Ten years after I retired in 2015, everyone thinks I still care about so many things I used to care about.

Today is the Qing Ming Festival, also known as the Brightness Festival and the Sweeping of Tombs.

It is a day to honor, show respct to, and revere one's ancestors.

They should start replacing the 20-peso bills with new ones. They've become as floppy as dead lettuce.

One of our favorite restaurants is moving out soon from the old Shopwise/Fiesta Carnival building to Gateway 2. The old building, which is massive and an entire block long, will soon be demolished and give way to a new, high-rise, commercial building.

I was only in seventh grade when that building was launched. It housed the Japanese mall Matsuzakya, among other establishments.

Will surely be missing it, since it was part of my boyhood in Cubao.

Bank day with Marvin, Neil, and LM. Paid our electric bills, bought some hardware for a huge armoire, and had lunch out.

Photo by Neil de Leon

John completed the master file of Indakan Ng Mga Puso (Oktubre, Nobyembre, and Disyembre), Volume 15 of my Collected Works,  today, and we forwarded it to the prospective publisher.

This is my second, major trilogy of full-length plays. It corresponds to the later episodes of the adventures of Don Pedro, Don Diego, and Don Juan in Armenya, where they meet Donya Leonora and Donya Juana. 

 John reported for work today and brought me an unexpected, rainbow cake.

Yum! Love the strawberry and purple yam layers!

Mico sends me a bakeshop goodie.

Vannie sends me savories.

Family mahjong day

M.'s cafe sends us fried noodles to add to our supper.

March 30, 2025, the day before my 74th birthday

Angelique treated us to lunch at Conti's Gateway 1 Araneta Center. 

Joel sends me a chocolate cake.

It was a Sweet 60
Then a Serene 61
A Solitary 62
A Stunning 63
A Superb 64
A Suave 65
A Soaring 66
A Spectacular 67
A Splendid 68
A Shining 69
A Sleek 70

A Sparkling 71

A Sensational 72

A  Starry 73

A Sterling 73

And now a Shimmering 74!

Exactly a year from today I will leave my Facebook account in cyberspace. Only my Friends will be able to reread its contents, most of which are now non-Public.

March 30, 2025, the day before my 74th birthday

Angelique treated us to a photo shoot at Great Image SM Cubao Araneta Center, then to lunch at Conti's Gateway 1. Marvin was my caregiver that day, and so we included him in some of the shots.

My family is my greatest treasure.

And, all of those girls who participated in reality-show fashion model competitions--after all the adventures, misadventures, and engineered bitching, where are they now? What are they now?

The changing of the seasons always prevents one from being consumed by boredom.

Now on the final chapter of The House Without A Key, the first novel in the original, six-volume Charlie Chan series by Earl Derr Biggers. Such a different style from Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Brother Cadfael's Ellis Peters. and Judge Dee's Roberr van Gulik but I like, I like! They are all deliciously clever (not the sleuths but the authors, I mean.)

This read like a modern-day Wilkie Collins--the crime and the perpetrator take back seats in favor of characters, their relationships, and interesting subplots. In the end, though, everything is airtight and falls into place. What confused me at first was the time frame, until a Google search informed me that these novels were written long before World Wars I and II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Love the Hawaiian backdrop--words and phrases, food, drinks, and customs--and I would have desired to fly to Honolulu except that I already live in one, exotic, tropical country.

Reading The Chinese Parrot next.

A brief note to other Charlie Chan fans: these original novels are not to be confused with the teleplays and movie scripts that were later developed for popular viewing.

Remember this, that the majority of voters do not think and reason like university graduates.

University graduates are always a minority.

Painting is a heavily mental and a  heavily physical act.

 The Crowning of Mary, work in progress for Maryhill School of Theology.

Seven hours, seven layers.

Layering, or color blocking, is my second step after construction lines. It lays the foundation for color and tone, but essentially remains flat pending the marking of the darkest darks and the lightest lights. Layering does not stop until the entire canvas is covered with paint. It is also the best time to clean up unwanted construction lines.

In this painting I included 12 crowns from 12 appellations of the Blessed Virgin, some of which are canonical crowns.

Aubrey sat for this painting, as she did for Descent of the Holy Spirit and The Assumption of Mary Into Heaven. Leah sat for the two angels.

The auditory stimulus I am using while working on this painting is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s. Do listen to it while viewing the work, but it has nothing to do with the subject matter of the painting.

Photo by Neil de Leon

A very enterprising "classmate" in hemodialysis sells food to the nurses, technicians, and even the elevator girls.

So far I have bought from her bottles of home-made Salinas sardines, sinardinas na bangus, two bottles burong Kapampangan (one plain and one spicy), and two bottles taba ng talangka.

Never sell to officemates. They're some of  the biggest cheapskates in the world.

Worked an hour on first layer.

Went to bed 5:00 PM yesterday evening and rose 7:30 AM this morning, though I recall rising briefly three times in the night: once to take a light supper, another to go to the bathroom, and a third to work an hour online.

So strange, but the two female Abba singers always make me think of Dagwood and Blondie.

The Crowning of Mary, work in progress for Maryhill School of Theology.

Worked a fourth hour on construction lines after lunch. For this painting I must have used the most number of reference photos, because I wanted to include 12 crowns from 12 appellations of the Blessed Virgin, some of which are canonical crowns.

Aubrey sat for this painting, as she did for Descent of the Holy Spirit and The Assumption of Mary Into Heaven. Leah sat for the two angels.

Construction lines are done, Not bad for seven hours' work over two days. As you can see I do not use pencils/graphite for construction lines,. Instead, I use a brush and paint dilute, which is easier to wipe off. All of the lines are painted in initially in freehand.

The auditory stimulus I am used while working on this painting is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s. Do listen to it while viewing the work, but it has nothing to do with the subject matter of the painting.

Calling it a day for painting,

Will probably commence layering and color blocking on Sunday.

Photo by Neil de Leon

Finally turned my back on Charms sour candy balls and Life Savers in favor of sugar-free drops. Of the 28 flavors, these six are my favorites.

Photo by Neil de Leon

John reported for work this afternoon.

Worked a fourth hour on construction lines

Worked an hour on construction lines.

The Crowning of Mary begins today, Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Top, antique, sterling silver double-face pendant with miniature friezes on both sides, one depicting the Nativity, the other depicting the Crucifixion

Middle, labradorite cabochon set in sterling silver, a purchase from a loop shop in North Carolina. Labradorite is said to be a favorite stone of extraterrestrials.

Bottom, pewter Celtic cross clad in silver so that it can be worn as a pendant. It was originally designed to lie flat on a plate or saucer and function as a joss stick holder.

Above, faceted, oval amethyst encircled by a brass serpent

Below, antique, sterling silver cross pendant encrusted with faceted amethysts and marcasite

Photo by Neil de Leon

Finally dreamt of Lito Bauza two nights ago. He looked like he does in his most recent Facebook account. We were glad to see each other.

In the dream, an unfinished, multistory structure is on our compound. Lito needs to go to the second floor, and I decide to accompany him in order to spend more time with him. I keep close to the left side of the concrete stairway, because the right side is wide open, I am afraid of heights, and I am afraid of falling,. Lito helps me along, however, and we easily get to the second floor.

On the second floor is the lobby of a college that reminds me of the college associated with the hospital I take dialysis in. Lito has enrolled in some kind of course. We stay together and chat before it is time for him to go to class. Before he goes, he very thoughtfully escorts me down the stairway.

My interpretation:

This dream seems to indicate that it is possible to delay reincarnation if one wishes to learn more about cosmic law on the astral plane, which, it appears, Lito has decided to do.

The timing of reincarnation, therefore, is up to the individual soul and not up to any higher authority.

A collection of jewelry is precious in more ways than one, because each piece is associated with at least one, wonderful memory.

Look, Dick, look!

A new piece of cradled canvas arrived this morning. Now I can start working on The Crowning of Mary.

Will need to finish two paintings after this: a religious painting for Ces's school and a portrait of Yvette.

I lose my appetite when I am surrounded by too much food.

Jerome's day off. He spent most of last night helping the cooks for M. and Rose's wedding celebration, which will be held today. All of their wedding sponsors were invited.

Friday, March 14, 2025

Lunch at Bellini's Cubao Shoe Expo, our favorite oasis in the district

Friday, March 14, 2025

Third eye injection

My father's birthday

He was a Tiger.

"Though I see the danger there/
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care/"

Aubrey went jogging with a friend. Angelique arrived from Thailand. George picked her up at the airport.

I am turning 74 this year and my granddaughters are close to their 30s, but I still worry about them when they're not home.

I wonder if my parents did the same for me when I was young,

My Friends,

I will be sending EARLY invitations to 13 of you (Spirit Questors and Joy Luck Club members) soon, knowing full well that only five or six will have their attendance CONFIRMED, will be COMMITTED to the event, and will actually be COMING.

The invitation is to stay overnight at my house 9:00 PM - 5:00 AM on THE FIRST NIGHT OF HUNGRY GHOSTS MONTH, which is on SATURDAY. AUGUST 23 this year.

The schedule will be as follows:

9:00 - 10:00 PM, arrivals and dinner

10:00 - 11:00 PM, making food, candy, drink, bottled candle, and joss stick offerings on the driveway.

The offerings you make will be considered offerings to the Hungry Ghosts from YOUR houses. I will, therefore, also be making my own.

Do bring a bottled candle, joss sticks in a can, and food, candy, and drink offerings in SEALED containers.

If mendicants or street children take the offerings away during the night, it is perfectly all right. The offerings will be counted as having been successfully made.

11:30 PM - 5:00 AM, back inside the house.

Ghost story-telling. Prepare as many ghost stories as you like,.

Alternatively, bring movies on your laptops for screening.

Or playing cards/dominoes/chess sets/board games/Tarot cards. The Spirit Questors can read cards for the non-Spirit Questors and for each other.

Bring a sleeping bag if you feel that you will need one. A blanket and a pillow will do.  Everyone will have to camp out ON THE FLOOR.

Will serve pizza, chips, soda, coffee, and tea in the dining area through dawn.

You may Google-search everything you need to know about Hungry Ghosts and Hungry Ghosts Month before the event.

Departures can commence 5:00 AM, but everyone is welcome to zonk out and sleep through noon. Brunch wll be available, served from M.'s cafe.

Friday, March 7, 2025

The Joy Luck Club meets again for lunch and the 34th Bilbo Baggins afternoon.

Vegetable dumplings, a modern version of Judge Dee' breakfast of "salted vegetables." The dumplings are made of Taiwanese pechay, black fungus, carrots, and button mushrooms.

Many years ago my youngest sister, Sylvia, sent me an authentic recipe for salted vegetables, but I seem to have misplaced it.

Sometimes you look forward to eventually reuniting with a deceased, loved one, without considering that he or she actually may not want to see you again.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Lunch out, for a change of place

Wearing embroidered, silk scarves from France via Rustan's Gift Pavilion

Photo by Neil de Leon

Back home from bank day, escorted by Marvin and Neil, Paid our electric bills, sent some money to my younger son Chito, and bought an outdoor light for our gate.

Lunch out, then Neil brought me home in a taxi.

I've been staying home most of the time and bundling up against chills. When I have to go somewhere, I'm always transported in a Grab car or a taxi. There's been a three-day heat wave but, in my condition and my situation, I feel none of it. Outside our house, the world is suspending classes and people are complaining of the intense, searing heat.

Wondering whether I shall ever feel like everyone else again.

Angelique in Thailand. Just saw videos of her feeding an elephant and eating at a sumptuous Thai buffet.

My elder son Nelson's death anniversary (1998)

Lighting candles at our family altar and columbary.

Today my eldest baby Angelique earned her open-water certificate from Scuba Diving International. She aims to go for advanced eligibility, and then apply for another certification at DENR.

In photo, Angelique and George.

Angelique and Aubrey are leaving soon on separate trips to Thailand.

Organized religion will always be the death of authentic culture.

Prolonged anger and resentment cause cancer.

John reported for work this morning. Lunch served by M.'s cafe,

Now cleaning up the encoded copy of Nobyembre. He reads the dialogue aloud, though under his breath, while encoding, but he seems quite stoic about it. As for myself, I end up weeping and blowing my nose while reading my plays silently because of all the emotions I have to go through all over again.

Because of Oktubre, Nobyembre, and Disyembre, Nonon Padilla calls me the Pinoy Strindberg.

Wake up! Do you revel in the shallow pleasure of being a popular Tarot card reader? Are you satisfied that people come to you to serve as an emotional crutch or to provide after-dinner entertainment?

Those people are just using you. They are not even providing you the money you need to pay your bills, go shopping whenever you want to, and walk into any restaurant of your choice to take your next meal.

Take on a lucrative job, preferably one with good retirement benefits. Work and save money for yourself.

It's about time your "clients" read their own cards.

Akoya blue pearls for my granddaughters Angelique and Aubrey. The pearls take their blue color naturally from the blue interior of the shells the oysters are in. Not all of the oyster shells are blue, that is why blue pearls are rare.

Middle-class students manifest erratic and violent behavior because they frequently take energy drinks, especially when they ae cramming for exams.

Teachers who are ahead of their time are always resented by their educational institutions--and then sorely missed, years later.

Work hard to achieve the best reward of all--a happy, loving, close-knit, non-dysfunctional family--and you will also have achieved treasures greater than what other men have.

February 12, 2025

John, I, and Henson. We are standing in front of the bookshelf containing my treasured, Judge Dee volumes.

Photo by John Tigno

February 12, 2025

Pre-Valentine's Day visit from Henson. Brought me goodies from Vietnam.

Henson is the grandson of the Wongaihams, who translated _The Oracle of Kung Ming_ from Chinese to English. (Which I then translated to Filipino.) 

https://tonyperezphilippinescyberspacebook4.blogspot.com/

He is also the last, remaining, Wongaiham in the Philippines. The other, his cousin Vincent and son of Tony Wong, lives in Germany..

I'm counting this as the 33rd Bilbo Baggins afternoon, since Henson selected an item from the table of give-aways in the breakfast area.

Photo by John Tigno

The voting public is comprised of ungrateful children.

It is her refusal to pay up that makes her lose out on many deals.

The warm breezes forebode an early summer.

At the workplace, it is all right to lose the battle if you will end up winning the war.

White dumpling plates

I gave the green set to my sister Alice, because she also hosts meals for our sisters and brothers-in-law whenever they come visiting from Sydney.

All of these will do. I don't need any more dumpling plates.

Photo by Neil de Leon

George sends Angelique flowers for Valentine's Day.

 Always light joss sticks round the house.

Live to continue living, not to wait for your life to slowly deteriorate.

More dumpling plates

The shell-shape honors the goddess of the ocean, the color green, her son, the god of iron.

I will say it again here: If you love your family, you will take continued interest in upgrading your dinnerware.

Photo by Neil de Leon

Your enemies die first because he who dies last will always have the last word.

When light is turned off, it just goes. It doesn't trail off like sound or like liquid.

The most common karmic situation develops when one decides that he/she doesn't like the family that he/she was born into.

The men and women who decided to live alone in the 1990s--simply because it was "fashionable"--now wish they hadn't.

The 4:30 AM night class had a second session, on auras. I must say, auras are best viewed against a midnight blue background. 

An aura is not just comprised of "one color." If you look very closely, it has rainbow-colored particles, like prismatic refractions on a cold, icy milk sherbet. 

Consider having a blank wall in your bedroom painted midnight blue. where you can stand against it with a full-length mirror in front of you. 

Dumpling plates for charcuterie, assorted dimsum, sushi, sashimi, tempura, sliced green mangoes, horseradish, water turnips, celery, fish fillet, French fries, breaded onion rings, sliced cucumber, chicken lollipops, pork barbecue. satay, omelets, chips, ham sui kok, taro pie, oyster cake, sausages, baked mussels, lumpia shanghai, fried spring rolls with sprouts, salted biscuits, rice rolls, and fish balls.

Our favorite dips are Thai sriracha chili sauce, mayonnaise, Heinz tomato ketchup, mustard, Barrio Fiesta shrimp paste, pickles, Kikkoman soy sauce with kumquat juice and red chili peppers, sweet sauce, wasabi, white vinegar with shrimp paste, Chinese black vinegar with sugar or honey or cooking wine, rock salt, croutons, kippers, shaved parmesan cheese, quick-melt cheese, and cream cheese 

I will say it again here: If you love your family, you will take continued interest in upgrading your dinnerware.

A friend from Bicol, now a seaman and visiting, are with M. and Neil in the cafe. Quite wonderful that such persons from the past turn up and come to the cafe, their watering hole. There always seems to be an ongoing party because of this.

Modern images of Eshu and Pomba Gira by Gabrielle Veronese of Design Toscano. Still wondering if she is a descendant of the Renaissance mural painter Paolo Veronse.

Bought the image of Pomba Gira for Karen, a former Spirit Questor, because she loved gothic art and I felt the statuette looked like her, but she somehow dropped off my Friends List and I haven't seen her in maybe 20 years.

Photo by Neil de Leon

Lunch at home with my sisters Remi and Alice.

Deliveries.

Big Toto reported for work this morning. Neil and he resumed cement and steel work on the front corner and side of our house.

Day 13 of the Chinese New Year: A day of dieting and temperance.

Our Guadalupe relief is now spotlighted.

I am thinking of eventually switching the bulb to warm white, though.

I find it both sad and strange that the fighters who abandoned Team Lakay seem to have lost a lot of their original power.

Could it have something to do with the change in the quality of their training?

Or is this simply a case of hubris?

Chinese New Year, Day 12: More bonding and celebrations with family.

Our family mahjong day and Siunday dinner

January 30, 2025

More books from my youngest sister, Sylvia in Sydney

Big Toto reported for work today. Neil and he continued cement work on the front corner and side of our house.

Work to resume on Monday.

 January 30, 2025

My youngest sister, Sylvia, sends me a complete set of Judge Dee books from Sydney. These are six of them. 

Back from my second eye injection at Makati Medical Center. Marvin and my sisters Remi and Alice escorted me.

Then we had lunch at home.

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Finally, a  moment of solitude after the overextended holidays. My greatest wish now is, for the rest of  the year, to be left alone to myself, my literature, my art, my jewelry, and my money.

To be left alone thus is the true meaning of "Resting In Peace," because it is resting from OTHER PEOPLE.

My necklaces: Above, faceted red amber; Below, black pearls interspersed with red, Chinese burial beads. The bigger beads are also antique and from the Mexican Galleon Trade. The carved, wooden female goddess pendant was a purchase from Ifugao Province many years ago. It reminded me so much of Eshu's consort, Pomba Gira.

The red scarf round my shoulders is a Chinese maiden's bridal veil.

Photo by Neil de Leon

Sometimes all you need is to be forgiven.

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Ryan and Peachie visit with assorted goodies. Ryan flies back to Abu Dhabi on Satirday.

After more than 30 Bilbo Baggins afternoons, I look around me and see all of the treasures I decided to keep and not give away, and everything looks so good.

 

January 30, 2025

My youngest sister, Sylvia, sends me a complete set of Judge Dee books from Sydney. These are six of them.

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Dinner with my eldest sister, Lourdes, brother-in-law Manny, and family at Choi Garden Gateway 2, Araneta Center

Photo by Neil de Leon

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Dinner with my eldest sister, Lourdes, brother-in-law Manny, and family at Choi Garden Gateway 2, Araneta Center

Photo by Neil de Leon

If you are exclusively a writer or a painter and your work is not supporting you financially, something is very wrong with the life choices you made.

The more one paints, the closer one gets to perfection.

It's called, practice, and practice makes perfect.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Chinese dinner at home with my eldest sister, Lourdes, brother-in-law Manny, and sisters Remi and Alice.

My youngest sister, Sylvia, and brother-in-law Rey recently flew back to Sydney but today, January 30, 2025, an unexpected parcel arrived containing the COMPLETE Judge Dee books, three Charlie Chan books, and pantry goodies as well!

January 29, 2025

Chinsee New Year and my second eldest sister Remi's 84th birthday at M.'s cafe

My cousin Babette sends me oranges on the first day of the Year of the Wooden Snake.