The Friday hikers tackled Kalaklan Ridge yesterday, and I tagged along. We took a Jeepney out to Olongapo City and commenced our climb via a path we hadn’t used for a couple of years. There is no easy up, and this one was steep in places but relatively short. Of course, it was short because we achieved the ridgeline at a low point. So, for the next 2K or so, we were walking on an incline. Honestly, that kicked my ass more than the actual climb-up.
I hope I have the ability to continue hikes like this one. It’s getting harder and harder, but I appreciate being out and about and enjoying those awesome views.
I spent my evening at The Rite Spot and watched the sun go down from there.
Sunday is Swan’s 40th birthday. The party is being held at the Alta Vista clubhouse this afternoon. Last night, a bunch of Swan’s female relatives came over to the house to help prepare the food for the gathering today. We all shared a dinner on the roof.
Anyway, the cooking is still going on, so there is more to come. I’m clueless as to how many will be attending today, but it looks like we have enough food for a small army. Then again, birthdays are a big family event in Filipino culture, and most families are the size of a small army. I’ll have a few friends show up, I hope, so I won’t be the only foreigner there. I’ll tell you all about how the party goes tomorrow. Now I need to go out and buy a cake!
Politics, anyone?
Today’s YouTube is about a discussion in the Philippines Senate about protecting Filipino territory. Can anyone else hear those war drums beating?
Let’s try to find a reason to smile:
Okay, gotta run.
It’s good to see you feasting, John, even though some of that local food resembles cat vomit. Yesterday the ex complained about being hungry. I offered to cook her something, eggs maybe, whatever she wanted. But she complained the kitchen was too filthy (both sinks are stacked high with dirty dishes) and maggot-infested (from the now overflowing pizza box) for her to eat anything cooked there. She wanted takeout but only had ~$10 in her bank account. I suggested she could use that for Lyft fare and offered her the last $30 in my account so she could get us breakfast, which I did’t even particularly want anyway, but she said she wouldn’t eat if I didn’t. She went to this local café and got us some breakfast; eggs, biscuits, potatoes, a Polish dog for me. I managed like half the Polish dog and a couple mouthfuls of egg and potato before I felt stuffed. The ex didn’t touch her meal at all, opting to drain the bottle of vodka I had my eye on instead. It’s not that she opened the box and was like “ew, I’m not eating that!” or she’d momentarily lost her appetite; she just set the Styrofoam tray down and promptly forgot about it. $15 pissed down the drain.
Later on we had a scuffle after she accused my of having a carton (a carton, not a pack) of cigarettes hidden from her, and while we battled it out the pizza box on the table got knocked over spilling squirming maggots everywhere. Some of them got crushed under our bare feet, the rest made their way up the vacuum a bit later. But not there is more space on the table, and there are some quarter-filled beers here to tide me over until I can convince the ex to make the trek to gas station for more booze. Hope is on the horizon, so let’s the guzzling going on!
When the sun hit the clouds, it was red.
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.
Sunday is Swan’s 40th birthday.
An early Happy Birthday to the lady, then!
Menudo on the stove.
I might not like the liver-y bits, but the soup broth itself, poured over rice, would likely be awesome. Not so keen on the igado, but there too… awesome broth.
I, of course, contributed a crockpot of chili to the effort
Chili looks oniony but good.
re: that Joey Chestnut meme
You heard he got banned from a Nathan’s hot-dog-eating contest because he recently shilled for vegan franks? Why would he tank his own reputation like that? I guess the question answers itself: money.
re: little Johnny
Little Johnny was wise beyond his years.
Sorry to read that that ridge was an ass-kicker, but what’s life without a little adversity? I hope Swan’s enjoying her celebration. I guess in American culture, turning 40 is more of a time of mourning and denial. Even if you don’t end up having any expat friends to talk with, I hope you get to know Swan’s people better.
Yeah, I didn’t eat the menudo or igado, but the Filipinos smother their rice with it.
HaHa, I didn’t know about Joey Chestnut, but when your fame comes from eating hot dogs it is unwise to piss off the sponsor.
It was a good party. As usual, folks self-segregated by race and sex. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Thompson, at least you never have a dull moment when the girlfriend is around. I don’t think she can be called an “ex” anymore. Keep on living life on your terms and be willing to change the terms if you want a different life.
“Every man is the sum total of his reactions to experience. As your experiences differ and multiply, you become a different man, and hence your perspective changes. This goes on and on. Every reaction is a learning process; every significant experience alters your perspective.”
Hunter S. Thompson