Well, maybe not, but I’ll be fit in a bit. That is if my brand new just delivered Fitbit fitness tracker motivates me to get off my lazy ass and start meeting my 20,000 step daily goal again.

Facebook has also provided me some inspiration by reminding me what I looked like seven years ago:

I don’t want to go back there so I gotta keep steppin’ it up!

The fact that I was able to get my Fitbit delivered through an online purchase at Lazada (the Philippine version of Amazon) is noteworthy. When my old Fitbit died a month ago, Lazada wasn’t shipping. I’ll take that as a positive sign that we are moving ever so closer back to normal, albeit baby steps.

Speaking of which, it was announced today that effective this Saturday Zambales province is being downgraded to “general community quarantine” status. Practically speaking that won’t make a lot of difference. Some stores and businesses are being permitted to reopen, but not restaurants, bars, and hotels. Still, there are a few things I’d like to buy at the mall so maybe that will happen. I’m also hoping the restrictions on entering the old Navy base will be rescinded so I can once again go grocery shopping at Royal. No word on whether the ban on purchasing alcohol will be lifted or if the curfew will remain in place. Stay tuned.

Today’s “interesting” photograph was taken in the yard of my next-door neighbor’s house.

Actually, what makes it impressive to me can’t be seen because of the morning sunlight behind the tree. So, I went out and took this one from my backyard using the zoom feature:

Going out in a bit to enjoy some rooftop beers with Jay. Got to make the best of what you have, right?

Well, no matter how you slice it, today marks two years, or twenty-four months or 731 days that I’ve been living in the Philippines. Time flies.

Not sure what to make of this anniversary. These past couple of months have been rather unpleasant but overall I can’t say I regret making the move. I have a comfortable and comparatively easy life here. I never found the love I’d hoped for but I’m learning to live without it. I’ve settled into my routines and as my faithful readers have surely noticed, that can sometimes get a little on the boring side. Honestly though, I mostly enjoy the walking, with a group or on my own. I miss my bar life these days which provided some semblance of a social life. I guess that’s enough for an old retired guy.

Looking backwards (dangerous I know!) I do miss the life I left behind in Korea. Not enough to second guess my decision to move here, but I have regrets about not appreciating my time there while I was living it. There’s something to be said for living in the moment. I was too busy lamenting the life I’d lost to enjoy the life I was living I suppose.

Looking forward I imagine this life will do and if it doesn’t I’ll do something different. Getting a first-hand taste of the utter incompetence of the idiots in charge does make me consider dusting off my Plan B. I understand Cambodia is back to pretty much normal these days. Well, at least the bars are open again there. But I ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. I do want to incorporate more travel into my life once things calm down again.

As to regrets, well, you know the song, I’ve had a few. Although really, the disappointments were the tuition to the school of experience. I’ve been scammed a few times by women I thought I knew and trusted, been ghosted by people I considered friends, and let down on occasion when I misjudged the true nature of someone’s character. But honestly, I’ve been doing that all my life so I guess it’s really on me.

So, the journey continues until it ends and I’m still motivated to keep on moving forward as long as possible. I’m relatively healthy and I’m thankful for that. I think my being here has made a positive difference in a few lives and that was one of my goals when I made the move. I’m going to strive to live each day as it comes and be satisfied with whatever it brings. And whenever I start feeling depressed or sorry for myself, I’ll just take a look out the window.

Thanks for joining me here. It’s nice to have y’all along for the ride!

Nothing to do but put on my big boy pants and deal with. Yep, winding finishing up yet another lockdown weekend. In theory, this should be the last one, but Lucy has pulled away that football so many times now that I ain’t counting on it.

Done with season two of Game of Thrones, so that’s an accomplishment I suppose. I also got desperate enough to start playing solitaire on the computer. I’m up to the Master level now!

Speaking of being a master, I came across this clip of George Carlin back in the day (early 1970s?). He was talking about this pandemic bullshit way back then. Just over six minutes and well worth the watch. Dude must have been a time traveler.

And while we are on the subject of time travel, Kevin Kim did another of his “crazy walks”, this time doing an overnight hike on the streets of Korea. I’d never even considered doing such a thing and unless I’m on the run from the law I doubt I ever will.

Yesterday’s morning walk was much more my style:

Anyway, it was a hot but otherwise pleasant 8K endeavor. The highlight of my weekend by far, but that’s not saying much I suppose.

For today’s interesting photo, I’ll offer this:

My helper had put out some flypaper. This morning when I went to make my coffee I encountered this poor guy. I know the feeling to be stuck in the house.

And I’ll leave you with this golden oldie:

Time for me to get back to counting flowers on the wall. Or watching Game of Thrones. One of those.

I keep hearing you’re concerned about my happiness
But all the thought you’re giving me is, conscience I guess
If I were walking in your shoes, I wouldn’t worry none
While you and your friends are worrying ’bout me
I’m having lots of fun

Counting flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all
Playing solitaire ’til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me I’ve nothing to do

A couple of weeks ago my Fitbit died on me. And then last night this happened:

Yeah, I’m old school. I’ve never relied on my phone as a timepiece. It’s hard to get into the habit, especially at night. Hell, I never even used to bring my phone upstairs when I went to bed. Now when I wake up at o’dark thirty I have to reach down, pick up the phone, tap the screen twice to activate it, and then realize that without my glasses (still downstairs on my desk) I can’t read the time display. It is those little things that make life harder than it ought to be.

Speaking of time, it is still passing whether I can track its progress or not. Facebook shared with me what I was doing two years ago:

And life goes ever onward. Here’s the “interesting” photo from this morning’s walk:

Speaking of sex, Catherine came to visit yesterday afternoon. It was her idea. Honestly, she’d been pestering me for days. And it was fine and dandy. Last night she sent me a message saying “babe, my friend have phone for sale. Only 15K.” I didn’t respond so I don’t know if she wants me to buy her a phone or was just letting me know one was available. Well, I don’t need a phone and I ain’t spending $300. to buy one for someone else. Still, a little disappointing. You help someone out and they assume you are a sucker. I’m going to have to be pretty damn horny before I invite her back!

On the internet today I was reminded that my foreign language skills aren’t much better than this:

And don’t even get me started on punctuation:

Sometimes I stir shit up on Facebook in a manner other than my intended one. I posted this for all those #stayathome and trust the government to look out for you types:

Anyway, one of my German FB friends took offense and talked about Americans being fucked up in the past as well, specifically mentioning the Indians. I responded that is precisely my point–anyone who trusts the government to serve their best interests does so at their own peril.

Later this afternoon I’ll be doing the rooftop beer drinking thing. And tomorrow will begin another total lockdown weekend. Looks like more Game of Thrones binge-watching is in my future.

C’est la vie.

The vaccine I’m hoping for from this entire Coronavirus episode in American history is one that inoculates the population from these unbearable, pathetic Shame Squads.

Anyway, I was fearless on my weekly grocery shopping expedition this morning. I needed to be when I got a glance at the line waiting to get inside the mall which allows you to get in line to get into the store.

Well, as it turns out I didn’t have to wait for long. My driver once again successfully got me in through the senior citizen’s line. Hey, old age has its privileges. I’m not sure it is technically legal since I don’t have the government-issued oldsters ID, but I won’t say anything if you don’t.

I’ve had several folks ask me to be on the lookout for the Filipino alcoholic beverage of choice, Emperador. It’s a light rum, but not really my thing. And six weeks into this lockdown it is getting scarce. So I was disappointed on behalf of my friends when I learned that the SM store had none in stock. On the drive back home my driver mentioned that he “knew a guy” that might have some for sale but that he was charging more than twice the previous price for a bottle (95 pesos versus 220). Well, fuck. That’s the law of supply and demand, right? So, I had him go ahead and secure me a case of the stuff. Hell, it will make some friends happy and might even come in handy should I run out of beer.

Speaking of beer, I still have a case and a half left from the three cases I bought last week (shaddup!). At that rate of consumption, I might not make it through the quarantine. I ran into the guy who helped me buy the last batch but he too has now raised his prices (from 1000 pesos a case to 1800). That’s basically paying inside the bar retail prices without getting to actually be inside the bar. Damn. What’s a beer lover to do? I paid for another case at the inflated rate.

And that’s how things are in my world today. But wait, before you go take a look at these gems and jewels I came upon while hiking through the hills and valleys of the internet:

And finally, I’ll need to be on the lookout for this Game of Thrones mishap:

Something to look forward to!

Alright, I promise you this won’t be yet another post of me bitching and moaning about how much being under quarantine rules sucks. In normal times I could mix things up with scintillating stories of my bar life. Alas, those days are gone for the foreseeable future. Although I did have a nice evening (well, from 4-5:30 anyway) up on the rooftop with Jay and a few other friends. Other than walking, that’s pretty much the extent of what passes as my social life I’m afraid. So today I’m going to write about my hike.

But first, let me share this link: The Worldwide Lockdown May Be the Greatest Mistake in History. This article supports what I’ve been saying since day one. Yeah, the lockdown is an inconvenience for me but I’m mindful that it is much much more than that for many of my neighbors.

The forcible prevention of Americans from doing anything except what politicians deem “essential” has led to the worst economy in American history since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It is panic and hysteria, not the coronavirus, that created this catastrophe. And the consequences in much of the world will be more horrible than in America.

The United Nations World Food Programme, or the WFP, states that by the end of the year, more than 260 million people will face starvation — double last year’s figures. According to WFP director David Beasley on April 21: “We could be looking at famine in about three dozen countries. … There is also a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself”

I’m trying to remain optimistic that the powers that be will see the light soon and let folks get on with their lives. Sadly, I’m not seeing many hopeful signs in that regard. These decisions are above my pay grade but it is astounding to see the people in charge turn a blind eye to the very real suffering of so many people here in the Philippines.

Just the other day I got yet another request from a gal I know for a “loan” to buy some food. I know that in Filipino a loan means a gift. I guess I was in a foul mood because I responded gruffly: Blow Me! She said, “okay.” Bada bing! Yeah, I joke but I did help a girl out with some cash for her needs and she took care of mine. A quid pro quo if ever there was one. I felt kinda bad about it as if maybe I’d taken advantage of the situation. But she’s been burning up my messenger ever since wanting to come see me again. Maybe that’s an old fashioned “win-win”.

Shit, I guess I broke my promise about not writing about the quarantine. Here’s the walking part of this post:

Going on two years here now and I’m still impressed by the resilience of the Filipinos I encounter, making the best of the harsh circumstances in which they live. I truly respect them more than I pity them.

It was a good day to get up off my lazy ass and make the best of the blessings I have been provided. Like an amazing sense of humor:

Thanks for dropping by!

“Be not intimidated, nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretenses of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery, and cowardice.”
–John Adams

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning with a cough and congestion. That’s not unusual, just one of those things I deal with from my COPD damaged lungs. Got up and did my nebulizer treatment which does help me breathe easier. Went back to bed but noticed as I climbed the stairs that I had a backache right at the base of my spine. No idea where that came from. After some fitful sleep, I awoke at 5:30, which is pretty much normal for me. Except this morning I still felt very tired and lacking energy. Usually, when I wake up I get up because I’m rested and ready to get on with the day. Well, Buddy seems to know the schedule and he came into the bedroom to let me know he was ready for his backyard time. So I made my way painfully down the stairs and let the boys out. Fixed me a cup of coffee and plopped down in front of the computer. I got to wondering if the back pain, breathing issues, and waking up tired might be symptoms of something else. Took my temperature and registered a 35.3. That’s the coolest I’ve been! So, it appears I’m going to live.

In addition to the quote at the top of this post (man, Adams was WAY ahead of his time wasn’t he?) I came upon these gems during my internet travels (where else can I go?):

If you don’t appreciate this punny humor all I can say is that you are in Dire Straits…

And that’s all I’ve got for today…

Made it through another total lockdown weekend unscathed, unbowed, and unbroken. Yesterday I just embraced the suck with various amounts of boredom, gluttony, and laziness. What else is there?

Back when I had originally retired and moved home to the states in 2011, I began watching Game of Thrones on HBO. I guess I got through Season 4 before moving back to Korea fulltime and losing easy access to the show. I managed, for the most part, to avoid reading spoilers about the Season 8 finale, although I heard many fans of the show were disappointed. Anyway, given the amount of time that has passed I decided to rewatch the series from the beginning. I’ve successfully managed to download the first three seasons now and transfer them to a USB that I’ve plugged into my “smart” TV where I can enjoy the story in the relative comfort of my living room.

I got through nine episodes of the first season in a binge-watching marathon. I did consume a half-gallon of ice cream to fuel that effort. I was pleasantly surprised at just how much of the story I’d forgotten. Yeah, the big stuff like Ned Stark losing his head wasn’t a surprise but some of the details leading up to that event were “new” to my beer-sodden memory. I’d also forgotten how much T&A the show features, no complaints seeing that again!

Being stuck at home with decent entertainment is my only available option so you just accept it and enjoy as best you can. Still, it is good to be reminded that my inconvenience is a small sacrifice to make for the greater good of the community. Oh, wait a minute. Fifty days under “enhanced community quarantine” now, and a total of nine confirmed cases in Olongapo City. WTF?

Oh well. I posted this on Facebook yesterday:

And it resulted in this today:

Speaking of Scott, he captured me the other day in my “Candyman” role:

Oh, and I’m still cooking at home (like I have a choice these days). This pot roast may have been my best effort since the move to the Philippines. The meat was both tender and flavorful.

So, there’s the latest update on my so-called life. I know it could be worse and I know it will get better one of these days.

It’s been kind of interesting to watch many of my fellow Americans standing up for the freedoms the government, mostly at the state and local level, are trying to subvert. I expect that trend to continue as more and more people wake up to the fact that they’ve been scammed.

People are going hungry here in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the nonsense continues without apparent rhyme or reason. Today the Bureau of Immigration advised that foreigners who fail to abide by quarantine restrictions will be subject to deportation and banishment. The national government says the ban on alcohol sales has been lifted. The local governments continue to impose them. In fact, I was one day ahead of the ban imposed by Olongapo City yesterday (Barretto has been banning sales for weeks). I obviously am in no position to lead an uprising but at some point, the people need to stand up and say ENOUGH! Come election time I will certainly be reminding my Filipino friends just how idiotic and oppressive their local government “leaders” have proven themselves to be.

Nothing to be done but make the best of it. The total lockdown weekend thing is a dictate from the Olongapo City mayor (which includes Barretto). Next door in Subic town, no such restrictions have been imposed. So, guess where Scott and I hiked today?

It’s been a while since we ventured out that way, it’s in Subic’s jurisdiction, and relatively easily accessible without entering Barretto by going “the back way”.

And that’s all the photos I took today. Scott joined me at my house for chicken wings and beer after the hike, then he successfully snuck his way back home. I’m fixing to watch another pandemic movie tonight (12 Monkeys).

Sorry for the lack of diversity in my posts lately. This blog is mostly about my life and my life is pretty much being controlled by people who ain’t near smart enough for the job. It’s frustrating. Still, it could be worse. Glad I’m not blogging about getting sick. Or being deported.

Two more weeks of this. Yeah, right.

Well they finally came and told me they was a gonna set me free
And I’d be leavin’ town if I knew what was good for me
I said it’s nice to learn that everybody’s so concerned about my health
I said I won’t be leavin’ no more quicker than I can
Cause I’ve enjoyed about as much of this as I can stand
And I don’t need this town of yours more than I’ve never needed nothing else
Cause there’s still a lotta drinks that I ain’t drunk
Lots of pretty thoughts that I ain’t thunk, oh yeah
Lord there’s still so many lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds

A bacteria walked into a bar and the bartender said, ‘We don’t serve bacteria in this place.’ The bacteria said, ‘But I work here, I’m staph.’

Besides bad jokes? Not much. Although I actually did go grocery shopping in Olongapo this morning. Yeah, it’s freakin’ sad when that’s the highlight of your day. But it turns out it wasn’t the highlight. More on that later in this post. Anyway, I thought going on Tuesday after the long lockdown weekend would be a way to beat the crowds. I was wrong about that. Luckily for me, my driver was able to get me access to the store through the senior citizen’s line (I am one but don’t have the official ID). That saved me over an hour of waiting for sure.

I stocked up on the necessities I could find but in some cases, it was slim pickin’s. I was pleasantly surprised that the alcohol ban is not in effect in Olongapo City. So, the unavailability of beer in Barretto is just one more example of power-mad local officials exerting their “authority”.

Pretty strong rumors that the enhanced community quarantine will, in fact, be reduced to a general community quarantine come May 1. Stay tuned!

I guess this will pass for today’s “interesting” photograph. I saw a sign across the street from the grocery store and went to have a closer look:

The Big Hominid Kevin Kim is heading out to start another one of his famous long-ass walks. Wishing him good luck and success on his journey. Coincidentally, Facebook reminds me that it was just two years ago that I wore his butt out as we did a farewell hike on Namsan together.

Now, aren’t these pretty?

So, while I’m grocery shopping I got a message from Catherine, the Wet Spot dancer who lives nearby. She’s out of food (again) and wanted to “borrow” 1000 pesos. Well, borrow in Filipino parlance means “give”. I asked her if she would rather earn 3000 pesos. She liked that idea. Man oh man, I’d forgotten what a tight young 25-year-old body looks like unwrapped and how good it feels snuggled up next you. But enough about that.

I did rather enjoy this example of political correctness gone stupid. Or stupider I should say.

And speaking of the American way:

It’s awful hard to find a job
On one side the government,
the other the mob
Hey, hey ain’t that right
The workin’ man’s in
for a hell of a fight.

Oh, this country
sure looks good to me
But these fences are
comin’ apart at every nail.

Well, I’ve technically never been on a chain gang, but I did work at a car wash once (back in 1971 for $1.35 an hour) which is probably close to the same thing. Today found me (along with Scott and Jim) back on the trail after two days of being lazy abiding by the city-wide lockdown.

It was a tough hike on a very hot day. We climbed the big mountain then embarked on a quest to find a long lost way back down into the valley. Alas, we failed in that effort despite several attempts at locating the elusive path. We were stymied in part because the thatch grass hadn’t been burned as yet making visual sighting all but impossible. By the time we admitted defeat, I was very exhausted and still had the long walk back to Barretto ahead of me. Wound up going through all four of the water bottles I brought as well. Still, I finished with a mountainous 14K day and that ain’t too shabby for an old fart like me.

Anyway, it was a hard but a good day to be out and about again.

Oh, here’s how last night’s baby back ribs looked when they came out of the oven:

Still not sure about Kim Jung-Un’s status, but maybe it went down like this:

Speaking of the President, the press is still going nuts over what he said or didn’t say about treatments for the Wuhan virus. Not sure what’s next, but this seems plausible:

That’s all I’ve got for today. Peace out!

Day 2 of the total lockdown and I’m doing just fine thank you very much.

Well, you might say I’ve thrown in the towel. I was going to hike yesterday in defiance of the powers that be but had a change of heart. Instead, I’ve resolved to just be a lazy fuck like I was in the good ol’ days (that photo above is actually from several years ago, the cigarette should be a dead giveaway). Hell, I couldn’t even motivate myself to post some worthless drivel for my faithful readers here at LTG. Not to worry, I’ve got TWO days worth of worthlessness for you now.

Let me just regurgitate some of what I’ve seen and done to give you a taste of what life is like for this desperate soul. Hmm, using regurgitate and taste in the same sentence maybe wasn’t a good idea. Too lazy to change it now!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Zambales province is due for “reconsideration” of our quarantine status prior to April 30. This means we will either be extended under the “enhanced quarantine” guidelines through at least May 15 or be downgraded to “general quarantine” status. Under the general quarantine, some businesses may reopen (but not gathering places like bars and restaurants), some public transport will also be available. But here’s the kicker: under the general provisions, people over 60 years old and others deemed high risk will be confined to their homes. So, it actually gets WORSE for me when and if the quarantine is downgraded. Well, my story is going to be “I’m 55”. If they actually check, I’ll say I meant I was born in 1955. What a fuckin’ fiasco!

In my boredom yesterday I broke my rule and engaged in a little politics on Facebook. My liberal friends were all going crazy with that crap about Trump suggesting that people ingest disinfectant. Of course, that’s not at all what he said. So, I called a few of them out just to enjoy watching their heads explode. This was one of my tools:

I also saw this example of trolling the left:

Now, I don’t think what Trump said was wise, regardless of whether it was truly intended as sarcasm. It sounded more to me like he was just spitballing an idea–hey, if a disinfectant works externally couldn’t they come up with something for inside the body? It was in fact posed as a question and with the caveat that only doctors could decide if the idea was even feasible. But oh well. Last election I had to choose between a fool and a crook. Trump has generally been a pleasant surprise in his effectiveness. Now the best the Dems can offer in response is a senile Joe Biden? Actually, it is looking more and more like they are going to find a way to oust him. Those Tara Reade allegations might just do the trick. It will be interesting to see who the DNC might anoint in his place. Anyway, enough of politics!

I don’t do Twitter but I do do Twitchy (man, that phrasing makes me squirm a little). And this little clip from Australia thanking celebrities for their efforts during the virus crisis is funny as hell.

Yesterday’s TV fare included another pandemic themed movie: I Am Legend, starring Will Smith.

Set in New York City after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving Neville as the last human in New York, other than nocturnal mutants. Neville is immune to the virus and he works to develop a cure while defending himself against the hostile mutants.

I had heard of this one and maybe even seen it in whole or part, although I didn’t really remember enough to spoil the suspense. Honestly, a lot of the film seemed so over the top as to be unbelievable. But it filled a couple of hours at the relatively minor expense of $3.99 (fuck you again Amazon Prime). I think there is one more apocalyptic virus film I noticed during my scroll through the offerings. I might watch it today to keep with the lockdown theme.

After the movie was done, I fired up the grill.

The things you can inadvertently learn when you just want to get through the day. Take Kevin Kim’s post on Schrödinger’s fat–is Kim Jung-Un really dead? Maybe or maybe not. Or both. But I wanted to learn more about Schrödinger and his theory so I did a quick search. That pretty much made my head hurt–spoiler alert: the cat is both alive and dead. Still, I was glad to have educated myself some because it made this that much funnier:

So, I’m always on the lookout for symptoms. In that regard, I check my temperature twice a day. Oddly enough, I’m running a little cold it seems–usually less than 36C. But then I come to find out that two-thirds of those who test positive DON’T have a fever. Well, damn. A lot of the other virus symptoms are similar to the ones I have because of my COPD. So nothing to be done but keep on keeping on I suppose. I did a mostly in jest post on ten reasons why I won’t get the virus a few days back. One of those was my vaping habit would save me. Turns out, the French have done a study that appears to show that nicotine ingesters have a lower rate of infection. So, there’s that. On the other hand, I had speculated that my flatulence might keep the virus at bay. Now at least some studies say that you can actually pass the virus when you pass gas. Of course, who’s gonna be around long enough to get a whiff of what comes out of my ass?

Speaking of which, I never heard from Mary Jane Gamgam in response to my Facebook friend request. Oh well. But I did get accepted by Catherine, the SOB dancer I ran into the other day. Except as it turns out, the dancer is named Nica, not the girl I encountered on the street. Catherine also dances at Wet Spot (or used to I should say) and they could pass as sisters. Anyway, I chatted with her some, and we agreed to meet up. Our mutual friend Anna had told me Catherine has a Filipino boyfriend. So, I asked about that and Catherine denied it, saying the man who lives with her is her brother. Hmm. Well, that’s a big red flag. We are practically neighbors and the last thing I need is a jealous, angry, and possibly drunk Filipino guy coming after me. So, after thinking it over I decided not to bring her home. Instead, I brought her a bag of groceries (things I had around the house) and gave her 500 pesos. She seemed both grateful and a little disappointed (the gals usually get around 3000 pesos for going with a customer). Yeah, I was tempted but stayed strong and walked away. Kept my social distance as it were.

Things are getting more desperate for folks as this quarantine drags on and on. I have had several plaintive pleas for assistance from some Filipina acquaintances who claim to be hungry. So I’ve been spending my charity budget wiring money via Western Union to the ones I know well enough to trust. I also am doing a weekly monetary contribution to the work being done by the Baker’s Table owner. That group was actually in the squatter’s village outside my subdivision on Friday:

Are you as bored as I am yet? Good, now you know how it feels. I’ll leave you with this “interesting” photo from yesterday’s dog walk:

That’s about as interesting as it gets around here these days. Thanks for bearing with me!

UPDATE: Well, I’ll be damned. Almost exactly one year ago I used the Lazy Daze post title. I hate it when I do that but I’m too lazy to change it now.

“Blogging is not writing–it’s graffiti with punctuation.”

And in my case, bad punctuation at that.

So, about last night. The good news is that my wifi proved fast enough to watch shows available on Amazon Prime. And I was primed to watch Burn Notice. Alas, when I clicked on Season 1 I got a different kind of burn notice–“this program is not available for free viewing in your country”. Well, shit. I was further advised I was welcome to watch the first episode for $4.99 or the entire first season for $24.99. No thank you! So then I scrolled through the shows that are purportedly free here in the PI and they were mostly Amazon Prime original series. I just wasn’t feeling anything listed, so I went down to the movie category and grudgingly paid $3.99 to be entertained.

I settled on a film from 2011 called Contagion. Given the current circumstances that have me sitting in front of the TV instead of on a barstool, it seemed like a timely choice.

The plot concerns the spread of a virus transmitted by respiratory droplets and fomites, attempts by medical researchers and public health officials to identify and contain the disease, the loss of social order in a pandemic,^[2] and the introduction of a vaccine to halt its spread.

I’m not going to write a review, that’s the Big Hominid’s job (and yeah, I just did a quick search over there and apparently Contagion didn’t warrant his attention back then). I found the movie mostly entertaining and it was chilling watching the parts where the virus was being spread around the world. I thought some of the violent responses to the quarantine rules, including looting and robbery, were a bit over the top. And of course, the portrayal of the WHO and CDC as competent organizations was unbelievable in light of our current real-world situation. I got a good laugh when an “independent journalist” attempted to interview one of the CDC experts. The quote I used at the beginning of this post was the CDC official’s response to the would-be interviewer’s claims to be a writer. I actually had to rewind the movie so I could see that part again and get the quote right.

Anyway, no spoilers other than this: The virus originated from a bat in China. Who says life doesn’t imitate art?

Back here in the real world, I woke up to this:

I’m on the cusp of the total lockdown weekend, but hopefully, I have plentiful supplies of necessities like beer. Oh, and food too. In that regard, I incorporated some shopping on my morning walk.

The “interesting” photo from my morning stroll was this roadside graffiti:

Later on today I’m going to go visit my friend on his rooftop to partake in some pre-curfew/lockdown beers. And in case any of my readers may be concerned that I’m developing a drinking problem–I took a test to find out:

That’s about it for now. I do find the hypocrisy of the left a good source of amusement. I’m loving the whole “me too” dilemma with Biden. And I smiled when I saw this today:

And life goes on.

Not like I have a choice. Waiting to hear what the President has to say tonight about the future. Most people are predicting another month of this bullshit. Anyway, at least I’m not hungry, unlike over 13 million Filipinos because of government ineptitude during the pandemic.

Speaking of which, I didn’t get a response from either Mary Jane Gamgam or Christine (the dancer) to my Facebook friend requests. A little disappointing I admit. I can imagine them seeing my name pop up and them shaking their heads saying “I’m not THAT hungry yet!”. Ah well.

Besides, there’s always beer. It’s never broken my heart!

On my morning walkabout, I saw the Barangay folks were out in force doing some food distribution. Well, technically it was rice. But they were giving out 25kgs bags of it, so that’s a good thing.

So, with the total lockdown weekend on the horizon, I decided stocking up was a good afternoon activity.

So, that’s been my day thus far. The Internet is really slow, probably an overtaxed network. It makes me wonder if I’m going to be able to start watching Burn Notice tonight. We’ll see. Or maybe we won’t.

Facebook reminded me of an old profile picture I used in the past:

As always, it’s my pleasure. Thanks for reading!

So, here I am blogging at 4:00 p.m. Normally, I’d be violating quarantine right now by enjoying a cold beer in a bar venue. That option is no longer available and so I’ll do this post from home with a beer by my side for moral support. Ah, cold and wet goodness!

Yesterday I was discouraged in my quest to purchase beer in the stores and markets. Barretto is pretty much sold out of everything. So, on a whim, I messaged a bar owner friend and asked if he had any in stock he’d sell me. He invited me over to sit on the rooftop (he lives above the bar) and discuss the details of the transaction. And of course, we did our business while enjoying some cold brews. And when I left, I took these with me:

Well, I had to call my driver to ferry me home with the load. I should be good to go at least through the scheduled end of the quarantine on April 30. President Duterte is supposed to announce his decision tomorrow on what happens after that. Stay tuned.

I did have something interesting happen on my walk back to the house. Right outside the squatter village near my subdivision I ran into a bargirl I recognized. She knew me as well. Although I don’t recall her name. We exchanged greetings and I asked her how things were going. She responded she had no work and no food. I told her I knew things were really tough right now. In typical bargirl fashion, she asked me if I wanted to help her. I answered as any horny male would “maybe we can help each other”. She smiled and said Anna (a mutual friend) knows my Facebook and then we parted. Regular readers may recognize her from an earlier post featuring her as an SOB contest participant.

What else? Well, this appeared in my Facebook feed and gave me a chuckle:

And finally, in the “I told you so” category, there’s this:

Damn, service in this place sucks. Looks like I’m gonna have to get up and get my own beer. Oh well.

I was going to buy a book on phobias, but I was afraid it wouldn’t help me.

Well, it’s back to “normal” around here, whatever the hell that is. Got my morning steps in without incident, lots of other folks out and about also doing whatever essential activities that would justify an exception to quarantine.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to rant and rave about the ridiculous restrictions I’m forced to live under. What can I say that I haven’t already said pretty much every day for the past three weeks? Yeah, I’m tired of hearing about it too. You’d think if I were going to get the Wuhan virus I’d have it by now, right? I’ve come up with ten reasons why I’m probably safe:

• The heat. That virus gets exposed to our hot weather and says “fuck this, I’m outta here!
• Vitamin D. I’m out soaking up that sun so much I’d drown any intruding virus in my healthy habits.
• O+ blood. I read somewhere on the internet that my blood type is naturally resistant to virus infection.
• Rabies vaccination. Hey, I recently got the vaccine for the rabies virus and rabies has killed a lot more people than COVID-19 ever did!
• Vaping. Since the virus attacks the respiratory system and my lungs are always filled with vapor, there’s no room to take hold.
• Flatulence. I’m a gassy old fart and I’m pretty sure the virus wouldn’t want to get anywhere near me.
• Beer consumption. Anything that gets in my bloodstream is gonna be too drunk to do any damage.
• Curfew. I’m home every day by 6 p.m. as required. The virus would be bored to death if it infected me.
• Blind luck. I’ve been lucky at just about everything except love. Why stop now?

On a more serious note, people smarter than me (shuddup!) at the University of the Philippines are looking into the way ahead, specifically, as it relates to where do we go come April 30 when the current quarantine restrictions are set to end.

Successful as it may seem, an ECQ [Enhanced Community Quarantine] covering a wide area may not be sustainable over the long run. Prolonged restriction on the movement of goods and services over a large area (i.e. region-wide) can unnecessarily paralyze local economies. In light of this reality, our best recourse after April 30 is to implement graduated activation of ECQ depending on the level of risk in certain areas at a given time. Under this set-up, provinces (or even lower-level LGUs) may be put under ECQ depending on how close or far they are to an estimated outbreak threshold. 

And the accompanying exhibit was good news (at least for now) for us folks here in Olongapo:

Is that the light of hope I can see on the horizon? Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I will continue to put my best foot forward.

Now I just need to get through the next ten days anyway I can.

Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe
I don’t know about anyone but me
If it takes all night, that’ll be all right
If I can get you to smile before I leave

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
Look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too
Running on, running on empty
Running on, running blind
Running on, running into the sun
But I’m running behind

Today is the first “disinfecting” day and all businesses except pharmacies were required to close. The reality though is that this is just another bullshit excuse lock people inside their houses. I seriously doubt that anything has been cleaned in such a way as to deter the Wuhan virus. I’d prefer they just be honest about it. Anyway, the upshot is that I figured I’d do my morning walk as usual. But as I was leaving my subdivision on one of the trails through the squatter village, the locals came out and dissuaded me. Apparently the barangay is taking folks into custody for being out on the street. I had carried one of my prescription bottles with me as an alibi, but giving the stridency of the neighbor’s warnings, I said “fuck it”, turned around, and stayed home.

Yeah, I could have safely walked in the neighborhood I suppose, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I learned how to use my “smart TV”, which given my struggles is seemingly smarter than me. So, I have Amazon Prime but a lot of the content is not available in the Philippines, at least for free. I wound up paying $3.99 to watch a film called No Escape. It filled a couple of hours but I wouldn’t want to see it again. I am in my own “no escape” situaton, although the locals are not trying to kill me (yet). The funny thing is today was the first time I’ve even sat down in front of my television for well over a year.

While I was at it I also rewatched one of my Korean favorites My Sassy Girl. I enjoyed that again for free on YouTube.

Otherwise, I just took a nap, cooked up some pulled pork in the crockpot, and drank beer at home. Tomorrow we’ll be back to the normal enhanced quarantine rules which will permit me to get out of the house. Looking forward to that!

Anyway, I’ll be glad when someone finally calls an end to this charade. Not holding my breath though. I’d love to find something to relieve the stress in the meantime.

Alright, I usually blog BEFORE consuming my beers. I’m about at my limit now, so I apologize if this meandering is worse than usual. Tomorrow’s another day, I’ll try and do better!