Fun & Hobbies Goals For 2018

An implementation of “fun time” during the week is absolutely vital at this point.  I believe living in a slummy area (what I seriously deemed as a slummy area) in north Bangkok where the mindsets were extremely low…it took away from me meeting a lot of amazing people.  The monolithic perception of “blacks” being labeled as “bad” and the “wife tourists” being labels as “wonderful human beings” took so much of a toll on me.  The funny part about all of it was I was the one who decided to stay in this area from October 2014 – December 2017.

I took the “great leap” last September when I decided to join a gym — the Lab BKK.  What’s so special about this gym (and of course the price dug well into my pockets) the business-minded entrepreneurs who work out there.  The majority of everyone speaks solid English and it made me realize that Thai women are accepting of African American men.  However, if you trek about 10 minutes north of DMK Airport in north Bangkok, you can find yourself in an extremely racist society.

I’ve neglected my own self from being around these ultra-successful people.  I finally had reality slap me real hard in the face around the same time (September) when I decided to teach millionaires – all of which were over the age of 30, accepting of my color, and SO HAPPY with life!

This also stemmed from me telling my primary job that I wanted time by myself on a Sunday morning.  The rebellion began at the beginning of last year, and it ultimately lead to somewhat of a demise at a present job — followed by a rapid emergence all around Bangkok.

I traveled to America, Malaysia, and the Maldives, but it felt like I was doing more escaping rather than going on a holiday.  The last trip westward to Kanchanaburi (3 hours drive from Bangkok) was an epitome of ‘when things go wrong, go travel.’  However, when I was on this trip I just kept thinking about my well-being.  How one angry individual now possessed the power to do whatever he wanted or wants with me.

NEVER — and I’m saying NEVER — go on trips when you have baggage on the table in your physical environment at home, work, or anywhere else.  If you go on holiday and all you think about is what’s happening back home, you’ve spoiled the entire trip.  I believe that it happened a couple of times (in Arizona and Kanchanaburi) and I wasn’t able to be fully immersed in what was happening.

Being able to put “fun” in your schedule is vital.  My motto this year is “make the same amount of money but in a fraction of the time.”  Well, it’s soon going to start working! If I can somehow teach for two hours on a Saturday morning, it can total nine hours of teaching that I currently do on a Saturday and Sunday; dealing with the ignorance in the racially infested province, teachers gossiping about how wonderful I am (lol), and so many other factors.

Fun and hobbies can be anything ranging from working out with awesome people, going running, going for a movie by yourself, walking the dog, having a drink by yourself and chatting with passerbys, or anything.  I haven’t been able to enjoy that because there was NO WHERE in the area I can do that….but now, times have changed.

Ok, we have travels.

For Sures 

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia (possibly this month
3. Kazakhstan + Kyrgyzstan

Potentials

1. Australia (high chance)
2. Hong Kong
3. Taiwan
4. Morocco (Tedx)

On-The-Ropes

1. American Samoa
2. Japan

So these are the trips.  Some revolve around the Spartan Race; others are real vacation.  But what about in Thailand?

• Fit in relaxation (this could be with great people over amazing food)
• Enjoy the scenery (don’t always be tugged away in my condo and go to the rooftop)
• Meet new people (and especially not on Craigslist – LOL!!)
• Ask for feedback (have more people listen to my podcast around Thailand and become well-known)

Swimming, playing basketball, running the streets, going to a park to do random pull-ups.  These things will come a long way.

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