Fat is a type of crazy

The general concept is life is a bit more about experiences than a stable boring life. If you think how hard it is for the young to buy a house in western countries you can see why some might take a different path. Working from home was a revelation for me and for many in the workplace and showed that being productive didn't have to mean the boring tedious politeness of long commutes and sitting under fluorescent lights 5 days a week. So staff look at other ways to make work suck less but still doing the job. Overtime...up to them..why exhaust yourself for some crappy company. I work for the government so at least see some good coming from what I do ... don't laugh. But in fact most young I see aren't different ... fairly hard working ..some still super ambitious .. some not ..

If you wanted to stay 90 days could you get the 60 day visa from Australia than do the trip to a different country and get a further 30 days with no issues. Hopefully they'll have the 90 day tourist visa by at some point. Think it was discussed as a possibility.

Media microphones

I work in an office. Sometimes hard but not too bad. Interesting work. If you work in an office you need some sort of stimulation to keep you thinking. Can now work 3 days at home which makes it that much more appealing and a good transition to retirement too.

You seem a tad cynical about and disappointed in your fellow expats. Do you have an original thought you can share to inspire us all.

Die Antwoord hit the spot.

All the best for a speedy recovery Britman

It's almost like you don't like this Dan guy

Man does not live by fruit pudding alone.

If there is a possibility it can be worked out here are some thoughts: Many men are married to women who talk too much and are controlling and nag and have a temper so having a quiet lady who maybe looks at her phone too much ain't so bad. Try having fun with her, buy her flowers, surprise. Not because you are in the wrong but so you can add some fun. You do sound too serious - could be due to life being tough so fair enough. You say you forbid ipads ... try not to forbid stuff .. sounds authoritarian and over the top. You can allow them but have rules about their use. You compare your household to your youth. We have idealistic memories of our youth - best not to compare. She may not be the affectionate motherly love type - Thais can be reserved - let her be her. Don't judge her and compare step by step. You say house is a mess but talk about a mess on a book shelf - seconds to clean up - and that there is no system in things - she feeds and clothes the kids and if the house overall is kept clean sounds not too bad.

Cheap charlie extraordinaire

I like it. Stayed there a few times when going to Koh Chang. Can't tell you a lot but there's a nice old section and a nice seafood restaurant in the middle of town. Actually there was no real middle of town..some areas here and there. Can recommend Maneechan Resort - nice facilities, pool and gym and sauna, nice big breakfast. A bit out of town. Need room away from road. Nearby waterfall nice. Beaches 20 minutes away that are so so but at least not as touristy as others.

Well done but it made me feel less unique and special. Beat you by a month. December 1985 Stayed at Narai Hotel in Bangkok with girlfriend Overnight bus to Chiang Mai Then to Chaing Rai and on a raft for 2 nights up to Burma border Stay at hilltribe for a night. Strange sounds in the night. Heavy hill tribe lady massage. Bit sick next day. Fly Chiang Mai Bangkok to Surat Thani. Feeling sick on overnight boat to the island Three days on Koh Samui. Had hash cookies and freaked me out a bit. Marijuana and me not a good combination. Ride around Koh Samui on motorbike. No insurance. The things we do. Bangkok A week in Burma Rangoon Mandalay Pagan Met a guy in Mandalay who said we could stay in his brothers farm and go on to Pagan ..so we did. Home in empty Qantas plane that arrived Christmas day. Gave us lots of drinks which was nice.

99.6 per cent of girls don't like cheap charlies.

Not sure what 'ickums is. Google couldn't help. I don't recognise your username so you may not have the read the many, sometimes entertaining, Bob posts on said topics that I raised. I am getting a bit sick of his schtick. So keep in mind you may not have the context and your comments are a bit off the mark. As for your attempted insults .. people tend to write that sort of stuff when they have nothing to say. No offence taken.

Well when someone posts daily about their problems getting along with people in fairly simple situations and their problems with drinking you can put two and two together. Never had such a rude reply so that might say something about you and how you deal with things my good man.

You have good intentions, and good to put a bit aside, but it might be making you serious and cheap and less fun to be around so I would go back to your normal spend for you and your wife, with a bit extra here and there, so you can all have good memories of having a bit of fun in your later years while they will appreciate the bit left behind too.

Smile. If she's having a bad day doesn't have to worry you. Don't let the minutae in life get you down. But as I haven't experienced this, in fact most waitresses are super kind and friendly, it could have been your attitude. Maybe not. One thing I've noticed is when I do regular hard exercise things don't worry me but otherwise little things get me down. Something to consider.

Always find them happy and I if I needed something I would say it in a humble way. Maybe you were still slurring your words from the drink the night before. Time to get it together Bob. Time to get an Action Plan.

Somehow though .. for the average spud .. life gets better and easier than ever before.. and though it is awful seeing the things going on in the world.. the mainstream media .. which so many here vilify .. get to shine a light on what's going on and make it less bad than it might have been .. think of the effect the media had in Vietnam .. Life is pretty good for most .. even for curmudgeons on this site...

He said Canada. Big picture of Trudeau.

I don't think most Australians are racist. I think this vote was too vague about what actually was going to happen.

Maybe you have a different definition of audit but I do find it hard to believe that in Year 1 you had to provide documents and proof of your tax return, were found compliant, new audit in Year 2, same thing happened with same outcome, and then for a further 14 years same thing. By year 3 I think if you had have put in a complaint it would have been noticed and stopped as that is surely clear harassment. If it did happen it sounds like some computer program was on some loop error rather than both Republicans and Democrats caring enough about a few letters to involve multiple departments and 100's of bureaucrats in some vendetta over some harsh words.

On the canal boats you can have a strong smell of <deleted>e and you can get sprayed a bit with the water. Maybe it was that particular canal. Nice quick way to get around though.

Trip on the BTS to the big shopping centres will be pretty exciting for a 10 year old kid from the country. You would know better than me but times I have been there they often have things going on outside - music, cars on display, or similar.