The good, the bad, and the ugly. On my street walk yesterday, I observed that it was trash day, and the garbage trucks were doing a brisk business. This triggered me to document some of the litter that isn’t subject to collection. Hey, you gotta find something to keep a familiar walk marginally interesting.
And the next thing I knew, it was party time! I had some chores to complete in the kitchen before the festivities began, though:
It was a swell time on the roof. The chili received lots of compliments, and the cornbread muffins were also very popular. I’m looking forward to the next gathering at The Rite Spot.
Another sad Facebook memory today:
In happier news, my youngest granddaughter, Sydney, finished sixth grade and begins the middle school journey this fall. Not to brag, but she’s one of the smartest kids I’ve ever met.
This is no joke, it is our president:
Sometimes you come across a meme that just totally resonates. This is pretty much what I see in the mirror these days:
Todays YouTube is another one from Reekay offering some words of wisdom on relationships in the Philippines:
On to the humor, then:
Alright, I’m off to see Dr. Jo soon. Hopefully, I can get back on track.
Looks to have been quite the feast, John. Do you have a wide variety of drinks on offer for your guests like a good host? I like a nice, spicy, bloody Mary. I used to work at a sports bar and one of our gimmicks was a bloody Mary buffet bar on Sundays. I’d ask the barmaids to make me a virgin Mary as spicy as they could; used to be a running gag I had an “asbestos mouth” as no matter how much hot sauce or chili powder or whatever they put in it I could drink it like water. (That’s not a flex, we just didn’t have anything spicier than Tabasco, chili powder/flakes, and black pepper). When no one was looking (so I thought) I’d take that virgin Mary and discreetly decant one of the vodka shooters I had on me into it. I hated Sundays for how slow they were and meager the paycheck was, but at least I got to casually sip bloody Marys while working my tables, sometimes slipping over to the buffet bar to pick up some bacon, olives, and celery for my own “virgin” Mary.
What kind of breakfasts do you eat? I enjoy me some bacon in the mornings. In places like Turkey they will eat what seems to be the entire contents of the fridge for breakfast, veggies and all. I don’t like carrots for their mildly sweet flavor. Celery is where it’s at, with its more neutral flavor and a more satisfying crunch. Given a choice between celery or bacon for breakfast though, I’m going for the pig.
re: litter, litter everywhere
So when does the Great Litter Crusade start? I bet you could move literal mountains of trash if you got members of the local Hash community to help out every week. I know you’ve talked about how the trash will only ever keep reappearing, but that’s the crusade; it’s never done, but it gives you and your gang purpose, and it weaves you into the local community a little more tightly: you’re giving back to the country that sustains you. Candy and goodies for the bargirls are a good start, but Rudy Giuliani, when he was NYC mayor, had it right with his “broken windows” policy: the quickest way to make people feel better about where they live is to take care of the superficial stuff first—the graffiti, the broken windows, the obvious litter, etc. No less true in the PI, I bet. And conservatives love to talk about the importance of local, voluntary action as opposed to government mandates, so how about it? A nice Get Off Yer Ass and Clean the Streets campaign in Barrio Barretto! Turn it into a competition! And see if there’s a way to get locals, not just expats, involved.
Chili con carne in the crockpot
Nice pic, but it’s obviously upside-down. 180-degree rotate!
Muffins and brownies look good. So do the skewers.
Night falls
I should Photoshop in another distant dragon.
The party in full swing
So interesting to see that Muslim-like separation of the sexes. I saw that firsthand when I visited a Sikh gurdwara in Washington state in 2008. Sikhism combines elements of Islam and Hinduism, and in terms of religious spaces, it’s patterned a bit after Islam: men on one side, women on the other.
I do not believe he will be on the ticket come November.
Some are speculating Old Joe will drop out either just before the debates or right after the first debate. I’d say it’s even money. He has the ego, if not the marbles, to stay in, but a lot of Democrats want him out. Did you see the very left-skewing Daily Show’s recent parody of Kamala “Word Salad” Harris? If the left is finally doing what the Babylon Bee has been doing for four years, you know it’s bad.
I haven’t watched the Reekay video yet, but do you feel it contains lessons you’ve actually learned? Or are they merely lessons you’ve heard but not internalized? Are there bits of wisdom that you disagree with? What’s the biggest steaming nugget of wisdom, in your opinion?
Good luck with Dr. Jo.
Very disappointed in The Rite Spot! Where are the cheeseburgers???? Cmon MacRarrey! You’re letting Team America down again!!!
Re: Trash – kind of like that video @Kevin posted about returning shopping carts. Same with litter Put it in a trash can etc. I am sure a significant part of the problem is culture, but also infrastructure. Just dont have the proper landfills, garbage truck access to some of the more remote areas, high temp furnaces to burn garbage, etc, It boggles my mind that it does not bother the people living there. Unfortunately, the PI is not alone in this way of handing trash.
Re: separation of sexes at parties. I think it is more of a worldwide thing than a Muslim thing. Get together with older relatives in the US, and the same thing happens. Other countries also. Anyways, food looks good and looks like a good time.
Re: election. Yeah, Dont think Biden will be a candidate in November. It saddens me that the two leading candidates for the most powerful position in the world are Biden and Trump. Hard to believe that we as a country cannot do better.
Brian, I agree with you on the root causes of the litter epidemic. I don’t recall ever seeing a public garbage can on the street. That, combined with the fact that people just don’t seem to care and litter with impunity and no shame, makes it a problem that won’t be resolved anytime soon.
Regarding the self-separation of the sexes, I think language plays a part as well. The gals like to sit together and chat in Tagalog while the menfolk sit around and bullshit with each other about guy things. Seems like a natural thing to me.
I’m not a Trump fanatic, but the country was a whole lot better off during his term than it is now. Four more years, and then hopefully, someone will step up to reunite us as a people.
Sorry ’bout that, Mike. Next time you visit, I’ll make a burger just for you!
That’s an interesting idea, but I’d likely be doing it alone. The expats and Hashers I know seem to have accepted the norm that the Filipino people have created. The barangay occasionally sends out groups of unemployed folks to pick up trash for a little pocket money, but the impact of that effort is minimal.
I’d taken another chili pic, but I liked the one I used better. I didn’t think anyone would notice it was upside down.
Yes, I watched that Kamala takedown video. Now do Joe! As it becomes increasingly obvious that Joe can’t win and his unpopularity exceeds his ability to steal the election, something will happen to get him off the ticket. I just fear his replacement would be every bit as worthless as he is (Newsom?).
Reekay is usually just talking common sense (which for many expats is uncommon). Many of his lessons I learned the hard way myself. These days, I’ve pretty much found my niche and settled into routines that won’t lead to trouble. I’d have to watch the video again to address your specific questions. Again, I think the value of his insights is better suited to newbies.
At The Rite Spot, I provide beer, wine, and sometimes gin. If someone wants a Bloody Mary, they need to bring their own ingredients.
I like celery and carrots as snacks, but bacon and eggs are my favorites for breakfast.