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Bernardo And The 286 Philippine Tiles

August 31, 2010 by 2 Comments
More than 286 tiles

I published this article about a month or two back, but two items converged upon the calendar which made it appropriate to republish, slightly update, especially for those readers who might have missed it the first time. The main news that made me think about a redux was the happy news I just read that good blog friends Bob and Carol Hammerslag have just about complete their custom, build your own home project in Iloilo. Congratulations Bob and Carol, we'll be down for a "building … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Home Building Tagged With: ,

You Are Never Going To Be Happy in the Philippines — Unless —

August 30, 2010 by 2 Comments
map

How much does this sound like your reasoning behind moving to the Philippines … or wanting to? … In life many of us chase the seemingly elusive ‘prize’ of happiness and seek it out in all sorts of places.  We look for it in a marriage, we wonder if it can be provided by children, we go after it when we change our jobs and perhaps believe it will come to us when we retire…but the truth of the matter is, happiness is a state of mind and it comes from within. The naked truth is, a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Editorials Tagged With: ,

Health Care Costs and Availability

August 27, 2010 by 17 Comments
chart

We’ve mentioned this subject before, especially within the living in the Philippines or retiring in the Philippines context.  Medical care seems to be one of the top areas of concern to everyone planning a move here to the Philippines.  And of course, medical care and the costs you have to pay for it should certainly be an area of concern … but I often wonder just how much of an area of concern this should be … and further, if many of my fellow Americans are spending too much time … [Read more...]

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Yes, We Went There Again — Casablanca Hotel, Subic

August 23, 2010 by 9 Comments
highway

Well, what else would you do if it were a rainy Friday and your favorite nephews had finished their term in pre-school … sit around and watch it drizzle, or hit the road. We took off for the former US Navy base at Subic, now called the Subic Bay Special Economic Zone just before ten am and arrived at our first destination, Texas Joe’s, where the boys thoroughly enjoyed the classic wood hobby hours in the outside waiting area and then everyone enjoyed a delicious Texas-style lunch.  I … [Read more...]

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Just Refuse To Pay The Fear Tax!

August 23, 2010 by 10 Comments
fear

Seth  had an interesting post that he happened to pen at virtually the same time I wrote my “Just Give Up” opus last “Opinionated Monday”. Here's what happens as a result of security theater at the Orlando airport: You wait in line at least twenty minutes There's a scrum of pushing and shoving The staff are unhappy and not afraid to share it An unreasonable workload leads to fatigue and errors People miss their flights Here's what doesn't happen: Security is not … [Read more...]

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The Rodney Dangerfield of the Philippines — Can’t Get No Respect

August 21, 2010 by 3 Comments
house

Heard it again just the other day and wondered, yet again, what is it so many of these folks have heard?  A fellow was asking me some advice about a business idea and listing of some of the cites around the Philippines he had thought through where he might sell his product, and true to form for so many folks in the “Philippines wanna be ” community, he end his list with the comment, “of course I’m sure it would sell in Angeles City, but I don’t know if I can deal with the crime … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Things to Do Tagged With: , ,

How Do You Cope With Living in the Philippines?

August 16, 2010 by 9 Comments
registrationwindow

This article kind of pairs up with the “slow down” one I wrote recently  It’s mainly an expanded answer I gave to an interesting comment I received from a reader … keep those cards and letters coming, folks. Here’s an interesting comment from faithful reader, Dave from Texas: … More and more frequently I think about leaving the rat race and retiring. I could easily live on my savings until age 70 and collect SS at the maximum rate for the remainder of my life. Some questions … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: , , ,

Should We Just Give Up and Die Now, Save Worry and Handwringing?

August 15, 2010 by 15 Comments
wringing

You know, from time to time I receive emails from the US Embassy regarding closures, hours of service changes and (not within recent memory) legitimate issues I should be aware of as a US citizen.  But this mail, received on Friday the 13th, my time, has got to take the cake.  I mean if the world is really this dangerous, is it even worth breathing? A clear case that illustrates what I say about what our once fearless and proud society has become that perhaps makes some Americans … [Read more...]

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Bet You Never Thought You’d Hear Dave Agreeing With the AARP!

August 13, 2010 by 3 Comments
lady

Yep, times do change, don’t they.  I’ve been disgusted for years by many of the head in the sand, sell Wall Street and “Massive Insurance Co.” plans to seniors who didn’t need them approach of this gigantic marketing giant.  I’m still not a member, and likely never will be.  But as my old friend Par Warhoe always said, “Even a blind hog will find an acorn once in a while”. Affording Retirement Social Security Alone Isn't Enough Checks from Uncle Sam account for … [Read more...]

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Slow Down in the Philippines

August 12, 2010 by 16 Comments
thinking

One of my long-time Australian readers sent me a link to a nice article from an Australian expat living in Indonesia.  It made for some good, and thought-provoking reading. Even though there are a huge list of differences between living in Indonesia and living in the Philippines, there are definitely some important lessons we expats often could learn from this article: One night this week, as I strolled home from dinner with my wife, I did something I do all too rarely. I walked … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Editorials, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

A Surplus of Riches — Or Comparisons of Riches.

August 11, 2010 by 2 Comments
chart

Just yesterday I found and wrote about a neat online expense comparison tool called Expatistan.com.  Expatistan take costs from cites around the world, mostly input by local residents, and cleverly compares them to local costs in a city you might be interested in … giving a quick and first hand look at what it might cost you to live in a far way place. In les than 24 hours I was made aware of a similar tool know as numbeo.com, which performs some very similar functions and in a roughly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Costs Tagged With: , ,

A (soon to be) Definitive Answer to those Cost of Living Questions

August 10, 2010 by 5 Comments
cost

Thanks and a big tip of the blog hat to frequent reader John form Austria for sending this my way.  It’s a really kewl tewl put together by just one guy with a sense of purpose, and if we can get enough people participating it will become a very useful tool for expats here in the Philippines and allover the world as well. What is It?  A website and cost of living tool called Expatistan.com (gotta love that name, eh?) Who Built It? A fellow by the name of Gerardo Robledillo.  … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Costs Tagged With: , ,
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