Goodbye for now, Cubao!

Hello once more, Singapore!

Off-line for nine days.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center.

An hour with the ref repair man. He said that if the freon doesn't keep within the next two months I am better off buying a new ref.

Lunch at home with the granddaughters.

Glowering skies above Cubao.

Aubrey going to gym later, and I jalan-jalan.

Everything happens exactly when it is supposed to happen.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun pours molten brass on galvanized iron rooftops.

An additional effect of lighting joss sticks is the banishment of unpleasant memories.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Only when people have to take you seriously will they feel constrained to attack you.

Drizzly day in Cubao. Angelique attended graduation rehearsal and will be having dinner with her block mates.

At home with Aubrey.

Music is a defense mechanism when you use it to distract your mind from certain thoughts, especially sexual thoughts. As a matter of fact, when many persons are being seduced or engage in sex, songs play themselves in their minds without their deliberately making them do so. The music floods their minds as subconscious denial of what they are doing.

Caught a ridiculous makeover of young people on TV:

--One insisted on doing her own hair and ended up looking like a mall flower vendor.

--Another refused to have her hair cut, thinking she looks most beautiful that way without realizing that she actually looks like the cartoon Aurora in the 1960s, Walt Disney Sleeping Beauty.

--Yet another looked like a CGI model for The Adventures of TinTin.

A bachelor will most likely invite an odd number to his party.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a garage emergency light.

An overweight broadcaster falls gravely ill.

Wine, extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, and natural honey are good base materials for potions because they keep well.

It is where a person is, not where he came from, that matters the most.

People with short tempers usually have tortured minds.

Bury three more shiny coins in your bowl of earth.

One of the three desired him enough to help finance his project, but he was particularly revolted because he was desired.

Life is a battle only if you make it so. The last quarter of your life should no longer be spent fighting but resting and enjoying everything you amassed early on.

The more he received praises and compliments, the more he became lax with himself and took things for granted.

People have been using the term "spot on" for years and years. Now people are also using the term "bang on". What is the origin of "bang on"? Is it connected in some way with explosions caused by terrorists?

A word of encouragement, whether sincerely meant or not, goes a long, long way.

Cooking is an art that will never die, because everyone eats and likes eating.

A beautiful figurine should also cast a beautiful shadow.

In times of crisis, you function well if you can function alone.

Living in high places does not improve your status.

Teach the disabled to master technology, for they will be best at it.

A mage is never impressed by students who audition for acceptance.

Having children will irreversibly change your life and your priorities.

Most people who are reliant on medication fear the onset of night.

A mage never diminishes in power and in technique, for both of those are cumulative from his eighth birthday.

Not only the players, but the spectators also, must be good sports.

When you are finally turning in for the night, close your eyes and travel, in your mind, through all of the rooms in the house.

You sleep well only when your children are fed and resting peacefully in their beds.

Like pure gold, your brilliant works never tarnish, no matter how hard others try to devalue them.

We are all given obstacles of the same difficulty and intensity, but it just never looks that way to everyone.

War is always waged between men and not between gods, but it is the gods who decide who win and who lose.

A constellation that is already shining in the firmament can no longer be torn down by anyone.

Do not think visually all of the time. Think verbally as well.

The halos and the rays of light will always come not from within your head but from the starship that is above you.

Do not dream of setting up a First-World restaurant for a Third-World clientele. Your intentions may be noble, but you will eventually lose your money and plunge into bankruptcy.

Know especially that, to complicate matters, you may be a First-World person but your staff will be Third-World unless you offer them First-World salaries, and that, even if you send them off to training, they will soon leave you to cross over to greener pastures, usually abroad.

That is why I have always advised M. to keep his cafe a "local local".

A missed opportunity never offers itself again.

Honor only what should be honored, not what others tell you to blindly honor.

Public relations are an indication that someone wants to take something away from you.

Tuesdays-Thursdays in my study. Tea and black coffee. Conducting intensive research with the new Spirit Questors for a client who needs the appropriate magical symbols, rituals, and spells for treasure hunting.

In the Philippines, hunters believe that buried treasure is guarded by elementals. Once the hunters get close to the treasure, the elementals wreak havoc and cause the hunters to fight (and in many cases kill) one another.

In the Cordilleras, there is an albularya who is consulted specifically for treasure hunts. She has a covered basket in each corner of her room. She takes a dish filled with herbs and offerings to each basket. If all four baskets manifest a glow (like a candle glow) from within, the consultants have the go signal to proceed with their treasure hunt.

A quiet, demure man is usually the target of dominating women who want him both as a husband and as a trophy.

Every man should know how to shield himself even from the most unlikely predators.

When you invite an atchay to lunch, you will of course pay for his lunch.

When you invite an atchay to a light, mid-afternoon snack, he will scan the menu and then say, "I haven't had lunch," as though he'd been working the whole morning through noon. He will then order not a snack but lunch.

Either way you pay for his lunch.

Because they sent trash, their bodies became trash.

Personality has flavors.

Every young artist believes that the world is there for him to take.

Every mature artist knows that the world is there for others, and that his duty in that world is merely to truthfully describe it.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Your critics live in the ignorance of believing that you would rather be someone other than yourself, and in the ignorance of never believing that you would rather be yourself, inclusive of all your imperfections, at any time.

The sky wept briefly, and showered ill will among the men who would not understand why they, too, should have been in grief.

My uncle, Fr. Francisco M. Perez, SJ, passed away today. He was one of the gentlest men I have ever known.

The wake will be at Ateneo de Manila University.

Watching UFO Hunters on History.

Lunch with the granddaughters and three of Angelique's classmates who slept over.

Survived everything so far. Next in line are Angelique's graduation practice, graduation, and our family dinner out, then Aubrey's first day in college. Will need to buy Aubrey school supplies but, at least, will no longer be buying Hello Kitty, Walt Disney, and Barbie bags.

Gallery Frames picks up three more of my paintings for shipping to Paris.

Two cups black, Gourmet Farms coffee.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a tube of golden Pick-up Stix.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

Werewolves crave protein more than other creatures do.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Bought two plastic sheets, a sack of coffee, KitKat and Snickers bars for the granddaughters, and a pack of Chinese joss sticks, the long, fancy ones with flecks of gold glitter.

Whenever you buy a book, read it. Don't sit back with the satisfaction of merely owning it.

An artist is great because of his production of great works, no matter how few and far between they are.

An artist is not great because he is always in the headlines.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is sending computer messages to other planets.

Everything in this world is there for you to seriously contemplate.

There are situations and locations which, once you step out of them, you can no longer get back in, no matter what.

Observe the magical effects of your different leather folders, portfolios, or bags. You will always have one that advances your projects. You will have another that puts everything you place in it to a standstill, and that is the more important folder. Place in it documents and photos of people and things that you want to remain constant and unchanging. That is your preserving folder.

When starting out a joss stick bowl that does not have enough incense dust, simply insert the joss sticks in the holes of an empty salt or pepper shaker or an empty toothpick shaker.

Tony Perez's Art of War: A person who envies you will invest most of his time trying to put you down rather than improving himself.

Ignore him and continue your progress. You don't have to do anything in counteraction, because he is already doing that to himself.

Aubrey, J., and I approved Angelique's choice of ball gown. Now, because of the gown's line, we have to buy not only a special bra for the gown but a bustle as well.

Tony Perez's Art of War: In order to feel self-fulfilled, do things only for people who want you, never for people who do not want you or who are indifferent to you. The latter is always a waste of time and energy.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a brooch of yellow topaz.

When a storm comes:

1) Be safe.
2) Stock up on food and other provisions, including power alternatives.
3) Be ready to do repairs.
4) Enjoy it. It is a complete season itself, no matter how long or how short it lasts.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand. Had a foot-long, spicy dog in a bun and ate that in the kitchen with a dollop of spicy, pickled mango from Assad. Washed everything down with Pepsi.

The pickled mango is hot and as salty as brine. I know of no other Filipino who loves it.

Dinner at home with the granddaughters. Then I bought six ice cream cones at T.'s.

Angelique back from having her nails done in preparation for the graduation ball. She fitted her gown this afternoon but it needs to be altered because she lost some weight.

I believe that you cannot improve and develop your talents to the fullest without improving and developing your physical appearance.

The oldest form of jewelry was the necklace. It was a result of humans draping or hanging things round their necks and shoulders to free up their hands.

The last type of jewelry to emerge was the ring. It was a result of economic superiority and discrimination. Rings were worn by those who wanted others to know that they do not do manual labor.

Yes, it's all about hands.

How many world leaders wear rings?

Never buy time at the expense of other people.

When following a theme for your decor, avoid investing in trash.

Before buying something, ask yourself again and again if it will not be old, ragged, unwanted, and unattractive in the next six months.

Your most creative thoughts occur in mid-afternoon.

A young person's infatuation with an adult is always temporary.

As long as you prepare for something well in advance, you will have nothing to be sorry about.

Master the technique of seeing without having to look.

Do not seek teamwork all the time. It demands hypocrisy.

I have seen, sadly and too often, racial discrimination practiced by judges in competitions.

A real villain needs no cronies. He will have them only as sounding boards.

Good noon, Cubao!

The sky is a tureen of bisque soup.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

Another hot, starry night.

Stock up, but use everything you have.

Consider that frequently watching and reading love stories actually prevents your own love story from taking its natural course.

If you happen to be in love with someone, tell him/her. If the feeling is mutual, you will have no more sleepless nights. If the feeling is not mutual, you will have no more sleepless nights also, because disappointment has a way of grounding you and making you more realistic.

Repaint, rearrange, or redo a room in order to get rid of its unpleasant memories.

Do not wet your feet in any way before going to bed. You will be unable to sleep.

I am currently in love with Grimm. I am more than satisfied with the scripts, the direction, and the acting. All of the performers are beautiful--you won't find a set of gorgeous faces like that in any other TV series even if you searched high and low. I particularly adore the production design and the set decoration--the trailer and its props, the spice shop and its props, the houses and their props.

More than anything else I love the lighting, especially the lamps. There must be a minimum of five lamps in every room in every location--on tables, on the floor, you name it. All kinds of lamps from the 1950s to the present time. And I cringe whenever they get smashed during fight scenes. The entire series already must have smashed 500 lamps.

The worst motive for seeking a lover is that other people have lovers of their own. Once you have a lover, you will end up blatantly announcing to the world that you have one, only for everything to fizzle out when all of your illusions have faded, and, in the last analysis, everything will have been grossly unfair to the lover who once was.

Lunch at home with the granddaughters.

A Saturday flurry. Asked Angelique to replace the optical mouse on my desktop, Aubrey had one of her flower arrangements delivered to a client via Grab motorcycle, and Angelique has to buy a sack of food pellets for Kichiro Mayuzumi.

I saw that you were unable to sleep last night.

Next time, try this:

Buy a soft bristle brush. Whenever you are unable to sleep, sit on the edge of your bed and then brush your hair slowly, carefully, and tenderly. Enjoy the sensation.

Do the same to your hands, brushing all the way to your fingertips.

Lie down and close your eyes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a glass kettle.

The best TV shows are shown Monday through Thursday, the very days and nights when employees are at work and not watching TV.

https://writingandcommunity2017.wordpress.com/workshops-in-may-2017/

Light rain over Cubao.

Jalan-jalan at the center. Paid our water bill, then went to City Hall to claim my NBI clearance for travel.

Took the jeepney to Arayat on my way back home. It was the first time I rode a jeepney in three years, but it felt like the last time was only yesterday, meaning that the last experience was not so unpleasant that it had to be repressed.

P. Tuazon is being dug up in two sections, and vehicles are being made to pass ten at a time each way. It is a VERY bad idea to pass through this road.

Two chocolate ice cream cones at T.'s.

To prevent unwarranted astral visitations, prop up a compact mirror, facing outward, on your window sill.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun brushes his hair with star bristles.

Been saving my granddaughters' old school notebooks to use for writing random notes, because I hate wasting paper. Currently on Angelique's 2010 planner, when she was a high school freshman. Took photos of some of the pages.

It is the person who stays quietly in the background who loves you the most.

Look forward only to the simplest things in your life and you will feel much blessed.

I would rather lie on my couch and watch treasure-hunting shows on TV than physically participate in an actual treasure hunt.

The pastry chef soon learns that life is not all about pastry.

Let the food vendor ring his bell outside your door. The sound dispels negative energy.

The line of vision from one window to another is an astral pathway.

Before I retired it would suddenly rain just at the exact time we were leaving the office to go home, and I wondered why we all deserved such a punishment.

Wild plants, when uprooted and relocated to a manicured garden, will be unhappy and will not grow.

Every Friday night, parties are held inside elfin mounds. You can hear the music all the way from your bedroom if you try hard enough.

Fall in love with what is there and what is real.

Do not superimpose your fantasy on anyone.

Hot and humid Thursday in Cubao.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a blue, bathroom sponge.

If no one can write, up to this time, a horror script with no haunted houses with unusual histories and gossipy neighbors, no night sequences, no nightmares, no strange rituals, no blood, no candles, no moving shadows, no psychotics, and no screaming, I think that I finally will.

This is the way I drew and will eventually paint a centaur. Throughout history centaurs have been depicted as having the head and torso of a man above the FULL body of a horse. Those proportions have always disturbed me--the horse's legs look like sticks beneath a muscular torso, for starters--and the "half-man, half-horse" definition really seemed to me more like "one-fourth man, three-fourths horse".

I've been fascinated with centaurs because Studio Antenor (my e-mail address) is named after the mentor of Florante, Adolfo, and Menandro in Francisco Baltazar's _Florante at Laura_. I have always believed him to be a centaur.

In my personal version, the spine of the centaur smoothly transits all the way to the horse's coccyx. The back of the horse is shorter but can still seat one rider. The centaur can reach all the way to his back and touch his tail, his butt, his dick, and all four hooves. And if I were a centaur I would like to be able to do all of that.

The summer break is more expensive than the Christmas holidays. Most of your budget goes to food and snacks.

Think of your tables as bodies that need to change their clothes every once in a while.

A gentle rain falls on Cubao, and it feels like a loving mother's caress.

Every mage has an inner sanctum that only a few are privileged to enter.

Smile back at a baby when it smiles at you.

The truly lavish house will always be the one-story house, or the bungalow. It conveys that the owner has all the space at his command but prefers to lie back and not overuse it.

One of the biggest lessons you need to learn on the way to maturity is that not everything in this world is to your liking and will never be.

Every gnarled tree is a tree of power.

A person who is made a fool of too often will eventually become a star and floor all of his former tormentors.

There are more responsible writers than irresponsible writers, but there are more irresponsible readers than responsible readers.

It is really hot when you can smell the heat.

A quiet day is like a pond. You have to look through a microscope to see all the activity and movement therein.

A bachelor's room is always filled with testosterone.

In the end time toward one's death, one has the freedom to choose between being bitter and resentful or cheerful and at peace with oneself.

Remember that nothing is really yours--everything just comes your way while you are in this world. There is also no such thing as unfinished business--whatever you do not finish someone else will, and it matters not who takes the credit for it.

When young people take too many photos of themselves and showcase themselves in live video, it is not a sign of narcissism but of self-exploration, self-discovery, and the desire for self-improvement, pretty much in the same way that young people looked into mirrors before the computer age.

To me there is something about "Thank you so much!" that is insincere and consciously cultivated.

I prefer "Thank you" and "Thank you very much".

Maybe because "so much" can also mean "only this much".

It is easy to resent persons with God-given talents because, unlike you, they didn't have to pay tuition to develop their skills and practice their art.

Your Messenger message:


"sir tony magandang umaga po. nagising ako sa panagin po na ito... actually di na po bago... napapaginipan ko na po siya dati kahit nung bata pa po ako ... (nung bata po ako di malinaw image) ... sa panaginip ko raw po... nagising ako sa panaginip ko dahil may narinig akong ingay... gabi raw po noon. nakita ko may malaking hayop na naakyat sa bakod namin at nakita ko na parang kambing ... malaking kambing may sungay... tapos alam ko po natatakit ako dahil alam kong papasok... sinubukan ko pong bugawin siya sa pamamagitan ng pag kalampag sa bintana... that time takot akong mahuli pero biglang bumukas ang bintana...natakot ako dahil sa dati kong panaginip dumudungaw siya... kaya sinara ko na ulit ang bintana. nakita ko siya sa labas ng pinto... (pero lumang tinitirhan ang imahen) nagbabadya na siyang pumasok... natakot na ako... pinilit kong gumising... pagkagising ako (real) natulog ulit ako... pero tao na ... same pa rin na nangyari... ano po kaya ibig sabihin. salamat po sir.

"hindi pa po natapos dun... sa pagkakatulog ko nagising raw po ako (sa panaginip) may mga tao raw nagulat ako dahil pagbdubgaw ko sa bintana mahabang prusisyin. sobrang puti.... prusisyon pero may parang mga kakasalin pero (more on prosisyon) sobrang dami ng tao lahat sila nakaputi... pupunta raw bahay namin... nagising ako (sa panaginip)... pero ang pakiramdam ko tunay... i chachat konpo sana sa inyonyung panaginip... pero di ko masend... kinonpost ko yung msg... may image nannalabas... weird pero angry christ nalabas pero iba hindi siya si christ alam kong hindi siya sibchrist... kasi pag mulat ko raw nakikita ko sa peripheral vision ko may cross midium size na nakadapa... nangapa ako sa gilid ko ... pero yung lahat mahawakan kong rosary nawawasak ... sa panaginip ko natulogb raw ulit ako... weird kasi nandun kayo... naghahandanraw kayo... tapos shift ngblugar... nasa isang kwarto... nakaupo sa sahig pero may carpet... pero hindi kayo nag iisa.... may mga kasama kayong nakaupo rin sa sahig... tapos malapit sa akin may parang bell (like na babasagin) medyo nagpanic ako kasi baka maabala sa inyo kasi walang kumukuha... tapos tinanong ko kung inyo ito kasi buglang may mga beads at crystal at pendulum etc... hindi ang sagot nyo. .. after nun sabi nyo kung ready na etc... after nun nawala kayo ... usok lang. ... tapos sa panaginip ko weird nag shift sa parang lego pixilated tapos nakita ko kayo nagdidrive ng sasakyan puti..(or gray) pinasakay nyo ko tapos shift ulit... sasakyan na parang tren dinadaanan (pero nakikita ko na puro representation lahat... panilyar nga image... etc...) hanggang sa sumanib sa isang ulo ng isang malaking hayop ang saakyan patang crocodile or parang mala kasing laki ng dinosaur .. pero bawat dinadaanan natin may mga nabubuhay.. ibat iabng devil.. malalaki sila mapupula... nasabi nyo pa nga halos kumpleto wala layung neva... o nevi... (nakalimutan ko na po.) tapao dumami sila....after nun feeling ko mag isa na ko ... sigaw ako ng sigaw. God is my light ... tapos nag imagine ako ng light ball ( parang that time alam ko na na panaginp) tapos pinakakalat ko light ball... iniimagine ko... tapos nagising na po talaga ako... sobrang napagod po ako sa panaginip ko salamat po ulit sir."


My reply:

Hi ______!

The first part of the dream is the key to the meaning of the dream, since it has been recurring since your childhood. I believe that one of your spirit guides is a tikbalang but that you have been conditioned to fear it rather than make it your ally. As such, this is a Shadow dream--it recurs because you are unwilling, or not ready to, confront it.

Your Shadow undergoes variations in image in the second part of your dream: first as an angry Christ who is not quite Christ, then as me in the company of students or the new Spirit Questors, then as a crocodile/dinosaur. They are as the triple heads on the hilt of a Tibetan phurba and may represent three conflicting values in your present: religiosity, an interest in magic and psychism, and your sexual urges. That you are in a car, and then a train, with me as a guide indicates that, at this time, you are in a state of psychological transition--a wonderful change is about to occur, or is already occurring, in your life and you have yet to acknowledge it rather than be afraid of it.

"Neva/nevi" is in your dream vocabulary, and I suggest that you explore it. There are possible meanings in Hindi, in Urdu, and in Arabic. It could also be "nueva" or "nova", as in "new". It could also be a pronunciation of "never", in which it could indicate resistance on your part to accept the message of the dream.

What I see right now is that you are afraid to be yourself because of pressure and expectations from the people who surround you. Remember, if the people you hang out with prevent you from growing and developing, you can be certain that they do not love you, and you are better off without them.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are melting ice cubes.

Despite his reputation, his fans, and his electronic hype, he relies too much on people he should not trust, that is why his business is going down.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

They are cursed to wish dead those whom they will terribly miss if they actually die.

A psychic who strives to live an idle fantasy and/or frequently lies eventually loses his abilities, for idle fantasies and lies are like mud slung into clear water.

I have always suspected that an entire breed of extraterrestrials resides in trees, and that they have been erroneously perceived throughout history as elementals, devas, or tree-spirits.

We have always hypothesized that extraterrestrials reside in the ocean and under the earth. I also vote for trees, and I believe that the beings within are serpentines.

It is fine to enjoy music, but note that there are times when it bogs you down and reinforces your inaction.

Your work takes you away from your family. Do not engage in other things that will do that also.

Looking back over the years, if there is anything I could now do to revise the past, it is to have spent more time with my family rather than:

--with the old Spirit Questors
--writing for movies, television, and radio
--hanging out with people I never really liked
--going out on stupid dates.

True charity is allowing your enemy to enjoy his happiness and doing nothing to deprive him of it.

Synthetic silver will always sparkle more brightly than synthetic gold.

A man who has been alone too long will resent having constant company.

An interest in the ethnic, when manifested the wrong way, will always come across as pretentious.

Modern-day neuroses come about when we achieve scientific and technological advancement and then see that we must shed our animal nature within the next 50 years.

You may have to step up your reading lenses temporarily due to the wrong diet, so do not get rid of your old ones.

Our children are trained to be outspoken and assertive in school, only to be crushed by bigots in the outside world.

 I have observed that the more insecure a person is, the more he tends to flirt aggressively.

Change your family routine once in a while. Otherwise your children will grow up to be inflexible and obsessive-compulsive.

When people are addicted to religion it is to distract themselves and escape from their personal problems.

Unless an empty bowl is washed clean, it cannot contain good food.

Love should be steadfast. Otherwise it is mere affection and not love.

There are always two possible solutions: from the inside going out and from the outside going in.

Believe in yourself.

Don't wait for other people to believe in you.

When a government and its people are always in conflict, something is terribly wrong neither with the government only nor the people only but with both of them.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a watercolor wash.

The heat in Cubao is so palpable that it actually parts like a silk curtain when you walk through it.

Do a flash forward to the future. Then look back to the past (the real-time present) and see how much energy you wasted on a pointless concern.

Must buy more boxes of Seven African Powers joss sticks at Assad. They really cleanse the environment and bring in good energy.

Always, beneath anger, there is love.

Never commence a painting until you can already clearly envision what it will look like.

Never give a director too many ideas for your play or script. He will use them in succeeding productions without giving you credit.

When the sun rises on the horizon, you begin to smell the day: breakfast cooking in the kitchen, bath soap and shampoo in the shower, someone's cologne, leather shoes newly polished, the fumes of a car revving in the garage.

When the sun sinks on the horizon, you begin to smell the night: a bonfire or scented candles, a grill, the scent of sweat, detergent in the sink, fresh bed sheets.

When family members come home at the end of the day, don't just let them walk into an apparently empty house and empty rooms. Be there or somewhere else nearby so that you can come out to meet them.

The creature will rise from the incense burner.

It is the person who is at home--or who gets home first--whose duty is to make everything as welcoming as possible to those who have yet to come home.

Little did the psychic know that, like the priest who must leave his order to get married, it behooved him to give up his abilities in exchange for romantic love.

Rivalry is always rife among faculty members. When one of them plays the hero, the rest of them resent having to play the Greek chorus.

It is imperfection that endows character.

A toy must be loved. Otherwise it deserves another owner.

Venom is the insect's means of defense.

Emotionally disturbed persons should not use fountain pens because the pressure they apply will quickly ruin the nibs.

When you look at children, see the amazing adults they can grow up to be.

Be wary of group members who covet what you know and what you have, but be content in knowing that they will never match up to either one.

There are power animals that avenge you.

It is least stressful to be an artist who does everything himself and never relies on the assistance of others.

As a general rule people are supportive of those who sincerely try their best.

The greatest freedom of all is the freedom to be.

Good morning, Cubao!

The reason there are spires is for them to reach out to the sun.

One-hour business meeting with M. We are bursting with new plans for the cafe, but those plans entail huge funding.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Three-hour, deep tissue massage.

A man who never gets jealous also never plays the game of making others jealous.

You cannot be compassionate with others if you are incapable of being compassionate with yourself.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Always check your artillery, your men, and your spirit guides before launching into battle.

But, if your spirit guides tell you to not launch into battle, do not launch into battle no matter what.

The breeze always heralds that the rest of the day will be fine.

Never delegate unpleasant tasks to others. Do them yourself. Otherwise both the delegates and the other people involved will think and speak ill of you.

We are leaving the paraffin oil lamps on our family altar on through the rest of the day.

Lunch at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and J.

Never choose a psychologist who comes across as living a normal, wholesome, prim and proper life. Such a person, after all, does not exist.

Go with a psychologist who has the greatest breadth of experience, who is battle-scarred and wounded, and who embraces his dark side, for that is the psychologist who will not only truly understand you but who will also know where you came from and where you are going.

Ever since I retired my life has become so stress-free that, whenever I see someone even slightly stressed, I perceive that person as being in great suffering.

I have yet to meet a farmer who does not have a subconscious, magical affinity with Nature.

I have yet to meet a gardener who does not practice patience.

Once in a while ask yourself why you have friends who are smooth talkers, who seem to know everything under the sun, who have an unusual passion for what they like--but who, after all these years, haven't accomplished anything substantial for themselves.

Learn how to relax even in your anger and your grief.

An artist who paints a lot but who does not read up on art will soon find himself on the way to mediocrity.

Attending art exhibits and rubbing elbows with co-artists are not substitutes for scholarly pursuits in art.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are fiesta banners flapping under the sun.

Which one--or more than one--of your favorite possessions connects you to extraterrestrials?

NEVER let a mage who does not like you touch your left shoulder blade with his right hand on any pretext.

A true artist knows how to stick his neck out--even if he might be wrongly judged when he does so.

Your Google+ posting:

"Good day Sir,

I'm one of your students before (under Sir _______-a medical student in UST). Unfortunately i stopped going for my training and session because my parent won't allowed me anymore. Now, i have family of my own. i have 3 wonderful children, 1 girl and 2 boys. But my 2nd child shows also a gift that i had but he's only 6 yrs. old. he clearly see them and sometimes heard them. That is why i'm scared for him. I don't know how to handle it or where to start explaining to him this kind of paranormal. That is why I humbly seeking for your advice and help for this kind of situation. My email is ___________@gmail.com. i'm hoping for your reply. Thank you and God Bless."

My reply:

Hello ________! Based on the initial sessions I had with you, you should be capable of guiding him through everything that he is experiencing. He is too young for me to do anything--he will either get scared or, worse, become dependent on me. In the latter case you would only be running to me for help time and again. I suggest that you treat him as though he were as normal as everyone else and then let him decide what he wants to do when he becomes 18.

Picked up the granddaughters' comforters at the laundry.

Two cups black, brewed, espresso blend.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a shaded porch light.

That mage's abilities will burst like bubbles when one, seven-letter word is uttered in his presence. I know the word, and I hope that no one accidentally says it when he is around.

The wolf in the rear of the pack is the Protector, and is second only to the Leader.

To live comfortably is not enough.

One must be able to go shopping whenever one wants to, not whenever one can.

Contrary to your belief that napping in the daytime will prevent you from sleeping at night, it will actually make you drowsy when you lie in bed to sleep.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Like an arrow in a quiver, keep silent until you need to be used.

A hundred years from now, who will care what your particular preferences were?

The Wands must continue pointing to the ground.

Never buy a painting made of house paint. As sure as house-painted walls become grimy and need to be repainted with fresh coats, so will that painting you bought and that you thought was a good bargain.

Using house paint is fine when an art student cannot afford materials and is mastering technique in tone and in color-mixing, but the end products should not be passed off or sold as professional-grade works.

If, however, you fell in love with that house-paint painting and would like to keep it a long time, have it varnished immediately--and keep it away from direct sunlight (yes, it will fade).

Quite strange. I seem to have more than 5,000 Friends, and the List even seems to continue growing. Although my statistic shows already as 5,000, people I sent Friend Requests to in the past accept those requests and come in as my new Friends. Moreover, I went through my List of 5,000 and could not find my old acquaintances. Then, when I searched for them INDIVIDUALLY, they showed up as still being my Friends.

What I cannot do is send NEW Friend Requests; I am prevented from doing so. I also no longer see "People You May Know" on the Home Page.

It is always atchay pride that leads to a fall.

Tony Perez's Art of War: They who said they did not need you in the past will need you now. Tell them that you do not need them and that you never will. You have, after all, survived thus far without them.

Never rely on old tricks of the trade. They no longer work.

Sometimes I feel that I am a mango cream pie, but that it is not my fault that everyone wants a slice of me.

A lover who keeps coming back after saying goodbye is caught in a neurotic pattern.

Break the pattern.

Do not allow yourself to be flattered. It is one step away from being used.

A true mage is never concerned with public relations. That is why he often prefers to be a recluse.

Every art demands emotional maturity.

A polite Tarot card reader seldom tells the truth.

You have yet to see how a tree is a world, and the world, a tree.

Time does not march on. It slinks past like a garden snake.

I am completely puzzled as to why cheapskates aspire to be collectors only to end up collecting junk and trash.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a serving of pineapple gelatin.

Always give your children the space they need to be themselves, even if it means giving up your own space, for you may already have had more than enough time to be yourself.

"Power symbol" and "power object" are not only not interchangeable, they are also non-identical.

"Power symbol" is a term used in developmental psychology, particularly in reference to the adolescent stage. Examples of power symbols are guns, cars, and action hero figurines.

"Power object" is a term used in magic, and it most probably originated with the North American Indians' use of power bundles and medicine bundles. Examples of power objects are implements such as talismans, amulets, and wands.

When the price of rice goes up it is a slap in the face to both the rich and the poor.

On the downside, it can trigger a revolt.

On the upside, it might finally train everyone to go continental and make them learn to appreciate different varieties of bread, pasta, mashed potato, and corn.

When I close my eyes I hear rooftops on tall structures rattling in the howling wind.

All gemstones and jewelry, like Spandex shorts, are attractive when they look full, juicy, and luscious.

A peaceful but languid afternoon in Cubao.

Maturity is the result not of age but of diverse experience.

Plastic is and will always be the best material for your pets' food bowls.

Though I wish I had more time to do gardening, I love it because I love working with earth. I love discovering the many marvelous things and creatures beneath it. I love it when my sweat drops into it and mingles with it, and when it tells me that I will live much longer. I love the feeling of being covered with soil and afterward washing myself clean under a faucet.

Only gardeners know what the earth thinks, and only gardeners listen when the earth speaks.

Everyone else seems to be terrified of earth because, to them, it signifies dirt and death rather than fertility and renewal.

I find that his works, as a director, are consistently pretentious. That is why he is neither popular nor influential.

It is much more fun to be a bad-ass mage than a goody-goody one.

One of the best things about being able to read other people is that you know early on who the con artists are.

There are bad hair days and there are bad penmanship days.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Never forget that enemies punish themselves in two ways: by striking out and by keeping their resentment in.

The most unreliable income of all is that derived from selling something.

It is less cumbersome to have problems at work than to have problems at home.

Gods and goddesses will always have freedom of choice, and their choices are always made clear to all.

ASEAN standard

Angelique and J. left early this morning for a day swimming party in celebration of the birthday of one of Angelique's former classmates.

Do not spend the most part of your life searching or waiting for your true love, for, in this lifetime, a true love may not exist because it is your specific karma.

It is possible that, in your previous lifetime, you abandoned someone who truly loved you.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a golden jackhammer.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and J.

Found and cleaned one of our old aquariums. Wondering if we can still use it.

Your worst enemies are never in opposing camps. They are always in your own.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Paid our wi-fi bill, bought an extending, plastic poster carrier, and had a cold guava juice and a blueberry cheesecake at the Cubao Hogwarts Espresso Station.

Meanwhile the granddaughters are shopping at Trinoma and then having a session at a salon.

Bought the granddaughters a set of 32 cosmetic brushes. Both Angelique and Aubrey have taken a keen interest in make-up, and they now prefer to put on their own make-up rather than go to the salon for special occasions.

What we've been calling dresser-top chiffoniers are actually antique, Chinese cap mirrors. The drawers below the mirrors were originally used to store caps.

Thanks to the Judge Dee series and Robert van Gulik's illustrations.

We may have needs, but we also need to take a rest from our needs.

Tony Perez's Art of War: When people give you disrespect, write their names on a slip of paper and place the slip face down inside your right shoe. Whenever you walk, be conscious that your right foot is pressing down on the slip of paper and the names written on it.

At the end of the day, set fire to the slip of paper in your tin burner, ensuring that the smoke dissipates outdoors, i.e. near an open door or window. Use a pair of tongs to ensure that the entire slip of paper is consumed by fire.

The people who gave you disrespect will be given disrespect by others sixfold.

Sometimes you need to do a double take when you feel that you do not like your job, because what it could mean is that you do not like the people you are working with.

On the other hand, you could very well love your job if you like the people you are working with.

What is forgotten is forgiven. But what is forgiven but not forgotten is really not forgiven.

Wednesday, Wednesday.

The actress says goodbye.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are tents of mesh netting.

Jalu-jalo at M.'s cafe, the perfect snack.

All three jalu-jalo mixtures in the neighborhood are different:

--The Sitio Catacutan hawker's stand has rock melon, jackfruit, palm fruit, purple yam, sago, red beans, white beans, milk, and white sugar.
--John's townhouse has egg custard, palm fruit, fermented coconut cream, purple yam, gelatin, candied banana, jackfruit, two kinds of milk, and white sugar.
--M.s' cafe has ice cream, egg custard, chocolate soil, crispy rice, purple yam, red beans, white beans, fresh coconut strips, and milk.

Back from Quezon City Hall. Going to and from it was a phenomenological experience. Since I retired from work in December 2014 I hardly went outside Cubao. Sitting in a taxi both ways this afternoon, I saw from the window that many things had changed--shops and signs in particular. I felt that I was in a different city.

That is probably the same feeling of the legendary man who is stolen away by mermaids and is returned to land after seven years.

Kayraming banyaga na pilit nagme-Message sa 'kin ng iba't ibang larawan na may mga hugis-puso at kung anu-ano pa, datapwat Martes at maalinsangan at wala akong panahong makipaglandian.

Your Messenger message:

"___.

"A friend of mine saw a man sitting in his sala while we were having dinner last night.

"This morning he woke up with fever. He looks diff and is talking in a diff tone.

"He asked me. Bakit ka pumayag na umuwi si j____ ng walang bumbunan?

"Nasa bungad palang kyo kitang-kita na na wala syang bumbunan. Maibabalik nyo pa ba yun?

"I put our oil on his forhead, heart and gut and said. Pasensya na po di ko po kayo lubos na naiintindihan. Aalamin ko lang po kng ano ang ibig nyo po sabihin. Maaari po bang alagaan mo po muna ang katawan ni j____ habang inaalam ko po ang ibig nyo iparating?

"Hindi daw po sya mag isa, ___.

"I told him na ipagdarasal namin si j____ ang paggagalingin.

"Sabi nya at... ikukulong nyo ako. Kaya nga kami hindi umiimik e. Nananahimik kami.

"What does that mean po, ___."


My reply:

A transient spirit is trying to relay a message through your friend.

Take a fresh egg, touch your friend's forehead, throat, and chest with its big end, then crack the egg open and pour all of its contents into a clear glass of water. Set the glass on a flat and stable surface. Wait for the albumen to rise in strands and bubbles. Look round the glass and gaze into the shape that the albumen takes. You should be able to scry on the albumen and obtain the entire message. Take photos of the albumen from different angles if necessary.

If you are unable to do this, send me a message again.

My brass, cosmic egg cleaned and gold-plated by our family jeweler.

Any container that is egg-shaped is an effective wish-keeper.

Gold dragon marries on a Tuesday.

Nuns will not blossom to their fullest as long as they are overshadowed by priests.

You are truly rich only if you have no relatives who are poor. For what is a shining kingdom if a tenth of its subjects grovel in the dust?

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun shines from the surface of a basin of water.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Then went jalan-jalan at the center.

Why do we say "hatid-sundo"? Isn't "sundo-hatid" more logical?

"Who will buy/ 
This wonderful morning?/ 
Such a sky/ 
You never did see/ 
Who will tie/ 
It up with a ribbon/ 
And put it in a box for me?/
So I could see it at my leisure/
Whenever things go wrong/ 
And I would keep it as a treasure/ 
To last my whole life long/ 
Who will buy/
This wonderful feeling?/ 
I'm so high/ 
I swear I could fly/
Me, oh my!/
I don't want to lose it/
So what am I to do/
To keep the sky so blue?/ 
There must be someone who will buy/"

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a faceted aquamarine.

Dinner at home with Angelique and J. Aubrey is attending a friend's birthday party.

Angelique and J. are back home from university.

Finished rereading The Phantom of the Temple. This novel is quite fast-paced.

Everyone with secret agenda is automatically a traitor.

From every group that you manage, weed out the ambitious, the pretentious, the self-centered, the grudge-bearing, and the envious. After that you should have a tight-knit and solid group.

Assif passed by while I was writing inside the small loggia. It is always a pleasure to converse with him. He is like one of those nice, neighborhood men in The Kite Runner.

Leaves overlap and so form a green fabric over your head.

The success of every workshop rests on the resource person's giving more than what is expected of him, never just enough and never less.

Compound tenants walking up the driveway, dressed for a Sunday afternoon out. Some families are even dressed in the same color.

As a writer, never be derivative of foreign bestsellers. You will always be remembered as such.

A dog chases its tail not in order to catch it but to have physical exercise.

Vertigo is, on the astral level, the sudden connection to the rotation of the earth.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Remember everyone who shunned you in the past. When they need you and come back to you--and, by the nature of karma, they will--also remember to shun them in return.

Without shadows we die of excessive light.

Lunch with Aubrey at home. Angelique submitting the last of her requirements for her senior ball.

When fundamentalists patronize chaos, it is because they subconsciously want to speed up the end times.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are white shirts being bleached in the sun.

The knot is connected to the swamp flower.

"They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds."

--Mexican proverb

Your dream:

"sir nais po sanang pa interpret sa inyo... ito po.... salamat po - . MAY PINUNTAHAN AKO N LUGAR S0MEWHERE IN ____ S PLACE DN NAMIN, HINDI KO ALAM ANG GINAWA KO DUN, TAPOS NUN PAUWI N KO NAWALA ANG DAAN KASI NAGING PARANG DAGAT SYA, SO N0 CHOICE AKO KUNDI ANG DUMAAN S PARANG PILAPIL, TAKOT AKO KC I D0NT KN0W KUNG MAKAKATAWID AKO AND MAY MGA ASO S MAY BAHAY NA MADADAANAN KO PERO HNDI NAMAN AKO TINAHULAN, NUN NASA DULO NA AKO NG DAAN MAY NAKITA AKO NA MADADAANAN KO PARA MAKAPUNTA NA AKO S KALSADA KC NALAMPASAN KO NA UN PARANG DAGAT, PAG DATING KO DUN MAY BABAE NA MAS MATANDA AKO NA NAGLALABA,. TINAN0NG KO ANG DAAN AT HINDI NYA AKO ITINURO SA ALAM K0NG DAAN PINALUSOT NYA AKO SA BINTANA, SUMUN0D AKO, NUN NAKALUSOT NA AKO AY OKAY NA UN DAAN, MAY MGA TAO NA KILALA KO NA MASAYA KC NAGLALARO AT NAGBABIKE CLA, PARANG MADALING ARAW NA YUN, TUMINGIN AKO S DAAN TAPOS DUN S LUGAR NA UN NA FAMILIAR AKO INISIP KO NA PARA MAKAUWI AKO DUN S BHAY NAMIN S ____ KAILANGAN KO MAGLAKAD, NAGWORRY AKO NG KAUNTI KC BAKA MAINIT ANG KALSADA E NAKAAPAK AKO. . un po, slamat, hnd ko alam kung nakauwi ako ang alam ko uuwi ako kc mdyo malapit na un. . Tnx much. . --- maraming salamat po."


My reply:

Hello _______!

Here is what your dream means:

1) Your emotions frequently take over, and this prevents you from being well-grounded and capable of making practical judgments.

2) Your parents have always disapproved of your decisions, perhaps regarding your career and/or your romantic life. Yet, the feeling is mutual, because you have never been interested in becoming like your parents.

3) At the present time you are worried about a possible, major change in your life--a change that reflects your mental, emotional, and behavioral patterns. It worries you because it promises to be an irreversible change.

4) My advice to you is to stop exploring different lifestyles. At this stage in your life you seem to be still unsure of who you are and what you want. It is fine to live for the present but, contrary to what other people may believe, it is also always wise to live for the future.

Angelique and J. back home from university. Bought everyone jalu-jalo from the hawker's stand.

A hot afternoon in Cubao.

Lunch with Aubrey. Angelique at university.

Two cups black, brewed espresso blend.

The clouds are pairs of sparkling, roller skates.

Good morning, Cubao!

Two delivery men woke me up. I paid them, then asked Gary and Elmer next door to install something.

Tonight's replayed episode of Grimm was interesting. It was about coyotes and their fertility ritual.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

Bought Aubrey a couple cheeseburgers because she skipped dinner earlier tonight.

I just said yes to participating in ______________________'s summer camp for 30 children. I was invited to prime the children in the use of art materials for the painting competition on the theme _________________. I am currently being encouraged to stay longer and view the _____ and the art exhibit and attend the awarding of prizes but I don't want to stay away that long from home.

I said yes because I feel that I am qualified to do what the sponsors are asking me to do. I am not a Fine Arts graduate, but do I not paint more ably than some Fine Arts graduates, whose anatomy is so bad that they refuse to paint figures?

I am not a Creative Writing graduate, but am I not a creative writer?

Every gift is first and foremost a reflection of its giver.

Enchanted creatures move on after their duties are done.

Magic is never simple. It is always complex--philosophically and technically. On top of that, it must be operated by a complex individual who has great knowledge about the breadth and the heights and the depths of life. Otherwise there would be no need to study and master it.

The young talents yell, hoot, screech, groan, moan, holler, and howl. I would never mistake their performances for singing, no more than I would mistake acrobatics for dancing.

Long drafts of ice-cold water from the big, stainless steel thermos that Cherry gave me for Christmas. Each draft is a deep dive into a cool, forest river.

A quiet Friday in the neighborhood.

Two cups black, brewed espresso blend.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a giant board of Snakes 'n' Ladders.

This evening one of the hawker's stand owners asked me if I could check out one of the bedrooms in her house. According to her one of her kitchen staff members has been refusing to come out of the room and work for several days now. As far as I know no one in my neighborhood is aware of the things I do and that I head the new Spirit Questors and The Wands. My local name is not Tony but Boy. Could it be possible that the owner saw my photo on Google+ and ventured into reading my blogs?

It is quite interesting that in both Grimm and Supernatural the mothers of the protagonists make an appearance and play significant roles in the series.

Caught the first episode of American Ninja Warrior 7. New, formidable, and seemingly impossible obstacles.

As long as a fountain pen functions well, my only other concern is that it looks good--unusual rather than classic. Branded pens are fine, but I have never been interested in investing in them, as I have never been interested in investing in expensive watches.

One of the keys to contentment is the ability to accept that you will not get what you want very badly, and that others will have it or do have it already.

Business meeting with M. We caught up on a lot of things.

Dinner with Aubrey at home. Angelique and J. are having dinner out. Gave some food to the waiters and kitchen staff  of M.'s cafe and the compound security guard.

While they rant and rave, step back and create exquisite works of art.

Gold and silver on a Thursday afternoon

My full-length, studio mirror (for viewing bodies and paintings) arrived, but I can't locate it properly yet because the studio is still filled with canvases. I wanted something unusual--not something that would make my studio look like a dress designer's fitting room. This is a Maranao piece and was shipped all the way from Marawi City.

Do not fall into the trap of being the Greek chorus for heroic, tragic, or comedic protagonists.

A human's embrace is whatever his/her arms can encompass round your body.

Sleep's embrace encompasses everything inside and outside your entire body.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a gleam on the tip of a golden spear.

Fundamentalists are cranks. They are incapable of seeing things from other people's points of view, and observing things from different perspectives.

While it is all right to be a concerned citizen, know that many concerned citizens are also cranks.

Be a concerned citizen, but be a creative citizen as well.

Been watching the episodes of the 2015 Masterchef Australia (replays), then the latter halves of the episodes of Grimm 2  (also replays).

Insects think collectively, not individually. At the very least they think in pairs.

Magic works not because you feel aggrieved but because you proactively give something in advance. (An act of charity is a form of giving, as an example.) As such magic never works for lazy, self-centered, and selfish people.

Note that, because you are all opinion, your enemies strategically become all action.

No one ever wins by sitting comfortably and doing nothing.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

One of M.'s female waitresses has been back for a week now. Everyone seems to be more cheerful, for some reason.

And tonight your dream will be a carryover from last night's.

Dinner at home with Aubrey.

Angelique is out with her former block-mates.

I wake up several times each morning and luxuriate in drifting off to sleep once again. Sleep is sweet and sensual. Sometimes I can't have enough of it.

Cool shower over Cubao.

Jalan-jalan at the center. Paid our electric. Bought myself something. Bought the KTs something too.

Look around you, touch everything you can touch, and clean, rearrange, and improve your surroundings.

The virtual reality on your computer screen has been preventing you from paying attention to your physical reality.

Detail from a page of the book _Aklat Ni Haring Kamatayan_. It is said that one may write the names of one's enemies on a slip of paper and then press it between a particular spread within the book (not this page).

Detail from a page of the book _Aklat Ni Haring Kamatayan_. Shown here are paper tablets of old, Hebrew curses.

As long as you have The Talisman, your enemies die by fire, literally or figuratively.

Their highest leader, on another continent, becomes guilty of everything they accuse you of.

The box on the hill will break in two, and everyone within will try to scurry out like panicked, white mice.

These are what your dream was trying to tell you:

1) Do things yourself and do not rely on other people.
2) An old friend already has a commitment, to another person.
3) Appreciate your home all over again.

Don't go out of your way to explain lechon paksiw to a foreigner in so many words. All you have to do is say "twice-cooked pork".

The Wands must continue pointing to the ground.

Good day, Cubao!

Slept ten hours last night.

The sky is a frosted-glass window pane above an iron fire escape.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Be proud of yourself no matter what others think of you. It is exactly what your enemies dislike, especially if they themselves have nothing to be proud of.

Long commercials with narratives or short interviews have the disadvantage of being boring when viewed a second time. Knowing exactly how long such commercials take, the viewer switches to another channel, after which he switches back when the commercial is over--or does not switch back at all.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and J.

Setting aside _The Phantom of the Temple_, another Judge Dee mystery, to reread later.

Everybody home. They came with the rain.

Finished rereading The Red Pavilion.

Finished varnishing Tay Tong's portrait. Hope it dries quickly in this heat.

In the meantime Benjie re-hung our Chinese lanterns in the studio lounge.

Angelique and Aubrey went to university to enroll Aubrey for her first college semester, then they went to a private salon for their second session of a pricey laser treatment.

In your everyday life, ALWAYS bring a cheap, ballpoint pen along with your fountain pen. That way, when someone asks to borrow a pen, you can always hand him the cheap, ballpoint pen instead of your fountain pen.

Never say "Work hard" and "Study hard". Say "Work well" and "Study well".

Never bring your fountain pens with you when you travel by air.

First, you might lose them.

Second, they might get stolen.

Third, customs and immigration forms will accept writing only in black or blue ballpoint ink. Should you insist on using black or blue fountain pen ink, the ink will feather because the paper used for such forms is substandard, as is the paper used in bank forms (gone are the days when banks used fountain pens and really classy paper).

Finally, the pressure inside an airplane will cause your ink converters to leak or explode (and say goodbye to those converters afterward).

Traditionalists do not fear hell.

They fear change.

Theology always comes from the streets, not from the skies above. It is formed by the people's lifestyles.

It then gives rise to a mass of superstitious beliefs and behavior.

This mass is then honed by preferred values, the need for law and order, and a process of elimination--what works and what doesn't.

Time steps in, until one can look back at one's theological history.

Scholars then study everything that has been formed and back it up with cross-references and footnotes.

Finally, the scholars feed back everything to the masses, reinforcing what they have been practicing so far.

...Problems arise when people change their lifestyles, and they usually do.

Two cups black, brewed, espresso blend.

Every rooftop is a landing deck.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are etageres filled with treasures.

Buy a multi-million dollar house only if you have a REGULAR multi-million dollar income. Otherwise you will rise from bed one fine morning and decide to put up your house for sale.

The real problem with Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders is that it uses a two-hour script that is truncated into a one-hour show. As a result of this Procrustean solution the story begins to develop, then there is a sudden if not inexplicable identification of the perpetrator due to a computer that functions as deus ex machina, and then the hunt for the perpetrator takes up what remains of the hour.

Gifts From E2

E2 visited this afternoon and gave me a B.L. T-shirt, two bags of Almond Roca, and a bag of organic oolong tea from our friend Yat in Hong Kong. He leaves for Cebu tomorrow.