I’m not really looking for love anymore but I still have an active account at Date in Asia (DIA). I usually check it once a day to see if any new lovelies are showing any interest in a gwapo guy like me. That’s usually a negative result. I also have my search parameters set for Olongapo girls only. A long-distance romance in these troubled times is pretty much pointless. A couple of days ago I came across a new member who was pretty cute and 33 years old. Her name is Jane. I gave her a “like” and we exchanged a couple of introductory messages then she sent me her Skype login info so we could communicate there.
I added her and sent a Skype message but didn’t hear back. No big deal to me. Then yesterday I noticed I had something on Skype so I opened it up to find Jane had finally gotten around to answer me with a simple “how are you?” I gave her the standard fine thanks and asked where she was. “Batangas” was the reply. Well, Batangas is way down south of Manila. I asked her why her DIA profile said she lived in Olongapo and she simply said “I’m in Batangas now”. And then she blew me away (not literally) with this question:
Do you like ladyboy? (transgender). Um. I responded that I’m not gay but she is a fine-looking gal. Honestly, I usually can tell immediately when I encounter a “girl with something extra”. Bakla is the name Filipinos use. I was confused so I went back to Jane’s DIA profile for another look at her pictures. I’m thinking no way she’s a bakla. So, I send Jane a DIA message telling her I’m confused about what she told me on Skype. She responded a bit later saying “what are you talking about? We haven’t chatted on Skype.”
Oh shit. I added the wrong Jane Rodriguez on Skype. Yeah, I’m that stupid sometimes. The right Jane did add me to her Skype and we chatted once. She lives here in Barretto. Haven’t heard back from her and probably won’t bother trying to contact her again anyway. It would likely just lead to more transactional trouble.
Jane told me she used to be a “model” and sent me this photo. Well, one thing is for sure, she’s not a bakla!
But wait, there’s more! I mentioned earlier that my friend Gee, the Mangos manager, was involved in some charity projects. I had offered to donate some cash through her but she preferred I meet the people involved and donate personally. So last night I’m at Mangos as usual and Gee invites me over to meet some friends of hers–from the Olongapo police department. We did our introductions (I made sure I followed all the COVID protocols–mask, social distance, etc.). Turns out they are involved in helping some needy folks in their jurisdiction. The guy cop told me they had encountered one individual in desperate need of a wheelchair. I was happy to help out with a little cash.
My new friends. Even added me on Facebook.And today they posted this picture so someone in Olongapo is enjoying their new ride.
After that meeting was complete I returned to my beachside perch and my cold beer. Lots of local kids were having fun on the beach.
The boys were busy building a sand fortress…And the girls were building this one…
And as I suspected would happen, before long a sandclod war broke out. It seemed to me that it ended in a draw. Both sides were laughing anyway.
Then I settled in to enjoy my dinner.
Welcome to the club! You know, you can never starve on the beach. Why? Because of all the sand which is there. *ahem*
I’ll be the Hare for Monday’s Hash, so today the hiking group helped me scout out a trail.
That’s Troy out front…With Dan, Anne, Simon, and Jim not far behind.Even found some kiddies to enjoy some cookies!
Life is good. I’m going to try and keep it that way.
More of the same around here. But that’s not to say things are boring. I seem to be cursed to live in interesting times. Well, that’s an overstatement. Drama isn’t necessarily all that interesting.
I did have to inwardly smile at the ridiculousness of it all, in a sad way. Last night the ex was texting me about how sad she is but she knows I’m happy with Janey. I didn’t have the energy to argue the point with her. This morning I hear from Janey and she wishes me much happiness with my ex. I have no idea where these ideas are coming from. I responded: “My ex wants me to be happy with you. You want me to be happy with my ex. I think it is time for me to contact Mary again.” That last part was a joke, but Janey said that’s a good idea. I thanked her for advice and left it at that.
Today was hiking day with the Wednesday walking group, old guy edition. Simon (Leech My Nuggets) wanted to join us and I warned him we’d be taking it easy today as Scott is recovering from an illness. Simon was okay with that, so off we all went. About 2K in, Scott had to bail as he wasn’t as recovered as he thought. That left me without an excuse to keep it easy, so Simon led us up a pretty tough climb. In his defense, he was looking for a different trail that would have been easier, but couldn’t find it. Anyway, it was a good and hard workout and I survived. Works for me!
I was lazy with the camera today. Sorry about that.
Off we go.Easter mountain from a new angle…I guess the reward for a hard climb is a nice view. Here’s one.And here’s another. That’s the bay WAY off in the distance.And we finished up on My Bitch. I’m the Hare next week and this will be part of the trail I lay.
In other news, I haven’t lost my sense of humor:
Or maybe I have. I thought it was funny though. Yeah, the punctuation even irritated me though. Sorry, Kevin!
Woo Hoo! Curfew is extended until 9:30 starting today. That means I won’t have to rush around to get my requisite drinking done. Today I will enjoy a leisurely dinner alone at Sit-n-Bull before heading out to my bar of choice for some beer-fueled introspection. Hey, it’s what I do.
How can people be so heartless How can people be so cruel Easy to be hard Easy to be cold
How can people have no feelings How can they ignore their friends Easy to be proud Easy to say no
Especially people who care about strangers Who care about evil and social injustice Do you only care about the bleeding crowd How about a needy friend I need a friend
I don’t spend much time pondering the inevitability of the inevitable. Still, according to attorneys for long term care planning, as one becomes officially elderly the diminished nature of the potential future is harder to ignore. That’s especially true when people around you start dying. Two deaths (that I know about) here in Barretto this week. They weren’t people I knew well enough to even be called acquaintances, just a couple of guys I’d see around occasionally.
Philip was an Aussie somewhere around my age. We didn’t normally frequent the same bars, but during lockdown when “Gomans” was about the only game in town, I’d see him in there nursing a beer and smoking a cigarette. Always alone. Kinda like me in that regard. I heard he’d been injured in a trike accident but I understand his actual cause of death was from some underlying medical condition. When the manager at Mangos talked to me about his death she was upset because he was still in the morgue–no one had arranged a funeral for him. Well, I guess that might be sad to die friendless but as I told her, Philip no longer cares.
I just learned of the second death yesterday. A guy named David was murdered (stabbed to death) out on Baloy beach where he resided.
David was living in this dumpy apartment and he died there during an apparent robbery. Although why someone living in squalor would be a target for robbers is a mystery.
I’ve walked by his place many times over my years here and he was often sitting alone outside wearing shorts with no shirt. Tall and skinny. I’m told he was 75 years old. I never spoke to him as I passed by but I often wondered what his story might be. I figured he was probably some pensioner barely getting by, but still wanted to live the dream in the Philippines. Turns out he used to be an actor and had been living here since the 1970’s! Rest in Peace, Mr. Light. A sad end to a long and interesting life. I wish I had sat with you and shot the shit. But that’s just not my way.
Yesterday’s Hash didn’t kill me, so I’ve got that going for me. It was actually a pretty nice trail with the exception of a couple of spots coming down from the mountain. One place was so steep I finally just sat and slid down on my ass. Another I literally had to climb down some tree roots. Ah, the challenges that we overcome are the ones that provide the most satisfaction in life, right?
The eye in the sky view of the trail. Around 6K.Some nice views from the ground too.That’s the backside of Easter mountain off in the distance.That’s not me, but those are the roots I mentioned we had to navigate to get down.My helper Gina enjoyed her second Hash on a sunny day.The Hares (Anal Receptive and Bum Burgler) left some encouragement on the trail as we made our way On-Home to Hunter Jo’s Inn.Our Subic Hash motto is “It’s nice on ice”. Here is butt one example.Our waitress was a real cutie! Get a load of that hair!The Hash starts and ends early these days. And even though I had drunk plenty already it wasn’t enough to stop me from going to Mangos for a nightcap and to enjoy the sunset. I was feeling no pain when I headed home.Yesterday was also my daughter’s 45th birthday. Hard to believe a young-looking buck like me could have a kid that old, but it’s true!
Welp, I’m alive and kicking. Let’s hope I can keep it that way. And no, the thought that bad things come in threes never entered my mind. Until now. Damn it!
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
We are now into the “Ber” months as they are called in the Philippines. That means it is officially the Christmas season. I haven’t been to the mall yet this month, but I am quite certain they are playing yuletide carols and have the big signs up counting down the days until the celebration of the Savior’s birth.
It’s Hash Monday so this is going to be a rushed post, but hopefully better than nothing. I guess I might as well start with a tale about a woman I’m rather fond of. I’ve actually known her for several months now and she is a joy to be around. Always laughing and happy, quick to offer words of encouragement, and pretty damn attractive–especially for a woman in her mid-40s. Anyway, she is married to a foreigner and is not the type who would ever cheat (she’s one of those Pentecostals). We have done some very light and good-natured flirting, but it is all in jest. She’s friends with my helpers but I probably only see her briefly once a week or so.
A few days ago (let’s call her Judy) came by and wanted to talk to me. That was a first. All of our previous communication had been brief and only in passing. So, we sat at the kitchen table (my helper also joined us) and chatted. I learned she had two grown children from an earlier relationship and that the father had recently died. She also had some land in her home province of Visaya that she hoped to develop someday. Then she talked a bit about her husband and it wasn’t pretty. He wants nothing to do with her family, including her children. That means he contributes nothing towards their support and even worse, refuses to allow Judy to visit them or have them visit her. She told me he is a very jealous man and that he has hired private detectives to follow her around. He gives her 1000 pesos ($20) a week for her personal use.
None of that is any of my business of course. Still, I asked why she puts up with that kind of demeaning behavior and she just shrugged it off. He was her husband and it was her duty as a wife to stand by his side. I guess that is taking for better or worse to the extreme. And then we got down to business. She mentioned that she knew I was helping out some people and that she respected that. Turns out, Judy’s daughter in Manila wants to continue her college education but lacks the funds to do so. Bottom line, 15,000 pesos ($300) would get her back in school. As I say, I really think Judy is a great gal and I am quite sure that the money request is for the stated purpose. So I agreed to help her out.
The next day she brought me this. Pretty classy gal, don’t you think?
Not to worry, I’m not going there. Although I did go so far as to wonder what might have been. If I hadn’t delayed my move to the PI for those 8 years perhaps I would have met Judy before she was married. Ah well, as John Greenleaf Whittier said so long ago:
God pity them both! and pity us all, Who vainly the dreams of youth recall; For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: “It might have been!”
Moving on.
I went into the DiviMart the other day. I met all the requirements: temp check, hand sanitizer, mask, and face shield. As I entered the store, the guard stuck something on my shield. I didn’t look at it until I got back home, but it gave me a good laugh:
From the land of Not Quite Right. I guess the purpose is to prevent me from stealing a replacement face shield. But given the way we are required to present ourselves to get around these days, the spelling might just make sense.
The 27th Anniversary of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers is coming up next month. And that means ordering a brand new Hash shirt to commemorate the event. Here is this year’s design:
Watch out for that COVID!
And now I need to go put on my Hash attire and get ready to roll on out of here. ON-ON!
Oh, I’m not sure who’s work this is, found it on Facebook. But I liked it:
When you love someone, you know in your heart that your love never died. You feel their presence in your heart, even if they are out of your life. Sometimes, we may not always get what we “want” in life, however, we will always get what we need in order to grow. We may not consciously ask for certain situations, but on a soul level, we brought them into our lives in order to heal, grow and learn what pure love is truly all about.
Can you understand that you have always done the best job you knew how to do at any particular time with the knowledge and level of growth you had at that time? Yes? Good! Now, you can extend that same understanding to the other person from your heart, and that is why you will not require them to say: “I’m sorry.” You will understand, and they will understand. It is that pure understanding that allows what may have bruised our ego to melt away. Once our fears and ego are out of the way, we truly can love purely. You will never have to say you’re sorry to someone you truly love that genuinely loves you. You will only have to be yourself – that is all you will ever need to do.
September continues to roll along and so do I. Here’s how the 24 hours since I last posted went down.
I had a one o’clock in-house appointment with “my” masseuse, Nicole. I told the story of how I met her here, but here’s the recap:
I’m walking home from Baloy beach and suddenly this woman pops out of the bushes in front of me (I believe she was avoiding the checkpoint on this highway). She smiled and said “you’re the guy who is always at Mangos”. Then I recognized her as the woman I’d seen on the beach there several times, just standing around. She explained that she was tapping into Mangos free wi-fi. She then asked where I was going and I told her “home”. Then she offered me a massage. Hmm. Attractive enough and I do enjoy a good massage so I agreed. We get here and it turns out she actually is a trained masseuse and did an outstanding job.
I had scheduled Nicole to come about a week ago and she didn’t show or call or message. Pissed me off and I was going to be done with her. She later explained that she didn’t have anyone to watch her kids and didn’t have load on her phone so couldn’t contact me. She has been persistent in asking for another chance, pleading that she needs to pay the rent and so I finally relented.
Nicole actually arrived about thirty minutes early but she did at least message me to let me know she was on the way. And she is pretty talented, as good as any salon massage I recall getting. I was happy when it ended. *ahem*
Interestingly, Nicole told me a friend of hers, Lilah, knows me. When I asked who is this Lilah, she said I had brought her home from the bar she worked at for a massage. Hmm. Well, I don’t do “take out” that often, so I vaguely recall paying the “early work release” fee for a gal from that particular bar a couple of years ago. I honestly don’t remember anything about Lilah though. I jokingly told Nicole that maybe next time she could bring Lilah with her, four hands being twice as nice as two and all. Nicole took me seriously I guess, she messaged me this morning and said she’s already talked to Lilah. Oh boy. A once a week massage is plenty for me, so the girls are going to have to wait.
After the massage, I hurried off to Alley Cats for the Saturday dart tourney. I still haven’t been motivated to practice and consequently, my game is nowhere near where it used to be when I considered myself a player. Ah well, me and my partner Cherry were good enough for third place money.
It had been a while since I’ve seen Cherry. She’s like best friends with the ex. Another friend of theirs, Jona, was also at the bar. So it was no real surprise when the ex showed up as well. No big deal to me, I still consider her a friend. But there was a surprise in store for me:
Cherry and Jona had been disappointed that I hadn’t celebrated my birthday with them at Alley Cats. So, we did a belated birthday cake.
I also learned a new Tagalog word: Namonamo. That’s the way you say “fuck you!” in these parts. Good to know!
After the dart tournament concluded, I invited the gals across the street to Mangos and treated them to a grilled pork chop dinner. Food was excellent, and as always, so was the view:
And another abbreviated day was drawing to a close.
And oh yeah, we all got pretty damn drunk. Cherry’s driver graciously gave me a ride home after the festivities.
And that brings us to lockdown Sunday. The good news is that this is the final lockdown, at least in this iteration of Olongapo’s war on COVID-19. Next week the curfew is being raised back to 9:30 p.m. as well, which suits me just fine. Even in the good old days I rarely stayed out past nine anyway. But hopefully, this will provide some boost for the businesses (bars, restaurants, and hotels) that have really been struggling. We’ll see.
This five-year-old photo from Facebook memories provided me with some motivation today:
I vaguely remember that fat bastard. If I recall correctly, he was killed by his wife.
There’s no lockdown on the Subic side of the river so that’s where I took my hike. Almost three hours’ worth. What was I thinking? Actually, I took an unfamiliar route which carried me much further from home than I intended. I got my 20,000 steps in though.
This was the first thing I noticed when I walked out my door this morning. It’s good to remember that whatever our brain is saying, we are surrounded by beauty. Just need to pause and enjoy it.The long and lonely highway I spent some time with on my hike today.All the way out to Naugsol and back.
The sky was threatening and the thunder was rolling early in the walk, but I kept plodding along and my steadfastness was rewarded–no rain fell on my head and this Bob Dylan song I had never really listened to was in my Spotify playlist. Perhaps it helped provide me shelter from the storm.
‘Twas in another lifetime one of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue, the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness a creature void of form “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
And if I pass this way again you can rest assured I’ll always do my best for her on that I give my word In a world of steel-eyed death and men who are fighting to be warm “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
Not a word was spoke between us there was little risk involved Everything up to that point had been left unresolved Try imagining a place where it’s always safe and warm “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
I was burned out from exhaustion buried in the hail Poisoned in the bushes and blown out on the trail Hunted like a crocodile ravaged in the corn “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
Suddenly I turned around and she was standing there With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
Now there’s a wall between us something there’s been lost I took too much for granted, I got my signals crossed Just to think that it all began on an uneventful morn “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
Well the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount But nothing really matters much it’s doom alone that counts And the one-eyed undertaker he blows a futile horn “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
I’ve heard newborn babies wailing like a mourning dove And old men with broken teeth stranded without love Do I understand your question man, is it hopeless and forlorn? “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
In a little hilltop village they gambled for my clothes I bargained for salvation and she gave me a lethal dose I offered up my innocence, I got repaid with scorn “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
Well I’m living in a foreign country but I’m bound to cross the line Beauty walks a razor’s edge someday I’ll make it mine If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born “Come in,” she said “I’ll give you shelter from the storm”
Last night’s sunset as seen from my perch at Mango’s was quite spectacular. Definitely the highlight of my day.
Today has been bizarre, even by my low standards. I need to get drunk and think about it take some time to process the events that occurred. Look forward to a post on my latest shit tomorrow.
Here are a few photos from my Friday hike, a little over 10K all told.
Our group for the day consisted of Anne, Dan, Jim, and of course, yours truly.There’s a virgin in this photo, but now that I look at it she’s kinda hard to see.Sturdier than it may appear.Valley view.A cabin in the woods.The four of us going forth on the fourth of September.And that’s it for this hiking post.
My head is spinning. I need to go out for some medication. Think I’ll see if they have what I need at Hot Zone.
Greetings! Busy day here but I’ll post more on that later. For now, a couple of photos from my Philippines life to tide you over.
A beautiful full moon last night as seen from Mangos……so I had the chicken breast salad as I enjoyed the view.I can never seem to get a good moon shot. The first photo was using maximum zoom. This one is no zoom. Which do you like best? It looked better than both with the naked eye.We had a Hash meeting at Cheap Charlies today at noon. So, I had some lunch brought up from Foodies downstairs. Got me this cottage pie. It tasted fine, but it was cold in the middle. Totally ruined it for me. The waitress offered to take it down for reheating but I told her never mind.Speaking of disappointments, Facebook reminded me that four years ago I was here in Barretto on vacation with my Korean girlfriend Eun Oke. She actually had a blast and the bargirls loved her. But at the end of the trip, she announced we had no future together because I wanted to retire in a poor country. Oh well, here I am.
Anyway, I’m making the best of things. Notwithstanding my bitching all the time I know I am indeed blessed.
Oh you can count me out of your triangle I’m number three I’m too late to lie And I don’t need heartache at all I can’t stand the fall And the moon just turned blue Goodbye, goodbye Little darlin’ the moon just turned blue So baby goodbye
A lovely Monday morning here in the Philippines. I’ve got the Hash to attend to soon so I wanted to throw some love out to my faithful few readers who look forward to my pathetic posts. I won’t let you down!
Let’s start with this:
Some protesters who stayed in the District after the March on Washington ended Friday afternoon continued to spread their message, and elements of mayhem, around the city by temporarily shutting down major roads and tussling with police, even while rain deluged the area at nightfall.
Kevin Kim, do you see a problem in the above passage from a recent Washington Post article? Althouse did. As the world’s foremost authority on comma usage, I’ll let you be the final arbiter on the issue.
And speaking of Kevin Kim, today is his birthday. Any of y’all who appreciate his insightful comments here as much as I do should go give him a holler at his Hairy Chasms blog. And if you aren’t reading him every day as I do, you are missing out on some fine content. Check him out!
I ventured out yesterday afternoon in defiance of the Sunday lockdown order. Made it to my favorite beachside bar without incident and enjoyed me some cold brewskies. Now, I had plenty of beer at the house but I just enjoy watching the beauty that mother nature provides. Especially the sea gals.
This gal is a regular on the beach and she ain’t shy about strutting her stuff. Her hair is probably her most striking feature though.The rest of her ain’t bad either.I couldn’t really sneak a good shot of this one, but I find her quite attractive in a “girl next door” kinda way.A simple beauty with no pretensions.
Tomorrow is grocery shopping day, and I’ve got my list prepared:
Sorry if I’ve posted this before. It’s a great example of being phonetically correct and totally wrong.
Sadly, I don’t have a wife to do the shopping for me. Kinda like this poor guy:
I hate it when that happens!
Okay, that’s all I’ve got for today. Assuming I survive today’s trail (Leech My Nuggets is the Hare) I’ll be back with more tomorrow.
A little lazy lockdown Sunday potpourri. I’m not kidding about the lazy part, I’ve been sitting on my ass all day playing solitaire on the computer. I did achieve Card Shark level, however, so I guess that’s an accomplishment of sorts.
Here’s the view from my upstairs balcony this morning. It’s rained periodically throughout the day. That’s my excuse for not walking. I like it better than the being a lazy bastard one.
I had a big surprise when I saw my old buddy Jeremy Frye was posting on Facebook again. He’s the one who got convicted in the death of a Korean he had a bar brawl with. I guess he got released a few months early from his six-year sentence and he’s currently staying with his parents back in Florida. I’ve not had a chance to chat with him yet, but I did leave a comment that he ought to write a book about his experience. He responded: “Of course. It also doubles as my autobiography, which doubles as a self-help book. It’s called “Lessons I Learned the Hard Way”. Hmm, that may be sarcasm. He does appear to be somewhat embittered, but I guess that’s to be expected. He still believes he was wrongfully convicted:
I’m putting this video on Facebook so that my family and friends in America will be better able to understand what happened as I explain the area, environment, scene, etc. This is not for any other reason, but it should be noted that the “victim’s” friends who were at the hospital giving accounts of what happened werent actually at the scene. On top of that, even though the reporter was standing in front of the police station, the detectives kicked him out without giving him any information, which should help everyone to understand that this KBS news segment had very little actual facts.
You know… I know that many people are disgusted with me for having “punched a man to death”, but in reading the news articles, comments, and other case-related crap, I”ve realized (what I had already known), that nobody on the outside ever knew what really happened. I had begun a complete dissection of the case and was going to post videos to expose the corruption using the court records that the prosecutors tried to keep from me, but I think that I’m going to save myself tons of hours of work and money simply by posting the autopsy photo so that everyone can see clearly that it was impossible for a fist to create the blunt-force trauma, especially from three punches.
I don’t think he posted that photo, but here’s the KBS video he mentions. Welcome home, Jeremy!
Christopher was a special boy and it was heartbreaking to see him leave this world just a couple of years after his mother and my good friend Bridget Werner passed away.
Well, that’s enough sad shit for one day, don’t you think? Last night was pretty satisfying:
I am still throwing like shit, but threw well enough that my partner Nancy could carry us both to victory!
After finishing darts at Alley Cats, I went across the street to my beachside bar:
Where I enjoyed some cold beers and a beautiful sunset. And if you love nature the way I do, it’s always good to see the beautiful sea gals out and about.
Hotels are allowed to serve their guests on lockdown Sundays. And I got invited to be a guest by the manager. Woot! Just might take her up on that offer in a bit. If I can break away for my perch in front of the computer.
What else have I got for you? Well, this is both true and funny:
Was sorry to see that he chose to leave Congress. We need more people of integrity like Trey Gowdy.If the media was reporting WWII events like they are the riots, we’d see this kind of headline…
Speaking of the 1940s, I found this on the internet and it purports to be the real thing. I have my doubts, but maybe I should get me one:
Just in case I need to ration myself so I don’t overdo the transactional relationships.
Anyway, I’m maintaining positive thoughts and I remain hopeful that my chosen path will lead to happiness. Whatever that may be.
One day at a time.
Think I will shower up and defy the lockdown for a bit. I hope my next post isn’t from jail!
Made it through the birthday and I’m newly resolved to make the best of whatever lies ahead. Luckily, it seems my physical health is holding on and my mental health is not much worse than it’s ever been either. So yeah, I threw a little pity party for myself yesterday but it’s a new day today and I’m moving forward.
I do keep track of my vital statistics on a daily basis and I’d say I’m doing alright for an old fucker.
BP: 123/84
Resting heart rate: 59 (that’s lower than it’s ever been!)
72 sleep score (as measured by my Fitbit, that’s in the fair range)
Averaging just under 20,000 steps per day
35.7C temperature (no COVID yet!)
204 pounds (that’s 5 more than I like, and seems to be confined to my beer belly. No idea what that’s from though.)
Anyway, I’m in much better shape than I was five years ago. Even my damaged lungs seem to be, um, taking a breather. Haven’t needed to use my nebulizer or inhaler for quite a while and no coughs or other COPD symptoms. Overall, I’d say I’ve got much to be thankful for healthwise.
Nothing special really for the “big day” yesterday. Walked My Bitch alone and visited a bit with Olivia, the matriarch of the mountain family. Got a message from Scott about halfway through my hike that they needed to move the Hash gear from Johansson’s and wondered if I had room for it at my place. So, I hustled on over and helped load up the Hashmobile. Sad news to see Johansson’s close down, it’s been a fixture in Barretto and our Hash home for many years. Just another casualty of government incompetence and ignorance.
Later on, I popped into Cheap Charlies to enjoy a beer and they played the birthday song for me. I guess I have a mutual Facebook friend with one of the girls. My old crush Heidi, who manages the place, even sat with me for a chat. I bought a round of drinks for all the girls as a birthday present.
I was feeling hungry, so I walked up the street to Sit-n-Bull for some supper. Ordered the French Dip and it was quite good. I had a nice chat with the owner and mentioned that I rarely see a French Dip as a menu offering these days. He corrected me that what he offers is a roast beef dip. To be a true French dip the beef has to be finely sliced and he serves his version with thickly sliced wedgies. Well, yeah, now that you mention it. Still very tasty and enjoyable though.
I finished up on the beach at Mango’s and then headed on home ahead of curfew. I was in bed before 9 p.m. once again which seems to be my new normal.
Exciting times, eh?
A birthday meme from my daughter. She knows me too well! Life’s a gas.
Here’s the view from my B&B last night (well, prior to curfew I mean). That would be beer and bay as usual…
A busy day ahead so I wanted to throw something up here while I can. Yeah, a vomit post!
Have my Wednesday hike group to attend to this morning. This afternoon I’ll be attending a birthday party. Janey invited me! It’s at the bar where the guest of honor works, but still…
I’m not a literary expert and haven’t even heard of a couple of these. But there is no such thing as too much Hemingway and don’t you dare attack my relatively new hero Bukowski. And Ayn Rand could see into the future for chrissakes. I’ll concede Lolita might be a little concerning without additional context. I’d keep my eyes on my teenaged daughter for sure!
Speaking of Twitter, Alexandra Occasional Cortex went there to attack the GOP convention. About the best she had was to mock the elephant symbol. As you might imagine, that didn’t work out well for her. Here’s my favorite:
What a jackass! No offense to the donkey on the right…
Anyway, I’m far, far away from the madness back home. Glad to be here. But still…
Aren’t we all?
Okay, gotta run. Well, walk. But you know what I mean.
…and cake on my head. That pretty much summarizes yesterday’s Hash. I’ll tell the story in pictures:
A mostly pleasant 6K hike to our On-Home at Hunter’s Jo. One climb, a little steep but not too difficult.Our Gash Hares were Check My Pek Pek, My Mouth Is Shut, and Horny Little Cock Bender. It was their first time as Hares and I’d say overall they did a fine job.The ought to write the trail marks a little larger maybe so us old guys can see them…And we are On-On!Puddles are just one of the flat ground rainy season hazards we have to deal with.Who wants cookies?And some candy for you!Tell us how you really feel…The big climb came towards the end of the trail…Harder that way for old farts like me……but we got it done.A view from near the top…Let’s get down from here.A steep descent……and the tall thatch grass didn’t make it any easier…Dealing with gravity is often a question of balance…One of the hazards on trail are vines growing close to the ground that will trip you up. Yesterday I encountered such a vine and it was covered in thorns. It wrapped around my leg and when I took a step forward it gave me a good slice. Not as bad as the barbed wire I got tangled in a couple of years ago, but still not pleasant.Looking back from whence we came…Made it on-home without further incident. The gal was the best thing on the menu, but I settled for an okay hot dog…A view from Hunter’s Jo.The Hares on ice.It’s my birthday week so I had the traditional Hash birthday cake prepared with the ingredients all on my head.There was a regular cake for everyone else to enjoy. I took a dip in the bay and washed away most of the other cake…And so concludes another Hash post.
It’s Hash Monday and that means I’ll be hitting the trail in a couple of hours and hitting the bottle shortly thereafter. So if I am going to post something here today I’d best do it now.
I wrapped up my lockdown Sunday with the movie Pay it Forward. It had been quite some time since I’d last seen it and with my Biden-like memory it seemed almost new to me again. For example, I’d forgotten that it was filmed in Las Vegas. Anyway, I had downloaded the film a few weeks ago in anticipation of sharing it with my friend Jhen on the occasion of my presenting her with a new laptop. Instead, she took the gift and fled. She did thank me profusely later and I saw that she recently posted a clip from the movie on her Facebook page, so at least she understands the concept of paying it forward. I hope she will.
When I went upstairs to my bedroom and was closing the sliding window in preparation for going to bed, I somehow managed to squash my thumb between the window and the jamb. Hurt like a motherfucker! This morning I have a big black bruise under the thumbnail. And no, the several beers I enjoyed with the movie had nothing to do with the accident. I’m almost sure of it.
In my morning internet explorations, I came across this clip of conjoined twins who recently were hired as a schoolteacher.
Only a sick mind would even think of wondering which head gives the best head. Yeah, I went there.
And while we are in the realm of YouTube, I’ll share a video from a Filipina vlogger who attempts to answer the question “Does your Filipina REALLY love you?” She is actually a little irritating to watch (at least to me, your mileage may vary) but she makes some points that are consistent with my own observations since I began visiting the Philippines. I’m going to be doing a post soon on the whole concept of “transactional relationships” and this video might provide you some useful background information for that discussion.
As I was leaving my subdivision yesterday afternoon one of the guards approached me and advised that several cases of COVID-19 had been reported in San Isidro, the barangay directly behind Alta Vista. In fact, my house is technically in San Isidro which is part of Subic town. Anyway, I understood the guard to say that no one from San Isidro (other than residents of course) would be permitted to enter Alta Vista. I acknowledged this info and went on about my business.
Today I’m hearing that the construction workers have been told to either stay on site or be denied re-entry. And even more concerning is that no visitors will be allowed to enter Alta Vista. I was more than a little incensed about that, thinking on what authority is a security guard going to tell me who can visit my house? I checked with one of my neighbors and he believes unescorted visitors may be denied entry, but not if I am with them. Hmm, guess we’ll find out about that one way or the other. Of course, I know several ways to bypass the front gate so I’ll continue to do as I damn well please, being the selfish bastard that I am.
Here’s the update from Zambales province. Olongapo also reported several new cases, including one in Barretto.
The “official statement to follow” verbiage is concerning. I won’t be surprised if there is yet another government overreaction shutting everything done. Hope I’m wrong about that.
In the meantime, life goes on.
The view from my regular perch at Mangos. I really do enjoy watching the youngsters at play on the beach.And here’s a rainy Baloy beach as seen from my wet morning walk.
And that’s about it for now. I’ve got a long-postponed lunch with J. today and later I plan to play in my first dart tournament since the COVID madness started back in March. I need to try and get back to normal, whatever the hell that is.
This may not be funny if you don’t know anyone for Scotland, but it made me think of my old friend Alistair and cracked me up:
Rows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air And feather canyons everywhere I’ve looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun They rain and snow on everyone So many things I would have done But clouds got in my way
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down, and still somehow It’s cloud illusions I recall I really don’t know clouds at all
Yesterday afternoon found me at Bar Celona. I thought perhaps I would rendevous with J. there but alas, she was a no show. Other commitments ran late then the curfew loomed, and so it was not to be. Another time perhaps.
So I sat and drank in the beer and the view.
The clouds were hanging lower than my mood.
A restless night because I couldn’t get my damn brain to shut the fuck up. Oh well, it happens like that sometimes.
Here’s an update on our COVID numbers:
Of course, the government doesn’t publish them quite like this. Don’t want the sheep to catch on to the scam after all.
This mornings perusal of the internet revealed this madness:
What kind of madness is this? They are eleven fucking years old!
Apparently this is a new series on Netflix featuring young girls being sexualized. Guess they are going for the pedophile market. I canceled my Netflix account when they hired the lying bitch Susan Rice to their Board of Directors. Not sure if she had anything to do with approving this travesty but damn, are pedos the next oppressed group the libtards are going to get woke about?
I needed a nice long walk after seeing those “cuties”, so I took one with fellow Friday hikers Troy, Jim, and Anne. Scott couldn’t make it so picking the trail was my job today. I had us start out across the river in Matain, then head out past Black Rock mountain, around Easter mountain, back across the river in San Isidro, then over to my house for beers and chicken nuggets. Around 12K all told, mostly flat. It did rain like a motherfucker about halfway through, but nothing you can do about that except suck it up and keep plodding along.
As usual, my hiking mates were always waiting for my slow ass to catch up.But I like to stop and smell the flowers along the way. Well, at least photograph them.And pause to take in the view too.Wet and slick…I chose to go around Black Rock rather than over it. I judged to ground too wet for a safe descent. I’m no Günter…Finally, a break in the storm!There was no way to avoid getting wet and muddy feet though.And on we marched.Back over the river and just 3K more to Alta Vista.How now brown carabao?
And that’s how things are here in these parts.
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels The dizzy dancing way you feel As every fairy tale comes real I’ve looked at love that way
But now it’s just another show You leave ’em laughing when you go And if you care, don’t let them know Don’t give yourself away
I’ve looked at love from both sides now From give and take, and still somehow It’s love’s illusions I recall I really don’t know love at all
Spent an interesting few hours yesterday on the old Navy base. That’s what I call it anyway, but it is technically the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) although it often called SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) which is the unelected government agency that runs things in what is really a complex community of people, businesses, and manufacturers. It was a huge U.S. Navy base back in the day, but what is most surprising to me is just how diverse the landscape really is. You’ve got the urban areas, the ship docks, and the big factories; but also I’d reckon more than half of the base remains in its jungle-like natural state. Quite beautiful indeed!
I had occasion to visit one such area yesterday along with five others from our Wednesday hiking group. We went in search of new trails to explore as we are growing a little bored with the same old, same old here in Barretto. And we were not disappointed, although it did seem at first we might be. When we reached our intended starting point, the road was blocked by SBMA police who told us non-residents were not allowed. So we moved on down the road and found an actual trailhead and set about exploring it. And explore we did as most of the time we were clueless about where we were or where we were going. We spent over three hours making our way along muddy paths through the jungle. I did manage to fall only twice on the 10K hike.
The route we took…Heading on out in search of a trail.By golly, I do believe we found one! It was technically closed but no guards at this entrance. The Aeta referenced in the sign is what the indigenous people of the Philippinesare called. Apparently there is a small village nearby, although we never found it.
A babbling brook. Or maybe it was a gurgling stream…But we found a bridge to safely cross it… The first half of the trail was well-maintained and a pleasure to hike.We came upon these Aeta folks doing some work on the trail. They invited us to join them for coffee. We declined but shared some cookies with them.Onward I go!It was a hot day. My shorts are drenched in sweat. Yeah, I know it looks like I pissed myself, but I didn’t. I swear!Up we go.Up top things cleared out and we found this solitary house.So I gave some cookies to one of the residents.It was quite beautiful up there.Moving on.The nightmare started on the way down. Steep and slick. I found it hard to keep my feet, which made for slow going.But we did eventually make it back to civilization. This old Quonset hut was one of the few vestiges of the former US Navy presence that we saw.We were tired, hungry, and thirsty at the conclusion of our hike so we popped into an SBMA restaurant called Vasco’s. This was the view from our table.
We stopped at the newest bar in Barretto, The Green Room, on the way home and had a few more beers. I got home around 4, took a shower then fell asleep. Hence, I failed to post this report yesterday. Sorry!
The reason I ask is because the comments to my previous post have given me lots of food for thought. Quite a bit to digest. While I chew them over let me share some photos from yesterday’s Hash.
Leech My Nuggets was the Hare. He’d been stuck in Australia for months, so it was could to have him back. He always does a challenging and well-marked trail–yesterday was no exception. Right around 6K.We gathered up at our starting point in Alta Vista……and then we headed on out.Over a river…….and through a rice paddy…And onward we marched. Almost like Christian soldiers.There were rickety bridges to navigate along the way.And hills to climb. Actually, there was only one real hard up, long and steep. First time on that trail, so it was interesting. Actually, the steep and slippery downhill proved to be more challenging.Catching our breath about halfway up.The view was nice.This one too.Oddly enough, this was one of my favorite views throughout the hike.I dispensed with some cookies……and candy along the way.On Home at Hunter’s Jo Inn… Ships in the bay…and some Gash on ice.Two virgin Hashers successfully completed their initiation.We ran out of beer right when the circle ended, so I took a trike back to Barretto and grabbed my regular stool at Mango’s. Beach was deserted at low tide.
Other than the beer issue, it was a fine Hash indeed. Thanks for coming along.
The first of several lockdown Sundays to come but I’ll be damned if I’m going to take it lying down. Luckily, Subic is right on the other side of the river and they are not under the onerous restrictions imposed by Olongapo/Barretto. So I spent some time in their neck of the woods this morning. More on that a bit later in this post.
As is becoming my custom, I spent the curfew abbreviated evening at Mango’s yesterday. The view of the beach was especially enjoyable:
Not often you can view a full moon so early in the day.
It is very unusual to see a Filipina in a string bikini. Most of the time they wear shorts and a t-shirt when they swim. She and her guy (on the left) were staying at the ICove hotel next door to Mango’s. Probably up from Manila. Those big-city girls can be a little wild I’m told.
And then I wound up doing something stupid. I probably got away with it this time, but I’m pretty disappointed in myself. When will I ever learn?
Decisions, decisions…
Speaking of things that didn’t go as planned, Facebook reminded me this morning that it was just four years ago when I was wondering where things might go with this one:
Ah, Eun Oke. For every time that we spent laughing there were two times that I cried.
Anyway, I decided to push myself this morning and did a little more than 14K in just over three hours. It was a bit much for these tired old legs, I was really dragging ass at the end. A voice in my head kept whispering “take a trike home, no one will know or care!” But I said fuck that and kept on plodding along until I was safely back to Casa Rosenda.
My destination this morning was the WalterMart on the far side of Subic town. I took the Subic bypass road getting thee and the National highway coming back. I’d done this walk once before several months agp. It’s mostly flat thankfully, but I just don’t seem to have more than 10K in me in one go these days.
I’ve got some pictures if you want to see some of what I saw:
No rain this morning but a brief shower right when I got home. I’m not sure why but I found this cloud formation pleasant to look at.The familiar path leading out of Alta Vista. This was about the only portion of the walk that wasn’t paved.My first river crossing of the day.Easter mountain towers above the rice paddies…The Govic bypass highway to Subic. Mostly empty but for a few shanties and shacks here and there. Not much traffic today which was nice.About an hour later I was back in civilization, such as it is.Destination achieved! It was right at 7K from my house. I walked through the mall but didn’t visit any of the stores.The National highway going into Subic Town. I always assumed the walk was longer via the bypass but they both proved to be about the same at 7K. Yeah, it’s blurry. Sorry, something about standing in the middle of the road made me nervous I guess.Subic Town Hall.Not sure if you can make him out, but there is a little boy fishing in those nasty waters.Now, this freaked me out. Once the lift basket reached its apex, this young man got out and climbed up into the tree. No rope, no safety harness. Then he began sawing away at one of the branches. I couldn’t bear to watch. One false step would likely be fatal.Also walked by where we will be holding the On-Home for tomorrow’s Hash. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare and I’m sure the trail he chooses will be much more difficult than what I walked today. Probably shorter though.Crappy map, but this is all I got. I guess it provides an idea of how I got there and back.And so concludes today’s lockdown post. Beats sitting on the couch and watching TV, that’s for sure!
And now I reckon I’ll pop open a beer, sit on the couch, and watch some TV.
Let’s take a break from posts about love and relationships, shall we?
Well, maybe. As much as I enjoy imbibing I really don’t like to drink early in the day. I’m one of those five o’clock guys. Although I do make exceptions, like at the end of a group hike.
Speaking of group hikes, I did a nice 8K trek with Scott and Troy on Friday.
That would be Scott……and this would be Troy……not to mention me. Well, I guess I just did.Walked past my mountain family’s place for the first time in a while. Grandma has her own shack now, with a dog and everything!The thatch grass was in full flower. Pain in the ass to walk through.The views were nice though.Came down off the mountain into a small enclave and encountered these friendly kiddies…Rewarded those smiles with some cookies…Big girls need sweets too. Well, maybe this one should lay off the candy some…I had enough for them too…It’s the season to plant that rice. Up on top of the hill in the back is my Alta Vista subdivision. Two different worlds.
At the conclusion of the hike, we did lunch at Sit-n-Bull then moseyed over to Cheap Charlies for some additional liquid refreshment. As I said, that was an exception to the early in the day drinking rule.
Came home and took a nap, did a blog post, and then went back into town. Hey, I had a good excuse–I needed to find mama and give her her daily dinner money. It was raining when I found her camped out in front of the Chill Inn, a hotel that hasn’t reopened since the pandemic hit. And since the Chill Inn is practically next door to Cheap Charlies, well, what’s a beer drinker to do?
This morning I did a long hike on my own out to the old Navy base and back, right around 10K. I was feeling it by the time I got back home. I seem to be losing my walking stamina of late.
This tree was in bloom which I thought made a nice juxtaposition with the hillside cemetery. Unfortunately, my lack of photography skills didn’t capture the moment as I viewed it. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts, right?A tranquil morning on the bay.
So, the latest outrage is that in addition to our face masks we are now required to wear a face shield on public transportation.
My latest humiliation. Just when you think it can’t get any stupider, it does.
Now, I don’t ride Jeepneys or trikes all that much. But it just so happens the On-Home for Monday’s Hash is in Calapadayan. That’s too far and too dangerous to walk home from after drinking. Which means I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to carry this shield with me on the Hash. I really hate lugging my backpack on an already tough trail, but I may have no choice. Oh well.
Maybe it’s just me, but I thought this was kinda funny…
That’s it for today, folks!
Just another gnarly post for your viewing pleasure.
It’s not my way to love you just when no one’s looking It’s not my way to take your hand if I’m not sure It’s not my way to let you see what’s going on inside of me When it’s a love you won’t be needing, you’re not free
Please stop pulling at my sleeve if you’re just playing If you won’t take the things you make me want to give I never cared too much for games and this one’s driving me insane You’re not half as free to wander as you claim
But I’m easy I’m easy Give the word and I’ll play your game As though that’s how it ought to be Because I’m easy
Well, for those of you who have been following along with my adventures in love, here’s an update on yesterday’s meeting with the latest woman to trip my triggers.
I’m not going to name the woman here because I don’t want to have to password-protect the post. Let’s just call her Janey. When we arranged the rendezvous Janey had two items on her agenda to discuss–her stress and us. Turns out the stress was not induced by me, rather it all revolved around issues with her current (other?) boyfriend. Now, I’m only getting one side of the story so I take her criticisms with a certain amount of skepticism, but from what she reports the guy does seem to have some odd behaviors. Some of which might even raise some serious concerns about the man’s moral character. I’ll leave it at that for now, but it did seem apparent that Janey is in the “more I learn about this guy, the less I like him” mode. I asked some questions for clarification and to have her think through some of her feelings and fears, but otherwise did not state an opinion or interject myself in her efforts to reach conclusions about the value of the relationship.
One thing that took me aback was just how little time they have known each other. They met in November and only spent a month or so together before the guy returned home. I asked how long he has been coming to the Philippines and Janey said he’s made three trips in all, each approximately six months in length. He met her on his first trip to Subic last year. Apparently things moved fast after that. I have to say though the guy doesn’t strike me as too bright. Who in the hell buys a house in a town he has only visited once? And puts the damn thing in the name of a woman he’s spent only a month with. Rookie mistakes for sure. It might just turn out he’s going to pay a high price for his ignorance.
Don’t lead me on if there’s nowhere for you to take me If loving you would have to be a sometime thing I can’t put bars on my insides My love is something I can’t hide It still hurts when I recall the times I’ve cried
But I’m easy I’m easy Take my hand and pull me down I won’t put up any fight Because I’m easy
And so now it was time to talk about “us”. Janey essentially wanted to know if there was still an us. I reminded her that I had already said that I was taking a step back to allow her to decide the future she wanted to pursue without pressure or influence from me. I told her my feelings hadn’t changed but given the circumstances, there was nothing I could do about pursuing a relationship. She was already in one. I wanted more but considering she didn’t even want to be seen with me in public I would just have to content myself with biding my time until she made a decision. I reassured her that I would still be here for her anytime she needed me as a friend or someone to talk to.
I guess she was okay with that because we went upstairs and had amazing sex.
When we were finished I fed her some meatballs I had prepared in the crockpot. Then I put on some music. The playlist had a country sound going on and when Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel” came on I gave her some twists and turns in her first experience with country swing dancing. She seemed to enjoy that.
And a bit later when Keith Carradine’s “I’m Easy” played I tried to sing along but got a little choked up. I guess it hit a bit too close to home.
When it was time to leave I accompanied Janey to the highway. She preferred to walk rather than take a trike so I said my goodbyes. No hug or kiss, of course, we were in public. It still felt weird somehow.
So, I don’t know if anything was resolved or not. At this point, I don’t feel ready to walk away but I’m prepared to go on with my life in the interim. Perhaps Janey is feeling the same way. She sent me this message this morning:
I want to be happy, I don’t want to be sad anymore… If you find something more than me just go ahead baby. I don’t want to hold you back. I love you but I want you to be happy. Life is so short.
That works for me I guess. It’s not like I have any choice. I’m easy.
Don’t do me favors, let me watch you from a distance ‘Cause when you’re near, I find it hard to keep my head And when your eyes throw light at mine It’s enough to change my mind Make me leave my cautious words and ways behind
That’s why I’m easy Ya, I’m easy Say you want me, I’ll come running Without taking time to think Because I’m easy Ya, I’m easy Take my hand and pull me down I won’t put up any fight Because I’m easy Ya, I’m easy Give the word, I’ll play your game As though that’s how it ought to be Because I’m easy
