Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Brian, for the record, her teeth were ruined BEFORE I gave her cookies! Filipinos have the worst teeth I’ve seen anywhere. Part of it might be economics…cheaper to pull a tooth than to get a filling. On the other hand, I do see quite a few bargirls wearing braces. I’ve not really paid attention to Filipino diets and whether they are high in sugar content. But the girl I mentioned is missing teeth, has rotted teeth, and broken teeth. I’m not sure if anything other than dentures is going to fix that.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/May/2022 @ 8:18 am
James, “Govic” is the name of the bypass highway around Subic. It passes through the far edge of San Isidro, one of our popular hiking areas.
The thought of my helping out that youngster with some much-needed dental work has occurred to me. Of course, I’d have to do it through mom or dad, and the logistics of even finding them feels overwhelming. Obviously, I could ask the girl, and maybe I will, but I’m not really comfortable chatting up an underage street vendor. Maybe I’ll work this through a Filipina friend.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/May/2022 @ 8:07 am
Kev, it was hot, maybe that’s what got to her. She did make the downhill return trip without stopping at least.
I did glance at the Wiki link. I remember that with the line “so bring us some figgy pudding…” but most of the others I’d never heard of. You won’t see me ordering a “spotted dick” pudding anytime soon, that’s for sure!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/May/2022 @ 7:56 am
James, Rizal street is an eclectic mix. On one end are the fresh market and other commercial enterprises. It’s also home to the local jailhouse. The other end has a variety of housing options. All are better than the shanty towns and squatter villages you see around town. Low-end apartments and big western-style houses and everything in between. There are some foreigners living in the area.
DS, yeah, that was my thinking too–“this ain’t so bad”. Just need to embrace life as it is and not dwell on what it isn’t.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/May/2022 @ 6:21 am
Brian, hadn’t really thought about the black shirt thing. I assume the ones they are wearing are those lightweight breathable-type materials. I usually just wear an old Hash shirt. I’ve also been doing a headband to keep the sweat out of my eyes…I’m typically soaking wet early in the hike.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/May/2022 @ 6:28 am
James, it’s easier to be generous when you can take care of the crew for the equivalent of fifty bucks. Even at that, it is something I rarely do. A couple of lady drinks over the course of the evening is more my style.
I’m not sure what’s up with Alaska, could have just been an off night or too early. Other bars in Barretto have been hoppin’ lately with the tourists back in town. And no, I don’t usually interact much with anyone I don’t know–mama taught me not to talk to strangers!
I don’t know anything about Martin’s diet, but I do know he has been walking a lot. Since I see him regularly I don’t notice the change so much, but it is impressive that a couple of readers have noticed the weight loss from afar.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/May/2022 @ 6:23 am
“In this case, the MRI came out looking like a jumble.”
Ha! Like that time I had a brain scan, and it came back negative! I get what you are saying, though. When I read that post again after all these years, I wondered what I meant too. My recollection was I was “disconnected” from my American life and my friends and family there. I believe this was the beginning of the end for my marriage to #3 and the realization that Korea was where I was going to stay. I still cared about my old life, but I recognized it was now in the past.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/May/2022 @ 5:00 pm
Nice to hear from you, Soju! Thought you’d had enough of my escapades or something. Anyway, you are right–no apologies necessary. I’m not sorry I won’t be funding her education.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/May/2022 @ 10:19 am
Kevin, yeah, I think you are right on point here. Things are the way they are with so many Filipinas because of their own failure to take accountability for their lives. It’s always a matter of “bad luck”. [I noted the subtle punctuation lesson in the quoted text. Didn’t realize just how bad I am. I will try harder!]
DS, yep, it’s always someone else’s fault. I’ve noted the behavior you describe all too frequently. I’ve been reminding myself of “Rule #1” with increasing regularity lately.
Brian, I agree it is an “all of the above” combination of bad behaviors that perpetuate the circle of poverty here. I’ve noticed that many Filipinas I encounter have an “I’ll worry about it tomorrow” attitude that seems to preclude taking steps to plan for a brighter future.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/May/2022 @ 6:17 am
James, actually I prefer the singles tourneys because I don’t give a shit about the outcome. Win or lose, I just want to throw well and have fun. Ironically, that pressure-free attitude seems to help me play better. Go figure.
I don’t know the circumstances of Jessa’s breakup, not my business. Her fiance was living here though.
Yeah, I shared a nice weekend with the out-of-town girl. She might not be able to come back until school’s out in June though. Maybe I’ll make a trip to see her.
And yes, there are benefits to being single, including variety. I’m probably still too much in the mode of wishing for something else instead of appreciating what I have and it is only in looking back that I’ll see how good I’ve had it.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/May/2022 @ 6:27 am
Kev, there was one comparatively easy climb, but you would have hated the heat. There are relatively flat routes to be found though.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/May/2022 @ 6:19 am
Kev, I haven’t heard from Jenn in years either. Honestly, I hadn’t even thought of her in quite a while until I came across that post, Her blog is still up, but inactive. I had left a comment there back in 2013 asking if she was okay. No response. Left a new comment yesterday but I doubt she’ll see it. I do hope life has been good to her. It is weird how people you valued just disappear. I’m sure I’m guilty of that as well. Life takes you in a different direction and sometimes there is just no looking back.
One thing I was doing as I walked through the cemetery was looking at the dates on the headstones. Wanted to find a soulmate born on the same day as me. Found one who died on my birthday but that’s as close as I got. I did notice that more people had shorter lifespans than me than lived to be older. Not sure what to make of that.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/May/2022 @ 7:16 am
James, PhilHealth is the government healthcare insurance program. It’s relatively inexpensive and would provide enough coverage to be treated in a public hospital or local clinic. Foreigners can purchase it as well at a higher rate. From what I know about it, PhilHealth is better than nothing, but not much better. I expect Joy wants it so she can take her kids in for checkups or treat common illnesses. I don’t use PhilHealth–I kept my Blue Cross plan when I retired.
Yeah, I’m going to want to know Samantha a bit better before I make a commitment. And you are right, she needs to take responsibility and make a commitment to education as her priority. There was a friend’s daughter I was looking to help after she graduated high school. She wound up pregnant at 17 and the cycle of poverty in that family continues. A sad reality here. Why these gals don’t do birth control is beyond me–maybe for financial or religious reasons, but damn…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/May/2022 @ 7:15 am
Kev, we’ll see what happens, but I’m glad to help with advice and tuition if she wants to do the work required to become an HR professional.
Sensei you say? Hmm. Well, I did tell her this story shortly after we met:
I was in the process of filling a vacancy on my staff–my personal secretary. I had three equally qualified candidates. So, I called them each in for an interview and asked them one question: If I gave you $10,000 what would you do with the money?
The first candidate responded, “I’d use the money to feed the hungry children in Africa.”
The second answered, “I’d go on a shopping spree and buy all the things I’ve dreamed of.”
The third interviewee said, “I would invest the money and double it in ten years.”Which one do you think I hired? (Samantha said the third one).
Nope. I hired the one with the big tits!
(that’s my favorite HR joke).
Hmm, come to think of it, maybe she’s better off without my help…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/May/2022 @ 7:04 am
Kev, that’s a pretty fine score for such a youngster. It’s all useless trivia now anyway.
James, I didn’t intend to imply that Lyn compares unfavorably to the ex. She has already proven to be a better companion. All that is missing is the “love” emotion, and maybe that is a good thing. The kid will be an issue in whether we are both willing to take the next step. I’ll probably meet her son if she brings him on her next visit, although I can’t accommodate him at my house. We’ll see how that works out. The bargirls mean nothing to me, just a way to pass the time and share some of my good fortune. I don’t do anything with them that would constitute “cheating” in a relationship. I did stop visiting bars with girls previously because my ex didn’t like it. I cared more about her than the bar scene, so it wasn’t a hard choice. For all the good it did me.
Brian, this past weekend was a “getting to know you” endeavor. That part went well I think. And now comes the part about deciding whether we might have a future and what that would be. We’ll start figuring that out on her next visit. She’s already said she wants to bring her son with her. It’s early still. My inclination is not to be a stepfather. But there are other aspects of a relationship we might be able to share. That’s what we need to find out. But as to your basic point–yes, I’ll be honest and upfront with her about my feelings.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/May/2022 @ 6:55 am
It does take the fun out of it, although I suppose the sense of accomplishment when you finally make it through is worth something.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/May/2022 @ 9:16 am
DS, yeah, she has some nice qualities. We’ll see where (if anywhere) this goes.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/May/2022 @ 5:23 am
Kev, I knew the guys called it bushwhacking, but the context was always just pushing a way through the overgrowth. So, it struck me as kind of an exaggeration since nothing was getting “whacked”. Good to know it technically applies to what we do too.
I actually know “how” to play 8-ball–the rules, the strategies, etc. My problem is execution. I shoot lefthanded but I’m right-eyed. At least that’s my excuse for sucking. I see the shot, understand the geometry required to get the ball in the pocket, but just can’t seem to make that happen with any consistency.
True story: When I first moved to Korea in 2005 I had never experienced a bar scene like the one that existed in Itaewon. I had also never played bar games like pool and darts. Anyway, I got drafted to play pool at my favorite hangout, Dolce Vita. That first year there were 502 players in the Seoul Pool League. I was ranked 498. My nickname on the team was “Better Than A Forfeit”. One night I’m playing doubles with our team captain (and owner of DV) and I scratched on the 8-ball, causing us to lose. The captain looked at me and said, “Better than a forfeit? Not so much. Go play darts!
That is also the story of how my darting career began. I fared a little better at the oche.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/May/2022 @ 5:23 am
Thanks, guys. I’ll go into more detail about Lyn in a future post. She impressed the hell out of me on yesterday’s hike.
She lives in Angeles and has a 9-year-old boy at home. For that reason alone I don’t know that we will be spending significant time together in the future.
One day at a time.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/April/2022 @ 6:36 am
James, it’s all tit for tat I suppose. Never seen Aine’s unwrapped, but from the tent they make she must be well-endowed. I’ll probably never find out for sure. She wants me to take her out and thus far I’m more comfortable just buying her drinks now and then.
Kev, I was sitting right next to her for an hour and didn’t discover the fake cleavage until I tried to give her a tip. I always give it to the gal directly so it doesn’t go in the tip jar. My custom is to stick the money (usually a 100 peso bill) down her top/between the boobs. Aine got a big laugh when I tried to poke it through her shirt, “you thought this was real?!” Oh well. It was kinda dark in there and the illusion was good enough.
Damn, I missed a good pun opportunity. I guess my sense of humor must have eroded. *ahem*
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/April/2022 @ 6:28 am
I guess that’s one of the advantages of life in the Philippines. Although truthfully, inflation could put a damper on things. I currently spend about $200 a week at the grocery store, but the prices on some items (like cheese) have almost doubled since last year. And imported stuff keeps getting more and more expensive. On the other hand, I’m paying $700 to rent a nice place in an exclusive subdivsion–I’d be paying at least twice that much back home.
Beer is cheap, women are hot. Life is good.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/April/2022 @ 6:36 am
Brian, yeah, I pretty much live as I please and don’t watch my nickels and dimes. My overall budget is indeed $5,000 a month. I have some subcategories for managing expenses (rent, groceries, charity, etc) although I don’t strictly adhere to them. Most months I come in a little under budget and put the difference in my savings account. One pending change on the horizon will be my ability to travel again. I’ll need to make some spending/lifestyle adjustments to facilitate having the funds for two to three international trips each year.
Yes, you can check balance on the ATMs. I always check my bank account directly prior to making a withdrawal, that’s how I knew when I got the “insufficient funds” message at the second ATM that money had been taken, but not dispensed, at the first ATM. Anyway, the good news is my account has already been re-credited, so it’s all good.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/April/2022 @ 7:58 am
Kev, I tried to open a local bank account when I first moved here but it is very difficult to do on a tourist visa. I finally just gave up. Another option is to send myself money via a wire transfer service like Western Union. Waiting in line to pick it up isn’t that appealing either, but if I continue to have issues with ATMs might be the best alternative.
Interesting info on back scratchers. I never paid that much attention before. I don’t even recall purchasing mine, but I assume it was in the Philippines.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/April/2022 @ 7:41 am
“…them closing the bar means you’re probably their best customer”
Well, once the darts tourney was over I was the ONLY customer. They likely would have closed a few minutes after I left anyway.
The old base, which is now known as SBMA, is a wide-open tourist hot spot. Restaurants, hotels, and beaches attract lots of visitors. There is also a lot of permanent residents living in condos and villas. I checked out some of the old base housing as a rental option before moving here but in the end, decided I didn’t want to live on SBMA because it really doesn’t “feel” like being in the Philippines. In certain less developed parts of the old base, you can still see remnants of the Navy presence–Quonset huts and some fortifications, but it doesn’t have the feel of being on a military base anymore. We’ve done a couple of hikes in the backwoods of SBMA (it’s massive) and it is very nice. We’d hike there more often but transport is an issue (no Jeepneys or trikes are allowed). A private vehicle or taxi is the only way to get around.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/April/2022 @ 7:34 am
James, oddly enough I was just thinking the other day that I don’t cook much at home these days. Part of the reason is that I don’t have anyone to cook for, and dinner for one is a bore. And really, there is so much good food available in my little town (John’s, Sit-n-Bull, Mango’s are my favorites) that I enjoy doing dinner as part of my night on the town routine. It’s not all that cheap eating Western-style meals, probably average ten bucks with beverages in the places I dine. I don’t have a food budget per se, but I can afford to eat out every day I desire to do so. I still usually have breakfast and lunch at home.
It’s true, I rarely eat at fast-food joints. It’s not so much that I don’t enjoy a Whopper now and then, it’s mostly a matter of convenience. The closest place to me is the Jollibee’s on the Subic side of the river and I just don’t venture out that way on my nightly escapades.
As to the cookie recipients, I only speak English to the kids and they don’t say much to me either beyond “thank you, po”. Sometimes we have a Filipina with us on the hike and they might interact with the parents some in Tagalog, but otherwise, it is just an exchange of friendly greetings. I don’t know that I have a nickname, but a couple of the mountain families call me John.
I rarely see any native Aeta people in Barretto and I’ve never seen any in the bars.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/April/2022 @ 6:35 am
Kev, it was a BIG sandwich! 3/4 was more than enough to fill my gut.
Had the Hash in the afternoon, hence the shorter morning walk. I definitely got my steps in!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/April/2022 @ 7:04 am
James, as far as I know, the Dick is still doing what he does best, spending his life tearing down what others have created. I have totally disassociated myself from the group he hangs with, including my ex. I have no reason to believe he has been any more successful in his quest for her heart, but if that were ever to come to pass I would just shake my head and sadly acknowledge they deserve each other.
As for the voyeuristic photo, I was just trying to share with my readers the world as I see it.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/April/2022 @ 7:01 am
DS, I’ve been there a few times. It’s out of the way for me so my visits are usually if I’m doing a hike or something else in that area. I think it is doing okay, although it’s been a while since I’ve been there. Nice place, though.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/April/2022 @ 12:16 pm
Kev, best pork chops in town, I’m never disappointed with them.
Third place was just 100 pesos each. I would have tipped her that much anyway. She earned it!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/April/2022 @ 6:46 am
«« Back To Stats PageJames, I don’t know that I evaluate every bargirl I meet on a suitability scale. Some that I spend time with frequently might get me thinking of their potential as a girlfriend. “Shaggability” is really just a matter of overall attractiveness, and some gals become more (or less) attractive depending on their ability to converse and interact. Getting my jokes is a big plus! I’m just not as comfortable with a barely legal woman as I am with an older gal–late 20s, or early 30s works for me. I don’t do “take out” so negotiating a price for that isn’t necessary.
The mountain girl (MG) told me her cousin was working at Rosie’s and that she takes care of her cousin’s baby while she works. I think the cuz has seen the fruits of my donations first-hand, so nothing to keep secret. You are right though, the more people who know, the more likely they’ll come knocking on MG’s door looking for a handout. That’s life amongst the poor here.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/April/2022 @ 6:44 am