It’s odd the things in life you remember. I took a typing class in high school, and the sentence in today’s post title contains every letter in the English alphabet. We used it to practice our keyboarding skills (it wasn’t called that back then, though).

I won’t say that things were completely off-key, but yesterday was not as rhythmic as most of my Tuesdays. There was a rainbow at the end of the day, so you take the bad with the good and count your blessings.

Shopping as usual was the first order of business, but on the way to YBC supermarket, we stopped by the computer repair shop. The parts to repair my computer keyboard have STILL not arrived. I sarcastically asked if they were being shipped from Mars, and the repair guy responded, “China.” I’m starting to wonder if I’m being scammed (I’ve already paid 2000 pesos for the parts), but I’ll give it another week before demanding a refund.

No surprises or issues at YBC or Royal, so the cupboards are stocked for another week.

With the grocery shopping completed, I asked my driver to take me to the nearby Harbor Point Mall. I just couldn’t bear another week trying to blog without the letters z, x, c, and v. I never realized how frequently those letters appear in words I routinely use. So, I headed upstairs to an electronics shop in search of a portable keyboard.

I still want my laptop fixed. This new keyboard is a temporary solution and is far from ideal. The layout is different; the keys are smaller and not lighted, making it hard to use in the dark mornings while Swan sleeps. Still, it is Very niCe Having Zero holes left in the words I use.

Exciting shit, eh? But wait, there’s more! When beer o’clock rolled around, it was time for Swan to enjoy some toes in the sand on Baloy Beach.

And shortly after boarding the floater, we saw this on the horizon:

And then we got hit by a rain squall like I’ve never experienced when visiting a floating bar.

Into each life, some rain must fall!

The storm passed soon enough, but the clouds dashed our plans to watch the sunset.

Home a little earlier than usual, but that’s okay. Some internet time, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, then off to bed for this old-timer.

Sometimes, a walk down memory lane can be a walk in the park. Like that time almost twenty years ago when I discovered Yeouido for the first time.

Hmm, I think I know what tonight’s “seldom visited bar” will be.

Here’s more of what makes heads explode on Facebook:

Alright, onward to today’s YouTube video. I don’t view this vlogger often, but the gal he interviews is articulate and full of good advice. It was an enjoyable watch. And by the way, I’m not the “John” that gets mentioned.

To the humor, we shall go:

Life is good, and I’m not bored or feeling the need to change the way things are. Perhaps that’s a vestige of old age, but I’ve come a long way to reach this stage of my life, and I want to enjoy it. One aspect I want to incorporate more of is travel. Swan is big time into that, and we will do a get-out-of-town once-a-month routine to ensure a periodic change of scenery. And something new to blog about!

I survived another wet and wild Sunday. But at least this time, the venue and entertainment were different. I’ll get to that, but first things first, and the first thing was the Candy Walk.

Let’s try another video from a street along the way.

Sorry for the abrupt ending. I thought I had just paused the video, but when I tried to restart it, it had shut down.

Swan told me she was making payments on a lot in San Isidro, so I asked to see it.

I intend to help Swan build a small, simple house on her lot. I have thirty years on her, and when I go, at least I’ll know she has a place to stay.

And now for the different part of my Sunday. Every year, the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars holds its big fundraising event, the Beach Bash. It’s a weekend extravaganza culminating in the Miss Beach Bash beauty pageant on Sunday evening. This year, we were on the beach at the Outback Resort.

I made a video of each gal’s introductory walkabout. Feel free to speed through the twelve minutes at triple speed.

The event offered beer cards–450 pesos for six beers. I bought two cards, which might explain some of the commentaries in the video above.

Here are a few shots from the swimwear competition:

So, the pageant kept me out until the ungodly hour of 9:30 p.m. When we got back home, the vanilla ice cream in the freezer wouldn’t stop calling my name. Turns out, the only way to shut it up was to eat it. And so I did.

Today’s episode in The Story of My Life is from my “friends with benefits” chapter. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but looking back is almost painful. Until I happened upon this post from 2020, I’d forgotten all about this Mary (there was another that came after her). I have no idea what happened to this one; she just disappeared when I stopped funding her. Who is using who in this type of situation remains an unanswered question. Mary was a starfish in bed, and I learned later that a lot of what she had told me (i.e., I was her first foreigner) was bola bola (bullshit).

I haven’t posted the political memes here that I share on Facebook in a while, but these achieved the goal of triggering my lefty friends:

Alright, enough of that nonsense. Today on YouTube, we go back in time to a Manila I might have actually enjoyed.

The joke is on me:

And there you have the story of my Sunday. Today is Hash Monday, so a new hiking adventure awaits! And hopefully, tomorrow, I’ll be getting my laptop repaired. See you then!

The day before today begins with “yes,” and I can affirm it was a good one, no doubts about it.

The first thing on yesterday’s agenda was the Wednesday Walkers group hike. We had something special planned: the rare journey to Tibag to start our hike. I asked my driver to take us there, but the turnout exceeded his vehicle’s capacity. Unbeknownst to me, Swan recruited a random van driver parked at the 7-Eleven to take us, and he agreed to do so for the same 1000 pesos I was prepared to pay my driver. So, that was a relief.

Here’s a six-minute video clip from this portion of the hike:

After the hike, we went back home for some rest and refreshment. Then, it was back into town to take care of some business. First up was finding a way to get that power of attorney shipped back to South Carolina. The LBC Express agent told me they could get it there in five to seven days. Good enough. They lightened my wallet 3000 pesos worth, I filled out the required info, and they placed the POA in an envelope for shipping. As this was going on, some workers were removing furniture from the back room and loading it on a truck. Seeing that was a little disconcerting, so I asked what was happening. The agent said they were closing the Barretto location and moving the business to Subic. Damn, okay. I hope they send my shipment first.

My next order of business was visiting my dentist, Dr. Barrera. My crown fell off while I was flossing a couple of weeks ago, and I needed it reattached. Dr. Barrera got it done, and I left his office feeling like a king again. (Does the title of this post make sense now?)

I was advised to not eat for an hour, but I clarified that liquids were okay to consume, and it just so happened to be beer o’clock. So, it being Wednesday, we headed up the highway in search of the venue for this week’s “seldom visited bar.” I had in mind Mugshots, but they are currently closed for renovation. We got invited inside for a looksee, and a dance stage is under construction. Just what we need, another go-go bar. We continued down the road and as we passed Annex Bar, saw my neighbor and high school mate, Mike, enjoying a beer, so we went in and joined him.

I hadn’t been to Annex for several months because they did not have wine available for Swan on my previous visit. They did yesterday, and so we were able to sit and enjoy some camaraderie with our tablemates. I’m happy to be able to add Annex back to my list of pleasant open-air venues to visit.

We debated between Sit-n-Bull for dinner or another round of drinks at Cheap Charlies and ultimately decided on the latter. The place was busy, and after we ordered, the bartender came back and said they were out of wine, but she had sent someone to fetch a bottle from the store across the street. Well done! That’s how you keep your customers satisfied.

Downstairs from Cheap Charlies is a restaurant named Foodies. They deliver upstairs, so I asked for a menu. Swan ordered a chicken burger, and I went with the beef stew. Feeling generous, I ordered some chicken fingers for the staff.

After we had finished our meals and were preparing to leave, I saw something on the horizon out of the corner of my eye.

We had our nightcap at Wet Spot. I had a nice chat with manager Brett and discovered that he also grew up in Southern California and that we had experienced similar youthful adventures as teenagers in Ensenada, Mexico. I can’t remember the last time I even thought about those wild days, but it was nice to reminisce. I couldn’t recall the name of the bar that was popular there, and neither could Brett, but he thought it began with an “H.” And then it hit me: Hussong’s Cantina! And I’ll be damned; they even have a Wikipedia page. It turns out that the bar was founded in 1892, and it is where the margarita was invented.

Man, oh man, I sure hope my dream of a heaven where I spend an eternity reliving my life comes true. If so, I’ll definitely be going back to Hussong’s.

Home early and safe as usual, but I did screw things up:

No Facebook memories worthy of sharing today, but I came across this blog post from March 2005 that made me smile:

I am in an embarassing slump. I find nothing of interest in my world to report and nothing of interest in the world in general, or at least nothing that inspires me to write.

I know this too shall pass.

My how things have changed! Now, I post every day regardless of whether or not it is interesting. So, is something always better than nothing?

Here’s some random shit I found on the internet today:

Stickman Bangkok shared a post he wrote in 2011 about a bargirl he met in Pattaya.

Today’s YouTube video discusses ways to adapt to and become more in tune with Filipino culture. I’m probably 50% on board so far.

Ready for some humor?

Today, I’ve been doing the Tuesday I missed because of my Manila detour. I’ll fill you in on that tomorrow.

It isn’t even nice to visit, which is why I’ve managed to avoid Manila for the last two years or more. The traffic, the grime and grit, and a big city vibe that I don’t find pleasant are more than enough to keep me away. Sure, there are nice places like Makati, but even there, you can’t escape the gridlock and crowds. But Manila is home to the US Embassy, and I had business to attend to there, so off I went.

My appointment for notary service was at 1:30. I arrived a little after eleven, had my phone and Fitbit confiscated at security, and took a seat in an outdoor waiting area. I got to chatting with another expat also there for notarization who lives out near Boracay. He was a friendly guy and agreed to be one of the witnesses required for my notarized signature. He kept trying to veer the conversation towards politics, but I didn’t take the bait. He was one of the anti-DOGE crowd and clearly indoctrinated in the lefty worldview. Still, talking helped pass the time until 1 p.m., when we were invited to enter the building and continue waiting there. Still, when my turn came, things went relatively smoothly. A notary service was fifty bucks a shot, and I had two POAs notarized, just to be on the safe side in case the one I mail back to the States gets lost. My driver charged 6500 pesos for the round trip drive, but given that he spent a full day in my service, that seems like a fair price. I got what I came for and made it home safe and sound, so that’s a win. Now, I just need to get the Power of Attorney back to my daughter. The service I tried this morning doesn’t do international shipments. I’ll try another this afternoon, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll go into Olongapo and try to find a FedEx.

So, we left home around 8 a.m. and got back at 6:30. I just stayed home last night and had zero Zeros.

Facebook memories from this date in history:

Today’s YouTube video might be AI-narrated, but the images are nice, and the descriptions seem accurate. Despite my frequent criticisms, there is much to love and enjoy here in the PI. It is just easier for me to live in a place like Barretto.

Hmm, it won’t let me embed for some reason. Watch it here if you so desire.

As a bonus, here is a video about the good and bad of Manila. It may be AI-generated, too; I’m not sure, but the content seems consistent with reality.

Humor time:

Anyway, that’s how I spent my Tuesday this week. Of course, the things I usually do on Tuesday weren’t done, so I’ll have to fill in those gaps as best I can as the week goes on.

I made some ill-advised prediction that Monday’s Hash trail could not compare with what I experienced in La Union on Saturday, despite Leech My Nugget’s reputation as one of the toughest Hares in Subic. Well, Leech’s trail wasn’t as long and high as the La Union adventure, but it was an ass-kicker regardless. And to make matters worse, a small group of us made an ill-fated attempt to shortcut that proved more difficult than if we had just suffered through the remainder of the Hare’s trail. For me, the worst part were the ground-level vines that were constantly trying to trip me up. I stumbled several times, but never fell. Hey, shit happens, and you just have to deal. You can always whine about it later on your blog.

I’m tired after my journey to Manila today (I will report on that adventure tomorrow), so I’ll let the Hash photos do most of the talking:

I made a two-minute video to celebrate successfully completing the trail.

My cadre didn’t finish until two and a half hours after we started. So, the Circle commenced before I had finished my first beer!

My stats upon completion of the trail:

After the Hash, we triked out to It Doesn’t Matter for some more comradery. And I was fine after ten Zero’s for the day.

Here’s another installment from The Story of My Life recounting how I spent a day off work in the early days of my Korea adventure.

From Facebook memories comes the reminder that this wasn’t the first time I was a victim of Leech My Nuggets trail setting:

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never watched previously, but he tells the story of a foreigner being arrested for being in the company of an unrelated minor. It doesn’t matter if she is your girlfriend’s child or not; without blood or adopted relationship, you are technically in violation of the law, and you can be jailed for what is deemed a non-bailable offense. Some readers may recall that when I first moved into this house with Swan, I told her that her teenage sister could not remain living here. She briefly stayed in one of the basement maid’s rooms, with the understanding that she was not allowed upstairs unless Swan was present. The sister has now departed the basement as well, which is for the best. My number one priority is NEVER to see the inside of a Filipino jail.

Stuff that might be considered funny:

And there you have, the almost unheard of two posts in one day here at LTG. You are welcome! Or maybe I should say I’m sorry. One of those.

As promised, here is the story of Saturday’s Hash in La Union. BLUF, it is the most arduous Hash trail I recall participating in. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience because I have no intention of ever going up that way again. The issue for us old fuckers (there were several who finished long after I did) was a massive climb, one that made the Kalaklan Ridge I also bitch about seem like a foothill by comparison. How high did I go? Well, there seems to be a lack of clarity in that regard. Someone on the La Union Hash Facebook page said 475 meters. My fellow Subic Hasher, Pubic Head (who didn’t participate), sent me a Google Earth map saying it was only 350 meters. My tracker shows I climbed over 500 meters. The part of Kalaklan we climb is 220 meters. Whatever the altitude, it kicked my ass.

Well, either way, my heart rate climbed a mountain, too.

I’ve got a ton of photos, many of them stolen from the La Union Hash Facebook page, so I’ll tell the rest of the story with visual aids:

Swan did a three-minute video along the way that I’ll share here because this is one of the portions of the trail it features.

Onward we go!

I posted this minute long view from the top yesterday, but if you missed it, here you go again:

We did a ridgeline walk with the usual ups and downs that come with that, and then finally reached the split for the medium trail.

Pubic Head sent me a photo from 2008 when he Hashed in this area with the La Union folks.

Cold beers awaited our return. The Jeepneys loaded up the folks that had arrived ahead of us, but we stuck around for the remaining stragglers who finished thirty minutes or so after we did. La Union Hash uses “sweepers” who make sure everyone makes it back before the final Jeepney departs. We took the last Jeep back for the 45-minute ride to the On-Home venue, Tropical Garden Resort in Bauang.

But wait, the fun wasn’t over yet. We still had a Hash Circle to attend to.

La Union doesn’t do the sitting on ice thing. Instead, they have a “bucket brigade” that douses those charged with an alleged violation in a cascade of water. I can report firsthand that ice is nicer than water. Swan and I got called into the circle for the “crime” of being too cuddly together.

After the circle, we enjoyed a food buffet that came with the price of admission, then had a trike called to transport us back to our hotel. I brought a bag of cookies for the Go Resort bar staff to apologize for my drunken behavior the night before. I was feeling no pain after the Hash on Saturday but didn’t do anything stupid like the night before.

Interestingly, Facebook memories reminded me that on this day seven years ago, I climbed another mountain.

We haven’t checked in with Reekay for a while, and his latest YouTube video delves into some dating issues one might encounter with a Filipina. Honestly, this seems like common sense advice, and it’s universal in all relationships, not just in the Philippines.

Some smiles before I go:

Okay, it is Monday afternoon and that means I have yet another Hash to attend. Even though Leech my Nuggets is a Hare known for his challenging trails, I don’t expect he can top Saturday’s La Union adventure. Only one way to find out!

I’ll be leaving Bauang for Barretto soon. Here’s a quick post before I go.

I’ll write about yesterday’s Hash run tomorrow. Here’s a one-minute teaser:

Here’s some views from the GO Resort:

And for lunch yesterday, I ordered off the Filipino food list:

And my room comes with a complimentary breakfast.

First time trying a Filipino breakfast dish and I’m happy to report that I liked it.

I will continue the food adventure periodically, but so far, so good.

Speaking of food:

Ten years ago, I was enjoying the snowy view from my stool at Shenanigans, my favorite bar in Itaewon.

Today’s YouTube video talks about the robbery and murder of an expat at an ATM. Yes, situational awareness is always important, but thankfully, this kind of event is pretty rare here. I feel safer from crime in the Philippines than I would in the USA. The background in the video, where the vlogger is driving to the gym, is also a good reminder that the roads here are perhaps the most dangerous aspect of living in the PI.

Humor me this:

I’m outta here for now, but next time I’ll share the photos from the Hash that tried, but didn’t kill me.

Sorry, but I had my pork pulled. Here’s how that worked out for me:

It being Sunday and all, we did our usual Candy Walk. Here’s a five-minute video of a portion of our route:

Commenter Kevin offered some great suggestions on how to improve the quality of my videos. So, this is a before version, and hopefully, things will get better going forward.

A couple of other photos from the Candy Walk:

Next up on my Sunday agenda was feeding the girls at Hideaway.

With my feeding duty accomplished, it was time for a change of scenery. Off to the beach! Here’s a five-minute video detailing that journey:

Swan arrived a few minutes after me and we enjoyed our time together rockin’ on the water.

Having gotten what we came for on the floater, it was time to head to John’s place for dinner.

We made The Green Room our nightcap destination. Some controversy arose when the waitress didn’t want to let me use an SOB coupon in the manner I intended.

So, I bought the requisite lady drink and asked for a red wine and a Zero beer for my two customer drinks. The waitress claimed I was not permitted to give Swan the wine–I had to consume both drinks. I asked her where it said that on the coupon, and she argued that only one customer could use it. I pointed out that the coupon does not state any such limitation, and I could do whatever I wanted with my two drinks. She called the manager over; he looked at the coupon, shrugged, and said my interpretation was fine. No big deal, of course, but I still don’t understand the waitress’s logic.

Home again at the appointed hour, but with no new “Squid Game” episodes to watch, I ate my sugar-free pudding in front of the laptop, then did that thing where I lay on the bed and close my eyes for a few hours.

And now, for a confession. I cheated. And it was Swan’s fault. During the lunch hour, Swan went into town and took her young nieces to eat at McDonald’s. When she returned, she handed me one of these:

Well, damn, if I’m going to eat an apple pie, by golly, I’m going to enjoy it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

Groundhog Day is also the day my baby brother was born.

I make an effort to avoid duplicating post titles, which is sometimes tricky after over twenty years of blogging. When I did a title search for this post, I came across an entry from April 30, 2020, entitled “Groundhog Day.” This was during the early days of the COVID lockdown madness, and the post brings back memories of those hellish times. The other shocking thing is that Scott and I managed a 12K walk like it was nothing. Damn, where does the time go?

Facebook took me back seven years to my mountain-climbing days in Korea:

In today’s YouTube video, Filipina Pea talks about the ways in which you are liable to die here in the Philippines. Naturally, she starts off with cobra bites, which are most prominent in Northern Luzon, which also happens to be where I live. Fuck the year of the snake! Anyway, my huffing, puffing, and coughing out to scare them off before I get close. And I’m usually at the back of the pack anyway. Most of the other things she mentions don’t sound as dangerous as crossing the National Highway. When my time comes, I hope to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather did–unlike the screaming passengers in his car.

Ready for a smile?

Alright, I’m sure you’ve had enough of this by now. It’s Hash Monday, but I have elected not to do the trail laid by the Hare, Vienna Sausage. I don’t usually like his trails anyway, and this one starts a few clicks out of town, so fuck that. I’ve got my own trail plotted, and Swan and a couple of other folks are slated to join me. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Maybe I’m overdue listening to this song, so here goes:

Days come and go with their ups and downs, and you see what you saw, then the day is over and never seen again. It reminds me of the blind construction worker who picked up a hammer and saw. Here’s a look at what I’m talking about:

As always, the first time I left the house was to walk the dogs. For some reason, this caught my eye:

Now, I imagine most people would react with a form of curiosity as to why it was there. I turned to Swan and asked, “Would you rather dig a hole or climb up on a roof?” She preferred the hole, and I told her I’d take the latter. Yep, that’s just the way I see things.

Later, in the dog walk we passed the latest (completed) house in our subdivision.

Back home, and Swan prepared my breakfast:

Then it was time to head out for the Friday group hike.

Once I was back home, I stayed there. At beer o’clock, I went upstairs and visited The Rite Spot On The Roof.

Daylight was gone, but we weren’t done. Downstairs, dinner awaited.

With my belly full, I moved to the couch, fired up Netflix, and began watching my first episode of “Squid Game.” I knew it was a Korean drama but didn’t know what to expect beyond that. I was pleasantly surprised that it was dubbed in English, so I didn’t have to strain my eyes reading subtitles. The end of Episode One was surprising, and it will be interesting to see where things go from here. Yeah, I wasn’t in the mood to binge-watch last night, but I will try and see at least one episode every day.

Staying home has its benefits. I didn’t spend any money, drank only four beers, and had one of my best days overall in terms of calories.

I also had my weekly weigh-in:

• Yesterday: 234.8
• Last week: 235.5
• November 1: 267.1
• Total loss: 32.3 pounds

Slow but steady progress.

One commenter suggested I periodically share what I’ve learned in Tagalog. I don’t have much to say about that. *ahem* But, there is this:

Shorter version: FAFO.

Is it still a memory if you don’t remember it?

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger argues that the Philippines isn’t as poor as it appears to be. Of course, the people with money are a small percentage of the population, but there is money to be had if you know the right people. My observation is that while most Filipinos I’ve encountered are hard-working, there is a lack of opportunity to find jobs that pay well in this economy. That’s why OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) are the nation’s biggest export. I read somewhere that Filipino nurses have the highest percentage in US hospitals.

Humor me this:

It’s a back-to-the-grind Saturday. Swan promised our friend Beth we’d stop by Wet Spot later (it’s a girl thing; I wouldn’t understand). They don’t open until six, so we’ll start somewhere else and take it from there.

Los Angeles is my city of birth, and I’ve been saddened to see the recent devastation. That it was self-inflicted by ignorant politicians not taking the basic steps needed to prevent wildfires (or keep water in fire hydrants) doesn’t make it less painful to see. They keep electing these idiots, so I guess you could say the voters fucked themselves. I left in 1978 because I didn’t want to raise my kids there, and it has gotten infinitely worse since then. Watching the news brought to mind this Neil Young song from fifty years ago:

In a matter of time,
There'll be a friend of mine
Gonna come to the coast,
You're gonna see him
Up close for a minute or two
While the ground cracks under you.

By the look in your eyes
You'd think that it was a surprise
But you seem to forget
Something somebody said
About the bubbles in the sea
And an ocean full of trees.

And you now, L.A.
Uptight,
city in the smog,
city in the smog.
Don't you wish that
you could be here too?
Don't you wish that
you could be here too?
Don't you wish that
you could be here too?

Well, it's hard to believe
So you get up to leave
And you laugh at the door
That you heard it all before
Oh it's so good to know
That it's all just a show for you.

But when the suppers are planned
And the freeways are crammed
And the mountains erupt
And the valley is sucked
Into cracks in the earth
Will I finally be heard by you.

L.A.
Uptight,
city in the smog,
city in the smog.
Don't you wish that
you could be here too?
Don't you wish that
you could be here too?
Don't you wish that
you could be here too?

Yesterday was the big feeding event for the Aeta village in Alibang. One hundred and fifty families left with more than they came with. Perhaps gifting food doesn’t change any lives for the better in the long term, but it helps fill some stomachs and makes life easier, if only for a day or two. Our help was sincerely appreciated by those on the receiving end of the gifts made possible by participating Hash members and others who contributed to this outreach effort’s success. The happy faces of the recipients made my share of the investment worth every peso. There is truth to the saying that it is more blessed to give than receive. I guess even the Bible accepts that my kind of selfish generosity is still worthy. Now I can proceed with living rich in a poor country almost guilt-free!

The barangay rep sent us this short video capturing some of the highlights of the event. I can’t embed it here, but hopefully you can watch it at the link above if you so desire.

UPDATE: A shout out to Kevin Kim for the tutorial on how to make my own YouTube link:

The hike portion of the morning was also enjoyable. We did a riverside trail as far as we could take it toward the Tibag community, then crossed the river and walked the road the rest of the way there. The roundtrip back to Alibang was almost 8K total. Here are some highlights:

There was supposed to be a nipa hut available for our after-hike use, but somehow, that didn’t happen. Instead, we were directed to the riverside under “the bridge to nowhere” for our picnic. The boys enjoyed grilled sausages and beer; the gals had Filipino-style spaghetti with wine and soju. It was rugged and had a camping-out vibe, but we made the best of it.

When the picnic was over, and it was time to depart, my fellow hikers declared that we would conclude the day’s celebration with a final stop at It Doesn’t Matter. Who am I to argue with the majority? Even Swan was on their side. So, we sent my driver and helper, Teri, back to my house to drop off the ice chests, and the rest of us rode with the barangay vehicle to our destination in Barretto. People kept buying rounds of beer, and on top of the ones I had enjoyed at the picnic, I was close to being over my limit. I finally told Swan we needed to go, and she concurred. We took an overdue nap upon arrival, and I awoke a little after 6 pm and got to work on yesterday’s belated blog post. Being home was a nice way to end the day.

It’s been a bad week for goal attainment. IDM invited us to their staff party on Baloy Beach this afternoon, so God only knows what’s in store for me there.

A couple of memories to share today:

And here is a timely reminder:

Today’s YouTube video is a clip I first posted on Facebook twelve years ago. It still seems funny to me.

To the humor we must go:

Alright, time to get ready for the party. As usual, I’ll bring some brownies as my contribution. And we’ll have something for the girls to suck on, too. Maybe things will be back to normal around here tomorrow. Time will tell.

And all my problems were far away as well. With nothing to complain about, let me just tell you about my day.

We decided to do a walk to check out Alibang, the Aeta village where we will do the charity feeding this coming Friday. Our neighbor Vina asked to join us, so we made it a threesome.

We are all looking forward to Friday’s adventure in Alibang.

I attended the birthday gathering at Ricky and Heidi’s place here in Alta Vista. I’ve been to their house before; it is the best one I’ve seen in our neighborhood. The party was on their rooftop, and I loved being up there. Swan drove her cart with me in the backseat, but when we hit the last hill to Ricky’s, the gravity proved too much for our underpowered vehicle. I got out, and miraculously, the cart scooted on up to the top without a problem. Funny how that works. I drove home after the party, and going downhill wasn’t an issue, except when I applied the brakes, the back wheels would lock in a skid. That was a bit disconcerting. I don’t think the cart is safe to drive outside of the neighborhood.

There was a smorgasbord of offerings for the guests. I tried to be prudent and avoid the obvious high-calorie/carb selections, but some of it was just too good to resist. And then I blew it when I got back home and had two servings of pudding instead of the usual one.

Facebook reminds me that twelve years ago, I was having a grand time in Osaka, Japan.

I came across a post from a little over six years ago while coming up with today’s title. In that one, I talked about a hike to SBMA and even wrote some song lyrics to the tune of Yesterday. What was most interesting to me was the part where I mentioned inviting Marissa to join me for dinner at home, which was my first time taking her out of the bar. A girl I had been crushing on saw us walking down the street and apparently wasn’t pleased about it—one of my first tastes of small-town drama here in Barretto.

Yesterday, I took a walk so far away.
All the way to the SBMA.
Oh, I walked so far yesterday.

Suddenly, I was on the beach along the sea.
I have no idea what came over me.
Oh, yesterday I walked along the sea.

Why did I have to go?
I don’t know, at home I couldn’t stay.
I still need to lose those pounds
So I took a long walk yesterday.

Yesterday, I took a hike out to Subic Bay.
Dodging buses, trikes and jeeps along the way.
Oh, but I survived it yesterday.

(with apologies to Lennon/McCartney)

Hey, I didn’t say I had any talent as a songwriter…

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I did not regularly view, and I won’t be in the future because he died earlier in the week. So, here’s to his memory. Ironically, his subject was “What’s Killing Foreigners in the Philippines.” Rest in Peace, Mark.

Well, shit. Apparently his channel doesn’t allow uploading. Here’s the embed.

And here’s a tribute to Mark from another vlogger.

I guess some humor is in order to lighten things up.

It’s Sunday, and that means a Hideaway feeding is next on my agenda. After that, I’ll join Swan to welcome back the Arizona floating bar. When I told her we were going there later, she got so excited. She said she’d be there at 4:30. I told her I wouldn’t arrive until 5:00, and she shrugged and said, I’ll save you a seat. We’ll do our dinner at John’s place once we are done with our time on the water. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

And what a time it was. Sunday rolled around once more and was full of the usual Sunday things. The Candy Walk resumed after a one-week hiatus, and the children all seemed happy to see us again. I’m one of the Hares along with Pubic Head for next Monday’s Hash Candy Run, and we are going to incorporate the San Isidro neighborhoods into our trail. That oughta be fun watching the kids get greeted by Santa Claus. We sweetened up 250 of them yesterday.

Next on my Sunday agenda was the Hideaway feeding.

Three gin and sodas later, I successfully crossed the highway and climbed the stairs to the third floor of John’s place.

Then we took a stroll down the highway for our nightcap at the Green Room. We enjoy chillin’ out with our favorites, Chu and Sally, and watching the other girls play pool. Two of them last night were the absolute worst players I’ve ever seen. It was so comically bad that I was actually laughing out loud seeing their consistently missed shots. When they finally finished what might have been the longest game of 8-ball in history, I gave them each fifty pesos and thanked them for the show.

I made it home safe and sound after eight drinks of gin over the course of the evening. For my nighttime treat, I mixed up a bowl of vanilla pudding, and it was so good I had a second helping. Clearly, my better judgment was impaired.

Today’s addition to The Story of My Life is a Christmas tribute to my stepdaughter Hillary, who was serving in Afghanistan with the US Army twenty years ago.

Here is a meme with some harsh truth about the lying liars who call themselves “experts”:

Today’s YouTube is a light-hearted take on weirdos who always want to hike. Lucky for me, Swan has come to enjoy our walks almost as much as I do.

The funny stuff:

Okay, another Hash Monday is in my immediate future. Today’s trail is out in Subic-town, but we have a sane Hare (Pubic Head), so I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store. I’ll post the full report tomorrow.

It was a good Hash trail yesterday, especially since our shortcuts preempted the main hill climb. Most of the trail we did was through familiar territory, and as usual, Leech My Nuggets did an excellent job marking our path, so there were no wrong turns. There was, however, a butthead on the trail that tried to fuck things up for us. Thankfully, we avoided the worst of his aggression, but Pubic Head took a painful hit that knocked him to the ground and left him bruised. You just never know when some mean fucker is going to attack as you innocently walk by. Sure, you can play it safe and give a carabao a wide berth, but you don’t expect a goat to turn on you. In this case, the goat was tied next to our narrow path, and there was no room for a walkaround. Pubic Head was leading the way and was surprised to suddenly come under attack. As I approached the scene, the goat turned and came towards me. I gave him a whack on the head with my walking stick; he paused, then put his head down and pushed towards me once more, so I hit him again. We seemed to be at an impasse, but then one of the group yanked his rope, and the goat retreated, allowing us to make our escape. Later, we ran out of beer before the Hash Circle was over. Two fuck ups in one Hash sucks. Oh well, it could have been worse. I didn’t get impaled or impaired, as I was limited to Zero beers—six of them.

As I mentioned, the beer ran out before the Hash was over. Since we were already in Alta Vista, we went home instead of visiting IDM. Walking in the dark, even for a short distance, wasn’t fun. But we made it without a fall, so there’s that. A burger patty for dinner, then viewing some crappy YouTube videos before calling it a night.

I’m looking better than I was one year ago:

Today’s YouTube video is entitled “Five Minutes of Your Life You’ll Never Get Back.” Since I invested five minutes of my precious time, here’s your opportunity to do the same. It’s a video from a trike ride through the streets of Angeles City. There is no commentary whatsoever. Being a sometimes visitor to AC, I recognized some of the scenes. It didn’t make me miss it there, though.

To the humor, then:

I’ll be visiting Dr. Jo this afternoon for round two of my chelation therapy. Then, we’ll move on to Baloy Beach for our Tuesday floating bar experience. Back with more on this tomorrow.

I’ll be visiting Dr. Jo this afternoon for round two of my chelation therapy. Then, we’ll move on to Baloy Beach for our Tuesday floating bar experience. Back with more on this tomorrow.

Get your mind out of the gutter; I’m not talking about THAT! It was a busy and full Saturday at the Haggis Hash. There were two trail options for the morning hike–a short 3.5K trail or a long 9.5K version. I was hoping for something in between, but since I was unfamiliar with the area, shortcutting wasn’t a consideration. As we departed, I still hadn’t made up my mind about what I was going to do. And then when we reached the spot where the short trail diverged, I impulsively decided to go the distance and do the long trail. Shocking, I know. Swan came along with me, but I sensed she wasn’t happy about it initially. But she came around as we shared the adventure. It took us over two hours to finish the well-marked trail, but surprisingly, we finished ahead of four other Hashers. Here are some photos of our journey:

The hiking was done, but the Haggis festivities were just beginning. It started with a hamburger lunch. I skipped the buns but had two patties and some potato salad. I drank tea with the meal, knowing that I had several hours to go and the beer could wait. When we moved outside for the games, I started on the beer but worked hard at slowing down my usual rate of consumption. I was also feeling tired, in part from the hike but also because it was the time of day I normally nap. I elected not to participate in the Haggis games, instead finding a shady spot to sit and sip my beer.

So, the games went on for a couple of hours, and then it was finally time to begin the Hash Circle. They don’t do ice at the Haggis Hash, but they did employ a “bucket brigade” to toss water on Hashers when called upon to do so. I got my turn to be drenched before the circle ended.

After a long-ass Circle finally ended, we moved back inside for the dinner.

I arrived at the farm around 9 a.m. We started the trail at 10 and finished around 12:30. I had my first beer a little after 1:00. The games finished after four o’clock, and the circle went on until 6:30. Dinner was served at 7 p.m. We left the Hash sometime after 8:00 but didn’t return directly to the hotel. Instead, we stopped in town at a beer garden. I don’t recall whose idea that was.

That’s all I remember. I woke up in my hotel bed at 6:30 this morning, which is sleeping in for me. Swan gave me a Coke Zero to drink, and I asked her where it came from. She said we stopped at the 7-Eleven on the way to the room. How did we get back? She said we took a trike. It’s all a blank page; the last thing I remember is being at the beer garden. Apparently, we didn’t leave the beer garden until around ten p.m., an hour past my bedtime.

A long day with too much of a good thing and higher-potency beer didn’t help matters. I’m glad I didn’t do anything stupid, and December 7 will not be my personal day of infamy.

Five years ago, I was attending my first-ever Haggis Hash, this one in La Union:

In today’s YouTube video, the Filipina Pea takes the 4B movement to task. Funny to see a Filipina point out the ignorance of women who think they are better than her.

And some humor:

Back home again and embarking on the Sunday routines, starting with the Hideaway feeding. Then, I’ll be treating Swan to Sunday dinner at John’s Place. Then we shall see. No beer tonight; that’s a promise!

Such as they are. Greetings from the Haggis Hash! The event is being held at the farm of our Hasher host here in Pozzorubio, and day one was very nicely done. A full day of Hashing and drinking (but I repeat myself) lies ahead, so I’m going to just slap up some photos from yesterday as I need to hurry and prepare myself for today’s adventure.

Then it was back to the farmstead for the Haggis Hash circle.

San Miguel Zero beer was not available, so I had to go with the stronger and more caloric San Mig Light. I drank my money’s worth again, and then we found a trike to take us back to our hotel.

Okay, I got to get ready, so no memories, YouTube, or bad jokes today. Sorry!

The day didn’t go exactly as planned, but it came and went, and I lived to tell you about it. Here goes.

Swan left the house early in the morning to assist with a charity event in Cawag, Subic. So, I walked the dogs alone and then came up with the idea to see how far I could walk me. I had it in mind to see if I could make 15K, so I plotted a course that included walking the length of the GOVIC highway (around 7K) and then either continuing on from there or walking back towards Barretto as far as my tired old legs would take me. Around the four-kilometer mark, I realized that my good intentions wouldn’t carry me as far as I had hoped. So, I changed course and headed back. I’ll try the long walk again another day.

Next on my agenda was a supposed birthday party at Kokomo’s scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. We got to Baloy a tad early, so we visited Laharnyz for a drink and beach views.

Then we strolled up the beach to Kokomo’s.

So, we get to Kokomo’s, and the beach bar is decorated, but there is no sign of the birthday girl. The floating bar is also decorated with balloons, so we figured that must be where the action is.

The floating bar was also busy, but the birthday gal wasn’t there either. Cakes and a tray of food indicated that this was indeed the party venue.

We stayed for two drinks, and there was no indication there would be a party other than the food, cakes, and balloons. I’d had enough waiting, so we caught the raft back to shore. There was some loud videoke “music” taking place at Kokomo’s, and that was enough for me to just keep walking. We caught a trike to Green Room and spent the rest of the evening there.

It wasn’t the Saturday I had in mind, but it turned out okay regardless.

It’s De(cline)cember now, which makes my new lower-calorie lifestyle one month old. I marked the occasion with a weigh-in:

• December 1: 245.5
• November 1: 267.1
• Weight loss: 21.6 pounds

Not a bad start. Now to keep it going!

Facebook took me back in time to 1974:

Five years ago, the Cheap Charlies gals welcomed me home after my Korea vacation:

Today’s YouTube video has a tongue-in-cheek look at five dangers associated with dating a Filipina. I say it is worth taking the chance!

Your daily dose of humor:

And now, to prepare for the rest of my Sunday. A Hideaway feeding is on tap, followed by dinner with Swan at John’s place. Then we shall see what happens next. Read all about it here tomorrow!

This song popped up in my memories, too. It is still a joy to watch!

What the hell? Okay, you can watch it on YouTube if you want. Damn it.

So, here’s another oldie but goodie:

And a grave descent in between.

It was one of the nicer group hikes we’ve done in a while. It started with a Jeepney ride three kilometers out of town. Then we climbed to Kalaklan Ridge once again, and we all agreed that this was one of the easier (but not easy) ways to get up there. Next, we had a very pleasant walk along the ridgeline path before beginning our downward journey to the beach via the Olongapo hillside graveyard. I haven’t ventured through all those above-ground tombs in ages, but the views are to die for (sorry!). I checked out some of the gravestones as we passed and was a little surprised that the majority I saw were born after me, and it made me feel both lucky and old. When we reached the beach, I was relieved that the tide was relatively low. The last time I attempted this beach walk I reached a dead end when the waves were crashing into the rocky shoreline blocking my path. We still had to do some wading yesterday, but we found a way around and walked the beach all the way back to Barretto. Good times!

But I wasn’t done with the beach yet. After some rest and recovery at home, Swan and I headed for Baloy.

Kokomo’s owner, Steve, is back from his brief visit to his Australian motherland, and we had a pleasant visit. There were only a couple of other customers this time, but the girls occasionally got up and danced anyway.

I had initially planned to grab a bite to eat somewhere other than Treasure Island for a change, but once we were back on the sand, I went with the easy option.

Neither of us was in the mood for a big meal, so we went with one order of chicken wings.

I’ll just leave this here:

Today’s YouTube video comes from the Pea, and it’s a good one. It discusses the differences between women of the West and the East. I voted with my feet long ago. Give it a watch and see what you think.

Humor time:

Okay, there is a birthday celebration for the wife of the Kokomo’s owner later today, so we’ll be heading back to Baloy Beach again. Life is good.

And the wheel in the sky keeps on turning. Here’s a look back at yesterday.

The Saturday morning walk with Swan has evolved into another candy-giving excursion. That’s fine by me, but I’m hoping to avoid duplicating the Sunday format, where we walk the same route each week. I mean, it’s nice having the kids waiting for our arrival expectantly, but there is also the pressure of not disappointing them should we desire a change of scenery. So, when we do a Saturday candy walk, we’ll change the location week-to-week. Yesterday’s version took us through four nearby neighborhoods. I had a couple more in mind, but the candy ran out. We’ll try to carry more stock next week.

When we got back home, Swan prepared a delicious salad for my lunch.

My plan for the evening was to surprise Swan with a visit to the Kon-Tiki beach bar at the Samba Resort. As we headed out of the neighborhood, Swan asked where we were going. I said, “Where do you want to go? ” She thought a second, then said, “How about Kon-Tiki?” Sometimes, it feels like she can read my mind!

It was our first visit on a Saturday, and a couple of other customers were present. We usually have the place to ourselves. I chatted a bit with the other guy at the bar, a German named Elky. He lives in Castillejos but makes occasional visits out of town when he gets bored. He’s building a house in San Narciso, one of my favorite beach towns. So, perhaps one day we will meet again.

We ordered fajitas for dinner:

After dinner, we walked back to the highway in the dark, then caught a trike to Barretto, where we enjoyed our nightcap at Wet Spot.

I had good intentions to limit my beer intake to eight last night. Alas, Daddy Dave arrived and bought me a beer. How could I refuse? Later, the head waitress comped me another, and I didn’t want to be rude, so I drank it. Still, I can’t blame the beer for everything. It was that damn strawberry/blueberry smoothie at 320 calories I enjoyed when I got home that put me over the top.

Six years ago, I was hiking with my best Buddy:

And also six years ago, I was reading poetry again for some reason. I posted this one on Facebook. Sara Teasdale is still one of my favorites.

A diamond of a morning
Waked me an hour too soon;
Dawn had taken in the stars
And left the faint white moon.
O white moon, you are lonely,
It is the same with me,
But we have the world to roam over,
Only the lonely are free.
–Sara Teasdale

Today’s YouTube video vlogger is talking about slum life and some unique facets of being poor in the Philippines. I’ve been here going on seven years now, and I’ve grown accustomed to the poverty that surrounds me. Fortunately, it is not on the scale of those big-city neighborhoods he mentions. Never seen any gang activity or violent crime around my neck of the woods. I’m certainly more comfortable here than I would be in most American cities.

And now for some humor, such as it is:

And now it is Sunday—the first since John Kim’s death. Driving by his restaurant yesterday, it appeared to be open for business. My plan is to do the Hideaway feeding as usual and drop by John’s place to see what’s happening. I hope his widow can keep the place going, and I’ll continue to eat there as long as it helps. I will also inquire if she needs anything else for Wednesday’s funeral.

So, day one of the new lifestyle is in the books. Thanks to my readers here for the comments and feedback. I’ve walked the weight-loss road successfully in the past, and although my methods are an unorthodox mix of dieting techniques, the important thing is being able to stay with the plan for the long haul (my calorie-counting app says that at one pound a week, I’ll reach my goal in February 2026!). I hope to do better than that!

Just got to keep on keepin’ on.

No photos from the competition posted yet, maybe tomorrow.

Today this package from Lazada (the PI Amazon) arrived.

Okay, don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with endless posts about my dieting. Instead, I’ll bore you with pictures from my hikes. Like these from yesterday’s Friday group hike:

In the meantime, there are always memories:

Two years ago, I was vacationing in Cambodia (can you vacation from retirement?):

Good times. I’ve lost touch with my old friend Dennis who was living there and I fear the worst.

Whenever I hear “the science is settled,” I think of stuff like this:

Today’s YouTube is the first one I’ve seen from this vlogger. Honestly, not that impressed, but he is talking about crime against foreigners in Angeles City, a place I occasionally still visit. But yeah, you can’t let your guard down there.

Humor time:

Another Saturday night is on the horizon, and I asked that girl who lives in my house what she wanted to do. She doesn’t care as long as it involves a beach. So, I gave her some options to consider, and I’ll follow her lead. I’ll tell you how that works out tomorrow.

And so it begins—again. My post-title search revealed that I embarked on a similar course of action exactly four years ago. Obviously, I failed miserably, and things are a lot worse now than they were back then. I’m motivated to get it done right this time. And man, oh man, I have a long way to go.

This morning’s starting stats:

• Weight: 267.1 pounds
• Belly Circumference: 52 inches
• Waist: 44 inches

Shocking, I know. I haven’t been on the scale in months, but the last time I weighed in I was around 235. I really let myself go.

So, the plan is a simple one: eat smarter, reduce carbs and calories, and exercise more. That means no more sweet treats, better meal choices, and yes, a significant reduction in beer intake. At tonight’s SOB I’ll be doing the gin and soda water thing. Interestingly, a shot of gin has more calories than a bottle of Zero beer (75 versus 60), although the beer is carby. Still, if I drink fewer shots of gin than than bottles of beer, that’s progress. My style is to order a gin shot in a tall glass, and a can of soda water on the side. I refill the glass from the can three times before ordering another shot. I just need to do a better job pacing myself so as to avoid getting floored.

I’ll be doing the ab work once again as well. Sit-ups and leg lifts to start. This morning I stretched my walk to over 9K as I once again endeavor to achieve a daily goal of at least 20,000 steps.

I installed a calorie tracker app on my phone to help me manage the food intake.

A boiled egg and some apple and orange slices for breakfast. Swan served a banana too, but I rejected that high-calorie option. For lunch I had a salad and a burger patty.

The only way to go from here is down. Or so I hope. My goal is to once again break the 200 pound barrier. Wish me luck!

And so it ends. The last day of my month of tracking expenses looked like this:

• Alcohol: 1350 pesos
• Dinner: 800 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 985 pesos
• Fruits and Veggies: 1000 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Charity: 2000 pesos
• Tips: 200 pesos
• Total for October 31: 6435 pesos

Hey, it was Halloween, of course I went a little wild!

And here are the results from the month of logging where it all goes:

Monthly Expenses % of Income

• Groceries: 78,600 pesos (21%)
• Charity: 59,000 pesos (16%)
• Rent: 38,000 pesos (10%)
• Helper Salaries: 30,000 pesos (8%)
• Alcohol: 27,900 pesos (8%)
• Dining Out: 24,400 pesos (7%)
• Swan Allowance: 16,000 pesos (4%)
• Transportation: 15,700 pesos (4%)
• Entertainment: 14,000 pesos (4%)
• Utilities: 13,700 pesos (4%)
• Lady Drinks: 13,000 pesos (4%)
• Healthcare: 12,800 pesos (4%)
• Tips: 8700 pesos (2%)
• Hotels: 7800 pesos (2%)
• Visa Extension: 6200 pesos (2%)
• Snacks: 4200 pesos (1%)
• TOTAL EXPENSES FOR OCTOBER: 370,000 pesos (-5000 pesos)

So, my expenses exceeded my income by 5000 pesos. I can and will fix that going forward. I see several opportunities for being a tad more frugal that will more than make up for the deficit. And just for the record, the 365,000 pesos I call income has a 30,000 peso cushion that goes into savings, so I wasn’t really in the red. Still, my goal is to save at least 50,000 pesos a month, so I need to do better.

And now, about last night. Swan and I dressed up and headed out to It Doesn’t Matter to celebrate Halloween.

Swan says IDM is her favorite hangout, and we spent most of our evening there last night. We had a brief nightcap at Wet Spot and ran into my neighbor Mike there. When it was time to go, I hooked up a free ride home with him. And you already saw the banana split I had at home.

Now for a look back at the past:

Someone new for today’s YouTube video: Joy of the Jungle. In just over two minutes, she tells us five things that will make your Filipina angry with you. Okay, if you say so. In my mind, I was comparing and contrasting with one of my favorites, the Filipina Pea. Well, the Pea is in a whole other category, the one where confidence and competence reside. It’s worth two minutes of your time to see for yourself. And Joy is cute enough, but she’s no Pea.

And now, the funny part:

Alright, some sit-ups to perform, then I’ll get ready for the SOB and hope the gin plan goes well. I’ll let you know about that tomorrow.

Today’s song was something I happened to come across randomly. I want to break free, too. But I can’t believe they express that sentiment in North Korea!