I’m amazed at how quickly Lucky’s skin condition has improved. He’s growing in a nice new fur coat and his itching and scratching are greatly diminished. I deemed his health good enough to finally relent and allow him to interact some with Buddy.
For me, it just nice to have some unconditional love in my life. A dog has never broken my heart before…
If there is one thing Uncle Sam excels at, it is collecting his debts. I was reminded of this fact when my daughter sent me a copy of a letter mailed to her address from the Department of the Treasury. It seems the powers that be in my homeland believe I owe them some money. That was shocking news to me since I made it a point to be debt free prior to commencing my second retirement from government service.
My initial reaction was the letter which threatens to withhold up to 25% of my pension check as of June 1st, was that this must be some kind of scam. For instance, the letter does not say to whom and how much I owe or why I’m suddenly indebted to something called “DMSOC-East” in Birmingham, Alabama. I wracked my brain throughout the day trying to figure out why I was being targeted. Of course my first thoughts were that it must be tax related, but I had sent the IRS a hefty $8000. dollar check last April paying my tax obligations in full. I also wondered why whatever the issue with my unknown delinquency may be, I had never been previously contacted to advise me of the mysterious debt. All the letter had to offer in answer to these questions was a 1-800 number I could call.
Well. The first thing I needed to do was to figure out just how in the fuck do I make a call to a toll-free number deep in the heart of Dixie? Once I had obtained some guidance in that regard I needed to wait until my night became working hours back in America the beautiful. On my second attempt (had to figure out how to do the +1 country code on my cell phone keypad) I got a recording with some options. I chose wrong apparently because the robot voice said they couldn’t help with that and immediately hung up. On my next try I was more diligent and chose the “other” option. Whereupon the voice said all agents were busy and would be busy for at least 10 minutes, but to hold the line or otherwise lose my place in the queue. Alrighty then.
In due course a human came on the line and the game was on! He needed to verify that I am who I say I am and after I satisfactorily answered a series of questions he asked me “how can I help you?” I responded please tell me what the heck is going on. Who do I owe and how much? I was advised that the debt was still with a private collection agency and I would have to call them for details. He was able to tell me that my indebtedness was to the Brian Allgood Army Hospital in Seoul, Korea.
Ah! Now I remembered. Just before departing Korea I had all of my prescriptions refilled. The normal process is that my insurance is billed and I’m on the hook for whatever amount is not covered. But for some reason I had never received an invoice for the unpaid balance. I had in fact been diligent about turning in a change of address to the Army Post Office but apparently nothing related to this bill ever got forwarded to my stateside address.
Well, at least I know now that the debt is legit. And I do take some pride in paying what I owe in life–unlike the socialists I’m not looking for a free ride. The agent on the phone was attempting to give me the contact info for the private collection agency and I told him not to bother. I’d prefer to just have the money deducted from the pension check in June. Much less hassle for me that way. The agent indicated there was no downside to my thinking in that regard so I thanked him for his time and we said our goodbyes.
And that constitutes the most excitement I’ve experienced in a good long while. And that is just about all the excitement I need or want. At least until April 15. Which reminds me, I’ve not heard back from my tax preparer. Damn it!
Yes, you read that right. Last night I participated in deflowering a virgin. A Hash virgin that is. Go on, wipe that look of disappointment off your face!
Anyway, given that Leech My Nuggets was the Hare for yesterday’s trail I was pleasantly surprised that the walkers portion at least was not so bad. One major uphill but not too lengthy or overly vertical. And we were in the Calapdayan area where we don’t often Hash. So it was good to have some new views.
We’ll let the pictures (and captions) tell the story:
I mentioned Heidi is a neighbor here in Alta Vista. She’s a “rich” Filipina widow (her English husband died last year). I got a tour of her house a few weeks ago with the Wednesday Walkers and it truly is amazing. It features a beautiful rooftop bar and it is huge. In fact, we are considering using it for a future Hash event. Anyway, after the Hash several Hashers said Heidi had invited us all over for tequila shots. I wanted to confirm that myself, but Heidi was nowhere to be found. So against my better judgement we loaded into trikes and off we went. Upon arrival Heidi seemed surprised to see us and said she was heading out to take her kids to dinner. I hate when that happens!
Anyway, I invited the disappointed group down to my much less impressive place for some beer (hoping I did in fact have some in the fridge). They all agreed that was a good plan and we took off walking (it’s about 10 minutes or so). I did in fact have some beer chilled and served up some tortilla chips and salsa. And so the evening was saved!
Fun times!
Dinner guests last night. On the menu: steak, baby back ribs, corn-on-the-cob, broccoli and garlic bread. Pro tip: Cook the meal before your start drinking. Well, actually I did the ribs in the crockpot so I started them in the morning. My timing was off is all. Some things were getting done (or overdone) in the wrong sequence. Anyway, being a little tipsy goes a long way to making everything taste better I suppose.
I’m no foodie and honestly I’m not all that adventurous when it comes to local cuisine. I almost exclusively eat Western foods when I dine out and of course that’s all I cook at home. So when I came across this guide to Filipino street food I thought maybe it’s time to broaden my horizons:
And in news from the world of science, this really explains a lot:
And now it is time for my weekly Hash adventure.
I got the Hashit, the Subic Hashit
For being stupid on trail today
I have to keep it until I pass it
Won’t someone take my Hashit away…
UPDATE: Well it turns out I used the “What’s Cookin’?” title back in April, 2013. I was cooking steaks that day too. Seems like a lifetime ago now. I guess in a way it was.
Life continues apace. Yesterday there were 27,000 paces, in large part because I joined up with the Saturday walking group for a hike. I should have known better because those damn Germans ALWAYS seem to pick the hardest possible ascent to the mountaintop. I don’t mind a reasonable uphill with switchbacks even if they’re steep. But a vertical climb just pisses me off somehow. My fitbit says I had 12 minutes of peak heart rate yesterday and I do recall the pounding in my chest while I muttered curses all the way up. Oh well.
After we made the climb the rest of the hike was really a piece of cake. Just walked the dirt road along the ridge line and then an easy descent to the beach.
Today I did an uneventful trek on My Bitch. And walked the dogs. You read that right, both dogs. I honestly didn’t think Lucky would make the entire 30 minutes I do with Buddy, but he surprised me. What a trooper. As we walked by the shack where Lucky used to live, a cute young woman came out and asked to take his picture. She said he used to be her dog. Well. Many thoughts raced through my head as she squatted down to get a photo. The thought I didn’t have until after we had moved on was “hey, anytime you want to come visit Lucky at my place you are welcome!”. Damn it.
Oh well, that’s the latest from my so-called life…
It’s always good to get out and see new places and things. Yesterday the Sausage Walkers took a journey to Castillejos for our weekly hike. It’s about a 30 minute trip by Jeepney, just on the other side of Subic town. We had an unusually large group of 14 persons and 1 dog.
It was a good day and a good walk. Almost 27,000 steps all told (some of that was not Sausage Walkers related though, our trail came in at 9K).
Whenever I need to leave it all behind
Or feel the need to get away
I find a quiet place, far from the human race
Out in the country
Before the breathin’ air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the night-time
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin’ worth rememberin’
Some photos of Lucky and Buddy.
It’s pretty sweet how Lucky has made himself at home here. Anyone or anything (neighbors and cats) who come near his enclosure get a good barking at. When I come outside to spend a few minutes with him he gets so damned happy and excited. He’s gonna do just fine, I’m sure of it.
Back to the vet for another shot tomorrow and of course his continuing mange treatment and meds here at home. I’ll be so glad when he gets some relief from the constant itching.
A disappointing Hash yesterday. The trail pretty much sucked ass. I stuck with it longer than a lot of folks did, but I finally bailed early too.
Eh, well at least I now have the confidence to know my trail will not be the worst one in memory!
Today has been off the rails. Not sure what’s wrong but I couldn’t even get motivated to walk at all. That almost never happens. I’m just chalking it up to my body saying give me a fucking day off. And so I have.
Looking forward to a better day tomorrow!
Lucky made his first ever visit to the veterinarian today. The main cause for concern is treatment for his skin condition. Turns out is it Sarcoptic Mange, a condition caused by microscopic mites. My instinct to keep Lucky and Buddy apart was the right one as this form of mange is highly contagious.
I came away with several medications, soaps and shampoos that will hopefully eliminate the mites and allow his fur to regrow. Poor guy is itching and scratching all the time, can’t imagine how miserable that must be. And man oh man, Lucky went nuts when he got his shots today. They wound up having to muzzle him and that was a battle royal in and of itself. Felt sorry for him, but it’s a necessity. He’s back for some additional shots on Thursday.
Anyway, it’s gonna take some work to get him squared away but I think he has a pretty sweet demeanor. Well, unless you are sticking needles in his back. Also, Buddy was watching him eat from the other side of the fence and Lucky gave him a “get the fuck away from my food!” snarl. I think Buddy just laughed (if I’m interpreting tail wags correctly) and his expression was “what are you gonna do about it biatch?”. Ah, dogs will be dogs but I’m still pretty sure they’ll get along just fine when the quarantine is over.
In other news I had a great dinner the other night at Mango’s.
Time for me to run, er well, walk. It’s Hash Monday!
And hopefully so did he.
Today I acquired/rescued a puppy. I’ve named him Lucky. I mentioned him in this post back in February.
Marissa asked one of the security guards to find out if the owner (who apparently does maintenance work here in Alta Vista) if he’d be willing to sell the pup for 500 pesos (around $10). The guard later told us the owner said yes, so we paid the money and brought him home this morning.
I had previously purchased an enclosure for the back yard and a dog house, thinking I’d use it for Buddy. But Buddy turned out to be mostly an indoor dog.
Buddy is very curious about the new addition to our family, but I’m keeping him away for now. I think they will get along fine though. I can sense that Buddy longs for a canine playmate so this ought to be a good thing for all concerned.
Making a difference, one dog at a time!
Speaking of lucky, I enjoyed looking at photos from the team building trip I took with my staff one year ago. Including this one:
Wow. Two posts in one day! I’m out of control. I better go drink some beer. It’s Saturday night!
You better watch what you say
You better watch what you do to me
Don’t get carried away
Girl, if you can do better than me, go
Yeah go, but remember
Good love is hard to find
Good love is hard to find
You got lucky, babe
You got lucky, babe, when I found youYou put a hand on my cheek
And then you turned your eyes away
If you don’t feel complete
If I don’t take you all o’ the way, then go
Yeah go, but remember
Good love is hard to find
Good love is hard to find
You got lucky, babe
You got lucky, babe, when I found you
A commenter on my previous post said something about my walk pace doesn’t add up. I’ve long held the idea that I take 7,000 steps an hour (on flat ground). This is based on the readings from three generations of Fitbit smart watches I’ve worn for the past several years.
I recently downloaded an app to my phone that primarily measures distance traveled. It indicates that I walk right around 5K per hour. My commenter thought I must walk faster than that, as he gets 5K with only 6,000 steps an hour. Hmm. I chalked it up to variances in the way the app and my Fitbit do their calculations. So today I thought I’d try a calibration exercise.
I started with my morning dog walk by syncing the devices (I had to deduct the steps the Fitbit had already recorded as I moved about the house). Anyway, when I returned from Buddy’s exercise my Fitbit said 2.4K in 28 minutes (Buddy poops and pees a lot) and 3100 steps. The fitness app on the phone said 2.1K in 30 minutes (it doesn’t measure steps). So, they aren’t exactly in sync, but not that far off either.
Later this morning I took a 8+ kilometer walk, again on flat ground. My phone app said (yes, it has a woman’s voice updating at each KM) I was averaging a KM every 11.48 minutes. Just slightly better than 5K per hour.
On the day, my Fitbit shows 14K walked in 160 minutes for a total of 18,500 steps. If I’m doing the math right (well, using my calculator phone app) I get this: 115 steps per minute and 6938 steps per hour. It takes me 1320 steps and 11.42 minutes to walk a KM.
So actually both the Fitbit and fitness app are giving me similar measurements. I’m not sure what all this means except I’ve obviously got too much time on my hands!
Sitting on this barstool talking like a damn fool
Got the twelve o’clock news blues
And I’ve given up hope for the afternoon soaps
And a bottle of cold brew
Is it any wonder I’m not crazy? Is it any wonder I’m sane at all
Well I’m so tired of losing- I got nothing to do and all day to do it
I go out cruisin’ but I’ve no place to go and all night to get there
Is it any wonder I’m not a criminal?
Is it any wonder I’m not in jail?
Is it any wonder I’ve got
Too much time on my hands?
It’s ticking away with my sanity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
It’s hard to believe such a calamity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
And it’s ticking away, ticking away from me
UPDATE: Well, I was also “doing the math” last May as I counted down the days until making the big move to the Philippines. Time flies!
“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.”–Ayn Rand
I thought of this quotation when I read The Big Hominid’s post about the collective loss of a sense of humor amongst many of the fellow travelers on the left. It’s sad really but I remain firmly in the mode of “if you can’t take a joke, fuck you!”
Now, here’s a funny story for you. Yesterday I’m out walking My Bitch to get an accurate distance check for when I set trail as a Hare. I’m about halfway through my hike cresting a hill and I encounter a couple of hikers on the intersecting path. An odd couple indeed. I mean, I rarely see anyone on trail, and when I do it’s usually a Filipino wielding a machete. I always try to reassure myself it is for whacking bamboo and not my head and thus far I’ve been right about that.
Anyway, this was an older white couple wearing flip-flops. They asked me if this was the way to Baloy Beach. I bit my tongue to avoid saying “you can’t get there from here” although technically that’s correct. Instead I told them I was taking the trail back to Alta Vista subdivision and Baloy is an easy walk from there. So they followed along. The guy was familiar in an “I’ve seen him around in a bar town somewhere” kind of way, although I’d never spoken with him. We talked as we walked and he told me he was a Czechoslovakian, a country that no longer exists. Now he lives half the year in Canada and the other half here. I had assumed the white western woman with him was his spouse but she told me they had met here in the PI last year. I’m not sure who comes to the Philippines to meet an old ugly western woman, but hey, whatever rocks your boat.
I asked them what they were doing on the mountain and was told they had been visiting friends on Rizal Extension and they were told this was a “short cut” back to Baloy. Hmm, well technically it is shorter in distance than walking the road, but that assumes you know where you are going. The couple had been advised to “stay to the left” as they walked to find their way. Same instruction I had been given and it took me like five tries before I could ever successfully find my way. I’m thinking to myself, some friends you got there.
I assured them they were in good hands and I would see them safely to Alta Vista as I had walked this path many times. And then I managed to get us lost. Not sure how that happened, but the trail does tend to take on a different look what with leaves and stuff falling on it. Or maybe I wasn’t paying attention. I felt like an idiot though. Now, I wasn’t “lost lost”, just not on the right trail. And the trail we were on was new to me. And where it came down the mountain (on the opposite side of Alta Vista) it was very steep and treacherous looking (big drop off on one side). My company didn’t have on appropriate hiking footwear either. Plus the woman was complaining about her knee hurting. Damn it, but retreat seemed the best option.
I told them to rest in the shade while I backtracked to look for the right trail. I did find it about half a click away, and went back to fetch the old folks. The gal was moving real slow at this point and taking frequent breaks. I gave her my walking stick to use which seemed to help. About 30 minutes later we arrived at Alta Vista. And in a small miracle, an empty trike was passing by, so they loaded in and headed off to home. What a relief to be rid of them!
So, I downloaded a new measurement app on my phone and it shows my trail at just around 6K. That’s good enough for the walkers. This morning I went out and walked an extended version for the runners that adds an additional 3K. If they don’t like it, too fucking bad.
I also learned that on flat ground I walk right at 5K an hour (59 minutes to be exact). In the hills yesterday I slowed to around 16 minutes per kilometer. So my trail should be just under two hours. That ought to work.
What else? Well, I’m still enjoying views like this from my upstairs patio:
So now it is time for me to head out for the Friday dart league. I may not have everything I want but I have everything I need. Life is good enough for me.
I will hazard a prediction. When you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life story, the telling that will be most compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made. In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story. –Jeff Bezos
UPDATE: Well, shit. I just used “Lost and found” as a title back in January. Oh well. At least it was about my journey of discovery on My Bitch.
Or at least the way I saw it out walking today.
Daytime done. Darts on tap for nighttime. Tomorrow there will be poetry!
Yesterday’s SBH3 outstation run in Cabangan is now Hash history. As promised, the Hares did in fact set a flat trail. I was frankly surprised because it was so out of character for Leech My Nuggets. I asked him about that later and he said it was because they were unable to find any paths leading up into the surrounding mountains. Pity that!
Anyway, I opted for the medium hike of 8 kilometers. That was about right because it was a pretty hot day with no breeze and little shade. I was a little surprised that I made it back on-home to Samantha’s Resort before the runners who did the 12K hike, but I do make decent time when I’m walking on flat ground.
About that flat ground. It was mostly through farm country and frankly it was a little boring. Not much of interest to see and not all that challenging. Until the surprise the Hares had in store near the end of the trail. Not one, but two of the most rickety bridges over the river that I ever did see. I was so relieved after successfully crossing the first one. I hadn’t even finished congratulating myself for not falling into the water when the second bridge appeared. I made it across that one as well, no thanks to the punk ass kids who got on behind me and bounced around making it all the more difficult to keep my balance. The water wasn’t deep and the bridge wasn’t very high, so probably the worst that would have happened was getting wet and ruining my phone. Honestly, had the bridge been higher I wouldn’t have been able to do it given my fear of heights. It was tough enough as it was. I guess it was instant Karma for my boring trail thoughts. Ah well.
I’ve got pictures, lots of pictures, so let’s relive the journey, shall we?
I do enjoy my Hash life.
We are doing an outstation run in Cabangan today. Never been, but looking forward to seeing some new sights, notwithstanding a two hour bus ride to get there.
The Hare advises that there will be flat trails of 4, 8, and 12 kilometers. We’ll see. I’ve never know Leech My Nuggets to set a flat course before, but maybe there ain’t no mountains out that way.
I’m liable to take some photos along the way so stay tuned!
Get out of town,
think I’ll get out of town,
Get out of town,
think I’ll get out of town.
I head for the sticks
with my bus and friends,
I follow the road,
though I don’t know
where it ends.
Get out of town, get out of town,
think I’ll get out of town.
‘Cause the world is turnin’,
I don’t want to
see it turn away.
UPDATE: Damn, third time I’ve used the “get outta town” title for a post. Once last year about a journey up to Seoul, and a 2015 trip to Bomunsa Temple on Seokmodo island with Jee Yeun that just makes me sad now.
That’s what I did today. Well, everyday. But this time I joined the Saturday walkers. Such as we were. Five of us all told. It was a goodly long hike though. I led the way for the first half, mostly just doing Monday’s Hash trail in reverse. Gunter took over for Part Duex and as is his custom had us do an almost straight up climb. I know I was muttering “never again!” all the way up.
I drank four bottles of water during the hike today. And four bottles of beer at the conclusion. It’s good to keep things in balance.
Once upon a time you could find posts here at LTG that did not revolve around me and my so-called life. Hard to believe I know, but I had a pleasant reminder of this yesterday from long time reader and blog buddy Kevin Kim.
Kev, who still writes on issues of substance, recently posted here regarding the socialism induced bankruptcy of the government in Finland. In response to a comment I left on his post, Kevin said it was the future I had predicted some time ago on my blog. I had no recollection of that but he came back with this post I’d written 14 years ago! Well, what I had to say back then wasn’t exactly rocket science but it impressed the hell out of me that he remembered it at all and that he was able to ferret it out from the sewer of my archives. Thanks for that Mr. Kim!
Anyway, I don’t bother arguing politics much these days. It seems pointless since I doubt I’m going to change any minds. I still follow along with what is happening back in the USA and it both makes me sad for my country and glad that I’m not there to experience it up close and personal. So what I’m saying is this blog will continue to serve as a reminder that no man is totally worthless–he can always serve as a bad example! You’re welcome.
Yesterday I was able to briefly step out of my pathetic self-centered life with my monthly visit to the King’s Fil-Am orphanage.
The kids all seem happy and well cared for. And the little bit of help I’m able to provide each month seems appreciated. The director sent me a thank you email that made me smile:
God bless you as you continue to share your blessings to these unfortunate children, but fortunate enough because of your love.
To God be the Glory!
Well, I’m not a religious man at all, but if a God I don’t believe in is helping these kids by using me as a tool, more power to Him! I know it is kinda of gauche to make a public display of charity, but being the self-centered bastard that I am I can’t help myself it fulfills in part one of the goals I set when moving here: to make a difference. I’m not changing lives or doing anything all that meaningful or significant, but I’m at least making things a little bit better for a few folks and I’m happy about that. It takes some of the edge off the guilt that comes with living large amongst people who have so little.
Speaking of making things better:
Oh, and last night across the bay someone was trying to burn down a mountain.
Life marches on! Hope you will come back for more nothing of substance soon.
One of my big dislikes here so far is the willful trashing of the environment. People litter the streets and rivers with impunity. I’ve never seen folks with such a disregard for keeping their own community clean. It’s really quite astounding to see individuals from all walks of life nonchalantly chuck trash out of their car window, dump garbage into the water, and leave crap all over the beach after a picnic.
As bad as that is, I think this pisses me off more:
Smoke filled air ain’t too good for my diminished lung capacity either. Anyway, nothing I can do but go with the flow…take a deep breath (*cough*, *cough*), relax, and accept the Filipino way. I don’t have to like it though.
And speaking of Buddy, what a crazy dog he is. I’m not even sure if he knows he’s a dog. He’s taken to sleeping on my bed. Like this:
And there you have the good and the bad. I’ll spare you the ugly for now.
Only three showed up today for the Wednesday walkers group. I seized the opportunity to take on the leader role for the hike. My two compadres are also not into those massive and difficult trails so I felt confident in showing them some of My Bitch and the route I’m developing for my debut as a solo Hare.
As we passed through my Alta Vista neighborhood at the beginning of the hike, Bimbo pointed at a house and said it was where one of our newest Hashers lives. A recent widow by the name of Heidi. As we neared the residence Bimbo started calling out her name and a very cute young woman came out. Not Heidi, but apparently one of her friends. Heidi soon after come downstairs and invited us in for a quick tour of the house. It was massive and beautiful. Including a rooftop bar! Heidi told us she rents out rooms on AirBnB. After a quick visit we continued on our way. I felt an instant attraction to the friend and Heidi was also an attractive woman. I may have to make an effort to get to know my neighbors better!
So we did my trail and then took a lunch break on my back patio. My house is nothing compared to Heidi’s, but the guys liked it too. The trail came in at around 6K, so I’m getting there. I saw a couple of new paths I’ll investigate over the coming days to see if I can’t get another kilometer or so added.
As is our Wednesday tradition, we finished our walk at Cheap Charlies where we re-hydrated ourselves with some refreshing cold brews.
And oh yeah, here’s a fun little song that explains the attraction of Filipinas…
What a day it was yesterday. Full of highs and lows. Here’s the first part of the story.
A very good Hash. Interesting trail as the Hare (Demolition Derby) worked hard at finding paths that have not been used for any recent Hashes. I was disappointed that included a trail I had been scouting for future use, but I still had to give Derby credit for his discovery. One steep climb and two moderate ones, took me two hours to complete all told.
After the Hash circle was completed I went home where the day turned to shit. I’m not quite ready to talk about it yet as I’m still working my way through it in my head. This illustration will serve as a little foreshadowing:
Oh, here’s a group photo from the Hash Bash. I’m off to the right.
Life goes on. And you have to eat. Here’s my dinner for one tonight:
And now I reckon it’s time to go out and try to drown my sorrows.
UPDATE: Hmm, I used the Peaks and valleys title once before in 2014. I didn’t have a clue back then what was in store for me.