Clik here to view.
Keeping the US presence
I have already lived in the Philippines for 18 years. Uninterrupted. However, there are people I do business with who still think I live in the United States. I don’t intentionally fool anybody, but, I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Wonder of Toilet paper
As a sailor and traveling the world the thought of toilet paper was something that just never occurred to me! How could a young lad from Boston possibility imagine that outside of where I grew up (In...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My Life in Cebu – Karaoke
I think my ears are bleeding. Like many expats who have made their home in the Philippines, I am married to a somewhat younger Filipina. And, to keep her happy (happy wife makes happy life) we hung out...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hello?
It’s been a terribly long time. So much has happened; so much has changed. Though I traveled that road “paved with good intentions,” hitting the keys on my keyboard in the proper order and punching...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Being a Good Guest
Over the course of my life, I’ve been invited to others homes many times. I, therefore, know how to be a well-behaved guest. First, upon entering, I never offer to remove my shoes since it is the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tax ID Number?
The time for gathering personal information needed to file a U.S. income tax return is at hand. Those of you who have been down this road before and have filed U.S. income tax returns in the past know...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A life time of driving New Old Cars
In the olden days of the NAVY FEDERAL CREDFIT UNION you had to be a member of the US Navy or USMC to join and you had to be outside of the United States. All Dept. of Defense can join now) I was a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My Life in Cebu – Comparisons
I don’t think I can sleep without chickens anymore. Where I used to live in Portland Oregon, there isn’t much in the way of chicken noises, and there’s not a guy who sings “Ave Maria” on a loudspeaker...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Guy Experiences #1
Something was up. This was different. The nice lady behind the desk handed me a form to “accomplish”, and requested photocopies of my receipt. I didn’t have copies of my receipt. I asked where I could...
View ArticleClik here to view.
WW2 Pointless Naval Battles
Several times a week I find myself on a small ship being transported between Philippine islands. Almost everyone around me is looking down at their phone for most of the slow 30-minute commute. Since I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It’s cheaper in the Philippines, right?
Everything you might want to buy is cheaper in the Philippines, right? Well, I’m sorry to inform you, but it just ain’t so. Indeed, many things are cheaper here, but the truth is, many things are much...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What’s The Pointe?
I have been going to Bay Pointe Hospital on Subic Freeport for my medical care for quite a few years, not only is it a fairly new hospital, but it also is certified by Tri-Care (my military insurance)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My life in Cebu: Fun With Language
I don’t understand why Filipinos say everything twice. I mean, there’s halo halo, lapu lapu, Iloilo, balik balik, chika chika, bola bola. I mean why couldn’t it just be halo or chika or bola? Even my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Filipino vs. USA: Spaghetti
“I want Spaghetti and Meatballs for my birthday!” I exclaimed to my mother when asked what I wanted for dinner. When I was a young’un my favorite food to eat was Mom’s Spaghetti and Meatballs. As my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Whale Shark Impact
At the southern end of Cebu is a town named Oslob which has become a tourist attraction due to its whale sharks. In the morning, guests board small boats and are rowed out a couple hundred feet from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
25 Years of Fun with the RP’s Land Transportation Office
In the past few months here on LIP I noted that some had found fault with the Philippine LTO System, I’m here to present another point(e) of view, just to defend these much-maligned hard working folks....
View ArticleClik here to view.
My Life in Cebu: Driving
I knew they were trying to kill me… In my dream, a sleek red motorcycle passes me on the right while a jeepney cuts directly across my path in the intersection. Packs of motorcycles follow the red...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Downsizing: No Maid!
A month or so ago, Feyma and I moved to new location in Davao City. I wrote about that, so if you follow the site, you probably Artie knew that. I also told you that we were downsizing. The reason for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It Was a Good Day
My wife grew up on her father’s small mountain farm in Cebu. There was no plumbing or electricity. If you remember the wooden shack in the opening credits of the Beverly Hillbillies television show, it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Water, Water from Everywhere
Where to begin my tale of water? On the mountain in 1998, we had a broken dirt road, single phase electricity, no phone (Land Line), no cable TV and of course no water. Yes I wondered why the hell I...
View Article