Life update #4
The above photograph shows (among others) the headquarters of our new company (the bright spot on the left side) and the bungalow where we live (the one with solar cells on the roof).
สวัสดีครับ (sà-wàdt-dee+kráb) = Hello! 🤗
In this, my fourth update:
- What's going on?
- It's all starting to make sense
- New company in the making
- The work on album “3” has begun
- Solar installation
- What's next?
1. What's going on?
My last life update was over nine months ago. 🫣 But, recently, it really hasn't been easy for me to get my thoughts straight and write about what's going on with us. 🙄
Because, on one hand, Mónica and I think that we are making good progress, both with our personal development and with our new company (more on this below) and we are probably enjoying life more than in a long time. I mean, we are surrounded by a magnificent jungle, have great weather conditions, meet a lot of relaxed, friendly and not seldomly interesting people from all over the world, cycle many kilometers every day, breathe fresh air around the clock, use water directly from a source behind our house, treat ourselves to a session of swimming in the ocean now and then, and really can't complain about the food on offer here either (the tropical fruits, but also the restaurants, wow!). 😋
And we've made some really great friends here too, and if we lack anything at all, it's usually the time to pursue all the activities on offer. 🫣😜
At the same time, I still don't feel too good physically on many days. I mean, I usually wake up feeling euphoric and filled with joy, only to feel such a strong urge to sit or even lie down after the slightest physical exertion most days - a feeling that is difficult to describe but takes up all my physical resources. Over time, this made me doubt whether there might be more things wrong with me than just my hernia. 😟
The overall small reserve of physical energy, as well as pain and other symptoms (poor balance, numbness in the legs, etc.), sometimes affect my mood too. On some days, I even feel like losing the courage to face life. Just for hours at a time, but impressive for me (and especially for Mónica!) nonetheless. 😣
So I recently decided to have a general check-up at the First Western Hospital in Koh Pha-ngan.
I hadn't stepped into this industry for over 20 years, so I had to overcome quite a bit of hesitation to make this move. 😧
To my surprise (although I didn't really expect anything else), all the parameters of the examination were above average, some even excellent. 🙃🤔 With the exception of white blood cells, of which there appeared to be too many. The latter can probably be explained by the fact that my intestine repeatedly penetrates into the sac of my hernia, which causes (sometimes painful) inflammation.
So after the examination, to be honest, I felt like I had not made any progress. I mean, everything appears to be fine with me, but I often feel anything but. 😞
In conclusion, due to my state of health, we are not making as much progress with our plans, especially with setting up our new company, as would do justice to our enthusiasm. 😜
And then there is the factor of money too. 🫣 Our savings are melting away while we push ourselves to the limit every day and do everything possible to hold on to our vision here, to make its foundation stronger, and to further build on top of it. 😇
Finally, things took a turn when I had another check-up a good two weeks ago. This time at Bangkok's Bangpakok 9 Hospital and focusing exclusively on my hernia, after which most of my question marks finally cleared up for me. 😇 But more on this below.
2. It's all starting to make sense
After so many years and countless conversations, courses, videos and articles, I almost felt like an expert when it came to hernias. With the small flaw that much of what I had learned and tried didn't make sense or didn't seem to work for me. The symptoms came and went, and, in particular, I just couldn't strengthen the muscles in my core. 😞
However, after I got in touch with BioHernia a few weeks ago and had myself examined again shortly thereafter at Bangkok's Bangpakok 9 Hospital, I suddenly gained a completely different perspective on my symptoms. Namely, that the cause of my problems very likely was not the hernia, but the mesh installed to "repair it" ages ago (I had the first experience with this hernia when I was 13 years old and went down the recommended path of immediate surgery and the installation of a so called hernia mesh). My body has been trying to get rid of this very mesh ever since. This task, however, has become more difficult over the years as the mesh has become brittle, broke down into individual parts, moved around in my body, and developed sharp edges in certain areas. 😳😮💨
Both BioHernia in Europe and Bangpakok 9 Hospital offered me surgical removal of the mesh as a solution. Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine with certainty where such mesh remnants are still present, so the only way to succeed is to surgically remove the tissue and mesh remnants layer by layer. Fortunately, such a procedure can be combined with the reconstruction of the inguinal canal using the body's own tissue. 🤔
For now, I'm glad that things finally make more sense to me and that I don't seem to be fundamentally on the wrong path, too. On the other hand, I now have to clarify how I can actually go about this operation (insurance, hospitals, costs, etc.) to remove the mesh residue, which is said to be not an easy task. But one thing at a time. 😅
3. New company in the making
Meanwhile, the launch of our company Love You More continues to be one of our top priorities.
Here is an update on the most recent progress in brief:
- With the exception of the sanitary facilities and some paint work, we have pretty much completed all the renovation of our company headquarters. After the final touches it's high time to clear the rubble and clean up the space. 🫣
- We worked with Octopus to make a large, circular laser-cut logo from stainless steel, which we will mount on a self-made stand in front of the platform's entrance soon. 🙂
- We were at Music Arms in Bangkok to listen to sound systems and ended up buying white EVOLVE 30M from Electro Voice, which sound great with plenty of resolution and sub-bass at a reasonably affordable price. 😎
- While in Bangkok, we also looked for recycled furniture (not easy and usually expensive!) and are about to place the order for 30 chairs, 5 benches and 15 tables. 🙂
- I also created a small website with Grav and, with the help of a dear friend from Bangkok (Tang, thank you so much!) translated its content into Thai, which was mega exciting as many of the things we consider perfectly normal in English can't be said so easily in Thai without causing misunderstandings. 🙃 The website is already online, but is still a work in progress.
- Last but not least I am in the process of building a server from old computer parts (and some new ones we found in the gigantic Pantip Plaza in Bangkok) that we will use to run our own radio station with AzuraCast and our POS system with Odoo. 🤓
4. The work on album “3” has begun
Although my new home studio has basically been ready for production for a while now, I've unfortunately hardly had any time to actually make any music so far. However, I want to change that and have decided to tackle a new album (my third). 😜
To this end, I have selected 17 musical sketches from the past two years, which I now intend to finish producing one by one to ultimately derive my third album from them. I'm really looking forward to working on it. 😋 If possible, I also want to incorporate recordings of my bass flute, my Gubal, Mónica's, and my voice, as well as ambient sounds from Koh Pha-ngan and possibly even a traditional Southeast Asian instrument called Kaehn (or Khene).
My current albums "1" and "2" can be listened to or downloaded for free (whatitsworth) on Bandcamp.
5. Solar installation
We finally added solar cells to our house, which has been battery-powered for some time now. 🙂 Our friend Rolf from AERO Engineering traveled from Bangkok with his team to do so.
Not only did they install the solar cells on the roof within two days, connected the cells to the inverter and the batteries, and configured/tested everything, they also trained our two electrician friends (and neighbors) Mon and Got so that they can carry out solar installations here on the island with us in the future. 🤓
The AERO Engineering team did a super professional job, and we had a great time and lots of fun together with them. 🥳
6. What's next?
First things first, I will need to prioritize finding a solution to my hernia-related ailments and the aforementioned surgery. 🫣
At the same time, and almost as important, we will do our best to open Love You More as soon as possible. Our savings will suffice for this for the time being. 🧐
However, for two future sub-projects we will either need to generate new capital first or rely on external help to make them happen.
Sub-project 1 ‘Cargobikes’
In the medium term, however, we will not have enough capital to purchase two cargo bikes and trailers, so that we can cover all our transport needs (namely buying fruit and coconuts, delivering orders and collecting rubbish from the roadside) with cargobikes.
On an island where cars and motorbikes are on the increase, this is a cause close to our hearts. We want to set an example and help create a cargobike trend here (and maybe even spread it to mainland Thailand). For this, we are already talking to suppliers about the possibility of setting up a 'cargobike made in Thailand' production here in the future. This is because cargo bikes are not yet en vogue here, generally not readily available and usually have to be imported at great expense.
We are looking at costs of CHF 7,256.00 for the trailers, a normal Carla and an eCarla, as well as CHF 9,655. 00 for the cargobikes, a Muli Muskel and a Muli Motor.
Including freight and taxes, we are talking about a total of just shy under CHF 19,000.00 (or ฿740,000.00) for a set of two cargobikes and two trailers.
👉 If you are interested in supporting us with the realization of this sub-project and/or would like to become a part of our new company, please contact me. 🙌
🫴 Alternatively, you can also make a donation via my Ko-fi. Many thanks in advance! 🙏❤️
Sub-project 2 ‘Sauna and ice bath’
Another sub-project that we have already started but lack the financial resources to complete is a sauna including an ice bath and showers for our future customers.
Together with a local construction company, we have estimated the cost of completing the project at around CHF 10,000.00 (or ฿400,000.00). This includes stairs to the already built platform, the ice bath, a 360° shell made of local wood and the sanitary facilities, such as showers, etc.
👉 If you are interested in supporting us with the realization of this sub-project and/or would like to become a part of our new company, please contact me. 🙌
🫴 Alternatively, you can also make a donation via my Ko-fi. Many thanks in advance! 🙏❤️
Thank you for being connected with us! 🥰
ผมรู้สึกขอบคุณมากครับ (pŏm+rúu-sèug+kàwb+kun+mâag+kráb) = I feel grateful. 😊
ผมคุยกับคุณเร็วๆนี้ครับ (pŏm+kui+gàb+kun+rew-rew+née+kráb) = We'll talk again soon!
Together with Mónica, I send you all my love! 🤗