The steps I took to get through another day included the group hike with the Wednesday Walkers, a journey into town to visit some bars, and an overindulgence with bedtime dessert. Here is some of what I saw along the way:

A short video from the trail:

Sorry for the abrupt ending; the video shut off without my realizing it.

I had some SOB coupons to use or lose, so later in the afternoon, Swan and I journeyed into town. I made a short video of the path we frequently take out of Alta Vista:

To kick things off, we used a “buy one, get one” coupon at Sloppy Joe’s. Four beers later (two free!), we moved next door to Alaska Club, where I had a 500-peso voucher to spend. We ended the evening at Wet Spot with yet another “buy one, get one” deal. I did two and two, which added up to ten for the night. Yep, time to go home. We brought some take-out from Sit-n-Bull to bring with us (pizza for Swan and a chicken quesadilla for me).

Maybe the beer impacted my better judgment, but I asked Swan to prepare me a piece of apple strudel with some ice cream on top for dessert. Oops!

Just before I hit the hay, I looked out the window and viewed this message from God:

So, this morning, I took a longer than usual 9K solo hike. And for some reason, I thought of a long-ago Korean girlfriend along the way. And in another odd twist, this photo appeared in my Facebook memories today:

My journey through the blog archives continues, and I came upon this post from March 29, 2005, in which I recount my discovery of a blog that remains a daily read for me nearly twenty years later–Big Hominid’s Hairy Chasms. In that Good Friday post, Kevin Kim talks about the concept of “putting it down,” a philosophy that still resonates with me even if I fail to adhere to those principles. Give it a read and see if you agree.

I’m no foodie, but if today’s YouTube video is to be believed, renowned chef Gordon Ramsay is a fan of Filipino food, even preferring it over Thai delicacies. I’m skeptical, but what do I know?

And now for some funny business:

There’s a weekend adventure on the horizon, so stick around. I can’t promise it will get any more interesting, but at least the scenery will change. I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.

Motion pictures
on my TV screen,
A home away from home,
and I'm livin' in between
But I hear some people
have got their dream.
I've got mine.

I hear the mountains
are doin' fine,
Mornin' glory
is on the vine,
And the dew is fallin',
the ducks are callin'.
Yes, I've got mine.

Well, all those people,
they think
they got it made
But I wouldn't buy,
sell, borrow or trade
Anything I have
to be like one of them.
I'd rather
start all over again.

Well, all those headlines,
they just bore me now
I'm deep inside myself,
but I'll get out somehow,
And I'll stand before you,
and I'll bring
a smile to your eyes.
Motion pictures,
motion pictures.