[Grifter]

After relocating to a less populated area and generally a more pleasant environment, the plan was to find work in a sustainable (as possible) area. I was thinking things like a plant nursery, farm work, market stall holder/assistant, rail maintenance.

All work which is a lot lower paid than I am used to although my needs and interests are simple and cheap.

I then became a single person.

Suddenly the jobs which I am used to (business management type) seem attractive again! They are jobs that only exist in a growth economy. The path I chose years ago lead me down a path to acquiring a skill set which is useless in a contracting economy.

I have applied and have interviews in the coming week for the same kind of jobs in very similar environments.

I think it has something to do with wanting to be accepted. It was possibly Aaron who said in another thread a while ago that you shouldn’t view your own self worth through the eyes of others. That’s maybe what I’m doing.

I am troubled by this, so I beg your indulgence.

What are other single folks doing? What changes have you made? What concerns do you have in the light of peak oil?

If there has already been a thread similar(I am trying to find it) I won’t have read it at the time.

[TorrKing]

You have at least given an alternative lifestyle a chance. Something I doubt many here have (still have to make the leap myself). Sadly, trying isn't enough.

You are probably right, since most people only respects the consumerist lifestyle you can't both be respected and living a sustianable life. That's the easy part for me. I've always been a wierdo, so I am no longer concerned with other people's opinions on what I am doing.

[WildRose]

Grifter, change is difficult. What you're describing, if I'm hearing you correctly, is a reluctance to leave the type of work you are comfortable with. It's not surprising that you feel most comfortable with it because of the time you've invested in combined working/training in the business management field; you're sort of "programmed" to do it. I can totally understand that; I've done one type of work for over 25 years now, though I'm feeling quite ready for a change.

Since you are single and you feel you can handle a change financially, you could always just give it a shot for a while. Try a job in one of the areas you mentioned and see how it goes - you may find it more rewarding and may meet interesting people and make connections to other job possibilities you haven't thought of yet. You can always go back to business management if you want to.

As an aside, I worked at a plant nursery as a single when I was 19 and absolutely loved it. I've kept my love of growing things since then.

[Grifter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'W')hy actually work when you can talk on the phone?

Each of the jobs you considered would require a hard daily grind. There'd probably be no opportunities to check in on your friends here at PO or track you buys etc. because you would actually be out there sweating and getting dirty. I don't blame you. Hard work is for suckers. Or so says 'the Grifter.'

[PrairieMule]

For now why can't you hedge your bet and develop a post peak skill while you enjoy the extra cash generated from a management type job? Monday through Friday I'm sitting in at a desk in a mortgage company. On the flip side, for the the last 27 years I weekend warrior once a month on a working cattle ranch.

Stay out of debt and ride the wave as long as you can.

[billg]

I went from being a Rush Limbaugh ditto head, National Review subscribing, meat-loving, liberal bashing, business admin undergrad to a vegan, compost toilet using, bike riding, lowly organic farming type. In 1996 during my senior year in college I was interviewing with JP Morgan for a job in investment banking . In 2002 I was hauling humanure around at a hippie commune in central VA.

The biggest thing you need to overcome is your ego...false sense of self. Humility goes a long way.

People who live on organic farms or ecovillages around the country are living very rich lives even though they may have dirt in their pockets.

I might recommend checking out the Ecovillage Training Center at the Farm in TN for their apprenticeship program or doing a 3 week visit at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in MO. Also lots of great opportunities at organicvolunteers.org.

Bill

[aldente]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Grifter', '
')
I then became a single person.

[NEOPO]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('albente', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Grifter', 'I') then became a single person.

[mmasters]

I'd say go with your natural talent. I don't make for a survivalist myself though making money and beating the system comes rather easily for me. If I was more the bare bones survivalist type I'd drop the day job and learn how to tough it out.

[aldente]

What does 'puke' mean, Neopo? Do you know who these people are? They are the founders of Alcoholics Anonymus. The reason why I bring it up in this context is that their message reaches way beyond substance abuse or religious dogma. Only the shortsighted stumble over the first rock. YOU do NOT have the answers, leave the bigger picture up to a higher power and stop concluding in your simple terms.

[Grifter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('billg', '
')The biggest thing you need to overcome is your ego...false sense of self. Humility goes a long way.

Bill

[billg]

I shouldn't have assumed you lived in the USA. I'm sure England has its share of green living and employment opportunities.

-B

[Baldwin]

I don't see why you have to abandon ship now. Collect money from a high-paying deskjob, buy food, water, precious metal ( 90% pre 1964-silver is dirt cheap and will be great if people start accepting it at silver value), guns, ammo etc. A 9-5 deskjob will still allow for some time on the side to garden, learn carpentry etc.

At this point, taking a low-paying job as a farmhand yields a little experience and exercise. Good, but PO will hit the hardest at the lowest income tiers. You won't have discretionary income with which to prepare with.

[POAlex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Grifter', 'W')hat are other single folks doing?

[FreakOil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hat are other single folks doing?"

[Blacksmith]

All my life I have been a raper and a pilliger, however you guys fill you vehicles with gas.

[Grifter]

That was a very funny post FreakOil, very good, I share those views in my most bitter, frustrated moments.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FreakOil', '
')
The statistical odds of finding a woman who is tolerable and attractive are extremely low. I'd say they're about as low as buying a winning lottery ticket. Actually, they're probably as low as the odds of stumbling upon a winning lottery ticket lying on the ground next to Jimmy Hoffa's corpse petrified in molasses.

[bobaloo]

If your're going to sell your time for money, get as much as you can for it without making yourself crazy.

I've been an organic farmer, potter, carpenter, owned a manufacturing business, practiced law, worked as a fisheries biologist, done lots of things in my life. The jobs that paid lots of money tended to make me crazy, the jobs with lots of satisfaction didn't pay enough to stick it out.

Finally found a job I can walk to, make abour $30 per hour and get 6 weeks of vacation a year. Yes, the job is somewhat high stress professional type work but not too bad and the pay and benefits are good.

When I was farming / running a pottery studio / running my own business, I didn't stress about work, I spent all my time stressing over how I was going to pay my bills. Now I've "sold out", stress a little over work but dont have to lose sleep worrying about feeding the kids. I have some extra money to buy preps and invest in my property (truckloads of compost, foundation for the house, etc.), I can work on my gardens after work and on weekends. Looking forward to the day when I can be independently poor, but figure the only way I'll ever be able to retire will be to move to a country where I can buy into the national health service.

[bshirt]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FreakOil', '
')My career is about as sustainable as a quarter ounce of weed at a never-ending Grateful Dead concert. Furthermore, although my career doesn't force me to directly harm the earth and the future of the human race, it does force me to directly help those who directly harm the earth and the future of the human race or help those who help those who directly harm the earth and the future of the human race. I'm guilty of third-degree murder at best.