I challenged myself yesterday, something I rarely do anymore. Lately, an 8K walk is long for me and pretty much maxes me out. That notorious distance walker, Kevin Kim, recently posted he was going to test an injured foot with a “short” 10K hike. Hmm. Well, that inspired me to take a “short” walk and see how it feels. My goal was 10K, but I picked a route where I could easily bail if need be after 7K. I was in for quite a surprise. Once I hit the 10K target, I just kept on going to see how far these tired old legs could carry me. I finally said “enough” when I hit 13.5K and was standing in front of a trike stand. So, that was a long walk for this version of me, but as the memory photos I posted yesterday show, it was far from a record performance. My longest walk ever was back in December 2017, when I managed 38K (50,000 steps). At the time, I called that achievement a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that is likely the case. Here’s the post I wrote about the adventure. And seeing all those photos from my Pyeongtaek neighborhood really made me miss a life I never fully appreciated. Anyway, I’m motivated to push myself and see just how much I have left in me. My fantasy is to do a 29K walk to Mope Resort in San Narciso. I almost made it halfway there yesterday. We’ll see what the future brings.

Here’s some of what I saw along the way during yesterday’s long trek:

Anyway, I was tired and a little sore when I got home. Swan made me a lunch of shrimp and asparagus that I very much enjoyed.

After a shower, a nap, and a blog post, it was time to hit the road again. First stop: the Angel’s Touch Salon for a foot spa.

I also got a haircut while there. When we left, I was hungry, so we made Myleen’s our dinner destination.

Did our nightcap at Green Room. On the way in, we saw the Hash Grandmaster and his gal at Sloppy Joe’s. They joined us in GR later. It was a nice night out and a good day full of what passes for adventure in my life.

Speaking of which, today is the weekly weigh-in. How’d I do?

• This week’s weight: 246.6
• Last week’s weight: 250.2
• Weight loss: 3.6 pounds
• Weight on November 1: 267.1
• Overall reduction: 20.5 pounds

No reduction this week in my belly circumference (49″). My waist is down 1/2 inch to 43.5.

I’ve just got to keep on keepin’ on. I’ll reach my goal or die trying!

Things Facebook reminded me to remember today:

Today’s YouTube video is about people even dumber than I am.

Probably better to laugh at stuff like this:

Alright, then. Gonna do the SOB tonight at La Oficina. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.

This week, the mission of the Wednesday Walkers group was to find the portion of the Hash trail I missed on Monday and hike the bastard. My plan was to start at the finish and walk the trail backward. Ed, who hadn’t missed the turn, advised against this, saying it was a steep and long down that would not be much fun to climb. I didn’t argue the point, and after hiking it myself, I was thankful we had followed his wise advice. We weren’t ready to stop once we’d hit bottom, so I led the group on a path I had recently discovered. We finished the hike with a little over 6K behind us, and then some of the group did a bit of R&R at The Rite Spot. It was a good morning on trail!

When it was time to head into town for some evening entertainment, we kicked things off at It Doesn’t Matter. I was thinking we’d have some liquid refreshments, then head over to Myleen’s for dinner. Oddly enough, when the dinner hour arrived, neither of us felt particularly hungry. So, instead, we paid a visit to Alaska Club. The place was pretty busy with a pool tourney in progress and several other customers. One was a big spender who called all the dancers down from the stage for lady drinks—saved me from my usual fifty peso tip per dancer, so thanks for that! We treated our waitress and the new mamasan (someone Swan knew from years ago) to a lady drink, and I had cookies and lollipops for the other gals. One unique aspect of the Alaska Club experience is they provide a free bowl of freshly popped popcorn at the table. We all snacked on that until it was time to go home, and I was able to successfully skip dinner calories. I did enjoy my pudding dessert, though.

And now for a stroll down memory lane:

These two memories are significant based on something that happened today. But that’s a story for tomorrow!

And seven years ago, back when my life had purpose and meaning, I was doing this:

It was cold that morning, too:

Good times!

Today’s YouTube video is a little different. It talks about why, after three hundred years of Spanish rule, the Spanish language never took root in the way English did after the Americans took over. It’s less than five minutes long, but it explains something I’ve wondered about since moving here. Spanish is my second language (well, I passed the required courses in college), but it is as useless here as my limited Korean vocabulary. Actually, because of the love of K-dramas/K-pop and the influx of Korean tourists, my “kamsamnida” is recognized more often than a “muchas gracias” is. Oh well, I’ve learned to say “salamat” as well.

And now for some humor:

I’m going to take Swan along for a foot spa and a haircut (for me). We’ll have dinner at Myleen’s, and then we’ll see where the beverages are flowing. Come back tomorrow for a report on my solo walk this morning.

I’ll get to that. But let’s start from the beginning, shall we? It wasn’t a bad day for a Tuesday.

But I’m still thinking of that other holiday…the one we Yanks call Thanksgiving. And I impulsively decided to prepare a feast at home this year.

I also bought the fixin’s to make candied yams and my Aunt Pat’s recipe fruit salad. I’ll pick up some additional things next week after I’ve finalized the menu planning. It has been over a decade since I prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Looking forward to it.

My box freezer died, so on the way back from Royal we stopped at the Savers appliance store. I decided a big side-by-side fridge/freezer was a better option than replacing the box-style freezer, and this big beauty was on sale:

I didn’t use to walk on Tuesdays, but every step counts in my quest to lose weight, so for the second week in a row, I strolled through the neighborhood.

We spent our Tuesday evening on Baloy Beach.

No other customers this time, and none of that cursed videoke crap.

So, the bar staff invited me to plug into the Bluetooth speaker and play whatever I liked from my Spotify app. The music was extra special last night! I caught myself singing along with some of my old favorites and noted the hypocrisy of my karaoke complaints. It’s okay when I do it!

When it was time for some grub, we took a beach walk back to Treasure Island. I was getting a little tired of ignoring my favorite dishes and settling on salad instead. So, I perused the menu and checked the ‘net for calorie content. I found one item I rarely eat, but it seemed like a bargain at 325 calories.

During our Treasure Island visit, our neighbor Mike came by and joined us at the bar (he ate my fries). We attended the same high school, so we share the commonality of a Westminster, California upbringing. I invited him to join us for the Thanksgiving feast I’m plotting. When it was time to go home, we had a comfortable ride in his automobile.

Once inside the house, I set about making a batch of sugar-free pudding for my dessert. And that’s when Swan discovered the keys to the bedroom were missing and the door was locked.

I had unlocked the door when I returned for my phone and locked it again when I left. It didn’t make sense that I wouldn’t leave the keys in the usual place, but maybe in my rush, I left them in the room. Now what? We grabbed a hammer and screwdriver and thought about breaking the lock, but we didn’t really have a clue about how to proceed with doing that. Swan then said she would borrow the neighbor’s ladder and climb in through a bedroom window. Nope, that was way too risky for my thinking (and I’m way too big to crawl through a window to do it myself). So, we fetched my part-time helper’s boyfriend up from the basement. The new plan was for him to climb the ladder to the bedroom patio and then cut through the screen door to unlock it from the outside. Let’s do it!

Once inside the newly unlocked bedroom, the keys were nowhere to be found. Had I put them in my pocket and then lost them somewhere on the beach? The mystery was solved when my helper Teri returned home. She had gone into the bedroom to finish cleaning after we had left and then taken the door keys with her by mistake. Thanks for that, Teri. Well, I now carry a bedroom key on my keychain, so an event like this will never reoccur.

And I also just realized that I have posted online a method for breaking into my house for the world to see. Oh, well, I’ll take my chances.

In other news, today was the viewing of John Kim’s body before his burial tomorrow. I didn’t attend because I prefer to remember people as they were, not their dead bodies.

Today’s YouTube video tells the story of a guy who got caught with a married woman. I guess I’m in no position to judge. Swan has never been married. I think this guy goes too far in his criticism of dating married women. Many have been abandoned. I met one whose “husband” was working overseas and had started a new family there. But divorce is not legal in the Philippines, so she was stuck. Anyway, unless the spouse files a complaint, you can’t be charged with adultery. So, be aware and do what works for you.

Alright, how about these?

Nothing specific in my plans for tonight, but it is likely to involve bars and alcohol. We shall see.

You live until you die and make the best of the time you have. Well, at least you fill the hours, however comfortably and well. I’ve got my routines, and they wouldn’t be routines if I didn’t enjoy them. Perhaps it appears that I am wasting the gift of life, but I’m exercising the right to choose my path unless and until I choose a different one. I guess the recent passing of John Kim triggered these moments of self-reflection. Of course, there is no resolution until the final one that death brings. In the meantime, all we can do is keep moving forward and hope for the best. Way back in those wild and wooly 1970s, I was a big fan and reader of what we called “underground comics.” R. Crumb was one of my favorites. He answered the age-old question of the meaning of life in a way I’ve never forgotten:

So, I just had a little adventure as I searched for that comic cover above. One of the images in the search result included a link to an old post here at Long Time Gone:

That link referred to this post from 2010, in which I was doing a similar navel-gazing session. All these years later, here I am, reaching the same conclusion–it don’t mean shit!

On with it, then. My Sunday morning featured the Candy Walk with Swan. Pretty much the same as always, although we carried additional treats this time and serviced a record-setting 250 children. Hmm, maybe “serviced” is the wrong word, but you know what I mean.

Typhoon Pepito thankfully proved to be a dud, at least in this neck of the woods. There was a heavy downpour in the afternoon, and that was about it. Nothing I couldn’t resolve by carrying an umbrella when I headed out to Hideaway for the feeding.

And then, it was time to pay my first visit to John’s place without John being present in this world. I felt the sad vibe that permeated the restaurant when I walked through the door. A “remembrance” with lighted candles and this photo of John was positioned on the counter near where he used to sit in his recliner:

John’s wife, Lin, was not around, which is understandable. John’s memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday in Olongapo. I was hoping to ask Lin whether she needed any assistance, but there was a donation jar set up, so I was able to contribute.

I don’t know how things will be going forward for the restaurant. Rent has to be expensive for two floors on the National Highway. Perhaps a smaller venue can be found to save money. Some potential warning signs that John’s absence doesn’t bode well for the future included being out of gin and discovering that the Korean-style chicken wings I’ve always enjoyed were “unavailable.” Anyway, I understand the focus for now is on mourning, and I’m withholding any judgment and hoping for the best possible outcome.

We did our nightcap at the Green Room and had a pleasant enough time. Then, it was home to my sugar-free pudding, and then off to bed.

And now, some memories. I participated in the ill-fated Hash run in San Antonio five years ago.

The area where we were accused of trespassing had no fences or keep-out signs. I wrote about the experience here.

Today’s YouTube video features Reekay advising folks to “keep it simple.” I agree, and as regular readers know, it doesn’t get much simpler than the life I’m living. I also go out of my way to avoid drama. That’s the sweetest part of my relationship with Swan; she doesn’t play those games.

And now those funny things:

Speaking of the Hash, it’s that day again. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare, and he is known for both his well-marked trails and their difficulty. I am sure today will not be an exception because I’ve seen the map. I’ve already pre-planned my shortcut! I’ll let you know how that works out for me tomorrow.

And the “first time hearing” reaction video:

Another day in the life successfully completed. No complaints and no apologies. What passes as a good time for me may not seem that meaningful, but I know I’ll miss these days when they are gone. So, as we used to say back in the day, Keep On Truckin’! The irony that the name of the group that made that saying popular was Grateful Dead just hit me. Jerry Garcia died at age 53, so I’m grateful to be still alive!

The Friday hikers traveled to Castillejos and did a river walk to Balon Falls. We did this hike several months ago, so I was not disappointed to discover that what has been deemed “falls” is basically water running downhill. Still, it was a scenic and pleasant journey and we all agreed it is worth the trip a couple of times a year.

When I got back home, Swan served me lunch.

I’m included in a Facebook Messenger group called “Usual Suspects.” It’s some of the neighborhood folks and other friends. Matt had just returned from a two-week tour of Vietnam, so a welcome home gathering was convened at Thumbstar bar. The fellas and their gals clustered around a large table (guys on one end, girls on the other, of course), and the beer and beverages flowed. We raised a glass in memory of John Kim, talked some politics, and filled the hours until it was time to depart for dinner. A consensus was reached to visit the nearby Hops and Brews, and off we went.

Yes, some loud karaoke broke out during our visit. I didn’t participate; perhaps I wasn’t drunk enough. When it was time to go, most of the group headed to Red Bar. I was out of calories, so we hitched a ride home with neighbor, Mike, for the usual early ending of my Friday night.

For those of you following along, here is yesterday’s report card:

Another day, and another typhoon is headed our way.

And now for the memories:

Today’s YouTube video is more news about Pepito. Could be a wet Hash on Monday.

Let’s give ’em something to laugh about:

Well, the rain stopped, at least for now. I’ll take that as a sign to escape from the house for a bit this evening. Not sure where we will go, but I’m thinking we’re overdue for a visit to Kon-Tiki. Never been there on a Saturday, so it might be interesting to see how different that vibe feels, if at all. We’ll see how it goes as I keep on truckin’ through the day…

Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it's been

And the “first time hearing” reaction video:

John Kim, of John’s Sushi and Steak fame, passed away yesterday. He had been dealing with kidney failure and dialysis for the past year. Last Sunday, he suffered a stroke. Word on the street was that he had been comatose ever since, and the end came shortly after they removed him from life support. Tough way to go, but at least his suffering has ended. I’m not sure what the future holds for his restaurant, but I expect it will not survive without him at the helm.

Meanwhile, I’m inspired to continue living my life to the fullest as long as I am able. Swan was getting her driver’s license in Olongapo, so I did a long-neglected solo street stroll through the streets of Barretto. In honor of the event, I took a photo at each milestone:

I had a 3 p.m. appointment for my first chelation therapy treatment with Dr. Jo. It went fine once she found a vein willing to be poked with a needle. She said the standard is thirty-plus weekly sessions at 2000 a pop. Hey, if it keeps me alive a little longer, it is worth it. I haven’t noticed any adverse side effects thus far. I had been experiencing some body aches and foot pains during sleeping hours, but they weren’t in evidence last night. I’m not saying chelation had anything to do with that, but I hope it is more than a coincidence.

It was still early when my session with Dr. Jo was completed, but there was no point in going back home to wait for beer o’clock. My helper Teri had never visited the Central Park Reef hotel rooftop before, so that is where we started.

We finished our glasses of wine and headed down to the beach.

We continued the beach walk until we arrived at the Papagayo Resort and stopped in for dinner.

So, I usually go for the enchiladas when I dine here, but I overcame my urge and explored other options, settling for a grilled chicken breast dish.

That photo seems to capture my new dietary lifestyle. But fewer calories on my plate make room for more alcoholic beverages. And we made Green Room our next stop. It was my gin and soda night, and I intended to stop at five. But Daddy Dave joined us at our table and bought a round, so I ended up imbibing six for the night.

Commenter Kevin mentioned something called “Intuitive Eating.” I joked that it reminded me of the seafood diet—I see food, and I eat it. I honestly don’t see how eating intuitively would work for me. My hybrid plan (reduce calories and burn more while making healthier low-carb menu choices) forces me to think about what goes in my mouth. Relying on my brain to tell me to eat when I feel like it is the reason I’m fat now.

Speaking of which, today is weigh-in day, and here is where things stand:

• Weight on November 15: 250.2 lbs
• Last week’s weight: 258.7 lbs
• Weekly weight loss: 8.5 lbs
• Beginning weight on November 1: 267.1
• Overall weight loss: 16.9 pounds

My belly circumference is at 49″, down from 52″ on November 1. My waist remains unchanged at 44″.

I’m surprised at the pounds lost and doubt I will continue to lose weight at that rate. Still, I’m progressing and will continue working towards my goal.

To the memories courtesy of Facebook:

Today’s YouTube video almost brought tears to my eyes. The vlogger is from Manila and is exploring the Barretto nightlife scene. But he starts out with dinner at John’s place. You won’t be forgotten, John. I’ve never watched this guy before, but he drinks Zero and loves Barretto. We have that much in common, at least.

Let’s lighten the load with some humor:

I’m skipping the SOB tonight. Instead, Swan and I will attend a gathering of the neighbors at Thumbstar Bar and take it from there. I hope to be back here tomorrow to share those stories.

I took some steps in a different direction yesterday, and this is where they led me:

Kicked things off with the Wednesday Walkers and the rare trip out to SBMA for a walk around.

When it was time for a walk on the beach, Swan and I walked to Baloy Beach. I planned to start at the new Drunken Sailor bar we visited last week. I messaged my friend Jessa and asked if they had stocked beverages other than beer, and she assured me they did. When we arrived, the waitress said, “Sorry, only beer is available.” Well, it was supposed to be my gin night, so we demurred and departed. I messaged Jessa again, and she was surprised—apparently, there was some miscommunication with the staff.

Well, there are always other options, and Swan was ready for her walk on the beach. Let’s go to Kokomo’s!

When we arrived at Kokomo’s, other customers were occupying the bar area. That’s unusual–we are usually the only ones there when we visit. No problem, we could sit at one of the beachside tables. But as we prepared to do so, someone at the bar began singing in some godawful loud karaoke music. No thanks, I wasn’t going to sit and be subjected to that noise.

Now, what? Time for a different path. We continued up the beach to a place called Laharnyz. I’d been there once years ago and didn’t care much for it. I walked by lots of times since and never saw anything to change my mind. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I STILL hadn’t had an adult beverage!

Well, I’ll be damned. The place is as dumpy as ever, but something has changed (or I have). A really friendly and laid-back vibe. Good music played at low volume. The Baloy expat scene differs from Barretto’s, so almost everyone there was a stranger, but we all got along just fine. Later, my old dart teammate Mark came in, and it was nice catching up with him. I had a great time at Laharnyz, and we will definitely be back.

When it was time to grab some grub, we walked up the beach to Treasure Island

Things didn’t go the way we planned, but sometimes that results is a pleasant new experience. It made me think of this story from my past life for some reason. Nothing that dramatic, but I did discover a new beach hangout, so there’s that.

A good day on my health journey as well. Got my steps in and kept the calories below my threshold.

No updates on John Kim posted as yet. I’m worried the news won’t be good.

Eight years ago I was enjoying my first visit to Bangkok. Played some darts while there and got recognized as the tournament MVP. Ah, the glory days.

I’ve been seeing posts and comments saying I’m stupid because I support Trump. Well, I love my country, and if that makes me dumb, so be it. Then again, looking at all the red on the election maps, I’m in the majority, so maybe it is stupid to call me stupid.

Today’s YouTube video features a visitor to the Subic Bay area and his impressions as he explores the area. He spent some time in Barretto and even mentions meeting some Hashers. I don’t recall seeing him (the video is a year old), but you might enjoy watching his experience.

And now the jokes:

I am in a bit of a rush with today’s post because I have an appointment with Dr. Jo today. I’m going to begin chelation therapy to improve my heart health. The little bit I’ve read on the subject implies that the science of this treatment for this purpose is unsettled. Well, the FDA doesn’t approve it, so that is a good sign that it works. We’ll see how it goes.

Or should I say, seven downed? I report, you decide.

Welp, Tuesdays tend to be a bland day for me, but yesterday was at least bland in a somewhat different way. Did the usual, then added some tweaks. Here’s how it looked:

I wasn’t in the mood to dodge traffic on the National Highway again this week, so I refrained from walking home from Royal. Instead, when the groceries were unloaded, I took a stroll through the neighborhood.

Tuesday was traditionally the day I don’t hike, but things change when you gotta burn off the calories. 12,000 steps is better than nothing.

Swan was not feeling up to going out last night, so Plan B was invoked. When I departed the house alone, I still didn’t know where I was going. A block or so away, I considered turning around and just hanging out at The Rite Spot, but my forward momentum carried me onward toward town.

I had once again skipped lunch, so I was feeling hungry. Hitting the bars on an empty stomach didn’t seem like a wise course of action, so I made Sit-n-Bull my first stop.

It had been a while since I’d been out on the town without Swan by my side. I missed her and didn’t feel like visiting our regular haunts alone. So, I changed things up by popping into one of my old hangouts that I seldom visit these days: Cheap Charlies.

A really different vibe in CC last evening. Just me and one other customer. Other than the bartender and cashier, there was no one there I knew. All my old regulars being gone, I drank alone and saved on lady drinks. After two Zeros, I was ready to move on.

I headed down the highway to the side of town I rarely visit these days. A bar has just opened in the space previously occupied by Adam’s Bar. So, I decided to pop in and see what it was all about.

I didn’t find the music to be to my liking, content or volume-wise. So, I moved my ass outside and sat in the smoking area.

Two more Zeros and I headed out. I don’t think I’ll be making the Hangout bar a place I hang out.

I moved on to my final destination of the evening, Snackbar. I used to be a regular here, but times and circumstances change. The only two waitresses working were both friends from the old days, so it was nice to see them and catch up on things. A lady drink for each, two Zeros for me, and I was ready to call it a night.

It was only about 7 p.m. when I caught the trike for home, and only seven Zeros were consumed. I guess that means it was seven up and seven downed.

Here’s the stats from yesterday for those following along on my dietary adventure:

And some sad news to report. I mentioned that I didn’t see John Kim when we dined at his place last Sunday. Yesterday, his wife posted this on Facebook:

Hello our Dear Friend’s,Customer’s & Followers

My name is Lin and I’m writing this post for my Loving life partner John Kim.

He was admitted last Sunday at Ulticare Medical Center ( ICU department ) here in Barretto. My partner had severe head pain and couldn’t focus and later on became disoriented. Bad condition had CT Scan and found out that he had STROKE BRAIN BLEEDING and need to undergo Brain Surgery as soon as possible. to add with his bad condition he also need a blood transfusion at least 6unit of Blood A+ to stabilize and 6 unit more if he undergoes brain surgery. Again our dear friends, Customer’s & followers. I’m calling for any donation & support I could gather for him to survive. Please Pray for him, Maraming Salamat Po.

The situation sounds dire, especially given John’s other health issues. I’m O+ and so can’t contribute to the needed blood donation. The word has gone out through several other sources in town, so hopefully we have some A+ folks willing to help. I’m hoping for the best.

Today’s YouTube video recites eight qualities that attract women to an older man. Alas, only #7 seems to apply to me, especially after I purchase a lady drink. I remember asking once, what attracted you to me? The girl replied, “To be honest, it was the bulge in your pants. ” I looked down proudly at my crotch, and she said, “No, not that one,” and then pointed at my wallet.

Well, maybe you will find these funny:

And life goes on. An 8K trek on SBMA this morning was nice for a change of scenery. I asked Swan if she was feeling up to going out this evening, and she said she wanted to walk barefoot in the sand. So, Baloy Beach, here we come! I’ll have a full report tomorrow.

Here’s some Traffic noise to enjoy:

It’s the one day of the year set aside to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served in the military defending our freedoms. Thank you for your service to America!

Swan woke up on Sunday morning not feeling well, but the thought of all those disappointed children provided the impetus to do the Candy Walk anyway. We did it slow and easy and cut it a little shorter than usual, but we still managed to hand out goodies to over 200 children.

Swan took some meds and napped when we got back home and was feeling better later in the afternoon.

I carried out my weekly mission to Hideaway Bar for a feeding.

Two gin and sodas later (one every thirty minutes), it was time to cross the highway for my dinner date with Swan at John’s place. I didn’t see John this week, but I did see this:

I had a craving for John’s birria tacos, but my calorie counter said that would cost me 750.

So, what about me? I was thinking about doing pulled pork without the bun, but then I saw an item on the menu I’d never tried before.

I guess I’m not the only one wanting to know the difference. The link says gyros are usually served on pita bread, but the one I had was on a wrap, hence contributing to my confusion. Regardless, it was quite tasty and worth the 500 calories I expended.

We had our nightcap at Wet Spot, where I enjoyed my final two gin and sodas of the night (six total if you are counting). My neighbor Mike stopped in for a quick beer, and we snatched a ride home with him. Sugar-free butterscotch pudding for dessert was a sweet ending to my Sunday.

I still managed to stay under my 1800-calorie target. However, I didn’t make my daily step goal of at least 15,000. Still, when Swan hugged me this morning, she exclaimed that, for the first time, she could reach all the way around my midsection. That’s one way to measure progress, I suppose. The tape measure says my belly girth is now 49 inches, down from 52 on November 1.

On this day in 2017, I was perusing the menu of a bar I frequented in Anjeong-ri, the village I lived in outside the Army base.

The photo below is also from 2017, the day we shut down our office on Yongsan Garrison and relocated to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. Today is Juyoung’s birthday (the gal next to me), and I posted the pic as a greeting to her from the good ol’ days. I am happy with my current life, but I also miss those days in Korea.

This also came up in my Facebook feed today:

Today’s YouTube video is a nice street show from Saigon. I really enjoyed my visit to Vietnam a few years ago and this brought back some pleasant memories.

And now for the funny business:

Another Hash Monday has arrived. The weather outside has been dicey this morning, but hopefully it won’t be too wet this afternoon. We’ll find out soon enough. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

And what I ate wasn’t bad either.

In what seems like is becoming a new Saturday tradition, Swan needed to go to the Subic Marketplace to purchase sweets for the Candy Walk. I needed to get some steps in, so this little piggy hiked to the market. I’ve had enough of highway walking, so to the extent possible, we took backroads through different neighborhoods. And Swan handed out biscuits and lollipops along the way.

And then evening rolled around. The plan was to do The Maze Bar Hop, so we kicked things off by having dinner at Jewel Cafe.

The steak was small, but tasty, and I ate it up with pleasure.

And now for the bar hop that wasn’t. The flyer said it kicked off at 7:00 p.m. at Sloppy Joe’s. We arrived there a bit after six and waited for things to get started. I passed the time with some beers. A little after seven, a group came in and went to a table in the back. There was no greeting or invite, so I went back to see what was happening. My presence wasn’t acknowledged, and I didn’t feel like I was welcome. Weird, I know. It turns out that the bar hop group had all met at Wet Spot, and then Sloppy Joe’s was the first stop. That was my misunderstanding. Since I hadn’t joined in at Wet Spot, they must not have known why I was there. Okay, well, I figured I’d go to stop #2, Green Room, and perhaps join when they arrived. So, more drinks while waiting. When it got to 7:30, and no bar hoppers had arrived, I asked the Green Room manager what was up. He told me they had changed the bar order, and Green Room was now the fourth destination. So, I shrugged and thought, oh well, it was just not meant to be.

It was 8 o’clock, I’d had eight beers, and that was enough. We called our trike driver and headed on home.

Here’s what those eights added up to yesterday:

So, the calorie app I’m using set my goal at 2317 daily calories. One of my smart readers suggested 1800 as a more aggressive target. When I tried to change the goal on the app, it said this:

I found a basal metabolic rate calculator on the internet and plugged in my stats. It says my BMR is 1996 calories per day. My results are at the link above, but I’m honestly confused now. I’m feeling fine at less than 1800 calories per day. I guess I need to do more research.

A memory from this day in 2017:

I posted this eight years ago after Trump was elected the first time:

And as long as we are talking politics, this seems apt:

Saw a post today where Tucker Carlson claims Mitch McConnel is plotting a Senate leadership vote with the intention of undermining Trump. I’ll need to read more about that before weighing in, but it sounds like something a RINO would do.

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never watched before, Smart Girl Philippines. She was kind of fun to watch, at least for this six minutes about avoiding “traps” in the PI. Nothing wrong with her advice, it’s all pretty much common sense.

Let’s see if I can get a laugh out of you:

Okay, on with the Sunday routines…hungry girls at Hideaway, dinner with Swan at John’s, and then, we’ll see. Read all about it here tomorrow.

I was feeling a little flat, so I convinced my fellow Friday hikers to take a pleasant stroll in and around Subic town. No hills or thrills, but a peaceful, easy feeling as we marched along.

When beer o’clock rolled around, I took Swan to the beach.

It has a ground-floor beachside restaurant/bar that has not yet opened. My friend Jessa advised me that the upstairs bar was serving customers, so we climbed the stairs.

We only stayed for one beer, then hit the beach for a stroll. We’ll be back, especially after the food place downstairs opens.

We walked to Kokomo’s to see what was happening there. Still no floating bar, but we’re told it will be anchored late next week. We had a pleasant visit with the staff, bought them both a drink, and then headed over to Treasure Island for some grub.

Another early night, home by 7:30. Is that going to become the new normal? Not if I can help it! But the diet plan calls for a reduction in beer intake, and the easiest way to achieve that is to spend less time at the bar. At least for now.

Eight years ago, I was in Shenanigans, my favorite Itaewon hangout, celebrating the first time Donald Trump was elected President.

Six years ago, I got a welcome back to the Philippines after my journey to the USA from my pals at Alley Cats bar:

Setting politics aside, it only seems appropriate to wish Kamala well in her future endeavors.

Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea talks about the “Love Scam” industry here in the Philippines. It’s like all those Nigerian Princes on overdrive. There are actually call centers set up where Filipinas work to make lonely foreign men fall in love with them. And send money, of course. Back when I was living in Korea and “meeting” Filipinas from the dating sites, I got burned once or twice. The worst example was the time I sent a woman airfare to come visit me. The fact that I didn’t just buy the ticket myself shows how naive I was. Anyway, lessons learned the hard way. My rule after that was never send money to anyone you have never met in person.

Here’s something to smile about:

To the future, then! There’s a Maze bar hop tonight in honor of Daddy Dave’s 83rd birthday.

Swan and I will dine at Jewel Cafe before the aMAZEing fun begins. Check back here tomorrow for all the gory details!

Donald Trump has many flaws, but he was our best option. I’m hopeful that he learned from his first-term mistakes and that he appoints competent and loyal team members. I’m excited about the prospect for change that visionary non-bureaucrats like Elon Musk will add to the mix. Trump has his work cut out for him cleaning up the mess left behind by four years of Biden-Harris insanity.

What I hope to see sooner than later:

• Borders secured, immigration laws enforced
• Restoring energy independence–drill, baby, drill!
• Reducing government spending to balance the budget and reduce inflation
• Eliminating as much of the worthless Federal bureaucracy as possible
• Stand strong against the aggression of our enemies (I’m looking at you, Iran)

That will be a good start to Making America Great Again.

Enough of politics, here in my corner of the world, life goes on much as it always has. Take the Wednesday Walkers for example.

Swan was enjoying her “me time” with family, and I was trying to keep an eye on how the election was going. Late in the afternoon, it became apparent that Trump would re-assume the throne. It seemed to me a celebration was in order, so I went out in search of a beer.

One beer led to another and then one more. I got a message that my neighbors and other like-minded Trump supporters were gathering at Thumbstar bar to embrace America’s victory. I walked up the highway to join in the fun.

By my reckoning, the vast majority of expats who still care about politics in the USA are Trump supporters. In my admittedly limited circle of acquittances, I only know one who professed a preference for Kamala. His reasoning? Trump is a Nazi. Yep, he drank the lefty Kool-Aid and lost the ability to think for himself. Oh, well, sorry for you. But if ignorance is bliss, you must be one happy guy!

We were in full-on party mode, and Maksil was buying rounds of drinks due to his excitement about the stock market surge. He expects to get richer thanks to our newly-elected President. In a sense, we all will once he brings inflation back down to earth. By my count, I enjoyed six more beers at Thumbstar before calling it a night. Alas, the dietary damage was not finished because I was hungry. Thumbstar was offering a “buy one, get one” food special, so I ordered a chicken shawarma and got another for free. They were both tasty and high in calories. Between the shawarma and beers, I exceeded my daily calorie allowance for the first time since I began my diet plan.

The future looks brighter for America and I hope to become a lesser man. We’ll see how things turn out.

Lots of memories to look back on today:

How about some more of those memories from Cambodia two years ago?

I loved both of my trips to Cambodia. It was my second choice as a retirement destination. No regrets with the move to the Philippines, but I may use one of my “do-over” lives to see how things might have been had I chosen to live there.

Today’s YouTube video comes from the Filipina Pea, who is doing what she does best: talking about some unique aspects of Filipino culture. She’s funny (and cute), and this is one I really enjoyed. It’s worth the watch!

Maybe these will give you something to smile about:

Alright, I have a special event to attend this morning: The 7-Eleven Hash Run. It happens twice a year (on seven November and July 7th. See how that works?). We’ll be the first Hash from the Philippines to participate in this international event. It involves a 7K highway hike during which we will visit seven 7-Elevens. Something a little different to enjoy. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Today’s song also comes courtesy of Facebook memories. I posted this ten years ago, and it is still one of my favorite songs from Korea. The video tells a nice story to go with the song. Hope you like it!

It seems like I live my days in halves, walkohilic by day, alcoholic when the sun goes down. It is almost like having two days in one. Tuesday is usually my blandest weekday because I shop instead of walk, but that wasn’t the case yesterday. Here’s how it looked:

The grocery shopping went the same as it always does, but then I changed things up–I walked back to Barretto.

So, that was the morning adventure. When dinnertime arrived, the skies seemed angry:

When the rain finally let up, we headed out to our next stop, Alaska Club. I had a buy one, get one coupon to expend there. I did my usual thing of tipping the Alaska dancers fifty pesos each, and I had brought along some Choco-Pies to share. When the Sit-n-Bull waitress came by, I called her over and requested three large orders of Shanghai lumpia. I had her deliver one each to Wet Spot and Green Room and bring one for the Alaska girls. Hey, I had a 10% discount coupon to use. And maybe those three gin and sodas I consumed during my Alaska visit enhanced my generosity.

Then Swan and I had a should we stay or should we go conversation, and the result was the decision to do a nightcap at Wet Spot. I made the determination that I had had my fill of gin for the night, so I switched to Zero beer. My good intentions to have just one were stymied when I got comped a second beer, but who am I to say no to a freebie? But it was two and out for us, and we made it home safe and sound. The leftover pudding was waiting for me to enjoy as a bedtime snack. All’s well that ends well!

And it appears the USA is making a comeback: Trump has just won the election! I reckon a celebration is in order tonight!

With the future secured (for now, at least), I can indulge in some Facebook memories:

Today’s YouTube features Reekay reacting to the election. I’ve never seen him talk about politics before. He identifies as a “Libertarian-Constitutionalist.” Again, given the options, Trump was the best choice for America. I’m looking forward to Vance in 2028, assuming I live that long.

Since I’m not in mourning for my country, I can afford some smiles:

Alrighty then. Swan is taking a “me day” to spend with her family. And I’ve got some celebrating to do. I reckon a Trump victory is as good an excuse for some beers as any! Back tomorrow!

Well, I did have a pretty sweet Sunday. I report, you decide.

In the good ol’ days, we hit McDonald’s after the Candy Walk. Those days are gone now, but Swan fed me at home.

It wasn’t long before it was time to make the trek to Hideaway Bar for the feeding.

I satisfied my thirst with gin and soda water. Two in an hour, then I paid my tab and headed across the highway for my dinner date at John’s place.

After two more gin and sodas during our dinner hour at John’s, we moseyed up the highway to enjoy a nightcap at the Green Room. We were there for an hour, enjoying watching the pool players, and I imbibed my final two gin and sodas for the night. That made six in three hours, which seems to be my limit. Nothing untoward happened; I just knew that I’d had enough, and it was time to call it a night. Drinking gin is twice as expensive as beer, but I drink half as much. If my math is correct, cutting out the beer carbs isn’t costing much. A sixty-calorie pudding dessert at home and my sweet Sunday was complete.

Calories in: 1600 Calories burned: 3800

Two years ago, I was walking the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia:

Back in the USA, there’s an election coming this week:

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay speaks to the skills required to live as an expat successfully. I’ve made it over six years so far. Yeah, there have been some missteps along the way, but luckily, no mishaps. Now, to keep it that way!

Comic time:

So, it’s Hash Monday once again. Vienna Sausage (Guenter) is the Hare and I’ve seen the trail map. I was going to just not go at all today because the trail ends out past the end of Rizal Extension. But Michael will have his car there and I’ve reserved a seat for a ride back to town after the Hash. As for the trail, I didn’t see any good potential shortcuts, so I’ll make my own way. The My Bitch trail will get me to the finish just fine. And yes, beer is the only option at the On-Home, so I’ll get to reacquaint myself with some Zeros. I have to keep count, so I’ll try and drink slow. Full report here tomorrow.

Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday. And looking back, I have no complaints. Here’s how it all went down:

We walked the dogs, then walked ourselves to the Subic marketplace to stock up on sweets for the Sunday Candy Walk.

With the buying spree completed, we loaded up two big bags of candy on a trike and headed for home. A small teriyaki chicken breast with broccoli for lunch, a nap, and a blog post. Then, it was time to get ready for the rest of the day. Swan wanted something to beach about so I gave her three options. She chose Baloy, and at the appointed hour, we commenced our walk. [Ha! I’m sure most readers got the “something to beach about” allusion, but Grammarly suggested I change “beach” to “talk.” Get your mind out of the gutter, Gram. I’m talking about the sandy places Swan loves.]

Kokomo owner Steve says the floating bar will be anchored on Sunday, undergo some maintenance, and open for business on Friday. Whoopee!

After my first two wines, we headed up the beach to Treasure Island Resort for some live music and food.

Two glasses of Treasure Island wine, and we departed for home. It was only 7:30, but I’d had enough. I would have drank more beers during the amount of time we spent at the beach, but Zero is 3% alcohol, and wine is 14%. I wasn’t drunk or anything, but why press your luck? Once home, I whipped up a batch of sugar-free vanilla pudding, and that more than satisfied my sweet tooth’s cravings. It was a relatively short but nice evening out.

And that is how day two in my new lifestyle went down.

Those pictures from the Halloween SOB I promised:

And my favorite costume of the night:

In other news, we met a Hasher from Vietnam named Zach at the Subic anniversary Hash, and he told us about a special group of Hashers from around the world who are doing something called the 7-Eleven Hash. It’s basically an urban Hash where the group hikes through town, stopping at every 7-Eleven convenience store along the chosen route. Zach said no Hash from the Philippines had done this event. Well, the Subic Hash took that as a challenge to be the first; this coming Thursday (11/7), we shall march!

Speaking of something different, that trip to Cambodia two years ago was also a nice change of pace.

Today’s YouTube video is something different. Short and sweet (well, maybe sweet is the wrong word) sharing eight facts about farting you might not have known. And now you do. You are welcome!

Smile time:

Back to the usual Sunday routines starting with the Hideaway feeding. I’ll be doing gin and soda there. Then dinner at John’s place. I reckon I’ll wash down whatever I eat with some wine. Got some SOB coupons to burn as well, so we’ll see what we’re in the mood for come time for the nightcap. Exciting shit, eh?

Happy Halloween!

Now that we have those annual niceties out of the way, let’s get on with today’s post.

It rained just enough to scare me into not walking this morning. I’ll try not to let that happen again.

Let’s talk about the goodness of yesterday instead. Starting with the Wednesday Walkers trek in the Naugsol countryside.

The cliffhanger on yesterday’s post was whether I’d journey out to the bars under the threat of rain. Those of you who voted “yes” got it right. A few sprinkles on the way, but we were safely inside the confines of The Maze bar complex before the heavy stuff came down.

Finished things up early (before 7:30!) at Green Room, and headed home with some food from Sit-n-Bowl.

Then I baked a batch of brownies for an a la mode dessert. There’s a last time for everything it seems.

I was living large and spending generously yesterday. One more day to go this month, so why not?

• Dinner: 1160 pesos
• Snacks: 200 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 840 pesos
• Charity: 7000 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Tips: 490 pesos
• Alcohol: 885 pesos
• Total for October 30: 10,775 pesos

Facebook invited me for a stroll down memory lane today and y’all are welcome to come along:

In the political realm, I’ve discovered that not only am I a Nazi supporter, but I’m also garbage.

I had been planning to dress up as The Invisible Man for Halloween, but I couldn’t see how that would work. Instead, I’m going to try and go out tonight as a garbage bag. Swan is going to help me concoct a costume.

Today’s YouTube video from The Filipina Pea is a little different. She shows a clip from “The View” where those crazed lefties go off about how men need women, but women don’t need men. I know the thought of watching even two minutes of that bullshit show is scary, but hey, it is Halloween. Anyway, Pea interviewed Filipinas on the street, asking questions about needing a man, and they all answered affirmatively. And there you have the reason so many men are fleeing the USA to make the Philippines their home.

And now for the things I find amusing:

There is still a lot of iffy weather out there, but I reckon going out for some Halloween fun is something you can only do once a year. We have tentative plans to start out at It Doesn’t Matter, one of several bars having Halloween parties tonight. The question of the hour for me is whether I can find a way to look like garbage. Or find a bag big enough. Speaking of which, I’ve been doing a little foreshadowing about some changes on the horizon. That horizon arrives tomorrow. See you then!

Make no misteak about it; it was good eating. The highlight of our night on the town was dinner at John’s place. We followed that up with a bit of a bar hop, visiting MacArthur’s, Red Stars, and Hot Zone before calling it a night. But first things first.

Speaking of All Saints Day, that’s also a huge deal here in the Philippines. Driving past the hillside cemetery in Olongapo yesterday, preparations were in full swing for the upcoming big day with the dead this Friday. Food stands were being erected, crypts were being painted and given their annual cleaning and refurbishment so when the families gather to pay their respects and eat in drink in memory of the dead, all will be in order. And the following day, everything will be a mess again. It’s just the way it’s done in these parts.

When the grocery shopping was done, I couldn’t help but notice the car parked next to ours.

Ah, I see now it is a low-priced EV from China. Good luck with that!

Alright, about those steaks at John’s place. Swan and I had both been craving some beef, and we went with the tenderloin special (750 pesos) to fill that void.

The first stop on the bar hop was the newest bar in town, MacArthur’s. The place was surprisingly full when we arrived. The music was blaring loud enough that conversation was difficult. They didn’t have wine in stock, so Swan ordered gin and soda water. They gave her a gin in lime juice. My beer was 120 pesos. It was one and out for us, and we are not likely to return.

Next up was the rarely visited Red Stars. Our waitress remembered me from the Blue Butterfly days and welcomed me back by pointing to my belly and asking when the baby was due. Thousands of comedians are out of work, and she’s trying to be funny! Anyway, I get that a lot and wasn’t offended. They had wine for Swan, and my Zero was reasonably priced at 80 pesos. We sat on the outdoor patio, and Swan engaged the two waitresses at our table in a Tagalog conversation. Naturally, I bought the girls a lady drink, then watched the world go by as I enjoyed my beer(s).

The last stop was Hot Zone. I can’t even remember the last time I was there. Nothing wrong with the bar, just not my kind of place anymore. I visited last night because I got a message from owner Jay telling me he had found a shirt of mine (Jay used to be the Grandmaster of the Subic Hash, so I assumed it was a Hash shirt). I was curious about both the shirt and its origins, so I found myself in the Zone. It turns out it was a special shirt designed to commemorate an ill-fated Hash in November 2019—the one where we got arrested by the Philippine Navy for trespassing. I wrote about it here. Apparently, it got dropped off for me and misplaced for almost five years. Better late than never. Thanks, Jay!

The Hot Zone mamasan still remembered me and gave me a poke in the belly greeting as well.

And that’s where the story of my yesterday comes to an end. All that fun came with a price:

• Medications: 1500 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 360 pesos
• Tips: 500 pesos
• Alcohol: 1560 pesos
• Dinner: 1500 pesos
• Groceries: 14,700 pesos
• Driver: 1000 pesos
• Charity: 250 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Total for October 29: 21,470 pesos

Eight years ago, I was walking the streets of Seoul.

And during that trek, I was surprised to see this old beauty:

Today’s YouTube video provides an update on the kidnapped American. Arrests have been made, but not sign as yet of the victim.

And now for some laughs:

Alright, a good morning with the Wednesday Walkers and this afternoon the skies are looking angry. Will I stay or will I go? I don’t know yet either. I’ll let you know tomorrow!

I’m going to be hitting the road soon for that four-hour drive home. I’ve got some nice pics from yesterday’s Hash, but they’ll have to wait until I have more time and a faster internet connection. So, this post is just a placeholder for now.

I’d paid my Hash fees in advance, so most of my expenses for the day were already covered.

• Trike: 100 pesos
• Tips: 250 pesos
• Alcohol: 360 pesos
• Dinner: 700 pesos
• Total for October 26: 1410 pesos

There’s always time for politics, right?

In keeping with the theme of today’s post, the YouTube video is only two minutes long. The vlogger’s voice is irritating, but the photos are good. Kristine was a bitch, but luckily the damage in this part of Luzon wasn’t so bad. We did have a muddy Hash trail to deal with.

Some quick humor:

Anyway, I’ll get back when I can. But at least this post gives me one less thing to worry about. Later, gators!

Or, to be more precise, hello from Bauang, which is a municipality within the province of La Union. We arrived at our destination after a thankfully uneventful four-hour drive. One of the local Hashers invited us to the local hangout, a bar formerly called Footlights and now goes by Amante. There was a Friday night special on offer that included all you could drink from four until eight pm, food, and a special dance performance. It sounded almost SOB-like and was priced similarly, at 650 pesos per person. So, that’s what we did. No Zero or wine was available, so we drank San Miguel Light. The higher alcohol content and the urge to drink my money’s worth created the drunken result you’d expect. The food was a serving of chicken cordon bleu, which was better than I had expected. The dance performance? Well, it was two gals dancing solo. The first song was typical bar gyrations, similar to what you see in Barretto. When the second song started, everything came off. Yep, totally nude dancing. This is the first time I’ve seen that anywhere in the Philippines. Now, being the old-fashion codger that I am, I prefer some things left to the imagination. But it was nice to see something a little different in a bar. Leave it to beaver!

Swan and I did a nightcap at the hotel bar, although, for some reason, I have little recollection of that event. And now, a new and sunny day has dawned. It looks to be a good day for Hashing!

Sorry to disappoint, but there are no photos of the dancers. After their performance, they came around all the tables (fully dressed again) with a tip jar. I was happy to reward them for showing us everything they have.

So, it was a good first night here in La Union.

• Lady Drinks: 450 pesos
• Alcohol: 200 pesos
• Party: 1300 pesos
• Tips: 350 pesos
• Snacks: 550 pesos
• Gasoline: 1000 pesos
• Lodging: 5000 pesos
• Trikes: 100 pesos
• Total for October 25: 8750 pesos

Today’s stroll down memory lane:

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay provides an update on the body that washed ashore–turns out it was not the kidnapping victim. I doubt he’s still alive though.

Let’s try some humor:

Okay, I’ve got the La Union Hash House Harriers 41st Anniversary event to attend to. Tell you all about it tomorrow.