Only me and Scott again for the Friday hike, so we took advantage of the opportunity to get creative. Scott had wanted to do a Tibag to Subic walk for quite some time, but we never had adequate transport to the start at the Army checkpoint on the road to Tibag. With just us two, we hired a trike to get us there.

The trek itself was long and hot and didn’t exactly go as planned. Shortly after leaving the road, we lost the trail and had to rough it down a creekbed until we found a path that eventually led us to our intended course. The bottom of the creekbed was ankle-deep in mud. Not a pretty sight, but in the end, we prevailed and wound up having an enjoyable but tiring walk to our destination.

That’s how the hike went down. We had a Jeepney ride back to Barretto from the Waltermart in Subic. I came home and washed the mud caked on my legs off, then waited for Mary’s arrival.

After our late lunch and a nap, we headed into town for some Friday evening fun. I opted not to do the SOB this week, so we made Sloppy Joe’s our first stop.

Chris was playing the music and taking requests, and his gal kept Mary engaged in conversation. My pal Jim was also in attendance, so it was a friendly social gathering.

When it came time to move on, I suggested crossing the highway and taking advantage of Thumbstar’s “buy one, take one” special on drinks and food. Jim joined us. I did two chicken shwarmas and washed them down with half-priced beer. I’d call that a win.

Jim was going to end his evening at Alley Cats (he lives on the same alley), and I decided to join him. I used to be there three nights a week for darts, but it had been months since my last visit. There were no customers when we arrived, and the crew seemed genuinely glad to see me. Especially after I rang the bell for a round of lady drinks. And then I rang it again. Two bell rings may be a first for me, but I was caught up in the spirit of old times.

Mary came home with me and spent the night. After breakfast, we had dessert, and then I walked with her to Divimart, where I surprised her with a new phone. Then I put her on a Jeepney for home and took a short walk on a hot morning.

In other news, Super Typhoon Betty is going to give us a near miss but dump some rain and wind our way starting tomorrow.

I wasn’t sure what to do with my Saturday night. A friend invited me to a Snackbar party, but I don’t think I’m up for it. John Kim just now posted this to Facebook:

Premium Philly Cheese Steak sandwich.

Sliced USDA Rib Fingers with homemade cheddar sauce using the cheese from Wisconsin. It’s a dream come true Philly Cheese Steak sandwich that nobody dares to spend this much on material cost in this town.

For limited time, p495 at John’s Sushi and Steakhouse.

And after that, who knows? These are the best of times.

A productive day yesterday, at least by my standards. But first, there’s this:

This post is the first time I’ve used it, and I can already tell there will be an adjustment period. One thing I’ve noticed since the first sentence I typed is that the keyboard layout is slightly different from my old computer. I mean, all the keys are in the same order, but the spacing is different, so I’m mistyping much more frequently than usual. Bear woth ,e (that’s an actual example of what I’m talking about).

I also went and looked at a house coming up for rent here in the neighborhood. It’s in rough condition, but the landlord is willing to make all the necessary repairs and upgrades–provided I agree to pay the rent one year in advance. Hmm, tempting, but after sleeping on it, I decided against moving for now. I just signed a one-year lease here, and I’m uncomfortable risking breaking that for something that may not work out (i.e., I give the advance money, and she doesn’t make the promised repairs). I’ll just wait until the work is done or I find a better place.

The other productive thing I accomplished was booking a flight and securing lodging for a week in Pattaya, Thailand, next month. Yep, I’m finally going to get off my lazy ass and escape Barretto for a change of scenery. Hopefully, this trip will rekindle my love of travel and will be the first of many adventures to come. I’m not getting any younger, after all.

Nothing special about my night on the town. I started at Cheap Charlies and did my gin and soda thing with the intermittent can of soda water.

Anyway, I avoided the falling-down drunk bullshit. The only real downside is each drink cost me double (except for the intervening can of soda). Then I had the bright idea of going to Whiskey Girl to take advantage of their “buy one, get one” happy hour pricing. So, my shot of gin is 110 pesos, and I get the soda water for free.

I made it back home by 8:00 p.m. and spent some more time with Lucifer. I promise to do a write-up with my impressions once I finish season six, the end of the series (I’m halfway through season five now).

Just me and Scott on the Wednesday walk today, and we did something nice and sensible and suitable for a couple of old fuckers. I’ll share some photos tomorrow.

Time to shower up and head out for the feeding at Hideaway. And I hope everyone enjoyed Siblings Day:

Pretty much a nothing at all kind of day.

Implemented the usual daylight time fillers (blog, nap, Netflix), then I headed out for the Hideaway feeding.

I purchased the usual dinner delights from Jewel Cafe for the girls.

I also implemented my plan to reduce my beer intake by 50%–henceforth, I will only imbibe brewed beverages every other day. I filled the void last night by reacquainting myself with gin and soda (zero carbs). In an effort to avoid previous pratfalls associated with gin ingestion, I’ve instituted a “buy one, skip one” scheme. The way that works is I have a shot of gin in a tall glass with a whole can of soda water to refill the glass as I drink. So, that waters down the one shot significantly. When that drink is gone, I order a can of plain soda water and no gin. So, by alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, I enhance my ability to maintain some semblance of sobriety. Hopefully, no more falling down drunk nights for me. It worked out pretty well last night.

I did my nightcap at The Green Room. I met someone there (a non-employee acquaintance) who was more than willing to come home and spend the night with me. I was tempted but ultimately rejected her advances. I’m not sure why exactly; maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. But I also sensed she was a potential drama queen, and as empty as my life might be, I don’t have room for that. I was second-guessing myself all the way home, but when I woke up alone this morning, I felt like I had made the right call.

Some of my long-time readers may be thinking, “Who is this guy?” I’m not sure what’s going on either; perhaps it is just a transitory phase, or it could be I’ve had enough meaninglessness. I need to find better ways to fill the voids in my life.

Wish me luck!

After five years of Saturday nights in the bars of Barretto, I’ve come to realize that you can be alone, even when you are with somebody. It turns out paid company ain’t much different than an empty barstool. Well, I think I’ve always known that on some level, but lately, that truth seems harder to ignore. It’ll be okay; I just need to embrace the reality of solitude and enjoy my “me time.”

I started my day with a longer-than-usual solo walk. From step one, my body seemed to say, “Let’s not do this,” but I ignored myself and pushed on.

I had a sugar-free bowl of pudding for lunch (okay, I sprinkled in some raisins), took a nap, blogged, watched a little TV, then headed into town to experience the Saturday nightlife, such as it is.

I made It Doesn’t Matter my first stop. It had been a while since my last visit, and I felt a little guilty about that. I was pretty shocked when I arrived to see there were NO other customers seated outside. I’d never seen that before, especially on a Saturday. The music was also blaring so loud I had to shout for the waitress to hear my drink order (I decided to make it a San Miguel Zero night). Bob would never have countenanced that kind of volume. When I asked the waitress to turn it down, she did without hesitation. I settled in to enjoy my beer and watch the world pass by, and before long, two other waitresses I know by sight but not by name joined me. We played the twenty questions game–where do you live, do you have a wife, etc. Now, on paper, I’m married, but the reality is I’ve been single for over six years now. The waitresses were surprised I didn’t have a girlfriend and asked why, and I honestly replied that I have a low tolerance for drama. Anyway, the nice thing about the first time chatting with bargirls is that all of my jokes are new, so I proceeded to go through my repertoire, and they laughed in all the right places. I rewarded their diligence and devotion to duty with a lady drink while I enjoyed my second beer of the day.

I was ready for something more substantial to eat, so I burned some calories by walking to John’s place for some dinner.

After my meal, I headed back up the highway and passed a barber shop with no customers inside. It had been two weeks since I discovered that my former salon was now barberless, so I took advantage of the opportunity to get my ears lowered. The barber here did a nice job, so it looks like I have a new home for haircuts.

Now what? I hesitated as I passed by Blue Butterfly, but I didn’t see any other customers, just a passel of thirsty bargirls. I wasn’t in the mood to fend them off; maybe next time. I considered Mugshots (they don’t have GROs), but drinking alone can be boring, so I kept walking. When I got to Cheap Charlies, I figured why not and climbed the steps to the third-floor venue.

Nerissa and Alma were ready, willing, and able to be my drinking buddies, and I played along. I got a nice back rub, too. When it was time to move on, I continued down the highway with no clear destination in mind. Sloppy Joe’s looked enticing as I approached, so I popped in.

I didn’t know any of the customers, and the one waitress I was familiar with seemed preoccupied with someone else. I did get a beer when I sat down, but I had to raise my hand to get offered a second one. When that bottle was empty, I waited for someone to come around, but no one did before my patience was exhausted. So, I got up, went inside to pay my 150 peso tab, and was handed a stack of ten 5 peso coins wrapped in plastic for change. Okay, I understand not giving me a 50 peso note as that might preclude my leaving a tip. I was expecting two twenties and two coins, but to pay me with wrapped coins and a shrug seemed insulting somehow. I left the coins on the tray and walked out.

I guess I was just in one of those moods. Came home, watched some more Lucifer (I’m into season five now), then escaped into sleep.

I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with me. I mean, I’m fine with things as they are but would be open to some new adventures. I really need to get off my lazy ass and plan some long-overdue travel. That idea of having multiple girlfriends for different days of the week isn’t exactly working out. Joy was supposed to join me on Thursday but wanted to meet up when I was going home. Nope, if you don’t want to spend time with me on a bar hop, I don’t care about you spending the night with me. The whole point was companionship; I don’t care so much about sex, especially when there is an expectation of compensation. I guess things went okay with Mary on Friday, although that almost fifty-year age gap doesn’t leave much common ground for interaction. And, of course, my hopes for Angie disappeared like a 500 peso note from the kitchen table.

So, it is what it is, and what it is is good enough. For now, anyway.

This Facebook memory from seven years ago was a kick in the nuts.

On the health front, here’s one of the new vitamins Dr. Jo has me taking:

My FB memories feed also included this gem (I probably posted it here, too, but it is worth remembering):

And that’s all I’ve got to say for now.

Friday night at the SOB is never a SOBering experience. Mary joined me for yesterday’s performance, and for some reason known only to her, she decided to drink shots of tequila. It didn’t end well. Near the conclusion of the event, a guy sitting on the other side of me motioned toward Mary and said, “You better check on your girl.” When I turned around, I saw that she had vomited all the free-finger foods she had consumed. To her credit, she cleaned up the mess as best as she could with napkins. Someone came with a mop, and I hustled her out of there. It was still a little embarrassing, but at least this time, I wasn’t the source of the problem. We took a trike home, and she wasn’t acting drunk. She washed her clothes in my bathroom while I made us smoothies. We watched an episode of Lucifer together, then went to bed.

Dessert this morning was also quite satisfying.

As usual, Friday started with a group hike. No one had any better ideas, so I opted to lead us on a Naugsol valley excursion. It was a very hot day, and there was little shade along the way. I kept reminding myself that I’d be complaining about the rain soon enough. I made it back home with just over 7K under my belt.

That was pretty much my day. We’ll see what happens next.

I had a good visit with Dr. Jo and her husband yesterday to discuss the results of my recent blood diagnostics. As mentioned earlier, I had several above-normal readings and one below-the-normal range. Only two were of immediate concern: The FBS (hexokinase) reading of 6.35 (normal is 3.89-5.49) classifies as “pre-diabetic,” and the red blood cell count of 4.57 (normal is 4.63-6.08).

I’ve been having some breathing issues again recently, and the low red blood cells could be a contributing factor. Dr. Jo gave me a B-12 injection and recommended getting one every 7-10 days to improve my blood chemistry. The cure for my blood sugar issues is not surprisingly diet related–I need to cut back on the carbs. I’ve been there and done that (lost 35kgs in the process), so I know it can be achieved with the right motivation and self-discipline. I must let go of my love for ice cream, cakey snacks, bread, potatoes, and other carb-rich foods.

But what about beer? Both doctors know me well enough that they assumed beer would remain my primary source of carbohydrates. Well, maybe not. As much as I like drinking beer, I think I can find ways to reduce my intake. Now, don’t get me wrong–I’m not giving up the bar scene; that’s a bridge too far. So, my thinking now is I will try renewing my relationship with gin, at least on a part-time basis. I need to find better ways to control my intake and level of inebriation, something I failed at previously. My plan this go-round is to do my gin and soda and then partake a can of soda water in between drinks. That will slow down my alcohol intake without reducing my bar time. We’ll see how that works out for me.

The blood work also indicates I may have some allergy issues, so I have some new meds for that. And a liver indicator was a tad high as well, which is really no surprise given my daily alcohol intake. My cutting-back plan should help there as well. But overall, most of my indicators look good, and I’m doing alright for an old guy. I need to make the lifestyle adjustments now to keep it that way.

After my appointment, it was going on three o’clock. It didn’t seem worthwhile to go all the way back home just to turn around and come back to town at beer o’clock. Sloppy Joe’s is practically next door to Dr. Jo’s clinic, so I popped in there to consider my options. And yes, I hydrated with a San Mig Zero. At the conclusion of my second beer, the thought occurred to me that I could pass some time and get some additional steps in by walking to Baloy Beach and then visiting the floating bar there. So, I set about doing that when suddenly, there was a cloudburst, and the raindrops were falling on my head.

I walked back to the highway, then decided to pay a visit to one of my old haunts, Snackbar. The memories there tend to make me sad, and last night was no exception. I finished my beer and caught a trike home.

It wasn’t even eight yet, so I watched a couple of more Lucifer episodes. I didn’t want the rocky road ice cream in the freezer to tempt me once I start my low-carb diet, so I took it out and ate it all in one sitting. Hey, the devil made me do it!

And just to keep these health-related issues in perspective, here’s something my favorite restauranteur, John Kim, posted on Facebook yesterday:

I was just at emergency room again because I couldn’t breathe well. That was why I was asking if anyone has 2nd hand oxygen tank that was not being used. I know where I can buy them, but my medical bill is eating up everything we have that it’s very hard to buy anything new. People look at me as if I’m unlucky with my situation and give me the sympathy look.

Well, here’s story of my life that you can judge whether I am unlucky or not. I came to the Philippines with my family, as early retirement. I had Korean wife and two sons. I thought things were doing good, but one day, my wife packed and left. So did my sons. I was devastated and started drinking a lot and also gotten into gambling. I was always shit drunk when I went to casino and gradually lost everything. I became broke and alcoholic. I was ready to leave the country but I met my girl, Lin.

She took me knowing I have nothing. I stopped all the bad habits, not because she told me so, but I just wanted to prove to her that I can get back on my feet. It’s 11th year that I live with Lin, but she’s never told me what to do or what not to do. We both worked hard and started get our lives on track, but getting paid in the Philippines was a joke, and we decided to work for our own. So we started frying chicken from our home and started delivering to Koreans. That’s how we started our restaurant business.

We had ups and downs but we manage to come this far. She is excellent cook and she does most of work. She trains new cook, accounting, purchasing and general work of entire place. When I started getting dialysis, she started working 18 hours a day to help out for my medical bill. And she doesn’t even have a washing machine. She often hand washes all our clothes, while all our emplyees get paid the most in town.

I’m probably one of the luckiest guys on planet. I can’t afford to get depressed. My one day is equivalent to one or two weeks of others. These days, I go out with my friends more than ever. I even go bar hop with friends, which I’ve never done in several years. It’s funny that I am enjoying my life more than ever.

Good luck to you, John. Keep fighting!

I’m still alive and kicking, and until I’m not, I’m going to keep on doing what I do. I’m not saying what I do is anything special, but I will get it while I can. Take yesterday, for example:

I tested high (above the normal range) in FBS, cholesterol, uric acid, GGT, mean corpuscular volume, eosinophil, and basophil. My red blood cells were below normal. I have no idea what all that means, but I hope to find out tomorrow afternoon when I pay a visit to Dr. Jo. I’m mostly concerned about the FBS (hexokinase)–my 6.35 reading (the normal range is 3.89-5.49) places me in the “pre-diabetic” category. My mother was diabetic during the final years of her life, and I definitely don’t want to go there. It will be interesting to discover what lifestyle changes may await me.

I also did my usual grocery shopping excursion.

I’m ordering a new laptop through my pal Jim’s good graces (it will be shipped from the USA via his brother). My current keyboard is reluctant to type “o” and “l,” making writing even more challenging. I stopped by Jim’s place to see the model he’s going to order; then, we went out for some beers at Cheap Charlies and the Annex Bar.

When my hunger overwhelmed my thirst, I said farewell and headed up the highway to John’s place.

Since I was practically right across the street from Hideaway, I decided to pop in and give Joy a surprise. I was the day’s first customer, and you could sense how desperate the girls were for lady drink commissions something to drink. I obliged by ringing the bell (buying everyone a drink), something I rarely do, but seeing as how I was the first best customer, I felt a sense of duty to do so. (damn, there were a lot of “o’s” in that sentence.)

A bit later, Joy said she was hungry, so I sent one of the girls out to get some rice and chicken. Of course, I’ll also be back tonight for the regular Wednesday feeding. I’m just glad I’m healthy enough to go out on these drinking excursions missions of mercy. Nothing lasts forever, so I’d better grab the opportunities while I can!

Via Facebook memories, here’s a bit of humor I’ve shared in the past:

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

Sounds about right. That’s why the bars pay girls to sit with guys like me.

Almost exactly 24 hours after she arrived, my surprise visitor departed. Perhaps she will return again in a year like last time. Well, maybe small doses of Lyn are the best medicine. And I didn’t have cause to title this post “Vile Lyn,” so there’s that. Anyway, bottom line up front: Lyn is cute and sexy, fun to be around, and doesn’t seem to be all that attracted to me. For example, she didn’t even sleep with me (when I awoke this morning, she was on the couch). I can’t claim to be disappointed regardless of how much as I wanted to do the deed because I had the impression from the moment she asked if she could visit that my role was to provide lodging and entertainment, but romance wasn’t part of the equation. That proved to be the case.

Lyn arrived earlier than expected, around 0900. She told me she needed time away from her kids (16 and 10) because their recent behavior has been stressful. When we met last year, she seemed to enjoy hiking, and I thought that would be a nice way to fill some hours, and it is also a good remedy for stress. I was disappointed when she told me she hadn’t brought footwear or clothes suitable for a hike. I figured we could remedy that with a quick visit to the local DiviMart store. We found a top, a pair of pants, and some shoes in her size, and the total bill came to less than a thousand pesos. Heh, I won’t vouch for the quality of the gear. We headed back to my place, she changed into her new clothes, and we headed out for a hike.

Lyn took a nap when we got home and slept for three hours. I’d put some meatballs in the crockpot before she arrived, and they were ready to go by the time she woke up. Some mixed veggies and garlic bread rounded out the meal. When we finished eating, it was beer o’clock on a Saturday evening, so we headed into town.

Since Lyn lives in Angeles City, I thought visiting the floating bar would be something different for her. We made the journey to Baloy Beach on foot, and she took my hand in hers as we walked. I was thinking how sweet that was when she said, “It is the only way I can keep up with you when we walk.”

When we left the floater, I took Lyn to Johan’s, and she finally got the coffee she wanted. There was a pool tournament taking place, and Lyn is a big fan, so she enjoyed watching some of the play. After Johan’s, I took her for a beach walk, thinking McCoy’s might be our next stop, but it was Saturday night, and the videoke was going full blast. We both said, “No, thanks,” and kept going.

We grabbed a trike, and I had the driver drop us at Whiskey Girl. I grabbed some seats near the pool table and called my favorite waitress, Jen, over to join us. I know Jen likes playing pool too, so I challenged her to play Lyn to earn a lady drink. They played three close games, but Lyn was the victor in all of them. Once the playing was done, I could tell Jen was uncomfortable sitting with us, and before long, she told me that she needed to go serve one of her regulars. Okay then, bye! Jen did message me this afternoon to apologize, saying she didn’t want to cause trouble with my new girlfriend. I explained that Lyn was not my girlfriend but that I understood.

We went home after Whiskey Girl. Lyn didn’t want a smoothie or other dessert, saying she wasn’t hungry. She revealed that she was worried about her kids, and it was pretty obvious she regretted her apparently rash decision to leave town without them. It was my bedtime, but Lyn said she would stay up a while longer and call home. Alright then, good night.

As I mentioned, Lyn was asleep on the couch when I got up this morning. She told me she wasn’t up for a walk but would like to take a swim before she headed back to AC. I suggested we have breakfast at Treasure Island, and she could use the pool there. Lyn surprised me when she told me that she doesn’t like chlorinated pools, preferring the “natural” water of the bay. I almost laughed out loud at that, having seen what flows into the bay from filthy rivers. But who am I to rain on her parade? So, I told her after the dog walk, we could have breakfast somewhere on the beach, and she could swim to her heart’s content.

As promised, I took Lyn to Mango’s so we could eat and she could swim.

Lyn caught a Jeepney in front of Mangos and made it home safely. Before she departed, I asked if she needed anything, and she said she was fine. Then I tried to give her 1000 pesos as a Mother’s Day present, and she wouldn’t take it. I’m not going to lie, that hurt my feelings, and I considered it borderline rude. I thought things over while walking after she left and decided to let it go as just another indicator that whatever her feelings may be, she does not want anything I might have to offer.

Noted.

…anniversary in stride. It was the first day of the rest of my life, and here is how I lived it:

I already mentioned the visit to the blood diagnostic center during the morning hours. The vampires there sucked several vials of blood from my arm almost painlessly, and I rewarded them with a cup of my prized urine. I should have the results later today, assuming I can figure out how to access the online posting. After the samples were collected, it was time to break my twelve-hour fast.

My friend, Joy from Hideaway, has been having some stomach issues, so I made her an appointment to see Dr. Jo. I met her there at noon, and during Joy’s examination, I had a nice chat with Jo’s husband, Dr. Chris. When the appointment was completed, I paid Dr. Jo and gave Joy cash for her prescriptions. I also invited Joy to join me later at the floating bar, and she accepted.

When dinner time rolled around, we headed for shore and grabbed a seat at Da’Kudos.

After our meal, we took a beach walk to McCoy’s, but the videoke was at full volume, so we didn’t stay. I hopped in a trike with Joy and had it drop me at Queen Vic while Joy continued on to home.

I had some more beers and lady drinks with Angie before making it an early night and going home. I made time for another episode of Lucifer, then hit the hay to bring my fifth year in the Philippines to an end.

Nothing really insightful to say about reaching this milestone. It is not the life I imagined I would be living five years ago, but it is still my best life. I certainly have no regrets about making the move, and more and more, I am learning to appreciate the things I have rather than lament the things I don’t. Embrace your choices and be who and what you are. I see constant reminders that blessings come in many forms, and they often wear disguises.

Anyway, it was nice to be on Baloy, remembering my first months in the PI when I lived there. And it is nice to gaze into the future and imagine the life I might be living five years from now. I’m clueless, of course, but that’s part of the adventure. Okay, I just went back and looked at my post from May 12, 2018, to remind myself how I spent that first full day of my new life.

In unrelated news, I came across this photo of what a checkmate looks like in real life:

Today marks five years in the Philippines, and I’ve lived to tell about it! So far.

Yesterday was a good illustration of what this new life looks like:

So much for the walkaholic portion of my Philippines life. The nightlife began with a stop at Sit-n-Bull to purchase some vittles for the Hideaway Wednesday feeding. Last night the girls enjoyed chicken fingers, lumpia, and a roast chicken.

And then there was Wet Spot. Aine came to my table as if nothing had happened, and I reminded her of her rude behavior on my previous visit. She denied being anything of the kind. Now, I would have accepted a simple apology along the lines of, “I’m sorry you felt that way; it was not my intention to seem rude. Let’s forget it and move on.” Instead, I got an explosion of anger in the “How dare you call me rude!” vein. Then she stormed off and ignored me for the remainder of my visit. I figured that was that, but after I was already home, Aine messaged me later that night, saying she had been surprised and hurt by my allegations of rudeness. She couldn’t understand why I had treated her so poorly. I responded that if she had been civil to me in the bar, we could have talked through it. She conceded that she lost her temper when I called her rude and regretted that. We pretty much left it there because I needed to sleep. I’m not sure what, if anything, happens next. I may have been out of line myself–I’m not sure why I even care–but what’s done is done.

My scheduled trip to the clinic for diagnostic blood testing went well, and I should have the results tomorrow. I’ll share them with Dr. Jo and get her opinion on whether I’ll have another five years of life to enjoy in my adopted home.

Double your pleasure, double your fun…

I never really had a plan for life, I just reacted to it. Whenever I reached a crossroad, I chose a direction and followed the road without a clue as to where it might take me. I guess it is natural to wonder about the paths that would have led to a different life, but you only get to live the life you chose …

I posted the above to Facebook five years ago on the eve of my retirement and departure from Korea. I didn’t add a citation then, and I can’t remember whether it is something I wrote or read somewhere else. Either way, it’s as true now as it ever was.

So, let’s celebrate the milestone on this road of life called yesterday.

After grocery shopping, I paid the driver and sent him and my helper home with the groceries. I walked to the Harbor Pointe Mall to take care of some business.

I took a cab back home, but this one wasn’t metered. Before departing, I asked the driver how much to Barretto. When he said “500 pesos,” I told him to stop the cab; I’m getting out. I’m not a cheap Charlie, but I don’t like being scammed for any amount. The metered cab was a little over 200, and the last time I took an unmetered taxi ride home, it was 350. Well, the driver said, sorry, I meant 350. Whatever. I took the ride for that amount.

The mountain mama I support once again pleaded to give me a massage, and I relented. She does do a good job, but this time I declined the happy ending (and reduced her compensation accordingly). I honestly don’t know what has gotten into me lately, but I just have zero interest in transactional sex. I keep waiting for someone who wants to be with me with no expectation of compensation. Geez, I’d pay someone for that kind of loving. Yeah, that last line is me being funny (or trying to), but maybe I should consider hiring someone to be my companion. At least part-time. And yes, that’s inconsistent with my stated desire not to pay for it, but assuming I hired someone talented at pretending, it might work. We’ll see; I haven’t decided yet.

So, that brings us to last night. I went out a little early because I wanted to get a haircut. When I arrived at my regular shop, no barber was available (it’s more of a beauty salon-type place). My former barber was let go a couple of months ago, and the owner gave me my last couple of cuts, but she wasn’t around yesterday. I think it is time to take my business elsewhere.

So, now it is a little after four, and It Doesn’t Matter is right across the street, so that’s where I started my evening out. Again, not many customers, and still a sad vibe in the air. Bob’s remains are being buried at the American Veteran’s Cemetary in Angeles tomorrow. My regular waitress, Agnes, wasn’t around either, so I was drinking alone. And that led me to the idea of a theme for the night–two and out. I’d have two beers, then move on to the next venue. So, when my second bottle of Zero was empty, I paid my tab, said goodnight, and moved on.

I’d been craving a Philly cheesesteak sandwich for a few days, and John’s place has the best in town, so I made that my next stop. I got to chatting with my waitress, Veronica, and was really wowed. Pretty and can hold up her end of a conversation is an all too rare combination, at least in the places I tend to hang out. Alas, she revealed she is in a committed relationship, thereby crushing my newly formed fantasies.

I ordered some of John’s Korean-style chicken wings to go and my second beer for while I waited. When the wings arrived, and the beer was gone, I headed across the highway to Hideaway Bar. Since it was only Tuesday, they were surprised to see me. I acted like I had just been confused and told them to put the wings in the fridge for tomorrow. Of course, they weren’t having any of that nonsense.

Two beers for me and two drinks for Joy, and it was time to move the Twosday party to the next venue. As I departed Hideaway, I had no idea where that would be. So many options and so little time. I knew I wanted to finish at Queen Victoria to welcome Angie back after her week off from work, but there were thirty bars to choose from between there and where I was standing. I finally settled on Hot Zone.

I was the only customer when I first arrived, which in a girly bar can be a little uncomfortable. Owner Jay has a disciplined crew, though, and no one besieged me for drinks. Over the course of my two beers, a few other guys came in, further relieving the pressure. I was a little short on cash and didn’t want to splurge on lady drinks in a bar where I don’t really know any of the girls.

Two beers and out, then down the road to Queen Vic. I was disappointed to see that Angie wasn’t around (I was advised she was eating), but in almost no time, two acquaintances sat down on either side of me and started right in with flirty bargirl talk. When I ordered my second (and final) beer, I got each of my companions a drink too. A couple of minutes later, Angie came in, so we made room at the bar for her to join us. When my beer was gone, I was done (five bars, ten beers, if you’re keeping score).

I paid, left a sixty peso tip, and stepped outside to hail a trike. When I got home, I made a batch of sugar-free pudding, adding a banana and some raisins, then settled in to spend some time worshipping Satan. Keeping with my Twosday theme, I watched two episodes of Lucifer, then escaped to the peace that comes with sleep.

I have been fortunate and blessed…but the roads I have taken have led to some great adventures and life-altering experiences. A fool’s luck perhaps, but even so, I could never have imagined what my life would turn out to be; it has been a very nice ride. So it is time to look forward again…it will be an adventure with an uncertain outcome for sure…”

Was it me who wrote this?

As mentioned in the opening of this post, Facebook reminded me of what I was up to on my last day in Korea five years ago, including sharing the words above (whether I wrote them or not).

And I spent the dark hours that night visiting my haunts in Anjeong-ri and handing out chocolates to all my favorites.

I had a good run, just wish I had appreciated it more at the time. Oh well, that’s behind me, and what matters now is what lies ahead, starting with that lab work tomorrow morning.