Tuesdays are my blah days (yeah, even more than the others), but yesterday was a tad more interesting than usual. I didn’t say exciting, so don’t get your hopes up. Anyway, here’s how things went down.

My laptop has some keyboard issues. For some reason, the “c” and the “v” keys only function intermittently (I just now had to tap the “c” a few times for it to work). Just my luck; it couldn’t be a key I rarely use, like the comma. Oh, well. Since I needed to go to immigration anyway, I took the laptop to a nearby repair shop in Olongapo. The technician ordered whatever part is required, and I’ll bring the computer back on Thursday for the fix.

Next up was the grocery shopping. First stop, the YBC supermarket.

I tried to pause at 48 seconds, but when I hit restart, it created another video instead. Oh well, the first one is enough for today.

I checked some more prices compared to Royal, and YBC is cheaper on everything. We are going to expand our shopping there and use Royal to fill in the gaps for what we can’t get at YBC.

We finished this week’s grocery restock at Royal and then sent my driver and helper back home to offload. Swan and I had other business to attend to. We began by hoofing it over to Harbor Point Mall to resolve issues with my phone. I paid for a premium unlimited data plan through Globe (at a premium price of 3800 pesos a month), but for the past several days, whenever Wi-Fi was unavailable, I couldn’t get internet using data. The helpful attendant at the Globe store confirmed my account was in good standing and then asked to see my phone. She removed the SIM card, put it in her phone, and the data connection worked. Then we tried in Swan’s phone, and it also worked there. So, the problem seems to be with my phone. When we reinserted the SIM, my data worked again. I guess if this happens again, I’ll take out the SIM and put it back (I just now had to let spellcheck put the “see” in back and spellcheck). So, problem kinda sorta resolved.

Meanwhile, Swan had been looking over a price list and asked if I had ever received a free phone. I responded, what are you talking about? Well, it turns out that as part of the Premium Plan Rewards Program, I’m entitled to a free phone every two years. After six years with Globe, no one had bothered to tell the stupid white guy. So, Swan and the attendant chatted in Tagalog, and there was no retroactive way to redeem my past rewards, but I could collect a new phone today. Hell yes, why not?

When we were done with Globe, we walked half a kilometer to the SM Mall on the other side of the river. I was in the market for some new hiking shoes, and the SM department store is the only place around these parts that carries my favorite brand, Merrell. Of course, finding my size (11) is always a challenge, and sure enough, the shoes I liked best weren’t available larger than 10. I settled for the only pair they had in my size and made my way to the men’s clothing section in search of shorts. I asked the salesgirl for anything with a 40″ waist; the biggest she could find was 38″. I tried them on, and I’ll be damned, they fit! I guess the diet plan is having some practical impact, after all.

With the shopping mission completed, we caught a taxi back to Barretto.

When beer o’clock rolled around, it was off to the beach so Swan could get her Tuesday toes in the sand fix.

We had to wait a bit for the raft transport to bring several youngish-looking guys ashore. When we got taken aboard the floater, we were the only customers.

We brought cookies and lollipops for the girls, and they seemed happy enough with our contributions.

When the sun goes, so do we.

After our meal, we triked on home and called it a day.

I had a good laugh this morning reading this post from Kevin Kim’s blog. It turns out there have been some scientific studies trying to determine why people like me have such a warped and unfunny sense of humor. I could blame it on age, I suppose, but truthfully, my jokes have always been a mess. Maybe the puns are worse now, but the biggest difference is it doesn’t matter anymore if people laugh or if they cringe. A reaction is a reaction! I don’t know, and I don’t care if that makes me ignorant or apathetic (you knew that one was coming!).

Facebook memories carried me back to those long-ago days in Seoul (15 years now) when my wife and I would hike up to Seoul Tower atop Namsan.

Damn, sometimes happy memories make you sad.

Today’s YouTube video provides advice to old farts living in the Philippines to enjoy life while you have it and not to worry too much about what’s inevitably to come. I do sometimes wonder just how long I’m going to be around, but I don’t dwell on it much. Every morning, I wake and am thankful for another day to fritter away in meaninglessness. But you know what? I am okay with the life I’m living.

And the stuff I find worthy of a smile:

That’s all for today’s report on yesterday. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Let’s close out with some Korean-style music: