Another Subic Bay Hash anniversary is in the books. By all accounts, it was a good one. And everyone made it back alive, which given the difficulty of the trails is never a given. I wisely took the wimp route and did the short five kilometer trail. It had two moderate climbs, but damn, they kicked my ass. Had I stuck with my original plan to do the 7K route with a steep climb up Kalaklan, I may not have been here today to tell you about it. I think I might have to embrace the fact that I am indeed an elderly man and take joy and pride in my ability to still get out and about in the hills. I just need to recognize my limits.

We had ninety-nine Hashers in attendance for the anniversary run (we are normally in the thirties). Hashers from Angeles City, Puerto Galera, and Manila joined in the fun.

Oh, did you notice my new Hash shirt?

We did the after-Hash hangout at It Doesn’t Matter, then made it home happy to be alive.

It’s September 2014 in the LTG archives. In this short post, I talk about heading back to the USA from Korea as part of our regular “six months there, six months here” rotation. I casually mention that my wife was not returning with me because she needed to take care of her mother. She was supposed to join me in a couple of weeks. I didn’t know then that she would never return.

I came across this photo as I slogged around the internet this morning:

Another new to me vlogger for today’s YouTube video. I’ll always remember the two things that stood out for me during my first visit to the Philippines: the most extreme poverty I’d ever witnessed and the kindness of the Filipino people. This Canuck had a similar experience.

Let’s get this stuff out of the way:

It’s been a good Tuesday so far, with more to come. Down the road, I’ll be spending this coming weekend in La Union to participate in their anniversary Hash. I’m going to keep it On-On as long as I can.

Yesterday’s Hash trail wasn’t so bad except for that first climb. Steep and slick, just the way I hate it. I made it to the top, though, so there’s that. And someday I may look back and miss those days when I could still drag my sorry ass up into the hills. Live it while you got it!

There was some sad news from the Puerto Galera Anniversary Hash this weekend. Several Subic hashers attended the event, as did the Corona Hash group from Angeles City. A Corona hasher brought along her boyfriend, who had never hiked a Hash trail before. Apparently, he didn’t come prepared and collapsed during a climb early on the trail. Efforts were made to revive and comfort him, and eventually, a rescue team carried him down on a stretcher and then transported him to a local hospital. That’s where he died. Honestly, I’ve always been surprised there aren’t more casualties amongst the Hash participants. Count your blessings, drink plenty of water, proceed with caution, and hope to live to see another Hash is how I roll.

In other news, Swan made me another Filipino breakfast burrito yesterday.

In this post from the June 2014 LTG archives, I recount a journey I made to Songtan (south of Seoul), where I participated in a dart tourney. I find it shocking that a mere eleven years ago, I was staying out in party mode until 3:30 in the morning. I’ve become such a lightweight in my old age. And yeah, I still miss the good ol’ days in Korea.

Let’s check in with the Filipina Pea for her thoughts on some common misconceptions foreigners bring with them to the Philippines. Well, it is what it is, and I’m still here, going on eight years now, so I reckon the good outweighs the bad. You either learn to live with the downsides or you leave.

Let’s get the funny business out of the way:

And that’s all I’ve got for today.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from our beautiful Hariettes yesterday, but I wound up being very pleasantly surprised. How good was the trail? Well, I didn’t have to shortcut. Granted, there was a long (6.5K) and a short (4.5K) option, and I went with the lesser one. That turned out to be a good choice for me because the two moderate climbs took about all I had in me to complete. That said, I really enjoyed the trail, especially the portion I hadn’t done in so long that it felt almost new again. The trail was well-marked, and the gals obviously put a lot of effort into creating two versions that were pleasing for both hardcore Hashers and old farts like me.

Some after-Hash fun at It Doesn’t Matter brought another Hash Monday to a close. I’m learning to savor the moments while they last.

A little surprise on my journey through the LTG archives from April 2014: a post about my first time meeting the esteemed Kevin Kim. It was nice to meat with you at the Brazilian steak house.

Facebook had a memory for me from eight years ago:

Too bad I hadn’t learned the lessons that Smart Girl Philippines offers in her YouTube videos. Here’s today’s guidance:

Maybe these will be worth a smile or three:

And that’s all I’ve got for today.

On the bright side, we are on the periphery here in Zambales, lots of rain and some gusty winds, but not the full brunt of the typhoon. The only damage I’ve seen so far is a few broken tree branches. The storm makes daily living a bit of a pain in the ass, but this too shall pass.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the Hare wisely elected to save his mountain trail for a dryer day, substituting a street walk through Barretto for the Hash trek. Walking in the rain made it a tad less boring, and I have to give the Hare credit for coming up with a creative way to craft a 6K journey around town at the last minute.

Rain or shine, every day is a blessing.

In this October 2013 post from the LTG archives, I reflect on my life and career. A working-class hero is something to be. I consider this to be one of my better posts, and it will definitely be included in The Story of My Life. Assuming I live long enough to write it someday.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay discusses the group of expats who were considered losers back home and brought those traits with them when they moved to Southeast Asia. I’ve encountered a few of this type during my time here, but thankfully, they are a small minority in the community. Granted, I’m far from perfect, but I eventually learn from my mistakes and I’m blessed with a pension sufficient to cater to my indulgences.

Let’s see how these attempts at humor go over:

It’s good sometimes to look back at where you’ve been that led you to where you are. And here I am ready to fill some more rainy day hours.

As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
'Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
'Til you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they've tortured and scared you for 20 odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function, you're so full of fear

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion, and sex, and T.V.
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

Greetings from the Philippines! The fact that you are seeing this post is evidence that I survived yet another Hash Monday. Let’s get On-On with the photos:

More beverages and camaraderie at the after-Hash gathering at IDM, then we were homeward bound after another fine day amongst the living.

Lots of lefty tears about the people being fired for their deranged celebration of murder. This sums up my sentiment quite well:

When I left the States for Korea in 2005, it was my first time being exposed to the unique beauty of Asian women. There was a time when I considered Korean ladies the most attractive, but now I find Filipinas to be the ones I like best.

There was a time when darts were a big part of my life. In the July 2013 LTG archives, there is a post highlighting the dart events I attended during the preceding twelve months. And now I can’t remember the last time I even picked up a dart. Times change, passions fade, and yet, life goes on with new adventures. I’m glad for the memories, but don’t regret moving on.

From Facebook memories, on this day in 2019, I linked to my blog post entitled “Comma-tose.” Guess what, all these years later, I’m still a dunce when it comes to punctuation. Still, I’m happy to be adding value as a bad example for Kevin Kim’s Substack grammar lessons.

I came across today’s YouTube video somewhat randomly, but I liked what I heard. The vlogger says that if you do these five things after the age of 70, you are on track to live to 100. Hmm. I’m kinda sorta doing all of them, so maybe I’ll make it to my goal of 85. I’m still finding it difficult to shake this feeling of impending doom I’ve been experiencing. Welp, I’ll just keep living one day at a time and see what happens next.

And you know what’s coming next:

Another day of blogging about yesterday is now complete, so I’ll get on with the rest of this one.

Nothing special, but I’ve had worse. My biggest gripe was that the first portion of the trail was not well-marked, and my group ended up missing a turn, requiring us to backtrack. Otherwise, just the familiar, but not boring, My Bitch, for most of the trail. I lengthened the adventure by 2K when I started from my house.

And that’s the way this week’s Hash went down.

Speaking of down, we still have no water, and if the Alta Vista guards are correct, we may not have service restored for two or more weeks.

From the LTG archives in February 2013, proof that bad poetry and bad darts go hand-in-hand.

Today’s YouTube video also comes from the LTG archives. In it, I document the life I was living in Korea over the preceding six months. It makes me sad to see how happy I was, if that makes any sense. In the screenshot below, Bridget is dead, Jee Yeun is gone, and I haven’t seen or heard from my other teammates in years. Life is like that, so enjoy it while you can.

I could use some humor about now:

So much for yesterday, now it’s time to get on with today.

I’m happy to report that I survived my first Hash as a seventy-year-old man. Yesterday’s trail (I did the short version) was not particularly challenging, as it was mostly flat and paved. Near the end, there was a steep and muddy path down to the highway that was completely new to me. Keeping my feet on the descent was difficult, and near the end, I failed to do so. Fortunately, I came down on my ass with nothing hard or sharp underneath. Swan also took a tumble once. Other than that, it was an almost boring 4.5K trek.

As is our custom, we went to hang out at the after-Hash hangout, IDM. I think I got that right, this time. Good times were had as usual.

And so another Hash Monday came to an end with neither Swan nor me feeling any pain. That’s the way I like it.

From the September 2012 LTG archives, I’ll share two posts today that tell stories of how I spent my days as a retiree in South Carolina. There was my darting life, and binge-watching Netflix, in this case, Battlestar Galactica. Coincidentally, Kevin Kim is currently re-watching that series and has promised a proper review is forthcoming.

Some Facebook memories from this day in my past:

Today’s YouTube video provides more perspectives on dealing with beggars. I encounter them on a daily basis, and with the exception of “mama” and a crazy guy, I almost never give money, especially to kids. For one thing, it’s against the law, and as a matter of principle, children should not be conditioned to think begging is an acceptable source of income. I’ll give them cookies sometimes instead.

Here I am, still trying to be funny:

And there you have it.

Good day Subic Hashers.. Today trail it’s easy and flat all cripple, lame and whimps can make it the trail more or less 3.5km..We run all together in the small hidden falls down to rice fields all the way to ON HOME. .Everyone can get trikes going up to 4th Court Rizal Extension for Meet Up and START on trail..The marking sign well marked.. ORANGES Ribbon, PAPERS and trees.

That’s the message one of the Hares posted on Facebook. It felt like she was talking directly to me. Still, I had my doubts, but there was only one way to find out. Of course, getting to the start way out at the end of Rizal Extension is its own kind of pain-in-the-ass. Given the reported shortness of the trail, I decided to walk to the start via the familiar My Bitch trail, which conveniently runs between Alta Vista and Rizal. It doubled the length of the official Hash trail, so I guess that makes me a longcutter.

Now, I don’t want to say the trail was poorly marked just because it was.

One of the Hares, Always Wet, stayed with us at the back of the pack, acting as a sweeper of sorts. Whenever I couldn’t figure out where the trail was, she kindly pointed me in the right direction.

This week, we gathered at the compound of Hasher Smurf 69 and joined in the anniversary party she was hosting with her mate, Covid 69.

We ate, drank, and were merry, and then as darkness approached, we headed out in search of a trike to take us back to town. We were fortunate to find one without having to walk very far. We got dropped at It Doesn’t Matter for some after-Hash revelry, then it was off to home after surviving another Hash Monday.

I’ve reached September 2010 in my journey through the LTG archives. This post documents my Labor Day drive to Gangneung on the East Sea side of Korea. Lots of photos of a beautiful trip.

Today’s YouTube video is one of a growing number focused on the increasing tensions with China. Perhaps it is an encouraging sign that so many nations are standing together with the Philippines. Perhaps China will be dissuaded from further escalation. One can only hope.

Today’s lame humor attempt:

And there you have it. I’m attending a birthday gathering later this afternoon at Alley Cats, and I experienced a once-in-my-lifetime event in the kitchen. At my age, that’s something!

When I was walking the neighborhood today, this Cat Stevens song came up in my playlist. I was never a big fan of his back in the day, and Miles From Nowhere was a song I’d last heard fifty years ago, and it didn’t really resonate. Somehow, this morning it felt meaningful. I guess that is the difference between the 70s and being (almost) 70.

Miles from nowhere
Guess I'll take my time
Oh yeah, to reach there

Look up at the mountain
I have to climb
Oh yeah, to reach there

Lord my body has been a good friend
But I won't need it when I reach the end

Miles from nowhere
Guess I'll take my time
Oh yeah, to reach there

I creep through the valleys
And I grope through the woods
'Cause I know when I find it, my honey
It's gonna make me feel good

Yes, I love everything
So don't it make you feel sad
'Cause I'll drink to you, my baby
I'll think to that, I'll think to that

Miles from nowhere
Not a soul in sight
Oh yeah, but it's alright

I have my freedom
I can make my own rules
Oh yeah, the ones that I choose

Lord my body has been a good friend
But I won't need it when I reach the end

I love everything
So don't it make you feel sad
'Cause I'll drink to you, my baby
I'll think to that, yes, I'll think to that
I'll think to that

Miles from nowhere
Guess I'll take my time
Oh yeah, to reach there

A short and sweet Hash trail yesterday, which suits me just fine. I wasn’t up for climbing muddy mountains, and the “wimp” version (3.5K) was challenging enough, given some recent issues I’m having with my back. I’ll be consulting Dr. Jo this afternoon to see if there is anything to be done about it.

The usual after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter, and another Hash Monday came to an end.

From the LTG archives, a memory of the time when I was a Ringwraith. Softball was a big chapter in The Story of My Life.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about giving money to beggars. I’m generous in some ways, but for the most part, I don’t give handouts to people begging on the streets. Especially kids, who shouldn’t be encouraged to engage in a begging lifestyle. It’s also technically against the law, although I’ve never heard of it being enforced. “Mama” is an exception, but then, she never begged, just graciously accepted a handout I offered. The first time I saw and helped her was in my tourist days, and we are both still at it all these years later.

Humor me:

Let’s end it here in keeping with today’s theme of short and sweet.

Okay, back to my routines again. Starting with the Monday Hash run. The trail was a mostly flat 5K street walk ending at the house of Hasher Online Bargain, in the Santa Monica subdivision. She hosted the Hash Circle there in conjunction with a surprise birthday party for her partner, Chris, who turned 60 years old. She went all out, with lavish decorations, live music, and catered food that included the Filipino favorite, lechon (roast pig). It was a great time, and it was nice to be hanging out with my fellow Hashers once again.

Here’s a short clip of them singing “Jambalaya”:

Everyone in attendance was gifted a coffee mug:

As usual, most of the Hashers beat me to the finish. So, I was surprised when I saw Leech My Nuggets arriving several minutes after me. I told him this was a first, me getting to the On-Home before he did. He just shrugged, congratulated me, and matter-of-factly said, I did the trail twice. Ah, that would explain it. At least he didn’t lap me.

In March 2010 and I blogged about buying my first iPod. My (now former) friend Tom generously allowed me to download the 22,000 songs in his collection. And when I shuffled the music for the first time, a familiar song played first. I found that worthy of a post. (Tom unfriended me because he didn’t agree with my politics.)

Here’s a couple of old photos I found in the LTG archives:

Thirteen years ago, I played around with making my own memes.

Today’s YouTube video shares the experience of a first-time visitor to my little town. His perspectives don’t always align with mine, but he’s entitled to his opinions. To each his own and all that. The video is worth the watch regardless.

And now for the funny business:

So, I’m leaving town again this afternoon. Wasn’t something I was planning on until I saw this on Facebook:

We are going to spend the night at the Mope Resort in San Narciso. We’ve arranged a late checkout, so hopefully when we get back on Wednesday, it won’t be long until we have electricity again.

Here’s the song that first played from the 22,000 downloaded to my iPod all those years ago. What are the odds?

As I was making my way to the starting point for yesterday’s Hash trail in a downpour of rain, two words came into my head. Weirdly, they both have six letters and seemed to sum up my feelings as I splashed through the water puddles.

My plan was to pick up the trail from where it came back down from the Kalaklan ridge climb. But when we got there, the trail marks were nowhere to be seen, likely washed away by the rain. So, we did a street walk to the On-Home venue on Baloy Beach. The rainstorm diminished to a sprinkle, but it didn’t matter by then. It sucked to be soaked.

And during the Circle, we wished Swan a Hashy birthday and made her a cake:

Made it home safe and sound after a wet day of Hashing.

It been said that after a while, the Philippines grows on you.

The archives in the early years of LTG are dominated by political rants from yours truly. That and darts. Neither of those subjects holds much interest for me now, but this one, entitled “Hypocrisy” from November 2009, made me laugh. Can you imagine calling your political opponents Hitler?

Today’s YouTube video from Smart Girl Philippines tells the story of a Filipina dating site gold digger. Yeah, I got scammed a few times on those sites back when I lived in Korea. Probably the worst was sending a gal I’d been chatting with for almost a year $500 so she could buy a plane ticket to visit me in Seoul and never hearing from her again. Yeah, I was that stupid. But after that, my rule was never sending money to someone I’d not met in person, and any unmet gold digger begging for a “loan” was immediately blocked. Which is not to say I didn’t get scammed by Filipinas I met after moving here, but that’s another story.

And now for these:

After a long night of passion, the young guy rolled over, pulled out a cigarette from his jeans and searched for his lighter. Unable to find it, he asked the girl if she had one at hand.

“There might be some matches in the top drawer,” she replied.

He opened the drawer of the bedside table and found a box of matches sitting neatly on top of a framed picture of another man. Naturally, the guy began to worry.

“Is this your husband?” he inquired nervously.

“No, silly,” she replied, snuggling up to him.

“Your boyfriend then?” he asked.

“No, not at all,” she said, nibbling away at his ear.

“Well, who is he then?” demanded the bewildered guy.

Smiling she replied, “That’s me before the operation.”

So, smoking isn’t the stupidest thing he’s done.

Now it’s time to leave yesterday behind and get on with the rest of today. Thanks for coming by.

Has anyone heard this before?

The short trail option (4.6K) for yesterday’s Hash was such a breeze that it was practically boring. The fact that most of the trail was through the familiar terrain we traverse on our weekend candy walks added to the lack of excitement. I’m not complaining, though. In my weakened condition, the long trail (8K) would have been too much (unless I shortcutted). So, maybe the Hash Gods are looking out for me.

And so ended another Hash Monday.

I’m still making progress health-wise. I can now fart with impunity and experience no liquidity. Oddly enough, I now seem to be suffering from constipation. I’m sure it will all come out okay in the end.

Another episode in the Bali adventure from July 2009, as we head for the beach.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay holds court on the top four reasons relationships with Filipinas don’t last. Well, the trick is finding the right one. There may very well be a lot of pain and suffering on that journey, but it is worth it.

You knew these were coming:

That’s it for today. Count your blessings.

I was 50-50 on whether I was going to Hash at all yesterday. Anytime the On-Home venue is out at the end of Rizal Extension I’m uncomfortable because getting back to town from there is a pain in the ass. Trikes are not readily available because many of them don’t have the horsepower to make it up the long incline of Rizal. Being faced with the prospect of walking back to town in the dark after drinking puts a damper on my spirits. And so does the rain. Anyway, my solution is to leave before the Hash Circle commences and head down to Barretto while the going is good. That’s what I did yesterday.

So, my modified trail included a different way up than the Hares prepared, but the alternative route was suggested by Vienna Sausage, who thought the steep and slippery climb on his trail wouldn’t be to my liking. Oddly enough, I intended to go the way he recommended before we talked. I also skipped a mid-trail down and up, and stayed on My Bitch until the end, which is also where Always Wet, another Hare, resides. She sponsored the On-Home gathering at her place.

As mentioned, I left early, and Swan and Beth joined me for the walk down Rizal. We hadn’t gone far when we saw a police vehicle making a U-turn in front of us. Swan and Beth jokingly called out asking for a ride, and the police van stopped. The cop in the back gestured for us to hop in. I really didn’t want to, but it started raining and the gals didn’t want to walk the rest of the way. Fine.

Here are some photos of my Hash journey yesterday.

It was also my 350th Hash Run with the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. My goal is to make it to 500. Wish me luck!

Back in June of 2009, I still had the attention span needed to sit through a movie and then write a review here at LTG. The film I wrote about is Crossing Over. Reading this now, I don’t even recall watching it. But damn, this movie was like a premonition of things that are happening today. Immigration agents arresting illegal aliens in Los Angeles, and the resulting outrage caused by enforcing the law. Oh, and of course, the Hollywood point of view then, as now, was that the ICE folks are the bad guys.

Eight years ago, I purchased a brand-new vehicle:

Today’s YouTube video touches on a recurring theme in my life: looking back in regret and missing all the good that surrounds you. I’m trying to do better in that regard, because there’s no going back. Unless God grants the do-over life I’ve been praying for.

Humor time:

And now I’m gone. Until tomorrow.

It was lightly sprinkling when I departed home for the Hash trail. My plan was to hike to the start and then decide where to go from there. As fate would have it, as I headed up the backway to Rizal Extension, I encountered the tell-tale markings that told me I had intersected with the Hare’s intended path. So, I followed it from there. There was a good climb on a trail I don’t recall hiking before, and it eventually led to a junction with the familiar My Bitch trail. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, did another down and up, which I chose to avoid, but soon enough, I was back on track. I followed the markings the rest of the way to the On-Home venue at Bella Monte Hotel. Both mine and the Hare’s trail came in at just under 5K, but that was plenty given the weather.

Another Monday, another Hash. Wet with rain instead of sweat, but it all feels the same when it’s over.

Monday’s report card: 11,670 steps, 8.97 kilometers walked, 3,667 calories burned.

From the LTG archives in April 2009, I wrote about some happenstance on the streets of DC, where I attended a work-related conference. Howard is another friend I’ve long ago lost touch with. That seems to be a recurring theme in The Story of My Life.

Today’s YouTube video features Reekay giving the sound advice to not let stupid people fuck up your life. Hmm, maybe that explains my lack of friends. Or maybe I’m the stupid one?

And get your Zen while it lasts:

A Clear Conscience Is Usually The Sign Of A Bad Memory.

The jokes are on me:

Another golden oldie:

Joe was moderately successful in his career, but as he got older he was increasingly hampered by terrible headaches. When his personal hygiene and love life started to suffer, he sought medical help.

After being referred from one specialist to another, he finally came across a doctor who solved the problem. “The good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition which causes your testicles to press up against the base of your spine. The pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles.”

Joe was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He couldn’t concentrate long enough to answer, but decided he had no choice but to go under the knife.

When he left the hospital, his mind was clear, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.

He walked past a men’s clothing store and thought, “That’s what I need, a new suit.” He entered the shop and told the salesman, “I’d like a new suit.”

The salesman eyed him briefly and said, “Let’s see… size 44 long.”

Joe laughed, “That’s right, how did you know?”

“It’s my job.”

Joe tried on the suit. It fit perfectly. As Joe admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, “How about a new shirt?”

Joe thought for a moment and then said, “Sure!”

The salesman eyed Joe and said, “Let’s see,… 34 sleeve and… 16 and a half neck.”

Joe was surprised, “That’s right, how did you know?”

“It’s my job.”

Joe tried on the shirt, and it fit perfectly. As Joe adjusted the collar in the mirror, the salesman asked, “How about new shoes?”

Joe was on a roll and said, “Sure!”

The salesman eyed Joe’s feet and said, “Let’s see…9 and a half wide.”

Joe was astonished, “That’s right, how did you know?”

“It’s my job.”

Joe tried on the shoes and they fit perfectly. Joe walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, “How about a new hat?”

Without hesitating, Joe said, “Sure!”

The salesman eyed Joe’s head and said, “Let’s see. . . 7 5/8.”

Joe was incredulous, “That’s right, how did you know?”

“It’s my job.”

The hat fit perfectly. Joe was feeling great, when the salesman asked, “How about some new underwear?”

Joe thought for a second and said, “Sure!”

The salesman stepped back, eyed Joe’s waist and said, “Let’s see… size 36.”

Joe laughed, “No, I’ve worn size 34 since I was 18 years old.”

The salesman shook his head and said, “You can’t wear a size 34. It would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache!”

I went out and bought some 2XL underwear today. Seriously. It’s not the dick, it’s the balls.

That’s all, folks! For today, anyway.

Of all the bands I ever saw perform live, ELO was the best.

I went around about from my house getting to the start of yesterday’s Hash trail, and I was dripping sweat when I arrived. Along the way, I ran into the Hare, Vienna Sausage, who was heading back after finishing marking the trail. He told me the climb up to Kalaklan Ridge he’d selected wasn’t steep. I believed him, but I wasn’t feeling like making it, so I’ll give it a try another day. Instead, I elected to do a long street walk around Barretto to Johansson’s, the On-Home venue. My trail was longer (7.5K) than the Hare’s (6.5K), but much flatter.

Back-to-back Hashes are over and done with. Not bad for an elderly man.

Monday’s report card: 14,362 steps, 11.04 kilometers, and 3,602 calories burned.

On my journey through the LTG archives, I was surprised that February 2009 was completely devoid of posts. I knew something must have happened, and this post from March 2009 reminded me what it was. Someone purchased my then domain (johnmccrarey.com), and it took me several weeks to straighten out that mess. And that’s how mccrarey.com was born. What a fiasco that was!

From Facebook memories, I’m reminded that three years ago, I had a date with Joy:

Today’s YouTube video is one I found linked on another blog (sorry, I can’t remember which one now) where Queers for Palestine protesters are interviewed during a demonstration. Well, it proved to be a demonstration of their ignorance. If you have three minutes to spare, look and see for yourself.

A moment of Zen:

Remember, Half The People You Know Are Below Average.

And maybe you’ll like these:

And that’s all he wrote. Poorly, no doubt.

T-R-A-I-L

Shitty trail (it sucked!)
Shitty trail (it really sucked!)
The Hares have laid another shitty trail
I would rather drink this beer than run your shitty trail
S-H-I-T-T-Y T-R-A-I-L

That’s the lyrics to the actual Hash song we sing to the Hares each week. Sometimes it applies more than others. The only thing wrong with yesterday’s Hash trail was some poor marking. That resulted in some of us taking a wrong turn and climbing an unintended hill. Apparently, we followed an old trail marking that should have been obliterated, or fresh powder showing the proper way should have been dumped to prevent the confusion. Oh well, if that’s the most this grumpy old Hasher has to complain about, things are pretty close to dandy. Rather than retreat at the top of the faux hill, we took an alternate way down, then made the rest of the journey to the On-Home along Govic Highway. Not the most pleasant route on a hot day, but you do what you gotta do.

Then the usual after-Hash revelry at It Doesn’t Matter to end the day.

Pubic Head (Scott) was missed at the Hash, but I’m happy to report he has been freed from hospital confinement. I saw him this morning at the Ulticare Hospital in Barretto where he was consulting with the cardiology folks. Hope they can cure whatever it is that ails him, but thankfully, he is showing no signs of stroke damage.

I also learned last night that another Hasher, 18-Kilo Ass (Martin) was severely injured in a motorcycle accident. Lots of broken bones, including a leg, but he’s still in the fight.

And in yet more bad news, I learned today that Joakim, the owner of Sloppy Joe’s bar, passed away last night.

I’ll give the political memes a rest today.

This post from the July 2007 LTG archives recounts a wild trip to the USA that started in Florida and finished in California with stops in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. I’m thinking I haven’t been back to most of those places since then. Sadly, the photos I shared in a separate post from that trip are gone now. I still haven’t figured out what happened. And so goes another memory from The Story of My Life.

Some other memories from this day in history:

In the end, she proved to be too crazy, even for me.

Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end…

Today’s YouTube video brings us back to the present and some of the crazy stuff you see in the Philippines. Going on seven years here now, but I still haven’t seen it all. I did get to experience witnessing the eating off of banana tree leaves with the fingers thing recently.

And now for some funny business:

And there you have if from the survivor of another Hash. Now to get on with the rest of my life.

Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

No surprise, I wussed out and didn’t make the climb up Easter Mountain at yesterday’s Hash. Not that I need any excuses, but it was hot as hell and I just wasn’t feeling it. That said, the “bypass” trail still had a significant up on the backside of the mountain, with an elevation gain of 100 meters. The photo above was taken from that trail; as you can see, we were nearly halfway to the top. Granted, our climb was not as steep and intense as the summit trail, but it was more than enough for me.

So, I had one of those surprises that occasionally occur as a little-read blogger. I’m a member of the Angeles City Hash Facebook group, but I seldom go there. But yesterday, a post from there came up in my feed:

I was very kindly sent a link to a post by a Subic Bay Hasher/Blogger talking about, what he called a Ballbuster Trail, that I (Facilitator) & Brain Dead set on the 16th March 2025, in the Holyland Area of San Martin. I have included a small extract from the post below, and have also included a link to the full article, which contains some interesting photos.

This is the excerpt he quoted:

So, that’s not being critical, the trail was just more difficult than I expected. I did have some complaints in that post about the way some Hash procedures were conducted, but feedback is a gift, right? I just checked back on the AC Hash page, and no one has commented, so I assume no one took offense at the perspectives I shared. This is the post in question.

When I first started this blog over twenty years ago, the name “Long Time Gone” was meant to capture the blog’s intended purpose of staying in touch with friends and family back home as I embarked on what was planned to be a two-year exodus to Korea. I had the CSNY song in mind when I came up with the name. Then the hated Dixie Chicks came out with a song by that name, and I didn’t want anyone to think this blog supported those treasonous bitches. By chance, I found an old song Bob Dylan did in 1962 also called Long Time Gone, and in this post from March 2007, I declared it the official song of my blog—full lyrics in the post.

Facebook memories for today:

Thirteen years ago, I posted this clip from a 1940 Bob Hope movie. As true now as it was back then. Worth the 30 seconds to watch it:

Today’s YouTube video concerns the biggest slum in Manila, the Tondo district. Never been there and never want to go. I’ve grown accustomed to the rural poverty that surrounds me. The people are friendly, and I don’t feel unsafe, but it is still sad to witness the harshness of their lives.

Today’s dose of what I call humor:

Another day, another post. Welcome to all my new readers from Angeles City!

So you can have your beauty,
It’s skin deep and it only lies.
And you can have your youth,
It’ll rot before your eyes.
Just give to me my gravestone
With it clearly carved upon:
“I’s a long time a-comin’,
An’ I’ll be a long time gone.”

We butchered the Hash trail yesterday, cutting it down to a size more appropriate for the heat index. Adding in the 2K journey from my house to the start, it was just about right, with one hill climb and some fresh scenery. Here, see for yourself:

If ignorance is bliss, there are lots of happy leftards out there. They can’t handle the truth.

In today’s stroll through the LTG archives, I visited a clean, well-lighted place in December 2006. That’s also the title of one of my favorite short stories by Ernest Hemingway. It ain’t long; give it a read here if you want. Anyway, the post is mostly about one of those unforgettable Itaewon nights (which I had forgotten until I re-read the post). The June gal featured finally found a good man a few years later, moved to the States, and is a happy mother (we are still friends on Facebook). I’m also impressed by my capacity to stay out drinking until three in the morning all those years ago. Those days are long gone for me now, and the occasional staying out until 9 p.m. is about as wild as I get nowadays. Itaewon will always have a place in The Story of My Life.

Eight years ago, I posted this conundrum on Facebook:

Also from eight years ago:

I decided I wanted to retire in the Philippines, and y’all have seen what happens when a wish comes true. I have no regrets about the life I have chosen, and I had no choice about losing the life I loved in Korea. And so it goes.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger asserts that Filipino culture is beginning to dominate throughout Asia. I live here, so maybe I missed seeing this happen. Anyone else out there notice a Filipino spin on things?

These smiles are yours for the taking:

Yep, I did it again! A post a day keeps the readers away! Except for the precious few that are gluttons for my punishment. Thanks for that!

I heard this song again yesterday for the first time in a long time. Thanks Jimi!

Some like it long.

A lot more comments than usual on yesterday’s post. As always, I appreciate your feedback. Many of the shared thoughts expressed some concern about my alcohol consumption and its potential for negatively impacting my life. I see myself as maintaining control for the most part, and I don’t consider my drinking to be a problem. I know, I know, spoken like a true alcoholic in the throes of denial. But this is the life I’ve chosen, and I will continue to imbibe at or near my current level within the parameters (usually between 5 and 8 p.m.) I’ve established for myself. It’s what I do and what I enjoy, and I hope to live long and die hard.

So, this post is supposed to be about yesterday’s Hash; now, let’s get back to that. Yesterday’s trail was the first Hared by Kermit the Frog, at least for Subic Bay H3. I heard a rumor that he laid a trail so difficult in Angeles City that they banned him from Hareing there in the future. I’m not going to say that our trail yesterday was as bad as all that, but it was long (over 10K) with three significant climbs, including Easter Mountain. I was shocked to see how long our strongest and fastest Hashers took to finish; a couple of them didn’t make it back until the Circle was over. I heard quite a bit of bitching and moaning about both the difficulty and poor marking of the trail. I will give Hare Kermit credit for providing three trail options: a long one with Easter Mountain, a long one without Easter Mountain, and a short version with only the first climb. Of course, as a dedicated shortcutter, I managed to avoid all three hill climbs and had a mostly enjoyable 8.5-kilometer flat walk. That’s just the way I roll!

Some after-Hash revelry at It Doesn’t Matter where I purchased a lady drink for the IDM girls who participated in the Fralics beauty pageant on Sunday. Then I drug my tired ass home with the help of a tricycle.

My interesting (to me) journey through the LTG archives continues. What’s been different about the early days of the blog was my inconsistency in posting. These days, I take pride in providing a daily update on my so-called life. In July 2006, “Stuff about things” was my first post in over thirty days. I had a lot of catching up to do, so it was appropriately long and boring.

Fifteen years ago, I came across a clip from the movie “Junior Bonner,” which triggered some memories from my life in Prescott, Arizona, in the early 1980s. So, I shared those thoughts on Facebook, and Facebook reminded me about them today. Thanks for helping an old guy out!

I wound up taking a trip today. Right down memory lane. I saw something on the internet that led me somewhere else and then took me to a link for Steve McQueen. I clicked that and was reminded of the movie Junior Bonner. It was filmed in Prescott, Arizona. I used to live in Prescott. The song that played during the opening credits was “Arizona Morning” by Rod Hart, a musician from Prescott. Hart and his band used to play at the Wagon Wheel, a club I’d frequent when the urge to country dance hit me. And then I recalled a woman I used to dance with and how I met her. I was taking classes at Yavapai Community College, and she was my instructor. One day after class, she asked if anyone was interested in taking “country swing” dance lessons with her, and I volunteered. She was probably ten years older than me (I was 25). We got along great, and before long, we were doing horizontal dancing as well. Until one day she asked me to father a child for her “no strings attached”. That freaked me out big time, and I ran for the hills, leaving her and her biological clock in my dust. I hadn’t thought of her for some 30-odd years. Until today, when I heard this song:

Morning, Arizona morning
Almost sets me free
Makes me glad to be alive
Wondering, why I started wandering
Should have stayed right here
Underneath the clear blue skies

Sadness, changing now to gladness
With the rustle of the breeze through the pinyon trees
Where I lay
In the morning, Arizona morning
A place where I can smile
And see a hundred miles away

The birds are flying high above the morning
Singing to the colors of the dawn
And in my mind I hear a gentle warning
You've been a wrangler and a rambler
Much too long

And a rover. Wishing it was over
All my battles won, resting in the sun this way
In the morning, Arizona morning
Coming home today, wishing I could stay
Wishing I could stay.

What a life I’ve lived! I hope there are some more chapters to come.

Today’s YouTube video discloses that twenty US F-16 fighters have deployed to the Philippines, and China isn’t happy about it. Well, I’m no military expert, but I don’t think twenty of our older jets will be much of a deterrent, but it’s better than nothing. I read somewhere of an intelligence report saying China will invade Taiwan within the next six months. Damn, looks like we are headed for interesting times.

Laugh while you can!

And there you have it: another day, another post. I won’t apologize, and you don’t need to thank me. I will try to keep ’em coming!