Comments Posted By John McCrarey
Displaying 931 To 960 Of 6,501 Comments
Kevin, the back is almost back to normal. I’ve not used my nebulizer or inhaler for months, so I’m happy to be breathing easy again. As far as I know, my internal organs are still functioning up to par, so I reckon for someone on the verge of 70, I’m doing alright.
No, they are still going through the motions with the SOB, down to five bars and no promotion. Daddy Dave is struggling with health issues, and that’s understandably his primary concern these days.
Thanks for the dietary advice and tips. I’m a lazy fuck, so I tend to look for the easy way to go. Is CICO a waste of time? I’d rather count calories than content. Swan has been YouTubeing healthy, low-calorie meals she can prepare for me. We eat dinner out a lot, but eat breakfast and lunch at home.
Man, fatty carbs are SO delicious. That’s usually my downfall.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/August/2025 @ 10:04 am
Kevin, I’m familiar with the subtitle for The Hobbit, but it was not explicitly in my thinking for that post. I have this thing where I try to avoid replicating post titles. I had used “There and back again” previously, so I added the “then” to make an original title.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/August/2025 @ 1:17 pm
Kevin, actually, I think I meant to say “peruser.” I’m only a purveyor of bad writing.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2025 @ 1:55 pm
Kevin, the dark sand makes sense given that the Philippines has several recently active volcanoes, including the famous one near me, Pinatubo.
Swan just called it a “meat pie,” but given your definitions, I suppose that means cottage pie. And thanks for teaching me the correct pronunciation of “pasties.” I also always thought it was said like “paste.” I’m not an expert on British food, and other than a couple of places, I don’t see a lot of English offerings. I may have had bangers and mash once, but I don’t remember anything special about it. I’m pretty Americanized in my eating habits, although in that context, I include Mexican delicacies.
Interesting info on the origins of “soccer,” I’d never heard that before, just assuming it was a Yank rendering. One of the big changes for me after moving overseas is having completely lost interest in professional sports. I was a rabid fan at one point, and now I don’t give a damn at all. Being surrounded by a lot of crazed expat fanatics, I know those kickball games come in various forms, some called footie, some Aussie Rules football, but mostly just football that ain’t the kind I grew up with.
As to the diet, we’ll see what happens. I had four beers last night and two gin and sodas. That’s down from my usual 8 to 10 drinks per night. I didn’t like the gin; even in low doses, I could feel it building up to the knockdown punch. Yeah, it is probably not the beer making the belly, I need to keep the other carbs down and skip the sweets. The beer does reduce my willpower in that regard. I’ve stocked up on sugar-free pudding, which I hope will become my go-to dessert.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2025 @ 9:12 am
Kevin, yes I’m not a big purveyor of YouTube videos, but I’ve noted that it is getting harder and harder to escape the fakery that is AI. Most of the time the narration doesn’t even sound human. And the background photos seldom relate to the content being presented. Sometimes I just have to settle for “good enough.”
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2025 @ 8:51 am
Sorry for the late response, Gary. I think Strickland must have taken one too many hits to the head. We all know you have to be gay to join the UFC (ultimate fag club).
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2025 @ 5:20 pm
Brian, damn, you know me too well! Anyway, spreading my wings and trying new joints has been refreshing so far. We are becoming big fans of Jumpin’ Jacks lately.
Korea is a place I miss, but it is also my past. Last time I was there I felt totally out of place surrounded by memories of days gone by and unable to overcome the sadness they brought with them. Maybe enough time has gone by now that I could enjoy things as they are. Trying new places and having Swan along would help with that. I’ll have to check and see if it is hard for a Filipina to get a tourist visa.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/August/2025 @ 9:19 am
Kevin, now that I know Swan wants variety, Wednesday will be dedicated to trying somewhere new (or newish). I’d had that in my mind, but didn’t really act on it with regularity previously.
HaHa! Yes, wine and good music are prerequisites to remain on my list of places to go. Also, I’ll be avoiding places where the bartender calls me stupid (I’m looking at you, Cheap Charlies).
Music is a big part of the vibe I’m looking for in a bar. As an early-bird, I’m often the only customer in the place, so why play shit I don’t like? Barretto is full of old geezers who like the old stuff, not bullshit rap. And with over fifty bars to choose from, I can be choosy.
I guess one should never say never, but Cloud 69 crossed a line. If I can’t trust a bar to not pad my bill, it takes the fun out of drinking there. Maybe once my cognitive ability to remember is depleted, I’ll forget, even if I don’t forgive.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/August/2025 @ 9:45 am
Damn, one more piece of evidence that I’ve got a Biden-like brain. I had to check, but I DID post that meme less than a week ago.
I remember seeing the McGill Big 3 post and thinking yikes! It scared me to the core. Whatever triggered the current problems seems to be self-correcting. I’m going to get back with the program to lose some pounds tomorrow.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/July/2025 @ 9:12 am
Daeguowl, my normal handout to “Mama” is 100 pesos, sometimes 150. That’s enough for her to get some food and a beverage everyday. Inflation in the PI hasn’t been a problem (so far), so she’s doing alright. I know there are a couple of other guys who toss some coin her way when they see her. Hell, she may be making more in a day than a lot of the bargirls in town…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/July/2025 @ 2:22 pm
Kev, that thought about the belly weight crossed my mind, but Dr. Jo didn’t mention it. More likely, it just goes with the territory when you are an old fucker. It feels a bit better today.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/July/2025 @ 2:18 pm
Gary, it’s a fair question and one I have no shame in answering. I give mama between 100-150 pesos when I encounter her on the street. That’s about ten bucks a week, which is enough to buy her a daily meal or two.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/July/2025 @ 2:17 pm
Kev, it is hard to get a handle on what is going on with John’s place. We go once a week (Sunday at 5) and almost always are the only customers. That said, I see a lot of Grab takeout being picked up for delivery, and I know the restaurant has a solid fan base within the expat community. I haven’t seen any deterioration in the food quality.
Yes, I long for the days when I can complain about the heat again.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/July/2025 @ 9:00 am
Kev, exceeding 10K is a rare event, and I don’t think I’ve ever done it in wet shoes. I do get a rash on my upper thighs sometimes when walking in wet shorts.
Yeah, I’ve picked up on that prison vibe when we feed the kids behind that fence. There’s about a dozen of them.
Vernon Wells does look like Freddie Mercury in that clip. Another film I’ve not seen.
I see what you mean about the speech balloons being confusing. I read it as coming from the girl, but as you say, it works both ways.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/July/2025 @ 9:55 am
Gary, I just prefer shoes because I find them better suited to walking, and I like to walk!
I don’t follow UFC and had to look up Petr Yan to see who you were talking about. I guess he has a better shot at the title than me caring, either way.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/July/2025 @ 9:45 am
Kev, Yep, the end of the world can’t happen if the spelling is wrong!
Yeah, that video was poorly done, although I think it was humor he was going for. Mispronouncing common Tagalog words like “Ate” (should be ah-tae) ruined his credibility, too.
It’s funny, I sing that Lennox song sometimes when I’m walking and the rain starts to fall.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/July/2025 @ 1:07 pm
Kev, it’s funny how even when you tell yourself you are free from your religious upbringing, the indoctrination has left its scars. I can see what you mean how tainted my thinking is when it comes to matters of faith.
The ‘do-over life’ concept is admittedly just a fantasy that arose when I tried to imagine what my ideal heaven might be. An eternal life of exploring all those paths I didn’t take and avoiding the ones I should have. So, I need to bring those lessons learned from this life with me. I don’t expect the almighty will fulfill those dreams.
Thanks for the tips on Sikhs and Greeks! Maybe I can study up and flesh out some more realistic parameters for my afterlife fantasies.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/July/2025 @ 1:23 pm
Kev, I appreciate your insights on religious values. I now see the distinction about Buddhism in practice being about an individual’s journey rather than adhering to the “rules” that must be followed according to the dictates of Christian dogma. That’s a huge difference and one that would appeal to me if I weren’t a lost soul beyond redemption.
Being raised in the Four Square/Assembly of God wing of the Protestant faith probably closed my mind to other potentialities. As a teen, I rejected the basic tenets of the church, no longer believing Mary was a virgin or that Jesus rose from the dead. I wouldn’t call myself an atheist, I have a sense there is some greater power out there, but the jealous Biblical God isn’t it. Of course, the teachings of the pedophile Mohammed are even more fucked up.
I guess I’ll find out sooner or later what eternity may bring. Odds are good it will be dust for me, but I’m still lobbying hard for that do-over life, or more precisely, lives.
Again, I really enjoy reading your thoughts on aspects of religious beliefs I was never exposed to before. Thank you for taking the time to broaden my perspectives.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/July/2025 @ 1:27 pm
Kev, the fish chunks, albeit small, were thicker than a cracker at least.
As I understand it, we had a convergence of three tropical depressions that kept feeding each other. After six days of stormy weather, it appears they have moved on. Now it is just back to “normal” rainy season. The main difference is the intensity. And yes, it does cool things off. There has even been a day or two when I didn’t need my bedroom fan.
Thanks for the insights on the interplay of religious beliefs and the languages that they use. As a non-believer in any of the doctrines, it strikes me as an intellectual surrender to indoctrination. But what do I know? (Just in case I’m wrong, forgive me, Jesus, for I have sinned.)
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/July/2025 @ 1:04 pm
Kev, I followed your instructions to the letter and everything happened just the way you said it would. Thanks for the lesson! Now, I’ll wait for the opportunity to experiment. Oddly enough, it stopped raining now. What is nature trying to hide from my camera?
» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/July/2025 @ 5:34 pm
Kev, as I understand it, the compound is now lakeside living. The water has invaded one of the residences, and Swan invited those relatives to take refuge in our basement today.
I know most of the local streets that can’t handle a heavy rain. But seeing St. James underwater on the Wednesday Walk was a surprise.
Yeah, that was my first thought when I saw the carnival rides: built to Philippines safety standards. No thank you!
What genius decided to build there?
Welcome to the Philippines. Sense isn’t common here.There’s been a lower than normal number of tourists this year, and most of the old fart expats aren’t willing to climb the three flights of stairs to get to BarCelona. I asked the building owner about putting in one of those small outside elevators. He said too expensive and unreliable.
New tricks with the camera are inconsistent with my status as an old dog.
I was never much of an Ozzie/Black Sabbath fan, but I’ll give him credit for being a pioneer and bucking 70s music trends to form his own heavy metal genre.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/July/2025 @ 10:16 am
Thanks for the suggestions, Gary. I’ll have a listen.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/July/2025 @ 10:04 am
Brian, She’s a local so I guess it seems normal to her. I wouldn’t enjoy doing walking through that muck. Surprisingly, it was mostly natural stuff like branches instead of the usual plastic bottles and other litter.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/July/2025 @ 10:04 am
Gary, I was never a big Black Sabbath fan. What’s your favorite song by them?
» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/July/2025 @ 6:29 pm
Welcome back, Brian! Well, my chili is like fastfood…canned ingredients and seasoning from McCormick. BF’s is the real deal. I’m not that keen on spicy, but he makes his the way most people prefer.
It’s just a Hash thing, every time you reach double digits, you get recognized. And part of that recognition is the way it ends…”…and what does she get? Not a fuckin’ thing.” We do give headbands for special occasions, like 50 and 100 hundreds. Oh, and a fun thing is done for 69 runs… 🙂
» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/July/2025 @ 10:08 am
Yes, I’m up high, and if it floods here, I’ll be meeting Noah…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2025 @ 11:39 pm
He has not started building yet, and I’m too old to wait. I can wake up early at Mope Resort and hit the road from there. I just need to find where I left my motivation…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2025 @ 8:32 am
Kev, yep, if you are going to cheat, do it in the PI where the gals are hot and young…
Heh, they are wet, too. At least this time of year. The storm was so loud last night it woke me up more than once.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2025 @ 11:01 am
Ted, I see what you did there…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2025 @ 11:00 am
«« Back To Stats PageGary, I don’t tend to censor comments, preferring a free and open discussion. But personal attacks do not add value and I’ll exercise my discretion when I believe they’ve crossed the line.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/July/2025 @ 9:19 am