Comments Posted By John McCrarey

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Bars of Barretto: Showgirl

Yeah, and if you are going to have a small stage, put some small girls on it. Seriously a couple of hotties would be better than a slew of beached whales.

Then again, I notice that another very small bar, Chill, doesn’t have a stage and it is at the bottom of my rankings. I need to revisit there soon and assess whether my initial judgment was too harsh.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/December/2022 @ 7:32 am

Here comes Santa Claus

Yep, Martin will be re-enacting his role as Santa Claus for the Candy Run Hash. He actually had a Santa outfit made that is more appropriate for the weather in the Philippines, especially when Santa is without a sleigh. Even without the costume, he is frequently greeted by the locals with a hearty “hello, Santa!”

» Posted By John McCrarey On 17/December/2022 @ 6:26 am

Two for the road

Yeah, seeing John sprawled out in that recliner at his restaurant was very disconcerting. Seeing him up and around and doing something he enjoys was reassuring.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2022 @ 7:12 am

Brian, that was my thought too as I read the article: How are isolation issues related to COPD? I get that poor mental health likely impacts physical health, but that’s true for all conditions not just COPD.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2022 @ 7:08 am

Nice to see you in the comments again, Ted. I always appreciate your insights.

I think you make some valid points. It’s true I probably don’t appreciate the life I have as much as I should, and that I spend too much time worrying about not having the life I *think* I want.

It could also be true that doing what I do to pass the time creates an image of who I am that repels potential mates. I have had new acquaintances say that I’m considered a “butterfly.” I don’t believe the evidence supports that characterization, but if that’s how people see you, the truth is irrelevant.

I guess I’ll just keep waiting for someone who loves and accepts me as I am. Or more likely, die alone. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy myself the best way I know how.

Thanks again for your thoughtful comment.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2022 @ 7:05 am

If it ain’t fixed, don’t break it

Kev, Yeah, I’m going to do whatever it takes to save that hero phone the way it saved me. I know the internal apps were still working after the fall, so probably just replacing the LCD will fix the problem. Assuming I can ever find the part…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/December/2022 @ 7:14 am

Brian, as I recently discovered, my photos do automatically get transferred to the cloud. Also, any picture deemed worthy winds up posted on my blog, so I have them there too.

The innards on my broken phone are still working; I just can’t access any of that data because the screen is blacked out. Replacing the LCD should be all it needs.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/December/2022 @ 7:08 am

A phoney-ass Hash

Yeah, I knew I was one of those people constantly checking their phone, but hadn’t realized how much I’d miss it and how lost I felt without it. It’s kind of sad in a way, but hey, I’m funnier on messenger!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/December/2022 @ 7:11 am

Yeah, a little stiff and sore but full range of movement. This, too, shall pass.

No, I hadn’t ever considered a spirometer. Just did a quick read, and yeah, I want one. Thanks!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/December/2022 @ 7:00 am

For lovin’ me

Well, I knew some folks with CBs but my big ol’ 8-track player took all my under-the-dash space. And I was going for the Tom Selleck look, not Reynolds. The picture was taken in Idaho, and I was living in Arizona at the time; that’s a long way from Dixie. Although, Dixie wasn’t too far ahead in my future. Back then and there, shirts with snaps instead of buttons were a thing. But all I knew about Korea is what I saw in MASH.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/December/2022 @ 3:29 pm

Yeah, I’m using my nebulizer two or three times a day instead of a couple of times a week lately. I’ll plan another consult with the doctors to see if I can get back to where I was. The lung damage is permanent, but I can’t think of any lifestyle choices that are making it worse–I haven’t even vaped for a couple of years now. Unless it’s the beer which doesn’t make any sense to me at all.

My concern is maybe John isn’t getting the care he needs because of financial reasons. That’s what someone told me, anyway. If he’s not doing dialysis, for example, that’s a killer. I’m sure he is smart enough to know that. Again, when I asked him if he needed help, he waved me off and said he was doing better. I just know him as a customer, and I don’t feel comfortable pushing the issue.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/December/2022 @ 6:40 am

That really sticks in my crawl

Yeah, that wasn’t my only fuck up. What I called “The Gentlemen’s Club” is actually named Showgirls. A gentlemen’s club is the subtitle. Duh, that’s why I couldn’t find it on Google. Anyway, I’ll go back for a review of both bars soon.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/December/2022 @ 9:49 am

I don’t think I’ve ever considered the origins of “pub crawl” and “bar hop”; I’ve always just used them pretty much interchangeably. Pub does have an English vibe, but only a couple of places here use that term in their name. And yeah, I might hop into a bar, but I’m more likely to be crawling out!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/December/2022 @ 5:55 am

A tight SOB

Brian, I ate at John’s place yesterday and saw John sleeping in his recliner. He didn’t look good. He woke up as I was leaving, and I asked him how it was going. He said he had changed doctors, was on new meds and making progress. I hope so.

The restaurant is still open, and I guess the cooks are the same. The unseen impact of John’s illness is probably in the ingredients. John would make late-night trips to distant fish markets and would travel to Manila for good imported meats–not sure who, if anyone, is doing that now.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/December/2022 @ 6:01 am

Dan, the places I generally hang out aren’t lighted like that stage was. Indeed, I’m normally sitting outside watching the world pass me by.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2022 @ 8:35 am

I’m going to try and stop by this evening and check in with him. The guy I talked to last night said he may be having some financial issues. I don’t know anything about his personal life or circumstances.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2022 @ 8:34 am

The news regarding John is not good. I talked to someone last night who saw him recently, and his condition appears to be deteriorating. He can barely get out of his recliner and just sits there all day. He showed some early progress from his meds regimen, but that doesn’t seem to be working now.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2022 @ 6:48 am

The lies have it

“And always have a bag packed.”
Dan, that’s why I would never consider buying a house here–want to be able to walk (or run) away if things go totally south.

It occurs to me that I may, in fact, be naive regarding my lack of understanding of the people around me and perhaps even a degree of denial about who and what I am. In these circumstances, I’m striving to achieve a state of not caring. It is what it is; take it or leave it.

Anyway, the rant that generated all this feedback was just about my surprise that people perceived me in a way I don’t see myself. Perhaps they are right, and I am wrong. Either way, this is the best life I have, and I’m going to keep on living it, come what may.

Thanks for your support, I do appreciate it.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2022 @ 8:33 am

Welcome back to the comments, James. It’s been a while, and I’ve missed your rather unique insights.

In my defense, I will just say that my behavior when I’m in a relationship is different than how I act when I am single. Having said that, I’ve never considered myself a “whore monger.” In fact, I honestly can’t remember the last time I paid a bar fine. Fucking strangers just isn’t that appealing to me. That’s why I thought my “friends with benefits” program would work, but even then, I don’t like the concept of paying a woman to fuck me. In the case of the mountain mama, she begs me to let her give me a massage, and saying no just seems cruel somehow. She certainly is good at showing her appreciation; I’ll grant her that.

Anyway, I think I do more good than harm here. And perhaps you are right, people are going to believe about me what they choose, so I may as well just accept that and continue being the me that I know I am. Maybe that means I’ll be alone in life, and if that’s the case, so be it.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2022 @ 2:25 pm

Thanks for the comment, Brian. I appreciate your insights.

I’ll cop to a degree of hypocrisy in my attitudes. If I fell for the standard bargirl type, I’d give her an allowance equal to her bar salary and ask her to quit. Seeing a guy get touchy-feely with “my” girl wouldn’t fly with me. So, there’s the double standard of which you speak.

I think your characterization of the typical bargirl has elements of truth, with the caveat that not all the girls are looking for the same thing. In my experience, the biggest attraction a lot of them see in the “rich” foreigner is his ability to support her and her family and basic financial security. Yes, some dream of marriage, a visa, and life in another country, but that’s not usually the biggest motivator. You may recall my last girlfriend broke up with me because I could not fulfill her dream of having a baby.

I think the fact that I’m technically still married is overrated. To begin, it is not something I randomly announce upon first meeting someone. If the relationship progressed to the stage of living together in couplehood, I’d definitely be honest about my status. But again, going back to the USA and getting a no-fault divorce would be very easy to accomplish, should I deem it necessary.

As to your question, would I be okay with a married but separated woman? Probably yes. And there are quite a few women in that category since divorce is not legal in the Philippines. My issue would be that adultery is also illegal here. The authorities don’t pursue adulterers but will act on the complaint of a disgruntled spouse. I’ve heard of foreigners being scammed by the husband of a girlfriend–pay me, or I will go to the barangay. So, I’d want to be sure the husband was completely out of the picture.

I don’t have any issues with being seen for what I am, but I’m still not accepting that I am what people see.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2022 @ 2:15 pm

Thanks for the feedback, Kevin. It’s always a gift and appreciated. Let me just clarify a couple of points.

I no longer have any physical contact with Joy. My mountain mama friend is a widowed mother and someone I provide weekly financial support with no strings attached. Occasionally (like once a month), she asks to give me a massage to make some extra money, and when I agree, it usually ends happily. But, back when I had a girlfriend earlier this year, I no longer permitted massages because that kind of physical contact crosses the line when you are in a relationship.

Yes, I’m still legally married. I have been physically and emotionally separated from Jee Yeun for six years now. Jee Yeun asked for the divorce, so she should initiate it. I can’t be bothered with it from here, and there are some tax benefits from having a wife. If I ever met someone I wanted to marry (my future ex-wife), I would file for the divorce back in the USA. Divorce is not legally available in the Philippines, and many of the single mothers I encounter still technically have a husband on paper (I’m not sure about Lydell’s status in that regard). Regardless, I doubt that a woman living in Korea I haven’t seen for years would make even the most sensitive Filipina jealous.

I did learn the source of one of the rumors about me having a girlfriend. When I was at that grand reopening at McCoy’s, a mutual acquaintance of mine and Lydell saw me there with those girls that my friend Ron invited without my knowledge. So, a woman I’d “known” for a couple of hours and that I didn’t particularly like (I didn’t take her home with me even though she wanted to go) suddenly became a “girlfriend.” Sometimes you just can’t win.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2022 @ 7:32 am

A pig in the Alley

Cole, even in the regular bars (meaning no takeout), most of the girls don’t use their real names (I find this out when I know them well enough to become Facebook friends). I’m not sure why this is, but I’m guessing they don’t want their family to know they are working in a foreigner bar, which apparently has some stigma attached. But I’m sure Irish really does like you!

Yeah, I’m developing the grumpy old man syndrome, too. But the irritations are minor, and I get over them pretty quickly. At Royal, I just watch my groceries being scanned; that’s what I’ve advised the other shoppers to do as well.

18 years old is the legal drinking age here. I occasionally see minors in the bars (especially where there is food) with parents, and no one seems to object. I don’t think there is a law against it.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/December/2022 @ 11:20 am

Yep, and she insists it is her given name, not a bar name (a lot of the girls use fake names at work).

I think I only do the lip thing in selfies…it takes all my concentration to reach out and touch that button.

Tragically, the designer of the chart was killed in a hiking accident before he could complete the “dangerous” color code.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/December/2022 @ 6:43 am

Four and twenty virgins

Well, there you go, you’ve written your first Hash song! Good job! You seem to have captured the essence of the Hash persona. I’ll forward this to the Songmeister for his consideration.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/December/2022 @ 6:11 am

I guess I’ve reached my peek. How much lower can I go? I do know the difference between a peak and a peek, but damn, somewhere between my brain and my fingers, something always seems to go wrong.

Yeah, I think Vienna takes some joy in fucking with us, and we get pleasure out of trying to stymie his plans. But, all in fun. No one takes it seriously.

There’s lots of nice mostly flat trails around, so don’t worry!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/December/2022 @ 5:00 pm

Street walkers

Sounds like lots of great memories. Curious about those so-called “stupid mistakes” that you mention. Is Katja pronounced, “caught ya”? That’s how it sounds in my head.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/December/2022 @ 7:55 am

“two of the Georgetown girls I was studying in Switzerland…”

My brain paused there longer than it should have.

Initially, I started walking for my health–both physical and mental. But I’ve come to enjoy just being out and about and part of this world I call home. Even on familiar paths, there is usually something new to see. As I age, I fear the day will come when my body loses its ability to take me on my walking adventures. Then again, I see lots of older folks livin’ the life so I’m not stressing over it.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/December/2022 @ 6:48 am

The real McCoy’s

Actually, the first version of McCoy’s was just pretty much a ramshackle throw-together. That had its charm, but it always had a temporary feel about it. I think the new structure will attract more passerby business with the additional seating taking advantage of the vistas.

I’ll have to give the knotchos a try. I wonder if I can get them to add some raisins?

» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/December/2022 @ 5:47 am

Wish you were here

It’s all about context; I’ll levy you that.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/December/2022 @ 5:41 am

You know, it’s funny because I considered “levee” first but didn’t think the elevated strips in the rice field qualified. The levees I’ve seen were these huge structures controlling the water flow in a river. I even remembered a Led Zepplin tune called “When the levee breaks”:

If it keeps on raining, the levee’s going to break
If it keeps on raining, the levee’s going to break
When the levee breaks, we’ll have no place to stay

Anyway, berm felt right at the time, and I’m glad that it can be used in that context without being completely wrong. I just did a quick search to see if I could find a better word than levee or berm, and all I saw was “dike” which doesn’t sound right somehow either.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/December/2022 @ 7:49 am