Swan and I kicked off our Thursday by sharing a walk. We took a Jeepney out to Philseco Road on the far side of Subic town and commenced our stroll from there.

This portion of the hike is one of my favorites, so I recorded the walkthrough. It’s twelve minutes long, so feel free to view the video at 2x speed.

On with the hike:

Next on the agenda was my appointment with Dr. Jo. She gave me this week’s chelation injection and then removed the remainder of my facial skin tags.

After I was done with the doctor, I was ready to eat—time for a visit to Jewel Cafe.

After our meal, we stopped by at It Doesn’t Matter.

Then it was on to Wet Spot to use the last of my SOB coupons (buy one, take one). Five beers later, we headed for home. Another episode of “Squid Game” leaves one more to go before Season Two is complete. Then I can read Kevin Kim’s review!

Today’s weekly weigh-in was 230.5, down three pounds from last week and 36.6 pounds since the diet commenced on November 1. I still cringe when I see photos with my belly protruding, but I guess that’s the last to go. I have thirty-one more pounds to lose to reach my goal.

This installment in The Story of My Life is from February 3, 2006, and tells about the day that ended with my first (and only) ambulance ride and my first-ever experience with stitches. I’m glad I lived to tell about it then, and I’m happy to share the memory now.

Today’s Facebook memories included these events:

Six years ago, after many attempts, I finally successfully navigated the route between the end of Rizal Extension and Alta Vista. In honor of that accomplishment, I declared that path would henceforth be known as the My Bitch Trail.

Three years ago, I was recovering from another broken heart.

Things happen for a reason, I suppose. If Paula hadn’t dumped me, I would have missed out on Swan.

It’s the year of the snake, and that makes me think about those slimy creatures when I hike through the grasses. The Philippines has cobras, but they are rarely seen when we are out and about. It’s probably because we make so much noise as we walk that the snakes slither away before we arrive. That wasn’t the case two years ago:

I despise Manila and try to avoid going there as much as possible. I’ll be visiting the US Embassy next month to get a Power of Attorney notarized, but I won’t be spending the night. Makati is where I choose to stay when necessity dictates, but getting there in traffic can be a bitch. Anyway, that’s all a prelude to today’s YouTube video, which spends eight minutes talking about the good things the city has to offer. And yes, the nightlife on Burgos Street can be expensively fun.

Hmm, the video can’t be embedded. You can watch it here if you please.

And now for the smiles:

And that’s the way it was. The way it’s gonna be includes the SOB at Alaska Club tonight. I was on the fence about going, but this is Tim’s last night in town, so I’ll join in the fun. More to come tomorrow.

And in closing, I was sad to learn that Marianne Faithfull has died at 78. I enjoyed her songs back in the day, but I never realized what a f’d up personal life she lived until reading about her passing today. Your music lives on!

Here’s her first hit:

And another song I enjoyed:

A change of scenery will give you a new perspective, and that’s a good thing. Yesterday, the Wednesday Walkers took a thirty-minute drive to the end of the road in Cawag and commenced our hike from there. We’d last ventured out this way a couple of years ago, so the vistas had a fresh look about them. The only downside of the hike was that it was an “out and back again” path, and I don’t like retreating. Still, it was a nice way to kick off the Lunar New Year.

Here’s a couple of minutes of video from the hike coming back:

I didn’t go horizontal because hiking on a rocky path with a phone in one hand and my trekking pole in the other is tough enough.

The Wednesday evening hours were spent at The Green Room and Alaska Club. I had the usual good time at GR, and I even almost beat Chu at pool. I had the first shot at the 8-ball and missed; she didn’t.

The Alaska visit was unusual. An old waitress “friend” I hadn’t seen for several months was back, she came and said hello and took our drink order, but a different waitress delivered them. I called her back over and asked her why she didn’t serve me, and she said it wasn’t her turn. Apparently, the waitresses serve customers in rotation. Okay, no big deal. Would you like a lady drink? And she declined. That’s never happened to me before in fifteen years of visiting and living in the PI. Weird. I called over another waitress I knew, and she gladly accepted my offer to buy her a drink. It’s no big deal; it’s just unexpected to be rejected.

After the Alaska adventure, we headed home and watched another “Squid Game” episode from Season Two. Once again, I’m finding aspects of the show hard to believe. I’ll reserve judgment until I reach the end—two more episodes to go.

Here are some Facebook memories from this day in my history:

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about expats who choose to “go native” and live like the locals. In the comments on another post, I had just mentioned that I chose not to live on SBMA because the vibe felt too much like living in the USA. So, here I am, living the high life in Alta Vista, looking down on the Filipino communities below. As I am wont to say, I may not be living in the Philippines, but I can see it (and hear it) from here.

To the humor we must go:

And that’s all for now, folks. I’ll be heading off for this week’s chelation treatment with Dr. Jo, and then we’ll see what’s going on in town after that. Thanks for coming by.

Short and sweet today because I’m running behind schedule, and I ain’t got much to say anyway. Just my typical Tuesday bookended with morning grocery shopping and the beach in the afternoon.

Here’s a couple of minutes inside the Royal Duty-Free supermarket:

And here’s a five-minute beach walk on the way to our weekly Kokomo’s floating bar visit:

I promise the videos will improve one day soon. I’m looking into purchasing some better equipment and some software that will allow proper editing.

Yesterday’s view as we arrived at the floating bar:

And then this happened again:

With the sun’s show over, we headed back to shore.

We were feeling like Mexican last night:

After our meal, we headed for home. Swan said she missed my smoothies, so I made a batch for the first time in a long time. Two bananas, some frozen strawberries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and some milk in the blender. They were not exactly diet-friendly, but damn, they were tasty! We enjoyed another episode of “Squid Game” while we sipped our sweet treats. Nice to end the evening with more bloody murder and mayhem.

Twenty years ago, I enjoyed family members’ comments on my political blog posts. These days, none of my family reads or comments here at LTG. Everything changes, and life goes on.

Fourteen years ago, the family gathered in Enid, Oklahoma, for my mother’s funeral and burial.

Today’s YouTube video from my vlogger friend, John Brant, is eight years old. John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and I rarely see him out and about these days. He hasn’t vlogged for years now, but it was his videos that got me interested in joining the Hash. I very rarely visit Hot Zone these days, but I understand it is still one of the better girly bars in town. And this pole dancer put on quite a show!

Today’s dose of humor:

And there you have it—another day, another post. Beer o’clock is fast approaching, so I’d best jump in the shower and prepare myself!

Another day in the Philippines life I lived to tell about. A Candy Walk, a party, and a floating bar were the legs on that stool of a Sunday. I’ll let the photos do most of the talking:

I f’d up the video of the Marian Hills portion of our walk. I think the problem is you have to turn the phone horizontally BEFORE hitting the record button. I’ll try to get it right next time. All my efforts at finding a way to flip the video after the upload were also unsuccessful. If anyone has a clue, let me know. I need one. (Warning: watching that mess for three minutes is dizzying.)

Once our candy chore was complete, it was time to prepare for party mode.

Since I was not able to participate in the feeding at Hideaway, I dropped off a bag of goodies and some cash and let the girls feed themselves.

The party was across the highway from Hideaway at the rooftop suite Tim is enjoying at the Coffee Shop hotel. It’s the nicest place in town for the money.

Typical gathering, guys drinking beer and bullshitting, and the women-folk did whatever it was that they did, which seemed to involve downing shots of alcohol yesterday. I went out for a breath of air and enjoyed the views from the roof.

So, we started the party at 1 p.m., and I was nearing capacity when we said our goodbyes and departed at 5:30. Swan wanted to stop at the Arizona floating bar to see the sunset before we went home, and I consented.

We’d both had more than enough to drink by now, so we headed ashore and grabbed a trike for home. Swan was in bed and asleep at 7:30. I was planning to do the next installment of “Squid Game” but didn’t want her to miss out, so I contented myself with some internet surfing. I enjoyed a pudding appetizer before I called it a night.

In this installment of The Story of My Life, I recount the events during one of my early weeks in Korea, including attending some required training and an introduction to aspects of Korean culture.

One of the Facebook groups I belong to is “Westminster High School Alumni.” Someone named Brenda from the Class of ’73 asked if anyone remembered her. I didn’t, but I posted my senior picture in response.

Meanwhile, I’m still poking fun at my lefty Facebook friends:

This is the first time I’ve watched this YouTube vlogger. He covered some aspects of Filipino culture that I’ve also witnessed and did so in only five minutes, which suits my increasingly limited attention span. Worth the watch, IMHO.

Some fun before I go:

And now it is time to prepare for another Hash Monday. Thanks for stopping by!

Here we go again.

I was never really into Kool-Aid as a kid, but nowadays, as a thinking adult, I apparently drink it all the time. Who knew?

Speaking of the truth, despite Facebook’s Zuckerfuck claiming a newfound love for freedom of speech, it seems like business as usual on that platform.

Meanwhile, life goes on, and I don’t give a fuck. Here’s how I filled the hours yesterday:

Here’s a one-minute video that didn’t come out quite right:

If there is a way to flip this around, I can’t find it.

My second effort turned out better:

Anyway, I probably need to get a clip-on mobile camera instead of trying to use my phone.

Back at the house, Swan comes in and says, “Look what I found.”

We went to the SOB at Green Room last night. It had been a month or so since our previous attendance. Nothing much has changed. Here’s a short video clip I took of the host bar’s routine:

I chose gin and soda last night as my beverage of choice and was disciplined enough to limit myself to one every thirty minutes. But I drank from 4:00 until 8:00, which proved to be too much of a good thing.

That only happens a couple of times a year, usually when I deviate from beer.

Today’s journey through the past is from the early days of LTG back in 2005. Politics and comment reactions from family members were the order of the day. See for yourself.

Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea tries to provide advice to the “nice guys” who always seem to finish last in relationships. I’ve been down that road too many times, but it seems I’ve finally hit my sweet spot with Swan.

Things I found funny:

And that’s all he wrote. For today, anyway.

Thursdays come and go, and I go with the flow. It’s just the way I roll.

As I’ve been scrolling through my old blog posts, trying to remember some stories from my life in those long ago days, I’ve noticed that I wrote about politics quite a bit. I don’t bother with that too much now because I’ve come to realize it’s pointless. We all believe what we choose to believe, and only rarely will anyone’s mind be changed by contrary arguments. There has been some recent back and forth in the comments concerning the Trump pardons that illustrate that point. So, for what it is worth, my take on the January 6 riots is this:

• The protesters who entered the Capitol building were trespassing, and that was a crime.
• Nancy Pelosi declined to activate the National Guard to defend the Capitol
• The vast majority of protesters did not engage in violence. The only fatality was a protester.
• The FBI played a role (agents were on the scene), and the extent of their instigation will eventually be revealed.
• The DOJ’s pursuit of felony charges against even the peaceful trespassers was excessive and unprecedented. Compare and contrast to the violent BLM protests.
• The kangaroo court of the J6 House investigation was criminal. Biden’s pardons for uncharged crimes against the Committee members are quite revealing.
• The criminal court proceedings and treatment of those arrested have made a mockery of our justice system. Many people have been denied the right to a speedy and fair trial, and this is but one example.
• One of Trump’s campaign promises was to commute the sentences and pardon the non-violent protesters. He has now kept his word, and that was appropriate.
• There is much more yet to be uncovered about the January 6, 2021 events, and I expect a full and fair investigation under Trump.

Enough said? Okay, let me tell you about my day:

I took a solo walk, and as I departed home, I thought I would walk the back roads to Waltermart and then take a Jeepney back to Barretto. But once I hit Naugsol, I didn’t feel like continuing on to Mangan-Vaca, so I circled around the Naugsol area on the new bypass road instead.

For my Thursday evening fun, I attended a gathering at a fellow Hasher’s house.

• Today’s weigh-in: 233.5
• Last week: 235.0
• November 1: 267.1
• Net loss: 33.6 pounds

Getting there, little by little.

Today’s installment in The Story of My Life demonstrates that I was posting boring drivel about my day even twenty years ago. Still, it was in Korea, and everything was new about the experience.

To the memories we shall go:

Today’s YouTube video discusses three morning habits that can prove fatal to older folks like me. Well, maybe. I usually eat something before heading out for a hike, but that’s just me. If you are doing one of those intermittent fasting programs or don’t want to eat the high-carb foods the narrator suggests, this is advice you may not want to take. I do usually sit up for a few seconds before stumbling to the bathroom for a nighttime piss. And I don’t have to strain much when it is time to poop, so that’s not a problem for me. I did have an elderly neighbor die on the toilet one morning, so it does happen. Anyway, here it is, take it or leave it:

Live to laugh:

Another day, another post. Same old, same old. But then again, so am I. Let’s see what happens next.

There is some back-and-forth in the comments regarding Trump’s pardoning of the J6 protesters. To be clear, I do not condone the behavior of those who illegally breached the Capitol grounds in a challenge to the fraudulent 2020 election results. That said, the government’s response has been over the top, including holding individuals in jail for months and years awaiting trial. And the crimes committed were nowhere near as violent as what the BLM protesters did during their summer of burning cities and destroying lives. I’m glad Trump issued the promised pardons. I mean, it’s not like they were corrupt relatives of his or anything like that.

Okay, let’s get back to the daily drivel, shall we? The Wednesday Walkers did an up, over, and down the other side hike across the Kalaklan Ridge and finished with an urban stroll on the streets of Olongapo City. Our up was a rarely taken route and the down was a first for me. I don’t particularly like walking in the city, but the streets were unfamiliar, and noting the differences in vibe between Olongapo and the Barretto ‘burbs was interesting.

My chelation treatment with Dr. Jo went without a hitch, and with that out of the way, we headed to the Outback to begin the fun part of our evening.

I made a short video of our Outback views if you care to have a look:

We moved up the beach for a grilled porkchop dinner at Mango’s.

These days, we might visit Mango’s for dinner once a month or so, so it was funny that as soon as we sat down, the waitress greeted us with: “Red wine, San Miguel Zero, one order of pork chops with an extra plate, and sides of mashed potato and veggies.” Yes, ma’am. You know us too well. And the meal was good, as always.

We went to Whiskey Girl for our nightcap. We hadn’t been there for several months, so it fit my Wednesday agenda of stopping by a seldom-visited bar. We had an additional motive for going to Whiskey Girl. One of the waitresses lives on our Candy Walk route, and Swan felt bad that the kids weren’t around last week. So, we delivered a bag of Bingo cookies and some lollipops for Kim to take home after work. We also brought sweets for the rest of the crew to enjoy during our time there. My old friends Jenn and Josie are no longer working at Whiskey, so that saved me some lady drink cash. I was impressed that the dancers kept moving on stage in a dance-like mode despite us being the only customers during our visit. I thought about tipping them, but decided my doing that in Alaska is more than enough. They got cookies and lollipops instead!

As soon as we walked out the door to head home, a trike pulled up to take us. I took a break from “Squid Game” and hit the hay early.

Twenty years ago, my world changed forever in ways I never anticipated.

I wrote about the journey to Korea here.

For today’s YouTube video, I’ll share another vlogger’s perspective on my hometown of Barretto. I agree with him about the litter but disagree that the bars are the only reason to come here. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my favorite drinking establishments, but that’s a small portion of my day.

The daily dose of smiles:

Maybe twenty years have been enough. We’ll see.

For a simple man. Tuesday is my blah day, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad; it’s just a tad duller than my regular boring days. The highlight of my new dual grocery store shopping excursion was the discovery that the YBC supermarket has lower prices than Royal, at least on some of the items I purchase. My Bingo cookies cost me 58.50 pesos at YBC, and they cost 59 pesos at Royal. Not a big difference, but still good to know that I’m on the right track getting everything I can at YBC and filling in the gaps at Royal.

When we got back home from the shopping adventure, I headed out for my lazy Tuesday neighborhood walk.

Walked by the first house I rented in Alta Visa back in 2018.

Exciting shit, eh? But wait, there’s more! It’s a Tuesday tradition to hit Baloy Beach and visit the Kokomo’s floating bar. And getting there is some of the fun.

And here’s the video replay of our beach walk:

Yeah, I need to learn to edit. Just watch it at 2X speed to ease the pain.

We had the usual fun on the floater.

We treated the hardworking Treasure Island waitresses to a pizza with lollipops for dessert. They seemed happy with their bounty.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I was wearing my Trump attire as I went about my day. A couple of Filipinos asked about it, but otherwise, no one else had anything to say—until the guy sitting next to me at Treasure Island made a comment—something along the lines of “Go Trump!” I turned to see who it was, and this guy gave me the thumbs up.

So, we had a pleasant chat and shared a toast in honor of President Trump.

Then, it was time to head back home. I made a batch of sugar-free pudding and fired up Netflix for Season Two, Episode One, of “Squid Game.” So, we are two years down the road from where we left off, and the only game last night was some Russian Roulette. It didn’t end well for a couple of folks, but our two main protagonists are still pursuing their quest of discovery. I thought one of them (the cop) had been killed in Season One, so it was a bit of a surprise to see he had survived a gunshot and a fall off a cliff into the ocean. Hey, television makes miracles happen. I’m still in the game for the rest of Season Two, despite my inability to suspend disbelief.

Today’s episode in The Story of My Life tells about a wild night in Itaewon in March 2005 at one of my favorite bars, Sweet Caroline’s. One of my favorite parts of these old posts is the comments. In this one, my then-wife Carol and my sweet mother chime in about my over-indulgence in alcoholic beverages. I’ve learned a lot since then–I mostly stick to beer these days and NEVER mix in shots of the hard stuff. I’m sure I’ll discover similar lessons as my journey through the LTG archives continues.

Today’s YouTube video has the Pea conducting on-the-street interviews with Filipinas to discover what they consider attractive about foreign men. Spoiler alert: a handsome man with no money is not so handsome after all.

Some humor before I go:

An upcoming chelation therapy session with Dr. Jo, and then some Wednesday fun and refreshments on the other side of town.

Check back tomorrow for the latest tales of a simple man.

Dressing for the occasion! Yep, this is what I’m wearing today in honor of the Commander-in-Chief. He’s a felon, doncha know?

It wasn’t a surprise to see Biden issue pardons to assholes like Fauci and the members of the J6 committee.

Alright, that’s enough politics. Let’s talk about yesterday’s Hash. It was a good one! The Hare had a long and a short trail option. But guess what? My group concocted a medium-length version that hit the sweet spot. How about that–those notorious shortcutters ADDING some distance!

It was a good day to be out and about hiking. The aftermath beers were nice, too.

Looking back on some memories:

A commenter mentioned that things have gotten more boring than usual here at LTG since I’ve settled into a drama-free relationship. Well, yeah, I understand that, but I can live without the kind of excitement all those failed couplings created. Coincidentally, I came across this post from September 2020 about my fleeting attraction to a married neighbor. Talk about dodging a bullet! My commenters tried to warn me back then, but I tend to learn things the hard way. Fortunately, I saw the light before things reached the level of consummation.

I’ll be turning 70 later this year, and today’s YouTube video discusses six ways to maintain good health in these golden years. Three flights of stairs? Try climbing the Kalaklan Ridge! Standing on one leg for thirty seconds was harder than I thought it would be, but I managed. I laugh a lot, socialize, and can cook, although Swan handles most of the kitchen work these days. Anyway, I intend to keep on keeping on as long as I am able to breathe.

Into each life, some humor must fall:

I’m gonna do my Tuesday thing on the Kokomo’s floating bar when beer o’clock rolls around. (Shit, I actually wrote “due” instead of “do” in that sentence. I wasn’t kidding about my brain!)

Rolling along through another blessed Sunday. It may not be much, but it is more than enough to keep me happy. My big accomplishment was booking flights and lodging for a trip to Da Nang, Vietnam in July. We’ll also be doing two nights in Hong Kong, another place I’ve never previously visited. I’m flying budget airlines (Cebu Pacific and HK Express) and I hope I don’t regret it. The actual flights are reasonably priced at around a hundred bucks each way. The crazy thing is that the cost of a checked bag is almost as much as the ticket. Oh well, as long as we have a wheels down landing I won’t complain.

Oh, and here was a rare experience. Usually, it is my first name they spell wrong (Jhon):

Anyway, we got out of the house and kicked off the morning with another Candy Walk:

Here’s what the Candy Walk looks like in action:

Part two of the Sunday routine began with the Hideaway feeding:

Then it was time to hit the beach.

Here’s what getting there looks like:

Once the sun is gone, we are ready to head ashore for our Sunday dinner at John’s place.

After a pleasant dining experience, we headed to Wet Spot for our nightcap. A drink for Irene and Beth, some chitchat, then we were homeward bound. And so ended another Sunday.

Today is Martin Luther King Day. His dream of a nation where citizens were judged on their character rather than their skin color has sadly become a nightmare. Despite the blatant racism against white folk that is inherent in “woke” politics, there is still hope for the future.

Let’s go back in time for a moment or two:

From the LTG archives, here’s a post from 2005 showing my first residence in Korea. I stayed there over five years.

Today’s YouTube video claims that the US is reactivating the Subic Bay Naval Base. Um, that is overstating what I understand to be happening. The video really talks about what the Philippines is doing to utilize those facilities to counter China’s aggression. This is not to say that the Americans won’t be returning at some point. With Trump in charge again, anything is possible. The most likely scenario is American military personnel being deployed to Filipino bases on a rotational basis. Still, the best way to prevent a war is deterrence. Hopefully, China gets the message that starting a fight now will be too costly.

Who is up for a laugh?

And now it is time to prepare for another Hash Monday. I’ve seen a map of the trail, and it appears to be one I will enjoy. I’m going to walk to the start via My Bitch, so I should be getting a good step count today. I’ll tell you how it goes tomorrow (assuming I survive).

Nothing much to my Saturday, but I’m okay with that. Filling the hours in a comfortable way suits me just fine, and it makes the occasions where a little more excitement is injected all the more fun. In other words, it’s all good.

Kicked the morning off with a Short Saturday Sweet Slum Street Stroll.

A simple but satisfying Saturday evening in town to round out the day. My first stop was at the salon for a haircut. It always seems to grow back, but I’m not complaining. Coincidentally, whilst scrolling through my archives the other day, I came across a post about my first haircut in Korea. That was quite an experience and a reminder of one more thing I miss about my Korea life.

After the haircut, we visited Jewel Cafe for a light snack (we shared an order of chicken quesadillas). Then we moved on to Green Room for our nightcap. I always enjoy the laid-back ambiance there. I watched a couple of the girls playing some of the worst pool I’ve ever witnessed, but they were so bad it was very entertaining. And then these foreign guys (Chu said they were from Pakistan) took over the table, and I was gobsmacked watching them play what appeared to be a pro-level game. I can’t shoot that well in my dreams!

We bought a large pizza from Sit-n-Bull for the girls, and that put smiles on their faces. Then I gave them something to suck on (I brought along a bag of lollipops). The manager bought me a drink (it was my gin and soda night), and we went home feeling satisfied.

Today’s stroll down memory lane:

And nine years ago, this happened on one of “those” Itaewon nights:

How do you define stupid? How about the guy who walks home on a freezing cold night only to discover he doesn’t have his phone. So he walks back to the bar in the cold only to discover his phone is not in fact where he thought he left it. Walks all the way back to the house and finds the phone smack dab in the middle of the bathroom floor.

I hate being that guy.

Ten years ago, I posted a YouTube video of Korean girls eating American snacks for the first time. So today it will be both a memory and the daily YouTube. You are welcome!

Let’s do some more humor:

Yeah, I don’t give a fuck. It’s worth the effort to click on the link and watch this video about the most versatile word in the English language:

And here I am on the brink of another Sunday evening. I’m a prisoner to my routines, so that means a Hideaway feeding, some time on the water at the Arizona floating bar, then dinner at John’s place. Nope, I ain’t complaining.

No, that’s not what she said. But what a difference a day makes. For one thing, I got back to walking:

The big event that got me up early and kept me out all day was our annual outreach feeding at the Iram Aeta village in Old Cabalan, Olongapo. The Friday hiking group headed out from our Baloy meet-up at 0800 and arrived in Iram a little before nine. The natives were waiting expectingly for the food bag distribution. Swan and her friend Sheryl provided a spaghetti meal with cold drinks and candy for the kids. Meanwhile, the rest of us headed for Tago Falls, a place we had never previously visited. That turned out to be a very satisfying 8K adventure. By the time we got back to the village, the handouts were done, and it was time to feed the hungry hikers. Swan and her crew prepared a lunch of grilled sausages, and we washed them down with cold beers. It was close to 2 p.m. when we finally headed for home, but the fun wasn’t over yet. During the drive, the decision was made to stop at It Doesn’t Matter to celebrate our successful mission.

It was late in the afternoon when I was finally back in my Alta Vista homestead. The first thing we did was take a much-needed nap. Then I dashed out yesterday’s blog post before settling onto the sofa for the concluding Season One episode of “Squid Game.” Man, I’m tired again just telling you about the day. I’ll let the pictures fill in the gaps:

Thirty seconds of hiking video for your viewing pleasure:

I suck with these videos, but take a minute and have a look around:

I finished Season One of “Squid Game,” and I’m up for starting Season Two. As an added bonus, I finally allowed myself to read Kevin’s review. I concur with his thoughts for the most part and will delve more into that in a future post. I’m running a tad late this afternoon.

There is only one memory to share today. Today is the fourteenth anniversary of my mother’s passing. Here’s what I wrote that day.

Miss you, Mama!

Today’s YouTube is features the Filipina Pea responding to questions from her viewers. Regarding the baby making, I got that possibility sliced twenty years ago. It cost me a relationship with a woman I loved here because I couldn’t give her the one thing she wanted most.

And some humor:

Anyway, life goes on until it doesn’t. So, I’m going to take my sweetie into town soon and do some living. Back with more tomorrow.

Here’s the song my nephew Jason sang with his Filipina wife (he met her when she was working as a singer on a cruise ship) at my mother’s funeral gathering:

Yesterday was a tad too much of nothin’ for my taste, but I was under doctor’s orders not to work up a sweat, and I did as I was instructed.

The day wasn’t a total waste, however. Once the sun was going down, we attended a gathering at the next-door neighbor’s house and filled some hours socializing.

Back home, I plopped my lazy ass down in front of the television and watched TWO episodes of “Squid Game.” Episode 7 was a tad strange as well as being bloody. The rich VIPs coming to witness the violence was more than the usual over-the-top this series seems to strive for. Episode 8 brought the number of remaining contestants down to two, and sadly, my favorite character isn’t one of them. The season finale is next, and I’ll be watching that as soon as I finish this post.

No Facebook memories worthy of note today, but I’ve been working my way through the LTG archives, and I came upon a post from twenty years ago talking about my experience after three months as a little read blogger. What triggered that post was getting my first and only “instalache” (a link from the wildly popular Glenn Reynolds blog, Instapundit). If you are curious, this is the post that got the link.

Politics or humor?

I came across today’s YouTube video while reading a Philippines expat forum I’m a member of (PIatNight). Another sad tale of a foreigner who can’t afford to pay for the medical care he needs and is soliciting donations from the expat community. He wasn’t getting much sympathy from the folks at PIatNight. It’s true you should have a backup plan in place in case of a medical emergency. My health insurance from the USA isn’t accepted in my hospitals here (I have to pay and then submit for reimbursement), but if need be, I have a credit card I can use to pay for treatment. An interesting thing about the guy featured in this video is that he is a former champion powerlifter and even has his own Wikipedia page. Here’s hoping things work out for Kaz.

To the humor we must go:

Okie dokie, it’s time to fire up Netflix and finish Season One of “Squid Game.” If you are curious as to why today’s post is coming so much later than usual, I had a day today completely opposite of yesterday’s nothingness. I’ll tell you all about that tomorrow!

Seeing is believing, so keeping my eyes healthy and functioning is a worthy objective. My visit to the ophthalmologist yesterday didn’t reveal any negative surprises. I can’t see shit out of my left eye–not even the big top line on the eye chart–it’s all just a blur. So, the infection I’ve been treating with antibiotic eyedrops since last week has cleared up. The left eye exam didn’t show any retina damage. The eye doc said I could schedule a cataract removal surgery at my leisure, but it wasn’t currently something to worry about. I may see about getting some prescription reading glasses to avoid going under the knife laser for as long as possible.

Next up was a visit with Dr. Jo. After receiving my chelation injection, she went to work on removing the skin tabs on and around my eyelids. I wasn’t sure what that would involve, but it was much more unpleasant than I anticipated. She used a local anesthetic, which dulled most of the pain, but it was a slow process, and I have lots of eye boogers. After an hour of discomfort, Dr. Jo finished with my left eye, and I told her we could do the right eye next week. I’d had enough torture for one day and had no secrets to reveal.

I’m not looking forward to the next session. The things I endure to stay gwapo.

When Dr. Jo finished with me, it was after five, and I had skipped lunch, so I was hungry. Time for a visit to Sit-n-Bull. My diet aspirations aren’t all that strict. I try to achieve my goal of fewer than 1800 daily calories and avoid sweets and other unhealthy options most of the time. At least so far, I’ve been losing weight with that approach. Being hungry and having banked the calories I didn’t consume for lunch, I almost convinced myself that I was justified in satisfying my craving for a roast beef dip sandwich. But before ordering, I checked my app to see how many calories that would cost me. The sandwich alone was more than 500, so I nixed that idea and went with this instead:

I had a couple more drinks (it was my gin and soda night) at Wet Spot to ease the pain, and then we headed home to watch episode six of “Squid Game.” I was surprised to see so many regular characters killed off this time (my favorite survived). There are three more episodes to go in Season One, and hopefully, it will begin to make more sense to me by then.

I didn’t do the Wednesday group hike, and Dr. Jo told me to avoid sweating today, so I’m suffering from a walkaholic withdrawal right now. We have a special hiking event tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the trail.

I’ve booked rooms and paid for two Hash events in La Union next month (Feb 7-9 and Feb 28-Mar 2). And I’m in the early stages of planning a trip to Da Nang, Vietnam, come June. Yep, I am finally getting off my lazy ass and preparing to reengage in the travel portion of my retired life. It helps when you have a girlfriend who likes to get out of town. I’ve promised her a minimum of one excursion each month.

And another journey that is ongoing:

Today’s installment in The Story of My Life is a post about a weekend in my new Itaewon life. I visited a bar called Sweet Caroline’s, which would become one of my favorites, and began meeting fellow expats. I mentioned that I was avoiding the bars with lady drink pressure, and this exchange with my then-wife in the comments made me smile:

Carol: You could be the loneliest person ever created, and yet I would highly recommend you avoid buying drinks for pretty or even unpretty Korean females! Get my drift?

Me: yes, dear, I get it…

Carol: Sorry baby, it was the hormones talking. Of course, I meant every word of it.

Good times, and it is nice to remember those long-ago days.

Here’s a travel memory for today:

And keeping with the travel theme, today’s YouTube vlogger takes us along on his visit to Alona Beach in Panglao, Bohol. Bohol has been at the top of my list of places to see in the Philippines. I hope to accomplish that soon, maybe in March.

And now for the daily dose of humor:

And now I have.

My apologies!

So, I am changing things up and staying close to home today. Neighbors Jeff and Vina are having a gathering at their place, and we will be attending. Thanks for spending some time here at LTG.

So, I guess that makes it a Ruby Tuesday! Here are some of the shiny moments I experienced. Starting with a new twist to the grocery shopping routine:

In the afternoon, I planned to visit Dr. Jo. Meanwhile, Swan would attend the RSL meeting for another chance to win the Joker Jackpot of 90,000 pesos (around $1750). Swan’s event started at 2 p.m., and my appointment was at 3:00. Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. When I arrived at Dr. Jo’s, the door was locked, and the office was dark. WTF? I rattled the door a bit, and she came and opened it. There were some issues with the power company, and the lights had been shut off without warning. Dr. Jo said she could do the chelation injection but couldn’t remove the skin tabs on my eyelids without electricity. Instead, I arranged to come back today after my ophthalmologist appointment in Olongapo.

With nothing better to do, I crossed the highway and joined the RSL meeting in progress at Mango’s. They hadn’t started the raffle drawings yet, so I had to sit there and suffer through an hour and a half of prize giveaways. Neither of us had a ticket drawn this week and the person who got to pick the joker guessed right and won the big jackpot. At least we won’t be motivated to sit through future raffles for a while.

When the RSL concluded, we made our way to Baloy Beach for our weekly visit to the Kokomo’s floating bar.

I was even inspired to do a brief video:

When our time on the floater was done, we hit the beach. Neither of us was hungry enough for a big meal, so we shared a couple of tacos.

So, nice that I decided to do another video:

When I’m sitting in a bar or restaurant, I occasionally check my phone to see what is happening on social media. And that’s how I came across this post from MacArthur’s Bar on Facebook:

Swan told me just to ignore it, but I couldn’t resist leaving this comment:

OMG! I had no idea girls in other bars are slaves who are forced to go on barfines. Who knew?

Then the owner responded to my comment thusly:

John McCrarey please reread the post …. I’m the owner and policy maker . I run a shift with no barfine or early work release . I don’t get money from selling the girl for a bar share of roughly 1500 and I’m not calling out any bar that does this . My girls make their own decisions with their body after their shift . They also choose where they want to work . After their shift they have no fear of being seen with a customer. I can’t say the same from other bars and I’m not calling out other bars as girls choose where to work .

He does make some valid points, but the “pimp girls” and slave thing seems a bit much. If I ran a bar, I wouldn’t permit barfines either. And one of my pet peeves about the bar business here is that some bars will punish the girls who go with customers after work hours, calling them “sneak outs” to avoid paying the barfine. Years ago, I invited a door girl from Hot Zone to join me for lunch on her day off. She said we’d have to leave town to eat because if someone saw her with a customer, she’d have to pay the barfine. On her freakin’ day off! Come to think of it that is a bit like slavery.

Speaking of slavery, we watched episode 5 of “Squid Game” when we returned home last night. I’m trying hard to suspend disbelief that something like this could happen, but I’m sure I’ll learn more about the motivations of those involved as things move forward. I’m committed to getting through Season One so I can read Kevin’s review, spoilers, and all. Maybe it will make more sense then.

I stocked up on sugar-free pudding, so no more brownies!

Things I remember today:

Speaking of the departed, I learned that my high school pal Steve Ewing passed away this week in California. I had lost touch with Steve years ago, but my brother Greg and Steve still maintained contact. I was also relieved to discover that my other best friend from that era, Rod Headlee, is still around. He dropped Facebook and disappeared, but Greg says Rod and his wife are doing well.

Today’s YouTube is a bit worrisome, given my current eye issues. I’ll be back to the ophthalmologist today, but given that I’m basically blind in my left eye, I expect cataract surgery is in my near future. He did a good job on the right eye a couple of years ago, so maybe I shouldn’t worry so much. We shall see. *ahem*

Let’s give ’em something to smile about:

That’s how it all went down on Tuesday. Two doctor visits are in my immediate future, and after that, we shall see. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

The afternoon and evening weren’t hard either. The easy sweetness started with the Sunday morning Candy Walk.

We didn’t have much time to prepare for the party after we got back home. I’d put the chili in the crockpot when I woke up at 5 a.m., so it was ready to go. I baked a batch of cornbread muffins, took a shower, then bagged things up and headed out.

I’ve eaten at the restaurant a few times but never been inside the hotel. Tim is staying on the rooftop, which only has his room and one other. I think “room” is the wrong word; he’s in a massive three-bedroom luxury suite. It featured a huge, fully-equipped kitchen with top-end appliances. It is undoubtedly the nicest hotel lodging I’ve ever seen anywhere, and I traveled a lot back in the day. Apparently, the Coffee Shop owners used to live here and then started renting it out as part of the hotel when they moved. Only fifty bucks a night! Truth be told, I would love living there, except it wouldn’t work for the dogs. The rooftop is on the hotel’s fourth floor, and the elevator goes as far as the third floor. An easy walk up a flight of stairs gets you to the top.

The party was taking place inside Tim’s lodging, and he had a massive layout of food (and plenty of cold beer!).

The party had begun at noon, and by 4:30 things were winding down and Swan and I departed. Downstairs, I asked if she wanted to do anything else before we headed home. She responded, “Floating bar!” And so we crossed the highway and headed for the beach.

A trike home from Arizona and a Swan steak for dinner. Then it was time to flop down on the couch for a bloody episode three of “Squid Game.” I’m still not clear about what’s going on or why, but I’ll keep watching to find out. I’m starting to get to know the main characters and have already identified my favorite. Can you guess who?

I happened to look out the living room window at some point, and this is what I saw:

Seven years ago, I enjoyed an adventurous day in Pyeongtaek:

We won’t get fooled again. Or at least I won’t, although, I really didn’t get fooled the first time.

I randomly came across today’s YouTube video. I reckon the female vlogger’s advice about “not making it too easy for your Filipina” might make sense in some situations, but it does seem to me a couple should be striving to make things easier for both of you. I’ve got a long history of some monumental relationship fuckups during my almost seven years in country, but I finally hit the jackpot with Swan.

Let’s share a smile or two:

Not to be a dick about it, but there does seem to be a cocky theme in today’s humor memes.

So, Hash Monday is upon me. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare, and he has a long, hard trail in store for us today. My “sane” group will do the first big hill and then decide where we go from there. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.

It wasn’t a walk in the park, but it was still enjoyable. For our Saturday hike, we changed things up by taking a Jeepney to Subic town and then walking home from there (we usually do the opposite).

My Sunday routines are out of kilter today. We are fixin’ to do the Candy Walk, but at noon, we will be attending a party on the roof of Tim’s hotel. I’ve got some chili in the crockpot to contribute to the festivities. And that’s why you are seeing the rare morning post here at LTG. It’s now or never! Anyhoo, I won’t be doing the feeding at Hideaway, the Arizona floating bar, or the dinner at John’s place today. But all is not lost and forsaken; we went to John’s for dinner last night instead.

We started our nightcap at Green Room and finished at Wet Spot. I sponsored a mini-pool tourney between two of the Green Room gals (100 pesos to the winner, best out of three). I gave the loser 50 pesos because I’m such a nice guy. It was fun watching them play; both were very good.

Once we returned home, I fired up the TV and watched Episode Two of “Squid Game.” Not as exciting as the opening, but it moved the story forward. My goal is to watch at least one episode a day. A downside for me was sitting in front of the television, knowing there were leftover brownies in the fridge. I couldn’t resist, so had Swan bring me one. A la mode, of course. And it was so good that I snuck another. Yeah, sometimes I have zero self-control. Of course, when I was single, I could eat the brown knees instead. Don’t worry, I’m not missing those days. Much.

I’ll try and remember to do better, like I was seven years ago.

Time to check in with the Pea for today’s YouTube video. She talks about some of the cultural differences in a diverse population of Filipinas. I’ve never met a Waray, but they sound pretty wild!

And now we can smile some:

Alright, time to head out for the Candy Walk then off to the party. Damn, it’s gonna be another one of those early days I despise, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Tell you all about it tomorrow.