Made it through yet another total lockdown Sunday. There’s something about not being able to do anything that makes me not want to do anything. Either that or I’m just lazy. Well, May is over and my resolution for June is to show some self-discipline and get back into my routines. My average daily step count is way down and I need to kick myself in the ass and put in the kilometers.

The day wasn’t a total loss as I did binge watch my way through the final season of Game of Thrones. I will share my thoughts on the ending in a future post, but the short version, for now, is (spoiler alert): BULLSHIT!

I’m pressed for time this morning because I’ll be participating in COVID Hash Run #3 today. The noon start time is a pain in the ass, especially since I’ll have a 45-minute hike to get to the meeting place. Well, I guess that’s one way to get the step count back up where it belongs. There was some controversy after last week’s Hash. I had already left for home so didn’t witness it, but apparently the Grandmaster got pissed because people were being too rowdy in the back of the Hashmobile on the ride back into town after the circle. He’s apparently resigned as a result so I’m not sure what is in store for today. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Today’s “interesting” photo comes from my morning dog walk. A new house is under construction in the neighborhood and I’ve got a bad feeling about the future.

Maybe it’s just my warped sense of humor, but I found this quite funny:

And oh yeah, does anyone not believe these worldwide quarantine measures are a bunch of crap? We need to go old school on this virus!

That’s all folks!

And not just the ones in my head.

An odd afternoon yesterday. I hadn’t heard from my wife in several months and then received a message wishing me a happy birthday. My birthday is in August. Apparently she saw my party post here or on Facebook and assumed it was for me. Anyway, we exchanged some pleasantries and it was mostly good to hear from her again. I try not to think about how much I miss that old life that has been dead and buried for years now.

I also got an email from a woman I loved 13 years ago. It wasn’t so nice. She demanded that I delete a photo of her from a post I wrote here well over a year ago. I thought about it long and hard, sought out some advice, slept on it, and ultimately decided to leave the picture where it is. I did remove her name from that post which should make her invisible to a Google search. Had she made a polite request of me I probably would have done what she asked. I don’t respond well to being told what to do in a rude manner though. I did search my email archives to verify her claim that she had asked several times for the photo to be removed and as I expected, she had not. In fact, the last time we had corresponded was in 2008. In that exchange, she apologized for the manner in which she had ended our relationship and we both professed our love for one another. That was a better way to leave things than her latest correspondence. I found that missive unworthy of response. Well, I guess this post is my response.

In other unrelated news, when I first started playing darts in Itaewon, “Petro” Petrocelli was the President of the Seoul International Dart League and one of my mentors. He’s been back in the USA for quite some time now and is a sponsored professional darter in Ohio. His wife is a Filipina and I still hear from him occasionally on Facebook.

In darts, you have to double out. I just doubled down. Su Mi.

In quarantine news, the President announced last night that all of central Luzon, including Manila, would be downgraded from the enhanced level to general quarantine status. From what I’ve been reading that’s not going to make a bit of difference for me. Well, there are some rumors that restaurants will be able to offer dine-in service, at 50% capacity. We’ll see.

This one is for you too, Kevin:

Speaking of time, we are all going to run out of it someday. I hope that when I go I’ll be able to give a meaningful gift like this to someone who cares for me:

Does this video from the birthday party work on your computer?

As bad as I get, I’ll never be a Joe Biden though:

That’s all I’ve got for now. I suspect it is more than enough.

I hosted a birthday party at my place yesterday afternoon. It was by far the largest gathering I’ve ever had at my house. But more about that event later in this post.

Tuesday afternoon I did some shopping. Started out at the appliance store where I purchased this beauty:

I also purchased a new blender. I knew it was low-quality made in China crap, but I didn’t have much else to choose from. It was just $25 and I figured it would get me through until I could buy something more powerful. Nope. I burned out the motor on my first attempt to make smoothies. Damn it!

I also visited the DiviMart to pick up some cheap plastic chairs and a table to accommodate my party guests. I got what I was looking for and figured I was good to go so off I went. Unloaded my driver’s car and settled in for some season 7 viewing of Game of Thrones.

So the big party day arrived with the festivities scheduled to begin in the early afternoon. But the house started filling up with Filipinas in the morning hours and they set about preparing the birthday feast. I had a walk scheduled for 10 a.m. so I wished them well in their endeavors and set out for my trek.

In addition to my regular walking mates Jim and Scott, we were joined by Troy and his gal Jessa and a former Hasher named Harry.

When we arrived back at the house the party was in full swing. The celebration was by and for a Filipina so us guys weren’t really relevant to the gals in attendance. Still, we got to eat the food and drink the beers. Well, the beers were mine anyway.

Some of the Filipinas were drinking Emperador, a popular local rum. The rest of us were drinking beer. Lots of beer! I had 36 bottles in the house at the start. And then we sent out for 48 more. Had a few more people show up than I anticipated and they all came thirsty. Apparently.

Maybe not so coincidentally, the night did not end without incident. It began with an accident that may have been an omen. Those chairs and stools I purchased for the party? Well, I was sitting on one of the stools, until I wasn’t.

As curfew approached and the beer ran out (again) people started heading home. Most had walked to my place (or taken a trike). One guest drove though. I didn’t pay much attention to his condition when he departed but a little while later I got a message from his angry girlfriend. It seems my guest had hit someone with his car and kept on going. She said I shouldn’t have allowed him to drive drunk. And she’s right about that. He seemed fine to me when he left but then again, I’m sure I was drunk by then and wouldn’t have known the difference. Of course, I feel bad about it though.

So, this morning he tells me that he apparently clipped a woman’s arm as she walked. A woman who just happens to be a barangay official and is also acquainted with his girlfriend. The girlfriend went to the injured woman’s house last night and did her best to smooth things over. This morning he went to the barangay and was cited for a quarantine violation, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident. I’m not sure what happens next, but he wasn’t jailed at least. I expect a fine and compensation to the victim is in his future. Hopefully nothing more severe.

One of the last things I remember from last night was Harry passed out on the dining room floor.

I actually don’t know Harry that well so the morning encounter was a little weird. I offered some coffee which he declined. He said he was waiting for daylight before making his way back home and went to lie down on the couch. He left about an hour later without saying anything.

Meanwhile, I went to do my morning internet rituals. I had a bit of a hangover and low energy, but otherwise was feeling okay. And then someone sent me the last photograph taken of me at the party:

Not much else I can say in my defense. It was a good party. A nice break from the boring lockdown routines. And not something I’ll be doing again anytime soon.

Promise.

One of the downsides of the COVID Hash experience is the 12:00 p.m. start time. Well, since I have to meet up on the mountain, I need to leave the house at 11:30. No big deal except this is my siesta time and my body is giving me a big WTF? right now as I prepare to head out. Man, I’m becoming such a whiner in my old age. And don’t give me that “becoming?” bullshit!

Today’s hike will be at least in part a reprise of my morning jaunt. I went up on My Bitch to deliver some goods to my mountain family.

So, some things are so stupid they make you laugh while you are shaking your head in disbelief. The latest from the Department of Tourism is this gem of wisdom: When hotels are allowed to reopen they will be limited to only two guests per room. So, I’m picturing a Filipino family driving up to Barretto from Manila for a weekend at the beach. Mom and Dan and two kids in the back seat. They book the standard room with two queen beds at Treasure Island. And then are told the kids can’t share the room. But that long drive from Manila all together in the car is fine. What bullshit!

Ah well, stupid is as stupid does I suppose. Time for me to get stupid now and hang out with a dozen or more people for some hiking and just as importantly, some drinking this afternoon. I’m not wearing a mask on trail but I’ll try and keep my distance. Luckily, I’m a slowpoke and will likely be bringing up the rear.

I’ll let you know how things work out tomorrow.

So, I guess there have been a couple of milestones on the way to the “new normal”, whatever in the hell that turns out to be. We are just a little over one week into the general (versus enhanced) community quarantine. More businesses have been allowed to open, trikes are allowed to operate again (limited to one passenger) and there is a general feeling of the old hustle and bustle returning. Hell, it’s starting to get dangerous to cross the highway, just like in the good old days. But we ain’t there yet.

No hotels or bars are allowed to have guests yet and restaurants are still limited to takeout only. Some businesses aren’t going to reopen at all, but maybe that’s best for the survivors since the customer base is going to be diminished. The laundry I used to use reopened and I saw the owner as I passed by the other day. She asked when I was going to bring in my clothes again. I had to confess that my helpers are now doing my laundry and I promised to buy them a machine. You could see the disappointment on her face. Oh well.

It’s not all bad news though. “Goman’s”, that hotel/restaurant/bar I used to frequent early in the quarantine, has once again reopened, albeit on the sly. I popped in because I saw the plywood blocking the door had been removed. Turns out that was just because they were doing some construction work inside. Anyway, they welcomed me back, told me to keep quiet about it, and happily served me the San Miguel Zero beer I’ve been craving.

Turns out my old Speakeasy place is also still open. As I suspected, when the manager called to tell me they were closed, he meant they were closed to me. That’s fine. I prefer Goman’s anyway. Also, with the alcohol ban lifted it’s easier to keep the fridge full of cold ones at home. Best of all the prices have dropped back into the normal range now.

So, that’s the update on the quarantine situation. In other news, there are some nice aspects to staying home once you get acclimated to it.

And today I binge-watched seven episodes of season six of Game of Thrones.

I’ll save my thoughts on some of the tangents the series has taken for when I’m sober another day.

I’m also getting to spend more time with my boys here at home.

I didn’t do any walking today except for the morning dog exercise. I did take a couple of “interesting” photographs during that excursion though. It seems the rainstorm yesterday had some impact in the neighborhood.

And there you have it, life goes on and we adjust as necessary I suppose. COVID Hash run #2 is on tap for tomorrow. That will get my lazy ass off the couch and out of the house at least.

Sorry, I’ll have a more substantial post (well, comparatively speaking) tomorrow. For now, I’ll just report that it is raining hard. I do believe we have officially entered rainy season. This will allow me to stop complaining about the heat. Damn it! Will this rain ever stop?

Anyway, I’d almost completed my morning walk before the downpour commenced. The weekend lockdown commenced at 2:00, so I had to forego my afternoon hike. Well, I did manage to score three more cases of beer today at least. And prices are back to almost normal.

I cooked up some pulled pork which went well with the conclusion of Season 5 of Game of Thrones. I was very surprised to see Jon Snow’s demise. About the only character with character. I guess Billy Joel was right when he sang only the good die young.

Speaking of death, you’d think worrying about the COVID would be enough, but today I found some info about something even more dangerous:

Time to load up Season 6. I’ll try and do better tomorrow!

They say there’s a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it’s better but I say it ain’t
I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun…
You know that only the good die young

We (Jim, Scott, and me) did our traditional Saturday hike today so as to avoid bumping up against the weekend curfew. Not that it would have mattered because we wound up going short and finished by noon. It was all pretty hot and intense though so that was enough.

Well, rules are rules and we should all just follow orders I suppose.

I’m on record as stating just how ridiculous the mask-wearing requirements truly are, especially since most of the masks are homemade and porous. So this pretty much captures the preventative value of donning the mask:

That’s really all I’ve got for now. I do have some news about the easing of the quarantine (or perhaps the ease of violating the quarantine) I’ll share with you tomorrow. Now some beer drinking beckons me (and yes, that last sentence is related to the previous sentence).

Stay tuned!

A wise man* once said, “he who has nothing to say should not say it”. Like that’s ever stopped me!

Grocery shopping today and my, what a difference a week makes. As we pulled up the first thing I noticed was no line waiting to get inside. It turns out that with the mall now opening at 10:00; earlier grocery shoppers must use the back entrance to the store. Walked around to that door and still no line! Of course, the store still sucks but at least I didn’t have to wait long to be disappointed. What kind of supermarket doesn’t stock Italian dressing for chrissakes?

Actually, I was also relieved that my age didn’t come up. Last week I used being an old fart to my advantage, bypassing the line by claiming senior privilege. Under the new quarantine rules, oldsters over 60 are supposed to stay home altogether. So I knew I wouldn’t be invoking the senior shortcut but I read about some people being turned away from stores in Barretto because of their age. Anyway, at least for today that turned out to be a non-issue.

I was going to cook up some pulled pork yesterday but discovered I was out of one of the key ingredients–brown sugar. I bought some today and will do the pork roast in the crockpot tomorrow. Last night I had takeout food delivered to my door for the first time ever in the Philippines. I knew the restaurant, Foodies, was good having ordered off their menu many times back in my Cheap Charlies days. And for some reason, I had a hankering for lasagna, a dish I hadn’t tried from Foodies before. The food arrived promptly but that is the best I can say about it.

The innards were okay I guess, but the pasta shell was hard and stiff to the point of being nearly inedible. And I’m not sure what was up with the color but I found it off-putting. I guess they didn’t use a tomato-based sauce or something. Anyway, lesson learned. Next time I’ll order stuff that I know is good, like the beef stew or meat pies.

So Facebook reminded me that I posted this seven years ago:

I got to wondering if I had posted this on the blog back then. And sure enough, I had, along with the story of how I learned to pronounce “ascertain”. Hint: it is NOT as certain.

I also saw this Ayn Rand meme on Facebook. What really struck me is how spot-on it is regarding the way things work here in the Philippines.

This is why a country rich in resources and cheap labor will always be a third world nation. That and the people in charge seem to be spectacularly stupid. The way the quarantine has been implemented is just the latest example of that sad fact.

Oh well, still happy to be here. Mostly.

*It wasn’t really a wise man, I just made that up. But you knew that, didn’t you?

I’m not an expert on the provenance of words, especially words that aren’t in English. So, take c’est la vie for instance. I mean, I understand that it translates as “such is life”, but to what degree does it actually express misfortune? I’m sure you wouldn’t tell someone who just lost a loved one
“c’est la vie“, even though that’s technically true. Dying is a part of life after all. Anyway, for purposes of this post c’est la vie is expressed with a shrug and an implied “oh well”. Things are what they are whether you like them or not.

Take last night for instance. I’m of course stuck at home as usual. Right around 5:00 I pop the top off a bottle of beer, settle down on the couch, turn on the TV, and start watching the next episode of Game of Thrones. And then the power goes out. Damn, I hate when that happens. “Brownouts” as they are called here. Fortunately, it happens less often than I expected when moving to the third world. And generally speaking, the brownouts usually last for less than an hour. I was concerned though because this one occurred after 5:00, so I was pretty sure it wasn’t scheduled maintenance. After waiting a bit it was getting hot in the house. So I decided to walk down to the guard shack at the front gate to see if they knew what was going on.

Anyway, the guard said Zamelco (Zambales Electric Co-op) had been notified, but he had no idea when they’d be out. Nothing to do but light some candles, sit outside, drink beers before they get hot, and wait. I did get more than a little concerned when I noticed most of the other houses around me had power and that the street lights were working. Usually, it’s an all or nothing type deal. My next-door neighbor came out and told me she had also called Zamelco and was told a truck was on the way. And about thirty minutes later power was indeed restored.

I finished watching episode 3 of season 5 and then noticed that I had someone managed to break the two vape pens in my pocket. Must have sat on them wrong, but they were irreparable. That’s a pretty big problem because I can’t get replacements here and I have pretty much depleted my backup supply. Oh well.

I guess on the grand scale of tragedies, I’m doing pretty well though. Were it not for my petty complaints what would I have to blog about, right?

Here’s today’s “interesting” photo.

I don’t know how Game of Thrones will turn out, but I was happy to see that the descendants of the Stark family are doing well:

I’m not sure if this constitutes a bright side or not, but it seems the pandemic has had an impact on the litter issues here in the Philippines:

This cartoon made me miss those glorious nights in the bars charming the sexy young bargirls with my good looks and wit:

Man: Haven’t I seen you someplace before?
Woman: Yes, that’s why I don’t go there anymore.
Man: Is this seat empty?
Woman: Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.
Man: Your place or mine?
Woman: Both. You go to yours, and I’ll go to mine.
Man: So, what do you do for a living?
Woman: I’m a female impersonator.
Man: Hey baby, what’s your sign?
Woman: Do not enter.
Man: How do you like your eggs in the morning?
Woman: Unfertilized.
Man: Your body is like a temple.
Woman: Sorry, there are no services today.
Man: I would go to the end of the world for you.
Woman: But would you stay there?
Man: If I could see you naked, I’d die happy.
Woman: If I saw you naked, I’d probably die laughing.

Well, don’t judge me on my love life alone. In fact, I’m thinking about taking the archives of LTG and turning them into an autobiography. I’ve even got a title picked out:

Such is life.

Life’s a beach. Oops, I spelled bitch wrong.

In my last post, I naively speculated that perhaps my run of things going broke in the night might be over. Turns out there were some holes in that theory. Like these:

As you have likely surmised the two holes are related. My helper noticed the ceiling was discolored and sagging. Luckily, she knew someone in the biz and he came out and cut a hole to see what was up. Turns out the toilet in the master bath was leaking. He spent most of Saturday making repairs. Cost me 700 pesos for the labor ($14.) and 2000 pesos ($20) for the materials. The job still isn’t finished though as I’m told the repairs “need to dry”. Which meant I was peeing off the upstairs deck last night since I’m too lazy to walk to the downstairs bathroom. Exciting times, eh?

This is the first weekend of the new normal around here, which basically means my hike on Saturday was mostly legal as the weekend lockdown didn’t begin until 2:00 p.m. It was just Scott and I and since the sky was threatening rain we confined ourselves to flat city streets and Baloy Beach.

Last night I fired up the grill and this was the result:

Tonight I was grilling chicken and the grill quit working. Hopefully, it is only out of gas, but I have my doubts since it hasn’t been very long since my last refill. We’ll see if my string of bad luck continues.

Spent a very lazy Sunday binge-watching Game of Thrones. I’m through season four now and that puts me into new territory. I recall from several years ago watching the episode where Joffrey was poisoned, but since then I’m seeing the storyline for the first time. Good stuff. I’ve got an old man’s ears now and the torrents I downloaded from Pirate Bay apparently don’t have subtitles which makes things a little hard to follow sometimes. Especially when Khalessi is speaking whatever the hell language she shares with the natives. Still enjoying it though.

And there you have another report from my locked-down life. But before I go, let me share some stuff you might like almost as much as I did.

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
–Thomas Paine

Sometimes it seems like our founders are speaking to us from the grave as a reminder to stand up for what is important. Steve, the Englishman who doesn’t drink, left the following comment to my post on Facebook:

What does that mean in English?

Eh, even after all these years the Brits still don’t get it. Go worship your Queen or something!

And here’s a public service announcement from someone who knows what they are talking about:

A little political humor for your viewing pleasure:

And finally, I found this pretty punny:

We are going to do a first-ever Quarantine Hash tomorrow. Not sure of the details, just that we are meeting up on the mountain. I’m sure it will be a small group. Look for a full report and photos after we’re done.

Peace out!

…don’t fix it. If it is broke you’re screwed. Or so it seems.

Now, I can’t say that the virus (whose origin cannot be named) is responsible, but it seems that I’ve had a run of things going broke that coincidentally coincided with the unavailability of repairs or replacements. It started with my Fitbit, then my watchband. The other night my blender gave up the ghost and then last night I discovered my mosquito zapper has burned out. Hopefully, I’ve used up all my bad luck by now!

Speaking of luck, more details have emerged regarding the lowering of the quarantine status from “enhanced” to “general”. My province of Zambales had been slated for general but for some unknown reason requested to remain under enhanced requirements. However, the city in which I reside (Olongapo) is an independent entity within Zambales and has elected to transition to general. Meanwhile, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) which is the official name of the old Navy base, has decided to remain closed to non-residents. Confused yet?

Practically speaking, not a lot changes for me. The curfew is now 7 p.m. which provides me an extra hour and nowhere to spend it. The weekend lockdown will now begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday giving me an extra half-day to be out and about quasi-legally. Thank you, Mr. Mayor! Oh, and the sale of alcohol is no longer banned, but consumption is. I’m still trying to figure that one out. The department stores are allowed to reopen but are not permitted to use air conditioning or provide wifi. Still, maybe I can replace my broken shit.

Oh well, no use in complaining. We just all need to reach out and lend a helping hand in these difficult times.

And at least we still have access to take out and food delivery:

But you know what? Walking about this afternoon I did realize just how small my problems truly are. I bitch and moan of course, but that’s an old man’s privilege, right? And really, when life tries to push a big “fuck you” in your face…

Rooftop beer drinking on tap for this afternoon to celebrate the end of enhanced quarantine. How better to celebrate a quarantine than by violating its strictures!

I haven’t had this much fun stickin’ it to the man since my rebellious teenage years! Woot!

Things I saw when I was out and about on the internet today.

Kevin Kim had a thought-provoking post dealing with the philosophical questions regarding the “right” way to give to others. He delved into the religious aspects of charity for charity’s sake and how that true generosity is not contingent on getting something in return. Good stuff, go give it a read.

I left a comment on Kevin’s post regarding my own selfish motivations for helping others:

I’m living comparatively rich in a poor country. When I first started visiting here I’d feel guilty and get depressed about all the poverty that surrounds me. So I resolved that when I moved here I’d find ways to make a difference for some people at least. I help a few in various ways which perhaps makes their lives a little easier. I get the satisfaction of knowing my presence here has made a small improvement for them. I’m honest about the selfish nature of my charity, but to me, it’s a win-win. Since religion plays almost no part in my life I sleep just fine at night despite my doctrinal failings.

I really hope I don’t come off as engaging in virtue signaling. I mean, I do what I do and it may not be much, but every little bit helps I hope. I’m certainly not looking for any attaboys, but doing what I do makes me feel better, I honestly don’t give a flip what others may think of me or my activities. I can’t recall where or when I first heard this anecdote but it still resonates with me:

There was a big storm and after it passed thousands of starfish were washed up on the beach as far as the eye could see. A young boy was standing near the water and throwing the starfish back into the ocean one by one. An old man approached and said: “Little boy, why bother? You can’t save all these starfish.” The boy responded as he picked up antoher starfish and threw it into the sea: “Maybe not, but I saved that one!”

We all just need to do the best we can. Leaving things better than we found them is a worthy accomplishment. Let’s move on, shall we?

You can’t open your browser without encountering hysterics and doomsday platitudes concerning that mysterious virus that magically just appeared in the world. It would be racist to actually say where it came from, or so I’ve been told by folks who claim their intellect is superior to mine.

But despite all the bullshit, occasionally you can ferret out a tidbit or two of truly useful information. Imagine the comfort I took when I saw a pillow that looked exactly like mine:

On a more serious note, I came across a writeup on an expat forum I read that pretty closely echo my sentiments. Well, except for the part about bailing on the Philippines. I’m not ready to give up on this country just yet.

Just a heads up on lockdown in a major city in the Philippines. Lots of insanity and madness at all levels. The country had major problems and human rights issues prior to the so called corona virus, now it’s all just snowballed. Millions of the poorer people’s lives have been made worse than they already were. Without the monthly pay check they are basically screwed. Lots of problems getting food. A lot of the aid hasn’t reached them, and possibly been pocketed by those in power, as people have suggested. Yet so many people just go about their daily lives.

This is the first time I have ever heard some Filipinos say this is a shit country. Usually they are quite patriotic. That’s not to say a lot of the masses are speaking out. The average poorer Filipino is not often found to think for themselves or question or do their own research. So many reactions to this whole so-called pandemic have been nothing short of disturbing indeed. As a society it has got to be one the most easily scared and manipulated that I have ever witnessed, especially in the lower classes.

In my opinion, the people of authority here often have no idea what they are doing. What I commonly see here is people in positions of authority that clearly do not possess the intelligence or common sense to make decisions that affect people’s lives. The main problem with people like this is that they think they are smart, but they are not. It’s a common trait here, maybe a form of narcissism.

It is what it is and hopefully at some point sanity will prevail. Here’s hoping!

Anyway, Olongapo begins the general quarantine rules on Saturday. I’m not sure that it will matter much, still no bars to go hang out in.

In other news, it looks like I’ll be able to stop complaining about the heat soon:

Scott posted some photos he took of yesterday’s walk on his Facebook page. He’s better with the camera than I am. Here are a few for your perusal:

Alright, enough of that. Let me leave you with this:

I do recall the dyslexic bank robber who burst inside and shouted: ÖKAY MOTHER STICKERS, THIS IS A FUCK UP! GET YOUR ASS IN THE AIR OR I’LL BLOW YOUR HANDS OFF!”

You are welcome.

Well, maybe not, but I’ll be fit in a bit. That is if my brand new just delivered Fitbit fitness tracker motivates me to get off my lazy ass and start meeting my 20,000 step daily goal again.

Facebook has also provided me some inspiration by reminding me what I looked like seven years ago:

I don’t want to go back there so I gotta keep steppin’ it up!

The fact that I was able to get my Fitbit delivered through an online purchase at Lazada (the Philippine version of Amazon) is noteworthy. When my old Fitbit died a month ago, Lazada wasn’t shipping. I’ll take that as a positive sign that we are moving ever so closer back to normal, albeit baby steps.

Speaking of which, it was announced today that effective this Saturday Zambales province is being downgraded to “general community quarantine” status. Practically speaking that won’t make a lot of difference. Some stores and businesses are being permitted to reopen, but not restaurants, bars, and hotels. Still, there are a few things I’d like to buy at the mall so maybe that will happen. I’m also hoping the restrictions on entering the old Navy base will be rescinded so I can once again go grocery shopping at Royal. No word on whether the ban on purchasing alcohol will be lifted or if the curfew will remain in place. Stay tuned.

Today’s “interesting” photograph was taken in the yard of my next-door neighbor’s house.

Actually, what makes it impressive to me can’t be seen because of the morning sunlight behind the tree. So, I went out and took this one from my backyard using the zoom feature:

Going out in a bit to enjoy some rooftop beers with Jay. Got to make the best of what you have, right?

Well, no matter how you slice it, today marks two years, or twenty-four months or 731 days that I’ve been living in the Philippines. Time flies.

Not sure what to make of this anniversary. These past couple of months have been rather unpleasant but overall I can’t say I regret making the move. I have a comfortable and comparatively easy life here. I never found the love I’d hoped for but I’m learning to live without it. I’ve settled into my routines and as my faithful readers have surely noticed, that can sometimes get a little on the boring side. Honestly though, I mostly enjoy the walking, with a group or on my own. I miss my bar life these days which provided some semblance of a social life. I guess that’s enough for an old retired guy.

Looking backwards (dangerous I know!) I do miss the life I left behind in Korea. Not enough to second guess my decision to move here, but I have regrets about not appreciating my time there while I was living it. There’s something to be said for living in the moment. I was too busy lamenting the life I’d lost to enjoy the life I was living I suppose.

Looking forward I imagine this life will do and if it doesn’t I’ll do something different. Getting a first-hand taste of the utter incompetence of the idiots in charge does make me consider dusting off my Plan B. I understand Cambodia is back to pretty much normal these days. Well, at least the bars are open again there. But I ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. I do want to incorporate more travel into my life once things calm down again.

As to regrets, well, you know the song, I’ve had a few. Although really, the disappointments were the tuition to the school of experience. I’ve been scammed a few times by women I thought I knew and trusted, been ghosted by people I considered friends, and let down on occasion when I misjudged the true nature of someone’s character. But honestly, I’ve been doing that all my life so I guess it’s really on me.

So, the journey continues until it ends and I’m still motivated to keep on moving forward as long as possible. I’m relatively healthy and I’m thankful for that. I think my being here has made a positive difference in a few lives and that was one of my goals when I made the move. I’m going to strive to live each day as it comes and be satisfied with whatever it brings. And whenever I start feeling depressed or sorry for myself, I’ll just take a look out the window.

Thanks for joining me here. It’s nice to have y’all along for the ride!

Nothing to do but put on my big boy pants and deal with. Yep, winding finishing up yet another lockdown weekend. In theory, this should be the last one, but Lucy has pulled away that football so many times now that I ain’t counting on it.

Done with season two of Game of Thrones, so that’s an accomplishment I suppose. I also got desperate enough to start playing solitaire on the computer. I’m up to the Master level now!

Speaking of being a master, I came across this clip of George Carlin back in the day (early 1970s?). He was talking about this pandemic bullshit way back then. Just over six minutes and well worth the watch. Dude must have been a time traveler.

And while we are on the subject of time travel, Kevin Kim did another of his “crazy walks”, this time doing an overnight hike on the streets of Korea. I’d never even considered doing such a thing and unless I’m on the run from the law I doubt I ever will.

Yesterday’s morning walk was much more my style:

Anyway, it was a hot but otherwise pleasant 8K endeavor. The highlight of my weekend by far, but that’s not saying much I suppose.

For today’s interesting photo, I’ll offer this:

My helper had put out some flypaper. This morning when I went to make my coffee I encountered this poor guy. I know the feeling to be stuck in the house.

And I’ll leave you with this golden oldie:

Time for me to get back to counting flowers on the wall. Or watching Game of Thrones. One of those.

I keep hearing you’re concerned about my happiness
But all the thought you’re giving me is, conscience I guess
If I were walking in your shoes, I wouldn’t worry none
While you and your friends are worrying ’bout me
I’m having lots of fun

Counting flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all
Playing solitaire ’til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me I’ve nothing to do

A couple of weeks ago my Fitbit died on me. And then last night this happened:

Yeah, I’m old school. I’ve never relied on my phone as a timepiece. It’s hard to get into the habit, especially at night. Hell, I never even used to bring my phone upstairs when I went to bed. Now when I wake up at o’dark thirty I have to reach down, pick up the phone, tap the screen twice to activate it, and then realize that without my glasses (still downstairs on my desk) I can’t read the time display. It is those little things that make life harder than it ought to be.

Speaking of time, it is still passing whether I can track its progress or not. Facebook shared with me what I was doing two years ago:

And life goes ever onward. Here’s the “interesting” photo from this morning’s walk:

Speaking of sex, Catherine came to visit yesterday afternoon. It was her idea. Honestly, she’d been pestering me for days. And it was fine and dandy. Last night she sent me a message saying “babe, my friend have phone for sale. Only 15K.” I didn’t respond so I don’t know if she wants me to buy her a phone or was just letting me know one was available. Well, I don’t need a phone and I ain’t spending $300. to buy one for someone else. Still, a little disappointing. You help someone out and they assume you are a sucker. I’m going to have to be pretty damn horny before I invite her back!

On the internet today I was reminded that my foreign language skills aren’t much better than this:

And don’t even get me started on punctuation:

Sometimes I stir shit up on Facebook in a manner other than my intended one. I posted this for all those #stayathome and trust the government to look out for you types:

Anyway, one of my German FB friends took offense and talked about Americans being fucked up in the past as well, specifically mentioning the Indians. I responded that is precisely my point–anyone who trusts the government to serve their best interests does so at their own peril.

Later this afternoon I’ll be doing the rooftop beer drinking thing. And tomorrow will begin another total lockdown weekend. Looks like more Game of Thrones binge-watching is in my future.

C’est la vie.

The vaccine I’m hoping for from this entire Coronavirus episode in American history is one that inoculates the population from these unbearable, pathetic Shame Squads.

Anyway, I was fearless on my weekly grocery shopping expedition this morning. I needed to be when I got a glance at the line waiting to get inside the mall which allows you to get in line to get into the store.

Well, as it turns out I didn’t have to wait for long. My driver once again successfully got me in through the senior citizen’s line. Hey, old age has its privileges. I’m not sure it is technically legal since I don’t have the government-issued oldsters ID, but I won’t say anything if you don’t.

I’ve had several folks ask me to be on the lookout for the Filipino alcoholic beverage of choice, Emperador. It’s a light rum, but not really my thing. And six weeks into this lockdown it is getting scarce. So I was disappointed on behalf of my friends when I learned that the SM store had none in stock. On the drive back home my driver mentioned that he “knew a guy” that might have some for sale but that he was charging more than twice the previous price for a bottle (95 pesos versus 220). Well, fuck. That’s the law of supply and demand, right? So, I had him go ahead and secure me a case of the stuff. Hell, it will make some friends happy and might even come in handy should I run out of beer.

Speaking of beer, I still have a case and a half left from the three cases I bought last week (shaddup!). At that rate of consumption, I might not make it through the quarantine. I ran into the guy who helped me buy the last batch but he too has now raised his prices (from 1000 pesos a case to 1800). That’s basically paying inside the bar retail prices without getting to actually be inside the bar. Damn. What’s a beer lover to do? I paid for another case at the inflated rate.

And that’s how things are in my world today. But wait, before you go take a look at these gems and jewels I came upon while hiking through the hills and valleys of the internet:

And finally, I’ll need to be on the lookout for this Game of Thrones mishap:

Something to look forward to!

Alright, I promise you this won’t be yet another post of me bitching and moaning about how much being under quarantine rules sucks. In normal times I could mix things up with scintillating stories of my bar life. Alas, those days are gone for the foreseeable future. Although I did have a nice evening (well, from 4-5:30 anyway) up on the rooftop with Jay and a few other friends. Other than walking, that’s pretty much the extent of what passes as my social life I’m afraid. So today I’m going to write about my hike.

But first, let me share this link: The Worldwide Lockdown May Be the Greatest Mistake in History. This article supports what I’ve been saying since day one. Yeah, the lockdown is an inconvenience for me but I’m mindful that it is much much more than that for many of my neighbors.

The forcible prevention of Americans from doing anything except what politicians deem “essential” has led to the worst economy in American history since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It is panic and hysteria, not the coronavirus, that created this catastrophe. And the consequences in much of the world will be more horrible than in America.

The United Nations World Food Programme, or the WFP, states that by the end of the year, more than 260 million people will face starvation — double last year’s figures. According to WFP director David Beasley on April 21: “We could be looking at famine in about three dozen countries. … There is also a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself”

I’m trying to remain optimistic that the powers that be will see the light soon and let folks get on with their lives. Sadly, I’m not seeing many hopeful signs in that regard. These decisions are above my pay grade but it is astounding to see the people in charge turn a blind eye to the very real suffering of so many people here in the Philippines.

Just the other day I got yet another request from a gal I know for a “loan” to buy some food. I know that in Filipino a loan means a gift. I guess I was in a foul mood because I responded gruffly: Blow Me! She said, “okay.” Bada bing! Yeah, I joke but I did help a girl out with some cash for her needs and she took care of mine. A quid pro quo if ever there was one. I felt kinda bad about it as if maybe I’d taken advantage of the situation. But she’s been burning up my messenger ever since wanting to come see me again. Maybe that’s an old fashioned “win-win”.

Shit, I guess I broke my promise about not writing about the quarantine. Here’s the walking part of this post:

Going on two years here now and I’m still impressed by the resilience of the Filipinos I encounter, making the best of the harsh circumstances in which they live. I truly respect them more than I pity them.

It was a good day to get up off my lazy ass and make the best of the blessings I have been provided. Like an amazing sense of humor:

Thanks for dropping by!