I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it. –Groucho Marx

Easier said than done, but worth the effort, I suppose. Yeah, I’m having one of those days, but this too shall pass. In the meantime, I can take comfort in knowing that things can, and have been, worse than they are. It’s easy to forget your blessings when you take them for granted, but you don’t have to look far to see that the struggles of others are infinitely worse.

When I decided to move to the Philippines, one of my goals was to try make things better for people by my being here. Yeah, you can’t help everyone, but you can make a difference for some. To some degree, I’ve achieved that goal, even if you don’t count providing lady drink commissions. One of my current projects is helping an acquaintance who is currently fighting uterine cancer. I help out with rent, food, and medical expenses, but damn, the struggles of getting proper treatment in a public (versus private) healthcare system here are phenomenal. Here’s her latest message to me:

Hello John, update for today; I couldn’t undergo chemotherapy this Monday, and I was also confined for another day because I had a blood clot in my catheter. They conducted some tests, and I was discharged from the hospital after the tests. I will return to the hospital this Friday for my CT scan urogram. I hope it gets done so we can know what the urology department will do regarding whether I will need surgery or not. I’m back on antibiotics again because chemotherapy didn’t go ahead due to my cough and cold. It’s really frustrating because I seem to catch coughs and colds quickly now.

Always fighting, John. I don’t want to die yet; I don’t want to stress myself over what’s happening with my treatment. I constantly pray that I can get through all of this.

What happened to me earlier was intense. Before my CT urogram, I fainted; suddenly, I couldn’t breathe, my legs started to tremble, and I had a headache. I thought it was the end for me, and I ended up praying unexpectedly, saying, “Lord, please don’t take me yet.” My blood pressure and sugar levels weren’t low; I just couldn’t handle the prolonged fasting because I needed to fast for the CT scan. They’ve postponed my schedule today, and now I’m rescheduled for the CT scan on March 5. Aside from the severe headache I’m experiencing, the equipment for my CT scan isn’t complete, so I have to go back on March 5. The effects of the chemotherapy they are giving me are hard; they are not just attacking the cancer but also weakening my good cells and immune system. I need to find a clinic that prescribes fenbendazole and ivermectin because they have been effective for colorectal cancer patients. I need to try it; I don’t want to die, Lord. Please help me; don’t abandon me.

Endless gratitude, John, for all the help you have given me, and thank you for not abandoning me in this fight. I owe you a huge debt of gratitude, as the Lord sent you to help me financially. Thank you, Lord, for everything, and please do not forsake me in my battle against this illness.

What a nightmare to go through. I believe she is in her 30s. At my age, I wouldn’t have the strength or the will to fight this battle. When my time comes, I hope I go easy into that gentle good night.

Here are my blessings from yesterday:

Sunday Sweets Stroll:

Later in the day we made our way out to the Arizona floating bar:

When our time on the floater was done, we popped into Red Bar for some libations before moving on to Jumpin’ Jacks to check out their menu.

I did play a game of pool with one of the waitresses while waiting for our food order, and I won! Maybe that darts practice is paying off.

And that’s all there is to the Sunday story.

As expected, the Iran memes are exploding across the internet. I found this one worthy of sharing:

From Facebook memories, John’s place opened in its new location four years ago:

On to November 2017 in the LTG archives, and in this post, I was reminded once again how stupid I am when it comes to matters of the heart. Jesus, what was I thinking?

Today’s YouTube video provides 10 reasons not to retire in the Philippines. Damn, NOW you tell me. But seriously, going on eight years now, and I don’t regret coming here. Most of these can be overcome by invoking the mantra I learned long ago as a tourist: Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way. That said, the noise does still bother me, and if I drove here, I would be insane from road rage by now. Still, I’d rather be here than back home in the USA.

Humor me:

And now to prepare for another Hash Monday.

I’ll tell you tomorrow.

I woke up to the first morning in March and the news about the big takeout in Iran. I’m not a big fan of regime change wars, but Iran has been a worldwide threat for decades, and sadly, the USA has enabled its terrorism. With the leadership now dismantled, it’s on the Iranian citizens to stop being victims and stand up for their freedom. The clips I saw of the people in the streets in Iran celebrating Khamenei’s death were telling. Just like the outraged American leftists protesting this bold move that may lead to a more peaceful Middle East, they have shown where they stand in opposition to freedom, peace, and human rights. We shall see what happens next.

An oldie but goodie:

Meanwhile, life goes on in my little piece of paradise, such as it is.

Decay Dance:

In the afternoon, I practiced darts and threw halfway decent, but I wasn’t feeling the Saturday tourney at Alley Cats. Instead, we made our way out to Cheap Charlies.

We decided to try somewhere we seldom visit next. Our first option was Cyclone Bar, but before we even got to the door, we could hear the crap music blaring. That was a good reminder of why we stopped going there. So we ventured further up the highway and popped into Nipsey’s Bar. We were the only customers, but the girls on stage stood up and went through the dance motions as we sat down. The music was shit, but I am more tolerant when young gals are movin’ to the beat of songs they know. And then the thought occurred to me that the music genre shouldn’t matter to a dancer. I called the waitress over and asked if I could request a song, and my request was granted. I had them play the Glenn Miller classic, “In the Mood.” That song is even older than I am. I couldn’t resist dragging Swan up from her seat and doing a little swing dancing with her. The gals on stage seemed to enjoy watching, too. After my requested song was done, the playlist reverted to some classics from the ’50s and ’60s, and I was really enjoying the vibe. And then a couple of the gals on the dance stage tried their hand at swing dancing and did a nice job of it. Naturally, they earned a tip!

We did our nightcap at Queen Victoria, and they actually had some customers. I guess they are doing something right. I even got comped a beer for the first time there. A nice way to end our Saturday night.

And now, from the October 2017 LTG archives, is the post entitled “FUCK ME!” Yeah, one day into my new “love” affair, I got fucked good and hard. At least I didn’t have to wait seven years to get screwed, as I did in my previous relationship. And for those who might be interested in the epilogue, after years of no contact, on a whim, I sent Loraine an email a few weeks ago to see how she was doing. I was a little surprised she bothered to respond, but she told me she is doing well. She and Kev are still together, but he’s living in the UK and can’t yet afford to retire in the Philippines. Also, Loraine’s annulment still hasn’t been granted, so the marriage Kev promised hasn’t happened. She chose the path she considered best for her, and I wish her a happy life. Things turned out okay for me in the end.

Today’s YouTube video is the story of another man’s unhappy ending in the Philippines. As is the case in most of these sad tales, stupid choices lead to bad outcomes. Obviously, avoiding the quagmire of the Philippine “justice” system should be everyone’s primary goal, but sometimes shit happens.

And now for the happy ending:

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

Today’s post title comes courtesy of a t-shirt graphic I observed at last night’s birthday party. I rarely attend parties, but in some ways, my daily life is almost like a party. There is always plenty of cold beer to enjoy! Here are some scenes from another party day in the life.

The day’s big event was attending Ashley’s birthday party at Red Bar.

And it appeared a good time was had by all.

From Facebook memories, a happy day that didn’t stand the test of time:

Big news in the October 2017 LTG archives: Despite my pledge to never fall in love again, I threw caution to the wind and took that leap of faith once more. We’ll find out soon enough how that worked out for me.

Has anyone been missing Smart Girl Philippines? It’s been a long time since I shared one of her YouTube videos, so here we go. At this stage of my life, her words of warning no longer apply to me. I’m already in the last relationship I’ll ever have, for better or worse.

There’s always time for a smile or three, right?

Had enough? Yeah, me too. I’ll get on with the rest of today and tell you about it tomorrow.

I’m not sure what the secret to a long life might be, but I reckon being lucky is part of it. Life comes in daily doses, and here’s what my medicine looked like yesterday.

A nap, a blog post, and a shower later, it was time to go and see what was happening in Barretto. We kicked things off at It Doesn’t Matter. Turns out it did. The bar has a totally different vibe now that Cliff and Ashley have departed. That’s okay, as long as there is something to fill the void. So far, that doesn’t seem to be the case. And yes, that matters. Only one of the waitresses offered a greeting when we arrived. Another, a recently returned long-term employee who was friendly in the past, didn’t say a word the whole time we were there. The waitress sitting next to Swan’s stool had long hair, and when she flipped her hair, it hit Swan in the face. Swan wasn’t pleased, but instead of apologizing, the waitress made some rude comment that Swan should sit elsewhere. And that’s what we did — paid our tab and left.

We went to Myleen’s next and grabbed a bite to eat.

We hadn’t been to the Alaska Club for quite a while, so that was our next stop. Got warm and friendly service, and owner Jerry sent me over a free beer. I did my usual tipping-the-dancers thing and bought a couple of lady drinks. It was nice to be treated right after the IDM experience.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot next door and enjoyed our “regulars” status there with the crew. Neighbor Mike popped for a beer, and we all had a good time. Then a trike ride home brought another Thirstday to a close.

From the October 2017 LTG archives is a post about an incident I would not have otherwise remembered. It involved a bar called IDK (I Don’t Know what that stands for) because I guess It Doesn’t Matter now *ahem*. Anyway, I had already quit patronizing IDK when I caught them adding drinks to my tab that I hadn’t ordered. But when I learned they were refusing to pay a Filipina employee, I threatened to report them to the USFK Provost Marshal for human trafficking, and they relented. Ah, the good ol’ days. Some nice pictures of the Pyeongtaek area in that post as well.

Today’s YouTube video discusses the health implications of naps for us senior citizens. I had no idea there was such a thing, but luckily, my daily naps are early in the afternoon and last less than an hour. They don’t seem to affect my nighttime slumber either, so I should be good to go.

HaHa, reading that title just now, I had to say, isn’t everyone getting closer to death every day?

And on to the humor:

Okay, Ashley, aka Lick-and-Spit, is celebrating her birthday today at Red Bar. Swan and I will be attending. Should be a good time.

Here’s the lowdown on the Wednesday that was:

Scott drove us out to where the new bypass road is allegedly under construction. I say ‘allegedly’ because, since our previous visit several months ago, it appears little progress has been made. I’m no engineer, but damn, I still can’t figure out how they are going to make it up and over the top of the Kalakalan Ridge. I hope I live long enough to find out.

Welp, not our problem, we headed down to the valley for the rest of our walk.

With the walkaholic urge satisfied, at beer o’clock it was time to quench my thirst. Swan had been visiting a friend on SBMA, so I awaited her return at the seldom-visited Snackbar near the Baloy 7-Eleven. She arrived as I was finishing my second beer, and we headed for the beach.

I joined in from my stool:

And that’s all there was for Wednesday.

Facebook memories reminded me of this old advertisement I’d shared:

Carrying on with the October 2017 LTG archives, and I’m back from my Boracay adventure with a new plan to get over my sorry state of mind: acceptance. Reading this again today from a whole other perspective, but it still seems apt. I may not like certain aspects of my life that come with age, but I need to learn to accept them.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger explains why he doesn’t want to live a long life. Interesting perspectives for sure, and honestly, I’m living like there is no tomorrow already. But I’m blessed to have not lost my mind (although it is fading fast) or suffered some catastrophic incident like a disabling stroke. So, I’m not in any hurry to let go of what I have, but when it is gone, I’ll likely not resist.

And on to the funny business:

I’m outta here for now. Thanks for dropping by.

As we used to say back in my time with the Army, NSTR. Which translates to: nothing significant to report. So, here’s a quick rundown of the insignificance I enjoyed on Sunday:

There was the Sweets Stroll.

Later in the day, I lost some hair.

Next was some time rockin’ on the water.

Swan was ready for dinner and wanted to go to the Coffee Shop. I asked why the Coffee Shop, and she told me, “You know I love tacos.” Yes, dear.

Some after-dinner drinks at Red Bar.

Arrived home safe and sound, then blended up a batch of strawberry-banana smoothies for my bedtime treat. And so concludes the NSTR I warned you about.

Facebook memories took me back to my high school daze and the student newspaper I proudly edited back then.

Welp, I was also an advocate for free speech:

Speaking of the past, from the September 2017 LTG archives is a post about getting friend-zoned. I kept insisting I was done with love forever, but as I would soon learn, I was lying to myself. Seven months left in Korea, and they were painful ones.

Today’s YouTube video is not like the usual shit I post here. It discusses some unique geographical features of Luzon Island (where I reside). So, will I die in an earthquake or from a volcanic eruption? Time will tell.

You gotta laugh before you die:

And now it is time to prepare myself for another Hash Monday. I shouldn’t have any trouble finding a viable shortcut on today’s trail. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Not that it matters, but you know the drill by now. I’ll try not to waste much of your time with another meaningless post. So, here’s the down and dirty:

Decay Dance.

Beer o’clock.

Here, let me show you what I mean:

You’re an inspiration!

Dinner from Foodies downstairs.

Next stop, Gold Bar. Deader than I’ve ever seen it. Nightcap at Queen Victoria, only slightly better. Called it a night at 8 pm and triked back home. As we passed through the Alta Vista gate, the guard handed me a bag with my name on it.

And that’s all I have to say about yesterday.

Facebook memories reminded me that it was five years ago that I rented a room for my homeless friend “Mama.” I took her to dinner at DaKudo’s, then showed her the room (also on Baloy). She took a look around, handed me the key, and said, “No, thank you.” It seems strange that she prefers living on the street, but it just goes to show you can find happiness in whatever the circumstances may be.

From the September 2017 LTG archives, I’m still carrying on with my WWBD (working, walking, biking, drinking) lifestyle in Pyeongtaek. I was very unhappy with my empty life, but looking back now, I should have let myself enjoy it. The pictures in the post make it seem almost like paradise. Silly me.

Today’s YouTube video claims that the aches and pains in my legs mean my time is almost up. That may or may not be true, but I’m going to keep pushing the envelope. That guy I posted about above sure as hell isn’t letting being crippled stop him from getting out and about. Shit, it won’t let me embed the video for some reason. It’s only six minutes long; give it a watch and see if you agree with what it says.

And now for those “funny” memes:

That’s the way it goes.

I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, not really sick or anything, just a tad lethargic. Luckily, my lifestyle doesn’t require much energy, and I made it through the day without incident, aside from an extra nap.

The only item on my “must-do” list was getting a visa extension at the immigration office in Olongapo. That meant getting there via public transport. Morning rush hour going to the city includes crowded Jeepneys with traffic delays compounding the discomfort. So, we waited until 10:30 to depart, then walked down to the highway and squeezed into the first Jeepney that came by. We got off at the Kalaklan gate to SBMA, then crossed the river onto the old Navy base. There’s a taxi stand right at the entrance, and I had Swan walk ahead of me in order to avoid the cursed skin tax applied to foreigners. I was prepared to pay up to 100 pesos for the short ride (less than 2K), but when Swan asked how much, she was told it would be 150 pesos. Bullshit! I’d rather walk than be scammed, and that’s just what we did.

Coincidentally, later in the afternoon, SBMA posted on Facebook in response to complaints about taxis overcharging customers. So, they shared the approved fare chart that drivers must adhere to.

Yeah, I can afford to be overcharged, but my pride will not allow it. Anyway, I needed to get some steps in anyway. Things went without a hitch at immigration, and my tourist visa was extended until March 23 for “only” 4100 pesos (you only get 30 days for the first extension after entering the country). Then we caught a metered taxi (which aren’t allowed on SBMA) for the ride back to Barretto. It’s about 8K and thirty minutes, and the fare was just shy of 200 pesos. I knew the driver had a slim chance of finding a fare back to Olongapo City (we don’t even have a taxi stand in Barretto), so I gladly tipped him 100 pesos and wished him well.

Exciting shit, eh? Well, when beer o’clock rolled around, we made Sloppy Joe’s our first stop. I had beers, Swan had a glass of wine, and we sat and watched the world go by until hunger prompted us to change our venue.

Next stop, the seldom-visited Myleen’s. After perusing the menu, we agreed we’d share an order of chicken quesadillas and birria tacos.

I told Swan that these are the best birria tacos in town. She said she still likes John’s better. I told her John’s gone, and these are the ONLY birrias in town. And that, my friends, is how you win an argument.

I had another coupon for “buy a lady drink, get a free customer drink,” good for one night at both Green Room and Wet Spot, and we didn’t let it go to waste. Two lady drinks in each bar meant four free beers for me. Of course, when you do the math, it would have been cheaper for me to just pay for my beers. On the other hand, I always buy two lady drinks when I visit these bars, so it is still a win.

And that, dear readers, is how I quenched my Thirstday.

I’ve moved on to August 2017 in the LTG archives, and in this “ketchup” post, I share the happenings of my work life along with some photographs from my adventures hiking and biking in Pyeongtaek. I also reveal that I won’t be re-retiring in September after all. Too hard to let go of the gravy train that comes with a six-figure salary with free housing in addition to my monthly pension check. Talk about living large!

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with Reekay, and in today’s YouTube video, he talks about what your goals in life should be after you turn sixty. I’ve been well aware that my timeline is shrinking, and I’ve noticed a drop in my energy levels as well. But I’ve been focused on living comfortably for a long time now, and I think I’m prepared for the inevitable declines to come. I’m sure my routines seem boring and redundant, but they’re certainly better than playing cards in an old-age home somewhere. I’m still actively hiking, and I schedule at least one out-of-town trip each month to liven things up a bit. Swan is a certified caregiver and has promised to stay with me for the rest of my ride. I’m providing her a monthly stipend so she can prepare for a life when I’m gone. I’d say I’ve followed Reekay’s advice before I even heard it.

To the humor, then.

And now to find out what’s going to happen next.

A very nice hike yesterday at the Cubi Point area on SBMA. I hadn’t been up that way in years, and we walked through a place I’d never seen before: the JEST Camp.

JEST Camp, or Jungle Environment Survival Training Camp, was a training facility at Subic Bay Naval Base that provided a five-day course on jungle survival skills, primarily for military personnel. After the U.S. Navy left, the camp was transformed into an adventure camp for tourists.

The camp is closed to tourists now, and the security guard aborted our efforts to do a walk-through, but it is still an interesting area to see, even from afar. Here’s a video about the history of JEST Camp.

I recall visiting the Cubi area during pre-move reconnaissance, scouting potential places to live. Despite the area’s beauty, it just felt a little too isolated and a little too much like Americanized suburbia for me. And so I made Barretto my home instead.

Here are a few photos from the journey:

And then something weird happened. We came upon a series of signs, each bearing a line from a poem, every twenty yards or so. Since we were coming down, we saw them in reverse order. Let me fix that for you:

Thanks for that!

One of the nicer hikes I’ve experienced here. Next up, our weekly visit to Baloy Beach.

Next stop, Treasure Island.

A sweet ending to our Thursday at the beach.

Still in the July 2017 LTG archives, and in this post, I recount the only time in history that three McCrareys were in the city of Pyeongtaek at the same time (the other two were my nephews Josh and Justin). There were pictures from our barhop, including one of my friend, Mi Young. Alas, she was not interested in anything more at the time, but we remain friends to this day.

Today’s YouTube video was a tad disconcerting in that it is a reminder that life is indeed fleeting. I try not to overthink it, but since turning 70, I’ve not been able to shake the feeling of impending doom. It might come in ten years, ten months, ten days, or ten minutes. But it is coming. And there ain’t a damn thing I can do about it, so I’ll just keep on keepin’ on as best as I am able. Unlike the story this vlogger tells, I don’t regret my time in the Philippines, and I have nothing to go back to in the USA. He made his mistakes and will die feeling the consequences. That’s just the way it works. I have a lifetime of sad memories and “what if” thoughts, but the past doesn’t dictate the future, however short it may be, unless you let it. It’s sometimes a struggle, but I’m going to pack as much happiness into each day as I can. And when it is done, it is done. As much as I like to fantasize about a “do-over,” there is no going back.

Let’s try and lighten the mood:

I’ve been feeling off the mark all day today. Here’s hoping for a better tomorrow.

Tuesday’s are rarely the best day of the week for me, but that doesn’t mean they are bad. Yesterday wasn’t anything terrible, but it wasn’t quite right somehow either. The good news is it won’t take long to tell you about it. Here goes:

So, I had marked my calendar to remind myself I needed to renew my tourist visa. I always go on grocery shopping day because the immigration office is nearby the Royal supermarket. I got dropped off at SM Mall as usual, and walked to the door where the elevators are located (immigration is on the 6th floor). The security guard asked where I was going, and when I told her, she said, “Immigration is closed today.” I asked why, and she responded, “Chinese New Year.” Oh shit, I had forgotten about that. I honestly didn’t even know it was a government holiday in the Philippines. And now I do. Plan B is to go back on Thursday for my extension.

The other big supermarket on SBMA is Puregold. I stop in there every couple of months to see if they have anything in stock I can’t get a Royal. Yesterday wasn’t worth the trip because there was almost nothing there that I wanted or needed. Well, they did have something I hadn’t seen since I left Korea nearly eight years ago:

Then it was on to Royal for the usual weekly grocery cart fill. I usually keep an eye on items being rung up to ensure nothing untoward is taking place. Usually, it isn’t, although I’ve learned that if something is on sale, you need to watch to make sure you are getting the lower price. Cashiers normally count when you have multiple units of the same item, and then enter that number before scanning the item. Swan had four bottles of soju on the counter, and when the cashier entered the number and scanned it, a weirdly long number popped up. Before I could say anything, she had moved on to the next item, so I made a mental note and let it go. But when the last of the groceries were scanned, and she totaled my bill, it was a multimillion amount (my weekly shopping at Royal is usually around 10000 to 15000 pesos). She called the manager over to enter the correction, and then things got weird. I told them the soju was the problem, but it felt like I was being ignored. And then they started searching through all my boxed and bagged groceries, looking for something. I repeated that it was the soju, and Swan told me to calm down. Finally, after several minutes, they pulled out some tuna cans and rang them up again. As best as I can understand things, she had entered the multiple tuna numbers, but failed to scan. Then she entered multiple soju numbers, and the scanner spat out a wild number when the soju bottle was scanned. Oh well, it was only ten minutes of what is left of my life. I did feel bad for the customers in line behind me, most of whom bailed in disgust.

Back home, I did my nap and blogging thing, then headed to my dartboard for some practice. I warmed up pretty well, but then the bot on my darts app kicked my ass twice. I was not feeling confident as we headed out to the Alley Cats tournament. Upon arrival, I did my warmup throws and wasn’t pleased with my inability to hit the target. I would hate to draw someone who throws like me as a partner, so when I was told it would be a doubles tourney, I declined to participate. See, I have moments of unselfishness.

As we left Alley Cats, Swan told me she was hungry. Welp, it just so happened that I had a 15% discount coupon for Sit-n-Bull in my wallet.

We paid a visit to Green Room after dinner, then did our nightcap next door at Wet Spot. As we departed for home, I met the new owner, a guy named Philip. We’ll see what changes may be in store in the days to come.

And that’s the story of my Tuesday.

Continuing with the journey through the July 2017 LTG archives, I found this post of interest (to me). It’s about a bank teller I was crushing on in Prescott, Arizona, but I didn’t have the balls to tell her until I was leaving for a new job in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She looked at me sadly and said, “I wish you had let me know.” Another road in life not taken.

Today’s YouTube video is a bit out of the ordinary. I had never heard of Frederick Wiseman (or at least I don’t remember hearing of him) until I saw a post on the Althouse blog this morning about his recent passing away at age 96. He was a documentary filmmaker, and Althouse included this clip from his 1968 “High School” film. Well, I did high school from 1969 to 1973, and the clip really resonated with me. I thought of myself as something of a poet back then, and wish I’d had a teacher like the one portrayed. I’m also a big Simon and Garfunkel fan, so hearing “Dangling Conversation” recited was nice as well.

Here’s more on Wiseman and the “High School” documentary. Fascinating.

Now for the funny business:

It’s weird getting old. My brain ain’t what it used to be, but the things it forgets and the things it remembers seem strange. There was a girl I dated when I was living in Oklahoma. She was the last one ever to give me her virginity. That’s a pretty big deal. And now, try as I might, I can’t remember her name. Then, last night at Green Room, they played Don McLean’s “American Pie,” a song that runs over eight minutes. And I remembered every damn word in the lyrics. Go figure.

I wrote about the Valentine’s Hash yesterday. Tomorrow I’ll be writing about today’s Subic Red Dress Hash. So, I guess that makes this post a Hash sandwich. Not a lot of meat, but better than nothing. Let’s get to it, then.

Filling in some gaps from my time with the La Union Hash in the mountains near Baguio with photos I didn’t take:

After the Hash Run, we had a shooting contest:

Another Hash event, another Hash shirt to wear:

We got back home to Barretto around noon on Sunday, tired from a difficult night’s sleep in the kubo room. Took a nap, but still wasn’t feeling up to speed when beer o’clock arrived. We decided to pass on our Sunday visit to the Arizona floating bar and went for dinner at Jewel Cafe instead.

Jewel had updated their menu since our last visit, and that tiny little filet mignon steak I usually enjoy has gone up from 599 pesos to 690 pesos. Hmm, nope, there’s not enough meat for that money.

We popped into Red Bar for a couple of drinks, then visited Jumpin’ Jacks for our nightcap. Then it was back home for a quiet night’s sleep.

Swan had a breakfast surprise for me this morning:

Are any of you old enough to remember Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone?

Continuing on with the July 2017 LTG archives, I’m halfway through a visit to Subic Bay with my travel companion/caregiver, Loraine. And then my step-daughter, Avery, and her partner, who were touring Asia, decided to come join in the fun. It was a pleasant surprise to see Avery again. She’s the only one of my kids who visited me since I left the USA. She’s ghosted me since then.

Today’s YouTube video is about monitoring your resting heart rate. That’s one of the daily stats I track. I used to be consistently in the mid-50s, but it has been creeping up to the low-60s lately. I sounds like as long as I stay under 70, I should be okay.

Have you been missing these?

And on that note, we’ll give this post a rest. I’ve never participated in a Red Dress Hash Run before, but there is a first time for everything, I suppose. Basically, everyone wears a red outfit and does a bar crawl. I’m not exactly looking forward to it, but I’ll try to make it through. Details and photos tomorrow.

I made the most of my Thirstday this week. Even stayed out past 9 pm, as hard as that may be to believe. Swan and I kicked things off with a pleasant walk through the Naugsol valley. Then I got the good news from Dr. Jo that my blood work was negative for pancreatic cancer. An overdue foot spa to scrape away the dead skin from my feet, followed by beers at Red Bar, Jumpin’ Jacks, and It Doesn’t Matter, before we joined the fifth anniversary celebration at Smokes and Bottles. That’s what I call pushing the boundaries, but then again, you only live once.

At Dr. Jo’s, she reviewed the ultrasound results and found no issues of concern. I honestly hadn’t considered that cancer might be causing my urination issues, so I was equally surprised and relieved to be told I’m clean. My blood pressure has slowly been coming back down to my normal range (123/73 this morning). So, the meds seem to be working, and I might just keep on keepin’ on for a while longer. Thanks for that!

After Red Bar, the plan was to grab dinner at Jewel Cafe. When we arrived, the place was packed, so I suggested we check out the menu for the newly opened kitchen at Jumpin’ Jacks.

Not bad for pub grub.

Next, we crossed the highway for what I thought would be our nightcap at It Doesn’t Matter.

Swan got a message from her girlfriend group that they were all at Smokes and Bottles for the fifth anniversary event. She wanted to go, so I tagged along.

It was past my bedtime, and I was over my beer intake limit, so we didn’t stay long. It was a nice night on the town, though.

It is now July 2017 in the LTG archives. In this post from Angeles City, I share some observations and perspectives on the grind of daily living in a city I never much cared for. But whatever life you are living, the only real option is to make the best of what you have.

We haven’t checked in with the Filipina Pea in a while, and in today’s YouTube video, she asks her fellow citizens whether they want to become the 51st American state. It’s a mixed bag, but I sure as hell don’t want the USA to follow me here. However, historically, when the PI was a US colony, the people may have been better off. I think the dumbest move the Philippines made was kicking us out of our military bases here. Now that China is threatening, they want us back. We’ll see how things play out.

Time for a smile or three:

Early tomorrow morning, we are heading up to Baguio to participate in the La Union Valentine’s Day Hash. I’ve got some mixed feelings about this going in. We’ll be Hashing from a campground on the outskirts of Baguio, and most of the Hashers will be staying in tents. I reserved a Kubo hut, so at least I won’t be sleeping on the ground. I spoke with one of the Hares who was in town for the Beach Bash last weekend, and he told me the trail was short but had a couple of tough ups and downs. Not surprising given that Baguio sits on top of a mountain. I guess we’ll see if I’m up to the challenge.

I won’t be able to post from the wilds of Baguio, but I will try to update you when I get back home on Sunday. Assuming I survive.

It was a wonderful Wednesday as I partook in my wanderings. Starting with the Wednesday Walkers outing.

George is from a small town in British Columbia named Tumbler Ridge. His wife is still there working. George told us we’d be hearing about what happened there yesterday, and now we have. Sad for sure, but as more details emerge, it was another case of trans insanity. Time to wake up and get them help, not encourage their madness through mind and body-altering drugs. Condolences to all the victims.

We started our trek with a steep climb and we were rewarded with this view when we achieved the summit.

Swan told me she was craving my beef stew. What’s a good boyfriend to do?

But that’s not all she wanted, so then we did this:

Having gotten what we came for, we headed ashore and paid a visit to Treasure Island.

Owner Bert was there, so it was nice to see him again. He even bought me a beer. We weren’t very hungry after our earlier beef stew indulgence, so we decided we’d just share some chicken quesadillas.

And then it was time to wander back home via a tricycle. And I made it through the whole day without Swan calling me out even once for being “arte.”

Back to the June 2017 archives and a post about fathers, sons, and my Korea life. Like a chameleon, it comes and goes.

Today’s YouTube video is about a joint US-PI military exercise. Getting some practice offloading America’s tools of war here in Subic. Don’t FAFO China!

Humor me this:

And so goes another circle on the carousel of time. I’m scheduled to see Dr. Jo this afternoon so she can review my ultrasound results. I’m hoping for an all-clear to continue this life of leisure indefinitely.

Well, when I say double trouble, I’m talking about darts. But I’ll get to that in a minute. I like to keep things chronological around here; that’s what comes with being old and set in your ways.

So, let’s start with the shopping. No incidents or issues, and I came up with a new way to pay for my groceries without a credit card. I transferred money into the local BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands) account Swan set up for me. That’s cheaper than ATM cash withdrawals and also more convenient. Then I used the debit card tied to the account to pay the cashier at Royal. Easy peasy. Once my new credit card arrives, I’ll just keep it in a safe place for emergencies. Oh, I just now thought of something: the debit card has Swan’s name on it. When I paid, I followed the standard procedure and handed the cashier my card and ID. She glanced at the ID and processed the transaction without comment. Hmm, I thought the purpose of checking the ID was to ensure the card belonged to me. I wonder how often I’ll get away with the name discrepancy. Not that it matters as long as Swan is with me.

Back at the house after shopping, I headed out to do my 4+K neighborhood walk. Nothing new or even worthy of a photo. Then it was the usual routines of a nap and a blog post. With those tasks completed, I broke out my darts and commenced to practice.

I’m not saying I threw all that great, but I beat the Dartbot twice (501 and Cricket). Last time the bot kicked my ass, so there’s that. Then it was time to head out to Alley Cats for the Tuesday dart tournament. And that’s where the troubles began.

Billy, the tourney organizer, told me it would be doubles and asked if I still wanted to play. Well, I had to break that ice eventually, so I agreed to join despite feeling bad for whoever drew me as a partner. When the numbers were drawn, I got paired with a woman I’d never seen before. When we shook hands, she apologized, saying she was new to the game. I also apologized in advance for not being very good at the game. We were the perfect pair for my return to doubles! No pressure, no expectations, no disappointment!

Our first game of the night was 501. We didn’t play well, but we were decent enough to keep it close, and we had a couple of shots at the double-out, which we failed to execute. The second leg was cricket, and I played embarrassingly badly. So, two games, two losses, and down to the losers’ bracket.

When our turn came to play again, things hadn’t improved much. A loss in 501 followed by another beating in cricket. I did manage to hit the double bullseye twice, but that wasn’t enough make up for the otherwise shitty darts I threw.

So, it was two and out, and my doubles debut was a double dose of bad darts. I’m not giving up. Yet. I will try again on Friday.

After darts, we stayed on the same side of town and popped into Gold Bar. There were no dancers on stage, and I wondered why. Then I saw a “two-week millionaire” had them all tabled. That’s a dream come true for the gals, and I’m happy for them. When he got up to go to the CR, I noticed the shirt he was wearing had a Kern River logo on the back. Wow! I spent many happy times camping there when I was growing up. When the stranger returned, I mentioned how much I’d enjoyed my time on the Kern. We introduced ourselves, and he told me he lives in Bakersfield, the nearest city to Kernville, and that he visits often. He hopes to retire and move to Barretto within a year or two. Nice to meet you, Jeff. Thanks for the memories and good luck with your Philippine dreams.

We did our nightcap at Queen Victoria.

We triked home, and then things got a little heated when I looked out the bedroom window.

Anyway, the fires never seem to burn out of control as they do in California. This morning, I could see the blackened landscape but no apparent collateral damage.

So, I took a stroll through my photo albums and enjoyed the memories of happy times on the Kern.

And now to the more recent past, but still feeling like a lifetime ago, a post from the June 2017 LTG archives where I write about becoming a biker again after the move to Pyeongtaek.

Today’s YouTube video discusses “bitter expat syndrome.” I suffer from occasional grumpiness, but I’m not bitter about it. Life in the Philippines is the best life I currently have.

Maybe these will dissolve bitterness:

Not bad for a Tuesday, eh? We’ll try to keep the joy alive with a visit to Kokomo’s floating bar later today. Lord, keep these days coming!

Oh, and at Queen Victoria last night, the girls were “dancing” to their kind of music. Then, a customer wanted to pick a song for them, and it was some hip-hop crap. Well, I figured if he can pick a song for the gals to dance to, so can I. I don’t think they were expecting this:

Yeah, I know I just posted that song on Monday, but it is worth hearing again. I even did some swing dancing with Swan when it played at Queen Vic last night.

Here’s a song for today:

A bump in the road can be a good thing. It reminds you to watch your speed, maintain situational awareness, and accept the reality that there is no such thing as perfect. Then you leave the bump behind and get on with enjoying the life you’ve chosen. And so it goes.

A much quieter than usual Decay Dance, but we didn’t make the children suffer due to tampo.

Anyway, after the candy mission was completed, Swan warmed up the birria tacos I’d brought home for her the night before. She enjoyed them and decided to accept my intended peace offering. We talked through the incident that happened on Friday from both our perspectives — my temper was the trigger, her reaction to my wrongness was overblown, and we both committed to doing better in the future.

So, with that behind us, we were ready to attend the annual VFW Beach Bash at the Outback Resort together. I arrived around 4 pm, and the beauty pageant was scheduled to begin at 6 pm. How to fill the time? Well, with beers, of course. And this:

Beer cards were 500 pesos for six bottles, so that was a fair price. No Zero available, of course. Then I was asked to be a judge for the pageant, which is an honor, but I didn’t want to commit to staying through the end of the contest. See, I know my limitations!

It turns out, I made the right call. I don’t like to be critical of what is the local VFW Chapter’s main fundraising event, but damn, it was a disorganized mess. The singing contest, slated to begin at 5 p.m., was still being sound checked at 5:30. They eventually decided to split the eight competitors into two groups of four, with the first four performing before the beauty pageant and the second group during an intermission while the contestants changed into bathing suits. The performers sounded like the usual karaoke singers to me, and some of the contestants were men, including a bakla (transgender). It was painful to listen to. But hey, maybe that’s just the grumpy old man that I am speaking.

And then, when the beauty pageant was supposed to finally begin, it was announced that the “girls weren’t ready yet.” What the hell, starting late and STILL not ready? Okay, I’ll shut up about it now. When my beer card was full, I’d had enough of both beer and the pageant. I left halfway through the bikini contest.

And that’s all I got photo-wise. Jay, the owner of Hot Zone, posted this photo:

Oh, and I got gifted this shirt:

Sorry I didn’t do a better job covering the event. If I had more patience, I could have been a doctor.

It’s May Day 2017 in the LTG archives, and I’m saying goodbye to my Itaewon life as I prepare for the move to Pyeongtaek.

Today’s YouTube video is from a new (to me) vlogger, Maya Life. She could have titled this one, “don’t be stupid,” but I’m guilty of a couple of these transgressions. I sometimes raise my voice, which is frowned upon in this culture (ironically, other forms of noise are welcomed, like bad singing at high volume). I also haven’t accepted invites to Swan’s family gatherings. I do have some of her relatives working for me, and have had her family over for rooftop fun at The Rite Spot. I’m not saying I’ll never go to a family function, but it’s just not my thing.

And now let me throw these at you:

There you have the current state of my affairs. And now for the Hash run. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, has prepared a “cripple trail” for us old farts, so I should be good to go. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday. The fact of the matter is that I was in the hospital, although that’s no excuse. Things went south for me on Friday night, and I was in a dark place all day Saturday. Truth be told, I still am hurting from the PTSD, but I’m making progress at accepting the reality of how things are. I’ll leave it at that for now.

For those who like condiments, let’s ketchup:

After the walk, I practiced darts at home using an app on my phone called “DARTCOUNTER”. It helps track your performance and even has a bot you can play against. I played the bot at level 5 out of 10 in cricket, and it kicked my ass and pointed like a motherfucker. If someone threw unneeded points like that in a real game, I’d call them out for being an asshole. Oh, well. It beats just throwing randomly for practice.

At the appointed time, we headed to Alley Cats to play in the Friday night tournament there. I was happy that it was a singles tourney because I’m not comfortable dragging a partner down to my level.

So, I lost my first match in the winner’s bracket, then won once in the loser’s bracket before I was eliminated. For me, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s how you play the game. And I sucked. Oh well, I ain’t giving up yet.

So, I’d had a few beers and no food, and I was hungry. As we made our way up the highway, something triggered the tampo that is still going on. I’m still not sure how it will all play out. Stay tuned.

Which brings us to Saturday. I was an emotional trainwreck all morning, but had an “appointment” for an ultrasound at the local hospital in the afternoon. The way it works is that the doctor is scheduled to be there at 1:30 and sees patients on a “first-come, first-served” basis. I arrived at 1 pm and was number seven in line. Hurry up and wait.

Anyway, it took only an hour for my turn to come, and I paid 2300 pesos for a “full abdomen” ultrasound. Given the size of my belly, that’s a bargain! I’ll share the results with Dr. Jo, but aside from a small cyst on the left kidney, everything appears normal.

Six hours of fasting were required before the ultrasound, and I left the hospital hungry. As I walked up the highway in a light rain, the first restaurant I came to was the seldom-visited Coffee Shop. I climbed the stairs and grabbed a table on the open-air patio.

Since I was right across the street from the Arizona Resort, I headed for the floating bar.

Some other customers came and went during my visit to the floater, including a “two-week millionaire” who bought all the gals a drink. Good for you!

When I’d had my fill of beer on the bay, I headed ashore and hiked up the highway to Cheap Charlies.

As is my custom, I bought some food for the girls in lieu of the overpriced lady drinks at Cheap Charlies. And while I was at it, I ordered a Philly cheesesteak for myself.

There’s a big VFW event in town this weekend, the annual Beach Bash, and quite a few of the folks from out of town popped into Cheap Charlies.

Early to start, early to finish. I bought some take-out birria tacos from Mylene’s and brought them home for Swan. But she was still at a friend’s birthday party at Treasure Island. Put the tacos in the fridge, made me a smoothie, then went to bed before eight o’clock. Yeah, that’s me these days.

From the LTG April 2017 archives, a post about my exploration of the Pyeongtaek bar scene before my move there. I wound up spending a year down there, but it never had that Itaewon vibe I had come to know and love. Of course, looking back now, it was because I was living in the past and dreaming of the future instead of just enjoying the moment for what it was worth.

Today’s YouTube video explores the concepts from the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” When I first read the book way back when, I was really impressed by the ideas expressed. I recall that on my last day at work before I retired the first time, I used the story in my farewell remarks to my staff. And I also had those quotes framed and hung on the wall, where they remain to this day.

Shit, the video can’t be embedded. Here’s the link.

Let’s try some humor, shall we?

So, today is the last day of the Beach Bash I mentioned, and I’ll be attending the beauty pageant this evening at the Outback Resort. I might even take some photos if I manage to get a good seat. We shall see tomorrow.

UPDATE: The tampo is over! Hooray!

No complaints about my Thirstday, but not much occurred that warrants inclusion in a blog post. Well, that’s never stopped me before, but at least this one will be short.

We hadn’t seen the homeless umbrella lady I call “Mama” for over a week, and I was actually worried about her well-being. We did a boring Barretto street walk that included walking the length of the National Highway through town, and we didn’t see her at any of the usual spots where she hangs out. Then we turned down one of the side roads, and lo and behold, there Mama was at a sari-sari store having a soda. It was a relief to know she is still okay. I’ve been tossing her some pesos whenever I see her since I was a tourist here. Someday one of us will be gone forever, and the other will never know what happened. Such is life.

After we got home, Swan showered and headed out to spend some time celebrating a friend’s birthday. I took care of my blogging chore, then got in a little darts practice (I’m still way too inconsistent to be competitive). Then it was time to get ready to head into town on my own.

I parked myself at Sloppy Joe’s and ordered my first beer of the day. San Miguel Zero is no longer available, so I’m back on the Light. Oh, well. I’ll adjust. I messaged Swan to see if she would be joining, and she told me not for another hour. She suggested I eat something because she had already had dinner with her friends.

When Swan arrived, she was on the back of a motor scooter with her niece Jane and Jane’s husband Mike (Jane is also my new housekeeper). We invited them to join us next door at The Green Room for drinks. After a round, Jane and Mike departed for home, and Swan and I went next door to Wet Spot for our nightcap. As is my custom, I bought lady drinks for Irene and Beth. A bit later, a “two-week millionaire” arrived and bought all the girls a drink. Irene and Beth asked to be excused so they could partake, and naturally, I agreed. I’m always happy for someone to buy the drinks so I don’t have to. I do appreciate when the gals ask permission instead of just disappearing.

I’d had my fill by then anyway, so we said our goodnights and triked on home. Even a blah day in the life ain’t so bad.

Still seeing lots of funny memes about that “stolen land” idea the left keeps pushing.

It is now April 2017 in the LTG archives. In this post, I’m still wallowing in self-pity, but I’m moving forward in the process of moving on. I began preparations for my move down south to Pyeongtaek and was still planning to re-retire in September. I also spent some time in Busan and at the DMZ. It’s been said that when one door closes, another door opens. That doesn’t mean the new door leads to a better place, but that’s life.

Today’s YouTube video warns against moving to the Philippines for the wrong reasons or in the wrong mindset. Yeah, I was running away from a painful past and looking for a fresh start. It took a while to find my way, but here I am, almost eight years later, and I have no regrets about my decision.

Are these what you’ve been waiting for?

Now it is on with the rest of my Friday. I’m going to chuck some arrows for practice. Later, I’ll hit Alley Cats and see if tonight’s tourney will be singles or doubles. I still don’t feel that confident in my game to avoid disappointing a partner, but we’ll see how I feel when I get there.

Welp, I walked myself through another Wednesday. Here’s some of what I saw along the way:

But the walkin’ wasn’t over, Christopher. At beer o’clock, we hoofed it out to Baloy Beach for some time on the Kokomo’s floating bar.

After our meal, we called it a day. I was tired, and it wasn’t even 7:30 yet.

Sixteen years ago, I was also steppin’ it up:

Alright, indulge me once again as I cross the political divide:

Still in the March 2017 LTG archives, and in this post, I reflect on my life of solitude in Seoul. Of course, that was nothing compared to what I would experience after the move to Pyeongtaek. Even now, my friend circle is shrinking. That’s okay, I’ll just play it out and see where I wind up, friendless or dead.

Today’s YouTube video is from Reekay. I was honestly surprised when I saw him discussing the concept of what I call a “do-over” life. Yeah, let me go back to being an 18-year-old taking everything with me that I’ve learned over these past fifty-two years. I know, be careful what you wish for. Beyond the impossibility of time travel is the reality that the different roads I’d like to explore would mean missing out on all the good things I’ve experienced on this version of life’s journey. It’s only a dream.

What else have I got? How about these:

And that’s all I’ve got to say about yesterday.