Love Your Eye Floaters!

Hi Bloggers,

I'm one of those unfortunate individuals who suffer from severe myopia.  I've been shortsighted ever since I was about eleven.  I remember those first times when I realised I couldn't read the blackboard and had to come and sit up front in class.  my eyes got progressively worse as a  teenager, but did then stabilise reasonably well for most of my adult like.

One side effect of being short sighted is that one is particularly prone to things called floaters.  They're bits of the vitreous gel covering the retina that break off and float around in the eye.  The reason for this is that short-sighted people have slightly elongated eye balls, which stretches the gel and puts it under a little more pressure.  Anyone can get them, though, particularly as you get older.

I first got them 15 years ago, but I learnt to handle them well.  In fact, after a while I stopped even noticing they were there.  But I recently got a new batch, some really big ones that float right across my central vision.  They can be incredibly irritating, almost debilitating at times.  And they affect your self confidence too. 

Apparently they can be treated by YAG laser, but this operation seems to be done only in America by a few specialists.  I may get around to going there one day, but, meanwhile, I've learnt to accept them rather than fight them.  The important thing is to not keep looking at them, but to ignore them.  Eventually their impact on you diminishes.  And soon you even learn to love them, like old friends.  After all they are a part of you!

Hope this helps any fellow sufferers.

Cheers,
Robert

Back in Thailand

Hi Bloggers,

As usual, haven't been blogging as much as I should.  Maybe it's because I feel obligated to put up good pictures on each post, and that can be time consuming.  But anyway, another major change has occurred in my life.  I'm now back in Thailand getting ready to purchase a teacher training franchise I bought.   I've never tried running my own business before, so it's a genuine case of uncharted waters for me.  Even if I'm not profitable I'm sure it'll be a useful learning experience for me.

I spent a month back in the Philippines with my family before coming over.  My wife and kid will join me as soon as I've got the flat ready and the visa sorted.  Very nice flat too. I'm in the same block of flats as I was before.  I'm high up with a great view of the pool.  It's in the thick of the entertainment area, but there are so many nice places to go to around here, cafes, restaurants, bars, malls and a couple of exquisite parks.  There's even a kindergarten for my boy.

While back in the Philippines, I noticed Manila was coming on leaps and bounds, even though those huge areas of sprawling urban chaos still abound.  It's got a way to go before it catches up with Thailand, though.

Will get pics up soon.

Cheers,
Robert

Jeddah

Hi Bloggers,

Luckily had a couple of weeks off last month, so I took full advantage of it to visit Saudi's second city, Jeddah.  It has a reputation for being much more relaxed than Riyadh and this certainly seemed to be the case.  Nevertheless, the basic no alcohol or cinemas rules still applied.  But women seemed less covered up and actually ready to communicate in some cases!

Jeddah's got a pretty nice location by Saudi standards, being by the sea, and  the Red Sea at that.  There's a lot of diving around here, though I must admit I didn't partake myself.  There's a 35 km long corniche, though not as idyllic as I'd hoped.  The Red Sea, being another gulf, unfortunately has virtually no surf, and it's those rolling waves that are the main thing I love about the sea.  But still it was nice breath of fresh air (excuse the pun).


Generally, though, Jeddah had a much more relaxed atmosphere than Riyadh, and people were around on the streets and much friendly, cf. Riyadh where every thing seems to happen behind closed doors.  Mind you, Jeddah is also a lot poorer than Riyadh and you really feel like you're in a developing country here.  Only a few of those swanky malls and towering skyscrapers.

One of the highlights was the fish market, which actually had sharks for sale, as well as some pretty exotic looking angel fish.  But the main highlight for me were the old traditional coral houses in Al Balad.  Most of them are just shells now, but apparently there's a project to restore them.  It's definitely worthy of being a world Heritage site.

I'll let the pictures do the talking,

Cheers,
Rob

It's a Boy !!

Hi Bloggers,

It really is along time since I last blogged.  I got so bogged down in my dispute with the British Council and my new job in Saudi Arabia that I completely forgot to mention maybe the most important event of my life, the birth of my son!  Well, he's five months now and growing fast.  In fact, he's quite big for his age and is already trying to walk.

 

Of course, I'm a pretty late runner, and one thing that really surprises me now is how I spent so many decades being single.  Getting married and having a son has really given me something to live for.  In fact, really my whole life is geared towards them now.  I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the narrow self-focused life style of a single man again.  I think to justify being single you need to make your life highly meaningful in some other way, either through some large scale philanthropic or altruistic activity, like some of the world's richest are doing now, Bill Gates, etc.  Or through becoming a monk or great spiritual teacher.  Otherwise, what would your legacy be?

Unfortunately, I'm temporarily separated from them, working here in Saudi Arabia.  But to be honest I wouldn't want to bring them here to such a boring and repressive country.  Luckily, I've had what I hope is a good business idea, being to buy a teaching franchise in Bangkok.  If all goes to plan we can all reconvene there as a happy family within a few months!

My legal case against the British Council is now basically over.  It ended as a kind of draw.  Neither side can really claim victory, but at least I made a few points.  I doubt if anything will change within the BC, though! In some ways it was a blessing in disguise losing my job at the BC, as it really galvanised me into action.  I've discovered there's a whole world outside the BC, which isn't always obvious when you're in it.

So thinking and moving forward again!

Cheers,
Robert