What to do: move, stay, or get an associate's degree

[Strat]

So I've got a lot of goals in life and I feel as though I'm not on the right path. I'm sort of on the 'repeater' path (credit to Alex Collier for that term). There's nothing inherently wrong with this but I just don't like it, it's not for me.

Currently I can't complain I've got it pretty sweet. However I'm not living up to my potential. Here's what I've been thinking:

1.) If I started saving right now then I would have the resources to buy land in a rural area and move in in about 2 years. I'd have to trade a comfy middle class house for an old mobile home but that's okay. I can fix/build anything so I wouldn't have to pay anyone for repairs.

This idea has appealed to me for years. The thought of having acres of land to do whatever I want, no light pollution, no dumbass alcoholics to deal with. Man that sounds so sweet. Frankly it is the definition of freedom.

2.) I still dun ain't got me no education. Frankly I don't need one I can bank with my online business if I put the work in. I would like to get an associate's at some point. I'm not sure on a major, it's between some branch of physics or mechanical engineering. Regardless, I should get the associate's at some point.

Due to health issues I'd have to take it online, but that's no biggy. Thank God I live in this day and age so this is an option.

3.) Or I could stay put, work on the business, and keep doing what I'm doing. Not a lot of pros to this, only that I'm close to friends and family.

So what do you think Avalon? Advise me with your collective wisdom!

[RMorgan]

This idea has appealed to me for years. The thought of having acres of land to do whatever I want, no light pollution, no dumbass alcoholics to deal with. Man that sounds so sweet. Frankly it is the definition of freedom.


Dear brother,

You've already answered your question.

Do you like freedom? I guess you do. Do you have any idea of what freedom would look like to you? I guess you do.

Just go for it.

I just moved to a very small town, far enough from the big city's craziness and I couldn't be happier...I have absolutely no regrets. Next step is to buy myself some land.

Raf.

[sheme]

I wouldn't dream of advising you but judging by the order you have placed your alternatives -number one might be number one?

What do you think?

[Krist]

If you don't know what to do ,don't do anything.Chop wood carry water until you get a feeling to do more.Sometimes by the time we get what we want we forget why.Many suggestions many points of view in the end the choice is up to you my friend."go for the rural area" Good luck Strat!

[cursichella1]

Why can't you do all three? Move to a spot in the country where you have internet access. Work on your degree, keep your online business and enjoy the fresh air while doing it.

[Crazy Louie]

the easiest thing to do is the hardest
the hardest thing to do is the easiest

if you don't know what you really want to do
why would you ask someone else who you will not listen to anyway?

the question here is not about physical location
but the area between your ears - that is where you need to be.

what will you gain if one person says move
what will you gain if one person says stay

you will only gain more of you.


your first statement was you felt like you was on the wrong path
that is your answer from your own lips.

the rest was all the diatribe of fear of actually really leaving your comfort zone.
I knew that! - you say to yourself now.

[Sunny-side-up]

Always keep as many options as you can.
Always make sure your safe.
Have at-least 2 ways of income if you can, and not both reliant on internet/techno.
If you wan't to move out of the city find a place that looks good to you but have a long holiday there first.

Keep in touch with friends as well, maybe they might become next valley neighbours :)

What ever you go for friend make sure you can handle it and enjoy!

[Operator]

Well I can tell you from my own experience that dreams are nice but there comes a point where a little more courage is
needed to really manifest it. Sometimes if you're at the doorstep ... doubt sets in. Is this really my dream? How come
I saw it as a dream but now it appears to get real ... ?!? Scary !

I moved from the Netherlands to the Caribbean. I've felt like wanting to leave the Netherlands all my life. When I
met my wife it turned out she also felt like leaving and we have been preparing such a step for about 8 years.
But when we were about to buy property and make things real we looked at each other and couldn't simply
believe it was truly happening. You know it's a life impacting decision so doubt sets in.

But if you really dreamed about it and your intuition is telling you to do it then it's most likely for you.
I guess because now that you realize it is feasible doubts sets in and you are hoping for external advice.
You don't need it ... you already got the best internal advice ... follow your heart.

[Snowflower]

A degree will be worthless in the new world awaiting us. But, skills to live in that world: priceless.

Hunting, trapping, fishing, growing, gathering, raising - six ways to get food. Don't know how? THAT's the school you ned then.
Braintanning buckskins, pottery in an open fire kiln from clay gathered from the riverbank (how? - well, you could take a college degree to learn, or you could find a primitive skills expert and live with them).
How to grow food. Lots of mistakes to make before getting it sort of right.
Finding water. How to make water potable that isn't, without fancy equipment. Just charcoal from the fire pit and sand.

You are young and have no dependents? Don't waste any more time dithering, eh? Act before you find yourself hobbled through life circumstance. And, I disagree about "staying safe." I suggest leaping into the unknown. A most invigorating jump, sure to be interesting no matter where you land.

[Sunny-side-up]

Hi Snowflower might I suggest letting people have holidays with you then you can see if your guests are compatible/safe.

BTW check out Avalon member Strat's post :)
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?64618-What-to-do-move-stay-or-get-an-associate-s-degree&p=746889#post746889

[Snowflower]

Strat, if I did this right, it should take you to the thread I started about a place to go:

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?64619-An-Invitation-for-Survivors&p=746759&viewfull=1#post746759

[chocolate]

Strat, I have been and probably still am in a similar situation. i did a very fast test of my own perception and the following opinion is the result.
Although I do love nature in its purity and the idea to live in you own place, grow you food and be somehow independent. The thing with me is this- I somehow feel that if i move I will be looking back instead of looking forward to life. My grandparents lived that life, and I have to say it belongs to the past for me. Probably my reasons for longing for this natural way of living is the crazy situation the world is right now, but the problem is not in the world in itself, it is in what we are making of it. So I decided to postpone my moving towards the home-in-the-countryside life.
As far as education goes, uhm, after 20 something years of education now I am dropping all of that logical knowledge to go back to more intuitive knowing. So that is the answer to your q.2
As far as 3 goes, if you are happy around your relatives, just do adjustments in your current situation and probably the next step will emerge.
I think you just helped me discover what I think about that whole dilemma.
Thank you.

[Smell the Roses]

I was going to go in a different direction than most of the others here, so now I guess you will have votes for all three options! I don't think leaving everything behind is always the best, the most courageous, or even the "hardest" option. Sometimes staying put and "Blooming Where You Are Planted" takes the most bravery. My first thought was to stay near family and friends. But of course only you know the Truth and the Whole Story of Your Life.

If there is to be a need for survival tactics in the near future, two years may be too long to start getting situated with a stationary bug-out or bug-in location. You may be better off with a bug-out bag and topo maps of nearby areas.

I have left things behind and quit things more times than I can count, in search of that idyllic location or situation. That's certainly default mode for me, no big deal. Currently I am in the Bloom Where You Are Planted mode--much more challenging. But I did learn a lot along the way, so again your own path awaits you. Just don't think that you are not brave if you choose to stay where you are! :) Please keep us updated! :D

[Ki's]

You might want to try out living in the country before you make a firm decision. It may take some getting used to.

There is a kind of weird paradox to living in a small rural community. On one hand you have privacy in that you can't see your neighbors and you're not noticed or bothered so much by official types...but on the other hand, there aren't many secrets in a small community. Inevitably, everyone will figure out your 'dirt'. The up-side to this is eventually you realize they have 'dirt' too.
So what you end up with is a private rural community with not so much internal privacy.

But it's all good. There is a comfort to being known and in knowing others in a way you don't usually have in a city.

And who knows...if you stick, yours might be the safe haven your family bugs out to.