Comments Posted By John McCrarey

Displaying 61 To 90 Of 6,501 Comments

It didn’t go according to plan

Piper, now I’ve not seen any “real” bars with a pub-like atmosphere here. Still, lots of hotels and street restos serving cold brews, so I’m not going thirsty.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/August/2026 @ 12:02 pm

Island daze

Piper, well, Swan and I did share, so we both had a taste. I didn’t notice anything on the menu featuring peanut butter, but I’m sure they would slather some on to whatever you wanted.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/August/2026 @ 1:29 pm

Thanks for the kind words, Cherry.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/August/2026 @ 1:27 pm

Drain, yes, I noticed that grungy menu as well. Dosed my hands in alcohol before eating. Welcome to the Philippines! 🙂 (Take a deep breath, relax, accept the Filipino way)

» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/August/2026 @ 1:24 pm

Just to be Pacifico about it

Chop, there was no in-flight service at all. Guess the small prop plane doesn’t have room. I was honestly surprised they got all the luggage on board.

There were some eateries upstairs, even saw a Wendy’s, but you couldn’t get there without having to go through security again.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/August/2026 @ 1:26 pm

An abbrev. post

Cromwell, that’s a nice way to put it.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/August/2026 @ 12:00 pm

Chop, yep, it’s weird how the hours reverse in old age.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/August/2026 @ 11:59 am

About and around

Brian, yeah, having a mortgage doesn’t make you a resident. Using my daughter’s address for my mail shouldn’t either. Hopefully, they’ll see the error of their ways, but then again, this is the government we’re talking about.

Glad you found the video of interest. It does provide some context to the places I mention on the blog. Business has definitely not improved. Even a lot of the expats leave the country during rainy season.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/August/2026 @ 8:16 am

Chop Suey, yeah, I had actually thought of the blog being irrefutable evidence that my South Carolina residency has been non-existent since 2015. I might actually include that link in the package of documentation I’m preparing.

This is the song I thought of:
The tax man’s taken all my dough
And left me in my stately home
Lazing on a sunny afternoon
And I can’t sail my yacht
He’s taken everything I’ve got
All I’ve got’s this sunny afternoon
The Kinks: Sunny Afternoon

» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/August/2026 @ 8:10 am

It could have been worse

Carrack, were you looking in the mirror when you wrote this comment? And it is my Filipina girlfriend who hands out the candy, not me.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/August/2026 @ 12:43 pm

Saint, I’m no saint, so candy it will be.

I assume you are not serious about the Ringwraiths. Fictional characters from another world in one of the best series of books ever written.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/August/2026 @ 12:42 pm

And another one done

Brian, we’ll bury that dead horse for now. Every day, new facts are coming out that reaffirm what I believe was the wrongness of forced vaccinations and other restrictions on freedoms.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/August/2026 @ 12:41 pm

Brian, nope, not going to change my mind, but to be clear, I’m not arguing that COVID wasn’t deadly, only that the measures taken to prevent its spread were ridiculous and counter-productive. I’m an old man with lung disease, and I survived the infection. I know others were not as fortunate.

Yep, it depends on the individuals in the relationship. I might argue that Filipinas are more tolerant because they have more to lose if the “rich” foreigner bails on them.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2026 @ 2:02 pm

Chop Suey, Swan calls me “boss.” 🙂

Glad you were able to dodge the vaccination. I had no choice when my visa expired. My anti-vax doctor told me Sinovac was my best option since it was less likely to have life-changing repercussions. I’m still standing!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2026 @ 1:58 pm

Drain, I get your point, and I’m not arguing that the virus wasn’t potentially deadly. I’m just saying that the measures instituted to prevent infection were, for the most part, worthless, and in some cases made things worse.

“There was a rapidly evolving pandemic of unknown scope and duration, there was panic and overreaction, there was stupidity, and there was resentment, anger, paranoia, and nonsense.”

Precisely. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Except for the Swedish government, which instituted no restrictions on the population and had a lower death rate.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2026 @ 1:55 pm

Kimchi, you wouldn’t listen if I were skinny, either. You’re such a good little sheep.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2026 @ 1:49 pm

By golly

Brian, sorry for the unworthy response to your comment. I’m running way behind today, but I said some more on what I believe in today’s post. We are actually not that far apart. The virus was created in a lab, and I assume there was some purpose in doing so. I won’t go so far as to claim it was released intentionally, but the actions taken in response to the COVID outbreak were so stupid they had to be intended. Anyway, as always, I do appreciate you sharing your viewpoints, and I understand where you are coming from.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/August/2026 @ 6:00 pm

Drain, I think we are only now beginning to discover the truth about what really happened. Like you, I don’t understand the whys, but I guess some elites got rich (the pharmaceuticals), and others, like Bill Gates, had a decreased population agenda.

I said more in my post today. But I do appreciate you sharing your viewpoints. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle of our positions.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/August/2026 @ 5:56 pm

Horsing around or monkeying around?

Brian, yes, SBMA is a gated community with its own government. Manufacturing, call centers, shopping malls, and housing areas. Trikes and Jeepneys are not allowed to enter, and they actually enforce traffic laws. It’s a mix of locals and expats, but the nicest areas are expensive and expat-oriented.

My kids grew up with horses on my parents’ farm, but I guess we were lucky and never had a need to mask one.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/July/2026 @ 3:12 pm

Just do it

Brian, the thought about whether I were rich, would I still want to live here, has crossed my mind on occasion. Although, technically, by local standards, I am rich. I really loved the life I had in Korea, but I live better here than I could there. And with my sad history there, Korea wouldn’t be on my list now anyway. Honestly, if I were filthy rich, I’d probably live here some of the time, but also spend several months a year elsewhere. Vietnam and Bali, perhaps. Anyway, I’d keep it a secret if I were a millionaire.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/July/2026 @ 2:51 pm

Rainy days and Sundays

Yeah, I meant Indonesia like you mentioned. So, a year making sure the lights work ain’t a bad gig!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/July/2026 @ 2:52 pm

Brian, nope, not the life for me. I like being amongst fellow expats and not standing out in the crowd. That said, I’m often greeted by name on my walks by people I don’t recognize. That freaks me out a bit. It’s also weird that so many of the trike drivers call me by name: “Going home, John?”

If you don’t mind my asking, what kind of work were you doing in the sticks of Thailand without internet?

» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/July/2026 @ 1:49 pm

Coming back at you

Carlos, I’m pretty sure you are being facetious, but there have been no Pride events that I am aware of. Regardless, Filipinos are very open-minded and let people live as they identify without recrimination.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/July/2026 @ 10:46 am

Brian, the way I understand the adultery law is this: Only a Filipino husband can file a complaint. Law enforcement will not independently investigate this crime. And females are excluded from “protection” against cheating husbands. Most of the cases I’ve heard came about because the foreigner rejected the attempt to extort money by the estranged husband. Anyway, neither Swan nor I have anything to worry about.

Love, sex, or money? You can’t have one without the others. 🙂

» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/July/2026 @ 10:44 am

Back to the valley

Drain, yeah, your take sounds pretty much spot on. During my years in Korea, there was always some controversy regarding our bases there. That played a part in eventually shutting down Yongsan in Seoul and moving to an expanded Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. But the Korean government paid for the base and also pays some of the costs associated with us keeping troops there. That’s because they know they need us for their defense more than we need them strategically. Sadly, the Filipinos didn’t figure that out until we’d departed. Live and learn.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/July/2026 @ 2:49 pm

In and out of the Zone.

Drain, thanks for the video link. I shared it with Swan. Yes, we’ve been hearing about the dump situation, and it is pretty horrendous. I recall walking through that area when the dump first opened, and it was mostly flat ground. Usually, a landfill has space in which to dump and bury the garbage. Nope, not here; they were just pouring it out on the ground.

I didn’t realize before that this was Aeta territory that was being destroyed, along with their livelihoods. Pretty damn disgusting. But I’m not holding my breath to see some accountability. This is the Philippines after all. I’m just wondering where they are dumping all that trash now.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/July/2026 @ 4:31 pm

Taco Tuesday

Coco, I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood my post. Swan and I had a bump in the road, but we are still together and moving forward. Thanks for your kind thoughts, though.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/July/2026 @ 12:28 pm

Thompson, I’m glad you are not posting this comment from jail, where you are serving your life sentence for the murder of your first girlfriend!

I’ve had some weird dreams, but I don’t recall ever acting on them in the ways you describe. And this was before drugs and alcohol, to boot! Stay safe!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/July/2026 @ 12:27 pm

Terry, I enjoyed the Walkman experience. Sorry you missed out.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/July/2026 @ 12:23 pm

The long and short of it

Brian, thanks for sharing your thoughts. We are basically on the same page re: transactional relationships. We both get our needs met, and in this world, that’s enough. At least it is for me. Honestly, if I become convinced that she is not happy with me, I would encourage her to go and find happiness elsewhere. Life is too short to settle for less than you want. So, I’ve noted the red flags and will try to maintain awareness going forward.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/July/2026 @ 12:22 pm