I was going to title this post something along the lines of “more of the same,” but when I did a search, I saw that I’ve used a similar phrase a dozen times in this blog’s twenty-year history. That says a lot about both the content of LTG and the pathetic routines I write about. I’ll tell you what, though. The retired chapter of my life may be boring to read about, but I’m so glad to be living it here instead of some retirement community stateside. So, without further adieu, here’s today’s edition of same old, same old.
Tuesday is shopping day, and that was accomplished in a way that doesn’t warrant further mention. Well, Swan did ask me to pose for this photo at the Royal supermarket:
Abracadabra!
Back home, I helped unload the groceries, then headed out for my neighborhood walk.
This house is for rent. Out of curiosity, I sent a message inquiring about the cost. I was shocked at the response: 70,000 pesos per month. That’s almost double what I’m paying. And this house is located in the flat section of Alta Vista, without the mountain and bay views that I enjoy every day.I turned left this time. The house for rent is highlighted in yellow.
My faithful reader(s) know that Tuesday afternoons are routinely spent on Baloy Beach. Yesterday was no exception.
Toes in the sand timeWe had a brief rainstorm earlier in the day, but it was over and done with before we left home.A view from the floating bar.That girl who follows me around. As you can see, it was a quiet day on board.Sun and waterAs good as it got at sunset.
Next on the agenda was grabbing some food at Treasure Island.
We shared some fried chicken wings……and chicken quesadillas. Leftovers for breakfast this morning.
In other news from my Fool’s Day, I booked a room at the Wave Song Resort for Saturday in Pundaquit.
We’ll spend twenty-four hours on the beach and thenhead into San Antonio to attend the annual Fralics beauty pageant at the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA).
So, my promise to get out of town at least once a month has been kept for April.
And I have avoided foolishly exceeding my calorie goal all month long!
In April 2006, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace for the first time. I took some photos before my camera (remember those?) battery died. And I actually managed to post them here at LTG. Another memory in The Story of My Life.
Speaking of Korea, it’s Cherry Blossom Season! At least, it was eight years ago.
A stolen photo I brazenly posted on Facebook. Someone in the comments called me out for it. And now, I’ve posted it here all these years later. Have I no shame?Nine years ago, I did another trek up Namsan to the Seoul Tower. I sure do miss those days now, even though I didn’t fully appreciate them at the time.
Today’s YouTube video is one I found on Facebook from a Hasher who joined us for Monday’s hike. It’s short and sweet and better than mine. Enjoy!
To the humor we must go:
Funny how that works. And “C” doesn’t work on my laptop keyboard. Lazy bastard!One thing is not like the otherI hope he was a sweet man.
Okay, that’s just about all I’ve got for today. Planning to check out a new old bar in town this evening. I’ll explain what I mean by that tomorrow. But before I go, here’s a couple of pictures I took on this morning’s dog walk.
Swan and that other Lucky boyLove casts a long shadow
Welp, if you can put the cart before the horse, there’s no reason you can’t put the day before the sun, right? But first things first:
The Sunday Candy Walk commencesLeaving Alta Vista behindSome flowers I liked
A crap video of Section Three of the Candy Walk (at least it is less than four minutes long):
The Tagalog word for used clothingWell-disciplined candy recipients posing for a photoMore flowersThe Easter Mountain view5K of smiling faces
The giving wasn’t done yet; I still had the Hideaway feeding to attend to.
Food from Jewel Cafe, and I made the brownies for dessert.That’s one way to eat a burrito.
Then it was time to hit the beach.
‘Tis the seasonThey should have dug a hole before burying the bodyHere comes my rideAnd here comes my girl, right on time!The view we came for.A moderately busy afternoon on the floaterAnother way to enjoy the waterIt’s that time againSwan is enjoying the showThe end of the sun on this day
Then it was off to our Sunday dinner at John’s place.
We shared an order of birria tacos…And Korean-style chicken wings.
We took the leftover wings to our nightcap at Green Room for the gals to enjoy. And that’s where our evening came to an end.
I’m on a losing streak
I’m laughing at the Tesla fools:
That’s the (D)ifference
Is Trump never wrong?
That might help reverse America’s negative birthrate
To the archives, then. My first post in February 2006 was entitled “Stupid is as stupid does.” In it, I recount the tale leading to the first ambulance ride of my life and, not so coincidentally, my first stitches. It certainly warrants The Story of My Life tag.
Nineteen years ago, I was having what appears to be a bad night at 3 Alley Pub in Itaewon. Looks like I’ve just about filled that ashtray as well.Ten years ago, I purchased copies of this book about a dual-citizen (Korean-American) who found himself drafted into the Korean Army. Great story by a nice guy who I’ve lost track of. Do you ever hear from him, Kevin?Also ten years ago, a Korean, a Japanese, a Canadian, and an American walk into a bar. They order up some drinks then throw kick ass darts and win a dart match. Good times!
More common-sense wisdom from Reekay in today’s YouTube video. My personal journey included several visits between 2007 and 2009, followed by an ill-fated detour into another failed marriage, before I resurrected my dream of the Philippines and plotted my future life here prior to moving in 2018. I’ve encountered some bumps in the road along the way, but I’ve no regrets about my decision to retire here.
Are you ready for these?
Damn, that’s bad. I’ll do better, I promise!Either way, you weren’t there when he needed you…Cum what may, you got off easy.
And there you have it. Another Hash Monday has arrived, and I’ve got a bad feeling today’s trail won’t be to my liking (the Hare is also a Corona Hasher), but I’ll shortcut as needed. I ate lunch while finishing this post, so I’m ready to roll.
The adventure continues, if you can call it that. I revisited the past at my old darts venue, Alley Cats. It had been long enough since I attended my last tournament that it all felt almost new and fresh. It was great to see some familiar faces and reflect on the good times we shared during my darting days. I didn’t participate in the tournament, but I enjoyed watching the competition. My Korea buddy, Jay, played and went through the bracket undefeated. He’ll be back for more today with the league and follow-on tourney. I’ll be back to my usual life in the bars of Barretto. And life goes on. (The only point to this post is the tip of the dart. Get it?)
As usual, Mama was waiting for me when we headed out for our weekly grocery shopping. I’ve been giving her handouts for over seven years now. I couldn’t help but notice that she looked more worn than usual yesterday. Life on the streets is hard.Saw this on the way back from shopping. Damn, we used to ride in back of the pickup truck when I was a kid, but this seems inherently more dangerous.
At beer o’clock, we headed to Alley Cats to meet up with Jay. I brought a batch of brownies for the girls like I used to do in the good ol’ days.
I had to laugh when I saw this on the way to Alley Cats. The sign translates to: “It is forbidden to throw garbage here.” Yeah, right, this is the Philippines. Littering is our culture.Visiting Alley Cats again was a nice change of pace, and Swan seemed to enjoy herself, even if she did miss her toes in the sand time. We’ll make up for it tomorrow.We had pizzas delivered from Sit-n-Bull for the girls and dart players. I had one slice and called it dinner.The tournament bracketJay and Liezel in the Championship roundJay finished first, Liezel second, and Billy took third.
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. My neighbors, Jeff and Davina, stopped by to join the fun near the end of the tournament. Alley Cats has a beer card offer: six beers for the price of five. I bought a card upon arrival. And then I bought another. Not knowing when I might return to the Alley, I finished all the drinks on the card before departing. A twelve-beer night!
Am I lucky or what?
In the LTG archives, I came upon a post called “Transitions” that was mostly as boring as my current drivel, but ended with my recitation of a rather amusing encounter with some Koreans in an Itaewon bar called Sweet Caroline’s. My then-wife’s comment was funny, too. These days, I’m happy, but I’m still not gay.
Via Facebook, a memory from this day in history:
Nine years ago, I found a new, less-traveled path to the top of NamsanAs is often the case, the reward for a hard climb is a view like this.
Today’s YouTube video talks about aggressive child beggars in the Philippines. I had trouble once as a tourist in Manila when a group of kids surrounded me and started getting grabby. I ran away. I’ve never had anything like that happen since. I never give money to kids because I don’t want them to think that begging is a viable income option. It is also my understanding that giving money to children is against the law in the Philippines. I help out a couple of adult street dwellers when I see them, but that’s it. My other charity projects assuage my guilt at ignoring the pleas of beggars I encounter.
How about these?
My bedtime hours are nine to five, and I’m not even in jail.Every relationship has moments of misunderstandingI guess I’m ahead of my time and was failing before it was cool! 😉
And that’s all he wrote. For today, anyway. I’ve got a couple of SOB coupons I need to expend before they expire, so I’ll work on that this evening. I’ll let you know how that turns out for me tomorrow.
Yesterday was filled with the usual Sunday routines but with an added twist. An old dart league compadre from the Korea days is visiting Subic this week, and I’ve consented to show him around town. Last night, Jay joined us on the Arizona floating bar, then came along for dinner at John’s place. Next, we introduced Jay to Barretto’s Wet Spot. That’s all the fun I had in me, so we headed home, and I directed Jay to Johansson’s so he could practice his darts (he’ll be playing at Alley Cats this week). And later today, Jay will be losing his Hash virginity. Should be a good time.
The day began with the Sunday Candy Walk, and it was good to be back after our hiatus last week. My videos suck, but I try to finish what I started, so here is the six-minute section two of our standard walk (in case you missed it, you can see section one here.)
A few more photos from our walk:
The Marian Hills contingentOur regulars were happy to see us backWhen you find out your girlfriend is a swingerFlower powerThe way we went
A nap, a blog post, and a shower later it was time for the Hideaway feeding.
Enjoy the bounty, ladiesChow down, Joy!
Time to hit the beach.
A sandy SundayHere comes my rideNice to see you again, JayThere she goes. Or is the sun male?Nah, too purdy to be a guyI’ll have to get Jay up to the Kalaklan Ridge while he’s here
Then it was off for some dinner.
This is a new addition. I’ll take it as a good sign!
Jay enjoyed the upstairs ambiance. Food was good. Swan had her usual birria tacos, and Jay went with a cheeseburger. His request for some avocado on top was granted. Sorry, I didn’t get a picture, that was a damn big burger.
I had the bulgogi and was allowed to exchange the rice for a side salad.
We did our nightcap at Wet Spot, and Jay, being the new kid in town, caught the eye of one gal who wanted his attention. She rubbed his shoulders some, and he gave her a lady drink, then sent her away. Well played!
So, back in Itaewon times, Jay was just one of the dart league buddies, and I didn’t know him all that well. He’s a teacher, and after leaving Korea, he spent a couple of years in Thailand. He’s currently working in Japan. He’s a Canadian, and I sense he leans to the left, but we successfully avoided getting into any political conversation. I called Canada the 51st state, and he responded that America is Canada’s underwear, so that was well-played. He is looking forward to some hikes during his visit, and I’ll gladly accommodate him in that regard. I also secured Jay a spot on a Wednesday dart league team and will introduce him to the Alley Cats darts community tomorrow. This being a tour guide is a nice change of pace!
Another good part of my Sunday
In health metrics, for the first time since I’ve been recording my blood pressure on a daily basis, I had a reading under 100! 98/64 was unfamiliar territory for me, but when I looked it up to make sure I wasn’t in the danger zone, I discovered I was still in the “normal” range. In a bit or unrelated news, the top shelf of my closet is filled with clothes that no longer fit me. Yesterday, I randomly grabbed a pair of shorts from the past and I’ll be damned, but they fit me again! That’s my kind of progress!
When was the last time SNL did something funny? Long enough ago for this to be worthy of note:
Saturday Night Live is finally catching up with reality that 75% of Americans love Trump!
Today’s stroll through the LTG archives brought me back to this post in October 2005, when I discovered the poet Charles Bukowski. I’ve always been a fan of poetry, so how I went so long without reading his work is strange indeed. But, better late than never, I suppose. Here’s my favorite:
The Laughing Heart
your life is your life don't let it be clubbed into dank submission. be on the watch. there are ways out. there is a light somewhere. it may not be much light but it beats the darkness. be on the watch. the gods will offer you chances. know them. take them. you can't beat death but you can beat death in life, sometimes. and the more often you learn to do it, the more light there will be. your life is your life. know it while you have it. you are marvelous the gods wait to delight in you.
From Facebook memories of this day in the past:
Seven years ago, I was hiking with my workmates in Buan, KoreaFive years ago, I was obeying the edicts of the government like a good little sheep.Three years ago, a signed copy of this book arrived in the mail. Thanks again, Kevin!
Today’s YouTube video shares some news items from around the PI. Flirting with a man’s wife isn’t too bright, but kicking his ass when he complains about it is downright stupid. The nightmare of Filipino jail is the reward that comes from ignorance. I’d like to know more about the hikers who were rescued after being lost for several days; I hadn’t heard about that.
Take these for what they are worth:
I said it four timesDoggy styleCalm down, it was just a misunderstanding.
Okay, I’ve got a Hash to attend to. Tell you all about it tomorrow.
Another day of liquification, but what goes in you must come out. It’s a shitty situation, but this too shall pass. It will be good to feel solid again. But enough of that crap, let’s focus on the positive.
Kicked off the morning with the Sweet Saturday walk. Neighbors Martin and Joss asked to come along, and the more, the merrier. They seemed to enjoy it. As we entered the first neighborhood, we saw a baboy transitioning to lechon.
One of the most popular foods in the Philippines
I’ve eaten lechon many times, but seeing how this one was being roasted was interesting. The fire surrounds the pig and generates the heat, but the meat is not directly over the fire. There was a man behind that barrier in the back, cranking the skewering pole in rotisserie fashion. Hard work for a good meal.
Swan and Joss dispensed the goodies while Martin and I looked on.WTF is that all about? Never seen anything like it here before. (No foreigners in this poor village)The rarely seen white person on a funeral banner. Ralph made it to 85, so well done, sir.Delivery to your door!The day’s “big” climb begins. (It wasn’t that big)Feeding the hungry prisonersOur come to Jesus momentThe view from here
Later in the day, we walked into town for a change of scenery.
The view from Cheap CharliesThe view in Cheap CharliesAnd then this happened
We did our nightcap at Green Room. Waitress Chu challenged me to a game of pool, and feeling a tad bored, I accepted. She was leading in the first game but then scratched on the 8-ball, giving me a backdoor victory. Chu wanted a rematch, and I granted her wish. I actually played better than expected, and we were both down to the 8-ball at the end. She shot and missed. I didn’t.
The scoreboard says 2-0 for Gwapo
One of the side effects of whatever it is that is ailing me is feeling fatigued. Even though it was Saturday night, I was over and done with it at 7:30. That’s early, even by my low standards.
On the plus side, I haven’t been feeling very hungry either.
Today’s journey through the LTG archives brought me to a post from October 2005. I’d just returned from an excursion to Phoenix, Arizona, for some work-related training. It was apparently quite the trip. When the session ended, I rented a car and drove through the Mojave desert. Then, I stopped in Laughlin, Nevada, for some gambling at the blackjack tables. On the way back to Phoenix, I crossed the border at Yuma and had some fun in Mexico. But here’s the thing: until I read that post, I had absolutely no recollection of that trip whatsoever. That freaks me out some, but it’s good to know this blog serves some purpose if only to remind me of things I’ve done. That makes the post worthy of a tag in The Story of My Life.
On this day in history via Facebook memories:
Seven years ago, I took my staff on my final team-building excursion to Korea’s west coast. Damn, those were good times.Until they tried to leave without me!
And then, six years ago, this guy came into my life:
Welcome home, Lucky! Don’t ever bite the hand that feeds you. Oh, wait…
My neck is sore from simultaneously laughing and shaking my head at the bullshit stuff my lefty friends have been posting on Facebook. Of course, I counter with my own memes to drive them even crazier.
They make me feel so smart by comparisonI knew we were doomed as a nation had Kamala won, so yeah, let’s dance!
Today’s YouTube video shares mistakes expats make in the Philippines and tells how to avoid them. Common sense ain’t real common in these parts. Yeah, I’ve had my share of fuckups, too.
Laughter is the best medicine. Here’s your daily dose:
I used to watch Leave It To Beaver when I was Beaver’s age. I never saw such a jokeNo use crying over spilled sperm
I’m sure you’ve had enough of this nonsense for now, so I’ll let it be. Until next time.
I got to pick the route for the Friday group hike, and since we had my virgin neighbors along, I wanted to introduce them to my old friend, the My Bitch trail. We took a different route up and a new way down, but in between were the usual views that I enjoy. Martin and Joss were not disappointed, and although they are distance walkers (15K is their norm) on the flat streets of Manila, they found the Bitch plenty challenging. Here is some of what they got to experience:
A group of nine this week. That’s Martin and Joss on the right.And off we go!Passing through a local neighborhoodAnd then the climbing beginsA pause to take in the viewAnd then onward and upwardMy little town of BarrettoThe Baloy side of thingsTraveling onA tree I fanciedA brief rest up topThat Bitch ain’t gonna walk herselfEaster is comingThe requisite stop at Mountain Mama Onelia’s placeThe view from hereThe place where the old trail was turned into a dirt roadA shocking developmentA steep descent to the valley below beginsAnd we all made it downSee you come EasterThen back up to Alta Vista and the end of our hikeOur 6K route
I attended my first SOB in over a month last night. A shockingly low turnout of only eleven guests to watch the performance. I’ve seen better shows, but no complaints. My fellow judges agreed that Voodoo put on the best dance routine, with Alaska a close second.
Most of the teams only had three performers, and some of the gals weren’t all that attractive.
I hope things turn around; I’m sure they lost money due to low attendance last night.
As usual, we came straight home after the show was over at eight. I was tired and not feeling so good for some reason. Today, I’m hoping the arria dies soon.
One day at a time
Today’s dive into the LTG archives brings us the story of the day I was stuck, poked, prodded, and probed back in February 2010. Say what you will about Korean healthcare, but their one-stop annual physical facilities are like something I’ve never seen before. Lots of pictures documenting my station-to-station journey on the road to better health. You’ve been warned.
From Facebook memories of this day in my history, comes these:
Fifteen years ago, I enjoyed the bridge views on my Han River walk in SeoulEight years ago, my secretary, Ms. Song Unchu, was promoted to an HR Specialist position. She still worked for me, so I wasn’t able to share how much I cared for her.A deserted National Highway in Barretto is something you never see. Unless there is a scamdemic lockdown taking place like there was five years ago.
With all these Nazi accusations being bandied about, this is a useful guide to determine who the real Nazis are:
So, all you accusers might want to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea doesn’t hold back on the harsh realities of life in the Philippines. She’s right, but I ain’t leaving.
But wait, there’s more:
I know I’m shit when it comes to grammarNothing to get anal aboutThe fight broke out when they ran into Pre.
That’s all there is for this time. We’ll see what happens next.
And prospects for prosperity are looking good! That’s my way of saying the blood work results were better than I had hoped for–everything was within the normal range, and nasty things like cholesterol were below standard. Dr. Jo was impressed with the marked improvement over my previous results last July and suggested I keep on doing what I’ve been doing. I’m sure diet and exercise are factors, but the chelation treatments have also likely contributed to my healthier results. Dr. Jo and I agreed to do the four-week chelation cycle every other month going forward and see how that works out for me.
Bloody hell, is that me? It’s nice to be normal for a change.Dr. Jo says my kidneys will thank me for this. One of my fears is to suffer the fate of the late John Kim.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Swan was busy in the kitchen preparing for a gathering at The Rite Spot.
Chicken wings in the frying panAllow me to introduce you: MeatballsA chicken ready to be roastedAnd sauce for the meatballs and spaghettiAssorted snacksOpen and ready to serve you!The skies were a tad threatening, but no raindrops fell on our heads.We had a grand time on the roof.
The food was good, the company outstanding, and the beer icy cold—a winning combination. Neighbor Martin (the guy on the left side of the table) spends most of his time working in Manila, so we hadn’t enjoyed his company in quite a while. His wife, Joss, paid me a nice compliment when she told me she hadn’t recognized me at first because of my recent weight loss. My high school compatriot Mike (at the head of the table) regaled us with stories from his extraordinary life. Starting with his time with the army in Vietnam, his career as a music promoter with some of the biggest bands in rock-n-roll history, and some of his adventures from the early years of his retired life in Brazil. Martin was so impressed that he tried to talk Mike into writing his story, and he’d use some of his connections to make it into a movie. Mike was non-committal about doing so, but he’s going to the USA next week to retrieve some of his papers and photos. We shall see.
The party went later than expected, and regular readers will be shocked to hear I was up until well after ten p.m. last night. I’m glad my health is up to the challenge! Martin and his wife also asked to join this morning’s group hike, and it was great to have them along.
Hey, I was in party mode! Those twelve Zeros I downed didn’t help.
There is some good news: despite my recent transgressions, today’s weigh-in has me down to 228.9 pounds. So, since I began this quest on November 1, 2024, I’ve lost 38.2 pounds overall and 2.8 pounds since my March 7 weigh-in.
Things I saw and shared on Facebook today:
The left is too blind to see the hate they complain about is coming from within their addled brains.Which is not to say they had much in the way of brains to begin with
Today’s stroll through the LTG archives brought me to this post from October 2005. It’s just another day-in-the-life type entry, much like I’m still writing twenty years later. I do use more pictures these days, though. I was a CIV III fanatic back then. I’m not sure why I stopped playing.
I’m pretty sure I posted this poem I wrote in high school previously, but here it is again. Of special note is that my creative writing teacher seemed to almost like it. He was normally very critical of my work.
“Literati” was a publication featuring the best creative works of Westminster High School students. Either I didn’t submit this poem, or it wasn’t accepted.
Facebook memories carried me back to the lonely life I was living in Pyeongtaek during my final months in Korea seven years ago.
Looking back, I could have made so much more of this time in my life. I’ll fix things if God grants the “do-over” afterlife I’m praying for.
Today’s YouTube talks about why people move to the PI and where they hope to find what they seek. It’s short, and I enjoyed the street scenes from Cebu City, a place I briefly considered before opting to live my small-town lifestyle.
Take these as you will:
That bitesAnd that’s how she met HannibalI’d rather watch the dishwasher
And that’s all I’ve got for today. I’ll be attending my first SOB in a while tonight, so that’s something a little different to do. With my health metrics on the upswing, I might be subjecting y’all to this daily punishment for a long time come. Unless I get squashed crossing the National Highway.
Back at it in Barretto again. As they say, if the shoe fits, wear it. Mine are plenty comfortable. The Tuesday routine starts with grocery shopping. Nothing exciting about that, just a weekly chore that feels good when it’s done. Yesterday, I wore my Trump T-shirt to the supermarket. I ran into an American acquaintance there, and we had a brief chat. Then another Yank neither of us knew approached and asked out of the blue if I thought Trump would rescue Duterte, the former Philippines president, from the clutches of the UN’s International Criminal Court. I responded that I hadn’t heard anything about Trump intervening and shared my opinion that Duterte had done some fucked up shit, but I didn’t think it was appropriate for the ICC to get involved–leave it to the Filipino people to decide what, if anything, deserves prosecution. The stranger seemed to agree with that approach, and we all got on with the shopping. I’m glad he wasn’t one of those insane folks suffering from TDS.
With nothing better to do, I made a video of the drive back to Barretto. It’s an eleven-minute trip.
But wait, you think that was boring? How about my after-shopping neighborhood walk? No, I didn’t make a video of that journey, but I did take photos of the national parks I encountered along the way.
I started and finished on Bryce where I reside.Then, a stroll down RooseveltA short visit to Alta VistaThen on to AcadiaI found myself in Crater LakeAnd then there was the EvergladesPassed by Mount Rainier, but the weather was dryI used to live on ShenandoahMesa Verde is just a cul-de-sacDenali is a street without housesAnd Grand Canyon takes me back home
Wasn’t that fun?
That’s what the 4.5K trek looks like from a Google perspective
Alright, now that we got that out of the way, who wants to go to the beach?
New signage on the highwaySwan in her elementThe view from the floating bar upon arrivalThe view on the floating bar. Another busy Tuesday, glad things are going well for Kokomo’s.The closet we got to a sunset
Nothing out of the ordinary on the floater, just an enjoyable way to pass the time rocking on the water, enjoying the music, and, of course, imbibing some beers. As is our custom, at sundown, we moved to Treasure Island for dinner.
When we go out, we always bring along some treats for the folks who serve us. What we get a kick out of at TI is that instead of just helping themselves to the bounty as happens at other venues, the girls carefully divide the cookies and lollipops into stacks for each girl so they all get an equal share. Ain’t that sweet?Swan and I shared an order of enchiladas……and some chicken wings
To clarify, we split one enchilada and brought the other home. Three wings each, and the rest for takeout. I had some wings for breakfast this morning. And after checking my calorie intake for the day, I saw some room for dessert, so I baked up a batch of brownies when we got back home.
Made it! I’ll take that as a sign.
Today’s journey through the LTG archives brought me to this post from September 2005, where I honored my daughter on the occasion of her 30th birthday. It’s a worthy entry in The Story of My Life.
In 1976, the USA was 200 years old, and I was 21 and still living in California. No computer, no internet. The only technology in the house was my frickin’ calculator. And yes, we had a pink refrigerator (bought at the second-hand store) with poodles. Those were the days.
Yesterday’s YouTube video talked about why expats were fleeing the Philippines. Today’s YouTube talks about why they are coming. I report, you decide.
Maybe these will put a smile on your face:
She’s never been to the Mojave desertSounds like she should be your ex-girlfriend, thenI always wanted to get a dog in Korea and name it Bosintang. It would be fun to call him to dinner.
And that’s all there is for today’s post. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of this goodness.
Here I am in the infamous Angeles City “entertainment” district, and I’m not doing much that passes for entertainment. Hey, what else is new? As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I did not join in the Corona Hash hike. Instead, I went to visit an ophthalmologist clinic that Dr. Jo recommended. Well, actually, she recommended a particular eye doctor, but that person doesn’t work on Saturdays. The guy I saw was fine and confirmed what I suspected- I have a Stage 3 cataract in my left eye, and surgery to remove it is the only cure. I’ll need to make a decision about when and where to do that; until then, I’ll be essentially blind in one eye.
We walked for 45 minutes to get there from the hotel. I was a little concerned because the waiting room had a good crowd, but I was seen a few minutes before my scheduled appointment. The only frustration was the dilation process, which took three doses of eye drops, ten minutes apart. But that allowed the doctor to confirm that my retinas were fine. It was hard to see for a couple of hours afterward, which made the walk back a little dicey.
Some of the blurry things I saw on the way back to the hotel:
Back to the infamous Barangay Balibago. That’s an interesting name for a Korean restaurant. Then again, if I were pig, I’d be pissed, too.We stopped into Kokomo’s for some lunch, but didn’t eat. And yes, this is the original Kokomo’s opened by Dave Fisher before he moved his operations to Subic. He opened the Kokomo’s on Baloy Beach (and Treasure Island) but sold those years ago.Swan couldn’t read the menu (she had the same eye treatments as me). I ordered but changed my mind and had my food for takeout. Then I gave it away instead of eating it.The notorious Walking Street bar district is quiet by dayThis is a place I frequented back in my tourist days (circa 2007-2008)Walking Street has been redesignated “Red Street.” I guess that’s short for red-light district.Or maybe red alert. My situational awareness is definitely at a higher level than when I’m in Barretto.
Then, it was back to the hotel for a nap and some blogging. When dinner time arrived, we headed out to Margarita Station, just a few blocks up the road.
An old Oldsmobile in almost mint condition we saw along the road.Dining at Margarita StationI’d skipped both breakfast and lunch to make up for my sins the night before, but I’m a big fan of a roast beef dip sandwich, so I thought I deserved to treat myself. I was surprised at how big it was and only ate half of it.Margarita Station is a restaurant with a bar and two pool tables. It also has a large outdoor swimming pool.
After our meal, we went in search of somewhere to enjoy a drink and the Angeles nightlife ambiance. We passed numerous go-go bars, but neither of us was in the mood, instead preferring an outdoor venue.
Some nice lights outside a shopping center.
We eventually settled on a venue I had enjoyed patronizing during those long ago Angeles visits.
A small open-air place suits our fancyThe busy street view from there.
After a couple of beers (and one wine), we continued making our way towards Walking Red Street. Phillies is another outdoor bar I’ve enjoyed in the past, but alas, it was packed full when we arrived last night. After a brief discussion, we decided we’d just go back to the hotel bar for our nightcap, so we grabbed a trike and headed home.
Back at the hotel, I noticed we were being stalked by a moon shadow.
The hotel bar was empty, and none of the other Hashers had come back from the Corona Hash yet. We had a drink and watched some dramas on the TV in the bar. Yep, that’s how we rolled on a Saturday night in Angeles City. Jesus, what’s gotten into me?
Well, one thing that DIDN’T get into me was the apple pie a la mode on the menu. And that calorie deficit almost makes up for the overage the night before. Win some, lose some.I didn’t skip breakfast at the hotel restaurant this morning.But at least I didn’t eat all of it.
Today’s entry from the archives of LTG is a July 2005 post about the party I hosted in celebration of Independence Day. Man, oh, man, those pictures brought back some memories. Mi Soon, one of the gals from Sweet Caroline’s, my first Itaewon bar home, was destined to become my first Korean girlfriend. Needless to say, that did not end well. Still, I wonder how her life turned out.
One of my cousins in Memphis, Tennessee, posted this old photo of my grandfather (my dad’s dad) on Facebook. Gramps died before I was born, so we never got to meet. He was a captain on a Mississippi (yay, got the spelling right on the first try!) riverboat.
William Edgar McCrarey died in the late 1940s of a heart attack. I was a little disappointed that his middle name wasn’t Lee, like my father and son. Now that I think about it, my younger brother is Gregory Lee. My son didn’t have a boy child, so no more Lee’s to come.
Facebook memories took me back to my days as a river walker in Seoul.
What I saw on this day nine years ago. Such pleasant walks on the Han River. I miss those times.
Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never watched before, but I enjoyed her talk about whether visiting the PI these days is safe. As far as I can tell, it is as safe as it ever was. There are places you should never go, like Muslim Mindanao and places like Angeles City, where you need to be mindful of pickpockets and the like. Still, I’ve not seen any demonstrations or other civil unrest over the Duterte arrest.
And now I’ve got these to share:
Sloppy secondsCaring is sharingPeace be unto you!
And with that, I’ll prepare for today’s adventure with the Angeles City Hash House Harriers. Back with a report tomorrow.
We arrived safely in Angeles City after an uneventful 1.5-hour drive. Checked into a nice room at the Boomerang Hotel. The only downside (upside?) is that I’m located on the third floor, so I’ve got to endure some stair work coming and going.
The Boomerang Hotel is Aussie-owned, believe it or not!My room has a nice little balcony in the back. Here’s the view from there.And I won’t be using the pool anytime soon. A group of us Subic Hashers did sit poolside near the hotel bar last night and enjoyed multiple beverages.
So, today is the fifth anniversary of the Corona Hash. I opted out of doing the trail for reasons of my own, but several members from the Subic Hash are here to join in the celebration. Last night, everyone descended on a Hash-owned bar to kick things off.
A female Hasher runs the place and several other Corona Hash Gash work there.Some of the crew hard at work. That writing on the wall in the background are the Hash names of folks who have visited Harriette’s in the past.And yes, I made the list!Some of the Subic contingentA big turnout
A bar crawl followed the Harriette’s meet-up, but I opted out of that as well. Instead, I took a stroll to one of my favorite restaurants in AC, Tequila Reef.
Nice to be back!The view from our tableThis was on the cover of the menu. I’d never heard of Banoffee Pie, but damn, it sounds delicious. I overcame the temptation to give it a try. Regretfully, as it turns out.
So, what to eat?
It seemed the writing was on the wall. Or on the column, as it were.Mexican it is, then.Dinner is served: a taco and an enchilada with rice and refried beans. The meal was every bit as good as it looks.Shortly before we departed, this large group of young Koreans descended on the place. There is definitely a Korean vibe in Angeles City these days.
After dinner, we grabbed a trike back to the hotel. As I mentioned, several Subic folks are also staying at Boomerang, and we gathered poolside for beers and chit-chat. I’m not sure how it happened, but when I got back to my room, I had a banana split with me. Damn, I hate when that happens. Well, I hated it this morning when I calculated my calories anyway. It was delicious last night.
I do believe that is a new record violation.
I’m punishing myself today by skipping both breakfast and lunch. That’ll teach me! I hope.
Today’s journey through the archives of LTG features this post from June 2005 entitled, And So Beings The Task. I’m talking about overcoming a tragedy in my life, but I make no mention of just what happened. Unsurprisingly, I don’t remember what it was now. I thought perhaps I had just gotten the news from Carol (wife #3) that she was reneging on her promise to join me in Korea. But then again, she was one of the commenters and doesn’t mention anything about what happened. Weird. Still, I linked and quoted a post from Kevin Kim about “putting it down” that provided some comfort to my troubled mind back then. Of course, whatever that tragedy may have been, I had many more to deal with in the coming years—most of them of my own making.
Four years ago, I was helping the Corona Hashers celebrate their first anniversary, including doing the trail and participating in the wilderness Circle they prefer. Why do I no longer join in the fun? Well, here’s one of the reasons:
I don’t mind being called names at all. I did take the “easy” option, even though it wasn’t.
Today’s trails are long (11K), medium (9K), and short (6.5K). The long and medium trails include a requirement to SWIM across a river. The short trail includes two big hill climbs. As the Hash GM posted on Facebook, the Corona Hash doesn’t do “easy” trails. That’s fine, I won’t spoil your fun by asking for one. I know my limits and also want to enjoy myself when I Hash. I’m not a good fit for the Corona crew.
Here are some more photos from four years ago at the Hash.
The Corona Circle features a camp fireThere was also some kind of contest among the Hash Gash. Can’t remember what that was all about.Her Hash name ought to be “Cameltoe.”It’s nice on ice!This was the Subic contingent from four years ago. This year, less than ten joined the Corona “fun.”
Anyway, to each his own. I go my way, you go yours. I will be hashing with the Angeles kennel tomorrow. They are much more my speed.
Today’s YouTube video is an on-the-street interview with a Korean woman who grew up in the Philippines. She has some interesting perspectives on the differences in cultures.
Well, I thought it was funny:
Guilty as chargedWell, I did stay out until 9:30 last night. Then a banana split followed me home.Facebook friends can be so fickle!
Okay, next up for me will be dining at another restaurant I remember from the good ol’ days, Margarita Station. After that, who knows? I’m surrounded by bars, which is my favorite kind of tourist trap. Let’s see how that works out for me.
At least until I get back. Headed out to Angeles City for the weekend. I’ll Hash with the Angeles group on Sunday, then travel to Floridablanca for a Subic Hash outstation run. I’m always up for a change of scenery, and although Angeles is nowhere near my favorite place to be, I can handle it for a couple of days. There are a couple of restaurants there that I enjoy and some new bars to explore. I’m looking forward to a good time!
My last day in Barretto included hiking the back way to Waltermart in Subic. Some sights along the way:
Walking the goatsOver the rickety bridgeThrough the valleyWalking in NaugsolThe Easter Mountain viewOn the Govic highwayA riverside strollI wouldn’t sit thereFrom here to there
Survived another round of chelation with Dr. Jo. When I get back, I’ll have some tests performed to see if there are any improvements in my health statistics. My blood pressure is significantly lower than it used to be, so that’s a plus.
It was after 5 p.m. when we left the doctor’s office, and I decided we’d stay on that seldom-visited side of town. First stop, Outback.
Beach views at OutbackAn Outback view from the beachA busy afternoon at the poolside barMe and that girl who keeps me company in my old age
Next, we walked up the beach for dinner at Mango’s and enjoyed our usual pork chop platter. I forgot to get a photo this time. With our hunger alleviated, we crossed the highway and had a nightcap at Queen Victoria Bar. It’s been a while since I’ve been there, and there is definitely a changed vibe. They’ve built a larger stage for the dancers and play music that young women prefer when dancing. I liked it better before, but everyone was friendly, and the service was good. It’s not somewhere I’d enjoy hanging out on a regular basis, but I’ll drop in occasionally when I need a change of pace.
I caught Swan cuddling up with this guyAt first glance, I thought this said “Elon.” That seemed a little DOGE-y.
And so ended our last night (this week) in Barretto.
Another fail, but not by as much. Is that progress?I’m more of an “everything in moderation” kind of guy
From the LTG archives is this post from June 2005, where I recount some of the differences I’d experienced with the Korean Employee’s Union and their American counterpart. That was also the day I picked up darts for the first time, a life-altering event in its own way.
Facebook memories shared this photo of three generations of McCrareys.
I was in the Bahamas for my daughter’s wedding in 2002 with my father, Walter Lee, and my son, Kevin Lee.
Despite the AI narration, I found this short (five minutes) YouTube video somewhat entertaining and on point. Coincidentally, Koreans dominate the bar ownership scene in the naughty boy district of Angeles City. Lots of Korean restaurants and even a Korea-town nearby.
The joke’s on me:
Yeah, I missed that, too. Or forgot about it.At least it fills the voidEverything old is new againWho knows where the time goes?
Speaking of which, it’s time for me to get ready to travel. I’ll check in again tomorrow.
And not in the good way! Of course, it wasn’t all that hard, more like a tad inconvenient. And yes, if that’s all I have to complain about, I’m a lucky man indeed!
On the way to my Tuesday grocery shopping expedition, I stop at an ATM to replenish my cash supply for the week. Lately, I’ve been using the ATM at the Baloy 7-Eleven because it is one of the few that will dispense a 20,000 peso withdrawal (most limit to 10,000 per pull). But yesterday, a line of five or six Filipinas was waiting to use the machine. I’ve never seen that before. Knowing how typically slow Filipinos are when doing ATM transactions, I opted to go to the 7-Eleven further up the highway. And it had an even longer line. Swan speculated it must be payday, but on a Tuesday in the middle of the month? Doesn’t make sense. Anyway, we went to the old standby ATM at the BPI branch at Harbor Point Mall on SBMA. The third try was the charm; I had the machine to myself and got the cash I came for.
So, we journeyed on to the YBC grocery store in Olongapo to stock up on the items we can’t get at Royal. Wow! The store was packed, and every cashier had a long line of customers waiting to check out. I still don’t know what was going on yesterday, but it made things a pain in the ass. We eventually got through it and moved to Royal to complete our shopping. Had to wait in line there, too, but not as long.
The third frustration of the day came when I messed up a wire transfer. I have an acquaintance currently undergoing chemo and radiation treatments for her cancer. I send her a hundred bucks periodically to assist with food and rent. I had been wiring the money to her cousin’s bank account, but yesterday, she asked if I could send her the cash directly. No problem, but since it was my first time doing so, I had to complete the basic information like the name appearing on government-issued ID, phone number, and location. Easy enough. Her name is Lina Erica, and I assumed that was her first and middle name. Nope, her first name is two names. And the cash dispensers would not accept how I rendered the name since it differed from her ID. I finally figured out after an hour of trying how to modify the name on the already-sent transfer, and she finally got her funds.
And hopefully, that’s as hard as it ever gets around here.
Everything else went fine. I opted to walk home from Royal and didn’t get squashed on the highway whilst doing so.
Leaving Royal behindA bay view from the highwayWhere the dead resideA closer look at those ships anchored in the bayPassing the village of Bantay Bayan that I sometimes fantasize about moving to.This place is right outside Alta Vista and would be closer to the action. There may be some downsides to consider, though.
Anyway, I got almost 7K under my belt, and that’s more than I usually do on a Tuesday. I wasn’t done walking yet, either. Later in the afternoon, we did our weekly visit to Baloy Beach.
Shoes off and ready for a beach walkToes in the sand and sand on the feet, just the way Swan likes it…A light from above was shining on the bayIt seemed almost heavenlyLet it shine, let it shineOur floating bar destination awaitsAs busy as I’ve seen it on a TuesdayAnd the big spenders were keeping the girls fed and their thirst quenched.Will we get a sunset today?Breaking on throughUnder the cloudsThat sinking feelingLight up the skyUntil we meet again
As usual, when the sun goes, so do we. Dinner at Treasure Island awaits!
Chicken parmigiana for SwanAnd a grilled pork chop for me
When we got home, Swan made a cheesecake for dessert.
She’s a talented gal in the kitchenBut the failure is all on me.
Today’s entry from the archives of LTG is this post from June 2005, sharing the views I enjoyed from the roof of my apartment building and lamenting the demise of a bar I enjoyed, named Lucky Strike. To be honest, I’d forgotten about both.
From Facebook memories come these:
I posted this photo of a cultural dancer in Bali twelve years ago. Quite a bit different than the ones I see at the SOB competition.Eleven years ago, I was on the news in Augusta, Georgia, playing in a dart tourney.Six years ago, I was hashing with this massive group in Palawan. I see myself on the left-hand side.
Another enjoyable YouTube video from the Filipina Pea. To answer her question, why, yes. Yes, I am!
And then there are these:
He’s on the sheep, but he ain’t no lambI plan to be spontaneous tomorrowTrue, but why not have both?
And we’ll leave it at that. There’s only one way to find out what’s going to happen next, and that’s by living the moment. I reckon I’d best get to it. I’ll let you know how that works out for me tomorrow.
Sundays come and Sundays go; without a calendar, it would be hard to tell them apart. Except when I’m out of town, like I was last week and will be next week. So, I guess this Sunday stands alone, even if it is a tad familiar.
When I got up to take my morning piss, I noticed this circle on the floor:
Upon closer examination, it turned out to be a ring of tiny ants. I dispersed them to insect heaven with a squirt of Baygon poison.
We kicked off the morning with the Candy Walk. I did one of my lame videos of the beginning of our journey. It’s eleven minutes long, but that’s why they make 2X speed to ease your suffering.
Marian Hills with some decorations for the upcoming FiestaThe kids were out playing in the field, but spotted us and came a-running.Granny identifies as a little girl, and who are we to argue?This tree caught my eyeHere they come!Sweets for the sweet
We dispensed 270 candy bags on our 6K walkabout.
I heard from the peanut vendor, Emmanuel, that he was once again experiencing breathing difficulties, and he asked me for some money to refill his oxygen tanks. I’ve helped him out in the past, and I wasn’t going to say no this time. We met up at the Baloy 7-Eleven while I was en route to the Hideaway feeding. There are now seven girls working at Hideaway (up from four), and the food total from Jewel was 1500 pesos. That provided some perspective on the money I had just given to Emmanuel. Food is nice, but air is better.
Dinner is deliveredDinner is devoured
With the feeding accomplished, I headed for the beach.
A busy afternoon on the sand in BarrettoMy destination awaitsThe view from the floating barRiding the banana!Sharing is caring, even when it’s a fartPutting my pursed lips to good use!
Then we were off to dinner at John’s place.
The usual view from our perchAnd a colorful sky to enjoy as we dinedI ordered the pulled pork sandwich without a bun. I also gave my fries to Swan to go with her, you guessed it, birria tacos.
A brief nightcap visit to Green Room, and then we were homeward bound.
Close enough for government (retired) work
As I continue my journey through the LTG archives, I’ve discovered that most of my posts back then were every bit as mundane and meaningless as they are today. And yet, here we are. But sometimes, there’s a flower among the thorns. A post from May 2005 called Sorry is a good example of that. It’s one paragraph saying I was going through some shit (I don’t recall what now) and was taking a break from the blog. But what made it worthwhile reading again was this comment from my mother:
the Brave man wins the battle, cause he fights and fights to win….many battles to be fought in a lifetime my darling son…..I love you….
Thanks for that, mom. You were right. My battle had only begun back then. I miss you!
I don’t recall viewing today’s YouTube vlogger previously, but the subject of online sextortion is something warranting situational awareness. Before my move here, I was scammed by a couple of the girls I’d met online, but not in this way. I just foolishly sent them money.
And we’ll cleanse the palate with these:
Your move, KirkI can picture you doing thatSounds like she was good at taking dick-tation
Okay, that’s enough for now. It’s Hash Monday and Leech My Nuggets is the Hare. He is known for his challenging, but well marked, trails. If this picture he posted is any indication, he has elevated his standards today:
When you are retired for going on seven years, weekends lose the charm that they once held. Even Saturday night is not worth staying up late for. Or maybe I’m just an old geezer shouting at the clouds. Whatever the case may be, my window for adventure doesn’t stay open long these days. A sweet Saturday stroll with Swan in the morning, some beach time in the afternoon, food and live music in the early evening, and back home by 7:30 p.m. That’s pretty much how I’m rolling through life lately.
Leaving my neighborhood to deliver some sweetness in the surrounding neighborhoods.The kids come running when they spot us in the first neighborhood visit of the morning. That kid in front appears to be defying gravity.The second ‘hoodOver the riverAnd passing through neighborhood #3Ernesto had five years on me. RIP.The fourth neighborhoodAnd the fifth and final of the dayThe route of our stroll
I fill the hours between the morning walk and late afternoon imbibing wasting my time on the internet and wasting your time with boring blog posts like this one. As beer o’clock nears, I try to decide where I’m going to plop my sorry ass to down some brews.
Yeah, there’s that
Anyway, I thought we’d do a Baloy Beach Saturday evening, starting with that new bar, Drunken Sailor, at the Baywatch Resort. I was curious if business had picked up any since my last visit. I guess it hadn’t, because it was closed. That’s a shame; it could be a nice venue with a little effort. Oh well, not my problem.
A barefoot walk in the sand for Swan was next
Then we popped into another newish venue, Kim’s Place, ordered some beers, and pulled up a seat on the beach. I chatted with Kim, and he is ready to host the March 31 Hash On-Home.
It will be nice to have our Circle on a sandy beach again.The sun didn’t show its shiny face before disappearing yesterday
Then we moseyed up the beach to Treasure Island and enjoyed the live music.
And shared a plate of chicken wings. I had the leftovers for breakfast this morning.
Over the course of three hours, I had three beers at Kim’s and four at Treasure Island. If my math is correct, that’s only one beer every twenty-five minutes. I guess I really am learning to slow down. And despite it only being half past seven, I was ready to call it a night. I’m not complaining; that’s just the way it is these days.
Back on track. Let’s see how long I can keep it up.
I’m no expert on CICO diets, but if my total intake for the week is in line with the sum of my daily goal, does that work? In other words, if I’m over by 300 calories total for We, Th, Fr, but under by 300 on Sa, am I still on track to lose weight? Yeah, I’d best just stick with trying not to exceed my daily target.
I don’t know, maybe I was getting a little homesick four months into my Korea life almost twenty years ago, but I posted some pics of American gals at the Mardi Gras. Meow! In the comments, my dad advised me not to take my gun to town. I miss those days when I had family that gave a shit about my life.
Facebook reminded me that six years ago, I was enjoying views like this while Hashing in Palawan.
Were were a few miles outside Puerto PrincesaIt got a little rocky in placesLife’s a beach
I really need to go back there again one day soon.
Today’s YouTube video talks about weird aspects of Filipino culture. I don’t know, I’ve been here long enough that everything is getting normalized. Except the driving. Damn, still amazes me how bad they drive with no common sense or skills. Choosing not to drive here was the right call.
How about these:
I can dig itI’ll drink to that!It could result in a chain reaction
Time to get back to those Sunday routines. Feeding, floating, eating, and drinking. What a life, eh?
Another day, another walk. Later on, I got a chelation injection. And in a refreshing change of pace, I visited zero bars yesterday. Not to worry, I had Zeros at home and took them with me to a gathering with the next-door neighbors. Here’s some of what I saw as I made my way through another Thursday in paradise.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave…Two of nature’s treatsThat mountain we call EasterCandy for the kids, pellets for the puppies. That’s just the way Swan rolls. I hope she never mixes up the two. This section of the My Bitch trail is now a dirt road. I’m not sure what the future will bring next.Feeding another strayBurn, baby, burn!The route of our 7K journey
No issues with the needle Dr. Jo stuck in my vein. She commented on my recently lowered blood pressure (110/70 yesterday) and that my reduced dosage of bp meds will relieve strain on my kidneys. Next week is the final round in this chelation session (two injections, one IV). After that, I’ll have my blood work done again to see if I’m getting results like lowered blood sugar. Here’s hoping!
The neighborhood gathering at Jeff and Devina’s was a day at the races theme. That horse racing board game is their second favorite social activity after karaoke.
I contributed brownies, as usualThis dip for the tortilla chips was quite a treatThere was also this platter of tasty meats, cheese, and snacksThe sun at five p.m. when we startedAnd an hour later when we kicked off the horse racesThe winner is decided by a roll of the dice. Multiple rolls, until a numbered steed crosses the finish line.
We played three rounds, and I was lucky enough to win once.
The best part of the evening was hanging out with the group and enjoying our favorite beverages.
I went a little crazy when we got back home…
…and lost my ability to say no to a slice of apple pie a la mode.Close, but no cigar. At least I don’t smoke.
Today’s weigh-in has me at 231.7, up from 231.6. Not too bad, considering my recent lack of discipline. Hopefully, the downward journey will resume this week.
Back in April 2005, I wrote about having The Rainy Day Blues after a night of overindulgence while playing pool in Itaewon. It does have a familiar ring to it. One of the things I’m enjoying about these long-ago posts is the comments, like this one from my then-wife:
Here is a better idea. Don’t go to bars except on odd occasions. You never use to go to bars. You sat at home and played Civ III or blogged. You filled up your entire evenings and weekends. Maybe we could play virtual scrabble or cards. Look in to it before you develop a habit that I simply will not tolerate when you return home. Sorry to sound so much like a wife, but I am the wife.
She’d hate my life in the Philippines.
Six years ago, I participated in a Hash Bash in beautiful Palawan. That’s different than a Nash Hash, but it was a great time I’d almost forgotten about until Facebook reminded me today.
Here’s a headline from five years ago that would lead to a scamdemic overreaction by the local authorities here in the Philippines.
Curfews, lockdowns, face masks, face shields, social distancing, alcohol bans, and quarantine passes were all right around the corner. Never forget! Never be fooled again!
I’ll be turning seventy years old in August (assuming nothing goes wrong before then), so today’s YouTube video about seven signs predicting how long you’ll live after that milestone caught my eye. I’m happy to report that I’m doing just fine in six of those categories. Standing on one leg for ten seconds is something I need to work on. Of course, getting squashed trying to cross the National highway or falling off a cliff while hiking would negate all those positive signs. My plan remains to keep living until I die. Wish me luck with that!
Maybe you’ll find these funny:
She got the breast deal she couldI’ll stick with the brown bread here in the PIA simple misunderstanding. I’m sure you’ll be forgiven.
And that’s all he wrote. For today, anyway. Who knows what the future holds?
Sometimes, it is just hard to say no regardless of the consequences. C’est la vie.
The Wednesday Walkers took a Jeepney ride out to Calapandayan and commenced hiking from there. We began with a climb up a trail we hadn’t been on for years, and from the look of things, no one else had either—a leafy mess with low overhanging branches to maneuver around. We wandered around up top for a bit before making our way back down to the familiar streets of Calapacuan.
Out of the Jeepney and ready to rollThis week’s iteration of the Wednesday WalkersUp we goSteep and buried in leaves makes for a hard trail upBut we got thereThe bay viewOptions galoreThe village routeCookie deliveryWhat goes up, must come downEaster Mountain from hereAlmost bottomed outWhat’s a hike without a rickety bridge crossing?The rare older than me passingThe have Nazi politicians in the Philippines, too? Who knew?Finishing our journey with a highway walkHere to there
The usual shit at home, then back to Barretto. The first stop was an overdue haircut; then we grabbed some dinner at Sit-n-Bull.
A steak from Salisbury for me
It had been a week since we last visited our regular haunts, Green Room and Wet Spot. I had a bag of treats to share with our bargirl friends. In addition to the usual cookies and lollipops, I brought along two of these:
Buko (coconut) pie.
I’d never had this Filipino delicacy before, but an acquaintance kept sending me begging messages to purchase some for her church fundraiser. I finally relented and bought five.
That’s what it looks like on the inside
Naturally, when I got home I had a slice. Smothered in vanilla ice cream, of course.
I went off the charts yesterday.Me and that voice in my head
Fifteen years ago, I was darting and drinking at my old hangout, Dolce Vita, there in the heart of Itaewon.
Another life in another world.
My lefty pals seem to have fallen in love with that Ukrainian comedian. None of them seem to want to join the fight, though.
Other than that, he seems like a nice guy
Today’s YouTube vlogger suggests that pussified men of the West are fleeing to places like the Philippines. I don’t know; I haven’t seen what he describes in my retirement community. I did witness several young men in the bars last night (probably civilian seamen from merchant ships in port) surrounded by bargirls and spending big on lady drinks. That’s a win for the girls and a profit for the bars, so no complaints from me about that. Have fun!
Funny or not, here they come:
Welp, I trying to do better, but I’m making no promisesWhy didn’t I think of that?That’s also how old I am.It will heal, Captain
Chelation is on tap for this afternoon, then a gathering at the neighbor’s house. Better get those brownies in the oven!
Hey, they wouldn’t be routines if you didn’t do them routinely. So, yesterday, I did what I did on Tuesday.
Mama has her routines as well, like waiting for me on Tuesday morning when I’m on my way to the grocery store.
When the shopping was done, I took a walk to get reacquainted with the neighborhood.
Easter Mountain is still thereAnd so is the biggest house in Alta VistaI hit a portion of most of the streets in the ‘hood.
When beer o’clock rolled around, we headed for Baloy Beach. If you’ve got ten minutes to waste, you can join us on our walk through Alta Vista as we made our way.
It had been a while since our last visit, but not much had changed on Baloy.
Some new signage at Baywatch Resort. This place has potential, we’ll see if the new owner can pull it off.Swan got her toes in the sand fix, so she was happyStill floatingNot very busy during our visitThe cutest girl thereNot much of a sunset, especially compared to the ones we saw in La UnionAs good as it gotThis is the dicey-looking entrance to Kim’s Place, a newish hangout on the beachNot a large-scale operationBut Swan could sit there barefoot And this is the view
Kim’s Place is penciled in for our Hash On-Home venue on March 31. I’ve discussed it with owner Kim, and his only concern is adequate seating for 40+ Hashers.
Not enough of those benches, and they might not hold up under the weight of several well-endowed Hashers.
Kim will see if the neighbor will let us use some of the adjoining beach huts. Hopefully, it will work out, and we’ll have an occasional beach venue to enjoy.
We finished our evening out with some dinner at Treasure Island (we shared enchiladas and tacos).
TI had Fox News on the TV. I prefer the music these daysBack on track
I didn’t lose any weight last week, but it doesn’t look like I gained any, either.
That’s how I’ll know I’ve achieved my goal
Almost twenty years ago, I ventured up “Hooker Hill” in Itaewon and discovered a dive bar called Grand Ole Opry. I wrote about the experience here.
Back in 1973, I was practicing gun control at “The Filthy Five” (some land my parents owned in Perris, California):
Rifle in my hands, pistol on my waist
I joined the Facebook political chorus with these submissions:
Sometimes petulant children need some tough loveDon’t be told what to believe; decide for yourself
Yesterday’s YouTube video sucked, sorry about that! I’ll make up for it today with some good stuff from the Filipina Pea. I always enjoy it when she opens the mailbag and answers questions from her viewers:
And the funny business:
Like mother, like daughter. Run, Forrest, run!Crash, burn, and throw it awayThere are worse things than her looking down in the mouth
Okay, well, at least I tried. Thanks for your indulgence.
I don’t recall the last time I drank the traditional morning alcoholic beverage known as a Bloody Mary. Not my favorite blend of flavors, but it was offered for free prior to starting our Sunday morning Hash trail. I only had the one because I prefer keeping my walkoholism separate from my alcoholism. The hike commenced at the Blue Cat and was short and flat.
I reckon this would be one of my hangouts if I lived in BauangArt on the wallThe view out the backHashers gathered for the final day of the Nash HashAs seen from my tableMy fellow Subic HashersAn we are On-On for the third and final day of HashingA brief jaunt on the highwayA tree I like along the wayI have to hand it to the Hare for a unique method of marking the trailA pleasant beach strollAnd for once, I wasn’t bringing up the rearThere was something a little ghostly about this placeSunny beachesI think I would enjoy living in La Union, especially if I had a house like this one on the beachLeaving the sand behindA rickety bridge we DIDN’T crossThe rare signage telling folks not to throw trash in the creekCreekside walkingI’ve seen dirtier waterAnother shady carabaoSome time amongst the peanuts, but no sign of Lucy or Charlie BrownThrough the fields we goNearing the end of our trekOur On-Home was at this nice resort a few kilometers out of townThe route of our very pleasant 4K journeyEnjoying some post-hike beverages with Cums AloneAnd a free buffet lunch for all the HashersI managed to overcome my temptation to ride the slideWell, the spelling ain’t rightAfter the closing ceremony at the Hash, we loaded into Jeepneys for the ride back into town
Want to spend a minute riding along?
But the after-Hash fun was just beginning. We were invited to join our Hash host, Booked Up, for some pizza and liquid refreshments at his house.
Thanks for having us!
And then, it was back to the Go Resort for our final night in La Union.
You knew this was going to happen, right?Back home it’s the sun behind the mountainsSo an ocean sunset is a rare treatNicely done!Hanging out with some other Hashers staying at the Go ResortSome tasty sweet and sour pork for dinnerI was just talkin’ to the moon
And then it was back to the room for me. Before I went to bed, I posted my usual bullshit on Facebook.
Like this, which is funny whatever your politics. At least I think so.
But there is more to life than politics, so I also posted this:
I thought it was funny
But Facebook didn’t. I woke up this morning to this:
Did you see any nudity or sexual activity in that photo above? Neither did I.I filed an appeal and requested a review
Lo and behold, I just got this message:
Photo back up……and account restrictions removed. Geez.
Anyhoo, I am safely back home in my humble abode here in Barretto. It was a great four days in La Union!
The YouTube video for today talks about the pitfalls of helping out so-called “friends.” I guess I’ve been lucky in that regard, at least so far. I have a few hundred dollar bills that are the old style, and none of the exchange places will accept them. I don’t have any reason to believe they might be counterfeit (I got them from a US bank the last time I was there), but I’ll just hold onto them for now.
The funny stuff:
He’s noun the wiser!Turn it on, turn it up, turn me looseSounds like tit-for-tat
No Hash for me today, but it’s a Vienna Sausage trail, so I’m not missing much. I’ll still visit It Doesn’t Matter this evening to see my fellow Subic Hashers again. I’ll get back to “normal” tomorrow!
I’ve got another Hash run to attend this morning, so I’m just going to slap up some photos of yesterday’s events for your viewing pleasure. The medium trail (6K) on a hot day with a climb near the end was more challenging than I imagined it would be. But getting passed near the end by a couple of the “ball buster trail” (19K) runners put things in perspective. The first Hasher to finish overall was a ballbuster and his time was three hours and nineteen minutes. It took me two hours to do 6K. I’m just glad I made it back still breathing.
After the Hash, we had the long forty-minute Jeepney ride back to Bauang. A shower at the hotel, then a stroll to the Blue Cat bar featuring free Margaritas for all the Hashers. I don’t usually drink cocktails, but it seemed impolite to decline such a generous offer. A couple of drinks later, it was time to board the Jeepneys again for the ride to our dinner venue. Some good food, music and cultural dancing filled the hours until it was time to head to bed.
The view from my roomOne of the Jeepneys for the forty-minute ride to the start of the trailOut of the JeepneysThe Hares weren’t there but left a greetingOn-On!An easy beginningPleasant countrysideThere were some gentle ups and downs along the way, but easy enoughDam, get over it!Lots of farmland out this wayNature’s beautyThe day’s only cookie deliveryThings got a little woodsyThe first real uphill began hereA good sign at the top, but we were only halfway thereThe view from hereRamshackle hutA shady place to restThe path aheadYeah, I’ve seen that before…The big hill awaitsA rest stop along the way upOnward and upwardThat’s not the topThat gal is one of the ballbuster trail Hashers who passed me. Impressive!Getting down at lastGlad that horny boy was friendly!Farm lifeA not-so-rickety bridge, made of rebar instead of bambooSwan says that’s tobacco Now there’s a good sign!And I get a peaceful, easy feelingAh, this is the definition of rickety Don’t worry, the fat guy made it acrossThe On-Home was in an empty field in the middle of nowhereThe writing on the wallThe route we walkedThe MapMyWalk app statsMy Fitbit said I done good
The long Jeepney ride back to town, a brief rest, then it was time party some more.
Margarita time!
I got a tingly feeling after two of those puppies, so I went outside to wait for the Jeepneys to take us to dinner.
I never knew this hotel existed, about ten minutes out of town at the end of long road off the highwayOn a nice beachSwan got to enjoy her sundownSome nice music was providedMy dinner plate from the buffet line. The main course was lechon baboy(roast pig)And a cultural dance performance
I got drafted by one of the dancers to join in a routine. I wasn’t drunk, I swear!
So, the night ended on a high note.
The fun is not done yet. Here’s today’s agenda:
I’m up for one last trail this morning
In the memories department, three years ago, John’s place moved to a new location.
The upstairs open air bar never took off like the old locationAnd now, John is gone. RIP!
Today’s YouTube video is all about my hometown that I haven’t seen for days now!
Some quick humor:
Sorry!I’m funny when you’re drunkIt’s fun to be nuts!
Running late, gotta go. Heading back home tomorrow, so things will be normal again. Sorry about that!
A long but pleasant Hashful day. And to end any suspense, I was still upright when the day was done. Yesterday’s kick-off event began with a morning Hash run. Three trails were on offer: long, medium, and short. My intent was to go medium, but when we reached the junction with the long trail, I was up for a hill climb and took the long route. Compared to my recent trek to Tralala, getting up and over wasn’t too difficult, and I did not regret my choice.
Leaving “home” for the walk to the Hash start location.The gathering crowd at Tropical Garden ResortAnd we are On-On!It always feels nice to walk through an area for the first time.A peaceful pondAbandoned buildings along the wayFeeling a little corny!The hill portion of the hike beginsMaking it under the wireA few steep spots, but an otherwise gentle up and downThen we were back on the flatEaster Mountain’s little brother?Through the fields we goThe final push to the finishThe Hare said the long trail was 6K, but my tracker showed a tad under 5K
La Union Hash doesn’t sit on the ice, they drench you with water instead.
And the bucket brigade was out in force to ensure everyone got to experience a soakingMy turnSplish splashSoaked to the skin
After the Hash circle was done, we were served a lunch. The upcoming event was two hours later, so I went back to my hotel for a nap. Waking up somewhat refreshed, it was time to head to the Blue Cat for some sex on the beach.
Hashers enjoying their free sex on the beachI don’t recall ever having a sex on the beach cocktail before. It wasn’t bad, and best of all, it was free for all the Hashers!The view from Blue Cat The sun went down, but I was still going
The Full Moon Hash was up next. This event was held at the Footlights Bar, about a kilometer up the highway. I walked, which demonstrates how much self-discipline I was maintaining.
Hanging out at Footlights
The Full Moon Hash was for men only (the ladies did a Half Moon at another bar), and only Hashers could attend. There were some games that we were expected to participate in and some topless dancing to keep us entertained. The Hash code of honor precludes me revealing more about the night’s events.
Keeping my wits about me and feeling the pangs that come from skipping dinner, I departed Footlights around eight and took a trike back to the hotel.
Since I’m still in my “fuck it” diet mode, I had my first hamburger on a bun sine November.
That was the extent of the damage done last night. I didn’t fall down, throw up, or make an ass of myself. Let’s hope I can keep it that way today.
The planets all came out to watch last night!Today’s agenda
I’ll be doing the medium trail, which is purported to be 6K in length. The “ball breaker” trail is nineteen kilometers long, and anyone doing that one had to sign a waiver relieving the Hash from any responsibility for an unfavorable outcome.
It’s going to be a long day again. Hopefully, I’ll still be standing at the end of it.
Today’s YouTube video is shocking in the sense that people wouldn’t have figured this shit out before moving here. This is not to say I didn’t have to learn some things the hard way myself after making the move.
Here’s your dose of daily humor:
This hits a little too close to home.I’ve lost my sense of smell and fart with impunity these daysStick with it!
Time to head for Tropical Garden for the start of today’s trail. We’ll be taking a 45 minute Jeepney ride to wherever it is we are hiking today. I’ve been assured it will be nothing like that mountain trek we did here last month. Only one way to find out for sure! Wish me luck.