The big news in these parts is that another typhoon has arrived, and they are calling this one “super.”

Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see how hard we get hit. Some light rain so far this morning, but it was enough for us to abort our Decay Dance/Candy Walk. The On-Home for tomorrow’s Hash has been moved from Kim’s place on Baloy Beach to the Bella Monte Hotel. I imagine we’ll be confined to a street walk or a bar crawl. I’ll be surprised if we don’t lose power once the winds kick in. And no, I have not purchased a generator.

Super Typhoon Uwan arrived late in the season, but it’s the strongest storm of the year to hit us here on Luzon Island. Assuming I survive, I’ll be back tomorrow to report on the damage done.

We enjoyed our sunny day yesterday in Botolon at the Tumangan River. First time I’d been out this way, and it is always good to see some new scenery. The riverside was packed with locals (our group was the only foreigners in attendance), and it was nice to enjoy some Filipino-style recreation.

We started at nine and left at three. I waited until noon to pop the top on my first beer, but I’d had my fill by departure time. I had to ask Martin to stop twice on the way home for a pee stop; sorry about that!

Once home, I wasn’t in the mood to go out again, so we just chillaxed until bedtime.

And now a new day has blown in. I expect it to be a wet and wild one.

Marching on to March 2015 in the LTG archives and the first entry for the month is one of the nothing posts y’all have come to know and love here on my humble blog: “Down in the mouth and knee deep in doo doo.” Enjoy!

For today’s YouTube video, we’ll check in with Reekay for his take on whether things like volcanoes, earthquakes, and typhoons should dissuade you from living in the Philippines. Nothing Mother Nature throws at me could possibly be worse than, oh, say living in Mandami’s NYC. Let’s see if I live to regret those words.

Humor me, please:

Yeah, I’ll stop. I’m going to venture out in the rain to feed the Hideaway gals, then we’ll see how things go from there.

Here’s the rare early morning post at LTG. The why for that is because I’m not sure what is in store come the afternoon, which is when I usually blog. The regular Friday group hike has been replaced today with the semi-annual 7-Eleven Hash run (which also takes place on July 11th).

Anyway, we are leaving from the 7-Eleven in Barretto at 10:53 this morning (yeah, that’s seven till eleven), taking a Jeepney to Olongapo, and commencing our 7K journey, which will take us to seven 7-Elevens in the city and on SBMA (the old Navy base). We’ll travel back to Barretto when we are done and finish the Hash at Barretto’s other 7-Eleven market. I expect we will find a venue to celebrate this accomplishment, so it is unlikely that I’ll be in any condition to do my usual post about yesterday.

Which is the long way of saying, let’s get started with Thursday:

For our morning walk, I suggested to Swan that we pay a visit to the fishing village of Bantay Bayan and she agreed. After a 5K Jeepney ride, we began our exploration.

I’ve always liked the vibe of this village and imagined what it might be like to live here. I was surprised yesterday when we encountered not one, but two, white guys living that dream.

While we were at Sit-n-Bull, the manager told us that someone had died across the street earlier that morning.

Not many details have emerged as yet, but it was a 20-something young woman and likely a suicide. Sad to see a wasted life. I’m glad I changed my mind fifty years ago; I wouldn’t have missed this adventure since then for the world.

We started our evening out with dinner at Mango’s.

After dinner, we popped into the Outback Billabong bar. We usually frequent the pool bar when we are here, but since it was already dark, we sat inside with aircon and music. Met a friendly Aussie tourist and we had a nice chat. One of the topics we discussed was this:

That’s the kind of excitement I don’t need or want in my life.

We did our nightcap at Queen Victoria bar last night and had an enjoyable time. It has a very unique vibe and the dancers are so energetic that they dance even when they are not on stage. The manager told me he has thirty dancers now, which is likely the most in town. Most of them are relatively attractive, especially when compared to the girls I’ve seen in other Barretto bars. I’d rate Queen Vic the best girly bar in these parts, if that’s your thing.

Still plowing through February 2015 in the LTG archives. Today’s share is a photo-laden post about a weekend in Busan, the ROK’s second city. I always enjoyed visiting there. One more place on my list of things I miss.

Today’s YouTube video is a walk through the streets of Bantay Bayan. My photos didn’t really capture the essence of the village like this does.

You know what comes next:

Okay, it’s gonna be a busy weekend, it seems. The 7-Eleven walk this morning and whatever comes after, then an early morning departure for a day on the river in Botolon. And a blowjob from Uwan on Sunday. Good times!

I hear some people been talking me down
Bring up my name, pass it 'round
They don't mention the happy times
They do their thing, I do mine

Ooh baby, that's hard to change
I can't tell them how to feel
Some get stoned, some get strange
But sooner or later, it all gets real
Walk on, walk on

Ain’t got much to say, so we’ll keep it short and sweet today. Fair enough?

The Wednesday Walkers, all three of us, took the longish Jeepney ride out to Castillejos and did a walkabout on the GOVIC bypass highway.

Come evening, Swan and I kicked things off at Sloppy Joe’s and shared some quite good chicken wings with fries. Then we went next door to Green Room, where I put my “buy one, get one” coupon to good use. When I’d drunk my fill, we headed for home sweet home.

I told you it was a nothing day. But I liked it all the same.

From the February 2015 LTG archives comes a post about coffee shops on Itaewon’s main drag. I was never much of a coffee drinker, but curiosity got the best of me one day, so I counted how many steps there were between the multitude of coffee houses. And I took a photo of each and every one. Go have a look for yourself.

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with Smart Girl Philippines. In today’s YouTube video, she provides the nine reasons a Filipina wants to fuck a foreigner.

And now for these:

And that’s all he wrote. For today anyway.

Don’t worry, I’m not going there. Arguing politics online never changes any minds, mine included. Just glad I’m watching from a safe distance.

Here in my world, I had a mix of the same and something a bit different.

Then it was time for the weekly Decay Dance.

Neighbors Jeff and Davina invited us to join them in the afternoon at Treasure Island on Baloy Beach. Sure, why not?

No Zero available, so I enjoyed a bucket of San Mig Light (six beers for the price of five). I guess you could say I kicked the bucket!

The combination of starting early and drinking beer with 5% alcohol content (versus the 3% I’m accustomed to) inevitably brought the evening to an early end.

This may well be a record for me:

It wasn’t a long day, but it was a good one.

Back to the January 2015 LTG archives, where I write about moving into a new high-rise apartment building and my commute to work in Seoul. Ah, to be young and in my sixties again.

Lots of Facebook memories from this day in my history:

Today’s YouTube video is from my pal Jambo. I promise this is the last time I’ll post a video from the SOB.

What the hell? Okay, click the link instead. Sorry!

Humor time:

Another day, another post. Now I will get on with the rest of my Sunday routines.

This song was released the year I graduated from high school:

It’s a holiday weekend here in the Philippines. Yesterday was Halloween, today is All Saints Day, and tomorrow is All Souls Day. It’s a big deal here, and the cemeteries will be packed on Sunday with family gatherings and celebrations to remember those who have passed. Where I grew up, it was only about the trick-or-treating. Today’s YouTube from the Pea explains the Filipino traditions in more detail.

So, my Halloween this year consisted of an 8K street walk from the Subic marketplace back to Barretto. Then I attended the funeral for the SOB dance contest. It was a rather sad affair. I’ll get to that later in this post, but to keep things sequential, we’ll start with the walk.

I walked through the gate for the first time yesterday. Big, wide streets, paved in concrete and tree-lined. Very nice despite the ghostly vibe. It felt a little like being in a Stephen King novel.

Next on the day’s agenda was attending the final SOB, held at Wet Spot.

Only three bars competed last night, another reason the SOB has been on life support for quite some time now. All participating teams had nice costumes and put some effort into their performances. Creepy Halloween gear and sexy dancing seem to me to be incompatible, but I guess monsters need love, too.

And then it was all over and done with after more than twenty years of weekly competitions. Things change, and life goes on.

So, after making sure I had drunk enough to cover my 750 peso SOB entrance fee, I was ready to head home when the show ended at 8 pm. And that’s just what I did.

Back in January 2015, I linked to a post of mine written on New Year’s Day 2005 from Oklahoma, where I was visiting my parents as I looked towards an unknown future in Korea. Here’s what I had to say back then:

And that leads to my current insight on this New Year’s morning. I never really had a plan for life; I just reacted to it. Whenever I reached a crossroad, I chose a direction and followed the road without a clue as to where it might take me. I guess it is natural to wonder about the paths that would have led to a different life, but you only get to live the life you chose. No mulligans. But I have been extremely fortunate and blessed. Good people got hurt along the way, and for that I am truly sorry. But the roads I have taken have led to some great adventures and life-altering experiences. A fool’s luck, perhaps, but even though I could never have imagined what my life would turn out to be, it has been a very nice ride.

So it is time to look forward again. This year brings a new road in Seoul, Korea. And it will be an adventure with an uncertain outcome for sure. My point (if there is one) is just to say that I have discovered it is important to take the time to enjoy the life you are living, even as you chase rainbows. I think I missed the best part of Oklahoma, and it is only in looking back that I realize that I should have allowed myself to be happy there.

Reading the above this morning had me shaking my head, realizing I never truly learned that lesson. I spent a year in Pyeongtaek, missing the life I’d left behind in Seoul and looking ahead to my upcoming life in the Philippines. I was too foolish to appreciate all the good things that surrounded me back then, and it is only in looking back sadly at what should have been an enjoyable chapter in my life if I’d only allowed myself to live in the moment. So, for better or worse, I’m embracing this life of mine in the Philippines, warts and all.

Today’s post from the January 2015 LTG archives is a tribute I wrote to my friend and workmate, Dennis McPeters, upon his retirement from government service. I met him back in our Postal Service days, and he had become one of my best friends over the years. I last saw him three years ago in Cambodia, where he was living. He hasn’t responded to my emails for over a year now, and I fear the worst. I sent him another today, just in case they have Gmail in heaven.

Here’s the YouTube video from the Filipina Pea I mentioned earlier in this post:

Smile while you can in life:

That’s enough for today, don’t you think?

It is hard to believe that this song is fifty years old now. Where does the time go?

It being Halloween and all, I suppose getting haunted by the past is par for the course. Earlier today, I posted something I had written back in April 2017. Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of how that “Brand New Plan” worked out for me. I wrote about that failure in a post called “FUCK ME!” Of course, looking back, it is easy to see now that I was lucky to get screwed over before I wasted more time and money on someone of such low character. Life’s best lessons are the hard ones, which is not to say that I’ve been all that successful learning from them. But here I am, still in the game. It’s late in the game, but I’ve got a good woman to see me through to the end this time.

Even one of my normal nothing days is better than a stab in the heart. Boring doesn’t hurt nearly that bad. Swan and I took a beach walk, then crossed the river for a street walk in Matain.

Swan wanted some “me” time at home, so at beer o’clock, I ventured out into Barretto on my own. I made Cheap Charlie’s my first stop.

I was surprised to be the only customer in the bar for most of my visit. Cheap Charlies used to have an early crowd, but the girls say it’s been slow lately. Speaking of the girls, there were a couple back to work that I knew from those long-ago days when I was a regular here. A lot has changed since then, including Cheap Charlie’s raising the price of a single lady drink to 250 pesos. That’s one of the most expensive in town. I’m not a cheap Charlie by any means, but as I explained to the girls, I won’t pay more than 200 pesos for a lady drink as a matter of principle. While I’m sure they were disappointed, they seemed to understand. They cheered up when I handed out some cookies and lollipops, then I ordered the gals some chicken fingers and lumpia from the restaurant downstairs. Coincidentally, the price of the food was the equivalent of two lady drinks. So, win-win.

When I finished the last San Mig Zero in the Cheap Charlies fridge (yes, once again, bars all over town have run out, and the supplier says it is unavailable), I crossed the highway and found a seat at a rather busy Green Room. Then it was next door to Wet Spot for my nightcap, before grabbing a trike for home.

I guess that proves that I only drink when I’m alone or with someone.

It is now January 2015 in the LTG archives, and the new year began with a life-changing event: my wife told me she was unhappy in our marriage. I asked if she was willing to work on improving things, and she responded, “Not really.” I tried for a year to change her mind without success. It still hurts, and I still don’t understand it.

Today’s YouTube video features Reekay talking about the perils and joys of building relationships within the expat community. From my perspective, friendships come naturally, but as an introvert, making them can be difficult. I have lots more acquaintances than friends, but the friends are people I share common interests and socialize with, like my neighbors and fellow Hashers.

Let’s try to bury the sad days in the past with some humor:

A journey through the past, like I’ve been doing over the past couple of days, can be exhausting. As I’ve always said, it only hurts until the pain goes away. Tonight is the final edition of the SOB dance competition, and I’ll be there to add it to my memory box. I’m sure it will be a bittersweet experience.

As is my custom, yesterday I joined the Wednesday Walkers for a healthy adventure in the hills. Well, maybe it was more lucky than healthy, because none of us got hurt. I had the bright idea of doing the portion of Monday’s Hash trail I had elected to skip. So, we did a street walk to where the mystery trail I didn’t take began its ascent. It’s surprising this far into my Barretto hiking life to find a trail I haven’t traveled before, but that’s what happened yesterday. We hadn’t gone far before I realized two things: I made the right call on Monday by skipping this portion of the Hash trail, and I will never voluntarily take this route again. It was an ass-kicking bitch, at least for me. So, as much as I enjoy trying a new path, once was more than enough for this one.

I’m not going to say it was the worst Hash trail ever, but it was in the top ten.

Things got better as the day went on. Since we had skipped our Tuesday visit to Baloy Beach, we went yesterday. Started out at Champs Sports Bar at the Baywatch Resort.

Then it was time to mosey on up the beach.

After our meal, we had the trike drop us off at the 7-Eleven, and we visited Snackbar for our nightcap.

And so another day in the life came to an end.

From the December 2014 LTG archives comes the story of the consequences of an altercation my friend Jeremy engaged in that resulted in the death of a Korean man. Jeremy spent 5 years in a Korean prison for his crime. He’s back home in the USA these days, and we still engage occasionally on Facebook. He is suffering from a severe case of TDS, and sometimes my posts trigger a typical lefty reaction.

Facebook memories were full of women from the past today:

What a long, strange trip it’s been.

Today’s YouTube video says if you are still doing these things at 70, you are doing it right. I guess that’s half-right in my case. It has that crappy AI narration, so enter at your own risk.

At least I haven’t lost my sense of humor (if you can call it that):

And that’s all I’ve got for now.

One of those days yesterday where everything just felt a little bit off. I’ve struggled with bouts of depression throughout my life, and thankfully, my black thoughts have not reached that level yet. Still, another night of little sleep set the tone for the day. My f’n brain just won’t shut up and let me rest sometimes. The transition to my elderly seventies continues to be a struggle, the hardest part being acceptance that the end is coming, ready or not. That, coupled with the realization that dreams of the future are a thing of the past, enhances the reality that, like it or not, what I have is what it will be until it is gone. I do take some comfort in knowing it could be a hell of a lot worse.

My driver, Danny, who has been with me since I first moved to the Philippines, told me on the way to the grocery store that he was resigning. That was more than a little surprising. We stopped at the ATM, and when I got back in the car, Danny and Swan were arguing loudly in Tagalog. I told them I didn’t want to hear it. Later, I tried to get Danny to explain to me why he was quitting, but all he would say was that he didn’t get along with my girlfriend. Later, I got a message from Danny’s son, reiterating that the problem was his relationship with Swan. Yeah, Swan has been interjecting herself in the price negotiations over what Danny charges me. Danny asked for 20,000 pesos to drive us to La Union and back. Swan said that was too much, and she did the car rental route with driver, gas, and tolls, and it cost us 16,500 pesos. Apparently, that was the final straw for Danny. Oh, well. I don’t need the drama, and if he isn’t happy, by all means, he should find a new client to overcharge.

My legs were stiff in the lower calf area, which is unusual for me. Must have been stress from those ups and downs on Monday’s Hash. It made walking painful, but I forced myself to go out and hike the neighborhood after grocery shopping. It was good to ease my mind with music from my Spotify playlist filling my earbuds. My legs felt better when I was done, too.

Swan needed to go to the drugstore to refill my prescriptions, so we skipped Baloy Beach and did our evening out in Barretto. I took my usual perch at Sloppy Joe’s and watched the world pass by outside. Swan did her shopping and, when she returned, said she wasn’t hungry. I was, and ordered a pulled pork sandwich, which was pretty good for pub fare. Next, we paid a rare visit to the Alaska Club and enjoyed the music and company of our waitress, Alex. She got two lady drinks, and the five dancers each received a 50-peso tip in appreciation of their efforts. We did our nightcap at Cloud 69, and also had a nice time there.

And the sands in the hourglass of life finished with another day.

The dollar continues to grow stronger against the peso. It’s actually over 59 pesos to the dollar this morning, about the highest I’ve seen it. Conversely, I noted in buying my imported foods at Royal yesterday that the prices have gone up considerably. For example, Betty Crocker brownie mix is $5.90 a box, up from $5.30. I guess it all evens out.

From the December 2014 LTG archives, this post commemorates the tenth anniversary of Long Time Gone. Time flies, and I enjoyed reading my reflections on my life since moving to Korea. More changes were on the horizon — painful ones — but I survived and here I am. I also quoted one of my favorite Sara Teasdale poems:

It was a night of early spring,
    The winter-sleep was scarcely broken;
Around us shadows and the wind
    Listened for what was never spoken.

Though half a score of years are gone,
    Spring comes as sharply now as then—
But if we had it all to do
    It would be done the same again.

It was a spring that never came;
    But we have lived enough to know
That what we never have, remains;
    It is the things we have that go.

Truer words were never spoken.

Today’s YouTube video says the science is settled on these twelve myths. I don’t believe it.

Smile for me:

On and on it goes. Today’s hike with the Wednesday Walkers was an ass-kicker, I’ll tell you about that tomorrow. Now it’s time to find out what Wednesday evening has in mind for me.

I’m running a bit late today, so I’ll make the catch-up post as short and sweet as possible. Typical Tuesday for the most part, so not a lot to say about it anyway. When we finished grocery shopping, I sent my driver and helper home to unload, and Swan and I walked the half-kilometer or so to the mall to restock my wardrobe. It was only 9:30, and the mall doesn’t open until ten. Perhaps it was coincidental, but I remembered this place that was perfectly suited to satisfy my sudden craving for a waffle.

Then it was on to the SM Mall next door, and the department store happened to have the cargo shorts I needed on sale for 500 pesos a pair. That’s less than half price, so instead of buying the three pairs I intended, I bought seven. Should be enough to last a lifetime.

As we made our Tuesday pilgrimage to Baloy Beach, we decided to change things up some and dine at Harley’s instead of our usual Treasure Island.

After dinner, we walked back to Barretto and paid a rare visit to Nipsey’s Bar. That meme I posted above applies…crap music at a loud volume. We asked that something more appropriate be played (we were the only customers), and they put on some classic rock, but didn’t turn it down. Even good music played at a distortion level is hard on the ears. We didn’t stay long and likely won’t be back.

We did our nightcap at Nipsey’s sister bar, Cloud 69, and it was fine. We shared drinks and chatted with our regular waitress, Sheryl, and one of the friendly baklas.

So, I wouldn’t call it a diamond of a Tuesday, but it was at least a ruby.

In this post from the September 2014 LTG archives, I write about settling back into my American lifestyle. One big difference between living in Seoul and Columbia, South Carolina, is the lack of public transportation. I could drink like a fish in Korea, then catch the subway home. As much as I like drinking, I don’t believe in drinking to excess and driving, so I needed to ensure I was always under the legal limit after playing darts. I bought a breathalyzer and always gave it a blow before starting the car. I was never over the limit and learned that three low-alcohol beers an hour kept me in the safe zone. Of course, nowadays I don’t drive at all, so I just have to worry that the drunks driving here don’t run into the trike I’m riding on the way home.

Today’s YouTube video is once again from Reekay—this time, he addresses expat burnout. It’s going on eight years for me now, and I still have no issues or regrets about the move. Of course, many irritations come with living here, but you either learn to accept them or let them drive you crazy. I’m blessed to have the resources not to have to reside in the midst of the worst of it. And the mantra still applies: “Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way.”

A little humor helps, too.

And on we go from here. An exciting hike today in a not-so-good way. I’ll share the gruesome details tomorrow.

To be clear, I hate King’s politics but love his writing. I’ve read most of his books, my favorite being The Stand.

So, to explain the title of this post: Nothing is something because without nothing, you would not appreciate the something in your life. My yesterday was a great example of that. Even by my low standards, it was a nothing day. They call it a “tropical depression” for a reason, I guess. Suffice to say, because of the rain, I never left the house until beer o’clock. As I departed the neighborhood under the protection of an umbrella, a passing trike driver asked if I wanted a ride. Usually, I walk into town, but this time I accepted the offer. The driver asked me where I was going, and I responded honestly, “It Doesn’t Matter.” He knew the way. The Hash barhop was scheduled to begin at five p.m., and I arrived thirty minutes early. The rain continued, and by six, only a handful of hardy Subic Hashers were in attendance, so the barhop plan was canceled.

Swan and I did a nightcap at Green Room, then called it a night.

Some other tidbits from yesterday: I had a total of 4079 steps, by far the lowest of the year. My “sleep score” as measured by Fitbit was 52 for the second day in a row. That’s rated ‘poor’.

I don’t remember much about my sleep cycle, but last night there was a song I don’t remember playing over and over in my head. And then I’d awake from some dream fragment, and my brain insisted on analyzing it for hidden meaning. Plus, I have to get up and pee every hour or so, so that doesn’t help a good night’s sleep.

It’s not all bad news; my blood pressure this morning was 119/75. My average over the past ten days is 128/73. Anything under 130 I consider a good indicator, given my high blood pressure history.

I’ve scheduled an appointment with the pulmonary doctor on Thursday. Coincidentally, it was exactly one year ago that I saw her for the first time. Back then, I was having difficulty breathing, and my blood oxygen levels were in the dangerously low range (I checked just now, and I’m at a healthy 98). I’ve not used my oxygen tank or nebulizer for months, and I’m happy about that. So, why the appointment? I’m still hacking up phlegm, and I’ve noticed that hill climbs are getting a tad more tiring lately. I’m hoping to keep from deteriorating to where I was last year or at least get some reassurance that I’ve got nothing to be concerned about. Other than old age.

I’ve been reading a weekly blog about Thailand called StickmanBangkok for several years now. I was sad to see his post this morning saying that he is giving it up to focus on his life in New Zealand (Stick moved back to the homeland five years ago). Even though I rarely visit Thailand these days (I like Vietnam better now), it was good to read about what is happening there. Stick also includes links to local news stories, and these two caught my eye today:

Elderly American falls to death in Pattaya. He was 72 years old and jumped from the roof of his apartment building. I guess I’m technically elderly too, but that ain’t the way I want to go

BLIND GERMAN MAN UNAWARE OF THAI WIFE’S DEATH INSIDE THEIR HOME. The German man was 69 (they didn’t call him elderly, at least), and he was waiting for his wife to come home from her taxi driving job. Turns out, she had hung herself. She was his only means of support, so he is especially fucked now.

So, I’ll take my nothing day over what those two had to deal with. And by golly, I can even turn a nothing day into a post here at LTG. You are welcome!

Speaking of LTG posts, back in August 2014, I made a visa run to Osaka, Japan, and wrote a play-by-play account of the experience. Those were the days!

Today’s YouTube video is from another new vlogger I found. Here she offers her insights on the “poverty trap” that keeps Filipinos poor. Obviously, I’m no expert, but I have seen some of this in my time here. The video is only five minutes long, so it’s an easy watch. Make sure the cc captions are on, though, because she throws out some Tagalog phrases now and then.

Lame is as lame does:

It’s another Hash Monday, and today we celebrate the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers’ 32nd Anniversary. There are three trail options: 12K, 7K, and 5K. I was thinking of the midrange option, which involves being transported to Gordon Heights in Olongapo City, then a trek up, over, and back down the Kalaklan Ridge. I saw the map and was a little concerned about the steep descent, and asked the Hare about it. He told me the up is a killer and suggested I’d be wise to stick to the short trail. Well, if the Hare says it, it must be so. 5K for me it is! At least the sun is shining again today, and I’ll find out if something really is better than nothing.

Remembering one of my favorites, Keith Whitley, who departed this life at thirty-four years old.

What have I got that’s newsworthy today? Um, this is me we are talking about, remember? Well, there is this:

San Miguel Zero is back in stock all over town. Hooray!

As if Trump wasn’t enough, now the leftards are trying to say JRR Tolkien was a racist who demonized “people of color.” Um, Orcs aren’t people. And actually, if you read the books, you’d know that most of Sauron’s minions were redeemed after the dark lord’s demise. Anyway, the link above totally destroys the idiotic narrative and redeems the honor of my favorite author.

The Subic Bay Hash is celebrating its 32nd Anniversary tomorrow. Hopefully, this rain is gone by then. As a prelude, there will be a Hash barhop this evening, starting at five p.m. Of course, I’ll be there to support my Mother Hash and welcome our out-of-town visitors.

And now for the old news about yesterday. We did our weekly Decay Dance. Due to the conflict with today’s barhop, I conducted the Hideaway feeding a day early. Afterward, I dined with Swan at John’s place. Then we stopped by Red Bar and Jumpin’ Jacks before heading home. Yeah, exciting stuff, I know.

Swan asked the woman raking the leaves into piles why she even bothered. The woman responded that mosquitoes live among the leaves, so they burn the leaves to kill the biters. I guess when I see smoke in the air from now on, I’ll say that at least it is better than dengue.

There were two incidents of a kid trying to sneak a second bag of goodies by hiding the first handout. That irked Swan, but she didn’t let it ruin the overall experience.

And that’s the way it was. Speaking of which, it’s my birthday in the August 2014 LTG archives, the year I turned 59. Here’s what I was feeling back then:

I’ve gotten older but I can’t say I’m all that much wiser.  No great insights as I enter the last year of my fifties.  Truth is, I’m feeling a little melancholy.  It’s not just that with each passing year mortality looms ever larger, it’s more that what once were limitless possibilities and opportunities have been reduced to an uncomfortable understanding that this is what I’ve become, and it is all that I will ever be.

Those feelings have been amplified significantly at 70 years old. I lost a lot over the intervening eleven years…a wife I loved dearly, my American life, including a paid-for house, and I’ve become estranged from my family. So, the endgame I thought about back then was nothing compared to the reality of what my life has become. But I’ll keep holding on to what I have; it’s way better than the alternative.

For today’s YouTube video, you can’t go wrong with the Filipina Pea, especially when she is responding to questions from her viewers. Enjoy her unique insights:

The jokes are on me:

Sometimes I think I might be portraying my life as an endless, meaningless grind. From the drivel I post here, that might appear to be the case. The reality for me is that I’m elderly now, and dreams die before we do. But keeping things in perspective, I’m living the dream in my retirement community. I’ve got similar oldsters who enjoy getting together for a hike, and plenty of places to go in the evening for socializing and liquid refreshments. And, of course, I’ve found a wonderful woman to share it all with, who genuinely wants to take care of me in my dotage. I am blessed.

I’m not going to waste a lot of your time today telling you about my yesterday. That’s what the pictures are for.

Here’s the story behind the shack. Now, we only walk this way once a month or so. Kids are living there, so we’d do our cookie delivery thing. One day, we noticed the young mother wasn’t around, and the lola (grandmother) told us the mom had died and she was now taking care of the kids. She was very grateful for the cookies and didn’t ask for anything else, but it somehow didn’t seem like enough. I had a 500 peso note in my wallet, so I gave it to her. She almost burst into tears expressing her gratitude. Now, whenever we pass by and she is home, we make her day with a 500 peso gift.

It was nice to have Scott along with us once again, helping me take these photos. (That’s a nice way of saying I stole some of these from his post.)

Our abbreviated Friday evening on the town looked like this:

Swan has a friend visiting from Baguio, and they wanted to meet up with us in Barretto. The arrangement was to gather at Queen Victoria.

A busy night in the bar. Maybe the low season is finally coming to an end. Swan’s friend messaged that they had decided to go out to dinner instead of joining us. No big deal, I’m an early bird anyway, so we headed home a bit before eight.

I trust that recap wasn’t too painful for y’all.

Back to the August 2014 LTG archives, when some days were a little more interesting, like that time JR Pub in Itaewon banned “Africans” to stop the spread of the Ebola virus. As you might expect, all hell broke loose. It wasn’t one of my regular hangouts, but I weighed in on the controversy. I just checked out their Facebook page, and they are still in business.

Today’s YouTube video talks about what happens when you die. It doesn’t sound all that bad the way they tell it, but I’m in no hurry to find out if they are right.

And now for the cringe:

Oh, well. It is what it is. And more is on the way.

Keeping it simple and more of the same ain’t so bad if the same is what you enjoy. And so on it goes.

On Thursdays, Swan and I walk by ourselves. I asked her where she wanted to go, and I was a little surprised when she said, “Let’s do your Bitch trail.” Sure, why not?

Seeing this journey on the map makes me smile because it has a dick-like appearance. But it really isn’t that hard.

I mentioned earlier about the sameness of most of my days, but I do look for ways to tweak things a tad now and then. Last evening, I surprised Swan by starting things off with a drink on the rooftop of the seldom-visited Central Park Reef Hotel.

We only come to Central Park Reef three or four times a year, so it has a fresh and new feel about it when we visit. It’s a high-end hotel and priced accordingly. No San Mig Zero, and my Light was 140 pesos (versus an average of 80 at the other bars I frequent). We didn’t stay for dinner as we weren’t that hungry, and nothing on the menu called for us to reconsider.

We didn’t have a plan as to where to go next. Cheap Charlies is practically next door, and I asked Swan if she wanted to give them another chance. She hesitated at first, but then agreed to do so. The offending bartender wasn’t working, and they had wine in stock, so it worked out fine. As we sat on our perch, taking in the highway view, Swan commented that she enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and music mix and admitted she had missed coming here.

Lady drinks at Cheap Charlies are 250 pesos each. The max I’ll pay anywhere is 200 pesos. It’s not that I’m a cheap Charlie, I often will buy two drinks at the lower price, but more than 200 pesos feels like a scam. When we ordered chicken wings to snack on, I bought the girls some chicken fingers (240 pesos) to share. So, win-win.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot. It’s always quiet there when we arrive shortly after opening, and I had our waitress acknowledge that we were the best customers. Also, coincidentally, the only customers. Others did arrive during our visit, but I failed to re-ask the who’s best question.

I deem it was not bad for a Thursday.

I’m now in the August 2014 archives of LTG, and I’ve revisited the rare post with substance where I talk about religion. One thing that struck me was how little things have changed in the intervening eleven years. People are, of course, free to believe what they choose, unless they choose to believe that killing folks who believe otherwise is justified.

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never seen before. The video caught my eye because it purports to be about living off-grid in the Philippines. I’ve fantasized about what life must be like for those people living out in the wilds I hike through with no roads, power, or running water. I wouldn’t last twenty-four hours in that lifestyle. Of course, what this guy calls roughing it is, in reality, a life of luxury compared to his neighbors’. Off-grid, my ass.

I liked them, maybe you will too:

Time to find out what’s going to happen next. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Greetings from my little retirement community in paradise. Some days are better than others here, but I’m happy to keep taking them as they come. Yesterday was typical of my walkaholic/alcoholic lifestyle, and that suits me just fine. Here, see for yourself:

Later, the Wednesday Walkers convened:

That guy above in sandals is visiting from the States without proper hiking footwear. By the end of the hike, his feet were bleeding. Still, he told me it was the best time he’s had in the Philippines. I guess you can take that one way or another, but he seemed to enjoy himself despite the foot pain.

For my after-hike lunch, Swan surprised me with this:

At beer o’clock, we made our way to Sloppy Joe’s. Took our usual seats facing the street and settled in to enjoy the view.

As I watched him salvage the remains from the bottom of beer bottles, I was tempted to send him over a fresh one, but then I figured it might spoil the taste he’s grown accustomed to. So, we both sat across the street from one another, enjoying the beverages of our choice. I had to pay for mine, though.

We visited Green Room for the first time in over a week. Manager Jim has now left the job, although the circumstances of his departure are unclear. Owner Dave continues to recover, or maybe it is more like improve, from the ailments that had him on his deathbed recently. I’m told he’s out of the hospital at least. The pending sale of Green Room and Wet Spot is apparently still in process. Sorry to see Dave go, but there is more to life than bar ownership, and he should enjoy the time he has left as best as he is able.

I also had a chat with the mamasan about an issue a customer complained about on one of the internet forums I frequent. The guy said a girl he had taken out from the Green Room stole money and food from his apartment, and when he complained, the issue was ignored by the bar. There are two sides (at least) to every story, and the mamasan said his story didn’t add up. Anyway, if you are a purveyor of bar prostitutes, you are bound to be disappointed with your rental occasionally.

We headed for home after our time at the Green Room. And so another daily grain of sand dropped from the hourglass of life.

Today’s post from the July 2014 LTG archives recounts the tale of how I ran into an old friend and blog reader, Neil, aka Thirsty, at Dolce Vita in Itaewon. I haven’t heard from Neil in the comments for a while, but I hope all is well with him and his family.

Reekay responds to some viewer questions in today’s YouTube video. As usual, he’s full of good advice. My daughter-in-law no longer speaks to me because she disapproves of my lifestyle in the Philippines. I rarely hear from my son as well, but that might be about politics. Maybe one of the blessings of being elderly is not giving a shit anymore. If people choose not to be a part of my life, I’ll live whatever is left without them. It’s their loss, and once I’m gone, it ain’t gonna matter anyway.

Now for the funny business:

Some more earthquakes here in my province this morning, but I slept right through them.

Onward with my Thursday, then. Thanks for stopping by.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Tuesdays feel like that day of the week when there is nothing new to say: grocery shopping, neighborhood walk, Baloy Beach. Been there, done that. Over and over. Rinse and repeat. So, we’ll skip most of that nonsense and keep this post blessedly short.

I do want to share about our first time visit to a new venue: Champs Sports Bar. Well, more accurately, a newly named venue formerly known as the Drunken Sailor at the Baywatch Resort on Baloy Beach. We had gone to Drunken Sailor twice before, and it sucked so bad that we never went back. The owner, who also owns MacArthur’s in Barretto) has been posting on Facebook about Champs, so I thought I’d go see for myself. It’s been redecorated with wall murals of sports stars instead of drunk sailors, so that’s an improvement. They had a couple of cute waitresses, and service was good. Wine by the glass was available, which hadn’t been the case previously. The music was too loud and not to our liking when we arrived, but they turned it down and changed the genre when we asked. We were the only customers during our short visit.

Swan still needed to get her toes in the sand, so we paid our tab and hit the beach.

Our beach walk took us past Kokomo’s, and once again, it was closed. So, as far as beach bars go, Champs doesn’t have any competition. We may make Champs a weekly stop, at least until the floating bar returns to service.

Then we did our Tuesday routine of dining at Treasure Island.

We decided to do our nightcap at Snackbar and enjoy its unique view of the 7-Eleven parking lot. There was a big, big-spending customer there, treating the team to lady drinks, and he had a pizza delivered for them all to enjoy. I’ve seen him there before, back in the days when I used to frequent this venue more often, and he seems like a nice guy.

Just prior to our departure, the MacArthur’s/Champs owner came by and went inside with the Snackbar owner. As usual, they both ignored me. Not that I care, it just seems that being friendly is a good business tactic.

And that’s how another Tuesday came to a close.

It’s now July 2014 in my journey through the LTG archives. This post had me shaking my head as it recounted the time I was admonished in Korea for being too loud. And here I am in the Philippines, where one of my top complaints is about how noisy everyone around me seems to be. Is that what they mean by Karma?

Changing things up a little for today’s YouTube video. It’s a quiz to see if you recognize songs from the 1960s. As bad as my brain is, I still managed to score 100% correct. How about you? (It’s only a three-minute effort.)

And you knew these were coming for you:

And now, on with my Wednesday.