[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('woodcutter', 'W')asn't Mad Max one of the last cops on the beat in Australia? Seems that he made a career change when things got confusing.

[mmasters]

Great, here's some links that describe ISTJ careerwise, maybe check and see how strong you can relate with all the commentary.

http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/istj/
http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTJ_car.html
http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/mbcareer.htm
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/careers/istj.htm

The good money jobs listed there are management (administration), accounting and auditing. Auditing/Compliance is big now and has been for the past few years. Have any family connections in corporate america? fyi, many workplaces will pay for you to get a MBA.

[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'G')reat, here's some links that describe ISTJ careerwise, maybe check and see how strong you can relate with all the commentary.

http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/istj/
http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTJ_car.html
http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/mbcareer.htm
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/careers/istj.htm

The good money jobs listed there are management (administration), accounting and auditing. Auditing/Compliance is big now and has been for the past few years. Have any family connections in corporate america? fyi, many workplaces will pay for you to get a MBA.

[s0cks]

I thought as someone of similar age (22) I would post. I'm actually living in New Zealand now, but I have only recently moved here.

Its funny reading these responses, and I actually started writing a "rational" response myself. I had to stop myself. I guess your immediate future depends on the stability of the economy and the availability of cheap energy. With big droughts in Ozzy, soaring oil prices, and so on, how long do you expect this to last?

If its 3 years (2010) then is there really much point in spending another year doing something you don't like? No-one knows the tipping point, thats something you have to guesstimate from your own research.

I always tell myself and others to simply do what makes you happy. Our time is short in this oil age, and unless you really enjoy the survivalist way of life then why spend the rest of this time being unhappy? If working in the police force would make you happy then do it!

Its hard to let go of traditionalist thinking (go to school, go to uni, get a well paid job, retire). Even in the face of a huge collapse in our way of life we continue to think this way. A lot of people are telling you to stay on, even when they know of PO, GW, and tyranny. Really what is the point? So you can get a good salary for 5years? You're only young once. Quit, join the force, have fun, be free, and keep hold of your girl (and educate her)!!!

[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('s0cks', 'I') thought as someone of similar age (22) I would post. I'm actually living in New Zealand now, but I have only recently moved here.

Its funny reading these responses, and I actually started writing a "rational" response myself. I had to stop myself. I guess your immediate future depends on the stability of the economy and the availability of cheap energy. With big droughts in Ozzy, soaring oil prices, and so on, how long do you expect this to last?

If its 3 years (2010) then is there really much point in spending another year doing something you don't like? No-one knows the tipping point, thats something you have to guesstimate from your own research.

I always tell myself and others to simply do what makes you happy. Our time is short in this oil age, and unless you really enjoy the survivalist way of life then why spend the rest of this time being unhappy? If working in the police force would make you happy then do it!

Its hard to let go of traditionalist thinking (go to school, go to uni, get a well paid job, retire). Even in the face of a huge collapse in our way of life we continue to think this way. A lot of people are telling you to stay on, even when they know of PO, GW, and tyranny. Really what is the point? So you can get a good salary for 5years? You're only young once. Quit, join the force, have fun, be free, and keep hold of your girl (and educate her)!!!

[s0cks]

Hey Judgie,

Its your call mate. I never went to uni but I still earn above the average wage here in NZ. Maybe I'm lucky, but I don't believe you need to have a degree to have a "happy" life. I guess it depends on where you live. I would be pretty sure that a cop's wage would let you live "comfortably".

Anyway, I personally think there isn't much longer to wait anyway. Everything I see and hear these days suggests the peak is now or we've passed it. Its scary and I've gone into fast forward mode getting rid of my debts and starting to prepare.

Since I replied the last time I've also had a chance to reflect on not just peak oil but "the big picture". Even if we were to struggle through peak oil and make it out the otherside there are more demons waiting. Diminishing fresh water, top soil, metals, fish, agriculture food, natural gas, coal, uranium, etc... I guess what I'm saying is I now see how unsustainable, hollow, and stupid our current way of living is. Perhaps you need to experience that realization before you can truely let go, otherwise, like I did, you tend to hang on to false hope.

Many thanks for reading

[jbeckton]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('roccman', '
')I tell my kids (11/13) that:

1) School is a waste

2) College is a bigger waste

3) 9-11 was an inside job

4) and the US$ will be used as toilet paper soon.

I think that about covers it.

[Cornelian]

Judgie - from my own perspective (I lived in SA for the first 36 years of my life): I did what my parents wanted post leaving school and HATED IT. At 26 I enrolled in uni (against the wishes of my parents but by that age I simply didn't care LOL) and started on a course that changed my life. Had a new career by 36. By 39 decided I didn't like that new career and changed into a totally different one and made a million (literally, well, several million ...). So, best advice? Probably to finish the degree you are doing now then follow what you want to do, not what your parents want you to do. It is never too late to do dramatic career shifts (I have done 3 over my lifetime). It is never too late to start over in something you are passionate about and do splendidly. At 22 you have all the time in the world. Good luck.

[Pretorian]

Judjie-- watch out you blood donations. Some peoples get hooked there. Its healthy to teach your body how to deal with a bloodloss once, its not healthy doing this regularly. Thats 1.

Being a cop, in essence, means doing mean things to people. If you dont enjoy it, it will be too stressful for you. Thats 2.Well , may be AU is different from the rest of the world, I dont know. Good luck anyway.

[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'J')udjie-- watch out you blood donations. Some peoples get hooked there. Its healthy to teach your body how to deal with a bloodloss once, its not healthy doing this regularly. Thats 1.

Being a cop, in essence, means doing mean things to people. If you dont enjoy it, it will be too stressful for you. Thats 2.Well , may be AU is different from the rest of the world, I dont know. Good luck anyway.

[crapattack]

ISTJ's make great cops and military, no wonder you're interested.

[Judgie]

Ok, police recruiting finally gave me the info i've been asking for, it is possible for me to join now and continue stuyding for my degree PART-TIME, except that I will have to defer the first half, possibly all of next year of study to allow for the 9 months spent at the academy in full-time academic study. Study leave for uni will then be granted as required during the 16 months spent as a probationary constable (being part-time, 1-2 days a week for on-campus), and thereafter. Basically, i'd have the degree done by the time i'm 26, and a job that will give me a leg-up in applying for those higher-flying jobs with the larger institutions. What say you all?

[Cornelian]

I say finish the degree now, then join the police force. If you defer the degree study until after you join, then my bet is you'll never finish it at all, and that would be a huge waste. You'll find life changes hugely once you join the force, and then after a year or so, to try and fit in the part time study ... it would be very, very difficult.

[Judgie]

----

[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cornelian', 'I') say finish the degree now, then join the police force. If you defer the degree study until after you join, then my bet is you'll never finish it at all, and that would be a huge waste. You'll find life changes hugely once you join the force, and then after a year or so, to try and fit in the part time study ... it would be very, very difficult.

[bl00k]

Judgie, some things i'd like to say.

I am in a similar situation as you are. I'm 19 years old, and am studying at the university now. If i do everything in time, i'd have my bachelors degree in 2010, and after that i could go for the masters degree. Beginning of this year i've already applied at the army for a job as an officer with 4 years of education included. They didn't hire me for several reasons which will probably go away over time, and i am still planning on applying again after i get my bachelor or masters degree.

The thing is, i've never liked learning that much, there will always be certain things i dont like and dont want to do. While i like most courses i am doing now at the uni, it's not like i am enthusiastic about it. I have asked myself way too often 'Why bother?' when i should've been learning for exams. Everybody around me is always saying i should do better in school, put more effort into it, and in my head i always say 'Why bother?'.

For this very reason, i spent the 2006-2007 schoolyear doing pretty much nothing but stuff i liked. I went to all the college parties, played lots of sports and basically relaxed all year long. I didn't achieve much academically, but i didn't intend to.

But then i started thinking, what is this attitude i have with the 'doing only stuff i like'. No matter what is gonna happen in the future, the world will always value people who are willing to work hard even if they sometimes don't like it. People who only do stuff they like are useless, usually lazy and have more of those negative traits.

What i'm saying is, while you should enjoy these years of abundant liquid energy, you should not forget that 'hard working' is a trait which will NEVER be useless. And given the fact you need to work hard to pass all your exams, it's not that bad to finish college.

Ofcourse if being in college makes you miserable (REALLY miserable, not the kind of miserable every kid in school is), you'd probably be better of somewhere else. It has a lot to do with motivation, with reaching a goal, without motivation and/or a goal, you shouldn't even bother.

What i'm gonna do is this:
Im staying at the university, at least get my bachelors degree, enjoy every second this oil-party is gonna last, prepare for food/energy/security shortcomings, keeping my eye on the (oil market) news and i'll see what the future will bring.

Hope this helped you a bit and good luck!

[DamienJasper]

Uhm, question;

How is any of this advice useful is the world is less than a year away from tearing itself to shreds?

[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DamienJasper', 'U')hm, question;

How is any of this advice useful is the world is less than a year away from tearing itself to shreds?

[DamienJasper]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Judgie', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DamienJasper', 'U')hm, question;

How is any of this advice useful is the world is less than a year away from tearing itself to shreds?

[DrBang]

Judgie

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. We don't know when TSHTF beyond sometime in the next few years. We also don't know in what form it will take. A sudden abrupt crash, a quick grind down over 3-5 years or a slow grind down over 10-15.

Remember keep your eye on the ball. What the average sheep would call a crisis is not being able to buy the latest ipod and DVD. The basics (those dull dreary unfashionable things) will still be available a bit longer than than the luxuries.

Keep your eye on the prize. That is finish your education. Such things will be most difficult to come by in 5-10 years. Having that piece of paper puts you well ahead of the pack in that circumstance.

Prepare for the worst. While you are at uni, slowly prepare yourself. You like most of us probably don't own land outright that is in the right place for peak oil. WTSHTF though you can act over time to create this circumstance. Your knowledge and mental strength is easily your greatest asset.

There are three stages of PO prep. Short term needs (food, water, shelter, transport, communications). Set your self up so you can ride out a short term time frame. Most people will sit on their arses and wait for a solution to be handed to them. You know what is coming. Put your self in a postion of strength in the short term. Think about how to do that.

Medium term objectives (equipment & gear, knowledge & books, training, etc). Get rid of debt (if you can). Get used to living simply. Learn stuff like first aid. Go camping and learn how its done comfortably. Learn how to garden & grow food. Learn handy man stuff, to fix things yourself. Learn to adapt and problem solve. Get to really know the people around you. I recommend volunteering work in the SES which helps you undestand what has to happen in emergencies.

Long term is buying property and devloping it to become self sufficient in a way you don't get targeted by the have nots. This is not trival but with some serious luck and planning, I have high hopes.

As for your decison on uni or police, I suggest to finish uni. Once you pull out of uni, it is really hard to go back. The pressures of a full time job can kill off any motivation. You can always go for the police recruitment on garduation. They will need people more than ever in a few years.

Good luck mate

Dr Bang