Comments Posted By John McCrarey
Displaying 2,431 To 2,460 Of 6,593 Comments
Thanks for the comment and encouragement, Sick Bo.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/December/2023 @ 2:12 am
E-gads! I was completely under the influence when I did that update. I’ll do a better job on the next one.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2023 @ 5:25 am
Dan, is that where the phrase “tit for tat” comes from?
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2023 @ 5:22 am
Goldberg, sorry to disappoint you; no photos were taken from behind. This is especially good news because I had to wear an adult diaper in the operating room. I’m happy to report that it was still unsoiled when I awoke.
Swan has been amazing in taking care of me through this ordeal. My helper, Teri, has earned a pay raise for her efforts in healthcare management.
I’m getting my aspirin fix intravenously, so there’s no need to snort, which is good because I’m still bleeding as I write this.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2023 @ 5:21 am
Thor, I slept through the surgery, but I understand the polyps were taken to the kitchen for recycling.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2023 @ 5:12 am
Dan, it’s been an interesting experience thus far, and it ain’t over yet. Suffice it to say, I hope there will not be a repeat in the future. As for the TV, I still have six seasons of “Shameless” to watch. Sorry!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2023 @ 5:33 am
Kev, I can’t adequately respond to this comment in my current condition (another almost sleepless night and my brain feeling like mush). I’m planning to devote a post to some of these issues you raise soon. So, I’m looking forward to a “Huffington” post. (See what I did there?)
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/December/2023 @ 5:30 am
Soju, Yep, once a rebel, always a rebel.
Yes, it is true about the highway. Danger is everywhere, and when your time comes, you gotta go.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/December/2023 @ 2:19 pm
Kev, I think Brian’s comment lays out the way the interaction between customer and employee is supposed to work and usually does. I may have termed it “companionship” before, but I’m really just talking about some basic chit-chat while enjoying a beverage together. I get company, and she gets commission- a win-win! My only real issue with the gal on the floater was her rudeness. I’ve had girls I was drinking with tell me, “Oh, my regular just came in. Do you mind if I take care of him?” I always tell them, “No problem,” and I appreciate their honesty.
I do disagree with you about the money not helping these girls. Granted, it is not a ticket to escape the bar life, but those commissions buy food for the hungry kids at home. Many (not all) of these gals are good women doing the only work they can find to support their families. I respect that. I don’t think you are factoring in the extreme poverty that exists here in your assessment. Sometimes, a little bit makes a big difference.
Yes, that is Easter Mountain in the photo. That might be the best pic I’ve taken of my old friend.
As always, thanks for your support and encouragement. They can keep the polyps–I hope never to see them again (I’ve read they sometimes grow back). And you have once again contributed a new addition to my vocabulary. Nares the word!
Here’s hoping for that Sunday post!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/December/2023 @ 6:32 am
Brian, I think that’s a fair description of the GRO system and the give-and-take that occurs between the worker and the customer. I do sometimes think of it as charity, especially in those cases where I’m not interested in the company the girl provides but still feel some obligation to share my blessings. A three-dollar drink is certainly no big deal to me, but that commission can make a difference to a desperate girl.
The gal on the floater was more mercenary than I’m accustomed to, but it wasn’t like I had any interest in spending time with her–those drinks were, as you describe, more of a tip. I felt bad for her that she was missing out on the big money by taking care of me. Of course, she showed how much she appreciated my generosity by walking away. That’s fine; now that I know, I won’t be bothered again.
Of course, not all of the GRO/waitresses are like the one I encountered on the floater. I’ve met some nice girls doing a hard job, but their sweetness shows even when they are pretending to care.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/December/2023 @ 5:56 am
Kev, sorry I missed the church shot. I wasn’t focused on looking for it and never saw it. Next time!
I’m not sure what happened at Annex; they had a bottle but couldn’t pour it (frozen?). Maybe they should have tried stabbing it with a steely knife…
Yes, the Filipina wife is a nag, too, but thirty years younger and a lot hotter.
I’ll definitely bring my phone charger to the hospital with me. I also plan to bring my laptop to help wile away those boring hours of confinement. So, if I’m still alive, I’ll be able to kill the scheduled post announcing my demise.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/December/2023 @ 7:19 am
I’ve never seen a “schedule post” option; I’ll have to check into that. It would be pretty cool to write my own obituary. Anyway, the odds are good I’ll survive. And sorry to disappoint–I started with 100,000 in my savings account, but that was six years ago. I’ll be paying for the surgery with my credit card.
I had almost seven hours of sleep last night, it’s the intermittency of the insomnia that is tough to figure.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/December/2023 @ 7:22 am
HaHa! I love the Goldilocks analogy! With 40 bars in town it makes it harder to find the “just right” one, but I won’t give up!
Yes, that’s my hope: to wake up feeling refreshed and able to breathe through my nose again. Here’s hoping!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/December/2023 @ 7:16 am
Dan, that’s a good point. I woke up during a colonoscopy once and started screaming, “rape!”
Who is JP? But yeah, I’ve noticed when I’ve had a few, I can fall asleep, then I wake up when the booze has worn off and can’t fall asleep again. Weird.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/December/2023 @ 7:12 am
Soju, I’ve heard of one or two that live in one of the Fiesta communities (there are several throughout the area), but for the most part, they are starter homes for the Filipino middle class…
Yes, I’ve been on top several times. We call it Easter Mountain because the Hash climbs it every year on Easter Monday. I can’t remember its actual name now.
Your humor defies gravity when it is at its peak!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/December/2023 @ 2:13 pm
No, the golden oldies haven’t walked a trail for a couple of years at least. They are what we call socialites.
Yes, one bite, and that taco exploded. Its innards were good, though.
Lucky is still going strong; he might even outlive me…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/December/2023 @ 6:18 am
Kev, I prefer wet wipes anyway, but I use the toilet paper as a substitute for Kleenex, which I don’t recall seeing in any of the Filipino hotels I’ve visited. The room was overpriced for the quality of services offered. I’ve had superior lodging in the PI for 1500 pesos ($30) or less.
Yes, the Haggis Bash is an annual event. As for the camping, no, thank you. I grew up spending vacations in tents and enjoyed it. Now, I want creature comforts like a bed, a flushing toilet, and a table for my laptop. The perks of old age!
Thank you for the link. I’d never heard of the Sorites paradox. Reading about it gave me a heaping headache. And since I was in an early morning learning mode, I tried to find an answer to the pond versus lake conundrum. Turns out it is another paradox. And while size matters, it is not the defining difference. Still, I’m going to declare the body of water pictured as a pond until someone proves otherwise.
Yeah, not knowing the ingredients of haggis before consumption would be blissful ignorance. I couldn’t taste any of the creepy stuff in my sample. Oh, and I forgot to mention that a splash of whiskey was poured on top as the haggis was served. I’m not sure if that was ritualistic or a regular topping. Regardless, I couldn’t taste the alcohol.
Yes, getting out of town and seeing new faces and places is good. It also makes you appreciate the comforts of home once you return.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/December/2023 @ 6:26 am
DS: Yes, I’ve noticed the same thing. Making sure guests have what they need to be comfortable shouldn’t be a difficult concept to embrace. I want to emphasize that all the staff I encountered were friendly and pleasant. Also, they were usually just sitting around, but I never saw anyone who gave off a boss-like vibe.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/December/2023 @ 5:55 am
Kev, by the end of the night, some of us were crawling like hamsters.
Yes, the organizers did a great job pulling everything together for such a large group.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/December/2023 @ 8:33 am
Soju, that earthquake was in Mindanao, about as far away from my town here in Luzon as you can get. So, no worries needed, but enjoy the sex regardless!
Yep, it was a good Hash with no more craziness than normal. There were some good looking Gash but all they provided was eye candy. Still nice.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/December/2023 @ 8:30 am
Kevin, yes, I noticed that drawing on the wall and I saw what you see. I’m sure there is a story behind it, but not one I’ve been told.
We were served haggis last night, and yes, I had a taste. It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be, but I didn’t go back for seconds.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/December/2023 @ 7:30 am
Kev, my dad always said we were Scotch-Irish. He would joke that he drank like an Irishman and acted like a Scot if someone wanted money. My older brother researched our family history a while back, and we are descended from Scottish ancestors. According to him, we have some shared bloodlines with Robert the Bruce.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/December/2023 @ 7:22 am
Brian, it’s 188 kilometers from Barretto to here.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/December/2023 @ 7:15 am
Yeah, Soju, it’s better to be lucky than good! It was a bizarre thing to see, even by my low standards!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/December/2023 @ 10:10 am
I finger peck on my phone’s keyboard. Even sending a message is a pain in the ass. I can’t imagine writing an entire post one letter at a time. Nope!
Swan and Aine was definitely a pleasant surprise. I was tempted a couple of times in the past to see Aine outside of the bar. So glad now that I never did.
I rarely eat rice, but from what I’ve observed, it behooves the consumer to exercise due diligence and wash before eating. I’ve seen the rice being shoveled into bags right off the road, but I don’t know where it goes from there.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/December/2023 @ 6:12 am
Brian, I don’t know either. I’ve lost weight before, including the belly, and I aim to do so again. The belly does seem to be the last to go. Now, if it came down to choosing between beer and a flat stomach, I would become an advocate for Fat Pride.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/December/2023 @ 7:26 am
Kev, when I took the photo, I noticed the lack of an ending quotation mark, and I thought of you–Kevin is not going to like this! 🙂
Regarding the beer belly, we’ll see what happens. I need to find out what about beer fuels that growth. I checked my bottle of Zero last night and confirmed it has 2.5 carbs per serving. Granted, I’ll have several servings, but still less than a slice of cake. Non-beer, no-carb alternatives like gin/soda have other issues associated with them that may ultimately be worse than being fat. Anyway, I’ll do some research and see what I can come up with.
Swan is an occasional churchgoer, but that’s the first time she’s done a Wednesday mass that I know of. She is not overtly religious (i.e., she doesn’t say grace or do the sign of the cross thing) and keeps her beliefs to herself (she hasn’t tried to get me to join her).
No, I hadn’t seen that Walk of Life Project before. Hilarious! Thanks for sharing!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 01/December/2023 @ 6:57 am
Soju, measuring sleep is one of the features of my Fitbit fitness tracker (my model is the Charge 5). It seems to be accurate, as far as I can tell. It gets the time right, at least. I assume the sleep stages are based on heart rate.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/November/2023 @ 9:00 am
Kev, maybe after I’m breathing normally again, I’ll try to up my cardio game, but “hours” on a hill may be an unreachable goal. Alternatively, I’m thinking upping my beer intake would also induce deep sleep.
Well, perhaps “chore” is the wrong word, but I do feel an obligation to my loyal few readers to post something here every day, whether I feel like it or not.
I’ve read the LOTR (including The Hobbit) multiple times, even once out loud for wife #3. I’m sure I could do so again without losing interest. But I can also acknowledge my attention span has decreased with old age. Sitting in front of the TV when there are other options to explore just seems boring somehow. Of course, when I’m wide awake in the early morning, the TV is a blessing. It’s 3:30 a.m. as I write this, and I just finished three more episodes of “Shameless.”
Thanks for the link to the nipple song. Hilarious. And yes, it held my interest all the way through!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/November/2023 @ 5:35 am
«« Back To Stats PageI’m not Herschel Walker; I need about 6 hours of nighttime sleep to feel right. My afternoon nap is usually an hour long. I go to bed early, generally around 9, and this waking up at 1:00 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep isn’t going to work long term. I guess my body will adapt and sleep more the more tired I get.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/November/2023 @ 5:18 am