In between those bookends, here is how I filled the hours. It being Friday and all, that meant there was a morning group hike to be enjoyed.
We got a Jeepney out to Calapacuan and started our trek from there.
Swan took a video of a portion of our hike:
And I did a short (two minute) video of a rickety bridge crossing:
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I decided to join Tim and Scott for this week’s SOB dance competition at Alaska Club. Swan opted not to attend, so it was the rare (for me) guys night out.
After the SOB is an event called The Aftermath. I very rarely attend because I’ve had enough of drinking by the end of the SOB. I made an exception last night and attended the first hour of The Aftermath at Voodoo. Tim was enjoying his last night in Barretto for a while.
It was a good Friday.
Facebook helped me remember my best dart game ever:
Oddly enough, I don’t miss my darting life all that much these days.
In today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about why waiting to retire may be a mistake. My original plan was to retire as soon as I became eligible at 55 (that was back in 2010) and move to the Philippines. But then I changed my plans and decided to share my life with Jee Yeun. I retired in January 2011, and we moved back to the USA with a plan of spending six months in the States and six months in Korea. I was a happy camper with that life, but something happened with Jee Yeun that I still don’t understand. In 2015 she declined to return stateside, so I found part-time work as a contractor back in Korea. I spent a year trying to change her mind, but in 2016, she said she wanted a divorce. I was devastated (it still hurts to be honest). Then I got an offer to come back to work in my old job with 8th Army, and I took it. I worked for two more years and then packed my bags for the Philippines. I don’t really regret those wasted years, but I’ve seen too many people who keep working until they die. I’m glad I wasn’t one of those.
Maybe you’ll like these:
Yeah, those were worse than usual. Sorry ’bout that! I’ll try to do better tomorrow.
Re: I am impressed with your caloric intake of food. 900 calories or so on a daily basis. Seems to be working but I am not sure I would have the willpower to eat that little every day.
Re: Nice darts! Never have played competitively, only the occasional game. But a good way to spend time in a bar!!
Re: I think I mentioned this way back when in your blog, but one saying I remember about retirement: You can’t add time to the end of your retirement, only to the beginning!
And the day ended pretty much like this.
Happens “rarely,” you said. Heh. 2025’s gonna be a banner year!
Oops! Tim was the last one to use this bench. Just wasn’t up to American-sized standards.
Well, Tim’s learning. He wears better footwear now, and he’s probably built up a bit of endurance from all the walking he’s done, and the next lesson is: in Asia, everything is cheaper and flimsier and built for Lilliputians.
And I did a short (two minute) video of a rickety bridge crossing:
I’m stuck between reacting with “Damn, that was painful to watch!” and “Hats off to these guys despite being barely able to move!” That bridge didn’t look that rickety. Okay, to be fair: the first guy across and the third guy across were okay, and the ladies, being younger, were okay… but a couple of those guys were having some real trouble. I was wincing as I watched them.
Ten years ago, I tossed four tons and an unlikely 101 out for a fifteen-dart finish.
What’s that in English? I know nothing about darts.
Oddly enough, I don’t miss my darting life all that much these days.
Is it the interpersonal drama?
I spent a year trying to change her mind, but in 2016, she said she wanted a divorce.
So why didn’t she get what she wanted? And if I’m not mistaken, you’re still expecting her to make the first move, so I guess the followup question is: why hasn’t she made a move yet? Is she, like you, currently dating while married?
re: Phil Collins video
Phil enjoyed a brief-but-intense heyday, then everybody turned against him for some reason, at least in the States. I still don’t get it.
Kev, The Microsoft “drunk warning” was intended as a joke. I didn’t get floored or otherwise out of control that night. I stayed out an hour later and drank more than usual, but that was the extent of my abuse. I like to imbibe but don’t want to be the loud and obviously drunk guy in the bar.
Yes, we encouraged Tim to continue hiking back in the States. He said he was going to check around for a local Hash.
That bridge was a rebuild of one that had collapsed while Ed (the first guy in the video) crossed it a few months ago. The thing about bamboo planks is they bend when you step on them. A couple of the guys have balance issues, so that movement underfoot can be off-putting.
The dart game I mentioned was “501.” You start there and subtract the total of your dart throws until you get to zero, but you have to finish with a double out (that ring on the outer edge of the board). A ton score of 100 is usually thrown as a triple 20 and two single 20s. Four tons, then the 101 out (triple 17, single 18, double 16) for the win.
There can be lots of drama in a dart match (alcohol + competitive spirit can do that), but you learn to deal with that early on if you want to be successful. I was a pretty solid player back in the day, but eventually lost my passion for the game, and it stopped being fun.
I have no idea what Jee Yeun is doing these days. I guess neither of us is motivated to go through with the legal process to end the marriage that ended, in reality, nine years ago. I get a tax break, and I guess she just doesn’t care. Losing her and the life we shared was a soul-crushing experience for me.
I always enjoyed Phil Collins’ music, too. I just read his Wikipedia entry, and he is still alive at 74 but has health issues. According to Wiki, Collins wasn’t popular with his peers, who said he was an asshole. Later in the article, it mentions he’s a conservative supporter, which might explain his unpopularity. Neil Young is a stupid lefty, but I still like his old songs.
Brian, the nice thing is I’m not feeling hungry all the time. I’m eating smarter and avoiding most of the high-calorie foods I love, but I guess I’m getting enough of what I need.
I didn’t start playing darts until I moved to Korea and was hanging out in Itaewon bars a lot. Darts is a sociably acceptable reason to drink–I used to call my beers “aiming fluid.”
“You can’t add time to the end of your retirement, only to the beginning!” That’s a great way to put it, and it’s very true. They tried to get me to stay “just one more year” in Korea, but I couldn’t help but feel it was time to start my new life.