Yesterday I received a Facebook message from my friend Dave, who has been back in the USA for several months. I don’t think I’ve we’ve communicated directly since his departure, but I do know he is scheduled to return here in November. So, it was a little surprising to get his message asking me to send his girlfriend (who I also know) $200 and that he would repay me next month. Knowing Dave, I wasn’t worried about him paying me back, and I assumed it must be some emergency, or he wouldn’t have reached out to me. So, I wrote back asking for Jo’s full name as it appears on her ID so I could wire the money via Xoom (the money transfer service I use). Dave sent the name, and I completed the transfer without further delay.

I told Dave the money was available for pick up at any of the usual money exchange locations; all Jo needed was her ID and the claim number. I was a little taken aback when, instead of thanking me, Dave asked if I would send it to Jo’s PayMaya account (it’s one of those e-money things) instead. I told Dave I had no idea how to do that, and he explained I could do it directly to her account through Xoom. Again, I wasn’t sure what this emergency was all about, but maybe Jo wasn’t physically capable of picking up the cash in person. So, being the good friend I am, I logged back into Xoom, canceled the original transfer, and resent the money to the PayMaya account. I advised Dave the money was sent in the manner requested.

Still no thank you, but a few minutes later, Dave told me the money had not yet arrived. I checked my email for the Xoom receipt and instead found a message from Xoom saying the transaction had been canceled for “security reasons.” I assumed that my canceling the original send and then immediately doing the second was the cause for their concern. I responded to the email explaining the circumstances and advised Dave we would need to wait for Xoom to approve the transfer.

In the meantime, I took a look at my Facebook feed and saw a post from Jack saying that if anyone got a message from him asking for money, it wasn’t legit. Yikes! Talk about a light bulb coming on–it was as blinding as my stupidity. I immediately searched for Dave’s name on Facebook and found both his real account and a newly created one–it was the new account I had been chatting with. Yep, the whole thing had been a scam, and I had stupidly fallen for it. If Xoom hadn’t flagged the second transaction, I would have been out two hundred bucks. Jesus.

It also explained why “Dave” didn’t want the standard wire transfer. He didn’t have the required ID with Jo’s name on it to pick up the cash. I guess a fake PayMaya account is just a number that no one can check. I sent my buddy Scott, who is also friends with Jack and Dave, a message giving him a heads-up. Scott was already aware of the scam, saying Dave had received a money request from Jack and had alerted him to what was going on. That scared me, and I’ve been checking Facebook periodically to make sure the scammer hasn’t created another account in MY name. So far, so good.

Oh, and Scott also sent me a message asking for a donation to his PayPal account: asuckerborneveryminute@gmail. Everyone’s a comedian these days. Or a scammer.

Here’s the lesson to be learned:

In other news, my solo Sunday stroll looked like this:

My Sunday evening bar crawl started at It Doesn’t Matter, then Green Room, Hideaway, and finished at Mugshots. No lady drinks at IDM, dinner from Sit-n-Bull at the Green Room, plus a game of pool (I actually won!). I hadn’t planned to do Hideaway since I’d done the feeding the night before, but Joy was hungry, so I brought some roast chicken from Chooks for the girls. Then when I was walking back to my side of town, all the new girls at Mugshots were seated outside, so I joined them for one last beer. No lady drinks, but I tipped the four of them 50 pesos each when I left.

It’s Hash Monday, and Leech My Nuggets is the Hare. That portends a challenging trail. Even harder for me because the trail begins at Barretto High School on Rizal Extension, a good long walk from my house. I’ve decided to throw caution to the wind and get there by going over the mountain instead of around it. That cuts down the distance, but I’m not keen on hiking in the hills alone. If I don’t post here tomorrow, send out a rescue party!

Almost forgot, today’s SOB video, The Queen Victoria team:

I guess my big accomplishment yesterday was booking my flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I’ll be leaving on 1 November and returning on the 8th, a quick one-week journey. I couldn’t get a direct flight out of Clark in Angeles, so I’ll be making the dreaded trip to Manila. It’s only three hours in the air, and I’ll be arriving in Cambo just before midnight. The return trip leaves at 0200 and arrives back in Manila around 5 a.m. That’s a bit of a pain, but that was the only direct flight available. It’s on Philippines Air, so hopefully, things will go as planned.

It’s been almost three years since I’ve traveled anywhere, and what used to be old hat, like making plane reservations, was a bit more challenging than I remembered. In the old days, I’d look for cheap fares using Kayak, but now it would redirect me to companies I’d never heard of before, and I was loathed to put my credit card info out there on the internet. I wound up booking through Expedia since I know they are legit.

I still need to find a hotel, the one my friend who lives there recommended was already sold out. I will also have to get an “onward” ticket showing I’ll be leaving the Philippines within thirty days of my arrival. Yes, you can extend your tourist visa (which I’ve been doing for three years now), but you must show a flight out when you first arrive. I also practiced completing the online “e-arrival card” that is required of all passengers flying into the Philippines, showing their vaccination history. I’ll need to resubmit it 72 hours before my return flight, and since I’ve not had a booster shot, I’ll also need to get tested 24 hours before I come back.

Next up on my travel to-do list is getting my approval to exit the country. I guess they check to make sure I’m not wanted for any high crimes and misdemeanors. It’s a pain in the ass because I’ll need to get three 2×2 photos and take my passport, ACR card, tourist visa paperwork, and a copy of my flight itinerary to the immigration office no less than three days before I travel (then go back and pick it up). Nothing to be done but to do it all and be glad for the opportunity to see something new. Well, I’ve been to Phnom Penh once previously, but I’m looking forward to going back.

I attended a birthday party for two of the girls at Hideaway last night.

I stayed longer than usual and even participated in some of the party games. One involved a banana and another an egg, but the girls did all the work. I’ll leave it at that.

After leaving Hideaway, I saw Mugshots was open for business. Turns out they close on Wednesdays, which is what led to my confusion. Another change is that they’ve updated their business model to include bargirls now. One of them was sitting outside and called me as I walked past–she was the ex of the guy who is now dating my ex. Ah, the joys of small-town living! Anyway, I went inside to have a beer and check it out. It’s nice inside, and I think adding girls to the mix will help business. I’ll likely be back, although I don’t intend to get involved with the gal who is the ex–didn’t even buy her a drink last night. I like a no-drama lifestyle.

Continuing my trek up the highway, I saw yet another samgyeopsal restaurant had now opened.

I had a coupon, “buy a lady drink, get a free customer drink,” for Whiskey Girl, so that was my next stop. I sat in the back, away from the loud music, and Jenn soon joined me for some more snuggling and cuddling. She’s a little chubby, but I find her oddly attractive. She’s also forty years old with a sixteen-year-old son. Neither of those facts is a deal breaker for me. Her only day off is Sunday, and she spends it in San Marcelino (about 20K from here) with family. I’d kind of like to spend some time with her outside of the bar, but not sure about the logistics given her schedule.

It was after eight, and I should have been heading home, but instead, I decided to pop into Snackbar. I sat at an outside table with my hiking buddies and, of course, bought them all a drink.

There was live music blaring from upstairs. I asked what that was all about, and the girls told me a grand opening celebration was taking place. For what? A bar? I asked. Nope, a new restaurant. You guessed it, a samgyeopsal restaurant. Filipinos love that pork belly!

I didn’t stay long at Snackbar. I’d had enough to drink, and I have some personal issues there. I’ll see the crew on hikes and patronize bars that don’t leave me feeling unappreciated. Lots of those in town.

And a whole lot more to explore ten days from now in Cambodia! What a life.

Oh, someone posted videos from this week’s SOB contest. I’ll share one a day for any of you guys who want to see the performances. Here are the Champion Voodoo ladies:

Made it through another day in paradise. Started the morning with my solo walk out Naugsol way.

A few of the things I saw along the way:

When beer o’clock rolled around, I headed into town. I had a coupon for the seldom-visited Whiskey Girl to use, but they weren’t open yet when I passed by. I kept walking until I reached It Doesn’t Matter, so I visited there for the first time in over a week. Both owners noted my absence and welcomed me back. I was on my first beer when I saw an old crush (unreciprocated) was there, and we had a brief chat. A bit later, Jessa and her new guy Wes arrived, and we exchanged friendly greetings. That’s part of small-town living, I suppose, there is always someone around you know, and sometimes that makes you feel even more alone. I finished my second beer and departed.

I made my way back up the highway toward Whiskey Girl but decided having dinner first was a good idea, so I made Mango’s my next stop. When I entered, one of the waitresses exclaimed, “oh my, we were just talking about you!” I didn’t ask if it was something good or bad, but hey, it’s nice to be remembered. Pork chops were in stock, so I ordered me up some and took my customary seat facing the bay.

On impulse, I ordered some more pork chops for takeout and asked my waitress what side dishes I should get. She asked, “for a Filipina?” I nodded yes, and she said to get rice and veggies. So I did and told her, “enjoy your dinner.” She was both surprised and ecstatic. Well, that’s what you get for caring enough to think about me when I’m not around.

My hunger satiated, I moved on to Whiskey Girl. Took a seat near the stage and ordered the first of several beers (buy one, get one). There was a dancer sitting near me who was exquisitely beautiful. It was hard to keep my eyes off her full breasts that seemed destined to escape from the small top she was wearing. And those long legs covered by the shortest of skirts. One of the hottest gals I’ve seen around. Chatted a bit and learned she was twenty years old and has no kids. It was loud in the bar, and I could barely hear her, and she didn’t seem to follow much of what I was saying, but damn, she was easy on the eyes, and I kept her lady drink glass filled during my visit. Sorry, she was shy to be photographed, and this morning I don’t remember her name. Oh well, she is too young and too pretty for the likes of me anyway.

The gal on the other side of me was a waitress named Jenn I had chatted with on previous visits. Pretty much the opposite of the dancer on my other side, looks-wise, but also much more personable. She’s actually quite witty and fun to talk to. Guess which one I preferred?

I’m going to have to update my Whiskey Girl review. I had a lot better time there than I expected. The music they played may as well have been from one of my playlists; I liked every song. My only complaint was it was too damn loud, but next time I’m going to sit in the back, away from the stage and speakers. I never pay much attention to the dancers anyway. And yes, when I visit again, I’m going to focus exclusively on Jenn. I’d like to get to know her better. Who knew chubby girls could be such good snugglers?

It was only eight o’clock when I left Whiskey Girl, but I’d had enough to drink, so I caught a trike back home. Made a banana-mango smoothie, then hit the hay.

As days go, yesterday was a pretty good one. Which maybe will seem pathetic to some of you living full and meaningful lives. But it is what it is, and I’m in full acceptance mode. Things are better than they were and perhaps not as good as they will be in the future, but I’m living my life one day at a time and making the best of each one until they run out. That’s what I call progress.

This a rare morning post here at LTG, but I have a full day ahead of me, so I’m in “now or never” territory. I’ll be heading out to Angeles City in a couple of hours to participate in the ACH3 anniversary Hash run. Pubic Head and some of our Harriettes will be sharing the ride with me. Something different for my Sunday, and hopefully, we’ll all have fun.

Here’s how I filled those Saturday hours:

I did my usual Saturday morning Barretto street walk.

During my solo walks, I wear my headphones and listen to music on Spotify. The playlists are usually full of songs that I’m familiar with, but every once in a while, I hear something new that resonates with my current mood. Yesterday I listened to a John Prine tune called “Clay Pigeons” for the first time. Here’s the verse that made me say, “who wrote this?” as I walked along (yeah, I must have looked like a crazy guy talking to myself on the street):

I'm tired of runnin' round lookin' for answers
To questions that I already know
I could build me a castle with memories
Just to have somewhere to go
Count the days and the nights
That it takes to get back in the saddle again
Feed the pigeons some clay
Turn the night into day
And start talkin' again
When I know what to say

So, when I got back home, I looked at John Prine’s Wikipedia page and discovered that he didn’t write the song above; it was a cover version of the one written by someone named Blaze Foley, whom I’d never even heard of before. His wiki page revealed a life even more convoluted than mine–no wonder I liked his song!

But hey, there’s more to life than searching for obscure information on the internet.

Yes, I had to do my Sunday feeding last night because I don’t expect I’ll be back from my trip to AC in time to hit the bars.

One of my ex-girlfriends was at the bar with her new beau, and it was good to see her happy. I can’t help but lament how things might have been if I was better at being a boyfriend, but that’s the way it seems to go for me.

I also encountered my most recent ex at my next beer stop. We are on friendly terms too, but those wounds aren’t entirely healed yet. No real regrets; I wasn’t a good fit for her either.

Anyway, there’s someone for me somewhere. Or maybe not. This solitary life could be my destiny. God may be saying, “WTF, dude? How many chances do you expect in one lifetime? And oh, by the way, about that lifetime–it ain’t gonna last forever.”

But I’m living in the land where miracles do happen. Especially if you can afford to pay for them. Speaking of which, a girl I was plying with drinks last night was telling me all the right things. She either really likes me or she is really good at her job. We shall see.

Am I headed for bliss or for trouble? Time will tell, so stay tuned here at LTG!

Started my evening at Snackbar, where I joined in celebrating the occasion of Lydell turning twenty-two. I honestly thought she was older than that, but then again, age is just a number (provided that number is at least 18).

Anyway, it was nice to participate in the BD party. This morning Lydell and Heidi joined the Friday group hike for the first time on one of our tougher trails and seemed to enjoy themselves. More on that with photos tomorrow.

Now it’s time to prepare for my Friday night. There could be an SOB in my future, although honestly, I’m on the fence about attending tonight’s performance. I might need a break this week, but we’ll see how I feel when the time comes.

The same old same old is feeling kind of old. Or maybe it’s just that I am. But what else am I going to do? It’s not like we have a library in town. I reckon a few cold beers will cure whatever it is that’s ailing me.

More or less (less or more?).

The feeding at Hideaway seemed to go well. My carrot cupcakes were especially popular, and who doesn’t enjoy some hot pizza from Shamboli’s?

And, of course, there were lady drinks to wash it all down.

After Hideaway, I visited Cheap Charlies for the first time in quite a while. My new mode is not to let the shenanigans of a particular bargirl impact where I choose to imbibe my beers. So, last night when I arrived, the girl in question sidled up beside me, and I told her, “I hope you have a happy life” then I turned my back and ignored her. I guess she got the hint because she moved away. As an old timer advised me once after I first moved here: there’s a word you say when a Filipina disappoints you–NEXT!

Here I go again with eyes wide open! Actually, I jest. Some lady drinks and some chat are my only expectations. That and at least pretending to be appreciative. So far, so good. The most interesting thing I learned about Diana last night was that she lives with her mom and dad in the little village at the bottom of the dirt path that takes me out of Alta Vista. We are practically neighbors! She said she had seen me hiking by there and handing out cookies. Anyway, it’s nice to make a new “friend.”

While at Cheap Charlies, I received a message from Lydell, one of the Snackbar girls, inviting me to join them.

Today is Lydell’s twenty-second birthday, and I am the proud sponsor for her party tonight at Snackbar.

So, that’s the update on my drinking life. In my hiking mode, I led the Wednesday Walkers up into the hills overlooking Barretto for a pleasant 6K trek. Only six of us were in attendance this go-round, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I’ll let the photos tell the story:

That’s how the day went down, from the end to the beginning. I’m happy to report it does not appear to be the beginning of the end.

Back with more tomorrow.

Anyway, before I go into rant mode, let me share the photos from last night’s feeding at Hideaway. After finishing my doctor’s appointment, I ordered take-out from Sit-n-Bull for the girls.

As usual, it was a good time, and the girls were all appreciative. The bi-weekly feeding events are something we all look forward to.

But here’s the darker side. I stopped in another bar after leaving Hideaway. One of the girls currently working there briefly participated in my “friends with benefits” program while she was unemployed during the scamdemic. She’s got three kids, including one that might be just over one year old now (she was still lactating when she was an FWB). Nice enough gal and very attractive. The problem was that I discovered she is still married. That’s not unusual, I suppose, especially since divorce is not allowed in the Philippines. But her husband was still living at home with her and the kids. Adultery is a crime in the PI, and I had no intention of going down that road. I don’t know if he knew what his wife was doing with me, but I didn’t want to be around her if and when he found out. So, I stopped seeing her and shortly thereafter ended the FWB program. We did remain Facebook friends.

She came back to work in the bar several months ago, and we renewed our “lady drink” relationship. She told me her husband was working out of town. One night she came into the bar on her night off with a foreigner. That’s pretty unusual in and of itself; most of the girls keep their non-work life out of the bar. I guess he was a tourist because he’s now back in his home country. I know this because the girl in question is posting endless threads on Facebook (with photos of their video chats), professing her endless and undying love for this man. Hell, for all I know, she might even mean it. But last night, she took her usual seat next to me in expectation of getting lady drink commissions.

At first, I was inclined just to ignore her. The were two other gals vying for my attention as well. One is new, and the other I’ve known for years. But in the end, I just decided it was none of my business. Odds are good she is scamming this guy for monthly “support” money, and honestly if he is stupid enough to send it to her, why should I care? I wouldn’t be surprised if the husband is a willing participant. Having a “rich” foreigner around helps pay the rent. Indeed, perhaps I should congratulate her. Well, I guess I sort of did when I bought her the drink she coveted. See, that’s how the game is played, and I’m getting better at it. The trick is not to get played in the process.

I also heard from Agnes for the first time since she abandoned her lady drink from me to play kissy-face with another guy in the bar. I responded to her message by asking how things were going with the boyfriend. She answered that he was “just a friend.” I said, “do you tongue-kiss all your friends in the middle of a crowded bar?” For some reason, she never responded to that question. Oh well.

I’ve got a healthy case of “I don’t give a shit anymore” now, and I’m just going to do what I want when I want with whomever I want and not even worry about it. None of this crap is real, anyway. There’s freedom in that knowledge.

Things went fine with the doctor. I got another set of nostril injections, and today I have a good reduction in congestion (I couldn’t breathe through my nose at all yesterday). I’m still dealing with my lung issues, but I fear that may be my new normal. I’m still in the game as long as I’m still breathing, and that’s how I want to keep it.

It’s another Hash Monday, so here’s hoping it’s a good day on trail. Back with a full report tomorrow.

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes

Fall has arrived in the Philippines! But around here, it ain’t the leaves that are falling off trees…

The construction behind my house continues apace, and the noise is quite irritating. Annoising if you will. I try and time my nap from noon until 1:00 while the workers are on lunch break.

Escaping the sounds of creation makes my morning walks all the more pleasant.

So, about last night. I had good intentions to start the evening off with some darts practice. Then I remembered that Barretto was undergoing a scheduled brownout (power interruption) until 5 p.m. (I’m technically in San Isidro, so wasn’t impacted). I knew Johansson’s wouldn’t have a generator, so I left the darts at home and went to It Doesn’t Matter instead.

It was the first time I’d been back since the incident with Agnes, and she wasn’t there. Maybe her biker boyfriend is supporting her now. None of my business, and I certainly wouldn’t be buying her drinks again, regardless. My waitress this time was Maria, and she’d always been flirty, and after a couple of beers, I invited her to join me (I know, I know, but old habits die hard.) She brings her beer over to where I’m seated; we tap bottles, she takes a swig and says, “I’ll be back.” Maybe you’ve guessed where this is going–she never returned to finish her beer. I really don’t understand that mentality at all; the deal is she gets the commission, and I get some of her time. Ignoring a customer is a losing proposition in the long run–Maria will certainly never get a drink from me in the future. Maybe I should be thanking her for saving me the money.

When it came time for me to move on, I was craving an elevated view. I decided BarCelona would give me what I was looking for. I ordered a beer and took a seat out on the rooftop.

When it was time to refresh my beer, there was no waitress to be found (I was alone on the roof). So, I went inside and noted that the girls were all congregated around the pool table. I stood at the bar and waited (the bartender was MIA as well). After a few minutes, a waitress did approach me and said what sounded like, “You should sit beside me; I don’t want to have to go all the way out there.” I gave a grumpy response along the lines of “sorry to make you do your job,” and went back to my table to wait for the beer. When she brought it, she sat down next to me, which surprised me a little. She said, “yeah, I want to be close when you need another beer; that’s why I said I would sit next to you.” Ah, I had misunderstood what she said before; okay, my bad. We had a nice chat, and I wound up buying her a drink to make up for the misunderstanding.

I had a “buy one, get one” coupon for Hot Zone, so I made that my next destination. It wasn’t busy when I arrived, so I settled back and watched the dancers as I sipped my beer. HZ does have some of the hottest girls in town on stage; I’ll grant them that. Well, except they weren’t on stage long–a group of Korean men came in and brought all but one of the dancers down for lady drinks. I think they had most of the waitresses around their table too. Ah, just like the good ol’ days–big-spending tourists spoil the girls, so locals like me don’t have to! Well done, gentlemen.

I left Hot Zone and headed down the highway toward home, but I still had an hour or so to kill. I paused at Sloppy Joe’s but decided to do Queen Victoria instead. They weren’t busy either, and I was still on my first beer when my old regular TinTin plopped down on the stool next to me. She didn’t perform with the QV group at the SOB, so I asked her about that. She said she hadn’t had time to learn the new routine yet. I responded that she should tell her new boyfriend she needs to practice. She answered, “I don’t have a boyfriend.” The Tagalog word for that is “bola bola,” which roughly translates as “bullshit.”

I will also confess that seeing that toothless grin made me wonder how good she is at blowjobs. Yeah, I’m a sick bastard.

I didn’t stay long at Queen Vic, and after exiting the building, I noted there were no trikes standing by in the usual location, so I walked a couple of blocks to the trike stand at Baloy road. And, of course, that put me out in front of Snackbar. It’s been a few weeks since my last appearance there (I hadn’t felt welcome), but my beer impairment overcame whatever grievances I was holding, and I popped in to have one more for the road. I was very surprised to see Lydell, one of my favorites from the now-defunct Kamto, working there. Last I’d seen her; she was at Adam’s Bar. And most of the other regulars did give me a hearty welcome back, so maybe those grievances were all in my head. And yes, we celebrated my return with a round of lady drinks. What can I say? I guess it’s just my nature.

Seriously, I do enjoy being generous with the girls. Makes me feel good, so it’s as much about me as it is about them. Rather than change my ways, I’m thinking avoiding the bad ones (like Agnes and Maria at IDM) is a better course of action. We’ll see how that works out for me.

And that brings y’all right up to date. Feeding night a Hideaway later. I also have an appointment with Dr. Jo this afternoon. Updates on all that tomorrow.

Yep, things are back to normal.