Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Hello, Dan. Yeah, that gal was a hottie. You should have seen her dance!
Carol was wife #3 and was with me during our visit to Istanbul. Some great memories there. I moved to Korea the following month. Carol was supposed to join me there but changed her mind after I was gone.
I was brand new to blogging back then and didn’t know about comment moderation or spam blockers. I’m not sure what the point of those bot comments were, but these days they get blocked before I ever see them.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/April/2024 @ 7:09 am
At least I’m getting more creative with my fuck-ups…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/April/2024 @ 6:53 am
Yes, I can manage small groups, but the other day on that basketball court, there must have been 50 kids crowding around me. I knew I couldn’t accommodate them all. A fellow hiker told me don’t even think about opening your backpack or you’ll get mobbed. So, I just told the kids, “Sorry, nothing today,” and took off down the street. Several followed me for a while, but I just kept going.
Everything in moderation! I am actually quite proud of my ability to moderate my intake to avoid intoxication. Saturday was a rare exception, and I blame the SML’s higher alcohol content and my failure to reduce consumption accordingly. Lesson learned!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/April/2024 @ 7:11 am
Heh, I didn’t notice the big arm until you mentioned it. He must have been holding something is all I can figure.
It’s a small world! Glad Tom got to take a stroll down memory lane last night.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/March/2024 @ 7:45 am
I trust you much more than Grammarly. I don’t always follow the suggested changes (usually word choices) either.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 31/March/2024 @ 7:40 am
Well, originally, it was just “hurry November,” but that is kind of fragmented. After your comment, I asked Grammarly about it. It had no issue with the lack of a comma after hurry but did require one after hurry up.
And yes, there is no doubt it will happen again. I’m a SLOW learner.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/March/2024 @ 3:42 pm
Swan worked briefly at the Subiza Beach Resort, but the lack of customers didn’t warrant her continuing. She likes to stay busy.
It is good to be unintentionally funny sometimes. It worked better than the sarcasm I intended.
If I were to rewrite it, I’d say, “Hurry up, November!” I reckon a comma would have also been in order in the original version. Grammarly doesn’t think so, though.
I’ve pretty much acclimated to the heat here, but damn, these past few days have been hotter than normal. I’m ready to start bitching about the rainy season!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/March/2024 @ 7:39 am
Yeah, much respect. Best wishes for their continued success.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/March/2024 @ 7:20 am
Kev, talk about an early morning hike–Scott’s gal and her friends climbed Easter Mountain (real name, Mt. Booitlao) at two a.m. today and are waiting up there for the Good Friday sunrise. Damn, I can’t imagine doing that climb in the dark.
Those Fitbit measurements I posted were for the entire day. The only one (besides steps) I focus on is Zone Minutes (peak heart rate/cardio). A typical day is in the low 100s; I’m trying to get that up to at least 150 daily. The climb stats were off the rails.
Yeah, that last hundred yards or so is a very steep up. Forty-five degrees sounds about right. The path we took did have a couple of switchbacks.
Re: The Rite Spot, I have tarps on the front side to block the sun, but this storm came from the back with gusty winds. I just have to accept the fact that the roof isn’t an option on a rainy day.
The meds have made a positive impact. Still taking them until my follow-up with Dr. Jo in a week.
No, Easter Mountain is the Hash name. I’ve not heard the locals call it by name, but this site says they call it Boovillao. The first time I climbed up to the peak in 2018, there was a Mother Mary shrine. It’s gone now. There is also a concrete pad indicating some kind of structure was up there in the past. Many locals make a pilgrimage to the top on Good Friday, but there are no religious symbols (unless graffiti counts) along the way.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/March/2024 @ 8:03 am
Thanks, Brian. I’ve got a few miles left in me yet.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/March/2024 @ 7:15 am
I haven’t heard any updates on Jerry yet, but the bone break was the worst of his injuries.
Thanks for the headache I got from the lesson on subjunctives. My ignorance of grammar abounds in new and interesting ways that are completely over my head, I fear.
I do see how I screwed up with the rooster farm. Unless I can convince you that it is the farm screeching, not the roosters. I’ll take the “L” and try to do better next time.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/March/2024 @ 6:31 am
HaHa! That’s it! A rooster has a right to the identity I assign through poor grammar!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/March/2024 @ 6:17 am
I totally agree with you on this, DS. China’s escalation with its water cannon attacks on fishing and supply boats can’t lead to anything good.
Every time I walk around SBMA, I think about how foolish and shortsighted the government was in chasing off their protector. The situation would likely be much different if the Navy were still parked in Subic and the Air Force were ready for action at Clark.
Ha! I was looking at the statue the other day. I guess now it could be interpreted as “please come back.” The people seem to be waking up to their peril now, and I sense a growing nationalistic fervor. Hopefully, it’s not too late.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/March/2024 @ 6:43 am
Kev, regarding the sunglasses, my sense is that Swan isn’t going for style, just functionality.
I don’t think the bay water is clear enough to make a transparent kayak worthwhile.
I enjoyed the post you linked. I honestly had no idea that some monks behave like that. Who do they think they are, Catholic priests?
I didn’t know the science behind the bad grammar in that Quora question, but I recognized the result. Hence my mocking answer.
I read right past that first-frame comma error you mentioned, but when I went back and looked, I saw it should have been a semi-colon.
REM, to me, always had a unique sound and some good songs. “Everybody Hurts” and “Losing My Religion” are a couple of my favorites.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/March/2024 @ 6:37 am
As a former resident of the Great State of Arkansas, my reaction to your joke was, “What in tarnation does that mean?” When I first moved there I was told that Arkansas is like heaven…because no one immigrates there.
Thanks for the additional religious info and insights. I’ve got your old post queued up and ready for a re-read.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/March/2024 @ 5:11 pm
Me neither; never been to one and never want to go. But they have cockfighting arenas scattered throughout the area where I live. And on my hikes I’ve passed several huge rooster farms where those birds are raised to be cocks.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/March/2024 @ 8:28 am
Thanks for those insights on Hindu/Buddhist notions of time and life’s journey. I don’t know much about either religion, but do their similarities derive from a common foundation (like Catholics and Protestants), or is it just a coincidence?
Kavanaugh has been one of my favorites for a long time. I learned of his former Priesthood long after I became a fan of his poems. But yes, your past and how you were raised are often reflected in your creative outputs. You might enjoy his My Easy God Is Gone poem. Similarly, I’ve always been a fan of Joni Mitchell’s poetic lyrics. She is one of the better songwriters of my generation (although these days, I have to ignore her politics).
It seems I’ve been going in circles my whole life–my fuck ups aren’t always the same, but they rhyme.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 26/March/2024 @ 8:25 am
Well, at least Bruce isn’t flabby or fat; I’ll give him that. He does sound stupid when he talks about politics, though.
Thanks for the translations. I didn’t even recognize the Hebrew. Appreciate the clip, but like you, I have no interest in the series.
Yep, Swan is like a dream come true. I’ll do my best to not fuck it up.
Heh, I guess I missed out on the severed-head fad. That’s the first one I’d seen, and it cracked me up.
I’ve noticed that restaurants that cater to a primarily Filipino clientele have smaller portions/lower prices. They do offer platters with several items for around 1500 pesos ($30) and enough for two that I might try next time.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/March/2024 @ 6:54 am
Well, we seven had a magnificent hike anyway.
Regarding the monks–I hadn’t really noticed. Many boys here have shaved heads. I hear there are issues with lice.
I intentionally let everyone go ahead of me on the uphills. I’m slow, and I know it, so I don’t want to hold anyone back. I catch up on the flat.
As to the busty woman’s beliefs, I’d wager she’s revenge-oriented. You know, tit for tat.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2024 @ 7:43 am
Brian, yes, I’m going to go for it. I’ll be like “The Little Engine That Could”–I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…
At some point, climbs like Easter Mountain will just be a memory. But not this year! I hope.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2024 @ 7:28 am
Yeah, that’s a scary thought to lose that much value. It’s been 55+ PHP to USD for quite some time. It was around 50 when I got here six years ago. I’ve seen it go down to the low 40s as a tourist. Stay strong, dollar!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 28/March/2024 @ 6:20 am
The prices on imported stuff at Royal have gone way up, but yeah, I can do without them as necessary. I’m still getting a very good dollar-to-peso exchange rate (55+), so that’s a help.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/March/2024 @ 6:42 am
Brian, yes, I get a COLA adjustment every January. It helps for sure!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2024 @ 7:29 am
Kev, I still have a sense of taste, albeit likely diminished. Maybe I just remember the taste of my favorites because I still crave them.
I’m guessing Kim made a dumb choice; otherwise, she would not still be working in a bar. I asked another gal if the father was a foreigner or a Filipino, but she didn’t know.
I wear headphones on some of my solo walks because I enjoy listening to “my kind” of music. There have been times when I also wanted to drown out those bad thoughts in my head. I sometimes fantasize that I’m the musician singing the song. I have had much worse fantasies!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2024 @ 8:17 am
My thoughts exactly, Drain. I could understand the music preference if the girls were performing their dance routine. That wasn’t the case; it was the usual way of standing there and swaying occasionally. At least two older gents came in during my short visit but didn’t stay. What used to be a friendly, comfortable bar feels so much less fun now.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2024 @ 8:06 am
Not sure what kind of tree that is, but if a tree can be skinny, so can I!
That house is way out in the sticks; not sure there is even access by automobile. That’s just a little too country for me.
The guy ducking out of the photo is a stranger to me; I think his girlfriend knew someone at our table. He must be camera shy (or his wife doesn’t know about the girlfriend). 🙂
Yeah, Aine is a little long in the tooth for a bargirl. Still has a smokin’ hot body, but her face shows her age. Maybe trying to “makeup” for those lost years…
Hadn’t heard about Emmet Walsh. Seems he lived a long and successful life—some great movies on his list of credits.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/March/2024 @ 6:08 am
Thanks, Kev. Yeah, when Swan served me the fruit plate, I knew it was not really low-carb. Still, it was a healthier alternative than the bowl of cereal I used to eat on some mornings. That’s sort of where I’m at–making better choices. No ice cream, no candy, and sadly, no pecan pie. That’s the hard part for me–the sweets. Having a burger patty without the bun, a side of veggies instead of mashed potatoes, and other carb-avoiding decisions are not that difficult for me.
I like that beer diet of 8 bottles a day! I’ll definitely try that for the next 30 days! But seriously, I am motivated to live a reduced-carb, low-sodium lifestyle to maintain my health and lose weight. If I’m not making sufficient progress, I’ll use the carb-free alternative to beer I’ve used in the past.
Thanks for your support!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/March/2024 @ 7:20 am
Per bottle.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/March/2024 @ 10:18 am
Kev, I drink my Zero in 350 ml bottles. The label says each one has 60 calories and 2.5 carb grams. I’m not striving for a full-on keto diet, but I am trying to limit my breads and sweets.
I would like to take my memories and all the “wisdom” I’ve gained over this lifetime if I could travel back in time. What a challenge it would be to find new ways to fuck up!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/March/2024 @ 9:45 am
«« Back To Stats PageThanks for the Buddha history lesson! I believe the only statues of Buddha I’ve seen are the ones with a belly nearly as big as mine. So, I want to achieve inner peace somewhere between the fat and starving Buddha. (Ah, a quick glance at the internet and I see the big bellied Buddha representations are the exception rather than the rule.)
» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/March/2024 @ 7:12 am