26 minutes ago, HuskerDo said:

Karma.

there is no karma

20 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

I acknowledge we are all made differently but I see people reinforcing negative behavior all the time and spiraling toward more negativity.  In my experience, if someone does something  like exploding in a fit of rage it does not release the anger but reinforces that kind of behavior in our neural pathways making that behavior easier.  My upbringing did not expose me to that kind of behavior so I never learned to express anger or violence the way so many people do.

 

I also make a conscious effort to reenforce the positive in my life.  I suppose my desire to focus on a more positive life was part of the reason I stopped posting on ThaiVisa for such a long time.

You reminded me of something VF. I had a great friend when I was younger and he was consumed with sports. He was either watching it in person or on TV or playing in a tournament somewhere (sometimes he'd travel hundreds of miles and spend days at the tourney). If he wasn't on a golf course he was in a bar playing "Birdie King" ( a video golf game). He was consumed by it. He chose to wash it all out of his life and he still to this day says it's the best thing he's ever done. It open up so much more in his life.

 

His gf became his wife. He flourished at work and rose thru the ranks very quickly. In his life sports was a negative as he was consumed by it. He flushed it all out of his life is far better for doing so. As grandpa used to say.... "accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative". It's nice to see there are others like you that live life that way.

 

 

10 hours ago, villagefarang said:

I also make a conscious effort to reenforce the positive in my life. 

Great maybe singing this at times will help (with apologies to Joe Cocker, Dennis Wilson / Beach Boys, etc.)

 

I am so beautiful
To me
I am so beautiful
To me
Can't you see (ee ee ee yay)

I'm everything I hope for
I'm everything I need
I am so beautiful to me
I am so beautiful to me
 

12 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Great maybe singing this at times will help (with apologies to Joe Cocker, Dennis Wilson / Beach Boys, etc.)

 

I am so beautiful
To me
I am so beautiful
To me
Can't you see (ee ee ee yay)

I'm everything I hope for
I'm everything I need
I am so beautiful to me
I am so beautiful to me
 

Uncalled for.

Well then how's this as paraphrased from Paul Simon's "The Boxer":

 

"A man says what he wants to say and disregards the rest" which is what happens when someone posts on here about himself only what he wants you to know about himself.

Some Cracking Photos there [emoji106]


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Just ignore the troll guys.????

1 minute ago, villagefarang said:

Just ignore the troll guys.????

Thanks VF. Big plans for the day? More great photos to take? 

1 minute ago, HuskerDo said:

Thanks VF. Big plans for the day? More great photos to take? 

Yes actually, we’re heading for the mountains this morning and in hopes of finding some cherry blossoms too. 

Home On The Range

Frank Sinatra

O give me a home where the buffaloes roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Where the air is so pure and the zephyrs so free
And the breezes so balmy and light
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

How often at night when the heavens are bright
With the light of the glittering stars
I stand there amazed and I ask as I gaze
Does their glory exceed that of ours?

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Songwriters: Brewwster Higley / Walter H. Mceuen

Home On The Range lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

4 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

Yes actually, we’re heading for the mountains this morning and in hopes of finding some cherry blossoms too. 

Be sure to bring your iPhone with you. This may be the day Tony Robbins returns your phone call.

15 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

Yes actually, we’re heading for the mountains this morning and in hopes of finding some cherry blossoms too. 

Have a great time VF. Please consider posting them if you get a chance. 

21 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Nice photos glad you like it but a life there sounds like a total bore for me.

 

I don't subscribe to this whole "country = boring, city = good" thing.  I work in Bangkok, and have a condo here, but I spend one week in four up country, and will soon be spending a lot more time there as I become semi retired.  Looking at the merits and available activities of each:

Indoors:
Bangkok - 65" curved TV, fibre optic internet, games spec laptop with 34" curved monitor, books available to download and read on Kindle.
Country - 65" curved TV, fibre optic internet, games spec laptop with 34" curved monitor, books available to download and read on Kindle.

Immediate surroundings:
Bangkok - Two balconies, communal swimming pool, communal gym.
Country - Large garden, swimming pool, well equipped workshop.

Transport:
Bangkok - Short walk to BTS and MRT, fight way through traffic if using car or motorbike.
Country - Songtaew or samlor to local train station, 200m of village before hitting good quality road if using car or motorcycle.

Shopping:
Bangkok - Short walk to various shopping malls, fight way through traffic if want to visit supermarket and stock up with a car load of groceries.
Country - Only have a couple of small shops near the house, two Robinson malls (including Tops supermarkets), two Tescos, two Big Cs, two Makros all less than 30 minutes by car. Online shopping for anything unavailable locally. 

Things to do when not working:

Day:
Bangkok - Swim in pool, surf the net, read a book, visit gym, visit park, hang around malls, take BTS/MRT somewhere (Chatuchak, river...), go somewhere by car if willing to put up with traffic...
Country - Swim in pool, surf the net, read a book, potter about garden, potter about workshop, jump on motorcycle and ride for the pleasure of it, go somewhere in the car, go for ride on mountain bike...

Night:
Bangkok - Go to a bar (not really an option though as I don't drink - by choice, not by medical or financial necessity), cook a meal, watch TV, surf the net, read a book, visit friends, just spend time with family.
Country - Cook a meal, watch TV, surf the net, read a book, marvel at the night sky, visit friends, just spend time with family.
 

If I had the time to be bored I probably would, but I don't, so I'm not.

15 hours ago, kannot said:

there is no karma

A few billions think differently, and not all of them are morons

We have finished our hike and we’re about to have some lunch. I have been fasting for the last 48 hours so I am ready to eat something.  More pictures later.

Lunch. 

On the trail in the forest. 

Another view from the top.

 

13 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

Lunch.

How exciting. Maybe this should go in the "Thailand News" Forum.

5 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

How exciting. Maybe this should go in the "Thailand News" Forum.

I can't wait for "Dinner".

6 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

How exciting. Maybe this should go in the "Thailand News" Forum.

And the thought of "Breakfast" just kills me.

12 minutes ago, Benroon said:

Great thread - a positive light through the impenetrable doom that lurks on 99% of threads

Yeah I haven't heard such positive stuff since I was tricked in attending an Amway recruitment meeting.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but the great pics of mountains and waterfalls etc....are tbey in national parks with an entrance fee? 

Getting to those places safely, car needed? 

 

4 hours ago, mauGR1 said:

A few billions think differently, and not all of them are morons

good  for  them,  ill  stay  in  reality  and  dump  the  fairy  tales

2 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but the great pics of mountains and waterfalls etc....are tbey in national parks with an entrance fee? 

Getting to those places safely, car needed? 

 

Everything in my photos is free of charge but a car definitely makes getting there easier.

So I thought I would wrap-up my day in the life of VF with a few followup photos.  After lunch we had enough time and energy left to go for a second hike before visiting the cherry blossoms.  So we did both Doi Pha Mon and Doi Pha Tang today.

 

Total drive distance 128 km and total walking distance 11 km.

 

 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, ballpoint said:

I don't subscribe to this whole "country = boring, city = good" thing.  I work in Bangkok, and have a condo here, but I spend one week in four up country, and will soon be spending a lot more time there as I become semi retired.  Looking at the merits and available activities of each:

Indoors:
Bangkok - 65" curved TV, fibre optic internet, games spec laptop with 34" curved monitor, books available to download and read on Kindle.
Country - 65" curved TV, fibre optic internet, games spec laptop with 34" curved monitor, books available to download and read on Kindle.

Immediate surroundings:
Bangkok - Two balconies, communal swimming pool, communal gym.
Country - Large garden, swimming pool, well equipped workshop.

Transport:
Bangkok - Short walk to BTS and MRT, fight way through traffic if using car or motorbike.
Country - Songtaew or samlor to local train station, 200m of village before hitting good quality road if using car or motorcycle.

Shopping:
Bangkok - Short walk to various shopping malls, fight way through traffic if want to visit supermarket and stock up with a car load of groceries.
Country - Only have a couple of small shops near the house, two Robinson malls (including Tops supermarkets), two Tescos, two Big Cs, two Makros all less than 30 minutes by car. Online shopping for anything unavailable locally. 

Things to do when not working:

Day:
Bangkok - Swim in pool, surf the net, read a book, visit gym, visit park, hang around malls, take BTS/MRT somewhere (Chatuchak, river...), go somewhere by car if willing to put up with traffic...
Country - Swim in pool, surf the net, read a book, potter about garden, potter about workshop, jump on motorcycle and ride for the pleasure of it, go somewhere in the car, go for ride on mountain bike...

Night:
Bangkok - Go to a bar (not really an option though as I don't drink - by choice, not by medical or financial necessity), cook a meal, watch TV, surf the net, read a book, visit friends, just spend time with family.
Country - Cook a meal, watch TV, surf the net, read a book, marvel at the night sky, visit friends, just spend time with family.
 

If I had the time to be bored I probably would, but I don't, so I'm not.

I like your comparisons and attitude.  I too am partial to the 65 inch curved QLED.  Living upcountry doesn't need to be boring, lonely or deprived.

4 hours ago, Benroon said:

I hear that brother.

 

Great thread - a positive light through the impenetrable doom that lurks on 99% of threads (well end that way anyway). A thread noticeably absent of the resident doom merchants.

 

Great pics of the pets - I miss my last dog so so much and wanted to get one here but its up to a 16 year(ish) commitment to give it a quality life. I worry that's doable here.

 

Keep up the good work.

Thank you and words of encouragement are always appreciated.  I agree that pets are a major commitment and leave a huge hole in your life when they are gone.

So I guess my question for everyone is, “What have you done today, this week or this month to reinvigorate your life here in Thailand, to challenge yourself, to expand your horizons and to show your partner how much you love them?”

15 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

So I guess my question for everyone is, “What have you done today, this week or this month to reinvigorate your life here in Thailand, to challenge yourself, to expand your horizons and to show your partner how much you love them?”

The best way to get to my wife's heart is pretty easy. As a child, she was deprived of books and she has a deep thirst for knowledge. I spent two hours this afternoon at her favorite bookshop and she did her book shopping for the week. Every week, she buys one Thai book and one English book to read. She reads these books every night and on top of this, she is studying an advanced English program. For me to expand my wife's horizons, education is my tool. We regularly watch in-depth Documentaries (the last one was on Hitler) and she has been teaching me to write Thai for the last two years (which I am slowly getting now) using Children's books and fables. My wife has another eight weeks of study left and then we plan to go for a trip for a week to Issan to have a look. My wife has never been to Issan and I have some friends there. These are my plans over the next few months, as long as I do not get sick again within this time frame.