So, recently, I’ve had some commenters calling me a racist. My calls to provide evidence to support that allegation have gone unanswered. Until yesterday. Well, commenter Todd didn’t have any examples of my racist nature to share, so he asked AI to analyze my blog posts, and here’s what the AI gods came up with:

Things about John McCrarey (from a critical outsider perspective)

Here’s a direct summary of elements that many (especially younger/Western progressive viewers) would find off-putting or “disgusting”:

Transactional/sex tourism-adjacent lifestyle: Deep immersion in Barretto’s bar girl (“GRO”) scene — buying lady drinks, flirting with much younger women, history of casual hookups with bargirls (he admits past “whore life” phases but claims it’s behind him with Swan). The crude sexualization of nearly all female interactions stands out.

Large age gap relationship with Swan: She’s ~29 years younger, his long-term partner (hash name “Cums Alone”). Portrayed affectionately, but the provider/paternal dynamic + economic disparity (Western pension vs. Filipino bar scene economics) reads as exploitative or “sugar daddy” to critics. He jokes about it openly.

Extreme crude vulgarity: Constant raunchy humor, objectifying language, and Hash culture excess (e.g., AI-rendered sexualized images of female hashers, endless penis/pussy puns). Can feel juvenile and gross coming from a 70+ man.

Paternalistic “benevolence” toward locals: Handing out candy to poor kids while living large on pension; financial support framed as generous but tied to his status as the rich foreigner.

Unapologetic hedonism in poverty context: Flaunting bar life, drinking, and casual indulgences while surrounded by economic hardship. Some see it as tone-deaf or predatory.

Thank you for your support! Not a single mention of racism. All those other “bad” things are self-acknowledged, and while I’m not necessarily proud of the things I’ve done in my sordid past, the only thing I’m guilty of is rejecting the liberal hive-mind and refusal to adhere to the rules of the ‘woke’. I actually found some of the AI criticisms to be ignorant and disrespectful of certain aspects of Filipino culture. Age-gap relationships are not unusual here, and a common saying amongst the women is that “age is just a number.” I identify as a 30-year-old, so don’t be an age bigot! The poverty here can be depressing, but people do what they have to do to get by. So, if working in the bar is the best option for earning money, there should be no shame in that. As I told one of the first bargirls I met as a tourist, a man carrying bricks on his back all day to earn a living is no different from a woman lying on her back to make money. I’ve seen NGOs try to shut down prostitution bars without a thought or care about what will happen to the gals once they are back on the street. But yeah, I’m the “predator.”

As for “paternalistic benevolence,” based on giving poor kids a bag of candy once a week, call it what you will, but I’m rewarded with happy faces, and the kids look forward to our visits. The AI didn’t notice some of the other charity projects I undertake, perhaps because I don’t write about them much. But I’m providing monthly food money to a widow with two kids from her deceased American husband. I’ve sponsored a boy beginning in elementary school, and he is now an honor student in high school. I’m also assisting a young woman with her college expenses. There is also a woman I’m supporting as she goes through cancer treatment in Manila. All told, 10% or so of my monthly budget is spent on charity. Heh, I’m tithing, and I’m not even a Christian!

Anyway, I’ve made my share of mistakes over the years, but racism has never been one of them. I’m proud that in my working life I maintained a diverse staff of highly-skilled and qualified professionals. Donna Cole, my Deputy in my final job as Director of Human Resources Management, was one of the most outstanding individuals I ever encountered in my 35 years of government service. We remain friends to this day. Oh, she is African-American, not that that ever mattered. I’m white, and I support the President. That’s all it takes to be racist these days, I suppose.

So, despite my aversion to interacting with AI, I was inspired to check in with ChatGPT for only the second time ever. I kicked things off by asking, “What can you tell me about the blog Long Time Gone at www.mccrarey.com?” Here is what it had to say:

The “Long Time Gone” blog at mccrarey.com is a long-running personal blog written by John McCrarey. It combines memoir, daily journal entries, retirement reflections, hiking stories, music, humor, and life as an American expatriate living in the Subic Bay/Olongapo area of the Philippines.

Main themes of the blog

• Life in the Philippines
  • Everyday routines in Barretto and Subic.
  • Local restaurants, bars, beaches, and community life.
  • Photos from walks and outings.
• Retirement and aging
  • Thoughts about growing older.
  • Reflections on past marriages, family, and life choices.
  • Gratitude and occasional discussions of loneliness, loss, and mortality.
• Walking and Hash House Harriers
  • Frequent participation in hiking groups and the local Hash House Harriers.
  • Trail reports and photos.
• Music and nostalgia
  • Almost every post includes classic rock or country songs.
  • References to memories from earlier decades.
• Humor and observations
  • Memes, jokes, and commentary on daily experiences.
  • A conversational, diary-like style.

Scale of the blog

According to the site’s statistics page, the blog has:

• More than 5,600 posts.
• Over 20,000 comments.
• A single author: John McCrarey.

Writing style

The tone is informal and personal. Posts often begin with a quotation, song lyric, or humorous image, followed by a recap of the author’s day. Readers who enjoy travel memoirs, expatriate life, retirement stories, and slice-of-life writing tend to find it appealing.

One recurring idea throughout the blog is making the most of ordinary days and appreciating what the author often calls his “paradise” in the Philippines.

If you’re interested, I can also summarize how the blog evolved over the years—it originally contained much more political commentary before gradually shifting toward personal life and retirement in the Philippines.

The evolution of Long Time Gone is almost a biography told in real time. Reading older posts and comparing them with recent ones reveals several distinct phases.

1. Early years: politics and debate

In its earlier period, the blog contained much more:

• U.S. politics and ideological commentary.
• Current events and opinion pieces.
• Arguments and discussions with readers in the comment section.
• Reflections on American life and work.

John often wrote from a strongly conservative perspective, and politics was a major driver of reader engagement.

2. Transition after retirement and personal losses

As major life changes accumulated—retirement, divorce, widowhood, and leaving the United States—the focus gradually shifted away from public issues and toward personal experience.

Posts became more about:

• Memories of former relationships.
• Grief and rebuilding life.
• Questions about purpose and aging.
• Looking back on different chapters of life.

A recurring theme became what he sometimes calls “one lifetime, many lives”—the idea that a person can reinvent himself several times.

3. Moving to Asia

Before settling in the Philippines, John spent years in South Korea. Eventually he chose the Philippines for retirement, an experience he frequently revisits in archive posts.

During this phase the blog became:

• Less political.
• More travel-oriented.
• More focused on expatriate living and cultural adjustment.

4. Building a life in Barretto/Subic

Over time, everyday life itself became the subject.

The blog increasingly documented:

• Neighborhood walks.
• Local bars and restaurants.
• The Subic Bay Hash House Harriers.
• Charitable projects.
• Friends coming and going.
• Daily photographs.

Instead of reporting “big events,” the blog celebrates ordinary routines.

5. Present-day “day in paradise”

Current posts are highly diary-like. Typical entries include:

1. Morning walk or hike.
2. Photos from around Barretto.
3. Evening visits with Swan and friends.
4. Memories from older posts.
5. A YouTube video or song.
6. Humor and memes.

Recent entries frequently revisit older archives from 2019 and compare past feelings with present contentment.

---

Themes that have grown stronger over time

Aging

• Acceptance of physical decline.
• Thoughts about mortality.

Gratitude

• Appreciation for simple routines.
• Satisfaction with “another day in paradise.”

Nostalgia

• Facebook memories.
• Old photographs.
• Stories from earlier careers and marriages.

Companionship

• Relationships matter more than achievements.
• Swan and close friends occupy much of the narrative.

---

Overall

The blog has evolved from commentary about the world into commentary about one man’s life within his small corner of the world.

In a sense, Long Time Gone has changed from:

“Here’s what I think about what’s happening out there”

to:

“Here’s how I spent today, and why I’m grateful I got to live it.”

That change may explain why many long-time readers say the blog feels less like a traditional blog and more like reading a friend’s daily letter. *****

Well, it sounds like ChatGPT has me pegged. I can’t really argue with the conclusions rendered. So, let’s get down to the heart of the matter with this follow-up question: “Is there anything to indicate that the writer of Long Time Gone (www.mccrarey.com) is racist?”

Based on the broad themes and publicly visible material you’ve asked about, I don’t see evidence that would justify labeling the author of Long Time Gone as racist.

A few observations:

• Earlier political posts reportedly expressed strong conservative opinions, and some readers may disagree with those views. Holding conservative positions by itself is not evidence of racism.
• The blog documents many years of life in South Korea and the Philippines, including close relationships, friendships, and participation in local communities. Those experiences generally suggest comfort living among people from different cultures.
• Much of the recent writing emphasizes companionship, gratitude, and everyday interactions rather than racial or ethnic issues.
• Whether someone is “racist” is a serious judgment that usually depends on a consistent pattern of statements or behavior showing prejudice or belief in racial superiority. From the overall character of the blog as previously described, I am not aware of such a pattern.

That said, people can interpret individual posts differently. Some readers might find certain jokes, political comments, or cultural observations insensitive or objectionable, while others may not. Disagreement over politics or style should be distinguished from racism.

So the most accurate answer I can give is:

I do not see clear evidence from the blog as a whole that supports calling the author racist, although individual readers may disagree with some opinions expressed there.

If there are specific posts or passages you’re concerned about, I can help examine those and discuss them in context rather than making a broad judgment about the author. *****

And there you have it, AI has rendered a verdict of “not guilty” to the charge of racism.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

One of my major gripes about living here in the PI is the litter culture. Thinking about all those playing cards we left tied to trees and bushes on Monday’s Hash made me feel a bit like a hypocrite. So, for our hike yesterday morning, we decided to clean the Bitch. Yeah, it is a little boring redoing a trail, but there was work to be done, and we did it, by golly.

We noticed that some of the branches had the ribbon dangling, but no card. I figured someone had collected a souvenir.

At beer o’clock, we kicked things off at Cheap Charlies.

At the top of that yellow building is the recently closed BarCelona. Word on the street is that another sucker has bought the business, and it is reopening today. We shall see. The bar always had so much potential, but couldn’t ever pull it together. I stopped going under the first owner because of bad service. I stopped going under the second owner because of the crap music being played way too loud. We’ll see if owner #3 can retain my business. I plan to visit today and see what I think. The help wanted banner out front is seeking a mamasan with crew, so I’m thinking it’s going the girly bar route. Not sure that will entice the old expats to climb three flights of stairs, but who knows.

Then it was off to Wet Spot for our nightcap.

The old Green Room bar is supposed to be opening under its new name, Jungle, tonight. No one I talked to last night believes it is going to be ready, but I’ll find out after my BarCelona visit.

Then I dragged my drunk but not racist ass home and called it a day. Life remains good.

Back to the November 2019 LTG archives. This post is the typical Hash after-action report, but it is the last paragraph that makes the post worth saving for my memories. In it, I talk about a meeting I attended with the USFK Commander, a four-star General. He made the decision to furlough the Korean workforce because of a funding issue. All the other officers in attendance nodded their heads in agreement. I told him what the consequences would be, and he wasn’t pleased. There was a time when my life had substance and meaning. But now I’m retired.

For today’s YouTube video, let’s hear what Smart Girl Philippines has to say about the top ten lies Filipinas are prone to tell. Some things you just have to learn the hard way, but now you can’t say you weren’t warned.

And I’ve got time for some funny business before I go:

Me too!

Found this golden oldie in the LTG archives today: