Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Brian, I really don’t notice the lack of smell that much. In some ways, that’s a blessing, like when I fart. I still have some taste and still enjoy eating (obviously!). Maybe I just remember how things taste. Damn, I feel sorry for the friend’s daughter…what a nightmare that must be!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/October/2024 @ 7:50 am
Digory, Wet Spot is closed on Monday and Beth is a regular Hasher, so she was on her own time. As far as bar compensation goes, Wet Spot and Green Room are above average. The aspect about bargirl pay that I very much disagree with is the drink quota thing–If a girl doesn’t make her drink quota for the week, her already low salary is reduced. Almost all the girly bars use this system.
“Whore bar” seems harsh when you say it. Most of the girls will go with a customer for an agreed upon price between them. If the girl chooses to leave work early, she has to pay a fine to the bar for doing so. The bar is not directly involved in the transaction.
Wet Spot opens at 6 p.m. and when I visit there, I arrive soon after opening. The girly bars generally don’t get busy until later in the evening (past my bedtime).
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/October/2024 @ 7:45 am
I have to admit that I’ve always thought of it as a “wheel barrel,” sort of like how I used to pronounce “ascertain “as certain.” It was pretty embarrassing when my secretary brought the error to my attention after I had dictated a letter for her to type (yes, I am THAT old).
You’ve seen some of my high school papers—”A” for content and “D” for grammar and punctuation. Following the rules has always been my bane, and I don’t expect old age to help. I’m making freaky mistakes now—thinking one word in my head, and my fingers writing something else. Maybe there is peace in acceptance.
I don’t know; being content feels like a worthy goal. And you know what curiosity did to the cat. Still, I get your point, and living a full and challenging life in retirement is easier said than done. I’ll continue to strive to live the best life I can. I definitely need to do more traveling while I can.
Thanks for the feedback.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/October/2024 @ 8:33 am
Well, I was more upset about misspelling “wheelbarrow.” That was ignorant. Believing the computer on “mein” was apathy.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/October/2024 @ 10:15 am
Kev, as far as I know, melting has not been a problem. The candy in the backpacks is still in the bag. Also, these are local brands, so I expect they are made in a way that accommodates the native heat. It’s not pure chocolate, like a Snickers or Milky Way.
No, Swan is not usually that far ahead…I had just taken a pee break.
We’ve made a stop at the riverside the last couple of trips, but this week there were A LOT more folks enjoying the water. People had set up a tent and tables, food was grilling, and the party was on! Nice to see.
Re: chow mein. But what about that “i before e except after c” thing? What’s hilarious is that I had originally spelled it right, but the spellcheck red underline said I was wrong (it’s doing it again now in this comment), so I changed it. Not this time, though!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/October/2024 @ 9:02 am
Good to hear from you again, Thompson. Enjoyed your memories of cheap cologne. I’ve also lost my ability to smell, but your co-workers reaction reminds me of the looks I get when I let loose a fart. The blessing is not having to smell my own creation!
How are things with the girlfriend?
I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.
Hunter S. Thompson» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/October/2024 @ 8:48 am
DS, yeah, stupid mistake. And there I was, worried about spelling “barrel” correctly. Technically, a “barrow” is a castrated male pig. Unless you put a wheel on it…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/October/2024 @ 8:24 am
Kev, yeah, my political views did a 180 shortly after 9/11. I was already halfway through my career by then, so it was too late to choose another course. I did escape from DC and the worthless Department of Education and moved overseas to work for the 8th US Army. That was a life-changer in a good way.
Like your friend John, there is something to be said for being the “inside” kink in the liberal hivemind. As an HR professional, I saw my role as putting a brake on stupid shit like hiring quotas based on race. EEO didn’t work for me, but I advised my counterparts to ignore their entreaties and always hire the person best qualified, regardless of their skin color or ethnicity. I wonder now how I would have dealt with woke bullshit like pronouns and multiple genders if I was still in the workforce. It might have got ugly.
And yep, I’m still sucking on the government teat and hope that continues for years to come. It’s been quite the ride.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/October/2024 @ 9:17 am
Brian, I do hope to live long and draw way more pension money than I paid in. The funny thing is, not long after I was hired, the Federal government changed the retirement program to something very similar to what you have. Basically, new hires contribute to a Thrift Savings Plan and the government matches the contribution. Instead of a pension, you can draw Social Security (which I’m not eligible for). The powers that be tried hard to get us old hires to switch over voluntarily, but very few did, and we were grandfathered into the old program. Probably not many of us left now.
You are right, the RINOs talk a good game, but when in the majority, do little to implement the agenda they claim to support. Until the sheeple wake up and demand change, we will continue to slide down this slippery slope to doom.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/October/2024 @ 8:35 am
Kev, Nope, it’s a different route altogether. Sometimes, on the group hikes, we’ll pass through a Candy Walk neighborhood, and the kids come running. I have to say, “See you Sunday!”
No, the map is from the Map My Walk app. I had to go back to check why it looked hand-drawn to you. I see a couple of places where the line got squiggly. I’ve seen that before. Sometimes, if I pause in one spot for a while, the GPS or whatever tracks location goes haywire. One of those weird lines is when I stopped to give Mama her money, and the other is when I went inside Angels Bakery for some buns to bring home.
As for my costs, I do tend to live large, at least in the sense that I don’t have to worry much about spending. When I go out at night, I always carry five 1000 peso bills in my wallet, but almost always come home with two or three. That five thousand pesos daily average (so far) includes other household bills. It will be interesting to see how that comes out over the course of a month. I’m not sure what you mean about the “government teat.” It’s a federal pension, but I paid into that retirement fund for over thirty years. Just like Social Security (which I’m not eligible for), it’s my money.
Yeah, I gave up arguing with people like John on social media long ago because made-up minds can’t be changed. The level of his ignorance was astounding. It is pitiful he actually believes the lies about Trump he regurgitated in his comment. The fact that he worries about American politics when his country is even further down the shithole than we are is also sad.
So, since Swan is forty, our relationship is only a little creepy! But I admit that the brief time with Mary creeped me out, especially when it dawned on me that she was the same age as my granddaughter.
A couple of food pics from John’s are coming up in today’s post!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/October/2024 @ 8:28 am
Yes, I totally understand your point, Brian. When I first moved here, I shook my head in wonder at all the guys bitching about paying 90 pesos for a beer. A San Mig Light was 7000 Won (over $6.) when I left Korea. I see things a little differently these days. You can get a beer as cheap as 60 pesos; most places charge around 80. So, 150 seems like a scam to me. Why bend over and take it up the ass when you can just go next door? I’m the same way with lady drinks–I won’t buy a double for 300. But I’ll buy two singles at 180 each. It is more a matter of principle than money to me.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/October/2024 @ 7:50 am
Aaron, I hope your mate gets the hard time he’s looking for…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/October/2024 @ 9:41 am
Kev, yes, Gen (Jenn) was scared but fine. She was a little irked at me for going that way, though.
The new bridge has no effect on me other than alleviating the need to witness the disaster if the old one had collapsed. I’m happy for the folks in that San Isidro neighborhood, though.
Yep, someday, someone will be making a video about those silly American woke superstitions.
Regarding the expenses, thus far, what I’ve noticed is that it is a real pain in the ass to keep track of what I spend. There are no real surprises yet. I assumed a night out would cost between one and two thousand; we’ll see how that plays out over the course of the month.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/October/2024 @ 8:30 am
Brian, Good one, but it took me a while to get it.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/October/2024 @ 8:16 am
Digory, in my tourist days, I often stayed at Blue Rock. The rooms back then (2015-2017) were a bit dated, but you could get one with a nice bay view. The kitchen and bar were fantastic back then, especially the grilled meats. They even had my favorite floating bar. Alas, Blue Rock never recovered its past glory after the COVID lockdowns. It gets horrible reviews, and I don’t know any locals who go there now.
Treasure Island has the best kitchen on Baloy, but I never liked their rooms. Wild Orchid just remodeled their beach rooms, but I’ve never stayed in one. The beach bar looks very nice, but I won’t pay 150 pesos for a beer. Mangrove reportedly has very nice rooms, but I’ve never been there. If I were going to stay on Baloy, I’d probably try Harley’s–it has good food and a great pub.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/October/2024 @ 8:15 am
No, the one on the map is in Barretto. The one we see at Samba Resort is 3K further down the highway in Lower Kalaklan.
Hmm, I don’t fit all of your definition of “ugly American.” I guess I’m just unattractive.
I am glad the dog will no longer terrorize the neighborhood, that’s for sure. His partner in crime was never as aggressive, and now that he is on his own, he still barks but doesn’t go into attack mode. I don’t bother carrying a stick now.
All that candy will be gone at the end of Sunday’s walk. The challenge is finding a way to carry enough so we don’t run out before the end of our regular route.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/October/2024 @ 7:48 am
Beckerson, Bad dogs are the result of bad owners. Death for that dog was probably a blessing, but the way he died was pitiful.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/October/2024 @ 7:37 am
Drain, it’s been a year since the bite, and Lucky is still on probation. He’s lost my trust, but not his life. So far. Swan’s family visits frequently and he is never aggressive around them, so hopefully there will be no future incidents. He’s a good watchdog, barking at anyone who approaches the front gate, so there’s that.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/October/2024 @ 7:29 am
Digory, yeah, rocks work most of the time, but not with these two. They’d back off, then come back for more. When I came after them with the stick, yelling and screaming like a madman, “ONE OF US IS GOING TO DIE TODAY!” they’d flee. Now that his partner in crime isn’t around, the other dog is much less aggressive. He still barks but doesn’t try and approach me. I no longer need my stick!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/October/2024 @ 7:25 am
Brian, yeah, that’s what I thought I remembered, but I don’t trust my memory much these days. Glad we had the chance to quaff those brews! Man, my Korea years were the best time of my life. There’s no going back and I’m trying hard to appreciate the blessings of life in the Philippines.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/October/2024 @ 7:34 am
Compliment…he said the meat he finds is too fatty…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/October/2024 @ 6:19 pm
Finally, a clip from a movie I’d actually seen. Of course, I’d totally forgotten about it. Thanks for the memories!
Gary’s a Brit, and he complains about Walz-like politicians there.
Luckily, it wasn’t as slippery as it looks. It can be, though, so we were treading cautiously. The stair moss hadn’t grown thick enough on the steps to be an issue, but I was still glad to be going up and not down them. We both know the heat here would be all the dissuasion you’d need.
Regarding the machete, it’s funny. Right after we exited that patch, Michael asked if anyone knew where he could buy one.
I usually bring some mud down on my shoes…make of it what you will.
Yeah, I was pissed at myself for not getting a photo of Swan’s burgers. Michael asked where she got the meat because it was so lean. I guess they were Hawaiian burgers because she had a pineapple ring on top.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/October/2024 @ 8:18 am
Brian, I’ve known several who have taken that tumble over the years—same at Bless U/Shenanigans next door. I took a fall inside Dolce once that resulted in an ambulance ride, but thankfully, never down the stairs.
What years were you there?
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/October/2024 @ 7:54 am
Kev, the first of the month has the big items like rent and salaries, so that’s a one-off.
The only place I use my credit card is at Royal. Very few local businesses accept plastic payment. I withdraw cash weekly from an ATM and pay for everything out-of-pocket. So, my bank statements will show my grocery bill and ATM transactions but no details on where the cash was spent.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/October/2024 @ 8:23 am
Brian, I have an app on my phone where I can log my spending. When I first moved here, I monitored how much I spent on different things to establish the framework for a budget, but it is not something that I strictly adhere to. I’m tracking this month mostly out of curiosity; I don’t anticipate any lifestyle changes as a result.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/October/2024 @ 8:13 am
In the best of all possible worlds
Brian, Kris would agree with you. I saw a quote where he said all the singers who covered the songs he wrote sang them better than he did. A lot of them were bigger hits for others, too. Still, he had a unique voice. “Sunday Morning Coming Down” was a big hit for Johnny Cash, but I like Kris’ version better.
He lived an interesting life, and seems to have lived it well. RIP.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/October/2024 @ 7:38 am
Kev, thanks for the info on heart tests. I just laid there and didn’t ask questions, so I’m unsure what format I’ll get for results. The one I did here didn’t have pictures, so maybe this version is more in-depth. I should know soon.
No, I don’t plan on renewing the S&R membership again. It’s a long and expensive trip to get there and back, and then to be disappointed in the available selections makes it a waste of money.
Yeah, I’m never sure how to spell “Tung N’ Gruve,” but that’s how I saw it on the Hash FB page, so I’ll assume that’s right. It seems like the apostrophe should go before the N, but what do I know?
It will be interesting to see how the breakdown works, but I expect beer and charity projects will be up there.
Well, in my “do-over” afterlife fantasy, I remember past events. That’s how I avoid making the same mistakes over and over. This life I’m living now with so many fuck-ups would be a great foundation for going back and getting it right next time.
No problems with the house of the landlord. She’s very proactive in repairs and improvements. Didn’t raise the rent either, so overall, this is the best rental I’ve had in the PI.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/October/2024 @ 7:34 am
Brian, glad you enjoyed the sunset views.
Yeah, there is plenty to see and do, that’s for sure. My nephew is working on Jeju, so that would be on the itinerary as well.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/September/2024 @ 6:40 am
Yeah, I’m thinking cherry blossom season.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/September/2024 @ 6:37 am
«« Back To Stats PageBrian, the enforcement of “community standards” is definitely inconsistent. I mentioned in another comment that I’ve had the equivalent of porn (dicks slamming into pussies) in some ads on my feed, but I guess that’s okay by FB standards. The initial review I requested was denied, most likely exactly in the manner as you described. The appeal I made goes to an outside group. supposedly not controlled by Facebook. They only selectively accept appeals to review, so I don’t expect mine to make the cut. That’s why I raised the cultural insensitivity issue, figuring that a woke panel might not want to be viewed as racist. I really don’t care, it just seemed beyond ridiculous to suspend me over this.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/September/2024 @ 10:12 am