One thing I’m sure of is that getting out and enjoying the countryside with fellow hikers is one of the best parts of my daily life. Yesterday’s adventure was especially nice. We explored the new, as-yet-unopened Philseco bypass highway, then took a trail we hadn’t been on for years back down to Castillejos. Beautiful scenery surrounded us, and it all felt new and fresh. One of the better hikes I’ve done recently.

Want to see for yourself? Here are some of the photos Scott and I took along the way:

A couple of years ago, this is the spot the trail we were on led us. So, we knew the trail back down to Castillejos was nearby.

Back on the highway in Castillejos, we caught a Victory Liner bus to take us home to Barretto in air-conditioned comfort.

I took a short video out the window as the bus journeyed from Castillejos to where we had started our hike at Philseco Road. Nothing much to see other than the world passing by, but maybe you’ll get the vibe of the local life.

And that gives you the flavor of what yesterday’s hike was like. The next best thing to being there!

The beer o’clock activities were well within the realm of the ordinary—not that there’s anything wrong with that. We started our evening fun at It Doesn’t Matter bar. The kitchen there is now closed, so we guilt-free brought in some shawarmas from a stand down the street. The beer was cold and good, and I got to pass the time visiting with my pal Chris. His stepdaughter turns 18 tomorrow, and we were invited to attend a celebration on a yacht cruise around the bay on Sunday afternoon. Sounds like fun!

Next stop was Rum Jungle, and it was a pleasant visit. The music was right and the vibe was comfortable. For those readers who ask to see the dancers, here you go:

We did our nightcap next door at Wet Spot. I was surprised at how busy they were, but happy to see it. I expect there is going to be a shake out of bars in Barretto, but will be happy if Wet Spot is one of the survivors.

Wet Spot is the only bar in town that provides personalized beer holders for their regular customers. I’m proud to have made the grade!

And that’s the story of another day in my little slice of the world.

Continuing with the December 2022 LTG archives, I came across two posts written one day apart that pretty much capture where my lack of companionship was leading me. In “Stranger Danger,” I recount inviting a woman I’d never met before—just chatted with on Facebook Messenger—to my house for dinner. It was a disaster. I didn’t pay her for sex; I paid her to leave. In the other post, “Paying for What You Get,” a bargirl I invited to my house for dinner didn’t want to eat—at least not the food I’d prepared. So, she took care of business and left with the money she’d earned. Well, my luck is bound to change soon.

For today’s YouTube video, I took a trip back to those other ’70s and enjoyed reminiscing about the good times through old photographs. Yeah, the past is history, but memories are forever—until your brain disintegrates.

And they say it can never be worse. Wanna bet?

Told you there were bad. Sorry! I’ll try and do better next time. Promise.

But hey, it’s now1960 in our musical journey. Here’s a Twist for you:

Greetings to you, my faithful few readers. I’m running a tad behind schedule this afternoon, so let me dash out a quick post about my yesterday and get on with the business of the present. There was nothing unique about the day, just the usual morning hike and evening bar time. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t special. More and more, I find myself truly appreciating this life that I am living, regardless of how boring or routine it may appear. I saw an old foreigner sitting alone on his balcony, and I felt kind of sorry for him. I’m glad I can still get out and about every day. But on the other hand, if the day comes when I’m stuck at home, maybe sipping a beer and taking in the views from The Rite Spot On The Roof will be enough to keep me satisfied. Live it while you’ve got it.

Swan and I did the Philseco loop for our morning walk.

I did a five minute video clip of a neighborhood we passed through during our hike:

Picking up where the video left off:

I had my first beer of the day at Red Bar. It was nice to see Cliff back on his throne at the backslapper’s table.

After we’d had our fill at Red Bar, we moved on to the Cyclone Bar. We stopped into Foodies on the way and ordered some food to be delivered to Cyclone. Our regular Sheryl joined us at our table, and we shared the food and lady drinks with several of the other gals. Then Sheryl challenged me to a game of pool.

On the bright side, Sheryl is a pretty good player, but I still had a shot at the 8-ball for the win in both games. So, I’m making progress—poco a poco.

We made it an early night and headed home a little after 8 p.m. I got to enjoy a nice crescent moon before hitting the sack.

A Facebook post from 13 years ago made me a little sad today. It consisted of two pictures taken in front of our dart league bar in Columbia, South Carolina.

Gunny and James are both dead now. And in a way, the man I was back then is gone too. Life goes on until it doesn’t.

It is now December 2022 in my journey through the LTG archives. In a post entitled “The lies have it,” I recount how small-town gossip was undermining my ability to establish a meaningful relationship. The comments on that post were also quite illuminating. I live my own truth, but what people believe about me is not always a reflection of who I am.

Coincidentally, today’s YouTube video shares the wisdom of one of my favorite poets, Charles Bukowski, about the people who would destroy you for being you. It’s well worth three minutes of your time.

And now it is time to waste your time with these:

By golly, I got this post done just in time to shower up and head into town at beer o’clock. It’s good to stay on schedule!

The number-one best selling song of 1959 is still one of my favorites. I play it occasionally when I want to poke fun at my Brit friends. By “poke,” I mean rub their noses in it. 🙂

Yesterday’s Hash was a good one, if I do say so myself. I wasn’t technically a Hare, but I helped scout and mark the trail. The feedback from the other Hashers was positive, and no one got lost or hurt. That’s always my goal when I lay trail.

Here’s some photos from the trail (most of them not mine):

As I mentioned yesterday, I went home after we finished marking the trail that morning. The Hashers started from the VFW at 2:00 p.m. I left my house at 2:30 to hoof it a couple of kilometers to the On-Home. Before I arrived, I was surprised to be overtaken by one of the Hashers. It was only 2:45, so she had completed a 5+K trail with some climbs in just 45 minutes. Color me impressed.

Oh, and we ordered some birria tacos from Foxhole Resort, a couple of doors down the beach. They hired the former Myleen’s chef, and he was on-duty yesterday.

We did the usual after-Hash hangout at It Doesn’t Matter, and then made our way back home to bring a good day to an end.

In the March 2022 LTG archives, I write about the revolving door as I maneuver through the dating lifestyle. The woman I met on a dating site came up from Angeles City and spent the weekend with me, but I knew from the start that she was a nonstarter. The schoolteacher also revealed herself to be a drama queen, while Jenny told me she didn’t want a “white man” as a boyfriend. Yes, she’s the one who eventually married a Brit, but who am I to judge? Anyway, I’m finding my way and keeping my options open.

For today’s YouTube video, let’s take a walking tour of Angeles City. AC is not anywhere near the top of my list of places to visit, but I can handle looking around for ten minutes or so.

And now it has come to this:

And there you have another Hash report. Swan (Cums Alone) has now completed 99 runs with the SBH3 and will be recognized with a Hash vest next week. We’ll let it be a surprise.

I danced my way through another Saturday, and I’m still standing. Not bad for an old fucker like me. And I ain’t done yet!

As is our custom, we kicked off the morning with our weekly Decay Dance.

We chilled at home until beer o’clock, then headed into Barretto for the usual alcohol-fueled fun.

We kicked things off at Red Bar. The place was packed when we arrived, but manager Ashley was able to squeeze us into the main table, where her husband, Cliff, was holding court as usual. I only knew one of the other guys at the table. One of the guests got triggered by something Cliff said and started screaming and cussing like a madman. Cliff simply ignored his rant until the asshole finally shut up. I asked later what the issue was, and it turned out to be politics. As you probably guessed, the screamer was a lefty.

One of our waitress friends was celebrating her birthday, so we had a pizza and some pancit delivered from Foodies for her and the rest of the crew to enjoy. We also treated her to some lady drinks and gave her a 500-peso birthday gift, which she seemed to appreciate.

Later on, we took a longish stroll along the highway to the other side of town and had our nightcap at Queen Victoria. We always enjoy our visits there. Almost every bar in town is now out of San Miguel Extra Light, so I drank the stronger San Mig Light, which contains 5% alcohol, all evening. And then, a little after 8 p.m., Swan said, “You’re drunk. Let’s go home.” I didn’t argue, and we left before I did anything stupid. It’s good to have a girlfriend looking out for my well-being.

And so another came to an end and I lived to tell about it.

I’ve marched on to March 2022 in the LTG archives, and I’m finding my way through my post-relationship loneliness. I’ve chosen not to reenact the “friends with benefits” program, and I’m finding the bargirl scene more unsatisfying than ever. I’ve met a woman whose company I enjoy, but she has made it very clear that she has no interest beyond platonic friendship. That’s okay. No one gets hurt that way.

Today’s YouTube video discusses the tourism crisis in Bohol, largely driven by price gouging. I found it interesting because I really enjoyed my recent visit to Panglao and felt it was a place where I could be comfortable living. Maybe not. A guy I met there is now back in Barretto as he searches for a better city for retirement.

To the humor we must go:

And on and on it goes. Where it stops, I don’t want to know. You’ll know when you don’t see a boring post here at Long Time Gone. Until then, I’ll be back tomorrow.

Back to my Barretto life, such as it is. An uneventful trip home is always a good thing, and after a couple of days away, it felt nice to be back. We celebrated our return with visits to It Doesn’t Matter, Wet Spot, and Rum Jungle. The evenings were pleasant enough, although there wasn’t much excitement—apart from being served the last San Miguel Extra Light in stock at Wet Spot. Rum Jungle was out of it as well. Supposedly, a new shipment of beer will be arriving next week.

In other news, after being without water here in my subdivision for nearly two weeks, I saw this on Facebook:

And then, miraculously, when I got up to piss last night, I flushed the toilet out of habit—and it worked! Yep, water service has finally been restored.

Here are a couple of drone photos of Alta Vista that a friend sent me:

And that, dear readers, is all the emptiness I have to share for now.

It is now February 2022 in the LTG archives, and I have agreed to let Paula go so she can pursue dreams that don’t include me. In the long history of my failed romances, this one at least ended on a positive note: she agreed to attend “a last supper” I prepared for her, complete with grilled steaks and all the fixin’s. We had promised to remain friends, but that friendship also faded over time. And so ended another chapter in the Story of My Life.

Today’s YouTube video is in keeping with the empty tone of today’s post: a day in the life of a province girl. Yeah, nothing exciting about it other than the young lady’s attractiveness. I was too lazy to look for another video today. Hope you enjoy it.

Now for some hollow laughter:

And now I’m getting back into the rhythm of my Barretto life. It works for me.

A friend of mine posted on Facebook this morning that his cousin Duncan Sheik had passed away. He was an award-winning singer-songwriter, but I’d honestly never heard of him or his music—or at least, I don’t remember it. In his honor, here is his biggest hit:

Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow. The Wednesday Walkers group took a pass on hiking during another rainy morning. So instead, I opted to do a stroll through the neighborhood to get some steps in.

Since it had been over a week since I last showered (washing from a bucket just ain’t the same), I decided it was time to once again visit the Anbon Hotel to book a short-time room. The deluxe rooms come with a hot shower and cost 400 pesos for two hours. So, I handed over the cash and headed for my room. Got naked, stepped into the shower, turned the water on, and it never warmed up. I turned the water heater on and off, hit the breaker switch, but all to no avail. Well, that pissed me off, but not enough to redress and go back to the front desk for a new room. A cold shower wasn’t pleasant, but better than nothing. After I shaved, I took a piss, and the f’n toilet wouldn’t flush. I finished my body maintenance, got dressed, and turned the shower over to Swan. We agreed to meet up at It Doesn’t Matter, conveniently located right across the street from Anbon, when she was done cleaning up. On the way out, I informed the front desk about the water heater and toilet, but they didn’t offer any refund or discount. Next time I need a room, I’ll look for a better option, even if it costs me more.

A lot of bars are running out of XL beer, but IDM still has it in stock, and it was colder than my shower. As I was enjoying my brew, Gary, an old buddy who lives in San Antonio, dropped in. He goes shopping at Royal once a week and sometimes stops in Barretto for a beer on his way home. So we had a nice catch-up chat. Swan arrived and had her usual glass of wine.

But I had other business to attend to, so we headed up the highway. I dropped Swan off at Red Bar while I proceeded on to the barbershop. I tried a new barber this time, and we had a communication barrier. I told him I just wanted a trim, and he responded, “A number one?” I’ve never heard a number assigned to a haircut and had no clue what he meant. So, I repeated that I just wanted it cleaned up a little. My old barber always used scissors, but this guy used the electric shears and went high up, and I’m like, hold on, not so much! But it was too late, and obviously the other side had to be cut to match. Oh, well. It will grow back eventually, and at least I won’t need another haircut for quite a while.

We had a nicer-than-usual time hanging out at Red Bar. Manager Cliff was blasting the patio music louder than usual, so we moved away from the speakers and sat with him at his table. Cliff asked what I wanted to hear, so I asked him to play “In the Mood” by Glen Miller. People seemed to enjoy that classic tune, and I got Swan up to do a little swing dancing to everyone’s amusement. When it was my turn to request a song again, I went with “El Paso” by Marty Robbins, a country song I grew up listening to (my dad was a big Robbins fan). Cliff is an Aussie and had never heard it before. For my final selection of the night, I chose the only Australian song I could think of, “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport.” Cliff wasn’t impressed, calling the singer, Rolf Harris, a pedophile. When I looked him up on Wiki just now, it turns out he was convicted of diddling underage girls. I never knew that. Anyway, Cliff followed up with “The Land Down Under,” which is indeed a much better representation of his homeland.

It was time for Cliff to go home (he opens the bar at 0900), and his wife Ashley escorted him in the trike. Swan and I headed to Cheap Charlie’s mostly because I was craving the Foodies iteration of a chicken quesadilla. As is my custom, I bought the waitress crew some pancit and lumpia to enjoy. I had started the beer drinking an hour earlier than usual (thank goodness it’s only 3% XL), but I was feeling like I’d had enough. As we made our way to the trike stand near It Doesn’t Matter, Swan surprised me by saying she wanted to stop in to IDM for one more. Who am I to argue? And so we finished our wet night on the town where we had begun four hours earlier.

It’s good to be alive.

From the November 2021 LTG archives is a post that tells the story of what may very well have been my best day ever in the Philippines. Woke up next to the woman I was falling in love with and she suggested we have a hiking adventure in the hills of San Antonio. Wow, that was totally out of the blue, but we caught a bus and were on our way. It was an amazing day that I’ll always remember.

Today’s YouTube video shares ten Pinoy words that English speakers may not understand. Well, I’ve heard them all over the years and do understand their meanings. The funny thing to me is that most of them are variations of English words (like saying “Xerox” instead of “copy”). Anyway, it’s short and sweet and kind of amusing.

Let’s get to the funny business:

I hate to rain on your parade, but that’s all I’ve got on another wet afternoon. Will wonders never cease?

Sometimes adapting to circumstances requires changing things up some.

Well, since I know clouds can’t talk, I didn’t listen and proceeded to embark on a boring Barretto street walk. I got a thunderous response, but defended myself with my umbrella. Six kilometers later, I was back home, safe and sound.

Fuck yeah! I’m going to Baloy Beach! Turns out it was a trap, but I broke out my trusty umbrella again and fended off most of the water projectiles falling from the sky.

My plan was to visit the Champs Sports Bar at Baywatch Beach Resort. I ran into Jim, who works for the new owner, outside reception. He apologized and said that Champs won’t open until NEXT Thursday. Oops, oh well. Next week then it is.

I walked on up the road to the Foxhole Resort, and my old pal Norman was tending bar. I inquired as to the availability of birria tacos, and he confirmed they had the ingredients. So, I placed my order. Norman disappeared for a few minutes, then returned and advised me that the chef who used to work at Myleen’s was off, but he called him at home, and he agreed to guide the cook who was working on the proper preparation of birria. That’s kinda going above and beyond, but I appreciated the effort.

Swan had opted not to join me on yesterday’s adventure, so I ordered birria tacos for take-out for her. Her assessment was similar to mine: okay, but not as good as they used to be.

Foxhole didn’t have my new favorite beer, San Miguel Extra Light (XL), so after I schooled Norman on its existence, he promised to order some and have it available on my next visit. Norman mentioned that photos of me and him had been popping up in his Facebook memories, and today he sent me these:

Since I was on my own, I decided to change things up and visit places I rarely go to these days. So, I hoofed it back to Barretto and got pretty soaked despite my umbrella when the wind turned things sideways. So, I took refuge at Gold Bar. I ordered an XL, but the waitress misunderstood what I asked for and brought me a San Mig Light instead. Oh, well. I did confirm that they had XL in stock.

For my next stop, I crossed the highway and visited Adams Bar. It is relatively new, but the only time I’d ventured in, they didn’t have red wine for Swan, so we left. This time, they didn’t have XL, but I stayed anyway. I was the only customer. One of the bar girls greeted me by name, but she didn’t look familiar, so I asked, where do you know me from? She said she lives on the hill behind La Union Street and I’d given her kids cookies in the past. Um, I don’t say my name when I hand out sweets, but I didn’t pursue it. The next thing I know, she’s showing me her naked breasts! Honestly, that’s not my thing in public, and when I turned my back and ignored her, she put them away. Another girl started rubbing my shoulders, and I told her I was leaving after I finished my beer. She got the hint that no lady drinks were forthcoming, and they both left me alone. Suffice it to say, I didn’t enjoy the vibe in Adams, and I won’t be coming back.

My next stop was Lux Bar. They had three or four girls on the dance stage, and they stood up when I came in. Yep, once again, no other customers. I took a piss, came back, and asked the waitress for an XL beer. Sorry, we don’t have any. So I said, “Sorry, I’m leaving.” And I did. I heard later that Lux will be shutting down for good soon. Sorry to hear that, but that explains why they haven’t ordered any more beers.

It’s probably been a year or so since my last visit to Whiskey Girl, so I popped in. None of my old waitress friends are still working there, but Jenn, the bartender/cashier who used to work at my old haunt, Hideaway, came out to greet me. Yep, you guessed it: no other customers but me. At least Whiskey Girl had XL in stock. I bought Jenn a lady drink and watched the three dancers sway around on the stage. When they took a break, one of them came down and sat beside me uninvited. She told me she used to work at Arizona, and when I showed her that picture of my Korean girlfriend, Eun Oke, at the Arizona Score Bar, she claimed to remember her. Hmm, that was ten years ago. She was nice enough to chat with and had a sense of humor, so I wound up buying her a drink before I left.

I decided to make the Outback Billabong Bar my final stop on my bar hop. There were two guys there playing pool, and me. Even though I rarely visit here, I was greeted by name. I’ll never get used to how these ladies always remember names. Outback didn’t have XL beer either, so I chided the waitress, but accepted a Light instead. I only stayed for one beer, then headed for home.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a bar adventure like last night, and it was nice for a change. But the fact that all the bars were mostly empty was a sad reflection on the times. Maybe the rain kept people home. Wussies!

Speaking of change, it doesn’t appear the weather is going to change anytime soon, and I’m seeing red:

I’m guessing my water service won’t be restored until the river level drops, so I’m screwed for now. Despite the bad weather, I managed a pretty good day step-wise:

Moving on in the September 2021 LTG archives, I ponder the question: is it better to give than receive? I don’t defend my “friends with benefits” program as charity, but note that I do other acts of giving with no expectations of anything in return. Of course, now that I’m in a relationship, I no longer engage in quid pro quo acts, but I’ve got other projects I support with my charity budget. So, I’m not a total asshole.

For today’s YouTube video, here’s another short comedy drama you might enjoy. For me, the best part of these is that the length suits my diminished attention span. And yes, I always put the grocery cart where it belongs when I’m done shopping.

You are welcome:

Yep, it doesn’t get much more lame than that. I’ll keep trying to do better.

Anyway, I’m running late, so gonna make this post a quick one. I spent the morning out marking tomorrow’s Hash trail, but I expect the intermittent rain showers have erased most of that work. We also marked with ribbons, and they are waterproof, so hopefully the Hashers who brave the trail will find their way. After being homebound for the past two days, it felt good getting some hiking in again.

When I headed into town for the beer o’clock activities, I was craving some fish and chips, so I started off at the Outback. I was a little disappointed that mahi-mahi fish wasn’t available (the waitress blamed it on the weather), so I settled for dory fish.

I figured I’d hit Queen Victoria after eating because it is right across the highway from Outback.

And then I got a message from Queen Vic manager Jake with this attachment:

Oh, well. We figured we’d go to Gold Bar instead. Gold Bar opens at 2 p.m., but when we arrived just before 5, the manager was just unlocking the door. He told us he’d been trapped in Olongapo due to road closures. No one else was there, and we declined his offer to serve us and moved on down the highway. It was weird not seeing anyone out and about, and with the exception of Thumbstar, the other bars we passed were also closed. Rum Jungle normally opens at 4 p.m., but the door was locked. Wet Spot isn’t supposed to open until 6, but we could hear the music, so we went inside. It was then that we learned that because so many of the staff couldn’t make it to work due to flooding, only one of the bars was operating. Alright, then. Let’s drink!

Sit-n-Bull was also closed, and so was Cheap Charlies. We wound up going next door to Sloppy Joe’s to finish off our evening out. This too shall pass. Hopefully soon.

Oh, shit. I just found out that we have no water. Apparently, the pipeline has been damaged by the overflowing river. Last time that happened, it took two weeks to be restored. Ai yi yi. Looks like I’ll be booking a hotel room so I can take a shower.

From Facebook memories, back in 2015, I received an unexpected windfall in the mail:

From the August 2021 LTG archives, there was a celebration taking place for the grand opening of a new business I sponsored, and also my 66th birthday. The business failed after just a few months, but I’m still getting older.

Today’s YouTube video is a short (6-minute) award-winning British comedy called “Two Minutes.” I watched it but never saw the humor. Please tell me what I missed:

Well, I get the joke in these:

Ouch. Well, time to pack a bag and find a room. What a pain in the ass.

In the meantime, this life goes on until it doesn’t. I have a birthday coming up tomorrow (number 71), and my driver gifted me this ballcap:

Got the shopping done, then stopped by to see Dr. Jo for my weekly injection. I gained a pound last week. Damn it. The rain continues, but at least now there are occasional breaks between the downpours.

When beer o’clock rolled around, we broke out the umbrellas and made our way to It Doesn’t Matter.

For our nightcap, we moseyed to the other side of town and paid a visit to Queen Victoria. Bought a couple of shawarmas at the place that used to be Myleen’s and took them with us. Queen Vic’s bartender hadn’t heard about that new beer in town, so I sent a photo to manager Jake, and he promised to order some.

A nice chat with Jake as usual. He even laughs at my jokes. He said the rain isn’t helping business, but they were doing quite a bit better than a lot of bars in town and at least breaking even. We both expect there will be a shakeout coming soon because most owners can’t afford to keep losing money month after month.

Speaking of which, Arizona Resort announced that it is closing for good next month, and everything is for sale. Sad news. I used to stay there as a tourist and always had a good time at the Score Bar. When I first moved here, I’d regularly visit Arizona for meals. And of course, the floating bar. All that’s gone now, except for the memories. Well, it did go to shit after ownership changed, and the new owner didn’t do the hands-on management required. And so it goes.

This morning there was a post on Facebook saying that the Viking Resort on Baloy was shutting down. I also heard a rumor that Jumpin’ Jacks has been sold and the new owner is going to convert it into a dancing bar. Looks like a change in my Sunday routine is on the horizon.

One of my charity projects is in support of an acquaintance (I only knew her as a waitress at Sit-n-Bull) who is undergoing cancer treatment in Manila. I basically provide her rent and food money each month. She is unable to afford a private hospital, and the public hospitals here in the PI are a nightmare. I didn’t realize just how bad they actually are until she started sharing some of the gruesome details. She was recently “hospitalized” in the emergency ward with about a hundred other people suffering various illnesses and injuries. There were no beds available, so she spent two days confined to a wheelchair in the ward. The chemo and cancer are bad enough, but to be tortured on top of it is unimaginable. And the worst part is nobody cares about the patients. Hold on to your hats while I share what she sent me yesterday:

Oh Lord, I’m not comfortable here in Emergency. There is no available ward room full of patients,even if here in Emergency room,too many patients,and you can’t believe we only use wheelchairs- no beds- we can’t sleep here

It’s a public hospital. What to expect: every hour, too many patients coming, and we are here again- too many patients again this morning, and we are like sardines in a can.

Didn’t I just donate blood, we were in the emergency room for several days without a bed, we were just in a wheelchair, patients were packed together, different illnesses, and you get even sicker because of the number of patients, now the doctor has discharged me but, I was expecting that the gynecologist would check on me, just to tell me that I should get treatment from them, but the thing is, the gynecologist doesn’t care about me, the urology just a simple change of catheter.

So many are dying there every day, my God, you really can’t help but say, Life is really short, I felt even weaker there in the hospital, not much sleep, how can you sleep, I’m in a wheelchair, and there are so many people crowded together when I left the hospital today, I suddenly had a fever, there are so many patients every day, because of leptospirosis.

I have a story: instead of helping me, I hear them laughing at me, disgusted, because of the smell of my lump. One doctor said, what kind of illness does she have that his lump smells like that, then another doctor said, he’s just waiting for me to die; that’s how I understood it. Then my fellow patients are really disgusted by my smell because of the lump.

Almost all doctors treat it that way. I thought they would understand my situation, but they didn’t. I really need to undergo chemo again to get rid of the smell of my lump, and it also shrinks when I undergo chemo.

The experience I went through in the emergency room when I was confined, the mockery, the judgment of my illness by the people there, even the doctors, nurses, and the patients, made me question myself if I really wanted this.

Yesterday, when the catheter was changed, a lot of blood came out, and it took a long time before the catheter was replaced. Big round clots of blood came out; that’s why my lower abdomen was so painful. After the blood came out, my lower abdomen pain also disappeared. It was so painful during the insertion; I was screaming because, aside from being stinging, it was really painful. I just cried and cried yesterday, and then there was a terrible smell coming out; so many people were disgusted with me because there were foul-smelling leaks.

I feel so tired right now, I’m swollen because I’ve been sitting all day and night, I’ve been confined in the hospital for several days and I’m getting sicker, especially with so many patients crowded together, I was happy earlier when they said they would release me now, I said thank you, I will schedule chemo tomorrow, to get rid of the smell and shrink my lump, we will fight, even with a lot of judgment and disgust towards me, God is always good.

I will fight, while alive there is hope, while there is hope, no one will give up.

If I could afford to, I’d help her get treated at a private hospital, but sadly that is beyond my means. She’s a good woman who deserves better, but this is what the average Filipino can expect from public healthcare. It’s tragic.

Plodding on through the July 2021 LTG archives, and I’ve had an interesting first date with a gal I call Jane. What’s different is that she initiated contact and isn’t looking for money. Is it possible that there is someone out there who likes me for who I am? Hmm. We shall see.

For today’s YouTube video, I just picked one because it is short and I’m pressed for time. It did bring back memories from my tourist days when I made some of these mistakes. And as mentioned, it wound up costing me stolen money. One thing I was surprised they didn’t mention is that the women are not always women. Yep, a girl with something extra. That only happened once to me, but I managed to escape with my virginity intact. Live and learn.

Let’s get these out of the way:

So, that’s my story, and I’m sticking with it. I’ll be older but no wiser when I post here tomorrow.

I was very sad to hear that Dolly Parton has now departed from life. An amazing woman. Thanks for all you gave us.

I hate to sound like a broken record (damn, that reference is old. Who else remembers those scratched LPs that wouldn’t play right?), but it is still raining. I don’t know if it will go on for forty days and nights or not, but we are now more than halfway there. Meanwhile, life goes on. Such as it is.

So, despite the wet weather, we headed out for the Sunday Sweet Street Stroll.

Our Sunday evening routine includes visits to Red Bar and a nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks. Getting there required taking shelter under our umbrellas. Upon arriving at Red Bar, I was surprised when the waitress asked if I wanted to try a new beer: San Miguel Extra Light. Never heard of it, but why not?

Taste-wise, Extra Light lacks the robust flavor Zero had. Then again, it took me a while to develop a taste for Zero. The Extra Light goes down smooth and easy. It reminds me of the Michelob Ultra I used to drink in the States. Back then, people would say, “Drinking Ultra is like making love in a canoe. They are both fucking close to water.” That’s okay with me!

Maybe with some Extra Light as part of my life, I can finally start reducing that beer belly of mine. I’m gonna try REAL hard lifting those 12-ounce weights every night!

When we arrived at Jumpin’ Jacks for our nightcap, the manager and bartender had never heard of Extra Light. I sent them a photo, and the manager promised to try to order some for our next visit. I sent a message to the Hash Beer-Meister, and he is also going to try to find some Extra Light for the Hash Circle. Good times!

I wasn’t up for shooting pool last night, so I had the waitresses play for a 50-peso prize to the winner. And of course, before we departed, I gave the losers a 50-peso consolation prize. Everyone’s a winner when Gwapo comes to town!

Speaking of coming to town, it looks like we have another visitor on the horizon:

From the June 2021 LTG archives, I recount the somewhat sad story of a gal I met while hiking. MJ did bar work as a young woman, married an American bar manager, had his kids, then he abandoned her for another woman. He did at least provide some monthly support for the children he’d left behind. At least until he died. Long story short, I took her on as one of my primary charity projects and continue to supply a monthly stipend so she can feed her half-American kids. No, the husband never bothered to get them citizenship before he passed.

Another thing I’ve noticed as I stroll through the COVID-era archives is that I consistently was calling bullshit on the stupid shit being foisted on us. It is nice to be vindicated all these years later. Here’s an example:

Today’s YouTube video talks about the lack of mass shootings in the Philippines, despite a relatively vibrant gun culture here. I know I feel safer here than I would back in the USA, despite being surrounded by people living in poverty. When I walk through slums on my hikes, I receive warm greetings and smiles, not threats of robbery or violence. Try that in Chicago. The vlogger also mentions murder for hire, which is a real thing and one of the reasons I strive not to piss off the wrong Filipino or cause them to lose face. I’ve heard you can hire a hitman for a couple of hundred bucks. My life is worth more than that, thank you!

Try these on for size:

Another rainy Hash Monday. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare, and he sent me the map to his trail that includes going up to the Kalaklan Ridge, then back down into Barretto. I’ve been itching to get back up there and was looking forward to giving the trail a try. Alas, doing that climb in the rain is a no-go for me. Actually, it is the descent on a slippery trail that is even more concerning. It’s been pouring down rain all morning, so I’m sure things are more than a little muddy. Nope, I’ll be keeping it to the streets today.

Another day in Siargao del Norte is in the books. And now it will be on the blog. I wanted to fill in some holes from Friday, so we hired a van to take us back up the road we walked yesterday. The driver suggested we take in the “million-dollar view,” and we said fine, but we are only paying you 500 pesos. And the deal was done.

The van pulled up out front at the newly appointed time, and we were off.

The other missed opportunity I wanted to rectify was visiting the beach Chris had recommended, but we failed to find it on our first attempt. I had reviewed the Google map and had a pretty good idea where we went wrong. So, we had the driver drop us off in the village of Baybay, and commenced walking from there.

Which reminds me, do you know why you can never starve to death on the beach? Because of all the sand which is there. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

So, Chris arranged for a tuk-tuk to pick us up at our hotel at 4:30 to transport us the 13 kilometers to his brewery.

Shortly before we departed, we learned that a long-time expat in Barretto who was close friends with Chris and Dr. Jo had died suddenly from a heart attack. When Swan showed Chris this photo from her Facebook feed, Chris started to cry:

So, the day ended on a sad note and a timely reminder that we never know when our time in life will be over. Live it while you have it.

From Facebook memories, it was ten years ago that I went back to work in my former position as the 8th Army Director of Civilian Personnel.

From the February 2021 LTG archives, I share the story of how my efforts to house a homeless woman were stymied. Surprisingly, she preferred her life on the street to having a roof over her head. Just goes to show that things are not always as they appear.

Today’s YouTube video is something a little different: How to stop that after-pee leakage. Well, I was suffering from incontinence a while back, but thankfully that issue has been resolved. But yeah, it is embarrassing to come out of the CR sporting a wet spot on your crotch. I’ll take these tips to heart.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you:

And that’s all I’ve got for today.

I’ll get around to what this post is about. Ah, turns out it’s about nothing. At least nothing particularly interesting. But that’s never stopped me before, so let’s get on with it, shall we?

We managed to get through the Sunday Sweets Stroll without incident. Well, we did run short of candy, so we had to nix our visit to the final two neighborhoods of our standard route. Such is life. I’ve got some pictures to share to give you a feel for the journey:

I spent some of the afternoon hours looking for evidence that proves I live in the Philippines. It seems the state of South Carolina is claiming I owe back taxes, even though I haven’t lived there since 2015. My accountant has indicated that the burden on me is to document that fact. So far, I’ve got the lease I signed in 2023 and the visa stickers in my old passport. I’m going to dig around some more and look for my earlier leases. Also, I’ll go to the immigration office and see if I can obtain records showing that I’ve resided here continuously since May 2018. I believe what the state is relying on is my Columbia house address. The mortgage is in my name, but I’ve never lived there; it is my daughter’s house. I use the address for banking purposes only. Why can’t you leave me alone, Mr. Taxman?

As is our Sunday custom, we started out at Red Bar. Had food delivered there from Foodies for our dinner. Then we moved on to Jumpin’ Jacks for our nightcap.

Then we called it a day and headed back home.

Facebook memories took me back to my final commute from DC to Stafford on the Virginia Railway Express.

From the December 2020 LTG archives, I got triggered into a self-analysis by an article in The New Yorker entitled “What if you could do it all over?” I hadn’t realized my “do-over” fantasy began so long ago until I read this post again. Of course, I’m not closer to making it come true.

For today’s YouTube video, here’s a walking tour of Barretto. Now you can see what I see.

Into each life some humor must fall:

It’s been raining all morning, and it is Hash Monday. Not a good combination. Looks like I’ll be keeping it on the streets today.

That said, I’m doing alright for an old fuck. For yesterday’s Hash, I opted to actually do the Hare’s trail, including a steep, slippery climb at the beginning. I was thankful that the coming down was gentler and not muddy. Now, there was a second climb (up some steps that I’ve done before), but somehow I missed the mark for the turn, so I continued on the road to the On-Home. That was technically a long cut, though. It had been years since I’d hiked most of this trail, and while it was by no means easy, I’m glad I talked myself into doing it. Here’s some of what I saw along the way.

A good day on trail, and some nice beer drinking to close out the day. Does it get any better than that?

In other news, Swan and I decided to forgo our planned trip to Pundaquit today and instead focus our resources on next month’s journey to Siragao Island.

Ah, here’s a memory from 1995:

Rolling through the September 2020 LTG archives, and damn, it’s almost drama-free. How boring! Well, there was a Bundok Hash I participated in. We are sworn to secrecy about the after-Hike activities at this all-male event, but perhaps you can read between the lines and discern the good times we had.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger provides twenty reasons to retire in the Philippines in only six minutes. Of course, he left out the most important one: Filipinas. Otherwise, my experience jibes with his take.

Humor me, please:

Alright, my job here is done for the day. Let’s see what happens next.

It’s been a rough couple of days as I sought acceptance and tried to contemplate a future alone. And then this morning we talked again. It was a difficult conversation, but we’ve decided to stay together. Maybe I didn’t dodge the bullet completely, because I still feel wounded, but this is probably my best option going forward. One day at a time, and we’ll see where life takes us.

Last night I attended the annual RSL (Returned and Services League) reverse raffle at Queen Victoria Bar. The event is the big fundraiser for a group that does a lot of local charity projects. I had 3000 pesos in tickets and came away with zero prizes. Ah well, it was for a good cause, and there was plenty of beer to help drown my sorrows.

I did my nightcap at Snackbar and got to see another ex cuddling with her new squeeze. I am happy she found someone who suits her better than I did. I got a chuckle when a new waitress introduced herself, saying it was her fourth day on the job. I welcomed her with a lady drink, and she sat with me at my table. She asked me to guess how old she was; I shrugged and said, 23? Nope, I’m 18. I grinned and told her, “My granddaughter just turned 21.” I guess that surprised her, because she pulled out her phone and showed me a photo of her mother, who is 35. Yeah, I did the math. Oh, and the waitress also has a five-month-old baby at home. Welcome to the Philippines!

Then it was home for another fitful night’s sleep alone in my bed. Perhaps today will be better.

Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
     And he raised his head and looked upon
the people, and there fell a stillness upon
them. And with a great voice he said:
     When love beckons to you, follow him,
     Though his ways are hard and steep.
     And when his wings enfold you yield to
him,
     Though the sword hidden among his
pinions may wound you.
     And when he speaks to you believe in
him,
     Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
     For even as love crowns you so shall he
crucify you. Even as he is for your growth
so is he for your pruning.
     Even as he ascends to your height and
caresses your tenderest branches that quiver
in the sun,
     So shall he descend to your roots and
shake them in their clinging to the earth.
                                       •
     Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto
himself.
     He threshes you to make you naked.
     He sifts you to free you from your husks.
     He grinds you to whiteness.
     He kneads you until you are pliant;
     And then he assigns you to his sacred
fire, that you may become sacred bread for
God’s sacred feast.
     All these things shall love do unto you
that you may know the secrets of your
heart, and in that knowledge become a
fragment of Life’s heart.
     But if in your fear you would seek only
love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
     Then it is better for you that you cover
your nakedness and pass out of love’s
threshing-floor,
     Into the seasonless world where you
shall laugh, but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
                                      •
     Love gives naught but itself and takes
naught but from itself.
     Love possesses not nor would it be
possessed;
     For love is sufficient unto love.
     When you love you should not say,
“God is in my heart,” but rather, “I am
in the heart of God.”
     And think not you can direct the course
of love, for love, if it finds you worthy,
directs your course.
     Love has no other desire but to fulfil
itself.
     But if you love and must needs have
desires, let these be your desires:
     To melt and be like a running brook
that sings its melody to the night.
     To know the pain of too much tenderness.
     To be wounded by your own under-
standing of love;
     And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
     To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
     To rest at the noon hour and meditate
love’s ecstasy;
     To return home at eventide with grati-
tude;
     And then to sleep with a prayer for the
beloved in your heart and a song of praise
upon your lips.

--Kahlil Gibran

Wrapping up July 2020 in the LTG archives. I’d like to say the month went out with a bang, but that didn’t happen. I did fall in love, though. And there would be some banging in the future. Spoiler alert: It wound up being another failed relationship.

I posted a crap YouTube video about Barretto the other day, but this one is much better. The vloggers had a great time at the Alley Hideout dart bar, then went to Hot Zone for some hot dancers. They also noticed how empty the bars were and the overall lack of tourists. Supply exceeds demand, and that’s not a good recipe for success.

Don’t shoot the messenger! I post, you decide:

And now on to another Hash Monday. I ain’t dead yet.

Been there, done that, got the memories. No need to go down that road again here in the final chapter of my life. In the meantime, I’ll keep filling the hours in my usual fashion, and that works just fine for me.

Here’s a peek in the rearview mirror at my yesterday, starting with a very nice riverside stroll with Swan.

Our evening agenda took us to Baloy Beach. Kicked it off at Kokomo’s. They didn’t have red wine for Swan, so she ordered a rum and Coke. Finished half of it while I downed two beers.

We decided to move on, and my tab was 300 pesos. I handed the bartender a 500-peso note, and she said she couldn’t make change. Seriously? Well, I was able to scrape together two hundreds and two fifties, but it depleted my wallet of small bills, including the trike fare I would need later. What kind of business doesn’t maintain a change drawer? Well, they’ve lost my business. It’s off my list of places to go.

We moved down the beach to Tropical Zone, the Hash On-Home venue from last week. They had both wine and change! Woo-hoo, we have found our replacement for Kokomo’s! After an enjoyable visit, we headed over to Treasure Island for some grub. After our meal, we triked it back home and called it a day.

Continuing the July 2020 LTG archives. I noticed I’d screwed up yesterday’s post and didn’t share the link about meeting Mary. Here it is. So, today that story continues, and it keeps getting weirder. Stay tuned; it’s gonna get weirder yet.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a video showing the street scene in Barretto. Today I have rectified that omission. Not all that impressive unless you are looking at hotel options, but it’s only eight minutes long. If I can sit through it, so can you!

You knew this was coming:

Had enough? I don’t blame you. I’ll try again tomorrow.

A special Hash this morning. It appears I’ll be walking in the rain.

Things turn to shit when you least expect it. I’ll be taking a break here while I try to sort it all out.

Thanks for everything.

Gonna keep it short and as sweet as it gets around here. I’m running a tad behind schedule, and I have a birthday party to attend later this afternoon. So, let’s get on with it.

It was a Tuesday yesterday, so I took care of the grocery shopping with visits to YBC and Royal. Had the driver drop me off at Dr. Jo’s on the way back for my weekly Ozempic injection. Down two pounds last week and nineteen overall. I’m getting there, slowly but surely.

I couldn’t be bothered to take my neighborhood walk. Swan went off to join some friends, so I was on my own for the afternoon. When beer o’clock arrived, I wandered into town and popped into Sloppy Joe’s. Swan and a friend joined me there an hour later.

Swan chastised my lack of smile, so I tried harder:

Perhaps Marilyn looks familiar to long-time readers. She’s the twin sister of my ex, Marissa. Nice to see you both again!

We shared a batch of fried chicken wings, then moved next door to the newest bar in town, The Jungle, the venue formerly known as the Green Room. The Jungle is a bar with dancers, whereas the Green Room billed itself as a sports bar. Last night, the difference hit me hard. I didn’t like the music, but I’m forgiving because the music is something for the girls to dance to, not for my enjoyment. I get that. But the vibe in the place just wasn’t the same for me. I’d rather be in Wet Spot or Alaska, which are both under the same roof. So, my future visits to The Jungle will likely be few and far between.

When the witching hour arrived, Swan announced that she and Marilyn were going to resume the party with the girls, so I said goodnight and came home alone. And no, I don’t have any issues with Swan having a social life of her own. When I woke up at midnight, she was beside me as usual.

Commenter Daeguowl sent me this link about the founding owner of The Grand Ole Opry in Itaewon. Mama Kim opened the bar in 1975. She’s 86 now and still running the show six nights a week. Here’s a post about my first visit there in April 2005.

Moving on through the June 2020 LTG archives, I’m experiencing some Strange Days. Both with the ex I mentioned above and with my pursuit of a new relationship with Jessa. Things are heating up!

Today’s YouTube video talks about the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s. I can’t remember why that matters to me. I do recall the story about a friend whose wife was having issues, and after months of testing, the doctor advised that he had narrowed it down to two possible problems: AIDS or Alzheimer’s. My friend was shocked and said, “Oh my god, what should I do?” The doctor replied, “Well, if I were you, I’d drive her ten miles out of town, and if she comes home, don’t fuck her!” Yeah, my jokes are as bad as my cognitive abilities.

Maybe these are better humor than mine:

Yeah, thousands of comedians are out of work, and I’M trying to be funny. Sorry ’bout that!

Now it’s time to shower up and get ready to party. Billy, the dart tourney coordinator at Alley Cats, is celebrating a birthday today.

Tell you all about it tomorrow.

I celebrated my Independence Day with a visit to the dentist for an overdue teeth cleaning. There is nothing much more uncomfortable than being reclined with your mouth wide open and various devices grinding the accumulated gunk off your choppers. Dr. Barrera said I need to come back to have a crown replaced and a small cavity filled. I normally wait until I’m in pain before getting that kind of work done, so we’ll see.

When it was time to head into town again for my daily dose of beer, I made my way to Red Bar. Swan joined me there when she was done with a family gathering. The highlight of the visit was gaining access to the music playlist and blasting patriotic songs like “America, Fuck Yeah” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” at high volume. I saw some cringe, but received no complaints.

We ordered a pizza to share with the crew, then moved on for our nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks.

I requested my patriotic songs again and rewarded those subjected to my music selections by purchasing lady drinks for all the girls.

In a surprising twist, Swan wanted to play pool.

And that was my American-style night on the town.

I’ve reached the end of May 2020 in the LTG archives, and I’m having dreams about the past. Heh, some things never change. Still, it all comes down to living in the moment and appreciating what you have, irrespective of what you may have lost along the way in this journey we call life. I’ve gotten better at that, I think. The day before, I posted “Voices from the past” where I mention hearing from my Korean wife and the Korean girlfriend that preceded her on the same day. That was weird. The former girlfriend was pissed because I had a photo of her on the blog that she wanted deleted. She didn’t ask nicely, so I didn’t delete it, although I did remove her name. Oh, and there’s a video clip from that wild party I shared yesterday. What a life, eh?

And now time for a commercial break. Today’s YouTube has some TV commercials from 50 years ago you might enjoy.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse:

Man: Haven’t I seen you someplace before?
Woman: Yes, that’s why I don’t go there anymore.
Man: Is this seat empty?
Woman: Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.
Man: Your place or mine?
Woman: Both. You go to yours, and I’ll go to mine.
Man: So, what do you do for a living?
Woman: I’m a female impersonator.
Man: Hey baby, what’s your sign?
Woman: Do not enter.
Man: How do you like your eggs in the morning?
Woman: Unfertilized.
Man: Your body is like a temple.
Woman: Sorry, there are no services today.
Man: I would go to the end of the world for you.
Woman: But would you stay there?
Man: If I could see you naked, I’d die happy.
Woman: If I saw you naked, I’d probably die laughing.

Ah, the dating game.

That’s all I’ve got for today.

Not a lot to say about my Wednesday, so let’s get it over and done with, shall we?

I was the only one to show up for the Wednesday Walkers group hike, so I decided to keep it simple with a solo street walk through Barretto. Yeah, it’s such a boring walk, I didn’t take a single photograph. I did have my earbuds to keep me company, and I enjoyed singing along with some of my favorite golden oldies. Right up until the moment I almost got hit by a taxi cab that I didn’t hear approaching from behind me. Damn, when it is my time to go, I hope I don’t go in a stupid fashion like that.

When beer o’clock rolled around, Swan advised that she was taking a “me day,” so I was once again on my own. I wound up going to Cheap Charlies and just stayed there until it was time to head back home. I just couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be, so why bother looking?

And then the day came to an end. I’m happy to report that I awoke to a new day this morning.

Courtesy of Facebook memories, here’s a photo of Walter Lee and Bonnie Rose before they became my mom and dad.

Moving on in the June 2019 archives, I write about some special goodbyes in Anjeong-ri and then the final goodbyes as I left Seoul for the last time. Will I ever go back? I don’t know, as much as I love it there, the things I loved the most are gone now. Never say never, but I doubt it. On that last night in Seoul, I visited the famous country dive bar, Grand Ole Opry. It’s long gone now, but the post from my first visit in 2005 brought back some happy memories. And now they are all part of The Story of My Life.

In my internet wanderings, I came across this chart of the least expensive cities to spend your retirement years.

Which is a nice lead-in to today’s YouTube video about countries other than Thailand and the Philippines that are cheap retirement options. I’ve only been to two of them, Cambodia and Vietnam, and both are worthy of consideration. But I made my choice, and I’m going to stick with it. (Yeah, the title, “Don’t Miss This Places,” would make Kevin Kim’s head explode.)

Let’s see if there is any funny business going on:

Another day, another post. How long can it last? I hope to stick around and find out.