“I know that I have less to live than I have lived.

I feel like a child who was given a box of chocolates. He enjoys eating it, and when he sees that there is not much left, he starts to eat them with a special taste.

I have no time for endless lectures on public laws – nothing will change. And there is no desire to argue with fools who do not act according to their age. And there’s no time to battle the gray. I don’t attend meetings where egos are inflated and I can’t stand manipulators.

I am disturbed by envious people who try to vilify the most capable to grab their positions, talents and achievements.

I have too little time to discuss headlines – my soul is in a hurry.

Too few candies left in the box.

I’m interested in human people. People who laugh at their mistakes are those who are successful, who understand their calling and don’t hide from responsibility. Who defends human dignity and wants to be on the side of truth, justice, righteousness. This is what living is for.

I want to surround myself with people who know how to touch the hearts of others. Who, through the blows of fate, was able to rise and maintain the softness of the soul.

Yes, I hustle, I hustle to live with the intensity that only maturity can give. I’ll eat all the candy I have left – they’ll taste better than the ones I already ate.

My goal is to reach the end in harmony with myself, my loved ones and my conscience.

I thought I had two lives, but it turned out to be only one, and it needs to be lived with dignity.”

Anthony hopkins

Easier said than done, but I’m down with making the best use of whatever time I have left. Here’s what I’ve been doing since I last posted here at LTG:

After I ate, it was time to get ready to feed the Hideaway girls. This week they desired something different–Korean style eats!

Ashley, the gal that’s been coming to the Hash, started her new job at The Green Room last night. So, after leaving Hideaway, I stopped in to buy her a welcome drink or two. It’s good to see her working again, she’s got a big family to support.

Ashley’s a nice enough gal, and I appreciate that she enjoys some of my favorite activities, like hiking and beer drinking. I have every intention of keeping her strictly in the friend zone.

I didn’t stay out late in deference to my tired old lungs. Went to bed early and woke up panting (I was alone, so not the good kind) at midnight. I registered 87 on my oximeter. I nebulized and went back to sleep. When I got up this morning I was 89. I nebulized again and walked the dogs. When I checked my blood oxygen level again, I was back to my “normal” 95. I’m not sure what’s going on with that.

In an overabundance of caution, I decided to confine my morning walk to the neighborhood. To make that effort a little more interesting, I took a photo of each house currently under construction here in Alta Vista. I had an uphill walk back to the house and I was breathing hard when I got home. Checked my oxy reading again and I was at 96. So, there doesn’t seem to be any correlation to my lack of lung capacity and blood oxygen levels. Weird.

Here’s those houses being built:

Shenandoah Bend (my street)

Everglades Drive:

Alta Vista Drive

Capitol Drive

So, that’s where things stand (and I’m still standing!). Nothing left to do now but carry on.

The sky is clearing and the night has cried enough
The sun, he comes, the world to soften up
Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on

The fortunes of fables are able to sing the song
Now witness the quickness with which we get along
To sing the blues you've got to live the dues and carry on

Carry on, love is coming, love is coming to us all

My lung issues have flared up again; this is probably the worst outbreak I’ve had. There are even sound effects–when I exhale, I wheeze so loudly it almost sounds like snoring. I also had low energy levels; I couldn’t even force myself out for my standard Sunday solo stroll. The nebulizer helps some, and I am using it with much more frequency. Hopefully, this is just a phase and not my new normal.

In lieu of walking, I took a morning nap. And another in the afternoon. In between, I watched the final episodes of Lucifer. I’ll write a separate post with my thoughts on that series.

I felt strong enough to go to Hideaway Bar for the Sunday feeding. On the way, I stopped at Jewel Cafe and ordered the standard fare: pork sisig, garlic prawns, and chicken wings.

When I departed Hideaway, I went to John’s place for my food.

So, next week I’ll be in Pattaya, Thailand. The timing for this trip couldn’t be better. I need a break from my routines and a change of scenery. I also want some time alone to think about what comes next. More of the same, or trying something new?

A commenter on a recent post suggested I cut everyone off that are currently receiving financial support from me and see what happens. Will they still be my “friends,” or will they disappear once nothing can be gained from knowing me? I know what it feels like to be ignored when you aren’t buying lady drinks; it happened again last night at Sloppy Joe’s. And that’s okay, but a smart bargirl will pretend at least to like you. My style is to order a beer, and if someone engages with me while I drink it, I’ll buy her a drink when I order my second. Last night, the gals were more interested in their phones than me, so I saved some money.

It’s a bit different situation with my “regulars” like Joy and Mary. Last week Joy needed money to enroll her five-year-old in kindergarten, and her other kid had a birthday on Saturday. On Wednesday, I tipped her what I thought was a generous 1000 pesos to assist with those expenses. On Friday, she messaged me that she didn’t have money for her kid’s birthday. I reminded her I had provided her with money for that purpose, but she said it wasn’t enough to cover everything. I didn’t respond after that, but it irritated me that she somehow thinks I’m responsible for taking care of her children. Joy messaged me yesterday asking if I was coming to Hideaway, and I told her I didn’t want to be a disappointment to her again. I was surprised and somewhat taken aback by her response:

” You are not a disappointment. You’re the most important person in my life. Don’t think you are a disappointment because you are not. I just said that [about the birthday] because I was sad. I didn’t say you disappointed me. I’m sorry that I made you feel that way. Sorry!”

Okay, I can be a tad oversensitive, I suppose. So maybe she wasn’t chiding me about not giving her enough money. That part about being the “most important” is downright scary. Whatever I decide to do, I do not want to hurt someone’s feelings. Oddly enough, of all the bargirls I know, Joy would be the best fit as a girlfriend/companion. Except she has those two young children who I know are more important to her than me, as they should be. I’m not looking to raise someone else’s kids, so that makes any potential relationship a no-go.

Then there’s Mary. The age gap (and her kid) always made the reality of our arrangement obvious. Turns out, though, that lately, I’ve been thinking I’m not cut out to be a Sugar Daddy either. She began a new job at John’s place yesterday, and I hope it works out for her. That’s why I went for the pulled pork–Mary needed money to pay for her medical and some employment certificate from City Hall (probably confirming that she is eighteen). So, naturally, I provided the funds. Anyway, I don’t mind helping her transition to a real job, which will make it easier for me to resign as her sponsor.

Lots to think about. Hopefully, my health will improve because nothing else matters when you wake up breathless.

I’m going to attempt the Hash this afternoon. Guenther is the Hare, but there is a “mostly flat 7K easy trail” alternative. I guess we’ll find out what he considers flat and easy. What’s the worst that could happen?

More to come soon, including the Lucifer post.

I was going to call today’s post “Ruby Tuesday,” but a quick search revealed I had used that title back in February 2021. I reread the old post, and in the comments, Brian suggested, “You can’t always get what you want,” would have been a more appropriate title. So, here you go.

Shopping at Royal is always hit-and-miss. This week the sugar-free pudding that has been satisfying my sweet tooth’s desire for dessert was out of stock. On the other hand, they did have Coke Zero in the 16oz bottles I prefer for the first time in several weeks. In the end, I guess I got what I needed.

My mountain mama friend MJ whom I support came by for her weekly stipend. I mentioned I had a doctor’s appointment that afternoon, and she asked me what was wrong. I told her I was being treated for AIDS. The look on her face as she jumped back, was priceless! I quickly reassured her that I was joking, and while relieved, I don’t think she likes my sense of humor much.

My visit with Dr. Jo was for another B+ shot, which she recommends I get every 7-10 days. The injection is supposed to help my body up my red blood cell count, which is below normal and may contribute to my periodic breathing difficulties. I also asked if I should get one of those kits to monitor my blood sugar, and she said she didn’t think that was necessary at this time. I’ll return for another blood diagnostics session in a couple of months to check my progress.

It was only 3:30 after my appointment. Too late to go back home and too early to start drinking, so I decided to find something to eat (I had skipped lunch). With time to spare, I made the trek across town to John’s place. My waitress asked if I was interested in the day’s special–Philly cheesesteak. I responded that’s what I came for!

John stopped by my table and asked me what I thought of the sandwich. I told him it was the best I ever had. I said I was especially surprised by the cheese sauce. He told me that was also something he made himself from scratch. Also, the beef was USDA ribeye, which was very tender and tasty. Well done, Mr. Kim!

After my meal, I headed back across town to Sloppy Joe’s. My buds Chris and Jim were there, and I joined them in the pursuit of happiness by downing alcoholic beverages. I can only stay in one place for so long, and when my feet got itchy, I invited Jim to join me in a bar hop.

Neither of us had been to Adam’s bar in a long time, so we went in to check it out. We were the only customers. They had several bargirls sitting around waiting for something to do. At least they didn’t accost us for lady drinks, which I always appreciate. I’m unsure why Adam’s isn’t doing better; it’s a nice venue with a pool table and dart boards. If I had to guess, I’d say the problem is simply more bars than available customers. That seemed to be the case last night, at least. We finished our beers and departed.

I suggested we pay a visit to Whiskey Girl next, and when I mentioned the “buy one, get one” deal, Jim was sold. My old favorite, Jen, was outside as we arrived, and she escorted us to our table. We ordered our beers, and I bought a lady drink for Jen. I asked about the new girl I had met on my last visit, Niki, and they pointed out that she was on the stage “dancing” (it was more like the typical Barretto shuffle), so I called her down to join us.

Jen asked me about brownies (I guess that’s becoming my nighttime claim to fame, similar to the cookies I hand out during the day), and I pointed out that the last few times I’ve visited the bar, she’s been with a customer or absent, so bringing her brownies hadn’t even occurred to me. Then she told me it was her birthday. I felt bad for her, but as I noted, how was I supposed to know what day she was born? She said she had told me the last time I was there, but I have no recollection of that. Anyway, I promised I’d bring brownies the next time I visit. And then a flower vendor came by, so I bought Jen a rose.

Jim wanted to make Alley Cats the final stop of the evening, but I knew I’d already had enough, so I declined the invite and caught a trike home.

I don’t hike on Tuesdays, but I did find this and found it interesting:

Nearly 150 years ago, in 1874, Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and his pastor, Joseph Twitchell set off to attempt a walk of 100 miles from Hartford Connecticut to Boston, Massachusetts. They hoped to finish within 48 hours. They often took ten-mile jaunts together, only suffering “jaw ache” from gabbing so much. With this walk, they could store up enough “jaw” for the winter.

The two passed through hamlets along the way and after ten hours and 28 miles they stopped for the night. “Before retiring, they had a consultation and decided that their undertaking had developed into anything but a pleasure trip and was actually hard work.” In the morning they reached mile 35 and then boarded a train for Boston. Twain said, “My knee was so stiff that it was like walking on stilts.” He never tried a 100-mile walk again.

From my new book: Running 100 Miles: Part One (1729-1960), https://ultrarunninghistory.com/100miles1/

Yep, keeping it fun, or at least enjoyable, is my goal these days.

I shared the photo of my mom and dad from 1950 (posted here yesterday) on Facebook, and it generated a lot of feedback. In response to a question, I noted that the marriage was far from perfect, but it had lasted a lifetime (almost 60 years when they passed away).

This fruit fell far from that tree–I’m a four-time loser at marriage. And love seems to be the bane of my existence. Well, you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

Here’s hoping.

Only me and Scott again for the Friday hike, so we took advantage of the opportunity to get creative. Scott had wanted to do a Tibag to Subic walk for quite some time, but we never had adequate transport to the start at the Army checkpoint on the road to Tibag. With just us two, we hired a trike to get us there.

The trek itself was long and hot and didn’t exactly go as planned. Shortly after leaving the road, we lost the trail and had to rough it down a creekbed until we found a path that eventually led us to our intended course. The bottom of the creekbed was ankle-deep in mud. Not a pretty sight, but in the end, we prevailed and wound up having an enjoyable but tiring walk to our destination.

That’s how the hike went down. We had a Jeepney ride back to Barretto from the Waltermart in Subic. I came home and washed the mud caked on my legs off, then waited for Mary’s arrival.

After our late lunch and a nap, we headed into town for some Friday evening fun. I opted not to do the SOB this week, so we made Sloppy Joe’s our first stop.

Chris was playing the music and taking requests, and his gal kept Mary engaged in conversation. My pal Jim was also in attendance, so it was a friendly social gathering.

When it came time to move on, I suggested crossing the highway and taking advantage of Thumbstar’s “buy one, take one” special on drinks and food. Jim joined us. I did two chicken shwarmas and washed them down with half-priced beer. I’d call that a win.

Jim was going to end his evening at Alley Cats (he lives on the same alley), and I decided to join him. I used to be there three nights a week for darts, but it had been months since my last visit. There were no customers when we arrived, and the crew seemed genuinely glad to see me. Especially after I rang the bell for a round of lady drinks. And then I rang it again. Two bell rings may be a first for me, but I was caught up in the spirit of old times.

Mary came home with me and spent the night. After breakfast, we had dessert, and then I walked with her to Divimart, where I surprised her with a new phone. Then I put her on a Jeepney for home and took a short walk on a hot morning.

In other news, Super Typhoon Betty is going to give us a near miss but dump some rain and wind our way starting tomorrow.

I wasn’t sure what to do with my Saturday night. A friend invited me to a Snackbar party, but I don’t think I’m up for it. John Kim just now posted this to Facebook:

Premium Philly Cheese Steak sandwich.

Sliced USDA Rib Fingers with homemade cheddar sauce using the cheese from Wisconsin. It’s a dream come true Philly Cheese Steak sandwich that nobody dares to spend this much on material cost in this town.

For limited time, p495 at John’s Sushi and Steakhouse.

And after that, who knows? These are the best of times.

A productive day yesterday, at least by my standards. But first, there’s this:

This post is the first time I’ve used it, and I can already tell there will be an adjustment period. One thing I’ve noticed since the first sentence I typed is that the keyboard layout is slightly different from my old computer. I mean, all the keys are in the same order, but the spacing is different, so I’m mistyping much more frequently than usual. Bear woth ,e (that’s an actual example of what I’m talking about).

I also went and looked at a house coming up for rent here in the neighborhood. It’s in rough condition, but the landlord is willing to make all the necessary repairs and upgrades–provided I agree to pay the rent one year in advance. Hmm, tempting, but after sleeping on it, I decided against moving for now. I just signed a one-year lease here, and I’m uncomfortable risking breaking that for something that may not work out (i.e., I give the advance money, and she doesn’t make the promised repairs). I’ll just wait until the work is done or I find a better place.

The other productive thing I accomplished was booking a flight and securing lodging for a week in Pattaya, Thailand, next month. Yep, I’m finally going to get off my lazy ass and escape Barretto for a change of scenery. Hopefully, this trip will rekindle my love of travel and will be the first of many adventures to come. I’m not getting any younger, after all.

Nothing special about my night on the town. I started at Cheap Charlies and did my gin and soda thing with the intermittent can of soda water.

Anyway, I avoided the falling-down drunk bullshit. The only real downside is each drink cost me double (except for the intervening can of soda). Then I had the bright idea of going to Whiskey Girl to take advantage of their “buy one, get one” happy hour pricing. So, my shot of gin is 110 pesos, and I get the soda water for free.

I made it back home by 8:00 p.m. and spent some more time with Lucifer. I promise to do a write-up with my impressions once I finish season six, the end of the series (I’m halfway through season five now).

Just me and Scott on the Wednesday walk today, and we did something nice and sensible and suitable for a couple of old fuckers. I’ll share some photos tomorrow.

Time to shower up and head out for the feeding at Hideaway. And I hope everyone enjoyed Siblings Day:

Pretty much a nothing at all kind of day.

Implemented the usual daylight time fillers (blog, nap, Netflix), then I headed out for the Hideaway feeding.

I purchased the usual dinner delights from Jewel Cafe for the girls.

I also implemented my plan to reduce my beer intake by 50%–henceforth, I will only imbibe brewed beverages every other day. I filled the void last night by reacquainting myself with gin and soda (zero carbs). In an effort to avoid previous pratfalls associated with gin ingestion, I’ve instituted a “buy one, skip one” scheme. The way that works is I have a shot of gin in a tall glass with a whole can of soda water to refill the glass as I drink. So, that waters down the one shot significantly. When that drink is gone, I order a can of plain soda water and no gin. So, by alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, I enhance my ability to maintain some semblance of sobriety. Hopefully, no more falling down drunk nights for me. It worked out pretty well last night.

I did my nightcap at The Green Room. I met someone there (a non-employee acquaintance) who was more than willing to come home and spend the night with me. I was tempted but ultimately rejected her advances. I’m not sure why exactly; maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. But I also sensed she was a potential drama queen, and as empty as my life might be, I don’t have room for that. I was second-guessing myself all the way home, but when I woke up alone this morning, I felt like I had made the right call.

Some of my long-time readers may be thinking, “Who is this guy?” I’m not sure what’s going on either; perhaps it is just a transitory phase, or it could be I’ve had enough meaninglessness. I need to find better ways to fill the voids in my life.

Wish me luck!

After five years of Saturday nights in the bars of Barretto, I’ve come to realize that you can be alone, even when you are with somebody. It turns out paid company ain’t much different than an empty barstool. Well, I think I’ve always known that on some level, but lately, that truth seems harder to ignore. It’ll be okay; I just need to embrace the reality of solitude and enjoy my “me time.”

I started my day with a longer-than-usual solo walk. From step one, my body seemed to say, “Let’s not do this,” but I ignored myself and pushed on.

I had a sugar-free bowl of pudding for lunch (okay, I sprinkled in some raisins), took a nap, blogged, watched a little TV, then headed into town to experience the Saturday nightlife, such as it is.

I made It Doesn’t Matter my first stop. It had been a while since my last visit, and I felt a little guilty about that. I was pretty shocked when I arrived to see there were NO other customers seated outside. I’d never seen that before, especially on a Saturday. The music was also blaring so loud I had to shout for the waitress to hear my drink order (I decided to make it a San Miguel Zero night). Bob would never have countenanced that kind of volume. When I asked the waitress to turn it down, she did without hesitation. I settled in to enjoy my beer and watch the world pass by, and before long, two other waitresses I know by sight but not by name joined me. We played the twenty questions game–where do you live, do you have a wife, etc. Now, on paper, I’m married, but the reality is I’ve been single for over six years now. The waitresses were surprised I didn’t have a girlfriend and asked why, and I honestly replied that I have a low tolerance for drama. Anyway, the nice thing about the first time chatting with bargirls is that all of my jokes are new, so I proceeded to go through my repertoire, and they laughed in all the right places. I rewarded their diligence and devotion to duty with a lady drink while I enjoyed my second beer of the day.

I was ready for something more substantial to eat, so I burned some calories by walking to John’s place for some dinner.

After my meal, I headed back up the highway and passed a barber shop with no customers inside. It had been two weeks since I discovered that my former salon was now barberless, so I took advantage of the opportunity to get my ears lowered. The barber here did a nice job, so it looks like I have a new home for haircuts.

Now what? I hesitated as I passed by Blue Butterfly, but I didn’t see any other customers, just a passel of thirsty bargirls. I wasn’t in the mood to fend them off; maybe next time. I considered Mugshots (they don’t have GROs), but drinking alone can be boring, so I kept walking. When I got to Cheap Charlies, I figured why not and climbed the steps to the third-floor venue.

Nerissa and Alma were ready, willing, and able to be my drinking buddies, and I played along. I got a nice back rub, too. When it was time to move on, I continued down the highway with no clear destination in mind. Sloppy Joe’s looked enticing as I approached, so I popped in.

I didn’t know any of the customers, and the one waitress I was familiar with seemed preoccupied with someone else. I did get a beer when I sat down, but I had to raise my hand to get offered a second one. When that bottle was empty, I waited for someone to come around, but no one did before my patience was exhausted. So, I got up, went inside to pay my 150 peso tab, and was handed a stack of ten 5 peso coins wrapped in plastic for change. Okay, I understand not giving me a 50 peso note as that might preclude my leaving a tip. I was expecting two twenties and two coins, but to pay me with wrapped coins and a shrug seemed insulting somehow. I left the coins on the tray and walked out.

I guess I was just in one of those moods. Came home, watched some more Lucifer (I’m into season five now), then escaped into sleep.

I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with me. I mean, I’m fine with things as they are but would be open to some new adventures. I really need to get off my lazy ass and plan some long-overdue travel. That idea of having multiple girlfriends for different days of the week isn’t exactly working out. Joy was supposed to join me on Thursday but wanted to meet up when I was going home. Nope, if you don’t want to spend time with me on a bar hop, I don’t care about you spending the night with me. The whole point was companionship; I don’t care so much about sex, especially when there is an expectation of compensation. I guess things went okay with Mary on Friday, although that almost fifty-year age gap doesn’t leave much common ground for interaction. And, of course, my hopes for Angie disappeared like a 500 peso note from the kitchen table.

So, it is what it is, and what it is is good enough. For now, anyway.

This Facebook memory from seven years ago was a kick in the nuts.

On the health front, here’s one of the new vitamins Dr. Jo has me taking:

My FB memories feed also included this gem (I probably posted it here, too, but it is worth remembering):

And that’s all I’ve got to say for now.

Friday night at the SOB is never a SOBering experience. Mary joined me for yesterday’s performance, and for some reason known only to her, she decided to drink shots of tequila. It didn’t end well. Near the conclusion of the event, a guy sitting on the other side of me motioned toward Mary and said, “You better check on your girl.” When I turned around, I saw that she had vomited all the free-finger foods she had consumed. To her credit, she cleaned up the mess as best as she could with napkins. Someone came with a mop, and I hustled her out of there. It was still a little embarrassing, but at least this time, I wasn’t the source of the problem. We took a trike home, and she wasn’t acting drunk. She washed her clothes in my bathroom while I made us smoothies. We watched an episode of Lucifer together, then went to bed.

Dessert this morning was also quite satisfying.

As usual, Friday started with a group hike. No one had any better ideas, so I opted to lead us on a Naugsol valley excursion. It was a very hot day, and there was little shade along the way. I kept reminding myself that I’d be complaining about the rain soon enough. I made it back home with just over 7K under my belt.

That was pretty much my day. We’ll see what happens next.

I had a good visit with Dr. Jo and her husband yesterday to discuss the results of my recent blood diagnostics. As mentioned earlier, I had several above-normal readings and one below-the-normal range. Only two were of immediate concern: The FBS (hexokinase) reading of 6.35 (normal is 3.89-5.49) classifies as “pre-diabetic,” and the red blood cell count of 4.57 (normal is 4.63-6.08).

I’ve been having some breathing issues again recently, and the low red blood cells could be a contributing factor. Dr. Jo gave me a B-12 injection and recommended getting one every 7-10 days to improve my blood chemistry. The cure for my blood sugar issues is not surprisingly diet related–I need to cut back on the carbs. I’ve been there and done that (lost 35kgs in the process), so I know it can be achieved with the right motivation and self-discipline. I must let go of my love for ice cream, cakey snacks, bread, potatoes, and other carb-rich foods.

But what about beer? Both doctors know me well enough that they assumed beer would remain my primary source of carbohydrates. Well, maybe not. As much as I like drinking beer, I think I can find ways to reduce my intake. Now, don’t get me wrong–I’m not giving up the bar scene; that’s a bridge too far. So, my thinking now is I will try renewing my relationship with gin, at least on a part-time basis. I need to find better ways to control my intake and level of inebriation, something I failed at previously. My plan this go-round is to do my gin and soda and then partake a can of soda water in between drinks. That will slow down my alcohol intake without reducing my bar time. We’ll see how that works out for me.

The blood work also indicates I may have some allergy issues, so I have some new meds for that. And a liver indicator was a tad high as well, which is really no surprise given my daily alcohol intake. My cutting-back plan should help there as well. But overall, most of my indicators look good, and I’m doing alright for an old guy. I need to make the lifestyle adjustments now to keep it that way.

After my appointment, it was going on three o’clock. It didn’t seem worthwhile to go all the way back home just to turn around and come back to town at beer o’clock. Sloppy Joe’s is practically next door to Dr. Jo’s clinic, so I popped in there to consider my options. And yes, I hydrated with a San Mig Zero. At the conclusion of my second beer, the thought occurred to me that I could pass some time and get some additional steps in by walking to Baloy Beach and then visiting the floating bar there. So, I set about doing that when suddenly, there was a cloudburst, and the raindrops were falling on my head.

I walked back to the highway, then decided to pay a visit to one of my old haunts, Snackbar. The memories there tend to make me sad, and last night was no exception. I finished my beer and caught a trike home.

It wasn’t even eight yet, so I watched a couple of more Lucifer episodes. I didn’t want the rocky road ice cream in the freezer to tempt me once I start my low-carb diet, so I took it out and ate it all in one sitting. Hey, the devil made me do it!

And just to keep these health-related issues in perspective, here’s something my favorite restauranteur, John Kim, posted on Facebook yesterday:

I was just at emergency room again because I couldn’t breathe well. That was why I was asking if anyone has 2nd hand oxygen tank that was not being used. I know where I can buy them, but my medical bill is eating up everything we have that it’s very hard to buy anything new. People look at me as if I’m unlucky with my situation and give me the sympathy look.

Well, here’s story of my life that you can judge whether I am unlucky or not. I came to the Philippines with my family, as early retirement. I had Korean wife and two sons. I thought things were doing good, but one day, my wife packed and left. So did my sons. I was devastated and started drinking a lot and also gotten into gambling. I was always shit drunk when I went to casino and gradually lost everything. I became broke and alcoholic. I was ready to leave the country but I met my girl, Lin.

She took me knowing I have nothing. I stopped all the bad habits, not because she told me so, but I just wanted to prove to her that I can get back on my feet. It’s 11th year that I live with Lin, but she’s never told me what to do or what not to do. We both worked hard and started get our lives on track, but getting paid in the Philippines was a joke, and we decided to work for our own. So we started frying chicken from our home and started delivering to Koreans. That’s how we started our restaurant business.

We had ups and downs but we manage to come this far. She is excellent cook and she does most of work. She trains new cook, accounting, purchasing and general work of entire place. When I started getting dialysis, she started working 18 hours a day to help out for my medical bill. And she doesn’t even have a washing machine. She often hand washes all our clothes, while all our emplyees get paid the most in town.

I’m probably one of the luckiest guys on planet. I can’t afford to get depressed. My one day is equivalent to one or two weeks of others. These days, I go out with my friends more than ever. I even go bar hop with friends, which I’ve never done in several years. It’s funny that I am enjoying my life more than ever.

Good luck to you, John. Keep fighting!

I’m still alive and kicking, and until I’m not, I’m going to keep on doing what I do. I’m not saying what I do is anything special, but I will get it while I can. Take yesterday, for example:

I tested high (above the normal range) in FBS, cholesterol, uric acid, GGT, mean corpuscular volume, eosinophil, and basophil. My red blood cells were below normal. I have no idea what all that means, but I hope to find out tomorrow afternoon when I pay a visit to Dr. Jo. I’m mostly concerned about the FBS (hexokinase)–my 6.35 reading (the normal range is 3.89-5.49) places me in the “pre-diabetic” category. My mother was diabetic during the final years of her life, and I definitely don’t want to go there. It will be interesting to discover what lifestyle changes may await me.

I also did my usual grocery shopping excursion.

I’m ordering a new laptop through my pal Jim’s good graces (it will be shipped from the USA via his brother). My current keyboard is reluctant to type “o” and “l,” making writing even more challenging. I stopped by Jim’s place to see the model he’s going to order; then, we went out for some beers at Cheap Charlies and the Annex Bar.

When my hunger overwhelmed my thirst, I said farewell and headed up the highway to John’s place.

Since I was practically right across the street from Hideaway, I decided to pop in and give Joy a surprise. I was the day’s first customer, and you could sense how desperate the girls were for lady drink commissions something to drink. I obliged by ringing the bell (buying everyone a drink), something I rarely do, but seeing as how I was the first best customer, I felt a sense of duty to do so. (damn, there were a lot of “o’s” in that sentence.)

A bit later, Joy said she was hungry, so I sent one of the girls out to get some rice and chicken. Of course, I’ll also be back tonight for the regular Wednesday feeding. I’m just glad I’m healthy enough to go out on these drinking excursions missions of mercy. Nothing lasts forever, so I’d better grab the opportunities while I can!

Via Facebook memories, here’s a bit of humor I’ve shared in the past:

Man: Haven’t I seen you someplace before?

Woman: Yes, that’s why I don’t go there anymore.

Man: Is this seat empty?

Woman: Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.

Man: Your place or mine?

Woman: Both. You go to yours, and I’ll go to mine.

Man: So, what do you do for a living?

Woman: I’m a female impersonator.

Man: Hey baby, what’s your sign?

Woman: Do not enter.

Man: How do you like your eggs in the morning?

Woman: Unfertilized.

Man: Your body is like a temple.

Woman: Sorry, there are no services today.

Man: I would go to the end of the world for you.

Woman: But would you stay there?

Man: If I could see you naked, I’d die happy.

Woman: If I saw you naked, I’d probably die laughing

Sounds about right. That’s why the bars pay girls to sit with guys like me.