New Gas Tax...January 1...California already has some of the highest gas prices in the country (to live, deal)

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Change.

Or suffer your lack of sensibility. I don't really care which.

Just quit whining about your choices as if you haven't any other.

Who is whining?

Most have very little choice.

Remember I use the bulk of my fuel, except when driving to visit a distant customer, in helping others. Are you sure I should stop doing that?

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

This is total malarky, expat. Minimalism, by definition, is vastly easier than the de rigueur complexities of modern consumer capitalist lifestyle. In every last respect. For each and every person. Especially for families.

Good for you being health conscious. Seriously. But you again seem to miss the boat on the realities of good health. It isn't complex and doesn't require technology. Nor is it expensive. Your diet is your best medicine chest. If you haven't the knowledge or self control to leverage that, the information is available to illuminate your path. That's the neatest thing about our vast scientific and technological history. It shows us, through brilliant science, what works and what doesn't - and thus what should be discarded. And what should be discarded is, well, almost everything we confound ourselves and bodies with. Nearly ALL of contemporary infirmity is a result of lifestyle imbalance. We aren't being assaulted with exotic new diseases from outer space aliens. We're doing it to ourselves.

We are incredible omnivores. We can, and should, eat a wide variety of foods. There's no great need for it to be expensive, organic either. Just eliminate the sugars and processed and milled crap. Here's a short, best, simple primer for you:
What Your Food Is Really Doing to Your Body

As for exercise? It's great. If it's also fun and/or productive and not torturous. But, good as it is for you, it's the least important element to your health. Lots of people live long without it, in wheelchairs, and with other disabilities and conditions that prohibit.

You, like many folks, keep wanting simplicity to be complex. So it can be out of reach. Impossible for you. Bizarre.

Bizzare that you think most can do it. Today's society is such you must work and that eliminates many from moving off grid as it were. That you and some others can do it, does not mean it is feasible for the many. SoCal being a prime example of why it does not work. Now in TN, my sister in law basically lives on her social security and a bit of part time work and lives in a trailer in a nice mobile home park. Most can't do that is they are too young for SS and need a job for their family to simply keep eating and a roof over their head. The idea is good, the practicality of it isn't. So I try to give people both sides of an issue and suggest that a CA "lifestyle" in the normal world may not be the best overall. Takes time for many to see that and act on it to minimize the stress. Of course look at every TV, newspaper, etc AD about life. Not minimalist at all and influences most everyone. Not me though. I am debt free and all my cars are older than 10 years and I don't care. In fact I am planning on selling 3 of them, as I no longer want them. Life changes.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Who is whining?

Um, nearly everyone who posts on this board.

Originally Posted by expatCA

Most have very little choice.

Nonsense. Everyone has practically unlimited choices in how to live their lives.

Originally Posted by expatCA

Remember I use the bulk of my fuel, except when driving to visit a distant customer, in helping others. Are you sure I should stop doing that?

What I think you should stop doing is pretending you didn't say you go through two tanks of gas a week driving for the hell of it. Evidence quoted below is what I responded to.

Originally Posted by expatCA

I go through 2 tanks a week because i get to drive through beautiful country, with no traffic issues daily. If bored with the beauty that surrounds me on every side, i can drive for 2 hours and be in another State (6 States) with even more beauty, charm, neat rural communities, major cities and more. Oh, no heavy traffic either.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Bizzare that you think most can do it. Today's society is such you must work and that eliminates many from moving off grid as it were. That you and some others can do it, does not mean it is feasible for the many. SoCal being a prime example of why it does not work. Now in TN, my sister in law basically lives on her social security and a bit of part time work and lives in a trailer in a nice mobile home park. Most can't do that is they are too young for SS and need a job for their family to simply keep eating and a roof over their head. The idea is good, the practicality of it isn't. So I try to give people both sides of an issue and suggest that a CA "lifestyle" in the normal world may not be the best overall. Takes time for many to see that and act on it to minimize the stress. Of course look at every TV, newspaper, etc AD about life. Not minimalist at all and influences most everyone. Not me though. I am debt free and all my cars are older than 10 years and I don't care. In fact I am planning on selling 3 of them, as I no longer want them. Life changes.

Never suggested anyone live off the grid, in a trailer, on a boat, under a rock, etc. There are lots of ways to live simple and inexpensive lives that people don't take advantage of.

I was a printer. I lived on a boat mostly but at times I lived in my little shop. Stove, cot, shower, even had a tv back then. No commute. Saved a truckload of money. Happy as a clam at high tide doing it.

One of my closest friends was a carpenter who lived with wife and two kids on boats they built themselves and lived aboard in Richardson Bay near me in Sausalito, and sailed to Mexico and Hawaii and Alaska. But they lived as much on land in houses they rented in trade for remodeling. Over the years of saving they bought a few trailer houses here and there that were on lots, not in parks. They rented them out while living in a big retired bread van. Parked in back of one of the rentals. Friend now owns 6 such trailer homes, 3 full houses, and a waterfront condo. All of which he rents out and maintains himself, while he splits his time traveling in his camper, on a boat anchored as part of the waterfront condo ownership in Florida (winters), and in a 150 square foot extension to a garage at one of the rental houses in the Pacific NW, summers. Clears a pretty penny doing it.

Another friend now passed on was from China. Owned a small neighborhood convenience store in the city. Raised his family in the back rooms. No commute. Put three kids through college and bought the entire apartment building the store was in over time.

Just talking to a woman a few weeks ago on the dock where I now have one of my sailboats. I was scrubbing the waterline with a long handled brush and she struck up a conversation about the chore. She said she and her 16-year old son were going to "dive the hull" on their boat that same afternoon. ("Diving the hull means pulling on your wetsuit and snorkle and cleaning the bottom of your hull".). Turns out she and husband live aboard a 42' sailboat raising three kids aboard. She works part-time not far away from the marina. Her husband? Full-time career military stationed there in San Diego. His commute? About five miles on a motorcycle.

Lots of people now work their own businesses from their homes. The beat goes on. I know LOTS of people living "alternative" lifestyles while earning and raising families. Minimalists aren't all just a bunch of hippies.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Remember I use the bulk of my fuel, except when driving to visit a distant customer, in helping others. Are you sure I should stop doing that?

You do? I could have sworn it was you who posted this

Originally Posted by expatCA

You gotta pay closer attention. Ihave 6 vehicles in total including 1 yruck.
I go through 2 tanks a week because i get to drive through beautiful country, with no traffic issues daily. If bored with the beauty that surrounds me on every side, i can drive for 2 hours and be in another State (6 States) with even more beauty, charm, neat rural communities, major cities and more.

[Tulemutt]

[quote=Ralph78;42420739]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Humanity survived and proliferated many thousands of years without much of anything resembling the nonessential nonsense now considered required and de rigueur.

Yes, and life was Brutal and Short, no thanks. I'm not interested in your minimalist lifestyle, I enjoy what I do, make enough to live well while enjoying life, though I do plan on leaving CA when I soon retire, to avoid the ever increasing interference by the STATE in my life, and it's ever increasing demands upon my income.

Um, minimalism isn't any causative factor to "brutal and or short lives". And if you prefer a longer brutal existance running with the rats, knock yourself out. Doesn't bother me in the slightest and I'm not preaching that anyone should be a minimalist. I am laughing at those who whine about their struggles in the complexities of their lives that are self-imposed. But hey, if you like it, knock yo'sef out, bro.

[marcopolo666]

This topic has gone waaaaaay off the rails. In an attempt to get back on track, the original post (almost exactly a year ago) was :

Originally Posted by eccotecc

On January 1, Californians may be paying as high as an additional $0.76/gal for gas. The increase will be in addition to some of the highest gas prices in the country. Don't be too anxious this holiday season to spend those windfall gas dollars, or as the pundits would have you believe, your tax cut. The January gas tax increase will raise prices on everything Californians purchase.

USA and Canada Current Average Gas Prices By City/State/Province - GasBuddy.com

Cap and Trade for Fuels | CA Fuel Facts

So here we are a year later, and ' surprise! ' - the doom and gloom was unwarranted. Gas is selling around $2.50/$2.60 a gallon (around SF/SJ) - the price went DOWN significantly. It looks like 'The January gas tax increase DID NOT raise prices on everything Californians purchase'.

Thoughts?

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Um, nearly everyone who posts on this board.
Nonsense. Everyone has practically unlimited choices in how to live their lives.

Sure they can stop paying debts they have, abandon their family, walk away from commitments, is that what you suggest? After all are you married and with your wife or .... ?

Remember some choices are stupid, some are bad and some are even worse.

What I think you should stop doing is pretending you didn't say you go through two tanks of gas a week driving for the hell of it. Evidence quoted below is what I responded to.

I didn't say what I drove for, just that it is beautiful anywhere I drive here. Preconceptions usually lead to looking foolish and adding your thoughts (and words) makes it even more foolish, on your part.

Where I live you can't drive to the end of the street without seeing great beauty.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

You do? I could have sworn it was you who posted this

Yes I do at times drive for pleasure, also to visit friends, family, work and to help others. Try to understand what is said not just assume.

[V8 Vega]

Originally Posted by marcopolo666

This topic has gone waaaaaay off the rails. In an attempt to get back on track, the original post (almost exactly a year ago) was :




So here we are a year later, and ' surprise! ' - the doom and gloom was unwarranted. Gas is selling around $2.50/$2.60 a gallon (around SF/SJ) - the price went DOWN significantly. It looks like 'The January gas tax increase DID NOT raise prices on everything Californians purchase'.

Thoughts?

Its not Jan. 1st yet, bend over.