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!

Power was restored briefly last evening, but it’s been out again since eight p.m. Rain is falling like crazy, and there are some heavy gusts of wind. The downed tree blocking our street has been cleared away, at least. Typhoon Kristine has proven to be a real bitch, and she doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave. This doesn’t bode well for our drive to La Union later this morning. Hopefully, it is not still raining when tomorrow’s Hash commences. Nothing to be done but wait and see.

So, let’s find out how long my laptop battery lasts. Yesterday was pretty much a shelter-in-place kind of day. I did visit the cardiologist for my test results. The most surprising news is that I have a urinary tract infection. And now I have some antibiotics to take twice a day. I still need an ultrasound of my leg veins; I am just waiting for the scheduling. Otherwise, the heart is ticking and tocking and doing its job. The goal is to continue that trend as long as possible. I haven’t experienced any breathing issues lately, and I’m especially thankful for that.

After I got back home, the power went out, and I wasn’t looking forward to spending the night sitting in the dark. My neighbor invited us over to join them in the solar-lighted house for some food and beers, and that was a welcome offer. Davina’s shrimp fajitas are amazing:

We also killed an hour or so playing a board game, the name of which I can’t recall this morning. It involved drawing numbered tiles and playing them in sets. My old brain took some time to grasp the strategic imperatives required in choosing where and when to play the numbers, but I was never able to beat neighbor Jeff. Oh well, something different to fill the time. Ah, it was Rummikub.

After the power was restored, we said our goodnights and headed home. The joy of lights and fans didn’t last long, and we were once again cast into darkness. A fitful night’s sleep ensued, punctuated by noise from the howling winds and the drumbeat of rain against the windows. Then, I awoke to another wet morning in darkness.

Well, at least I didn’t spend much:

• Prescription Meds: 1300 pesos
• Doctor Visit: 700 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Total for October 24: 2200

It’s more fun to spend money than not. I reckon I’ll get the chance to make up for it some this weekend in La Union.

Some Facebook memories:

No battery power to preview a YouTube video for you this morning, so I’ll just share this one that looks interesting to this old man’s eyes. Things from the 1980s you can no longer do. Heh, don’t get me started!

Some humor while I can:

I’ll update y’all from La Union.

The wrath of typhoon Kristine is upon us. Not much rain, but lots of wind. And naturally, the power has been out for hours now. My mission is to finish today’s post before my laptop battery expires. Let’s do this!

Another lazy day yesterday, but at least I can blame the weather for my failure to exercise.

The rain didn’t stop me from donning an umbrella and heading for town with Swan by my side when beer o’clock rolled around.

I was surprised to see that my waitress friend, Jenn, from Whiskey Girl, is now employed at BarCelona. She says the pay is better, and there is less drama. It’s nice to have a familiar face here, even if I infrequently visit this bar.

The news from BarCelona is that the bar has finally changed hands. The new owner wasn’t around yesterday, but hopefully, he can find a way to attract more customers. For our first hour or so, we were groovin’ to the classic rock sounds being played on a quality sound system. And then, out of the blue, some crappy rap (but I repeat myself) began blaring. I told Swan if I had heard that noise when coming up the stairs, I would have turned around. Well, one rap song is one too many, but I can tolerate the discomfort. And then the next song was rap. And so was the one after that. I told Jenn it was time for us to go. While she was getting my bill, the only other customer in the bar (he’d actually been out on the rooftop deck) came in to pay and leave for the same reason. As we left, I told the cashier to consider who the customer base was when picking a playlist. She denied changing the music and claimed not to know how to resolve the issue. Whatever.

Wet Spot wasn’t open yet, so we made Green Room our next stop. Business as usual there, and we enjoyed drinking our drinks and watching the pool players.

We brought sandwiches from Sit-n-Bull home with us for our dinner.

Not much of a Wednesday, but we made the best of it.

• Part-time helper salary: 1000 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Dinner: 1200 pesos
• Tips: 340 pesos
• Alcohol: 800 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 680 pesos
• Total for October 23: 4220 pesos

The rare day of spending less than 5000 pesos!

Today’s memories don’t come from Facebook; instead, I found them in the dark archives here at Long Time Gone. This post from 2009 was a good reminder that there was a time when I occasionally wrote something of substance on the blog. I had recently signed up on Facebook and reconnected with a high school classmate who worked with me on the school newspaper. He was working as a journalist for a major paper in the Pacific Northwest and was lamenting the declining economics of the newspaper industry. I had been a fellow liberal brother-in-arms back in our youth but had outgrown that mindset. I pointed out some reasons why the left-wing reporting bias was hurting the news business. I guess he disagreed, and like many of my lefty acquaintances, he unfriended me. Oh well, at least his echo-chamber world view was preserved. Probably one of the better posts in the almost twenty-year history of LTG.

The other memory was a photo I posted on the blog from my days as a cross-country skier in the mountains of Northern Arizona circa 1982. That post contained just the photograph and one of my favorite Sara Teasdale poems:

Man oh man, a good reminder that we don’t appreciate what we have until it is gone. I hadn’t thought about those long ago days in a very long time, and seeing that picture again brought back a flood of memories. Damn, I’d like to be a time traveler and whisper some wisdom in that guy’s ear. But knowing me, I probably wouldn’t have listened.

Speaking of fools, here are some updates on that guy I posted about who was kidnapped a few days ago. The more I learn about this young man, the worse it gets. A white guy’s body washed ashore in the region, but it has not been positively identified as being him yet. Anyway, either way it is doubtful he is still alive. You can read a news account here, and today’s YouTube videos have two different vloggers weighing in with the latest details of this guy’s final days. I found it both interesting and sad that he had converted to Islam and taken the name Muhammed. A lot of good it did him.

Time to cleanse the palate with some humor:

Well, the good news is I made it through this post on low batt. The bad news is the storm has just hit with full fury…heavy winds and rain. And now this just happened:

Oh well, nothing I can do about it. I’m leaving tomorrow morning to spend the weekend in La Union. It’s on the ocean so hopefully this storm has blown through by then. We shall see. I’ll update tomorrow if I have the power to do so.

But I grew up on this version:

The Subic Bay Hash House Harriers have been marching for thirty-one years now, and I’ve been honored to be involved in six of them. In a typical week, we have between thirty and forty participants. Yesterday, 133 Hashers, including a large contingent from Pattaya, Thailand, joined the fun. Thanks for sharing in the celebration!

There were three options yesterday: long, medium, and short trails. Long and medium hikers took Jeepneys to Olongapo City and started from there. The short trail (5.5K) involved a harder-than-I-remembered climb, but it wasn’t bad after that. And no, I did not shortcut, even though the thought crossed my mind. The gathering for the Hash circle at Subiza seemed to go well, so that was a relief. The party continued at It Doesn’t Matter following the Hash. There’s a reason we are known as a “drinking club with a running problem.” Good times!

It’s great to still be living the good life after all these years.

The day was not free, of course:

• Charity: 11,500 pesos (donation for cancer treatment)
• Prescription Meds: 1500 pesos
• Tips: 100 pesos
• Alcohol: 850 pesos
• Dinner: 750 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 400 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Hash Fees: 1300 pesos
• Snacks: 100 pesos
• Total for October 21: 16,700 pesos

Ten more days to go before I do my monthly reckoning.

You may have noticed an influx of spam comments. I turned off my blockers to see if that would improve access for those using VPNs. It might have helped some, but deleting all that spam was a chore, so the blockers are back in operation. Sorry for whatever inconvenience that may cause.

In other news, there’s a storm a-brewin’.

Today’s memory is from seven years ago when I made a four-hour roundtrip bike ride from Pyeongtaek to Asan and back.

Election day is approaching, and the voting shenanigans have already begun.

Today’s YouTube video might be my all-time favorite from The Filipina Pea. In it, she takes on a white woman who is critical of men moving to Asia for the women. Pea decimates her in a must-see takedown. The white gal is the perfect example of what Western men are running away from. Have a look and judge for yourself:

Ready for some humor?

I’m halfway through my Tuesday now and unsure what lies ahead. I’ll consult with Swan for her preferences, but I’m thinking Baloy might be a good option. Come back for more of my drivel tomorrow if you dare!

Life is what it is, and this is how it was yesterday: A Candy Walk, a feeding, a dinner, and some liquid refreshment along the way. And I’ve got the pictures to prove it!

Later in the day, I made my way to Hideaway for the weekly feeding.

Next up was surviving a highway crossing and dining at John’s place.

We finished the day at Green Room, where we enjoyed watching some pool competitors in action. Lady drinks were dispensed, and beer was imbibed. I got a shoulder rub from Sally, but it didn’t get any lower than that.

So, I caught some flack in the comments about my criticism of the guy getting his crotch rubbed on Friday night. Let me try and clarify my objections. To begin with, whatever happens between a customer and a GRO is between them, and it is none of my business. I’ve seen worse than the Friday show. I don’t enjoy seeing guys grabbing tits or gals grabbing dick, but that’s between them. That said, Green Room touts itself as a “sports bar,” not a whore bar. I was there on Friday to watch a dance competition, and I had my girl with me. I saw what was happening at the next table and looked away. Swan got offended. I stand by my belief that it wasn’t the time or place for hands-on behavior, but I’ll concede it doesn’t make the guy a ghastly asshole. It’s a Barretto bar full of girls wanting to make money; I can always go elsewhere if I don’t like it. The fact that I was back at Green Room with my girl last night demonstrates that we are both over it.

Here’s what my Sunday cost me:

• Tips: 500 pesos
• Alcohol: 1190 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 1050 pesos
• Snacks: 200 pesos
• Dinner: 1290 pesos
• Trikes: 300 pesos
• Charity: 2150 pesos
• Trash Collection: 100 pesos
• Lunch: 550 pesos
• Total for October 20: 7282 pesos

Another Facebook memory from my Korea life:

I was looking at pictures from the Anniversary Hash in 2019 and had a chuckle over this one:

Today’s YouTube vlogger advises against opening a business for the family to operate. The examples given are pretty familiar. My direct experience was sponsoring the eatery Marissa wanted. That lasted all of six months. Still, when I thought about that beach bar in Bantay Bayan I wrote about yesterday, I knew it would have to be in Swan’s name, and I felt confident that it would do fine in her capable hands. I’m just not wanting to upend my life with the major changes that would be required. Still, I’m cognizant of the fact that she’ll outlive me, and I’d like to find a way for her to carry on without my support when the end of my days arrives.

I’ll take this as a sign that today’s humor will be punny indeed:

Speaking of the Hash, today is the 31st Anniversary of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. The long and medium trails involve transport to Olongapo City, then a climb up to Kalaklan Ridge and down the other side. Departure for those is at noon from VFW. The short trail leaves at one from the VFW and has a climb, but not a Kalaklan-level (steep?) ascent. You know which one I’ll be doing. On-Home is at Subiza Resort on Baloy. I’m a little worried if they are going to be able to accommodate the needs of an anticipated one hundred Hashers, but we are fixin’ to find out. I’ll share how it goes tomorrow.