About John McCrarey

Born and raised in southern California. My career exodus has taken me to Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC. And as of 23 January 2005, Seoul, Korea. Married with 6 grown children (blended family). First grandchild is in the oven! I created this blog to document my adventures as an expat living and working in Korea. I'm also pretty confident that I will on occasion feel the need to express my views on current events and other matters I find of interest.

And on and on it goes

I may be going in circles, but at least it is better than a dead end!

The Wednesday Walkers did a long (for us) 8K journey in and around the Naugsol valley. Another hot day, but this is the time of year that makes you appreciate that rainy season is right around the corner. Once that arrives, I’ll be missing the heat again. And so it goes.

This week’s iteration of the Wednesday Walkers, plus Scott behind the camera
Heading out through Alta Vista
Paying the candy toll to cross the bridge
This Yank made it to 85. That’s my goal!
Making our way to valley
Nature’s beauty
Through the fields we go
Heading for that farmstead.
Finding our way
The kindly old farmer. Is that a dell?
One of our group bought some fresh veggies here. We also delivered some lollipops.
The journey continues.
Heading up for a brief escape from the valley floor.
Scott gets credit for this nice shot of Easter Mountain. I’m still on the fence about whether I’ll make Monday’s climb. We’ll see how hot it is and how I feel then.
A shady spot somewhere.
The way we rambled.

Another chelation session with Dr. Jo in the afternoon. I shared my recent ECG results with her as well, and apparently, my heart output has improved slightly over the past six months. So, that’s good news. Hubby Chris, also a physician, showed me some stretching exercises that might help my aching back. I’m thankful that I have access to doctors I trust here in my little town.

After the medical stuff, I began my evening bar hop at Oasis Bar, where I had a “buy one, get one” coupon to expend. Swan joined me there, and we gave the Oasis menu a try for the first time. Swan ordered a chicken burger, and I went with the wings. A few minutes later, the waitress advised that they had no burger buns. Okay then, we’ll just share the wings. The wings were okay for pub fare, but we’ve had better.

Tryst, that new bar that was supposed to open last Saturday, was our next stop. The manager at Oasis (same owner as Tryst) said they’d be open at 6:00. We arrived at 6:30 only to find a locked door. So, we went downstairs and enjoyed some time at the Alaska Club.

When it came time to choose our nightcap venue, I suggested going next door to the Green Room. Swan surprised me by saying she was in the mood for something different and liked the ambiance at Cloud 69. Fine by me. It was our second time there and we enjoyed ourselves. Keeping on schedule, we called it a night and triked home at 8:30.

There’s always next year!
It’s always nice to break the 20,000 step threshold.
On and off seems to be my modus operandi

I would never think about not abiding by the Philippines’ immigration laws, and I know what would happen to me if I got caught violating the terms and conditions governing my stay–I’d be out on my ass. So, I don’t get the uproar by the lefties in the USA about deporting illegals. They seem to have a weird set of priorities.

But that’s (D)ifferent

This made some heads explode when I posted it on Facebook for some reason:

It’s sad to see an indoctrinated population that can’t or won’t think for themselves.

I have arrived in January 2007 on my trip through the LTG archives. In this post, I talk about the usual Itaewon antics, but I’m impressed looking back at my long-lost staying power. Dropping into the Grand Ole Opry at 2:30 a.m. and calling midnight an “early” ending. What happened to that guy? I also mentioned a couple of bloggers I’d met, but sadly, the links no longer work because the blogs are no more. Anyone else remember Thoughts of a Goat?

From Facebook memories on this day in history:

Five years ago, this was the line to get into the grocery store during the lockdown. They only allowed a certain number of people inside at once, so the rest of us practiced social distancing outside. Never forget that scamdemic that was foisted upon us.
Eight years ago, I was busy being a strict disciplinarian at work.

Today’s YouTube video is also from my Facebook memories, fifteen years ago. It’s a crash test between a 2009 Chevy Malibu and the 1959 version of that vehicle. Pretty impressive to see the progress made over the years.

Now for some funny business:

What doesn’t go in you, goes on you!
Wow! Two bad puns in one meme! You are welcome.
Karma’s a bitch and so is my wife!

Looks like I’ve done gone and did it again. Thanks for dropping in. Y’all come back now, hear?

Ain’t goin’ nowhere

Well, for at least sixty more days, anyway. Yep, Immigration has once again seen fit to extend my tourist visa. Lucky me! This being Holy Week and all, I was a tad concerned that Immigration wouldn’t be operating. The holiday schedule posted on the door showed my timing was right–half day Wednesday, closed Thursday and Friday. Still, when I arrived shortly after the opening hour of 8 a.m., only a maintenance worker was in attendance. She kindly told me to take a seat and offered to get me a cup of coffee while I waited. That was a first. I guess having been here almost seven years now, I’ve achieved regular customer status. The actual immigration officers arrived around 8:30, and I was processed in and out in short order for a paltry 3000 pesos. Yay!

Next stop was the YBC supermarket, conveniently located nearby. Only two cashiers were working, which made for irritatingly long lines at checkout, but again, this Holy Week stuff is serious business in the PI, and lots of folks head home to the provinces to celebrate Easter with family.

YBC is where we stock up on candy and cookies that we hand out on our hikes. Two grocery carts full for a little over 5000 pesos.

Then, we were off to Royal for the remainder of our weekly groceries. No shortage of cashiers this time, and I was relieved of another 10,000 pesos in short order.

When we got back home, I did my Tuesday neighborhood walk (turning right this week).

When it was that time of day, we hoofed it out to Baloy Beach for some toes in the sand and quaffing of beverages on the Kokomo’s floating bar.

The view upon arrival.
The view onboard.
That woman I share my time with
Swan made a tuna pasta dish for the crew. They seemed to enjoy it.

The floater isn’t anything like a dancing bar, but once in a while, the girls get up and put on a show. I made a video of the routine they performed during yesterday’s visit. (As I feared, YouTube advises that the background song is copyrighted, and this video is blocked in TWO territories. Hope you can see it where you are.)

I like watching this more than the dancing:

And so it goes.
Next up, dinner at Treasure Island.
The sweet and sour chicken I ordered was yummy!

Then, it was home to enjoy the remainder of the evening.

I detect a pattern. It all balances out, hopefully.

Over the years I’ve been blogging, I have occasionally had a chance encounter with a stranger that was a reader of LTG. That was the case when I met Neil (aka Thirsty) in December 2006. He was a frequent commenter for quite a while, and then, like most of my readers over the years, he eventually disappeared. I guess there is only so much of my drivel that can be endured.

Eleven years ago, I visited the Doseonsa Temple in Ui-Dong with my Buddhist wife.

Today’s YouTube video delves into the question of where Filipinos come from (from their mothers, of course, but we are talking about their DNA roots). Living amongst the people here, I see faces that appear like they have Spanish ancestry, others resemble Chinese, and some look like they came from India. Light skin is almost worshipped. When I first visited, I was surprised by all the billboards advertising whitening lotions and thought about the women back home who paid big money in tanning salons. Skin color doesn’t matter to me at all, and honestly, the darker gals are just as sexy as their fair-skinned sisters. Of course, this video talks about ancient roots from thousands of years ago, but I never met any of those. I have been curious about the Aeta natives who look almost African.

Today’s lame attempt at humor:

I busted my zipper and ruined my pants. I erect-em.
All choked up
Jee whiz

That’s all I’ve got for today. But there’s always tomorrow!

On the trail

We butchered the Hash trail yesterday, cutting it down to a size more appropriate for the heat index. Adding in the 2K journey from my house to the start, it was just about right, with one hill climb and some fresh scenery. Here, see for yourself:

Making our way to the trailhead.
A little Genesis (in the beginning)
Spoiler alert: The stairs did NOT lead to heaven.
Let the climbing commence
A trail even us old codgers could adore
Pubic Head is getting back to his roots on nature’s stair steps.
We passed through the land down under.
Our path took us past Mountain Mama Onelia’s place.
Nice to see you again, Onelia
We ran into the Hare, Vienna Sausage, as he worked diligently to re-mark the trail after Sunday’s rainstorm, which washed away his previous efforts.
A tree I liked
The mountain I may or may not climb next Monday, depending on the heat and my mood.
Now what do we do?
Follow that old Hasher with over 1000 runs.
A respite at Erwin’s place.
No rest for Mrs. Erwin, who was down at the creek bathing the kids. She’s got one more on the way, too.
The first two non-shortcutters to pass us.
The writing is on the walk
That’s encouraging!
Stairs at the start and stairs at the finish.
On-Home at Johansson’s
Leave her alone, Fatso, she’s taken!
Post-hike rehydration
Circle up!
Pubic Head got the Hashit.
The orange is how we eliminated the Kalaklan climb
After Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter
That didn’t go according to plan

If ignorance is bliss, there are lots of happy leftards out there. They can’t handle the truth.

But, but, but…the narrative…

In today’s stroll through the LTG archives, I visited a clean, well-lighted place in December 2006. That’s also the title of one of my favorite short stories by Ernest Hemingway. It ain’t long; give it a read here if you want. Anyway, the post is mostly about one of those unforgettable Itaewon nights (which I had forgotten until I re-read the post). The June gal featured finally found a good man a few years later, moved to the States, and is a happy mother (we are still friends on Facebook). I’m also impressed by my capacity to stay out drinking until three in the morning all those years ago. Those days are long gone for me now, and the occasional staying out until 9 p.m. is about as wild as I get nowadays. Itaewon will always have a place in The Story of My Life.

Seven years ago, the long path to Pyeongtaek awaited me.

Eight years ago, I posted this conundrum on Facebook:

Okay, I can buy into that…

Also from eight years ago:

Damn, now what do I do?

I decided I wanted to retire in the Philippines, and y’all have seen what happens when a wish comes true. I have no regrets about the life I have chosen, and I had no choice about losing the life I loved in Korea. And so it goes.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger asserts that Filipino culture is beginning to dominate throughout Asia. I live here, so maybe I missed seeing this happen. Anyone else out there notice a Filipino spin on things?

These smiles are yours for the taking:

Sounds painful. Some bargirls call me daddy, and it really makes me cringe.
Yeah, that’s why I use the alarm on my phone.
You never know, maybe you’ll wake up next to a Charming guy.

Yep, I did it again! A post a day keeps the readers away! Except for the precious few that are gluttons for my punishment. Thanks for that!

I heard this song again yesterday for the first time in a long time. Thanks Jimi!

Palms up!

One of the interesting aspects of living in a predominately Catholic country is the celebration of holidays that mean nothing to me. Like yesterday’s Palm Sunday. Coming up, Maundy Thursday. I remember that one because I arrived in Cebu on my first visit to the Philippines and noted that almost everything was closed. I’m like, “what’s going on?” only to learn that it’s a special part of Holy Week here. At least I didn’t get crucified for my ignorance.

Here’s how I raised my palms on Sunday:

God sent his blessings as we engaged in the Palm Sunday Candy Walk.
The kids were happy to see us again.

Here’s this week’s snippet from section four of our weekly route:

I’d wager this lad is a good listener.
Way too young. RIP!
The path we took on our 5K trek.

Later in the day, I embarked on my feeding mission at Hideaway Bar.

As seen from my barstool. A newly installed dartboard since my previous visit. Assorted nuts on offer. A new cashier (the owner’s girlfriend). And lots more customers than I normally see.

My normal routine is to meet Swan on the floating bar after the feeding. This week, however, we opted to go straight to John’s place for dinner, as the weather wasn’t ideal for the floater experience.

Predictably, Swan went with the birria tacos.

The waitress advised that there was a special holiday entree being offered during the holiday period. I’m not always up to trying something new, but I was yesterday.

A tuna steak. I’m not a fishy guy, but it was surprisingly good.
We dined downstairs in the aircon but weren’t afforded the same views we’ve become accustomed to in the open-air upstairs seating area.

After dinner, I suggested we visit Red Bar, and Swan said that’s what she was thinking too. Damn, talk about being on the same page! We enjoyed sitting in the outside section and also treated our favorites to lady drinks. Then we did our nightcap at Green Room before calling it a night and heading for home.

I’ve got to hand it to me

The journey through the LTG archives is increasingly disappointing without the accompanying photos. The captions tease me, but I need to see to remember fully. Damn. Anyway, I was back home in Virginia for Christmas in 2006. That gave me the opportunity to enjoy the Sunday edition of the Washington Post. And to my surprise, there was a Korea-based Christmas story that Gene Weingarten had written at the request of an English teacher in Korea. That was a hoot to read, and I included it in a blog post entitled: The Seoul of Christmas. Surprisingly, the link to Weingarten’s story still works.

Speaking of Virginia, fellow blogger and frequent LTG commenter Kevin Kim is now returning to Korea after visiting his former home state. Don’t ask me why, but when I saw this today, I pictured Kevin having a similar conversation with his seatmate on the long flight home:

Safe travels, Kevin!

From Facebook memories:

Seven years ago, I was enjoying the signage during one of my hikes in Pyeongtaek.
Eleven years ago, I was enjoying coffee with friends at Cafe Coin in Myeong-dong. Tom was one of those “friends” who unfriended me a couple of years later over differing political viewpoints.

Today’s YouTube video talks about things that are unique to the Philippines. It’s worth the watch for the scenery alone.

Humor time:

How about pounding nails?
Sounds like you pulled a boner.
I’m funny when you’re drunk

And so it goes, and so it went. Hash Monday has arrived once more. Vienna Sausage is the hare, and I’m already plotting my shortcuts. I will walk to the start on Rizal Extension, so that will give me some added distance. I’ll let you know how it works out tomorrow.

A real blow out

An eruption of good times yesterday. Well, maybe I’m blowing smoke, but it was mostly good.

Mount Kanalaon made an ash of iteslf, but that was way south of me on Negros Island.

I do have a friend traveling there today, so I hope things calm down before he arrives. More of the same in my little town, but still tweaking things some to enhance the experience. Here’s the lowdown:

Me and my gal did our standard Saturday stroll, dispensing candy and cookies along the way. Some of what we saw:

Double the pleasure for lechon lovers.
Back out and about after missing a week
Nothing quite compares to the beautiful Matain River.

Here’s a five-minute video clip of one of the streets we walked.

Besieged
Just a tad shy of 6K

And the best part of the day was yet to come. We had made plans to join our neighbor Jeff and his wife Davina for the grand opening of a new bar named Tryst last night. Alas, we discovered that the opening has been delayed until Wednesday. Despite that setback, we kept our scheduled dinner meetup at Sit-n-Bull for 6 p.m. Swan and I headed out early for some pre-dinner refreshments at Sloppy Joe’s.

That would be us.
A Sloppy view. A homeless person collects recyclables from trash cans around town. Hard work, but it’s better than begging, I suppose.
There he is now. He refuses any kind of handout, and I respect that.
The dinner meet-up commences. That’s Jeff and Davina. Matt and his wife Joyce also joined in the fun.
Swan and I shared some chicken tacos and a roast beef dip sandwich. Both were excellent.

After our meal, we paid a visit to Alaska Club where Swan and Davina played some pool.

I’d never seen Swan play before. She needs some practice!

We moved next door to Wet Spot for our nightcap. A busy Saturday night in the bar. And then Davina showed Swan how to do a blowjob. Wow! And I’ve got it on video!

You knew I was talking about a blowjob shooter, right? Right?

That’s what I’m talking about
No hands allowed!
Down the hatch it goes! Good job!

After the blowjob revelry, we headed for home. The nice thing about partying with the neighbors is the free ride home in comfort. My resistance to the call from a brownie smothered in vanilla ice cream was nil.

And that’s the price I paid.
Sorry, couldn’t resist

A Thanksgiving post from November 2006 in the LTG archives. It’s pretty worthless without the photos. I hope I can figure out how they might be recovered.

Five years ago, I posted this on Facebook during the early days of the scamdemic. It’s a nice reminder that I was on the right side of history.

Today’s YouTube addresses which is the better choice, Thailand or the Philippines. I know how I chose, although I still enjoy an occasional visit to the Land of Smiles.

And a bonus video from a vlogger friend who made a video of the recent Fralics bikini contest. Go Philippines!

And now for the smiles:

Poke around and find out
We’ll be happy for the meat when all we have are bugs to eat
What the hell is a clitoris?

And that’s that; I hope I didn’t blow it. Stormy skies and rolling thunder as I write this, so my Sunday on the Arizona floating bar is looking doubtful at the moment. I am blessed to have options, though.

Getting on out and about

The same old, same old does get old after a while, but that’s just small town life I suppose. That’s not to say I ain’t having fun, and even a small tweak can liven things up a tad. Friday kicked off with the group hike, as usual. It’s been hotter than normal these past few days, so we opted to keep things flat and mainly on the street. We hadn’t done that Matain-Calapacuan-Santo Tomas route in quite some time, so that added a taste of freshness as we marched along.

Heading down the highway
It occurs to me that this would be a good name for a go-go bar.
Sending unsuspecting Filipinas to a nightmare existence in the Middle East.
A brief interlude on the bay
A busy day on the basketball court
Condos on the water
The pristine beaches that Subic is famous for
Life’s a beach
A change of direction

Hello, children
Walk this way!
Narrowing our options
Phoning it in
Goodbye, Matain!
I think they misunderstood the concept of cruising down the highway
Leader of the pack
There is something fishy about that pond.
Marching on
Shall we gather at the river?
Strolling through Calapacuan in the shadow of Black Rock
A dirty path
Fire down below!
Nearing the end of our trek in Sierra Hills
His journey is over much too soon. RIP!
8.5K on a hot day ain’t too bad.

When the day had progressed to the point of making plans for the drinking hours, I wasn’t sure what to do with them. The fact of the matter was that I was feeling a little bored with the Barretto bar scene. Then it occurred to me that we hadn’t made the journey out to Kon-Tiki for quite a while.

Still the only “real” beach bar around, but since the floating bars have been back in operation, we just haven’t bothered to go out of town for some toes-in-the-sand time.
Not much has changed at Kon-Tiki, although they did have an acoustic duo perform near the end of our visit.
The bay view on a hazy day.
This beer pong table was a new addition. I had no interest in playing, however.
The bar from the beach
A happy Swan inside
They’ve also expanded the menu since our last visit. I tried the quesadilla. Thick and meaty, it was.
The haze precluded seeing much of a sunset.

When darkness descended, we headed back into Barretto. Our friend Beth was back to work after a two-week vacation, and I was hoping to run into Daddy Dave at the SOB Aftermath, so we did our nightcap at Wet Spot. It was good seeing Beth again, but Dave was a no-show. I hope he is feeling better soon.

I noticed this recent addition to the big spenders’ hall of fame. Wow! 104K (almost $2000) in three hours. Wish I’d been there to see that!

We stuck around for the first raffle drawing at the Aftermath, and my number was the first ticket called.

Lucky me!

It was after the ungodly hour of nine p.m. before we finally headed for home. Hard to believe I was able to stay out that late, I know.

And another surprising win!

From the LTG archives is this post from October 2006 recounting some of my daily adventures as I immersed myself in the South Korea lifestyle. For some reason, the photos I posted back then are no longer showing. Perhaps they were lost when I moved the blog to a new hosting service. Are they gone forever?

Eleven years ago, I was enjoying an evening of darts at Bull and Barrel. The venue is long gone, and so am I.

In today’s YouTube video, the Filipina Pea weighs in on the vlogger Vitaly controversy. She interviews an attorney about the deep do-do this lame motherfucker has gotten himself into. Vitaly is now living my nightmare inside a Filipino jail. It doesn’t look like he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.

Let’s cleanse the palate with these:

A stormy relationship will do that.
This is the norm here in the PI.
Why, yes. Yes, I did!

And that’s the way it was. Now, to get on with the way it is. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Outback in the dark

Um, it wouldn’t be heaven if they don’t serve beer!

So, we had one of those damn all day brownouts (power outage) yesterday. The lights were scheduled to go out at 8:30, so Swan and I took a morning walk. First stop was at the Outback Resort to inquire about renting a room. I was told to come back at ten o’clock when the receptionist would be available. So, we crossed the highway to my old standby, The Pub Hotel. They have nice, clean rooms for only 1500 pesos. I was seeking early check-in, but alas, was told nothing was available until 2 p.m. Oh, well, lots of other options to consider as we walked.

It’s income tax time in the USA, and I’m still a taxpayer, so I had some paperwork from my accountant in South Carolina (my legal residence) to complete. Since my printer doesn’t work, I popped into the local print shop. They printed the 12-page document, I filled in the blanks, then had it scanned and emailed back to me. I submitted all my documents this morning to complete my tax return filing. I usually get a refund; hopefully, that will be the case again this year.

We finished our 5K Street walk and stopped at Sit-n-Bull for lunch. I had a nice chat with owner Ron while waiting for my Malibu chicken sandwich to be served. Then we returned to Outback Resort, where I successfully secured a room for 2500 pesos with early check-in allowed. Yay! We triked home, packed some fresh clothes, and headed for the Outback.

That’s what 2500 gets you at Outback. Nothing fancy, but it provided me aircon, a heated shower, and internet access. Oh, and a nice afternoon nap.

The main reason I rented a room instead of toughing it out was that I had an afternoon appointment with Dr. Jo. After blogging, napping, and showering, I still had an hour to kill before the 4:30 appointment. So, we went out to the pool area to enjoy the beach views. I was surprised to see Chris and his gal Shie were there, also escaping the brownout.

Nice to see you, Chris.

The primary purpose of the doctor’s visit was my weekly chelation therapy, but while there, I had Dr. Jo take a look at my aching back. She assessed that it was a muscular issue rather than an internal organ problem. She provided me some anti-inflammatory meds and advised Swan (who is a certified caregiver) on some lotion to massage on my lower back before bedtime. I had my best sleep score of the month last night, so I think it helped.

Then, it was time to get down to business. Bar business, that is. Our first stop was the seldom-visited BarCelona.

Looking out from BarCelona
Looking inside BarCelona

Ever since BarCelona opened more than five years ago, I’ve tried hard to like it there. And yet, I always leave disappointed for one reason or another. Great ambiance, open-air views, and rooftop seating don’t overcome indifferent service and a rap music playlist. Too bad for them. As you can see from the photo above, it’s not like the place is packed with satisfied customers. I won’t be back anytime soon.

Next stop, It Doesn’t Matter. Our arrival proved to be good timing because right after we sat down, a waitress came by and advised that a customer inside had bought drinks for the house. Got to love those two-week millionaires!

My free drink chit

We are seldom disappointed at IDM, and last night was no exception. Good service, good music, and some good chicken wings to snack on. A couple of gals Swan knows came by, so she had female company to go with her wine, and I passed the time with my best friend, Zero.

A mutual friend had advised that the Maze owner, Dave Fisher, would be out last night, so we made Wet Spot our next stop. Dave, who is in his 80s now, has been battling some health issues, so he hasn’t been seen much lately, even at the SOBs he normally hosts. I was looking forward to catching up and hearing the latest from him, but alas, Wet Spot manager Brett advised that Dave had decided to stay home and rest. Well, Dave is a retired doctor, so he knows best. I’m probably not going to attend tonight’s SOB, but maybe I’ll catch him at the Aftermath event at Wet Spot.

The Wet Spot urinal was full of ice. Damn, it was cold!

It was time to mosey back to the hotel, but we made the indoor Outback Bar our nightcap stop. This is another bar I almost never visit (when I’m here, I’m at the outside pool bar).

Just one other customer last night, but it is a very nice venue. We enjoyed our brief visit.

The decision was made to sleep in our own bed last night, so we packed our shit, checked out, and headed home. And that’s how we survived brownout Thursday.

If I upped my budget to 1900 calories, I’d be having a good week.

So, I hear it is Siblings Day. Here’s a shot of me and the bros taken 65 years ago:

Older brother Keith on the left, baby brother Greg on the right. I’m the handsome boy in the middle. We were out camping somewhere in the desert of Southern California.
Here’s some more memories of cars that were and are no more…for good reason. I confess that I owned an AMC Pacer for a while. It was a piece of shit, but I did like the way it looked.

In September 2006, I wrote about an adventure I had driving to Incheon Airport for the first time. I think this was before they opened the airport railway. Otherwise, I don’t know why I would have bothered taking the car. It didn’t end well.

Eleven years ago, I was hiking the cherry blossom-lined paths of Bukhansan Park in Korea. If someone had told me what the future would bring, could I have done anything to change it?

I found today’s YouTube video in another old LTG post from September 2006. It’s still fun to watch.

And if that’s not funny enough, how about these:

It’s not the meat; it’s the motion.
I forgot why I thought this was funny.
What an asshole!

And that’s all I’ve got for now. Let’s see what the future brings.

Once more

This is the last time I’ll post about my Wednesday—this week. I promise!

As usual, the Wednesday Walkers gathered for our group hike at 0900. This week, our journey took us up the final climb of Monday’s Hash trail that I had wisely chosen to avoid. Going up that way yesterday confirmed that it was indeed an ass-kicker, despite being the easiest of the insane hills the Hare laid out for the Hashers foolish enough to follow his trail in its entirety. Anyway, I’m glad I explored that path, and I have now added it to my “never again” list.

A small group of four this week.
Strolling through Alta Vista was easy
Heading out to explore what we had missed on Monday
The up was steep and hard. So hard that this was the only photo I managed to take.
The downside wasn’t much better.
This portion of the trail was much more to my liking.
Now that I think about it, it must have been eight months or so since the last time I passed this way. I also delivered something sweet that time.
Our downward route was stymied by this fence, but we found a walk-around.
A kid we encountered along the way. Her mother gave us some helpful directions.
Some candy to sweeten their day.
Enjoy the day!
Almost done with the down
Slow and steady wins the race!
We gave the new Dempsey’s a try for our after-hike refreshments. The burrito was okay.
Short but not so sweet

I spent the day alone as Swan was having some family time on the river in San Marcelino. So, I was on my own again when beer o’clock rolled around. I opted to pay a visit to Cheap Charlie’s. One of the old crew greeted me (I forgot her name), and she asked me about Marissa. Yep, she’s been gone a while. She told me she had a baby and was just now returning to work after almost four years. I was going to buy her a welcome back drink and asked how much for a single. She told me they had changed their prices and only offered lady drinks for 250 pesos. Nope, my rule is no more than 200 pesos. Oddly enough, when I declined to buy the drink, she was no longer interested in talking with me, so she got up and left. Funny how that works. It’s a stupid pricing policy. I’ll buy two (or more) lady drinks at 180, but not even one for more than my 200 maximum. I guess I’m too cheap for Cheap Charlie’s.

The view from the rear of Cheap Charlie’s.
A peek inside.
Looking up the highway

I did my nightcap at the Green Room. Swan messaged that she was home again, so I finished my last beer and joined her there.

Three days in a row of missing the target by less than 100 calories.

I’m still being an asshole on Facebook:

Lots of folks self-identifying these days
I’d forgotten about those two. It sure does undermine that lefty J6 narrative.
If you compare Trump to Hitler, you ARE stupid.

Enough politics; no minds will be hanged anyway. I just do it for the reactions.

Today’s episode in The Story of My Life tells the story of my seeing a Korean stage production of The Wizard of Oz in Seoul. The role of Dorothy was played by the girlfriend of a friend. I even got invited backstage after the show.

August 2006 is a LONG time gone.

This is not a Facebook memory, but something I saw there that triggered memories from my glory days in the 1970s.

The caption was “when cars had balls and women didn’t.”

Today’s Facebook memory is from a life that is no longer:

Everything has changed in fifteen years. Gone, but the happiness I experienced then is not forgotten.

Today’s YouTube video talks about expectations versus reality when you move to the Philippines. It made me think of that old Stones’ song lyric: You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

Humor time:

A pun too far
This one is dumb by my low standards. But since I’m seeing Dr. Jo in a bit, why not?
I’ll have to take a stab at making this salad.

And there you have it. I’m writing this post from a hotel room in Barretto at the Outback Resort. Two thousand five hundred pesos to avoid the all-day power outage in my neighborhood. Oh well, it’s best that I shower up before visiting Dr. Jo.

Hot enough for AC

The way my day began as seen from my bedroom window.

I’ve been having some issues with pain in my lower back, primarily when I sit upright or lie in bed. Standing and walking are fine. So, I wake up early (the moonset above is at 3:30 a.m.) and then plop down in front of the computer, which does nothing to ease the pain. Hopefully, this, too, shall pass.

My big Tuesday event was traveling to Angeles City for an updated ECG. My cardiologist wanted the test taken at the same hospital where I had my previous ECG done, and she thinks the AUF hospital is the best around for cardiology testing.

It’s a pain in the ass to get to and my driver charges 5000 peso for a roundtrip.
On the road to AC

My appointment was at ten, and we arrived a little after nine. The cost for the testing was 4800 pesos, and that was paid upfront. There were two different tests, ECG and something called a 12-Lead. The hospital will email the results on Friday.

Since we were in town anyway, I had my driver take me to the S&R store (it’s like a Costco) to do some shopping. I always come away a little disappointed in not being able to find things that I want that aren’t available at Royal, like sugar-free pudding, but I still managed to spend 15,000 pesos on groceries.

It’s a busy store. We filled in some of the gaps by stopping at Royal on our way home, where I spent another 5,000 pesos.
A river crossing on the drive home
A hillside village as seen from the highway

When it was time to hit the beach, Swan opted out because she was preparing for a family outing today. So, I was on my own.

Baloy Beach at beer o’clock
My destination awaits
Swan wasn’t with me, so I had Zero company
Ships on the bay
A soon-to-be setting sun
And the beach view
Heading down
Ducking behind the moutnain
Until next time, then.

Sunset is my cue to head ashore for dinner at Treasure Island.

The roast chicken filled my void.

Well, it filled the void in my stomach. It had been quite some time since I ventured out without Swan by my side. Everyone on the floater and at TI asked where my “wife” was. I admit I was missing her and realized how empty my life would feel without her. My, how things have changed. I don’t think I could ever be satisfied with a transactional relationship again.

I departed Treasure Island after my meal and headed for home. Surprisingly, no trikes were waiting for customers for the entire length of Baloy Beach Road (about a kilometer). I’d never seen that before. Even the trike stand at the highway junction was empty. I finally flagged down a passing trike for the rest of the ride home.

Swan had prepared a cheesecake-like dessert and I enjoyed a slice before bed.

That put me over the top, but not by much.

Tomorrow is going to be one of those days, and I’m powerless to do a thing about it.

An all day brownout is a real pain in the ass.

My plan at the moment is to rent a room at the Outback Resort so I’ll have a place to relax in the comfort that only electricity can provide. We’ll see.

I’ve made it to August 2006 in my journey through the LTG archives. It was nice to remember celebrating my 51st birthday with my good friend, Duke. We went to a play (a Korean version of Grease, if you can imagine that), then dinner at a fancy Korean restaurant that included singing and dancing performances. After that, we hit the bars, played some darts, and drank a lot of beer and shots. We also stayed out well into the wee hours of the morning. Damn, I thought fifty-one was old back then, but from the perspective of being sixty-nine, I seem so young. Lots of pictures in that post to enhance the memories. Definitely a worthy night for inclusion in The Story of My Life.

Today’s YouTube video provides an update on that scumbag vlogger Vitaly. Guess what? He is not being deported after all. Instead, he has been charged with multiple crimes that could potentially result in a lengthy prison sentence. But this being the Philippines, there is no entitlement to a speedy trial. He may well spend years in a hellhole Filipino jail before he has a court date. Honestly, he fucked up big time and is going to pay for it. I almost feel sorry for him.

And now for the fun stuff:

They music was better in those days
He doesn’t know that I don’t care
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

And that completes today’s blogging duty. You get what you pay for, and LTG is free!

Some like it hot

Some like it long.

And I’ll take mine cold and wet

A lot more comments than usual on yesterday’s post. As always, I appreciate your feedback. Many of the shared thoughts expressed some concern about my alcohol consumption and its potential for negatively impacting my life. I see myself as maintaining control for the most part, and I don’t consider my drinking to be a problem. I know, I know, spoken like a true alcoholic in the throes of denial. But this is the life I’ve chosen, and I will continue to imbibe at or near my current level within the parameters (usually between 5 and 8 p.m.) I’ve established for myself. It’s what I do and what I enjoy, and I hope to live long and die hard.

I think I’ve said all there is to say.

So, this post is supposed to be about yesterday’s Hash; now, let’s get back to that. Yesterday’s trail was the first Hared by Kermit the Frog, at least for Subic Bay H3. I heard a rumor that he laid a trail so difficult in Angeles City that they banned him from Hareing there in the future. I’m not going to say that our trail yesterday was as bad as all that, but it was long (over 10K) with three significant climbs, including Easter Mountain. I was shocked to see how long our strongest and fastest Hashers took to finish; a couple of them didn’t make it back until the Circle was over. I heard quite a bit of bitching and moaning about both the difficulty and poor marking of the trail. I will give Hare Kermit credit for providing three trail options: a long one with Easter Mountain, a long one without Easter Mountain, and a short version with only the first climb. Of course, as a dedicated shortcutter, I managed to avoid all three hill climbs and had a mostly enjoyable 8.5-kilometer flat walk. That’s just the way I roll!

And adding to the misery, it was freaking HOT yesterday.
We kicked things off on the Govic Highway. (I walked to the start, gaining an extra 2K)
Of course, Swan was handing out sweets along the way
And we passed by that sari-sari store named after me.
After bypassing the first hill, we rejoined the official trail here.
Through the fields we go
Rather than going over Easter Mountain, we went around it.
Between the fences
The “short” trail took us through the streets of San Isidro.
And over Bridge #3
The Hare had warned that it was a steep down to the On-Home but advised that he had provided a rope to hang onto. No, thank you! We took the long way through Alta Vista instead.
On-Home at the Bella Monte Hotel
The old folks are permitted to sit during the Hash Circle
It’s nice on ice!
The Hare’s trail
And my version

Some after-Hash revelry at It Doesn’t Matter where I purchased a lady drink for the IDM girls who participated in the Fralics beauty pageant on Sunday. Then I drug my tired ass home with the help of a tricycle.

Better, but not quite good enough

My interesting (to me) journey through the LTG archives continues. What’s been different about the early days of the blog was my inconsistency in posting. These days, I take pride in providing a daily update on my so-called life. In July 2006, “Stuff about things” was my first post in over thirty days. I had a lot of catching up to do, so it was appropriately long and boring.

Fifteen years ago, I came across a clip from the movie “Junior Bonner,” which triggered some memories from my life in Prescott, Arizona, in the early 1980s. So, I shared those thoughts on Facebook, and Facebook reminded me about them today. Thanks for helping an old guy out!

I wound up taking a trip today. Right down memory lane. I saw something on the internet that led me somewhere else and then took me to a link for Steve McQueen. I clicked that and was reminded of the movie Junior Bonner. It was filmed in Prescott, Arizona. I used to live in Prescott. The song that played during the opening credits was “Arizona Morning” by Rod Hart, a musician from Prescott. Hart and his band used to play at the Wagon Wheel, a club I’d frequent when the urge to country dance hit me. And then I recalled a woman I used to dance with and how I met her. I was taking classes at Yavapai Community College, and she was my instructor. One day after class, she asked if anyone was interested in taking “country swing” dance lessons with her, and I volunteered. She was probably ten years older than me (I was 25). We got along great, and before long, we were doing horizontal dancing as well. Until one day she asked me to father a child for her “no strings attached”. That freaked me out big time, and I ran for the hills, leaving her and her biological clock in my dust. I hadn’t thought of her for some 30-odd years. Until today, when I heard this song:

Morning, Arizona morning
Almost sets me free
Makes me glad to be alive
Wondering, why I started wandering
Should have stayed right here
Underneath the clear blue skies

Sadness, changing now to gladness
With the rustle of the breeze through the pinyon trees
Where I lay
In the morning, Arizona morning
A place where I can smile
And see a hundred miles away

The birds are flying high above the morning
Singing to the colors of the dawn
And in my mind I hear a gentle warning
You've been a wrangler and a rambler
Much too long

And a rover. Wishing it was over
All my battles won, resting in the sun this way

In the morning, Arizona morning
Coming home today, wishing I could stay
Wishing I could stay.

What a life I’ve lived! I hope there are some more chapters to come.

Today’s YouTube video discloses that twenty US F-16 fighters have deployed to the Philippines, and China isn’t happy about it. Well, I’m no military expert, but I don’t think twenty of our older jets will be much of a deterrent, but it’s better than nothing. I read somewhere of an intelligence report saying China will invade Taiwan within the next six months. Damn, looks like we are headed for interesting times.

Laugh while you can!

Go ahead, take a shot!
Now do punctuation!
Yes, to be honest, it really stinks.

And there you have it: another day, another post. I won’t apologize, and you don’t need to thank me. I will try to keep ’em coming!

Weakened

But I was strong enough to survive my weekend in San Antonio.

Way too many San Mig Lights on Saturday…those damn things turn me into an asshole.

Beer manifested bad behavior resulted in me getting angry and raising my voice at Swan. That pissed her off, but we reconciled before the evening was over. For some reason I don’t recall this, but when two different restaurants were too busy to accommodate our dinner desire, Swan says I mouthed off about posting a bad review. That’s not going to happen, of course, and not just because I don’t remember the names of the eateries. On the plus side, I was in slumberland when Swan had to call the front desk of our resort because some of the other guests were partying loudly outside our room. I didn’t hear a thing.

Sunday morning on the beach

Up and at ’em and ready to roll bright and early Sunday morning. We went to the hotel next door for breakfast (one of the places too busy for us the night before).

This time, we had the second-floor dining room to ourselves.
All is forgiven, right Swan? Right?
After breakfast, we headed out for the Pundaquit version of the Candy Walk.
Things are much quieter away from the beach.
Down on main street.
A riverside stroll
There weren’t a lot of kids out and about
Back on the beach
The Capones Islands
On the backstreets of Pundaquit

Here’s a short video of us finishing our walk and passing by the scene of my crime from the night before.

Back to the room for a shower, then packed the bags and awaited the arrival of my driver to transport us to our next destination, the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) in San Antonio.

The day’s event: The 2025 Miss Fralics Beauty Pageant
I confirmed that San Mig Zero was on offer and purchased ten beer tickets to ensure I remained hydrated during the event
My seatmates. We arrived at noon and the pageant began at 2:00.
Old sailors
Swan filled some of the waiting time playing Bingo. She didn’t win.
The Alley Cat’s crew was out in force
The old feller sitting across from me had a great sense of humor. His “Dysfunctional Veteran” cap was just one indicator.
I also had to admire the shirt the beer server was wearing.
You could make a mint selling cans of asshole repellant.
The birthday of the Navy’s Submarine Service was being celebrated
The submariners went on stage and were serenaded with a rude and crude Navy song I can’t find online.

And at last, it was time to kick off the beauty pageant. There were ten contestants. Here they are in the introductory “Casual Wear” competition:

Number One: Hershe is a waitress I know from It Doesn’t Matter bar.
Number Two
Number Three. Julie also works at It Doesn’t Matter
Number Four
Number Five
Number Six
Number Seven
Number Eight
Number Nine (she’s wearing her number upside down)
Number Ten
Here they are all together. Do you have a favorite yet?
I liked this girl, but she wasn’t competing.

Next up was the “talent” competition. Unsurprisingly, eight of the girls did a dance routine as their talent. The other two sang a song. I wasn’t impressed enough to take many pictures, but here are a couple.

Hershe dancing
Shake that booty

The final round of the competition was the bikini contest. I made a video of the gals strutting their stuff.

Right after uploading the above video, I received an email from YouTube advising that it had been flagged for a “copyright violation”:

Copyrighted content has been detected in your video “Fralics”. As a result, your video can no longer be monetized and has been blocked in 1 territory. The copyright owner may be either monetizing it, or receiving analytics about it in other territories. This is not a copyright strike and does not affect your channel.

The problem is that the music playing in the background is copyrighted by someone, somewhere. I have not been able to determine which “1 territory” is blocked from viewing the video. Let me know in the comments if you are unable to view it.

Just in case you missed it, here is the bikini-clad group shot.

And now for the winners:

Casual Wear winner
Bikini winner
Talent winner
Third place
Second Place
Miss Fralics 2025 (contestant #7)

I’m not one to judge, but I support the decision of the judges in selecting this cutie pie.

I didn’t win any of the raffles, but that’s okay. I had some beers, spent time with good folks, and enjoyed watching the girls prancing about on the stage. Then, it was time to load up in the car and make our way back to Barretto. We stayed home last night, and when the dinner hour arrived, Swan wanted to drive her cart to McDonald’s. Oh well, I was still in my “cheat weekend” mode, so why not?

Saturday’s scandal
Sunday’s surrender

Back after it today. Let’s see how I do.

There’s a story in this picture. I wrote about it in September 2021. I hope those type days in my life are over for good.
Eleven years ago, I was hiking in the mountains of Korea with my wife. I had a long way to go.
Twelve years ago, I was playing in a pro-level darts tournament in Las Vegas. Ran into this old friend from Korea there. And no, I didn’t throw like a pro that weekend.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay ponders the questions, “Is the expat life or another marriage for you?” To which I can honestly respond, yes and no.

Here I go again:

And thinking, what happened?
Yeah, us old fucks have earned that right
Then he had another hole in his head

So, back at it in Barretto. A Hash run is coming up. Here’s hoping it’s a good one. For the past two days, I’ve been having a dull aching pain in my lower left abdomen. If it doesn’t go away soon, I’ll consult with Dr. Jo. Bright and early in the morning, I’ll be making my way to Angeles City for an updated ECG. It seems I’m always on the move these days.

The day is done

Gonna do a photo dump this morning and get on with the new day. More details to come as time permits.

Getting from thee to here was just shy of 35K
Some lunch here upon arrival
Nothing to get choked up about
Pork on a plate
Our room at the Wave Song Resort
The view from the porch
On the beach
Looking for a new place I read about online
Found it!
I was surprised to see my old pal, Gary, was there
She looks happy
Moving from the bar to the beach seats improved her mood
Showtime
Two more guys I know showed up
Met the owner, Erik (the one in the middle)
Life is good
Well done, sun

The bar didn’t have the beer I prefer, so it was a Light night. We went to a nearby restaurant in search of dinner, but they said they were too busy to serve us. So, we grabbed some snacks at a small store and returned to our room.

Maybe I’ll do better at that.

In the LTG history pages, my granddaughter turns one. She’s eighteen now.

5 years ago, I was masked and waiting for my turn to purchase essential supplies at the supermarket. Maintaining social distancing, of course.
Ten years ago, I met with the leaders of the Korean Union and the U.S. Ambassador. I was the only left-handed person in attendance

Today’s YouTube video discusses the cultural differences he has observed in the Philippines.

Joke time:

It’s a hard life
Leaves you feeling pooped.
I need to get up to speed on this

Okay, hope this post was better than nothing. On with my day!

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

Back in the day, I’d sometimes use that old putdown, “I’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever know.” Lately, it seems more correct to say, “I’ve forgotten more than I ever knew.” At least it sure does feel that way. Perhaps as my mental decline continues, I’ll become ignorant and stop caring. I can’t remember the punchline. *ahem*

I’m going to make today’s post a quick one as I need to prepare for my weekend in San Antonio. We’ll start towards the end of the day and then work our way to the beginning. Beer o’clock arrived, and we started the quest for entertainment at the seldom-visited Alley Cats. Friday is dart tourney night, but there was only a handful of players there when we arrived. As we soon discovered, the reason was a scheduled “brownout” (power disruption) between 5 and 6 p.m. So, we enjoyed our beverages by candlelight. And it was nice to see some of my old darting pals again.

Next, we crossed the highway to grab some dinner at Mango’s. The power was still out, but Mango’s has a generator, so the lights were on. As we entered the lobby, we heard shouts and saw people running towards us. WTF? Looking up to the second-floor balcony revealed the issue—a fan was ablaze.

Right before I snapped this photo, the fan blade fell to the floor and continued burning.

That is a guest room balcony, and there is no access except through the room. Since no one seemed to have access to a room key, two white guys (I believe they were returning from a just-completed scuba dive) took charge. One boosted the other up to the roof beside the balcony and then handed him a fire extinguisher.

Mission accomplished!

Nothing like a little before-dinner excitement, eh?

The peaceful view from our dining table
As usual, we enjoyed the Mango’s grilled pork chops for dinner.

For our post-meal nightcap, we decided to try somewhere new. Cloud 69 Bar opened several months ago, but we had never ventured inside before. Imagine my surprise at being greeted by name by two different females that I didn’t recognize. I asked the first one, a dancer, how she knew me. She seemed surprised and responded, “We played darts at Alley Cats.” Honestly, that didn’t ring a bell, but I politely said, “Nice to see you again.” She was one of the cutest gals there, so my forgetting her is more evidence of the brain rot I mentioned above.

The other woman who greeted me was a waitress, and she did look vaguely familiar. I guessed she was my old friend from Whiskey Girl, so I asked, How are you, Jenn? She gave me a funny look and said, “I’m Sheryl. I used to work at Alaska Club.” Oh yeah, now I remember you!

Nice to see you again, Jenn Sheryl

Anyway, Cloud 69 had a really nice vibe. There is a very small dance stage that holds three or four dancers max. There’s another room with a pool table. The music was great; classic rock songs played at a volume that still allowed shout-free conversation. We were there early, but several other customers arrived during our visit. The only weird thing I noted about Cloud 69 was that two of the waitresses were baklas (transgender). I personally don’t get upset by that, but I know other guys are uncomfortable in their presence, so most bars don’t employ baklas for that reason. Anyway, we enjoyed our visit and we’ll be back again someday.

Enjoying our Friday night on the town!

Earlier, we had done the Friday group hike and finished the trail at The Rite Spot On The Roof.

Rest and refreshments after the hike
Enjoying the view from The Rite Spot
The females dined Filipino-style. Chris and I were served hamburger patties.

And here was something I’d never witnessed in my almost seven (admittedly sheltered) years in the Philippines:

Swan says it’s called a “boodle fight.” The food is placed on top of a banana tree frond and eaten communally with the fingers.

Good times! The hike was pretty nice as well. I led the group this time, and most of the trail went according to plan. My planned ascent went a bit astray when I chose the wrong path and ended up with a steeper climb than I had intended, but we survived the mistake, and things went well after that.

This week’s iteration of the Friday hikers.
This made me chuckle. At least they are honest about it.
That steep uphill climb I mentioned.
Back on the path I intended.
The view of Barretto from here.
And the Subic side of things
A Swan in the grass
That mountain climb that is coming soon.
No off fence intended.
Monkeying around
Walking the Bitch
Mountain Mama Onelia busy in the kitchen
Smoke on the ridge. ‘Tis the season.
That cabin in the woods I fancy
Heading back down
The lot in San Isidro Swan is buying. I predict it will be a lake during rainy season. We’ll see soon enough.
Heading for Alta Vista and the renowned Rite Spot.
The route of our 6.5K journey

Alas, the day did end on a sour note:

Two too many beers

A sad memory to share from the archives of LTG: the death by suicide of one my favorite bloggers, Shawn Matthews of Korea Life Blog fame. Surprisingly, all the links I included from 2006 are still working, such as this one from Kevin Kim. I was going to say, “Gone but not forgotten,” except I hadn’t thought of Shawn for many years until I came across this post to remind me. I may be wasting my life, but at least I’m still living it.

Another day I would have forgotten but for Facebook memories reminding me.

It is my anniversary. I got married in Las Vegas, Nevada, twelve years ago. As you can see, I was fat and happy in those long-gone days.
Ten years ago, I attended a book signing meetup with Kevin Kim and the author, Young Chun, at my bar hangout, Shenanigans in Itaewon.

Today’s YouTube video is from Smart Girl Philippines, during which she purports to resolve the mystery of the lack of privacy in the PI. The way she speaks always makes me smile, and it’s just over five minutes long, so I don’t really care if her reasoning is right or wrong. I know that here in Barretto, everyone seems to know me, and I often don’t have the slightest clue as to who they are.

And now for the funny business:

I nose that already
True love is timeless and knows no end.
He called you a bitch, but they thought he said witch. It’s all a misunderstanding; forgive and forget.

Alright, I’m running late and need to get ready to hit the road. I’ll report in from San Antonio tomorrow. But here’s a bonus video from this morning’s dog walk. Well, bonus or punishment, here it is:

Need to remember to hold the camera higher…sorry!

Nothing comes easy

The hard way is just the way things are done in the Philippines. So, you love it or leave it. I’m going to stick around because the good far outweighs the bad. Yesterday, I was able to experience some minor frustration without even having to resort to my mantra: “Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way.” I must be getting more acclimated to the culture. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

I need to have the cataract removed from my left eye. A pre-surgery requirement is obtaining clearance from a cardiologist. My helper/caregiver advised that I could see the cardiologist I’d previously used at the local hospital in Barretto yesterday morning. No appointments are available; you show up, sign in, and are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Office hours began at 10:30. I arrived at 10:15 and was fifth in line. I was pleasantly surprised when my name was called at 11:00. The doctor wanted an updated ECG, and wanted it done where I had my previous one at a hospital in Angeles City. So, that means I’ll be traveling again next Tuesday. I’ll also need to get a chest x-ray before my follow-up visit at which time I’ll hopefully receive the required clearance to undergo the next pain-in-the ass medical procedure with the ophthalmologist. That’s my vision for the future.

Otherwise, the rest of the day went fine. Swan joined me for a 3K stroll home from the hospital. Later, we ventured out for some socialization at Oasis. About halfway there I realized I had forgotten my phone. Swan insisted on her going back for it, then joined me at Oasis when I was on my second beer.

The Oasis view. Yeah, those wires are a bummer, but they have the cheapest beer in town (50 pesos each).

Our second stop was at Alaska Club. We were the only customers during our brief visit. The bar upstairs, formerly known as La Oficina, has been renamed Tryst. I like that name better; maybe they will specialize in threesomes. I was told the bar won’t reopen until they can hire some dancers and waitresses. Apparently, the girly bars in town are struggling to find staff, as the ladies have discovered that using the internet for hookups is more profitable. The times they are a-changing.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot. I ordered the Sit-n-Bull pulled pork sandwich to bring home for my dinner. I only ate the meat, not the bun. Alas, enjoying the last piece of pecan pie (a la mode) was an unwise decision.

Shit happens

My journey through the archives of LTG has progressed to June 2006. I discovered a picturesque post there detailing the event of my first-ever dart league banquet on the rooftop of the Hollywood Grill in Itaewon. It turned out to be a poor venue for the occasion, but the memories captured in the photos were good ones. It’s strange how remembering happy times can feel bittersweet in a ‘never again’ kind of way. Oh well, that’s just part of The Story of My Life.

Five years ago, a friend in the United States posted this on my Facebook, warning me to be cautious. Yes, that is the then-president of the Philippines threatening anyone violating the COVID lockdown order that he’d have the police “shoot them dead.” Duterte is now facing charges in the International Criminal Court for doing just that to alleged drug dealers. I am not a fan of the ICC, but I have very little sympathy for Duterte.

Time to check in again with the Filipina Pea for today’s YouTube video. In this edition, the Pea answers viewer emails, dispensing her usual good advice and wisdom.

The jokes are on me:

I don’t think that adds up
Any way you look at it, this makes sense.
Just a Tolkien of my affection

And there you have another day’s post. I’m looking forward to my weekend out of town. Can’t promise it will make for better blogging, but at least the photos will be different.

In da village

And I’m not lion! What I’m talking about is the journey of the Wednesday Walkers to Balon Falls and the Aeta native village of Aningway out in the wilds of Subic. We only do this hike once or twice a year, so it is always fresh and enjoyable. The natives are poor but friendly. We may plan an outreach mission for them later this year. We observed an interesting charity project in progress—building comfort rooms (toilets) in various locations throughout the village. I’d never considered that those shanties weren’t equipped with somewhere to poop, so it is good to see the problem is being addressed. I don’t even want to think about how and where they answered the call of nature previously. Anyway, now that we have that shit out of the way, let’s get to the pictures:

Our group this week was small enough to allow us to squeeze into Scott’s car to enjoy an out-of-town adventure.
Off we go!
And here we come.
The first of several creek crossings.
Dancing on the rocks.
Into the jungle
Not a lot of water in the creek this time of year, so there was not much in the way of “falls” to see.
A creekside farm.
Entering Aningway
Lots of Aeta kids out and about. Not sure why they weren’t in school (there is one in the village)
In the background is one of the several restrooms we saw being built throughout the village.
Gimme, gimme, gimme!
Rest stop
Back at it
Heading down
Finishing with some roadwork
Another successful Wednesday walk concludes.

It’s election season, and campaign posters are ubiquitous wherever we go. I don’t get involved in local politics and have no opinions or knowledge about those seeking office, but there was something about this guy that caught my eye:

Something tells me he sucks and is likely to blow it.
We stopped for some refreshments at Shie’s house on the way home.
The path of our journey

I started a new round of chelation therapy with Dr. Jo, and when that was done, we hoofed it up the highway to check out the latest addition to Barretto’s bar lineup, Dempsey’s. I had seen the former location in Olongapo City, down a narrow alley my driver would use coming back from the immigration office. I wondered then where they got their customers, but I suppose there remains a small expat community in that part of town, near the old Navy base.

The former location of Dempsey’s
The new location in Barretto

The inside is pretty much as decrepit as the exterior. Only a longish bar, but no tables and chairs.

Behind the bar

They don’t serve San Mig Zero beer, nor do they offer wine by the glass. So, that pretty much insures we will not become regulars here.

An interesting menu, but I have to wonder if they will achieve the customer base necessary to sustain it.

We were the only ones there during our brief visit, but the staff was friendly.

And the owner seems like a nice guy. Given the fact that he successfully operated for a decade or more at his previous location, I wouldn’t bet against him. Lots more competition here, though.

After Dempsey’s, we visited the other newish place, Red Bar. Once again, we enjoyed our outdoor seating and chatting with the friendly waitresses. We stayed longer than intended (the manager bought us a round of drinks), so we had some food delivered from Sit-n-Bull. Then we moved on for our nightcap at Green Room. Swan was craving a chocolate ice cream bar, so we stopped at 7-Eleven on the drive home to get her one. I also bought some for the subdivision gate guards. I’m happy to report that I avoided the temptation to partake as well, instead sticking with a sugar-free bowl of pudding for my dessert.

All is going according to plan this month. So far.

My journey through the archives of LTG led me to an April 2006 post that contains a treasure trove of photographs from my weekend adventures in Seoul. Good times in The Story of My Life.

From today’s edition of Facebook memories:

Nine years ago, I enjoyed a rainy-day hike along the Han River.
Seven years ago, I contemplated the life in Korea that was drawing to a close and dreamed of the future that awaited me in the Philippines.
Three years ago, I was tasting some of that future I dreamed about at Queen Victoria Bar in Barretto.

Today’s YouTube video is about something that’s been burning up my Facebook feed all morning. A vlogger doing stupid shit here in the Philippines to generate views similar to what that Johnny Somali asshole did in Korea. Like Somali, this guy did an FAFO and has now been arrested and is facing deportation. Lots of outrage, especially from Filipinos, who have very low tolerance for being disrespected.

Here’s a link to a news article about the situation if you want to read more. And the perp Vitaly even has a Wikipedia page.

Humor me:

Easy for you to say.
Yeah, that’s why I go to the bars so much. The girls deserve something nice to look at for a change.
Just turn a blind eye.

And now I’ve gone and done it again. Until next time.

A brief recap

No fooling!

I was going to title this post something along the lines of “more of the same,” but when I did a search, I saw that I’ve used a similar phrase a dozen times in this blog’s twenty-year history. That says a lot about both the content of LTG and the pathetic routines I write about. I’ll tell you what, though. The retired chapter of my life may be boring to read about, but I’m so glad to be living it here instead of some retirement community stateside. So, without further adieu, here’s today’s edition of same old, same old.

Tuesday is shopping day, and that was accomplished in a way that doesn’t warrant further mention. Well, Swan did ask me to pose for this photo at the Royal supermarket:

Abracadabra!

Back home, I helped unload the groceries, then headed out for my neighborhood walk.

This house is for rent. Out of curiosity, I sent a message inquiring about the cost. I was shocked at the response: 70,000 pesos per month. That’s almost double what I’m paying. And this house is located in the flat section of Alta Vista, without the mountain and bay views that I enjoy every day.
I turned left this time. The house for rent is highlighted in yellow.

My faithful reader(s) know that Tuesday afternoons are routinely spent on Baloy Beach. Yesterday was no exception.

Toes in the sand time
We had a brief rainstorm earlier in the day, but it was over and done with before we left home.
A view from the floating bar.
That girl who follows me around. As you can see, it was a quiet day on board.
Sun and water
As good as it got at sunset.

Next on the agenda was grabbing some food at Treasure Island.

We shared some fried chicken wings…
…and chicken quesadillas. Leftovers for breakfast this morning.

In other news from my Fool’s Day, I booked a room at the Wave Song Resort for Saturday in Pundaquit.

We’ll spend twenty-four hours on the beach and then head into San Antonio to attend the annual Fralics beauty pageant at the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA).

So, my promise to get out of town at least once a month has been kept for April.

And I have avoided foolishly exceeding my calorie goal all month long!

In April 2006, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace for the first time. I took some photos before my camera (remember those?) battery died. And I actually managed to post them here at LTG. Another memory in The Story of My Life.

Speaking of Korea, it’s Cherry Blossom Season! At least, it was eight years ago.

A stolen photo I brazenly posted on Facebook. Someone in the comments called me out for it. And now, I’ve posted it here all these years later. Have I no shame?
Nine years ago, I did another trek up Namsan to the Seoul Tower. I sure do miss those days now, even though I didn’t fully appreciate them at the time.

Today’s YouTube video is one I found on Facebook from a Hasher who joined us for Monday’s hike. It’s short and sweet and better than mine. Enjoy!

To the humor we must go:

Funny how that works. And “C” doesn’t work on my laptop keyboard. Lazy bastard!
One thing is not like the other
I hope he was a sweet man.

Okay, that’s just about all I’ve got for today. Planning to check out a new old bar in town this evening. I’ll explain what I mean by that tomorrow. But before I go, here’s a couple of pictures I took on this morning’s dog walk.

Swan and that other Lucky boy
Love casts a long shadow

A half-assed Hash

First things first, and today is the 1st, so here you go:

I apologize for all the punctuation errors. You know they are bad if even I find them irritating.

And me being me, I posted this on my Facebook page this morning:

To hell with it. I’m going to the airport and getting on a plane. Don’t even care where it is going, first jet out to anywhere. When I get to wherever I wind up, I’ll max out my credit cards, drain my savings account, and then decide what to do next. I won’t be back. Goodbye, Philippines!

Most people figured out pretty quickly that I was just fooling around.

Anyway, about that Hash we did yesterday. As I suspected, the trail was a Corona-style monster. How bad was it? Even some of the strongest runners were bitching about some of the treacherous portions they encountered along the way. I’ll have to take their word for it because our sane group received an advance copy of the trail map, and we successfully navigated our way around the worst portions of the path. I still managed to get in over 6K and had a pleasant enough journey, most of which was on the familiar My Bitch trail.

The trail, as laid by the Hare, was just under 10K.
Us shortcutters avoided the first climb and then reconnected with the trail here.
In addition to the usual chalk and powder markings, the Hare stapled paper to leaves. That felt a little too close to littering for me.
We still had a moderate climb to attend to on our version of the trail (this was also part of the Hare’s trail, as the chalk marking on the tree indicates.
Where pineapples come from.
The standard cookie delivery for Mountain Mama Onelia
I’ve got a feeling this treefall did make a sound, even if no one was there to hear it. It did require a slight detour for us trail walkers.
Plodding onward
Then we ran into a couple of Hashers going in the wrong direction. We turned them around before they’d gone too far out the way.
Time to choose your shortcut option.
That’s always an encouraging sign. Some of my fellow Hashers contend that I walk faster when I see this.
Yesterday’s run was #1647 for the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. When I saw this trail marking, I thought at first that I had stepped into the future through some kind of time warp. Turns out the Hare is dyslexic.
Arriving at our On-Home venue, Kim’s Place on Baloy Beach.

This was the first time we’d used Kim’s for a gathering. I’d suggested we give it a try, and I was a little worried whether they’d be able to accommodate over fifty Hashers. But it all seemed to go well. Here’s a short (less than three minutes) video to give you a taste of what Kim’s Place is like:

Some Corona Hashers from Angeles City enjoying their beach time.
My table
Almost like camping
Kim’s is a small place, but we managed to fit in comfortably.
Time to Circle up!
The grumpy old fuckers are permitted to sit.
It’s nice on ice!
And the sun sets on another Hash Monday.
The Hash was done, but the drinking continued at the after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter.

Not a bad way to spend the day!

And I ended the month on a low note!

It’s been interesting (to me) as I scroll through the LTG archives in search of stories worthy of inclusion in The Story of My Life. I’ve made to March 2006 so far, and what strikes me is that even back in my early days as a blogger, my posts were inane drivel about my daily activities. Once a diary, always a diary, I suppose. Anyway, I began playing darts competitively the month before, and I discovered that I had some talent for the game. In this post, I recount the tale of winning money for the first time in a tournament. Yeah, as exciting as it sounds!

Fifteen years ago, I posted some photos of my father on Facebook. He’d just opened an account there and needed a profile picture. I posted some that I had and asked folks to weigh in on the ones they liked best. There were my favorites:

Walter Lee in the engine room near the end of his career as a merchant seaman.
Dad, after retirement, bought a small farm in Oklahoma. My kids lived there with the grandparents after my divorce from their mother.
This would be around 1960 on a camping trip in the desert. I rode many miles in the back of that Jeep pickup truck.

Sadly, my father passed away just over a year later.

I found today’s YouTube video amusing. I’m in no position to argue with a Filipina about what Filipinas don’t like, but advising men not to speak Tagalog seems over the top. She goes about explaining why in a humorous way (and in less than five minutes). I must have found the exception to the rule with Swan, as she is always encouraging me to learn new words in her language.

And then there are these:

I’m totally in the dark about this
What kind of dick carries a load like that? That takes some big balls.
You’re hired!

And so it goes, on and on. Thanks for letting me share the joy.

Daysun

Welp, if you can put the cart before the horse, there’s no reason you can’t put the day before the sun, right? But first things first:

The Sunday Candy Walk commences
Leaving Alta Vista behind
Some flowers I liked

A crap video of Section Three of the Candy Walk (at least it is less than four minutes long):

The Tagalog word for used clothing
Well-disciplined candy recipients posing for a photo
More flowers
The Easter Mountain view
5K of smiling faces

The giving wasn’t done yet; I still had the Hideaway feeding to attend to.

Food from Jewel Cafe, and I made the brownies for dessert.
That’s one way to eat a burrito.

Then it was time to hit the beach.

‘Tis the season
They should have dug a hole before burying the body
Here comes my ride
And here comes my girl, right on time!
The view we came for.
A moderately busy afternoon on the floater
Another way to enjoy the water
It’s that time again
Swan is enjoying the show
The end of the sun on this day

Then it was off to our Sunday dinner at John’s place.

We shared an order of birria tacos…
And Korean-style chicken wings.

We took the leftover wings to our nightcap at Green Room for the gals to enjoy. And that’s where our evening came to an end.

I’m on a losing streak

I’m laughing at the Tesla fools:

That’s the (D)ifference

Is Trump never wrong?

That might help reverse America’s negative birthrate

To the archives, then. My first post in February 2006 was entitled “Stupid is as stupid does.” In it, I recount the tale leading to the first ambulance ride of my life and, not so coincidentally, my first stitches. It certainly warrants The Story of My Life tag.

Nineteen years ago, I was having what appears to be a bad night at 3 Alley Pub in Itaewon. Looks like I’ve just about filled that ashtray as well.
Ten years ago, I purchased copies of this book about a dual-citizen (Korean-American) who found himself drafted into the Korean Army. Great story by a nice guy who I’ve lost track of. Do you ever hear from him, Kevin?
Also ten years ago, a Korean, a Japanese, a Canadian, and an American walk into a bar. They order up some drinks then throw kick ass darts and win a dart match. Good times!

More common-sense wisdom from Reekay in today’s YouTube video. My personal journey included several visits between 2007 and 2009, followed by an ill-fated detour into another failed marriage, before I resurrected my dream of the Philippines and plotted my future life here prior to moving in 2018. I’ve encountered some bumps in the road along the way, but I’ve no regrets about my decision to retire here.

Are you ready for these?

Damn, that’s bad. I’ll do better, I promise!
Either way, you weren’t there when he needed you…
Cum what may, you got off easy.

And there you have it. Another Hash Monday has arrived, and I’ve got a bad feeling today’s trail won’t be to my liking (the Hare is also a Corona Hasher), but I’ll shortcut as needed. I ate lunch while finishing this post, so I’m ready to roll.

I’m a lucky man to have a girl who loves to cook.

The same, but different

Well, more like a sprinkling of new on top of the same old, same old. That’s just the way I roll.

Kicked off the morning with the Sweet Saturday Stroll, handing out goodies to the kids in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Encountered the first kid before we were even out of Alta Vista.
Another sad reminder that mortality comes for us all. I graduated high school in 1973, just before Reynaldo’s birth. He’s finished now, and I’m still going.
Sizzle & Glazed is now open for business
Very pleasant inside
A perfect venue for the Diet Cheaters Anonymous meetings
Back at it
Here we come!

I did a four-minute video clip of one section of our stroll.

Steppin’ down near the end of our trail
Five kilometers of sweet dispensations

Back home and glancing out the window, there was smoke on Black Rock:

That would have made Friday’s hot hike even hotter

So, by now, you are probably thinking, WTF? There’s nothing different here. Well, when we ventured into town at beer o’clock, we went somewhere we’d never been before: the new Red Bar. Or, more accurately, the new location of Red Bar. It occupies the space that was formerly the home of Blue Butterfly, a bar I reviewed here. All the things I liked about Blue Butterfly are still present at Red Bar, but inside, they also added a dance stage. Well, my thing is sitting outside and watching the world go by, and that’s just what we did yesterday.

The outdoor seating area has been upgraded with more comfortable stools.
The highway view from my perch

So, despite it being our first visit, we felt right at home. We both knew several of the waitresses working there now, and Swan bought them some food from a passing vendor. I chipped in some lady drinks, and we let the good times roll. Perhaps the best review I can render is reporting that Swan wanted to stay for a SECOND glass of wine. That almost never happens. She said she was enjoying the outdoor vibe and the music.

Susan, who used to work at Queen Victoria Bar, offered to braid Swan’s hair.
Swan was happy with it
Chillin’ with the crew

Sticking with our open-air desires and seldom-visited theme, we did our nightcap at Cheap Charlies.

Our elevated new view

It was a lovely Saturday night out on the town. We will definitely be adding Red Bar to our list of frequently visited venues.

All’s well doesn’t always end well.
I like the sound of that!

From the LTG archives is a post from January 2006 written on the occasion of my one-year anniversary in Korea. I’d signed up for a two-year tour, so I was thinking I was halfway home. Except it didn’t turn out that way. Just another tale in The Story of My Life.

Today’s YouTube video strikes a little too close to home. I feel estranged from my family back home, and from my perspective, they’ve turned their backs on me. Perhaps they see the opposite. Either way, it hurts.

And here I go again:

Spread the joy!
Make the breast of it
That’s a probing response!

And there you have it. Back to normal today, but I’m okay with that. I’ll share the details tomorrow. Y’all come back now, hear?

Long and hot

Well, the hike was longer than usual (almost 10K), and it was mainit (mah-een-it). That’s what Swan kept saying as we marched along, so it looks like the hot season is upon us once again. Soon, I’ll be looking forward to the rainy season so I can complain about being soaked with something other than sweat. That’s life in the Philippines, and that’s the life I’ve chosen, so here we go.

This week’s iteration of the Friday hikers: (L-R) Scott, Swan, Jay, Ed, and Erik
And so it begins
Walking the streets of the Santa Monica subdivision
The house Scott had built when he first retired and moved to the PI in 2005. Things didn’t go according to that dream, but he has found a new dream now.
A view I liked
Ed, Jay, and Erik went up Black Rock. Scott, me, and Swan went around it.
Hello up there!
Bypassing the mountain we’ll be climbing on Easter Monday
The entrance to the new subdivision that scarred the mountainside is under construction.
A pig without a poke
Through the cow pasture
If you are going to go long and hot, keep it flat.
Crossing Bridge #4
Doing the rickety-bridge dance
Trekking through the Naugsol Valley
Approaching The Rite Spot
Pushing on up the back way to my house
Lunch on the roof
How we got from here to there (the yellow is those lazy shortcutters going OVER Black Rock).

I had an SOB to introduce to Jay before he flew home to Japan in the wee hours of morning, so at the appointed hour, we met up at Wet Spot.

The dance teams from six of Barretto’s finest bars take the stage.
The home team goes first
Get that ass out of my face!,” I imagined screaming.
What are the odds they all farted at the same time?

Anyway, Jay seemed to enjoy the show. He was also a judge, and our scorecards came out the same. The other judges disagreed with our ranking order, but everyone had Wet Spot on top. Jay said he didn’t have any experience with an “all you can drink” system, and he was pretty toasted by the end of the show. We took him next door to Sit-n-Bull so he could get some food to take back to his hotel while he waited for his airport transportation to arrive. He messaged me today that he made it back to Japan safe and sound.

How do you say no to a slice of pecan pie?

From the LTG archives is another nearly meaningless post from January 2006 entitled, “Made it to Friday.” I’m only posting it here now because it contains a link (that surprisingly still works) to an article in the Seoul Times about the bars of Itaewon. I don’t remember it being nearly as bad as the author (an Irish bloke) describes, but these days with the Army down south, the Itaewon I knew will never be the same.

This photo of my high school sweetheart and me came up in my Facebook memories today:

Karen and I are still friends on Facebook. That’s my 1963 Ford pickup truck with wooden bumpers and three in the tree.

Fourteen years ago, I moved into my retirement home in South Carolina and completed my darts setup.

The plan was to live here six months a year, and six months in Korea. The best of both worlds.
The dart awards I’d accumulated over the years.
And the woman who promised to love me forever. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

Everything changes, and life goes on. Until it doesn’t.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay shares his perspectives on maintaining a positive relationship with a “good girl” Filipina. The first example he uses is about a guy who exposed his wife to the bar scene (that she didn’t like), and she eventually left him over his refusal to leave that life behind. Hmm. Swan joins me on my bar excursions, but she seems to be enjoying herself. Granted, we don’t do the raunchy places, but she appears to be okay with that aspect of my life. I guess it depends on the girl.

And now it’s time to smile:

No need to be a dick about it
A happy ending!
Sounds like a win-win to me!

Another day, another post. It may all be meaningless, but keep ’em coming!