Well, I did what I could and the rest I didn’t. I walked to the start of yesterday’s Hash on Rizal Extension by taking the My Bitch trail. From my house to the trailhead was right at an hour’s walk. The last portion of Guenter’s trail followed My Bitch in the opposite direction, so I did do SOME of his trail at least. It was hot yesterday, and the two small climbs I undertook to get to the start left me feeling tuckered out. I knew then the hard-ass climb up to Kalalkan Ridge was not in the cards for me.
My alternative was doing a one-hour street walk leading back to the On-Home at Red Bar.
Those 249 Zone Minutes came as a surprise. That’s over four hours, and I didn’t walk that long. So, I just did a quick search, and this is how Fitbit counts it:
Work out smarter. With Active ZoneMinutes, the harder you work, the more credit you get. 1 minute in the fat burn zone earns 1 Active ZoneMinute, and 1 minute in the cardio or peak zone earns 2 Active ZoneMinutes. You put in the work, and we’ll do the math!
Alright, that explains why my heart was pounding so hard getting to the start. It’s also a pretty good indicator that I made the right call when I didn’t climb the mountain. I got back to the On-Home around three o’clock. My regular group doing the “short” trail didn’t make it back until 4:30. Apparently, both the up and the down were brutal motherfuckers. Glad I missed it!
The On-Home at Red Bar was pleasant enough, although I declined to partake of the food offerings (they looked pretty carby). After the Hash, I joined the group at IDM for a couple of more brews. I grabbed a trike for home and was deep into Alta Vista before realizing I had left my backpack at IDM. I had the driver turn around and take me back to retrieve it and, of course, doubled my usual fare. I wasn’t drunk, so I guess it is another indication that Biden disease is slowly taking root.
Speaking of which:
But enough politics. Here’s a blast from the past via Facebook memories:
Get your Quora Q&A while you can, I’m running out of answers (I rarely participate these days).
Q: What kind of changes have you made to your wardrobe now that you are retired?
A: Gave away all my shirts and ties (kept one suit for special occasions). Now I wear shorts every day. Blue jeans when I dress up to go to immigration.
The suit and jeans no longer fit. But I’m working on getting back down to size.
Another Sunday has come and gone. I guess I am of Scottish blood because I didn’t give a thought to wearing green or otherwise celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. Still, I took comfort in my familiar routines and appreciated the joy of living the life I have chosen. It may not be perfect, but it satisfices.
Swan and I began our morning with the weekly candy walk. I had planned an 8K route, but the candy (and there was a lot of it) was gone after only 5K. We are doubling up on our candy purchase for next week.
Later in the day, I took care of the feeding at Hideaway. Five dinners this week.
With my Hideaway mission completed, I headed for the beach.
We were the only customers. There were eight girls and the two raft drivers. After an hour or so of watching them sit with nothing to do, I had the cashier make some change and give me ten 50-peso notes. Then I announced, “Is anyone here bored?” Everyone raised their hand, and I gave them some pesos to cheer them up. Hey, it’s cheaper than buying everyone a lady drink.
After departing the floater, I took Swan to Jewel Cafe for dinner. I am a regular Sunday customer for takeout, but I rarely have a sit-down meal there.
Life is good. I’m going to try to hold onto mine for as long as possible.
Alright, let’s do the Quora Q&A for the day:
Q: Is Joe Biden the most feared world leader?
A: He scares the hell out of me. Nothing good can come from his level of incompetence.
I answered that two years ago. It has only gotten worse since that time.
Speaking of jokes, how about these?
Okay, another Hash Monday is upon me. Guenter (Vienna Sausage) is the Hare, so I know I’ll be doing a modified version of his trail. I’ll let you know how that goes tomorrow.
I guess a downside to routines is engaging in unhealthy ones. Or maybe it is the genes I wear. My mother was diabetic and eventually died from congestive heart failure. Dr. Jo advises that the path I’m currently walking will likely lead to full-blown diabetes and kidney damage. Not the news I was hoping for.
Perhaps it is not too late to change the road I’m on. I must limit my sodium intake to less than 2 grams daily. That means diet discipline I haven’t been able to muster recently, but oddly enough, I now feel a strong motivation to do so. Kidney failure and the resulting dialysis would be a nightmare that would be difficult for me to endure. The memories of my mom doing insulin injections are also nothing I want to replicate. Dr. Jo has doubled my metformin dose and wants to see me again on Friday to check my progress. My primary outward symptom is the swelling in my lower legs from fluid retention. This also puts a strain on my kidneys.
So, I’m overdue on taking positive steps to maintain my health. Hopefully, it is not too late.
Went out for a bit last evening with Swan. Started at Green Room and played a game of pool for the first time in a long while and was as crappy as I always was.
We finished up at Wet Spot, where Swan chatted with her friend Aine and I enjoyed Daddy Dave’s company. We grabbed some takeout at Sit-n-Bull (I had a healthy Salisbury steak). I went to bed early as usual, but now I sleep with my legs elevated on a pillow, which is supposed to help reduce the swelling.
And so begins the first day of the rest of my life.
Quora Q&A:
Q: What was it like on your last working day before you retired? Were you happy or sad to be leaving? Are you enjoying retirement or would you like to go back to work?
A: My last day at work was all about goodbyes, so that part was sad. I knew it was unlikely that I’d see most of these people I had worked with and cared about for years ever again. When my last workday ended, I left the office and went straight to the airport, where I got a plane to begin my new life in the Philippines. That was the exciting part of my last day as a working man. I am enjoying my retirement. I still miss the people but not so much the work.
Looking back, I regret that I didn’t live in the moment more during my last years in Korea. Too much looking back in sorrow and dreaming of a better future to appreciate the life I was living at the time.
I could use a laugh or two, how about you?
Sorry for the downer of a post today. It will get better. Or I’ll die trying.
The Friday group hike and the SOB filled the hours of my day. More of the same old same old, but then, a good same is never bad. That seems to be the story of my golden years.
We started the hike in Subic Hills and made our way to Castillejos. A couple of wrong turns and wading across a river were the interesting events, but we hadn’t been out that way in over a year, and it was a nice change of scenery. I didn’t mind that we didn’t do much hill climbing either.
I hadn’t been to the SOB for awhile, and last night was the 22nd Anniversary for the event.
So, I drank too many beers and enjoyed the show. I came away with a pocketful of discount tickets, which I reckon will motivate me to go out and spend money in the bars for the next week or so. And that’s how I ended another Friday.
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: Retirees, when you first retired did you have any trouble adjusting to the new version of your days?
A: I really didn’t. At the conclusion of my final day at work, I hopped on a plane and flew to the Philippines to begin my life of leisure. In the beginning, I was kept busy with making the transition—finding a house to rent, exploring the area, and discovering my soon-to-be favorite bars and restaurants.
Now, three years on, I’ve totally adapted to my new environment. The oddest thing is that I actually start my day EARLIER than I did when I was working the old office hours. Now, I’m almost always in bed by 9:00 p.m. and up every morning at 4:30. It’s all good, though. I’m enjoying my days and my routines.
It’s been almost six years now, and I’m still carrying on. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, even when everything is pretty much always the same, day in and day out, it’s better than a life of routines would be for me back in the USA. No regrets!
Okay, a couple of these are actually funny I think:
Anyway, back to Dr. Jo for a follow-up this afternoon. Not sure what’s going to happen after that. I’ll let you know tomorrow.
…it remains stationary. It doesn’t stop me from trying, though.
I did one of my long (for me) solo walks yesterday, taking the highway to SBMA and then strolling around parts of the old Navy base I rarely see. It was nice for a change of pace and I managed eleven kilometers, almost double what I normally do. I broke my rule about not losing my cool when I decided to take a taxi back to Barretto. I always ask how much (the cabs are not metered), and the driver didn’t want to give me a straight answer. The last ride was 300 pesos, but this driver gave me the “up to you” routine. I wasn’t in the mood for playing games, and I gruffly told him to tell me how much. He said, “500 pesos,” and I told him to stop the car. Then he said 400 pesos, and I yelled again, stop! I exited the cab, walked across the highway, and caught a Jeepney back to Barretto for 20 pesos. Got out at Sit-n-Bull and had a great lunch.
The evening hours felt a little like old times. Swan had plans early, so we agreed to meet up later for dinner. I filled the hours with a mini-bar hop, spending time in Green Room and Roadhouse and spreading some lady drink cheer. Later, Swan joined me at John’s place for a nice dinner. It was my waitress friend Em Jhae’s last night there, so we bought her dinner, too. She almost cried when I gave her a nice tip as a going-away present. Then, after our meal, we met some of Swan’s friends at Voodoo for a couple more drinks. It’s been a while since I’ve done the night on the town routine. Good times!
Here are some photos from the day:
Facebook memories reminded me of the last family gathering with Mom and Dad back in 2009.
I follow politics but no longer engage in much debate. Still, sometimes I come across something too good not share.
Moving along, here’s today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: Is Angeles City in the Philippines a good place to live? Is it as bad as people say?
A: I personally wouldn’t want to live there. It is a city that has all the modern conveniences—shopping, an international airport, nightlife—and not much else, in my opinion. Angeles was one of the first places I visited in the Philippines, but I’d find myself bored and depressed after a few days. Not much to do during the day, and the girly bars get old before long.
I chose to live a couple of hours away in Olongapo. Here I have beaches to walk and mountains to climb. I can find most of what I need here, and Angeles is just down the road should I need anything that it offers.
That doesn’t mean that Angeles is bad, it is just not for me.
I am OK going to Angeles for a day or two, especially for an event like the Hash. But I prefer places like San Antonio/Pundaquit when I need a quick get away. In fact, I’m about ready now.
Alright, you knew these were coming:
Time to get ready for tonight’s SOB dance competition. Haven’t been to one for several weeks, so it should feel fresh again. I’ll let you know how that goes tomorrow.
Wednesdays come and Wednesdays go, but you can always enjoy them while they are here.
A challenging hike up to Kalaklan Ridge with the Wednesday Walkers group. We changed things up this time with a Jeepney ride out to Olongapo City and then climbing to the top from there. Lots of stairsteps added to the misery, but I took comfort in the fact that my fat ass had the lung capacity to get it done. I wouldn’t have made it halfway a month ago.
I had a doctor’s appointment at 2:00. Nothing significant to report from my visit with Dr. Jo. She took a blood sample to check on some kidney function issues. The fluid retention in my lower legs and ankles is the concern du jour, but before I start taking meds for that, we need to reduce or eliminate other types of medications I’m taking for other issues, like blood pressure. So, we’ll see what the blood work results suggest as the appropriate course of action.
It was still too early after the appointment for the bars and once I was back home, I had no real desire to go back out again. It was the perfect evening for some time at The Rite Spot. Todd and his lovely wife Sheila joined in the fun and Erik dropped by as well. A nice ending to a good day.
A hard but enjoyable morning on the ridge.
Later, I was once again climbing steps–this time up to the roof.
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: What is the best way to learn about a distant area you think you want to retire to before investing a lot of money to move there?
A: Well, the obvious thing, I guess, is to visit as often as possible before making a commitment to move. I came to the Philippines two or three times a year for several years, exploring different parts of the country before deciding where to call home in retirement.
If someone doesn’t have that luxury, don’t make any permanent commitments until you’ve been in the country enough to know it is a good fit. Don’t ship your furniture or car, don’t buy or long-term lease a house. Make sure it is where you want to stay before investing a lot of money.
Maybe I’m having a bad day, but I couldn’t find anything funny to share. There will have to do for now:
Today’s song bears no relevance to the post. I heard it for the first time in many, many years while having lunch at Sit-n-Bull, and it just brought the memories flooding back.
That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I did engage in a shopping spree yesterday morning. The usual full shopping cart at Royal ($300+), and then Swan and I walked to the mall to do some shoe shopping. Also, for some strange reason, my shorts have been shrinking, so I wanted to get a pair or two that fit more comfortably.
I wound up bringing home three new pairs of shoes. That’s a real challenge because a size 11 is hard to find in these parts. I did score a pair of the coveted Merrell hiking shoes but paid a premium price of over 6000 pesos ($120.). I needed to replace my everyday Sketchers, too, but alas, my size was not in stock. So, I’m trying a new (to me) brand called “Basekamp”. I got two pairs at the more reasonable price of 1700 pesos each. We’ll see how that works out. My shorts size is also in the high range of fit here, but I finally found a couple of pairs I could button around my waist. I always get a little nervous about running out of clothes before the weekly laundry wash is completed. The new duds will provide some leeway in that regard. I also found three new shirts I liked with an ample cut sufficient to accommodate my large belly. So, it was a successful outing.
My Tuesday tradition also includes a journey out to Baloy Beach to enjoy some time on the Kokomo floating bar. Here’s how that looked:
Next stop was DaKudos for a bite to eat.
Not bad for a Tuesday, eh?
Commenter Kevin asked about my life as a father; here’s a post I wrote a few years ago about raising my kids. I got a surprise when re-reading it this morning to see that a couple of spam hyperlinks had been added to my commentary. I’m not sure how that is done unless someone hacked my admin login. I deleted them, but it’s still scary to think that someone could modify a post I’ve written.
Ready for today’s Quora Q&A?
Q: What are some of the relevant professional bodies to join as an HR officer or professional?
A: I was a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) for most of my career. They also offer certification exams to earn the designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources Management (SPHR) and the Professional in Human Resources Management (PHR).
My fellow Hares and I pulled off a successful Hash yesterday. I measure success in terms of no one getting hurt and most of the Hashers professing a liking for the trail. A couple of folks lost the trail, but since the vast majority were able to find their way, I attribute the failure to their individual lack of attention. As I expected, there were some mild complaints about the short length of the route, but just as many found the distance to their liking. Vienna Sausage is the Hare next week, so the masochists can get their fill of hardship then.
Not a lot of Hash pictures to share this week, but here’s what I’ve got:
I walked the 3.5K to the starting location, then another 3K back to the On-Home at Subiza Resort on Baloy. My non-hash hike was longer than the actual trail. Flatter though.
I spent most of the pre-circle time sitting on a chair, taking in the bay views (that first photo in this post was captured by a fellow Hasher). Here is some of what I saw:
Most of the group seemed to really enjoy Subiza as a Hash On-Home venue. Very spacious and comfortable with great views. We did run out of beer before the circle was over, which is outrageous. I’m told that was because the Hash Beermeister cut us off at ten cases of beer. I was not a happy camper, but I’m glad it wasn’t Subiza’s fault since I recommended them as a Hash host.
When the beer ran out, so did I. I got home much earlier than usual (and less drunk), so I was able to finish watching the final episodes from Season 1 of Blue Eye Samurai. Now, I have another series to share my thoughts on. I’ll get to them both soon. I promise, said the procrastinator.
My son Kevin celebrated his 46th birthday yesterday.
And then Facebook memories reminded me of that time I was on TV:
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: When you moved from California, where did you go?
A: I left Orange County, where I was born and raised, in 1978 because I didn’t want to raise my kids in California. We moved to Prescott, Arizona. Best move I ever did make!
And now it appears I was ahead of my time with more people moving from than to California.
Another Hash Monday is upon us—er, well, me anyway. Since I’m one of the Hares this week, and we marked the trail yesterday, you’d think I’d have some free time on my hands. But I still want to meet the group at the start to send them off. I’ll leave a bit early for that and get some fatboy steps in for me, too. The trail we laid has one moderately easy climb and is just under 5K in length. The hardcore folks will find it too easy, but thems the breaks. They can always longcut if they feel the need. Here are some photos of the Hares hard at work:
I hope my fellow Hashers find something to like about today’s trail. If not, there is always next week. Meanwhile, I took care of some other business.
Then, it was time to hit the beach.
We departed the floater shortly after sundown. Inday had not experienced a dancing bar either, so we took her go-go virginity at Alaska Club. It’s always an adventure walking from Arizona to Alaska on the highway in the dark, but we made it. Then we finished off our night out at Wet Spot. Home for some “Blue Eye Samurai” before falling asleep on the couch. It’s all good.
Time for some Quora Q&A:
Q: Why do retirees flee to Arizona and Florida? I can understand moving to Florida, but isn’t Arizona way too hot?
A: They are both hot, but Arizona is a “dry heat,” low humidity hot. You can also choose to live in the mountains, like Flagstaff or Prescott, and enjoy moderate four seasons weather.
My sense of humor may be a little off, but at least I’m not a dick.
I joined Swan for our weekly candy walk yesterday. She wanted to visit the village of Alabang, located between Naugsol and Tibag. I’d passed through there once or twice, but it had been a while. Swan was involved in a charity food distribution effort in Alabang at Christmas time and wanted to brighten the day of the kids she saw there. It’s a pretty hefty hike from here, but I’m all about the walk, so off we went.
After some R&R, Swan went to see her family before they headed back home to the province, and I paid a visit to Cheap Charlies. Later Swan met me at Mango’s for a dinner on the beach.
After our meal, we visited a couple of bars we don’t patronize much due to their inconvenient location on this side of town.
We had our nightcap at Queen Victoria. I was a little surprised that Swan was acquainted with the bartender and one of the long-time waitresses there. Then I remembered that she and her deceased man would frequently visit here for the live music. We didn’t stay long enough for the music to begin last night, though.
Back home and on the couch for episode #6 of “Blue Eye Samurai.” That’s the one where our hero (heroine) single-handedly kills most of the castle’s security forces despite some pretty severe injuries. The evil Irishman residing there proved his point about guns trumping swords, regardless of the skill of the sword bearer. She’s not dead yet, however. We’ll see how the next episode resolves the issue.
I woke up to another day of life and got down to taking care of business. I’m one of the Hares for tomorrow’s Hash, and we went out this morning to mark our trail. Next on my agenda will be taking care of the Sunday feeding at Hideaway, then meeting up with Swan on the Arizona floating bar. Yep, it is good to have routines you enjoy.
Facebook memories made me sad today. Ten years ago, I played in a dart tournament in Augusta, Georgia. I don’t remember much about my performance, but the memories were of the friends who joined me there.
Bridget and James died within the next year. I died in a different way when Jee Yeun dumped me. I was reborn to live this life in the Philippines, but I can’t help but be saddened when I look back at what was and what is gone. May you both rest in peace.
The daily Quora Q&A:
Q: A shooting at a convenience store in Missouri left 3 people dead. People these days don’t seem to care about the loss of innocent lives. America has now become a nation of death. Why won’t the Congress or the government ban guns?
A: Three people were killed in a traffic accident outside a convenience store. More innocent lives lost in this nation of death. Why won’t the Congress or the government ban automobiles?
I’ve got the power! Now, about last night. Well, actually, it was yesterday afternoon that I attended the wedding reception for Swan’s sister Charm and her hubby, Jack. The festivities kicked off at noon and lasted until five or so. So, yes, I was drinking beer, and no, they didn’t have Zero available. I didn’t do anything stupid, but I was feeling no pain when I departed.
This was my first time at a Filipino post-wedding gathering. Nothing really out of the ordinary, but there were some things I’m not accustomed to seeing at a reception. For one thing, they had a female master of ceremonies shouting into a microphone, which was pretty irritating. She also sang a few songs but had a nice enough voice. I’m familiar with the bride and groom doing the first dance, but yesterday, several wedding party members were also called down to the dance floor, including Swan. Luckily, they played a country song when we danced, so I used some of those swing steps I learned during my time in Oklahoma. Swan followed along quite well.
The food was good, I knew a couple of the other attendees, and I met some new folks that I enjoyed chatting with over the course of the afternoon. I was also reminded of why I make it a point to avoid drinking until beer o’clock. When the reception was done, so was I. Even by my early bird standards, going to bed before 6 p.m. can be problematic, like waking up at midnight after a full night’s sleep. I wound up completing my morning routines by 2:30 and then managed to take a nap until my regular wake-up time. Still, I felt out of sorts in a helter-skelter kind of way.
Good luck to Jack and Charm. They’ve been together as a couple for nine years or so–I’m sure this next step will be an easy one for them.
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: I have lived in 5 states in the USA and I am 22. How about you, how many states have you lived in within the USA or the country that you reside in? Which one is your best?
A: I have lived in California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Virginia. I also lived in South Korea, and I now call the Philippines home.
My favorite state was Arizona, although I could say something positive about all of them except California.
Korea was a great experience, and I’m enjoying my retired life in the Philippines.
Maybe these will make you smile (or cringe):
And that’s that. A nice long candy walk with Swan this morning that I’ll tell you about tomorrow.
An unexpected brownout here today. My laptop battery just died. So, for the first time in almost twenty years of blogging, I am posting from my phone. It sucks every bit as much as I thought it would.
Back later with the story of last night’s wedding reception.
So, my big plan for yesterday was to expand my hiking horizons by adding some additional length to my strolls. My bright idea was to do the backroads hike to Waltermart on the far side of Subic town and then walk the highway back to Barretto. I typically tire out around 8k, and I estimated my plan would require a 14k jaunt. Could I do it? Only one way to find out. Let’s go!
My original plan was to finish at Sit-n-Bull, another kilometer up the road. But that trike stand in front of McDonald’s proved to be irresistible, so I grabbed a ride back home instead.
Speaking of the bars, I went to Sloppy Joe’s while Swan did a foot spa. She joined me there when she finished. Feeling hungry, we paid a visit to Myleen’s. And we broke our streak of same-same orders.
We did our nightcap at Wet Spot, where I bought lady drinks for Aine and Irene, and Daddy Dave treated me to a couple of free beers. I was at my maximum capacity of alcohol intake when we grabbed a trike for the journey home. I deem it to have been a good day!
My pal Brian flew his drone over Kalaklan Ridge and posted some really nice photos.
Haven’t posted a photo of the boys for a while, so here you go:
And now it is time to shower up, put on my new duds, and head out to the wedding reception that starts at noon. It will be something different, at least. Me in long pants and no ball cap—who’d a thunk it?
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: Do I have to know Korean to live in South Korea as a foreigner?
A: Not really, especially in larger cities like Seoul. Most of the signage is in both English and Hangul, and the subway stops are announced in both languages.
Having said that, I suggest you learn some common words and phrases, if for no other reason than being polite. Most Koreans appreciate the effort, even if you can’t master the pronunciation.
Yeah, like I’m one to talk. I still know more Korean than Tagalog, though.
The Wednesday Walkers group hike proved to be quite the challenge despite being only 4K in duration. We traveled out to Tibag to explore some new road construction we’d seen posted on Facebook. Well, they may be roads, but even a 4×4 would have difficulty making it up some of those steep grades. Compounding the problem was the dirt, which was soft and sand-like, so each step was harder and produced a cloud of dust. I had promised to push myself to greater heights, and I succeeded for the most part. Admittedly, my brain was screaming, “Turn around and go back down,” and it was tempting to do so, but I managed to shove on. The section of the hike where we were off the dirt road was mostly pleasant, although some of it was through the dreaded creek bed with all that that entails. I was dead tired at the end, but the breathing wasn’t an issue, so that’s a plus.
And then miracles of miracles, just before the next climb started, we discovered a trail going in the right direction. Yay!
Of course, my day had just begun. My driver picked me up at 2:30 for my ophthalmologist appointment at Baypointe Hospital. I had the usual eye exam then waited to see the doc. Thirty minutes after my scheduled appointment, it was finally my turn. My vision is okay, although I have a cataract growing in my left eye. He said it wasn’t big enough to consider surgery. He gave me a prescription for eye drops and sent me on my way. I got a discounted rate of 1300 pesos for being an old man.
And then it was off to Harbor Point mall. I’m going to the wedding reception tomorrow afternoon and the only pair of slacks I own no longer fit. I figure shorts and sneakers might seem rude, so I went in search of some more appropriate apparel.
After the mall excursion, I decided to treat my crew to dinner. I know John’s place could use the business, so that’s where we went.
I was once again surprised that Swan (who I, of course, always allow to order first) chose the exact meal that I had in mind. I guess we really are on the same page.
As usual, the food was excellent. My favorite waitress served us last night, and she advised us she was leaving for a new job next week. That’s a bummer, but good luck to her working in a call center. It’s a step up for sure.
Then it was back to the house and time for some cold beers at The Rite Spot.
I really pushed my luck this morning, but I’ll share that adventure tomorrow!
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: What’s it like living in the Philippines? I’m a 66 y/o man I went to Manila and cebu in 2016 but couldn’t stay long. I’m looking for any input I can get from anyone who knows first hand what to expect if I move there. Thank you.
A: I’m 65 and have been living here in Olongapo City for over three years now. So far, so good. I wouldn’t recommend either Manila or Cebu, personally, but then again, I’m not a big-city kind of guy. Cost of living for most things is cheaper, people are friendly, and most places are quite beautiful. I laugh sometimes because the part of town I live in is like a retirement community for expats. Nowhere else I’d rather be. Long Time Gone
The Philippines isn’t for everyone, but it is what you make it. It feels like home to me now.
Today’s lame attempts at humor:
Okay, I’m running late for my beer o’clock appointment. See you tomorrow!
This will be a quick post this afternoon. Just now back from the Wednesday Walkers group hike, and I’ve got to eat and shower, then head to Olongapo for a visit to the eye doctor. Not much to report anyway, just the normal Tuesday routines. Another grocery shopping excursion to Royal to restock the shelves and an evening on Baloy Beach.
Next stop was Treasure Island for some dinner. I was very surprised when Swan ordered a Philly cheesesteak sandwich. That’s what I was planning to choose as well. I guess great minds truly do think alike.
Swan’s sister Charm is getting married on Friday, so she needed to leave after our meal and attend a bridal party at the Klimax Bar in Barretto.
I finished my night out on Baloy with a beer at my old haunt, the Snackbar.
And then it was home and in bed shortly thereafter. Not a bad day at all.
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: Now that you have retired do you ever wonder about the “path(s) not taken” as you look back at your life?
A: Not really, because the paths I did take led me to places beyond my wildest imagination. It always seemed to me that the disappointments (like missing out on a job promotion) left me in a position for something even better later on. I don’t know; maybe I’m just lucky.
Having said that, if I could go back in time for some do-overs, there are definitely things I would have done differently. But that’s life.
I wrote about one of the crossroads in my life that changed everything on my blog a while back. If you are interested, you can give it a read here: Blast from the Past-The Road Not Taken
One of those rare occasions where I link to LTG on social media. Speaking of which, Swan asked me for my blog address last night. So, I guess I have another reader now. Welcome, Sweetheart.
An extra dose of humor today:
Gotta go. A tough hike today to tell you about tomorrow.
But I was good enough yesterday to complete the Hash trail without any breathing difficulties. It’s been too long since I could say that. I did the short trail (around 5K), which included two moderate climbs. The ups are never easy for me, but it is nice not to feel like you are going to die while doing them. So, I am making progress, one step at a time!
The Hash began at the VFW and passed through Alta Vista, so I joined the trail there.
I really enjoyed this trail. It was short, and I didn’t have to take shortcuts (other than the first half-kilometer from the VFW to Alta Vista). Some parts were familiar, some I hadn’t done for a while. But as I said, the best part was hiking again and feeling good while doing so. So much more fun that way!
I also participated in the after Hash at It Doesn’t Matter for the first time in quite a while. The kitchen there has reopened, so I gave their BLT sandwich a try.
After I’d had my fill of beers, I headed for home. Stopped by Myleen’s for some takeout desserts, then grabbed my trike. I settled onto the couch with my sweetie and some apple pie a la mode. Then watched episode #5 of Blue Eye Samurai. Well, most of it anyway.
Facebook memories reminded me that five years ago I was marching strong:
I’m not sure I’ll be replicating that distance regularly, but I have some plans to push myself a little harder, starting with my solo Thursday hike. Stay tuned!
Also, Facebook showed me a picture I’d posted from my glory days back in the early 70s.
I’m still alive and kicking fifty-plus years later, so I reckon I beat the odds and overcame a lot of those bad life choices. I’m going to keep that up for as long as I can!
Quora Q&A time:
Q: Would a millionaire in his 60s get hot girls in their 20s easily?
A: I am not a millionaire. I am 65 years old, and I routinely “get” hot girls in their 20s (although honestly, I prefer women in their 30s) easily. It is simply a matter of helping each other out—they have needs, I have needs. I take care of them; they take care of me. Win-Win.
Not anymore, of course. Live and learn. Or maybe I just got lucky.
How about these?
Anyway, it’s all good. My Tuesday evening routine of heading to Baloy Beach and the Kokomo floating bar is coming up next. I could get used to normalcy again!
Yesterday was the first day of getting back to my old ways, and it all seemed to go well. So, if you’ve been missing photos from my hikes, get ready to enjoy the ones I’ll be sharing in this post. Swan and I did our weekly Sunday morning candy walk and it was, dare I say it, a sweet experience. *ahem*
(sorry about the Galaxy watermarks on the photos. I hadn’t noticed that my phone settings reverted back, but I’ve turned off that feature again)
It had been days since my last bar visit, and I remedied that with my Sunday feeding for the Hideaway girls. They were down to three yesterday. Saves me money, but still sad to see this bar going downhill so fast. I’m not sure what the answer might be that would turn the place around. A classic catch-22; you can’t pay for staff without customers and customers won’t come to an empty bar.
My other Sunday tradition after Hideaway is to make a beeline for the beach.
We departed shortly after the sun did and made our way back home via a tricycle. I watched episode #3 of “Blue Eye Samurai,” and it was the most intense so far. An animated adult drama (this episode prominently featured brothels) set in Japan wouldn’t normally be my thing, but I’m enjoying this one.
Until yesterday, it had been a week since I’d managed to break the 10,000-step barrier.
I’ll have a hill or two to challenge me on today’s Hash, and it will be interesting to see how I handle those. I’ve been doing better on the neighborhood inclines and am feeling stronger, so hopefully, I’m on the road to restoration.
Today’s Quora Q&A:
Q: Do people ever need to take out a loan to receive a new organ?
A: It depends on how expensive it is. I don’t have an organ, but when I was shopping for a piano, I went with a baby grand and I had to borrow the money to pay for it.
Yeah, I know. For a stupid shit I can be a real smartass sometimes.
How about these?
To be clear, in my professional life I didn’t bring my bad jokes to the office. Got in trouble once for something I said here on the blog (called Mohammed a pedophile), but I maintain that was historically accurate (he married a twelve-year-old). Still, I concede it was insensitive. Sorry, not sorry.
Back tomorrow with the Hash report. Thanks for coming by!
A nice finish to a nothing day with a visit to my friend Max’s place. He was having a going away get-together before he leaves for work in Germany next week. I’d only been to his house once before and he’s been busy making improvements since then. It is also part way up a hill with no vehicle access (other than a motor scooter) so I even got to give my lungs a test walking there. They passed!
It was a little tricky getting down from Max’s in the dark, but with two phone flashlights, we managed. Stopped by Sit-n-Bull and grabbed a pecan pie to bring home with us. Settled onto the couch, and watched episode #3 of Blue Eye Samurai. A fine way to end the evening.
And today starts a new week and my attempt to return to normalcy.
Then we did a 6.5K candy walk that included some stairs. I held out pretty well doing that, too. So, next, I’m going to see how it goes at the Hash tomorrow.
Maybe it’s a little too soon for this, but it gave me a chuckle:
Let’s do the Quora Q&A:
Q: What are the most embarrassing reasons someone got fired in your company?
A: When I worked for the Postal Service, a postmaster got caught being intimate with one of his clerks inside the walk-in safe. He was fired for what we called having “safe sex”.
True story!
And now for these:
Alright, back to my quest for normalcy. I did the walk today and will soon head out for the Sunday Hideaway feeding. After that, I’ll do my weekly visit to the Arizona floating bar. I’m going to live it while I got it!
I didn’t walk again yesterday. Maybe I’m just making excuses, but I decided to give it a rest and hope the new meds kick in and start making a difference. I used my new pocket inhaler during the dog walk, and it did seem to help with the breathlessness attack I was suffering. I took today off as well, but I will definitely be out again tomorrow for the candy walk with Swan.
Yesterday was payday for my helpers and for a couple of others I’m helping. I’m able to use wire transfer services for this task, which keeps it simple–it’s never been easier to spread the wealth! My main charity projects are the mountain mama and her kids and Mary, the student I provide with the cash to continue her education. Of course, these days, I only get the satisfaction that comes from helping those in need, and that’s enough.
I didn’t leave the ‘hood yesterday, but I did go next door for a nice evening with neighbors.
I’d never been inside Martin’s place before and it was amazing. I was especially envious of his downstairs bathroom:
And my non-bar fun is not over yet. Tonight, I’ll be visiting my Dutch friend Max’s place to participate in a going away party. Max is heading back to the Netherlands for a few months. Look at me having an actual social life. Who’d a thunk it?
Oh, and it turns out my Aussie neighbor Allen reads my blog. Nice to see you again last night!
We talk about grammar and punctuation here (and my being a bad example for both), but spacing is important, too.
Let’s do the Quora Q&A:
Q: How would you prefer to die if given the choice?
A: Peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather did. The passengers in his car that day died screaming in fear.
Thousands of comedians out of work and I’m trying to funny? Ah, well. How about these:
I’m planning on resuming my normal routines tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll be better than I was. Either way, I’ll do the best that I can do. Stick around and see what happens.
February ended with a leap, and I landed here in March. Here’s how I spent that extra day:
The doctor’s visit took place in typical Filipino fashion. As I’ve mentioned before, you can’t make an actual appointment. You call the hospital, find out what hours the doctor will be in, and get there early. Once you arrive, you get put on a list and wait your turn on a first come, first served basis. The pulmonary doc I needed to see was scheduled to arrive at 2:30. Swan has a friend who works at the hospital, and she kindly added me to the top of the list, saving me from having to arrive early to reserve my place in line. And yes, some money did change hands when we arrived.
Anyway, the plan was to leave the house a little after 1:00, walk to the highway, catch a Jeepney to SBMA, and then walk the two blocks to Baypointe Hospital. As we stepped out the door, our neighbor Martin and his wife were pulling out of the driveway. It turns out they were heading to Royal for some shopping, and they dropped us off right in front of the hospital. Much more comfortable than a Jeepney ride on a hot day. We did arrive earlier than necessary, but better early than late.
One of the procedures is having your vitals checked before seeing the doctor. When the clinician was surprised to see my oximeter reading of 92, I laughed and said it was 88 this morning. Anyway, I did the pursed lips breathing thing for a couple of minutes and got it up to 95, so he was satisfied. With the extra time, I went down the hall to see about getting my head examined–or at least my eyes. I have an appointment (yes, I was happy to discover they schedule appointments!) with the doc who did my cataract surgery for Wednesday.
So, it was a bit after 2:00 now and I settled into a chair in the hallway outside the doctor offices. 2:30 arrives, and still no doctor. I sent my helper to inquire about his whereabouts, and she reported back that “he was on his way.” Three o’clock and still no sign of him, so I’m getting frustrated. My helper reports back that he is finishing up his rounds at Gordon Hospital in Olongapo and will be here soon. I was frustrated and pissed, but had invested too much time and effort to bail out now. Dr. DeJesus eventually appeared a bit after 3:30. And I was the first to get in!
The doctor reviewed notes from my previous pulmonary visit as I recounted the symptoms I’ve been experiencing. His first words were a little disconcerting, “You do understand that COPD is a progressive disorder.” Um, yeah. That’s why I made the lifestyle changes to slow it’s progress. So, he wrote out a list of several new prescriptions that will hopefully clear the mucus from my lungs, and help open my breathing passages so I get more oxygen in my bloodstream. He also gave me script for a pocket inhaler to use in emergencies. I showed him the one I’ve been carrying for that purpose and he advised it was wrong because it takes too long to be effective during a breathing attack.
Dr. DeJesus also recommended that I purchase an oxygen concentrator for home use. It’s on my shopping list.
The visit was completed within thirty minutes of the doctor’s late arrival. He apologized for the tardiness, so I’ll give him that at least. We took a taxi to Barretto from the hospital and had the driver drop us off at Papagayo, a nice beach resort in town. They were having a celebration to commemorate the 71st anniversary of their founding. How often do you get to eat at a place that is older than you are?
I hadn’t been to Papagayo in quite a while, too fraught with memories of the times I spent there with my previous love at her favorite restaurant. Good food, beachside tables, and friendly staff is how I recall the experience.
Right when we sat down, here came Dr. Jo and hubby Chris and they joined us at our table. It was weird seeing my other doctor unexpectedly. I assured her I hadn’t been cheating. She laughed, and I shared the prescriptions Dr. DeJesus had provided. She didn’t see any issues but made suggestions for a couple of tweaks. Then we got down to the business we had come for.
The other shocking thing was the price of a beer–160 pesos, by far the most expensive beer in town. I don’t remember the beers here being anywhere near that much before, so I suspect they upped the price to help cover the undercharging on food.
My oh my, was I in for a shock. Served on paper plates with plastic forks. But the real issue was the quality was WAY down. There was more rice in my enchilada than chicken. It seems they weren’t reducing the price on their regular items, the made their regular items cost less to make. A Mexican-American Hash buddy was eating at a nearby table, and he declared it the worst Mexican food he had experienced.
People were rolling in for the big event, including neighbor Jeff and a couple of his friends. We were all disappointed in the overall lack of quality and slow service. I get the idea of the 71 pesos for 71 years promotion, but they probably lost future customers by cutting corners.
Anyway, I was not going to stick around drinking 160 peso beers, so we said farewell to our friends and headed out. Appropriately enough, we made Cheap Charlies our next stop (55 peso beer). Then we did our nightcap at Wet Spot. I saved money there, too, because Aine was “booked” by a customer. And that was how I celebrated the extra day in February.
Speaking of restaurants, John had a worrisome post this morning on Facebook:
need help
We’ve been surviving for 7 years in Barretto without any problem, but ever since I’ve been sick, it’s gone down hill. I spend little over $2000 USD per month for my medical overall and I don’t make that much.
I am designing lunch specials inexpensively hope I can sell my food in volume. We use very good materials and hope you can find value in our meal. All are p295 except steak. Also, I will continue Aussie steak at p495 for lunch special. P495 is really close to my cost and maybe I can make some by selling drinks. I’ll also add tenderloin pepper steak at p695. Lunch special is, orders received before 3 pm.
Within lunch hour, p500 or more, free delivery within Barretto.
Those who have our lunch special or any meals at our place, can get 5% off from meat & cheese department.
I am hoping you guys come by and dine with us or use our meat & cheese department once or twice a week. It’ll definitely save my life.
Anyone interested in running restaurant also welcome to talk to me. The restaurant is on sale as well. I might have to go back and fix my health problem in Korea.
I’m going to make an effort to eat at John’s more frequently than I have been. Would be sad to see him or the business go.
I didn’t even attempt the group hike today. Scott sent me a photo of what I missed.
I am going next door to spend the evening with my British neighbor Martin and the other hoodies tonight. These gatherings of the Bryce Street expats are always a good time.
Here’s your Quora Q&A for today:
Q: Since retiring, do you still set the alarm to wake up in the morning?
A: No, I do not. But oddly enough, I wake up earlier on my own than I used to when I was working. I go to bed earlier, too, so maybe that is why. I do sometimes set my alarm when I take my afternoon nap though.
Let’s give ’em something to smile about:
Damn, we used to sing that song during music class in elementary school. It’s funny the shit you remember in old age.