Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Re: the shower schedule: Like you, most days I do a late afternoon shower, and that suffices. I don’t sweat much when I go out in the evening and don’t have any time around other people after the morning hike. Tuesday is the exception because I go shopping in the morning.
I don’t store water for emergencies, but the helper usually manages to fill up a couple of ice chests from the neighbor’s garden hose when needed for things like flushing the toilet. I always have plenty of drinking water on hand.
Yeah, I get that ChatGPT is just going to regurgitate what its creators think you should hear. I was taken aback by how popular that unattributed response was on my Facebook page. Although I try to respect the opinions of others, I also like to consider the source. You can’t do that with an AI provider. I doubt ChatGPT has much experience with the nuances of the bar scene.
Yeah, I just asked the app what http://www.mccrarey.com was about, and it couldn’t figure that out with eighteen years of data to access. Lately, I’d probably just call Long Time Gone one man’s diary. I think human eyes could have answered the questions sufficiently by quoting the sub-heading: “Trials, tribulations, and adventures of an American in the Philippines.”
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/January/2023 @ 7:15 am
Dan, thanks for the tips. I actually don’t normally experience hangover symptoms after a night of overindulgence, but now I’ll be prepared for the next time.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/January/2023 @ 5:07 am
Kev, impressive. That carabao is indeed being pulled. The farmer had it on a rope and was walking to the rice paddy.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/January/2023 @ 5:04 am
Hello, James. Nice to see you back!
Your comment implies that I need to be rescued, but I’m living a life I’ve chosen, and I’m making the most of it while I can. Not always ideal, but I’m doing okay.
I’d definitely join Narissa on a museum visit or a trip to the zoo. And it is not a deal breaker for me if she doesn’t care to go hiking with me; to each his own and all that.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/January/2023 @ 5:00 pm
You are right, life is hard and usually harder if you are a woman. As I recall, they even amended the Constitution to provide for women’s suffrage. (sorry, couldn’t resist!)
If we are on the road in search of Nirvana, I’m the guy handing out drinks to thirsty female travelers.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/January/2023 @ 4:53 pm
Well, I’m just searching for the exception to the rule! Actually, I think Tom is right about the girls in the prostitution bars, but I rarely frequent those.
Nerissa’s looks aren’t that attractive to me either, but her brain has me intrigued. I hope to get to know her better, but I’m keeping my expectations in check. She’s new to the bar scene (or at least, so she says), so she may not be jaded yet. I honestly don’t see the women who choose the bars as being in need of rescue. Most of the ones I’ve met are there because it is their best option. Sure, they dream of meeting a “rich” man and living happily ever after, but I doubt many expect that will ever happen.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/January/2023 @ 5:53 am
It depends, but usually, there is someone of like mind. Yesterday there was no one else nearby when I deviated, so I was alone for the remainder of the hike.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/January/2023 @ 6:35 am
Glad to be of service, QP!
And Kev, those can’t be real words, right? Otherwise, it is the best double entendre ever!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/January/2023 @ 6:24 am
Well, wearing did seem to make me a target of sorts.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/January/2023 @ 6:56 am
Thanks for the link. Yeah, there have been a couple of other onion smugglers caught recently. I guess onions are more lucrative than drugs these days. The shelves are bare of them in my grocery store.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/January/2023 @ 5:55 am
Yes, I don’t know how that “feature” got turned on, but I’ve turned it off again. The photos from the hike without it I cropped, but I didn’t have the patience to do all of them.
It’s Gen, but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t thinking of her as a “Gem” when I wrote this post. Kind of ruins my playing off “jumpin’ Gemini.” Oh well, another milestone on the road to dementia.
She still hints around about being more than friends, but there is always something to remind me how wrong she would be for me.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/January/2023 @ 6:17 pm
I don’t mean to be condiment sending…
I saw Pam briefly last night, and she has not seen nor heard from her former friend, who has now blocked her on social media. I asked Pam if they had an argument or something to make her friend angry (jealousy is common among Filipinas), but Pam denied it. Quite the mystery.
Well, the power company had scheduled maintenance/power pole replacement, and I had missed the notice, so I guess that’s on me. I have a gas stove (shame on me!) and my grill, so I don’t have to go hungry during an outage.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/January/2023 @ 6:48 am
Thanks. And another new word!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/January/2023 @ 6:21 am
Kev, yeah COPD sucks. Hopefully, the new meds help.
Saw John briefly last night sitting behind the counter in his recliner. Didn’t look so good, but I didn’t ask about his status. He’s still posting on FB about his latest offerings, so I’m glad he’s still being creative in the kitchen.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/January/2023 @ 5:44 am
That’s the plan, Brian. COPD is a progressive disease, so the best I can hope for is to slow its progress as much as possible.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/January/2023 @ 5:37 am
Kev, no, there is no sawmill on Sawmill road, although I’m told there was one many years ago. I’m pretty sure Sawmill isn’t the “official” name of the street, but I’ve never seen signage to the contrary or heard it called anything else by the locals.
Ha! Yes, I’m sure the clouds were intended to draw my attention to that gorgeous rice field. I was going to make a postcard reference, and then I got to trying to remember when the last time was that I even saw a postcard. It’s strange to grow old.
The Matain river sometimes floods during the rainy season, and that river bed will be full and flowing after any heavy storm. But this time of year, it is just a trickle. It’s worrisome; how will all that trash find its way to the bay?
Thanks for the link to Dr. Gillaspy; I get what she is saying about the benefits of breaking the three-meals-a-day routine. Of course, what you eat matters most, and I’ll check out some of her other videos for additional guidance in that regard.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/January/2023 @ 6:34 am
Did you read that link on Instapundit this morning saying skipping meals is not healthy? What’s your take on that? I know you are a fan of intermittent fasting.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/January/2023 @ 1:04 pm
Kev, yeah, he seems like a nice guy with some motivation, and we’ll all encourage him to keep at it. After he left in the trike, I caught back up with the group and told them, “don’t EVER call ME slow again!” They got a laugh out of that. There is one guy in our group who does that hill climb thing you suggest. He does it as a workout, though, similar to you climbing those staircases in your building.
I had to go back and look at the Wet Spot photo–it is an unfortunate shadow indeed. No baklas in the SOB bars.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/January/2023 @ 7:20 am
Yeah, I wasn’t sure what to do with four keychains that look like me (or how I used to look). They are about half the size of a business card. I did wind up putting my keys on one of them, figuring maybe if I lose them, someone will recognize me. I gave the others away to girls who pretend to like me.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/January/2023 @ 7:13 am
Shipping from the USA does add some expense and time to receive, but sometimes it’s the only option. I do most of my online shopping through Lazada (the Amazon equivalent here), and occasionally the products ship from overseas. I have had bad luck purchasing shoes online–either they ship the wrong size or the “right” size doesn’t fit properly. These days I won’t buy shoes I haven’t tried on first.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/January/2023 @ 7:06 am
Kev, You are right, it was the left eye. The mole hadn’t affected my vision yet, but I found it increasingly irritating and distracting. Glad it is gone! I’ve got an appointment with Dr. Jo on Tuesday, and I’ll ask her for advice on the skin tabs. I’ll check out the link and some videos, too. Thanks!
The fact that you could see that nasty thing all the way from Korea tells me I was right to have it removed!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/January/2023 @ 7:22 am
QP, I’m impressed with your memory! Yes, after almost five years of being retired, I was hired as a contractor in 2015. The main reason I took the job was for the benefits, including a visa and base access with commissary and PX privileges. That particular job was part-time, and wouldn’t have paid the rent, but I still had my pension. I know guys who have been working full-time as contractors on base for many years with great salaries and housing allowances provided. That’s an ideal way to live overseas before retirement.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/January/2023 @ 7:16 am
Yeah, no idea what is going on with the onion situation. The white/yellow ones haven’t been available for months. And now those small purple things can’t be found either. Prices are through the roof too. I recently saw some news blurb about arrests in Manila for someone illegally importing Chinese onions.
Strange times.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/January/2023 @ 7:41 am
Nice to see you in the comments again, James. Your feedback and insights are always appreciated.
Anyway, I’m still in the game and looking forward to seeing what happens next. All that’s really changed is now I’m learning to embrace the life I have instead of longing for something different. It’s not so much a loss of optimism as it is accepting reality. And my reality is something to be thankful for. Yeah, I never imagined I’d be living a solitary life in my golden years, but it is also a life mostly free from the drama and heartaches that come with relationships. I’m going to be fine.
I’m already thinking about my next international trip. Probably Vietnam. And at some point, I need to see the family back in the USA. Here in the PI, I’m going to Baguio in February and looking to see what Bohol is like soon.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/January/2023 @ 7:37 am
A date that will live in infamy
Yeah, just surprising how her real-life persona differs so much from her online character. Although all those red flags were from things she wrote, so neither one is a good fit for me. Then again, I couldn’t help but notice on the trail what a fine ass she has. So, she has that going for her, at least. Anyway, she said she hopes we can be friends, and I’m okay with that. We’ll see how long she lasts at John’s place–I’m told he has zero tolerance for bullshit from his workers, so I won’t be surprised if she doesn’t work out.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/January/2023 @ 6:59 am
Kev, it wasn’t you, it was me. Probably didn’t even warrant mention on the blog, and I can see why my throwaway line about encountering assholes without follow-up details was confusing. Anyway, just a couple of encounters at IDM after the Hash that were unfriendly and disappointing. I’ve just chalked it up as a “good to see how you are” moment and let it go.
Get some rest!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2023 @ 7:00 am
Brian, it’s called “White Castle Island” and is a local landmark, but I have no clue as to why it was built or its purpose. It’s really not maintained, although some of the island hopping tours of the bay still stop there. I’m curious about its history, too, and will see what I can find out.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2023 @ 6:55 am
Actually, the celebration Sunday was in honor of BOTH birthdays.
It’s sad to see someone diminished by a progressive disease, but John seems to be making the best of a bad situation. Props to him! Puts my health issues in perspective, that’s for sure.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/January/2023 @ 6:01 am
I had no recall of that scene from the movie. I have to hand it to you for remembering.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/January/2023 @ 6:02 am
«« Back To Stats Page“But if you judge safety to be the paramount consideration in life you should never, under any circumstances, go on long hikes alone. Don’t take short hikes alone, either – or, for that matter, go anywhere alone. And avoid at all costs such foolhardy activities as driving, falling in love, or inhaling air that is almost certainly riddled with deadly germs. Wear wool next to the skin. Insure every good and chattel you possess against every conceivable contingency the future might bring, even if the premiums half-cripple the present. Never cross an intersection against a red light, even when you can see all roads are clear for miles. And never, of course, explore the guts of an idea that seems as if it might threaten one of your more cherished beliefs. In your wisdom you will probably live to be a ripe old age. But you may discover, just before you die, that you have been dead for a long, long time.” – The Complete Walker
I think you shared that quote (or a paraphrase) with me previously. I do appreciate the sentiment but I also believe common sense and minimizing risk are important considerations. The most dangerous thing I do every day is crossing the national highway, the danger doesn’t deter me. But when I cross, I make sure there is a break in traffic first. We had a guy break his leg last year hiking on the relatively safe My Bitch trail; luckily, he was close enough to town to make it down on his own. We are all going to die of something, of course. But falling down a ravine and laying at the bottom in pain being eaten by mosquitos as I slowly die of thirst, is a nightmare I want to avoid. If that means hiking with a group on the more dangerous mountain trails, so be it.
That said, I do agree there is a different vibe when you are walking alone. I do that on the days we don’t have group hikes and enjoy it, even when I stay on flat ground and backroads. I usually wear my headphones and have background music to accompany me.
I’m pretty sure Scott will make a full recovery and be back on trail soon. Glad you liked the Easter mountain shot. It’s sorta gotten to be my thing to try and capture different vantage points of her highness, Easter, when I’m out walking. And I almost didn’t include the “browsers” shot in the post, but I’m glad I did now.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/January/2023 @ 7:08 am