The one part of a Disney Theme park that I disliked most was that Small World ride with that incessant song playing over and over and continuing for eight more hours in your head.
It’s in your head now isn’t it?
When I was a Navy Recruiter in Orlando Florida I was the Navy liaison to the Mouse Factory (That’s what the employees called it) and under Disney World, down in the tunnels below the park you would meet employees traumatized by that song. More people enjoyed water boarding. Then it dawned on me that for the most part I also lived in a small world. True it was larger than an 8×6 prison cell, and thank heavens my roommate was not named Bubba, but small it is.
Fast forward to the Philippines 2016, one of my purok mates asked my wife if I got lonely or bored living in our area? Later Mayang came and asked me and without a second thought I said no, I was not bored at all. We get out a few times a week, to shop, grab a meal and a movie, or meet up with friends for social interaction and Boat Drinks. But true I do spend a lot of time at the house.
Being that I’m one of the last smokers on earth, and I like living in a land without anti-smoking Nazis lurking on every corner. But on my own volition I don’t smoke in our house (Or anyone else’s) or in our car (And never near any child), I like Non-Smoking restaurants as my family doesn’t smoke; I can go to the restaurant’s patio after I eat to do that and have a cocktail too. And while at home I’ll go out on our roof patio every hour or two and smoke there, which is far less pollution than the 3.5 fires that are burning up and down the street at any given time. And no matter what the US President says about the war on terrorism, I’m not responsible for Global Warming! But anyway seeing me out there like that is where the neighbors got the idea I was bored, which could not be further from the truth. In 1967 I swore I’d quit smoking when they reached $1.00 per pack, they haven’t yet in the Philippines.
I’m not going to lie, as I hear here on LIP all the time that; “I don’t watch or even own a TV. That is a form of smoking too, or at least trying to blow smoke up our butt. Now it’s true for some, as they live so far off the grid that TV can’t reach them. But if you gave them a satellite dish……………..
I spend the early morning on the computer; I draw great pleasure by going on CNN Politics website and upsetting liberals, by injecting logic into their rants, and wait until they respond by calling me a racist, albeit their new buzz word is misogynist. But I always respond to the racist comment by explaining that I’ve never drove a NASCAR track in my life. I have to work on one for misogynist
Next I’ll go and watch one hour of CNN (Clinton News Network) to get my blood pressure up, then I’ll eat breakfast and move to the front of the house for coffee with my wife. If my Kano friends are in town I go visit them (Or them me) and again coffee and solve the worlds many problems de jour, sadly we never write them down. Next I’ll check with Mayang to see if she has plans to go to town and if I’m involved. She kindly leaves me out of mall trips with no movies involved. So sometimes there is nothing on the new metric social calendar for the day.
I have a few thousand novels on my android tablet, so now I spend a couple of hours reading and a nap. The reading and nap portion of the day can be accomplished in many sections of Casa Mayang; it only depends on mood and weather. I might have a beer or cocktail in the afternoon, or not, once more it’s all about the mood. Eat supper then I sit outside and slap bugs until sleepy Next morning start again. Remember I’ve lived the adventurous life in my younger day, so I’ve been there and done all that.
But now I’ll answer the purok mates question; “Paul why aren’t you smothered with boredom?” It’s like this. As a person walks by a ship tied to a pier and looks up and thinks, wow that is big! But a fleet tug or a carrier is the same size to a crew member. Let’s start with the carrier, yes huge with a large crew, but your section is compartmentalized meaning you sleep in one area, eat in another area and work in a third area. At night you might stray to a Gedunk (Snack Bar) or a movie or the gym. Unless it’s your job there are sections of all ships you will never see or go. Your section of space onboard shrinks until its one size, and though the ship is huge your section is not.
Even the guy living on terra firma that wakes up in his house and goes to the office every day, or the truck driver sitting in the cab of his dressed out Peterbilt it’s the same Small World, I drove cross country (USA) quite a few times and noticed that in Kansas the view in the rearview mirror was pretty much the same as out the windshield (Or Windscreen for our friends from other parts of the world) We sailors can stand on main deck and gaze upon the ocean so vast, but unless someone tells you or you hold a GPS unit in your hand you’ll have no idea which ocean you’re on as they all look pretty much the same. Okay icebergs might give you a hint, but are you at the South or North Pole?
Thirty-five plus years on ships and I guess I’m used to living in a Small World After all and I still enjoy it! But not that song…
Hi Paul, im much the same as you, get asked if im bored. I sit on my front terrace and “SMOKE” and devour a few cocktails. We are lucky in the fact we are blessed with a good internet connection so we can stream TV or movies from all over. I repair computers as a hobby so its good when someone brings one for repair, passes a few hours before the next nap and cocktail.
Take care and keep writing. John.
CNN ( “Clinton News Network”) LOL. 🙂 I have to remember that. Thanks for Monday morning laugh. Cuidate.
Jose;
I pass that on to you, use wisely or the rabid people will attack you on the interwebby.
John;
So there are two of us? I can’t stream TV but I can download and watch when I’m in the mood. Or rainy days when the satellite system craps out. Naps and cocktails! What a sweet thought. Did you know that we never pass out? I refer to it as napping in odd locations.. Enjoy your day!!!
Hey Paul – here in Laguna the cheapest I’ve seen cigs are P60 a pack….so over a dollar here….maybe your smoking days are numbered 😉
SteveB.
If you want cheap eggs don’t buy them in a city. In the Bataan/Subic area a carton (10 Packs) is 3.95 Pesos or 39.50 per pack. If the dollar falls you might be right. I’ll bet a SMB cost more in Laguna too? Oh that includes the new sin tax also. (LOL)
Wow Bataan sounds better and better every day! Yes sin taxes seem to be the rage everywhere…just wait they’ll be up there before long. Eggs are P5 each here…the last SMB I had was 60 pesos I think….but that was in a restaurant. I don’t smoke cigs but if I did I’d surely head up your way! Sounds like you have a really nice situation there. I want a rooftop patio also!
SteveB
SteveB.
A Rum and coke Tamduay12 year superior at Texas Joes is P65 (That’s expensive), a beer is 40-45 depending on where you are. A red Horse at the Sari-sari is P33. Rooftop patio…Priceless!
Ahh Paul, The world may be closing in on you. Solano is officially an no smoking town. Don’t know how vigorously they enforce it though. I doubt they harass folks on their own rooftops. But we’re on the other side of the mountains from you. There may still be time for you to fortify the Dalton Pass.
Pete;
Five years ago they outlawed fireworks, New Years Eve there were fireworks, a vast difference between passing a law and getting someone to enforce it.
Your neighbours are right, watching Clinton News Network is being lazy.
And I don’t mean that you should switch to be out-FOX-ed either.
Wake-up Paul!
No offense…
Palawan Bob;
Since you spell neighbors with the “U” maybe I should watch BBC? (LOL) I watch the CNN to raise my blood pressure in the morning and see how they will spin the facts to the left’s point of view. But it matters not there is no honest media outlet on the planet; they all are spreading someone’s party line. And I’m wide awake when I’m not sleeping, and no one has the power to offend me, I refuse to give it to them.
http://revolutionradio.org/
This is the other side of the medal.
You decide who is saying the truth.
Palawan Bob;
The other side of the medal is a phrase that I’ve never heard before. I’ve decided that the truth is nonexistent.
Rum and coke Tamduay12 year is P45 at Dempseys less than SMB and ice cubes are included.
Loren;
And the food is great too! It’s a small wonder we go there!
Hi Paul
If they call you a misogynist, just tell them that you have never liked that Japanese soup!
I watched CNN whilst on my many trips to India last year but in the end had to stop due to the constant Trump bashing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m impartial on who should be US president, but the slating of him was totally biased compared to the coverage of Clinton.
I would have watched BBC but they stopped showing it in the hotel, probably because the general manager was German!.
Cheers
AJ UK
AJ/UK;
You’re assuming that some liberal dolt on the internet in the states would understand the reference to Japanese soup. They’ll be asking themselves why Obama isn’t president anymore. The owner of CNN (Time-Warner) is a major contributor to Mrs. Clinton, but they say there is no bias.
Paul, Thanks for your usual entertaining article. I too am an avid reader and in my three years of living in the Philippines never felt bored as long as I had access to a book. I was wondering if you also could get Fox News to bring yourlood pressure back down after watching CNN.
Richard;
Fox new is just as bias as CNN, except for the other team. I know CNN is distorting the truth and slanting the story. But they cover Trump better and he’s the excitement this year. CNN and the other liberal channels hate Trump but are helping elect him. Their profits seem to out weight their political beliefs.
Seems you have your days well planned out Paul. Only P40 / pack in Iligan if you can call a half sized 10 stick pack, a pack LOL. P80 for a regular sized 20 pack. Branding on the pack may be the same but they certainly don’t taste the same.
Fastest way to get a Taxi or Jeepney ? Stand on the side of the road, light up a cigarette and before you can enjoy a few puffs out of nowhere the taxi or jeepney you want seems to appear. Works almost every time for me.
Bob (NY)’
After Bloomberg raised the cigarette taxes in NYC they had to hire more police to stop the smuggling. Plus they collect zero taxes as no one bought them. Liberals always have the best plans…(LOL) Maybe we should smuggle smokes into Iligan from Bataan? And rum too!
You are right about waiting for the Jeepney……
Paul, Yes I get asked the same question here in Gingoog City by my wife and friends. And when I am home I am busy reading the books I never had the time before retirement or we are headed off on an adventure (playing tourist) or shoping and movies. I live a very full life here. I never feel bored but then my parents always told me as a kid if I am bored, it was my responsibility to find something to get me out of being bored. I love sitting around home as I was always on the road or in the office for so many years and as you said when you are working your world is very small and now my world is oh so big and I can explore it as much as I want. Great article thank you
Luke;
I must agree with your parents, if I was ever bored it was my fault and I always found something new to do. But reading will always be my default choice!
It must be my generation, I’m at least 10 years older than you, but I love “It’s a Small World.” Just wish I made “It’s a small worlds” money.
I always switch back and forth between CNN and Fox News. They both feed the public a line. I remember when I used to believe what Walter Concrite (spelling?)/David Brinkley said.
Rusty
Rusty;
What you are talking about was when the NEWS was a public service required by the FCC and was commercial free. And the people were journalists (Meaning with a degree) Today they are talking heads who parrot the news as it’s told to them through the earwig.
Thanks a lot for putting that hideous song in my head! On repeat! Haha
Cate;
If it’s any consolation, every time I open this to respond to a comment it starts again for me. (lol)
Hi Paul,
Really enjoy your “stuff”.
To paraphrase Samuel Johnson “If you are bored of the Philippines, you are bored of life”.
Relaxing into life here can take a while, but enjoying the differences and not taking yourself too seriously is the trick (and you seemed to have pulled it off).
I’ve been here 9 years and don’t ever see myself leaving, however, on the very rare occasion that frustration starts to gets to me, a couple of cold ones in the sun (or rain!) and asking the question “where else would I really want to be?” puts me back on track.
Cheers!
Steve;
I’ve said this before but it sums my life up, I lived and owned bars in Puerto Rico and adapted very well, The Philippines was just the icing on the cake of life. Herman Wurk – Don’t Stop the Carnival is a book that should be required reading for all westerners entering someone else’s world to live.
Hi Paul, great post again I used to smoke many years ago enjoyed it to but my wife
Couldn’t take me smoking,give her headaches so I said I’ll give up smoking but not
Drinking deal done, I enjoy a beer to much on the news I prefer the bbc sometimes
Cnn but never Fox News, just been to Bicol for a week great place lovely people
And great for driving not like these idiots in Manila, sure like to get up to subic soon
I miss that burger meal in Texas Joe best burger I’ve tasted in the Philippines,
Derek in pasig.
Derek;
All news is bias, in the USA 6 Billionaires own 95 % of all media outlets, you will get the message they want you to believe. My smoking doesn’t bother my wife as I have places where I smoke and she is not there when I do. The problem with Subic is Manila brings their driving habits with them when they visit, but I like seeing all the NCR tagged cars at the side of the road getting the tickets. Meat Plus (By the Spanish Gate) has an absolutely fantastic burger.
I have not smoked in 30 years. Any urge I have is stopped by the price. $11 per pack. That’s 374 pesos. Talk about sin tax.
Allan;
When you say pack do you mean a carton of 10 packs? Because I’ve been around the world many times and never saw a pack go for $11.00. And I’ll assume you are talking about 2016 and not 1986.when that sin tax was added.
There is an old joke about the people who don’t drink, smoke and only eat healthy. They will wake up in the same hospital room dying in the bed beside me, but they won’t know why.