Comments Posted By Kevin Kim
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Have you ever considered switching up the brownie thing by doing variations? Adding chocolate chips one week, adding different styles of frosting another week, adding nuts yet another week, or doing any combination of the above? We don’t want to get stuck in “a foolish consistency.” Next time, do frosted brownies with a caramel drizzle. I bet the ladies would rave.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 31/March/2025 @ 4:03 pm
Alas. I guess looks can be deceiving.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 31/March/2025 @ 3:12 pm
Sorry— “extreme circumstances,” plural.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 31/March/2025 @ 2:14 am
re: the video on families
I love the guy’s mispronunciation of “chasm.”
It’s a sad thing for families to fall apart when someone goes off to live in a foreign country, but I bet that, in most cases, the “chasm” was merely revealed, not created, by the move. Extreme circumstance reveal all sorts of flaws and fissures in relationships that seem, on the surface, to be perfectly solid. I discovered this during Mom’s brain cancer. Crisis reveals character.
That bakery looks pretty damn tempting, and there’s none of the usual frou-frou bullshit you’d find in a Japanese or Korean bakery.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 31/March/2025 @ 1:44 am
Yes, I was referring to the origins of the idiom.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 30/March/2025 @ 1:17 pm
The house Scott had built when he first retired and moved to the PI in 2005. Things didn’t go according to that dream, but he has found a new dream now.
So Scott doesn’t live in that house?Where does he live, why, and what happened?
A pig without a poke
A poke = a small sack, so… either a pig not in a small bag or a pig with no scrote…?
If you are going to go long and hot, keep it flat.
You trying to simulate that much-maligned Snow White shot?
Jay said he didn’t have any experience with an “all you can drink” system, and he was pretty toasted by the end of the show.
I hope he had a chance to sleep it off on the flight back to Japan.
The plan was to live here six months a year, and six months in Korea. The best of both worlds.
I bet your US place would’ve gotten broken into. You can’t trust Americans.
The first example he uses is about a guy who exposed his wife to the bar scene (that she didn’t like), and she eventually left him over his refusal to leave that life behind.
Wise woman.
re: the rest of the Reekay video
He’s on to something. Avoid the “Pygmalion project,” i.e., trying to make or mold someone into someone else.
Another day, another post. It may all be meaningless, but keep ’em coming!
Whom are you commanding?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 30/March/2025 @ 4:21 am
A moment of reflection
Nice shot.
Our dining companions, Jay, Martin, and Joss.
How’d you end up forming such a tight little clique? Normally, I think I’d see you with folks like Scott.
He said they had a nice night together. Well done, young man!
You did say that it ended… happily.
Now, one thing I’ve noticed is almost none of the shit I linked to all those years ago still works.
This phenomenon is called “link rot.” Links often go bad as sites close down, move, or whatever. I wrote about this in 2012.
Party on.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 30/March/2025 @ 3:48 am
Yeah, you’ve mentioned tampo a few times before. I mentally associate it with a “tampo tantrum,” albeit a silent one, making it easy to remember. Women bring drama. It’s like having a cat. (Well, as many cat owners say, the cat owns you. True with women, too.)
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 29/March/2025 @ 6:22 am
The ridge walk looks to have been fun and arduous. I like that sheltered view/vantage. Very nice, very nice. Ever have a picnic up there? That sounds like a good mission/project/event.
re: video
Are those cicadas I hear in the background? And, ooh—you very briefly talked politics and no one yelled at anyone!
Your “Mr. Ed” song was on point. Amazing how we remember things from the distant past, as we age, but not what breakfast was three days ago.
Seven years ago, I packed a balikbayan box to ship some of my belongings to the Philippines 45 days prior to my move.
I’m learning all sorts of vocab: balikbayan, pasalubong…
Well, a good time was had by all. Now, go eat some of that Jussipussi.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 28/March/2025 @ 9:45 am
I couldn’t help but notice that she looked more worn than usual yesterday. Life on the streets is hard.
Can you get her a new pair of glasses? Same frames and prescription, but without the seemingly growing tape on the nose-bridge of the frame?
Not knowing when I might return to the Alley, I finished all the drinks on the card before departing. A twelve-beer night!
I’ve mentioned the excesses before. Time to offer excuses and rationalizations about how this is so rare.
In that spirit, good luck with your SOB coupons. More excess to come!
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 26/March/2025 @ 8:08 pm
It wasn’t as slick as ice, but it was close enough. My feet decided to go airborne, and I wound up on my ass.
Those Hashes can be dangerous, can’t they.
re: tour-guide duties
Seems to be enjoyable thus far. Robin Williams referred to Canada as “a loft apartment over a really cool party.”
Try not to fall on your ass too much, drunk or not.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 26/March/2025 @ 11:11 am
The fire surrounds the pig and generates the heat, but the meat is not directly over the fire.
This is familiar to people who barbecue in the States, where it’s called “indirect heat.” It’s how you cook large chunks of meat like a big brisket, or even smaller bits of protein like chicken or burgers. Less chance of huge, burned areas on your food.
WTF is that all about? Never seen anything like it here before. (No foreigners in this poor village)
What’s this? Someone who made a joke that’s harder to understand than one of yours?? Impossible!
Ralph made it to 85, so well done, sir.
I’m guessing that’s a pic from well before he was 85. Unless he was naturally one of those people who look 60 even when they’re 90. What photo will you use for your own banner? A black-and-white one from yesteryear?
Chu wanted a rematch, and I granted her wish. I actually played better than expected, and we were both down to the 8-ball at the end. She shot and missed. I didn’t.
Was this your first time ever winning against Chu? Congrats if so.
As usual, this seems to have been a nice walk and evening out. I hope you get over the fatigue and the intestinal distress. You’ve lived in the PI too long to be taken down by the usual stuff that normally takes down unwary tourists… any chance you’ll see a doctor about it? Fatigue + diarrhea = what, exactly?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 23/March/2025 @ 7:33 pm
But what you call lazy, I see as being creative! Or maybe I’m just channeling Frank Sinatra.
Excuses, excuses. Maybe instead of seeing not learning as an act of rebellion, see learning as an opportunity for enrichment.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 24/March/2025 @ 12:34 pm
When you are making up words[,] it just seems to make sense for it to “sound” the way you intended. Hence, my crappy play on die arria.
But with that strategy, the spelling you choose has to “sound” the proper way to the reader. Can you guarantee that? You can always assume the reader is stupid and try to spell phonetically, but what you (i.e., people, not you personally) consider “phonetic” isn’t guaranteed to be “heard” the same way by others. I saw “arria” and read that as “aria,” like a song at the opera. The spelling “arrhea” would’ve at least clued me in to what you were aiming for.
This is why, in determining “good” English, we try to avoid notions like “well, that just feels awkward” or “that doesn’t sound right” in favor of actual rules of grammar, mechanics, etc. And that’s why I always insist on asking you the “why” of this or that correction—what’s the rule or the underlying reason or principle? You never give me the why when I ask, which indicates you’re not learning anything.
I can see how you might have been a frustrating student in school: making more effort to avoid learning properly—finding loopholes and making jokes and excuses and such—than just to learn properly. I guess we’re all lazy about something.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 23/March/2025 @ 7:17 pm
Oh, wait—I think I get the “arria dies” joke. Gawd, that was awful. I think it works better when told verbally. You could’ve helped understanding by writing “arrhea” instead of “arria.” What the fuck was that?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 22/March/2025 @ 6:00 pm
Today, I’m hoping the arria dies soon.
???
Eight years ago, my secretary, Ms. Song Unchu, was promoted to an HR Specialist position. She still worked for me, so I wasn’t able to share how much I cared for her.
I’m guessing the feeling of “care” wasn’t platonic. Otherwise, a hug would’ve been enough in the pre-#MeToo days.
A deserted National Highway in Barretto is something you never see.
Like a movie set.
I’m glad the newbies enjoyed the hike. Will you accompany them on a 15K jaunt? Flatness makes the distance easier, as you well know.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 22/March/2025 @ 5:57 pm
Congrats on the blood work.
chicken ready to be roasted
That chicken makes me think of General Grievous.
and so I shot him through the head / and laid him in his grave
You’re a prophet! This is practically what Kylo Ren did to Snoke in The Last Jedi.
seargent → sergeant
Looking back, I could have made so much more of this time in my life. I’ll fix things if God grants the “do-over” afterlife I’m praying for.
Who took that picture?
re: memes
“Paramedics attend a accident”—I love it. The joke would’ve been funnier had it not already been done years ago in the novel American Gods. Can you clean up the rest of the awful English in that meme?
Again, congrats on your numbers. I still don’t know how you do it given all of your shitty habits. Alcohol-soaked genes, I guess.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 21/March/2025 @ 6:45 pm
I don’t do the maps, but they are not detailed enough to show which is the right path to take.
What program is the person using to display the true trail? If there’s a way to show the true trail, there must be a way to match that up to one’s real-time progress along the trail in some detail, including tiny twists and turns.
But if, as you say, you’re all into the adventure of possibly getting lost, then I guess it’s all good. Go as a group, get lost as a group. Just don’t get eaten by any natives.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 21/March/2025 @ 6:24 pm
The trail will be there next time we come out this way, and the proper course is not etched in our brains.
“Not etched” or “now etched”? I wouldn’t comment on the possible typo, but in this case, if it’s a typo, it radically changes your meaning.
And here it is. The long orange is the intended path. The yellow is our [fuck-up]. We won’t do that again!
So the real, practical questions are:
1. If you could consult an online map showing the exact trail to follow, why didn’t you do that before the trip?
2. In the future, can you plot that exact trail on your phone and overlay it with real-time GPS updates to see whether you’re still on the trail?When I do my cross-country hikes, I always plot the path of each segment before starting the day. Maybe that makes me too reliant on my tech instead of being “old school,” but I’m pretty sure that Naver Map has saved my bacon on more than one occasion, and I’m willing to sacrifice a few machismo points if it means not getting lost. As I’ve written many times on my walk blogs, getting lost when I’m by myself isn’t a big thing; I’m not on anyone else’s schedule. But getting lost in a group—or worse, being the leader who gets the group lost—is another matter entirely.
I was a good boy yesterday
Okay! That’s one day!
She’ll be here waiting for you in the Philippines in eighteen years
Now, there’s a creepy meme. “Not yet born”—yikes.
Did my blood work this morning and will pick up the results this afternoon prior to my appointment with Dr. Jo.
Yeah, I’m curious to know if/when chelation starts up again.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 21/March/2025 @ 2:44 am
I’m glad he wasn’t one of those insane folks suffering from TDS.
I guess you dodged a bullet.
That’s what the 4.5K trek looks like from a Google perspective
From the green dot, it’s once again impossible to know whether you first turned left or right. Maybe you split into two McCrareys. Schrödinger’s McCrarey, in two quantum states at once before someone observes you and collapses the wave function.
The closet we got to a sunset
I think I know what you meant. That’s the alcohol talking.
Swan and I shared an order of enchiladas…
The food looks good!
Yesterday’s YouTube video talked about why expats were fleeing the Philippines. Today’s YouTube talks about why they are coming. I report, you decide.
They come, they go, they come, they go…
Are you expecting any more results from the doc, or was that it for now?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 19/March/2025 @ 11:33 pm
I tried to leave a comment yesterday, but I guess it didn’t go through. Hm. I clicked “post comment,” but instead of the usual “your comment is awaiting moderation” screen (which also generally shows my comment), I got a blank screen. I clicked the “back” button on my browser and tried to resubmit my comment, and the blog said, “You already posted that,” so I shrugged and assumed the blog was keeping me from double-posting. I guess the first post never got through. Maybe this problem is why I’ve had a couple “I swear I left a comment” moments recently. Could be my VPN… your blog seems allergic to VPNs. I often have to turn the VPN off to submit a comment.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 19/March/2025 @ 10:07 am
Head for the bridge!
When I walk across Korea, some of my favorite moments are approaches to bridges. I can’t say why. There’s something seductive about the underside of a bridge, I guess. Seoul has huge bridges, and even out in the sticks, there are some large bridges. Underneath many of these spans is a whole subculture of human leisure activities ranging from event spaces to sets of gym equipment to just wood and stone benches (and maybe tables) offering a view ranging from pedestrian to awesome. I’ll often stop and rest at such places, so maybe I associate bridges with a feeling of welcome.
Turn left at the sari-sari (you can almost see the arrow)
One of the best-looking sari-sari you’ve ever photographed. I love the colors in that photo.
Hundreds of these picnic huts lined both sides of the river
For a millisecond, I thought I was looking at a “glamping” ground, and I was all prepared to resent it. Then I read the caption and looked again.
The only Facebook memory from today worthy of note is a joke I posted thirteen years ago.
We’ve talked about this joke (which you’ve posted several times) before. Search your archives. It’s cute, but it’s based on bullshit.
a mass exodus of expats leaving the Philippines
So this kind of contradicts the earlier video about how so many Koreans have “discovered” the Philippines and are moving there for a welcome change in the pace of life—less pressure, less of a rat race. Hm.
I just hope that don’t rub it the wrong way…
Now, I have a whole new thing I can try to do with my eyes closed. Let’s find out! I bet the answer involves sniffing. Which makes me wonder: what do you do if you have a stuffy nose? Lick your fingers to check?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 18/March/2025 @ 8:21 pm
Oh, no! Effort! Seriously, though, that looked kinda steep.
Didn’t expect to see Jesus hanging around up here
There’s a muscular Jesus in Incheon’s Chinatown. See here.
Pavement was much nicer than loose dirt
That “pavement” (more like poured and scored concrete, similar to what’s in the Korean countryside) does look much safer and more comfortable for the way down. But it’s a good thing the PI doesn’t get snowy winters, or that road could become hella slippery.
I don’t know, and I don’t care
This shows how much I’ve forgotten. Google AI reminds us:
Mount of Olives: Jesus’ teaching site & location of ascension
Mount Tabor: site of Jesus’ transfiguration
Mount of Golgotha: (well, most of us remember this one) Jesus’ crucifixionWe did manage to dispense some sweetness along the way
If you’re headed toward hell, is the pictured dog Cerberus?
The sun had seen just about enough of us
Whoa, great shot!
I limited myself to a bowl of clam chowder. I liked it.
Keto clam chowder would swap out the taters for cauliflower.
Climbing to new heights was so much easier back then
I think the last time you showed that pic years ago, you told us who the other guy was.
All the bars closed and stuck at home. What’s a fella to do?
Take advantage of the opportunity to get a little healthier!
The drive from here to Floridablanca is thirty minutes or so.
Good luck with the next Hash. One after another, eh?
Florida = flowered, flowery
blanca = white (fem.)You’re turning into Odin, what with the one good(ish) eye.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 17/March/2025 @ 3:12 pm
The guy I saw was fine and confirmed what I suspected—I have a Stage 3 cataract in my left eye, and surgery to remove it is the only cure. I’ll need to make a decision about when and where to do that; until then, I’ll be essentially blind in one eye.
Sorry to hear about it. Good luck choosing a place. And Google AI says:
A stage 3 cataract is a mature cataract that has fully developed, causing severe vision impairment. At this stage, the lens is visibly cloudy and light can’t pass through.
Symptoms
Difficulty reading and driving
Double vision
Trouble distinguishing colors
Halos around lights
Blurry vision
More glare from lamps, bright sunlight, or headlights
Night vision is deterioratingTreatment
Eye doctors usually recommend cataract surgery at this stage
Cataract surgery has a near 99% success rateOther stages of cataracts
Immature: An earlier stage of cataract development
Hypermature: The most advanced stage of cataract developmentWhen to seek medical advice
When cataracts have begun to interfere with your quality of life
When glasses and/or contacts no longer satisfy your visual needsEarly intervention
Early intervention is key to preserving vision and avoiding uncomfortable blurred vision and strain on the eyes.Some of the blurry things I saw on the way back to the hotel:
Must be nice to see your photos (relatively) clearly now.
Back to the infamous Barangay Balibago.
What makes it infamous?
Or maybe red alert. My situational awareness is definitely at a higher level than when I’m in Barretto.
The Korean says 소매치기 조심하세요/somaechigi joshimhaseyo, or literally, “Be careful of/Beware of pickpockets.” I love the improper preposition on the Filipino sign, though: “Be careful to the robber!” Yes, we wouldn’t want the robber to get hurt. Or to have hurt feelings.
I was surprised at how big it was and only ate half of it.
If you’d had a Korean mother of my mother’s generation (Korean War survivor), you’d have grown up with “You can’t leave the table until you’ve eaten all of your food.” Which is why I’m the man I am today! Gee, thanks, Mom.
Back at the hotel, I noticed we were being stalked by a moon shadow.
There was a lunar eclipse recently. Is this what you saw?
But at least I didn’t eat all of it.
Dieting doesn’t mean wasting food, though. I hope you gave the rest to someone.
From your linked 2005 post:
In a new twist on the traditional American 4th of July fare, Mi Soon has kimchi and bean paste with her baked potatoe (and eating on the floor Korean style)….
Dan Quayle approves of your “potatoe” spelling.
Good luck with the eye, with blood tests later on, etc. Good calorie deficit yesterday; let’s see whether you can sustain that for a few days in a row. With cataract surgery’s “near 99%” success rate, you might consider staying in the Philippines.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 16/March/2025 @ 10:11 pm
Is Corona actively hostile, or is this mainly about that sign calling people “chicken” if they take the shorter route?
I assume this will be your final visit to a Corona Hash, but I’m guessing you’ll be visiting your favorite restos again at some point.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 16/March/2025 @ 10:26 am
The Boomerang Hotel is Aussie-owned, believe it or not!
Google AI says: “While foreigners can own hotels in the Philippines, they are subject to restrictions on land ownership, requiring them to lease the land and potentially operate under a Filipino-owned corporation.”
Interesting.
That writing on the wall in the background are the Hash names of folks who have visited Harriette’s in the past.
I haven’t been critiquing the English for a while, but I couldn’t leave this one alone. The verb must always agree with the subject. In the above sentence, the subject is “writing.” So the verb should be “is,” not “are.” The phrase “the names” is not the subject, but a noun phrase acting as the predicate nominative (like “teacher” in the sentence “Brad is a teacher”—a noun located in the predicate that refers to the subject). It may feel awkward to use “is” when the predicate nominative is plural, and if you think “That writing… is the names” is awkward (it isn’t, but it may feel that way), then I’d suggest rewriting the sentence completely to avoid the problem.
There are quirks and nuances when it comes to the rule I explained above (subject/verb agreement). For example, there’s the biblical classic, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) The verb “is” is correct because “wages,” in this case, is an uncountable noun meaning “consequence.” Or how about this: “Ten years is a long time to wait.” The phrase “Ten years” is being treated as a single chunk of time, i.e., it’s behaving like an uncountable noun (uncountable nouns are always treated as singular).
Further complicating matters is the fact that many nouns can be both countable and uncountable depending on context. “Juice,” for example. “I spilled some juice on myself” is using “juice” uncountably, hence the “some.” But, “Waiter! Two juices, please” is using “juice” countably. One juice, two juices. So be careful with your nouns and verbs.
I’d never heard of Banoffee Pie, but damn, it sounds delicious.
Stupid Yank that I am, I hadn’t heard of it, either (it’s originally British, a portmanteau of “banana” and “toffee”), until years ago, when I saw someone’s email address said “banoffeepie.” At the time, I thought that that was a single word pronounced “bannuh-FEEpee,” but how wrong I was. I eventually watched some cooking shows or videos that set me straight. I have yet to try such a pie. One day, maybe.
Dinner is served: a taco and an enchilada with rice and refried beans. The meal was every bit as good as it looks.
Carbs, carbs, carbs, with a small bit of lettuce to make you think you’re eating healthy.
Well, I hated it this morning when I calculated my calories[,] anyway.
How accurately do you think you’re calculating your calories? I have a sneaking suspicion that you’ve been undercounting.
Today’s journey through the archives of LTG features this post from June 2005 entitled, And So Beings The Task.
I assume that’s “So Begins.”
I thought perhaps I had just gotten the news from Carol (wife #3) that she was reneging on her promise to join me in Korea.
I read her comment and noticed she actually said something nice!
This was the Subic contingent from four years ago. This year, less than ten joined the Corona “fun.”
Why do you think that is? Are there others in your group who think as you do?
Well, the trip seems like a combination of fun, effort, and more of the same (bars). Try to avoid any more of those intrusive, home/hotel-invading banana splits.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 15/March/2025 @ 10:59 pm
In Korean naming, there’s the concept of the dollim-ja, which is the name that all the (male) siblings of the same generation are given. So I have cousins who all share the dollim-ja “yeol”—Gi-yeol, Jae-yeol, Byeong-yeol, Gang-yeol, Seung-yeol, Seong-yeol, etc.
In your family, “Lee” almost seems like an American dollim-ja, which makes me wonder how you ended up with “Mark.” (I’ve talked before about the John Mark from the Bible. He’s the putative author of the gospel of Mark.)
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 15/March/2025 @ 1:10 pm
Me and that girl who keeps me company in my old age
Who will keep her company in her old age?
I’m more of an “everything in moderation” kind of guy
Yeah, keep telling yourself that.
I was in the Bahamas for my daughter’s wedding in 2002 with my father, Walter Lee, and my son, Kevin Lee.
Does “Walter Lee” = first + middle name or two first names? And “Kevin Lee”? Are these gentlemen Lees or McCrareys?
Everything old is new again
You’ve found your treasure trove.
Who knows where the time goes?
Some of the weirdest Popeye art I’ve seen. That face.
Anyway, happy trails! And continued good luck with the doc.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 14/March/2025 @ 8:27 pm
Damn. I wrote:
Well, keep at it. You beat her eventually.
I guess I’m turning into an ungrammatical ajumma.
You’ll beat her eventually.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 14/March/2025 @ 11:28 am
«« Back To Stats Pagethe power of attorney I’d submitted to enable my daughter to sell my house “has been declined because it doesn’t comply with state requirements.”
Good luck untangling that situation.
Still, if my Facebook feed is any indication, Filipinos are incensed that the current president has allowed this to happen.
How beloved by the people was Duterte?
This goat bleated out a welcome as we arrived
We’ve got random goats here in Korea, too.
I fell behind briefly after a pee stop
Did you run to catch up, or did the other people stop and wait for you?
I would if I could, but I can’t, so I won’t. But damn, I can see myself spending hours on that balcony enjoying the bay views.
I have to wonder about that house’s plumbing.
Anchors away!
I believe the expression is “Anchors aweigh,” with aweigh meaning an anchor that’s off the sea floor, i.e., the boat can move.
And back on the mostly deserted streets of Club Morocco
That looks nice and peaceful.
In Alta Vista, almost all the streets are named after US [n]ational [p]arks.
So… Yosemite Street? Yellowstone Street? Shenandoah Street?
French or Arabic?
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell, but Safi is almost certainly Arabic. I once tutored a student from the UAE surnamed Al-Safi.
I played Chu in a game of pool, and once again, I lost. I did play marginally better, though.
Well, keep at it. You beat her eventually.
I hope chelation went well.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 14/March/2025 @ 11:10 am