I was going to say, “Just leave the past in the past,” but then I remembered yesterday is all I have to write a blog post about. So, here you go:

It being a Saturday morning and all, we kicked things off with our weekly Decay Dance. I’m playing around with making videos to liven things up here some. This one features the opening portion of our dance: the walk from the house to the first neighborhood where we dispense candies. I held the phone/camera horizontally as commenter Brian suggested, but I’ll need to do better in the future at pointing it a little farther upward. It’s almost eight minutes long, so feel free to speed up the playback.

And here are some photos from the rest of the dance:

A nice, sweet way to spend the morning. For Saturday evening fun, we decided to visit at least one bar that isn’t in our regular rotation. We kicked things off at Annex Bar.

We enjoyed our visit to Annex Bar. We’d be inclined to come here more often, except that it’s rare for the tables out front to be unoccupied—and that’s where I like to sit and watch the world go by. Another thing I watched was the TV, which was showing music videos. It’s rare for me to hear a song for the first time, since I’ve been around for so long. Oh, now I see that “Say la V” was just released in July 2026. That explains it. Anyway, you can hear it for yourself at the end of today’s post.

We decided to head up the highway and visit another bar we hadn’t been to recently: Mugshots. It’s changed a lot since I wrote that review when it first opened back in 2022. For one thing, they took out the pool table and put in a dance stage. I thought it was a mistake at the time, and I saw nothing last night to change my mind. My biggest disappointment was that they don’t serve San Miguel Extra Light. So I took an SML (Swan had a mixed drink) to the outdoor seating area and watched the highway passersby. One beer and we were out, and I doubt we’ll be back.

We were both getting a little hungry, so we discussed our dining options. I was down with eating at Sit-n-Bull, and Swan agreed but suggested we have our food delivered to our nightcap destination, Cyclone Bar. Once I arrived at Sit-n-Bull and learned they hadn’t stocked any Extra Light, it was an easy call to go the takeout route. I did talk to the manager (who’s a non-drinker), and he was surprised when I informed him that almost all the bars, including Wet Spot next door, were serving XL. He messaged me an hour later to say that he now had some XL chillin’ in the fridge for the next time I visited. That’s the way you do it! Thanks!

We had a very nice time at Cyclone Bar, which has really moved up on our list of favorites. The music was a tad loud when we arrived, but it was promptly turned down a bit at our request. We bought two rounds of lady drinks for our three favorite waitresses and shared the bounty of food delivered from Sit-n-Bull.

Cyclone bills itself as a “sports bar,” but when Cloud 69 closed next door (same owner), the dance crew moved over to Cyclone. There is no dance stage, but the girls do swing it periodically during the night.

By the way, Swan took those photos of the dancers. I was more interested in watching the pool games.

I made it to my 9 p.m. goal, and then it was time to pay the piper. I spent about twice as much as I normally do when I visit a bar. Two thousand pesos for the drinks, and another 1000 for the food. Yep, I blew through a little over fifty bucks! It’s good to be “rich”! Triked home for a heaping helping of my Aunt Pat’s Recipe Fruit Salad I’d made in the afternoon. Life is good!

I do try and avoid politics on the blog these days, but I will take a poke at my lefty friends on Facebook occasionally. I found this one too good to resist:

Speaking of Facebook, ten years ago I was enjoying a visit to Thailand and posted this photo of me entertaining myself:

And here I was trying to replicate that look last night:

Back to the November 2022 LTG archives, and I’m enjoying the hell out of my time in Phnom Penh. Here are three posts that capture those special moments in time: “Strollin’ on the river,” with lots of scenic photos from around the city, “Saturday night in the city.” features some of the bar girls I was meeting, and finally, the story of “The next to last night” in Cambodia. Reading through those posts, I was reminded that one of the gals I met, Yaya, was a Facebook friend. I went back and checked, and we are still connected, although we haven’t had any contact since 2022. I messaged her today and asked about my friend Dennis, who was the one who introduced us. She responded that she hasn’t heard anything about him and said she no longer lives in Cambodia. Oh well, I tried.

Today’s YouTube video is a message for us Baby Boomers. I’ve gone through many of the transitions it mentions, the hardest being the loss of old friends from the past. But on a more positive note, I’m living an amazing final chapter of my life. I’m happy to be experiencing this Asian adventure rather than being stuck in a retirement home with a vanilla lifestyle back in the USA. Hopefully, all the losses and heartbreaks are just history now. Whatever time I have left is mine to enjoy.

Try these on for size:

And now you know all about my Saturday. I’m glad I was here for it. C’est la vie!

That song I promised you:

Yesterday’s episode was a good one. And yes, it included a hike in the morning and some bars in the evening. That’s just the way I roll!

Last time we were out this way was January 2025 when we did a feeding at the village.

I was curious to learn more, so I had Swan call the number. The rent for the complex is 30,000 pesos a month ($475). And that includes electricity and water. Because there is no electric service out here and you get your water from the river. Um, nope. I can’t live that way.

Here’s a short video Swan took as we entered the village:

The usual afternoon duties (shower, nap, blogging) then it was time to head out for the usual evening good times. I chose Champs Sports Bar on Baloy Beach as our starting point.

Then we walked up the beach to Treasure Island, thinking we’d grab a meal. When I asked for a San Miguel Extra Light, the bartender acted like she’d never heard of it. I told her Sloppy Joe’s (same owner as Treasure Island) serves it, and she just shrugged. Okay then, we’ll go elsewhere. We went next door to Foxhole, and they didn’t have it either. Again, this wasn’t a matter of being out of stock; these bars aren’t ordering it. Which tells me they don’t want my business. We caught a trike and had it drop us off at Gold Bar in Barretto. We got the beer I wanted, and a pulled pork sandwich from the little eatery next door. Problem solved.

When it was time to move on, we decided to do our nightcap at Queen Victoria. As we were leaving Gold Bar, we ran into Douglas, the guy I had met in Bohol. He wanted to join us at Queen Vic, so off we went.

I was pushing myself to make it until 9 p.m. Doug left, and then Troy came in and joined us.

And then, having achieved my target time of one hour later than usual, I was ready to head for home. And so ended another day in the life.

On to November 2022 in the LTG archives, and I’m in the midst of a visit to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I had to leave the country for my visa renewal because tourists can only stay for three consecutive years, and Cambodia was among my favorite places in Asia. I also had a dear friend living there whom I wanted to see. It turns out that it was the last time I saw him. I haven’t been in contact with him for over two years. I assume he passed away, but I’ve been unable to confirm that. Dennis was a private person and loathed social media. He was living alone, and I know no one there whom I can contact about his status. The fact that he hasn’t responded to multiple emails from me leads me to believe he’s no longer among the living.

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’d never viewed before, but I saw online that he had died this week. The video, which was posted last month, indicated that he was happy with his life in the Philippines and had no regrets about moving here. It turns out he was also 71 years old. I’m sorry you had to leave the life you loved.

Here’s the video his son posted announcing the death of his father:

On a happier note:

And now it is time to get back to living my way through another Saturday. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Honestly, my life is what it is. Nothing special, but my routines are enjoyable and I have few complaints. That’s a pretty good definition of success if you ask me.

Here is how I “wasted” yesterday. We started off with a jeepney ride out to Waltermart on the far side of Subic town, then hiked back along the riverside. I made a video of the first six minutes on the river:

I did another short four-minute video as we approached our Lola friend’s shanty. We only see her once a month or so, but throw some goodies and a little cash her way when we do. She is the most appreciative recipient I have encountered. She’s raising her deceased daughter’s children. They come running to greet us whenever they see us approach. It’s so sweet!

At beer o’clock, I let Swan pick our first destination of the evening. She chose It Doesn’t Matter, in part because they also have the best ATM in town. She made a withdrawal and I figured I would too. Except when I tried, I got this message on the ATM screen:

So, another person came to the machine a few minutes later, and I watched as he successfully withdrew cash. Hmm, maybe my card was malfunctioning. Soon, another customer inserted his card, but cash wasn’t dispensed. I asked him what happened, and he told me he got the same message I did. Hmm. Later on, I tried a different machine and got the cash to restock my wallet, so it’s all good.

It was my turn to choose our next stop, and I picked Cheap Charlies.

After enjoying some grub delivered from Foodies downstairs, we chose Wet Spot for our nightcap destination.

I’m trying to push my staying-out window back an hour or so, but I just wasn’t feeling it last night. So, at 8 p.m., I paid my tab, and we grabbed a trike for home. Another “wasted” day that I quite enjoyed.

From the October 2022 LTG archives, I share a post documenting the bar-crawl part of my life. Winning a coupon for a free drink in all the SOB bars was the inspiration. So, I’ve got the walkaholic and alcoholic portions of my life covered now. What else is there?

Today’s YouTube video is in keeping with the “wasted” theme for today’s post. I’m actually doing pretty well dealing with all four of the things the video advises us to avoid. It’s hard having people distance themselves from you as you grow older, and memories of the past can be haunting, but overall, I’m not overthinking things these days. Yeah, knowing that my time left on Earth is growing shorter by the day can be troubling, but I intend to stay the course for as long as I can.

How’s about me wasting some time with these:

And that’s all I’ve got to say today. Maybe I’ll get wasted tonight.

Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone makes for a nice change of pace. Of course, I don’t do anything in a big way these days, but a couple of tweaks now and then can still be pleasant. For the group hike, I suggested a flat walk along the river, but Steve wanted to head for the hills. Who am I to argue?

Back home, Swan prepared me something different for lunch.

And then it was time to change things up for the evening activity. We had a warm-up drink at Sloppy Joe’s, then moved next door to Alaska Club to prepare for my first-ever 9-ball tournament. Hell, it was also the first time I’d played that particular game, and I hadn’t participated in a pool tournament since long ago in Korea. Our waitress, Alex, offered to play a warm-up match before the tourney began, and I managed to win. I had no expectations for success competing against the regulars, but it ain’t always about winning or losing; fun is important too.

I guess you’d call it the luck of the draw, but I wound up having a first-round bye. The reality of that meant that I sat there drinking beer from the beginning of the tournament at 6:30 until my turn to play came around at 8 p.m. Well, it was good to watch and learn, I suppose, but I would have preferred to be participating.

And when it was my turn to play my first-ever game of 9-ball, my opponent was Mercy, a GRO from next door at Rum Jungle. She is a very talented player.

The winner’s bracket is a best of three format, and I somehow managed to win the second leg. Mercy didn’t have mercy on me in the third leg.

It was almost 9 p.m. when I headed home, but we had a really good time hanging out at Alaska. I’ll be back next week to try my luck again.

Continuing with the October 2022 LTG archives, I’m without a girlfriend and living a life centered around hiking and drinking in the bars. Sounds familiar, right? Anyway, I decided to tag a post about climbing the “stairway to heaven” up to Kalaklan Ridge as a worthy part of “The Story of My Life.”

Today’s YouTube video talks about the twelve most hated cities in the Philippines. Olongapo and Angeles both made the list. I invested the ten minutes watching this, but I thought it was crap for the most part. I’ll try and do better with what I share here in the future.

And if you thought that video was bad, wait until you see these:

Oh, well. It is what it is.

I listened to Johnny Horton a lot when I was a kid (my dad was a big fan and had his albums). I didn’t realize until now that he died in 1960 at 35 years old. Damn.

I appreciate the fact that my health seems to be holding up pretty well in my old age. At least I’m still able to get out and about on my walks, and I have the strength to quaff a few brews to close out the day. I know my daily renditions here can get boringly repetitive, but damn, each day is a gift, and I’m going to continue making the best of them until I finally run out of days. I’m glad a few of you are still coming along for the ride. Thanks for that!

As usual, I started the day with the Sunday Sweets Street Stroll. This dog was one of the more interesting things I saw along the way:

Here’s a short video clip of one section along our trail yesterday:

The landlord came up from her Manila residence with the paperwork to renew my lease for another year. I signed zee papers (a Cheech and Chong reference) and wired $6,759 to her bank account, so the rent is paid for another year. Let’s hope I live long enough to get my money’s worth.

At beer o’clock, we made our way into town. In keeping with our Sunday tradition, we started things off at Red Bar. It was unusually quiet, with manager Cliff and Ashley playing in pool tournaments elsewhere.

The waitress gave me control of the music, so I played songs I like at a comfortable volume. It was nice to be the DJ! After an hour or so, we started feeling some hunger pangs. We usually have something delivered from Foodies, but Swan was craving a roast beef dip sandwich last night, so we headed to Sit-n-Bull.

For the second week in a row, Sit-n-Bull didn’t have Extra Light in stock. Inexcusable, since all the other bars have managed to get some delivered. Then we saw the waitress who takes orders from the adjacent bars and asked her to deliver our food to Cyclone Bar. So we enjoyed the food we craved, and I had the beer I wanted. Win-win!

We did our nightcap at Thumbstar, a bar I almost never visit. Anyway, I figured, why not see what I’d been missing? They’ve done some minor renovations and lighting changes, but otherwise, it’s pretty much as I remembered it. The service was prompt and friendly, and the overall ambiance was nice. I doubt I’ll become a regular here, but I had nothing to complain about last night.

I’d missed my afternoon nap because of the landlord’s visit, so I didn’t feel like pushing the envelope last night, and we headed for home just before 9 p.m. And that’s the way I rolled through another day.

From the August 2022 LTG archives comes a rare post about comments on the blog. I really enjoy interacting with my readers, and it means a lot when people care enough to share their thoughts. I haven’t heard again from commenter “Ted” in quite a while, but I’ve also learned that regulars grow weary of my drivel over time. It’s all part of the blogging world, and after more than 20 years of writing LTG, I just go with the flow.

Today’s YouTube video shows you what kind of house 5,000 pesos a month will get you in the province. I was actually surprised by how nice it appears. I’m paying 38,000 pesos ($600) a month for my place, and it feels like a bargain.

Yeah, I just can’t seem to help myself:

And now my work here is done for another day. I appreciate the support shown in the comments and I’ll work at trying to incorporate some of your ideas in future posts. Now, I’ve got to prepare for today’s Hash run.

I’ve got a meeting with the landlord this afternoon, which I expect will result in a renewed lease agreement. I’m going to need to rush through this post and get ready, but it’s all just more of the same old, same old, anyway. Well, I did head out of town for most of those beers, so there’s that. Let’s get it on:

Yesterday morning we did the Decay Dance.

Here’s a short video I recorded as we walked through the Marian Hills neighborhood:

Swan had an afternoon meetup with a friend who lives in SBMA. I figured it would be nice to have a change of scenery myself, so I got a jeepney out to Kalaklan and did a longish walk to the Liberty Bar on SBMA.

Truth be told, I didn’t find Liberty Bar worth the journey. No Extra Light beer for me and they didn’t have wine by the glass for Swan. Maybe things get better later in the evening, but it was kind of a bore while we were there.

After our meal, Swan’s friend Mercy insisted on driving us back to Barretto. Thanks for that! We had her drop us off at Queen Victoria where we closed out our evening.

And so ended another day.

I’ve moved on to August 2022 in the LTG archives, and in this post, I share the story of my surrender and submission to being vaccinated. I didn’t have a choice: it was either get vaxxed or be unable to return to the Philippines. Luckily, I didn’t suffer any major side effects or repercussions. I also talk about meeting a new gal, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

Today’s YouTube video features some old time photographs that I found worthy of the ten minutes I invested in seeing them. Perhaps you will too.

Here you go:

Going through the LTG archives is a reminder that there isn’t much that passes for adventure in my life. I don’t know why I keep torturing my faithful readers with this daily dose of repetitiveness. I’m not ready to quit just yet, but I hope to find a way to make my posts a little more interesting in the future. Maybe less is more. I’m open to feedback if any of you have suggestions for improvement.

Meanwhile, I hope I can keep filling the hours surrounded by the beauty of the countryside as I walk along. Yesterday’s journey with the Friday group was especially enjoyable, as we hiked from Tibag to Waltermart. It had been a couple of years since we’d visited this neck of the woods, which made the unfamiliar scenery all the more enjoyable.

So, that’s what I did with the morning. It will come as no surprise that the evening involved cold beers for me and red wine for Swan. We started things off at It Doesn’t Matter. Swan chatted with her lady friends, and I had a nice visit with my pal Chris. It’s always good to catch up. Next, we paid a visit to Voodoo. On the plus side, they had Extra Light beer this time, and the music wasn’t bad. Several guys were playing pool, while a couple of other customers watched the dancers standing around on the stage. I’m not feeling the vibe at Voodoo so far, but I’ll likely give it another chance.

Swan suggested we see what Rock Lobster Bar was like. Damn, I can’t even remember the last time I was inside that bar. We stepped inside, I ordered an Extra Light, and the waitress acted like she’d never heard of it. Maybe she hadn’t. I have no idea why a bar wouldn’t stock one of the more popular brands in town, but we didn’t stick around to find out. Instead, we crossed the highway and popped into Gold Bar.

I was surprised to see my acquaintance from Bohol, Douglas, sitting at the bar. That makes two nights in a row we’ve run into him. Yesterday, we saw him at Red Bar. He came and joined us at our table, and we talked a little about his experiences since his return to Barretto. Hopefully, he finds his comfort zone soon.

Despite my good intentions about staying out later at night, I wasn’t feeling it, so I headed home at 8:30. Knowing when to say when is important, too.

Moving on to the July 2022 LTG archives, I share some insights into what it’s like to be “rich” in the Philippines. It’s certainly important to always remember and apply Rule #1: Don’t be a sucker.

Today’s YouTube video is from the Babylon Bee. They asked the AI gods what it would be like if our Founding Fathers visited the present-day USA. It wasn’t what I expected, but it was funny enough.

Maybe these will wet your whistle:

That’s the way it was. We shall see what shall be. Check back tomorrow!

Those days are long gone, and now we have our “smart” phones to keep us entertained. Is that progress? Maybe not, but life goes on.

Just a quick lowdown on yesterday’s events so I can get back to today’s business. We took a jeepney to Subic Town, and for the first time in a month, my ATM card actually worked. Hopefully, the issue with my bank thinking every transaction is fraudulent, has been resolved. We’ll see what happens next week. With my wallet replenished, we set off for a little walkabout.

For our Thirstday on the town, we started things off at Red Bar. Cliff gave me access to the music player and told me to be the DJ. And so I played the music my way (yeah, that was one of the songs I featured). Then it was on to Wet Spot for another hour of fun. Once again, after 8 p.m., people started filling the seats. I’m going to strive to expand my window of hours to enjoy the vibes that come later at night. We’ll see how that works out for me.

We did our nightcap at Cyclone and enjoyed spending time with our waitress friend Sheryl. Our seats afforded us nice views of the pool table, and it was good to watch the games. One of the regulars there has a deal he makes: he plays each of the waitresses one game of 8-ball. If he wins, they get nothing. If they beat him, they are rewarded with a bottle of Red Horse, the biggest-commission lady drink (170 pesos). We watched five games, and he lost three of them, even though he was a pretty decent player. It was entertaining for us as spectators, but by 9:30, I was out of gas, so we made our way back home.

One thing that might help me expand my hours would be to head into town later. I can only push that back an hour or so because I don’t want to walk the streets in the dark. We shall see.

From the June 2022 LTG archives, I share my disappointment at realizing that my bar “friends” aren’t truly friends at all. It’s not me they like; it’s the lady-drink commissions. Duh. Well, I learned to deal with it, and I’ll still spring for drinks now and then, but more as a reward for good service. Swan is all the companionship I require.

Today’s YouTube video shares the perspective that Filipinos are their own worst critics. I’m not sure that’s truly the case, but he makes a valid point: with so many OFWs (overseas Filipino workers, the nation’s largest export), Filipinos can’t help but be exposed to how different things are here compared with other places in the world. Anyway, I just wish the locals would step up and take action to improve their living standards, starting with the litter problem.

Now for your daily dose of humor:

Had enough? Me too! Sees y’all here again tomorrow!

I’m glad I chose to live in an expat enclave, although there’s plenty of drama and backstabbing here, too. But I’ve found my sweet spot, and I’m up for some adventure now and again. Our Wednesday Walkers excursion yesterday is a good example of what I’m talking about. We ventured out to the far side of the old Navy base, in an area known as Cubi Point. I’ve only been out this way a handful of times since moving here in 2018, and the area we hiked was completely new to everyone in attendance.

Honestly, it felt like being in another world. No jeepneys or trikes, and we all commented on the almost complete absence of litter. It was very quiet and serene, and the trees were majestic. It’s surprising how much the topography can change such a short distance from home. We even saw monkeys going about their business. The trail eventually led to a beach resort. I saw the signage and assumed it would be derelict, given that we were out in the middle of nowhere. Boy, was I in for a surprise. It was clean and beautiful, one of the nicest I’ve seen. And given the prices, they must cater to a rich crowd. The cheapest room was around $150 a night, while the waterfront rooms were over $300.

It was almost 4K from where we started to the resort. Getting there was almost all downhill, and we knew that meant we had a climb ahead of us on the way back. That proved to be a bit of an ass-kicker, but it didn’t spoil our enjoyment. When we finished, we all agreed that lunch at one of our favorite bayside eateries, Vasco’s, was in order, so off we went. We got home later than usual, but the adventure was worth it. Here are some photos to give you a feel for our morning excursion:

Back home for a shower, nap, and a rushed blog post, then it was time for the evening adventure.

I started things off at Sloppy Joe’s, then moved on to Alaska Club. Owner Jerry sponsors a 9-ball pool tournament on Wednesdays, and this was the first time I had watched that particular game. It appears to be far less challenging than the 8-ball I’ve always played (and sucked at), and in this version, luck can be a big factor. For example, each player has to pocket the balls in numerical sequence, and the first player to sink the 9-ball wins. But if you hit the 1-ball and it happens to knock the 9-ball into a pocket, you win anyway. I was inspired enough to tell Jerry I would play in next week’s tournament. Hey, maybe I’ve found a new way to fill some hours. We shall see.

We did our nightcap at Rum Jungle. One advantage of my staying out a bit later these days is discovering bar promotions I hadn’t seen before, such as “Bust the Balloon Wednesdays” at Rum Jungle. Starting at 8 p.m., for every lady drink you purchase, you get to pop a balloon and see what’s inside. I bought three lady drinks (for the mamasan, waitress, and masseuse), so I got three balloons to bust. Inside were coupons good for a free local drink, a blowjob-shooter lady drink, and an all-day happy-hour-prices ticket. Okay, I was happy with a free beer, didn’t care about the happy-hour ticket, and gave the blowjob shooter to one of the dancers. She didn’t want to do it, but the mamasan told her it was good for a lady-drink commission, so she relented.

Then my new 9 p.m. curfew arrived, so we said our goodnights and headed for home. And that’s what a good day in the life looks like around here.

Facebook memories reminded me that thirteen years ago, Tom Waits must have been reading my blog.

It’s on to June 2022 in the LTG archives, and I’ve decided the time has come to retire from playing darts. I’d had a good seventeen-year run, but it just stopped being fun. I tried taking up the game again briefly this year, but I just couldn’t find the passion. Oh well, maybe I have a future as a 9-ball player at Alaska Club on Wednesdays.

For today’s YouTube video, you can have a look around the Cubi Point area I visited yesterday. It’s nice.

And now for what passes as humor around here:

Okay, I’ll stop now. Until tomorrow anyway.

Since Barretto is currently being invade by what I’m told is the Indian Navy, I think it is a good time to share one of my favorite music videos again. Have fun, boys. Spend large and make the gals happy!

(fuckers won’t let me embed here. Click the link. It’s good.)

I’m running late this afternoon, so I’ll try to keep this post short and to the point, at least to the extent that there is a point. Tuesdays aren’t the most exciting days of the week around here, but yesterday wasn’t bad, such as it was.

The ATM once again rejected my NFCU debit card. No issues with the shopping at YBC and Royal. Got dropped at Dr. Jo’s office on the way home for my weekly Mounjaro injection. I managed to lose 5 pounds last week, so hopefully I’m on a roll.

At beer o’clock, we headed out to Baloy Beach. We kicked things off at Champs Sports Bar to see how things were going under the new management. They are working on renovating the downstairs with a kitchen and an open-air patio. I think I’m going to like that area better than the actual bar upstairs.

There were a couple of cute waitresses in short skirts, nice music, and a few other customers. I’d say things have improved overall since our last visit.

We stopped into Foxhole Beach Resort and were greeted by my old pal Norman, who was running the show there last night. He told us the old chef from Myleen’s was working, and Swan got excited about the prospect of enjoying some birria tacos. The chef came out to say hello, then sadly informed us that there was no birria beef available. Damn, the look on Swan’s face was so disappointed. We settled for a shared order of chicken quesadillas.

We caught a trike and had it drop us off at Queen Victoria Bar for our nightcap. The most interesting part of our visit was watching the antics of a customer as he interacted with the dancers.

I’m guessing he was either drunk or crazy, or maybe both. He came by our table briefly and introduced himself as being from Moscow. I responded jokingly that I was from Kyiv, but I don’t think he heard me. Anyway, he moved on promptly, so there was nothing to be bothered about.

I didn’t feel like staying out much past 8 p.m., so we didn’t. And that’s how I made it through another day.

Facebook memories reminded me that 14 years ago I was spending some time at the East Sea in Korea.

Continuing with the May 2022 LTG archives, I reflect on “Filling in Hours.” That’s what life seems to be all about when you get right down to it. These days, my hours are filled with walking and beer. I do keep those activities separate and apart.

Today’s YouTube video is another one of those comedic shorts. I rather enjoyed the five minutes I spent with this one.

In the mood for more of this?

Okay, had a very nice hike with the Wednesday Walkers this morning, even if I did get home later than usual. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

When I say “so-so,” it’s short for “same old, same old.” Not that I’m complaining; it could always be worse. Or better. Hmm, the AI God just advised that the proper rendering should be S.O.S.O. or SOSO. That seems average at best, or maybe even mediocre. It also takes the fun out of my play on words. Anyway, yesterday was more of the same, and that’s good enough for me.

Let’s get on with it, then. Another Sunday Sweets Street Stroll, and once again, we ran short on candy before completing our regular loop. We’re going to increase our purchase of goodies this week to fill an extra 100 candy bags, bringing the total to 500, and take it from there. We don’t want to disappoint our clients.

We started our Sunday evening festivities at Red Bar. Once manager Cliff was done for the day, I was given control of the music selections for the patio speakers. I chose an early-’60s rock playlist and found it especially enjoyable to hear those golden oldies again. They had been just background noise on the jukebox (remember those?) when I was a kid. See, I’m not that hard to please.

We didn’t get to see a sunset, but the next best thing is a moonrise. Wasn’t expecting to see that show, until Swan pointed out some mysterious light at the top of the Kalaklan Ridge.

Our next stop was Swan’s choice, and she wanted to visit Cyclone. I suggested we grab a shawarma to snack on at the bar, and Swan agreed.

I’m increasingly impressed with Cyclone Bar. It has a well-appointed ambiance, two pool tables, and comfortable seating areas. These days, they’re also playing an enjoyable classic-rock playlist at an appropriate volume. It reminded me of the old Jumpin’ Jacks and got me thinking that this might be where we go for that vibe we’ve been missing.

And here comes the night’s surprise: it was 8 p.m., and we still weren’t ready to go home! Next stop: Wet Spot. Our regular waitress, Irene, was shocked to see us at such a “late” hour and asked if everything was okay. Yep, we were just trying to push the envelope a tad to keep life from being so stationary. (Sorry!)

One factor that may have contributed to my enhanced longevity is the availability of Extra Light beer. Lower calories and a lower alcohol content work for me. It was also interesting being out a little later and seeing the early stages of the late crowd arriving at the bars. Apparently, there’s an Indian ship in port, and we saw quite a few Indian sailors on the streets, with some in the bars. At Cyclone, a group wanted to pay by credit card, which isn’t an option there. I also saw some younger-looking Koreans come into Wet Spot during our visit.

Can a night be so-so, SOSO, and fun at the same time? I’d say the answer is yes.

Moving on to the May 2022 LTG archives, I share my views on abortion and some of the personal history I have associated with that topic. What a long, strange trip it’s been.

Today’s YouTube video is a short comedy scene from Mikey and Wyatt, a duo I’d never heard of before. Since it had to do with hiring, and given my HR background, how could I resist watching? I found it hilarious, and the twist at the end caught me completely off guard. Well worth watching.

As long as we are in the mood to laugh, how about these:

And now another Hash Monday is upon me. Luckily, I feel a lot better these past couple of days. Still have a cough and phlegm, but not as frequent. And for the first time in nearly a week, I had a decent night’s sleep.

Maybe I need to stay out later more often. We’ll see how that goes.

One of those early ’60s hits I played last night:

Things don’t always go as planned, so all you can do is make the best of it. That pretty much summarizes my yesterday. Nothing tragic, thankfully, and I just went with the flow. I was in a foul mood at the end of the night, but that’s in accordance with my nature as a grumpy old man.

Here’s how the day went down:

I have a walking video for one section of our standard route:

That gives you a pretty good idea of what the Decay Dance is all about. Hope you enjoyed it.

There were a lot more kids out and about yesterday, and the 270 bags of candy we brought with us were insufficient to cover our normal dance route. So we altered course and dispensed candy until the sweetness was gone.

Swan wanted to spend the afternoon at the family compound, so the plan was for us to meet up later in town. At beer o’clock, I messaged her and asked her to meet me at Outback. I waited for her response, and forty-five minutes later, she told me to just go on my own. Well, that’s not what I wanted, and if she had told me that from the beginning, I would have taken it better. This felt a lot like being stood up. Yeah, I was being a selfish baby, but I got over it. My Plan B was to do a bar crawl.

My next stop was Cheap Charlies. My main purpose was to have some of those Foodies quesadillas, and that worked out fine. As is my custom, I bought the girls some food too, in lieu of overpriced lady drinks.

My next stop was the new Red Square Bar. I wanted to check in with the former Hideaway gals. Ace was working as a waitress, and Joy is now the cashier there. I’ll admit, the place was a lot busier than I’d ever seen it when it was Jumpin’ Jacks. I really didn’t like it, though, especially the crap music. They were also the only bar in town that hadn’t restocked any San Miguel Extra Light. After one beer, I was out, and I don’t see any reason to return anytime soon.

I made Cyclone my next stop. I was the only customer when I arrived, but later, a couple of pool players came in. My old waitress friend Sheryl came and sat with me, and I treated her to a lady drink. A couple of beers later, I was ready to move on.

I finished my evening on my own at Gold Bar. A group of guys from the Hash were in the midst of their weekly bar crawl. I waved from across the room, then took a seat on the other side of the dance stage. No, I didn’t invite myself to join them, and neither did they. The bar was busier than usual, but I still received good service. The two chunky dancers on stage weren’t worth a second look, but that’s not what I came for anyway. The beer (XL) was cold and wet, and that’s good enough for me.

I had to walk a couple of blocks up the highway to find a trike, but I still arrived home while standing. Swan wasn’t home yet, so I made a batch of strawberry-banana smoothies, took my nighttime meds, and then hit the hay. When I woke up during the night, Swan was sleeping beside me. And all was right with the world.

Continuing with the April 2022 LTG archives, I had a weekend visitor join me from Angeles City. She was someone I’d been introduced to by a mutual friend a couple of weeks earlier. I understood her name to be “Lane,” but it turned out to be Lyn. Anyway, things went well enough, and she was definitely easy on the eyes.

Today’s YouTube video is one of those short (five-minute) AI dramas. I found this one surprisingly well done and entertaining. The ending was a little unclear to my addled brain, but give it a watch and see what you think.

Time-out for some humor:

And that was then, this is now.

No issues have arisen regarding whatever the misunderstanding was yesterday, and we are going on as we always have. Ain’t love grand?

The sinus congestion is mostly gone, but that damn cough still isn’t done with me. Making the hacking and hocking worse is the feeling that I’m being stabbed in my lower abdomen with each cough. I have no idea what’s causing it, but perhaps I strained those weak stomach muscles by coughing so much. The coughing doesn’t seem quite as frequent today, so maybe I’ve turned the corner.

For Friday’s group hike, we took the long jeepney ride out to Castillejos and walked along the bypass highway. We only do that hike a couple of times a year, so it feels fresh. However, we noticed a lot more traffic than usual yesterday, which took some of the fun out of it.

Timed passed, and then it was once again beer o’clock. Started off at It Doesn’t Matter and witnessed some drama between a couple I know. Sad to see and hope things work out for the best.

We enjoyed our usual grilled pork chop dinner, then moved on to Queen Victoria. In happy news, San Miguel delivered some Extra Light to restock the coolers. ’Bout damn time. I had a pleasant chat with Manager Jake and was prepared to wrap things up at the usual witching hour of 8 p.m. But Swan’s girlfriend, part of the couple drama I mentioned earlier, messaged that she wanted to have some girl talk at Red Bar. So, we triked over. The gals sat together, while I took a table in the corner. An hour later, Swan’s friend duty was complete, and we headed home. Maybe I’ll try to start staying out a little later from now on.

From the April 2022 LTG archives comes a post about the climb to the top of Easter Mountain. I don’t recall whether that was the last time I made it to the top, but I fear that kind of climb is beyond my elderly capabilities now. So, I thought the post was worthy of inclusion in The Story of My Life.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger complains that foreign tourists aren’t helping the economy. Maybe that’s somewhat true in places like Siargao, where the tourists are almost exclusively foreigners. It’s the opposite here in my little town. The hotels fill up every weekend with Filipino families escaping Manila, but non-expat foreign tourists are few and far between. And the bars here are desperate for customers. It’s only a little over three minutes long, so see what you think.

Maybe we all just need a reason to smile:

And now you know all about the day that was yesterday. Meanwhile, today has arrived.

And so it goes.

It appears I’m on the road to recovery. Not 100% yet, but lots better than yesterday. Not much else to offer here today, but what you see is what you get.

Feeling poorly is no excuse not to help keep the bars in business. Last night, it was Red Bar and Rum Jungle that helped lighten my wallet. I didn’t have a particularly enjoyable time at either one, but that’s the nature of the beast.

Speaking of bars, it appears another one has bitten the dust: my former hangout, Hideaway. The way it went down was self-inflicted. Owner Griff is back home in the UK for medical reasons, and he left his girlfriend in charge during his absence. Yesterday, she somehow managed to piss off the entire staff, and they all walked out. It’s hard enough to stay in business with no customers, but a bar without waitresses is pointless. The good news is that the manager at Red Square has offered to bring the old Hideaway crew on board at his place. Good luck to everyone!

Continuing with the April 2022 LTG archives, and there was a day full of dreams and disappointments. Hey, nothing like a roller coaster ride!

Today’s YouTube video is another one of those “walking through a neighborhood” types. What’s different is that I made this one. Yeah, I don’t know what got into me, but I filmed six minutes of our stroll yesterday. Maybe I’ll make this an occasional thing. Or not. Oh, and I got a chuckle out of the closed captioning picking up my “snorts” as I sucked the snot back into my nose.

On with the humor:

And now it is time carry on with my Friday. I might feel well enough to actually enjoy myself tonight. We shall see.

I’m not sure of the cause, but in addition to congestion and a runny nose, I’m coughing up phlegm from deep in my lungs. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired, so hopefully this ailment will run its course and allow me to soon be healthy once again.

Despite feeling poorly, I forced myself out of the house for a walkabout.

When beer o’clock rolled around, I headed out for liquid refreshment, knowing that drinking plenty of fluids is important as you strive to overcome illness.

We did our night cap at Wet Spot, and San Miguel Light was my best and only option there as well. We had some food delivered from Foodies and enjoyed our eats. As usual, manager Brett was spinning some fine tunes, and waitresses Beth and Irene enjoyed their lady drink bounty.

Remember this photo I posted the other day?

Today, Scott sent me a version he enhanced with the help of Google Gemini:

It is now April 2022 in the LTG archives, and in this post, I’m getting out of my lane. It was weird inviting someone I’d never even met to my house, but I was worried about her being out on the streets in the early hours of the morning. She turned out to be a nice enough gal and plenty hot by my low standards, but our paths in life weren’t heading in the same direction.

For today’s YouTube video, let me share a short Western drama. Only seven minutes long, but that suits my reduced attention span these days.

Maybe you’ll find these amusing:

Still dealing with all these damn symptoms. I’m going to stop by the drugstore and try to score some Amoxicillin and see if that won’t clear out my lungs and nostrils. Fingers crossed.

Tuesdays are my “nothing much” days, and yesterday was no exception. The Bureau of Immigration did approve a 60-day extension of my tourist visa, so there’s that. I got the grocery shopping out of the way, then visited Dr. Jo for another GLP-1 injection. I’m now at Mounjaro’s maximum dosage, so hopefully I’ll start making more progress in my weight-loss quest.

We kicked things off at beer o’clock with a visit to Sloppy Joe’s.

I decided to change things up and climb the three flights of stairs to BarCelona for the first time in a very long time. It’s under new ownership now, and they’re calling it a “disco bar,” so my expectations were low. Maybe because it was still early, they weren’t playing disco music, which was a blessing. Only a couple of other people were there during my visit. As much as I like the bar’s well-appointed ambiance, I don’t think the old expat crowd in Barretto is going to make that climb for a disco. Time will tell.

For our nightcap, we decided to pop into the newest bar in town, Voodoo. Since our last visit on opening night a couple of weeks ago, they’ve moved the pool table and rearranged the customer seating area. I think the new floor plan works better. There were fewer dancers and waitresses, but maybe that’s just the nature of a Tuesday evening. Five or six guys were playing pool, so at least they had some customers besides us. The music was much better this time, too. We enjoyed our visit, and Voodoo is now on our list of places to go.

And that brought our Tuesday on the town to an end.

I had a rough night, waking up at oh-dark-thirty with a bad case of acid indigestion. That’s a fairly common side effect of GLP-1 drugs, and fortunately, I had some medication in my nightstand drawer that eased the discomfort. A little later, I developed a scratchy throat and persistent cough. The cough still hasn’t gone away, but hopefully I’ll be over it soon.

What else have I got?

Moving onward through the March 2022 LTG archives, I share some thoughts on “Closing the Loop.” There are fond memories of John Kim’s restaurant, my acceptance of being relegated to the friend zone with Jenny, and the wisdom not to take the bait offered by a 21-year-old bar girl. My favorite part of the post was seeing photos from my best day ever as a tourist in the Philippines: taking the gals from Alaska Club to my hotel for an impromptu pool party. Let the good times roll!

Today’s YouTube Short features the Filipina Pea interviewing an online dating scammer. It brought back memories of the days when I frequented dating sites before moving here. Yep, I got scammed more than once before learning some hard lessons.

Coincidentally, I came across this meme today that pretty much captures the reality of online dating:

Now for some humor:

And now you’ve made it through a nothing post about a nothing day. Congratualations!