Comments Posted By John McCrarey

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And another one done

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

Hello, Leroy. Thank you for your feedback. I am what I am, and most of what you say here is wrong. But, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I’ll keep my eyes wide open going forward, but for now things seem to be back on track.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2026 @ 5:45 pm

Artois, thanks for reading. I sincerely do appreciate your suggestions. We’ve done the “me time” before, but maybe making that part of our usual routines is a good plan. I already took her out for birria tacos! Anyway, I’ll see about implementing some of these ideas. I appreciate your support!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2026 @ 5:42 pm

Drain, keeping my eyes wide open, but my life is better now with her than without her. I’m not that easy to love!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2026 @ 5:39 pm

Dr. Greg, Yes, I’ve seen the flags but don’t think they are cause for alarm at the this point. I’ll keep my eyes open and be prepared for whatever contingencies may come. I love her and want her to be happy, with me or without me.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2026 @ 5:37 pm

Bullet dodged

Drain, neither is the Mississippi! Honestly, I don’t think its about the money.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/July/2026 @ 5:38 pm

Drain, as I recall it was my first Christmas season as a mailman. It was a cold morning, and as I pushed the envelopes through the door slot, a young housewife opened the door. She said, it is so cold outside. Would you like to come in for a cup of hot chocolate? Well, that sounded good, so I thanked her and came inside. As I was sipping my drink, the housewife dropped her robe, and she was wearing a see-through negligee. Damn, she was hotter than my chocolate! So, we wound up in the bedroom upstairs and had us a fine time. When we were finished, she handed me a dollar. Surprised, I asked, “What’s this for?”

The wife responded, “I don’t know. I asked my husband what to give the mailman for Christmas, and he said, Fuck the mailman. Give him a dollar.”

That story may or may not be true…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2026 @ 4:53 pm

Dr. Greg, that’s not the case with Swan and me. It’s not about jealousy at all.

Swan doesn’t have kids, and as far as I know, doesn’t want them. Swan gets an allowance and spends it as she chooses. No pressure whatsoever from family members.

I’m not a cunt, but I can be a dick sometimes. That’s certainly a contributing factor.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2026 @ 4:45 pm

Gary, thanks for the support. You are pretty much spot on.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2026 @ 4:41 pm

Thanks, Anonymous, but I’m not ready to give up. Swan’s a keeper.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2026 @ 4:40 pm

Dr. Greg, nope, it is definitely Returned and Services League.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2026 @ 4:39 pm

The last dance (again)

Steve, thank you for being a loyal reader here at LTG. I shared the story of what happened with Swan and how we are trying to fix it in today’s post.

I appreciate your support!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/July/2026 @ 4:55 pm

Jack, the humor I post is random stuff I find on the internet, not related to me or my life. My relationship with Swan was not money-based. She has simply chosen a new path in life that doesn’t include me.

As for the fish in the sea, I’ve already caught my limit. Whatever time I have left in life, I’ll be spending on my own.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/July/2026 @ 9:14 am