Who is lazy? I’ll have to admit it, it’s me; I could blame it on retirement, my age, the weather, or the Philippines easy way of life. But that would all be wrong and unfair. I’m lazy because I can be, and that’s the simple truth, with no excuses.
My wife is a small part of my becoming lazy, with my sister-in-law as her partner in crime, as they have taken over most of my chores.
I was the one, who sorted the trash every morning, that job is gone now. Then prior to city water being installed, I was the one to fill the water tanks every morning. (Well I turned the valves and flipped the pump switch.) I also swept up the landmines my dogs would leave for me overnight. All of that before breakfast. They took that from me also.
I used to wash the car every week, and wax it once a month. Now I do it catch as catch can. I’ll also stop at car washes in town quite often, and that was something I never used to do. I can’t explain why the ladies won’t wash the car? I bought a string grass cutter, to date I’ve used it twice. Again the ladies won’t let me cut the grasses. Scissors seem to be the natural way to do the lawn.
Now, I still keep up my social obligations visiting my friends and hosting them when they visit me, once a week a group of us will meet at a different restaurant for a lunch with our ladies, and make a day of it. (Yes, beer is sometimes involved.) Now any woman from an un-named country would start her rant about men and our bad habits, but our wives are quite pleased with the situation. The reasons are quite simple, they are with us and watching what we are doing, they have a great lunch and they get to be with their friends. If any of the guys is over served and can’t fulfill his driving obligations, we were all smart enough to encourage our ladies to learn how to drive years ago, which explains why we all have cars with automatic transaxles.
Now with my wife, Mayang, I hand over my car keys to her after the first beer and or cocktail. Safety first! Before anyone writes in and accuses me of being “WHIPPED” I’ll explain now, with our wives with us there is no way we can get into any problems or situations that we were all prone to, during our younger days.
Then during the week I’ve got to sit and write something for my friend Bob at LIP, but that’s more fun than work, and I download music while I’m writing. This week my buddy gave me 124 new Country albums, and I had to check each one and move them to my music folder after they were completed. Again, not hard work, and the price was right. Last month I had 150 albums for him when he got in from his ship. It’s always a push between us when it comes to music.
It still takes me a couple of days to finish a novel, but again I consider that to be pure pleasure. If I turned on the TV, vice reading, that would be lazy, and mind numbing also. I will admit to one hour of CNN per day, but everybody likes Wolf Blitzer.
I get the best workout when my granddaughter, or niece visit me, as Tito/Lolo is expected to spend time with them, and I love that part of my job. They make me tour the purok with them, and inspect everything we see. They both like helping me mix up the ingredients to make a loaf of bread in the bread machine. Or baking a chocolate cake, BTW all the kids were surprised to learn that not all cakes come from a bakery.
Okay, writing this has helped to prove to myself, that I’m still lazy, but not as much as I thought I was. Necessity they say is the mother of invention. I have always felt that laziness is the true mother of invention, for we, lazy people will always find a better way to do most things. I think I’ll take a nap now!
Ah Paul, you know i called you “whipped’ with nothing but love ! hahahaha
Ian;
Whipped for sure, but it hurts so good!
Well Paul, it’s a tough life but somebody has to do it!
Tony;
You’ve got that right! And I try to do it right, all those years at sea, this was what I was dreaming about.
Paul T.
You’ve earned the right to be lazy. Thats what retirement is for! Just sit back listen to some old Hank Jr, George Jones, George Strait etc. and enjoy life with a beer.
Randy;
That’s the plan, some Buck, Beer and BBQ. I’ll throw in some Travis Tritt, Trace Adkins, and Mark Chesnutt who I’m down loading now! 1076 Country Albums bring your USB when you visit.
Paul T.
Sure will take you up on that.
Randy;
I sure hope so, it’s not there just to take up space on my hard drive.
Senior;
I can see in you picks why she took over the fish pond. Brown in your pic, blue in her pic what’s up with that?
OH yea bring the women out on the town is a very smart move. Not only due they have fun like you say, but I like to think of it as a Life Insurance Policy aginst a Filipino Haircut or a Bobbit slash and grind. Can never be to save from a gossip headline true or not.
Mike;
The fish pond is a sore subject and I have an article in the pipiline about that. When you and your lady get here I hope you join us on our weekly outings. We just want to keep you alive for a long time, and prevent you from “Barrieo Running”.
Senior;
Glady join you guys on a pratice run in Oct. That should be alot fun for all. I don’t get into” Barrieo Running”. I’ve worked to hard on my marriage and retirement to through it all away on something as stupid as bar running and women chasing. I try to be a class act have fun of coarse, but a class act always. ( never embarrase your lady never!!)
Besides tried that when I was there in the Navy didn’t do nothing wrong, but she sure put a knot in my a$$. 🙁 AS long as she was with me our one of her brothers or some friends she could trust it was cool. I bet she still had her spies out though. But that was back then an this is now.
You know Paul their is something I don’t understand why do alot of people say that when you retire you have to start a business or do something to earn money or you will go bored? I mean if that is what you like to do go for it. Myself I want to travel,fish, read, listen to music and perfect my hobbies and enjoy good friends. I’ve worked to hard as a blackshoe in the Navy (BT) and Law enforcment to want to have to worry about a bottom line. (My body is worn out). I tend to view retirment like you do. Good relexing fun with friends and family.
Mike;
Work is nothing but another four letter word that ends in “K”. What you listed will keep you busy, and sometimes you’ll find you have scheduling conflicts, believe it or not. A wife’s spies are faster than a cell phone, even before cell phones. Coconut/Bamboo telegraph is still the fastest communication in the Philippines. I was standing on Rizal, when her friend called and told her she saw me. I was standing in front of the store my wife was in.
Bruce
Totally agree with you. Retirement is retirement. By the way you live in florida right? What agency in law enforcement did/do you work for. Have a merry christmas
Randy;
I work for the Jacksonville Sheriff Office (Corrections). Will be retireing in 30 mths with 20yrs. Then I’m done and it’s off to the Philippines. 🙂
Bruce
I work in Corrections too with Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. I have 43 months and I will be retiring to Bataan unless Rick Scott tampers with the Florida Retirement System and changes things.
Randy;
Small world! Mines a city retirement and getting ready to sign a three yr contract. So I’m pretty sure I safe because they would have to grandfather it and I should be long gone drinking SMB on the water front by them.
Hello, I love your blog, I too am in a relationship with a filipina lady and i agree with what you said. Have a nice day.
Jerrile;
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. If you’re in a relationship with a Filipina, than I’ll list you as one among the blessed. If I’d had known it would be like this, I would have been here when I was 18, and not have wasted all that time. (My first time here I was 24 but to dumb to realize I’d found what I was looking for)
Paul you are my new IDOL !!!
PS: If you broke a sweat while over exerting your typing finger take 2 SM’s every hour and for God’s sake…take it easy !!
Brian;
I like your prescription, “take 2 SMB’s and soak it”. I sailed with my Idol years ago, Dizzy Donovan, who took it so easy he’d fall asleep standing in the chow line.
Jeez I gotta retire soon!
Will someone pleeease bring the Internet to Pita??? I just want the NFL and World of Warcraft!
Mike;
You’re just gonna’ have to take what they give you. the Philippines is like a fine wine, it can’t be rushed. Here I am close to the year 2011 and we just got running water. All things here happen when they happen. But still hurry up and retire, it’s worth it!
Hi Paul,Great Analogy! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!
Joe;
Wow, I can do analogies now? (lol) I’m glad you enjoyed it, May the best of this season, belong to you and yours!
Paul – I feel lazy so here’s my idle thoughts… I thought I was slothful Sugar! Ha h!. It seems your laziness is envied (who knew, he he) and gosh, the life you live! and And since you can afford to do nothing 9thanks to your wife?), that’s good for you! Writing, d/l music, spending time with kids.. ahh, the perks of being lazy. =^_^=
Sugar;
Lazy and gainfully unemployed and living the life of leisure, what was I thinking? But you’re right, with out my great wife, I know I’d not be living this good. But the number one thing, is still hanging with the kids, it’s the best, on my to do list, ever before a beer.
Paul- After 30 yrs of at sea and working, you deserve to be lazy, and live the life you live. And to do it here in the Phisl.. with your wife and kids… that is the life. And if being lazy means spending time with kids.. lets all be lazy! and drink beer.. er, I don’t drink. He he. Enjoy your nap. ^_^ .
Sugar;
I’ve always wondered what it is with woman and not drinking beer? What’s not to like about an Ice Cold San Miguel Beer, on a hot Philippine afternoon. The moisture so cold on that beautiful brown bottle, dripping onto the table. The taste of brewed barley and hops rushing over your taste buds, to refresh and cool ones self.
Our friend Mindinao Bob, has stated that there is no paradise, but as one sits under his/her Mango tree blessed with shade and a cool breeze, sitting with friends, enjoying life and that cold SMB. I say, no; I shout, “There Is a paradise, and I’m there!”
Sugar, I have no idea where that rant came from!
“I’ve always wondered what it is with woman and not drinking beer?” Paul, I think they don’t like to develop “beer bellies” lol
Jonathan;
I believe you on the money with the beer belly thing, one person per household is the limit.
Neal;
We started saying that back in the 80’s when people started suing bars and Bartenders for the stuff a drunk caused. The ACLU gone mad one more time.
Paul – Beer in the afternoon? Really? My ignorance is showing.. or maybe stupidity. He he. I”ve only tasted beer 3x in my entire life.. damn, I didn’t even get drunk ( it’s SanMig light.. 3 in one night.. ha ha).
And yes of course, on a hot Philippine afternoon, sitting underneath your mango tree downing a bottle of San Mig is pure pleasure paradise! Just don’t get drunk or something.. he he.
Sugar;
I’ve never been drunk in my life, only over served (lol) My wife has no taste for beer either, yet one of her sisters can knock the label off a Red Horse!
Paul
I like that phrase never drunk only over served.
If you are into the Blues look up Albert Collins he has a good song
” I Aint Drunk Im Just Drinking”
I have tried that phrase on the Wife before but it didn’t go very well.
Neal;
We started saying that back in the 80′s when people started suing bars and Bartenders for the stuff a drunk caused. The ACLU gone mad one more time.
This post brought a big smile (of anticipation!!) to my face. This is the life I aspire to, albeit in Thailand and not the Philippines (though PI is my backup plan in the event things go pear-shaped in Thailand). Westerners in Thailand share many of the same pleasures, frustrations and, if you are smart, ultimate acceptance, that Westerners in PI are accustomed to. In both countries, the good things outweigh the bad as long as you have a relaxed, adaptable attitude. Long may you live the good life in your adopted corner of the world Paul.
Peter;
Thailand is my kind of country, I loved it there each time I made a port call , and quite a few fly in vacations. I’d be living there also, but the lady I love, lives in the Philippines with no chance of her moving.
Either choice, won’t be wrong. (Well it’s a tad hard to spell a Thai name.)
The best of life to you there, and I’ll strive for the same here!
Senior;
Have you ever though on buying a kindle the 3g you will be able to down load your books and newspapers in the Philippines. Have one and love it in fact I bought it just for the Philippines.
Love Clive Clussler Novels.
Mike;
You, me and Dirk Pitt,
When I get too old to read a regular novel, I’ll get one. Books are available here to buy, trade or borrow. I’ll show you all the places to get them. It would take me a whole day to download a book using 3g. But where your planning to live has great internet access.
Paul T.
You will be a good source of info for me when I finally get to live in Bataan. Looking forward to meetin you someday. Take care my friend.
Randy;
As I will you!
ho ho ho Paul
for get it mate can not a man put his feet up and have a good time it come to as man as old or not in his live to kick back and put up his feet and have a drink or 3 and just be yes i have to say it be lazy good on mate happy xmas to u and ur famliy and a very happpy new year…….
peter martin tassie
Peter;
Things that I really liked in you post. 1.Putting up my feet 2.Having’ a good time 3. Kicking back 4. Having’ a drink or 3. Oh hell; Peter, it was all good!
May you and yours be blessed with nothing but good this Christmas season, and more during the coming New Year!!!
Paul you are not lazy. You are pampered, satisfied, and in control of your own world. You sir have achieved that state of equalibrium that all humans dream of. We should all congratulate you on your successful movement to that sacred place, half way between a good song and a cold beer. Ron
Ron;
That was profound, and I liked it immensely, and your right, but I’m still a little lazy. yet I still get up and get my own beer for myself. But I do wish it was someone else beer! Thank you!
Hi Paul: That piece of art on your left forearm looks alot like mine, in the same place too!
Roberto;
Ya can’t be a sailor with out stencils on ya arm. My first tattoo I was 16, my last I was 55. And never got one while in the service!
Paul and Roberto;
Ever been to Pinkie’s in Hong Kong that’s where I got mine?
Bruce;
My last one was by the San Francisco Club in Wanchi in Hong Kong. Remember the name of the place? Fat chance. But as my friend Charlie were walking down to the landing we saw a sign that said “You Are Now Entering China Town.” I look at Charlie and asked him; “Where were we before?”
Senior ;
That was probably Pinky’s the Navy told us it was out of bounds so naturely all the saliors went there. Heck the Navy might as well put a neon sign right above the place. Remember all those port breifings you had before you hit port on where to go and here not to. Boy that was a waste of tv air time. LOL
Mike;
Don’t go there they tell you, I wouldn’t have even knew it was there until they told me. Bee line to the door!
Hey Paul
Ok, I’m envious, but my day will come in about ten years when my pension kicks in. Then I can learn to be lazy too.
Did you have to take lazy lessons, or a class or read a book on lazy? I just want to make sure I get it right.
Hudson;
No formal education on lazy is required, I took to it like a duck to water.
Funny stuff, Paul. I’m proud to be lazy over in our sleepy little rural province of Guimaras where the mangoes are sweet, the women even sweeter, and the Red Horses constantly ride. My 77- year-old, 75 lb mother-in-law washes one cup as soon as I put it down. My wife cooks, cleans, and polices the yard. My brother-in-law that lives in a nipa hut in our front yard won’t even let me change a light bulb. We don’t mow our lawn. We let the neighbor’s goats do that. I “work” on writing stuff for my website and don’t miss my 30 years at AT&T back in the States for one moment. Yeah, it’s a hard life being lazy, but somebody’s got to do it.
Dude…., Guimaras + sleepy area+ sweet mangoes + red horse (eww) + doing nothing = lazy. And everybody working (or who worked) for AT&T must be envious! He he!
Dave;
You do fully understand! I make no rules, I demand nothing, I just let others do as they please, and if that involves pleasing me, so be it! (LOL)
Evening Paul.
No man you are not lazy just well organizeed . Please excuse me while i get the wife to get me a beer take the top of it and pour it for me. Then i have to do all the hard work by lifting and drinking it. As i said not lazy just organized.I am on leave for a week or two.
Frank;
That the first time well organized and my name have ever appeared together. I’ll keep getting my own beer, (So she can’t count them) and enjoy the time off with your family.
Paul – I forgot to ask..uhm.. so what is it with men and beers, huh? Synonymous! He he. Oh and beer equates relaxation akin to laziness. I think I need… ha ha. I kid you not. 😉
Sugar;
Men and beer? I’ll keep this simple, so “I “can understand it. Think about women and shopping, enought said? (lol)
P.S. Beer was invented 10,000 years ago, by a man of course.
Hi Paul – Here’s something that you might like to go with SMB.
Here’s the recipe for a “Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies ”
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup or brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila
Sample the Cuervo to check quality.
Get a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality,pour one level cup and drink.
Turn on the electric mixer Beat one cup of butter
in a large fluffy bowl.
Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it’s best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another cup just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy.
Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.
Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry
it loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.
Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves a sheet.
Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table.
Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.
Greash the oven.
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall
over.
Don’t forget to beat off the turner.
Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.
Cherry Mistmas
He he he, just keep drink the friggin’ cuervo! Wait.. Oh I get it now! I had to re read everything is… like drunken comment… funny!
Sugar;
It is funny!
Jun;
I’ll be baking those today! Thank you!!! Very funny BTW!
Paul I have to tell you a story My 2 and half year old son and I was shopping with my wife. He walks up in front of a counter with a pretty girl working there and say Hi! Hi! Hi! jumping up and down .She looks up from her work and he says hi I’m 3 holding up three fingres. She laughs and tells him you have a pretty sweater .What am I going to do with a 2 1/2 year old already hitting on an 18 year old girl,and lieing about his age. I blame his mother giving him her good looks, those dam dinples. lol .I had to pull him away befor I laughed to hard man what a flirt.
Eric;
That is a cute story, your little guy is the type I watched closely when my girls were young! (lol) What we Dad’s want for our sons, is not the same as we want for our daughters. I wonder why that is? (again LOL)
Here’s another story about a 2-1/2 year old girl playing with her “Tea set”
One day my Mother was out and my Dad was in charge of me. I was maybe 2 1/2 years old and had just recovered from an accident. Someone had given me a little ‘tea set’ as a get-well gift and it was one of my favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought Daddy a little cup of ‘tea’, which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home. My Dad made her wait in the living room 2 watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was ‘just the cutest thing!’ My Mom waited, & sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy & she watches him drink it up. Then she says, (as only a mother would know) ‘Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?
Jun;
That is so funny! One question: “Was the tea blue?”
Senior Chief Paul,
Hello! I enjoy reading your posts and comments here on LIP, so witty and at times so funny! This is my first time to write a comment on your article. After reading this one, I would have to say more power to you for being “just plain lazy.” Yes, why not? Because like you said, it can be done! Haha! I SALUTE you!! Like that old saying, “Oh Toto, you know, YOU’RE not in Kansas anymore!” Something like that. Anyhow, Senior Chief, you mentioned Country albums so I figured you’re talking about American Country music. Well, here in the States, a friend of mine about 20 years ago, introduced me to American Country music so I gave it a try. (I’m a pop-to-hard-rock music fan myself). I started to listen to really great “classic” singers like Buck Owens, Roy Acuff, Hank Thompson, Hank Snow, Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, Faron Young, Tommy Collins, Dwight Yoakam, Kitty Wells, etc… But here’s the punch! The most memorable moment I remember when my friend had me listened to this song called “Filipino Baby” by Ernest Tubb. As a Filipino man, I was impressed! Speechless! Or maybe I did say, “What the …” Anyhow, it was so cool at that time! I found out that the song was written during the war or maybe after the war, WWII. It hit the Country music charts. And just discovered recently that Roy Acuff, Hank Locklin, T. Texas Tyler, and Cowboy Copas have their own versions of the same song. And today, this very day, I just discovered on Youtube Hank Snow has a song called, “My Filipino Rose.” This just gives me a big wide smile on my face. Ain’t life grand? Now, Senior Chief, have you ever known of these two Country songs I have just mentioned above? Now, at least I know one of the reason why you CAN DO this thing about being “just plain lazy” it’s the San Miguel and a couple of these Country tunes………………… (Hopefully, you’re talking about American Country music in your article, Senior Chief!) Maligayang Pasko sa Iyo at sa Iyong Pamilya at saka Manigong Bagong Taon! Merry Christmas to ALL ! :0)
Aklan;
I only thought there was one Country Music, and you named some of the greats. I have that song on a Ernest Tubb Album. The “Hank Snow Filipina Rose” is the first I’d heard of it, I’ll look for it today, THANK YOU!
Check out Neal McCoy, who, by the way is a Pinoy, and one of the best C&W singers I’ve heard in a long time. Don’t let the Kano name throw you off.
Country music might have started in the States, but Canada, England and Australia has produced some really great Country music. I also love classic rock music. Have a wonder Christmas sir!
Paul – Christmas cheers to you! Take it easy on the beer! Ha ha 😉
No beer here for Christmas feast, but had wine… red wine and some liquor.. Patron.. something like that. Ugh. I feel frickin’ lazy now! He he.
Sugar;
Here’s hoping you had a wonderful Christmas. When I was sailing out of San Francisco I visited Napa Valley wine country quite often. So I do like a nice wine now and then. But I hope you meant that you had no beer, not that no beer was available. (lol) BTW: Lazy is not such a bad thing!
I enjoyed the video with the Ernest Tubb Filipino Baby song on You Tube. Thanks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdxxO0dUnj4
Someday when I get a little older than my present 68 years, I may get to be as lazy as you, Paul. In the mean-time, I help my wife take care of three of our grandkids while their parents work here in Indianapolis, and occasionally read LIP. Actually I suppose that I am really a little bit lazy now.
Larry;
The thanks goes to Aklan Heat above on the Ernest Tubb video. I’m sitting here recovering from Christmas, as it seems my ability to snap back like a rubber band is a little stretched these days. Grandkids require very little work at my end, as I just let them do as they please, and just keep the safety watch over them. Good to hear that laziness is creeping up on you also, we’ve earned it.