My best friend keeps me mentally and physically in a healthy condition and makes me laugh regularly.

On November 2, 2012, almost seven years ago, for the first time I wrote about a new addition to my life. I wrote in that blog "to be continued". And a few times before I mentioned my best friend in my blogs. Kadhow, my "wolf". Then a puppy and now, seven years later, still actually a puppy. Wonderful to live with.

And yes, of course, having such a friend gives you limitations, but for me it still doesn't outweigh so much that you receive.

Here in Thailand they sometimes must think this man is crazy. A country with an overkill of dogs and then this, "Royal" temple dog touring this beautiful country on the scooter and in the car. Walks along on a leash with a collar with a bell on it. Actually, more than crazy with all those dogs here that roam free and mostly are wild.

My girlfriend regularly tells me that I have changed myself. First, I was "boss" and I regularly had a car with driver. Now I am my dog's private driver. Yep, it can be. I think Kadhow, that is his name, is now one of the most traveled dogs in Thailand. He loves the car and when we travel we only visit and spend money on places where he is 'accepted'. That number of places indeed limits us. It's just the way it is.

He is used to visiting a restaurant and staying a or some nights elsewhere in a hotel and behaves more than neatly. Great to see the wondering faces of the Thai.

A while ago I picked up my girlfriend from her work in Bangkok. A tough journey with quite a bit of delay due to heavy weather conditions during the trip. Still ... the Mazda braved deep water and Kadhow, just like me, must have felt in a boat from time to time.

We were on our way to the Thai province of Nakhon Ratchasima and after the long drive I was pretty tired I can tell you. I just wanted to relax. First out of this metropolis. That worked out only slowly.

Yes, a hotel. Pffff. I wanted to stop there. My girlfriend thought that was a good decision in itself, but she said: "I think this is a sex hotel". Very common here.

It didn't bother me, I just wanted to stop driving because it was no longer safe and my girlfriend, after a long day of working, didn't really like to drive in the late evening as well. Kadhow was not an option of course, but also wanted to stop and leave the car after the long ride.

So, we tried to go there. My girlfriend, in perfect Thai of course, asked the guard/receptionist if there was a room available for one night. No problem. And yes it was a sex hotel.

But…"Can we also take the dog?" I believe that the man almost fell off his chair. He never got this question before I guess. And as far as he was concerned, eventually everything need to have a first time experience. So, he agreed. We laughed a lot.

And what about that physical and mental condition and that best friend?

He delivers it all with a big happy curl in his tail. My son, Rik, once brought me a booklet about the behavioral characteristics of a dog and how you can notice his communication with you and vice versa. Well, I think Kadhow has only one attitude and that is "happy".

He gives me physical and mental fitness every day. Active hiking in the forest for a few hours a day, enjoying what nature has to offer. A form of meditation. Awareness with a nice word.

And indeed, as Rik as animal specialist and caretaker regularly says, you can often rely more on animals than on people because they are always "real". Yep, indeed a more than very special friend.

It is still a puppy after seven years. And maybe my girlfriend is right that he is now my "boss". Fun! I feel more than fine with this healthy friend.


Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)
email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

Daddy, I look more and more like you.

Recently I heard the Dutch song "Papa, ik lijk steeds meer op jou” (Daddy, I look more and more like you) by the Dutch singer Stef Bos once again. And damn, the more I think about it, it is indeed true. I look more and more like my dad. And although the lyrics say that we will never meet again after death, that does not apply to my dad and me. Although he passed away many years ago already, we meet each other every day.

I never thought that because we were so different, and I also experience on a daily base a huge influence in my life from the person I am named after.

And how does it show itself that I feel more and more like my dad?

Without ever thinking about it, I took over a daily ritual from my father. His winged quote; "A healthy mind in a healthy body". I live. At least I try to live. Daily one hour of yoga for example. And what a surprise, writing this blog, I find this picture of him. Even doing one of the same exercises.

No, I don't need to go to a fitness center. I don't call it discipline either. It is not like many a kind of temporary fitness overkill. A normal ritual indeed. And that mind too, certainly here in Thailand, receives sufficient training in rest and awareness through daily meditation and practicing the art of stopping on a regular base and not allowing myself to be influenced by all kinds of negativity. “Pick the day!” By the way, a statement from my mother.

Sayings from my dad as:

"Clean up your mess", "Boy, just do normal", "Switch off the light if you are not in your room", "Keep moving if you have an injury", "Be optimistic till the coffin and enthusiast till your last breath" and so much more. I hear them really daily and often I get a smile on my face. Certainly, with that "just behave, do normal". Sign that I still regularly release the puppy within myself. How easy it is to make some fun and get fun in return.
More and more I live his rituals.

His two wines a day are two beers a day with me, the only difference I take twice a year for six weeks an alcohol fast.

Active. I really don't have to think about a (in my opinion) useless hanging around life or sitting behind the geraniums wasting my lifetime. There is still too much to do, to experience and to share in my life.

And in the church as well. I may fulfill the role of Eucharistic Minister and Cantor here in the Cathedral of Chiang Mai, I see his rituals, as a still young boy I witnessed every Sunday at my hometown, pass by every week. It makes me grateful and happy.

And so, there is more and more. I copy behavior? I don't know, it feels like my own, although biological 50% originated from my father, of course. I feel great about it all.

My dad was and stayed very healthy with his active lifestyle, being optimistic and enthusiast for more than 93 years of life, as he always called it.

At least I hope to look like him with that number as well. Staying healthy is a great asset for that. Who knows that one of my slogans: "There is only one goal in life and that is to LIVE" can add even a little extra.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)
email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

'Dangerous' and 'terrifying' dog gets retirement

Maybe a slightly different blog this time. It's about a change in our street.

As long as I live in Thailand, which has been around for seven and a half years now, there is a white dog at our residences on the neighboring resort. All so-called "Farang" (foreigners) who live here call that dog Whitey. The Thai staff calls him Kaow (the Thai word for rice).

A former gardener who was always drunk once was the owner of the dog. The gardener was fired, so left, and the dog ... he stayed. His health declined when no one really cared about him. One of the former fitness program instructors here began to take care of Whitey and his health was getting much better. He started protecting everyone here who was nice to him. People who did not like him, who treated him badly (or whom he just did not like) were literally barked.

Once a staff member from here shot a stone at him with his catapult. That caused partial blindness in one of the dog's eyes. This man, who still works here, simply cannot enter our street anymore for years. If he has to be there for work, then he waits at the end of the street until one of the homeowners goes crazy about the barking of Whitey and temporarily secures the dog to a leash. Whitey will never forget the sad and terrible incident.

The fitness instructor left to start his own business and ... the dog stayed again. My American neighbor then started to take more and more care of the dog, which made them become best friends together. My German neighbor became a sort of first deputy and I also took care of the dog when they were both unavailable for a short time. Whitey and my dog ​​Kadhow have been soul mates since they know each other. For over seven years. Nice to see "the gang" together.

This Whitey is a special dog with a lot of inner human knowledge. As long as I live here, we as neighbors often talk about how he "feels" the character, the "Jai dee" (Thai for good heart) and the inner genuine friendliness of people. It was always great to see how he reacted and reflected on our visitors and new guests from the resort who were walking down our street. We ourselves often needed a little longer to experience that what Whitey knew in a fraction of a second to discover what kind of people we had to deal with.

Various guest reviews about the resort on Trip Advisor, for example, but also various other websites speak of the presence of a "dangerous" and "terrifying" white dog. I think reviews from people Whitey had estimated right from the first time he ‘met’. All of those complaining types.

As a sort of chief dog, he regularly protected our street against negative influences, you could say, together with my own dog. And ... he warned of snakes and kept other wild dogs away by protecting the territory we are living. Because of this behavior some time ago we as neighbors gave our street the nickname "Whitey Boulevard". Good to be warned in time, right?

Whitey is now around 13 years old. My American neighbor will spend more time in Tak province. Although still Thailand not close to this place. My German neighbor is also leaving for another district of our province next week.

Time for Whitey to retire, his main care taker decided. As neighbors, we think it is the best decision and solution and we grant it to this great dog.

And so, last Tuesday Whitey also left for Tak province to live close to my American neighbor on a beautiful farm (retire place) with a good new caretaker. Hopefully with a nice retirement in sight.

Yes, we homeowners (and his friend Kadhow) will miss him and his "warning and alarm signals" here. We had a good time with him and good protection from him.

Kadhow has since taken over, after he has learned a lot from his friend.

Who knows that the guest reviews of the resort will soon state on the various websites that there is a "dangerous" and "frightening" brown species of wolf that you should be aware of. Thanks to Whitey. 

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

Don't stop me being beautiful?

Today, October 4, is my mother's yearly remembrance day of her passing away. I know her always trying to be and stay beautiful. Not always fun I guess seeing her as a young boy every evening with curlers in her hair going to sleep. Preparation to be beautiful again the next day. How can you sleep on it?

My two sisters also took over the ‘gene’, and oh well, let's be honest, which of the ladies and more and more also men are also participating in this ‘beauty contest’. Living here in Thailand I think Thai men are ranking high on the world wanting to be beautiful list.

Nowadays you can hardly take a magazine in your hands anymore or it is not at least for 50% filled with how you can become even more beautiful. You only have to invest. There is no end to it.

My Chinese teacher of Buddhist philosophy once said in a lesson that it is indeed endless. There is always more beautiful, there is always better, there is always more and even in relation to the beauty of men and women.. there is always more and ‘better’ to be found.

Isn't it great what not all is invented? More beautiful! Here again such a picture that I came across last Sunday afternoon August 25^th in Chiang Mai city. Screaming on a billboard the size of a house.

Of course, you should not be stopped for the company (the name I photo-shopped out of the picture) that places these kinds of billboards or puts all those advertisements and marketing campaigns in magazines. And if you buy their products be aware you even pay for these campaigns as well. After all, that magazine would otherwise be much more expensive without that sponsor.

We can't even describe what beautiful is. Ever thought about that? And everyone has his or her own taste in it. For example, I find my partner beautiful and attractive. I like her tinted skin. Someone else might not like it at all. Nothing wrong with that. The world is full of other skin colors.

The nice thing is that the beauty industry here in Asia tells people that they should mainly be white. Having a white skin shows a kind of higher ranking. I don’t know how easy to express. Shelves full of "whitener" and you need to stay as much as possible out of the sun. Thick sweaters with long sleeves in the heat on the scooter and cover your head like a "gangster". Police in Europe or America immediately should stop you to take this balaclava off.

And about skin color? In Europe you are invited or sometimes even pushed to use the sun and gat that tinted tan. That is nice (I think so too). The same companies also sell products for this. It’s just about telling stories, help people to believe them and… sell.

What I personally like is to accentuate a tiny little bit the natural beauty you have and that makes you the unique person you are. Your distinctiveness. That is something totally different than for instance the race against aging, etc., things that cannot be stopped. Not creating unnatural walking paintings, I so many times see, where the "stucco work" breaks and almost jumps off the skin getting a natural smile.

Mirrors have been around for a long time. Many nowadays have been taken over by using the I-phone as a mirror. Walking in the city, in a shopping mall, waiting at the Yamaha maintenance shop, or wherever, I see people more and more using this function. Hanging in the ‘mirror’. Looking to everything that, according to the beauty industry, should be better, more beautiful. The campaigns and companies succeeded because people believe in it. Every hair, bump, wrinkle, eyelid, lip, and so on. The ladies and gentlemen ‘working’ in the make-up and beauty departments in the shopping malls for me are heroes in it. Not sure if they really see themselves in those mirrors or cell phones anymore.

Not to tear my mother down, but in my eyes, she often exaggerated in it. And for her profession as an actress, that was of course part of the job. But in real life she did not need it. Yet I actually saw my mother at her best when I came out of the cafe or disco at night and she was still waiting for me with a beer. With those curlers in her hair she wanted to know all her children were safe home again. Great!

Pure nature as she was. And yes, just like nature, that changes in time getting older. Not at all that it wasn't "beautiful" anymore.

What is beautiful? What the industry tells you because they want to sell?

You have been beautiful since birth! Never for everyone of course because there is always "better" as that Chinese abbot once told me in that lesson. And tastes differ. And if you realize that… then you don't have to be stopped at all to be beautiful as the billboard screams because you are satisfied with the beauty that you (every person) already have. Your specific and personal beauty in which you can be and express your true self.

And, I am still a bit Dutch, it also saves a lot of money.

Enjoy your beauty freely and free of charge.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)
email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.