How is Retirement treating you?

[mfd101]

I buy about 20 times more books than I ever read. We moved here permanently in late 2015 and my c8000 print books arrived from Oz some 15 months later when the new mansion was finished. Now some 2300 ebooks as well and growing by the day.

 

["50 years more, O Lord, just 50 years more!"]

[amykat]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Hmm, how is you relationship, mine has been perfect for the past 17 years, just saying, oh and in my opinion most are p's, some you pay for directly, others indirectly, but you pay......LoL 

 

 

I guess your relationship has been perfect for 17 years because you pay a lot??  So no complaints and lots of compliance!

[bbi1]

2 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

I agree, without the gym, the garden, DIY and shopping, life in Thailand would be stark. I don't know how single guys who rent a condo do it, unless they spend as you say, all their time in the bars, in which case life is short.

Only a pathetic loser spends all their times in bars. How the hell can anyone get bored? Having tons of free time is awesome, you can fill it up with doing lots of cool activities and live your best life.

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

 Renting is great so much flexibility and when I travel just close the door and go not worrying about anything.  Infinity pool, nice gym, and I pay one bill every month.

Only a fool ever buys property in Thailand. Renting is the only way to go. Own property overseas & only rent in Thailand. That's the smart way.

[BritManToo]

29 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

I'll tell where NOT to look: that category called Thai Modern Fiction in The Asia Bookstore.

I only read books written by male native English speakers, and none written by the overtly religious. 

Publishers often try to disguise books written by women by only using their initials, so those are also to be avoided.

 

No need to use bookshops, Z Library has everything for free.

Edited February 11 by BritManToo

[bbi1]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

So, there are multiple ways for a retiree to spend his days here in Thailand I guess. I was calling Thailand my home for a good 10 yrs before I retired.  Had a kid, bought couple houses, cars all paid for. I have things to do here like a bit of yard work, taking care of the kid, the beach is nearby, nice gym. Having said that I find myself bored at times and I wonder about the guys who rent a place, no kids, no other family in Thailand, How do you fill your time, your days with constructive things. I can see where drinking can become part of a routine. 

 

There is always a group who says "I'm never bored" Really? Seems like the gym, golf and bike riding tops the list of entertainment. AN can become addictive as well.

How the hell can one get bored? I don't understand it. Being on the computer, listening to music, swimming, lifting weights, exercising outside, going for walks by the beach and spending a few hours relaxing at the beach, going for a normal massage, finding a place to eat, downloading and watching some tv series and/or movies, etc. Impossible to get bored at all.

Edited February 11 by bbi1

[bbi1]

6 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

How the hell can one get bored? I don't understand it. Being on the computer, listening to music, swimming, lifting weights, exercising outside, going for walks by the beach and spending a few hours relaxing at the beach, going for a normal massage, finding a place to eat, downloading and watching some tv series and/or movies, etc. Impossible to get bored at all.

Ok, there is one scenario someone could get bored. If you lived in middle of nowhere like Issan, that would get very boring very quickly. I could never imagine living in such a place with nothing around. Need to be living somewhere where there's some life and mental stimulation.

[stoner]

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I spend most of my time saving the Chinese.

 

didn't take you for a communist sympathizer. 

[sirineou]

5 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

If I lived in the US where I own properties I would be busy with them instead of paying the property management people for upkeep.

 

The sala looks crazy nice.

 

Thank you for your kind words, It was more work than I thought it would be but it kept me busy for awhile .  I learned a couple of things, and earned a couple of bragging points  LOL

 

Yea I did the same with my property in the US, Then I finally got tired getting repair bills that I did not even know if they were real, Sold a couple of years ago, Wish I had held on to it a couple of years more because property values went up significantly in the past two years . But I did well enough,

I had to make a decision. where I wanted to be, and I wanted to be here.

Trick is to be disciplined and not blow the proceeds on trinkets  and beads. 

Anyway I gave 1/3 to my daughter and  I bought safe treasury bonds. Last year I made 4.7% this year I parked them on a CD (FDIC secured) where I am making 5.2% , I could make more but there is a risk and at my age I cant afford that. 

I just came back from the US , crazy expensive everything ! except for health reasons I don't see myself ever moving back there. I have an option to move to Greece,  so if things get crazy here, I'll do that. The US is just a place where I visit my daughter and friends, If it was not for them I would never see the place again.

You have kids and they might have to go there for school and whatever, so that something else for you to consider. 

Here in Thailand try to keep busy, a sedentary life creates IMO a downward cycle  , Where  movement and being busy, gives you energy, dopamines in your brain make you feel better, and creates a condition that makes you want to do more . Remember at our age it is easy to lose it and hard to get it back.  The trick is to keep busy.

By the way, I forgot to mention the pool. No I don't have one. The community pool 10 min from my house os 20 baht. get up in the morning and go, you will find a bunch of other farangs there doing laps. 

My Australian friend down the block bought a motorbike and joined a farang bike croup, they go for rides all the time. If you like that, that's another option. . 

[Pouatchee]

i realise one thing... i will never consider myself retired. imho considering myself retired is like a jar put on a shelf that gets forgotten and gathers dust.

 

i am a career teacher and honestly i am still looking on the job boards for the perfect match

 

[EVENKEEL]

19 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

How the hell can one get bored? I don't understand it. Being on the computer, listening to music, swimming, lifting weights, exercising outside, going for walks by the beach and spending a few hours relaxing at the beach, going for a normal massage, finding a place to eat, downloading and watching some tv series and/or movies, etc. Impossible to get bored at all.

I do all the above you mentioned, have a kid, an old house that always needs something and yes I still get bored.

[Yellowtail]

2 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

Which probably sounds idyllic to some who have been working hard for the past 40/50 years but the novelty will wear off very quickly.

When guys from the US would come to visit the Thailand plant, I would almost always take them out on the town on the weekend, and depending on how long they stayed, sometimes many times. Before the left, we'd always meet in the office to compare notes and whatnot. I used to always tell them: You know, even having indiscriminate sex with different beautiful young women every week gets old after a while. They'd always give me the same look, and then I'd laugh and say: nahh, just bullsh*ttin'

[GammaGlobulin]

9 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

didn't take you for a communist sympathizer. 

 

Correct.

 

I am saving the Chinese from the Marxist-Leninist-Chi-Com-Bandits that momentarily rule the Chinese, at this present moment.

 

 

[uttradit]

39 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

I buy about 20 times more books than I ever read. We moved here permanently in late 2015 and my c8000 print books arrived from Oz some 15 months later when the new mansion was finished. Now some 2300 ebooks as well and growing by the day.

 

["50 years more, O Lord, just 50 years more!"]

I think most books are just too long. 

[GammaGlobulin]

40 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

I buy about 20 times more books than I ever read. We moved here permanently in late 2015 and my c8000 print books arrived from Oz some 15 months later when the new mansion was finished. Now some 2300 ebooks as well and growing by the day.

 

["50 years more, O Lord, just 50 years more!"]

 

OK, fine.

 

Now...

Please just name your TOP 10 books, of all time.

And then, we will know if you are a real reader.

 

 

[uttradit]

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

When guys from the US would come to visit the Thailand plant, I would almost always take them out on the town on the weekend, and depending on how long they stayed, sometimes many times. Before the left, we'd always meet in the office to compare notes and whatnot. I used to always tell them: You know, even having indiscriminate sex with different beautiful young women every week gets old after a while. They'd always give me the same look, and then I'd laugh and say: nahh, just bullsh*ttin'

I haven't seen many beautiful women in Thailand. Where are they? Using condoms takes away the fun too. 

[stoner]

5 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

momentarily rule the Chinese, at this present moment.

 

momentarily ? i guess it could be phrased that way.

 

 

[Ben Zioner]

Was ok so far, but managing my 17 AN identities becomes stressful, at times. 

[Yellowtail]

13 minutes ago, uttradit said:

I think most books are just too long. 

Only the bad ones

[Yellowtail]

14 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

OK, fine.

 

Now...

Please just name your TOP 10 books, of all time.

And then, we will know if you are a real reader.

 

 

In what respect? 

[BE88]

I am pleased to see that all the farang on this forum are happy to live in Thailand even if sometimes they get bored, which is completely normal.

 

It makes me think of all those who are in retirement homes in the West where, in addition to being bored, they are treated like prisoners without any freedom and waiting for their last breath.

 

Think about it when you feel bored in Thailand, your life could be much worse.

[Yellowtail]

Just now, BE88 said:

I am pleased to see that all the farang on this forum are happy to live in Thailand even if sometimes they get bored, which is completely normal.

 

It makes me think of all those who are in retirement homes in the West where, in addition to being bored, they are treated like prisoners without any freedom and waiting for their last breath.

 

Think about it when you feel bored in Thailand, your life could be much worse.

 

I used to work at an old folk's home, most of the people loved it. 

[GammaGlobulin]

17 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

momentarily ? i guess it could be phrased that way.

 

 

 

Yes, in the grand scheme of things, it could.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

7 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

In what respect? 

 

I meant respectfully name his Top 10 books of all time.

 

[Nemises]

49 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Ok, there is one scenario someone could get bored. If you lived in middle of nowhere like Issan, that would get very boring very quickly. I could never imagine living in such a place with nothing around. Need to be living somewhere where there's some life and mental stimulation.

Lots of beautiful girls (with respectable jobs or students) are in Isaan and not many tourists. So a single guy, who doesn't care for polluted beaches and millions of tourists and/or undesirable expats, can have lots of horizontal fun in Isaan and never ever get bored.

 

 

Edited February 11 by Nemises

[jerrymahoney]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

It figures you're a "never bored" guy.

Probably same as the I look-younger-than-my-age guys

[ArnieP]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I'm actually quite happy doing absolutely nothing.

Hear, hear 🙂

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Don't fit the criteria, but if getting bored, then must be time to  plan my next O&A, or new cooking adventure.  If all else fails, take the dog for a walk or to the park/surfside.

 

Food shopping (new ideas), got to eat, takes up some time, if eating good/healthy.  Baking something every other day (bread or pastry), along with kefir & natto lately.  Always a bird or critter nearby to take a snap of, or send a drone up for peeky peeky of the hood.

 

I'm actually quite happy doing absolutely nothing.

 

Last resort ... troll AN 

 

Never was that much of a drinker of alcohol, outside of the house.  Once a month maybe.

I like your reply because in some ways it mirrors my retirement here, as a single guy, but with an unofficially adopted Thai daughter who does her own thing anyway, I have plenty of time on my hands but I'm never "bored".

 

I am a completely different person now in my retirement that I was in my younger days and professional working life, where I always wanted to be successful and pushed myself to the limits. In my youth it was football which was my passion, then travelling and adventure to various inhospitable places, then switching to the corporate world and studying and training in various disciplines before retiring at the age of 58.

 

Now I rent an apartment, have a motorbike and a car which I like driving around the place, although not in the centre of Patong, visiting shopping malls, planning meals and cooking them of course.

 

I also like hunting around for new wine experiences and wine bargains, and like you, I'm quite happy doing absolutely nothing apart from spending far too much time on my computer and not just on AN!!

 

I never drink during the daytime and I will never be one of those poor unfortunates sitting on a bar stool day in and day out, although I will go out in the evening about once a week to meet up with a friend or two and may well have a drink at a favourite bar.

 

I never thought I could be this happy doing nothing as I was just the opposite when I was younger, and this life seems to suit me now I have reached the age of 76.

[bbi1]

48 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I do all the above you mentioned, have a kid, an old house that always needs something and yes I still get bored.

Then it's probably the kids and/or having a wife that's got you bored 😄😄

[jerrymahoney]

11 minutes ago, ArnieP said:

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I'm actually quite happy doing absolutely nothing.

Hear, hear 🙂

From The Misfits (1961) Clark Gable and Marylin Monroe

 

Roslyn : Once I walked to the edge of town (Reno); doesn't look like there's much out there.

Gay : Everything's there!

Roslyn : Like what?

Gay : The country!

Roslyn : Well, what do you do with yourself?

Gay : Just live.

Roslyn : How does anyone "just live"?

Gay : Well, you start by going to sleep. You get up when you feel like it. You scratch yourself. You fry yourself some eggs. You see what kind of a day it is; throw stones at a can, whistle.

: