A Milestone In My Life

fastpitch17

fastpitch17

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Today I made it to 70 years of age. To be honest it was not something I imagined I would ever reach in the years department. I lost my Father when he was 46, his 2 brothers at 21 and 48 years of age. My mother passed at 70 years of age. My only brother who did all he could to stay healthy and fit was 69. I still have my sister who is 72. I have experienced the butality of war and the boredom that peace can bring. I have been around protest of a number of different things and experienced the negative treatments coming home from Vietnam. I count my blessings of having by my side my wife if 40 years and been my support, drive, and the one who understands me the best. My life has given me many experiences that probably most have not had bundled into their lives as a whole. I have keen memories of the past and still listen to classic 60s and early 70s rock music every day from my collection of over 9,000 songs from that era.

I have had many experiences in life both good and bad. I have seen successes and failure. Do I wish I could have some do overs? Some maybe. Do I have regrets? No, not really. Life's road is a leaning process with it's twist and turns and bumps and holes. If I came away from a failure or mistake with added wisdom I could hardly consider it as regrettable. It has also set me in my ways and beliefs. Even though I live in a country not native to me I insist that my house and surrounding private property is Western thinking and comes with all the privleged the West may offer so that anyone visiting me are allowed to be free to be who they really are or who they desire to be. In so doing, many locals loosen up and say and act in ways they never were allowed to say or be socially. They seem to enjoy the freedoms we offer them and to be non judgemental to them. More should offer this type of hospitality and find a different Indonesia than what is projected in society.

Now I start basically a new journey. Living beyond my expectations in life. All I really need is for the world to get healthy and open up safe movement. Not that I would travel the world but because the world population travels. I will find ways to see more of Indonesia. I understand that at 70 you automatically are licenced to do crazy shit and all anyone says is, he's old. He's crazy. At the same time I will continue to push for better and more available education for all Indonesian children. Continue my sponsorship of at least 2 students through highschool and university if they choose to continue on. The future is always in the children of today and I believe that with opportunities they will succeed.

I am awaiting my 2nd KITAP. The one that doesn't expire and cost 10 juta. Somehow I need to figure out how to get my money's worth out of it.
 
fastpitch17 said:
Today I made it to 70 years of age. To be honest it was not something I imagined I would ever reach in the years department. I lost my Father when he was 46, his 2 brothers at 21 and 48 years of age. My mother passed at 70 years of age. My only brother who did all he could to stay healthy and fit was 69. I still have my sister who is 72. I have experienced the butality of war and the boredom that peace can bring. I have been around protest of a number of different things and experienced the negative treatments coming home from Vietnam. I count my blessings of having by my side my wife if 40 years and been my support, drive, and the one who understands me the best. My life has given me many experiences that probably most have not had bundled into their lives as a whole. I have keen memories of the past and still listen to classic 60s and early 70s rock music every day from my collection of over 9,000 songs from that era.

I have had many experiences in life both good and bad. I have seen successes and failure. Do I wish I could have some do overs? Some maybe. Do I have regrets? No, not really. Life's road is a leaning process with it's twist and turns and bumps and holes. If I came away from a failure or mistake with added wisdom I could hardly consider it as regrettable. It has also set me in my ways and beliefs. Even though I live in a country not native to me I insist that my house and surrounding private property is Western thinking and comes with all the privleged the West may offer so that anyone visiting me are allowed to be free to be who they really are or who they desire to be. In so doing, many locals loosen up and say and act in ways they never were allowed to say or be socially. They seem to enjoy the freedoms we offer them and to be non judgemental to them. More should offer this type of hospitality and find a different Indonesia than what is projected in society.

Now I start basically a new journey. Living beyond my expectations in life. All I really need is for the world to get healthy and open up safe movement. Not that I would travel the world but because the world population travels. I will find ways to see more of Indonesia. I understand that at 70 you automatically are licenced to do crazy shit and all anyone says is, he's old. He's crazy. At the same time I will continue to push for better and more available education for all Indonesian children. Continue my sponsorship of at least 2 students through highschool and university if they choose to continue on. The future is always in the children of today and I believe that with opportunities they will succeed.

I am awaiting my 2nd KITAP. The one that doesn't expire and cost 10 juta. Somehow I need to figure out how to get my money's worth out of it.
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Ooh you old git... :cheer2:🎂🍾
Congratulations on your 70th birthday - wishing you at least 20 more - to ensure you get real value for money from your KITAP
 
Happy birthday, sir!

What brought you here in the first place?
 
Happy 70th Birthday. Age is just a number and you prove it in your own ways
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Oh to be so young again. Don't blink or you will find another five or ten years have slipped by. Life is an adventure and you at least have been around long enough to have had a good range of experiences. And life is also so fickle. So many young people hardly starting life and suddenly snatched away. Good luck with the second Kitap. Are you going for the long or five year one? Mine is up for renewal next July so would be grateful if you can post details of what is required of your application with the ever changing conditions with Covid.

Meanwhile, enjoy whatever celebrations you have for this milestone.
1627365946492.png
 
harryopal said:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Oh to be so young again. Don't blink or you will find another five or ten years have slipped by. Life is an adventure and you at least have been around long enough to have had a good range of experiences. And life is also so fickle. So many young people hardly starting life and suddenly snatched away. Good luck with the second Kitap. Are you going for the long or five year one? Mine is up for renewal next July so would be grateful if you can post details of what is required of your application with the ever changing conditions with Covid.

Meanwhile, enjoy whatever celebrations you have for this milestone.View attachment 2036
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I only had the lifetime option for my KITAP. As for this time around immigration experience, it was quite fun simply because I was ready for the run around and hearing all the stories from others about the main guy and his cash demands. Without going into a lot of detail, right away they started in that the forms I downloaded from JenImmigration site for KITAP were all the wrong forms and I would need to redo the proper ones. They were qrong to them because the immigration site has the forms in 2 pages. She pushed the forms at me, I pushed them back. I was loud and the 6 individuals that were transfering from the military into Immigrations were all listening closely. My volume got the head money wanting guy out and I tore into him. He didn't know what to say except to ask my wife to ask me to calm down. I kept answering no and stayed on my rant. What happened? He finally said that hus office would fill out all my forms and he started calling others in instructing them to complete this or that. In the end I signed the paperwork. On the way out my wife asked why I got that upset? I shushed her. She then figured out it was all an act to get the upper hand. She was right. This immigration guy actually got 4 juta from a friends wife to take care of getting his Kitas paperwork approved. Basically getting Wilaya's sig which is 200 meters away and mailing one to Jakarta. I wasn't going to allow him to have any thoughts about his wants.
 
Happy Birthday and keep enjoying those homemade wines!
 
fastpitch17 said:
Today I made it to 70 years of age. To be honest it was not something I imagined I would ever reach in the years department. I lost my Father when he was 46, his 2 brothers at 21 and 48 years of age.
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Happy birthday!

Although some fourteen years your junior, I can relate to much of what you say, especially in your first paragraph here. My own father passed when he was only 49 (I was 17). I never expected to live even that long myself, but it happened. Now at 56, it still seems like a strange think to me.

Although we've never met face to face, you and I have had some correspondence and interaction over the years through this forum and mostly before that, through the old one. Seems that at first we did not see eye to eye much, or maybe it just appeared that way. I'm glad we made amends.

I never knew about your passion/ compassion for education for Indonesian kids and sponsorships - I admire you for that and agree that all Indonesian kids - not only the ones born into wealthy families - should have better educational opportunities.

Best wishes for your next thirty years or so.
 
Pak Asam Manis said:
Happy birthday!

Although some fourteen years your junior, I can relate to much of what you say, especially in your first paragraph here. My own father passed when he was only 49 (I was 17). I never expected to live even that long myself, but it happened. Now at 56, it still seems like a strange think to me.

Although we've never met face to face, you and I have had some correspondence and interaction over the years through this forum and mostly before that, through the old one. Seems that at first we did not see eye to eye much, or maybe it just appeared that way. I'm glad we made amends.

I never knew about your passion/ compassion for education for Indonesian kids and sponsorships - I admire you for that and agree that all Indonesian kids - not only the ones born into wealthy families - should have better educational opportunities.

Best wishes for your next thirty years or so.
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My brother who was 4 years and 2 days my senior and I both had a mission to live longer than our father. Then, longer than his brother. We actually celebrated the day after I reached our goal. After that every day was a bonus day. We never talked about our mother dying at 70 because we both thought she didn't need to die. She was 90 Miles from Mayo clinic who had a blood specialist that her large clinic never had. Our step father refused to have her moved. In the end, my brother didn't make it to my Mother's age at her death. He suffered a heart attack taking down Christmas decorations from his home. Went in the house, told his wife he wasn't feeling well, sat down and that was it. He was retired Air Force. My sister is now 72 and going strong. I am thankful I have survived as long as I have. I appreciate all the experiences I have had and those I met along the way. The end will come and I guess I am ready for that the best I can be. Everything is ready for my wife when it happens.

In the mean time yes, I am a strong advocate for education. I want nothing more than to see every child be able to be educated 1 to 12 here. I have met some very intellegent children in the kampungs who no longer attend any school. Not because they don't want to but because their families can not afford to send them to highschool. Highschools here want 5 juta up front and anywhere from 200 to 350 rebu per month. Private Muslim schools are 4 juta over the first year and a monthly fee. I would send them all to school if I was able. Besides parents not being able to afford a school, there seems to be a common practice of just accepting the best students. I am hoping that with no more national test this will stop.

I have limited income so I figured the best we could do is sponsoring up to 2 students with them being 2 years apart and then keep it going with another student every 2 years. So far this has worked out and we have one graduate that we decided to help with his University studies, a SMAN senior, and a SMAN 1st year. 2 Muslims and 1 Toba Batak Christian. We will only support those in Public schools and not any of the private ones.

I try to help out with the English classes at the SMA level. I talk to classes and try to discuss their interest and goals for their futures. I attempt to explain being proficient in English will give them more information that their non English speaking classmates. I get involved with some of the English competitions that are held here by UNILA and a couple of the highschools. Of course, over these past 2 school years things have been totally tore up when it comes to education with the pandemic. While there are on line classes available for anyone who wants it, so many who do not have access to the internet to utilize it. Some parents go to the schools and collect the school work and turn in completed once a week. Some unfortunantly, get nothing education wise. What happens to these kids?

Yes, we had our disagreements in a couple forums but I always figure the written anonymous word never carries the real full emotion of what is actually being said. We was good to have direct person to person conversations and while neither of us has probably changed any of our views on our disagreements, the important thing is that we both come away with a better understanding of each other and just where we are coming from and respect that if each other.
 
fastpitch17 said:
My brother who was 4 years and 2 days my senior and I both had a mission to live longer than our father. Then, longer than his brother. We actually celebrated the day after I reached our goal. After that every day was a bonus day.

Yes, we had our disagreements in a couple forums but I always figure the written anonymous word never carries the real full emotion of what is actually being said. We was good to have direct person to person conversations and while neither of us has probably changed any of our views on our disagreements, the important thing is that we both come away with a better understanding of each other and just where we are coming from and respect that if each other.
Click to expand...

I understand exactly what you are talking about. I too developed a fixation about outliving my father's age at death or at least somehow willfully avoiding sharing his fate (Cancer?? Who wilfully avoids / refuses Cancer???) Looking back, one has to laugh. I remember being 18, I had developed a habit of doing fifty sit-ups daily, sometimes two or three repetitions. It was so important to pass that number "49" which my father could not do. Even on the beach at Padre Island and drunk as a skunk one weekend, I carried on with this ritual. My friends thought I was crazy. And of course, I was. Sometimes I think youth is a form of mental illness,

Re; your second paragraph, quoted above: I agree.
 
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