2011

A poignant reunion with long lost friends in New Jersey

Once I realized that I would be traveling to New York, I made a list of things I needed to do and those I wanted to visit. This reunion was on the top of my list. 

Our original separation back in 2006 when I first launched my nomadpreneur adventure to go to Saipan was truly heartfelt. At the time, it was probably the hardest thing I had to do in order to leave New York free of attachments and be a minimalist.

Those friends had been with me through thick and thin. I knew them from back in and all throughout my college experience. They were with me when I moved into my first apartment in the Bronx. They were with me in subsequent moves to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th apartments in the Bronx, as well as 3 separate moves in Silver Spring, Maryland, 2 more moves back in Queens and finally to Manhattan. I really don’t know what I would have done without them. They’ve sort of been a constant….almost like a soundtrack playing in the background of my life. When I finally left New York for Saipan, they ended up in New Jersey. So, today, these many years later, I was really looking forward to seeing them again.

So, at about 9am, I hopped on a subway train (the “F” train) from Queens to Penn Station and boarded a New Jersey Transit train to New Jersey.

I traveled over hill and dale, across bridges and through tunnels.

As I traveled, I gazed longingly out the window and wondered. Have they been safe? What has life been like for them? Will I recognize them when I see them? Will I cry at the reunion?

 

Finally, it’s time to see them again.

 

A short ride from the train station, and I am finally here.

 

I take the few short steps up the stairs.

 

My heart is beating.

 

There’s a lump in my throat.

 

 

My hands are trembling.

 

 

And then I see them. There they are.

 

 

Just as I had left them.

 

 

 

Just as I remembered them.

 

 

I lean forward. Extend my arms.

 

 

…and start to giggle uncontrollably as I flip through my old vinyl record collection! Man, I missed you guys!

 

My friend, Tony, has been storing the 3,500 vinyl records that I had accumulated during my time as a radio deejay. There’s an eclectic collection of Reggae, Rock, Calypso, R&B, Jazz and more…many collector’s items and rare stuff unavailable online in this new digital age.


Bob Marley and the Beatles

So, the plan is to digitize some of the hard to find stuff that I haven’t heard in years so as to make my life complete.

Digitizing from vinyl to mp3. They’ve got special turntables for that! Modern technology.


Cue music: Peaches & Herb sing “Reunited, and it feels so good!”

There was one song, in particular, that had been haunting my mind that I absolutely had to hear again in real time. It was “’til the morning comes” by Lora McFarlane (Just a snippet, so I won’t be guilty of encouraging illegal file sharing!)


And thanks, Tony and Judy, for keeping my long lost friends safe and cool! And, um, yes, it was nice seeing you guys, too!

2011

Conjured up by a Sikh

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Strolling around the Big Apple in the Union Square area waiting on a friend.

So, I’m hanging out with a friend in Washington Square Park near New York University. We finally find a free bench and end up sitting across from a fellow who is working on his laptop (a mac). We’re minding our own business, and then, after a few minutes, he comes over, excuses himself for the interruption and asks, “Forgive me for asking, but is this you?” as he turns his laptop screen to show me a picture of myself on the cover of my 7 Conversations to Freedom ebook which he happens to be reading…on a bench in Washington Square Park…. in a city of 8 million people….directly across from the guy who wrote the book…..who just happens to be visiting the city for a few weeks. He says that stuff like that happens to him all the time. He added that he was planning to contact me after reading the book. How funny is that!? He conjured me up.

I asked him how he arrived at the ebook and he said was on my FreeSummerConcerts.com mailing list and followed the link to the free download. Turns out my new friend’s name is Hari Nam Singh Khalsam, a renowned spiritual teacher with a very stellar background. Check it out at

https://www.harinam.com


https://web.me.com/harinam56/Hari_Nam_Singh_Khalsa/Hari_Nam_Bio.html


Conjured up by a Sikh

We met up a few weeks later for lunch!

2011

Jamaican in New York!

Yes, you guessed it! From the “Where is Walt” photo at the top of the blog to the pretty self-explanatory title of this post, I know I can’t put anything over on you! I’m in New York City! I’ll share more of the adventure soon! For now, enjoy a taste of New York courtesy of Vegetarian Paradise restaurant on West 4th Street and 6th Avenue in the Village. Yes, I went straight from Newark Airport to Manhattan to dine at my favorite restaurant within an hour of landing! 

2011

How much does it cost to live on Saipan? Saipan Apartments?

I get that question quite often from many people who discover my SaipanLiving.com website, and are interested in visiting or relocating. So, today, as public service to the world, I shall answer it based on my own lifestyle.

Today is Saturday. At about 6:30am, I typically head out to the Sabalu Market in Susupe to buy my produce from local farmers.

Then, I might stop at the local supermarket to pick up a few more items. Here is a photo of me and today’s take.

 Here’s the itemization. This also includes images and prices of items I purchased on different occasions.

Click on image to see larger version. The numbers correspond with the items below

 

FROM THE SUPERMARKET

1. Joy 12.6oz Ultra dish detergent
(they’ve run out of Dishmate Earth-Friendly liquid)		 $1.55
2. Mason Jar (32oz)
(for making my own kimchee/culturedveggies)		 $1.09
3. Kitchen sink trap $1.57
4. Food For Life Gluten Free tortillas (specially ordered by Gemma at Joeten just for the fringe dwellers)
5. Health Valley Cereal $5.59
6. Wholesoy Soy Yogurt $2.65
7. Red Kidney beans 160z
(to make Jamaican style rice & peas!)		 $2.19
8. Baking soda
for brushing my teeth)		 $0.65

 

FROM THE FARMER’S MARKET

9. Cherries (50c each tray) $1.00
10.Grated coconut
also for Jamaican style rice & peas!)		 $1.00
11. coconut oil (8oz) $4.00
12. dry coconut $1.00
13. bananas bunch of 14 $0.50
14. lemons $1.00
15. plantains (3) $2.00
16. Papaya $1.00
17. 3 sweetsop (ati) $1.00
18. 6 large nessberry (chico) $2.50

 

FROM THE HARDWARE STORE

19. Toaster $14.99
20. Juicer (purchased on Guam) $
21. Coffee bean grinder
(No, I don’t drink coffee. Remind me to tell you about coffee enemas,if that’s not too much information)		 $9.95
22. duplicate house key $2.00
23. Bottled Spring water (2.5gal) $3.65

The stainless steel pots in the photo (aluminum pots leach aluminum which causes Alzheimers and the coating of non-stick pots are toxic) were purchased in New York and brought to Saipan. (Caused some raised eyebrows when the TSA agent at the airport saw them in my carry-on luggage–see Jamaican on Saipan, the book)

I’ll add another post about apartment living on Saipan soon!

 

For more about living on Saipan, visit: www.Saipanliving.com.

PAPERBACK | ebook


Saipan Living! The Book!: A comprehensive guide for moving, finding and working a job, living or vacationing in the Northern Mariana Islands including the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota

 

2011

“All Jacked Up” –an important documentary, showing here on Saipan!


If you happen to be here on the island of Saipan on Friday, Sept 2, 2011 at 6:30pm, then come out to the American Memorial Park Theatre and check out a documentary entitled “All Jacked Up” a look at what’s really in the food that you eat.

The event is sponsored by First Friday Films here on Saipan. Here is a blurb from their blog 

Ever wondered what exactly is in the stuff that you eat? Find out as First Friday Films presents All Jacked Up. Bring your friends and family to the American Memorial Park Visitors Center by 6:30 PM on Friday September 2nd to see just how jacked up some of the food we are served is. The film highlights the dangerous trends in present-day eating habits and unveils the unsavory practices that put the health of a whole generation at risk.

I haven’t seen the film, but Natural News. (https://www.naturalnews.com/022510.html is involved and recommends it highly. I’ll see you there!

2011

Bill Clinton goes VEGAN! (Now we can hang out together!)


CLICK to Download BILL CLINTON GOES VEGAN

I heard about this through my free subscription to the NaturalNews.com newsletter. I think this is fantastic, that someone in the American public eye, with such influence and media clout is saying these things. I’ve always believed that one of the best ways to affect mass consciousness in the US would be to have a sitting president come right out and advocate for a paradigm shift in eating habits. This is probably the next best thing! It will have an effect on the continuing mainstreaming of being vegan even as the various industry councils mount their assault.

As a public service to help spread the word, I’ve created an mp4 video of the CNN interview you can download here
(You can see the original youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4hbV4RgzI8)

In my opinion, the next steps in this trend should include these concepts as they relate to eating from a plant-based paradigm:


1. This is not a “diet.”
It’s sad that garbage and poisons are considered normal, while natural choices are considered a “diet” which implies a deviation from a norm in order to achieve a desired end.


2. This is not complicated.
We don’t need scientists in on this. You can be your own authority.


3. All we need is a definition of REAL FOOD that everyone can understand and apply.

I suggest to you, therefore, that
–It’s time to grow up.
–Just because something tastes good, doesn’t make it food.
–Just because something can be eaten and swallowed, doesn’t make it food.
–For those who need a biblical paradigm for this concept:
If it didn’t exist in the garden of Eden, it’s not natural and not meant to be consumed by humans.
–Food is for nutrition, not just for taste. (In fact, some of us make our choices of what to eat for the nutritional benefit alone. It’s time to grow up.)

Here’s an idea that will help you come to a simple definition of food:
Let’s imagine you have a raw carrot. You put it into the ground. What happens? It grows, right? Now imagine you put that carrot into a pot of hot water, just for a quick minute, then change your mind and decide to put it back in the ground. What happens? (I’m aware some people may not intuitively know the answer to this, but you don’t need to have been raised on a farm to know.) The answer is it DOESN’T GROW. That means something fundamental about that carrot has changed. It’s no longer “alive.”

Now, comes the million dollar question: If you want to be healthy, which one of these two carrots do you think is better for your body? Is there any way you can believe that putting something “dead” into your body yields the same effects as putting something “raw and alive”?

Even a “quick” boil kills the life-creating properties of food. Sure, it may still have a smaller amount of minerals and vitamins left in it, but it is absolutely, positively, and hopefully intuitively not as healthy as it was before. It is now “less food” than it was before. Is the food you eat able to be planted and grown?

If your current choices can’t pass this simple test, you are not eating as healthfully as you could be.

No matter how much sunshine, water and good soil you lavish on a pizza that you’ve planted in the ground, it is not going to grow and produce more pizzas. Ergo, it is not real food.

I could go on and on. And in fact, I have! I wrote about this extensively in my book, The Ageless Adept: Perfect Health, Long Life and the Fountain of Youth by A. Seeker (a pen name)

Walt
p.s. Since Doctor Ornish was too wary of industry repercussions to actually say it, I will do him the favor by responding to the baited question by the CNN Commentator: YES! Human children should not be consuming the milk of
another species of animal.

Here’s another image for you:
You’re out in a grassy field with a herd of cows grazing in the distance. Wonderful scene isn’t it? Now picture yourself going down on all fours, walking over to a cow in that field, pushing aside the calf that’s suckling, and suckling at the mother cow’s teats. There should be something innately odd about that image. No other species of animal on the planet drinks the milk of another species. Dogs don’t suckle on cats. Rabbits don’t suckle on giraffes. It’s patently absurd.


p.p.s. Understandably, given the paradigm within US society, these changes may need to be made gradually, so as not to incur a dramatic backlash. However, this plant-based paradigm should not be touted as simply a cure for disease because then, those who don’t currently have any noticeable symptoms will feel the information doesn’t apply to them.
It’s so refreshing to hear these ideas on the mainstream media. However, as you can tell by the divisive and opinionated way the interviewer poses his questions:
“Are you saying children should not drink milk?”

“I take fish oil. Is that a bad idea?”

“dairy, chicken, meat,…the fun things in life”
and attempting to pit one guest against another, you can see that media reporting is often not about giving unbiased information, but about stirring controversy, confusion and conflict. Be careful.

Finally, Bill, now that you and I are on the same page, we can hang out together next time you’re in China! Sorry, I was, um “unavailable” last time.


FINAL THOUGHT: Now that Bill Clinton has stopped eating meat, I wonder if Monica Lewinsky has stopped eating presidents?

2011

Coming Black to Asia? Brother, you have NO idea!

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For months, I’ve been hinting and promoting and promising a “Black Privilege in China” post on this blog. Well, it’s finally time! It will be a chapter in the book Jamaican in China: Guess Who’s Coming to Dim Sum which includes blog posts as well as behind the scenes stuff, commentary and observations a bit too, let’s say, “potent” for the blog. This preview chapter will give you a sample. If you like it, you can order the full book (pdf, kindle, black & white paperback or color paperback) on my site or on Amazon using the links below: (To view all my books, see my author page on Amazon!)

Coming Black to Asia!
Tales of Black Privilege in China (and Beyond) plus
Walt’s primer on “Traveling While Black”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming Black to Asia? Brother, You Have NO idea! A curious and observant nomad dispels some myths, allays some fears and corrects some misperceptions of what “traveling while Black” in Asia really means. (An “Adults Only” teaser chapter from the book, Harlem to Hainan: Observations of a Jamaican in China by Walt F.J. Goodridge)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s time someone spoke out.

 This is a secret that has been kept for much too long.

 I’m going to speak in a frank and open way about a subject that many are afraid to discuss; a topic about which many are misguided, and of which many are simply unaware for many reasons including bias, ignorance or misinformation.

Yes, this chapter will share what I know about traveling while Black in Asia.

This chapter is for the enlightenment of all who are curious, but is specifically for the benefit of my Black brothers, fathers, sons, uncles and friends—particularly those living in the US—who have thought about traveling to other lands for fun, freedom, finances, fantasy or to chase a personal dream of one sort or another.

By sharing a few things I’ve experienced firsthand, seen happen to others, or been told about by women and men overseas, I hope to open a new vista, encourage new understanding and mold a new self-perception, and at the very least, offer what I find is a fascinating topic of conversation. Feel free to share this with everyone you know.

CLICK HERE to Download COMING BLACK TO ASIA (AKA) Traveling While Black! A PREVIEW CHAPTER!

TO DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE BOOK FREE AS A PDF CLICK HERE

FULL BOOK IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:

Kindle edition ($4.95): https://amzn.to/2HrIRyz

Black & white ($16.95): https://amzn.to/3i4TJzf

Full color edition ($42.95): https://amzn.to/2S1R3aL

Here is the intro to that chapter:

After you read it, please return to this post and share your comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

 

2011

This is important: 9/11 10th anniversary of When the Walls Came Down

 

A little fact probably unknown to my readers is that I published a book entitled When the Walls Came Down: a 9/11 Survivors View of Life in America. (click the link to download first chapter). In it, author Ken Greene chronicles his experiences on that day in 2001. Ken and I were acquaintances when I worked as a civil engineer in World Trade Center #1, and I can’t remember all the details, but we met some time after 2001 and I encouraged him to put his story into a book. He did, I helped format, edit and publish it, and today it stands as a unique account of one man’s experience. Here are a few reviews from the Amazon.com website.

“The author’s first-hand account of surviving and helping others survive the attack on the North Tower on 9/11 offer insights I have not read elsewhere. This in-and-of itself makes the book a fascinating read, but the author goes further….”[end]


Ken appears on CBS News to share his experiences		 Ken Greene gives an honest, brutal account of not only what happened during those horrifying moments when the walls came down, but he goes further to discuss “politically incorrect” topics such as racism in America, election fraud, and the ills within our society that have created walls (globally) that should never have existed. Poignant, compelling, disturbing–and oh so enlightening!”[end]

I encourage you to check out Ken’s story, as we approach the 10th year since 9/11/2001.

THIS IS IMPORTANT because certain views previously thought to be “on the fringe” are becoming more mainstream. I predict there will be increased grassroots awareness that something about the official account of what happened on that day is terribly wrong.

2011

The vegan trend: Jamaican in China speaks out


Being vegan in Laos from a few months ago

Check out what your favorite Jamaican in China (and Laos and Saipan) has to say about why veganism is catching on in this article from demodirt.com entitled Not a Flash in the Pan: Veganism making its mark as a lifestyle choice, not a short-term trend.

demodirt.com is the leading online publication dedicated to providing demographic and psychographic intelligence about Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers, Matures, and more. It also covers the latest demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal data and trends by race, religion, gender, geographical location, educational attainment, health, household income, and more.;

https://www.demodirt.com/index.php/us-trends/consumer-spending/475-not-a-flash-in-the-pan

2011

The Funny Things That Customers Do: I reserve the right to refuse…

As a nomadpreneur, I conduct a large portion of my business on the internet. I have websites through which I offer products and services to a wide range of markets.

I was listening, the other day, to a radio broadcast that was discussing the effect that technology has had on human interaction. A fascinating phenomenon of the internet is how it has changed many people’s communication styles. With no need to meet and interact face to face with the person they are emailing, many people have devolved to very crass, rude, inappropriate and offensive ways of speaking to each other. With their identities masked by anonymity, many people feel empowered to insult,  ridicule, curse and assume a combative postures in their communications with other human beings–in ways that would be unthinkable were they actually in the physical presence of the person with whom they are communicating.

Case in point. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I own and maintain a website called FreeSummerConcerts.com, through which–as the name suggests–I offer listings of all the free concerts happening in New York City each summer. Registration to the site is free.

Yesterday, a visitor to my site (“Rbish”) used the online form to sign up for the listings and added the following comment:

You guys suck big time! You post some corny ass ethiopian concert but you dont post the Nas/Damien Marley concert? You suck!

You should note, for the record, that the Nas/Damien Marley concerts he’s referring to are NOT free concerts but part of a national tour.*

Here is my reply to “Rbish”

 

Dear Rbish,

While I’m thankful for your feedback about my site, you should be aware that your style of communication and choice of words is unacceptable. I only serve adults who know how to conduct themselves according to commonly agreed-upon standards of polite behavior.

Despite what you’ve been led to believe about your rights of free speech, your CHOICE to speak in the way you choose DOES have consequences. You do not have the option of acting rudely AND also expect to be served graciously–if at all.

Therefore, you will not be added to my freesummerconcerts list. Unless you register under a different email account (which, of course, you are free to do unless I block your IP address too), you will not receive my weekly listings of concerts because your current email address has been flagged and banned from my system.

 

Walt Goodridge

owner of the FreeSummerConcerts.com site
*********

*It is my own adherence to certain rules of polite interaction that prevented me from responding to Rbish “what part of “FREE summer concerts” is giving you difficulty?”  (I thought it, but I didn’t write it!)

So, the bottom line is this: When you are in my domain (pun intended), you will behave yourself according to rules of common decency.

 

p.s. To read more of the funny things that customers do, and my responses, see these archived articles:

https://www.saipanpreneur.com/archives?LL=206&ref=98750

https://www.saipanpreneur.com/archives?LL=215&ref=100526

https://www.saipanpreneur.com/archives?LL=216&ref=100748

As you read these three accounts above–specifically #2 and #3–you may encounter what appears to be a contradiction as pointed out by a faithful reader. The story in item #3 recounts one of my very first forays into doing business in the music industry. I hadn’t developed my set of standard practices. It turned out that in this case, that having a contract proved fortuitous since the fellow in question was a “ne’er do well” who needed state court encouragement to “do well.” As I grew, both in experience, and in personal philosophical conviction, I developed the avoidance of contracts.

 

2011

…not to impress you, but to impress upon you….the importance of dreaming big!

Here are some recent happenings with two of my books:


Chun Yu Wang on Saipan
Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin: Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan (which I co-authored with Chinese national, Chun Yu Wang), is being used as a suggested text for a Women’s Studies course at California State University in Fullerton, CA. This is the third such use I am aware of. The first was for a Denison University Women’s Studies program, the second was for a French textbook company. There may be others, since there’ve been other large quantity orders through my wholesaler, and through Amazon which may also have been for educational purposes, or maybe even book clubs–no way to tell for sure.)


Arthur Wylie Only the Crazy and Fearless Win Big
An excerpt from my book, Turn Your Passion Into Profit, is being used in a new book by Arthur Wylie (with Brian Nicol) entitled Only the Crazy and Fearless Win Big! I’ve read the chapter on passion, and it’s pretty inspiring. According to the preview: In Only the Crazy and Fearless Win BIG!, he shares a little secret that few books discuss — to win big you have to be fearless and, sometimes, even a little crazy. Wylie outlines real-world examples from some of history and present-day’s most well-known names and everyday entrepreneurs in every industry, profession, and segment of the economy. Only the Crazy and Fearless Win BIG! shows how their decisions raised eyebrows, dropped jaws, and met resistance— yet proved to be right.”

The book is due out in January.Check out Arthur’s site at www.arthurwylie.com, where you can pre-order.

So, why do I share this with you? Well, not to impress you, but to impress upon you what’s possible when you follow your passion, and what’s possible when you dream big. These frequent  acknowledgements and validation (and the money from sales!) I receive, are the reward for finding my purpose as a “guru,” following my passion as a writer, creating products that are expressions of that passion, and marketing them for profit and prosperity…all while helping others achieve their dreams as well. As a result, I get the personal sense of fulfillment that comes from seeing my work appreciated and shared with others, and I enjoy the freedom to escape my previous life and live true to my self in a way and in a location that makes me happy. Anyone can do it, but it all starts with daring to dream something different–something bigger–for yourself. Finding it difficult? Well, perhaps all you need is permission.

 

As I wrote in an email just a few days ago to a coaching client, and special person in my life who was finding it challenging to reconcile her dreaming  with what she felt she was entitled to:

” ‘Reba’,
You have MY permission to dream and dream big. Go ahead, It’s okay. I want to know what your big dreams look, feel and taste like. Do it for me. I’m very curious. You deserve to share in all the abundance that the universe has to offer.  There are no other requirements to fulfill. You already qualify. As a child of the divine, of the universe, of God, if you will, there is nothing that  exists that you cannot have access to.  There is no definition and identity that you cannot adopt. It’s all yours by birthright. You are entitled to it because of your existence separate and apart from your learned identity and limitations hereon the planet. All of that is just a construct we need to practice stepping outside of.”

“There are no limits, no practical considerations, there is just desire and imagination. What would you attempt, if you knew you could not fail? What would you create, if everything you needed for its creation would be guaranteed you? What would you desire if “how” was not a part of the equation? What would your ideal life look like? You are not being asked to build. You are only being asked to envision and design. The truth is, “how” is none of your business. The universe always provides the “how” as you’ve already discovered for yourself. Your task is simply to dream. Animals don’t shy away from the food they need to survive and thrive. They seek it out. Plants don’t shy away from the sun, nor their roots from the water they need to grow and expand. They seek it out. The dreams of who you are are like the seeking of the food, sunlight and water you need for your fullest expression. Go for it. Do it.” [end of email]

 

Yes, sometimes you have to be fearless and crazy, but life rewards those who dare to dream of something more.

 

2011

Happier Abroad: Isn’t it a pity how most people want their slavery and feel empty without it?

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“Isn’t it a pity how most people want
their slavery and feel empty without it?”

That’s a quote from the HappierAbroad.com website. I came across the site while checking my tracker statistics, when I noticed that someone on that forum had posted a link to one of my Saipan sites in a discussion about dating abroad.

The site focuses more on the social and dating side of being happier abroad. It has a lot of information and perspectives of many other aspects of life and happiness, and mirrors what a lot of people I meet on this side of the world are saying about their former lives back home.

That particular quote (“Isn’t it a pity how most people want their slavery and feel empty without it?”), is something Happier Abroad founder, Winston Wu, wrote to me during an email correspondence about his essay on true freedom on his site. Check it out!

Pursue Passion! Break Free! Cross boundaries! See the world!