It seems like rainy days are the new normal around here, and so there is nothing to be done other than dealing with it. For me, that means doing the same old shit I always do, albeit a tad less comfortably. So, I’m still going to engage in a morning walk, even if it’s a boring, flat one.
I only took three photos during the Barretto walk, all of which were taken on Abra Street. This never-before-seen waterfall caught my eye.I have walked past this raging stream many times, but I have never seen it looking like this.Dog on a Wet Tin Roof might be a good title for the play I’ll never write.
At the 5K mark, I was soaked and hungry. I was also just around the corner from Sit-n-Bull, so I popped in and ordered a Malibu chicken burger for takeout.
They’ve rearranged the tables since my previous visit. Looking good!
Went home, dried off, ate, napped, did my blogging chore, then showered up and got ready for whatever the evening held in store. We had planned to attend a cookout gathering at a fellow Hasher’s house, but alas, he announced his neighborhood was flooded and the event was canceled. So, we popped open our umbrellas and made our way to Harley’s on Baloy for dinner.
Our view of the angry waters of stormy Subic Bay from Harley’s.Swan ordered the mixed grill……and I enjoyed my fish and chips.Like everywhere else in town, Harley’s was quiet.
After our meal, we took a trike into “downtown” Barretto and paid a visit to It Doesn’t Matter. When we’d had enough of that, we walked a block up the highway and did our nightcap at Alaska. It was also mostly devoid of patrons, but surprisingly, most of the staff were missing as well—only two dancers (usually eight) and two waitresses (usually four). The waitress who served us explained that the bad weather and flooding had kept most of her coworkers at home (she lives upstairs in the accommodation provided by the bar, so she wasn’t inconvenienced by coming to work). We bought her a couple of drinks, and she and Swan chatted in Tagalog, leaving me to some quiet time with my friend Zero.
And then it was time for home. Not much of a day, but better than nothing.
We were hit really hard last night–lots of wind accompanied by heavy rains. And the forecast is calling for more.
All I can say to Mother Nature is, bring it on, bitch!
I’ve moved on to May 2010 in my journey through the LTG archives. This post was chock full of pictures from my trek to Doseonsa Temple in Seoul (I spelled it wrong back then). It was a great experience back then, but reliving the memory now has an element of sadness. I miss my life in Korea.
My darting friends in Itaewon back in 2008 or so. We’ve all moved on from there.Six years ago, I was setting records as a Hasher.
Today’s YouTube video is a chilling depiction of what war with China may look like in this part of the world. I hope it doesn’t happen in my lifetime because otherwise, I expect it would result in the end of my life.
There’s always a reason to smile.
My binge-watching days are behind me, I fear. I’m only good for about an hour now.Sounds like a plan, just don’t fuck her.Man, I hate when that happens!
I just looked outside and was surprised to see this:
A break in the clouds and a trace of blue sky. I don’t expect it to last, but time will tell.
When the local authorities tell me to jump, like the good non-citizen that I am, I say, “How high?” Yesterday, that meant an eight-and-a-half-kilometer walk in the rain. And in a first for me, I got to experience the “joy” of wading through the flooded streets of the St. James neighborhood in Calapacuan. Take a look and see for yourself:
Three of my fellow Wednesday Walkers. We met up with Swan further up the road. She had gone to her flooded family compound to drop off some snacks for the kinfolk.The plan was to keep it on the pavement.The river is deep and the river is wide. Subic Bay is on the other side. Hallelujah.The Santa Monica subdivision has flooded again. During a house-hunting trip before I made the move here, I found a place I liked in this neighborhood. Mentioned it to an expat in the bar that night, and he laughed. “Hope you have a boat!”A bad time to be setting up a carnival.And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down We’re captive on the carousel of time We can’t return we can only look Behind from where we came And go round and round and round In the circle gameThere is freedom in wet feet, but we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head…I’ll take that as a sign: I love SwanAnd so it begins.Confirmed: Jesus wasn’t among us.We are in deep doo-doo.It got up to my knees, and I’m a six-footer.A temporary escape.Feeling above it all.The kids were enjoying the new neighborhood swimming hole.Back in it.Lollipops are sweet, even on a rainy day.This place floods every year. That’s probably why it’s abandoned.Chillin’ on Bridge #2.I can see my house from here (the one on the right).A wet and wild Wednesday walk.
Just goes to prove I’d rather walk (and wade) in the rain than sit on my ass day after day. I wouldn’t call it fun, but it was better than nothing.
We made the trek into town later in the day and enjoyed the ambiance at Sloppy Joe’s. I had planned to climb the stairs to BarCelona but discovered it is now closed. The sign said “temporary,” but my sources tell me otherwise. There’s just not enough customers to go around these days. We did our nightcap at Green Room and spread some love in the form of cookies, lollipops, and lady drinks. We ordered take-out from Sit-n-Bull and headed home at the end of another rainy night.
In today’s YouTube video, Reekay reveals the hard truth about love, friendship, and betrayal. It all comes down to knowing who your friends are, I suppose.
The humor is a dry and mild as ever:
I’m itching to find out more.That’s true sometimes here on Earth, too.I can’t remember why I thought this was funny.
That’s all I’ve got to share for now. Still pouring down rain as I write this.
It was actually coming down sideways, but my photography skills were insufficient to capture that view.
More to come tomorrow. Rain and a post.
Here’s a belated song in honor of the passing of Ozzie Osborne.
But life goes on, whatever the weather. Here’s how I spent my Tuesday:
Shopping day as usual, but since our weekend candy walks had been cancelled due to rain, we didn’t need to restock the goodies at the YBC supermarket. That meant we arrived on SBMA before Royal’s nine a.m. opening time. I decided to kill time and splurge on breakfast for my crew (driver, helper, Swan).
I satisfied my craving for French toast. It was good.
Royal has a display of their most popular items from the USA.
Maybe prices will come down now that President Trump has reached a tariff deal with Philippines President Marcos.According to Swan, I’m still the best imported item from the USA.
Back home after shopping, I said, “fuck the weather,” and took a neighborhood stroll.
I had my umbrella and wet shoes are par for the course this time of year.Nice to see you again!So far, the river through the ‘hood hasn’t strayed from its concrete banks.4.5K starting with a right turn.
Later on in the afternoon, Swan asked if we were going to go out. I said, What day is it? She gave me a funny look and said, Tuesday. I said, “Yep, that ends in a ‘Y’, so we will head out soon.” At the appointed hour, we walked under the cover of umbrellas to Mango’s for dinner.
The tide was at a low ebb, but it left a stark reminder of how high it had risen earlier in the day.The view from our table.Swan contemplating the view.It was nice to see these young folks enjoying themselves despite the downpour.We had our usual pork chop dinner and enjoyed it as usual.After we ate, Swan found an excuse to get her toes in the sand by taking our leftover bones out to a stray dog on the beach.
Since we were already on the side of town we rarely frequent, we decided to check out a venue we hadn’t visited recently–Hangout Bar.
A well-appointed “sports bar” venueon the second floor above Lux Bar.
We sat in front of a window with a view of the highway below
Watching the highway flood was sadly entertaining.
I guess we weren’t the only ones going stir crazy at home during the relentlessly wet weather. Our friend Michael messaged that he was coming into town, so we gave him directions to Hangout. Before he arrived, my neighbor Jeff called asking where we were hanging out, and I told him, yes. Then I clarified that it was Hangout Bar, and the party was on.
After a beer with the gang, we moved downstairs to check out Lux, a bar I never normally even think about.
Lux is actually quite nice.
A couple of more beers later, we headed across the highway in Jeff’s car to check out Nipsey’s Bar. No one was busy on this rainy night, so they seemed to appreciate our dropping in. Especially when Jeff started throwing his balls around. Well, not his balls, the basket of balls on our table. For 300 pesos a toss, the girls chase after the scattered ping pong balls and receive a commission for each one they retrieve. I’ve never been a fan of this particular bar game, as I prefer spending my money on lady drinks, but to each their own. There was a surprise in store for me when I paid a visit to the CR to take a leak. Jeff’s wife captured the moment on video:
That was a first for me. I made sure no one grabbed the wrong balls!
It was almost 9 p.m., which is a relatively late night for this old man, and we all said our goodnights and headed home. It’s always nice to catch a ride with the next-door neighbor.
The rain continued through the night, waking me occasionally as it pounded against the roof and windows. But I woke up safe and sane enough to tackle another day.
The April 2010 trek through the LTG archives led to a picture-laden post about my climb to the top of Diamond Head on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Good times! And I’m thankful to the blog for reminding me of these otherwise forgotten special moments in my life.
A trifecta of YouTube videos today, all related to the growing ties, both commercial and military, between the United States and the Philippines.
First, Philippines President Marcos visits the USA to meet with President Trump.
As a result of those meetings, the trade deal I mentioned earlier in this post has been completed.
And it looks like the US and the Philippines will be strengthening cooperation between their respective militaries. Part of this may include a revitalization of Subic Bay for use by both navies. I have a nice view of the shipyard mentioned in the video below. When I see the bombs exploding, I’ll know that the seemingly imminent war with China has begun. Hopefully, the current efforts of both nations will deter this from happening.
Hmm, it won’t let me embed the video for some reason. Still worth the watch, so give it a click.
On with the humor:
Not there yet, but getting closer every day.It’s hard to beat a smartphone…What a dumb shit.
I think I’m adapting to this recent climate change. I’ll post tomorrow about the 8+K walk we did under and in the water. And I’m going to face the storm and embrace a bottle or two of Zero beer this evening. Take that, Mother Nature!
We are fixing to get screwed. (The translation reads: “Be aware of the size of the storm.”)
After another day full of heavy rains, the repercussions are being felt.
This is Gordon Heights in Olongapo City.And closer to home, here is Rizal Avenue in Barretto.The Matain River is raging…And getting close to overflowing the National Highway bridge.The government has sent non-essential employees home and closed the schools.
Meanwhile, life goes on, and by golly, I got in a 6K walk at yesterday’s Hash. Granted, it wasn’t the Hash trail laid by the Hares (or Harriettes in this case). Given the downpour conditions, I wasn’t about to climb a muddy and steep trail up into the hills. And based on the feedback I heard from those who did, I made the right choice. Instead, I crafted a street walk from the start to the On-Home. Cums Alone (Swan) and BF’s Wet Spot (Beth) accompanied me. Here’s how my trail looked:
The hardy souls gathered at the VFW to kick things off.Our wet On-On up Del Pilar Street.An umbrella stroll on Jolo Street.On to Lacambra Street.Time for a cookie delivery.I decided it was a good idea to avoid Abad Street.Rizal Avenue. The flooding in the photo I posted earlier had not yet occurred, thankfully.Down Jasmine Street.Through Columban College. That raging creek is usually just a trickle, if that.Puddle jumpers.On Rizal Extension.Then the lovely Abra Street.Gonzales Street was in slightly better condition than its sign.A short-lived break in the rain.That’s the same creek that runs past Columban College.Burgos Street.Onto Dagupan.Then came Elane. (Hmm, my dirty mind just thought “Elane came?”The National Highway in Barretto.The downpour resumed as we neared Subic.Crossing the wild Matain River.Almost done.On Home at Smokes and Bottles.My rainy day Hash trail.
The rain didn’t let up after we arrived, but Smokes and Bottles had us covered.
More or less.Into each life some rain must fall. I feel almost rich!Grand Master Buddy Fucker treated the Hashers with some food, including his famous chili (he regularly competes in chili cookoffs).My chili was a tad spicy, but still tasty.Cums Alone was recognized for her 44th Run with the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers.We made Hash cakes for this month’s birthday celebrants.Hashy Birthday! My turn is coming next month.
As usual, we convened for the after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter.
Does that make me a chick magnet?A larger and wilder crowd than usual (we had visiting Hashers from Angeles and La Union).Let the good times roll!
And another wet day came to a close. And when I awoke this morning, it was still raining.
Another happy memory in the LTG archives from my Seoul life in April 2010. This time, a bike ride on the Han River. Those were the days!
And nine years ago, I was enjoying this pleasant hike. Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone? (That’s a song lyric, not a grammatical error.)Seven years ago, the flooding on Rizal Avenue was even worse. Then girlfriend Marissa took this photo from her front door at her flooded apartment.
Who’s up for some Smart Girl Philippines speaking out on the seven unspoken rules for dating a Filipina? Well, here you go then:
Now let me rain down some smiles upon you:
That stinks.It’s good to keep things in perspective.I don’t believe any of this shit.
Even by my low standards, these seemingly endless rainy days are wearying in their sameness. I want my old boring days back, where I could at least kill some time with a hike. Well, I’m going to Hash today, rain or shine. And the forecast is for more wet weather.
In the meantime, here’s what happened yesterday: nothing. At least, nothing until I headed out for the feeding at Hideaway Bar. It’d been so long since I’d been for a walk that I decided to document the journey to Hideaway as if it were something special.
An Alta Vista view. I was blessed that I only had to endure a relatively light sprinkle of rain during my trek to Hideaway. An offroad escape from the ‘hood.I managed to negotiate this “slippery when wet” downward path without a fall.Algae-covered sidewalks have their own form of peril.The relatively wide-open spaces of Gabaya Street.And then onto the always dangerous National Highway.Popping into Jewel Cafe to order the food to be delivered to Hideaway.The Hideaway alley.The Hideaway.Inside Hideaway.The route of my 1.75K journey.
Exciting shit, eh? But wait, there’s more!
The food from Jewel arrives……and gets eaten!
Then it was time to cross the highway and join Swan for dinner at John’s place.
We usually sit in front of those windows to dine, but the rain has found its way inside.Swan couldn’t decide between birria tacos……and pulled pork. So, we got both and shared.
Ain’t love grand?
First stop after dinner was Red Bar.
Our patio perch.That girl who puts up with me.The downpour outside.
We did our nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks. Once again, the music was the highlight, although this time it was country-western. My curiosity as to why was answered when a guy wearing a cowboy hat came out of the CR (comfort room/restroom). It turns out he’s visiting from Texas and plans to move to San Narciso with his Filipina in the near future.
Nice to meet you, Troy!
When Swan finished her wine, we grabbed a trike for home, and so ended a rainy Sunday.
It’s my dearly departed mother’s birthday, and Facebook greeted me with some photos of her I posted over the years to mark the occasion:
Before she was my mother.1960-ishWith her favorite boy camping on the Kern River.And as a grandma down on the family farm in Oklahoma.That boy of hers rockin’ it in the 80s.
Back in April 2010, I wrote a post about a night out in Itaewon with the wife, her daughter, and my nephew Justin. Life is full of unhappy endings, but the memories along the way are sometimes nice to embrace.
Eight years ago, the DHRM team bid a final farewell to our building on Yongsan Garrison and relocated our operations to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek.
Today’s YouTube video shares the stories of some foreigners learning the meaning of FAFO.
Let’s finish with a smile:
Stop, you’re killing me!Which side do you like your bread buttered on?Left hand = right mind.
And that’s all I’ve got. We’ll see how the wet Hash goes.
I can relate. And next month, I start doing the 70s again for the first time.
Yep, it is still raining relentlessly, and I’m stuck at home, missing out on the joy of hiking. At least the water service has been restored. A hot shower is near the top of my “to-do” list.
The angry skies I awakened to this morning.And the downpour view.
After being confined indoors all day, I was ready for the great escape when beer o’clock rolled around. My pal Michael messaged that he was still without power at his place on the far side of Subic town, and asked to join us. We agreed to meet up at Sloppy Joe’s. Michael doesn’t do the Barretto scene, having only visited bars tied to Hash events and the ones I showed him on Wednesday after San Narciso. He also said the only restaurant he eats at here is John’s place. I mentioned Sit-n-Bull, but he tried it once and didn’t like it.
After a couple of beers, I was ready for a change of scenery, but given the wet weather, options were limited. Another factor I had to consider was Swan’s hunger. Then I thought of a place I seldom visit that’s right up the street–Hops and Brews Beer Garden. Michael had never heard of it and asked if they served draft beers. I responded that’s pretty much all they have, and he was excited to give it a try. So, we grabbed the umbrellas and headed out.
Hops and Brews is one of the nicer places in town, especially if you like craft beers on tap. Of course, they don’t carry a faux beer like Zero, which may be part of the reason I don’t visit often. Michael was surprised to discover a place for beer connoisseurs like him with a great ambiance and good food. He said he’ll definitely be bringing his wife here when she returns from England next month.
The view from our table.The view at our table.The view on our table.
That’s a meat lover’s pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven. I’d heard people rave about the H&B pizza, but I’d never tried one. It was good. Michael said it was the best pizza he’s had in a long time. I’ll have to consider elevating Hops and Brews on my list of go-to venues.
After we finished the pizza, Michael headed home, and Swan and I did our nightcap at Green Room.
The usual good time hanging out, watching the pool players, and enjoying our beverages.
As 8 p.m. approached, we headed home. Still no water, but when I got up to pee at midnight, the toilet flushed. Hooray!
It can always be worse. This happened yesterday in the mountain city of Baguio.It doesn’t appear things are going to be any better tomorrow.
And now I’ve crossed the border into April 2010 on my journey through the LTG archives. In this post, I share insights and photos of the unique Holy Days celebrations in the Philippines.
For today’s YouTube video, who’s up for a visit to North Korea? This is as close as I ever want to get.
Smile time:
Memes like this one are exploding all over the ‘Net. A good reminder of what can happen if you choose to fish off the company pier. HR should have warned him. Oh, wait…Yep, that’s insane…You should be cocksure of yourself.
Anyway, that’s all I’ve got for a rainy day. It’s Sunday, so I’ll venture out to Hideaway for the feeding, then I’ll join Swan at John’s place. I predict there are some birria tacos in her future.
Raining cats and dogs yesterday, so there was no Friday group hike. I have an infection in my left eye (the one where I had the recent cataract surgery), so my helper scheduled me for a 3:30 p.m. appointment with the ophthalmologist at Baypointe Hospital on SBMA. The water at home stopped working (again) because of a pump outage in San Isidro (and it is STILL out). Given the heavy and unrelenting rain, I called my driver for a ride to Baypointe. I transferred $800. to Swan’s bank so she could use her card to withdraw cash for me. We stopped at the ATM on the way to the hospital, and on a whim, I tried my card after having wiped the chip and strip. It worked! Whether it will next time remains to be seen. I had to wait an hour to get in to see the eye doc (welcome to the Philippines). He confirmed it was an infection, but not a deep one (whatever that means), and prescribed some antibiotic eye drops. It does feel somewhat better today.
The eye appointment took longer than planned, so we skipped the SOB, which I was ambivalent about attending anyway. Instead, I had my driver drop us off at It Doesn’t Matter. And that’s where we stayed for the rest of the evening. It wasn’t busy on the outside patio, where we prefer to sit, but a female Hasher, Grace (also known as Dripping Pussy), was at a table, and we joined her there. As the evening progressed, several other gals known to Swan and Grace dropped by as well. So, there I was seated at a table of Filipinas yakking away in Tagalog all by my lonesome. Well, I did have my San Mig Zeros to keep me company. I ordered food from the kitchen and some lady drinks. When it was time to bill out, my tab was almost 3000 pesos, about triple what I usually spend during a night on the town. Swan seemed to enjoy herself (she admitted to being a little tipsy), so I reckon it was worth it.
Swan and GraceMy tablemates.The girls ate a Filipino delicacy known as “balut.”They laughed when I told them to enjoy their fetus.
And now it’s a rainy Saturday, and we’ve had to cancel the candy stroll. The power went out for a couple of hours, but has been restored now.
The water will allegedly be restored at around 3 p.m. this afternoon. Seeing is believing.And it looks like there is no relief in store from the rain anytime soon.The river is rising, but still within its banks.
So, what else have I got? Well, this video Instapundit posted was pretty hilarious:
I have a Brit “friend” on Facebook who is a crazy lefty (talk about being redundant), and I figured this would trigger him.
I wasn’t disappointed. Here’s the comment he left for me:
Free speech : jail time, are you retarded? Your the ones locking up people. Stop already with the fake outrage, you support pedophiles, everyone everywhere now seems what you lot are about. Have some decency and stfu!
Sadly, when I knew him in Korea, he was a normal guy, and we got along quite well. I guess living back in the UK has ruined him.
I like this one, too:
That will work better than communism.
The “March” through 2010 in the LTG archives continues with this post that captures so much of what I loved and miss about my life in Seoul. A spring snow and a river walk. What else can you ask for? (Okay, the young Korean women didn’t love me so much, but still…)
I kind of randomly came across today’s YouTube video about getting suckered by AI and found it worth the watch. Perhaps you will as well (it’s less than four minutes long).
To the funny business, then:
I’ll flip it for you so you don’t strain your neck…I didn’t see that coming. Although it is a sexy bed.I’ve fallen off the diet wagon of late, and it shows. I’ve got plans to climb back aboard soon.Sometimes you just got to cum and go.
And now it is time to move on with my Saturday. Hopefully, I’ll be able to shower soon (that pouring cold water from a bucket over my head just doesn’t work for me). Then we’ll see what the rain does.
Not that it matters; when it rains, it pours!
I’ll be back!
Linda Ronstadt turned 79 this week, not that it matters.
Here I go again, nothing new or interesting to report, but I’m reporting it anyway. Just another day in the life in my sweet hometown of Barrio Barretto.
Well, there was this disconcerting news: my ATM card stopped working yesterday. Three different ATMs, and the same result… my card can’t be read. ATMs are my preferred source for restocking my pesos, so I’m rather inconvenienced without that option. I could do a money transfer to myself, similar to how I provide funds to the needy. However, that requires standing in line at the redemption shop, which I prefer to avoid. I’ve reached out to my credit union, and they advised that my account has not been blocked, so apparently, the card chip has been damaged. I requested that a new card be mailed to a friend’s FPO address (retired military personnel can use a US address via the embassy), but I’m not sure they’ll send it to a name other than mine. If not, I’ll use my South Carolina address and have my daughter forward it to me via the FPO. Yep, that’s what passes for excitement around here.
I did an 8K walkaround of Barretto to get my daily dose of steps. Nothing new to see on this route, except for the funeral banners.
Jimmy made it eleven years longer than I’ve been around.And my namesake died five years younger.
It remains to be seen how long I’ll last, but I’m glad to be around for boring walks and writing boring blog posts about them.
My route through town and back again.
It was pouring down rain at beer o’clock, but that didn’t stop us from heading into town. Umbrellas only help so much in a wind-blown downpour, so when we arrived at our dinner venue, Jewel Cafe, we were more than a little damp.
I had the filet mignon (gravy on the side) again. Damn, it seems even smaller than last time. Still, it was cooked to perfection and satisfying.Swan also enjoyed her chicken cordon bleu dinner.
After we ate, we paid a visit to the Alaska Club. Treated our waitress and her girlfriend (yeah, lesbians) to a lady drink and tipped the dancers fifty pesos each as is my custom. Also handed out cookies and lollipops to the crew. We went next door to Wet Spot for our nightcap.
Nothing says you are a regular more than a personalized bottle condom.
We also gave our regulars, Beth and Irene, a pasalubong gift from Vietnam.
Fans and magnets. Hey, it’s the thought that counts!
And so another day ended with a trike ride home at 8 p.m.
The journey continues through the LTG archives with this March 2010 post about diversity training (the predecessor to DEI). I recount a true story about a session I attended where we were advised that the word “flip” was offensive to Filipinos and therefore should be stricken from our vocabulary. We mocked the instructor for his ignorance, and I don’t recall any repercussions. It must be that “white privilege” I’ve been hearing about.
I came across this in a different post from 2010:
No shit, Sherlock.
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with Smart Girl Philippines, so here’s a twofer. The first is less than a minute long and categorizes the level of dumb you are when giving money to a Filipina. I was mostly “kinda dumb.”
And then in this video, Irish talks about the seven types of Filipinas you want to find and marry. I’d say Swan best fits category #3. Of course, I won’t be getting married or making any babies, but we are enjoying sharing the life we have, at least so far.
Humor me:
I guess posting this makes me guilty as charged.Nothing like common ground.Hmm, like my ATM card. Damn.
We began our morning at La Paz Beach in San Narciso with the complimentary breakfast included with our room at the Mope Resort. I had pancakes and Swan some Filipino delicacy. Both were good. Then we headed out for a morning walk.
Ain’t she sweet?Strolling down the beach road.The South China Sea.Where the river meets the sea. That’s a fisherman casting his net in the foreground and the Capones Islands in the background.The remnants of a dream. Such a poser!You got some hungry mouths to feed there, mama!On the sand where she loves to be.We had the entire beach to ourselves. A little creepy.At least we didn’t get carried away. I’ll never forget the time I got grabbed by a riptide at Huntington Beach when I was a teenager. I used the swimming-to-the-side escape method, and it worked. However, I had been carried down the coast to the rocky shore, and I had to navigate my way through the waves and rocks to reach solid ground again.Back at Mope again.
After some blogging and a nap, we checked out, had lunch, and awaited the arrival of our friend Michael.
Passing the time in the usual way.Michael arrived, joined us in a beer, took his swim, then graciously drove us home.I used my tracker to map the route. When I did this a few months ago, it was 29K. Yesterday’s measurement was 32 kilometers.So, my future walk just got longer.
It was a bit after five when we got back to the house, and the power was still out. So, we dropped off our bags and rode back to Barretto with Michael. We invited him to join us at Sloppy Joe’s, and he was game. He’d never been there and was impressed. Then I took him upstairs to see the even better-appointed BarCelona and he really liked that ambiance, especially the rooftop. Next, we popped into Green Room, where Michael had one for the road, then said goodnight. We stuck around for a while more before catching a trike home and calling it a night. The power (and water) had been restored. And there you have it, things are back to normal around here once again.
Still strolling through March of 2010 in the LTG archives. I gave a birthday shout-out to my son Kevin in this post. All these years later, I’ve been ghosted. Love is not always reciprocated.
Nine years ago I enjoyed a cloudy hike on the river in Seoul.Fifteen years ago, I thought this was funny. Little did I know that I’d one day meet an eighteen-year-old.
Today’s YouTube video features an expat vlogger who resides in Da Nang, Vietnam, and shares the pros and cons of living there. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and hope to return someday. If I were to move there, I think I’d prefer the smaller town vibe of Hoi An. Not that it matters, I expect Barretto is where I’ll die.
Here’s your daily dose of humor:
A ’56 Chevy. I’m a ’55 model.Maybe it is time to hook up with her mother, Kenji.Muy bien, Captain!
And so it went, and so it goes. I’m gonna keep at it.
Here I am enjoying the great escape from the all-day brownout back home. And then I saw this which put an exclamation point on my decision to get out of Dodge, or in this case, San Isidro (the Subic barangay where my house technically sits).
No lights, no water; no thanks!
My friend Michael is a regular visitor to the beach in San Narciso, as he prefers swimming in the clean ocean waters rather than the polluted Subic Bay. He graciously offered to drive us here, despite the pick-up being several kilometers out of his way. I repaid his generosity by covering the lunch and beer tab upon arrival. Then he took his swim and departed, promising to return this afternoon and drop us off at home.
I’ve never seen La Paz Beach so deserted. We are the only guests at Mope Resort, and I don’t see the usual foot traffic outside. The complete opposite of Da Nang. Well, it is midweek during the rainy season, and it is rumored that there is a typhoon headed this way. A little rain after we arrived, but otherwise, it has been pleasant enough. Especially compared to being thirsty in the dark.
The view from Mope ResortThe empty beach road.
After Michael departed, we returned to the room for a nap. When it was dinner time, we gave the resort next door a try.
We were the only ones here as well. Very friendly staff and good service. We might consider staying here on our next visit.
Some beers, some wine, and some chicken wings later, we called it a night and headed back to our room.
One of my favorite things about my pathetic blog is interacting with the few readers who leave comments. I had three AI comments in moderation this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks. I didn’t approve them because some of my regulars have expressed displeasure in seeing them. I don’t find them offensive; in fact, the ignorance of this so-called “intelligence” is rather amusing. Let me share some excerpts to illustrate what I mean.
Yesterday’s post was about the Hash and included a photo of me sitting on the ice, in accordance with the customs of the Subic Hash House Harriers. AI commenter Dilton had this to say:
Hey John, let’s talk about hemorrhoids. I know you’re dealing with some discomfort, and I’m here to offer some advice. While hemorrhoids can be a real pain (literally!), sitting on ice might not be the most effective way to find relief. I get that the cold might feel soothing at first, but it could potentially cause more harm than good.
Let’s focus on finding some more comfortable and sustainable ways to deal with your hemorrhoids, John. There are plenty of options out there, and I’m happy to help you explore them. From lifestyle changes to medical treatments, we can work together to find a solution that works for you.
Thank you, Dilton, for caring about my ass.
And then there was Reginald expressing concern about my addiction:
Hey John, let’s talk about your habits. I know you’ve been smoking hash, but I’m here to tell you that it’s totally possible to quit and replace it with something more productive. Think about it – you’ve got a lot of potential energy and time that could be channeled into something amazing.
One thing to consider is that habits are all about replacement. Instead of focusing on quitting hash, let’s focus on finding something new that you’ll enjoy just as much or more. You’ve got a lot of interests and passions, John, and I’m sure we can find something that’ll really grab your attention.
It’s also worth considering the benefits of quitting hash. You might find that you have more energy, better focus, and a clearer mind. Plus, you’ll be able to save money and avoid any potential risks associated with smoking.
Now, I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, John. Quitting any habit takes time and effort. But with the right mindset and support, you can totally do it. You’ve got this! And remember, it’s not about depriving yourself of something you enjoy – it’s about replacing it with something even better.
Thank you for your concern, Reginald. I’ve indulged in my share of hash back in my younger years and managed to wean myself without your “intelligent” suggestions.
And finally, there is Archibald, who is also concerned about my hashing habit:
Hey John, I’m glad to see you’re getting back into your routines! However, I have to ask – are you sure hash is the best routine for you? I mean, it’s great that you’re finding some structure and consistency, but maybe we can explore some other options that might be even better.
Think about it, John. A routine is supposed to help you feel organized and focused, right? But if your routine is hash, it’s probably causing more stress than relief. Maybe it’s time to take a step back and reassess what’s working and what’s not. Are there other routines or habits that you’ve been wanting to try? Now might be the perfect time to experiment.
Ultimately, the goal is to find a routine that makes your life easier and more enjoyable. So, let’s get creative and see if we can come up with something that works better for you than hash. Sound good?
Archibald, I’ve come up with a solution–I’ll only do the Hash on Mondays. I’ll stick to beer the rest of the time. Problem solved!
Anyway, those were just brief excerpts of long, drawn-out AI advice and guidance for overcoming problems that don’t exist. Does that make it Artificial Stupidity?
It’s March of 2010 in my exodus through the LTG archives. This was one of those “catch-up” posts about the goings-on in my life. I found it interesting that the former friend I mentioned in yesterday’s post (Tom) was featured as a dinner guest back then. Anyway, it’s a nice snapshot of my Korean life with lots of memory-filled photos. Sadly, I’ve lost touch with most of the people who were a part of my life in those days.
Old age, after all, is merely the punishment for having lived. — Emil CioranPrioritize before it is too late!
At least I haven’t gone broke. Yet. In today’s YouTube video, Reekay discusses the unfortunate expats who end up destitute in a land far from home, with no options for redemption. Welp, my federal pension is as stable and secure as the government that pays it. That’s why I’m so relieved that Kamala is not in charge. Honestly, my biggest fear is that the dollar will collapse in value, rendering my comfortable pension worthless. Of course, it won’t matter if I’m destined to die when China invades. Anyway, I’m not losing sleep over either possibility.
Politics before humor:
It seems the masses have awakened to the fact that the MSM is all bullshit.
Okay, enough of that. Let me leave you with a smile or three:
That’ll poke her interest!Honesty is the best policy.That’s why you don’t dip your pen in company ink!
Time to get back to my day at the beach! Enjoy the life you have while you have it.
…after going fourth. There was no independence from the reign of tropical storm Bising yesterday, but we celebrated anyway. Her majesty has not yet relented her authority to drench all us colonizers residing beneath her throne in the clouds. But I’ve embraced the freedom of being soaked, so bitch, you are powerless to drench my spirit. And I’ve got the pictures to prove it!
Chris and Gary joined me in braving the wet weather for our Friday hike.The truck accident I posted yesterday had traffic backed up on the National Highway all the way into Subic. As you can see, we were walking through puddles on the shoulder.We kept to the pavement for the most part.A rainy bay.Once you are soaked, why bother with an umbrella?She made it to ninety-five! Well lived, Virginia!Eighty-six ain’t bad, either. Very rare to see funeral banners with folks this old. Most of the ones I encounter are younger than me.A wet 6K wasn’t so bad.
Once home, it was time to prepare for the party next door to celebrate both the 4th of July and Fil-Am Friendship Day.
I baked cornbread muffins…… candy-topped brownies……and my standard walnut brownies. I may have overbaked this batch a tad, but they still tasted okay.Maksil (second from left) brought his favorite tequila. It seemed rude to decline a shot, even though I’m not a big tequila fan. Swan says I wound up having six, although I really don’t remember.The food spread.The gals gathering.The guy’s table.The group shot.My plate. Everything on it was excellent.
It was a fun gathering and a happy celebration.
It is still February 2010 as I journey through the LTG archives. In this “Blast from the Past,” I recount having some old photographs digitized and sharing some of the story behind this one:
My Prescott, Arizona life remains one of my favorite chapters.
I’m in a Facebook group about Westminster, California, the city where I was raised. Someone posted a photo of the Hi-way 39 Drive-In theatre (who remembers those?), which brought back a flood of memories.
Sorry, the text was also cut off in the original post.
Some other Facebook memories from this day in my life:
Seven years ago, Buddy was rescued after running away from home shortly after I adopted him. He’d been gone for several days before a trike driver spotted him. In this photo, he’d just been dragged from a pondon Baloy Beach Road.Five years ago, the COVID stupidity was still on full display. They let the bars open again, with certain “safety” precautions. Yep, that’s gonna protect you from an airborne virus.
Today’s YouTube video discusses why many Filipinos are forced to live in slums. It is worse in the big cities like Manila, but even in my neck of the woods, the poverty is sometimes shocking. The last time I posted a “Grace from the Philippines” vlog, there was some debate about whether Grace is an AI rendering. I still can’t say for certain, but if so, it is probably the best AI I’ve seen.
Humor me this:
That oughta work…I’ve got to hand it to him.Do it for freedom!
And now to get on with my last day in the Philippines. I’m moving the Hideaway feeding to today, and Swan and I will dine at John’s place afterward. There has still been no break in the rain.
As seen from my balcony, the river is rising.And we are packed and ready to roll in the morning.
I’ll try to knock out a post from Hong Kong tomorrow night, but no promises. Otherwise, it will be Good Morning, Vietnam!
Happy Independence Day to the USA! And happy Fil-Am Friendship Day to my Filipino friends.
Technically speaking, it was July 4, 1946, that the Philippines were granted independence from the USA, but they have chosen to celebrate their independence from Spain instead (something we also had a hand in providing). Hey, it’s all good. Live free and be happy!
Celebrating Brexit 1776.
Freedom isn’t free, and often the price is paid for in blood. All the more reason to cherish it and defend it from enemies, both external and internal. Of late, it seems the America-haters inside our borders pose the biggest threat. The America-lovers have more guns, so FAFO if you think you can destroy our country from within.
I posted this parody song twelve years ago, and it is as true now as ever:
Well, let’s see if Trump can drain the swamp once and for all.
Meanwhile, here’s what’s going on in my part of the world:
They said it was coming…And here it is…greetings typhoon Bising.
So, another wet day yesterday, and she ain’t done yet.
This poor truck lost its way on the National Highway in Barretto and took out five storefronts.Sadly, the driver didn’t live to tell what happened.
My big accomplishment yesterday was securing my finalized Emigration Clearance Certificate from the immigration office in Olongapo City.
It’s official, I’m free to go.
Oh, and this happened, too. Swan played a joke on me, but I didn’t fall for it. I still have to appreciate the effort she put into it, even making a video of her trying to gag me.
I deem the relationship 99% recovered.
It should come as no surprise that when the time to head into town for some libations arrived, I didn’t let a little rain stop me.
Watching the rainfall from It Doesn’t Matter.
When it was time to eat, we visited Jewel Cafe.
I remembered to order my filet mignon WITHOUT gravy this time. Looks and tastes better that way.
After our meal, we crossed the highway and popped into what is rapidly becoming one of our favorite bars.
Jumpin’ Jacks
This was our third visit, and once again, we were not disappointed with the laid-back chill atmosphere. The bartender asked if I wanted to change the music, and I told her, hell no, this is just what I like! It’s incredible that there hasn’t been one song during any of my visits that I haven’t enjoyed. What are the odds of that? I need to obtain a copy of that playlist and upload it to my Spotify account.
We also had a pleasant chat with the female manager of Jumpin’ Jacks about plans to attract more customers to the bar. She confirmed that they will not have dancers, which I think is a good thing. Plenty of other bars around for that crowd. She wants to sponsor a pool tournament at least once a week, and they will have a team join the pool league. She also has plans to have a live band play weekly. Then she took us to a nice room in the back that they plan to turn into a karaoke venue. I told her about the norebang (singing rooms) in Korea and that I thought it was a great idea not to let the noise of bad singing intrude on the other bar customers. Her plan is to charge a flat rate for the room use, which can be reduced through the purchase of consumables from the bar. So, I’m looking forward to seeing how things work out, and we will definitely be back again, making Jumpin’ Jacks a regular stop.
We did our nightcap at Candy Bar, a relatively new venue that we’d never previously visited. It’s a dancing bar with a pool table in the back, but there was nothing really that made it stand out in my mind. We were the only customers in the early evening hours on a rainy night. They didn’t have wine, so Swan ordered a margarita. It took the bartender two tries to get it right. Swan knew one of the waitresses from somewhere else long ago, and my friend Narissa is now working at Candy. I met Narissa several years ago at Cheap Charlies, and we took a trip together to Bataan, which I wrote about here. So, we enjoyed some friendly company, and the gals had a lady drink on our tab.
Swan bought me a rose from the flower vendor. Ain’t she sweet?Nice to see you again, Narissa.
We had a good enough day despite the storm.
In this post from February 2010, I mention vocative commas as if I knew what I was talking about. Obviously, I don’t. I was referring to seeing the Big Hominid posting on his Hairy Chasms blog again. Hey Kevin (see what I did there?), do you remember this post?
Today’s YouTube video is from a new (to me) vlogger, sharing his perspectives on the good and bad of living in the Philippines. Everyone’s experience is different, but yeah, I’ve seen some of the same things he mentions.
Time for some humor:
FAFOAt least he was unleaded.That genie must have been a dick!
Last year, I hosted a 4th of July gathering at The Rite Spot. Later today, we’ll be joining the fun at a party that our next-door neighbor, Jeff, is hosting. I’ve been baking corn muffins and brownies that we’ll be adding to the mix. So, tomorrow I’ll have something different to post about. Bet you can’t wait!
Well, this is me we are talking about, so not all that wild. Plenty wet, though.
The Wednesday Walkers braved the rains and embarked on the 7K Philseco loop. Flat and mostly paved, but satisfying nonetheless.
A long Jeepney ride to the far side of Subic brought us here.And off we went up Philseco Road.Off the road……and briefly onto the dirt.Pond, mountains, and clouds.Over a bridge.Reflections on another pond.Raindrops and rickety bridges.Heading for the highway and a Jeepney ride home.I guess I shouldn’t call it a loop, but it is a pleasant hike in any weather.
When it was time to head into town for some liquid refreshments, we started at Sloppy Joe’s. I was happy to see the kitchen was open because I was feeling a little hungry. Lots of stuff on the menu, but the item I was looking forward to eating, a sloppy joe sandwich, wasn’t listed. Swan suggested we wait and eat at Mugshots, but I got an order of squid rings to tide me over.
They were tasty.
Owner Bert came over to greet us, and I teased him about the lack of sloppy joes at Sloppy Joe’s. He said, ‘Yes, we have,’ and pointed to the menu —the pulled pork sandwich. I politely advised that a real sloppy joe is made with beef. He shrugged, went to the kitchen, and ordered me a pulled pork on the house. That was a kind gesture.
My “sloppy joe” wasn’t sloppy at all. It is just like the pulled pork sandwich served at Treasure Island, also owned by Bert. And that’s where the cook came from. Anyway, it tasted fine and I can’t complain about the price.
We went next door to Green Room for our nightcap and stayed a tad longer than we usually do, in part because I got gifted two free drinks. Swan bought the girls grilled meat on a stick from one of the street vendors, we handed out cookies and lollipops, and I enjoyed watching a couple of hotties in short skirts playing pool. I guess that was the wild part I referred to in the title.
When we got home, I lacked the energy to sit through a Squid Game episode, so I’ll need to redouble my efforts tonight. Had a good sleep despite being awakened a couple of times by the pounding rain outside. And it still hasn’t stopped. Glad I’m alive to enjoy the weather, rain or shine.
It is still February 2010 as I scroll through the LTG archives. This picture post recounts the adventure of my wellness checkup at a Korean hospital. I must say that walking into the hospital at eight and leaving at noon (with a free lunch voucher!) after a head-to-toe battery of tests is something not to be found here in the Philippines. Hell, my local hospital sent me all the way to Angeles City to get an echocardiogram. Oh well, as I recall, the results from those tests in Korea that day may have put me on a course of meds and lifestyle changes that have kept me alive.
In today’s YouTube video, the Pea is showing pictures of Western guys to Filipinas and getting a rating. Hell, if she had shown the ones of me I posted yesterday, I’m sure I’d have gotten a ten. The video ends after just a little over two minutes, so something must have gone wrong. I’ll update if and when she reposts, but short and sweet works for me.
You knew this was coming:
Why do you think they call it dope?Blasphemy!That ought to pump him up.
Sorry, those were all pretty bad even by my low standards. I’ll try to do better tomorrow when the 4th be with me.
I apologize for leaving you in suspense yesterday. My focus was elsewhere. I’m not going to go into a lot of details because it’s all still too up close and personal. Suffice it to say, we hit a big pothole on Relationship Road that did some damage. I wasn’t sure if things could be fixed or not, but we’ve made some progress on the repairs, and as of today, we are moving forward once again. It was a painful reminder to me about how much is at risk when you entrust your heart to another. The prospect of losing the love game yet again made me realize I’m in the now-or-never stage of my life. If destiny (or Karma) dictates that I’m bound to die alone, so be it. I have zero tolerance for drama, and I’ll flee if necessary to avoid it in the future. Going forward, I’ll keep my eyes wide open–one on the road ahead, and one on the rearview mirror for lessons learned.
And now, let’s get back to our regular programming:
It was another Hash Monday, but I opted not to do the Kalaklan climb. My mood was still sour, so I got some documents copied that I needed for my upcoming trip and then embarked on a street walk instead. Yes, Swan and her friend Beth came along.
Something weird happened along the way. As we passed the Savers store, we saw a group of out-of-town Hashers waiting there. Um, this is LAST week’s meetup place, I told them. I explained that the start this week was another kilometer or so up the highway. They decided to follow me on my trail instead.My group was the first to arrive at the On-Home venue.The Hash GashThe old fuckersThe Hash Circle area at Johansson’s is uncovered, and it rained for the duration.It’s nice on ice, even in the rain.The usual after-Hash gathering at IDM.
Still not much interaction when we got home. I went to bed, and Swan stayed up watching television. She was beside me in bed when I awoke, and we started the day with a hug. Progress! I’m still blocked on her Facebook and Messenger, though.
It’s February 2010 as I continue my trek through the LTG archives. This post about all the cars I’ve owned before was full of happy memories. If I hadn’t written about those times back then, I’d have forgotten most of them today. See, this blog does serve a purpose! It remembers what my brain forgets.
I had a chuckle when I came across today’s YouTube video from Reekay about how to end romance drama. NOW you tell me! Truthfully, my problems were nothing like the incidents Reekay mentions. I was treated rudely, and I overreacted; things escalated from there. Hopefully, we’ve both learned some lessons.
A dose of humor medication:
No joke.That might work.I prefer wings, but that’s just me.
Anyway, it is what it is. Whatever the ultimate outcome, I know that I’ll be okay.
Yep, I’m old enough to remember when people talked like this. Maybe it was far out, but it felt groovy and that’s right on!
My morning started with an email from Cebu Pacific Airlines telling me I was fucked. Well, the way they worded it was that they were unilaterally changing my flight times to and from Hong Kong, which screwed over my best-laid plans for a week in Vietnam. Instead of departing Clark airport in Angeles City on July 6 in the morning, I was now scheduled to leave late in the afternoon on July 7. So, I had an expensive non-refundable hotel room booked for the 6th in Hong Kong that I couldn’t use. However, the real kicker was that my flight to Da Nang departs on the 7th, before my newly scheduled arrival time on Cebu Pacific. Additionally, the new return flight from Hong Kong on the 13th was scheduled to depart for Manila, not Clark. So much for leaving the car at the airport.
After consulting with my fellow travelers (we’re going with another couple), we came up with a brand new plan. The whole point of booking with Cebu Pacific in the first place was to avoid the dreaded trip to Manila. So, given that there were no other flights from Clark that met our timeframes, we booked with AirAsia out of Manila. We’ll arrive in Hong Kong on the evening of the 6th, which spoils our plans for a full day to explore the city, but allows us to catch our flight to Da Nang as scheduled. I’ve requested a refund from Cebu Pacific, and we’ll see how that works out for me. What a pain in the ass dealing with this was for my frazzled old brain. Here’s hoping the rest of the trip goes hassle-free.
The remainder of the day went better, comparatively speaking. Starting with the Saturday Sweets Stroll.
A rain-free morning made for a more pleasant walk.An uncooked pig on a stick ready for roasting.Only one year older than me. RIP!Last Saturday we had another event to attend to, so the kids were glad to see us again.Another example of why you have to keep your eyes wide open when walking on a sidewalk. That’s a six-foot deep drop-off.Laundry day down at the well.I’ve come to dread those stairs.
Swan surprised me yesterday morning when she asked me if I would cook for her. She’s pretty much taken over kitchen duties since we’ve been together. I asked what she was hungry for, and she replied, “beef stew.” Okay, then. Ask and you shall receive!
Beef stew in the Crockpot……and in the bowl. Swan had hers with rice, of course.
We didn’t carry umbrellas when we headed into town, and thankfully, we didn’t need them. But shortly after our arrival at Sloppy Joe’s, the skies opened up and the rain poured down.
The rainy day view from our perch at Sloppy Joe’s.
The nice thing about the Maze is you have six bar options under one roof, so when we were ready for a change of scenery, we went next door to the Alaska Club. Did the usual: lady drinks for our favorite waitresses, a 50 peso tip for the six dancers present, and an order of lumpia from Sit-n-Bull for the staff to share. Then we moved on to Wet Spot for our nightcap. We headed home from there, and Swan was looking forward to a helping of leftover beer stew when we got there. I need to cook for her more often.
In sad news, a longtime mainstay in Angeles, Jimmy Dale, also known as Harry the Horse, passed away yesterday.
He made it to 87 years old, quite the accomplishment!
Jimmy wrote a newsletter for many years about the nightlife scene in Angeles, and that’s how I became one of his followers. He also owned the Blue Boar Inn, where I had the pleasure of meeting him in person and playing a game of darts back in 2010 during a visit to AC.
It was nice knowing you.
He sold his original Harry the Horse newsletter many years ago and had a seldom-updated replacement. He left us with a final post,saying goodbye to his many fans. I hope I get the chance to do something similar when my time on earth is over. Rest in Peace, Jimmy.
I’ve progressed to January 2010 in my journey through the LTG archives. January 4th was a snowy day in Seoul, and the Army sent non-essential staff home early. I walked home and did a post with a lot of photos of a snow-covered Itaewon. I doubt I’ll ever see snow again, not that I miss it.
Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never watched previously. She does a great job laying out the reasons the Philippines remains a poor country. She confirms what I’ve long suspected. And as she describes the government corruption that led to this sorry state, I couldn’t help but think it had a familiar ring to it. Yep, the good ol’ USA seems to be going down this road as well.
Now we’ll get to the funny stuff:
Yeah, I had that look on my face, too.A short-order cook?I see lots of old farts with canes in the bars here. I respect their dedication to doing the things they love!
Another day of being alive is in process. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.
I’ve got to rush today’s post as I have a Hash meeting to attend early this afternoon. So, let’s keep it short and sweet. You are welcome!
I mentioned yesterday that neighbor Jeff had never seen the view from the top of Kalaklan Ridge. I volunteered to be his tour guide, and up we went. In fact, everyone on my street tagged along.
That’s Swan, neighbors Martin and Joss, and Kalaklan virgin Jeff and his wife, Davina, in the back.A dicey spot getting out of the village.Let the climbing begin!A quick cookie stop at Rolly’s place on the way up.A view of the old Navy base.Swan leading the wayJeff and Davina bringing up the rear.Resting after the climb in this shelter.The view of Barretto we climbed to see.The climb kicked Jeff’s butt, but he said it was worth it.
A one-minute video clip of what we saw.
What are the odds that I’d see someone I knew walking the ridgeline road? That’s Simon (Leech My Nuggets), who also lives in Alta Vista, out scouting for Monday’s Hash trail. Looks like I’ll be making another climb…or shortcutting.What goes up must come down. And so we did.The bay view on our downward trek.Easter Mountain as seen from here.The womenfolk taking it bringing up the rear.Almost down and done.Not quite 5K with a hefty climb of 221 meters.
Our evening activities included dinner at Sit-n-Bull again, then hanging out at the Green Room until it was time to go home. That was the extent of our ups and downs for the day.
I came across a sweet memory in the November 2009 archives from my days of playing softball. I was big into softball throughout the 70s and 80s, and I wrote about finding a link to an article in the Prescott Courier from August 2, 1979, recounting my exploits on the diamond. I was surprised that the link still works! Anyway, my sporting days are far behind me, but softball is a worthy chapter in The Story of My Life.
Facebook memories shared this photo of me and my not then wife sixteen years ago.
It was captioned, “Are you sure the baby is mine?”
It only hurts until the pain goes away.
For today’s YouTube video, I’ll share this vlogger’s take on whether the Philippines is safe. Shit can happen to you anywhere and anytime. Maybe I’ve been lucky so far, but I feel safer in most aspects of my life here than I would living in the good ol’ USA.
And now your daily dose of humor:
Dave works hard at the plant, puts in a lot of overtime, and then spends most evenings bowling, playing basketball or working out at the gym. His wife, Mary, thinks he is pushing himself too hard, so, for his birthday, she takes him to a local strip club.
The doorman at the club greets them and says, “Hey, Dave, how ya doing?”
Mary is puzzled and asks if he’s been to this club before.
“Oh no,” says Dave. “He works out at the gym with me.”
When they are seated, a waitress asks Dave if he’d like his usual Budweiser.
Mary is now becoming uncomfortable and says, “You must come here a lot for that woman to know you drink Budweiser.”
“No, honey, she’s in the Ladies Bowling League. We share lanes with them.”
A stripper comes over to their table and throws her arms around Dave.
“Hi Davey,” she says, “Want your usual table dance?”
Mary, now furious, grabs her purse and storms out of the club.
Dave follows and spots his wife getting into a cab. Before Mary can slam the door, Dave jumps in beside her. Right away she starts screaming at him.
The cabby turns his head and says, “Looks like you picked up a real bitch tonight, Dave.”
Those who play must pay.
All I know is that everything you know is wrong.Seems to me that living long and suffering is a stronger curse, but what do I know?
And the curse of reading my drivel is now over. For today.
According to Facebook memories, I discovered this song fifteen years ago. I’m an old-school classic rock guy, but for some reason I came to really enjoy this song (and the video). YMMV.
Back at it again yesterday, doing what it takes to keep life fun. The Wednesday Walkers convened with seven in attendance. Michael’s back and offered to drive the group for an out-of-town adventure. We decided to hike the seldom-traveled Naugsol-Tibag-Naugsol loop and set out to get there. I was a little nervous that the rainy season water levels might make the requisite river crossing difficult, but we made it across unscathed.
Offloaded in Naugsol and ready for adventure! L-R, Michael, Chris, Erik, Sheryl, Beth, and Swan.Guys up frontGirls in the rear.The day’s first water crossing.And another wet feet opportunity.A safe crossing of the Matain River.Tibag here we come!On the road to Tibag.On the path out of Tibag.A Swan in the grass.The journey back to Naugsol starts here.Cookie delivery.Strolling on the river.The other guys were ahead of us and missed the turn to the road leading back to the car. We had to wait a bit for them to make their way back and found this shady spot to do it.A tad over nine kilometers there and back again.
A good hike warrants a good meal, and when we got home, Swan made me one.
The pork chops were awesome.
When it was time for a change of scenery, we saw it from BarCelona. Erik and Cielo met us there, and a bit later, neighbors Jeff and Davina came up to join us.
Looking out from BarCelona.Looking into BarCelona.
When Jeff and Davina arrived, we grabbed a table on the roof.
Sharing in the fun times.A view from the roof.Looking up the highway towards Kalaklan Ridge.
Jeff had never been up on Kalaklan before, so I invited him to join us on a climb today. I’ll post about that adventure tomorrow.
I bought our shy waitresses a lady drink.And then the sun did its thing.
We said goodnight to Jeff and Davina, and went downstairs for dinner at Sit-n-Bull. Erik and Cielo joined us there.
Where we was.What I ate. That’s a Malibu chicken burger topped with ham and bacon.
We did our nightcap at Wet Spot.
The bored dancers.At the backslappers’ table. It was great to see Daddy Dave (in the flag shirt) out and about again after his recent hospitalization.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but rumors are rife. The story is that Dave has sold his bars (Wet Spot and Green Room) and will be exiting the bar scene. I heard that the SOB will also be discontinued. Tomorrow’s show has been postponed, so we shall see what happens next. Dave has been a fixture here for twenty years. It will be sad to see him go, but nothing lasts forever.
I had a productive day.
I’m happy to be alive and doing the things I enjoy.
It’s interesting (to me) as I explore the LTG archives and read about things I had totally forgotten about. Like the time in October 2009, someone tried to recruit me to appear in a Korean television commercial. Damn, I coulda been a star!
Congratulations to Smart Girl Philippines on the occasion of her achieving 200,000 subscriptions. In her typical humorous fashion, she reveals some things about herself and how they led her to become a popular vlogger.
The end is near:
Man, when was the last time you’ve seen a pinball machine?Sometimes I miss riding the subway.As long as I can keep finding my way home, it will be okay.
No, I didn’t get royally screwed, because I exercised discretion. I’m talking about my grocery shopping excursion to the Royal Duty Free supermarket, of course. What? You were expecting something exciting? Sorry to disappoint, but Tuesdays aren’t the day for excitement around here. Not that that will stop me from sharing the story of my boring day. Here goes:
My biggest issue with Royal is that the items I want are often out of stock, and when they are available, they are overpriced. Take cheese, for example.
Quality cheese slices from Kraft have newly arrived. I’m no cheap Charlie, but damn, even if I can afford it, I’m not paying almost a dollar per slice.It’s nice to see my favorite shredded cheese on the shelf again, but at thirteen bucks a bag, that’s where it’s gonna stay.
And it wasn’t just the cheese.
What the duck? I don’t even eat that bird, but if I did, I’d have to be daffy to pay fifty dollars for one.
Well, I survived the drama and didn’t yield to the temptation to be gouged. When I got back home, I was feeling tired for some reason, but figured I could just walk it off with a neighborhood hike.
A new house is about to begin construction down the road from me. Alta Vista is a boomtown these days.
And then I heard a rumbling up in the sky that wasn’t thunder.
It’s one of those vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Not sure whose military it belongs to, but I’m glad it wasn’t China.I found one on Google images with the engines moved into position for horizontal flight.Walking didn’t cure my tiredness, so I cut things short and went home for a nap.
I’d recovered sufficiently by beer o’clock to make the trek into town for some bar socializing. We began our hop at Sloppy Joe’s, and things seem to be going well under the new ownership. The RSL (Returned Services League, the Aussie version of our VFW) invaded on their after-meeting barhop, so we gave up our space and moved next door to the Alaska Club. We had the usual pleasant visit there before moving on to Nipsey’s. I raved about this place during our previous visit, but those great vibes we enjoyed then were not evident last night. For one thing, they didn’t have red wine available for Swan. And the music being played wasn’t to my liking either. Needless to say, we didn’t stay long. A disappointing nightcap at Cloud 69 followed, so we gave up and caught a trike for home.
A bowl of vanilla ice cream with crumbled Orea cookie topping was a sweet ending to the day.
Yep, just one of those days where things weren’t bad but could have been better. But there’s always tomorrow, and today is already showing improvement. But that’s for another post.
Back in October 2009, I wrote a post about a week in my life. There was certainly more substance in those days when I had a job to attend to, but even then I was looking forward to the life to come in the Philippines (I was supposed to retire in 2010 and make the move, but fate had other plans for me and I didn’t get here until 2018.)
Here’s a scene from my Carolina life in 2012 with the Pointless Dart League in Columbia. Old dreams die hard.
Let’s check in with Reekay for today’s YouTube video. Reekay talks about the dangers associated with a bad end to a relationship, most of which I somehow managed to avoid during my dating life here. Now, the incidents that happen sometimes when you bring a girl to your hotel room were lessons I learned the hard way. More than once, I had girls helping themselves to things in my pocket when I wasn’t looking.
Maybe you’ll get a smile out of these:
The erection of humanity.That’s not a good reflection on you!If you make their ass hurt they’ll forget about the headache…
And on that note, I will mercifully end this post.
Welp, I’ve heard it said that candy is dandy but liquor is quicker, so why not enjoy both? A Candy Walk to start the day, and then some alcoholic beverages to wrap things up. Sound familiar?
Heading out on the hunt for kids. Damn, that sounds pervy, but you know what I mean.
You’ve seen it all before, so I didn’t bother taking many photos of the Candy Walk. This seven-minute video (feel free to speed it up) of Section 14 of the walk should suffice.
The usual 5K of sweetness.
Next on my Sunday agenda was the Hideaway feeding.
Come and get it!In Joy.
Then it was my turn to eat, so I met up with Swan at John’s place.
I changed things up and went with the chicken enchiladas……and Swan stuck with her usual birria tacos.
I hadn’t done enchiladas at John’s for a long time, and one bite in, I remembered why. Damn, that’s spicy hot! I had about half, and even my icy cold Zero beer couldn’t extinguish the fire in my mouth. I shared some of my leftovers with Swan and waited to see her reaction…ouch! The tacos were good, though.
A visit to Red Bar and then a nightcap at Wet Spot. I shared my concerns with manager Bret about Friday’s low-quality SOB. He seemed to acknowledge that it may be time for some changes. We’ll see what happens.
As seen from this morning’s dog walk.
The power went out just before we did, and we heard the unmistakable sound of a transformer blowing. So, I figured it would be at least a couple of hours with no fans to escape the heat. Fuck that, let’s go into town and have breakfast. I enjoyed the irony of hopping into Swan’s electric cart during a brownout for the ride down to the highway (we don’t drive outside the subdivision for safety reasons).
The first customers of the day at Sparrow’s Cafe.
I’ve eaten at Sparrow’s once, shortly after they opened in the space that was formerly John Kim’s The Pub. Since Sparrow’s doesn’t serve alcohol, it is not a good fit for me as a dining option, but I don’t drink at breakfast, so we gave it a shot.
We enjoyed the view from our seats facing the highway.The view I mentioned.I drink one cup of instant coffee each morning at home. Today I treated myself to a brewed Americano.I was craving French toast, but alas, it was not on the menu. So, I settled for pancakes.Swan enjoyed her corned beef and rice.
We rarely dine out for breakfast, but Sparrow’s isn’t a bad option when we do. And the power was restored about thirty minutes after we returned home.
From the LTG archives, I began a series in October 2009 called “Yoja of the week.” (Yoja is Korean for woman). Here’s the first entry.
Here’s an update on the asshole vlogger Vitaly. He was granted bail for the criminal charges pending against him, but he is still being held as an “undesirable” by the Philippines’ immigration. So, he still ain’t getting out anytime soon. Being moved from the criminal prison to immigration jail is a slight upgrade in living conditions, but he is still fucked. Deservedly so.
Humor time:
An office manager had money problems and had to fire an employee, either Jack or Jill. He thought he’d fire the employee who came to work late.
The next morning, both employees came to work very early. So the manager thought he would fire the first one who took a coffee break. Unfortunately, neither employee took a coffee break.
Then the manager decided to see who took the longest lunch break. Strangely, neither Jack nor Jill took a lunch break that day. They both ate at their desk.
Then the manager thought he’d wait to see who would leave work earliest, but both employees stayed after closing.
Jill finally went to the coat rack and the manager went up to her and said, “Jill, I have a terrible problem. I don’t know whether to lay you or Jack off.”
Jill said, “Well, you’d better jack off, because I’m late for my bus.”
I’m calling HR!
Circumspection with precision!Good thing I’m retired, they can’t fire me for bad humor now!
And now another Hash Monday has arrived.
And the skies are threatening.
I’ve seen a map of the trail, and it includes a Kalaklan climb. I’m not so inclined to do that during a thunderstorm, so I’m plotting a course for the second half of the trail. Wish me luck!
I had the honor and privilege to participate in the Special Forces Association Ruck March.
The Ruck March is an annual event held to raise awareness about suicide and depression amongst our military veterans. There were over forty in attendance yesterday, including some familiar faces like Dr. Jo and her hubby Chris, along with several other Hashers.
The gathering crowd.This vet recounted his sad story of service-related depression and suicidal ideation and how he was able to overcome them with the help of available resources.SFA leader Sean gives guidance on the forthcoming hike.The event was held at the APO Resort in San Isidro. I’d walked by here dozens of times, but I’d never been inside before. And off we go! It was good to see Scott on trail again.Through the fields we go……splashing all the way.Easter Mountain from here.Most of the hike was flat and on pavement.A pleasant 5K walkabout followed by some beer and hot dogs.The after-hike group shot.
It was a new twist to the usual Saturday stroll, and it was nice to assist in raising awareness on the struggles of some of our veterans.
There were more twists and tweaks to the usual as Saturday evening arrived.
We started out here.Where I lost some hair.Our next stop was Jewel Cafe for dinner.Filet mignon for me……and baby back ribs for Swan.
The portions at Jewel are small, and prices are comparatively low ($11 for the steak, $6 for the ribs). Quality is high, and that’s the important thing. I’ll be back today to get food for the Hideaway feeding.
There’s a new bar in town: Jumpin’ Jacks. Well, it just reopened under new ownership on Friday. The old version catered to an elite crowd that doesn’t exist in Barretto (150 pesos for a beer is a no-go for most of us stingy expats), so it was no surprise that it closed in less than a year. We decided to pay a visit and see how we liked the new version.
The first thing we confirmed was that red wine was available. But when they wanted to charge 300 pesos a glass, I was ready to walk back out, but the manager offered us a discounted price, so we took our seats at the bar. Alas, they didn’t have San Mig Zero beer on offer, but I settled for a San Miguel Light instead. I told the bartender Zero was gaining in popularity, and she assured me they’d have some available the next time we visit. Swan and the manager had a lengthy discussion in Tagalog about wines, so I think they’ll be offering the low-cost Carlos Rossi (380 pesos a bottle at Royal) she likes when we return.
We’ll definitely be adding Jumpin’ Jacks to our bar rotation. The staff is friendly and customer-oriented. What we liked best was the music, a great selection of classic rock songs played at a reasonable volume on a quality sound system. We stayed longer than we intended because we enjoyed chillin’ in the ambiance and groovin’ to the tunes. I got to feeling generous, and bought the bartender and four customer-less waitresses lady drinks. Hey, that’s how I roll sometimes, and it helped make a slow night better for them.
The unexpected rainstorm also contributed to our decision to delay our departure.
We waited for a break in the rain and then were on our way to another relatively new venue that we’d never previously visited, Candy Bar. It’s next door to The Annex, and as we approached, a large group from the Ruck March was hanging out there. Naturally, we got dragged inside to join them.
The Annex is an open-air bar, so there’s no sneaking by.
It was good hanging out with the crowd, Candy Bar can wait for another day.
The next stop on the Ruck March barhop was Hot Zone. We tagged along and made that our last call of the day.
Another seldom-visited bar for us. This is by far the best dancing girl joint in Barretto. They had a pole dancer show that was amazing to see.
Hold on to your hats, but it was AFTER nine p.m. when we rolled out of Hot Zone and headed home. Another twist in the routine!
It is October 2009 in my journey through the LTG archives, where I wrote this post responding to criticism of Itaewon. Itaewon was transitioning then, and once the Yongsan Army base moved down south, the changes accelerated.
Nine years ago, I was in the Philippines visiting Maria for her birthday.
Happy birthday to you! We’ve stayed in touch via Facebook over the years. At one time, she used to read and comment here at LTG.
Here’s a post I wrote about my first (and last) experience in Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown.
We’ll check in with Reekay again for today’s YouTube video, where he discusses finding trustworthiness among women you date. I had some failures along the way, but I ultimately found my success. Oddly enough, I was friends with Swan through her charity work and knew she was trustworthy long before we became a couple.
Today’s effort to make you smile:
Well, better than getting kicked in the balls, I suppose.Well, when you put it like that, it all makes sense.There’s just no pleasing some people.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Sad to think that everyone is this video is likely dead now. Talk about twisted.
