Month: July 2006

I would like to hear views, opinions, experiences and recommendations on living and retiring abroad. Many members have expressed interest in an alternative lifestyle.

We have been told that it is possible to live in Thailand for under SIN$500. Places like Chiangmai, Chonburi and Krabi have been cited as possible locations. Some members have even visited possible locations for a taste of the possibilities.

Here is a chance for us to collate details and share  information specifically on middle and long term experience of living abroad.

There are 2 job vacancies available:

1) Secretarial job on contract basis for 4 months; pay $2000+ thereabouts, please contact Anita 64161607. 2) Customer services for Parkway Health Group, please contact Desmond 81616448. Please contact them directly.

Thanks Shirley Khoo

I am planning to enjoy the cold weather in North Thailand during the month of Nov.  This is a no-frills trip, don’t expect 4-star hotels or always proper sit-down dinner.  The last time I was there was about a year ago.

Some SilverHairs have already requested to change the venue of the last Chonburi trip.  Unfortunately, Vincent Khoo, a long time retiree, has some assignments and unable to organise a Northern Thailand trip.  Well, this time, we have someone who is crazy about mountain views, camping and sleeping at National Parks at between 10 – 20C temperature,  visiting fresh markets, sitting besides the Mekong river at 5pm, loves fresh clean air, enjoys smelling beautiful orchides, good and cheap beers, loves a cup of instant noodles, loaded with plenty of vegetables, enjoys country living and dinner on the grass at a hill resort.

His name is Sompho, speaks good English, and I would say he is great at helping us "SilverHairs" feel young.  Dont worry, no mountain climbing.  He works in Singburi province, but will take the time to bring us around.  I am agreed to join this trip.

November in North Thailand is a great time, the rain has stopped, weather should be pretty dry and temperatures should be in the 20’s.  Sweaters required. 

The schedule is not confirmed yet.  But, it is likely to be like this.  Arrive and meet at ChiangMai airport on Thur Nov 2, 12nn, and depart ChiangMai airport Thur Nov 9 by 12nn.  Itinery would include mountain resorts which you are likely not to have visited, the Golden triangle, Mekong river.

If you are interested to join this trip, please reply and register here.  We hope this trip will serve as a great platform for SilverHairs to know one another better.  This trip is strictly for SilverHairs members only.  No Children.  Closing date: 25 Aug 12nn. Max number of persons: 2 vans.

Terence Seah

August updates – SilverHairsClub

The SilverHairsClub is intended as a platform for Singaporeans, over 45, to meet new and more friends.

1.  August online gathering has been re-activated.  For details, click here.

2.  August gathering is set for Friday, 25 Aug.  The Food Haven at the Singapore Poly was not suitable due to access reasons. Latest:  We still would like to try a new place but have not found a suitable place.  As such, for Aug, we shall use Caffe Bastillava, inside MPH, Robinson Road, between Raffles MRT and Tanjong Pagar MRT.  My apology to those who would like another place away from town.

3.  Photos of the July gathering not uploaded yet.  Should be ready early August.

3.  2Greendots Shopping mall – Registered participants will be meeting on Tuesday 01 August.  This group will set the guidelines on the use of the shopping mall.  Due to the size of the group, registration as participants for the starter group is closed.

4.  SilverHairsClub Games Day – Set for Sun, Sep 17, 2006 – 0830 hrs to 1230 hrs at Changi. Closing date for participation 15 Aug 2006.

Terence Seah

Many SilverHairs feel that our knowledge and experience expire when we retire.  Our jobs are replaced by younger people, who have just finished formal education.  With the current environment, many SilverHairs feel that we are no longer employable, and have to take up jobs beneath our experience and knowledge.

Some SilverHairs are lucky.  And they do not have to worry about a job during their SilverHairs years.  From the membership, I see more SilverHairs ladies than men are well prepared for the future.   

But, for SilverHairs who need to have a job, what are the options?  Some of us do need a job to maintain our monthly expenses.  For others,  a job helps to pay for our desires to see the world.  And, of course, we have SilverHairs who simply enjoy being actively employed.

Complaining about the non-availability of jobs is not going to help.  It just makes us more unhappy.  Some SilverHairs have already taken up the positive step of taking up something for themselves.   We dont want to sit in the foodcourts from morning to evening.  Nor do we want to walk about the shopping centres from 10 am to 6pm.  Can we come up with some ideas to enjoy our retirement, and yet keep ourselves financially afloat?

Many SilverHairsClub members have expressed that we should do something in this area.  As a group, maybe we can do something.  We have years of experience and knowledge, developed over the years.  Let’s put our ideas here.  And, let’s respect every SilverHairs’s ideas. The more specific you are, the better.  No idea is a bad idea.

I would like to keep this topic alive, over the next two months.  At the end of Sept, we shall try to identify and summarise what we, as a group, can do for ourselves, in terms of jobs, and making use of our experience and knowledge.  I guess success will depend on what we finally do.

All SilverHairs are invited to participate.  And in line with SHC’s direction, let’s observe no religion, politics, sex, race, direct selling and MLM.

Terence Seah +65 9489-4360

Here are some thoughts in my mind. 

1.  This is about how to move the SilverHairsClub forward.  When the founders started this group, we were expecting a few tens of members.  Today, the group has grown big and sometimes, our gatherings get disorganised.  But, we would work towards improving this.

• We have been successful with monthly weekday meetings, averaging 50 people.
• Last month, our first weekend gathering was attended by 75 people, and this appeared too big to manage.  Our target is still to find places, which is convenient by MRT or public transport.
• We have also another segment of members who prefers to meet online.  Our first online gathering is Sat Aug 5 at 2230 hrs at www.star-conference.com

I must admit running out of ideas, which I usually pick up during the monthly gatherings from fellow SilverHairs.  So, if you have ideas, please drop your suggestions here.

2.  The other issue is management.  I was hoping that we can easily manage ourselves with small group gatherings.  The group has grown, and this is a positive problem.  But, I can no longer handle it among a few of us.  We have a admin staff from India, to help manage the database, and that’s about it.

I dont think we can continue as it is now.  So, I was thinking we could have a team to manage the membership, especially with diversified interests.  If this is what you like, please put your name here.

3.  The club’s taboos are no discussions on politics, sex, racial issues and religion.  The others are no direct selling and MLM promotions during the gatherings.  We respect individual’s activities and business, so we appreciate members understand the club’s taboos.

We hope members do not collect email addresses during the gatherings, and then send unwanted emails to these members after the gatherings.

4.  How to get more friends to join your interests and activities?  Friendship is one of the few sought-after items, as we move away from our working lives and into the world of SilverHairs.  From  my experience, not that I have retired yet, it is very difficult to find fellow SilverHairs to join in my activities.  We need to see one another face to face, we need to know one another and we need to agree and understand the other person.  That’s why the monthly gatherings are important.  This is a place to meet.

I personally think friendship is very important, more so when we get older.  I like to establish a group of friends whom I can travel, cheaply, when I want to see the world.

There are many ideas and suggestions on what SilverHairs can do.  Personally, I think this will remain ideas and suggestions.  I hope you will take time to meet new friends, as it will take time to kick off our ideas and suggestions.  Please keep a regular date for the monthly SilverHairsclub gatherings.

I have just retired upon reaching 55 from active work, so finding myself with a lot of time to pursue the
many things i want to do.

Ready to Travel now : Making trips to Malaysia, Thailand, China and Europe, backpacking or budget tour. Very much like to visit the retirement vilage that Vincent and you have talked about, to learn about other cultures, lifestyles and people.
 
Interested activities: Golf, cycling, sailing, bowling, sking,snorkelling,fishing,table-tennis, tennis, badminton, football, darts, nooker/pools ,all table/card games, karaoke, music listening or jamming along,etc. Food, all kinds, local, Burger or Mexican mainly to hunt around or pot-lucking. Currently also re-searching into Qi Qong, and Feng Shui as a study.

Others: Researching into internet small businnes and Investments (CFD in forex,shares,Indices -this is only available with the latest big player IGmarkets, a remisier who works in POEMS says the rates and info
are much better).

Very interested also to explore the idea of the Retirement village in Malaysia, Thailand, etc to study possibility of a time share setup, that way you can spend a few months here and there.

Glad to know all of you here, and Cheers to the founders and committee members of SHC and their good efforts.

Ronald Wi (Allrounder)

hi, i have just joined SHC and would like to find out if there are any dog lovers amongst U all. If so, I would like to know if there are any doggie walks/activities that me, 54 yrs young and my 3 yr old Jack Russell terrier can join in?? please email me at musubi@singnet.com.sg

Looking forward to meet up with U all soon. Currently still working but will join in the members meet whenever I can.

Am glad to be introduced to this site!

Warm regards to all at SHC!

I need to advise you that if there any of the members who are interested in working on a "permanent temp basis" either for half-day or full day, please ask them to contact me and I’ll arrange for an interview with my Call Centre Manager (under our third-party call centre).

 Ideally they should have some Customer Service experience. Full-day rate is in the region of $50 for a typical 9am-6pm workday.

My office tel. no. is 6416-6688, Lena Wang.

Hi SilverHairs,

2GreenDots shopping mall is a very new project, prompted as a result of a number of SilverHairs wanting to have a place to offer their products and services.

The SilverHairsClub website is not suitable, as not everybody is interested in offering their products or services.  But the initial discussion groups were initerested, and do have products or services which they like to offer.  Of course, there was the physical shops, but high rents turn many off, not at a time when SilverHairs are looking to stretch the dollar.  Risks were also a concern.

A few sessions on e-auctions and small business groups were conducted by different small groups, in the last few months.  Besides the popular available internet auction sites, some groups felt the need to start an internet shopping mall.  A web specialist was engaged from India, and we now have a working internet Shopping mall.  We call it 2GreenDots Shopping Mall.  This is new, but it has been well tested.  It will also incorporate online payment systems.

For interested SilverHairs, we hope to give him/her a virtual shop.  If a SilverHairsClub member sees this as an opportunity which can bring fun and yet take him/her through the Silverhairs years, a shop name will be set up for him/her.  The idea is to do something meanful, big or small, as one enjoys his/her Silverhairs years.

We do not know if success or failure will hit us.  In the last one year, we had fleamarts, garage sales and small sales advertisement, but all these had failed.  But, from the wide experience of many SilverHairs, we know success or failure of 2GreenDots will depend on many factors.  But, there is no doubt we will give this a go, a strong go.

We target to officially launch 2GreenDots in Jan 2007.

First, we will form a starter group and later a management team with the knowledge and expertise in retail and media experience.

If you have an interest to be part of the starter discussion group, please send me an email with your thoughts.  The starter group will set the ground rules.  We will call a meeting during the 1st week of August.

Terence Seah

The last July cycling photos are here:  https://silverhairsclub.com/SHC/cycling060708/

SilverHairsClub supports healthy activities.  Charles Wee has led many cycling activities.  Please contact him at the SHC monthly gatherings.

Venue: Hans Cafe, at Great Eastern Centre, China Square, Sat July 15, 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs.  Please register and an email invitation will be sent to you.  Registration close on Friday July 14.  No fees.  When you arrive, please write your name on a label sticker.  Chairwomen: Ms Dolly Lim.

Registered partipants include:

1. Chow Weng
2. Dolly Lim
3. Charles Wee
4. Loh Yew Kwong
5. Gibson Tan
6. Richard Kwok
7. Patrick Yeo
8. Terence Seah
9. Margaret Lee
10. Alan Tan
11. Thomas Tay
12. Lim Sock Hoon
13. Tan Kia Oh
14. Jason Tiaw
15. Irene Lim
16. Helena Lee
17. Bernard Lam
18. Molly Chua
19. James Ho
20. Teresa Hwang
21. Alex Kee
22. Jacqy Lim
23. Loh Koot Khin
24. Goh Teck Koon
25. Tessie Lim
26. Freddy Lim
27. Zeenat Syed Masood
28. Michael Tan
29. Irene Low
30. Dave Tan
31. Richard Lim
32. Benson Koh
33. Lena Wong
34. Jade Phua
35. Maria Tan
36. Michael Tay
37. Annie Tay
38. Marie Lim
39. Victor Lee
40. Jenny Ho
41. Alice Foo
42. Serene Wong
43. Alice Phan
44. Irene Phua
45. Christina Chan
46. Helen Kwek
47. Michael Lee
48. Henry Kong
49. Christina Tan
50. Teresa Chuah
51. Jacinta Putrasahan
52. Chow Weng
53. Yvonne Ang
54. Winnie Lim
55. Seshadri Venugopal
56. Geoffrey Foo
57. Janet Tham
58. Peter Lee
59. Jane Tham
60. Katherine Soh
61. Chee Vui Choon
62. May Lee
63. Amy Daniel
64. Josephine Yap
65. Aktar Thaker
66. Evelyn Tng
67. Andrew Tan
68. Anthony Choy