How to fail

[sqwakvfr]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:12 AM, gargamon said:

When I was attending university, I always wondered what would happen to all the arts majors. Now I know. Thanks.

Same for Philosophy majors.  This is why Starbucks will always have plenty of applicants. 

[DrDave]

This guy has made one poor life choice after another his entire life, and now seems to be bitter that the US government, US taxpayers and the Thai government won't provide him the means to realize his "dream". 

[tonray]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

Same for Philosophy majors.  This is why Starbucks will always have plenty of applicants. 

...and supplicants to buy their overpriced drinks....

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

But why would a genius work for 40 years in a job which he doesn't like?

Or to say is differently: A genius wouldn't do that. 

 

In the end I have to admit I just don't like working. Even when I worked as a Scuba instructor it soon became a chore, and I quickly decided to work as little as possible, for as much as possible, then retire as soon as possible. 

 

I only worked 10 years in a job I didn't like (for big money) , then retired age 45.

 

I can't see anything wrong with this guys dreams, he's already waited too long. He should give it a go while he still has a bit of his health left. 

 

If you want to talk about his failure, IMHO it's waiting until he's 65 to do what he wants with his life. 

[OneMoreFarang]

29 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I can't see anything wrong with this guys dreams, he's already waited too long. He should give it a go while he still has a bit of his health left. 

 

If you want to talk about his failure, IMHO it's waiting until he's 65 to do what he wants with his life. 

Yes, and no. I know it's nice to dream about how wonderful life could be. And obviously even with lots of money things can go wrong. But if people know up front that they can't afford a retirement visa, can't afford health insurance and can't afford to spend more than the bare minimum then maybe it wouldn't hurt to have a second look at that "plan"..

 

 

[Enzian]

I haven't seen this mentioned: Among other things Steve is the administrator of a Facebook group called the Thailand Expats Writers List, members of which include just about every writer of any note writing about Thailand (and even vaguely related subjects) for the past lifetime of an elephant. All the names you know, and tons you don't, he knows them. I've talked to him online a little, haven't met him yet. What I'm saying is that he knows so many hundreds of people that something will work out for him long term. I wish him luck.

[BritManToo]

43 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Yes, and no. I know it's nice to dream about how wonderful life could be. And obviously even with lots of money things can go wrong. But if people know up front that they can't afford a retirement visa, can't afford health insurance and can't afford to spend more than the bare minimum then maybe it wouldn't hurt to have a second look at that "plan"..

Americans are the only country in the world to obsess about health insurance.

Most people I know from other countries just don't bother with insurance of any kind.

It's unnecessary for most people, at 66 I've rarely had it, and never needed it.

 

Why would he need a retirement VISA?

I don't have one of those either, and if I didn't have Thai kids, I'd probably just float around the easy Asian countries. 3 months in Malaysia, 3 months Cambodia, 3 months Philippines ....... I probably wouldn't even visit Thailand.

 

It's not as if there's a significant difference between Thailand and the surrounding countries.

And if you really must stay in one country, Cambodia and the Philippines will do at around $300/year, no other finances required.

 

PS.

I've never dreamed of living in a 3rd world rural village (your video link).

Utter madness IMHO.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

 

In the end I have to admit I just don't like working. Even when I worked as a Scuba instructor it soon became a chore, and I quickly decided to work as little as possible, for as much as possible, then retire as soon as possible. 

 

I only worked 10 years in a job I didn't like (for big money) , then retired age 45.

 

I can't see anything wrong with this guys dreams, he's already waited too long. He should give it a go while he still has a bit of his health left. 

 

If you want to talk about his failure, IMHO it's waiting until he's 65 to do what he wants with his life. 

I loved the field of work I was in, would probably still be working ( part - time ) if I had half a chance. Although I probably would have retired to Thailand much earlier if I had known what was in store for me here.

I still cast about for projects to do. Protestant work ethic, probably. Currently making a series of kitchen videos.

I have a friend in Australia like you, did very well financially out of expat work in Malaysia and Indonesia, quit stone cold when he had enough to retire on.

Different strokes for different folks.

[OneMoreFarang]

45 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Americans are the only country in the world to obsess about health insurance.

Most people I know from other countries just don't bother with insurance of any kind.

It's unnecessary for most people, at 66 I've rarely had it, and never needed it.

And you will never get sick and will never go to a hospital? 

 

What are the options:

a) pay yourself?

b) die?

c) GoFundMe?

d) If you are i.e. from the UK return to that country to get free health service?

 

Hoping that you never get sick is just unrealistic. 

[In Full Agreement]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I quickly decided to work as little as possible, for as much as possible, then retire as soon as possible. 

 

That sounds like the game plan of every bargirl in Thailand.

 

 

[BritManToo]

43 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And you will never get sick and will never go to a hospital? 

 

What are the options:

a) pay yourself?

b) die?

c) GoFundMe?

d) If you are i.e. from the UK return to that country to get free health service?

 

Hoping that you never get sick is just unrealistic. 

I doubt that 1 in 50 people would ever attend hospital with worse than a broken arm (15kbht). I'm playing those odds, so far 13 years in Thailand with medical bills of under 20kbht. How much has your medical insurance cost you in the last 13 years? 

[orchis]

that doesn't sound very smart,
moreover with his previous experiences (fails) to look back on. he is not in his thirties and this is not the mid 90's Thailand.
He had a few fair chances (film industry, luxury hotels) in a peripheral position but he blew them.
It is not enough to say 'I hate the cold in Iowa' to be entitled to a new life in Thailand in your mid 60's.
Very little chance to be employed here after 60; he doesn't seem dynamic enough to be self-employed or, say, a digital nomad.

He had 2 heartattacks, stents, so there are health issues.
This all leads to 3 simple questions which seem to be forming a sort of vicious circle: visa, insurance, income.
 

[Lemsta69]

1 hour ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

That sounds like the game plan of every bargirl in Thailand.

 

 

and more power to them. why should that game plan be the exclusive domain of the rich and fatuous? ????

[Sparktrader]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

 

In the end I have to admit I just don't like working. Even when I worked as a Scuba instructor it soon became a chore, and I quickly decided to work as little as possible, for as much as possible, then retire as soon as possible. 

 

I only worked 10 years in a job I didn't like (for big money) , then retired age 45.

 

I can't see anything wrong with this guys dreams, he's already waited too long. He should give it a go while he still has a bit of his health left. 

 

If you want to talk about his failure, IMHO it's waiting until he's 65 to do what he wants with his life. 

I lile beer and .......

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I doubt that 1 in 50 people would ever attend hospital with worse than a broken arm (15kbht). I'm playing those odds, so far 13 years in Thailand with medical bills of under 20kbht. How much has your medical insurance cost you in the last 13 years? 

After someone drove into me while I was stationary I ended up having pins put into my arm. Had I not had insurance it would have ended badly for me. Sometimes one is just unlucky. I was very happy to be insured.

 

 

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

After someone drove into me while I was stationary I ended up having pins put into my arm. Had I not had insurance it would have ended badly for me. Sometimes one is just unlucky. I was very happy to be insured.

You do realise that the 'pins' are just a money extraction ploy by the medical profession.

Almost nobody needs metal inserts .......... I snapped my arm completely in half when a bit younger, no pins, no metal rods, healed as good as new. As did many of my pals with broken bones in m/c and other accidents.

 

An old Dutch chap (70+ years old) fell off his m/c last year in Mae Rim and broke his hip.

My woman sorted it out at the local government hospital for the price of the government minimum insurance (15-20kbht?). Then she put him in Lalisa nursing home to recover for a month ....... total cost to him 25kbht for the nursing home. It was actually cheaper than him living on his own for the month.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And you will never get sick and will never go to a hospital? 

 

What are the options:

a) pay yourself?

b) die?

c) GoFundMe?

d) If you are i.e. from the UK return to that country to get free health service?

 

Hoping that you never get sick is just unrealistic. 

When I was facing the cut off age for insurance from a Thai company I seriously considered option b, but getting divorced and not being able to get pension in Thailand meant I had to exit anyway.

 

However, from what I'm told by those that have been in hospital in NZ recently, staff shortages mean that getting a "good" stay in a public hospital is unlikely, so no satisfactory options these days it would seem.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You do realise that the 'pins' are just a money extraction ploy by the medical profession.

Almost nobody needs metal inserts .......... I snapped my arm completely in half when a bit younger, no pins, no metal rods, healed as good as new. As did many of my pals with broken bones in m/c and other accidents.

Given I worked in orthopaedics for a few years I find your post unconvincing.

[BritManToo]

18 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Given I worked in orthopaedics for a few years I find your post unconvincing.

If you were that good you would have been the doctor and not a nurse.

[Sparktrader]

Whats basic insurance cost???

[LaosLover]

I dipped into Steve's ouvre over at Stickman.

 

Some writing talent, but the usual expat tales problem: Steve is the sensitive soul who "gets" Thailand and he looks down on people who are merely there to feed at the Thai trough of good weather, cheap food, and willing women.

 

Where as those undeluded joy seekers are exactly the people who interest me; people who have made big life decisions to simply enjoy life as they want, not even .00001% of the world's population.

 

His meaningful struggle doesn't read as particularly meaningful or much of a struggle at all to me. His argument that he enjoys a papaya salad more than a face down drunk monger in Pattaya is not convincing.

 

I hope he gets what he wants, but what he wants is no more profound than what the other file clerk next to him at his hospital job wants (which he is lucky to have at his age).

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

If you were that good you would have been the doctor and not a nurse.

Soooo, what is your pin less solution for a fractured femur? Before steel rods came into use they were in traction for about 12 weeks ( I forget the exact length of time ).

Superglue?

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Soooo, what is your pin less solution for a fractured femur? Before steel rods came into use they were in traction for about 12 weeks ( I forget the exact length of time ).

Superglue?

Amputation sounds like an alternative. At least you don't have to worry that the bones don't grow together at the correct angle. ???? 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Amputation sounds like an alternative. At least you don't have to worry that the bones don't grow together at the correct angle. ???? 

Speaking of incorrect angles, after my hand bones were OK to remove the pins the little finger was slightly misaligned, but over the years it realigned sufficiently not to be an annoyance.

I did make a mistake having it pinned instead of plated. More expensive, but no need to have pins sticking out for weeks and requiring daily dressings.