[PrairieMule]

Ok, this has got to stop...

Their are way to many flat tires on this website. It's like a double billed concert with Morresey/Radiohead. I want impart some thoughts about survival in general that apply to any situation weither it is peak oil dieoff or a simple car accident. This probably belongs on the Psyche Section but I want to see this get some traffic and discussion. Please DO NOT take me as a "expert" but there is wisdom I have discovered that keeps me from melting down, and I hope someone else can benefit. Furthermore, I am going to do this without pushing gun ownership or Jesus agenda. Now how do we deal?

PARA-Preparation, Attitude, Relaxation, and Atunement. This is my own code that I apply to everything and is the framework of my big plan. Each one of these disciplines are dependent on the others as the table is balanced and strenghtened by all 4 legs. Example, I could follow the advise presented on this website and be fully prepaired with 1 years worth of food, 40 acres of farmland, adequate defense(guns and isolation), good seeds, bicycles, tools, you name it. I could also be attune to the global and local issues. I could be versed and knowledgable I could have any thing I could ever wish for on my list and have a well without the proper attitude, the ability to relax in any situation I will be misrable. In fact I say that a homeless man has better odds than I do. Now do not confuse a homless man with a refugee, because a homeless man has a better plan than a refugee(Uberconsumers suburbanites to New Orleans refugees)whose future can disapear like fart in the wind.

From my observations people on this site will be well prepaired and attuned to Peak oil and it's possible outcomes. The opportunity to balance out the table and our state of minds are our ability to relax and have the proper attitude. Below is how I define the 4 cornerstones. You make your own definitions of these 4 cornerstones and watch how things seem to fall into place. When that happens, Peace of mind follows.

PREPARATION-This encompasses more than your Gear. It also covers skills, knowledge, finances and personal Health. I follow Rangnar Benson's rule of 3's, 2 back ups for every plan.

ATTITUDE- it's a mix of Christianity, Norman Vincent Peale, and over the top sense of humor

RELAXATION-On this site I see alot of anxiety and fear. Knustler says this, look at the stats, Savinar believes that. Don't try to fight the current, learn to float inspite of the current. Learn to relax or don't bother getting ready for Peak Oil. This is vital weither there a 1 billion barrels of oil left or 1 tanker. Statistics are moot.

ATTUNEMENT-If you cannot reshift the mind's filters from Modern living of electronic overstimulation, you will miss every thing. Read Michael Bane's Trailsafe, it's all you ever need. Often I quote Dr.Bane more often than Jesus Christ. Also checkout the book"The Gift of Fear".

One more thing, I don't care how little you think you know. Remember this when the anxiety kicks in: Everyone and I mean everyone falls into 1 of 2 catagories and sometimes both. You believe in God or you don't. Hold on hear me out. If you do believe in God than you know God will provide and keep his hand on you. If you don't, take this heart. You a human being have (as my Nam' vet friend puts it) Millions of years of DNA Hardcoded in your mind for you to adapt. Just because the last 2 generations have gone soft does not mean the instincts are forever gone.

Everyone from Eco-Hippie Peacenik to the Conservative Survivalist who has posted or lurked on this site is higher on the foodchain. They have acknowledged we need to change our habits and consuption and begun to adapt. If TSHF it is people like yourself who will make sure their is a tommorow.

[jesus_of_suburbia_old]

Superb post, IMO. I'll repeat what I said in a previous thread.
----

If I had not found this site a little over a year ago, I wouldn't have noticed much of anything except for an increase in gas prices.

The most significant events of this past year were natural disasters. So I ask?

What peak oil pundit or po.com board member predicted Katrina/Rita, the SEA Tsumani or the Pakistan earthquakes?

I've come to the realization that words mean shit. No one knows anything really. If they (pundit, analyst, board member) predict something with enough authority and conviction, then you almost fool yourself into believing it will most definately happen. You'll spend your time stressing out over prognostications than what is happening directly in front of you.

Here is my outlook on what's to come in 06:

Events will take place under their own circumstances and timetable, regardless of what any random asshole says.

My plan, in order.
Paying off the $3000 I owe FAFSA.
Paying off the money I owe my parents.
Continue working as an EMT, as well as my part-time job.
Start paramedic school in July, finish in June of 07'.
Relocate somewhere smaller, but not too far from family.

That's as far ahead as I am thinking. Good luck to everyone trying to acheive total self-suffiency in two years.

[Ayoob]

J_O_S,

Wow, you and I are right on the same track, I think. I'll get my EMT card in the mail some time soon and I'm planning on starting nursing school in the fall of 06. Cool. I thought about paramedic school but you can work EMS as an RN too, it's not only parameds that get to do that. Plus you can work in a hospital and make a respectable buck.

Parameds do pretty well though and I hear it's the way to go if you want to work as a firefighter.

OP,

yeah I think attitude is going to be key. Sometimes I get up on the right side of the bed and some times the other one and I just can't shake it. Good days and bad days, but the constant low level anxiety is gone and I'm a little more clear now. It's gonna be OK, we're just going to be really poor so rather than buying stocks and bonds I gotta pick up little skills like baking my own bread and picking locks and maintaining my own bicycle and whatnot. It's gonna be OK after a period of readjustment. The US is going to be one of the better places to live after this all goes down IMO.

I'm not going to live out my retirement on a barcalounger watching Friends on a 60" plasma... big deal. I'll be out back gardening instead. It's a healthier way to live anyway.

The Chinese are gonna be absolutely losing it completely. Could you imagine living in Indonesia? Or Africa? Those poor fuckers are just screwed right to the wall. Oh well. International news is a downer as it is and we haven't even gotten started collapsing yet. Seriously, the US is gonna be OK. Europe with the racial tensions is gonna be a little weird too methinks. I bet the US is going to have it's hard times and displacements and whatnot... but I'm just going to keep my head down and wait til it all blows over and try to stay a little more valuable to society than it costs to keep me fed and inside and it'll all be over at some point. Or maybe not and we're going to denude the entire planet of almost all plant/animal life and ruin the entire thing and Nature selects the cockroach and the shark to continue life on the planet. There really isn't much I can do about that.

So, off to enjoy the day.

[Eli]

But what if I like Morrissey and Radio head?

I was listening to some old Smiths the other day great band.


$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') can feel the soil falling over my head
And as I climb into an empty bed
Oh well. enough said.
I know it’s over - still I cling
I don’t know where else I can go
Over ...
Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
See, the sea wants to take me
The knife wants to cut me
Do you think you can help me ?
Sad veiled bride, please be happy
Handsome groom, give her room
Loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly
(though she needs you
More than she loves you)
And I know it’s over - still I cling
I don’t know where else I can go
Over, it’s over, it’s over, it’s over
It’s over, la ...
I know it’s over
And it never really began
But in my heart it was so real
And you even spoke to me, and said :
If you’re so funny
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
And if you’re so clever
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
I know ...
’cause tonight - it’s just like any other night
That’s why you’re on your own tonight
Your triumphs and your charms
While they’re in each other’s arms...
It’s so easy to laugh
It’s so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind
Over, over, over, over
It’s so easy to laugh
It’s so easy to hate
It takes guts to be gentle and kind
Over, over
Love is natural and real
But not for you, my love
Not tonight, my love
Love is natural and real
But not for such as you and i, my love
Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head, oh ...
Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh mother, I can feel the soil fall over my head
Mother, I can feel the soil fall over my head
Oh mother, I can feel the soil fall over, fall over my head
Oh mother, I can feel the ... fall over my ...
Oh ...

[SinisterBlueCat]

I like this post very much because while it addresses the concerns that many people have about PO...it does not allow for the waste of time that is so common with "worrying" There have been people worrying about peak oil coming for 10 years or more...god, their stomachs much be riddled with ulcers!

Thank you PrairieMule, as I told you, your posts are intellegent, funny, wise, calming and logically...keep them coming!

[PrairieMule]

Here is a little proverb I learned when I was a kid.

A puppy once observed whenever he was happy his tail would wag. He then came to the conclusion that the secret to happiness was in his tail. For the rest of the afternoon the puppy went around in circles in quest of happiness which constantly eluded him. It wasn't until he went about his daily business that the tail followed him everywhere and began to wag.

Let's say the tail represents the happiness that comes with a sense of security. Some here are flipping around on the carpet and trying to chase the tail(think arming will solve the problem) or have just stopped and accepted the inevitable(Doom, Doom, Doom). I say go about your business, live your lives, but have a plan. Having a plan is like restoring up a Old Mustang- it's never really finished. It's more of a journey. I have been off and on my walk for years now. Longer you walk or go about your business with the proper perspective of planning the more secure you will feel. Do not just focus on preparing(arming) alone and atunement(researching and analyzing someone else's statistics) alone, work on your ability to relax and your attitute. You will find our overall situation will improve.

DISCLAMER-I am not a liscenced shrink, I only have a plan.

[SinisterBlueCat]

The future is uncertain and the end is always near. Live! Because the future will take care of itself. Control what you can and let the rest take a flying f*ck at you.

I work with horses on a daily basis, and I think lots of people would be well served to work with them too. They truly live in the moment, and in working with them, you must live in the moment too, or you are a gonner.

I think a lot of the people that are super doomers or that are super scared of PO are using it as an excuse for not having a real life and that is sad.