I carry whenever I legally can... unfortunately that's only about
30% of the time (nights and weekends) because of where I work...
the state thinks it's a "school". That being said, there's an HK
P2000 in the front pocket of my bathrobe, right now.
The main thing to think about is, what would I do on the off chance
that I need it and -don't- have it- It's just as important if not
more than what you would do if you have a gun. What len
said about "if you think you -need- a gun don't go there" is pretty
useful advice.
I can agree that at times it might feel like "overkill" but as time
goes on, it doesn't take much to see how a lot of places could
turn into a shitstorm in a hurry. It takes a little getting used
to; but once you have been doing it for awhile, it's second nature,
no different than carrying a cellphone, or any other piece of gear
we tote around all the time.
One other thing is, if you ever find yourself NOT carrying because
it's too much of a pain in the ass (concealment, weight, etc) then
get something smaller/lighter. Remember that any gun is
better than no gun. A lightweight .38 j-frame will beat the 40
ounce 1911 you locked in the safe at home.
Another thing to do... when you're out and about, casually
people-watch. I know it sounds paranoid, but eventually you
just start doing it without thinking about it. You start to notice
things you didn't see before, etc. Granted, most of the people
you see will not be dangerous, but it is very weird how all of a
sudden your senses will perk up when you detect people who
are even marginally dangerous. And I know it sounds mentally
laborious, too, but it's really not. Awareness is not necessarily
paranoia. If you think about it hard enough, by itself awareness
is probably a #1 survival tool.
-Mike