Thirty Days Until Retirement

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

At least from afar I'm proud of my daughter - part of my job was to take photographs but I'm not

a professional by any means. Although my older daughter has always maintained her

female parent's hatred for me, she seems to be a chip off the old block as I have been

following online that she is both photo editor and treasurer of her university yearbook.

She also has two part-time jobs in the local mall. It's good that she has this independent

streak as she really can't depend on her mother for anything. Her mother has no idea

about her school activities, or else she just isn't talking about them.

My heart goes out to the kids because when I removed myself from the toxic behavior of my

ex-wife the kids may have been blamed by her because there wasn't anyone else around.

I hope to make it up to them when the playing field is a little more neutral.

Two of my best friends as well as my wife were at my retirement party on Friday.

I would have liked to see one or both of my kids, but you can't have everything.

Thanks again for the kind words, especially to IR5.

I may have posted the words but the kindness flows from all of our hearts.

[thongd4me 69]

Yesterday, for my first "good deed" in my retirement,

I drove a friend from work who retired 2 years ago

to a doctor who is helping relieve the pain of his

"motor neuron disease" {Lou Gherig's Disease

is related}. The road trip took 2 hours each way

and it took us to the upper Hudson Valley (Rhinebeck).

It breaks my heart to see him like this but he has

a positive, determined and almost cheerful attitude

about this condition which will almost certainly be fatal.

The day before I got a lot of CD's from the library so we

would have some good music on the way. It turns out

he likes what I like - anything that's good, from Benny

Goodman to Toby Keith and the sound track from the

"Rocky Horror Picture Show" - one of his favorites.

I felt very happy to be with him and he felt the same.

The previous time he saw that doc he had lots of

trouble after the train ride because he can't walk too well.

Only last April, my friend (who is Canadian) was playing

hockey indoors in NYC. He was always very healthy

and physically active and now it has come to this...

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Yesterday, for my first "good deed" in my retirement,

I drove a friend from work who retired 2 years ago

to a doctor who is helping relieve the pain of his

"motor neuron disease" {Lou Gherig's Disease

is related}. The road trip took 2 hours each way

and it took us to the upper Hudson Valley (Rhinebeck).

It breaks my heart to see him like this but he has

a positive, determined and almost cheerful attitude

about this condition which will almost certainly be fatal.

The day before I got a lot of CD's from the library so we

would have some good music on the way. It turns out

he likes what I like - anything that's good, from Benny

Goodman to Toby Keith and the sound track from the

"Rocky Horror Picture Show" - one of his favorites.

I felt very happy to be with him and he felt the same.

The previous time he saw that doc he had lots of

trouble after the train ride because he can't walk too well.

Only last April, my friend (who is Canadian) was playing

hockey indoors in NYC. He was always very healthy

and physically active and now it has come to this...

No matter what you Ex says, your a good man, Thongd, you are a good man. For your friend and his best friend,

[Nagishkaw 510]

G-d bless you, Mr. Thongd.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

No matter what you Ex says, you're a good man, Thongd, you are a good man. For your friend and his best friend,

A bit more music for your trip. :thumbs: :luv: :luv:

[thongd4me 69]

A bit more music for your trip. :thumbs: :luv: :luv:

Those are good tracks from the actual CD we were listening to.

What I noticed was absent was the BAT OUT OF HELL track;

probably had something to do with the higher royalties that

they would have had to pay to include it on the movie soundtrack CD.

I'm pretty sure that BAT was in the movie. Made me a lifelong Meatloaf fan.

One thing I'd like to see is a duet with Meat & Ozzy.

[thongd4me 69]

Best News ever - we will be based in Samutprakan (leaving NYC Monday) and in the past

getting into BKK center city from there was always a grueling experience. :thumbs:

BTS extension starts running from today

By The Nation

An extension to the BTS Skytrain service from Onnut to Soi Bearing in Samut Prakan will open as scheduled today, to mark Her Majesty the Queen's birthday.

The service will be free for five months. From January 2, a Bt15 fee will be collected for the entire 5.25 kilometres covering five stations, on top of the fees collected from the original BTS route.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration covered the Bt50 billion needed for the construction of pillars as well as most of the operational service to maintain the rate at a flat Bt15.

The new stations between Sukhumvit Sois 105 and 107 are Bang Chak, Punnawithee, Udomsuk, Bang Na, and Bearing.

Edited August 12, 2011 by thongd4me

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Best News ever - we will be based in Samutprakan (leaving NYC Monday) and in the past

getting into BKK center city from there was always a grueling experience. :thumbs:

BTS extension starts running from today

By The Nation

An extension to the BTS Skytrain service from Onnut to Soi Bearing in Samut Prakan will open as scheduled today, to mark Her Majesty the Queen's birthday.

The service will be free for five months. From January 2, a Bt15 fee will be collected for the entire 5.25 kilometres covering five stations, on top of the fees collected from the original BTS route.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration covered the Bt50 billion needed for the construction of pillars as well as most of the operational service to maintain the rate at a flat Bt15.

The new stations between Sukhumvit Sois 105 and 107 are Bang Chak, Punnawithee, Udomsuk, Bang Na, and Bearing.

Sounds like a bit of good news, are you planning on moving there permanently?

[Jasman0717 9]

Wow, I need to come here more often. I have between 375 to about 1470. Ugh!

[thongd4me 69]

Sounds like a bit of good news, are you planning on moving there permanently?

Not immediately; momsie is 86 (still going strong) and she refuses to consider

going to Thailand. I would like to ultimately spend time 50/50 here and there,

but lots of things have to be organized in order to see that happen.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Wow, I need to come here more often. I have between 375 to about 1470. Ugh!

Indeed should, have you forgot Semper Fi?

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Not immediately; momsie is 86 (still going strong) and she refuses to consider

going to Thailand. I would like to ultimately spend time 50/50 here and there,

but lots of things have to be organized in order to see that happen.

God Bless Momsie, so glad that she's still a force. :thumbs: I can understand why she'd be apprehensive about moving to a new place at this point in her life. Just tell that those aren't elephants but Republicans a with weight problem.

Wow, I need to come here more often. I have between 375 to about 1470. Ugh!

We'll be happy to help you count down those last few days of indentured servitude when the time comes. :thumbs:

[thongd4me 69]

God Bless Momsie, so glad that she's still a force. :thumbs: I can understand why she'd be apprehensive about moving to a new place at this point in her life. Just tell that those aren't elephants but Republicans a with weight problem.

Yes at her age she is very much a creature of habit.

To her it's inconceivable that if she would be put in a "managed care" situation,

that she would be cared for much better in a facility in Thailand at a fraction of the cost.

One of the "familiar" things that she is adamant about is the same doctors that she is used to.

If she were to be put in a facility here, she would get a completely different set of doctors, not

necessarily of better quality than we would find in Thailand. In fact, my wife's ex-husband's

family are all doctors, nurses & pharmacists (with the exception of him!). He and I get along

fine, which would probably not be the case if my wife's ex were American.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Yes at her age she is very much a creature of habit.

To her it's inconceivable that if she would be put in a "managed care" situation,

that she would be cared for much better in a facility in Thailand at a fraction of the cost.

One of the "familiar" things that she is adamant about is the same doctors that she is used to.

If she were to be put in a facility here, she would get a completely different set of doctors, not

necessarily of better quality than we would find in Thailand. In fact, my wife's ex-husband's

family are all doctors, nurses & pharmacists (with the exception of him!). He and I get along

fine, which would probably not be the case if my wife's ex were American.

Let's hope and pray that she doesn't need managed care...ever.