That’s all about to change.

I’m retiring in May and, after a few weeks back home visiting my kids, I’m off to Cambodia. Been there twice in the last 3 months and I think I’m going to like it there.

Over the last 2 years I have been researching and investigating many different places that have large expat communities. The Philippines, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Thailand and Bali to name a few. All have there advantages and disadvantages. One big disadvantage is they all have requirements. Deposit a certain amount in the bank and leave it there. Prove monthly income of a certain level. Provide results of a health screening. Provide a police report. Etc, etc, etc.

Cambodia requires none of that. Phnom Penh is a booming, bustling city and is obviously doing everything it can to attract expats and their money. It will cost me about $270 a year for visa renewal and that’s it. My expected cost of living, including everything, in a two bedroom two bath serviced apartment, should be about 1,200 per month.

I’m just starting the process of setting up my Social Security. That’s interesting as I don’t deal with SSA in the US. Any Americans living in Asia go through the SSA office in Manila.

Anyone interested in the process or how to really get free of the US, its taxes, etc. just let me know.

Got a one way ticket when I moved to Singapore. Gonna be getting another one soon.

Write about an event that changed your life for the better.

 Written by Aris Li Lu

“You have advanced lung cancer. The chance of a successful operation is very slim, almost non-existent.” I blundered out of the consultation room with downcast eyes as the doctor’s sentence lingered in my mind. I tore the report and threw it on the ground. Hiding my face, I wept, not believing such a terrible thing could have happened to me.

 After my mother passed away, I became an anti-social person. My mother died due to our family not having extra money to support her medical fees. To take my revenge on this society, I had reached the notorious level typical of seasoned gangsters and was involved in all types of crimes such as robbery, theft and fighting. That was until yesterday. My cousin, who is the only relative in contact with me, sent me for a medical examination and told me to get a checkup. Then I received this report.

 I walked aimlessly on the street feeling that this world is strange and cruel to me. In my eyes, the whole world is grey and black. Suddenly, I saw an elderly woman struggling to drag a box and I gave her a hand, helping her home. She thanked me and her eyes filled my heart like the brightness of the moonlight. At that moment, I knew what I could do with the rest of my life.

 I devoted my days to being a volunteer in the nursing home and orphanage. At night, I found a part-time job which did not pay well, but I enjoyed it as this was my first job. Spending my time at these places, I acknowledged that this world is not as bad as I thought. Everyone was trying their best to live in this world, even these elderly people and children who were abandoned by their parents. From them, I learnt a lot.

 One week later, dusk fell. I was sitting on the beach watching the sunset. The setting sun cast a deep red glow over the city. My heart had never been peaceful, but now I know the essence of life. I felt that my previous life was a failure and meaningless. If I had one more life, I would not live it like my previous way of life. Suddenly, my phone chimed, “Hello, this is Dr Tan. I’m calling to inform that you haven’t got lung cancer. I am terribly sorry as your report was mixed up with another patient’s …” I hung up the phone and looked at the sunset far away with a smile.

 5 years later, as a phenomenally successful businessman, I am sitting in my easy chair. Recalling my previous life, I think getting ‘cancer’ was the best thing that ever happened to me. It really changed my life for the better.

 [464 words]

Great work and good luck!

I know we go through this every 4 years but doesn’t anyone get as sick of it as me?

Can’t the Reflublicans, with all their money and power and contacts come up with anyone better than these three jokers?

I really don’t mind them ridiculing each other. I’ll be voting for Obama again. But it would be nice to have a little competition. Then again, the Reflubs have ballot box tampering on their side. Almost forgot.

Anyway, on a more personal note, I’m still living happily in Singapore but have started looking at other places to retire. Need a nice second or third world country where my dollar will go a lonnnnnnng way.

The snorkeling trip was great…private boat, driver, photographer for about 3 hours for a total price of about US$75. If you ever get a chance, Bali is worth the trip. If you wanna see more video, look up Bali Snorkeling 2 and Bali Snorkeling 3 on YouTube.

It’s only a 2 hour and 30 minute flight. One of the advantages of living where I do.

Viva Asia!

This last quote was one of my favorites.

At the same time, they berate Obama for the lack of new jobs. So what are these “job creators” doing? Where are the jobs?

What they’re doing of course is sinking all the money they save on taxes into new personal investments so they can save even more on low taxes.

Create jobs my ass. Create this, assholes.

As far as the amount I paid, let me see….multiply by the percent….carry the one….take out the deduction…yup, they were right!

Total tax liability = 1.92%.

And I am a singe person, filing that way. Read it and weep.

Right now my choices are Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador or The Philippines. These are all places that are popular with expats because of the low cost of living. Any of you who might be interested in part time or full time living abroad might want to check out www.internationalliving.com.

My daughter and grandson are currently touring SE Asia and will be in Singapore in a few weeks. Their trip includes several places in Vietnam (Hanoi, Dalat, Hoi An, HCM City, etc) then on to Cambodia, Chang Mai and Phuket in Thailand, then here.

From here they will go to a jungle camp in Sumatra, Indonesia then on to Bali.

Yeah, I’m jealous.

Anyway, hope you are all well.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Peace be with you.

As usual, I received my 200+ page federal income tax manual from the US. Anyone who can actually understand it or even tries to gets an extra 10,000 points.

Here in Singapore it was a little different. My employer filed my income and deductions electronically so all I had to do was log into the tax portal and verify that those numbers were correct. Then I hit the submit button.

Done. Tax filing complete. Took about 3 minutes. Oh, and BTW, my total tax liability for the year was an excruciatingly burdensome $52.00.

Enjoy your filing. Hope you meet the deadline.

I’ve cyber-met many wonderful people here, Libby, the Fogg man, Bob Rini and a dozen or so others and I’ll still check in with them from time to time. And I’ve had a lot of fun.

This is therapy for many of us. A way to yell and scream out our points of view to a world that seems to no longer listen or care. We see the injustice every day, many of us do, but the injustice never seems to change. It just gets worse.

I wish our new president all the luck in the world, but I really don’t think it makes any difference who sits in that office from one election to the next. The real power stays in the background, manipulating the money supply and selling out the country for profit.

Between them and the horrific environmental deterioration we face, I pretty much think future generations are doomed.

I’m busy now, but soon I will retire, spend more time enjoying my kids and grandkids, and just sit back and watch it play out for as long as I have left.

Like it says in my header, I’m just along for the ride.

Peace be with you.

Brian

No. This is fucking Washington business as usual. You’re right. You fucked up. We’ve had enough of presidents fucking up. Get better and get better quick. Or you won’t last past 4 years. You made promises. Keep them. Or join the ranks of all the other big talk lying politicians that we’ve gotten used to.

In 1929-30 businessmen who lost everything in the stock market crash were jumping out of windows to their deaths. Maybe back then, every family didn’t stockpile guns. Today it’s different. The murder/suicide of a family of 4 in Ohio whose mother and father had both lost their jobs. The murder/suicide of a family of 7 in LA who were awash in dept. All shot.

Back in the depression, broke businessmen just killed themselves. Today they take the whole family with them.

Progress in America.

At the very least. After decades of mediocrity, it seems that America has chosen the right and the best man for the job. I feel like, overnight, I became proud to be an American again. And I don’t think I’m alone. His words, his demeanor, his very presence just screams sound leadership.

As Bush slinked away like the wounded badger he is, Obama grabbed the reins of the huge, crazed but sickly bull that is America. Can he stay in the saddle and control this beast? Only time will tell. But hope abounds around the globe that he can and will.

They all say it, but this is truly the beginning of a new era. I believe Obama and his associates are up to the task. I hope the American people are, too.

I was surprised how comfortable I felt in my hometown after so long. Some things had changed but some remain the same. I drove a car for the first time since I left in 2003 and, like riding a bicycle, it came back to me immediately.

I met a lot of my daughter’s friends who have supported her and helped her immensely during her illness and the moods that brought. I am profoundly grateful to all of them. I guess the only thing better than a home where people love you is two homes where they do.