GammaGlobulin

What is Nirvana? In Indian religions, nirvana is synonymous with moksha and mukti.[note 1] All Indian religions assert it to be a state of perfect quietude, freedom, highest happiness as well as the liberation from attachment and worldly suffering and the ending of samsara, the round of existence.[7][8] However, non-Buddhist and Buddhist traditions describe these terms for liberation differently.[9] In Hindu philosophy, it is the union of or the realization of the identity of Atman with Brahman, depending on the Hindu tradition.[10][11][12] In Jainism, nirvana is also the soteriological goal, representing the release of a soul from karmic bondage and samsara.[13] In the Buddhist context, nirvana refers to realization of non-self and emptiness, marking the end of rebirth by stilling the fires that keep the process of rebirth going.[9][14][15] To achieve this status, one has to get rid of three psychological evils – Raga (greed, desire), Dwesha (anger) and Moha (delusion). So, I agree... Greed is not good Anger is not good Delusional Thinking is not good. These are the three things I mentioned, in the topic, above.

My Dear TV-viewing Friends from the UK, North America, South America, South Africa, etc…., Probably, many of you might know this, however I have actually lived in Asia for most of my life, after having lived for a few short years in a Western Country, not Colorado, up in the Silver Mines, among the uneducated hardworking panhandlers. So, what might you imagine are the Three Best tools you will need, besides a gold-washing pan in order to acclimate here, for your future happiness? aa. Language acquisition, which you can fairly easily accomplish, if you are dedicated enough. bb. A nice smile, something everyone appreciates, and which is always returned, in kind. dd. Always maintain a LOVE of the culture, here. And, if you don’t love the culture here, then you should not come, because….without a love of this land, then you will never be happy, but only experience various degrees of bitterness, which is not good for either you or the people you meet. cc. Just maintain some degree of youthfulness and playfulness. The people here, for sure, enjoy playfulness, and they have a wonderful sense of humor, too. ff. Do what you can to maintain good health, and white teeth, without bridges or implants. You will remain happier if you do. The above three suggestions are just some of a few that I would recommend to any newbie coming here. Do not fear the unknown. And, if you are a London Hackney, for sure, you have much less to fear by coming here, as you have already faced the most fearful things during your career. Well, there must be so many suggestions and pointers that I have forgotten. Whom among us can even begin to list what is required to know, by the end of your retirement in Thailand, including, maybe, choosing a temple which might send you up to the sky, in a puff of smoke, which is something to consider, for some of us, as we continue to age. You know, life is not easy, anywhere. However, life is more pleasant here, and, if you have a lot of money, live will be even easier here. Happy Lunar New Year, my friends, Best regards…..for sure. Note: I forgot the FOURTH thingie... The Pan for Gold Panning, a requirement for you, before you arrive here....

Regarding waiting for death, as mentioned in the first post, I, TOO, am waiting for death. And, the suspense is killing me. That and.....sick jokes. And, also, gallows humor....which, I love.

Mark Twain: "If I do not get out of debt in three months --- pistols or poison for one --- exit me." "You see, the lightning refuses to strike me -- that is where the defect is. We have to do our own striking, as Barney Bernato did. But nobody ever gets the courage till he goes crazy." "Suicide is the only sane thing the young or old ever do in this life." "Unfortunately none of us can see far ahead; prophecy is not for us. Hence the paucity of suicides." Is there really nothing that Mark Twain did not write about, so clearly? Even Hemingway lauded Mark Twain in stating that the book, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, was the book from which .... “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called 'Huckleberry Finn,'” Ernest Hemingway famously declared in 1935. “It's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before." Mark Twain? Who was he? Maybe Twain was just another tortured soul who wrote better than all other Americans. Never give up until you have written the perfect sentence.

Anyone who has lived here long enough knows that showers in the Hot Season are TOO HOT. Showers in the Cold Season are TOO COLD. And so, almost everyone who prefers control over their showers, no doubt, is seeking further knowledge about this topic. I am quite sure that I am correct, simply because this has always been a very hot topic of discussion, from my experience. The only experience I have not, might be yellow showers, but such a topic should be posted elsewhere, for sure.

OK. But, I actually DO know what size water I need, thank you, as I stated above. This is not about my asking DIY questions, which I really do not care about. The TOPIC, as you can read, is sort of a poll to inquire the wattage of water heaters that most Farang Pub Readers use. Simple question, really. And so, how many water heaters do you use. And, then, what is the wattage of each machine you use. And, does anyone here, during the Cold Season, ever get a hot-enough shower. Because, I never do, for sure. Thank you! Note: Absolutely, no penalty if you do not wish to answer the question. Yet, please participate if you are willing.

I really do not know about waiting for death, and enjoying it. I only know the play, "Waiting for Godot". Why don't you read this play by Samuel Beckett, and, hopefully, the reading of this might distract you enough to see things in a better way. But, please don't read plays like Hamlet, or Rhinoceros by Ionesco, for example.

You are correct. Without 3-phase, as you say, this is the limiting factor. This is why I have only 8000. Still, in Europe, water heaters routinely go to much higher output. Not sure why this is possible in Europe, but not possible here. Obviously, throughout much of this month, the water input temp will continue to drop. And, for sure, when you turn the shower to full blast, the water temperature becomes nothing above lukewarm, even at 8000 watts. Having lived in Japan for some time, these "lukewarm" bathing conditions might cause an uprising and revolution, judging from the love of hot water among the Japanese people. If you want a nice hot bath, therefore, the best solution might be to head to your favorite Onsen Ryokan in Tokyo, or up in the mountains, where you can bathe together with Snow Monkeys. Otherwise, in Thailand, just using locally sold 8000 watt water heaters, this might not be enough for you. There is no doubt, of course, that if you were to contact a decent contractor, then you could get enough heat for your shower. Or, probably better, one should instal a solar hot water heater, which would seem to be the most environmentally friendly solution. Of all choices available, my preference would be to always bathe with macaques in the snow, in Nagano.

YES, you are exactly correct. This is why I have only 8000 watts, which is not enough. The circuit connected to the bathroom is only 55 amps, as you also state, correctly.

"As the election neared, President Donald Trump said he would deliver to Americans shower heads that really let the water flow. No more drip-drip-drip showers supposedly caused by water-conservation rules. “You take a shower, the water doesn’t come out,” Trump said at the White House last July. “You want to wash your hands, the water doesn’t come out. So what do you do? You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer? Because my hair — I don’t know about you, but it has to be perfect. Perfect.” It sounded like an idle riff. But in December, as his administration was getting ready to depart, Trump’s Energy Department announced it had changed the rules for shower heads. The amount of water used in a shower was still capped at 2.5 gallons per minute. But the agency gave a new interpretation of the cap, saying water use would be measured per shower head instead of per shower stall. Many newer shower stalls have multiple shower heads. So three shower heads in one stall, for example, could allow for 7.5 gallons per minute." https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/19/trump-stronger-showers/ Anyway, as I stated, it was either Rummy or Cheney who had, like, 12 high power shower heads installed in his stall. Not joking. The more powerful the politician, then the more showerheads they might need, perhaps. As for me, 12,000 watts is about right, during very cold mornings in Thailand. I know I am right.

12,000 watts would be enough. I have only 8000 watts, and it is definitely not enough. Truly.

Only speaking about well-known controversy, concerning Wagner's political views. And, here is not the right place to discuss this, no doubt.

Van Gogh struggled. Therefore, why shouldn't you?

Also, other than using Helium, from canisters meant for party balloons, is there any other better way? I agree: If one has the energy to travel so far around the world to get here, then why not use this energy to prolong one's existence? Oh, I get it. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing. Until the last syllable of recorded time, even! So, then, why go on? Answer: Peach Trees Life is a Peach

No matter how terrible his thinking, Wagner's music is amazing. Therefore, one must remember to discriminate between the music of great composers, such as Beethoven and Wagner, and their glorious compositions, as opposed to their political beliefs, or their, possibly, disgusting habits.

8000 watt water heater, which is the highest wattage sold in most local stores, is still not enough. And, at this wattage, that would be about 40 Baht per hour. When the weather is cold, I take a 40-Baht shower, and feel thankful for it.

Honestly speaking, if one desires a decent shower, using the full flow setting on our showerheads, and hoping for maximum steam in one's shower area, just as we all once enjoyed while attending Ivy League schools, back in the day, when we were young bucks and rowing, then, for sure, we should buy, at least, 12,000 watt water heaters for use in mild climates, such as we have here in Thailand. There is REALLY nothing like a lot of steam in a well and beautifully tiled room in order to start one's day, and set one up for a hearty breakfast. Everybody knows this is absolutely true. Really, it is true.

By the way, even 8000 watts is still not enough, if you wish to have a nice luxurious shower at 6 AM, during the cold season, in the north of Thailand. Also, as I said before, when the weather is cold, lying in bed with one's loved one, even making love is not fun. Everybody here, as far as I know, dislikes the cold, in the mornings, no matter how exotic it might be. And, even 18 degrees, here, culturally speaking, is considered to be frigid weather. Hope you have 12,000 watts, and hope your machine is a STIEBEL ELTRON.

My Dear Friends, Here it is again, the Cold Season. And now, this week, we are having a cold snap. Can we begin a poll about Water Heater Watts? aa. How many watts is your water heater? bb. No matter how many watts, is it ever enough during a cold snap? When it gets really cold, during mornings, then people here just refuse to take showers, I guess. So, how many watts do you have? As far as I know, most showers are fitted with water heaters of about 3000 watts to 4500 watts. Yet, in my opinion, 4500 watts, during a cold snap, is only fit for washing hands in a sink, and not for showering luxuriously while shampooing. How many watts do you have connected to your shower head? One can never have too much hot water in the Cold Season. By the way: Was it not Donald Rumsfeld who installed about 12 showerheads in one shower stall, at government's expense, in order to be hit from all sides by hot water, while showering? Actually, as I recall, maybe it was Cheney. Anyway, for me, 10 degrees C is really cold. Minus 50 degrees C, for me, once seemed to be rather balmy, when I lived up north in Canada for a spell. Not surprisingly, after acclimatizing to SE Asian weather, for over 40 years, 10 degrees C gives one the shivers. No matter how "cold" the weather turns in Thailand, very few of us resort to wearing gloves. Well, sometimes people wear gloves here. But, the wearing of gloves is not due to the weather, mostly. Some people have a 6000 watt water heater. But, 6000 watts is not enough, still. Even 8000 watts is not adequate for a decent full-flow shower in the early mornings, during the Cold Season. What we really need is a water heater with an output of about 12,000 watts. However, in order to use this, then your normal electrical connection might not be up to snuff. So what about yours? Do you have a piddling little water heater? If so, then do you dread taking a shower in the mornings, during cold snaps? Just asking.

NO! Not Hamburg... JS Bach's birthplace was Eisenach.

OK. Obviously, you should do the things that improve your life. I cannot speak for what might or might not improve your life. However, generalizing, those who live in Thailand will, in most cases, benefit from learning passa Thai, one might imagine. I cannot understand how learning Thai might not lead to more empowerment, for example, for farang, in Thailand. I could be wrong. If so, if I might be mistaken in this, then....my apologies.

My Dear Friends, You might wonder. You might be nonplussed. You might ask, for example, HOW do I improve my existence in Thailand, substantially, if only I were willing to put in the effort. Or, maybe you are not one who is willing to improve your life, substantially, being satisfied to lazily drink your youth away at bars, talking to younger things always accosting you, the ones who cannot provide you with sustenance of the soul, but only temporary stimulation. As you know, years ago, I gave up seeking pleasures of the flesh. And, since then, I have become a much happier man, fuller of excitement for ethereal things. In fact, I have become uplifted and resurrected, after shedding my seamier past, and after turning over a new leaf, thereby nurturing my better side, leading to a new sunnier horizon. OK. Here is what you must do if you really wish to feel at home in Thailand, and if you want to live here in a way that will make you happiest. Believe me, because I do know this advice is true. Superficial short-time just will not do it for you, in the long run. aa. I have been studying passa Thai, for a long while. However, beginning at the start of this recent hiatus caused by the bug, I stopped, unfortunately; my heart, in quarantine, just wasn’t in it. Also, there was no longer anyone to talk Thai to, too. So, I wasted two years of Thai language learning, during the past two years, just because I became unmotivated, maybe you might say, down in the dumps, from the perspective of being motivated to learn almost anything, including language learning. bb. But now, knowing that this is the year of the Tiger, somehow, I am beginning to feel more invigorated. Maybe this is the result of my several vaccines, plus, the sound of fireworks beginning to sound overhead. cc. During this New Year, I hope that you will reaffirm your dedication to continuing your learning of passa Thai, because, both you and I know that language is a tool that all must use in order to be considered human. dd. Two years ago, when this recent thing hit us, I did give up my language learning. I now realize that I was a complete idiot in doing so. I just wasted TWO YEARS during which I could have made such good progress. Yet, such is the pity, my heart was not in it. ee. I want to say two things: 1. To all the guys (also women) who have, like I, given up learning passa Thai, day by day, during the past two years, …. Let us Get Going, again, and try to make up for lost time in our language acquisition goals. 2. To all the guys who are over 50, maybe even over 70, there is NO age at which good progress at language learning cannot be made. If you are breathing out CO2 and inhaling O2, then you are probably young enough to learn passa Thai. ff. Truly, it has been stated that, if you wish to enjoy your stay in Thailand, to the fullest, then there is no better way to accomplish this, other than to put more effort into improving your mastery of the Thai language, both spoken and written. So, don’t be lazy if you want to reap very significant rewards. gg. Well, anyway, originally, I just had this very short Lunar New Year’s wish for both you and me. I hope that some of us will make some sort of binding and enduring Lunar New Year’s resolution to work far harder, this year, to improve our Thai language skills, and thereby improve ourselves, as Human Beings, beings with the gift of language, unique among all primates, and to not “let down” our lessor cousins, the primates who look up to us, as speaking beings. There are truly so very many everyday benefits which result from learning to speak and read the Thai language. Learning to speak an L2 is not easy. Yet, if you plan to live in a new country, then the effort is worth it, and is repaid, manifold. Not to mention, there are actually many of us who enjoy learning a new language, even a dead language, just because we love languages. In posting this topic, I sincerely hope that I will provide motivation for myself, and, equally, YOU, to redouble your Thai language-learning attempts during this impending year of the Tiger, which is such an auspicious year, almost as auspicious as the year of the dragon, though not quite. I mistakenly thought that 2022 might be the year of the dragon, but it is not. 2022 is the year of the Tiger…. Don’t waste your time, this year. IMPROVE your Thai language skills; your time will not be wasted. Absolutely. This is my wish for all who read these words.

Those who love classical music, one must posit, are those who are also more introspective and thoughtful, and, maybe, even more hail-fellows-well-met. My hope is that some good moderator here might PIN this type of classical-music discussion on the Farang Pub forum, because...doing so would provide something interesting for me to look forward to, each day. Also, if this were to happen, then each morning, I could look through the suggestions, and listen to suggested classical music choices, and doing this might improve my life, markedly, over tea or coffee with my eggs. Really... I hope this happens. Thank you.

Yes. This was a sincere posting. Let us hope that the poster soon finds his best way to return to Thailand, enjoy his life, and contribute in his own way to the people who live here. The best way to feel GREAT (or better), is to contribute while in an environment that causes one to feel truly happy. Happy people, those who are both content and forward thinking, contribute most to our society. (I really do hope that this poster will find a way to return to Thailand, given that he seems justifiably smitten with this wonderful place. Thailand, for so many, is a haven for those who love Asian culture at its best.)

I, in all honesty, NEVER complain about life in Thailand, having lived in many other countries.. What is there, really, to complain about, except maybe for BEING ALIVE, if you want to complain about THAT! Yes, in truth, sometimes I actually DO complain about being alive, and wish I were dead, instead. And then, I look outside my window in Thailand, and see my friends, the Thai Myna Birds, and their antics soothe my soul, and convince me to go on with being alive. Life is NOT Easy, as we know.... Yet, as we also know, Life is better lived in Thailand. Thailand is a true blessing to everyone, especially troubled souls. I Love Thailand, absolutely, I do, after living in many other countries, for many decades. Thailand is truly the best, in my humble opinion.