Comments Posted By John McCrarey

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Been there, done that

Damn, I wrote a lengthy response to your comment and somehow managed to delete it. I hate when that happens!

Anyway, Scott’s doing fine. Hiking and golfing and living an active life. We are both dealing with some “old folks” issues that slow us down, but we keep on keeping on.

Yeah, it will take some type of motivation to change the litter culture here. Those trash dumps like the one pictured are frequent sights out in the rural areas. No trash collection service is available, you’re miles from town; what are you going to do? Some folks burn their trash piles, but that’s not good for the environment either.

Glad you like the sunset photos…I enjoy taking them!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/December/2023 @ 5:52 am

You can count on it

Always glad to have you along, Soju. As I read this comment I couldn’t help but think, “thousands of comedians out of work, and HE’S trying to be funny!” That’s my kind of humor, though.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 20/December/2023 @ 9:31 am

Kev, the width of the shoulders varies constantly. And even when they are wide, the locals drive in them (especially the motorbikes). It is better to watch and be prepared to dodge if necessary.

It is a huge graveyard, and it is mainly kept moderately clean. I was shocked at that trashed area because it is not the norm.

The ATMs being out of money is not unusual; to have funds deducted from my account has only happened once before. The ATM did issue a receipt showing no cash had been dispensed, so I don’t expect I’ll have trouble getting reimbursed. It’s still a hassle, though.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2023 @ 6:39 am

Brian, yes, I try to walk facing the traffic. The shoulders on the highway vary in width, so trying to stay on the broad side isn’t worth the effort. And the way people drive here, it is safer to see what is coming at you rather than be surprised from behind.

The old Lourdes Hospital closed about three years ago. It was nice to have a local facility, but other than some stitches once and some doctor appointments, I didn’t have a reason to use it. The new owner has totally refurbished the building, and hopefully, it will be staffed with quality healthcare providers and be at least as good as Baypointe.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 19/December/2023 @ 6:28 am

I took it to the limit

ah, okay…yeah, that happens.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/December/2023 @ 10:16 am

There are several ATMs, but the BPI machines allow 20,000 peso withdrawals, the others are limited to 10,000 a pull.

I’m afraid John’s health isn’t so good. He does dialysis three times a week and needs a kidney transplant. I understand he is struggling financially, and I fear for the future of the restaurant. I hope the new year is kinder to him.

Yeah, it was the Eagles “Take It To The Limit,” but I posted a studio version rather than the live one you linked. I’m not sure what the issue is; it is showing on my blog.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/December/2023 @ 7:29 am

Good for you, Frank! I’ve found walking to be beneficial to both my physical and mental health. And it is great you have someone to share the experience with. Damn, 8+ miles in two and a half hours is impressive. Keep it up!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 18/December/2023 @ 7:21 am

Jungle love

Kev, a movie reference from 1984? How the hell am I supposed to remember that? Good to see it again, though. Thanks for the link!

Yep, it’s good to be back up and at ’em!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 17/December/2023 @ 7:27 am

Dan, yes, it turns out my problems were all in my head. Once they were removed, I could breathe normally again.

As for my New Year’s resolution, I’ve resolved to make no resolutions. Good luck with yours!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 17/December/2023 @ 7:24 am

Back to normal, see?

Soju, in my pre-emptive defense, I will just note that the new McDonald’s is the nearest food source to my house. Don’t blame me; blame convenience.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2023 @ 2:20 pm

Interesting. I wasn’t familiar with the Jollyco/Jellico reference, so it went right over my head. I’m sure I’ve seen Mr. Cox in some of those roles, but he doesn’t look familiar to me.

Ten beers is definitely at the high end of my limits. My pee pattern is I don’t have to pee until four or five are consumed, and then it is every other beer thereafter. And yes, my liver is monitored and thus far remains in the normal range.

I’ve only been eating McDonald’s a couple of times a year, usually on a road trip because it is convenient. I’m not a big fan anyway, so resisting temptation shouldn’t be too hard. At least when I’m sober.

Yes, Lucky would have to fuck up again before I abandoned him. If he ever bites Swan, he’s a goner.

Having nostrils that work is really a breath of fresh air!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2023 @ 7:02 am

Brain, thanks! Regarding my liver, blood work, and a recent ultrasound both showed my liver was in the normal range. I’ll continue to monitor it, but it should be the healthiest part of my body–it gets a daily workout!

As to youth being wasted on the young, I agree. My favorite fantasy is to go back in time and relive my life knowing what I know now.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2023 @ 6:50 am

Lucky man

Tampo tantrum rings true…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 16/December/2023 @ 6:46 am

Kevin, reading your comment brought to mind this quote from Stephen King:

“The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you’ve said at all or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.”
― Stephen King

When you are dealing with cultural communication issues it is more difficult to unravel. Drain Snake mentioned “tampo” in his comment, an aspect of Filipina culture that many Western men find unfathomable.

Tampó, in Filipino culture, refers to a behavior in which a person withdraws his or her affection or cheerfulness from a person who has hurt his or her feelings. In English, “sulking” or “to sulk” is often considered the closest translation of tampo, and there is also the term the silent treatment.

Anyway, the issue with Swan wasn’t quite in the tampo realm. Once we talked (I had to make the first approach), she said she thought I was mad and was giving me space. Hmm, I guess she thought I was tampo. Anyway, hopefully, we both learned something and can avoid future misunderstandings of this nature.

I won’t stick around for the “relationshit” to hit the fan!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/December/2023 @ 6:54 am

Drain, I’ve seen it firsthand and heard many tampo horror stories. Then again, some guys say the period of silent treatment is like a vacation. I think your t-shirt idea might trigger a tampo outbreak! I like it, though!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 15/December/2023 @ 6:31 am

Livin’ large

You are certainly on a roll today, Soju! Funny stuff; keep it coming.

“Can we still say cotton-pickin in Dementia Joe’s world?”

Free men can say whatever in the hell we want, and if the woke assholes don’t like it, all the better!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/December/2023 @ 1:51 pm

Brian, here’s to hoping it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/December/2023 @ 5:00 am

Swan walks Lucky, but we all go together.

I had a nose full of those blood clot boogers last night, but I’ve picked them all now. I even dreamed about picking my nose last night.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/December/2023 @ 5:47 pm

A progress report

Kev, I honestly don’t remember why I lost the beard. I grew another one after I first retired, but obviously, I didn’t keep it either.

Thanks for the cold menu ideas. I’ve been doing some of them already. I went with the chef salad last night.

Breathing free through the nose is underrated! Glad to be back in the realm of normalcy.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/December/2023 @ 5:30 am

Putting the cart before the whore

Soju, most of the bars that offer “take out” have mamasans. My understanding is that the mamasan recruits the girls to the bar and supervises them at work.

No way I’m going to Berkley unless I can teach remotely…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/December/2023 @ 9:46 am

Brian, no doubt about it: a lot of the bad luck these gals have experienced was self-inflicted. I met one bargirl with SIX kids! Abortion is illegal here, but birth control is available. It seems some folks just never learn.

I agree that most of the bargirls would jump at an offer of better employment. Sadly, good jobs for unskilled and undereducated young women are very scarce. That said, bar work is better than no work. I do have sympathy for their situation, which is why I’m inclined to be generous with the lady drinks.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/December/2023 @ 3:20 pm

Dan, it is strange how things change. No, I don’t find the discussions depressing now. I still feel sorry for them sometimes, but I guess you just reach a place of acceptance. One of my selfish motivations for the charity projects I do is that they relieve some of the guilt about living rich while surrounded by poverty. You can’t help everyone, but I’m making a difference for some, and that eases my mind.

Yes, I had the same thought about the comment from “So Sad.” I hope he found the kid, but I doubt it. And I’d wager less than 50-50.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/December/2023 @ 7:00 am

Up on Cripple Creek

Thanks, Jerry. Yep, being able to breathe through my nose again is a good thing!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/December/2023 @ 3:12 pm

Kev, was that spelling error the only one I missed? My brain was still mush yesterday afternoon, and while I attempted to proofread it, I had a feeling I didn’t catch all the mistakes. Oh shit, I see I was still dropping “e’s” as well. I’ll try and do better!

Believe it or not, some girls like my bushy brows. I do get them trimmed when I get a haircut, though.

Yes, the bleeding has slowed down, and I expect I’ll be back to normal by next week. I can already pull some air in through my nose, and I’m looking forward to being able to smell again.

Yes, Teri has really stepped up and shown the value of her caregiver training. She interacts with the doctors about my meds and other health issues. In fact, I’m going to give her a pay raise. Swan was an angel, staying up with me all night in the hospital when I couldn’t sleep, giving me comfort. As miserable as I was, I would have been lost without them there.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 2:10 am

Yes, Dan, I had to recite my mantra several times, “Take a deep breath, relax, and accept the Filipino way.” I’m glad I don’t have more first hand experience with how hospitalization and surgery work. I was probably irked going in because I had read in the USA, this type of surgery is done on an outpatient basis.

The fasting was weird; just before I was taken to the operating room, I was starved. When I woke up after the surgery, I had no appetite and didn’t eat anything until the next morning. Twenty-four hours without eating is a record for me.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 1:52 am

Thanks, Frank. Good to hear from you again. It’s been a while…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 1:45 am

Thanks, BW.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 1:44 am

Still amongst the living

Soju, well, it’s good to know what Lucky has been up to. And now I have an alibi for that search history! And yes, I’ve already observed that Lucky is in love with Swan and probably wants her to himself.

Yep, rules are made to be broken. Interestingly, I’m supposed to avoid hot food and beverage while my nostrils heal. So, I stayed home last night drinking cold beer on my patio. Good times!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 2:17 am

Will do, Drain!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 2:13 am

Thanks, Brian. Much appreciated.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 2:12 am