When I was growing up (or maybe growing down is a better way of looking at it)my slightly younger brother obsessively watched the ancient T.V. show, "The Honeymooners" starring the presciently obese Jackie Gleason and his Bronx tough-talking neighbor, Art Carne. (It was only decades later that I figured out "carne" was Spanish for "meat.") The local train line ran just outside the walls of their apartment metaphorically signaling to the viewer the working class squalor of the life of a New York city bus driver who was a stand-in for the stupid T.V. viewers, me and my brother (as well as a lot of other young, stupid, naive and gullible Americans).
What does that have to do with anything? Nothing. Except that is where I am (as well as a lot of other Americans) today. Living in a crappy apartment -- not even an apartment but a room -- while the trains go by. (Although the authorities won't let me drive a bus because I drink too much for that sort of work.) Anyway I'm retired now and I try to stay out of self-inflicted trouble. I'm the sort of fool who, upon walking into a bar, the locals look at and smile thinking of the myriad of ways they can fleece me.
Jason and the Argonauts were looking for the "Golden Fleece." Well, they found him in me.
(Speaking of the "Golden Fleece" and the Black Sea flying to the Philippines in late December of last year we had a "lay-over" in Istanbul. Coming in to Istanbul International airport I looked down at the Black Sea below and thought of all the history of that fabled region. As the plane taxied up to the terminal I could see the minuretes of what I thought might have been the Hagia Sophia; that famous structure that has traded back and forth between the Christians and Muslims for centuries now.)
There was some sort of horrific tractor trailer wreck on I-95 this morning down in Norwalk. All I could think was, "better you than me, bro." (And I hate that term, "bro." Am I so mentally lazy and stupid that I can't say "brother"? Apparently so.)
Thomas you really need to get out of the US. Try the Philippines again. Maybe Ecuador or Albania. All easy to get a visa on social security. Or just follow Linh and meander around SE Asia. Get in the right frame of mind and it isn't hard. Even if you don't end up doing anything interesting, you will at least be in a new location. Possibilities increase.
You are right about getting into the right frame of mind. When I was in the Philippines I had absolutely, completely and unequivocally the WRONG frame of mind. I got off to a bad start there with a bout of sunstroke (being a pale and pasty man from New England) and never got back on my feet.
Thank you for the suggestion about the availability of Visas on Social Security. When I was planning my trip to the Philippines I got the impression that Visa stays were strictly limited and carefully controlled by the country one was visiting. I feared if I overstayed my 30 day Visa I might be fined substantially, and perhaps jailed with none of the Due Process rights Americans accused of crimes have in America. Now I've been getting messages on my phone from a Filippana woman telling me they would be happy to extend my Visa.
I had the impression, when there in the Philippines, that my presence was resented. Perhaps I was 180 degrees wrong?
I don't know about the Philippines, but in certain countries in Central and South America (Panama and Ecuador immediately come to mind), a modest Social Security check is enough income to qualify you for their permanent resident retiree visas (kind of like a US Green Card, except you may not be allowed to work). I suspect the qualifying amounts are specifically targeted at just those people. Perhaps the Philippines has something similar.
I have not lived in the Philippines, just visited twice for about 1.5 months total. Expats told me that an American you can just keep renewing your short term visa then once a year go outside the country and start again.
Latin America tends to be easier. Panama (1000/month), Chile (1000), Ecuador (1250/month) are both easy and Ecuador and Chile both have a simple path to permanent residency.
I don't know if they still have it but Ecuador did have a professional visa where if you have a law degree or MBA you can immediately get permanent residency.
El Salvador is one of the safest places on the planet now and they have a new program where if you hold the right credentials you automatically get a passport. Don't know if you would qualify for that but always worth checking out.
Paraguay has very easy resistance and once there you can live in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil too. They are like a mini EU.
"Bro" is pretty annoying but can be forgiven because it's so ubiquitous that it slips out some times. It's the variant "Brah" which I refuse to tolerate. It's as if "Bro", which is bad enough, is too difficult to pronounce and needs a lazier, sleazier version in order to convey the ennui behind it.
Ennui is right. I strongly suspect the same people who don't want to make the effort to speak clearly are the same people who can't be bothered to think clearly. And, believe me, I'm not always great at doing either but I'd like to think at least I make the effort.
Sun Ra from the juke in a dive bar could piss some people off. I wish I was there. I can hear multiple "What is this shit!?" 's.
Sun Ra is some of the spaciest, ethereal music that I've been blessed to hear. I was awake in the middle of the night, all f*"ed in the head in a few weeks back and ran across a Sun Ra cover ensemble. It was one of those moments where I needed to silently thank the universe for the opportunity to be awake and pissy enough to run across what I must have been looking for.
Sun Ra and Linh Dinh, two ethereal dudes from Philly. I hope that this world has the good sense to remember them both.
When I was growing up (or maybe growing down is a better way of looking at it)my slightly younger brother obsessively watched the ancient T.V. show, "The Honeymooners" starring the presciently obese Jackie Gleason and his Bronx tough-talking neighbor, Art Carne. (It was only decades later that I figured out "carne" was Spanish for "meat.") The local train line ran just outside the walls of their apartment metaphorically signaling to the viewer the working class squalor of the life of a New York city bus driver who was a stand-in for the stupid T.V. viewers, me and my brother (as well as a lot of other young, stupid, naive and gullible Americans).
What does that have to do with anything? Nothing. Except that is where I am (as well as a lot of other Americans) today. Living in a crappy apartment -- not even an apartment but a room -- while the trains go by. (Although the authorities won't let me drive a bus because I drink too much for that sort of work.) Anyway I'm retired now and I try to stay out of self-inflicted trouble. I'm the sort of fool who, upon walking into a bar, the locals look at and smile thinking of the myriad of ways they can fleece me.
Jason and the Argonauts were looking for the "Golden Fleece." Well, they found him in me.
(Speaking of the "Golden Fleece" and the Black Sea flying to the Philippines in late December of last year we had a "lay-over" in Istanbul. Coming in to Istanbul International airport I looked down at the Black Sea below and thought of all the history of that fabled region. As the plane taxied up to the terminal I could see the minuretes of what I thought might have been the Hagia Sophia; that famous structure that has traded back and forth between the Christians and Muslims for centuries now.)
There was some sort of horrific tractor trailer wreck on I-95 this morning down in Norwalk. All I could think was, "better you than me, bro." (And I hate that term, "bro." Am I so mentally lazy and stupid that I can't say "brother"? Apparently so.)
The man said, "Cheer up, things could be worse."
So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.
Your avatar just cheered me up...
Thank you, Bill. In a world of (I'm not sure of the number now?) eight billion people(?) You say incredibly meaningful things very succinctly.
Thomas you really need to get out of the US. Try the Philippines again. Maybe Ecuador or Albania. All easy to get a visa on social security. Or just follow Linh and meander around SE Asia. Get in the right frame of mind and it isn't hard. Even if you don't end up doing anything interesting, you will at least be in a new location. Possibilities increase.
Thank you for the helpful advice, Mr. Duclur.
You are right about getting into the right frame of mind. When I was in the Philippines I had absolutely, completely and unequivocally the WRONG frame of mind. I got off to a bad start there with a bout of sunstroke (being a pale and pasty man from New England) and never got back on my feet.
Thank you for the suggestion about the availability of Visas on Social Security. When I was planning my trip to the Philippines I got the impression that Visa stays were strictly limited and carefully controlled by the country one was visiting. I feared if I overstayed my 30 day Visa I might be fined substantially, and perhaps jailed with none of the Due Process rights Americans accused of crimes have in America. Now I've been getting messages on my phone from a Filippana woman telling me they would be happy to extend my Visa.
I had the impression, when there in the Philippines, that my presence was resented. Perhaps I was 180 degrees wrong?
I don't know about the Philippines, but in certain countries in Central and South America (Panama and Ecuador immediately come to mind), a modest Social Security check is enough income to qualify you for their permanent resident retiree visas (kind of like a US Green Card, except you may not be allowed to work). I suspect the qualifying amounts are specifically targeted at just those people. Perhaps the Philippines has something similar.
I have not lived in the Philippines, just visited twice for about 1.5 months total. Expats told me that an American you can just keep renewing your short term visa then once a year go outside the country and start again.
Latin America tends to be easier. Panama (1000/month), Chile (1000), Ecuador (1250/month) are both easy and Ecuador and Chile both have a simple path to permanent residency.
I don't know if they still have it but Ecuador did have a professional visa where if you have a law degree or MBA you can immediately get permanent residency.
El Salvador is one of the safest places on the planet now and they have a new program where if you hold the right credentials you automatically get a passport. Don't know if you would qualify for that but always worth checking out.
Paraguay has very easy resistance and once there you can live in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil too. They are like a mini EU.
Also colombia has low income requirements.
"Bro" is pretty annoying but can be forgiven because it's so ubiquitous that it slips out some times. It's the variant "Brah" which I refuse to tolerate. It's as if "Bro", which is bad enough, is too difficult to pronounce and needs a lazier, sleazier version in order to convey the ennui behind it.
Ennui is right. I strongly suspect the same people who don't want to make the effort to speak clearly are the same people who can't be bothered to think clearly. And, believe me, I'm not always great at doing either but I'd like to think at least I make the effort.
AstroNOTS starring in a Stanley Kubrick movie " Apollo ". Executive producer: CIA.
Sun Ra from the juke in a dive bar could piss some people off. I wish I was there. I can hear multiple "What is this shit!?" 's.
Sun Ra is some of the spaciest, ethereal music that I've been blessed to hear. I was awake in the middle of the night, all f*"ed in the head in a few weeks back and ran across a Sun Ra cover ensemble. It was one of those moments where I needed to silently thank the universe for the opportunity to be awake and pissy enough to run across what I must have been looking for.
Sun Ra and Linh Dinh, two ethereal dudes from Philly. I hope that this world has the good sense to remember them both.
https://youtu.be/AtA0uYaVO0g?si=2xWWq2VDI7dRMpFx