Yesterday’s Hash trail came in right at 6K and traveled through territory I’ve hiked frequently enough that almost everything was familiar. Except for the long-ass uphill stretch. And even there, once we started going down some rough and uneven steps, I realized that I’d climbed up those steps a couple of times, and the long up had actually been a down back then. Direction surely does change everything. It was a pleasant enough hike overall, and we finished at our On-Home venue, the One-Three Resort. I hadn’t been there for a while, and it seemed a little shabbier than usual. As I was leaving after sundown, I walked through an almost pitch-black lobby and asked why the lights were out. The gal behind the counter said, “Sorry, sir, not available.” I can only assume someone didn’t pay the electric bill. Oh well, not my problem.

Here are some photos from Run #1632 of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers:

We joined the after-Hash at It Doesn’t Matter for a bit before heading home. The party girls didn’t want Swan to leave so early, so I promised that Swan could stay late next week. She’s becoming such a Hasher!

In today’s episode of The Story of My Life, I recount reaching what I thought was the end of the road career-wise fourteen years ago as I said farewell to my Uncle Sam. Of course, nothing lasts forever.

Coincidentally, Facebook memories reminds that a mere four years later, I went back to work.

Eight years ago, I was in the GS-15 Director’s Chair again.

Also, eight years ago, my marriage had failed (again), and I was taking my first tentative steps back into the dating game.

Changing things up a tad content-wise, today’s YouTube video is a 1977 TV commercial for the first portable computer. We really have come a long way.

And that brings us to the daily dose of humor:

Halfway through a busier-than-usual Tuesday. Immigration, cell phone repair, candy purchases at two different markets in Olongapo City, and then the regular gig at the Royal supermarket. Next up is a visit to Dr. Jo for this week’s chelation treatment. After that, we’ll do our Tuesday visit to the Kokomo’s floating bar and then dinner afterward. It’s a good thing I’m retired; I don’t have any time to work!

I didn’t really have a plan, but things still didn’t go the way I anticipated for yesterday’s Hash. The first decision I made was to walk to the Hash starting point from my house via the My Bitch trail. Swan and another Hasher, Fuck Buddy’s Wet Spot, joined me on the trek to the start. I gave myself an hour to get here, and that proved to be just shy of enough. While hiking on My Bitch we encountered the official Hash trail at Four Corners. Of course, it was going in the opposite direction, but I figured I’d just follow the trail in reverse until I got to the start. Except when I saw the trail made a turn and was going the same way that last week’s Hash took, I decided fuck that and kept going on the Bitch to Rizal Extension and then down from there to the start at Court Two. This caused me to arrive at the start three minutes late, and everyone was already gone. Well, I could have followed the marks and done the Hare’s trail, but instead, I chose to make my own path on the streets back to the On-Home at Red Bar. Based on the feedback I heard from other Hashers, that proved to be my best decision of the day. The trail had a long and nasty climb to Kalaklan, some of it in a creekbed, and was poorly marked in places, with even experienced Hashers losing the trail. Nope, not for me. We have the same Hare next week, so I have low expectations. Anyway, here are some photos from along my way.

Then, there was the after-Hash gathering at IDM.

I was hungry, and the IDM menu offerings didn’t have many low-cal options, so I went with this:

So, the stats for my chosen path look like this:

The Hash is known as a drinking club with a running problem, so I try to honor the tradition. Also, I want to get more than my money’s worth. It was close, but I managed to stay under the daily calorie budget:

And now, it’s time to look back in time:

And today, Facebook slapped me with the memory of falling in love three years ago. This hiking date in San Antonio convinced me I had found “the one.” There are many photos of us snuggling up, but she has previously asked me not to post her pictures here, and I mostly try to respect her wishes. It was a great day on the mountain; I’ll never forget what might have been. Of course, things turned out alright for me when I met Swan two years later.

So, yesterday’s YouTube got a positive reaction from one reader (he even shared it on his blog). Glad you enjoyed it, Kevin. I honestly didn’t know much about the jokester Mikey Bustos, but it turns out he is Filipino-Canadian and is pretty famous in North America. I’m going to be checking out some of his other work, but in the meantime, here’s his parody take on if Michael Jackson was Filipino:

Here’s some motionless humor:

Later, I’ll be re-instating my Tuesday tradition of visiting the Kokomo’s floating bar. Hard to beat sipping a cold beverage on the water and watching the sun go down. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Hash was a pleasant one, at least, the part of the trail I did was. My intended shortcut was walking up Rizal Extension to avoid the Kalaklan climb and then pick up the trail where it came back down. That went fine. We did the second climb, and it intersected with the My Bitch trail at Mountain Mama Onelia’s place. I must have gotten distracted and missed the turn that went back down into Marian Hills. Instead, I continued on the Bitch back to Alta Vista and the On-Home at Hare Leech My Nuggets house. So, my chosen path was not quite 4K. I enjoyed it, though, and that’s what’s important.

Before departing for the Hash run, Swan served me some lunch.

Alright, now I’m ready to Hash!

Since we were already in Alta Vista, we opted not to venture out to IDM for the after-Hash gathering. After all, I’m counting calories and I had already enjoyed nine beers for my 300 peso Hash fee.

Eight years ago, I was enjoying the colors of autumn in Korea:

Today’s YouTube video vlogger shares his ten biggest fears about living in the Philippines. I agree with his #1 fear of going to jail, which would be a death sentence for me. The others, not so much. I don’t ride a motorbike or drive here, which perhaps was a decision driven by fear, but now I don’t have to worry. I never think about a potential house fire, but maybe I should. A kitchen fire could block escape from my bedroom, forcing me to jump off my patio. That fall would probably kill me (or make me wish I was dead). I don’t worry about crime and rarely feel unsafe. I’m safer from crime here (at least in this part of the PI) than I would be in the USA. I don’t fear bad relationships; I’ve lived them my whole life. Hopefully, Swan will put an end to that. I’m not sure how you can feel lonely in this country–even when I was alone, I always had friends with benefits available. My only money worries are if the USA went bankrupt and stopped paying my pension. The weather is what it is; I don’t waste time fearing it. I’ve sometimes wondered about a Pinatubo volcano eruption, but with any advance notice, I’d just relocate. Yeah, competent medical treatment availability is a legitimate concern, but I’m not going to dwell on it. So far the care I’ve needed has been adequately provided. And finally, as far as I’m concerned, there is no better place to be for assistance in your old age. I’ve often thought of Barretto as a retirement community. And I have a full-time caregiver working for me. Swan is also a certified caregiver. I’m in good hands in that regard.

To the humor, then:

Here I am, smack dab in the middle of another nothing Tuesday. We’ll see if we can liven things up with a stroll to Baloy Beach later this afternoon. Hope to see you here tomorrow for a full report.

And here I was missing The Four Seasons. Never seen this video before, but damn, that’s pretty wild for 1962. I wonder what she looks like now?

Yesterday’s Hash trail was short and sweet, and mine was even sweeter because I made it even shorter. My excuse, not that I need one, is that it started raining, and I didn’t see much sense in doing the final hill climb. Besides, Swan still isn’t feeling 100%, so I wanted her to take it easy. Yeah, that’s the ticket! The portion I completed had two ups and two downs, but they were only moderately difficult. The On-Home was at the Hare Fireman’s house, and he provided free food for all the Hashers. Thanks again!

I had some more beers at the IDM after-Hash gathering. By my count, I had ten on the night, leading to 600 carby calories. I did skip lunch completely, which is something new for me. I’m not sure I’ll be doing that on a regular basis (although I skipped lunch today, too), but the less, the better when it comes to eating.

My dinner calories came from some chicken fingers and a strawberry smoothie I enjoyed before bedtime. The snack calories are all beer. Still, while not a “cheat day” per se, it’s hard to be calorie/carb responsible at the Hash.

As Facebook reminds me, it was a year ago now that my breathing issues resurfaced:

Here in the present, the insanity of lefty meltdowns over Trump’s election continue. This is a post from a Facebook “friend”:

If you voted for Trump this election, were you motivated by your stupidity in understanding facts about reality or were you motivated by hatred and bigotry?

It’s stupidity if you don’t think January 6th and the plethora of other documented, indicted, and convicted crimes weren’t a big deal. It’s stupidity if you think Biden caused the global inflation issue since Covid. The U.S. has fared better than any other developed nation. These are facts that are well documented by experts. I’d share sources but only if you’re actually willing to read critically – which most of you clearly don’t.

It’s bigotry if you believed that legal Haitian residents are eating cats and dogs – or that you accept that lie as ok. Its bigotry if you don’t accept the existence of trans people. It’s bigotry if you can’t wait to separate millions of parents from their children or think that there is an “immigrant crime wave”. Its simply not true that immigrants commit more crimes, and don’t forget that when someone tried to do something to fix immigration – Trump blocked it for political gain.

I can accept if someone voted for Trump out of stupidity. I can’t accept it if you voted for Trump because you hate immigrants and the LGBT community.

As I reflect on this election and the sick people who supported someone who attempted a coup. I’m reminded that…

Most Americans supported slavery till a bloody war was fought to end it.

Most Americans supported legal domestic abuse until women and men with a moral compass fought to ban it.

Most Americans thought it was OK to deny gay people rights until a better Supreme Court mandated equal protections of the law.

But there are millions of Americans who are trying to clean up their mess and make the world a better place.

Keep your win, I’ll keep my morality.

I didn’t even bother responding. If his grasp of the facts is this deluded, I see no possibility of overcoming the indoctrination and/or ignorance. I’d be stupid if I thought otherwise.

And while we are on the subject:

And I guess you’ve heard about the movement of leftist women who have vowed to not engage in sexual intercourse for the duration of Trump’s time in office:

Enough with politics; let’s do a YouTube video. Today’s vlogger offers some perspectives on living a life without regret. I know as my life draws ever closer to the inevitable end, my regrets are more about the things I didn’t try to do than my failures. Hence, I’m really hoping that God answers my request for a “do-over” afterlife. It’s not so much about fixing past mistakes as it is about taking different paths than the ones I chose in this lifetime.

And now, to lighten the mood:

So, now it is time to overcome the Tuesday blahs. We’ll see if Swan is feeling up to going out. If not, then I’ll make a Plan B. Hmm, to B or not to B? I’ll let you know tomorrow.

The Hash gathered at the VFW. The trail went one way, and I went another. Three other Hashers followed my lead. I took them to the beginning of the My Bitch trail, and we followed it to the end, which conveniently left us at the gate to the Sangco Family Farm, this week’s On-Home venue. That was only a 4K journey, but Swan and I boosted our step count by walking halfway down Rizal Extension before catching a trike. Next stop was IDM for the after-Hash gathering. Once we’d had our fill, another trike ride home. I ended the evening with a sugar-free pudding treat. The details of the day’s adventure are in the pictures. Let’s have a look:

So, I mentioned those nine beers I indulged my thirst with yesterday. At 60 calories per bottle, I racked up 540 of them—almost a quarter of my daily goal. But I substituted beer for dinner, and it turned out to be my best diet day overall so far.

I’m not sure skipping meals is the way ahead for me, but eating less overall and walking more should work. It’s early yet, but so far, so good.

The Facebook memories from two years ago in Cambodia are almost better than I remember them:

It’s nice to look back on your life and have an occasional smile amongst the tears.

Today’s YouTube video features the Filipina Pea addressing the issue of strays and the general mistreatment of dogs in the Philippines. This subject is one of my pet peeves here. Yeah, the homeless dogs are sad to see and are clearly suffering, but damn, the dogs that are pets often don’t fare much better. Why have a dog if you are going to confine it on a three-foot leash or lock it in a cage so small it can’t turn around? I see this in Alta Vista, so it is not just a problem associated with the poor- it seems to be more of a cultural thing, kind of like littering.

To the humor, then:

Enough of that lameness. I’ve made a dinner date with Swan, and we’ll be dining at Mango’s. Afterward, we’ll go to Alaska Club to expend an SOB coupon or two. And life goes on.

Another Hash, another climb to the Kalaklan ridgeline. Kudos to the Hare for finding a new way up. As I’ve often said after one of these hikes, there ain’t no easy way to the top, but some are less gruesome than others. Yesterday’s journey was on the easier end of the spectrum–probably the third least difficult that I recall. Of course, the harder climbs take you to the highest part of the ridge. Achieving the ridgeline road yesterday was not the end of my upward trajectory.

I’m also old and fat, and the hill climbs are always challenging. When we started the trail yesterday, I was feeling some weakness in my right leg. I eventually walked that one off, only to start feeling a pain in my lower back. That triggered the voice in my head urging me just to turn around and walk the highway to the On-Home. We argued a bit, and then I reached the point of no return and ignored the recriminations. I was to complete the entire 6.5K short version of the trail and was pretty damn proud of myself for doing so!

Not a bad trail, glad I didn’t wuss out. After the Hash Circle, we moved to IDM for some food and more beverages. Then it was homeward bound for me and my lady.

Nothing in life is free:

• Hash Fees: 900 pesos
• Tips: 100 pesos
• Alcohol: 700 pesos
• Dinner: 750 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Charity: 50 pesos
• Total for October 28: 2750 pesos

Lots of memories from this date in history:

Last Friday, I was in Bauang, witnessing a whole new dance show experience that included naked women. At the SOB I missed in Barretto, the Alaska Club girls went in an entirely different direction—props for the costumes and creativity. What I missed appears to have been a haunting experience.

Today’s funny business:

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got for today. Thinking about dinner at John’s place tonight since we missed out on Sunday. After that, who knows?

Hashers in the house! That house being Red Bar for the Hash On-Home festivities. Getting there involved a long slog up into the hills and back down again on the other side. Well, it did for me. The actual Hash trail had another down and another up, which I chose to avoid. Why? Because I like to keep it fun, and I just wasn’t feeling it. That’s the way I roll these days.

As is the custom, the after-Hash gathering was at It Doesn’t Matter. We packed the place last night. Swan invited another Hasher (Beth, our Wet Spot friend) to join us at IDM for food and drinks. We stayed later and drank more than usual but had a nice time.

It was a good Hash Monday. Here’s where the money went:

• Alcohol: 640 pesos
• Dinner: 1310 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 200 pesos
• Tips: 130 pesos
• Charity: 3850 pesos
• Hash Fees: 8500 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Total for October 7: 14,830 pesos

Those big-ticket items are pretty much one-offs. The student I sponsor in Bohol needed money for his monthly transport to school while his mother is working in Cebu, so I wired the requested 2700 pesos. My peanut vendor friend Emmanuel has been ill and unable to work recently. He messaged me that there was no food for his family and asked if I could help him. So, I told him he could meet me at IDM. When he arrived, I slipped him a thousand pesos. Seven thousand nine hundred of the Hash fees are for the Haggis Bash in La Union coming up this December. That includes our hotel for two nights and two days of Hashing. I’m looking forward to taking Cums Alone on her first out-of-town Hash event.

In the memory department, Facebook reminds me that seven years ago, my trip to Boracay continued and featured the discovery of an aptly named bar:

Ah, well. It all turned out okay. I’m still alive and kicking, and that’s the important thing. Which is a nice segue for today’s YouTube video. This gent, whom I watched for the first time, is also sixty-nine years old and offers some good advice and insights on growing older.

WTF? I guess he doesn’t allow embedding his videos. Go ahead and watch it here if you like. I won’t be linking him in the future. Blogs were a thing before there were vlogs.

And now for some humor:

I’m going to take Swan to her foot spa, and I need a haircut. That sounds pretty exciting, eh? I saw the Cheap Charlies bartender at IDM last night and she said they have wine in stock, so maybe I’ll end my boycott and pay them a visit later today. So many options, so little time!

And the “hearing it for the first time” take:

Here’s how the Hash went down yesterday. Swan and I walked to the start of the trail at Columban College by going the back way from Alta Vista. And as fate would have it, a portion of the path we chose turned out to be the actual Hash trail, only in reverse. So, coming down to Columban was the way the Hashers would be going up. That’s not one of my favorite ways to go anyway, and having just been there, I opted for a different course of action. When the Hashers turned right to climb the tires, I went left and took a trail I’ve not done for quite some time. Well, best-laid plans and all, but my alternative was longer and steeper than I recalled. And along the way, there was some new fencing we had to detour around. Even so, it was a nice adventure, and I have no regrets. My heart rate didn’t rise above 115 BPM, even when I was huffing and puffing my way to the top. I’ll take that as a good sign.

By way of introduction, I told this joke:

A Hasher named Cum Together had a bit too much to drink one night, and his performance in the bedroom did not live up to his Hash name. The next morning, he apologized to the young woman for the unsatisfying lovemaking. She told him, there is nothing to be sorry about; I had an orgasm. Oh really? When was that? She smiled and said, “While you were in the toilet.”

Allow me to introduce you to the newest named SBH3 Hasher: Cums Alone.

The heart rates stats from yesterday:

I came across this ranking of Filipino food on my Facebook feed today:

I’ve personally only tried a few of these, and most are okay (lechon is probably my favorite), but given other options, I often take them. Some things I will never put in my mouth, like Balut (a duck fetus sucked out of an egg. No thank you!)

It’s an election year, so I feel obligated to engage with my fellow citizens regarding the importance of the choices before us:

And those cat memes are still purring:

For some weird reason, I enjoy hearing the point-of-view of naysayers regarding life in the Philippines. In today’s YouTube video, this guy is giving up and moving back to the USA. Welp, the PI is a LONG way from perfect, but I’ll be damned if I’d rather be dealing with all the shit going on back home. Most of the things he complains about are real (I bitch about the noise and litter a lot), but you learn to deal with it, not let it destroy your peace of mind and happiness. So, go home, young man, you don’t belong here!

Time for the funnies:

No real plans for the rest of my Tuesday, but come back tomorrow and I’ll share what happens then.

And the “first time hearing” reaction video:

I survived another Hash, so there’s that. I did the 4K short trail with only one hill but walked to the start from my house for an extra 2K. The long trail went to the top of Kalaklan Ridge, and I’m glad I avoided that experience. The hill I did was maybe half that climb, and it pretty much kicked my ass. On a more positive note, I was able to defeat that voice in my head trying to get me to wimp out again. I don’t know what the future holds, but it was good to see that I can still push myself to the top of a moderate hillclimb. I do seem to be feeling my age lately. I was going to say, “This too shall pass,” but thought better of it once I considered the alternative to getting older. I may be slowing down some, but I ain’t dead yet. I’m going to keep trying to make the best of whatever the future may bring.

Swan prepared a pre-Hash meal for me that I really enjoyed. That girl loves to cook!

Fueled up and ready to Hash!

I won’t make it to 1000 runs like Pubic Head (he had a big head start), but I’d like to make it to 500 someday. We shall see.

I went home at the end of the Hash circle (they were out of beer anyway) and Swan had dinner ready for me.

This may be my favorite of the cat-eating memes so far:

Today’s YouTube video is a vlogger’s review of BarCelona. The bar is for sale at a reasonable price and it’s a fun fantasy to imagine having my very own beer joint, but I’m sober enough to know it’s not a good idea for me. The video really shows how nice the place is. All it needs is an elevator!

Maybe these are funny:

I had my echocardiogram today but haven’t seen the results yet. From what I understand, one of the three arteries feeding the left side of my heart isn’t functioning properly. I don’t know what the implications are or what fixes are possible. I need to have a doctor explain the way ahead. I’ll have more on this when I know it. I’m staying home tonight to contemplate life at The Rite Spot.

Yesterday’s Hash was a different kind of challenge and one I’m more suited to endure. In honor of the birthday of the Grand Master (who was also the Hare), the Hash trail was a stroll through several Barretto bars with a special celebration at the On-Home venue.

We gathered at the VFW and at the appointed hour (2 p.m.) began our trek.

I guess I shortcut the party by leaving early, but I know when to say when. At least most of the time.

Five years ago, I was still strolling around Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City, if you prefer).

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about his biggest mistake in the Philippines. No real surprise it involved a woman.

Humor me these:

Halfway through my Tuesday here, and what comes next is going to happen on Baloy Beach. Whatever that may turn out to be, you can read about tomorrow right here at LTG.

And as an added bonus, here is the “hearing the Turtles for the first time” video:

Luckily, I didn’t have to experience the nightmare firsthand. I wound up taking the My Bitch option to the Hash On-Home at Always Wet’s house on Rizal Extension. I had a few beers there, then left before the Circle commenced. I was one of the first to arrive, which wasn’t that unusual given my relatively short alternative trail, but what was weird was that the Hare, Vienna Sausage, had yet to return from marking the trail. His girlfriend (Always Wet) said he’d left at ten in the morning and was still out there. Hmm, it was 3:30 now, and the Hashers had started the trail at 2:00. What was going on? It was close to four when the first runner, Leech My Nuggets, showed up, and he wasn’t a happy camper. It seems that the Hare had gotten lost in the thick underbrush and rampant grasses at this time of year. Leech encountered Vienna during his retreat, and they found a different way down from Kalaklan Ridge.

But wait, it gets worse. The Circle normally starts at 4:00 p.m., but there were still several unaccounted-for Hashers at that time, so we waited. And waited. I still had the walk back into town ahead of me, so I decided to leave shortly after five. As I departed, five of the missing Hashers arrived via trike. Yep, they had been lost but eventually found a way back down from the ridge. I didn’t see Gary and his wife (new enough to the Hash to be unnamed), but I assumed they had taken a trike, too, and decided to go home. So, I proceeded on my hike back to town and went to the after-Hash venue at IDM to await my fellow Hashers. I was enjoying my beers and telling jokes to the waitresses I was treating to lady drinks (that always makes my jokes funnier somehow) when I saw my phone had a “missed call” from a name I didn’t recognize. When I opened Messenger, I saw this:

John, it’s Gary. We are stuck up on the mountain. Can you call please.

Oh shit. It was after seven now and pitch black outside. And it was raining. Getting down from Kalaklan Ridge is challenging under the best circumstances. But being lost up there in the dark is the stuff of nightmares. I don’t hear well on the phone, so I went over to another Hasher, Demolition Derby, and asked him to help with the call to Gary. Derby had Gary describe his surroundings and guessed that he might be on or near the ridgeline road. It’s dirt and rugged but easier to hike than a trail, especially at night. There are also occasional shacks and people to maybe provide assistance. Thirty minutes later, Gary messaged that “all was okay now.” We called back, and they had found the ridgeline road and were making their way down to the highway. They still had a long way to go. It was after nine when he messaged that they had made it home. Scary shit. I hope I never have to experience being lost in the middle of nowhere when the sun goes down.

Here are the “Hash” photos I took during my journey on the Bitch.

And now you know the rest of the story. The sad thing was, by the time we learned we had lost Hashers, the rest of us were in no condition to attempt a rescue. That’s why it’s best to stick with a group that knows their way around whenever possible.

Eight years ago I had a drunken birthday at Shenanigans in Itaewon:

Today’s YouTube video is a brief update on the Philippines mayor who turned out to be a Chinese spy. It seems she has fled the country. Surprise, surprise.

And some quick humor (I have a party to attend to):

So, it’s my birthday and we are having a party at The Rite Spot. Except it is raining at the moment. Here’s hoping that ends soon. Swan and her family having been cooking up tons of food, mostly stuff I like (baby back ribs, chicken wings, etc). I’ve also got some chili brewing in the crockpot. I’ll give you a full report on the festivities tomorrow!

We came. We saw. We marked the trail. We sat on the ice. Just a typical day in the life of a Hare with the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. I joined my counterparts (Pubic Head and Blow My Pipe) in laying the powder, paper, and chalk marks to guide our fellow Hashers on Run #1615. All who did the trail survived (as far as we know), and that is the primary indicator of success in my book. It was a short trail at a little under 5K but had a challenging climb up to Kalaklan Ridge and a steep down before ending at the On-Home held at Hasher Tung ‘n Gruve’s beachside residence. I didn’t receive any negative feedback on the trail, and a couple of Hashers were surprised that the fat old guy made that climb.

Yeah, about that. It was an ass-kicking up, but thankfully, it wasn’t a killer. Honestly, if I didn’t feel obligated to my fellow Hares, I would have turned around early and called it a day. I’m not sure what it is lately; I just don’t seem to have any energy or stamina. I fear it may be the vestiges of old age, and the only cure for that is one I’d prefer to avoid. We will see what the future brings. In the meantime, I’ll try and keep thinking positive thoughts, and hoping this too shall pass.

Another Hash in the books. It is always nice to live to tell about it.

Memories today include my kids enjoying life on the farm circa 1981:

Coincidentally, in today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about the perils of dating crazy women. Now, Eun Oke’s craziness only manifested when she’d been drinking to excess, but sadly, that was pretty much all the time, at least when she was around me. I’d try to get her to slow down, but that would trigger an outburst. Finally, I had enough and walked away for good. For years afterward, even when I was living here in the PI, I’d get a video call on Messenger at three in the morning from my drunk ex. I eventually just stopped answering. Another example of there are worse things than being alone.

Today’s attempt at humor:

Not sure what’s on tap for the rest of my Tuesday, but it will likely involve some cold bottles of San Mig Zero. I’ll fill in the gaps tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this clip from Deliverance. Who knew Joe Biden was such a talented banjo player back in the day?

I took a hybrid approach to yesterday’s Hash, taking the My Bitch trail from my house to the On-Home at the end of Rizal Extension, a tad over 3K. Pubic Head and Buddy Fucker also left from their houses, and we met up along the way at mountain mama Onelia’s place. In an unheard-of precedent, Vienna Sausage laid a trail that was only 2K in length, although it did feature a couple of hill climbs. We encountered several of the hard-core Hashers who had hiked the trail and then walked it again in reverse to get some more distance in. The last portion of my hike was the beginning of the “official” Hash trail, so technically, I did part of it at least. And my trail was longer, so there!

But I wasn’t done yet. I had a few beers at Tiny Cunt’s house (the On-Home venue) but departed just before the Hash circle began. I walked the 3K back into town and had dinner and some more beers at our traditional after-Hash hangout, It Doesn’t Matter. The other Hashers rolled in about an hour after my arrival. After drinking my fill, I popped into Myleen’s and grabbed a couple of slices of apple pie to share with Swan at home.

And that’s the way I rolled yesterday.

And speaking of memories, the Westminster Facebook group I belong to posted this old photo of our high school swimming pool.

A more recent memory was from seven years ago, when I took my nephews on a bar crawl in Anjeong-ri.

Today’s YouTube video recounts the vlogger’s experiences as a newbie in the Philippines. Some good advice is to bring in fresh hundred-dollar bills. Most exchanges will not accept old versions or any writing or other damage. I made that mistake the last time I brought in dollars, and I have several hundred that no one will take. You can also enjoy the street scenes of downtown Cebu during the narration.

Maybe these will make you smile:

For some reason, I thought of the Eddie Rabbitt song, Every Which Way But Loose, today. I enjoyed Rabbitt’s music back in the day, but I don’t think I ever purchased an album. I’d also forgotten that he died back in 1998. But he lives on through his music. Thanks for that, Eddie!  

No surprise that the weather was wet for yesterday’s Hash. And our Hash calendar dictates that we are “On-On” every Monday rain or shine. Yesterday was no exception to that rule. So, us Hares headed out to mark a rainy day trail at 11 a.m. We had two climbs. The first was mostly steps and paved. The second was up a dirt trail. I opted not to take that route; instead, I marked a street trail back to the On-Home venue at the One Three Resort. Both versions were just shy of five kilometers.

The rain varied in intensity throughout the day. I used shredded paper to mark the path and tried to find places to drop it where it wouldn’t wash away. Feedback from the Hashers was positive—the trail was easy to follow and a good one for a rainy day. That’s what this Hare wants to hear. I asked around and didn’t find anyone who said they had done the easy version I marked, but at least there was that option. Mission accomplished!

And that’s what our rainy day Hash looked like. We finished marking the trail just before one. The Hashers gathered at the starting location at two. The other Hares went to send them off, but I elected to just stay at the One Three Resort and wait for the group to arrive. The first of the runners appeared around three. So, I had a couple of extra hours to spend drinking beers. By the end of the Hash festivities, I was soaked in more ways than one. Coincidentally, Swan was visiting relatives a couple of doors away from the resort, and she joined me while I waited for the Hash to begin. Then, she returned afterward, and we rode home together in a trike—a nice finish to the day.

It rained all night and is still raining today. ‘Tis the season and all that. I’m still not longing for those scorching days of heat, but it is early yet. I might feel different come September.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay offers three mistakes that will alienate you from the expat community. I don’t believe I’m guilty of any of them, and really, they don’t seem all that common or bothersome. I mean, it is pretty natural to be asked, “Where do you live?” I just give a generic “Alta Vista” response, and that’s no big deal. No one has ever tried to find me or just drop by without an invite. I’ve never dated anyone’s recent ex, and no one has dated one of mine that I know of. Again, I’m not sure why I should care. The borrowing money thing is situational. I think the expat community needs to stick together and help one another out in an emergency. But there’s a difference between asking for a medical treatment or paying a bar tab. Like I said, none of these have been a real issue during my six years as an expat in the PI.

The jokes are on me:

Come on back tomorrow!

…flat as a board. And you gotta have water to surf and that massive rain storm provided plenty.

I felt like shit all day yesterday, but when it was time to Hash, I headed out. I got maybe 100 yards from home and was out of breath (it is a very slight uphill). I almost turned around then and there but convinced myself to push on. A bit further up the road, I had to stop once more to catch my breath. Not good! I reached the point where the Hash trail intersected with my path and waited for the Hashers to arrive. I knew I wouldn’t be doing any climbing whatsoever, but I figured I’d tag along until the first up, then make my way to the On-Home (at Leech My Nuggets house in Alta Vista). About a kilometer later, I said goodbye to the group and began my solo flat trek. Not long afterward, the sky opened up, and I was drenched from head to toe. Yeah, it was as fun as it sounds. I was heading up Sawmill Road when a trike pulled over and offered me a ride. Well, I was going to catch one at the 7/11 anyway to avoid the uphill walk to Alta Vista, so why not? My trail was 3K or so all in.

I wasn’t feeling much better during the Hash Circle. When the rain let up about halfway through the festivities, I headed for home. And last night might have been my worst night ever. In addition to feeling weak and breathless, I developed a pain in my chest. Not sure what the fuck that’s all about, but I’m hoping what I’ve assumed to be lung issues isn’t heart-related instead. I think it might be acid reflux or something similar, but I don’t recall experiencing that before. I bought some meds for that this morning, but so far, the ache is still there, although it has moved down to my mid-section. Before going to bed last night, I gave Swan the contact info for my kids, just to be on the safe side. It freaked her out, though.

So, I have a lot to discuss with the pulmonary doctor today. I am going to the newly reopened hospital in Barretto, and hopefully, they have the facilities to perform any necessary tests to diagnose and correct whatever ails me. As is the case in most hospitals in the PI, there are no appointments– I have to show up and wait on a first-come, first-seen basis. We stopped in on the way to Royal this morning and signed up. The doctor is scheduled to arrive at 2:00 p.m., and I’ll be there at 1:30 waiting. Damn, I hope this goes well. I hate feeling like this, and I really miss my walkaholic life.

Not the best of days, and hopefully the worst is over.

It’s been interesting watching the left’s convulsions since the failed assassination attempt. All that unity talk lasted less than a day, and now Trump is a fascist again. Oh, and Vance will also participate in the destruction of democracy. Whatever. Pick a better candidate next time, Dems. Trump didn’t make America great again in his first term, but it was a lot better than it is now.

And even the ads I’m seeing on Facebook are changing.

Today’s YouTube video is a short but interesting account of a guy choosing the Philippines over the Scottish homeland that he loves. Yeah, you need to exercise moderation and self-control if you are going to adapt to the lifestyle here, but I would be very unhappy living in the USA.

Some humor before I go to the hospital:

Okay, my transport to the UltraCare facility will be arriving soon. I’d best get prepared. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Another Monday, another Hash. This week, some of the Gash were the Hares, and they laid a pretty nice trail that was well-marked and a little different. It wasn’t all that difficult, but I wound up shortcutting anyway. My “sane” group didn’t wait for me this week, which was disappointing but understandable. I’ve got so slow going uphill that it takes the fun out of hiking with me. Swan and some others were with me, so it’s not like I was alone on the trail. The problem was we got into an area that was unfamiliar to me, and it appeared there was a second climb in store, and I just didn’t have it in me. Since I didn’t know an alternative path, I retreated back to the highway and rejoined the trail down the road. My shortcut was longer distance-wise, but I assumed it was flatter. Turns out, what I perceived as a pending climb would have led me back down to the valley. Still, better safe than sorry.

After the Hash, Swan and I caught a trike to It Doesn’t Matter for the post-Hash gathering. Turns out, I might have had too much to drink. I’ll do better next time.

Speaking of drinking, Facebook carried me back thirteen long years ago to an Itaewon Friday night at Dolce Vita Pub.

Eight years ago, I was walking the shady back paths on Namsan in Seoul.

The looming war with China will be fought on many fronts. The Chinese have already infiltrated even the lowest branches of Filipino government. To what end, who knows? I’m sure the corruption agents can be dual purposed as military assets. And the same things is taking place back home in the USA as well. Shocking how many of the illegal border crossers are Chinese. Today’s YouTube video details some of what is happening here in the Philippines.

Gonna go for a walk on the raunchy side for today’s humor offering.

That’s all for now, folks.

It never seems to get easier, but I’m still in the fight. Barely. We did a pretty massive shortcut on the Hash trail yesterday, eliminating a climb to the top of Kalaklan Ridge. But the climb we did do was almost more than I could handle. Once again, I had a massive struggle in my head to overcome the urge to say “fuck it” and flatland it back to the On-Home. That was half the battle; the other half was actually getting to the top. It was slow going for me and almost painful, but I made it. I’m just not ready to give up the hills and the views you earn by climbing them yet. And to cut myself some slack, I’ll be sixty-nine next month. I reckon I’m blessed to still have the ability to get out there and try. The day will surely come when my get up and go has got up and gone, but until then, I’m going to keep on keeping on as best I can!

I walked the beach back to It Doesn’t Matter to partake in the after-Hash comradery. And stopped at Myleen’s before catching a trike home.

Facebook memories reminded me of a time when climbing came easier for me.

In today’s YouTube offering, Reekay speaks to the Filipino mortality culture. All Saints Day here is like something I’d never seen; families and loved ones pack the cemeteries to remember and honor the dearly departed. I’m pretty sure the dead don’t care, but it is another example of how family-centered this culture truly is.

Just cremate me and scatter my ashes on a Hash trail, thank you very much.

Humor time:

Tomorrow is another day, and I plan to be here then to tell you about this one. See you then!