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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s something to smile about:

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

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

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

What I hope to see sooner than later:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lots of memories to look back on today:

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

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

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

Maybe these will give you something to smile about:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calories in: 1600 Calories burned: 3800

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

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

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

Comic time:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Those pictures from the Halloween SOB I promised:

And my favorite costume of the night:

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

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

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

Smile time:

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

Happy Halloween!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now for the things I find amusing:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now for some laughs:

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

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

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

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

There’s always time for politics, right?

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

Some quick humor:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today’s stroll down memory lane:

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

Let’s try some humor:

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

Another empty page has now been filled, but it being a Tuesday, there were plenty of open spaces. That’s why we have to live them to see what they may bring.

In a break from the normal routine, we stopped at the Ulticare Hospital on the way to Royal. It seems they were in need of a donation. So, I gave them a vial of my blood, but that wasn’t enough for the greedy bastards.

Shopping went as expected, and I was pleasantly surprised to see corn bread mix on sale.

Even with the sale prices, groceries don’t come cheap these days:

With the morning chores completed, it was time to think about those late afternoon hours. I had it in my head to do the Baloy Beach thing, but I asked Swan what she wanted to do first. “How about Baloy?” was her response. It is so sweet that we are on the same page most of the time.

And then I noticed this:

We spent a pleasant hour at Kokomo’s, chatting (and drinking) with the owner. He had planned on anchoring the floating bar this week, but Typhoon Kristine changed those plans. Hopefully, I’ll be spending my Tuesday evenings on the floater starting next month.

When we were ready to eat, we headed up the beach to Treasure Island. They weren’t too busy, and the owner bought us a round of drinks. Swan asked me if I would order some food for the waitresses, and of course, I did not object. Another example of us being on the same page.

We finished our drinks and grabbed a trike to Alta Vista. And so ended another day in the life.

“Money don’t get everything, it’s true, but what it don’t get, I can’t use…”

• Dinner: 1160 pesos
• Tips: 350 pesos
• Groceries: 15,500 pesos
• Alcohol: 1110 pesos
• Electricity: 3800
• Driver: 1000 pesos
• Healthcare: 750 pesos
• Charity: 200 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Total for October 22: 22,970 pesos

Twelve years ago, I was hanging with my pal Simon in Itaewon to celebrate his birthday.

Seven years ago, I penned this gem:

Death to Aria! I was attacked in my sleep last night. The battle raged from 0200-0300. I was unable to digest why it was happening and was in danger of being completely liquefied. I retreated from the bedroom and eventually purged the intruder. When I awoke a few hours later, I found myself on more solid ground. I’m just glad the attack didn’t occur on the subway, or I would have been in deep doo-doo.

Who says those creative writing classes were a waste of time?

I’m laughing at a lot of those Trump doing McDonald’s memes. Like this one:

Today’s YouTube video is the latest from Reekay, talking about mistakes guys make in their search for the perfect Filipina. I’ve found the right one for me, but it took me over five years of fuck-ups. So, here’s your chance to learn from the ignorance of others:

Today’s funnies:

Well, so far, at least, the typhoon has brought some mild rain and very little wind. I’ve seen photos of flooding elsewhere in the PI. It was enough to cancel the Wednesday Walkers group hike this morning, though. I’m likely going to break out the umbrella come beer o’clock and give a local bar or two some business. Hey, I call it disaster relief! I’ll let you know how that works out for me tomorrow.

I report, you decide.

The day began with the Friday group hike. We kept it local this time, and other than fighting our way through the overgrown thatch grass, we had a good walk.

It was SOB Friday, and when I attend, I arrive early in order to secure a good seat. Most of the venues open at five, and the show starts at six. The Green Room’s regular opening hour is four, so that meant having a longer than usual wait. Swan joins me just before the show begins to avoid that suffering. So, how do you kill the time sitting in a bar? Oh yeah, beer!

The show started on time. Seven hundred pesos each for admission, but the beer is free from six to eight. I consider it a challenge to get my money’s worth, but I can’t drink enough to make up for that slowpoke Swan. No big deal. Before the dancing started, Swan observed one of the GROs rubbing the crotch of the guy at a nearby table. She called the guy an asshole, but I pointed out he wasn’t rubbing on the girl. Anyway, people do what they do, and it is not my concern if it doesn’t affect me.

I was a judge for the contest again, and this week, I was totally in sync with my fellow judges:

As usual, when the show was over, I was done. We had our regular trike driver meet us outside and headed home.

Here’s how I emptied my wallet yesterday:

• Cable/Internet: 3500 pesos
• Alcohol: 450 pesos
• Tips: 420 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Phone: 3800 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 700 pesos
• Charity: 3500 pesos
• Snacks: 100 pesos
• SOB Fee: 1400 pesos
• Dinner: 520 pesos
• Total for October 18: 14,590 pesos

Ah, the memories.

Yesterday’s YouTube videos about the poor SOB locked up in jail for pot possession were a lesson in the consequences of being stupid. And today, we have yet another example. Reekay shares the story of a Yank who was kidnapped in Zamboanga, a stronghold for Muslim terrorists in southern Mindanao. I wouldn’t even VISIT that area, let alone choose to live there. Stupid is as stupid does, I suppose. I wish him well, but unless he knows someone willing to pay a hefty ransom, he’s screwed.

Alright, to the humor then:

Saturday is in play. Swan says she is craving a steak dinner at Jewel Cafe, and I’m going to leave her feeling satisfied in that regard. After that, who knows? I do have some coupons from the SOB to expend, so we shall see.

Besides drinking? Not much.

Exciting shit, eh? But wait, there’s more! It had been days (two of them!) since I’d last interjected myself in the Barretto nightlife scene. I decided some treats for the girls were in order, so I brought along chocolate marshmallow pies, some lollipops, and this bag of candy:

One of my favorites at the It Doesn’t Matter bar is a gal that goes by the name of Hershe. I’ve teased her in the past by misreading it as “he-she” and asking if she was a bakla (trans). So, my plan last night was to call her over to my table and tell her there is something I’ve wanted to do since we first met, but she should get a lady drink first. When she returned, I would say, I hope you will understand my intentions. I’ve already discussed this with Swan (yes, Swan was in on the joke), and she is fine with me doing this. Having created the appropriate level of anticipation, I would then say, “Hershe, I want to give you kisses!” After enjoying her reaction, I would pull the candy out of the bag and hand it to her. Then we’d all have a good chuckle. Except my plans went awry when Hershe chose not to show up for work. Oh well, I took the bag of candy to Wet Spot and told the head waitress I wanted to give all the girls kisses. I let her do the distribution.

We wound up staying at IDM longer than usual and enjoyed some food with our beverages.

As mentioned, we did our nightcap at Wet Spot. I bought the usual lady drinks for waitress Irene and head waitress (and Hasher) Beth. The surprise of the visit occurred when Aine came down off her high horse and greeted us at our table before ascending to the stage to join the other dancers. Swan had no issues with bringing Aine down to enjoy a lady drink for old-times sake. In a gesture of goodwill, I offered Aine something to suck on, and she gratefully accepted (a lollipop). Anyway, I sensed Swan didn’t engage with Aine with as much camaraderie as she had in the past. I guess that’s what happens when someone reveals the true nature of their character, as Aine did in turning her back on a friend.

Anyhoo, we had a nice enough evening out in Barretto. Dropped more change than usual in the bars, especially on lady drinks. But that’s the price you pay sometimes when you are having a good time. And I’m sure the gals appreciated it.

• Alcohol: 1150 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 1400 pesos
• Dinner: 850 pesos
• Charity 600 pesos
• Tips: 250 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Snacks: 700 pesos
• Prescription Meds: 600 pesos
• Total for October 17: 5750 pesos

Facebook memories carried me back to Pyeongtaek where I attended a staff dinner party/housewarming at the new home of one of my employees, Ms. Yi.

At least my life has not changed in the way this guy’s did–in a Filipino jail for possession of marijuana. Using and selling drugs in this country is beyond dumb. My number one goal since moving here has been to avoid doing ANYTHING that might be construed as criminal. Yeah, that eighteen-year-old was borderline stupid, but I did at least get a copy of her birth certificate before agreeing to meet her in person. Anyway, this guy is screwed. He was apparently not popular with his fellow Angeles expats, but I wouldn’t wish this fate on anyone. It was his own damn fault, though.

Here’s a take on the situation from another vlogger (including visiting the guy in jail) if you are interested.

I need some humor after watching that shit:

I woke up to this staring at me through the bedroom window this morning.

Swan and I will be attending the SOB dance competition tonight at Green Room. We’ll turn another page in the story of my life tomorrow. See you then!

The Wednesday Walkers made the journey out to San Narciso, and we shared a beach adventure. Swan and I enjoyed breakfast together on the Mope Resort beachside pavilion as we awaited the group’s arrival. Oh, and reader Scott reminded me that Mope = My Outta Pocket Expenses. The Aussie sponsor has a nice sense of humor!

So, one of the locals told us to turn right. We did, and reached the end of the road. A local there said there was no way through. Scott, Swan, and I retreated back the way we came. The rest of the group continued marching forward.

After lunch, I walked back to Mope with Swan and Michael. Michael retrieved his car and left to pick up the group at Joe’s. My driver was waiting when we arrived. I checked out of my room, and we headed for home.

When we arrived home, the power outage was still ongoing, but it was restored a few minutes before the scheduled six p.m. end. I decided the rooftop was The Rite Spot for me to spend my Wednesday evening.

And so ended another day in the life.

Here’s how I emptied my wallet:

• Driver: 2000 pesos
• Charity: 2300 pesos (candy)
• Tips: 400 pesos
• Breakfast: 500 pesos
• Alcohol: 600 pesos
• Lunch: 400 pesos
• Trike: 150 pesos
• Total for October 16: 6350

I mentioned the other day that you don’t see down-and-out expats on the streets of Barretto. Sadly, that’s not true everywhere. One of the Facebook groups I follow posted this photo today:

Living with less is a common thing for many Filipinos. In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea visits a provincial family to show us their way of life. I see many similar residences in my backcountry walks, so I found hearing and seeing the way things are quite fascinating.

Today’s funny stuff:

I reckon I ought to see what’s been going on in Barretto since I’ve not visited for two whole nights now. Someone has to keep the bars in business, right?

The rare fun-filled Tuesday is now history. Well, it wasn’t all fun. I kicked things off with a visit to the immigration office for another sixty-day tourist visa extension, which got approved without a problem. I also had to renew my Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) card, so my fees were doubled this time. Oh, well, that’s the price you gotta pay.

Next up was the grocery shopping chore. I gave the Pure Gold supermarket a try in search of things I can’t find at Royal. Wound up spending over 11,000 so I guess it was a successful endeavor. Then, I went to Royal to fill in the gaps and spent another 11,000. Oh, well. The cabinets are full again.

We offloaded the groceries at home, loaded up the suitcase and backpacks, then headed for San Narciso. I turned on my tracker so I could map the journey, and it looks like this:

I got a nice room this time, not that I spent much time in there. We unpacked, I knocked out yesterday’s blog post, and then we headed to the place that makes Mope special…outside seating with beach views. And cold beer, of course!

Our friend Michael arrived later in the afternoon; then he took a swim in the ocean. He joined us for a beer before we headed to resto-bar a few blocks away named Joe’s Dawgs.

When we were done at Joe’s, Michael dropped us back at Mope and headed home. The night’s fun wasn’t over, though. Swan and I grabbed some seats and engaged in our nightcap activities. I had a hankering for some ice cream and sent one of the Mope crew to the store to fetch what I thought would be cones.

So, it was off to bed for a good night’s sleep in preparation for today’s adventure. I’ll tell you about that tomorrow.

What yesterday cost me:

• Tips: 670 pesos
• Alcohol:1600 pesos
• Snacks: 800 pesos
• Dinner: 500 pesos
• Driver: 3000 pesos
• Visa Extension: 6200 pesos
• Hotel: 2750 pesos
• Charity: 200 pesos
• Groceries: 22,700 pesos
• Total for October 16: 38,420 pesos

Good times don’t come cheap!

Eleven years ago, I was hanging out at the Puddlin’ Duck in Columbia, South Carolina, with my dart buddies, Gunny and James.

Sadly, both of them left this world behind within a couple of short years after that happy day.

Today’s YouTube video talks about the things Filipinos find weird about foreigners. I’m guilty of most of them.

Humor time:

I am literally out of time. No power here and my laptop battery is almost gone. I’ll fill the gaps tomorrow.

I’m gonna keep on keepin’ on as long as I can!

Another good day in the life. A Candy Walk, a feeding, and a pool party with the neighborhood gang filled the Sunday hours in a satisfying fashion.

The party began at four, so I went to Hideaway early. No Jewel Cafe this week; I just gave the girls cash for some chicken and meat sticks. A couple of beers later, and I caught a trike back home. Then, it was off to Maksil’s place for the neighborhood gathering.

It was an easy stroll home after I’d had my fill of beer and fun—and it didn’t cost much, either!

• Alcohol: 240 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 450 pesos
• Charity: 1800 pesos (Hideaway feeding)
• Trike: 400 pesos
• Lunch 550 pesos
• Tips: 50 pesos
• Trash Collection: 100
• Total for October 13: 3590 pesos

I posted a video about island hopping in Pundaquit yesterday, and coincidentally, Facebook memories reminded me this morning that it was one year ago that I was doing that tour:

Eight years ago, I won a darts tournament in Bangkok:

Ten years ago, I posted something that is truer now that it ever was:

I don’t like the leftist agenda, but I don’t mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like the leftist agenda, denigrate means “put down.”

Today’s YouTube vlogger declares that calling the Philippines “third world” is a myth. That made me laugh because he lives in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), the enclave of Manila where the rich folks live. That ain’t the real PI, dude! I often joke that Alta Vista isn’t in the Philippines, but I can hear it from here. The squatter villages and shanty towns are a lot more authentic representations than BGC. Still, the video offers some nice street scenes of the place where the wealthy (locals and expats) can live and pretend the rest of this third-world country doesn’t exist.

Today’s lame humor:

Hash Monday has arrived once more. This morning on the dog walk I was greeted with this:

My big news is that tomorrow, after shopping, Swan and I will travel to San Narciso to stay overnight at the Mope Beach Resort. The motivation for planning this adventure is that there is a scheduled all-day power outage for Wednesday. No need to stay home for that! We’ll see how the logistics work out, but I may have to alter the blog posting schedule some. We shall see.

Oh, and my buddy Kevin will be heading out for his annual cross-Korea hike tomorrow. You can follow along on the adventure here. Good luck, stay safe, and have fun, Kev!

Today’s closing song is one I had totally forgotten until I saw it mentioned in passing on the Althouse blog today. I also learned that the songwriter/performer, Mason Williams, was a comedy writer for the old Smothers Brothers show. Damn, what a talented man! Glad to get reacquainted.

It was also fun to watch these two hear it for the first time:

Well, I live on Luzon Island, and my life here is a treasure (to me), so the title of this post is apt. I also spent my evening at Treasure Island Resort on Baloy Beach. My Saturday on the island began with a street stroll through Barretto. Swan joined me for the walk.

As mentioned above, we journeyed out to Treasure Island later in the afternoon. We had some unexpected afternoon rain, so there was a question as to whether there would be live music (it’s an outdoor venue). The rain stopped, and the band started about an hour late, so it all worked out in the end.

Then it was time to eat.

Enjoyed some more music and then grabbed a trike for home, stopping at 7/11 for some ice cream cone treats to share with the guards. And another day came to an end.

Easy come, easy go:

• Meat: 4600 pesos
• Fruit and Veggies: 700 pesos
• Lunch: 400 pesos
• Trike: 250 pesos
• Charity: 120 pesos
• Snacks: 330 pesos
• Dinner: 760 pesos
• Tips: 150 pesos
• Alcohol: 1160 pesos
• Total for October 12: 8470 pesos

All I have from the Facebook memories is two quotes I posted twelve years ago:

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.

–Mark Twain

I never forget a face, but in your case, I’d be glad to make an exception.

–Groucho Marx

I have no recollection as to why I posted them.

Today’s YouTube video is an island hop off Pundaquit. I’ve done that before, and it was quite nice. The Pundaquit/San Antonio area is somewhere I could consider living should things in Barretto ever go to crap. I doubt that’s going to happen in this lifetime, though.

Humor break:

A little shakeup in the Sunday routines today. We got the Candy Walk done, but dinner at John’s place has been supplanted by an invite to a party and Maksil’s house here in the neighborhood. I’m going to make an appearance at Hideaway and fund the feeding, but I won’t be sticking around for long because the party starts at four. Something different is always nice!

Most days, it feels like I’m just filling the hours. But yesterday, the hours were full of fun and adventure. Fulfilling indeed!

Things kicked off when the Friday group hikers traveled to the wilds of San Marcelino to explore the shore of Mapanuepe Lake. The lake was formed after the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 blocked the river and flooded the valley, creating a lake and drowning three villages in the process. Check out the link for the interesting details.

What was unique about yesterday’s hike was that none of us had ever been here before. Well, I came this way two years ago, but we were across the lake in the campground area back then. The terrain we explored this time was virgin territory. I had it in my head that we could go overland to the campground, but I was wrong about that. We also had thought we could hike some of the way on the lake shore, but other than where we started in the village of Aglao, that was not to be. Still, everything being new and us being clueless added to the feeling of adventure. We were only on one hill but went up and down it twice, looking for our way. Ultimately, we had to retreat and retrace our steps to get back to where we started (and where the car was parked). We all agreed it was a fun trek and enjoyed the beauty of nature that surrounded us.

With the long drive and beer stop on the way back, I got home much later than usual. And I had a grand opening to attend. So, I dashed off a blog post, took a shower, and we set about heading into town.

Good luck to MacArthur’s. It’s a tiny place in a small town with fifty other bars, but maybe it will become an expat hangout. I doubt I’ll be more than an occasional customer, but I’m looking forward to the Baloy Beach venue.

We also had a dinner date with the neighborhood group from Alta Vista on our schedule. Papagayo was the chosen venue, and it is conveniently located almost next door to MacArthur’s.

After the meal, the group moved up the highway to another newish venue, Red Stars. Yeah, we made some commie jokes about that name.

It was getting close to nine p.m., and the group was going to make Green Room the next stop. I’d had enough by now, and I pride myself on knowing when to say when. So, I said goodnight, and we caught a trike for home.

It was a gooder day than most and I am grateful to have had it. Here’s what it cost me:

• Salary: 1000 pesos (part-time helper)
• Prescription Meds: 1400 pesos
• Jeepney: 50 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Dinner: 415 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 520 pesos
• Tips: 200 pesos
• Alcohol: 1840 pesos
• Total for October 11: 5625 pesos

To the memories from my glory days:

Seven years ago, I experienced a different kind of danger in Boracay:

In today’s YouTube video, Filipina Pea explores something that used to be near and dear to my heart: transactional relationships. She poses the question of whether, in truth, ALL relationships are transactional. Thinking in terms of me and Swan, I’d say no. But there is a voice in my head asking what would happen if I lost my pension and the house and lived on the street. As am I wont to say, I don’t know, and I don’t care. I’d probably die before crossing that bridge anyway.

And now for some humor:

This evening, we plan to visit Treasure Island on Baloy and enjoy some live music. Hopefully, the rain will hold off. See you back here tomorrow!

And the “first time hearing” video:

First things first:

Gonna have to rush through today’s post. I’ll explain why tomorrow. For now, let me briefly cover how my two doctor visits (pulmonary and cardiologist) went yesterday. Nothing new with the lungs other than a change to my inhalers. The heart doc reviewed my results from the echocardiogram I did in Angeles and declared, “You have a big heart.” Naturally, I thanked her for the compliment. Turns out, she meant the left side of my heart is enlarged. The good news is my body has compensated, and at least so far, the blood is pumping through in normal amounts and leaving nothing behind. So, there is nothing that needs to be done for now other than monitoring every six months to ensure everything is still functioning as it should be. As for the aortic stenosis, it is in the mild range and, for now, does not pose a problem. That will also be part of the six-month review to make sure things aren’t changing for the worse. The doctor was concerned about the fluid retention in my ankles and prescribed a new med to hopefully correct the edema. These symptoms are all precursors of congestive heart failure, which is what my mother died from at seventy-eight years old. My goal is to make it to eighty-three (to match or outlive my father), so I’ll do my best to follow the doctor’s advice. The bottom line is that, as of now, I am not displaying any of the symptoms that are indicative of imminent heart failure. That sounds like news I can live with!

After the appointments were done, I headed home to enjoy an evening at The Rite Spot On The Roof.

And then it was time for a rooftop dinner.

A good finish to the day.

• Charity: 2400 pesos (candy and Mama)
• Doctor Visit: 1400 pesos (two docs, 700 each)
• Trike: 400 pesos
• Jeepney: 50 pesos
• Total for October 10: 4250 pesos

Staying at home is definitely a cheaper option. I’m going to have to do that more often—but not tonight!

The YouTube video I’ve chosen for today is about the poor province girls working at bars in Angeles City. I haven’t watched it yet, so I can’t comment on the content. I do tend to feel sorry for the girls when this line of work is their only option, but taking that option away doesn’t help them either.

And this is where I attempt to put a smile on your face:

So, a great Friday group hike today way out in San Marcelino. With the travel time and after-hike refreshments, I didn’t make it home until three p.m. Usually, no big deal, but today is the grand opening of the newest bar in town, MacArthur’s. I promised my friend Jessa that we’d make an appearance. Again, not a problem, except I accepted a dinner invite with the neighbors for six-thirty at Papagayo. Hence, the rushed post here (can you tell the difference?) and lack of a nap since I need to shower up and head out. At least I’ll have something interesting to post about tomorrow. See you then!

Tuesdays around here are nothing to get excited about, and yesterday was no exception. That won’t keep me from writing about it, though. One of these days, Guinness will recognize the most boring blog in history, and Long Time Gone is bound to be in the running. Thank you, dear readers, for your support!

Let’s get on with it then. Those groceries ain’t gonna buy themselves, so the first order of business was the trip to the Royal Duty-Free Supermarket on SBMA.

Nothing exciting to report from my time in the grocery store.

On the way home, we stopped at the local print shop to get copies of my echocardiogram results made. I’ll be doing my consult with the cardiologist tomorrow.

A quiet remainder of the morning at home, a nap, a blog post, and then it was time to head into town.

My haircut was done before Swan’s feet, so we agreed to meet at Cheap Charlies. I hadn’t visited there for a couple of months because they didn’t have wine the last time I went. I’d seen the CC bartender the night before, and she assured me wine would be available this time. It was.

Swan did, in fact, enjoy the wine she was served when she arrived at Cheap Charlies. My beer was cold and wet, and none of my old regulars work there anymore, so I didn’t have any need to buy lady drinks. I’ll try to fit CC back into my bar circuit.

We had planned on visiting Green Room next, but a peek in the door revealed the place was packed with a pool tournament. So, we plopped ourselves down at Sloppy Joe’s instead. Another wine for Swan and beers for me as we watched the world go by on the street in front of us. And as shocking as it may sound, when we were ready to move on, I didn’t feel like going to another bar. Instead, we went to Sit-n-Bull and ordered some food to bring home. Our night out was over by 7:30. I warned you it was a boring Tuesday!

Here’s where the money went:

• Groceries: 13,360 pesos
• Driver: 1000 pesos
• Charity: 100 pesos
• Tips: 350 pesos
• Alcohol: 1200 pesos
• Foot Spa/Haircut: 400 pesos
• Dinner: 1070 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Total for October 8: 17,230 pesos

Facebook memories reminded me of a cake I baked six years ago:

Today’s YouTube video has the Filipina Pea interviewing a recently arrived expat who had all his plans ruined by a thieving woman he’d spent months courting in a long-distance relationship (LDR). Shit happens, as I can attest as a past victim of scammers. As I learned the hard way, the ones you’ve never met can burn you the most. Although truth be told, I got fucked over by ones I had met as well.

Today’s humor offerings:

This morning, I went on a short but grueling hike with the Wednesday Walkers group. More on that in tomorrow’s post. Next up, I hope to enjoy some of that beer my genes make me crave. And life goes on.

I enjoy these “hearing it for the first time” videos, hope you do too…