[JJ]

Gideon, it matters not whether you like me or not. The six year old (boy) says things like that from time to time. the other day he said "I hope I don't die of a heart attack like Elvis Presley". we don't know where he got that, probably school. My children have experienced living in the Philippines surrounded by starvation, and make comparisons between that and the morbidly obese people we are surrounded by here. And all the technological playpretties we have here, and the lack thereof there. They are not dummies; furthermore we have NEVER discussed PO or any of this with them; undoubtably they have overheard us talkin about PO. Of course, the American way is to tell the children they are the best, and promise them an ever-increasingly bright future. I imagine that is what you tell yours (everythings fine, daddies going to take care of it). My 23 year old is a double major, international business and international finance, and his economics proffesor is teaching the students about PO and die-off.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MattSavinar', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MattSavinar', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('raober', '
')
I've started to think about finding ways to prepare...but I'm not sure I have the resources.

[JJ]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Gideon', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')I imagine that is what you tell yours (everythings fine, daddies going to take care of it).

[Ferretlover]

Depression From Healthwise: If you have depression, you may feel hopeless and sad or stop feeling pleasure from almost everything you do. You may feel “down in the dumps,” tearful, or discouraged. You may also be irritable or anxious or have low energy levels. The symptoms of depression are often subtle at first. It can be hard to recognize that symptoms may be connected and that you might have depression.
The two most significant symptoms of depression are:3
• Sadness or hopelessness.
• Loss of interest in or pleasure from most daily activities.
Other symptoms include:
• Losing or gaining weight because of changes in appetite.
• Sleeping too much or not enough.
• Feeling restless and unable to sit still, or feeling that moving takes a great effort.
• Feeling tired all the time.
• Feeling unworthy or guilty without an obvious reason.
• Having problems concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
• Thinking often about death or suicide.
If you have at least five of these symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, and one of the symptoms is either sadness or loss of interest, you are diagnosed with major depression. But, if you have fewer than five symptoms, you may still be depressed and need treatment. If you have 2 to 4 symptoms for a period of at least 2 years (1 year for a child), you may have a long-term form of depression called dysthymic disorder (dysthymia). ...

short link (courtesy- theturtle)

[azreal60]

Geeze people.
Get a little riled why don't you.

One thing you might want to consider, sometimes kids say stuff like that to get a rise out of their parents. Very few children are actually depressed, they just don't connect what they are saying with the actual event. I said some pretty callous things as a child that looking back, I understand fully my parents horrified looks.

[JJ]

sorry...haven't figured out the "quote" thing yet...and yeah I don't like being misquoted either...

[raober]

Wow, didn't mean to get some of you riled up...but I guess that's par for the course, eh?

I'm still trying to work through my emotions...I'm sure most of you have been through this when you became PO aware. I've run the full gamut from panic to unreasonable optimism.

I had a rough patch in my life back in 1996. Part of it was unreasonable worrying about my health, part of it was my father dying. I had LOTS of physical stress symptoms...headaches, twitching, insomnia, you name it. Heck, I was so stressed I lost a bunch of weight not even trying (but I eventually gained it back, and more). I got over it somehow. I'm staring to get the same issues again, though.

Still, I think I'm starting to feel an acceptance blooming. Yes, life must end one way or another, and we all should be grateful for the time here, in this time, the "best it will ever get." I do know this world can't go on forever...even in the most optimistic of scenarios. It still pains me that my daughter will not be able to grow up in the same world I did. Her life has been the best part of MY life. I just hope that love, and my duty to protect her and my wife, will serve me.

See, to be honest, if/when TSHTF, I can't honestly say that I'm sure I'll handle it well. I can see myself as one of those who hunker down and just try to wish it away. I realize that such actions would be useless and result in quick death. I do actually possess above-average intelligence, and know what I SHOULD be doing. I just hope intelligence wins over emotion. Some of you have said that preparing will bring a little more calm, and I will. To once again use an overused quote, I'll try to "hope for the best but prepare for the worst."

I still have to explain PO in detail to my wife. And I still have to start preparations. I don't think my location is ideal though, and I really don't have the resources to move. Maybe I'll just try to store up supplies, get us past the initial stages as best we can, and then move on from there. That'll be better than most people around here, I'm sure. I am thinking about at least a basic garden. My getting-in-shape will continue. And I'm still trying to think about what skills to try to acquire. I'm not gunning for self-sufficiency...there's probably too little time to learn all that would be necessary...so I guess I'm hoping to join up with a community.

After paging through these forums, I am so impressed with the folks here. Although I have no illusions of preparing as well as many of you, I hope that I can at least gain some of your mental toughness before the time comes. No matter what happens, I'm sure the post-peak world will benefit greatly from your presence. Hopefully, there is a place in that world for us, too.

I'll be around...

[mos6507]

We're all indoctrinated into a media culture.

When 911 happened it felt like a movie. We've seen so many "what if" scenarios in movies. Whatever happens, it isn't anything we haven't already seen before on the screen. (I mean, every other dumb comment on Engadget or Digg has some kind of pop culture reference like Back to the Future, 1984, or Skynet.) That's going to be my coping mechanism. When I was watching the 11th hour I had a similar unreal experience. On a certain level I couldn't accept that I was sitting in a theater being told by a bunch of experts that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. I almost have to disassociate myself from reality.

I am just telling myself that when TSHTF that we're all basically living out a movie like T2 or The Road Warrior. Then I can kind of hold onto the illusion that "real life" is still continuing on somewhere while we get stuck in a Matrix-like experience.

I just think people shouldn't let this lead to real denial. Play whatever mental games you want, but in the meantime, try to make positive changes in your life.

[Ferretlover]

Since joining, I have learned a lot more about peak oil and other topics.
On top of other things in my life this year (step-sister died, bro-in-law almost died, then, last month my sister died), I have gone through a lot of changes. But, I am beginning to realize that the way to handle the future is to read everything here. Why? I think the key to getting past the shattering consequences of what we have done to the planet and ourselves is to desensitize somewhat our emotions so that they don't cripple our intellect.
In at least one forum here is a list of the 'grieving processes " that humans go through to deal with problems. Some don't make it through all five. There are a lot of people who don't have a clue what is going on, and even when TSHTF, still won't be able to deal with the situation.
raober, you might want to rent a PO movie like 'The Crude Awakening" and watch it with your wife.
Just remember and have mercy--this whole topic is life-altering. You must be prepared to be supportive, etc.

[BigTex]

To any PO rookie:

Take your time with this. Be patient. Let it really soak in. It comes in several waves. Don't do anything drastic until you have a chance to settle into your new worldview.

I believe that it takes about two years for most people to fully absorb PO (assuming they are interested in absorbing it).

The first 6 months or so can be pure Savinaric doom, but I think for most people that gives way to a more subtle understanding of what the future might hold.

[mmasters]

The slow unwinding is the strongest strategy for those at the top to fuck most all of us. You can see in this thread people at each other's throats over piddly shit in the scheme of things. Which is only but a microcosm.

Hell I visited some of my non immediete family this week with the hope of cultivating a stronger relationship - that we all might come together for the future. Now I have no hope for that. They are completely disfunctional, ill prepared on all fronts for what's coming and their arrogent views on life will quite possibly destroy them.

[BigTex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'T')he slow unwinding is the strongest strategy for those at the top to fuck most all of us. You can see in this thread people at each other's throats over piddly shit in the scheme of things. Which is only but a microcosm.

Hell I visited some of my non immediete family this week with the hope of cultivating a stronger relationship - that we all might come together for the future. Now I have no hope for that. They are completely disfunctional, ill prepared on all fronts for what's coming and their arrogent views on life will quite possibly destroy them.