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  1. #1
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    Why do we do what we do?

    No not really farming but seems we have time to think more?..lol

    So what drives us to do what we do?

    More philosophical Chang powered BS maybe:

    Maybe 35+ years ago... I and two other decision makers were being smoodged for a contract...they flew us off to Tallahassee Florida for meetings yada yada....
    Made a good friend of an engineer and he suggested to his management that taking me to the Bahamas would oil the wheels ( suspect he wanted to escape the BS too?).
    Anyways, now in the Bahamas, said engineer was off bonking a hotel waitress or receptionist or. So I took off walking the docks as was dreaming of buying a sail boat and f..ing off.
    Sat at the end of a dock at sundown with a can of beer next to a pretty fishing boat...the skipper a 200lb native came, sat down, offered me his rum bottle and we started chatting...yes he was a fisherman but also the leading chef of a local hotel to which he sold his fish.
    Said to me something to the effect."Mon what I want with America and what you do.....I .have a good boat, I go fishing, sell my fish to hotel and have enough money, a good wife and a few girlfriends, sunshine, rum and good food". "Why would I want to wear a suit, be cold and wet, shovel snow and pay taxes"?.
    I will never forget that guy! Think I frickin hated him at the time.....rum was good though...lol....
    Recon there are a million stories like that out there.....just makes you think that judging or criticizing a Thai farmer by our western get it all and get it now standards for what we may deem to be his lazy, apathetic hand to mouth existence is well... maybe there is a word for it but...

    Oh! Just a bit more:
    Spent a few early evenings with the fisherman, I brought the rum and we sat on his boat and emptied many a bottle, I staggered back to my hotel to pass out, leaving my African friend opening another bottle like it was soda pop.
    On my last night/ early morning finally managed to end up laying on those same dock planks watching the stars fade and swapping bodily fluids with a cute ravenous Jewish nurse from Boston...
    F...k I hate getting old! I ain't done yet by a long chalk. Hear me somebody FFS?!!

  2. #2
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    Crepitas, that was a thoroughly enjoyable read, thanks.
    Our Western get it all, and get it now attitudes you mentioned are entrenched here as well. The difference is most view those goals as a right not something you have to earn or work for.
    What drives us? We do!
    The Land of Miles and Miles of Vertical Smiles taught me a lesson after working all my life. I realised that I had never just lived... there was always a goal and usually to a greater benefit of others. I decide to enjoy life and have stayed ever since. Doing as close to what I want as I can.
    About time to start polishing the beer goggles to improve my view on life in the village.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie View Post
    Crepitas, that was a thoroughly enjoyable read, thanks.
    Our Western get it all, and get it now attitudes you mentioned are entrenched here as well. The difference is most view those goals as a right not something you have to earn or work for.
    What drives us? We do!
    The Land of Miles and Miles of Vertical Smiles taught me a lesson after working all my life. I realised that I had never just lived... there was always a goal and usually to a greater benefit of others. I decide to enjoy life and have stayed ever since. Doing as close to what I want as I can.
    About time to start polishing the beer goggles to improve my view on life in the village.
    Cheers mate....your realisation is an interesting one...
    If one looks at ones life it is real nice to think of how your very existence has changed so much.

    Just looking at any expat's presence in Thailand.......?

    We have influenced so many things and lifestyles whether it be contribution to the economy, offspring adding to the population, funding and thereby improving the lot and lives of those interminably extensive extended families etc etc etc.
    Mostly for unselfish reasons methinks...
    ...now if I can just get the bloody step kids to clean up their shit, empty the garbage and burn it, clean their room and bathroom, turn off lights and fans and do one frickin thing using their own initiative; I would be such a happy camper!

    Can't think of the last time I did anything just for me...err well did go buy two cases of beer and some smokes yesterday and got to oggle those sweet young things in 711.....stopped buying my favourite candy bars as I think there is something in our fridge that always leaves just an empty frickin box!?

  4. #4
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    Crepitas, nice story, think most of us have a tale, that little something that happened. A turning point that made one question, life the universe and everything.

    Strange enough have a visitor coming from OZ soon, never met the guy, contacted me on the net after reading my blog.

    He has no wife or Thai G/F at the moment, but has been to Thailand often and wants out of his present life. Not an old guy, mid 30s, pretty will set on the money front, he says he just doesn't get the headaches here, so he's coming to see, not the rubber part, just the long term living part.
    Long story, but a man who has decided that he wants out of his old life, before he is too old to start a new one. Jim

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    I don’t criticise a lazy Thai farmer…so long as he doesn’t cry poverty. Happiness is a state of mind that needn’t involve money or exertion. Happiness is a good goal.


    More controversially, I don’t criticise the unemployed guy back in the UK (or wherever) content to live on benefits. If there are insufficient jobs to go round, better that it’s a content guy happily on the dole rather than an unhappy guy desperate for a job. Paying benefits to the happy guy or the unhappy guy costs the same.

  6. #6
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    Crepitas its not so much about what you do as doing what you want to do. Early on I looked about at my co-workers lives. Wives, kids, obligations. Pretty much coffin nails in my book.

    They all had one thing in common. They thought that life would begin again when they retired. They forgot that when they retired they'd be 65 years old and to old to do the things you do at 21, 25, 30,40 and 50.

    I resolved to make every effort to do all the things I wanted to do by making my priorities living life not living work.

    I've traveled, run rivers, climbed mountains, fished and hunted, lived aboard boats and sailed into Mexico, dived in the Caribbean, snow skied the best Colorado and Utah has and much more.

    The secret is don't wait, do it while you can still do it. Not when all you can do is watch.

    Good post Cep..

  7. #7
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    Nice OP.

    The world does seem to be insane; the important things, whatever they are, don't seem to be in focus at all.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    Nice OP.

    The world does seem to be insane; the important things, whatever they are, don't seem to be in focus at all.
    What are those important things?

    Perspectives might vary.

  9. #9
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    When i left high school my friends said i was crazy to go into the army.

    I have seen the world

    Cooked at 3 of the corners looking for the forth, been shot, stabbed ok not all fun and games and rocketed and more in afghanistan, Woke up to the sunrise over the hindu Kush, Been charged by an alaskan brown bear.

    Stood next to the stones and other greats been to a super bowl meet some of the greats of golf and cooked for them all.

    When i go home my friends are sitting in the same bar reminiscing about high school or their kids.

    We are here doing it because well other than the women to be honest when the time comes we do not want to say wish i had done that or seen that.

    We are Hemingway we are Livingston we are the modern day explorers.

    We are the most interesting guy in the room like in the beer commercial.

    Well depending on the room.

    To all those that take the risk dream the dream weather it here or in some other country as an expat no not as an expat but as a earthling who knows know borders.

    Enjoy.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker View Post
    When i left high school my friends said i was crazy to go into the army.

    I have seen the world

    Cooked at 3 of the corners looking for the forth, been shot, stabbed ok not all fun and games and rocketed and more in afghanistan, Woke up to the sunrise over the hindu Kush, Been charged by an alaskan brown bear.

    Stood next to the stones and other greats been to a super bowl meet some of the greats of golf and cooked for them all.

    When i go home my friends are sitting in the same bar reminiscing about high school or their kids.

    We are here doing it because well other than the women to be honest when the time comes we do not want to say wish i had done that or seen that.

    We are Hemingway we are Livingston we are the modern day explorers.

    We are the most interesting guy in the room like in the beer commercial.

    Well depending on the room.

    To all those that take the risk dream the dream weather it here or in some other country as an expat no not as an expat but as a earthling who knows know borders.

    Enjoy.

    Militarism.
    How romantic....

  11. #11
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    My faith in human nature is restored. Thanks guys. There are people out there that waste their lives chasing rainbows, just like me!

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rural Surin View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker View Post
    When i left high school my friends said i was crazy to go into the army.

    I have seen the world

    Cooked at 3 of the corners looking for the forth, been shot, stabbed ok not all fun and games and rocketed and more in afghanistan, Woke up to the sunrise over the hindu Kush, Been charged by an alaskan brown bear.

    Stood next to the stones and other greats been to a super bowl meet some of the greats of golf and cooked for them all.

    When i go home my friends are sitting in the same bar reminiscing about high school or their kids.

    We are here doing it because well other than the women to be honest when the time comes we do not want to say wish i had done that or seen that.

    We are Hemingway we are Livingston we are the modern day explorers.

    We are the most interesting guy in the room like in the beer commercial.

    Well depending on the room.

    To all those that take the risk dream the dream weather it here or in some other country as an expat no not as an expat but as a earthling who knows know borders.

    Enjoy.

    Militarism.
    How romantic....

    Thats what you took from that.

    sad just sad

    Militarism is a word governments use. To the guy on the ground it is duty and honor. and the guy next to you. And making it home to their family

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Rural Surin View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker View Post
    When i left high school my friends said i was crazy to go into the army.

    I have seen the world

    Cooked at 3 of the corners looking for the forth, been shot, stabbed ok not all fun and games and rocketed and more in afghanistan, Woke up to the sunrise over the hindu Kush, Been charged by an alaskan brown bear.

    Stood next to the stones and other greats been to a super bowl meet some of the greats of golf and cooked for them all.

    When i go home my friends are sitting in the same bar reminiscing about high school or their kids.

    We are here doing it because well other than the women to be honest when the time comes we do not want to say wish i had done that or seen that.

    We are Hemingway we are Livingston we are the modern day explorers.

    We are the most interesting guy in the room like in the beer commercial.

    Well depending on the room.

    To all those that take the risk dream the dream weather it here or in some other country as an expat no not as an expat but as a earthling who knows know borders.

    Enjoy.

    Militarism.
    How romantic....

    Thats what you took from that.

    sad just sad

    Militarism is a word governments use. To the guy on the ground it is duty and honor. and the guy next to you. And making it home to their family

    sorry i guess i should have said Hemingway, Livingston, Earhart,

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie View Post
    My faith in human nature is restored. Thanks guys. There are people out there that waste their lives chasing rainbows, just like me!

    If you consider it a waste you are not doing it right or why you doing if waste

  15. #15
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    As a young man I worked in the aviation industry. To me designing parts for a passenger jet was just a project the same as other things I worked on that where supposed to crash and make very loud noises. Does that make me a war monger? No, just an engineer.
    RS, this thread is all about what motives us, things that are part of us and drive us. I mean you no offence but do ask you to add your humor constructively.

  16. #16
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    Sorry no offense meant

    post made possible by JD

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie View Post
    My faith in human nature is restored. Thanks guys. There are people out there that waste their lives chasing rainbows, just like me!

    If you consider it a waste you are not doing it right or why you doing if waste
    Waste? Me? The pig shite farmer waste something? Never happen. I was being sarcastic had my balloon popped too often. As the horse carriage driver said to his horse, "Trot on Hector"

  18. #18
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    AP, Jack Daniels is a light year outside my budget.

  19. #19
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    you ever think of distilling your own i have recipe.

    parts easy to find or have built thailand

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker
    We are Hemingway we are Livingston we are the modern day explorers.
    Mmm, I suspect not... In the context of history, ease of travel, power of social media, etc, it may be easy, and comforting, to feel that way, but what we have done is negligible at best, pathetic and naively/ignorantly asinine at worst.

    Nonetheless, it is more, egocentrically, than sitting at the local pub for 50 years.

    If I achieved my dream, if I climbed everest, I wouldn't be comparable to Hillary and Tenzing, I wouldn't be breaking any new ground, I'd be another tourist having paid the fare and taken the ride... Having visited forty plus countries doesn't make me into a Earhart, it just shows that I have some motivation and followed the easy route that millions of others follow daily/weekly...

    Perhaps, creativity and originality are forgotten traits, which is a shame for a 'dreams' thread...
    Cycling should be banned!!!

  21. #21
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    No shame in dreaming Betty. Progress, innovation, creativity can all be described as dreaming. It is not about comparing myself to anyone. It is about living and trying to achieve. It is about making mistakes and learning from them. It is not about competing with anyone else but firstly yourself. If you never ask yourself, why didn't I.... then you win.
    Having more than enough money means you can increase scale and get results faster because you can use paid labour and services. Without the cash things are smaller and slower. So what? What was the personal goal? Achieving the mission or the bank balance? That is the difference between those of us who are serious about trying. Not so far apart really. Both ways we die happy.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie
    No shame in dreaming Betty.
    Very true.

    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie
    Progress, innovation, creativity can all be described as dreaming.
    In a DiVinchi sense then I'd agree. If we're talking about progress and innovation currently seen as the next iPhone and economy growth then I'm increasingly finding such areas as anti-human and anti-creativity.

    Sometimes just picking up a nice physical book for a read can bring back a tad of inspiration...

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie
    No shame in dreaming Betty.
    Very true.

    Quote Originally Posted by IsaanAussie
    Progress, innovation, creativity can all be described as dreaming.
    In a DiVinchi sense then I'd agree. If we're talking about progress and innovation currently seen as the next iPhone and economy growth then I'm increasingly finding such areas as anti-human and anti-creativity.

    Sometimes just picking up a nice physical book for a read can bring back a tad of inspiration...
    yup with you on the physical book thing...although a tablet has given me access to all those books classics, history, exploration etc that would be a touch hard to find here in LOS.Prefer if it had fricking buttons instead a bloody touch screen though!

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by afghanpicker View Post
    When i left high school my friends said i was crazy to go into the army.

    I have seen the world

    Cooked at 3 of the corners looking for the forth, been shot, stabbed ok not all fun and games and rocketed and more in afghanistan, Woke up to the sunrise over the hindu Kush, Been charged by an alaskan brown bear.

    Stood next to the stones and other greats been to a super bowl meet some of the greats of golf and cooked for them all.

    When i go home my friends are sitting in the same bar reminiscing about high school or their kids.

    We are here doing it because well other than the women to be honest when the time comes we do not want to say wish i had done that or seen that.

    We are Hemingway we are Livingston we are the modern day explorers.

    We are the most interesting guy in the room like in the beer commercial.

    Well depending on the room.

    To all those that take the risk dream the dream weather it here or in some other country as an expat no not as an expat but as a earthling who knows know borders.

    Enjoy.
    Hehe..Reminds me of the time I came back from South Africa on vacation..
    Was in a go-go bar and coincidentally my ex girlfriend was up gyrating in the cage, hot pants, thigh length high heeled white boots, halter top ( surely her thighs and calves were slimmer before? Still as well endowed as ever though?) ...
    Anyways some frickin great ape of a bouncer came up to this coffee coloured, original 138lb weakling (think my Charles Atlas muscles were in a dead letter box someplace?).
    It asked for ID, sat itself down and bent my ear to the effect that that there sexy dancer was his intended and what a good f...k she was ,told me about his highly paid job in the new local cardboard box factory....absolutely fascinating...no, did not enlighten him ..no death wish...lol

    The next Sunday went to my much frequented local in a Hertfordshire village maybe 100 yards from the parents' house.
    Same old guy sitting with his mongrel next to the fireplace with perhaps the same half of mild...?
    Walked up to same somewhat bovine bar maid and ordered a Guinness. She asked me if I was Australian...FFS it had been maybe 18 months!?

  25. #25
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    Bounce, bump and grind. This should be continued.
    So speaking of English pubs, I spent a year in Devon and drank in the local village free house. We played darts and skittles on different nights and the locals all brought their dogs to the pub for a "walk". One night I was about to throw what should have been the winning dart when a small animal ran over my feet and distracted me. I cursed the damn cat, "Bloody Moggy!". The owner responded indignantly with, "He be no Moggie, he be Jack Russell."

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