Category Archives: Life in Korea

Let It Be Forgotten

Posted on by
4

Well, more and more these days, I’m glad to be able to remember my name. That and my ATM card PIN. Anyway, here’s what I remember about yesterday:


Kicked off the morning with a hike to the Subic Marketplace to buy this week’s supply of sweets for the Candy Walk. It’s a pretty dull highway walk most of the way, but we did hand out some goodies to the kinds we encounter. Here are the most interesting things I saw along the way:

Early in our trek, we encountered a caravan of emergency vehicles/fire trucks with their sirens blaring and full-blast horns blowing loudly. The occasion? Reminding Subic citizens that fireworks aren’t allowed for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Okay, noted.
‘Tis the season of Christmas litter. To hell with gloves!
That wooden sofa-bench hanging precariously over the pristine river water caught my eye. Ain’t no way I’d sit on that!
The only portion of our hike that wasn’t on pavement
A ship on the bay framed by tree bookends.
Walking the highway in Calapandayan I saw this gate. The bar building is gone, and this is all that remains. Scott told me the Hash had an On-Home there in 2006.
Just shy of 8K when we arrived at the market.

Triked back home with the candy stock, dashed out a post, took a shower, and then we made our way to Baloy Beach to attend the It Doesn’t Matter end of year party.

I’d never been to this venue at the very end of Baloy Beach Road before. I teased Swan about owning a beach place I didn’t know about (Christine is her given name).
Beachside under a straw roof is definitely Filipino style. I like it!
These kinds of parties always include games among the staff. This one involved picking up rice on a playing card with no hands, carrying the card back to your teammate, transferring the rice, and then the next player repeating until everyone had participated.
I found this game to be the most impressive. The gals had to carry a straw held between their pursed upper lip and nose and then deposit it in an empty beer bottle. Several of them proved to be quite good at it.
The balloon carrying event required some good timing and teamwork.
A nice day to be hanging out at the beach

When we lined up for the mealtime buffet, there was a smorgasbord of food choices. Many of them were Filipino dishes that I didn’t really recognize. I put several items on my plate, and most of them were good.

Since I was mostly clueless about what I was ingesting, I just calculated this plate to be 500 calories worth.

San Miguel Zero wasn’t one of my drink options at the party, so I was ingesting SM Light (more calories, more alcohol). So, as the sun began to fade away, we said our goodbyes and took a stroll on the beach.

That’s one of Swan’s favorite things to do
We paid a brief visit to Laharnyz along the way
Then finished our evening out with a stop at Treasure Island to enjoy the live music. My neighbor Mike was there, so we joined his group’s table.

When we arrived back home, I wasn’t in the mood for pudding, so I made a batch of blueberry smoothies. That should have been enough, but oh no, I couldn’t resist having a bowl of vanilla ice cream to end the night. My New Year’s resolution is to demonstrate a bit more self-discipline.

My worst day in a week of failures. Wait till next year, then I’ll show ’em!
On the plus side, I did step it up some. Technically, I burned more calories than I ingested, so hopefully, the damage is minimal.
And my Fitbit had this to say for encouragement.

In the memories department, Facebook reminds me that seven years ago, I was on my last trip to the Philippines before my move. One of my objectives was to scout around for a place to live.

That search led me to Alta Vista for a looksee. I do believe this was the first photo I took of Easter Mountain.

And there was this:

I’ve been losing Facebook “friends” a lot longer than that, almost always over differences of opinion regarding politics.

Okay, today’s YouTube video is something special–the first one I ever created. It all began with a request from commenter Ginger that I recite a poem and post it here on LTG. I had no clue about how to do that, and my pal and commenter Kevin Kim sent me some info on ways to create and upload videos. So, I thought, why not give it a try? Now, I didn’t put any real effort into this–I just turned on the video recorder on my phone and recited a Sara Teasdale poem from memory. I didn’t attempt to edit or do more than one take. What you see is what you get. Of course, if my reader(s) demand I recite other poems I like, your wish is my command. Anyway, this one’s for you, Ginger!

I suppose if you haven’t laughed enough already, you might like these:

Yeah, that’s pretty much what happened to me last night with the ice cream.
I remember a long-ago Christmas (around 1960) when my drunken father decided to undecorate the tree by shooting the ornaments with the BB gun my older brother got from Santa. My grandmother called the cops. As my father told the tale later, the police officer asked if he had any mental health issues. My dad (allegedly) responded, “No, but I have a hole in my pocket. I don’t feel crazy, but I sure feel nuts.”
I posted this one on Facebook twelve years ago. It is still a part of my bad joke repertoire.

And here it is, another Sunday afternoon. I’ll be heading out soon to feed the Hideaway crew; then, I’ll meet Swan at the Arizona floating bar to enjoy some on-the-water ambiance. We’ll follow that up with dinner at John’s place, and then we’ll see what happens. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

And here’s the “first time hearing” it take:

Saturday night’s alright

Posted on by
4

Especially if you find yourself at the Rite Spot On The Roof. And I did.

I was ready for a break from the bar scene, so when beer o’clock rolled around, I got myself set up and ready for action at The Rite Spot. Part way into the evening, hiking buddy Erik messaged asking if The Rite Spot was open. I told him to come on by.

Open for (my) business
Here’s where I was rockin’
Equipment is all plugged in…mosquito zapper, music box, and a blow job machine
My other fan
Some things go without saying. Thanks again for the shirts, Kevin!
Kicked back and chillaxin’
The meatballs and sauce had been simmering in the crockpot all afternoon. (sorry for the weird angle of the photo)
Swan made some garlic bread
Spaghetti on the plate. It was damn good, if I do say so myself
Let’s eat!
The lights of the city

I’d call it a good day. Better than the day a couple of Hashers in Angeles experienced:

Reporting today’s(6/8/24) incident: Two Corona hashers were attacked today on trail by a rather crazy, angry Carabao at Porac. The first victim was Auto Fellatio. He suffered a gash to his leg and was transferred to Medical City after a rescue by other hashers.

The second victim, Low Libido (also now in Medical City Clark) was alone on trail and was attacked soon after. He has many wounds and is currently getting scans done for internal injuries and broken bones. His condition is stable, but serious.

Credit to the hashers who rescued the two victims. It was a difficult and dangerous rescue with some awesome team work.

Hoping for a fast recovery.

What a nightmare. I’ve never seen a crazy carabao up close and personal, but I give them all as wide a berth as possible when I encounter them during a hike. Usually, they are tied to a rope so I can stay out of range. One more thing to worry about on trail.

Meanwhile, China continues its provocations against the Philippines in the South China Sea. China is asshole. I’ll probably be killed for saying that when they invade.

To the humor attempts we go:

I assume that’s correct.
Just think of her as experienced.
I’ve never been a fan of the old dirt road.

I have my Sunday Hideaway feeding coming up, after which I’ll feed the Swan at John’s place. It’s good to be alive.

Goodbye (again) Korea!

Posted on by
1

My short visit to Korea has now reached its conclusion. All in all, it went much better than the previous trip. I think going for five days versus two weeks helped. I also was mostly successful at defending myself from sad memories whenever they attacked, sending them back to the past where they belong.

Otherwise, my only real takeaway was that as much as I love Korea it is no longer home. Even the familiar places are not all that familiar now. Just as an example, Shenanigans was my favorite hangout for years. Last night they had a big crowd and a happy buzz. But with just a couple of exceptions, none of the faces were familiar. That’s natural of course, I’ve been gone quite a while now. But I found myself missing my life here in the Philippines. I came away knowing that this is where I belong. It’s good to be back!

Had some good times though and I’ve already recounted those on the blog. You can read Kevin Kim’s take on our massive hike and tasty meal here. Thanks again!

So after a couple of beers with the nephew, I called it an early night. My flight departed at 7:55 a.m. and the best way I could find to Incheon was by the airport limo bus. That required getting up at 0400 and catching the bus at 4:40.

The stop was right in front of my hotel which was convenient at least. I was the only passenger at that ungodly hour when I boarded. We did pick up several more en route though.

I was on Korean Air which meant departing from Terminal 2. It’s a bit longer trip and we didn’t arrive until 6:15. That’s cutting it closer than I like, especially for an international flight. But I was in business class which meant no long wait to check-in. I got my boarding pass and checked my bag then headed to security, which was just opening (so I forgave myself for not taking the earlier bus). And as usual, my vapes triggered a secondary screening of my carry on bag. The guy asked why so many batteries (I had brought 7 and purchased 12 more to bring home with me). I explained that the 12 were replacements as my current batteries were wearing out. So, it was all good and I proceeded on through immigration without a hitch.

Once in the terminal, I went to one of the duty-free stores to purchase some pasalubong, the Filipino gift-giving custom expected of returning travelers. I had some Won I needed to dispose of anyway, so I’ll make some bargirls smile with trinkets and sweets.

When it came time to board the plane, my boarding pass set off a beep and I was pulled aside. The agent asked if I had e-cigarettes in my checked luggage. I responded of course not, that’s isn’t allowed. She told me to hold on, they were sending a picture. And sure enough, one of my vape pens had made its way into my checked bag. All I can figure is that I left it in a pocket and inadvertently packed it with my dirty clothes. I was relieved to learn my bag was on the plane and with no time to retrieve my e-cig I told her to just trash it. Damn, my vaping habit is getting to be a pain in the ass, isn’t it?

I do enjoy the comfort and friendliness of Korean Air. And the hot flight attendants.

I reclined my seat, stretched out my legs and settled in for a cozy and comfortable trip home.

We landed at Clark Field a few minutes early and I was the first person off the plane. Made it through immigration in a flash and then headed to baggage claim where I waited. And waited. And waited some more. I finally asked what was going on and was told there was only one baggage crew on duty and they were busy unloading another flight. And so I did what I’ve trained myself to do–took a deep breath, relaxed, and accepted the Filipino way.

After about 30 minutes the first bag appeared on the carousel, and mine was the third one to come out. I grabbed it and hustled over to customs. Where I encountered a long line (the plane that had been unloaded before ours apparently). Ah well. For whatever reason, they x-ray bags coming off the plane at Clark. When I reached the machine, the operator said just my carry-on bag had to go on the belt. Hmm. I got a bit nervous because I had all those vapes and the President here has decreed them verboten. I guess the operator didn’t notice them or didn’t care, so I grabbed my bag and headed out to meet my driver.

Donny was there waiting, which I appreciated. On the drive home I had him stop at one of my favorite restaurants on the old Navy base–Texas Joe’s.

I enjoyed me some pulled pork, beans, and slaw. Donny had some baby back ribs.

It’s good to be home!

Dog tired

Posted on by
3

What a way to spend my last day in Seoul! My buddy Kevin Kim shamed enticed me into taking a hike from his residence in Daechang out to Bundang, “only” 18 kilometers upriver. Now, I’ve marched that distance before, but never in one continuous walk. My normal routine is to do a morning hike, nap, then another afternoon hike. Well, it seemed like a challenge I’d have to try to accomplish, and so we set out bright and early this morning on our quest.

Noksapyeong subway station was pretty quiet at 0700…
It was pretty chilly too, just a tad below freezing…
What the fuck have I got myself into?

Got to Kevin’s place right about 8 and he was waiting outside and rarin’ to go. I hadn’t eaten anything, not even a cup of coffee, but we set out on our journey anyway. I thought I might see a convenience store along the way, but that was a big nope. So, I hiked hungry. My grumbling belly took my mind off the pain in my legs and feet, so there was that.

Getting started.
The waterway we followed…
A stable water crossing…I appreciated that after all those scary bridges in the Philippines.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Winter water…
Here’s the satellite view of the path we walked. It looks shorter from space.

It took us right at four hours to finish the hike. Then we jumped on a crowded subway back to Kevin’s place. He had promised to make my starvation worthwhile and he kept that promise!

Some fresh-baked chicken roulade…
And a plate full of Thanksgiving leftovers made for a damn fine meal.
Whatever may have remained of my hunger pangs was satiated with this generous portion of bread pudding. Damn it was good!

Shortly after our meal, I could feel myself fading away. I’d missed my daily nap and that long-ass hike had sucked all the energy from my body. So, with aching legs and a full belly, I said my goodbyes to my gracious host. Thanks again, Kevin!

It was good exploring new paths in an unfamiliar part of town. I couldn’t have done it without you!
But man are my dogs tired!

Feeling Seoulful

Posted on by
Reply

Back in Seoul after an uneventful final night in the village of Anjeong-ri. And I’m pretty certain it was indeed the final time I’ll have a reason to venture out to Pyeongtaek. There’s really nothing there for me now. I wish I had appreciated the good things I had when I was living there but perhaps coming to understand and accept what was, and finding peace with that, made this trip worthwhile. It’s all in the past now and I come away knowing that my life in Barretto is where I belong. At least for now.

Two nights and a day left on this trip here in Seoul. I’ll be with the nephew and a couple of friends tonight for dinner and some drinking. Tomorrow I’ll be meeting up with Kevin Kim, the famous Incheon to Busan walker, for a “pleasant” five to six-hour hike to Bundang, wherever the hell that is. I’m a bit nervous because that’s about twice as far as I normally walk in a day, and my walks are broken up into morning and afternoon segments. Should be interesting to see how my body responds. Especially in this cold weather. Kevin is also planning a home-prepared meal for after the hike, assuming I survive.

It should be an interesting last day in Korea.

Thanks for giving me this day

Posted on by
2

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I’m trying to keep my focus on all that I have to be thankful for in life, not the things that I’ve lost and miss. It’s still a struggle at times, but thus far I’m doing much better at avoiding being sucked into the memory hole this trip.

Last night I had a pleasant pork galbi dinner with my former Deputy. She doesn’t drink, so we parted company after we finished our meal. I met up with an old dart buddy and his wife afterward and we caught up over some beers. We said our goodnights at a bar I used to frequent named Arirang. I was sweet on one of the bartenders there back in the day, but alas, she was not at work, she was playing a pool league match.

Next, I ventured over to another of my old haunts, Horse and Cow. I was greeted warmly by the owner, a woman I know only as “mama”.

That’s me saying my goodbye to Mama on my last night before moving to Korea.

Horse and Cow has some history for me. It was where I was the night Loraine sent me her devastating breakup text message. It was also where I met and very briefly dated a Filipina bartender named Joy. Oh man, did that end badly! It was my fault and she was unforgiving. So I was very surprised to see her working last night (she had quit the bar right around the time of our breakup). She didn’t seem all that happy to see me again, but at least she responded to my greeting. She hadn’t spoken to me since the night I called her a f’n bitch (yelled it actually) on the street. Long story that I’m not going to retell now. Anyway, I decided to move on to another bar.

Crystal Bar was another regular stop on my circuit back in the day. And once again I was given a hearty welcome from an old friend working the bar, Seonnyeo.

That’s her on the right…

And wouldn’t you know it? Hana, the girl from Arirang, was playing her pool league match at Crystal. She came over and greeted me as well.

I really liked this one, but sadly it was not a mutual attraction. Then or now.

Anyway, I bought Seonnyo a lady drink, finished my beer and headed out. A few minutes later I received this message from her:


Handsome John! Thanks for you stop by crystal tonight!
you’re not forgot here
I’m so glad to see u again tonight. It was ssooo surprised me!

Ain’t that sweet?

I popped into the bar next door, one I had kind of scratched off my list of places I’d visit when I still lived here. I was somewhat taken aback to be greeted by name by a woman I didn’t recognize. She told me that another woman I briefly dated, Mi Young, and her had gotten into a fight about me. The explanation was a bit fuzzy or I was a bit drunk, or both, but I had no recollection of anything like that happening. Strange. Anyway, she’s a Filipina and a new Facebook friend:

Nice to meet you (again?) Bon Ivy!

Prudence prevailed and I headed back to my hotel shortly thereafter.

Met up with my old team today for a non-traditional Thanksgiving feast. And when I’m in Korea, that means grilled meats.

Fire it up!
Chowin’down!

I was a bit melancholy when after a coffee shop waffle dessert I said my goodbyes. Likely for the last time. It was a good run, but time moves forward, not back.

I walked to the hotel from the coffee shop, a path I often walked when this is where I lived. And then I passed a small store with some hiking pants on display outside. I went inside not hopeful they’d have my size, but after trying on two pairs, one of them actually fit! So for only W12,000 my upcoming massive hike on Saturday will at least be somewhat more comfortable from the waist down.

Some Mexican food and another bar crawl are on tap for tonight.

And life goes on.

Chosun one

Posted on by
2

Greetings from Korea! Just a quick post to update my faithful followers on the journey thus far.

No issues getting here which is always a plus.

I flew out of the Philippines on Korean Air and enjoyed this nice large business class seat. Yeah, I paid a premium for the privilege.

Another nice perk is being one of the first off the plane. I got through immigration in five minutes or so, and my bag with “priority” handling was one of the first off the plane. Exchanged some dollars for Won then I scooted out to the AREX and caught the express train to Seoul Station with barely a wait.

If I had any trouble on the trip at all it was with the cab I caught to take me to my lodging. I took the first taxi in the queue and said “Crown hotel Itaewon please”. The driver looked at me and either he didn’t understand or didn’t know where the hotel was. So, I repeated again with the same response. Finally, a little frustrated, I just said “Itaewon, near Noksapyeong Station.” He seemed to understand that and off we went. Now, the route he took had me shaking my head, certainly never the way I’ve gone from Seoul Station before. We wound up going through the Namsan tunnel but the roundabout way got us there. Truthfully, it probably didn’t add much if anything to the fare. The fare was around W8,000 and all I had on me was 50,000 notes. He looked at me like I was crazy and said “pay with card!” I guess he meant the T-money card, but I don’t have one. So I told him to wait while I go inside to get change. He did, I did, I paid, tipped, and he left. In retrospect, I honestly think he didn’t know where the hotel was located.

So, after checking in and dropping off my bags I hurried out to Shenanigans to meet my friends Wan Jun and Becky. They were waiting when I arrived. We enjoyed a couple of beers and some chat and then called it a night. I drank the local OB draft beer (W3500) because I just couldn’t bear to pay W7000 for a San Miguel beer I can buy for a buck back home.

I was up earlier than normal this morning, mostly due to the fact that Korea time is an hour later than my body says it is. Showered, dressed and caught a cab (without incident) to Yongsan Station.

Rode this ITX train to Pyeontaek station and it took less than an hour. A nice ride. Korea definitely has first world infrastructure!

Another cab ride from Pyeontaek to my hotel in Anjeong-ri. Too early to check-in, so dropped my bags and had a look around town. Not much has changed since my last visit, although I noted a couple of new bars have opened and some business I didn’t think would make it remain open. I had another hour to kill before my lunchtime engagement so naturally, I took a walk.

I did the river walk and I could definitely feel the chill in the air. Well, technically, I felt it in my lungs. Cold air and COPD is apparently not a good combination. Hopefully, I’ll get acclimated to it before my big hike on Saturday.

I crashed joined the party as my former staff honored the retirement of Mr. So after 49 years of service with USFK.

Good luck to you and enjoy your1 well-earned retirement

Got dropped off at the hotel after lunch and took a much-needed nap. Tonight I’m having dinner with my former Deputy to get caught up on all the happenings. She’ll be leaving for a new job in the States next month and part of the motivation for this trip was to give her a proper goodbye.

After dinner, I plan to visit some of my old haunts (yeah, I mean the bars). So far at least I’m keeping the past in the past and just trying to enjoy myself. I guess my insight is that I didn’t let myself enjoy my one year living here because I was too busy swimming in self-pity. Ah well, that was then, this is now.

Stay tuned.

It’s time.

Posted on by
2

And here we are at last. My final day as a resident of Korea. My final day of employment. And hopefully my final day of looking back in sorrow and regret.

A few things left to do before I move on to my new future. Waiting for the landlord to come and satisfy himself that I’m leaving the house in the same condition I found it one year ago. Spent some big bucks having it cleaned last night so I reckon it is going to be fine. Then I’ll go into the office for a few hours to close some things out and say my final goodbyes to my work family. That’s going to be heartbreaking I know, but it’s a step in the process of moving on.

Speaking of goodbyes, I made the rounds last night saying farewell to my bar friends, and is my wont, handing out candy to my favorites. They don’t call me “the candyman” for nothing!

Georgia from Horse and Cow. She says she’s returning to the PI herself next month.

Mama, the owner of Horse and Cow.

Anna from Arirang Bar. She’s special to me. In fact, I really hope to meet a gal with her wit and humor someday.

Rein from Hot Top.

JJ and Seon Nyeo of Crystal’s Bar. I actually said my goodbyes there on Wednesday night.

I dropped into the IDK bar last night as well. The owner even gave me a gift, so I guess everything is forgiven from our past misunderstandings.

That’s a good question, one I’ve frequently asked myself of late…

I Don’t Know the answer, but I’m pretty sure it will involve the PI.

The owner of Hot Top saw my IDK shirt and wanted me to change into his. So of course I obliged.

The final stop of the night was at “The Block”, the new bar in town owned by the woman who ran the now demolished Shooters.

My friends Daniel and Dela joined me for most of my final Anjeong-ri bar hop. We had a great time. I was of course very drunk by the time midnight rolled around. They insisted on walking home with me, which was unnecessary but really sweet.

Speaking of friends, Eva messaged me with some encouraging words from a writer she likes last night.

I never really had a plan for life, I just reacted to it. Whenever I reached a crossroads, I chose a direction and followed the road without a clue as to where it might take me. I guess it is natural to wonder about the paths that would have led to a different life, but you only get to live the life you chose. No mulligans. But I have been extremely fortunate and blessed. The roads I have taken have led to some great adventures and life-altering experiences. A fool’s luck perhaps, but even though I could never have imagined what my life would turn out to be, it has been a very nice ride. So it is time to look forward again. And it will be an adventure with an uncertain outcome for sure.

I was drunk when she sent it, but it did sound vaguely familiar. And then Eva revealed that she had been reading the old posts on my blog. The one quoted above was from January 1, 2005 as I contemplated my upcoming move to Korea. Wow. Everything has seemingly changed for me, and yet oddly, it remains the same. I want to have the confidence and positive outlook that the 2005 version of me carried into Korea. Thanks for reminding me of that, Eva.

And so ends my final post from Korea. It seems appropriate to end it with a song. I always imagined that this particular song would be perfect to be played at my funeral. It also seems appropriate to mark the end of my life in Korea and you can read this article where I mentioned about the affordability of the best funeral services in town.

Time
Flowing like a river
Time
Beckoning me
Who knows when we shall meet again
If ever
But time
Keeps flowing like a river
To the sea

Goodbye my love
Maybe for forever
Goodbye my love
The tide waits for me
Who knows when we shall meet again
If ever
But time
Keeps flowing like a river (on and on)
To the sea
To the sea

Till it’s gone forever
Gone forever
Gone forevermore

Goodbye my friend
Maybe for forever
Goodbye my friend
The stars wait for me
Who knows where we shall meet again
If ever
But time
Keeps flowing like a river (on and on)
To the sea
To the sea

The end of days

Posted on by
6

And so here it is, my last night in Korea. Lots of emotions churning inside me, but after all these years and memories perhaps that’s to be expected.

Walking home from work today I remembered something from 35 years ago. I was still living in Arizona, but I had sent my daughter and son to stay with my mom in Oklahoma while I recovered from my first divorce and a subsequent heartbreak. I had gone out there for a visit and when the time came for me to leave, my seven year old daughter said to me “Daddy, I know all about goodbye. It is spelled S-A-D”. And she was right. All these accumulated goodbyes are starting to take their toll. I know I will be fine once I’m wheels up and on my way, but damn, this is harder than I expected. The reality is that in all likelihood most of the people I know and care about here I will never see again. Well, they all have a standing invite to come visit me in paradise, but life intrudes, people move on, and soon enough I’ll be forgotten.

So, I’ve completed a circle of sorts.

One year ago I was arriving in Pyeongtaek. And now it is time to get the hell out of here.

In other news, I am now carless, as opposed to careless. The sell went smoothly and I now have an extra $500. in my wallet. It’s a good old car and I hope she serves the new owner well.

Afterwards, I treated my staff for a final lunch with the boss. We dined at Ariang, the first restaurant where we ate together after the move from Yongsan. Another circle closed.

Here’s half the crew…

….and here’s the rest of them…

I explained to the team that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The price they were paying today was hearing me hold court one last time. But it was a special occasion…

Because today I had the honor of presenting my Deputy, Donna Cole, with a Superior Civilian Service Award. In my 38 years with Uncle Sam Donna has been one of the most impressive individuals I have ever worked with. She knows her stuff and knows what to do with it. A great leader, a great person, a hard worker and fun to be around. She sure as hell made me look good and that is no small achievement!.

Speaking of my career, tomorrow is the last day of it. When I retired the first time back at the end of 2010 I wrote a long post recounting my career called “The end of the road”. If you are suffering insomnia, I can highly recommend it! Of course, it turned out it wasn’t the end of the road after all. I’m glad I took the detour though, because these past 3 years have been the best of my working life.

My daughter was going through a box of my stuff I left behind and sent me some reminders of just how long that road has been.

My daughter was laughing and said “you were always on us about our grades!” And I gave her the dad response of “do as I say, not as I do”. I clearly had some issues back in high school. Pot being one of them. I wasn’t any stupider then, just lazier. Still surprised I failed in PE, but Coach Davis was a hard ass and didn’t like my long hair. And the “C” in creative writing? Mr. Boyles was just not appreciative of my style of writing. I distinctly recall him telling me a sonnet I wrote (and actually worked hard on) was “extremely corny”. Well, everyone is a critic I suppose. I wonder what he would say about my blog? Eh, probably best not to know in my current fragile state…

For the record, I did in fact graduate from high school. Although I did have to take a couple of night courses at the local community college to make up for some of those “F’s”. Ah well, look at me today!

The daughter also sent me this old pay stub:

$2.00 dollars an hour working graveyard shift at the local convenience store. That was a big boost from the $1.35 the car wash was paying. Although after getting robbed one night I decided that my life was worth more than what they were paying….

Anyway, it all turned out well. I’ve had a great career and now it is time to see if I can’t find some success in other aspects of my life. Starting tomorrow!

Packing it out…

Posted on by
2

…and packing it in.

Busy day today wrapping things up here at the soon to be vacant Star Palace.

Just about 98% done packing. Actually, I ran out of room and had to abandon the idea of bringing some items, including a nice pair of hiking shoes. God knows how much I’ve already exceeded the 30 kilo baggage weight limitation. Fuck it. $12 bucks a kilo overage fee. I’d wager I could be as much as 20 kgs over that. Heh, my bags could wind up costing me almost as much as my ticket…

Gave away the rest of my remaining shit, including my grill, to some of my co-workers. So with two days to go I have nothing to cook, nothing to cook with and nothing to eat it off anyway. Woot!

Took all of my work clothes to the thrift shop on base. I won’t be needing them again, that’s for sure.

While I was on base I swung by the PX to pick up some travel size toiletries. Took advantage of the opportunity to dine at Arby’s one last time.

Well, it is no secret that I haven’t been very happy with my life here in Anjeong-ri. Oddly enough, I still feel pangs of sadness as my impending departure draws near. Of course, I’m going to miss my work family immensely. But it’s the little things that kind of get to me. I picked up my cleaning yesterday from the neighborhood shop I’ve been using since I moved here one year ago. As is my custom, I brought back the hangers for re-use. But when I emptied my laundry bag on the counter, all that fell out was a box of Whitman’s chocolates. The laundry ajumma was delighted and surprised, then she looked at me with a questioning expression and I explained (in English of course) that I was moving away. Well, she doesn’t speak English any better than I do Korean, but she got what I meant. She seemed sincerely upset, and with hand gestures indicated she wanted to cry. Okay, she’s losing a regular customer, but I prefer to think she looked forward to seeing me each week.

The point I guess if there is one, is that you get into your routines and habits and that provides some sense of being “at home” in your community. I was having a beer in Horse and Cow last night, and the owner of the now demolished Shooters popped in. She almost begged me to come by to see her new bar called “The Block”. I did and it was more “juicy” than Shooters ever was. Still, I was made to feel like a long time regular, and that was nice I suppose.

I completed one of my two hour loops yesterday and knew that it would be the last time I was seeing a scene like this.

Ah well. I am resolved to feel whatever feelings letting go of this place gives me and then leaving those feelings at the door when I board my flight on Friday night.

And then we’ll see what develops next.

Selling my car in the morning, even got it washed for the lucky buyer this afternoon. Taking my staff for a final lunch together in the afternoon. And then it will be departure eve. Time flies and soon so will I.

They love me. They really love me!

Posted on by
5

A good day at work.

Today was the last day I’ll put on a tie before going to work.

It was also the day of my “re-retirement” luncheon. The staff prepared team t-shirts for the occasion.

The Deputy G1, LTC Cooper was on hand to give some very kind remarks about my work with 8th Army.

And I was awarded the Superior Civilian Service Award…

Pinning on the medal…

Presenting the Certificate…

And then for one of the last times, the guests got paid to listen to me hold court. I was very thankful and appreciative for the recognition.

Then the staff presented me some going away gifts. I was very touched at their thoughtfulness…

I love this photo collage full of memories of the times we spent together.

….and they all left a little personal message for me as well.

What do you get a guy who doesn’t have much of a life outside of walking and drinking? Why, Hash gear of course!

My first personal patch! This was really special, although mentioning of my Hash name in an open restaurant with a mixed crowd was a tad uncomfortable. I prefaced my reading of the name with a mention of the Beatles song, so hopefully that worked…

A new Hash shirt that will definitely be put to use soon in Subic…

With a nice Hash House motto on the back!

A second shirt, with my name and my favorite beverage…On On!

Yet another personalized shirt, a nice Tagalog language book, and a shopping bag which according to the giver accurately depicts my Hash name….

It’s the people in your life that make a difference. And it is the people you will miss when you have moved far away. Hell, I miss them already and I’m not even gone!

On-out

Posted on by
7

I completed my final Hash with the Humphreys Hangover Hash House Harriers yesterday. “On out” is Hash-speak for “goodbye”.

The “on-in” (the gathering spot at the end of the trail) was at Wolfhound Pub. Left to right: Young Dum Cum, Cum Together, and the day’s Hare, Shamu Shagger.

I was awarded my first ever Hash patch. I’m told being given the “Big Dog” patch is a pretty big deal. Thanks guys!

Come next Monday I’ll be joining my new kennel, the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. Looking forward to that!

Today was the beginning of my last week as a working man. But I ain’t working particularly hard. Tying up some loose ends, like the performance evaluations for my senior staff. I also took care of some stuff at the bank, did my change of address with the post office, ordered copies of my medical records, and that pretty much took care of the day.

Tomorrow is my official retirement luncheon at the Flightline Grill on base. I really don’t like being the center of attention, and it seems a little strange given that I had a previous retirement ceremony back in 2010. Oh well, I understand the gesture and I am appreciative.

I took the long walk home from work today, probably the last time I’ll take that route in this lifetime.

“I spent the longest decade of my life one year in Anjeong-ri”
Well, I have come full circle. They were planting the rice when I arrived and now they are cultivating as I depart. Ah, the seasons of our life.

Tonight I’ve been invited to join Dela and Daniel for dinner in their fancy new apartment at the Brownstone. Another day, another goodbye.

And so it goes. For four more days anyway.

Well I’m not the kind to live in the past
The years run too short and the days too fast
The things you lean on are the things that don’t last
Well it’s just now and then my line gets cast into these
Time passages
There’s something back here that you left behind
Oh time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight

Hear the echoes and feel yourself starting to turn
Don’t know why you should feel
That there’s something to learn
It’s just a game that you play

Adios amigo

Posted on by
3

Today I climbed Younginsan for the last time.

No, not the last time because it killed me, the last time because I’m moving next week.

The trail that leads to the top…

A view along the way…

such a pretty day it was impossible to take a bad picture…

well, ALMOST impossible to take a bad picture.

the park on the mountain…

the path to the park…

I was awake, so I guess this was a stream of consciousness…

Lots of ways to the top…wooden steps….

…or concrete steps.

The summit achieved.

My hiking companions for the day.

It’s Children’s Day, so I channeled my inner child.

Lots of good memories to go with the bad ones, but the memories I’ve yet to make are the important ones…

Six more days.

Puedes traerme tu amor
Adiós mi corazón how I love you
Puedes traerme tu amor
Adiós mi corazón
I hope the words are right
‘Cause they’re the only words
I know tonight

Oh! The nights are never ending
I don’t know why
No comprende
Days are longer than
You’ll ever know
Adiós mi corazón

Now this I’m gonna miss

Posted on by
1

Another “last”, my final grocery shopping excursion to the commissary.

The new Humphreys store is the largest in the Pacific, if not the world….

….with a great selection of fruits and veggies….

And of course any kind of meat you might hunger for.

Now, obviously they have grocery stores in Olongapo. In fact, there are two great stores (Puregold and Royal) on the old Navy base that feature a nice selection of imported goods (i.e. things I like). Still nothing like the selection I’ve grown accustomed to and of course the prices at the commissary are very much lower. Oh well, I’ve already factored a larger grocery bill into my Philippines budget.

Meanwhile, the staff had some fun taking photos and using those filter things to alter them in cutesy ways.

Ah, they treat me like a King! I’m going to miss my loving work family most of all…

Eight days.

Doing the math

Posted on by
5

Well, arithmetic anyway.

Something doesn’t add up here…

Of course, I’m all about subtraction these days. One more thing crossed off my to-do list:

That’s a three month supply of my prescription meds.

I’ve also subtracted one more day from calendar. 9 days to go. Single digits baby!

Come what May

Posted on by
2

Mayday! Mayday! Let the final countdown commence! 10…

Back to my routine in Anjeong-ri. Seon Nyeo is one of my favorites. Introduced her to 50s rock-n-roll last night and she was crazy about it. Fun times…

Experienced another “last” and didn’t even know it. Returned from Seoul to discover Shooters bar has been torn down….

I was feeling down in the dumps when I returned from Seoul yesterday morning. Got in some good walking which helped restore my mental equilibrium. Really want to focus on the positive from here on out. Tear down those walls so to speak…

Thank you Fitbit! Hopefully I have many more miles to go in this lifetime’s journey…

Comes a time
when you’re driftin’
Comes a time
when you settle down
Comes a light
feelin’s liftin’
Lift that baby
right up off the ground.

Oh, this old world
keeps spinning round
It’s a wonder tall trees
ain’t layin’ down
There comes a time.

You and I we were captured
We took our souls
and we flew away
We were right
we were giving
That’s how we kept
what we gave away.

Oh, this old world
keeps spinning round
It’s a wonder tall trees
ain’t layin’ down
There comes a time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsWrmJjD2eY

Letting go

Posted on by
2

The farewell tour continues apace.

Roused my blog buddy Kevin Kim for an early (for him) morning hike up Namsan. He did a much better job describing the day’s events than I ever could here. Please go give it a read. I certainly felt honored being featured on his blog!

Anyway, it was a beautiful day on the mountain and it was nice to have some company along to share another “last” in my Korean life. I won’t deny feeling a little melancholy, but there is always some sadness associated with endings I suppose.

Kevin says that the climb kicked his ass, but I’m not buying it. After all, this is the man who walked from Seoul to Busan at this time last year.

I guess Namsan came to be like an old friend to me. We spent a lot of time together during my last two years in Seoul. I’m a lesser man now thanks to this mountain!

After our climb and a walk around Itaewon and the local environs, Kevin insisted on treating me to a meal at our favorite Brazilian steak house–Tabom Brazil. As usual it was outstanding and we gorged ourselves on several varieties of meat, and seconds of course to make sure we maximized our bang for the buck, or Won as it were.

In a rather odd coincidence, Facebook reminded me that is was exactly four years ago that I met Kevin in person (although we had “met” online through our blogs and communicated with each other almost from the beginning of my time in Korea. I had blogged about that 3-D meeting in a post called “The nicest guy I’ve never met”. And during that first meeting we had dined together at, you guessed it, Tabom Brazil. It felt nice to come full-circle like that.

Kevin is heat averse, so he made clear he won’t be visiting the Philippines in this lifetime. We said our goodbyes, knowing our online relationship will continue as long as we do. Farewell and thanks again my friend!

After lunch I hurried back to the hotel, showered and changed, then headed out to Shenanigans to participate in my last ever Seoul International Dart League tournament. I didn’t play particularly well, but I got to see lots of old familiar faces and had a great time. Drank way too much of course, but that’s the nature of the game. At least for me.

It was good to see my oldest friend in Itaewon once again. Cheers Jim Dewey!

I was also honored with this sweet and delicious cake. Thanks Eve and Mike!

At the conclusion of the tournament the SIDL League President presented me with this memento in recognition of my many years of participation and service to the league. I was very surprised and moved. Thanks everyone!

Did I mention I got very drunk?

Thank goodness I found photographic evidence that I did in fact have dinner last night after the tourney. Not that I remember it…

Got up early-ish this morning to spend some time with another old friend–the Han River.

Did a 3 hour goodbye walk along her banks. It’s been swell, Han!

I took a break from my river walk to enjoy breakfast at the Original Pancake House in Itaewon. I was joined by my old friend and longtime housekeeper, Josie. Good luck to you always!

And that’s about it so far. Tonight is my last night in Seoul and I’m going to meet up with a few more folks this evening I reckon. And that will be that.

I’m letting go of the past as best I can, but I carry over 13 years of memories of my life in Korea with me. There’s a sadness associated with many of them because they relate to a life here I no longer have. My challenge is to not carry that sadness forward into my forthcoming new life in the Philippines. Yeah, I’m going to be me wherever I am, but I can choose to be the happy me. I’ve actually had a couple of people comment on the fact that I appear so much happier these days. I guess happiness is relative, but I do have much improved attitude and I am remaining very optimistic about the future. Whatever it may bring. In 12 days.

Oh oh letting go
There’s nothing in the way now,
Oh letting go, there’s room enough to fly
And even though, he’s spent his whole life waiting,
It’s never easy letting go.

Heart and Seoul

Posted on by
Reply

A pretty good day in Seoul yesterday…

Final meeting with the Korean Employee Union leaders, President Choe and Secretary-General Sohn.

The union presented me a very nice wallet, a KEU coin, and some bling as a going away gift.

And I treated them to some wonderful American BBQ at Manimals. They’d never had anything like it before and were quite impressed.

I’m going to really miss my Senior KN Labor Advisor, Ms. Choe. Been knowing her since she was an intern way back when. So proud of the strong and capable leader she has become.

After the meeting I was able to visit the phone store on base and cancel my SK plan effective 12 May. Then Jee Yeun treated me to a pedicure, which was nice. Got my vehicle inspected so I’ll be able to transfer title to the new owner before I leave. Good to be finalizing the little details necessary to cut the cord.

After work I headed out to Shenanigans. Good to be home in familiar places with familiar faces, although most of the staff is new now.

The menu hasn’t changed though and I enjoyed my personal favorite…pulled pork quesadilla…Yum.

Shot over to Scrooge Pub to say my goodbyes there and ran into an old friend from way, way back, Doug Moulton. He was the long time dart league Secretary in the early days of the league. So we had a nice visit and some drunken darts, then it was time to head back to the hotel.

This morning I’ll be meeting up with blog buddy Kevin Kim for a hike up Namsan and some lunch. Then I have a dart tourney this afternoon at Shenanigans. Should be a good day!

Social security

Posted on by
4

I have kleptomania. But when it gets bad, I take something for it

The reaction of many (especially Koreans) when they hear about my forthcoming move to the Philippines is along the lines of “oh, but isn’t it dangerous there?” This can perhaps be attributed to the fact that anytime a Korean comes to a bad end in the PI it is headline news here. But the fact is that relatively speaking, the Philippines is just about as safe as anywhere you might choose to live. I’d certainly feel safer in Olongapo than I would in Chicago, Baltimore or L.A.

Which is not to say that there is not a certain “wild west” feel to place. The key to safety and security is to be situationally aware and to not take unnecessary risks. In other words, don’t do stupid shit. Foreigners do stand out in a crowd and are considered by many Filipinos to be wealthy, which relatively speaking, many of us are. So you don’t flaunt that wealth with ostentatious displays of fancy jewelry or other temptations for someone criminally inclined who is looking for an easy mark. I normally do not carry a wallet when I’m out and about as pickpockets can separate you from that with relative ease. I tend to carry only the amount of cash I will need for a particular outing, and I keep the large and small bills in separate pockets, usually closed with Velcro tabs.

I just purchased some security supplies from Amazon, including this “wear around your neck” wallet like thing. Doubt I’ll use it all the time, but there will be occasions where it might prove useful.

And check out this new brush. I can stash some cold cash inside where it will be handy but still out of sight from anyone with sticky fingers who might enter my lodging…

The other thing to keep in mind is to not piss off a local or cause them to lose face. That’s a big thing to a Filipino and given that it is relatively cheap to hire a hit (around $100 dollars, or so I’ve been told) and that many folks own guns (a right denied to foreigners) it just isn’t wise to get into disputes with the natives. I have every intention to keep a low profile, be friendly, and wear a smile whether I’m feeling it or not. Patience isn’t my virtue, but I will strive mightily to “take a deep breath, relax, and accept the Filipino way” whenever I find myself in frustrating circumstances.

To keep my luggage secure during my travels I have these fine new “TSA approved” locks. There have been recent reports of bags being rifled at some PI airports, so at least this will keep me from being an easy target. Not that I’ll have much of value inside my checked bags, but still…

The other thing that is different from my previous vacation trips is that I’ll be carrying a much more significant amount of cash. This is necessary because I won’t be able to open a Philippines bank account right away and I’m going to have some largish expenditures during that first month, assuming I find a suitable house to rent. Once I secure my visa I should be able to transfer funds from the USA to my PI bank account without too much trouble. Still, carrying a wad of cash increases the risk factor so I’ll need to be doubly on my guard. For example, a Facebook “friend” I’ve not yet met in person suggested I use her neighbor for my transport from Manila airport to Olongapo. At first I thought, sure why not?. Then I pictured myself never arriving in Olongapo, so I opted for the hotel shuttle driver I’ve used in the past. Once I’m there I’ll certainly look at hiring her friend as my driver (I’ll use a driver a couple of times a week for shopping excursions and the like). But I’ll want to meet him in person first.

So much for security, let’s look at my social life.

Joey and Sonya treated me to a fine farewell dinner at Braii Republic, a South African eatery here in town.

My team at work thought an afternoon outing to a nearby Catholic church was a good idea.

So off we went and the church grounds were in fact quite lovely…

Team DHRM rocks!

Then we all had dinner at a country style Korean restaurant featuring the traditional pancake…

….and fried gizzards. It was surprisingly tasty!

Last night I enjoyed a dinner invite from one of my Korean staff, Mr. So. He’s been with USFK for 48 years and last night was the final time we’ll be together (he’s going on leave and I’ll be gone when he comes back).

Mrs. So put out quite a spread. Actually, some of the best eating I’ve ever done in Korea. Very nice evening.

And now I’m off to Seoul for the final round of my farewell tour.

14 days.

Hardly working

Posted on by
2

Winding down the days in this iteration of my career in government service. I’ve given almost 38 years of my life to Uncle Sam and I’m trying mightily to stay engaged and productive until the end. Truth is though that all that is really left to do is tie up some loose ends and clear the decks for my successor.

I’m on a committee with the American Embassy that reviews Special Immigration Visa applications from foreign nationals with long term and/or extraordinary service to the U.S. government. I met with them (well, I dialed in from Humphreys) for the final time this past week. It’s a responsibility I take to heart and I want to be sure that deserving individuals are given full and fair consideration for their requests to become permanent residents of the nation they have faithfully served. We voted to approve ten of the eleven applications. I had to advocate strongly for one person who had one blemish on an otherwise stellar career with USFK. In the end the panel voted 3-2 to accept his application and I felt really good about that. A small thing for me that potentially has a big impact on someone’s future.

This coming Friday I will meet with the Korean Employees Union leadership for the final time. I’ve enjoyed this aspect of my job very much and I take a great deal of pride in the outstanding labor-management climate we have maintained within USFK. We rely on our Korean workforce to ensure readiness for our “fight tonight” mission, so keeping our civilians focused and motivated is critical. I doubt we will have much of substance to discuss this go round but I’m going to treat the KEU President and Secretary General to some American-style barbeque, probably at Manimals in Itaewon. Looking forward to that.

Speaking of my successor, we have had eleven candidates referred for consideration. I’m sure I’ll be asked to weigh-in on the relative merits of each and I will of course be happy to do so. I’ve loved my work here and I want to make sure my DHRM family is well taken care of after I’m gone.

As I’ve been cleaning out my files in preparation for my departure I came across an historic email from just over two years ago. Regular readers may recall that some cowardly person chose to complain about my blog to command leadership rather than engage me directly through the comments. I really despise chickenshit assholes who cannot abide anyone with a contrary opinion. Here is what the melting snowflake had to say in his/her complaint:

“I am an applicant and was looking for information about USFK. During my search, I found this website: www.mccrarey.com. It is VERY concerning! The posts are written by someone clearly from high in the command who is absolutely not inclusive. A few of the specific posts that are concerning are: 2/13/16—comparing Bernie Sanders to Hitler. Yes, I know there is free speech, but he identifies as a federal employee. 1/9/16—clearly identifies who he works for. 12/15/15—mocking Muslims, refers to Mohamed as pedophile. 10/23/15—Korean Employees Appeal Board and how it is messed up. 10/14/15—celebrating completing combatting trafficking on hooker hill…which is a real place. I truly hope this is not the image you want to be associated with your command.”

So, the complaint was referred to the Staff Judge Advocate (the lawyers) for review. This email was sent to my big boss in response:

“I reviewed the blog and could not find any violation of law or regulation. He writes about his personal political opinions, often in a churlish manner, but this is not prohibited. He is also not prohibited from identifying his employer or his position as long as he makes clear this his opinions are not those of the US government. I recommend that you notify the employee that there was a complaint about his blog and simply remind him of the applicable rules.”

My boss responded to me as follows:

“John, FYI…it’s good to know that writing about political opinions in a churlish manner is not prohibited. Maybe you should add a customer service link to your blog site so they can directly address concerns to the source. Still trying to figure out what “customer service” was officially provided by USFK through a personal blog that warrants an ICE complaint?”

Heh. Well the upshot of all this was I had to visit with the EEO office where I was encouraged to be more “sensitive”. My supervisor asked me to try and refrain from blogging about work. And a few months later I got promoted to the job I currently hold. I sincerely hope the punk ass loser who complained about me reads this so I can offer a hearty and sincere “fuck you!”

Oh, and any opinions expressed here at LTG are my own, dispensed on my own time, and do not represent the views of the United States government. At least for the next 17 days.