Background

I’m the HAPPY CAT

I’m a Canadian from Ottawa, but live most of the year in my amazing home on Koh Lanta, a small remote island in southern Thailand.  I’m 61, healthy, active (still wear a bikini), have kept my red hair (oh ya, I was born a redhead) and I totally love cats.  I also love life and welcome new experiences, challenges and possibilities as these make my life exciting.  And it sure has been?  And will continue to be as I’ve consciously chosen to be positive, to seek out my things to learn and to continuously grow as I journey through life.

I’ve spent over 25 years as a business analysis consultant on high technology projects around the world.  I’m the one that goes to the airport Monday morning and doesn’t get back until late Thursday night.  On the road I live in a hotel, work 12-16 hour days, and am constantly upgrading my technical skills.  Many of my clients are in Ottawa, but I’ve been lucky enough to have had contracts for projects in the US, Thailand, Kenya and Chile, as well as in Calgary, Toronto and on Prince Edward Island in Canada.

I’m also have an MBA and a Ph.D. in Business.   I have lots of academic publications and have taught university business courses for years.  My specialities are organizational behaviour, organizational theory and international business.  The doctoral thesis focused on the expatriate experience, which is still my research favourite topic.  I find expatriates in foreign countries so interesting and am always inquiring into their stories and analyzing their lifestyles.

For sure my consulting life is full of stress big time.  I manage it with distance running and by practicing yoga.  I’ve crossed the marathon finish line over 25 times and I’m not done with marathons yet.  My finishing time isn’t important.  For me running isn’t about the time, it’s about the experience: how good I feel, how strong I am and how happy it makes me.  Oh ya, it makes me happy!  As for yoga, I do it almost every day on my deck.  I’ve honed my practice to fit my body’s needs and to get a good workout.  Yoga keeps be centred, physically strong and mentally balanced.  Everyone should practice yoga!

And I have hobbies.  I’m a potter making functional art.  My pottery line is Happy Cat Ceramics as every piece has at least one cat on it.  I’m about to set up a studio here on Koh Lanta which will be wonderful, but more about that in my blog.   I also love to to crochet and knit, making things for the house and friends every chance I get.

And in my spare time (I seem to put every minute of the day to good use) I do pro bono work for this wonderful animal rescue charity called Lanta Animal Welfare (#1 on Trip Advisor for things to do on Koh Lanta).  I’m their Financial Advisor and help organize their major fund raising events.

Oh ya, I almost forgot, I’m a cancer survivor:  going on 8 years cancer free.  It was breast cancer, aggressive and nasty.  But that’s a story (or many) for the blog.  The only thing I can say is early detection is critical.  Sure I ended up having chemo and radiation, but hey, I’m still here – it’s all good!  So what if I lost my hair!  It came back, well sort of.  Thinner and sparser, but I have hair!

I’m alive, I’m happy, and I’m looking forward to each and every day, enjoying my life to the fullest!

6 thoughts on “Background

  1. This is it!! I want my retirement just like you. In a small village where we don’t need a car. I want to be near earth. Forget chasing my children. We never know where they’ll settle. Let them find me some wonderful place in the world.

  2. I am in the midst of re-discovering my life after taking hiatus for 4 years caring for my sick Mom, she passed on last December. I am moving on, trying to get back into the rythym of life. I live in Malaysia, would love to visit Ko Lanta, sounds like a dream. So encouraging to read your blog, thank you for encouraging travel, new thought patterns and making it all sound easy and practical. Thank you Ms Perley
    Ps. I love cats, mine is called Sacha!

    1. Hi Mimi – Great to hear from you. We need to embrace change and continue to look forward to ways to grow and enjoy – sounds like you are on the right path. Take care

    1. Hi George Thanks for your kind words. Follow me on Facebook as I always post when new articles are published. I hope I can continue to inspire you.

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