Another day in the life is in the books, so why not on the blog? Don’t worry, there wasn’t much to it.

We did our weekly Decay Dance, passing out candy to the children of San Isidro. I only took one photo this time, but it captured the three things that make the Philippines so special:

Later in the day, as I made my way to the Hideaway feeding, I saw something that made me think of Kevin Kim’s love of abandoned gloves.

The feeding went as usual, with the gals’ hunger finally satiated.

Then it was time to meet up with Swan at John’s place for dinner. Swan was already there when I arrived. The cook came out to tell Swan that the birria meat was not available from the supplier, but she had held back enough for one more order in anticipation of Swan’s visit. She also revealed that John’s was going to be closing at the end of the year. We asked John’s daughter whether they would be open next Sunday, but she wasn’t sure. So, it may have been our final meal at John’s place last night.

I’m going to miss the dining experience at John’s place.

After our meal, we did the usual stops at Red Bar and Jumpin’ Jacks. Spread some Christmas joy (cash) to our waitress friends, which put smiles on their faces. Played a couple of games of pool and got my ass kicked, but it was nice to be participating rather than just observing. I’m planning to do more of that in the New Year.

From the April 2016 LTG archives is this remembrance of a bargirl in Itaewon who rejected me twice–ten years apart. The post title is “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” I had to smile at that because it took a long time for things to change, even after I moved to the Philippines. Although Filipinas are more receptive to old men than Korean gals seem to be. I recall feeling invisible once I turned 60.

Speaking of change, in today’s YouTube video, Reekay says money rules will be changing in 2026. I’m no expert, but my own transactions are limited and relatively simple. My pension goes into my USA bank account, and I withdraw cash from ATMs when I need it. I use wire services (Wise works well for me) to transfer funds to other accounts, like Swan and my landlord. Hopefully, I won’t have to adopt and adapt to new methods.

Humor time:

Today is the annual Hash Candy Walk. We’ll be traversing the streets of Barretto, handing out sweets to the kids we encounter. I’m technically one of the Hares, but there was no trail to mark. Pubic Head mapped out our route, and we’ll do a “follow the Santa” routine. I’ll let you know how that works out tomorrow.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I also found this Nancy Pelosi meme:

Speaking of feeding, we did our annual charity outreach event yesterday in the village of Mampueng, Barangay Old Cabalan, out in the wilds of Olongapo. Two hundred hungry families were provided with a bag of rice and other staples, as well as a meal of spaghetti and chicken. This is the third year I’ve helped sponsor this event, and it always feels good to spread some joy to those in need.

With the handouts taken care of, it was time for a hike. We hired a couple of locals as tour guides and headed out. None of us were feeling up to a 2-hour hike to the Mampueng Falls (one of the guides looked at me and said, “he’s too old”), but we still enjoyed a nice 3K walkabout.

Most of the group opted to stay at the river and set up camp; the remaining four of us marched on.

Made it back to our campsite, where the gals had grilled some sausages and other items were ready for lunchtime dining.

Back home, safe and sound, where I napped and blogged, then prepared myself for a Saturday evening in Barretto. Annex Bar to kick things off, then some dinner at Sit-n-Bull, and a nightcap at Gold Bar brought the day to an end. It was a good one.

In the April 2016 LTG archives is this post where I weigh in on my religious beliefs. I had stirred up some controversy at work when I wrote on the blog about Mohammad being a pedophile. What else do you call someone who marries a nine-year-old? It occurred to me that getting attacked for my opinion was tantamount to criticizing my religion. The same alleged offense for which I was being harassed. This post was intended to forthrightly declare that my religion requires me to be critical of other religions. I’m glad I didn’t have to sue anyone for religious discrimination.

For today’s YouTube video, let’s check in with a vlogger who thought buying into a beach bar would be a good idea. After losing 3.6 million pesos ($60,000), he realized it wasn’t a smart plan after all. I watched this because I’ve fantasized about opening a nice beach bar here in Barretto, but I know the dream would likely turn into a nightmare. Who needs the headache?

I don’t know, maybe someone will find these humorous:

Okay, time to get on with my Sunday routines.

Another busy day that has me running late, so let’s get to it. Not much to say about my yesterday, but it included a Naugsol valley circumnavigation and a Christmas party at my old dart bar hangout, Alley Cats.

Swan and I headed out to Alley Cats and arrived at 4:30. The place was packed, and we were lucky to grab two seats at the bar. Lots of warm greetings and many familiar faces from my dart-playing days made me feel right at home.

Sitting there soaking up the dart vibes made me miss my old hobby. The other night I dreamed about playing darts again. Perhaps the seed has been planted, because I’m thinking about buying a new set of arrows and getting back into the groove with some practice and an occasional tourney. I’m not going back to the five days a week mode, but once in a while, it might feel good again.

There was a tasty buffet dinner (I contributed some brownies) and a gift exchange. We brought presents for all the Alley Cats crewmembers and enjoyed the spirit of the season.

It was after eight, and the party was still in full swing when we departed for home. We had an early morning charity event to attend to today. I’ll share that adventure tomorrow.

Moving on to April 2016 in the LTG archives, I posted about my darting life in Itaewon, including this shellacking of an opponent named Ricky:

It was also the anniversary of my marriage to Jee Yeun. I sent her this message:

“Today is the anniversary of the promise you made and did not keep.”

She didn’t respond.

Over at the BigHominid blog, I’m the poster boy for bad habits. A then (8 years ago) versus now photo is the evidence. I came across another photo from my first year in the Philippines which shows just how much I’ve gained from living here:

A little late for me, but in today’s YouTube video, the Filipina Pea provides tips that will make your vacation in the Philippines a happy one.

On to the humor:

A motorcycle officer stopped a man who had run a red light.

The guy was a real jerk, yelling, “Why am I being harassed by the Gestapo?!”

The officer calmly explained the violation, but the man exploded into a tirade, insulting the officer’s ancestry and orientation in every way imaginable.

The officer stayed calm. When he finished writing the ticket, he scribbled “AH” in the corner and handed it over.

The man snapped, “What does AH mean?!”

The officer looked him straight in the eyes and said, “That’s so when we go to court, I’ll remember you were aggressive and hostile.” Then he walked away.

Because the man already had a terrible driving record and risked losing his license, he hired a hot-shot attorney. In court, the attorney asked: “Officer, is there any unusual marking on this citation?”

“Yes, sir. At the bottom there’s an underlined ‘AH.’”

“And what does ‘AH’ stand for?”

“Aggressive and hostile, sir.”

The attorney smirked. “Are you sure it doesn’t stand for A$$hole?”

The officer grinned. “Well, sir… you know your client better than I do.”

I had my share of run-ins with the law back in my younger driving days. One led to my arrest. I guess “fuck you, pig!” was a little over the top. Lesson learned.

That’s all I’ve got for today.

For I shall always let thee do,
   In generous love, just what I please.
Peace comes, and discord flies away,
   Love’s bright day follows hatred’s night;
For I am ready to admit
   That you are wrong and I am right.

I’m going to need to rush through today’s post as I’m a little behind schedule and have a Christmas party to attend to this afternoon. Two journeys to report on from yesterday: a morning walk with Swan to the Subic marketplace in search of chocolates. The 8K walk was successful, but the quest was unfulfilled. Later in the day, I hoofed it over to Cheap Charlies to quench my thirst and I’m happy to report that I was successful in that endeavor.

Oh, and it is envelope season. Folks who provide services, like trash collectors and subdivision security guards, leave envelopes in hopes you will fill them with holiday cheer.

Swan dictated that I enjoy some “me time,” so I was on my own for the beer o’clock activities, and I set about fulfilling her wishes. It’s been a while since I’ve documented an excursion, so I figured, why not share the joy with my reader(s)?

My Cheap Charlies views:

I had a nice chat with the bartender and apologized again for my boycott of lady drinks at Cheap Charlies. They raised the price to an inexplicable 250 pesos for a SINGLE LD, one of the most expensive in town. I’m not even a cheap Charlie, but I consider that price level a scam, and I won’t pay that amount as a matter of principle. The bartender said she understood, and they appreciated that I bought them food and treats during my visits. So, last night it was chicken wings, chicken fingers, and lumpia from Foodies downstairs, each item priced nearly the same as an f’n lady drink.

I did my nightcap at Green Room for some of the same old, same old, which is still enjoyable for me. And that’s how I spent my Thursday.

At the end of March 2016, in the LTG archives, I was going strong in Itaewon. For all the feedback on my current beer-drinking lifestyle, it is only a shadow of what it used to be.

Today’s YouTube video asks: If you could choose immortality, would you? The first thing I thought of was an old comic book story: “I have eternal life, and it’s killing me.” Suffice to say, it didn’t end well–an eternity of being crushed to death, resurrecting, and being crushed again. Anyway, while I think I’d give an eternity of reliving my current life over and over again a shot, the idea of living into the future without end doesn’t appeal to me. So, my answer to the video’s question is no.

R. Crumb authored that comic I mentioned above. While looking up his Wikipedia entry, I came across this quote:

Killing yourself is a major commitment, it takes a kind of courage. Most people just lead lives of cowardly desperation. It’s kinda half suicide where you just dull yourself with substances.

Robert Crumb

There have been several times over the years when I considered taking “the easy way” out of life. Luckily, I didn’t have the courage to follow through. Call my current lifestyle what you will, but it is better than being dead.

Let’s end this post with a smile or three:

Anyway, we got invited to the Alley Cats bar Christmas party, and we’ll attend for old times’ sake. At least we’ll be off our beaten path for a while.

So, let’s get on with it, shall we?

Speaking of sweet, my visit with Dr. Jo revealed that according to my blood and piss, I’m a hell of a sweet man. If my glucose levels are to be believed anyway. More cholesterol than I need as well. As I understood Dr. Jo to say, “Urine trouble.” My kidneys are doing the heavy lifting, as indicated by the glucose discharge found in my piss. This will eventually damage my kidneys, and I’ll suffer a potential fate of the dialysis nightmare. That’s plenty enough to motivate me to implement some much-needed dietary changes. Goodbye sweets and carbs!

In the good news category, my liver function is normal. Hell, it ought to be. I give it a workout every night. Whatever the cause of my itchy morning rash (which has lessened in intensity lately), it does not appear to be due to my liver failing to fulfill its role in removing toxins.

So, I left with a prescription to eat smarter and continue my exercise regimen. This time I need to follow those orders.

After finishing with Dr. Jo, we hit the beach.

There was a two-week millionaire on board buying drinks for a goodly portion of the working girls. That’s something I enjoy watching more than doing. Hike buddy Steven came out and had a swim, then joined us for a beer. I had a nice chat with an expat I’d never met before who lives in Baloy. Then someone pulled the rope to release the balls (a 1500 peso expense), and the gals all scrambled to grab them (they get 10 pesos per ball). A few balls rolled overboard, and one of the girls jumped in the bay to recover them.

The thought occurred to me to throw a bucket of balls directly into the bay. I rejected the idea as cruel and unusual. One of my fellow floating bar mates didn’t see it that way and tossed the balls overboard.

It turned out to be one of the more enjoyable afternoons I’ve spent on the floating bar. Word on the street is that the Arizona floater will be opening soon. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

We did our usual after-floater dinner at Treasure Island and had a pleasant visit with owner Bert. Things seem to be picking up tourist-wise in Barretto, and that’s good news for the business owners. After our meal, we hailed a trike and made our way back home. It was a good day and a nice reminder that I’m living in the right place at the right time for me.

From the March 2016 LTG archives is this trip report from a visit I paid to Cebu’s Mactan Island. It was good to check out a new place, and although I didn’t mention it in the post, I was visiting a Filipina I’d met online. It should come as no surprise that that one didn’t work out for me.

Facebook memories reminds me of something else from this day in 2016:

Today’s YouTube video discusses seven signs that indicate how long you might live after 70. Hmm, for the most part, I seem to be doing okay. I’ll guess we’ll find out.

My sense of humor never gets old:

I think that makes me lame. Oh, well. No apologies.

Yesterday, I said goodbye to Gina and hello to BOB.

We dropped Gina off at the bus station in Olongapo on our way to the supermarket. She was a hard worker, and we’ll miss her, but I understand that family always comes first in this culture. I wish her the best.

The highlight of my day was attending the Battle of the Bars, which I call “the BOB” as it seems to be a derivative of the recently deceased SOB. It’s a dance contest featuring girls from five bars, although the format was a little different from what I’m accustomed to.

So, what did I think? Well, the BOB is a quarterly event, so the gals participating seemed much more enthusiastic than I saw at the weekly SOBs. Overall, I’d say the gals were sexier, or at least wore sexier outfits, like t-backs.

There wasn’t an empty seat in the house, and that created some issues. Late arrivers stood around the stage, blocking the view of those of us who had arrived early and secured what we thought would be good seats. Another problem was that the capacity crowd was more than the aircon units could handle, and the room grew uncomfortably warm.

But on with the show. Only the Alaska team bothered with wearing costumes, similar to what they used to wear during their SOB days. The other gals just let their shaking bodies entice the voyeuristic crowd of horny old men. Some of them were better at it than others (or had better equipment), but otherwise, there wasn’t a whole lotta difference in the performances.

Some of the routines went a little long, and it was decided by the powers that be to skip the twerking competition. That was disappointing because I was looking forward to seeing some of that booty jiggle. A couple of the banana-eating performances were disgusting. One of the bar owners dressed like a gal, t-back and all, and joined his team on the stage. Except his dick and balls kept falling out of the bikini bottom. That was something I didn’t want or need to see.

When it was all over, no one came to collect my score sheet, so I was thinking the fix was in. And sure enough, the host bar, Thumbstar, won the event (I had them in third place). The consensus of my group was that the show sucked more than it didn’t. I might consider attending a future performance if it is held at Queen Victoria, a bar with a large stage and plenty of seats with unobstructed views.

The BOB offers a VIP entry ticket for 1,000 pesos that includes all-you-can-drink at all five bars for one night. I purchased one and made sure I drank my money’s worth. I was pretty much at capacity after the show, but visited Queen Victoria for a couple more anyway.

I was tempted to stay for the Queen Vic live music that started in an hour, but good judgment prevailed, and we called it a night and headed home while I was still standing.

From the March 2016 LTG archives, this post was written in response to someone who took offense to my calling the Prophet Mohammad a pedophile. Except they didn’t call me out in the comments; they complained to my employer, the 8th US Army in Korea. Since I was a reemployed annutant, I didn’t have any civil service protections and could have been fired. Fortunately, the Army lawyers took a stand for freedom and said that since what I had written was just my opinion and was written on my own time, no adverse action would be taken. I was told to include a disclaimer in future posts stating that I spoke only for myself on the blog and that my views did not represent those of the US Army. For the record, Mohammad married a nine-year-old, so I stand by my pedophile description.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger talks about things in the Philippines that will turn you into a grumpy old man. Well, I already are one, but some of the things he mentions can trigger the scream equivalent to “get off my lawn!” But I try to remember my mantra, “Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way.” It does help.

To the humor we must go:

Alright, time to get on with it then. I picked up my blood work results yesterday and have an appointment with Dr. Jo this afternoon to discuss what they mean. And since I wasted my Tuesday at the BOB, I’ll venture out to the floating bar after my appointment to do some rockin’ on the water.

An unusual start to my day yesterday. Woke up, walked past the laptop, left my phone on the charger, grabbed a cup of coffee, and went up to the roof. I sat there alone for two hours watching darkness turn to light. And thinking. About my life. About the future and whether I wanted one. I felt like I was at a decision point: Let go? Move on? Hold on? Ultimately, I chose to continue down the road I’m traveling, but with a renewed sense of caution and situational awareness. No one knows what the future may bring, but I’m going to do my best to be prepared for any eventuality that may arise. Yeah, wish me luck with that.

So, living this life I’ve chosen includes a Sunday Sweets Stroll. I put aside the negative thoughts and headed out to help spread some joy.

I took care of the Hideaway feeding, but I’m thinking I won’t continue that effort in the coming new year. It’s getting expensive, and frankly, that money could be better spent on other charitable endeavors. We shall see.

Next on my Sunday agenda was dinner John’s place.

As is our custom, we hit Red Bar after dinner, and then moved on to Jumpin’ Jacks for our nightcap. Suffice it to say, the evening concluded much better than the night before.

From the February 2016 LTG archives, I had begun my new walking lifestyle, and in this pictorial post, I share my journey to the top of Namsan and back. It was nice to see those old familiar scenes once again.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger recounts ten facts about the Philippines that most people don’t know. Well, after almost eight years, I found nothing surprising on his list. I was reminded why I dislike Manila so much. (The graphics in the video are not AI-generated, so don’t let the cover below put you off.)

And on to the funny business:

Anyway, things are pretty much feeling back to normal now, although I’m keeping my guard up so as not to get blindsided down the road. I’ll be heading out to the Hash soon, and we’ll see how I fare on a Leech My Nuggets trail.

I ask but one thing of you, only one,
That always you will be my dream of you;
That never shall I wake to find untrue
All this I have believed and rested on,
Forever vanished, like a vision gone
Out into the night. Alas, how few
There are who strike in us a chord we knew
Existed, but so seldom heard its tone
We tremble at the half-forgotten sound.
The world is full of rude awakenings
And heaven-born castles shattered to the ground,
Yet still our human longing vainly clings
To a belief in beauty through all wrongs.
O stay your hand, and leave my heart its songs!

–Amy Lowell

On and on it goes, where it ends nobody knows. I woke up still breathing this morning, so I reckon that warrants sharing another installment from this journey through life.

Kicked off the morning with the Decay Dance, the first one after a two-week hiatus.

Before heading out, I’d loaded up the crockpot with a batch of beef stew. It was Swan’s idea.

Our evening journey began at It Doesn’t Matter. A couple of newbies in town asked about the Hash, so I showed them the Hash Facebook page with tomorrow’s trail location (the 13 Resort in Calapandayan). I also gave them some recon on places to eat and recommended they check out Baloy Beach and the floating bar during their visit.

After IDM, I took Swan to dinner at one of the restaurants I’d recommended, Myleen’s. Alas, they were out of birria tacos. I wonder what’s up with that? Oh, and that newbie couple showed up shortly after we arrived. That’s a small town for ya.

And then we moved on to Wet Spot. Things went wrong, and then they got worse. And for now, I’ll leave it at that. It was a good reminder to embrace the lessons of a lifetime. I’m at a point of no return, so situational awareness is a must. All I can do is hang on and hope for the best.

It is now February 2016 in the LTG archives. In this post, I share photos from the surprise gathering with the Shenanigans staff at Gino’s Pizza in Itaewon for Valentine’s Day. I’d forgotten about that good time with some good people. Sadly, sometimes it is only in looking back that you realize how grand the life you had really was.

Nine years ago, I was keeping things in perspective:

For Today’s YouTube video, let’s check in with Reekay for his take on the reasons the expat dream in the Philippines may be dying. Well, I got here well after the end of the glory days he talks about, circa 2012, but nothing much has changed since I arrived in 2018. Regardless, I ain’t going anywhere. I’m too old to start over.

My sense of humor is as impaired as it ever was:

Life is full of surprises; the best you can do is hold on and try to enjoy the ride as much as you can. Fuckin’ roller coasters.

Paraphernalia never hides your broken bones
And I don't know why
You'd want to try
It's plain to see you're on your own

Ooh, I ain't blind, no
Some folks are crazy
Others walk that borderline

Watch what you're doing
Taking downs to get off to sleep
And ups to start you on your way
After a while they'll change your style
I see it happening every day

Ooh, spare your heart
Everything put together
Sooner or later falls apart

There's nothing to it, nothing to it
And you can cry and you can lie
For all the good it'll do you, you can die
But when it's done, the police come
And they lay you down for dead
Just remember what I said

Just another Friday, but I’m glad to have had it. That makes it special enough.

At beer o’clock, we headed into town and kicked off our Friday revelry at Sloppy Joe’s. One wine and three beers later, we moved up the road to Jewel Cafe for dinner.

The innards were still fine, and I ate all of it. That’s what you get for 600 pesos these days.

After dinner, we paid a rare visit to the Alaska Club. Owner Jerry was there, and I purchased a ticket for the “Battle of the Bars” event taking place on Tuesday at Thumbstar. Jerry then joined us at our table, and we had an enjoyable chat reminiscing about the good ol’ days when his bar was in Angeles City, the bad days that led him to relocate to Barretto, and the recent lack of tourists that makes the bar business here a struggle.

We did our nightcap at Cyclone Bar, which now incorporates the staff from the recently closed Cloud 69. The music was blaring so loud that we almost turned around and walked back out. The bartender graciously turned it down a notch, and we stayed. Still too loud, but tolerable. Our waitress friend Sheryl joined us for a couple of lady drinks, and we watched a couple of two-week millionaires in action (buying multiple lady drinks for multiple ladies). Cyclone seems to be doing well; it was by far the busiest bar we saw last night. Happy for them, as a return visit from me is doubtful. Why go to a place and suffer ear damage when I have so many other available options that are much more pleasant?

A trike ride home brought our night out to an end. I enjoyed myself, but that’s just the way I roll.

Here’s some good news:

On the last day of January 2016, here at LTG, I was writing about an Itaewon Friday night. Not to put a positive spin on it, things didn’t go or end well. I guess I’ve always been a mess.

From Facebook memories, I got reminded of my South Carolina home life twelve years ago.

Today’s YouTube video tells us what Filipinos are made of. No wonder no one here speaks Spanish.

Humor time:

I’m not ready to stop yet! Keep ’em coming!

Getting back in the groove with my participation with the Wednesday Walkers for the first time in two weeks. Scott also made a rare appearance for the group hike, so it felt like old times. Scott brought his car, so we had some additional trail options to choose from, and we settled on a hike out Naugsol way. Oh, another benefit of having Scott along is he takes better photos than me which I shamelessly steal and post here.

Since we had missed our usual Tuesday visit to Baloy Beach, we headed that way yesterday at beer o’clock.

Then something unusual happened. One of the other customers approached me and gave me the traditional Hash “On-On!” greeting. He told me he had noticed my Hash shirt and wanted to introduce himself. His Hash Kennel is in Columbus, Ohio.

Brad spent some time in Subic during his Navy days and was here doing reconnaissance on places he might like to call home in the future. He did Makati (Manila) and Angeles City before coming here. So far, he likes Subic best, but he’s flying out to Thailand today to check out that scene. We chatted for an hour or so, then exchanged phone numbers so he can contact me when he returns, and I’ll give him a guided tour of things to see and do in the area.

Meanwhile, the sun was doing its thing:

Dinner is served:

As we were departing Treasure Island after our meal, this guy challenged me to a belly contest:

And another good day in the life came to an end.

Back to the January 2016 LTG archives, where I had another goodbye to deal with.

In my thirty-five years of government service, Mr. Kim was by far the most outstanding employee I’d ever encountered. Sadly, he didn’t make it to retirement, passing away after a brief illness. During our last conversation, Mr. Kim told me his only regret was not retiring sooner, so he could enjoy more time with his family. Those words resonated, and when I was asked to extend my employment with USFK for one more year, I respectfully declined.

Facebook memories reminded me today that two years ago, I was recovering from the surgery to remove some nasty nasal polyps.

I can breathe through my nose again, but I’ve lost most of my sense of smell. And life goes on.

I came across today’s YouTube video by chance, but I was surprised to find an old movie I actually remembered: the original Planet of the Apes, released in 1968. I was only thirteen years old back then, but I enjoyed the film despite the flaws I hadn’t noticed until seeing this video:

Some funny shit happened at the end of this post:

That’s it for now, thanks for stopping by.

Back at it with the Tuesday routines. We hadn’t been to the grocery store for two weeks, so I spent a little more than the usual weekly amount restocking the shelves, but less than I would have paid in two separate trips. So no complaints.

In the afternoon, I had an appointment with Dr. Jo at 2 p.m. I prefer three or four because it keeps me on schedule for my bar business, but alas, those time slots were not available.

I had three issues I wanted to discuss with Dr. Jo. The most concerning was an itchy rash I’ve been dealing with for the past several weeks. It pops up in random locations every morning as soon as I wake up and sit down at my desk. And two or three hours later, it mysteriously disappears.

I told Dr. Jo I was using an over-the-counter hydrocortisone to deal with the itchiness, but she advised against doing so, saying that the medicine has side effects that can damage the skin. She gave me a generic ointment to use in the interim. As we discussed the recurring rash, it seemed unlikely that it was caused by an allergic reaction to external factors, especially since the rash also broke out while I was in Siargao and Pozorrubio. One possibility is that my liver isn’t processing some toxins while I sleep. I thought to myself, yeah, maybe my liver was drunk! Anyway, I’m going to have some blood tests done, and one of them will measure liver function.

The other issue is that my blood pressure has gone way up recently (153/86 this morning). Dr. Jo wants to review my blood results before deciding on new BP meds.

Finally, I asked about Ozempic meds as a method to deal with my weight gain. After discussing the pros and cons, we both agreed that more dietary discipline on my part was the better solution.

Now I just need to get scheduled for the blood work, which requires fasting. I’m planning to go next Tuesday.

It was 2:30 when I was finished with Dr. Jo. Swan said I needed a haircut, so we walked up the highway and got that taken care of. We were on the far side of town from the road to Baloy Beach, our usual Tuesday hangout, so we decided to postpone the floating bar and go to Cheap Charlies instead.

I ordered my Zero, and Swan asked for her usual red wine. The bartender advised they didn’t have any red wine in stock, and I’m thinking, shit, here we go again. Except this time, they just asked if Swan minded waiting a few minutes while they ordered a bottle for delivery. We were good with that.

We asked for a Foodies menu from downstairs and ordered up some grub. Since I no longer buy lady drinks at Cheap Charlie’s inflated 250 peso price, I bought the girls some chicken wings and lumpia to enjoy, which cost me the equivalent of two lady drinks.

We did our nightcap at Green Room, then headed home at an ungodly early 7 p.m. Well, since we started at three, we were maintaining our four-hour out-on-the-town routine.

The 2016 New Year has arrived in the LTG archives. It didn’t start well with this post recounting the circumstances of my beloved wife leaving me for reasons I still don’t understand. It was the end of one life, but the beginning of another. And ten years later, I’m still standing. Most of the time, anyway. I’m not sure what lessons I should have taken away from that heartbreaking event, but I do know I never want to experience anything like it again.

When I came across today’s YouTube video, I thought, “Now you tell me.” But then I remember reading something very similar on Kevin Kim’s blog long ago. But the wisdom in knowing that everything happens for a reason can be comforting, even if you can’t discern what those reasons may be. Life goes on until it doesn’t, so we should just count the blessings that come with each new day.

Let’s take another crack at some humor, shall we?

And now it is on with my Wednesday. I can almost hear the floating bar calling me.

This song helped me get through the time of sorrow and loneliness I mentioned above.

When the day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you're sure you've had enough
Of this life, well hang on

Don't let yourself go
'Cause everybody cries
And everybody hurts sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone (Hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go (Hold on)
If you think you've had too much
Of this life, well hang on

'Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts
Don't throw your hand, oh no

Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone
No, no, no, you are not alone

If you're on your own in this life
The days and nights are long
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on

Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes

So hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts

No, no, no, no you are not alone

…such as it is.

Normal around here means nothing much of interest to blog about, not that that’s ever stopped me. I’ll keep it short at least, promise!

As is our Sunday custom, we headed to John’s place for Swan’s weekly birria taco fix. Except it was not available. Neither was the pulled pork. Something doesn’t feel right, and I fear this may be the beginning of the end.

As we left John’s place, I noticed that both big freezers where the beef steaks are stored were empty. I asked the “waitress” (John’s daughter) if the restaurant was going to close. She denied it. We shall see, but a place named “John’s Sushi and Steak” not having steaks is a tad concerning.

We did our usual visit to Red Bar after dinner, but things felt a bit off there as well. The usual classic rock had been replaced by 21st-century music. Okay, they have dancers inside, so I can accept that the young ladies prefer music from their generation to sway to. What I couldn’t get used to was the outdoor speaker (we sit out front on the open-air patio) blasting so loudly it made conversation difficult. I asked our waitress if the outdoor music could be toned down some, and she said it was tied to the speakers inside. Hmm, it was never played so loud on my previous visits. Also, I know those speakers have separate volume control. As we paid our tab, I tipped her and said, “Next time we hear the music this loud, we’ll just keep on walking.” I hope she heard me.

We did our nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks and enjoyed quality music and a respectable volume. We had the place to ourselves at first, but a bit later, a group of Westerners came in and took a table up front. It was a bit unusual to see a middle-aged white woman with them. They asked whether there would be live music, and were told there wouldn’t be on Sunday. Then the manager set up the karaoke machine and handed them a microphone. Oh shit. I told Swan to finish her wine because I didn’t want to be subjected to bad singing.

Then the heavyset white woman started to sing. The volume was right (no distortion), and my goodness, she had a beautiful voice. I didn’t recognize the song she sang, but I enjoyed it. I thought to myself, she’s better than the live singers that typically perform at Jumpin’ Jacks. When the woman was done, she handed the microphone to her boyfriend, and he was also a good singer. I don’t recall ever enjoying a karaoke performance as much as this one—a nice way to finish our night in Barretto.

Onward in the December 2015 LTG archives, and in this post, I talk about a lunchtime meetup with the esteemed Kevin Kim in Itaewon, where we witnessed a parade honoring the birthday of Mohammad. In that original post, I called him “the pedophile Mohammad,” which caused me some trouble at work when someone who read the post complained about my disrespect. The lawyers said the remarks were made on my own time and were protected by the First Amendment, but I was told to specify in the future that I was not speaking for 8th Army in LTG rants. Well, Mohammad did marry a twelve-year-old, so my pedophile description was accurate, but for the sake of peace and harmony, I deleted that reference.

For today’s YouTube video, let’s check in with Smart Girl Philippines. What she says in the beginning about Filipinas never forgetting is true. Everyone seems to know my name. I’ll go to a venue I hadn’t been to in months, and get the “Welcome, Sir John” greeting. I’ll be out hiking, and some gal who isn’t even vaguely familiar calls out, “Hello, John.” As for the getting arrested for arguing thing, I’d just say don’t step out of line because if you are a foreigner, it is always your fault.

Humor me this:

Okay, my work is done here. Now it is time to prepare for the Hash. It’s a Guenter trail, so I’ll be shortcutting. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.