I have come to a conclusion.

[Japher]

good luck Oerdin

[Gibsie]

This sounds like a good plan. I made up a similar one for myself after the horrors of last Christmas, in order to get my life where I wanted it.

Now, in just the first month of this year, I've had the laser treatment I'd been hoping to get for the last two years, and started exercising more often so I'll be happy to start up at the gym when I have more money coming in. I've had a temp job to earn some fast cash, and I've lined up a fantastic job starting Monday with a great room in a lovely house very near to where I work. I'm soooooooo glad to be getting out of my dad's house after six months here. I'm also on my way to applying for PhD's and thinking of a trip to Japan after my contract is up.

If someone had told me I'd go from my lowest point in several years to the best situation I've ever been in, I'd have told them to shut up and stop rubbing salt into my wounds. But hey, with that plan I'm sure you can get to where you want to be in life as well, Oerdin

[Thucydides]

Oerdin, why don't you go back to school with your GI Bill? That's what I'm doing, and I've calculated I can go another 3 years without working a single day before I'm broke. Of course I doesn't pay as much as working, but I think it's more fun then working the same time period.

As for getting back in shape. The problem is that it's too easy to slip out of the habit when your not forced to stay in shape. I've seen too many fat retired military personnel to know this is true in general. My solution was to start learning Kung Fu. So far I've been able to stay with it since July, and while I haven't gotten fitter in the time I left the Army, I feel I'm pretty close to the same shape I was when I left the military. If you don't like Martial Arts, you can do something else. The point is to join a recreational group that has a set time which they meet so you'll feel guilty enough to show up. The main thing though is that it has to be something you have fun doing.

I've been Playing guitar for 8 years now. I think it's an excellent idea to learn to play, as I've found it truly an anchor point, something I can always come back too and have fun doing no matter how much **** life is giving me. If you have questions on where to begin, feel free to ask.

[Thucydides]

A little off topic, but Gibsie, how much is it for laser eye surgery? I was considering getting some done myself.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Oerdin
I looked and they're hiring a park ranger for Cabrillo National Monument though the pay kind of sucks $30k-$46k per year.

Which would you be happier doing, and I mean really happier? Being a cop has its rewards, and it certainly gives you a shot to the testosterone, but you have to deal with the worst of humanity on a daily basis. I've noticed many cops tend to have a very patronizing view of civilians, at best.

On the other hand, in the NPs, you get to work with nautre, wild things, and happier people.

[Japher]

Start a gardening service.

[Flubber]

oerdin

good for you. lying about can be fun for short periods but its not very fun or rewarding in the long run. As long as you are doing SOMETHING you enjoy or will enjoy, things will go well.

[Bkeela]

Oerdin: could you post updates, for I would be interested to follow your progress?

[Ben Kenobi]

Thought I'd post here too.

I've been going through a similar situation, at least I was after my trip to the Phils fell through. Looking for work wasn't much fun, and I was getting up quite late, and staying up late too.

I decided that I'd do much of what you had on this list, including the bit about all work and no play. For me play was eating out once a week with friends, so I made sure to keep doing that regardless of everything else.

Just keeping the regular schedule will give you more energy, regardless of the workout regimen, plus it will serve to give you some motivation to keep on that job hunt and search.

I found a job, a couple of weeks ago, and it has worked out really well. They hired me on full-time, and I've been enjoying the feeling of just being productive again.

So best of luck Oerdin, and I hope you find a job thats been as satisfying as mine has been over the past while.

[RGBVideo]

So what do you folks think? Are these seven ideas worth while?

Yes.

Which would you be happier doing, and I mean really happier? Being a cop has its rewards, and it certainly gives you a shot to the testosterone, but you have to deal with the worst of humanity on a daily basis. I've noticed many cops tend to have a very patronizing view of civilians, at best.

"Prejudices and stereotypes are ok as long as they're directed towards WASP's with a job".

I've never seen cops like this.

I'm not talking about takeaways, thats a luxury for single parents living on council estates where I live.

Live on oven chips, fish fingers and beans for a month, then live on fresh food everyday for a month and tell me how much you save.

Wtf.

How much do normal potatos cost when you compare them to chips? In here, kg of potatos are around 80 cents while processed chips are >euro per 400g. Processed food is more expensive than non-processed food if it's the same food. Potatos should be cheaper than chips. If not, you're getting ripped off by chip making companies which are using **** instead of potatos. Look at the ingredients of your selected brand of choice one day and you should see what they're made of. How much of it is actual potatos? Would you rather eat food that's 50% **** (processed sugar, fat, salt, rat's brains) or food that's under 100% more expensive?

[Lawrence of Arabia]

join the Peace Corps.

[Dinner]

I have a house to pay for so the peace corp doesn't pay the bills.

Update: At 8am I was out at the local lake where I jogged two miles, walked one mile, then jogged the last two miles. I must be getting old or out of shape because my left knee is a bit sore. nothing major, but I think I will have to start stretching before I run. It's just part of being in my upper 20's.

I rewrote my resume to reflect the Park Ranger's position plus I wrote a nice cover letter. I didn't mail it because I'm having a lady friend look it over as she's really good with resumes and what not. I also found out that the SDPD hiring process typically takes 10 months to finish so that's going to have to be a long term goal and I will need a different job in the mean while.

To that end I will be widening the "acceptable fields" list to include more then just government, geology, or law enforcement jobs. I own a house so I am unwilling to relocate so I will just have to keep looking.

After that I spent several hours cleaning up the house and I am happy to report the pizza boxes and the beer bottles are now safely in the trash. I vacuumed a bit and cleaned out the bathroom so now the place is looking much better. Tomorrow I think will be laundry day and maybe I scrub out the kitchen or something. That's all folks; thanks for the well wishes.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Nice copout

Yeah, but no, but,yeah, but no, but,....

No, yours is the copout.

Whatever happened to EU directives on working hours?

Gosh.


How much better to use this 'Little Britain' Vicky figure with the 4 kids and the 5 000 hour working week and ony two groats in wages who can only feed her gaggle of hellspawn on fast food packaging and used cat litter rather than address what I've brought up- that buying unpackaged foods is cheaper and better for you than buying prepackaged additive laden junk food.

You just offer excuses for doing nothing.

[Pekka]

Oerdin, nah man.. I always get some sore spots when I start training. LIke now, I've started going to the gym again, jogging and hopefully before the beginning of the next month I'll be back training some mma again, and fighting. I got a sore knee from jogging as well. But it'll go away. And I got sore elbow from gym... but it'll go away. I'm still young.

Then again, warming up and streching is NEVER a bad idea .

And when I go back to fighting, I'll be feeling the urge to puke after few hard days, I mean during them. It doesn't mean I'm out of shape by default.. it just means I'm not used to it. Yet.

[Wildbore]

interesting

I made a similar pledge a few weeks ago. Im in university though so its slightly different. I worked out alot 2 years ago, but I stopped and now want to start again, at least doing 3 hours a week of strength training. When the snow and ice melts I will add some running. I need to get a part-time job, to get some experience and money for tuition. I also need to read my textbooks more, show up to class more, and not stay up so late and have myself tired some days. My goal is to get on a good reading schedule, with both my school textbooks and my hobby of reading current-events/politics books. I need to clean up my room and to help my working out, I need to eat more food, especially stuff with protein. I also need to organize my filing cabinet, my papers are unorganized. Although we are at different stages in life, I can relate with you abit.