Yesterday’s hike turned out to be a surprising adventure. It all began when Swan said she wanted to come along. She thinks my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll route is boring, so I tried something a little more creative. We took a Jeepney out to the Kalaklan barangay area and got off at the hillside cemetery. My plan was to go down to the beach at the lighthouse, then walk the sand to the Bantan Bayan neighborhood, and make our way back to Barretto from there. It had been a while since I walked this route, and I belatedly discovered how much things had changed. One of those changes was the lingering impact of the recent storm, including a higher-than-expected tide combined with rough waters. In the end, these obstacles proved insurmountable. Here’s how things went down:

Splurged for a trike ride home after our abbreviated adventure. Not much distance, but lots of excitement.

Went out for some bar time after a two-day break and started at It Doesn’t Matter. Enjoyed some brews and then Swan’s brother-in-law popped in and joined us for a bit. We went to Wet Spot next, but it was so dead that we carried our drinks next door to Green Room and enjoyed them there. Ordered some food to bring home and called it a night.

And so ended another day in the life.

And now a word from our sponsor:

Today’s YouTube video is from Reekay. I’m not sure what is going on, but numerous vloggers are posting on expat fuckups. Reekay has been around a long time (I was following him prior to my move) and he offers sound advice.

Here’s the funny stuff:

Alright, I’m running late. Got to feed those hungry gals at Hideaway, then meet my sweetheart for our dinner at John’s place. Until tomorrow then.

It’s almost time to bitch and moan about the rainy season and start looking forward to those hot, sweaty days again. Until then, you just gotta make the best of the situation. We had four hearty streetwalkers for our Friday group hike, and we all brought umbrellas for what little good they did. A few sprinkles in the beginning, then some heavy rain for most of the rest of the way. I was soaked when we finished, but as I kept reminding myself, a couple of months ago, I would have been soaked with sweat. At least we didn’t have to worry about heat strokes.

Our journey took us from Barretto, through the backstreets of Matain, into Calapacuan, then some of San Isidro, a taste of Santo Tomas, then back to Barretto. A 9K junket all told.

The other event of the day was attending a dinner party with neighbors Jeff and Divina and the other invited guests.

I fucked up and didn’t do a good job documenting the food. Here’s what I got:

Anyway, hanging out and enjoying the food and beverages with the group was great. I left about the time the videoke kicked in and felt a little rude for doing so. It wasn’t the music, but I experienced a breathing attack for some reason. That’s very unusual for me when I’m not going uphill and just sitting on my ass. My oximeter read 90, the lowest I’ve been in a long time. Fortunately, my nebulizer brought me back up to 97, and I felt fine when I hit the hay an hour later.

More rain during the night, but as forecasted, the rain finally let go this morning.

September 7 will always be a special day in my life.

Today’s YouTube video is from another vlogger I don’t subscribe to, but he offers five reasons why the Philippines might not be for you. I only struggle with one of them: patience. Back before Loraine broke my heart, she taught me this mantra: Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way. I still use it on occasion, and it does help keep my head from exploding.

Some more of what I call humor:

Welp, it’s been over two days since I set foot in a bar. I aim to rectify that situation tonight. I’m not sure where, but I know the bars of Barretto are counting on me, and I won’t let them all down. I’ll tell you about that and the nearly disastrous rock-climbing adventure from this morning in tomorrow’s post. See you then!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained to blog about. I posted about my trip to Pundaquit yesterday and I stayed home last night. So, there’s not much left say. Staying home proved to be a good call because we had some of the heaviest rain of the week during the evening and overnight hours. And yes, it is still raining today. The Friday hikers did an umbrella street walk this morning, but I’ll save that adventure so I have something to post about tomorrow.

We’ve been invited to a “Fajita Party” at the next-door neighbor’s place later this afternoon. I’ve got a batch of brownies in the oven, and Swan will be making some nachos as our contribution to the gathering. I’ll share how the party goes tomorrow as well.

So, what does that leave to write about today? Swan loves to cook, and she surprised me this morning by asking if I wanted a Monte Cristo sandwich for my after-hike lunch. I asked, “You know how to make a Monte Cristo?” She responded, “I know you like them, and I just watched a YouTube video, so I’ll try it.” Ah, ain’t that sweet?

Here’s the video she watched.

Speaking of videos, I’m part of a COPD information group, and today, I received a link to a video about walking and breathing. It’s pretty simple, really, and I may be doing it naturally, but I’ll give it a try and see if it helps.

Still in video mode, a commenter recently sent me this YouTube of a Filipina giving Tagalog lessons. In my stay-at-home boredom last night, I learned five new words (the first five in the lesson). Swan was quite impressed. Of course, I don’t remember them today, but I’ll go back and review again. Maybe something will stick in my addled brain.

No funeral banners today, but this one caught my eye:

From Facebook memories comes this reminder from eight years okay. It was the last day of our Philippines vacation and we were enjoying our final dinner at the Arizona Resort here in Barretto.

Today’s YouTube video is from someone I don’t subscribe to, and after watching this one, I’m afraid I have to disagree with much of what he has to say. He seems bitter and cynical, and his advice to NEVER do certain things seems a bit overboard. Not all Filipinas are scammers. And if you meet a good one and treat her the way this guy suggests, you will lose her. The trick is knowing the difference. I certainly had my share of fuck ups along the way, but that’s just the tuition to the school of experience. Anyway, it’s worth a watch if for no other reason than as a warning not to become as disillusioned as this gent is.

Okay, let’s cleanse the palate with some humor:

Okay, I’ll stop now. Hopefully back with more substance tomorrow.

I have arrived safely back home after my twenty-four hour whirlwind adventure to Barangay Pundaquit, City of San Antonio, Zambales Province, Luzon Island, Philippines.

We arrived at our destination at noon time. I sent Swan to the beach hotel we didn’t have a reservation for to check availability and price. I had her go to avoid the “skin tax” that occurs when a foreigner is quoted a higher price than a local. She returned to report that the resort was undergoing renovation, and no kitchen or bar was available. They did offer Swan a reduced rate of 3000 pesos for the night (down from 3600). Swan also checked the newer and nicer place next door, and they wanted 5500 pesos for the night. It wasn’t THAT much nicer, so we went with the original plan. We did use the restaurant facilities at the other place for lunch.

The restaurant across the street was devoid of guests, and the upstairs section I had been wanting to try since seeing it on my last trip was closed. The bar was the only area not exposed to the wind-blown rain, so that’s where we sat. Being outnumbered by the staff had an eerie feel about it, but the service was good. The wine prices on the menu were shocking–the cheapest being 500 pesos, so Swan had a beer instead. When I got a closer look at the wine on the shelf, it included Carlo Rossi, the brand we buy at Royal for 350 pesos a bottle. Then the lightbulb in my head turned on, and we asked the waitress if the wine prices were per glass or bottle. It turns out that they only sell wine by bottle. So, getting a whole bottle for 500 pesos was practically a bargain, and we bought one.

After our meal, we walked up the street for a look around. I saw a place I had stopped in once a few years back while on a hike and decided to try it again.

Kevin gave us a tour of the facilities. He also has a variety of rooms available, from Nipa huts to aircon rooms. He’s owned the Surf & Sand for eleven years but said they’ve never recovered from the COVID lockdowns. I was a little surprised because Barretto is booming with mostly Filipino tourists, at least on weekends. He said that’s not the case in Pundaquit, and the foreigners who used to come pre-scamdemic have not returned. That’s a shame. He said the place needs several thousand dollars in renovations, but he doesn’t expect he’d be able to recover that investment. He’s considering just walking away from it all and returning to the USA. Damn.

I began drinking much earlier in the day than I normally do. I was drinking San Miguel Light (5% alcohol) rather than my usual Zero (3%). And I didn’t get my daily afternoon nap. So yeah, I fell asleep at the bar. I also ordered take-out food from the Car Wash restaurant up the road but have no recollection of doing so (the unopened containers were in the room this morning). Swan says I was unsteady on my feet but made it back to the hotel without incident.

Swan asked me this morning what time it was when I went to bed. I checked my Fitbit stats and was surprised to see this:

At some point during the night, the power went out. We had no electricity until nine in the morning. I didn’t even bother unpacking my laptop.

Back at our hotel, the staff kindly heated a pot of water on their gas stove so we could enjoy some morning coffee on our front porch.

After our coffee break, we loaded up a bag with cookies and lollipops and headed out to explore the backstreets of Pundaquit.

I’m back home this afternoon, and the deluge continues. In fact, a new storm is approaching, so there is no relief in sight. They have even canceled tomorrow’s SOB as many employees are home dealing with flooding issues.

So, that’s the story of my adventure. All in all, it was a good one.

We need to stop those crazy Trump voters from stealing the election. Here’s a plan that could work:

Today’s YouTube video is a short expose about the sextortion scams and the impact on its victims. I’ve heard tales of this over the years, but it always seemed to me to be limited to a few whacked individuals. Apparently, it’s an organized racket luring in victims these days.

And now for some humor:

Welp, wind and rain are telling me that tonight is a good night to stay safe and dry at home. And that’s just what I’m going to do. Later, gators!

Here in the Philippines, they call it the “ber” months, and it is the traditional start of the Christmas holiday season. Yep, decorations will be going up, and Christmas songs will be blasting in the shopping centers. For the next four months. I have found a way to cope at least:

Ah, the first ad of the season from right here in Barreteto!

Anyway, everything is going pretty much as it always does around here. Yesterday, there was a bit of a modification to my Standard Modified Saturday Solo Duo Street Stroll. Swan came along, and we walked a slightly different route than I usually do.

Once again, Swan wanted to go see The Engine Band at Treasure Island on Baloy. They serve cold Zero there, so who am I to complain?

We listened to the band’s first two sets and then headed home at 7 p.m. I fired up the TV and finally got around to watching the second half of Filipina Dream Girls on YouTube. It is a nice trip back in time to the early 1990s in Manila, with some English guys looking to hook up with bar girls. My hearing is not great, and some of those Brit accents were tough to decipher at times, but it is still a good watch.

And so ended another Saturday in my simple life.

Once again, Facebook memories carried me back in time to my former life.

It’s pretty scary when I see otherwise intelligent people regurgitating the lies they’ve been sold about Trump as justification for supporting ignorant Kamala. I guess they are not as smart as I gave them credit for being.

Let’s take a three-minute stroll back in time with today’s YouTube video. I couldn’t help but think how everyone you see is dead now, but I guess that’s part of the time travel phenomenon.

And some humor before I go.

Welp, the lighting is flashing, and the thunder is booming outside my window right now. But I’ve got a feeding to attend to at Hideaway, so hopefully, this, too, shall pass. I’m going to pop into John’s and ask if they have red wine in stock. If not, I’ll take Swan to Mangos for dinner. She’s been craving those grilled pork chops. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of this goodness.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll was shorter than usual. I got to the end of my street, said, “fuck this,” then turned around and went back home. I just wasn’t feeling it for some reason.

So, I spent a lazy day at home doing jackshit other than blogging and napping. I was feeling energized when beer o’clock rolled around, and Swan and I headed into town. The first stop was Sloppy Joe’s. Swan was served a rancid glass of undrinkable wine. To his credit, the manager comped her a gin and soda instead. After a couple of drinks, it was time for dinner, and I had something special in mind–a rare visit to Hops and Brews. The last time we ate at Barretto’s only smokehouse, Pugon Corner, we were severely disappointed and vowed never to return. That same day, I saw a Facebook post from Hops and Brews saying they would start their own smoke yard. I figured it was time to give it a try.

We were going to do our nightcap at Green Room, but the place was packed, so we went next door to the nearly empty Wet Spot. Owner Dave came by our table, and we had our usual pleasant chat. One of the things we discussed was some recent complaints about Barretto on one of the internet forums, comparing our little town unfavorably to Angeles City. Well, that’s apples and oranges, and I’ll take our beaches and mountains over that shithole city any day. Sure, there are more bars in AC, so there are more options for the guys who have to pay for sex. The complaints about pricing were especially ignorant. We have bars charging as little as 60 pesos if you want cheap beer. Good luck finding that in AC. I’m no expert because I don’t barfine girls, but in Barretto, the transaction is between the guy and the girl, with the girl compensating the bar for leaving work early. So, sharpen those negotiating skills if you want cheaper sex. Damn, I’m glad I don’t have to live a nickel-and-dime existence in my retirement. And I’m also delighted I don’t have to pay for sex!

Went home with some pecan pie from Sit-n-Bull and had a sweet ending to the night.

Facebook reminds me how Lucky looked when I brought him home six years ago.

I see ignorant people:

In today’s YouTube video, Rose Hall explains things to be on the lookout for if you want to avoid a toxic relationship with a Filipina. NOW you tell me! Anyway, it worked out okay for me in the end, but my big red flag was the drama queens. I have almost zero tolerance for that bullshit. Swan has gone into silent mode a couple of times (we’ve been together for over a year now), but we always manage to talk things through and come out stronger on the other side.

Ready for some lame humor?

Sunday is the day of routines. Candy Walk is in the books. Next up, the Hideaway feeding, then dinner with Swan at John’s place. Life is good.

It turns out good intentions are not a source of energy. I led the Friday hiking group on a journey that included a couple of moderately easy climbs but was mostly flat. And it was fun as long as it lasted, but somewhere around the 6K mark, my body started screaming, “That’s enough!” So, wanting to avoid arguing with myself, I sent the others on without me. I detoured over Bridge #3 and grabbed a trike to carry me home. Yeah, I call it pooped out, but the reality is I pussied out—shame on me.

And yesterday afternoon was Filipino family day here at The Rite Spot. I guess it went okay, I was the only white guy and my Tagalog is practically non-existent, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. I was a bit surprised when my pending birthday was celebrated along with Swan’s sister. The crew had worked in the kitchen all morning making various Filipino delights, although I did not partake. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood for pancit with a side of chicken feet.

I bailed early because that’s the way I roll. Swan said the party went on until midnight. I guess that qualifies as voting with your feet. We’ll be doing a more foreigner-centric party upstairs this coming Tuesday.

Facebook reminds me of my former life thirteen years ago when I formed a darts association in Columbia, South Carolina.

The darts association lives on, but the name has been changed to Soda City.

Evil is always on the prowl.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay follows up on the so-called “enhanced” review of tourist visa renewals. As I mentioned, when I recently renewed, nothing had changed (other than my wearing slacks and collared shirt) during my visit. That’s not to say that it won’t, but it seems there has been no significant increase in visa extension denials.

And now for the comics:

Now, where was I? Oh, it’s Saturday night! I haven’t made any plans as yet, but I expect I’ll be feeding Swan somewhere and worshipping at the beer alter. See you here tomorrow!

Another Thursday has been quenched. Things kicked off with a solo walk of just over 6K. Nothing significant to report other than some leg pain I had to endure for most of the hike. It was bad enough that I wanted to sit down for a spell, but every time I got to a shady bench, it was otherwise occupied. So, I trudged on, and eventually, the pain receded, or maybe I just got used to it. I’m just going to have to accept that, along with the wisdom that comes with old age, aches and pains are par for the course.

When I got back home, Swan asked me if I wanted a meat pie for lunch. Sure, why not.

Swan said I needed a haircut and she wanted one too, so we headed into town for the barber.

After we were done at the salon, I had a surprise in store for Swan. Loaded her into a Jeepney and took her to her favorite beach bar.

For our nightcap, we decided to visit Whiskey Girl, a place we hadn’t been to for several months. Nothing much had changed, except my regular waitress, Kim, had traded in her belly for a daughter. She wondered when I might be due, but I bought her a drink and changed the subject.

While we were at Whiskey Girl, a storm came through, and we could hear the rain pounding on the roof, even over the music. That was a bit of a surprise because we hadn’t seen any rain for a couple of weeks, and the skies hadn’t appeared threatening. But we definitely needed the cleansing that comes with rain. You may have noticed in many of the photos above that the sky looks almost smoky. It turns out it’s not smog, but something called “vog”–the gasses and dust spewed from the Taal volcano on the southern end of Luzon island.

Isn’t life grand?

I came across an excellent example of just how important punctuation truly is.

Facebook memories took me back to a luncheon with my team on this day back in 2017:

Couldn’t resist sharing this political meme:

Today’s YouTube video shares the story of an American retiree who finds himself in a Filipino prison. My number one objective has always been to avoid doing anything that might result in my being jailed. I doubt I’d survive more than a month or two under those conditions. So, being smart and avoiding anything illegal (like drugs, even marijuana) goes a long way. Sadly, if you piss off the wrong person (like your ex-wife), you can be set up for a fall. Sort of like they did to that Trump fella in the USA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLcQSNKcRYM

(For some reason, I can’t embed the video. Sorry about that. Just click the link above to see it.)

And now for some humor:

So, Swan invited her family to the house this evening. I guess we will all hang out at The Rite Spot and do things Filipino-style. This is a big milestone in the relationship spectrum. I’ve met some individual members of Swan’s family, but having the whole crew over to the house is kind of a welcoming ritual where Swan shows that we are the real deal. My introverted nature is a little bit in the dreading mode, but I imagine a beer or three will help alleviate that. Wish me luck!

The Wednesday Walkers took a little stroll on SBMA (the old Navy base), trekking out past the golf course, up into the Binictican housing area, and then through the El Kabayo horse stables before completing our 9K loop. It was almost all blacktop, but as the first timer to this area, Michael, put it, it is like being in another country—clean roads without much traffic and a quiet and safe vibe. No Jeepneys or trikes allowed!

Later in the evening, Swan and I enjoyed our visit to It Doesn’t Matter. The girls seemed pleased with the brownies I baked them. We did our nightcap at Wet Spot and I remembered to use my Sit-n-Bull discount coupon for some food to bring home. Aine continues to ignore, and that’s fine with us.

Today’s YouTube video from Reekay delves into the “friends with benefits” relationship issue. I gave that a try for a while, but the transactional nature (at least the way I was doing it) over time turned out to be unsatisfying.

And now for the funny stuff:

That’s it for today’s post. More to come tomorrow.

It’s not like I have much to do, but by golly, I did it anyway. As usual, my Tuesday begins with a grocery shopping excursion to the Royal Duty Free supermarket. Nothing exciting to report about that event, but here are a couple of highlights:

I had my driver drop me off at Dr. Jo’s clinic on the way home so I could do a consult. The pulmonary doctor had increased my dosage of metformin, and I wasn’t comfortable with that. I’ve also had some folks mention that I’m again retaining fluid in my ankles. As I expected, Dr. Jo didn’t think doubling my metformin intake was a good idea, and she also tweaked some of the other drugs I’ve been taking for years now. She wants me to get some additional blood work, including a PSA test, to check my prostate. Hubby Dr. Chris sent me a couple of links regarding chelation therapy. He said that he and Dr. Jo are using this method to cleanse their arteries. I did some limited research and noted that it is not FDA-approved for this purpose, but after what the FDA approved for COVID, I have little faith in their judgment. Some of the drugs I’m taking now are related to test results in a Korean hospital ten years ago that showed a 20% blockage in one of my arteries. I’m still on the fence about chelation, but I’ll consider it a future option.

Speaking of heart issues, my friend and frequent commenter Kevin Kim is home from the hospital after his narrow escape from death. In case you missed it, here is his account of what happened. Keep fighting! You’ll be back on the path to restored health and walking across the Korean peninsula again soon. You can do this!

When I asked Swan what we should do for our evening out, she responded that she needed to visit our waitress from Alaska Club, Vanessa, and give her the notes and paperwork she retained from her studies as a caregiver student. So, we visited Sloppy Joe’s next door and waited for Alaska to open. We didn’t have to wait long because Vanessa stopped by our table on her way to work.

I had a “buy one, get one” SOB coupon to use, so we made Green Room our next stop. Swan’s generosity surprised me once again when, unbeknownst to me, she sent one of the waitresses out to buy some meat-on-a-stick to share with the other girls. I did buy a couple of lady drinks, at least. Later, my neighbor Jeff and his lady Davina joined us at our table, and we shared some drinks and chat. Another mutual friend, Matt, just returned from visiting the USA, and I suggested we throw a welcome home party at The Rite Spot. Jeff advised that he and the family would be in Angeles all weekend, so we are going to party on Tuesday. Coincidentally, that is my 69th birthday. So, I guess we’ll have a rockin’ good time.

No politics or memories to share today. You are welcome!

Today’s YouTube video is from my favorite, The Filipina Pea. She discusses how Filipinos view foreigners. The stereotype of being the rich white guy is just part of it. I laughed at being called “Joe,” which happens quite a lot. I perpetuate it by answering kids who ask, “What’s your name?” with Joe. Living in a town full of expats is a lot different than living a rural province life where you might be the only foreigner in town. I’ve noticed when we hike in areas that foreigners don’t frequent, being stared at is a pretty common occurrence. Anyway, the Pea is always worth your time. Give it a watch.

You wanna know what’s funny?

A different kind of hike with the Wednesday Walkers this morning that I’ll tell you about tomorrow. I asked Swan about tonight’s mission, and she suggested I bake some brownies to share with the gals at IDM. Great minds think alike! No wonder I love that girl.

That’s all for now. Thanks for coming!

The rare early morning post here at LTG. And shorter than usual, too. I’m one of the Hares for today’s Hash and we are meeting to mark the trail at 0930. I don’t expect there will be time for blogging afterward. So, here we go.

Another Sunday, another Candy Walk through the streets of San Isidro. Swan says we sweetened the day of 211 kids this week. Don’t ask me how she keeps count.

He’s not in the picture, but a grumpy old man told Swan not to hand out candy here anymore because the kids throw the wrappers on the ground. While I admire his anti-littering zeal, it seems unfair to punish all for the actions of the few. Swan says she wants to skip this street next week.

Later in the day, I did my feeding at Hideaway. For a change, there were actually a few customers in the bar, which certainly enhanced the vibe. We’ll see if that continues.

Then, I crossed the highway for my dinner date with Swan at John’s place. Our old waitress, Em Jhae, was back from Pampanga for the weekend and working a shift for some extra coin. It is always nice to see her again. We took our usual seats in the third-floor open-air bar and got down to business.

I was too late for the lunch special, but was willing to pay full price to see what this Pacific pomfret John had been raving about was like.

We did our nightcap at Alaska Club. Coincidentally, John was there playing in the pool tournament. I did my usual thing of rewarding the dancers with a fifty peso note each for actually dancing while on stage. And I also bought a lady drink for our waitress, of course. Then Swan recognized one of the dancers as someone she knew from way back in 2010, so I called her down to join us (and bought the requisite lady drink for her). So, Swan had a nice time catching up with her old pal. When I was ready to go, I paid the tab and waited for my change. When the waitress returned, she had another beer in hand, courtesy of owner Jerry. While I enjoyed my freebie, I was shocked to see Swan order two more lady drinks for our company. Good for her! I paid, of course, explaining to the girls that Swan and I have a 50-50 relationship–she buys, I pay.

And that was our Sunday.

Eight years ago, I took my new girlfriend on an Itaewon bar crawl. I have a picture from each bar in my Facebook memories for today. This one was taken at the 7th and last stop, Debut Bar.

I promise, after the elections I’ll stop posting this political shit.

Today’s YouTube video discusses the fact that foreigners are not allowed to own property in the Philippines. There are workarounds (like putting the property in your Filipina’s name), but those can be perilous if the relationship goes south. One friend of mine put his house in his ex’s name, but has a twenty-five-year lease. He’ll be dead before that’s up, and he won’t care.

Humor time:

Anyway, our trail today will include a climb up Kalaklan Ridge. I’ll let you know how that works out for us tomorrow.

It hasn’t rained for three days now, and my weather app says the temperature has been higher than normal. Add in the bout of laziness I’ve been experiencing lately, and it is not a healthy combination. Nevertheless, I managed to get up off my ass and do a modified Saturday Solo Street Stroll. Instead of the streets of Barretto, I walked the neighborhood. And to further motivate myself, I decided to document all the house construction currently taking place. Exciting shit, eh?

And when the best time of day rolled around, Swan and I hoofed it out to Baloy Beach for an evening of fun, food, and music at the Treasure Island Resort.

It’s been said that a joy shared is a joy doubled. We enjoyed our Saturday on the beach together.

Yesterday will be a memory some day, just like these are now:

I hope you’ll indulge my sharing some political viewpoints that reflect my perspectives:

This is parody. Or is it the near future?

A man calls Pizza hut to order a pizza…

CALLER: Is this Pizza Hut?

GOOGLE: No sir, it’s Google Pizza.

CALLER: I must have dialed a wrong number, sorry.

GOOGLE: No sir, Google bought Pizza Hut last month.

CALLER: OK. I would like to order a pizza.

GOOGLE: Do you want your usual, sir?

CALLER: My usual? You know me?

GOOGLE: According to our caller ID data sheet, the last 12 times you called you ordered an extra-large pizza with three cheeses, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and meatballs on a thick crust.

CALLER: Super! That’s what I’ll have.

GOOGLE: May I suggest that this time you order a pizza with ricotta, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and olives on a whole wheat gluten-free thin crust?

CALLER: What? I don’t want a vegetarian pizza!

GOOGLE: Your cholesterol is not good, sir.

CALLER: How the hell do you know that?

GOOGLE: Well, we cross-referenced your home phone number with your medical records. We have the result of your blood tests for the last 7 years.

CALLER: Okay, but I do not want your rotten vegetarian pizza! I already take medication for my cholesterol.

GOOGLE: Excuse me sir, but you have not taken your medication regularly. According to our database, you purchased only a box of 30 cholesterol tablets once at Lloyds Pharmacy, 4 months ago.

CALLER: I bought more from another Pharmacy.

GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your credit card statement.

CALLER: I paid in cash.

GOOGLE: But you did not withdraw enough cash according to your bank statement.

CALLER: I have other sources of cash.

GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your latest tax returns unless you bought them using an undeclared income source, which is against the law!

CALLER: WHAT THE HELL!

GOOGLE: I’m sorry sir, we use such information only with the sole intention of helping you.

CALLER: Enough already! I’m sick to death of Google, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and all the others. I’m going to an island without the internet, TV, where there is no phone service and no one to watch me or spy on me.

GOOGLE: I understand sir, but you need to renew your passport first. It expired 6 weeks ago…

Let’s hope for the best.

Today’s YouTube video is something different: A British movie from 1991 called Filipina Dream Girls. It’s said to be a dramatization of a romance tour to the Philippines. I’ve never heard of such a thing as a “romance tour,” but I guess before the internet, you had to meet the girls here somehow. It’s a comedy of sorts, and British humor sometimes doesn’t translate, but seeing a 1990s version of the PI was nice. And damn, Filipinas were even hotter than they are now back then. Or at least the ones in this movie are. If you have an hour or so to kill, it’s worth a watch.

And now for the funny stuff:

Now it is time to prepare for my Sunday evening rituals. I’ll feed the girls at Hideaway, then dine with my sweetie at John’s place. Should be fun.

Only four were in attendance for the Friday group hike, and since Michael had his car, I suggested we take a stroll in the seldom-visited Tibag area. I’m not sure why, but something about Tibag appeals to me. It’s way too isolated to seriously consider living there (I’m no Tibagger), but the vibe is nice. I screwed up and didn’t take any photos in the village, so you’ll have to make do with some scenes from the surrounding countryside.

My next adventure was attending this week’s SOB dance competition. The Green Room doesn’t have a stage, so it’s a tad hard to get a good vantage point. I arrived a few minutes after the 4 p.m. opening and got the best seats available. Swan and Erik shared the table with me. The only problem with an early arrival is having to pay for beers (and lady drinks) until the show starts at 6 p.m. Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do.

It was a very close contest, with Green Room beating La Oficina by one point. That’s how I scored it, recognizing that the home team has a slight advantage. Swan liked La Oficina best. Once the videos get posted, I’ll share them here and let y’all decide who’s right.

Drinking steady from four to eight stretches my capacity to the limit. So, it was in the trike at the end of the show and hitting the sack shortly thereafter. As Fridays go, I’d rate this a good one.

Some past memories to share today:

Twelve years ago, we spread my father’s ashes. He had donated his body to the medical university, and when they were done with him, they sent him home to us in a cardboard box.

Back to the present, and the insanity that is the current state of our nation.

Today’s YouTube video is from the Filipina Pea. She explores the issue of whether Filipinas are brainwashed in their beliefs and toxic actions. Some interesting interviews exploring this issue.

Some humor would be good right about now, doncha you think?

So, that brings you up to date here in my little part of the world. I’m going to take Swan to Treasure Island Resort this evening for some beach views and live music. I intend to be back here tomorrow to tell you all about it!

Yesterday may not have been perfect, but it was good enough for me. We began the day with a walk to the Subic marketplace, where Swan needed to replenish her candy supply for the upcoming Sunday Candy walk. Strolling on the National Highway is no fun, so to the extent we could, we detoured onto back streets to avoid the traffic. It added some distance, but we got to the market in just under eight kilometers.

I wasn’t feeling real motivated, and there were several times when I was tempted just to say “fuck this” and take a Jeepney instead. But when I saw this on the wall early in the hike, I answered affirmatively:

Back home after a 200 peso trike ride, and Swan made me chicken fajitas for lunch.

When beer o’clock arrived, I decided an evening at The Rite Spot was in order.

I watched a couple of YouTube videos on the big screen, including one about Japan’s capture of Manila in December 1941. Let’s hope history in the form of China doesn’t repeat itself. I had a good night’s sleep, and I woke to another fine day in paradise. Keep ’em coming!

Facebook reminded me that eight years ago I met a Korean lass named Eun Oke. We had some good times and some bad times, but in the end I grew tired of her drama. It was fun while it lasted. Mostly.

Reekay holds court in today’s YouTube video, sharing the stories of three foolish men who got fucked by Filipinas, and not in the good way. What was it Forrest Gump said? Stupid is as stupid does. I’ve had my share of fuckups and been scammed a couple of times, but not at this level.

And now for some humor:

Gonna do the SOB tonight. Had a nice time on today’s hike in Tibag. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

I was back out yesterday with the Wednesday Walkers group, and we trekked up to Balon Falls, then onward through an Aeta native people’s village, and then back down again to where we started. It had been a couple of years since I’d been out that way, and everything had a fresh feel about it. Here, have a look for yourself:

I also enjoyed my Wednesday evening in town with Swan. We kicked things off on the rooftop at BarCelona.

When we were ready for a change of scenery, we headed downstairs to The Green Room. Waitress Chu is always happy to drink with us, and I found watching some excellent pool players quite entertaining. We did our nightcap next door at Wet Spot, and we were surprised when my neighbors, Jeff and Davina, came in for a drink. Later, owner Daddy Dave and I had a lengthy and pleasant chat about the good ol’ days in the bar business. A very enjoyable night on the town, indeed.

Ah, one of the blessings of a long life is all the memories.

Speaking of jokes, how about that Indian woman running for President?

Today’s YouTube video comes from Rose Hall. She weighs in on the older-younger romances so prevalent here in the Philippines. Swan is only twenty-eight years younger than me, so I wouldn’t know. The video is not very long, and the scenery is especially nice in this one. Have a look for yourself.

Let’s see if I can find some humor:

That’s all for now, folks. Back tomorrow to tell you about today.

Another Hash Monday is in the books, and I’m here to write about it. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, notorious for his hard trails, offered us oldsters what he called a “cripple’s” version yesterday. I took it, and it was close enough to perfect for me. The version I did featured one steep but relatively short climb and then a couple of smaller ups and downs before a junction with the familiar My Bitch trail leading back to Alta Vista and the On-Home at Leech’s house. The long version featured an ass-kicking climb to Kalaklan Ridge, then back down to join the portion I did. I chose wisely.

The nice thing about the On-Home in Alta Vista is that it is easy for me to get home from there. Not even tempted to go into town for some after-Hash imbibing.

Before going to bed last night, I randomly selected the first episode of a Netflix series called “1899.” It was entertaining enough, I suppose, but just now reading the Wikipedia link, I see that it was canceled after two seasons and that the storyline did not reach a satisfying conclusion. Nope, I’m not going to waste any more time on this one.

I still have not heard anything from or about Kevin Kim. Something is going on, and I hope it is not as bad as my imagination is leading me to believe. Kevin lives alone but has friends and co-workers who should be around to provide whatever assistance he may require. I just don’t have any way to contact anyone in Korea that might be able to provide an update.

It’s election season, so I’m doing a little more political posting than normal. Y’all know where I stand:

Today’s stroll down memory lane was eight years ago, and it was more than a stroll, it was a climb:

Today’s YouTube video is from Reekay, who offers advice on telling your Filipina no. One of the nice things about Swan is that she almost never asks for anything, and if she does, it is usually for a charity project she is involved in. As Reekay suggests, Swan gets a monthly allowance to do with as she pleases, and she lives well within that budget.

Today’s lame attempt at humor:

Speaking of which, we’ll be heading into town soon for some beer and wine. I’m thinking a nice outdoor venue, either Sloppy Joe’s or It Doesn’t Matter. Hell, maybe both. More tomorrow!

I’m worried about my friend and fellow blogger, Kevin Kim. He hasn’t updated his blog, approved comments, or responded to my emails. Kevin has been dealing with some heart-related health issues, and his sudden disappearance doesn’t bode well. I hope whatever is going on resolves itself in a positive way. Hang in there, Kevin!

Several days ago, we encountered a crying kitten on the next street over from us. Swan and I are both dog lovers, but we felt sorry for this apparently abandoned feline. We left her some water and food and hoped for the best. We were surprised to find that the kitten had moved and taken up residence under the neighbor’s car. Swan has been feeding her there, and it appears a mutual adoption might be taking place.

Dogs and cats are not generally a good mix, so the plan is to place the shelter outside our fence and provide food and water as needed. So, we shall see what happens. Our concern is that if the neighbor starts the car while the kitten is sleeping under the hood, it could make for a deadly mess.

We also engaged in our regular Sunday candy walk, despite the threatening skies.

It being Sunday and all, I had the traditional feeding of the girls at Hideaway to attend to. Still only four of them, which I suppose is plenty when that is double the number of customers. Still, having two fellow drinkers in the bar was twice as many as last week. Owner Griff was there, too, so it was nice to see him again.

Next up was dinner at Pugon Corner to celebrate the birthday of Swan’s sister, Cathy.

So, I arrived at Pugon prior to my guests. The waitress brought a menu and advised that none of the smoked beef selections were available. I can kinda sorta understand that; with business slow and beef expensive, why bother? I was there for the pork anyway. I ordered a Zero beer and was not surprised they didn’t have that; lots of places don’t. So, I ordered up my alternative, San Miguel Light. Despite it being on the menu, it was out of stock. I pushed back a little on the waitress, saying it doesn’t make sense not to keep a popular beer like that in the fridge. She apologized and offered to send someone to the store to buy some. Sure, why not? Bring me five. When Swan and Cathy arrived, they were told no red wine was available. Oh well. Cathy had a Red Horse, and I shared my Light with Swan.

Once again, I was disappointed that a restaurant specializing in smoked and grilled meats didn’t have the baby back ribs available. So, we settled for the pulled pork, grilled pork belly, and chicken wings. The food was okay, but nothing special.

I won’t be back to Pugon Corner. Coincidentally, Hops and Brews just announced they now have a smokehouse. Much better venue and conveniently located.

We did our nightcap at Green Room and enjoyed ourselves, then triked on home bringing an end to our Sunday.

Some memories to look back on:

In the political realm, memes like this are going to get nastier and nastier as we head into November:

Anyway, let’s move on to today’s YouTube video. Our hostess warns of hidden risks for expats and visitors to the Philippines. It’s mostly just common sense, but the scenery is easy on the eyes.

And now for a taste of humor:

It is Hash Monday and Leech My Nuggets is the Hare. No worries, we’ve already got our shortcut planned. The On-Home is at Leech’s place here in Alta Vista, so I won’t have any trouble getting home. I’ll be back tomorrow (I hope).

Signage has warned for weeks that the only access bridge to most of San Isidro would undergo much-needed repairs. I wondered how they were going to pull that off without totally isolating several thousand residents. Now, don’t get me started–why a decrepit one-lane bridge was the only vehicular river crossing was inexplicable and idiotic to begin with. One of those “only in the Philippines” moments. I assumed they would close the bridge for a few hours each day and lay a new sheet metal covering to replace the rotted and rusted-out road surface. So, when I saw the scene above with the old bridge destroyed and a new pedestrian crossing erected, I was like, what the hell? But then the next day, that white crane was on the OTHER side of the river, and I’m thinking, how in the hell did they get that over there? So, my walk yesterday was in search of an answer.

We spent our Saturday evening hours mostly at It Doesn’t Matter. I was surprised when one of our new Hashers, Michael, dropped in. We had a nice chat, and he is one of the most interesting people I’ve met here. Traveled and lived all over the world, and still going strong at 73. We went to Green Room for our nightcap and ordered some takeout to bring home for dinner. I watched the final episode of Cuck On Earth, and it was my favorite. I rate the series well worth the time.

That was Saturday, and Saturday’s gone.

Facebook memories reminded me that two years ago, I finally got the jab. It’s not like I had any choice. My three years as a tourist were up, and I had to leave the country. I wasn’t allowed back in unvaccinated.

I saw this on the internet this morning so it must be real.

In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea weighs in on the controversy surrounding the tourist visa extension requirements. As I said previously, I’m visiting Immigration for an extension on Tuesday, and this may very well impact me. I’m wearing slacks and a shirt without my ball cap to ensure I’m viewed as a respectful visitor. I hope they let me stay.

Let’s try some humor:

In the near future, I’ve got a Hideaway feeding to attend to. It’s the birthday of Swan’s sister, so we are going to treat her to dinner. Swan wants to go to Pugon Corner for our meal, and so we shall. I’ll share how that goes tomorrow.

The long-awaited follow-up meeting with the pulmonary specialist, Dr. DeLeon, finally took place yesterday morning. Granted, she was forty-five minutes late, but that’s just the way “Filipino time” works. Surprisingly, despite my notorious lack of patience, I accepted the reality of how things are done here and didn’t get upset. That’s quite a milestone for me.

So, we started out with the chest x-ray:

Dr. DeLeon then reviewed the blood test results. She said everything was in the normal range except the glucose/fasting blood sugar level.

So, all in all, I’m happy with the results. Dr. DeLeon suggested I increase my dose of metformin to twice daily. I’m not entirely comfortable with that, but I will do so pending a meeting with Dr. Jo for a second opinion.

After finishing the consult, I took Swan and my helper (technically caregiver) Teri to lunch. I planned to eat at Jewel Cafe but forgot they are closed on Wednesday. So, we walked another block to Myleen’s. I had missed the Wednesday Walkers group hike due to my appointment and was surprised to see this when I entered Myleen’s:

When the evening hours rolled around, we caught a break in the rain and hurried out to Bar Celona to do some socializing.

When we were ready to change the scenery, we headed downstairs to The Green Room, a venue that is increasingly becoming our favorite place to hang out. Swan and our regular waitress, Chu, are becoming good buddies and enjoy chatting together. I’m on hand to keep the lady drinks flowing. Works for me. We bought a pizza for the working gals to share, then later ordered another pizza to bring home with us. On the Sit-n-Bull menu, one of the daily specials was a “Big Ass Meatball Sandwich.” I’ve never seen meat on a bun advertised that way, so I decided to give it a try.

And so ended another day. Enjoy them while you got them.

Some other excitement in my day came via the Facebook Gestapo. Seems they took issue with something I shared a couple of weeks ago. At the time, I was just passing it along as food for thought, but it turns out I’m guilty of a FB crime:

This is what got the Facebook Nazi’s in a tizzy:

And as long as we are in the political realm, how about this:

Today’s stroll down memory lane took me back to my sophomore year in high school, where a simulator just like this one was part of the driver’s training requirement to be licensed at sixteen.

Eight years ago, I was repromoted to the position I had retired from five years earlier: Director of Human Resource Management, 8th US Army/United States Forces Korea.

I’m in a rush this morning so I haven’t had time to watch today’s YouTube video. I’m sharing this one from George with street scenes from Olongapo City. I saw George last night during his brief stop at Green Room. He wasn’t recording then, though.

And now for your daily dose of humor:

This morning I was greeted with this rare treat:

Okay, I’ve got to shower up and finish packing for my trip. Look for something a tad more interesting here tomorrow—or at least less familiar. See you then!