Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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No, there is no formal reservation system for the SOB. Most venues reserve a “VIP” table; otherwise, it is first come, first seated. There was one occasion when I arrived at Queen Victoria an hour before the event signups commenced, and all the good tables had “reserved” signs on them. It really pissed me off that I made the effort to get there early and still couldn’t get a decent seat. So, I told them fuck this and left. I complained to the event sponsor later, and I’ve not seen that happen again.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/January/2023 @ 7:01 am
Thanks for the advice, Dave. The great thing about it is that being motivated to do the OPPOSITE turns bad advice into good. Given my problem finding an empty barber chair, I’ve actually been considering growing my hair long again like when I was a rebellious teenager.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/January/2023 @ 12:45 pm
Thanks, Kev. And Happy New Year to you as well.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/January/2023 @ 6:22 am
Great to hear from you, Nomad. It’s been a while!
Yeah, at least on this phone camera, I’m ditching food mode. I might be doing something wrong, but the quality just isn’t there.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/December/2022 @ 7:11 am
Ha ha, glad you clarified what you meant by “big.”
Well, I’ll cop to being comfortable in my comfort zone, but that doesn’t mean I’m unwilling to try something new. I’m not sure what that might be, though. I do plan to get back into travel mode in the new year and see some places I haven’t been to before. I just don’t expect that will provide much opportunity to meet “the one.” That’s one of the advantages to the dating site–I can target my searches. I’m thinking Bohol will be my first trip, and I could do a search of gals living there and see if one might be interested in being my tour guide.
I’m not as comfortable on the dating sites as you may think, though. There are some scammers out there and the usual losers and users. But I’ve also met some “real” girls, and by that I mean never having worked in the adult entertainment business, looking for true love. Looking back, I fucked up by rejecting a woman like Eva (she came and visited me in Korea) who sincerely wanted to be my partner in life while I foolishly thought I could do better (and yeah, part of that was she was older and not as physically attractive as some others). I don’t think I’m as shallow as that now with almost five years under my belt here.
Anyway, one day at a time, eyes wide open, and see what the new year holds in store. Thanks for the encouragement to try something new!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/December/2022 @ 7:06 am
Brian, Ha! And I thought I had an original idea. At this point, hiring a “girlfriend” is still in the thinking about it phase, but you make some points, and I appreciate the insights. If I do go that route, I can see the value of getting someone from out of town. But either way, honesty is key, with both parties going into the arrangement with eyes wide open.
And hey, I’m not an age bigot…hell, I would consider someone in her 30s! All kidding aside, my favorite bargirls are the older ones–they are more skilled at conversation, and I’m just more comfortable with someone a little longer in tooth. We’ll see what happens.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/December/2022 @ 6:46 am
“Maybe they don’t even see themselves as impoverished.”
I’m actually intrigued and curious about the Aeta population. My sense is that they choose to stay within their own communities rather than integrate into society at large. I’m not aware of any laws or other discriminatory practices that cause this. I’ve noticed that you very rarely see Aeta people working in jobs that might ease their poverty. For example, I don’t recall ever seeing an Aeta working in the malls, hotels, convenience stores, or the bars. I don’t know why that is. I’ve never heard a Filipino saying anything disparaging about the Aetas; in fact they seem to respect their history and traditions.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/December/2022 @ 5:49 am
Yes, that was the food setting. It doesn’t seem as sharp to me as the regular setting, though. Next time I’ll post one of each to see which looks better.
I shop at Royal for convenience and because they stock some imported items I like. As I discovered at the other big supermarket on base, the scam seems to be universal. I’ll just have to keep my eyes open.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/December/2022 @ 7:13 am
Dan, the other day I had a hole in my pocket. I didn’t feel crazy, but I sure felt nuts.
Sorry, that old line came back to me for some reason when I read your comment. Anyway, here in the PI they don’t call them coconuts, it buko.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/December/2022 @ 7:09 am
That’s pretty much it, Brian. There are other options, like SM and PureGold, but they don’t stock a lot of the imported items I like. And when I was at PureGold a couple of weeks ago, they pulled the same scam. It just seems to be a thing here–reduce the price on the shelf but don’t update the database for the scanner. If the customer doesn’t catch it, mission accomplished. There doesn’t seem to be a consumer protection agency to complain to about it, so I’ll just have to remain vigilant.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/December/2022 @ 7:07 am
Yes, the Candy Run was a big success. Glad I was able to participate.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/December/2022 @ 7:13 am
Ha! I’ve been to that bar. Or one like it. In Pattaya, Thailand. The sign says, “Fcuk Inn–Liquor in the front, Poker in the rear>”
I don’t know how to post a photo in the comments, but you can see the sign at the link.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/December/2022 @ 6:49 am
Kev, Sorry, I’ll try to remember to get a pic of the chocolate next time. It doesn’t look like anything special, but it does have a great taste.
I think the close-up photo of the appetizer makes it look bigger than it was–at least it fit fine in my mouth. I’d never seen anything quite like it, but now that I’ve read about crostini, I can see the resemblance.
As for the fruit salad name, I never put much thought into it. As a child, I always looked forward to my Aunt Pat’s fruit salad at Thanksgiving. I never tasted anything quite like it and was always disappointed when I’d order a fruit salad somewhere and find it was made with Cool Whip or something similarly sweet. The secret to Aunt Pat’s recipe is the sour cream base. So, when I started making my own, I just thought of it as Aunt Pat’s recipe. Then when I moved to Korea and brought a batch to a work party and everyone loved it, I declared it “world famous.” And no one should dare call it ambrosia, so the name evolved to make that clear. And that, my friend, is the origin of “Aunt Pat’s Recipe World Famous Fruit Salad.”
Yeah, squid is not going to be in the mix. The coconut and marshmallows are the last thing I add, and their purpose is to sweeten it up some. The dried coconut I used to buy in the bag works much better than the just scraped-out innards I’ve been forced to use here. Still, traditions die hard, so I make do with what I can find.
As for urination, it’s odd, but for the first couple of hours of beer drinking, I usually don’t pee at all. So, six or more beers at 12 ounces each still makes for a big bladder. But once I take that first piss, I am a frequent visitor to the comfort room for the rest of the night. Go figure.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/December/2022 @ 7:13 am
Dan, you are right, no question about it. Zero is 3% alcohol. I went to a Hash in Baguio that didn’t have Zero, so I drank San Mig Light which is 5%. The difference was staggering (pun intended)! I wound up hugging the toilet that night. I’d have to slow WAY down if I were drinking real beer for sure.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/December/2022 @ 6:47 am
Well, “Maria” is already a single mother with two kids and now one more on the way. I can’t understand why the concept of birth control seems to be so alien here. Most of the kids I see with “working girls” appear Filipino to me, but I’ve heard of foreigner fathers running away from their responsibilities too. That won’t happen to me because I shoot blanks.
Best wishes to you and yours for the New Year, Dan.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/December/2022 @ 6:21 am
Cupcakes aren’t healthy? Oh, shit! Anyway, they appear to be the normal kind.
The party turned out to be a bust. I was invited and told to come at 4 p.m., I left at 5:30, and still no party. From some FB photos, it looks like it got going around 7:00. Anyway, lots of other venues in which to avail my Christmas spirits.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/December/2022 @ 6:49 am
“And a way to show us the order in which you’re visiting places.”
I can draw a line between them, but that doesn’t really tell you the sequence. I do have an idea for numbering I’ll try next time.
Hmm, I’ve never tried that whacking-off in public thing. If I get caught talking to myself, I’ll just say, “I always talk to the smartest person in the room.”
Thanks for the comment; it created a moment of Zen for me…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/December/2022 @ 8:15 am
Brian, Me and my echo chamber, the fun never ends!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/December/2022 @ 8:08 am
Yeah, it was just a one-off, that’s why it stood out.
Missed you at the SOB last night, but I guess those dreidels aren’t gonna spin themselves…
P.S.: Properly prepared Spam can be surprisingly tasty. Just sayin’.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/December/2022 @ 8:06 am
Thanks for the compound word lesson. I’d never really considered how that works numbers-wise. So, I guess I could have said the bartender didn’t say ONE word to me. Good to know!
Your friend Mike sounds like my kind of guy!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/December/2022 @ 5:26 am
‘Twas the Tuesday before Christmas
Kev, impressed you are so good with the names of these gals. In this case, you have the right girl but the wrong bar–Aine works (or used to, I haven’t seen her recently) at Wet Spot. I don’t have hands-on evidence, but I’m pretty sure those tits are real.
How dare these supermarkets try and scam me out of the money that rightfully belongs to the bargirl scammers!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/December/2022 @ 6:42 am
Now, I don’t expect he’ll be a regular here, I believe he’s a tourist. And I’ll just say he makes me look both skinnier and faster. Good guy, though. it was just too much for him. That’s really my biggest fear about visiting other Hashes where I don’t know anyone or the area. No shortcutting, and if you get lost, you are screwed. Kudos to the guys who stayed with him and made sure he got back safe.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/December/2022 @ 7:03 am
Nope, never worked that hard on Brussels sprouts. I just boil them (or microwave) with some butter and cheese before dining on Frankenstein’s brains.
Coincidentally, I DID eat April, and I wasn’t even hungry.
“find the woman who comes to you for you, not for your damn money”
Well, I wasn’t sure of her motivation when we made the date, I was hoping it was about me, but she proved me wrong.Yeah, that shrimp appetizer stood out for me, too. Never had that dish as part of a holiday feast. And it’s not the snot and spit that I don’t like about buffets (but thanks for reminding me!), I just find food that’s been sitting out for unknown lengths of time unappetizing. But I’ll get to Mango’s Mango’s early on Christmas and eat it while it’s fresh.
Yep, if I could only find me a woman who loves me as much Buddy and Lucky do!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/December/2022 @ 6:55 am
2XL. Should I be worried? 🙂
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2022 @ 8:49 am
Kev, I was lucky that only my libido was killed.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2022 @ 6:54 am
Ted, there is no question about it–bringing complete strangers to your house is stupid on many levels. I was lucky the only repercussions were fat, ugly, and non-communicative. In my defense, I would never bring a street-walking freelancer home with me–that’s what short-time motels are for! I’ve turned down many of these Facebook solicitations, and when I made an exception in this case, I was chiding myself for being stupid even before she arrived. Again, I thought knowing her mother and seeing her pics with family and friends on FB was enough. Lesson learned!
Indeed, barfines are a lot less risky in many ways. It’s not about the money for me; I just like the illusion that I’m connecting somehow on a non-transactional level. That’s another manifestation of my ignorance.
As for finding an actual girlfriend, yeah, I love the fantasy of having a hiking and drinking buddy I could cuddle with and kiss good morning every day. I’ve been here going on five years now, and my multiple failures in that regard are well-documented here on the blog. It’s true; I’m looking for love in all the wrong places. I guess the “right” one is going to have to find me, or this life I’m living is the only one I’ll know.
In the meantime, I need to be smarter about who I let walk through my front door. As you and others have noted, things could have gone a lot worse.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2022 @ 6:53 am
Brian, yeah, I’ve had that same thought about dripping candle wax all over your body–ouch! I’ve seen them drip it onto their tongue, too. I guess with practice you either get used to it or maybe it’s not as hot as it appears.
Oh, and it’s an old joke but apt. I need to be more careful with my pickups.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2022 @ 6:33 am
Dan, fair point. Inviting this stranger home was somewhat out of character for me and a good reminder that I need to be more discerning in the future. In my defense, I did know her mother, but still not a smart move. I gave her the cash willingly, in part to get rid of her and also because I could sense her desperation. I knew when I invited her over; I’d be giving her something–the only question was how much and if I’d be getting something in return. It turned out the money was the price I paid for being stupid.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2022 @ 6:29 am
Salamat, Dave. Back at you!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/December/2022 @ 12:41 pm
«« Back To Stats PageKev, yeah, I listed the winners first through third. I should have been clearer about that. As a judge, I’m cognizant of the “home team advantage,” but I wouldn’t penalize a superior performance by another team to make them a winner. The home team goes first, so they set the standard I judge the other teams against. For me, that’s the advantage the home team receives.
Ah, shwimteo. I couldn’t spell it close enough phonetically to get a hit when I did a search. Thanks. I can always look for it here now the next I forget.
It’s funny you noticed that junglely thing. When I first wrote it, I didn’t use the second ‘l’ and my spell check redlined it. So, I went the ‘ly’ route, but the spell checker still didn’t like it. I actually considered doing the jungle-y option, then said fuck it. Junglely conveyed what I was trying to express, even if it isn’t grammatically correct. And we both know that when it comes to writing, sometimes it’s a jungle out there.
I wondered why you hadn’t mentioned walking lately. So, you saw a doctor for that diagnosis? Hope you recover soon.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/December/2022 @ 7:29 am