.
  • Princess Cadance 2012/08/13 03:47:07
    Other (please leave a comment)
    Princess Cadance
    My cats, everything else can be replaced.

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