Comments Posted By Kevin Kim
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A hike that ends with a sob is kind of poetic.
I guess we can give the new guy credit for trying, and he should definitely be encouraged to try again, and again, and again. Fall down a hundred times, get up a hundred times, and all that. His promise to be in better shape is a good sign. Some Korean Buddhists refer to this as “other-power,” which is basically a vague way of talking about things like peer pressure or, more positively, inspiration from seeing others’ examples. Another Korean-Buddhist term for the group energy that sustains everyone during difficult practice is “together-action” (동행, 同行, dōng haeng). Maybe the new guy felt some of that.
Might be good to suggest to him a particular hill, preferably a big one. The goal should be just to go up as far as he can, mark how far he got, then try the hill again when he’s ready (next day, day after, whatever). Ultimately, if he keeps at it, he’ll reach the top, and from then on, that’ll be his hill. And now that he’s mastered one, he can go on to master two, then three, etc. In a year, he won’t recognize his old self.
The Wet Spot girls
In the pic with the above caption, there are four people. The one on the extreme right appears to have a mustache. Is that just lighting, or is that a dude having a laugh?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 14/January/2023 @ 7:22 pm
That mole was the one on your nose and close to your left eye, correct? (I almost said, “…left eye, right?”—which would’ve been confusing.) I didn’t even notice that thing for the longest time, then sometime last year, I saw a selfie you’d uploaded, and damn, that thing was a monster. But I decided that you had made your peace with it, so I said nothing. Anyway, I’m glad they hacked a couple pounds of flesh off your face, and I’m sure your face thanks you as well.
I suspect there’s some sort of laser treatment you can get for skin tags. (You can see tons of videos on YouTube: search for “skin tag removal.”) If you’re not using a laser, there are more primitive (but still relatively painless) ways to take care of skin tags. As far as I can tell, the removal procedures take only a few seconds and won’t endanger your eyes.
Anyway, congrats on having that big ol’ mole removed. It’s bad enough that a house is being built in front of your place, obstructing your view. You don’t need a mole on your face to be obstructing your view.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 13/January/2023 @ 10:54 pm
small, purple things = shallots?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 13/January/2023 @ 2:43 pm
I can’t even find onions in stock at Royal these days.
In an agricultural paradise like the PI? That’s a really bad sign.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 12/January/2023 @ 1:59 pm
A date that will live in infamy
If she’s going to be a waitress, I hope she practices having an open, outgoing face and a friendly smile—more animation than she showed during that first date.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 12/January/2023 @ 7:11 am
I’m not sure I followed the “asshole” thing. Did I miss something in the last photo of this post? Was there an incident involving assholes that you simply didn’t blog about? Did I skip or misread something? That final paragraph just seems kind of sudden: no buildup, no narrative of an incident, just suddenly—assholes. I really think I missed something. I’m dead tired after working a string of 12-14-hour days, so it’s hard just keeping my eyes uncrossed. Apologies for bad reading comprehension.
And watch dem lungs! Dey dee only two you got!
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 11/January/2023 @ 3:58 am
Nice pics of the sunset, and great party pics—food, people, dangerous stairs, and everything. Sorry to hear about inspirational John with the Parkinson’s. A friend of mine here is afflicted with that, too. A sincere Happy Birthday to Dr. Jo. Will there be another party for her hubby since he’s a January baby as well?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 09/January/2023 @ 7:22 pm
I’m looking forward to hanging out at Mope Resort
Just don’t look too sad while you’re there.
Gen sounds full of red flags. I wouldn’t bother with her. There’s drama, then there’s unnecessary drama.
As for your doctor’s party…
“See you at the party, Richter!”
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 08/January/2023 @ 4:54 pm
Sorry to hear about Scott’s injury. I’m glad it wasn’t worse. May he get well soon.
I’m more of the Colin Fletcher school of thought: it’s better to walk alone. Your head is clear, and there’s no constant chatter, worrying about how other hikers are doing, or feeling pressure because of other people’s schedules. Sure, if you get seriously injured, that could be a problem, but life is risk, right? Can’t sit inside fearfully. Besides, most injuries happen because (1) we’re not thinking, or (2) we have a lapse of common sense. Just avoid those traps, and you’re golden.
Anyway, please keep us updated on Scott’s condition. The list of health updates is growing: first John, now Scott. Who’s next on the list?
That’s one of the best shots of Easter Mountain I’ve seen on this blog. Pro-level composition. I also liked the “bowsers.”
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 08/January/2023 @ 1:29 am
I decided to treat myself like I’m somebody special since no one else does.
I thought you got some nice Christmas gifts and some kind notes, no? Or are you talking about something more?
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 06/January/2023 @ 10:08 pm
Sometimes you’re the windshield…
What I can’t excuse is getting the history wrong–it was Sacagawea who helped guide Lewis and Clark. Let’s go, Brandon!
Yes, there was much implied by my “Who?”
I don’t recall actually spelling “Pocahontas” in my previous comment, but yes, I cleave to the white colonizers’ way of writing the name. So scalp me.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 06/January/2023 @ 1:05 pm
Pocohantus
Who?
Nice hike pics. I’d probably give up a lot sooner than you guys did.
Continued good luck with this diet you’ve started. I recognize that kim (seaweed).
I might try a balut just once. Just to have the experience and say I did it. Because once it’s done, it can never be undone, and I’d always be “that guy who ate the balut.” Alas, years ago, when I was younger and even stupider than I am now, I did that in Seoul with dog stew. It was a lark back then, but years later, I saw some of the horrific secret video footage coming out of those Korean dog slaughterhouses, and I elected never to touch boshintang again. But unfortunately, I’ll always be “that guy who ate boshintang.” Once done, it can’t be undone.
Sins of the past. For what it’s worth, I’m sure you’d never eat Buddy and Lucky. They’d be only about a serving apiece, anyway.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 06/January/2023 @ 3:16 am
A third is better than nothing
Honestly, Kevin, looking back over my lifetime I can’t recall any woman since high school that I’ve dated for six months with no sex.
I know I shouldn’t have, but I laughed when I read that, and I thought, “Yup—that explains four marriages!” Good to know the warmth of the Philippines translates to the… warmth of the local women. I guess. May you spread your DNA far and wide. I’m beginning to think that that’s your God-given superpower.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 06/January/2023 @ 2:58 am
I was thinking more in terms of percentage score, not frequency per month. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that most of your attempts at relationships get to the sex phase pretty quickly, like within a week or two, certainly within a month. How about dating a woman without any expectation of (or pressure for) sex for six months? That sounds like a 2023 challenge to me! (And while dating this hypothetical woman, showing some faithfulness by not accepting “happy endings” from the usual suspects.)
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 05/January/2023 @ 3:15 pm
Still, I may have created the wrong impression on my posts–I’m not on a quest for sex.
And yet, that’s where you always seem to end up. Hmmm.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 05/January/2023 @ 10:47 am
Fuck. I meant “Gen,” not “Gem.”
Of course, “Gen” makes me think of the InGen Corp. from the first Jurassic Park.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 04/January/2023 @ 8:28 pm
It’s a little too late to be shopping for turkey, anyway, unless you’re one of those people who loves turkey year-round—by which I don’t mean the people who love turkey by the slice: I’m talking about people who love the whole bird.
Good luck with Gem. Based on what you’ve written, it does seem that any sort of text communication with Pinay women usually ends up with them exhibiting all their little-girly insecurities and other character flaws. I realize it’s hard to convey tone of voice via text (especially when joking), and that’s made even harder when the interlocutor has, at best, a shaky grasp of English. Add the baggage of automatically making negative assumptions when communication is unclear (as these girls do), and it’s a wonder that Filipinos haven’t killed each other off already. As I said, good luck with Gem.
Oxytocin and cortisol! Well, I did a lot of study on hormones as part of my readings and viewings re: diet and exercise, and those explanations sound correct. Cortisol is indeed a stress hormone, which is why some experts contend that walking (which is not stressful) is better for you than running (which causes a release of cortisol in response to the stress of the exercise). And oxytocin is, in fact, a chemical that facilitates pair-bonding. From an evolutionary-biology perspective, if the object is to propagate the species, then a little chemical help can’t hurt.
But the problem comes when people stop at biology and confuse love with feelings (chemically induced or otherwise). As I’ve said repeatedly in your comments section, love is not a feeling: it’s an action (Matt Walsh agrees). Love takes effort. You don’t “fall into” true love—you maintain it constantly, like a garden. Feelings, being superficial, come and go with the hormonal tide; love abides. A mom might wake up and want to kill her kids because they’d been obnoxious the night before, but she gets out of bed, makes breakfast, helps the kids prep for school, and kisses them on the way out the door. That’s love. Love is what remains when the romantic/sexual magic is gone. If all you do is pursue the sexual, then you’re committing yourself to a hollow life. If all you want is a servant (“someone to take care of me”) and not an equal partner, then you’re never getting out of the kiddie pool. Now, if a hollow life is what you want, then hey—go for it. Be as superficial as you wish, and far be it from me to interrupt your pursuit of happiness. So go ahead: never leave the bars, always choose women who are decades younger (and already saddled with kids), bang ’em, then leave ’em. Maybe some people find that kind of shallow life fulfilling. God bless ’em. As far as I’m concerned, happiness is where you find it, and for some people, it’s not necessary to look too deeply. But whatever true love is, it’s more than just the animal/chemical.
And that’s the problem we keep coming back to. You do seem to yearn for something deeper than a bang, but you don’t want to put in the necessary work to find the love you seek. I don’t say that out of any sense of superiority: God knows I have my own vices that I haven’t gotten rid of thanks to my own laziness and hypocrisy. The exercise for you is going to be getting the carnal side of yourself to match up, somehow, with the side that yearns for depth. All of this starts with a clear understanding of what love is, and ultimately, it ain’t a feeling. Maybe the chemicals kickstart the romance that can lead to love, but at the end of the day, love is what takes you home.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 04/January/2023 @ 8:26 pm
I also enjoyed taking a peak into the future…
What’s wrong with this picture?!
Looks to have been a good set of walks. I bet the dogs appreciate the extra outside time.
You’re not able to get interior shots of your future house, are you? Or did you put those up already? I can’t remember. Ah, senility.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 04/January/2023 @ 6:58 am
The new year is off to a good start, I see. I didn’t think the street pics were boring at all. I’m always keen to see more of the areas where you walk. Oh, and nice pics from your first Hash. Good memories.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 02/January/2023 @ 6:50 pm
I didn’t know your nebulizer was such a huge machine. In fact, I’m not sure I knew what a nebulizer was at all. I’ve always imagined it as a compact inhaler for some reason. And now, I’ve learned a new vocab word.
That was a sweet card with a sweet message. The sort of thing I hang up on my work-station partition at the office. I’m sure you’ll treasure it forever.
At a guess, “gwapo” is Tagalog by way of Spanish, where “handsome” is guapo, with a “u.”
Congrats on the wallet and the spirometer. Use them both well. With the spirometer, you’ll want to keep a written record of your numbers so you have data you can bring to your doctors. Your phone doubtless has a notepad app, so you can use that to record your numbers and check your progress. In my mother’s case, the spirometer served both as a way to check lung capacity and as a way to inspire Mom to breathe more deeply, i.e., as a kind of lung exercise.
Good luck with the weight-loss project!
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 01/January/2023 @ 4:24 pm
Cool to see the network of 2022 trails. Great pics of the hike. I’ll take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year and all the best for 2023!
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 31/December/2022 @ 6:34 pm
Actually, it is just an easy way to meet non-bargirls who live close enough to me where we can actually go on dates.
As I’m sure you know, another way to meet non-bargirls is to (1) frequent the bars a little less and (2) experience the rest that the Philippines has to offer. A country isn’t simply the sum of its bars. I mean, I get that that’s your comfort zone, but the things you’re wishing for, in terms of meaningful companionship, require you to step outside of that comfort zone (by which I don’t mean dating sites, which are a comfort zone of their own since you’ve done that sort of thing before)—a good mission for 2023. Can John step off the samsaric wheel, or is he trapped in his own Matrix forever?
Here’s hoping for something big to happen in 2023. And by “big,” I mean good.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 30/December/2022 @ 9:31 pm
Congrats on a successful wealth-redistribution campaign! Heh.
I don’t mind social action when it’s done voluntarily. True compassion is uncompelled compassion. And as you say: it might not amount to much, but it’s better than nothing. If the Aeta want to rise out of poverty, then that’s up to them. Maybe they don’t even see themselves as impoverished.
Counting your blessings is a good way to take stock as we begin a new year. You are indeed fortunate.
Yeah, I don’t think I’d have the balance to cross that high bridge you showed. Scary.
Beautiful pics.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 29/December/2022 @ 8:28 pm
Enchilada and pie both look great. For the enchilada, did you use the “food” setting on your camera? I think I recognize that “center in focus, edges out of focus” look. My camera has a “food” setting as well.
Why do you still shop at the scammers’ place? Seems like a recipe for continued stress. Maybe it’s time to stop giving them your business.
Good luck with outreach!
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 28/December/2022 @ 10:09 am
Pubic Head made this local happy with some adult beverages. How’s that old song go? Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker…
That local guy looks like a Filipino Robert Downey, Jr.
Well, you’ve brightened the day of many a young’un, and there’s even more charity planned for tomorrow! Nice.
Rock on!
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 27/December/2022 @ 6:52 pm
Ach! No photos of the Belgian chocolate?! Oh, how you torture me.
That shrimp appetizer on a baguette looked bizarre. It looked as if it was trying to be a crostini, but crostinis use much thinner (and crispier) slices of bread. How do you get your mouth around that? (That’s what she said.)
Aunt Pat’s Recipe World Famous Fruit Salad
Question about the name of the fruit salad: I can kind of see putting the word “Recipe” where it is in the name, but you’d think “Recipe” should go at the very end. I’m not saying the name, as it is, is wrong, but it does feel a little weird. So my question is: how did the name come to be?
Oh, yeah: in that other post, when I saw that picture of coconut (for your fruit salad), I thought, “Damn, that sure looks like squid.” Which led to imagining squid in my fruit salad… ick.
Sixteen beers. Either you’ve got a ten-gallon bladder, or you’ve been omitting a chronicle of all the restroom trips for reasons of taste.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 26/December/2022 @ 3:57 pm
It’s a Catholic country, so there may be pressure from the Church not to use birth control. As Mr. Miyagi says: stupid, but fact of life.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 26/December/2022 @ 6:50 am
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thanks for letting us all in on your strange and interesting life-adventure. All the best for 2023.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 25/December/2022 @ 5:29 pm
I wonder whether those cupcakes from the doctors are of the healthy sort.
Good walk. I’m looking forward to pics of the carrot cake and, I hope, the food served at today’s Christmas party.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 24/December/2022 @ 9:14 pm
«« Back To Stats PageNot bad for a beginner. I’m talking about making maps, not the drinking part. Still not there yet; I need a version showing street names, I think, and maybe local landmarks.
And a way to show us the order in which you’re visiting places.
I don’t know if anyone else does this, but lately, when I wake up in the wee hours of the morning after a night like last night, I start talking to myself.
I talk to myself all the time, even in public, and I sometimes get caught doing it. I guess that’s better than habitually whacking off in public.
re: Zen
In common “normie” parlance, Zen merely refers to a kind of calm or inner equilibrium, which is at least partially what Zen is about. Even in French, the expression rester Zen, i.e., to stay calm or serene, is used and means about the same thing.
Good to see the guard dawgs.
» Posted By Kevin Kim On 23/December/2022 @ 5:16 pm