[ShawnAvery]

I've been under a lot of pressure lately, and for some reason it seems to me that the bigger that problems get, the more trouble I have dealing with them. I know I am not the only one who reacts this way, considering all the stressed out people around.. and I can't help but perpetually notice that even when things are 'good' quite a large percentage of people are ALREADY freaking out and having panic attacks.

Additionally, I am in one of the most dependent places on the automobile in the world, I am in a bit of trouble with the law, and right now it's over 100 degrees outside at NIGHT, and it's RAINING. I feel as if circumstance has taken over my life and I have no say in how things go.

I thought that peak oil was a big problem, when I first read of it over a year ago.. I've watched the crisis develop since 2003, so there's no doubt in my mind what's going on here.

I have also watched weather patterns start to get VERY strange. I was browsing around last night and read some stuff about climate manipulation and chemtrails/weird colors in the sky being man made.. I feel as if I am watching climate change in motion. For example, with the rain today.. the sky was clear this morning. Then all of a sudden everything is soaked, the heaviest deluge of rain falls from the sky I've ever witnessed happen so drastically.

People are progressively getting bitchier and meaner and desperate here. It seems as if the number of illegals in the area is increasing exponentially, and to top it all off I am in enough debt that I don't think that it's possible for me to pay it off.

I feel very tied down, and I have honestly been considering selling all my possessions but essentials and going nomad/jedi and following the ways of the force or something. Objective decision making in regards to crisis has all but failed me, and its very painful to watch others go down the same path in this 'consensus trance.'

All this stuff, though it pretty much sucks, isn't what is really getting me down. Peak Oil is becoming mainstream now, theres articles and such on it everywhere... its the reaction I see in people. There is this encoded individualism in people.. they somehow think they will solve these problems on their own. They all plan on cashing out and going home, or hunkering down in their bunker of an apartment or something.. but nowhere is anyone saying 'well what can WE do to fix it?'

all i see is this immediate desire of people to remove themselves from the situation. obviously, there really is nowhere to hide from something like this.. and the reaction is very primitive. very violent. they get 'cowboy' about it.. if you know what i mean. the more powerful the persons position, the more rebellious their stance. the people who are actually interested in working on a solution are the people in the same position as me, people who are powerless to change things.

i talked with a coworker about the subject earlier today, and she talked about the majority of people out there who live paycheck to paycheck (like we do) who barely make it through life as is, who are powerless to start putting up solar or growing vegetables in our apartment complexes and who dont really have the money or prospects to just bounce out and go to a rural area. i think the demographic is urban poor? not really sure, but.. the conversation led to the fact that if there was ANY crisis, there are millions out here in the phoenix area who would have no chance of making ends meet. like kunstler says, without air conditioning tensions escalate wildly here, ESPECIALLY with all the different ethnicities around.

i cant see anything less than riots and looting just destroying everything in a 112 degree summer rage. i cannot even IMAGINE what would happen if there was rationing of gasoline in the hot arizona sun.

im reaching my wits end here. the wise man in me is thinking that i should wait a little bit, maybe an opportunity for an easy way out might present itself, that if i keep on my job ill be able to work up a bit of savings..

but theres this nagging voice inside my head that is telling me every day 'get out get out get out get out get out' even though id flake on my lease and a warrant would be issued for my arrest etc etc etc..

i know there will be a day when i CANT get out of here.

what would happen to the people in jail and in prison when the supply crunch begins? if the lights go out, how could they let anyone out? all the records are computerized. the other day i saw a couple of mexicans walk into circle k, grab a couple of 30 packs of beer each, and walk out.. clerk yelling at them. stuff like this is getting way too common.

liquidity is drying up, lawlessness seems to be setting in, and theres this big gap set for the end of this year... and im thinking the only way it will be filled is demand destruction.

...anyone need someone to help run their organic farm?

[MD]

Try to focus on today and try to form some strong and trusting relationships with those in your immediate circle. You might also benefit from an "internet fast" of a few months.

[MicroHydro]

Shawn, If you have unmanagable debt, look into filing bankruptcy. The new law goes in to effect October 17, you want to beat that. Getting a clean financial slate won't solve all of your problems overnight, but it would be a start.

[I_Like_Plants]

Arizona is a VERY depressing place, I lived out there for a few years. You get all the hard-cases fleeing California, and other places where the law wants 'em, the economy is stagnant at best, and when it rains, it's WEIRD - that big dust cloud, you know how it is.

Can you find anything fun to do this weekend? Or constructive?

Whatever you do, stay out of Mesa or the West Side, uber-depressing lol.

[I_Like_Plants]

Oh, some more things -

People out there often act WIERD! I think much of it is simple dehydration. There's a crazy-aggro vibe out there that even Los Angeles can't match.

Chemtrails are bunk, those are contrails, sheesh that conspiracy theory is silly. Don't worry about that, ok?

The weather there is ALWAYS strange, don't get that get to you either. I've seen frost in the morning, then it still gets close to 90 during the day. It's hot and sunny, except when it's raining buckets, and small towns literally get wiped off the map there when it rains heavily.

I once had a cloud float over my house, in the middle of sunny weather, one morning about 9AM. I was asleep in bed. There was one lightning strike, BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!! I levitated off the bed, got up and unplugged my computer and phone line, and went back to bed waiting for the rest of the fireworks, but that was it. Just that one boom, right over me. AZ may not have invented weird weather, but it works to perfect it.

As for your debt issues, you might well consider bankruptcy, the books by Nolo Press are INDESPENSIBLE, there's one called "Money Problems" which you should run out and get, then read, then read again.

I'd consider it myself, since I'm about to go car-free, but I have a small biz and I feel the BK would screw that up too much. If I were a wage-earner, or had a different kind of biz that was less dependent on reputation/inventory/consistency, I'd do it in a heartbeat. As it is, I'm willing to do some extreme things like get rid of the car, and selling off a lot of test gear I'm not using.

Don't get too down in the dumps! The people here, mostly, are very friendly and helpful. Unless their name starts with a B, has an i in the middle, and ends with GG, take his advice with a grain of salt lol!

[gnm]

http://www.asp.bnl.gov/tap.html



-G

[merecat]

Shawn, you are not crazy, you're just doing what you were made to do and that's model the future in your mind by means of logical extrapolation, it's a tool every human has been endowed with thanks to natural selection, you're just extrapolating further and into territory/scenarios that many others find uncomfortable to envisage. Some things that will (in my opinion) stand you in good stead for future events are:

BRAINS:
You have plenty of those, paranoia is healthy, it's built into us all by nature, to fight being overwhelmed by fear and negativity try eating fish for DHA. Eat a little fish every day, try small tins of pilchards/sardines. Everyday things to try and avoid are: flouride, chlorine, caffeine, alcohol.

MUSCLES:
Do pushups and other body weight exercises. Try not to build useless muscles, no point in just exercising arms if your torso and legs aren't matched (athletic is best). Don't worry, just because you build muscle won't make you an automatic "meathead" if you want you can even hide your assets using baggy clothes.

FRIENDS AND/OR FAMILY:
Best to test them (a little), before you need them. Love is true strength.

WEALTH:
Keep working and saving, but convert as much of your wealth into gold as possible to protect it from a collapse in the fiat money system (I recommend 1Oz bullion coins like Canadian Maples). Maybe even distribute some 22ct gold amongs your closer friends in the form of chunky chains etc. Don't need to wear them but keep them safe.

LUCK:
You must make your own.

[0mar]

Don't forget target practice. Becoming proficient with a firearm is one of the best things I ever did.

[Aaron]

Could you end up getting screwed by life?

Well sure... of course.

On the other hand... you never know what the tide might bring.

Be fierce... & kind.

Be brave... & silly.

Be strong... & compassionate.

Be balenced...

life is hard... get a helmet

Learn to enjoy the process of combating the forces of evil which visit your door, if not the outcome.

And finally, in the immortal words of Madge...

*****, *** *** ******* ** ** - and always have been.

[Teclo]

yes the change is in the air for sure. I seem to be through that stage after a few mental 'episodes' not entirely peak oil related but all in the mix somewhere (including a public freak out)

The way I look at it is this - I was all set to work till 55/60 bored out my mind, then retire probably with various ailments, having spent my years trying to dodge the rat race and failing. Now its going to get interesting finally. I'm actually beginning to see this as the only salvation for my life, which would otherwise have not been able to change.

This is going to be one hell of a ride and I'm all set, i'm in debt, no savings as well but at so are most of us. the only thing that worries me is peak beer which I reassure myself is a completely renewable resource

Teclo

[oowolf]

Here's a place where you can escape and get agricultural experience:
http://www.lawyernursery.com/
Near Plains, Montana. Jobs from field hands on up. Pay is low but you're in a place where you might have a chance of surviving the coming horror.

[Tyler_JC]

I suggest getting out of Arizona.

I know you can't afford to, but sell off anything you have and move into an apartment in a city like Des Moines or Dodge City. You will probably be able to maintain the same standard of living and won't have to worry as much about the MASSIVE problems the SW will have.

I think everywhere except the southwest will survive the next 15 years without too much trouble. But Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California...those places are horribly unsustainable. Unless you are like GNM and have a little place in the boonies, the South West will not be a decent place to live soon.

I'm not saying you have to move out to the wilderness and live in a tent. I'm just suggesting a different location to suffer in an apartment. Who knows, maybe Dodge City will be the capital of a wealthy biomass fueled country Post Peak.

But I'm just a kid with too much free time and a computer. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Oh, and follow all of the advice people like Aaron give you. He's one smart cookie.

[Ken8675309]

Emigrate to New Zealand, I did back in 1999 when I understood what Colin Campbell was talking about.

[pea-jay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ken8675309', 'E')migrate to New Zealand, I did back in 1999 when I understood what Colin Campbell was talking about.

[Ken8675309]

Imagine how crazy people in the States would get if they had to pay twice for gas than they pay today. Here in New Zealand that's where we are at. Europeans pay even more than people here.

I chucked my car last year and bike all over the place. It's pretty good. Haven't gotten to the garden yet, I don't own a home so I figure what's the point of that? Being inconspicuous in the middle of all the madness is important.

I reckon having a coherent plan to get thru the first 6 months of chaos is key. After that all the sheep who didn't listen will pass by the wayside due to natural selection and resource scarcity. The next year will be interesting, for sure.