Got an @umbrel and in 3 days have fully synced bitcoin node, full media server system (watch any TV/movie) all with remote access from anywhere…
Next up: Nostr Relay, Lightning node, private @mempool and Llama 2 instance.
It's a couple that have to be wired up: Plex to view, Sonarr and Radarr to request movies/shows, Transmitter to retrieve, Prowlarr to manage indexers. Overseerr makes it slightly easier to use as well.
The Bitcoin node is so easy watching the video would take longer than doing it yourself. One frickin' click 🤣
I created a draft doc for the whole media server setup and passed to the Umbrel team to polish and host. That took a little figuring out but now it's so easy to use. ChatGPT helped a ton!
True. But if the vast majority of people keep their sats on an exchange, that’s going to affect the market value of our cold stored sats, no?
That’s what I’m interested in.
The Thailand Bitcoin Conference #TBC2024 this year was AMAZING! Better than I even imagined it could be.
Thank you to Khun Piriya and the entire Thailand Bitcoin community from @Right Shift to @Deactivated account #siamstr and beyond for putting that on.
Some very cool projects and products (I bought a bunch of BoltKey from @xyzy for Ride of Passage riders - pictured!) and great people. And a great mix of Thai and international speakers. Thank you for the opportunity to speak about my travels and the Ride of Passage!
Looking forward to the next one!!!
#TBC2024 เป็นการประชุมที่น่าทึ่งมาก ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักทุกคนครับผม
https://m.primal.net/Krdu.jpghttps://m.primal.net/Krdv.jpghttps://m.primal.net/KreF.jpg
I appreciate your posts, Lyn. You are clearly brilliant and gifted at writing. But I especially enjoy the posts I've seen (I think on Nostr) about your personal life, cultural exchanges etc when you were in Egypt. I hope I get to meet you in person some day!
Uh oh!! Don't do it! I've only heard of one person who seemed habitually addicted and she was elderly. I go through periods where I'm sniffing them a lot but then stop cold turkey for long periods too.
Today’s myth about Thailand (#15) is that the health system is poor versus the West.
https://m.primal.net/JfKF.mov
Truth is the private health system here is super high value: Advanced, efficient and clean.
- Socialized Western Hospital: Wait months for an operation
- Private Western Hospital: Pay your life savings for an operation
- Private Thai Hospital: Get treated immediately and effectively for low cost (vs the West)
Thailand is ranked number 5 globally for medical tourism spending. The quality of care available here is stellar.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
Today’s myth about Thailand (#14) is that the lockdowns here were strict and harsh.
https://m.primal.net/Jduy.mov
Truth is I felt fairly free here during the whole of 2020 and beyond.
Remember the insane nanny state we saw in countries like Australia and Canada? It didn’t exist in Thailand.
There was simply caution and mutual respect, not a wild persecution of normal people by those on power trips.
While borders were closed, internally the country was open for business. I was able to travel throughout Thailand and enjoy my life.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
Hey! Yes I go to the market often, though to be honest I'm not sure if they have a beef seller at my market. I bulk order beef from AUS/NZ or go to Thai French beef in Chiang Mai.
Today’s myth about Thailand (#13) is that it’s hard to live here as a foreign family.
https://m.primal.net/Jciq.mov
The truth is Thailand is ideal for families — from sharing visas to cost of living and safety.
Visa Sharing:
Many visas allow spouses and dependents to join (Elite, Guardian, and the new Destination Thailand visa included). For example, if your child attends a school in Thailand, parents can get on that visa.
Value/Cost of Living:
A 3-4 bedroom house in Chiang Mai will cost about $1,000 a month, and full time help around the house can be had for $500 per month.
Safety and Culture:
Crime is virtually nonexistent, and social trust is high. You will get your peace of mind back.
Getting Here:
Leverage a remote job or savings to try Thailand for 90 days - see if it’s right for your family.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
Today’s myth about Thailand (#12) is that the food here is unhealthy.
Truth is, the average meal here is going to be a lot healthier than what you’ll find in the West — especially the USA.
https://m.primal.net/JbTp.mov
My personal experience going back to the USA after 2 years in Thailand: I gained 25 pounds in 6 months.
American food - from cheap to luxury - gives a dopamine rush like no other. You always crave that next bite.
Thai food is different. Even after a small bowl of noodles, I often feel satiated. My brain says I’m done, before my stomach is in pain.
You’ll find seed oils and a lot of carbs in Thai food. But consider that:
- The land here isn’t decimated from 50 years of factory farming
- Most produce is 1-2 hands from the grower
- Most dishes are freshly cooked, without many/any processed ingredients
Perhaps paranoia about a little seed oil is killing you far more than the seed oil itself.
I feel MUCH healthier here than anywhere else I’ve lived, and I eat out all the time, without much concern for quality.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
New Visa for Digital Nomads (and Families) in Thailand
Stay for 5 years as a digital nomad in Thailand with the new Destination Thailand Visa.
https://m.primal.net/JXDA.mov
Who it’s for: Aimed at online workers, the visa allows a stay of 180 days at a time for 5 years. Also allows spouses and dependent children to hop on one person’s visa.
Requirements: Applicants must prove they have or have earned ~$14,000 USD (500,000 Thai baht) via a bank statement or sponsorship letter. Even a past tax return could satisfy this (according to a visa agent spoken to last week). Must show a work portfolio or employment contract. 10,000 Thai baht renewal fee every 180 days.
How to apply: Through your country’s Thai embassy or online through the eVisa system.
Is Thailand for you?
Safe, high value for money, everything from beaches to mountains to big city. Try it for 90 days first and see what you think.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
#Bangkok #ChiangMai #siamstr
Good resource for learning Thai language, from beginner to advanced. Just started watching these for 15 minutes every morning.
https://www.youtube.com/@ComprehensibleThai
#siamstr #Thailand #ChiangMai #Bangkok
Today’s myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#11) is that the Smokey season makes it impossible to live in the north of Thailand.
This is totally false ❌
Let me explain Smokey season and then the overall seasonal patterns, from smoke to cool to rain.
https://m.primal.net/JHPN.mov
You might be surprised to hear that it can go below freezing in Thailand in the mountains during winter!
- Smoky season (March-April): dry land with field burns + forest fires makes for bad air quality. Also very hot. Bad air peaks for ~2 weeks with haze throughout. Plan your Chiang Mai trip accordingly!
- Rainy season (May-September): 70-85°F / 20-30°C with occasional rains and high humidity. Often very pleasant.
- Cool Season / Winter (October-February): 50-75°F / 10-25°C, beautiful scenery, tourist high season in the North of Thailand.
Growing up in Chicago, I treat smoky season like winter: stay indoors with air filter & AC or escape to Bangkok/southern beaches.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
#ChiangMai #Bangkok #Thailand #siamstr
Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#10) is a touchy one that I unfortunately hear all too often…
https://m.primal.net/JFLO.mov
MYTH: the sex industry is rampant here.
Just like I said in myth #4 about safety, you’re more likely to see the sex industry on display in a major American city than anywhere in Thailand.
There are a few streets in the entire country which are known for this, and unfortunately they’ve become all some people obsess about - which says more about them than this country.
Given the safety, great food, lush nature and friendly people Thailand is very family-friendly and wholesome.
Here in Chiang Mai you have a large variety of international schools, family-friendly parks and outdoor activities like hiking and dirt biking.
Don’t let some secondhand information throw you off from the beauty of this land and its people.
And don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#9) is that it’s all beaches and parties.
https://m.primal.net/JEBK.mov
The truth is Thailand has much more to offer. 🏖️⛰️🏙️
For instance:
1. Bangkok: Huge world class metropolitan city: amazing food, luxury condos, rooftop bars, world class nightlife, sleek and modern malls, skytrain
2. Northern Thailand: mountains for miles, great for motorcycling (hence the Ride of Passage), cool temps in winter, beautiful mountain villages
3. Southern Thailand: Beaches, beach clubs, high end resorts, amazing seafood.
There is something for everyone here.
Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
#ChiangMai #Bangkok #Thailand #siamstr
Looking through old pictures. This is a photo from a festival I went to in late 2021 hosted with a hill tribe in Northern Thailand.
We ate the hill tribe’s local food, bathed in the stream, hung out with the cows and napped on piles of rice straw. And also listened to music all night on a set of incredibly epic Function One speakers.
A blissful experience. ☀️
https://m.primal.net/JEgo.jpg
Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#8) is that you can only stay here for 90 days.
https://m.primal.net/JDzL.mov
That is true for many tourist visas, but there are other options to stay for longer.
- Education Visas: 1-year visas for studying Thai boxing, language, or culinary training; costs $1,000 to $2,000; renewable for a few years
- Retirement Visa: Available for those over 50; renewable indefinitely; requires ~$20,000 in a Thai bank account
- Elite Visa: Stay 5 to 20 years; costs start at ~$25,000; some agencies accept Bitcoin; no annual renewals
- Digital Nomad Visa: Potential 5-year stay; requires minimum income of ~$14,000/year; details upcoming
Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
#ChiangMai #Thailand #siamstr
Today’s myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#6) is that it’s globally disconnected, making it hard to travel while basing here.
Thankfully this isn’t true ❌, with one caveat.
Bangkok’s airports connect to over 120 cities across the globe with direct flights, including major hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Taipei.
The city of Chiang Mai, with an airport that’s about 15 minutes from everything, connects directly to most Asian hubs allowing for one hop to Europe or the Americas.
Thailand 🇹🇭 is not quite Dubai 🇦🇪 on global flights, but then again you aren’t living in the middle of the desert 🐪
#ChiangMai #Bangkok #Thailand #siamstr
https://m.primal.net/JBix.mov
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