Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Yeah, that was my expectation. And yes, my lazy ass just put the whole roast in one piece. To make matters worse, I put it in frozen. I will definitely try cutting up the next one prior to cooking. Thanks for the tip!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/April/2022 @ 9:31 am
Yeah, I need to do better on my meat selection. Options are usually limited, so when I see something that looks roastable, I grab it. Not all beef is created equal though.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/April/2022 @ 6:04 am
“I imagine you’ll be dubbed King John 🤴 ,fourth of his name ,conqueror of Easter mountain and provider to all fair maidens.”
Alright, now that gave me a laugh. Thanks!
The ex I am referring to is Marissa. And yes, she is the one I helped open the kitchenette. The business failed and she moved to Manila. I don’t ever hear from her these days.
I’m not sure Alta Vista is like Monaco, but it does afford us the ability to *ahem* look down on our fellow citizens. Easy to rent a bank boat when the urge strikes, I’ve done so twice this year already.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/April/2022 @ 9:50 am
James, I used to give my ex $200 a month in cash. That paid her rent and utilities and combined with whatever else she earned in commissions she lived better than most of her peers. $500. would put you in the upper echelon of the working class here. As an example, I pay my helper $400. a month, but that comes with room and board. That’s probably twice the going rate for live-in domestic help.
Yes, Joy is one of the better ones in her methods of asking for help. For Easter she didn’t come out and say give me money, it was more along the lines of “I’m sad because I can’t prepare an Easter dinner for my aunt when she visits”. Not all are so subtle and some are outright voracious in their money demands. I’ve had to block a few of those. The ones who ask only when they are truly in need are easier for me to accomodate.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/April/2022 @ 6:01 am
Hey James, I normally give the gals 3000 pesos ($60) for their services. The daily salary in the bars is around 250 pesos, so my “gift” is the equivalent of maybe ten days’ pay. Usually, there is an immediate need to use the cash for something past due, like rent and utilities. I’ve seen Joy’s squalid living space that she shares with her two kids and alleged brother. I actually gave her the cash to have running water piped into her kitchen and bathroom. I think the “getting by” required income would be around 7,500 pesos a month. It’s a hard life for most of the working girls here and I do feel sorry for their situation. I’m not sure how Joy does in comparison to her co-workers, but she often complains that no customers = no commissions.
Yeah, Martin really is an inspiration. He can get up those mountains better than I can! And he is definitely getting more and more in shape. Nice guy to and fun to hang out with.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 17/April/2022 @ 1:28 pm
Thanks, Brian. Have a great one!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 17/April/2022 @ 6:24 am
Thanks for the comments, guys.
Kev, yeah, I just assumed it was Jesus with the cross but as much as the locals here get into these rituals, they might well have gone to that level of minutiae. That’s the first time I’d witnessed the flagellation in person. It all seemed so bizarre. Would Jesus have approved?
Terry, it’s true that an old fucker like me getting to experience the charms of these young women is pretty amazing. Dealing with the fact that I may have come to prefer that to an honest and traditional relationship is still a little disconcerting.
Dave, John’s place is on the other side of Barretto from me. It was formerly The Pub before he changed locations, and now is officially “John’s Sushi and Steaks”. I just call it John’s place for short. You exposed my ignorance this morning–I had to look up Ciaphas and Chag Pesach Sameach. Now I know!
Drain, I think that’s right. I try not to lead anyone on, my dissonance is all internal–is this really what I want? Well, it is what I currently have and I’m going to make the best of it!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/April/2022 @ 7:23 am
I’ve been using that same style calendar for five years now and never noticed the Chinese characters before you pointed them out. Interesting.
We were definitely “low church” Protestants–Foursquare Gospel and Assembly of God. I’ll never forget how freaky it was when most of the congregation would start speaking in tongues!
I will go back and read the first two lessons again, promise! I can’t promise it will make much difference though. When I proof before posting I’m shocked at just how much I fuck up simple things; I’m like the Joe Biden of bloggers. In your two examples above, I can see now that I should have used a comma after “bar” and “Friday”. 20-20 hindsight and all that.
Maybe I should embrace my incompetence and be like e.e. cummings. Instead of using all lower case letters though, I will forego all commas all the time. That way my errors will seem purposeful. Eh, maybe not. I’ll go back and read up again and try to do better.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/April/2022 @ 6:52 am
Yes, it’s a little scary for sure! Still, what’s worse–someone who believes the scamdemic propaganda or someone who believes the government is out to get us? All I can say in that regard is that if she were a strident mask/vaxx advocate I wouldn’t have asked her out. If it turns out she’s all about the flip side, there likely won’t be a second date.
And yeah, the checklist is pretty comprehensive. Well done, Brian! No is going to tick all those boxes. Now, to figure out what’s most important to me, what I’m willing to settle for, or whether I ought to just keep on living the single life. Keeping an open mind to all of it.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/April/2022 @ 7:04 am
Bob, Jhezza is definitely a hottie. Happily married and very recently a new mother. I was impressed with how quickly she got herself back in shape. Nice gal!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/April/2022 @ 7:01 am
It’s funny that you say that…when I see your posts doing a 35K hike I’m always thinking, “Damn, I’d be dying after 10K…”
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/April/2022 @ 7:06 am
Good one, Soju! 🙂
» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/April/2022 @ 6:53 am
Thanks, James. This event was technically out of town (45 minutes away in San Antonio) but lots of familiar faces. I was at least acquainted with 4 of the 11 contestants. I successfully overcame the urge to shout out to the judges “you should see her naked!”
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/April/2022 @ 2:33 pm
She probably is sweet too. The nice thing about this pageant was these were all pretty much “the girl next door” type. Not professionals or jaded bar dancers. Waitresses, moms, girlfriends–at least the ones I’m acquainted with.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/April/2022 @ 5:46 am
Yeah, that’s how I was pronouncing it–FRAYlics. Then someone corrected me with FRAWlics pronunciation. I compounded the confusion with my silly post title trying to play off the whole frolic pun. Oh well. I understand what you are saying.
Thanks for the chili support! A couple of my fans were surprised I hadn’t entered the cookoff, but I knew I was out of my league. Doesn’t matter anyway, I like it my way and that’s good enough for me!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/April/2022 @ 5:30 am
Brian, the primary motiviation for getting the new phone was having a better camera. I’m not intentionally using any filters but I’m still learning the different features available. I’m really just a “point and click” type photographer. Anyway, you are not the first to mention the change in quality of the photos I post, for the most part positive.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/April/2022 @ 6:24 am
No, it was big. They come in two sizes, regular and large. I always get the large version.
Yeah, my favorite time travel scenario also involves going back to high school for a do-over. Those first tentative steps into adulthood are critical and with no real life experience, mistakes are bound to be made. I’d definitely want to advise my high school me to join the Army, save my money, and buy all the Microsoft stock I could get at the IPO. Ah, well.
Your post also reminded of the “Life’s a Dance” song:
When I was fourteen I was fallin’ fast
For a blue-eyed girl in my homeroom class.
Tryin to find the courage to ask her out
Was like tryin’ to get oil from a water spout.
What she would’ve said, I can’t say.
I never did ask then she moved away.
I learned something from my blue-eyed girl:
sink or swim, you gotta give it a whirl.Life’s a dance, you learn as you go.
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.
Don’t worry ’bout what you don’t know,
life’s a dance, you learn as you go.» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/April/2022 @ 5:38 am
Soju, Why did I know that you would read it that way? 🙂
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/April/2022 @ 1:23 pm
Yeah, as a matter of fact, I had some Joy delivered yesterday.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/April/2022 @ 5:34 am
Soju, yep, I get it. Just took a chance so she wouldn’t be stuck out on the street. Turned out okay. This time.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/April/2022 @ 7:31 am
Jerry, yes she does seem to have a sense of humor. You need one around me.
Kev, Ha! I’m no biologist, but I’d go with pregnant woman…
Yeah, Brian. I’m not rushing into anything. The fact that she lives out of town will be a natural brake.
QP, we see it the same then.
Drain, yeah, I hear you. That’s why I didn’t invite her to stay during our first chat. When we chatted again at 0300, she didn’t have many other options and it seemed her staying with me was the best one. I kept my eyes open though.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/April/2022 @ 6:26 am
Nice comment you got there, Soju. Be a shame if something were to happen to it…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/April/2022 @ 7:36 am
Nope, that’s Dave (Gas Station) a relatively new member of the Hash. He too aspires to get fit through hiking. Martin has been out of town these past couple of weeks. I’m really impressed you are following along so well that you are noticing these details!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/April/2022 @ 5:53 am
More of the same (Sunday edition)
Soju, I agree with you regarding: Korean women. With the caveat that their beauty is only skin deep. Filipinas have warmer hearts. Plus, they go for old guys!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/April/2022 @ 7:34 am
yeah, I’ll be checking in to a hotel for sure.
QP, she was enthusiastic, it is just not my thing. I should have known better…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/April/2022 @ 5:23 am
Sometimes you gotta walk before you crawl
Yeah, I see what you mean about Easter mountain. It must just be the perspective from that particular angle that creates the appearance. I know we are scheduled to climb that fucker in a week and I’m not looking forward to it. It’s a tough, steep, bitch.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/April/2022 @ 6:11 am
Brian, I think we are talking apples and oranges here. Google said my email storage space was full so I deleted some of the old emails with attachments. That led to the rediscovery of those photos from 2008. Now, part of the problem is that the photos I do automatically upload to the cloud are taking up space as well, so I’m eventually going to have to pay.
I have an external hard drive laying around somewhere. I guess I should find it and see what’s there. I’m a techno-peasant though and really don’t want to be bothered with manually backing everything up.
I bought the domain when I started blogging in 2004. I didn’t like the Blogspot format, I wasn’t worried about privacy. Everything goes on the server of my blog host Go Daddy anyway. Originally, LTG was at johnmccrarey.com but then I somehow missed paying to renew that domain, and some jerk in Poland bought it out from under me and used it as a spam site. Rather than deal with him trying to buy it back I just switched to mccrarey.com. And here we are today.
“What happens in the PI stays in the PI?” Thank goodness that’s not true! What would I blog about? 🙂
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/April/2022 @ 7:25 am
Kev: “No naked pics = you’re gettin’ soft on us.” I didn’t want you guys getting hard on me! Yeah, paying money to Google directly just rubs me the wrong way somehow, even though it really doesn’t amount to much more than pocket change. I may have to break down and buy more space soon since I *think* my photos are automatically being uploaded now. Yesterday’s discovery was attachments to old emails. Those photos had been deleted years ago by wife #4.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/April/2022 @ 7:10 am
OMG! Do you think that might be cat meat? I’m not scared of de’ cats, but don’t want to eat them!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/April/2022 @ 7:27 am
«« Back To Stats PageFortunately, I’ve avoided the “fall down” part so far. I’ve also not been drunk enough to courageously eat from a dicey street vendor. Actually, the one pictured is comparatively nice, but I always wonder things like “how old is that meat?” and “where exactly are taking care of keeping clean?”. Yeah, I probably think too much. Then again, it used to be that every time I visited the PI I’d get diarrhea. That was probably from the water and now I’ve developed immunity like the locals Still, don’t want to press my luck.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/April/2022 @ 7:13 am