Oh boy, what a day. Lockdown Sundays are the worst in no small part because of the way I react to them. Which is basically just being flat out unmotivated. Nope, couldn’t even be bothered to post my usual drivel here at LTG.
Anyway, I tried to make the best of it. Downloaded Stephen King’s The Stand. I made it through the first two hours before the beer kicked in and I lost interest. I’ll get back to it though, I’m sure. I was always a big King fan, although these days his politics get on my nerves. I read The Stand when it was first published way back when then I read it again when the expanded version (much better IMO) came out. The film version (made for television) was released in 1994. I’m sure I saw it but honestly didn’t remember it much. What stood out was seeing people like Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe back when they were in their prime. Molly has a sweet “girl next door” look about her that I find attractive. Not bad for a white girl.
After pausing the movie I actually hung out with my Filipino neighbors in the back yard for a while. First time I’d done that. And yes, drinking was involved. The conversations were mostly in Tagalog so I didn’t have much participation but it was an okay change of pace.
Later that night things went to shit big time. I’m still processing that event and I’m not prepared to write about it here. Suffice to say it was the worst experience I’ve had in a very long time.
I really, really need to get off my ass and start taking steps to make some positive changes in my life. I’ve been in a “satisficing” mode for too long and to my own detriment. I believe I deserve better but it’s up to me to make that happen.
Ah well, going to Hash today and maybe that will help clear my head. Or drown my sorrows.
No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.
That’s about as good as it’s gonna get around here today. Another lockdown weekend starting at 2:00 today. Complaining won’t change that fact, so maybe I can try to learn something. This short video explaining Jean-Paul Sartre’s ideas on mauvasie foi was my first exposure (that I recall anyway) to this philosophy:
Yeah, I know he was a commie, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Plus, I got to learn a little more French!
Speaking of which, if you missed it in the comments to yesterday’s post, Kevin Kim gave a brief history of the origin of the word Flotsam.
Yeah, the “flot” root is a clue that flotsam floats. Jetsam might or might not be debris that washes ashore, but it’s usually thrown overboard. For French speakers, it’s easy to remember that the verb flotter means “to float” and jeter means “to throw,” so a “franglais” mnemonic would be that flotsam always floats while jetsam is cast (i.e., thrown) away—maybe to float, maybe to wash ashore.
English words sometimes change to more clearly reflect their ancient roots. For example, the verb “to float” contains an “a” next to the “o,” but that “a” drops off in the noun “flotation,” whose “flot” root brings us closer to the Latin original. Same goes for the “u” in “devour,” which drops off the -vor- (= consume) root in words like “carnivore” and “voracious.”
Good stuff!
I started the day early, getting up at 0500 and the full moon was there to greet me:
The sun was coming up in the east and the moon was setting outside my window.
I scrolled through my Facebook feed while enjoying my morning coffee. For some reason I couldn’t stop watching this:
They say there is someone for each of us. Hmm, come to think of it, maybe this is the guy from the video above AFTER his encounter with the cops.
Speaking of masks, that whole “it’s what’s inside that counts” belief is truer than ever.
You’ve been warned!
Nothing exciting to report from my morning walk, my standard trek around Barretto and down Baloy beach. Well, I did find this bench “interesting”:
I didn’t know whether to sit down or get off the pot… An old woman got a laugh when she saw me taking the photo though.
Speaking of walking, here are a couple more pictures from yesterday that Scott posted:
Wading around…The water did get up over my knees in places though…Kids being kids…
That’s about it from here for today. The steaks last night were about as tender as I’ve had here, although I did overcook them a tad (had a flaming grill to contend with). It’s been years and years since I’ve made spaghetti at home and that’s just what I intend to do now. Alas, no garlic bread though.
I’m not sure that Sartre would agree with this, but I pretty much take it on faith…
I don’t know any Bad Faith songs, but this is my favorite from Blind Faith:
As I walked along the water today looking at the various and sundry items that had washed ashore, the phrase “flotsam and jetsam” occurred to me. In a general sense, I knew what it meant but I wasn’t sure what the difference between the two terms actually was. I speculated that flotsam might be the crap on the beach, while jetsam was still floating offshore. When I got home I looked it up:
Flotsam is defined as debris in the water that was not deliberately thrown overboard, often as a result from a shipwreck or accident. Jetsam describes debris that was deliberately thrown overboard by a crew of a ship in distress, most often to lighten the ship’s load.
So, I guess I was wrong on all counts. I doubt any of the crap I saw today was thrown overboard, deliberately or otherwise. I am pretty sure it was all just old-fashioned litter–either tossed into a river to wash to the sea or left behind after a beach outing in typical Filipino fashion. But at least I learned something new today!
They say that love is where you find it, or perhaps where you leave it behind. This specimen on the beach made me wonder if the loss was deliberate or, um, heartfelt.I have no idea if this poor animal was a pet or a stray. It was so bloated I couldn’t tell for sure if it was a dog or a cat, but I’m guessing a dog. Now he or she is just another floater in the water, a sad ending indeed.
Restaurants are beginning to open back up under some pretty stringent general quarantine rules, most notably only seating up to 50% capacity. Still, I suppose half is better than none. I’m not going to go off on one of my rants about the idiocy of the government restrictions, I promise. But even under the lessened standards, these “leaders” keep doing really stupid shit. Like yesterday, almost a week into the modified quarantine, the powers that be changed the rules:
Even under the most relaxed form of community quarantine, the elderly, children, pregnant women, and persons with certain health conditions are prohibited from leaving their homes save for work or essential activities.
The national coronavirus task force made this change to the Omnibus Guidelines through its 43rd resolution, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday, June 4.
“The old guidelines said every household member is allowed to leave their homes [under modified general community quarantine]. There was an amendment. In Resolution No. 43, it remains that youths aged 21 years old and below, seniors 60 years old and above, can’t go out subject to exception of necessities and to work,” said Roque in Filipino.
I ignored those provisions previously and I will continue to do so now. It is just one more example of ignorance in action. It’s better in the Philippines!
Late afternoon yesterday found me beachside at “Goman’s” enjoying some nice cold beers:
And the bay views were sweet as well.
This morning my walking group decided we’d hike the beach from Barretto to the lighthouse at the entrance to the old Navy base.
Turns out it was high tide which made the going, well, a little rocky.See what I mean?Now what? Well, in the end, we found ourselves wading through the water.And once our shoes were wet wading across this stream was an easy choice. Not that we had an option.
But other than that, it wasn’t a bad hike.
Having achieved our goal, we had to decide how to get back home. I wanted to do the highway, and everyone else wanted to just reverse course and walk back the way we came.
I just didn’t feel like trudging through the sand and wading in the water again. So, I said my goodbyes and headed down the highway. I think the beach route is shorter but you can make better time on the highway. When I was about 2K from Barretto I glimpsed this out of the corner of my eye:
Wait a minute! That looks familiar!
I went over to take a closer look and sure enough, it was the homeless woman I call “mama”. I mentioned her previously on the blog. I’ve been throwing some pesos her way whenever I see her for several years now. But this is the first time I’ve seen her so far out of town. That old gal must get in more steps every day than I do!
Mama was sleeping as I approached, and when I woke her to give her some money I complimented her on picking such a nice shady spot with a good view for her nap. Like always, she smiled and said “thank you, papa”.
That encounter might have been the highlight of my walk.
Welp, here it is Friday night again (at least until the 7:00 p.m. curfew). And what’s a healthy old bugger like me to do but go out and look at the ocean some. That’s thirsty work, so I pull up a seat at “Goman’s” and quaff some brews. Then when I get back home I’ll grill up the steaks I’ve got marinating in the fridge.
It may not be much of a life, but it’s the best one I’ve got. Thanks for dropping by and letting me share it with you.
I need a crowd of people, but I can’t face them day to day, I need a crowd of people, but I can’t face them day to day. Though my problems are meaningless, that don’t make them go away. I need a crowd of people, but I can’t face them day to day.
Now I’m livin’ out here on the beach, but those seagulls are still out of reach.
‘Cause the world is turnin’, I hope it don’t turn away.
The only thing different about today’s post is some rusty old barbed wire.
What can I say that hasn’t been said before? I don’t know if this case of the blahs is being driven by the quarantine limitations or just my laziness and lack of imagination. But damn, if I’m getting bored writing about my so-called life it must be excruciating to read about it. You have my heartfelt condolences for that!
I could always write about politics and the insanity that is currently taking place back in my homeland. But honestly, others are doing that better than I ever could and I really, really don’t want to focus on all that drama from so far away. I can barely even look at my Facebook feed these days. My two cents is that if you can’t tell the difference between a protest and a riot you are either willfully ignorant or simply don’t know the difference between right and wrong. Sadly, the ones engaging in violence are making things worse by driving the people who need to come together to find solutions further apart. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
I guess in the category of “something different”, I watched a newly released Netflix movie called “The Wrong Missy”. I downloaded it because a friend back in Korea highly recommended it. I don’t. I’m no reviewer, but all I can say is that it was both mildly entertaining and somewhat irritating to watch. In fact, if you want to sample two minutes from the trailer you’ll get equal measures of both:
I’m also watching a film called “Colombiana”. By that I mean I started last night and got about halfway through before taking a break. I guess that’s a review of sorts, isn’t it? I do intend to finish the movie though. I didn’t know it was a French film until I went to get the Wikipedia link above. The best part of the movie by far is Zoe Zaldana, she is a real hottie.
What else have I got? Well, a few shots from yesterday’s hike if you please:
I wasn’t sure if this litter would prove to be an omen, but nothing else went ajar on the trail.Joining me were Jim and his gal Ann.And that old guy, Scott.Here I am going down…Through the valley…And going up the old dirt road…I had to give props for the creativity of this creek crossing… And of course, I spread around some sweetness for some of the kids we encountered.
Prior to the hike, I took my boys down to Baloy beach so they could enjoy some sun and sand.
I had a selfish motivation as well. Some of the restaurants are beginning to open up again on a limited basis, including Treasure Island. I had me a hankering for one of their breakfasts I used to enjoy on a regular basis. Alas, the owner told me the cook didn’t arrive until 9:00. Oh well, next time.
Have I posted this before?
I guess if a prisoner escaped by climbing down a rope that would be a con descending as well.
I’m looking for something like this too!
But then, one night leads to another…
And that’s just about all I’ve got for now. Well, there is this photo of Barrio Barretto pre-World War II.
And all these years later you still can find a bar for a cold refreshing adult beverage.
Things can always change. Perhaps one day I’ll long for the sameness I didn’t appreciate at the time.
Sorry to disappoint, but this is just another Hash post–COVID Run #3 to be precise.
It was another hot day, the trail was short but hard, and when I finished I was wet with sweat. So there’s your truth in advertising!
I opted for the shorter of the two trails but had a 3K walk to get to the starting point. 22 brave souls in attendance.Forward march!NOT the river Kwai.A natural tunnel of some sort…Farm life.Even when you are hot and tired it is somehow refreshing to be out and about in violation of quarantine restrictions communing with mother nature.The view of the day.Catching some shade.On-Home was once again at the private residence of Derelict. Our host. I don’t know Derek well, but he’s a nice enough guy. His health isn’t the best right now and he’s getting tested for possible cancer tomorrow. Wishing him well! The Harsh circle activities commence…Which is a socially acceptable reason to consume copious amounts of beer. And as my belly attests, I’ve been drinking way too much beer and not walking near enough to cancel out the repercussions.Okay, the Filipinas were HOT. The ice was cold and HARD. And of course, as the ice melted from those sweet asses, WET.
So, I guess I delivered what I promised in the title of this post after all!
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.
I’ve only been here for two rainy seasons but I’ve seen lots of landslides. And the way they’ve cut into this hillside does not bode well in my humble opinion.
Maybe it’s just my warped sense of humor, but I found this quite funny:
You can say that again!
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!
Time is a one way street. So why does the past loom so large?
You know it’s a slow day in paradise when I’m reduced to blogging about a dream. Actually though, I don’t remember the dream that woke me from my slumber last night even though I told myself to not forget it. Ah well.
What I do recall is laying in bed unable to go back to sleep and thinking about things. And one of the things I thought about was a TV show I used to enjoy called Newhart. Or to be more precise, I was thinking about the final episode of that series, which surprising aired 30 years ago this month. Man, that makes me feel old!
For you youngsters or those who’s middle of the night memory is not as strong as mine, the Newhart show starred Bob Newhart as Dick Loudon, an innkeeper in rural Vermont. Mr. Newhart had previously starred in The Bob Newhart Show as a psychologist in Chicago. The Newhart series concluded after eight seasons with the Loudon character waking up as Dr. Hartley in Chicago. Yep, everything that happened during the show in Vermont had only been a dream.
Here”s the last couple minutes of the finale. Funny stuff!
Anyway, the point of all this, to the extent I have one, is just that I got to thinking about how I would feel if I woke up back in my Korea life, and all that has happened since that time was only a bizarre dream. I guess not knowing the answer to that kept me awake for a while.
Do I miss Korea? Yes, I do. Do I long for the relative stability and comfort I used to enjoy when I was married? Sometimes, although I don’t often allow myself the luxury of thinking about that very often. And on the flip side; do I regret moving to the Philippines? No, I can’t say that I do. Am I happy here? Hmm, perhaps not as much as I thought I would be. This is not to say there is anything wrong with my life, just perhaps that it is not all that I hoped for.
That’s the rub, I suppose. Looking back on the year I spent in Anjeong-ri, I realize now that I missed a great opportunity to embrace and enjoy that experience. Instead, I was so wrapped up in what I didn’t have there and what I was looking forward to here, that I forgot to fully live the life I had. So last night was wrestling both the demons of the past and the fears of the present. I’m not sure I came to any resolution before sleep finally overcame my troubled mind. I miss what I had but I know it’s gone. And I’d miss this life now if I left it for something else. Maybe that’s just the way it works.
Speaking of the past, I came across a photo of those long-ago days when I was just a glimmer in my father’s eyes:
I’m guessing this was circa 1950 or so. My father died 9 years ago this week.
And now I’ll return to the lockdown reality that is my current life.
Now the night is gone, a new day is dawning And our homeless dreams go back to the street Another time or place, another civilization Would really make this life feel so complete.
I’ll always be a dreamin’ man I don’t have to understand I know it’s alright.
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.
That’s me and Petro back in the day. I’m not sure who that woman is.
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.
I also wanted to send a shout out to Kevin Kim for altering his lockdown meme to fit my current circumstances.
This one is for you too, Kevin:
Someone had too much time on their hands.
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:
What a great friend!
Does this video from the birthday party work on your computer?
As bad as I get, I’ll never be a Joe Biden though:
You go, Joe!
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:
A brand new washing machine. When the lockdown closed my local laundry my helpers took on the task of washing my clothes in Filipino fashion–by hand. This should make their lives a little bit easier.
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.
We decided to keep it easy and did a mostly flat 8K hike around Easter mountain.As is my custom, I brought along some bags of candy to brighten the day of kids we encountered along the way.Someone had built a new bridge so we gave it a try. I was impressed with its sturdiness.Another opportunity to lighten my backpack… Crossing the river...Further up our path, we encountered these hard-working folks in the process of making uling (charcoal)On the road again…Up we go…These folks were keeping their cool…It’s been said that every picture tells a story. I’m not sure I understand this language though…Scott, who is 70 years old, gingerly makes his way down…We made it! Harry, Jessa, and Troy.
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 guests congregated in the living room…Others were out on the patio. That’s my new table and chairs in actin…Credit where credit is due, the gals prepared some damn tasty vittles…My helpers, Tere and Gina, were kept busy taking care of the guests.
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.
And no, I wasn’t even drunk. Well, not THAT drunk anyway…The culprit was that low-quality shit stool I bought. The leg could not withstand my American-sized ass I guess.
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.
Here he is being tended to by another guest. I was a little bit worried because I had heard Harry had some history of blackouts in bars and I wasn’t sure if this was something more than intoxication. Well, he was still alive when I came downstairs this morning, which was a relief.
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:
Yep, I got floored. And no, despite appearances that is cake smeared on my shorts. Truly.
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.
Yep, another post about the Hash. COVID run #2 to be exact.
Twenty Hashers showed up at the designated location at the appointed time.
The trail itself was pretty short, but when you added in the getting there part it was about right. And we are off! Er, on. Make that On-On!Hello out there, Easter Mountain!What’s everybody looking at?Oh, I see. Just another beautiful day in Barrio Barretto.Moving on……and on.The old man’s house is a landmark on the My Bitch trail. Sadly, the old man who resided here died last year.An old man on My Bitch. Glady he is still with us. (Is it weird to talk about myself in the third person?)On-Home was once again at Derelict’s house near the end of Rizal Extension.A little socializing prior to the circle. Left to right: Anal Receptive, Cum Together, Blow My Pipe, and Fucking Old Man.The Grandmaster, H.I.V., and his assistant, Buddy Fucker.We initiated yet another virgin…We didn’t have our customary ice block this week, so us violaters didn’t suffer the pain of sitting on the ice.
And that was a few steps closer to getting back to some kind of normalcy. I think next week we’ll even order up some ice.
And so it goes. I’m having some folks over to the house tomorrow afternoon. Went out today to buy some stuff to accommodate guests. More on that next time.
I haven’t touched a dart in way too long, but this cracked me up anyway:
I really need to start practicing. I messaged the owner of Alley Cats today to ask about the rumors that the bar would not be reopening. She denied it, but did admit it’s been a struggle dealing with ongoing expenses and no income.
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.
Every little bit helps I suppose…
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.
The view from here (well, my upstairs balcony anyway) on yet another in a series of lockdown Sundays.
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.
So once again I can enjoy beachside views……and bring home some takeout food like these pork chops.
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.
Last night I enjoyed a hot out of the crockpot pulled pork sandwich. Yum!
And today I binge-watched seven episodes of season six of Game of Thrones.
My big ass curved screen Samsung TV has gotten more use in the last two weeks than it did in the previous two years.And of course I had some nourishment and liquid refreshment to get through the marathon.
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.
Buddy came out on the balcony with me to enjoy the view this afternoon…While lazy Lucky took a nap under my bed…
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.
I don’t want to go out on a limb, but this pine better toughen up before a real storm blows through…And apparently this hillside got it’s rocks off during the storm. That doesn’t bode well for the houses being constructed nearby…
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:
What the H to Oh!
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.
Up we go!The climb was actually tougher than it looks.Having prevailed, we were rewarded with this view of the bay……and this one of Barretto.It never ceases to amaze me how folks make a life in the isolation of the mountains.Scott had taken a tumble on the climb up and this kind woman brought him water to wash his scrapes and some disinfectant cream to further cleanse them. I was happy to return her kindness with candy and cookies for what appeared to be half a dozen kids roaming about.Once you become a scofflaw over the quarantine restrictions what’s a little trespassing?
Well, rules are rules and we should all just follow orders I suppose.
It’s the Nazi thing to do.
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:
We are fucked.
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).
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.
Does this even look like lasagna to you?
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:
Still funny though, right? Must be how Kevin Kim feels every time he reads one of my posts here.
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.
I took the boys along. They were pretty surprised to be getting an afternoon walk.
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 hand out these bags of candy to the kiddies on my hikes. I just noticed the name of the company that manufactures these sweets is called “Candyman”. Hey, that’s what they call me!
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:
Made in Winterfell no doubt.
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:
Or maybe we have just masked the problem...
This cartoon made me miss those glorious nights in the bars charming the sexy young bargirls with my good looks and wit:
What’s my next move?
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:
I had the honor of participating yesterday in the historic first running of the COVID Hash. With the easing of quarantine restrictions, some members of the Subic Bay Hash decided to push the envelope and get On-On again.
Now, the quarantine rules still don’t allow us to do what we did, but we did it anyway. We did, however, try to be discreet about it. In that regard, we met up on the mountain so as not to draw unwarranted attention to ourselves. Our regular meet-up location (Johannson’s) is still closed anyway. For our On-Home beer drinking and Hash circle activities, we camped out at a fellow Hasher’s residence. I guess our illicit plan worked out okay because we were not accosted by the authorities. In fact, we intend to do it again come Monday.
We did a short 5K trail, although I did another 5K going to and getting home from the Hash. Here are some photos as promised:
Pubic Head was kind enough to add my path (in pink) to our meet-up point.Early arrivals. We met up at “4 corners” an intersection of trails that is a landmark on My Bitch. Around 1.5K from my house.Is everybody here? Let’s go!On-On! Here we are actually passing through the yard of my mountain family friends. Marching on……and up. That’s me practicing social distancing way back there second to last…It was a steady climb but really not a bad one.Up top. Then we went down to the valley and back up again.Keep on Truckin’ onwards…Without a marked trail, we pretty much all stayed together. That’s unusual for the Hash, but it was nice to not be alone on trail for a change. Yeah, I’m the old slow guy. Although actually, Buddy Fucker and Pubic Head both fell way behind on the final climb. They knew the way to the On-Home so we let them set their own pace.Don’t give up yet!It was another hot ass day, so Pubic Head took advantage of this shady spot to catch his breath…A valley view from the trail.Passed by this lonely virgin in the woods…On-Home was at Derelict’s house. This is the driveway…We did the Hash circle inside a huge screened porch area.Initiating a virgin Hasher…Buddy Fucker got the Hashit for being DFL (dead fucking last).Not a bad turnout for a bunch of lawbreakers!
I wound up getting pretty a good buzz on because I was drinking stronger beer than normal (still no Zero’s and they ran out of SM Light). The shortest way home was taking My Bitch back, but I wasn’t so drunk that I thought THAT was a good idea. Walked the back streets and took advantage of that by popping into my favorite eatery–Sit-n-Bull.
They are only open now for takeout, so I brought me home a great tasting pulled pork sandwich and some baked beans. Hit the spot it did.
Instead of blogging like I promised to do I popped open a beer, turned on the TV, and watched a couple more episodes of Game of Thrones. Sorry ’bout that!
I guess little by little we are moving back towards normalcy. Here’s hoping it continues.
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:
My living room ceiling……and the floor in my upstairs bathroom.
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.
The beach was about as empty as it can get. Keep in mind this is a Saturday during what used to be the high season.Just yours truly and a father and child out in the water. I felt bad for the kid because it was starting to rain. Probably got soaked! Empty nipa huts that would normally be teeming with Filipino families…And no customers for the banca boats either…
Last night I fired up the grill and this was the result:
You should have tasted my rump! Steak that is. Although honestly, it was a bit tougher than I like…
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!
Well, I did manage to secure two more cases of beer. At TWICE the normal price. Ah, sweet capitalism and the law of supply and demand!
And here’s a public service announcement from someone who knows what they are talking about:
Stay safe!
A little political humor for your viewing pleasure:
The ought to be a couple more at least joining them at the Barr.
And finally, I found this pretty punny:
Hopefully, my luck will change. Um, change for the better I mean!
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.
…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?
So says our esteemed Mayor.
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.
Or maybe not. Actually, the above tweet was from San Diego, CA. Apparently they are in some kind of “stupid” contest with the Philippines.
Oh well, no use in complaining. We just all need to reach out and lend a helping hand in these difficult times.
That’s the important thing!
And at least we still have access to take out and food delivery:
Yes, the wurst will be here soon…
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…
…just shove that fucker away.
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.
I just laugh at them.There are none so blind as those who refuse to see…
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:
I’m not exactly sure what the connection to being a sweaty sleeper and beating the virus might be, but I’m always grateful for my lucky genes!
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!
Some of these lockdown rules just go too damn far!
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.
You know, I’ve not even touched my darts since the bars were shut down. I have a decent setup here at the house but I’m just suffering from a complete lack of motivation to practice. Hell, I could have been a pro by now…
In other news, it looks like I’ll be able to stop complaining about the heat soon:
Rainy season is coming! Something new to bitch about!
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:
A man in heat.I’m coming! I’m coming!Living large…A much better photo of the laundry ladies creekside.The final push to the top…Kids love the candy!But this teenager turned down my generous offer. Go figure. Maybe I’m the guy her mother warned her about…
Alright, enough of that. Let me leave you with this:
No shit?
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!”
