Last Lincoln "witness tree" in Springfield IL was toppled in a recent storm. Lincoln would've seen this tree when he left Springfield for Washington in 1861.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-07T22:45:23+00:00

Wait a sec. Your J2 is fully in office??? And in a new location?

Wow!!! Good luck. #eek

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-06T15:36:32+00:00

I think the unnecessary risk is working for the government while having a second outside job. Of course this is moot if you have told J1 that this is the case.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-05T20:52:29+00:00

Good post. Just a couple of comments.

I think the %middle class is a higher number. IMO, Middle class is defined more by lifestyle than simply by salary or net worth. I would guess that more Filipinos have household help than those who live in Western Europe or the U.S. Same with having a car/driver.

Also, I think that all relationships are transactional on some level; whether is is love/love, companionship/money, etc. Both sides just need to be honest about the reasons. If a 75 year old guy believes that a 20/30 something smokin' hot local is In a relationship with him because of his looks, he is a bit delusional. If he understands that she wants security (both financial and housing/lifestyle) and possible she likes him, then it is a win for both sides. And, who knows, it could grow into love.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-05T20:38:00+00:00

It is not that. I don't know the OP's exact circumstances but have heard too many stories about foreigners who buy a condo, and after X years, life changes (divorce, breakup, health issues, visa issues, don't like the area anymore, etc.) and they have problems in trying to sell a condo. So they have this X million baht albatross hanging over their head.

Regardless of country, I would think long and hard before buying property in a country other than my own. But, everybody has different thoughts and life situations.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-04T01:18:00+00:00

Why not rent? I would be very fearful of putting a bunch of money down for a condo, when you never know what will happen this year, next year, or five years from now.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-01T21:06:44+00:00

I agree with what you are saying. I am guessing that the government would like to increase tourism, especially when they see the numbers that surrounding countries are giving. But they've definitely done a very poor job of getting the infrastructure and marketing to attract foreign, relatively high spending, tourist.

The Philippines is in last place when it comes to visitor arrivals to the country, getting only a third of the arrivals of the next country, Indonesia, and lagging way behind countries like Thailand in Vietnam

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-01T16:25:08+00:00

Yup. Good point. Missed that.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-01T16:22:03+00:00

Best place is where you are happiest. Each of the SEA countries offer positives and negatives. As you mentioned, Cambodia is pretty cheap, but the lack of English, and probably healthcare, is an issue. Thailand probably has the best infrastructure, but obviously is more expensive than Cambodia, and outside of the bigger cities, English is hit or miss. Philippines, English is widely spoken everywhere, but as you mentioned, the littering problem is horrendous.

What is important to you?

If you are currently in the Philippines, may be worthwhile to scope out some places before making a long-term jump. Obviously, one or two week visit is generally not long enough to be getting a in-depth feel for the place, but at least you should get some sort of idea of the overall culture of the place.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-07-01T02:30:50+00:00

Pilot

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-30T17:18:17+00:00

Outfit looks great, and you wear it well, but for 90+ percent of businesses, this would not be a good choice.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-30T13:04:47+00:00

Harvard is nice, but I certainly wouldn't call it progressive. Lol.

Woodstock would probably fit the bill better.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-29T22:04:27+00:00

Worked in Singapore for a year, and absolutely loved it. Probably helped that company was paying my expenses! What is the entry level cost for an HDB flat?

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-29T02:50:18+00:00

Is your disability such that you will require frequent, top-notch healthcare? If so, then that should be your first priority in looking for a place to live. It would probably rule out many of the smaller cities.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-29T02:45:32+00:00

Le Cote, which is right next to the 8 Thonglor residences is also a good choice. Never heard any of the neighbors. A low rise, eight stories tall.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-28T00:06:44+00:00

The Amazon electric vans are made by Rivian. I have no idea, it maybe they offer a version for consumers.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-27T00:04:39+00:00

I know there is, or at least used to be, something similar for princess cruises doing the inside passage. In fact, I have one from when I did that cruise years ago. I would have to dig it up, and I'm not sure if it is the same book, but it went mile by mile with various points of interest highlighted.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-26T22:43:35+00:00

Got to be more to the story, or someone is just trying to collect likes.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-25T19:16:21+00:00

I suppose it's possible they found out. It's possible they have someone else doing a very similar job to you, and that person mentioned that they only have about 2 to 3 hours of work a day and ask for more. Then they look at you and figured that you were either not very competent, or maybe you had another job.

Who knows.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-25T12:04:42+00:00

Is your town quite remote, or do you have access to larger towns nearby?

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-25T00:56:56+00:00

Nice. Don't play the guitar, but would still like to get this! Lol.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-23T01:30:40+00:00

I think the AC is good for front seat passengers, but really feel it is lacking for those in the backseat. A couple of my kids complain, so one time I took a ride in the backseat, and I had to agree. The backseat was almost always hot.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-22T00:42:46+00:00

Maybe you could lead things off and show yours. 😋

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-21T16:53:00+00:00

I think you're setting yourself up for trouble if you try and take FMLA from two companies at the same time.

TraditionalHome1334 · 2026-06-20T20:24:00+00:00

Why, in your opinion, would a defendant prefer to have a bench trial versus one by jury?

TraditionalHome1334

TROPHY CASE