Or maybe recovered is the better word. Either way, I overcame whatever it was that ailed me yesterday, and have now rejoined the land of the living. It’s good to be here!
Obviously, I wasn’t all that sick. It just seemed that my get up and go, got up and left. I baked brownies in anticipation of visiting the floating bar, but when it came time to shower, I just didn’t have the energy to make the effort. So I sat on my lazy ass and watched some TV. I was surprised to find Lonesome Dove, the Larry McMurtry Western series, available on YouTube (I’ve canceled Netflix and Amazon Prime). Been years since I’ve watched that program and I enjoyed seeing the first part of Part One again.
It was the first night in a very long time that I hadn’t gone out to enjoy a beer at one of the many fine venues available in my sweet little retirement town. Here’s to hoping it’s a long time before that ever happens again. I’ll be doing Friday night darts at Alley Cats today, so that will hopefully get me back in my groove.
What else have I got for you?
This pretty much sums up why I decline to argue with my Facebook “friends.” What’s the point? I posted this today with the admonition to not take my silence for acquiescence of their bullshit arguments. As I am wont to say, “all I know is that everything you know, is wrong.”Once I thought that I was wrong, but I was mistaken.This one was posted on a friend’s timeline. Not sure why I had a “you talking to me?” reaction. Yeah, it sounds a bit like my “friends with benefits” charity program. But I still believe that people helping each other is its own kind of charity. And it is certainly better than nothing.
Here are just a couple of photos from my Wednesday Walkers group hike I was too lazy didn’t have the energy to post yesterday:
Hey, maybe that’s why I was so tired!It’s burning season. Here they took out the whole side of the hill. Won’t miss the thatch grass, that’s for sure. Still have no idea how they avoid creating those California-type wildfires I grew up with.Harvesting bamboo looks like hard work to me…And so does doing laundry in a creek bed.We don’t have autumn here, but I did take a fall down this hillside. Luckily, I came down on my ass and didn’t hit anything hard or painful on the way to the bottom.And no, I didn’t forget to get a shot of Easter mountain. You’re welcome!After the hike, I did some lunch at Sit-n-Bull. Sorry, I took a couple of bites before remembering to take a photo. The ribs were good, the sides were excellent.
And that’s all I’ve got for today. I joined the Friday hiking group for a trip out to Tibag this morning. I’ll post about that tomorrow.
13 thoughts on “Reupholstered”
Ach! The comma saga continues! What error do these two sentences have in common?
1. It just seemed that my get up and go, got up and left.
2. All I know is that everything you know, is wrong.
So here’s a new comma rule: don’t separate the subject from the predicate with a comma. Wanna kill a grasshopper? Take a spoon and shove it down between the insect’s head and the rest of its body. The resultant beheaded creature might live a while, but in the end, it’ll die. Using a comma to separate the two principal parts of your sentence kills the sentence. (Was that a dramatic enough image for you? Heh.)
People probably insert commas after the subject because they’re still blindly following the old “commas mark a pause” guideline. The problem is that there are pauses we make in spoken English that don’t merit commas in written English.
Imagine replacing “my get up and go” with “Jenny.”
Jenny, got up and left.
Oops. See?
You might think, “Well, ‘get up and go’ is a long expression, which is why I thought a comma was needed.” Nerp. “Get up and go” still serves as a subject in the singular, long or not.
As for “Everything you know, is wrong,” take out the adjective clause “you know” and see whether the sentence works with a comma.
Everything, is wrong.
Again: nein.
So that’s the rule: don’t behead your sentences by cleaving them in twain with unnecessary commas.
There is an exception, though: if you’re inserting an appositive (i.e., a descriptor or modifier, usually in phrasal form) that’s surrounded by TWO commas, then that’s okay. Examples:
Fred, who knows a thing or two about syphilis, regaled us with tales of his most recent irresponsible sexcapades.
Art, an avid marathoner, just had a heart attack.
Et voilà.
As for the “business, not kindness” image in your post, I agree with it. But you knew I would. Sex for favors, items, or money is still prostitution, so why not just call it bangin’ hos? Because you’re violating those women’s dignity? They’ve already done that to themselves by stooping (ahem) to such work. And hey, I’m not judging—what you do is your own business, and I’m never going to tell you to stop doing it. Boom-boom away, mi amigo! I certainly don’t think you’re going to hell, and besides, what does it matter what my opinion is, anyway? But please be honest with yourself about what’s really going on instead of trying to pretty it up in your own mind. It’s a gritty reality, not a pretty reality.
In other news… the trail pics are as awesome as always, and the ribs look damn good. I might have to go to the local Costco and buy a huge rack of ribs. I also have a second slow cooker now, thanks to my boss, so maybe it’s time to cook something huge—something with “pulled” in the name.
Bamboo is an interesting grass. Looks like a pain in the ass to harvest, but such a versatile plant. Eat it, cover your floor with it, use it make a shelter, etc. 1001 uses.
Kev, Ah, another rule to follow…it’s almost like living under communism! I’ll do my best to obey, of course. I think I need to get one of those devices where you speak your text into a microphone and it is converted into pixels. Then any errors wouldn’t be my fault.
I do other charity projects above and beyond my “friends with benefits” program, so I’m not a totally selfish bastard. Just sayin’. I’m not sure I buy your broad definition of prostitution, though. Yeah, the gals who work in “those kinds” of bars are selling their bodies for money. Joy, on the other hand, seems to sincerely think of me as a friend. Sure, I help her out with money now and then so she can feed her kids. What are friends for? This coming Tuesday we are going to get together and I’ll introduce her to John Kim’s bulgogi. I reckon we’ll have sex for dessert, but it won’t be because she feels obligated. Joy enjoys doing the deed with me and has been telling me for days how horny she is. In fact, she wanted to wait to get together until she finished menstruation. That’s what I like about this arrangement–we both like hooking up now and then, it’s not ALL about the money. How is that different than what consenting adults do all the time? Yeah, as a woman in her 30s with two kids, Joy doesn’t have many options. It just seems like a win for us both and it feels good to help her out. In my view, she’s no more a prostitute than a man who sells his body carrying bricks on his back all day long.
Good luck pulling the pork. I’ll look forward to the pics!
Brian, yeah, I’d say bamboo is the most widely used construction material in the Philippines. Most of the shanties are bamboo, and even the hollow block houses usually have bamboo fencing. 1001 uses might be a low estimate, although I didn’t know about eating it.
Bamboo trees make a very eerie sound when a breeze is blowing…almost scary. It grows just about everywhere too. And then you’ll be out in the middle of nowhere and see guys like those pictured chopping it down and dragging it out to use or sell. Humbles me when I’m complaining about how hard a hike has been.
“Joy, on the other hand, seems to sincerely think of me as a friend.”
Dude. Really? Well, I’ll be curious to see where this goes. Avowals of horniness just seem like a way to keep the fish on the hook. But hey, if it works for you…
Yeah, operating within a system of grammatical rules can feel oppressive. The paradox of freedom, though, is that mastery of rules can lead to great things. The three-year-old who fingerpaints doesn’t know any of the rules of art and therefore won’t produce any world-class masterpieces, but the disciplined artist can, godlike, create portals into glorious new universes.
“ How is that different than what consenting adults do all the time?”
I have said it before, but it doesn’t much different than a lot marriages; I am sure I know a couple guys that married people they thought loved them and found out the other party just needed a place to live.
Kev, I’ve seen Joy in the flesh twice now. But every day throughout the day I get those little messages checking in on me. It’s not necessary but it’s kinda sweet. If she is playing a game, she is very good at it! She’s better at acting like a girlfriend than a lot of my girlfriends ever were.
Fingerpainting, eh? That gives me an idea…
QP, yeah that’s true. Especially here in the PI. Joy is giving me what I want and getting what she needs in return. I’m satisfied with the arrangement thus far.
Sir
As usual I am thankful for your writing. You know I admire your consistency in writing this blog for so many years. Hopefully you realize that your readers appreciate it .
Granted , your audience takes pleasure in commenting about your life choices , and whether you used that Oxford semicolon correctly; but you still persevere in writing daily. That level of dedication that is hard to maintain in these modern times . Other than your friend Kevin, I don’t think that you personally know many of your readers who so casually offer feedback on your written words.
From the posts I guess you mainly use this medium to share your thoughts on life , and also Facebook where you can reminisce about the good old days and own the libs at the same time. If this was a YouTube comment section the responses would have been even worse. Have you ever considered shooting a YouTube video while out hiking 🚶♂️?
This comment has no point other than to commend and offer gratitude for your writing.
And now to offer my critique about your life choices( as if that matters): Keep Joy in your life. You’re getting the best parts of being in a relationship without being in a relationship. It’s all good.
Moving is also the better option. You’ll have a fight about getting your money back and it may delay your lease at the new place; but there are many more houses available for rent and very little demand right now. You won’t be homeless. I guess you don’t really need to save money per se but that extra hundred may be useful to buy more beer or get another friend like Joy if you ever need to. If a little happiness is good then more happiness must be better.
That’s it from me . Enjoy the rest of your weekend
James, I really appreciate your kind words. I always look forward to comments, even though very few readers actually share their thoughts. I’m guilty of that as well; I rarely comment on the other blogs that I read. So, it is special when someone like you makes the effort to provide feedback on what I’ve written. Thanks!
Over the years I’ve received lots of helpful advice and support. Even when I don’t agree, I always appreciate seeing a new perspective. This blog has become more of a journal/diary than anything else, so knowing that people actually care enough to follow my daily exploits is my inspiration to keep writing.
Your comment made my day, thanks for sharing!
Re: eating bamboo. I have eaten it quite a lot in Taiwan. They call it “baby bamboo” and it is quite tender. I assume it is the shoots when it is first growing. It is actually pretty tasty. Served different ways – stir fried, shaved, etc. I would imagine that if you look hard enough, you would find there in PI.
James has wise words.
“ Keep Joy in your life. You’re getting the best parts of being in a relationship without being in a relationship.”
Brian, I’ll ask around and give bamboo a try if I find it on the menu.
QP, yep, that’s my thinking too. Honestly, I’m impressed with how well Joy is playing her part. We’ll see if it lasts.
Ach! The comma saga continues! What error do these two sentences have in common?
1. It just seemed that my get up and go, got up and left.
2. All I know is that everything you know, is wrong.
So here’s a new comma rule: don’t separate the subject from the predicate with a comma. Wanna kill a grasshopper? Take a spoon and shove it down between the insect’s head and the rest of its body. The resultant beheaded creature might live a while, but in the end, it’ll die. Using a comma to separate the two principal parts of your sentence kills the sentence. (Was that a dramatic enough image for you? Heh.)
People probably insert commas after the subject because they’re still blindly following the old “commas mark a pause” guideline. The problem is that there are pauses we make in spoken English that don’t merit commas in written English.
Imagine replacing “my get up and go” with “Jenny.”
Jenny, got up and left.
Oops. See?
You might think, “Well, ‘get up and go’ is a long expression, which is why I thought a comma was needed.” Nerp. “Get up and go” still serves as a subject in the singular, long or not.
As for “Everything you know, is wrong,” take out the adjective clause “you know” and see whether the sentence works with a comma.
Everything, is wrong.
Again: nein.
So that’s the rule: don’t behead your sentences by cleaving them in twain with unnecessary commas.
There is an exception, though: if you’re inserting an appositive (i.e., a descriptor or modifier, usually in phrasal form) that’s surrounded by TWO commas, then that’s okay. Examples:
Fred, who knows a thing or two about syphilis, regaled us with tales of his most recent irresponsible sexcapades.
Art, an avid marathoner, just had a heart attack.
Et voilà.
As for the “business, not kindness” image in your post, I agree with it. But you knew I would. Sex for favors, items, or money is still prostitution, so why not just call it bangin’ hos? Because you’re violating those women’s dignity? They’ve already done that to themselves by stooping (ahem) to such work. And hey, I’m not judging—what you do is your own business, and I’m never going to tell you to stop doing it. Boom-boom away, mi amigo! I certainly don’t think you’re going to hell, and besides, what does it matter what my opinion is, anyway? But please be honest with yourself about what’s really going on instead of trying to pretty it up in your own mind. It’s a gritty reality, not a pretty reality.
In other news… the trail pics are as awesome as always, and the ribs look damn good. I might have to go to the local Costco and buy a huge rack of ribs. I also have a second slow cooker now, thanks to my boss, so maybe it’s time to cook something huge—something with “pulled” in the name.
Bamboo is an interesting grass. Looks like a pain in the ass to harvest, but such a versatile plant. Eat it, cover your floor with it, use it make a shelter, etc. 1001 uses.
Kev, Ah, another rule to follow…it’s almost like living under communism! I’ll do my best to obey, of course. I think I need to get one of those devices where you speak your text into a microphone and it is converted into pixels. Then any errors wouldn’t be my fault.
I do other charity projects above and beyond my “friends with benefits” program, so I’m not a totally selfish bastard. Just sayin’. I’m not sure I buy your broad definition of prostitution, though. Yeah, the gals who work in “those kinds” of bars are selling their bodies for money. Joy, on the other hand, seems to sincerely think of me as a friend. Sure, I help her out with money now and then so she can feed her kids. What are friends for? This coming Tuesday we are going to get together and I’ll introduce her to John Kim’s bulgogi. I reckon we’ll have sex for dessert, but it won’t be because she feels obligated. Joy enjoys doing the deed with me and has been telling me for days how horny she is. In fact, she wanted to wait to get together until she finished menstruation. That’s what I like about this arrangement–we both like hooking up now and then, it’s not ALL about the money. How is that different than what consenting adults do all the time? Yeah, as a woman in her 30s with two kids, Joy doesn’t have many options. It just seems like a win for us both and it feels good to help her out. In my view, she’s no more a prostitute than a man who sells his body carrying bricks on his back all day long.
Good luck pulling the pork. I’ll look forward to the pics!
Brian, yeah, I’d say bamboo is the most widely used construction material in the Philippines. Most of the shanties are bamboo, and even the hollow block houses usually have bamboo fencing. 1001 uses might be a low estimate, although I didn’t know about eating it.
Bamboo trees make a very eerie sound when a breeze is blowing…almost scary. It grows just about everywhere too. And then you’ll be out in the middle of nowhere and see guys like those pictured chopping it down and dragging it out to use or sell. Humbles me when I’m complaining about how hard a hike has been.
“Joy, on the other hand, seems to sincerely think of me as a friend.”
Dude. Really? Well, I’ll be curious to see where this goes. Avowals of horniness just seem like a way to keep the fish on the hook. But hey, if it works for you…
Yeah, operating within a system of grammatical rules can feel oppressive. The paradox of freedom, though, is that mastery of rules can lead to great things. The three-year-old who fingerpaints doesn’t know any of the rules of art and therefore won’t produce any world-class masterpieces, but the disciplined artist can, godlike, create portals into glorious new universes.
“ How is that different than what consenting adults do all the time?”
I have said it before, but it doesn’t much different than a lot marriages; I am sure I know a couple guys that married people they thought loved them and found out the other party just needed a place to live.
Kev, I’ve seen Joy in the flesh twice now. But every day throughout the day I get those little messages checking in on me. It’s not necessary but it’s kinda sweet. If she is playing a game, she is very good at it! She’s better at acting like a girlfriend than a lot of my girlfriends ever were.
Fingerpainting, eh? That gives me an idea…
QP, yeah that’s true. Especially here in the PI. Joy is giving me what I want and getting what she needs in return. I’m satisfied with the arrangement thus far.
Sir
As usual I am thankful for your writing. You know I admire your consistency in writing this blog for so many years. Hopefully you realize that your readers appreciate it .
Granted , your audience takes pleasure in commenting about your life choices , and whether you used that Oxford semicolon correctly; but you still persevere in writing daily. That level of dedication that is hard to maintain in these modern times . Other than your friend Kevin, I don’t think that you personally know many of your readers who so casually offer feedback on your written words.
From the posts I guess you mainly use this medium to share your thoughts on life , and also Facebook where you can reminisce about the good old days and own the libs at the same time. If this was a YouTube comment section the responses would have been even worse. Have you ever considered shooting a YouTube video while out hiking 🚶♂️?
This comment has no point other than to commend and offer gratitude for your writing.
And now to offer my critique about your life choices( as if that matters): Keep Joy in your life. You’re getting the best parts of being in a relationship without being in a relationship. It’s all good.
Moving is also the better option. You’ll have a fight about getting your money back and it may delay your lease at the new place; but there are many more houses available for rent and very little demand right now. You won’t be homeless. I guess you don’t really need to save money per se but that extra hundred may be useful to buy more beer or get another friend like Joy if you ever need to. If a little happiness is good then more happiness must be better.
That’s it from me . Enjoy the rest of your weekend
James, I really appreciate your kind words. I always look forward to comments, even though very few readers actually share their thoughts. I’m guilty of that as well; I rarely comment on the other blogs that I read. So, it is special when someone like you makes the effort to provide feedback on what I’ve written. Thanks!
Over the years I’ve received lots of helpful advice and support. Even when I don’t agree, I always appreciate seeing a new perspective. This blog has become more of a journal/diary than anything else, so knowing that people actually care enough to follow my daily exploits is my inspiration to keep writing.
Your comment made my day, thanks for sharing!
Re: eating bamboo. I have eaten it quite a lot in Taiwan. They call it “baby bamboo” and it is quite tender. I assume it is the shoots when it is first growing. It is actually pretty tasty. Served different ways – stir fried, shaved, etc. I would imagine that if you look hard enough, you would find there in PI.
James has wise words.
“ Keep Joy in your life. You’re getting the best parts of being in a relationship without being in a relationship.”
Brian, I’ll ask around and give bamboo a try if I find it on the menu.
QP, yep, that’s my thinking too. Honestly, I’m impressed with how well Joy is playing her part. We’ll see if it lasts.