FolkGuitar

45 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

Still trying to figure what cult you belong to since you qualify for a number of them.  Me, I belong to a cult called Free Independent Thinkers of America.

I haven't laughed so hard in ages. Thank you.

We chose Chiang Mai as our home. We have no need or desire to leave it every year because of repeated occurrences. Problems can be solved.
Our solution to the yearly pollution... and its worked well for us for the past 25 years without any feeling that we need to leave...

- Two small Hitachi air purifiers, 1000B each for the house keep the numbers in single digits inside. No need for us to hermetically seal the house to achieve that.

- N95 masks when we go outside.
- PMA
To date, living through the smoke for the past 25 years, we just don't find it that big a deal!  Sorry. I know that will upset some people.

3 hours ago, Hummin said:

 

Most should quit the motorbike riding long time before your age, but if that's one of the things  giving you the power to live, enjoy as long you can. Ride on

 

I don't really believe age to be the important factor. I believe it should be physical and mental abilities.

I've seen 50yr olds who were 'dottering old men,'  stumbling on smooth pavement, and 85yr olds still out there playing, dancing, and living life to the fullest, looking as if they are in their 60s.

No... it's not about age. It's about the body and mind.

Since I stopped paying attention to World News and US politics, my life has been soooo much more relaxed!
At my age and in my location (here in Thailand,) the daily mass shootings in the US, rocket attacks by Hammas, changes of local laws in San Franciso, etc., etc., have very little effect on my life so why get upset about it?

There is nothing I can do to change the facts that a little girl in Podunk, Iowa was hit by an 18-wheeler, or an angry ex-employee shot up a pizza place in Milwaukee and killed 7 people! Not even the rocket attacks on Israel have an impact on my daily life, nor does President Musk's influence on government. So why waste energy being upset about it?  If I were younger and figured to live another 25 years I might feel differently... but I'm not.

I know all this crap goes on. I know it's not stopping simply because I'm no longer reading or hearing about it several times a day.
I just no longer wallow in it.
Life is so much more serene.

Just now, BangkokReady said:

 

What do you ride now vs. when you were younger?

No changes... The big bikes are a bit more to handle at walking speeds, but once moving, no problems.

In town, which is where most of our riding takes place, I use a 125cc Honda and my wife rides a 110 Yamaha. For weekend and longer touring, we ride two-up on a Honda 750

Life is good in my old age!
My goal is to be still riding motorcycles at 85. I'm 78 now and ride every day, but I do feel the difference in mental agility and reaction time. I'm still active in my sports 3-4 times a week but can see the writing on the wall.
My health took a big hit two years ago, and my body still feels it. Because of that, I no longer feel 'young.'

I've lived a life rich enough for 5 men. If I die tomorrow there will be none who can say I haven't lived. That said, I do NOT intend to put up with any long-drawn-out lingering slow deaths.

My father got sick at 65, bedridden by 70, but hung on for another 12 years draining money and life energy from my mother trying to care for him.

I've already made my plans for a quick and easy departure when needed. I don't want to put my wife and son through what my mother and so many others have had to deal with. For that matter, I don't want to deal with what so many others have had to deal with... When it's time, it's time.
 

It's a step in the right direction, but a few cops on the road every day of the week might actually show some real positive results.
Other than around the biggest Thai cities, when have you ever seen a cop writing out a ticket for a moving violation?

Unsafe vehicle operation? Overloaded vehicle? Underaged drivers?
But let's check to see that the buses are OK...

What's the point?

Winning an argument in AN is equal to sitting at the cool kid's table in a mental hospital!
Hell, STARTING one is even more foolish!

We live on a very low (compared to most ex-pats here) retirement fixed income. But it's still a lot more than the staff in my building make each month working.

We give the cleaning staff and security staff a Christmas envelope with a 500 baht note each. I wish I could give them more as they really do make my life in this building much easier, but I can't afford it. The security staff stay awake and are very helpful, often running to open elevator doors for us if our arms are full! The cleaning staff are always right there when you need them, and unobtrusive when you don't!

Although American, I don't believe in the American style of tipping everywhere I go. But I do eat in the same restaurants every week and so leave the staff a small tip. Most are married with young kids and need the money more than I need another cup of tea.

It's true!  I heard that they are going to add more than 10 policemen nationwide, perhaps even 12 of them, to reduce road fatalities. After all, it's a very serious matter.

Relaxation all around me, rather than the rush and hurry I've lived through before. Incredible variety of ethnic foods at very low cost. Ease of daily routines. Friendly neighbors, smiling people on the streets. Plenty of good weather to enjoy the recreational facilities year-round.