We cannot drill our way out of this oil crisis. Since 2000, oil companies working in the U.S. have doubled the number of wells drilled per year.
Although increased drilling has added new oil to the nation's supply, it has not done so fast enough to offset the terminal decline of existing fields.
We are going to have to import more of our oil. Period.
Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 3363 Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
Quote:
My standard response to stress is to increase my exercise, and that has generally worked. You produce all kinds of nasty free-floating catecholamines when stressed, and exercise burns them off. Bodily tressors for cave men (like a mastodon hunt, perhaps) typically responded well to running; but there are not too many mastodons around today, and typing doesn't burn those catecholamines off. Plus running creates endorphins, which are magical happy drugs similar to morphine.
They quit worken for me. Exercise causes stress if you need that to make it through the day. 30+ years of the endorphin fix and I had enough. I quit chasing the dragon. The runners high dosen't work for me anymore. The exercise freaks get a blank look now when I mention this. Getting mello is best for me now. Everything that mattered has changed. I'm happier now, but can't handle stress anymore. I ran too hard for to many years. Was fearless and liked being the king of the hill. I like walking in the woods with my black lab the best now. Did a 1 1/2 hour hike today. Somedays I'll go for 3 hours. Depends on how I feel. Other days I just can't do much of anything.
Joined: Oct 01, 2007 Posts: 486 Location: Rural farm
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
Plan your finances to live for five years, it won't hurt if there is a little left over.
Heinikn, come to Or. We grow mushrooms here. I just woke up and found a whole flower be FULL of diamond studded pufballs, and I said What is going on here?: And the neighbor goes, oh no, it is mushroom season, enjoy! (eat before they turn dark inside)
lots of berries and mushrooms and rivers and rain and fireplace and wood.
come. the move gives yo something to do, and it is exciting being near the ocean.
I am a little sad you don't belive in other scenes, so many religions have been spore bait sucking the money out of their people.
When you get sad, do this one thing, Go into the woods or outside at night see the stars, endless or feel the wind or hear the creek where it is quiet. Just ask, God, help me believe in who you really are.not the fake evil one who tortures people, the moneymaker, but in the one who made all these beautiful things. Show me who you are. Reveal yourself to me. That is it.
That is it. Then go for a walk.
Next time you have a chance remember what he said.
Those who come to me I will in no way cast out. He doesn't lie.
then read genesis, see how it goes.
The neat thing is we are all the same in his ind, if youmade something, and you are an artist that is exceptional, whatever you make is special.
anyway, don't worry how long, just remeber today only.
Quality..When a house fire comes, the artist always saves his pictures he drew first. If you get what I mean.
Joined: May 06, 2006 Posts: 685 Location: Tustin, CA
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:51 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
roccman wrote:
Take a hike...ride a bike...
This is the best piece of advice of all the posts up to now. I can testify for myself a long bike ride (if you don’t have a Bike, get one!) is the best thing for the spirt one can do.
By nature I tend to be predisposed to be what has been termed on these pages as a “Doomer”. I find it hard to find fault in the arguments of Matt Savinar, but still I’m not ready to put the gun in my mouth.
I find the 5 to 10 mile bike rides I take daily life savers. They keep my body exercised (and I have a bad left leg) and my mind optimistic. A suggestion, if you are within 10 miles of your work, GET A BIKE. Ride it every day to work. Will save your sprit, Will save your life!
The father of existentialism, Soren Kierkegaard, known for his long daily walks; once wrote “There is no problem I cannot walk away from”. I would paraphrase that and say there is “no problem I cannot RIDE away from”! _________________ Skeptical scrutiny in both Science and Religion is the means by which deep thoughts are winnowed from deep nonsense-Carl Sagan
Last edited by SILENTTODD on Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:26 pm; edited 2 times in total
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:58 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
threadbear wrote:
mkwin wrote:
Well I am under a lot of pressure at the moment. I do a pretty fast paced high pressure job in the city and knowing it has no future means I have lost all motivation and it shows in my performance.
I will be telling my boss that I am quitting over the next couple of days and I will be moving back home some 150 miles away to start retraining for a job that might still be needed post-peak in a moderate scenario. Man peak oil is hard. So many uncertainties.
What is it you do, Mkwin?
Commercial property development and investment of all things. Has to be one of the most doomed activities in the industrialised world. You can't successfully build property for profit in a inflationary depression. Good times!
I am going to do a quick training course as an energy surveyor and I can work for myself while studying an engineering degree and then a finsihing with a renewable energy course.
I figure engineers might still be needed and even in a worst case situation i'll be able to fix and build things.
Joined: May 02, 2005 Posts: 2954 Location: One more question...
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:10 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
vision-master wrote:
...I like walking in the woods with my black lab the best now. Did a 1 1/2 hour hike today. Somedays I'll go for 3 hours...
More wood walks = less stress.
Wife and I stay whole in the woods. _________________ "Don't ever become a pessimist... a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events."
Robert A. Heinlein
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5698 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:25 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
kadoomsoon wrote:
Plan your finances to live for five years, it won't hurt if there is a little left over.
Heinikn, come to Or. We grow mushrooms here. I just woke up and found a whole flower be FULL of diamond studded pufballs, and I said What is going on here?: And the neighbor goes, oh no, it is mushroom season, enjoy! (eat before they turn dark inside)
lots of berries and mushrooms and rivers and rain and fireplace and wood.
come. the move gives yo something to do, and it is exciting being near the ocean.
I am a little sad you don't belive in other scenes, so many religions have been spore bait sucking the money out of their people.
When you get sad, do this one thing, Go into the woods or outside at night see the stars, endless or feel the wind or hear the creek where it is quiet. Just ask, God, help me believe in who you really are.not the fake evil one who tortures people, the moneymaker, but in the one who made all these beautiful things. Show me who you are. Reveal yourself to me. That is it.
That is it. Then go for a walk.
Next time you have a chance remember what he said.
Those who come to me I will in no way cast out. He doesn't lie.
then read genesis, see how it goes.
The neat thing is we are all the same in his ind, if youmade something, and you are an artist that is exceptional, whatever you make is special.
anyway, don't worry how long, just remeber today only.
Quality..When a house fire comes, the artist always saves his pictures he drew first. If you get what I mean.
Anyway, the walk will always help.
I appreciate the thought and sensitivity you put into this delicate flower of a post.
OR is too expensive, except for the western part, which is one of the driest places on Earth. I can't see buying one or two acres there; I need far more space to stretch out in.
I tried to read the Bible once but found it mostly unintelligible, and rather cruel. I have patience for Dickens, but not the Bible. I do have some vague religious thoughts that are tied entirely to nature, not anything PEOPLE, who to me are killing nature and therefore killing God.
I normally spend lots of time in the woods, but these days the woods depress me because of our endless drought. I'm spending more time working on our buildings, and hoping that they won't burn up.
Thanks again, kadoomsoon. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Sep 12, 2005 Posts: 269 Location: Victoria, Australia
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:56 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
Heineken,
I have been where you are now. 7 years of terrible drought, devastating fires, crippling water restrictions, everywhere dust underfoot, garden plants dead and dried out.
Yet I have found that the rains do come again. Just recently we had rain. So much, in fact, that houses were inundated or even washed away. The pump houses at the catchment dam were washed away and bridges over the local creeks destroyed. That was in July and we have had no rain since. So we are back to drought and already bush fires are threatening.
I was depressed because I felt that I was powerless to deal with drought, fire and flood. But then I took some positive action. We drilled a bore, we installed another 26,000 gallon water storage tanks in addition to the 25,000 gals we already had. We installed a drip water system for the gardens which is very economical on water. We installed a mist sprinkler system on the roof for fire protection. We dug two huge dams on the property.
At first these extra tanks and dams were sitting empty, but when the rains came they filled and they supply us with enough water for a full year of house use and irrigation. We also have enough to share with the neighbours so they can grow a good vegetable garden.
What we did wasn't cheap, but didn't cost as much as you might think because we did most of the work ourselves and we now feel more empowered to deal with our changing weather patterns.
Look around and take positive action where ever possible. Even a little with help you feel more empowered.
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:59 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
If the prices barred me from the travel from one place to back home, I'd pull out my bug out baggage and ride down the long journey across 3 provinces. If I have to. _________________ "Panic is not a strategy." - BigTex
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5698 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
TT: Thank you for your thoughts.
We're not used to severe drought around here, so it's more of a shock than a drought in Australia, I suppose. We're just not set up to handle it at all, but I hear what you are saying about taking proactive steps.
I may have to consider having my land (which is nearly all heavily forested) clear-cut. Then at least the house would probably survive a fire . . . although I've heard that burning cinders can blow long distances and land on rooftops. Since the woods may well burn off anyway, I could get some economic return for the lumber and not feel guilty. We may just have to shift to a regime of more open land around the house, which we'd mow to keep open.
It would be expensive to get rid of all those stumps, though, and grade and seed.
I guess in the future Virginia will look a lot more like Australia . . . _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
Heineken wrote:
TT: Thank you for your thoughts.
We're not used to severe drought around here, so it's more of a shock than a drought in Australia, I suppose. We're just not set up to handle it at all, but I hear what you are saying about taking proactive steps.
I may have to consider having my land (which is nearly all heavily forested) clear-cut. Then at least the house would probably survive a fire . . . although I've heard that burning cinders can blow long distances and land on rooftops. Since the woods may well burn off anyway, I could get some economic return for the lumber and not feel guilty. We may just have to shift to a regime of more open land around the house, which we'd mow to keep open.
It would be expensive to get rid of all those stumps, though, and grade and seed.
I guess in the future Virginia will look a lot more like Australia . . .
If it is any consolation I don't believe oaks (I assume that is what you have) burn ferociously like fir and pine. Maybe you don't have to clearcut the entire area--just around your house. Where I live (CA) 100 ft. is considered by the Calif. Dept. of Forestry to be the fire safe zone where you can cut any tree without a timber harvest plan. That tells me you would might need a smaller safety zone _________________ ree rah rip ram. sunofabitch godamn. hidey didey christ almighty. rah rah crap
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
I'm truly not trying to be an asshole here, because I realize I tend to do that around here. I'm sorry about the hard times many of you are having with this, I think we can all relate on some level.
But I honestly believe that the vast majority of people on here are predisposed to this type of anxiety and despair. When you're no longer capable to work because you believe Peak Oil will make it all irrelevant very soon - you have a problem. There is always, always a host of issues to be depressed about. If it's not Peak Oil, it's something else (bird flu, global warming, nuclear attacks, bio warfare, massive economic collapse, etc.). It's not necessarily that everyone else is unaware of it all, it's that they realize that this is the way it's always been and always will be. You don't have forever in this life. When it's taken away, you will wish didn't spend your time worrying about how awful it's all going to be.
Joined: Apr 06, 2006 Posts: 2532 Location: 3 miles NW of Champoeg
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
Heineken wrote:
OR is too expensive, except for the western part, which is one of the driest places on Earth.
Ah, your map's upside down Heink. Eastern Oregon is the cheap part in the rain shadow of the Cascades. There's dry, and there's dry, too. My family's been farming wheat in the northern part since the 1880s. There are some plush valleys in the Wallowas. Down in Malheur County you can hook up with some of the only Basques in the country.
Keep your powder dry, mmasters! This too will pass, as they say.
Bought a copy of The Good Life a while ago, it's said to be a classic story of getting out of the city, into the country, hoeing your own row, and so forth. Haven't started it yet but some here recommended it. _________________ Cogito, ergo non satis bibivi
Rug-peers did not do this.
"We can find a needle in a haystack, but it is still a needle." - Colin Campbell on oil exploration.
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 1076 Location: Everywhere
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
mmasters wrote:
As of now I'm recovering from burn out after dealing with a prolonged bad work situation and some troubles in my personal life. So anyway it made me more aware of where our limits are and that burnout is a real phenomenon when people are pushed too hard (as when emotional stress becomes overwhelming for a prolonged period of time). I really believe that PO or events stemming from it have the power to burn out vast segements of society. Curious how many of you have dealt with breakdowns or depressions resulting from being overloaded. Experiencing it really leads me to believe that a good portion of society will become frail when TSHTF (as I'm more conscious of the possibility for it within myself).
Hi mmasters,
I've had two stress-related breakdowns in my adult life so I can realete to where you are coming from.
You can have a freak-out for many reasons, but I think a primary one is when you keep feeding the sub-conscious mind conflicting signals.
Such as, "I love my mistress but I can't leave my wife...". After a while the subconscious goes, 'Yea, right" and just pulls the plug on the fore-brain until the latter gets its act together again.
I had my second breakdown about five years ago and it wasn't pleasant. At the time I was doing a high-pressure job in IT and at the same time I was desperate to get out and start farming my own bit of land. I kept telling myself that if I just put up with a bit more crap today, I could save up some more and be able to afford to do what I really wanted to do.
Looking back, I can see the crap I was feeding myself. Why I suddenly turned around, told the boss to go to hell, screamed at everyone else I knew, planted the web-servers with destructive trojans, sold the house, and emigrated (grin).
Sometimes the subconscious mind does know best. Strangely enough, I am now farming my own little bit of land, although in a different country from where I thought it was going to be. Funny how things work out...
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 1076 Location: Everywhere
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
pstarr wrote:
I keep expecting the MSM and the stooopid public to discover peak oil. I guess I secretly hope that the realization will shake people up and they will at least react. And then I can carry on an intelligent conversation with my friends. They want to talk about work, movies, music, crops, economy and all I want to do is scream "peak oil, you f@ckin numbnuts." But that gets you nowhere fast.
Everybody is too wrapped up in tv, cars, and appleby's to bother.
Hi pstarr
When I was - ahem - younger than I am now, I was involved some of the groups in England that was studying a phenomena called 'crop circles'. Probably most people here know about them, for those that don't, they are wierd geometric patterns that started appearing in standing crops in England (and subsequently the rest of the world) from the mid 1980's onward.
I had the rare opportunity to study one of them at very close hand close to my home and they are quite unique. One of the things that got myself (and a lot of other people at the time) going was the intricate detailing of the patterns - individual stalks are woven around each other - particularly around the edges of the thing, in careful patterns that copy the entire shape. I am talking about just two or three stalks, twisted around and around, that also are in the same shape as the greater design. The attention to detail was incredible.
At the time we thought this phenomena was going to change the world. Something completely outside of science and all conventional thought.
How wrong we were. Crop circles are still occurring right across southern Britain but now they don't even get a mention even in the local papers.
Same goes for Peak Oil, these days. You can scream all you like but at the end of the day you can't release prisoners that don't want to be set free.
Joined: Aug 03, 2006 Posts: 3615 Location: Working the Beat
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: Collective Burn Out from PO
I'll throw in a few ideas:
First, trying to emotionally and psychologically deal with something as big as PO is exhausting. Don't be surprised when you get exhausted. Just put it down from time to time and have faith that it will be there when you come back. Don't worry, it won't go anywhere.
Second, go to some yoga classes and/or learn about breathing and how controlling your breathing can give you a sense of control over your whole world.
Third, get enough sleep and eat good foods. Pretty obvious, but for some reason people don't do it.
Fourth, if you smoke, think about cutting back or quitting. You will get better mileage out of your body and your senses.
Fifth, be as kind to yourself as you are to others. If you're an asshole, think about changing your ways (even if assholery makes you happy, it takes a toll on those around you).
Sixth, cultivate a very dark sense of humor. I find that I laugh at things that make other people gasp. Everything I see on TV is just designed to upset me anyway--why not laugh instead? I am not laughing at others' misfortune; I'm laughing at what a screwed up world we live in. I was talking to my daughter last night about the Pyramids and how much effort went into building them and she asked "what did they do with them when they were done? Did people live in them?" I told her that, no, people didn't live in them, they put the bodies of dead kings in them. As I was telling her this I realized how stupid it sounds to invest that much effort into something so apparently useless. The world is full of that kind of stuff. Laugh at it. Or cry. Why are we getting rid of oil as fast as we can when we really need it for basic survival? Because collectively we are dumbasses. Ha ha ha.
Seventh, take a break from yourself. Step away from the window through which you are viewing the world. Loosen up your fixed ideas. Pretend you are an ant. Go to a movie in the middle of the day. Smile. Count your blessings instead of your curses. Accept people as they are and be kind to them (this will save a lot of emotional energy).
Eighth, listen to the music you liked when you were a kid. Call up a friend from your childhood. Watch a movie you liked when you were a teenager. Look at old pictures. Remember how you felt when you were less worn, when you knew less about the world. Drive by the house you grew up in, the high school you went to. Re-connect with the person you used to be.
Doom is a state of mind that requires one to move away from the center. Stay there too long and everything starts to feel unbalanced, even if the doom is real.
I've learned all of the above through trial and error. I am still refining most of it.
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ree rah rip ram. sunofabitch godamn. hidey didey christ almighty. rah rah crap 
