Do you live the good life ? Or, ...

[kingwilly]

Hey King willy ... excuse my tendency to go off topic ...but I gotta say this ... Australia is a lovely place and ironically the first place I ever tapped some Japanese bootey.

I tried to give u a green for that - but i got spread it around a bit more first ( even tho last time was prolly a red ! )

... excuse my tendency to go off topic ...

dont worry bro - you always do anyway! lol even if Macha did steal my quote for his thread topic of the same! the least he could have done was quoted me

**sniffs loudly**

[Goddess of Whatever]

Yes, I live the good life.

[DrAndy]

I am working at the moment, but previously I did not work for two straight years. before that I would do 3-6 month contracts. As long as you have enough money for the life you want to live, then you could be happy.

However, that is a state of mind, and one which is diificult to achieve if you are constantly looking at others and making comparisons. if you need to put others around you down all the time to try to build up your own fragile ego, then you will never be happy.

When I was not working, I had "nothing" to get up to. Somehow, though, my days were full and I was very busy. I was happy. I intend to get back to that state as soon as this contract is over. The freedom to do nothing, or as much as you want, is very fine and happiness inducing.

[Storekeeper]

I used to know a fella down in Pattaya called "Aussie Andy" who I really thought had a great life goin' on. He had a sea going job and lived on the ship outa some Australian port when he wasn't in Thailand. And when his ship pulled into port, he straight darted to the airport (he had no dwelling in Aussie land) and flew back to Thailand. Something like a 6 on 6 off schedule (months).

[in4zip]

I used to know a fella down in Pattaya called "Aussie Andy" who I really thought had a great life goin' on. He had a sea going job and lived on the ship outa some Australian port when he wasn't in Thailand. And when his ship pulled into port, he straight darted to the airport (he had no dwelling in Aussie land) and flew back to Thailand. Something like a 6 on 6 off schedule (months).

so SK ... , since a certain amount of 'relativity' has krept into the arguements here posted

what would be your definition/parameters of "do you live the good life ? Or, ..."

[Storekeeper]

Ok zipster, I'll take a stab at an answer:

To me living the good life requires first and foremost to have stress reduced to the lowest possible level. Being able to come and go as I please and not have to answer to anybody outside of my immediate family. Being able to wake up or go to sleep whenever I want without living by the clock.
To me living the good life means having a small circle of friends who I can count on to be loyal and trustworthy who can be depended upon to tell you like it is. Having that one Cheers type bar to hang out in where everybody knows your name and accepts you no matter your faults or shortcomings. People you can josh with and never take it personally. The good life to me is about being a giver vice a taker.
Finally, living the good life to me means being able to have enough money that there is always, always some left over at the end of the month, some to save for a rainy day and being smart enough to live within my means.

Cheers

[The Gent]

I used to know a fella down in Pattaya called "Aussie Andy" who I really thought had a great life goin' on. He had a sea going job and lived on the ship outa some Australian port when he wasn't in Thailand. And when his ship pulled into port, he straight darted to the airport (he had no dwelling in Aussie land) and flew back to Thailand. Something like a 6 on 6 off schedule (months).

There's a lot of those folks in LOS. A great many of them are Saudi workers but also those who work in the Oil & Gas Industry.

The 'good life' is a subjective term - whatever works for you.

[RandomChances]

I think I pretty much lead "the good life" although I dont live off investments ect

For those that dont know me I live in Central Thailand and run a dairy farm, we live off the money it makes, I've got staff to do the milking so basicaly only work when I want to (more or less). I think living "out in the sticks" with out anything to do would drive me crazy.

Is basicaly what your own definition of "the good life" is some would hate mine as I would hate living in BKK on an expat package.....each to their own really.

RC

[ChiangMai noon]

Ok zipster, I'll take a stab at an answer:

To me living the good life requires first and foremost to have stress reduced to the lowest possible level. Being able to come and go as I please and not have to answer to anybody outside of my immediate family. Being able to wake up or go to sleep whenever I want without living by the clock.
To me living the good life means having a small circle of friends who I can count on to be loyal and trustworthy who can be depended upon to tell you like it is. Having that one Cheers type bar to hang out in where everybody knows your name and accepts you no matter your faults or shortcomings. People you can josh with and never take it personally. The good life to me is about being a giver vice a taker.
Finally, living the good life to me means being able to have enough money that there is always, always some left over at the end of the month, some to save for a rainy day and being smart enough to live within my means.

In which case I do lead the good life.
I asumed you were talking about bing filthy rich and retired.

[in4zip]

Ok zipster, I'll take a stab at an answer:

To me living the good life requires first and foremost tohave stress reduced to the lowest possible level. Being able to come and go as I please and not have to answer to anybody outside of my immediate family. Being able to wake up or go to sleep whenever I want without living by the clock.
To me living the good life means having a small circle of friends who I can count on to be loyal and trustworthy who can be depended upon to tell you like it is. Having that one Cheers type bar to hang out in where everybody knows your name and accepts you no matter your faults or shortcomings. People you can josh with and never take it personally. The good life to me is about being a giver vice a taker.
Finally, living the good life to me means being able to have enough money that there is always, always some left over at the end of the month, some to save for a rainy day and being smart enough to live within my means.

Cheers

ok all good answers and though a bit idealistic and insecure, you are loosing the subordinate mindset

1-have stress reduced to the lowest possible level.
Stress is mostly caused by you

2-Being able to come and go as I please and not have to answer to anybody outside of my immediate family.
a good pater familias doesn't have to answer to anybody even immediate family ...ever

3-Being able to wake up or go to sleep whenever I want without living by the clock.
well some structured time is essential if nothing else to enjoy good health
and anyway it will kick in automatically since you won't be living alone!

4-small circle of friends who I can count on to be loyal and trustworthy who can be depended upon to tell you like it is.
count/depend on yourself only and always; fortitude of character is living by you telling yourself "how it is" .. there's no GI Joe's matrix type of world on the outside, no buddy system in Civilianville, no support group crutches, may Odin help you if you are of that mind; just remember you were born alone and you'll die alone

5-accepts you no matter your faults or shortcomings. People you can josh with and never take it personally.
it all starts being tolerant with others first

6-The good life to me is about being a giver vice a taker.
you meant to say: versus or vis a vi right? (let's see,me ole pedant Zippy, if [#5] he practices what he preaches?)


and lastly $$$
provided you don't develop some unhealthy addiction (but I doubt it, at your old age) or trying to keep up with the jet set, you won't have to worry about thi$, your wife will manage ju$t fine..

joking aside, as you well know, the older you get, wants and needs diminish (should!), just see that you live near a good hospital like Bumrunrad and a good chemist/pharmacy for peckerstiffeners!

[Storekeeper]

Noted ...

[Marmite the Dog]

Ok zipster, I'll take a stab at an answer:

To me living the good life requires first and foremost to have stress reduced to the lowest possible level. Being able to come and go as I please and not have to answer to anybody outside of my immediate family. Being able to wake up or go to sleep whenever I want without living by the clock.
To me living the good life means having a small circle of friends who I can count on to be loyal and trustworthy who can be depended upon to tell you like it is. Having that one Cheers type bar to hang out in where everybody knows your name and accepts you no matter your faults or shortcomings. People you can josh with and never take it personally. The good life to me is about being a giver vice a taker.
Finally, living the good life to me means being able to have enough money that there is always, always some left over at the end of the month, some to save for a rainy day and being smart enough to live within my means.

In which case I do lead the good life.
I asumed you were talking about bing filthy rich and retired.

I'm sorted too.

Cool!

[Smeg]

just remember you were born alone and you'll die alone

Me mum tried to convince me that she was at me birth, but I always suspected that she was at home watching Z-cars

[Smeg]

I'm sorted too.

Cool!

How does that work then?

[in4zip]

Me mum tried to convince me that she was at me birth, but I always suspected that she was at home watching Z-cars

she did succeed it seems, from the fine convoluted sprog she pooped out!

[in4zip]

I asumed you were talking about bing filthy and tired.
I'm sorted too.

Cool!

that's nice marms

[Marmite the Dog]

Filthy and tired ain't so bad.

[Texpat]

Here in the US, I see a lot of folks who will NEVER reach the "promised land." The race to keep ahead of the Joneses has them indebted up to their eyeballs and they wouldn't know a moment of happiness if it punched them in the mouth.

For me, that's part of the allure of Thailand. The societal pressure on everyone to have a new car every two years and send three-year-olds to charm school and have your ass waxed twice a month just isn't there.

I think I'll be a very happy mango farmer, living in Issan, within my means.

[dirtydog]

I got to agree with you there texpat, it dont bother me whether I use the old motorbike, or the old truck or the sexy sports car, ok the sports car cant go down the soi we are working, so I use the old motorbike, I really dont give a fok, but I get a lot of comments, and it's like, "fok you you cnuts" I really dont give a fok wot you think about me", use the truck I am a poor farang, use the bike I am a poor farang, use the car I am a rich farang, fok all that I am still poor, cnuts.....

[Fast Eddie]

[quote=Texpat]

For me, that's part of the allure of Thailand. The societal pressure on everyone to have a new car every two years and send three-year-olds to charm school and have your ass waxed twice a month just isn't there.

quote]

I'm not too sure about that.

I've seen plenty of Thai's with their nice expensive cars which they can barely afford. Doesn't matter if you have to live in a shithole, that car gives you a lot of face you know.

Of course there are plenty of Thai's for whom such things are well beyond their means, but as soon as it becomes realistic plenty of them are at it.

Displays of wealth seem to be valued quite highly here. There seems to be some sort of belief that it earns you respect.

Amongst the middle and upper classes that pressure exists, and given cash to blow some of the lower class will play that game as well.

[peterpan]

exactly MM - one needs a reason to get out of bed each morning!

me i dont think i ever want to fully retire!

anyone have the stats for how many men die within a year of retirement?

i'm sure its high!

You are absolutely right KW. I took an early retirement from my corporate wally job 8 years ago. Dropped wifey and paid her out 2/3 of our savings, still had plenty of money to waste in bars and tarts. Endless stream of gals willing to jump on my old bones for catfood. After some months I realised that my life was crap, no self esteem, watching UBC until noon when I could start drinking, did that until the tarts came around to entertain me at night. I looked in the future and I could see a "leaving from a balcony" in it. So thought Ferk this! I am going to get me a new carreer, which over the next 5 years I did. Started a business here, and with out looking, got me a new wifey and she gave me two delightful daughters. I am back to working 6 days a week, between the business, taking kids to school etc life is busy, but GOOD. Retirement works for some but it was hell for me.

[colourful-era]

I dread the possibility of becoming an old git hanging around Thailand for the last few years of his life, trying to get in some final cheap thrills before hitting the coffin, and I'm very happy to be getting my "cheap thrills" in now instead

So, what will you do when you're old and grey?

Would you retire to LOS if you had enough cash or maybe just come here for regular holidays?

[colourful-era]

fck mate - yes i do ! CE was not happy I am happy does it make a difference what our wages are/were ? so what's the minimum amount of money to qualify for really enjoying life then ?

I agree with you there that I was not happy overall but I certainly had some good times.

Just needed a bit more cash really - living off 30K/month in Bangkok sucks.

Still I'll give it another bash sometime - 3rd time lucky perhaps?

[marklatham]

You bloody rich poms with your pounds sterling,us aussies are poor relations.
I am hoping to work for ten years in LOS,buy land and build myself a house and then survive on the pension.
Better the pension in LOS than in australia which would be mean slowly starving to death.
Luckily my son was born in soi sarm and I can buy land in his name,you falnags can only dream of this.

[MeMock]

The pension wont be around for much longer in Australia.

I have set up my own self managed super fund - its the way to go me thinks.