Comments Posted By Brian
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Kind of funny, but it appears that your old website which was stolen from you (johnmccrarey (dot) com) is now a site advertising Chinese porn sites. LOL
I clicked on the link in this post to the old 2006 post and there was a hyperlink in there to an older post. Well, that hyperlink took me to the above mentioned site. LOL
I am wondering if any of the folks you meet type johnmcrarey (dot) com to look you up. Imagine their surprise.
» Posted By Brian On 05/March/2023 @ 12:49 am
Another small town Saturday night
Hope the doctor visit goes well.
Second with @Kevin on the blueberry muffins. My favorite!!
Any idea if the bars in your area are more late night hangouts or early evening hangouts? I realize that you are an “early to bed, early to rise” person, but wondering any of the bars personalities change the later the evening goes. TBH, the times you have stayed out late, I am not sure I trust your reporting judgment at that point in the evening! LOL
» Posted By Brian On 28/February/2023 @ 11:23 am
I am kind of with Kevin on this relationship possibility with Mary. But, you are two consenting adults (albeit of different ages), so hopefully both of you are going in this with eyes wide open. In your case, make sure that the big head does the thinking, and not the little head. LOL
Re: John – Wow!! Sounds like he almost waited too long to get medical care. Glad he seems to be on the upswing.
» Posted By Brian On 23/February/2023 @ 4:47 am
“Rumor has it he’s been busy pursuing romance with various brown beauties online–at least, that’s what his girlfriend told me in a message last night. ”
I thought this was funny. They must have an open relationship. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 23/February/2023 @ 4:40 am
Cool pics as always. And sometimes, it is the journey, and not the destination!
Re: the sunset. Maybe it is only me, but I am always intrigued by how fast the sun seems to go down in the tropics. One moment, bright daylight, and the next, dark. Must have to do with the angle of the sun being much more direct as you approach the equator.
Good luck to your nephews on their visa quest. I assume that Josh did it in the PI vs. US so as to have a chance to get a mini vacation in before going to Korea?
» Posted By Brian On 20/February/2023 @ 1:17 pm
Sorry to hear about another breathing incident. Ouch!! Hope you are able to figure out a way to control it such that it doesn’t cause scary episodes like the one you had.
Anyway, Happy Valentines Day to you. Sounds like you got some what you wanted/needed.
» Posted By Brian On 16/February/2023 @ 12:21 am
I copied and pasted your above post into Chat AI and asked for a response in the style of Donald Trump. I did preface it by saying it was written by a retired expat named John living in Barretto Philippines. As you also found, mainly regurgitation with no insight. Below is the response, and I have to admit, I chuckled as a read it.
I must say, John, your visit to Jollibee was quite interesting. It’s great to see you taking care of the local homeless community, even if it’s just for a meal. That’s what America is all about, taking care of one another, and I’m glad to see that spirit alive and well in the Philippines.
But let me tell you, that manager questioning your friend was wrong. You should have told him to shove it. People like that are the reason America is making a comeback, because we’re putting our foot down and telling people enough is enough. And let me tell you, I know a thing or two about fast food. I’ve had the best fast food, believe me. Nobody knows fast food like I do.
And let me tell you, those chicken and spaghetti dinners look fantastic. Jollibee, if you’re listening, I would love to try one of those. Maybe we can make a deal, Jollibee, a big, beautiful deal. I know a lot about deals, believe me.
And speaking of deals, I’m glad to hear that you got to control the music at Hideaway and play some classic rock from the 70s. That’s what America is all about, having fun and enjoying the good times. And let me tell you, I love classic rock, I’ve got all the classics, believe me.
Now, let’s talk about your friend Virginia. It’s too bad she wasn’t feeling well, but I’m glad she messaged you to apologize. That’s what America is all about, being accountable and taking responsibility. And let me tell you, I’m a big believer in responsibility, I take responsibility for everything, believe me.
But let’s talk about your female friend at the pool tournament. She turned her back to you and didn’t say another word? That’s not America, John. In America, we treat each other with respect and kindness, even if we disagree. And let me tell you, I have the best people, the kindest people, believe me.
And that wealthy man with all the onions? That’s what America is all about, making a fortune and enjoying life to the fullest. And let me tell you, I’ve made a fortune, the biggest fortune, believe me.
And your solo walk to Subic town, that’s fantastic. In America, we don’t let anything stop us from achieving our goals, even if it means walking 11K to raid an ATM. And let me tell you, I’ve achieved a lot, I’ve achieved more than anyone, believe me.
And running into mama again and her asking to go home with you? That’s not America, John. In America, we’re independent and we make our own way. And let me tell you, I’m the most independent person, I do things on my own, believe me.
And now it’s Hash Monday once again. I love that, John. In America, we don’t back down from a challenge, we face it head-on and come out on top. And let me tell you, I face challenges every day, I face the biggest challenges, believe me.
So keep up the good work, John. You’re doing America proud. And let me tell you, America is making a comeback, a big, beautiful comeback, believe me.And I’ll be waiting for your full report tomorrow, John. I can’t wait to hear about your Hash Monday adventure. And let me tell you, I’m always interested in adventure, I love adventure, believe me.
» Posted By Brian On 31/January/2023 @ 2:59 am
John, be smart. Dont know anything about COPD, but do what it takes to minimize any further damage.
» Posted By Brian On 19/January/2023 @ 2:42 am
Oh yeah, do shipping costs make to too expensive to buy something online and have it shipped to you in the Philippines? For example, ordering hiking shoes from REI and having them sent to you.
» Posted By Brian On 15/January/2023 @ 4:16 am
Interesting gift you received. LOL. Are they the size of a business card? I would probably not carry around a key chain with my picture on it, but different strokes for different folks. Maybe you should slip a note into the case, “If lost or incoherently drunk, return me to…..”
» Posted By Brian On 15/January/2023 @ 4:13 am
Interesting structure on that island(?). Any idea what that is? As a vaguely castle-like vibe going on. Seems like a lot of effort to put something like that up in the middle of the bay.
» Posted By Brian On 11/January/2023 @ 4:47 am
Sometimes you’re the windshield…
@John @Kevin Either of you guys ever eat the live octopus “delicacy”? Had it once on the beach in Busan. Of course, alcohol had been consumed in large quantities prior to trying it. LOL. Read afterwards that a couple people die each year while eating it. I guess the dying octopus gets the last laugh as it chokes the human to death.
As the saying goes: “Alcohol – because no great story ever starts with someone eating a salad!”
» Posted By Brian On 07/January/2023 @ 12:16 am
I had the same thought as @james LOL
Cue “Just a Gigilo” by David Lee Roth
» Posted By Brian On 03/January/2023 @ 6:28 am
I am assuming these places do not take reservations?
Maybe you could BYOB and hang out there waiting for an open chair? Watch the world go by from a different perspective
» Posted By Brian On 03/January/2023 @ 6:18 am
I cant find my previous comment on a “girlfriend for hire” possibility, but the gist of it was, go for it.
You are not going to find the unicorn you are looking for in the places you frequent.
Finding a 20 something attractive, sexy, young lady in Barretto that likes you just because you are you isn’t going to happen. You are going to have to offer her something that she cannot get from someone her own age, cultural background, etc and realistically, that “something” is money.
Put a girl on a stipend, lay down the ground rules and it can work. And work very successfully. I would look outside of Barretto.
If you do go on the dating site, be completely honest about what you are looking for.
Describe yourself and say you are looking for a companion. Monthly stipend. Approach it like when you were hiring people in your former life.
Manila is probably your widest pool of applicants. Take a weekend or two, set up some “interviews”, see how it goes.
Of course, you could always change your criteria of what type of lady you are looking for. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 31/December/2022 @ 2:01 am
Great pics and looks like a great area to hike.
All in all, a day well spent!!
» Posted By Brian On 30/December/2022 @ 2:05 am
Would be nice if there was an alternative to get your brownie mix, but it seems like that store is the only game in town, so not much choice except to go there, even with all fo the stuff they pull.
» Posted By Brian On 29/December/2022 @ 5:17 am
Sounds like a good day! Kudos to you and the other hashers!
» Posted By Brian On 28/December/2022 @ 7:52 am
Merry Christmas to all
» Posted By Brian On 26/December/2022 @ 6:38 am
If you have a friend in your head, you are never alone!!
» Posted By Brian On 24/December/2022 @ 1:36 am
@Kevin comment made me think of a joke
A guy picks up a random hitchhiker on the side of a dark lonely highway. After the hitchhiker gets in the car, he says to the driver, “Aren’t you afraid that I may be a serial killer?”
The driver replies, “Nah, what are the odds of two serial killers being in my car at the same time!!” LOL
BTW, that hot wax thing the Wet Spot girl was doing must have hurt. I guess maybe if you have the candles enough distance from your body, the temp of the wax may be bearable by the time it reaches the skin. :shrug
» Posted By Brian On 19/December/2022 @ 1:41 am
You’re are doing good stuff there John!
» Posted By Brian On 17/December/2022 @ 8:27 am
I think in general, not only for people with COPD, isolation is bad for mental health.
Obviously everyone is different, but people need people. We are social animals.
» Posted By Brian On 16/December/2022 @ 12:37 am
If it ain’t fixed, don’t break it
John, do you regularly back up your phone? You must have a lot of pictures. Do you transfer them to your laptop or the cloud?
I have been sucked into the Apple ecosystem and set regular reminders to back up my phone. Restoring data to a new or repaired phone is quite easy. Saved my ass (figuratively, not as @Kevin indicated, literally) a couple of times.
» Posted By Brian On 15/December/2022 @ 3:25 am
Glad the fall left you with nothing more than a few bruises, both to your body and ego.
Yeah, it is amazing how we as a society have become addicted to our phones. It is always funny to see a group of people sitting together at a table and all have their noses in the phone, probably texting the people right next to them. (I am as guilty of that as the next person, but I still think it is funny)
» Posted By Brian On 15/December/2022 @ 3:17 am
That really sticks in my crawl
It appears that Secret Bar is so secret that it doesn’t show up on the bar/pub crawl/hop map. LOL Though based on your narrative, pretty good idea of its location.
» Posted By Brian On 12/December/2022 @ 9:20 am
Bummer about John. Hopefully, he is able to get the medical help he needs. What is happening to his restaurant in the interim?
BTW, always enjoy the pics of the beauty that surrounds you. (You can take that however you like. LOL)
» Posted By Brian On 11/December/2022 @ 10:30 am
After reading your post, I was going to reply, and then saw that my reply would have just echoed what Kevin wrote, and he writes a lot better than I can. LOL
So, I second this thoughts, but that will not stop me from adding a few of my own.
Let’s say the shoe was on the other foot, and you knew/liked a young lady who, over X amount of time, you saw/heard/witnessed that she would take different guys home and do whatever happens behind closed doors. Would your opinion of her change? I am not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but I do realize that there is a societal double standard. A guy who gets it on with many woman is a stud. “Atta boy! Go for it!!” A girl who does the same thing is slut. “She’s cheap! Easy! Definitely not girlfriend material.” :shrugs shoulders
I have lived and worked in many Asian countries (though not the Philippines) and in pretty much every one, unless they are looking for a fuck buddy or getting paid for sex, ladies don’t want to get involved with a married man. The fact that you tell them that she is from Korea and you haven’t had contact in years probably doesn’t mean much to them. The word “married” is what stands out. In addition, I think a lot of the women you meet are somewhat jaded, based on where they work and the clientele they meet. They hear a stories and promises from the foreigners they meet. A lot of those stories and promises turn out to be bullshit, so should not be a big surprise that they will turn to another source for information or confirmation.
When a foreigner starts paying attention to a poor, possibly naive (or jaded, it doesn’t matter), relatively uneducated bar hostess from a third world country, their mind moves to getting out of the bar/marriage/living in Western country/cranking out mixed race babies, etc. That is one area where I think they actually do have a long term vision. If they realize that a relationship will not ultimately lead to that, then they will cut their losses and move on. If they don’t see the possibility of a future with you leading to marriage, etc., then for them, it is a waste of time and they are not getting any younger. In their eyes, I think they will look at any potential baggage you are bringing into the room. And yeah, that marriage bag is a big one. Again, with the shoe on the other foot, Are you okay getting together with a married but separated woman?
I realize that I am generalizing somewhat, but there are some nuggets of truth there.
To repeat what Kevin said – make the self image of how you want to be seen be the reality
» Posted By Brian On 10/December/2022 @ 10:20 am
I am with John on this one. I have always thought of a “berm” as something rather small, while a “levee” seems to be on a larger scale. :shrug
» Posted By Brian On 05/December/2022 @ 2:04 am
«« Back To Stats PageSeems like John does not understand the (potential) severity of his situation. I am not a doctor (nor do I play on TV), but coughing up blood is not a sign that something good is happening with your body!!! Agree with Kevin, he needs to get his ass to the hospital.
Realize that healthcare in Barretto may not be the greatest, but if it were me, I would be making the journey to Manila. There has to be a hospital with western equivalent standards there. Have him call the Korean embassy (or US embassy) and see where their diplomats go in Manila.
» Posted By Brian On 02/December/2022 @ 9:50 am