How do you spend your free time?

I have found being retired in the Philippines gives me plenty of time to catch up on reading.  I like most history and novels such as Jack Reacher or other mysteries  by James Patterson and and lawyer based novels by John Grisham.  For 1,000 pesos a month I get 2 sports channels on which I can see two live NBA games every day, plus during football season I see three live games a week.

I have found engagement (since 2003) at the yacht club in Puerto Galera. It has a small employed staff only, so there are many tasks and projects that need additional guidance, management and physical help to promote & organise events, and to supervise the sailing school for the local youth who are interested to learn. With adult guidance and training, graduates from the sailing school frequently out-perform the top sailors in the Philippine Olympic Team - last month they placed 1st in the Ladies Helm division and 1st Overall in the Oz-Goose National Championship

I am now about to embark on replicating the successes of the Puerto Galera Yacht Club on Samal Island (Davao) where there will soon be launched the Layag Bugsay boat club.

When I am not doing the above then I am assisting my wife's company (Somerset Home-baked Goodies) making pies and pastries for the expat communities around Metro Manila and Davao.

Retirement can be filled with an endless series of fulfilling activities if you choose to give more than you take.

Caring for our 28 month old adopted boy has taken up a lot of our free time for the last 20 or so months along with various projects. I like tinkering and making things in my workshop and going to the falls and beaches when we find the time.

Answering the question about "clubs or social organizations", I don't know of any clubs here in our province but the largest social events by far are the chicken fights. I would truly love to attend and I've been invited by my chicken fighting uncle, but my wife says it's dangerous. I'm still working on it.

@mugteck

I have a collection of books I have started shipping over. Currently about 1300 books. Main collections include James Patterson, Tom Clancy, David Baldacci, Dale Brown, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell, Cathrerine Coulter, Janet Evanovich, John Grisham, and my personal favorite John Sanford. If you haven't read the prey series you are really missing out. I will be retiring to Bacong in 7 years, I know that is a ways off but I will be letting anyone who wants read them as well.

Spend your free time in some kind of productive work . Read books, Exercise or Meditate . This will help you grow individually. Having a hobby is a great way to relax and unwind. It can also be a productive way to spend your leisure time.

@mugteck
I have a collection of books I have started shipping over. Currently about 1300 books. Main collections include James Patterson, Tom Clancy, David Baldacci, Dale Brown, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell, Cathrerine Coulter, Janet Evanovich, John Grisham, and my personal favorite John Sanford. If you haven't read the prey series you are really missing out. I will be retiring to Bacong in 7 years, I know that is a ways off but I will be letting anyone who wants read them as well.
-@dadof3at1ce

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Unrelated to this post but gives me a chance to comment with people with books.

I watch a lot of news and overwhelming when they interview an expert, some person of importance or an Emeritus of Buffoonery, there is always bookshelves behind them with thousands of books.

It doesn't impress me as I think when is the last time they read any of those books.

Mugteck writes, "have found being retired in the Philippines gives me plenty of time to catch up on reading. I like most history and novels such as Jack Reacher or other mysteries by James Patterson and and lawyer based novels by John Grisham. For 1,000 pesos a month I get 2 sports channels on which I can see two live NBA games every day, plus during football season I see three live games a week. -@mugteck

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Good on you Mugteck. Sport and reading are amongst my favourite pastimes also.

And you mention you have a personal library consisting of quite a number of the modern major fiction writers as well? In hardback versions, that's something of which to be proud. I have similar tastes as you in authors, eg I've read every Jack Reacher novel there is, often twice or three times. Although I've only got them as kindle e-books presently.

In years to come, one imagines your collection may well indeed become a truly wonderful resource, especially for your local adult men-folk learners-of-English?

Will admit to spending too much time online, but I have an IT background, so it's a good healthy interest. Play guitar/bass/scruggs-banjo, also play with the dog, play with old cars, do man stuff around the house, make wifey lunch / dinner. We walk and shop, share a film. We're interested in everything, and especially each other. 

Happy trails

@PalawOne

I give my novels away after I read them, keep the history books for reference.  As per my late father's request I will be giving all of the books on Philippines history and customs to the local library in Ilocos Sur. We spend 6 months in the Philippines and 6 months in the USA.  Just packed up 15 John Grisham paperbacks to ship in a balikbayan box to be read starting this October.  Anyone interested in reading any of these books as I finish them this fall/winter season let me know.  I never take pictures of my books.

People spend their free time differently. I go to the gym to work on cardio. I also have two puppies that keep me busy with training. I also free up my wife's time as much as I am allowed. She won't let me touch anything. Something about I ruin or break everything. I just discovered that I've ruined and broken everything during our 30-year marriage. Go figure!

Anyway, I am trying to free up her time so that we can do the simple things in life. We have only been in Mindanao for three months. So we are still feeling our way around.

Lonely Wolf NYC

Yup. I enjoy John Grisham and Robert Ludlum books. Right now I am reading 'The Wealthy Barber Returns' by David Chilton. I hope I can pick up a few good tips from this book.

@LoneWolfNY wen in Davao oriental visit Mati city, blue bles beach resort , i'm sure ya both will like it ,good lokal restaurant and swimming pool great snorkeling many corals full with fish, in Mati city i can advise to eat at"the Lokal " good restaurant with ph food . if you like surfing there's Dahikan beach resort for that or next to that is a surfing specialised resort .

greets Dirk

i download and watch movies and series ,reed books that i order on "bookdepository.com"

favorite autors ,Isaac Asomov - Steven King . and all the great clasics from books like moby dick ,tresure island gulivers travels and so on

i have my hobby workshop were i do metal and wood working .

love diving and snorkeling ,we have each a complete scuba diving gear ,tanks ,regulators fins masks and so on . for snorkeling we have multy sets of fins maks and snorkels so we can have visitors enjoy to in the snorkeling

and ofcourse there's always the beach resorts to he .

greets Dirk

take a look at getting a Kindle or similar, saves a ton of weight!

@sekmet

I am also retired. I have a rule never to watch TV untill after 5 Pm. (Unless there is some Live Sporting event).

I cook. Which includes walking to Market every Morning.

We have 5 Dogs, Chickens and Turkeys. I grew Coffee, which without Machinery is very Time consuming. (But Typhoon Odett put an end to that). We Swim which is great exercise for Seniors. I use a Snorkel so I don't have to lift my Head to Breath and can swim for hours without a break. I also have a Kindle and read a lot. I enjoy gardening, but struggle with the Physical side because of the Heat and Humidity.

I always have somthing to do and certainly never get bored with life in Ph.

I like to kick back and relax in my retirement and simply point a finger when something needs to be done. talking about workers, not the better half.

Cheers, Steve.

We live in the 'uptown' area of Cagayan de Oro City where I spend a lot of time golfing (Pueblo de Oro), as well as a very popular expat resto-bar-apartment complex (KL Clubhouse). My wife is an excellent cook, but she destroys the kitchen every time, so it's easier and more fun to hang out with friends and get some good food at KL. If you're in CDO, the 1st Saturday of the month is reggae night, and the 3rd Saturday is barbeque night (good Aussie steaks).