It’s a slow ride so far, but I’m getting there. I’ve mentioned before that my memory is increasingly feeble. I find myself writing down things I don’t want to forget, at least when I remember to do so. My attention span is also growing more and more limited. That makes it hard to sit through a movie or a long video. And then last night, I was in the midst of a dream, and the song “Smooth” was playing in the background for some reason. It eventually overtook the narrative of the dream (of course, I don’t remember what I was dreaming about now), and it eventually caused me to wake up. And the damn song was STILL playing in my head! Try as I might, I couldn’t clear my brain or get back to sleep. I finally had to get up and put on my earbuds and play from one of my Spotify song lists. It kept me awake for a while, but it shut up Santana and Rob Thomas, and I was able to achieve slumber without distraction once more. At this rate, I’ll be a happy man soon, assuming ignorance truly is bliss.
Now, where was I? Oh yeah, a blog post about yesterday. Let’s get to it!
Next up was the Friday group hike.
The meeting I alluded to in yesterday’s post was to finalize plans for the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers’ 32nd Anniversary event. We took care of business and finished at 3 p.m. Well, that’s too close to beer o’clock to go back home, so I went to It Doesn’t Matter instead. Ran into some familiar faces, had some beer, and ate some chicken wings. Swan joined me there.
Some of the group wanted to pay a visit to Red Bar, so we joined in.
I hadn’t been to Red Bar on a Friday, so I was not aware of the daily special.
I don’t recall what the shot was, but thankfully, it was not too powerful. It’s for the best that I stick with San Mig Zero.
When the group was ready to move on, I suggested we pay Jumpin’ Jacks a visit. I told them about the nice time we’d had there on their re-opening weekend, and everyone was up for checking it out.
And the happy vibe and good music were still front and center. Also, as promised, they had stocked some Zero beer. Swan got her wine for 200 pesos, and that’s within my price tolerance. No complaints, and there were a couple of other folks there playing pool, so hopefully this iteration will be successful.
I’m joking, of course. I never play that suckers game of tossing the balls. The girls scramble around and get ten pesos for each ball they retrieve, but the bar gets about half of the 300 pesos. Instead, I bought all five of the girls working a lady drink. Yes, it cost me a lot more, but they earn a better commission and maintain their dignity.
Starting at three in the afternoon was a challenge, but I made it to eight, so that was an accomplishment of sorts. It was a very nice change of pace hanging with a group, and we had a fun night on the town. More fun than the SOB has been lately.
I’ve made it to December 2009 in my journey through the LTG archives. I’m going to offer a twofer today…On December 7 (talk about infamy), I was elected as President of the Seoul International Dart League. And on December 8, I was quoted in the Stars and Stripes about tour lengths for civilians in Korea. The link to the Stars and Stripes article in the post no longer works, but I found the story here.
Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea is concerning. She discusses some recent legal changes that will have a negative impact on her and other vloggers in the Philippines. Sadly, the government focuses on shit like this instead of working to improve the lives of the Filipino people.
I didn’t forget the humor!
I’ve got a long way to go to catch up with Biden, so I’ll be back with more tomorrow. Unless I forget.
Cheers! Got you this time, Chris.
I see you in the pic, so who actually took it? Or was it on a timer?
You can keep your mind sharp through learning music (piano, guitar), which is a whole-brain activity, and by engaging in all sorts of puzzles and puzzle-like activities, e.g., crosswords, math problems, etc.—things that require memory, attentive focus, and logical thinking. Incuriosity, short attention span, and constant routine are the quick route to rotting the brain. Look for new experiences—even something as simple as eating duck—and maybe get back into creative writing. Because “the mind is a terrible thing, and it must be stopped in our lifetime before it kills somebody.” (Watch to the end. This was a classic back in the day. Couldn’t be done today.)
Hey John, come on, ping pong balls are a solid investment. Think about it – they’re not just for playing ping pong, they’re for having a blast and creating memories with friends. Plus, they’re pretty affordable. You can’t put a price on the fun you’ll have, right?
I get that you’re watching your budget, but sometimes you gotta splurge a little. Ping pong balls are a small price to pay for the enjoyment you’ll get out of them. And trust me, the ladies will appreciate your skills on the table. It’s all about having a good time and showing off your competitive side.
You might be thinking, “But John, I’m being frugal,” and I get that. However, sometimes being cheap can hold you back from experiencing life’s little joys. Ping pong balls are a tiny expense in the grand scheme of things. Think about all the good times you’ll have, the laughter, the friendly competition… it’s worth every penny.
So, what do you say? Are you in? Let’s grab some ping pong balls and get this game going. I’m sure you’ll be the star of the show, and who knows, maybe you’ll even impress a few people with your sweet serves. It’s time to loosen up and have some fun, my friend!
Dilbert, you need to enhance the reading comprehension of your AI commenter. The post wasn’t about playing ping pong or money.
Kev, one of the waitresses took the group photos.
I’ll be 70 in a couple of months and that makes me an old dog. I think the new tricks you suggest are already beyond my capabilities. I’m just going to enjoy the ride into oblivion as best I can. At some point, I won’t know the difference.
Thanks for sharing that great comedy clip. You know it had to be good because I made all the way through. Yeah, a white guy talkin’ black ain’t happening these days. My favorite was the football player from San Francisco. The tight end that wants to be a wide-receiver. Heh!
Well, YouTube has a brace of videos for people in your “old dog” situation. The central lesson of each video is: don’t give up, and don’t think old age equals decline. If you continue on the path of marinating your brain cells in alcohol and never do anything new or original, you might make it to 85, but ironically, you’ll never know it because you’ll have smoothed out your brain through drink and inactivity. My French Papa is closing in on 90, and despite being legally blind, he’s still puttering around his property, doing handyman work. He told me once that he didn’t feel he’d started to slow down until he reached 70. I remember him when I met him in 1986, almost forty years earlier: he was impulsive, hot-tempered (never to me, but he often got mad about job-related matters), driven (he was a clothing-company CEO along with his wife), a lover of history, and always on the move. Habits and behaviors like that are partially a function of personality and partially a function of self-discipline, but it’s never too late to start! Or so I’ve heard. We all give ourselves excuses to justify whatever rut we’re in. I’m as guilty as the next man of doing that. But there’s nothing inevitable about whatever situation we’re in—not until the very end.
Kev, thanks for the link. We’ll see if I can find some motivation.