[wisconsin_cur]

Today I turn 35.

Soon after learning about Peak Oil and putting together some form of possible timelines in my head, I was struck with the possibility that my life would straddle the end of the age of cheap oil and the first decades of resource scarcity. I would be responsible for raising the generation that would have few memories of cheap oil and would start to rebuild the world according to the new paradigm, whatever exactly that will be. I take some things for granted that they do not. They will be able to see possibilities that I do not. It is my job to shepherd them far enough for them to have the mental capital to do what will need to be done.

With some luck I will be 70 when my youngest is my age. The arc of their life will look very different than mine; the opportunities will be very different. The world will look very different. Will I be as clunky with their tools as one of my grandfathers is with the personal computer or will I abstain from those tools as my grandfather has done?

I think or perhaps I hope that I am like the earliest computer programers, ahead of the curve on the dawning paradigm; how will my children (literal and figurative) build upon that knowledge? There are many potential joys to witness in the future as well as hard decisions to make and hardships to endure.

Whether I make it to 60, 70, 80 or even 90, my life is half spent. The age of cheap oil is slipping away. The second-half will be very different. Putting behind me what is past, I set my face like flint and turn towards it. The job is hard and will become harder... and my feelings about it do not really matter. I also remind my heart to remain open to the joys to come; only by remaining open to them will I be able to see them. And even in anticipating them I am reminded that joy is one thing that is not a product of cheap oil but of life in community.

[eXpat]

Happy Birthday !!!
Enjoy today, for tomorrow we will (insert doomer related word here )...
Seriously go out and enjoy

[HeckuvaJob]

I think if more people shared your insight and compassion, we would be living in a drastically different world. The mere fact that you're concerned about your obligations tells me your children will have a huge advantage in dealing with the future in terms of comprehension and perspective.

And yes... Happy Birthday!

[Rod_Cloutier]

I'm turning 38 next month so I'm in the same age camp you are in. I'm making sure my kids know about the changes that are ahead for them.

Told my daughter this summer "Its better you learn how to sail rather than how to jetski as a hobby. After gasoline becomes too expensive to use recklessly -people will be bemoaning the fact that they can no longer jet ski- while you will be happly sailing by them."

Next year will be her 4th year sailing, she recently told me that people could build 'sail boats with wheels" so they could sail out to get their grocery's after cars are all toast. Who know's what we'll see in the future?

[jasonraymondson]

Happy birthday.

[RedStateGreen]

Happy birthday, Cur!

They say life begins at 40. Mine definitely started improving at 35, so here's to the second half!

[blukatzen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', 'H')appy birthday, Cur!

They say life begins at 40. Mine definitely started improving at 35, so here's to the second half!