Listen to the messages of your wildest fantasies, because they are constantly being conveyed to you.

A real man of quiet strength speaks only when he has to.

Don't just go online to work or to attend electronic classes. Set up a space exclusively for those tasks--a really nice desk for your desktop computer or laptop with a comfortable chair, adorned with items conducive to work or study. Use that space ONLY for work or for classes (not for playing games, for instance). That space should be as beautiful and as well-kept and as sacred as your altar. 

Lunch at home with Angelique; her next electronic class is at 4:30 PM; Aubrey still resting upstairs after her morning electronic classes.

Slept nine hours last night and I feel great!

Good noon,. Cubao!

The theater of the sun is a brass hippodrome.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon elves tend their vegetable gardens of white cabbage and white lettuce.

Dinner at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey took their dinner earlier, while I was watching the news.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Wilkie Collins.

Worked half an hour on ninth glaze.

Calling it a day for painting. Must wait for these glazes to dry.

Worked an hour on eighth glaze.

Worked half an hour on seventh glaze.

Worked half an hour on sixth glaze.

Lunch at home with Angelique; Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Bought half a dozen fresh eggs across the street, then swung by the neighborhood grocery and did minor groceries.

Jolly unclogged the drain of the studio sink, where I wash all of my brushes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The morning sky is a bamboo grid hung with party favors.

A good captain of the home will ensure the following, in the correct order: 

1) Adequate food and clean drinking water for everyone

2) An adequate water supply for washing up, ablutions, and cleaning

3) Safe and clean sleeping space

4) Power

5) Appliances that work

All other things--clothes, toys, jewelry, books, et cetera--are mere frills and are not prerequisites to security and happiness, but the basic five above are. 

Good night, Cubao!

The history of our galaxy is archived in the caverns of the moon.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Wilkie Collins.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

When your body feels weak, it is because you neglected hydrating it.

Very few men are really free because they are not allowed to be themselves. The man who liberates himself from social expectations is the man who is truly free.

Go slow on kitsch. More than a few items can comprise too much of a cute thing.

The colors yellow and orange will never fail to generate optimism and hope within you.

No matter how bad things are, it is never the end of the world.

When you wake up from a bad dream and then go back to sleep again, do not do so in the same position your body was in. Otherwise the bad dream will resume, picking up from where it left off.

A relaxed person gets more things done than a frenzied person does.

An honest person's sweat always smells good.

Condominium buildings may soon face vacancy problems. All of the OFWs who lost their jobs and put a down payment on units now suddenly will have to resort to different lifestyles and different living conditions.

A grain of sand need not remain a grain of sand. It should lean to speak up against remaining a grain of sand and against sand in general, and then proceed to elevate itself.

Worked half an hour on fifth glaze.

One-hour, early afternoon nap.

UnFriended ten more people who don't bother to read my Wall anyway.

Your e-mail message:

"Dear Tony perez,

"Pasensya na po sa disturbo sa email ko.

"37 na po ako ngyon pero dinadalaw parin po ako ng mga kaluluwa at pangitan na magaganap palang. Isa po ba itong kakayahan? Dapat ko po ba iwasan? ..somewhere po july 2020,nakita ko po na maliwanag sa isip ko na nasa pag sabog ako pero diko naririnig,nakikita na mawawalan ng communication at patuloy ang pag sabog. Kina tatakot ko po ito. Hangang nakta ko nalang sa tv may naganap na gera sa ibang bansa..patuloy po ako nakakakita ng kamatyan at sakuna ngunit takot ako mag salita..kaya po ako nag email upang isang guni ko ito lahat.

"Salamat po uli at pasensya."

My reply:

Hello _______!

Lahat ng tao ay may ganyang kakayahan, lalo na ang mga bata. Sa mga may edad naman, karaniwang nangyayari ito dahil sa maintenance medication na regular nilang iniinom. Datapwat, pinipili ng karamihan ang huwag bigyang-halaga ang mga pangitaing ganyan. Higit kasing ikabubuti ng lahat kung ang bawat tao ay mabuhay nang normal. Kung hindi, sari-saring pangitain ang aahon at magdudulot ng kaguluhan sa lipunan. Ang payo ko, sikapin mong huwag pansinin ang mga nakikita mo sa isipan mo. Tutal, kung may disgrasya ka namang makita sa isipan, wala ka sa posisyong pigilan ang disgrasya. Pagtatawanan ka lamang ng iba at ituturing kang sira ang ulo.

Ang pinakaimportante sa buhay ay hindi ang nakikita nating magaganap sa kinabukasan kundi ang lahat ng gawa natin sa kasalukuyan, tungo sa ikaaangat ng sarili natin, ng mga pamilya natin, at ng bayan.  

Mabuhay ka lang nang normal at huwag ka nang matakot.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun's man cave is a darker spot in outer space.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon awakes and rises from her pearlescent bed.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Wilkie Collins.

Worked half an hour on fourth glaze.

Angelique and Jazz cooked a Korean barbecue dinner celebrating Jazz's birthday tonight.

Jazz arrived.

Worked an hour on third glaze.

Worked an hour on second glaze.

Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room.

Lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey attending their electronic classes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a butterscotch cake with lemon icing.

Good night, Cubao!

The night sky is made of navy blue Spandex.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Brought some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to be with Wilkie Collins. I'm reading The Woman in White for the first time. I read The Moonstone many years ago and loved it. He is a wonderful mystery writer. Critics have even acclaimed him as the inventor of the detective story.

Worked an hour on first glaze.

Example of a hacker's e-mail message:

"Hi good day po. This is ________________ from ABS CBN. We would like to ask if you would be open to be part of Paano Kita Mapapasalamatan, an inspirational docu-series of real-life stories filled with hope and kindness. It's a weekly one-hour show that will profile 2-4 individuals who are all interconnected by "pay-it-forward" acts of generosity that changed their lives.

"If ever po we will be needing preliminary interview/s before the on camera interview and 2-4 options of people you would like to thank. And we will interview them as well and the chain goes on.

"Here is a full trailer of the pilot episode, so you can have a better view of our show po.
https://youtu.be/_______________ 

"Thank you and hope to hear from you. Stay safe!"

Of course I reported it as Spam and deleted it.

Worked half an hour on forty-second layer. Layering is done.

Will wait for everything to dry before commencing glazing.

Worked half an hour on forty-first layer.

Aubrey came down to a late lunch in the dining room after an online, electronic orientation.

Waiting for the first atchay to say, "BER na naman!"

It's like a mantra to them. They think it gives them good luck and that it makes them look cute. They even rush to be the first to say it.

Do not call or contact me just because you are in the Philippines and want to meet up with friends. You were never my friend.

Call or contact the FSNs/LESs who served you well because you served them well. If you can't locate any of them, it might be because they never liked you either. They usually end up liking only their fellow Filipinos.

Lunch at home with Angelique; Aubrey still resting upstairs after her attending electronic classes.

Happy Ninth Birthday to my fourth granddaughter, Chevy! Grandpa loves you!

My dear Chevy, it is at this age when every little girl finds out that the world is not perfect, that society is filled with male chauvinists who believe that life belongs to men, and that there are princesses only when there are benevolent kings and queens.

It will be tough going from here, but remember that Grandpa will always love you. Be brave and strong and assertive. Fortify your mind and your will, and pursue an important career that will enrich you and help you make a difference.

Finished rereading The Valley of the Cobras, Mr. Pump's Legacy, and Destination New York last night. More action-filled but less picturesque than the TinTin series. Again, to me, Jo and Zette are too young to accomplish all of those feats, like TinTin is, to me, too young to be a boy reporter. But then again both series were designed for children rather than adults.

I love everything Herge created.

Good morning, Cubao!

There are yellow brick roads, and they are made of solid gold.

Good night, Cubao!

The stars are sparkling pink and blue diamonds.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Jo, Zette, and Jocko.

Dinner at home alone; Aubrey took a very heavy, late afternoon lunch and Angelique is currently on an online class and is coming down to the dining room later.

"Precedent" and "president" are pronounced the same way except that the "c" in "precedent" is pronounced as an "s" and the "s" in "president" is pronounced as a "z".

Do not proselytize. It turns off everyone, because no one really cares what religion you practice.

Observe and monitor the amount of trash that goes out of your house every day.

As the days go by, do you dreams become closer to or farther away from you?

You cannot topple a despot at the height of his power.

Nothing lasts forever, but the question always is how many things you yourself will outlast.

Do the things you like deliberately slowly, like eating dark chocolate, savoring every bit and every moment.

Sometimes people die to teach other people to handle the reality of death well.

The problem with people turning to religion for what they need is that religion does not provide it.

Afternoon snack.

Aubrey came down to a very late lunch in the dining room.

Worked half an hour on fortieth layer.

One-hour, morning nap.

Two-hour, afternoon nap.

Lunch at home with Angelique. Aubrey wakes up very early, goes online to attend her electronic classes, then goes back to sleep through noon.

Worked an hour on thirty-ninth layer.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun's favorite color is yellow gold.

Today I unFriended 20 absolutely useless persons who don't even bother to read my Wall. I'm currently down to 4,980 Friends, therefore, but will start accepting some of the Friend Requests I received over the past months.

Good night, Cubao! 

The night is a dark and empty Japanese tea house.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Jo, Zette, and Jocko (other Herge creations).

Arrogance is always the downfall of every host country. Sometimes it is even disguised as fake hospitality.

Temperance applies, first and foremost, to energy you expend that has no energy returns.

Never produce more than you can dispose of.

Never allow your blind spots to let you get carried away by your passion.

Finished rereading Destination Moon and Explorers on the Moon last night. A milestone tandem, considering that it was conceived and executed decades before man actually landed on the moon. Many illustrations are off--they're not what NASA laboratories, stations, and equipment look like today--but remain magnificent works of comic book art anyway. Colonel Boris Jorgen (the villain in King Ottokar's Sceptre) makes an appearance in the latter volume.

This tandem is more cohesive and well thought-out than the tandem The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure (contrived) and The Blue Lotus and TinTin in Tibet (disjointed).

Amazing how M.'s waiters can carry four dishes at a time without dropping anything.

It is quite tiresome that many of those whom I unFriended continue to contact me and ask for my advice on Messenger.

Dinner at home with Angelique; Aubrey and Roi are taking their dinner upstairs.

Worked half an hour on thirty-eighth layer.

One of Angelique's expensive law textbooks was delivered to our house this afternoon.

Roses For Two Belles

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Bought Angelique's eye drops and a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

I also decided to buy a book to read in bed.

It was Great-Gatsby-summer hot in Cubao again.

Roi arrived. Aubrey and he are taking their lunch upstairs.

Lunch with Angelique in the dining room.

Happy Birthday to my third sister, Alice!

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are crystal pendants hanging from the sky.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon has a dark side, but your house should never have one.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Adam visited again. The waiters are having a drinking session in the cafe kitchen.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi Sir Tony. Sana mapag bigyan mo tong tanong ko kahit na alam kong lagi kang busy din.

"Halimbawa na may gusto kang kurso, ito na yung pinaka gusto at dream mo talaga pero sa panahon ngayon hindi sya praktikal, may ibang tao din na nagsasabi sayo na dapat ganito ganyan yung kunin mo wag yung gusto mo. Itutuloy mo pa din ba yung gusto mong kurso? O papakinggan mo na lang yung sabi ng ibang tao sayo?

"Salamat po.

"At paano mo din malalaman na tama itong magiging desisyon mo para sa sarili mo?"

Hello _______!

It's your own life, it's your own dreams, it's your own concept of happiness that count. If you follow others' recommendations for a course against your will, you will only be miserable for the longest time. If you are still unsure, consult other people who took or are taking the course you want and ask them how they are faring.

No one can say which course you will be successful in, as no one can say, not even yourself, who your lifetime partner will be, whether you will get rich, or whether you will die without pain. The important thing is to make well-thought-out, responsible decisions for yourself. That way, should you fail or not realize your objectives, you know that you did your best and have the option of revising your dream, for it is never too late to do that.

Be hopeful, but be extremely cautious, at all times.

Know the art of advancing while appearing to recede in the eyes of others.

One of the reasons you feel sad when someone suddenly dies is that you were not able to provide proper closure between the two of you.

Finished rereading TinTin in Tibet last night. Second appearance of Chang and a moving tribute to the fierce friendship between Herge and his real-life Chang.

Worked an hour on thirty-seventh layer.

Worked an hour on thirty-sixth layer.

Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room.

Lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sparrows take their morning-sunlight shower.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon is a round, rice cake waiting to be sliced on a plate of black glass.

 Do not excessively fret over problems. Most of the time they have a way of solving themselves.

The most terrifying horror stories are those brought about not by the Devil but by human nature.

There are toys that function like talismans in that they attract good fortune, provide solid support for your endeavors, and shield you from harm.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Finished rereading the following TinTin episodes last night:

1) The Broken Ear. First appearance of General Alcazar. In a book about the making of TinTin it is mentioned that one of the final panels, depicting two devils dragging two thugs to an underwater hell, was changed in later editions.

2) King Ottokar's Sceptre. Perhaps one of the most detailed TinTin episodes, art-wise. On page 59 there is a panel illustrating a royal celebration and the awarding of the Order of the Black Pelican to TinTin. In one of the biographies of Herge I read that Herge drew himself and his wife in the crowd, among other of his associates. I used a magnifying glass and found Herge and his wife. They are on the extreme right of the panel.

3) TinTin and the Lake of Sharks. Not a Herge creation but based on the world of TinTin. Illustrated like a movie storyboard. Rastapopoulos, Bianca Castafiore, Captin Haddock, Professor Calculus, and of course TinTin and Snowy appear in this episode. TinTin wears real pants instead of his knickerbockers, and his legs are longer, perhaps to make him appear older. I'd always been disturbed by TinTin being a "boy reporter" and looking like a little boy anyway. The backgrounds are in watercolor washes, like those for animation gels, with some exquisite pieces. Most probably a collectible now because I no longer see copies of this around, not even in The TinTin Store.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on thirty-fifth layer.

Worked half an hour on thirty-fourth layer.

Actually it's "Hungry Ghosts Month" or "Hungry Ghosts' Month", the plural referring to the hungry ghosts.

If you say "Hungry Ghost Month" the adjective "Ghost" qualifies the noun "Month", thus referring to a "Ghost Month". A "ghost month" means that the month does not exist. Neither do the days within it.

Worked an hour on thirty-third layer.

Your e-mail message:

"Sir Perez,

"Greetings from _______, Im not sure kung ginagamit pa po ninyo ang account na ito but still I would like to try and ask for help. By the way I'm ________________, 26.

"Kinukulam po ako ng workmate ko and I would like to ask for prayers that could help cause I dont want to resort on something that will hurt us both.

"Ganito po kasi ang yoon, I'm working as a _________________ support sa isang ____ and eversince nag covid e nahati po kami between work-from-home and in-center. Isa po ako sa mga in centers and that time naging support. Mayroon po kaming mga bagong ahente na pumasok at dahil kulang sa manpower ay ginawa nila akong support sa mga baguhan. 

"Yung ahente pong tinutukoy ko ay isang _________ taga __________ around mid 30s. May TV po kami sa office at dahil sa pagod e naisipan kong umupo muna at manuod. Lumapit sya at nakinuod, out of nowhere tinanong nya ako

"'May kilala ka bang mangtatawas?' naguluhan naman po ako kung bakit ako ang pinagtanungan nya

"'Wala ate, e bakit? dati oo may kilalang mangtatawas dito sa _______ na kaibigan ng lolo ko pero hindi ko alam kung buhay pa' sagot ko.

"'Kasi may kakayahan ako na hindi ko maipaliwanag' sabi niya. 'Kada nagagalit ako may nagkakasakit katulad ng anak ko nakagalitan kung noong minsan e nagkalagnat' 

"'Ay, hindi ko alam yan ate e sensya' sagot ko naman

"'Ok lang' sabi niya.

"Simula po noon lagi na ako nakakaramdam na may nakatingin sa akin tapos hinahanap niya po ako sa mga workmates ko. Hangang isang araw po ay natutulog po ako't nakayakap sa aking kasintahan ng bigla po akong bangungutin, yung sleep paralysis po. Ang nangyari noon e ramdam kong nakayakap pa din ako sa kanya ng nakita kong nagbukas yung pinto, hindi ko magalaw yung ulo ko kaya nakita ko lang na may babaeng pumasok. Maya maya po ay dumilim na tapos nagfreak out na ako, hindi ko maigalaw buong pangalan ko sinisigaw ko pangalan ng kasintahan ko pero hindi nya naririnig, nagdasal ako pero hindi gumana hangang nakita kong may babae sa paanan namin so mas nilakasan ko pa ang dasal, biglang na lang lumapit yung mukha saakin tapos mukha ng katrabahuan ko. Ang sabi ko ' Hindi ka namin kailangan, umalis ka dito' after po nun na try ko ng pagalawin ang paa ko at nagising na po ako.

"Natakot po ako, mula po noon e medyo dumistansya na po ako sa kaniya. Dagdag pa po roon e mahilig po syang humawak, ewan ko kung bakit pero ayaw na ayaw ko siyang humahawak sa akin pag mag tatanong sya o may sasabihin hahawakan nya ako na ikinaiirita ko pero pag iba naman po gumawa e hindi naman. Meron pa yung hinila niya bigla yung hoodie ko na ikinasakal ko e may ginagawa po ako't nakatalikod sa kanya. Pag humahawak po ako e humahawak ako ibang tao o ibang bagay parang may something po kasi ang bawat hawak niya saakin. Bukod po doon ay pagnakatingin sya sa akin e meron po sya mga hand signals na hindi ko maintindihan, mga hand gestures na kinayayamot ko pag nakikita ko, parang shine-shake nya lang naman kamay nya pero naiirita ako.

"Ngayon naman po ay nagtatanong na sya ng mga personal na bagay. Ang mali ko po ay sinagot ko naman yung mga tanong niya. Hindi ko po kinakatakot na ako yung atakihin nya kung saka sakali pero yung pamilya ko po kung may kakayanan sya na gawin man yoon. Sana po ay matulungan niyo ako.

"Hindi naman po ako iritable sa mga kasama niya, sa katunanayan nga po e masaya ako sa kasama niya. Sa kanya lamang ako hindi maganda ang vibes. Simula po nang bangungutin ako e nanghihina na po ako at may minsang mga sakit sa ibat ibang parte ng katawan ko. Naitanong ko na din po ito sa kaibigan kong theology teacher at sabi niya naman na palakasin ang katawan magdasal at kung maari e ang unang buhos ng panligo ay may asin at sabihin na 'kung ano man ang masamang nilagay sa akin e agusin ng tubig na ito'. wala naman halos sumasakit sa at hindi na ako halos bigla biglang nanghihina. Ang kinatatakot ko lang po talaga ay ang pamilya ko.

"Maraming salamat po !!"

--------------------

"P.S. Ang sabi po nila ay gifted din ako. Nakakaramdam at nakakakita din naman po, pero ang pinaka masasabi kong hindi natural e yung mga panaginip ko na nagkakatotoo o future events pala. Ang sabi din po sa akin e dati akong warlock. Nung kabataan ko po ay ayaw na ayaw kong nagpupunta sa simbahan. Hindi ko po alam kung san ko nakuha o natutunan yung pag gamit ng pentagram, basta po ang naalala ko noon ang sabi ng lola ko e may kalaro akong duwende mga 3-5 y/o po ako noon at mga 7 ay ginamit ko na yoong pentagram, basta may kagalit ako o ayaw kong mangyari e gumagawa po ako ng pentagram gamit ang daliri ko. Itinigil ko po yoon nung highschool ako o college ng napansin ko na minamalas ako o ang pamilya everytime na ginagamit ko yoon. Nang nakilala ko po yung theology/ religion teacher na kaibigan ko ay mas marami po akong natutunan, naikuwento nya din po kayo. May ipanakilala din syang 'malakas' na gifted na nag train sa akin ng intuition. May mga bagay na pinahuhula po sya. Sana po ay matulungan nyo ako kahit mga dasal lang para madepensahan ko ang mga ganitong bagay. Maraming Salamat po uli!

My reply:

Hello _____!

That woman has an intense crush on you. To counteract it, whenever you are together, start telling her stories about women you like--women who are obviously very different from her. Criticize her hair, her face, the way she dresses. Whenever she touches you, take out a bottle of alcohol and wipe yourself; this is not rude, it is a normal thing during the pandemic. Irritate HER.

Finally, be a man who knows how to say no. It takes NO AMOUNT OF MAGIC to do so.

Do you want to live a normal life? Forget everything about being a former warlock, about gnomes, about magical spells, and simply live a normal, well-grounded life.

Back from the bank with Angelique. We paid her tuition for the first semester.

Bought two kilos fresh mango.

An early lunch alone; Angelique still resting upstairs, Aubrey still resting after her 7:00 AM electronic classes.

Good morning, Cubao!

White and yellow butterflies bring messages from the departed.

The moon is a thousand-petaled white lotus on the black lake of night.

Asked M. to bring some food over to his cafe staff.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

 Your Messenger message:

"magandang araw po, sir tony. pasensya na po kayo kung dito na po ako nagpadala ng aking mensahe. nais ko sana kayong makausap para sabihin sa inyo ang matagal ko nang pinagdadaanan tungkol sa mga entities na nagsasabing sila ay mga divine beings. matagal na po nila akong ginugulo, mahigit isang taon na po. sinasabi nila na sila ang tunay na diyos o ang arkanghel na si Michael. masalimuot na rin po ang ugnayan ko sa kanila. gusto ko pong maniwala na sila ang mga totoong divine source at beings kaya hindi ko matanggap ang mga pinaggagawa nila sa akin. pinayuhan na rin po ako ng asawa ko na makipag-usap sa isang pari pero natatkot po ako dahil sa bias at stigma kapag malaman niya kung bakit ako traumatized na sa kanila. hirap rin kasing i-reconcile ng asawa ko't mga kaibigang psychic ang aking pinagdadanan dahil sa kanilang pananampalataya. para sa kanila, bakit ako kakantutin o sasaktan ng isang divine being? hindi ko rin po alam kung ano ang kahihinatnan ang nais kong mangyari sa pagsangguni kong ito sa inyo. napakabigat na po kasi sa pakiramdam ang sinosolo ko ang ganitong problema. sana po ay matulungan nyo ako. maraming salamat po ."

My reply:

Hello ___________!

It seems to me that you are undergoing schizoid fugues, the kind that is brought about by prescribed medication. I suggest that you consult a psychologist of your own gender and avoid psychic friends for now. Do not go to a psychiatrist; she will only prescribe more medication that you will eventually be addicted to.

Not all spirits are "divine", and very few spirits will claim to be so. The spirits that tend to torment you are personifications of your Shadow. They are extensions of guilt feelings, anxiety, a sense of low self-worth, the need for attention, and, sometimes, a desire to shock other people.

Note that the spirits that annoy you are clearly distortions of images and stories from your psychic friends and from horror movies.

Worked half an hour on thirty-second layer.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked an hour on thirty-first layer.

Worked an hour on thirtieth layer.

Jerome and Lennoel moved Angelique's furniture back against her bedroom wall.

Finished rereading The Black Island last night. First appearance of Dr. Muller.

Lunch at home alone, then Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room; Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Ask for the protection of the sun by facing a pocket mirror to it for at least an hour and then keeping the mirror on you.

Good noon, Cubao!

Slept nine hours last night.

Good night, Cubao!

Even the gnomes have secret headquarters on the dark side of the moon.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Angelique painted her last bedroom wall all by herself today. Tomorrow we'll ask Jerome and Lennoel to move her heavy furniture back against the wall.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on twenty-ninth layer.

All throughout Hungry Ghosts Month you will see faces formed by shadows, cracks in walls, stains on the ceiling, shapes coming into being by the random juxtaposition of objects, even sudden appearances on the barks of trees. Sometimes the inexplicable will happen: a small puddle of water on the floor, pangs of hunger even after you've eaten a substantial meal, a whiff of unidentifiable cologne coming from nowhere, inanimate objects seemingly moving.

"Hungry Ghosts" express their hunger and their thirst in many ways. It doesn't cost much to light a candle in a safe, glass vessel and set food and drinking water in sealed containers at your gate, entrance, or front door for them when they pass by at night. Or offer prayers and flowers. These have nothing to do with religion. They are mere gestures of compassion, of extending care to others. The way you would to needy human beings.

Shang-Chi arrived, but I'm pretending that he's Ong Bak, who is more familiar to me. I placed him inside our dollhouse dojo with our three other Bruce lee action figures.

Google Chrome forever!

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Sent some money to my son Chito.

It was Great-Gatsby-summer hot in Cubao again.

Worked half an hour on twenty-eighth layer.

Good morning, Cubao!

Discover the ethnic runes that stand for the name of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

The penumbra of the moon is the night's bright rainbow.

 Dinner at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey took their dinner earlier.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

It's incredible how many citizens are scrambling to retreat to their hometowns, as though Metro Manila were a place of homelessness, poverty, unemployment, hunger, poverty, disaster, and death.

Even when indoors, know how to merge with the rain.

Never neglect to upgrade your underwear. Believe it or not, it improves your sex appeal.

When in need of something and you happen to be alone, ask your spirit guides aloud to help you.

When you need to calm down, lower your blood pressure, clear your mind, or focus, light a candle on your altar, lie on a bed or couch, and silently pray the rosary.

Angelique and Jazz painted Angelique's bedroom walls a light mocha. The original wall color was lemon yellow. In the background is my painting titled Moribundos (The Artist's Granddaughters).

Worked an hour on twenty-seventh layer.

Worked half an hour on twenty-sixth layer.

Big breakfast, as in The Color Purple.

Finished rereading Land of Black Gold last night. First appearance of Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab and Prince Abdullah.

Also finished rereading Cigars of the Pharaoh. First appearance of Rastapopoulos, Allan, Senhor Oliveira da Figueira, Thompson and Thomson, the Maharaja of Gaipajama and his crown prince, and rajaijah poison.

I should arrange all our comic books in chronological order.

Day 3 of Hungry Ghosts Month.

Travel is CONTRAINDICATED on this day.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun has an army of golden-winged warriors.

Good night, Cubao!

House mice snuggle in matchbox beds under patchwork blankets.

Asked M. to bring some food over to his cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Worked half an hour on twenty-fifth layer.

Dinner at home alone; the grandchildren are taking their dinner upstairs.

Angelique and Jazz painted a second wall in Angelique's bedroom today.

A young, Japanese scholar arrives on the second day of Hungry Ghosts Month.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Paid our water bill and bought a few things.

Bought two packs fresh strawberries.

An early lunch alone; grandchildren still resting upstairs.

Must go jalan-jalan at the center to pay our water bill in a while.

Finished rereading Tintin and the Picaros last night.

Also finished rereading The Crab with the Golden Claws, in which TinTin and Captain Haddock meet for the very first time. Parts of this episode, with The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure, were merged in the Spielberg animation movie The Adventures of TinTin.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun always shines through lanterns, for all of his descendants are of fire.

Finished rereading The Calculus Affair last night. Loved it.

Rereading TinTin and the Picaros later in bed.

Good night, Cubao!

Alley cats organize illegal cockroach races on vacant back streets.

Worked half an hour on twenty-fourth layer.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Jazz.

Ordered two bacon sandwiches (a buy-one-take-one deal) from M.'s cafe for Aubrey's dinner.

Asked Jay to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin. 

Intermittent rainfall in Cubao.

Worked an hour on twenty-third layer.

Worked an hour on twenty-second layer.

Angelique and Jazz took their lunch in the dining room.

Lunch at home alone; grandchildren still resting upstairs.

Then Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room after her electronic classes.

Gnome children float peanut-shell boats on small billabongs.

 First day of Hungry Ghosts Month

Good morning, Cubao!

Slept nine hours last night.

Good night, Cubao!

Indigo fairies store exotic perfumes in crystal bottles.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Jazz; Aubrey ordered food from outside and is taking her dinner upstairs.

It was Aubrey's second day of class.

Angelique and Jazz painted one wall of Angelique's bedroom; two more walls to go. I let them go through the process of choosing their own paint color at the depot, buying paint, brushes, and a roller, and do the painting themselves. Angelique has also been buying stuff for her bedroom off her weekly allowance lately: a throw rug, bed linen, and incidental decor.

We have to let our children and grandchildren do their own rooms when they want to. It's the only way their personalities can shine through. And teaching them that doing a room is a lot of hard work.

Your Messenger message:

"Tony, may i ask you about a dream which had much impact on me? It was so 'alive' and it elicited from me what may be deep, unrecognised feelings for this person i know was a significant part of my past life.n

"Your posting it on your wall is alright with me. Here's my dream. It involves a 100% _______ man who was born and raised in the Philippines but who took his university studies abroad, including his Ph.D., with whom i exchanged letters daily for 10 years and who visited me and brought me gifts each time he came home to the Philippines. We would always talk of philosophy and music.

"One past life reader who knew nothing about him told me that he was my concubine in one of my past lives in China as an empress. I had a child by him whom i abandoned along with him.

" After he got married to someone at the end of our 10- year regular correspondence, we stopped communicating. I avoided him during socials and started to speak to him only last year.

"I have not been thinking of him at all. Neither am i intersted in having a boyfriend, so it surprised me to have enjoyed his advances in my dream. We were then in the building where he lived with his wife , but only in this dream.

"The good feeling from knowing he liked me enough to make me feel his longing made me happy. I awoke with the feeling of not caring if indeed it happened in real life but only for a few minutes. Then, back to reality.

"Why did i dream of him? Does he think of me until now? Even if we didnt have any romantic relationship, he made me feel special in many ways. It is possible that his having a family now could have caused in him a change of heart. But why did he appear so vividly in my dream?"

My reply:

Hello _______!

The karmic connection between you, so to speak, is still there--and will always be until both of you bring it to a good resolution. His wife was your child, whom you abandoned along with your male concubine, in your past life. Thus are the three of you brought together once again across time and space.

You dreamt of this man because he will always be a part of your life, at least in this lifetime. Your decision to live a life of solitude, contemplation, and enlightenment is noble, but you need to give closure to your past relationships; a "relationship", to me, does not imply any kind of sexual connotation.

In your present situation, one of the best possible acts is to include the man and his wife in your meditations, to give them the love you deprived them of, in your mind, and to pray that they, too, will seek and find spiritual bliss in their current lifetimes. I say that it is one of the best possible acts because it will not entail any confrontations or explanations about reincarnation and karma to people who may not understand or even believe in them.

Worked an hour on twenty-first layer.

Angelique and Jazz did major groceries at the center.

Three-hour, morning-through-afternoon nap.

A late lunch alone; Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Angelique and Jazz arrived from the center and are now taking a late lunch in the dining rom.

Afternoon drizzle in Cubao.

Finished rereading The Blue Lotus last night. A LONG TinTin saga. Didn't like the politico-military angle but I love all that picturesque art. Chang Chong-Chen makes his first appearance here. Herge had an actual friend Chang in real life, and, like TinTin and Chang, they became close friends forever.

Also finished rereading TinTin in the Land of the Soviets last night. A very early TinTin in black-and-white. The adventure was ridiculous and meant to be comedic, of course. I wonder, though, how my Russian friends would like this episode.

Worked two hours on twentieth layer.

Your Messenger message:

"Thank you pai. You really are the dream walker. Sakto everything. I am torn between the __________ tradition teachings and theology (which i found out is conservative and traditional) and magick. And indeed i have seeing my magickal rings lately in my condo asif they are calling my attention. And wands i guess needs to be recharged. I just can not wear any jewelry in my work due to contamination. Thano you pai. I miss you.

"Love u pai"

My reply:

You are most welcome. I suggest, if I may, that you take a two-week break from hospital work, stay home, and do nothing for a change. You've been at it since March and it's been six months--half a year--already.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning Sir Tony, Thank you for your guidance. I still remember the last dream I had with him. Nakita ko din po kung anu damit niya noon nagpakita siya sa dream ko in which ganun din po suot niya damit ng time na naaksidente siya. He wants to thanks all the people who prayed for him , and also he wants to convey the message to his mother that he forgave her and love her so much, tsaka ko na din nalaman na meron sila hindi pagkakaunawan ng mother nila noon nabubuhay pa siya. At parang gusto niya rin iparating na alagaan yung bahay na bago niyang bili sa probinsiya.

"this is his picture."

My reply:

Congratulations! You have just discovered the wonders of dream incubation. And, yes, I can see a strong psychic bond between your friend and you.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi pai. I need you r expert opinion. I just woke up from a dream. In my dream. We were hopping in between timelines and places. We have our wands with us. Different wands. We were fighting dark entities and sometimes hides from them. There was an instance that one of us were kidnapped through a portal. And when we followed he was serving as a puppet for a dark Lord. But weird that the entity that took him was supposed to be a good entity. The portals are located on specific areas around mundane objects. Mirrors. Gates. Walls. And when i was asking how to use it. I saw i have a diamond ring that would glow and reflect lights that will direct me where to go. A certainan even told me. You should always bring a wand. Even small one. Wherever you go. This is a time of battle. And you are unarmed. Weird also that in my dream one person told me that manila is in gcq that president duterte will get a credit line for the vaccine. And something about a baby that is to be born that matters highly to Russia and the Philippines. And I woke up tired. But still the word wands and ring echoes in my mind."

My reply:

Hello _________!

On a psychological level your dream reflects that you are currently torn between two value systems, as illustrated by "between times and places", "dark lord/good entity", "ring/wand", and "Russia/Philippines". The motif of yin/yang is like a shot thread through your narrative. This is normal especially during a time of crisis; many people have been having nightmares, night terrors, and anxiety dreams, if not insomnia. Such nocturnal occurrences are not a result of despair or depression but of the psyche's temporary inability to adjust to uncomfortable situations--and, therefore, to the psyche's activation of defense mechanisms.

On a psychic level, spirit guides and spirits in general have proactively been trying to assist people to cope by giving them signs and clues to survival and wellness. Hence the variety of portals, particularly on a day like today when the veil is lifted, on the eve of Hungry Ghosts Month. Magical wands and rings we do have, so we are not remiss in that section--all we have to do is re-energize them.

Your dream ends with "a baby that is to be born"--life--because we all need to be optimistic and hopeful at this period of darkness and death.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are comprised of translucent, helium balloons.

Your Messenger message:

"Good eve Sir Tony, gusto ko po magshare and need your opinion. I have a friend of mine who died because of vehicular accident last month. And days before he died his face suddenly pop up in my mind several times without any reasons at all. At sa araw po na yun, before mangyare yung accident, meron po ako vision, na meron ako kakilala na mamamatay due to vehicular accident. At nangyare nga po siya kinahapunan. After a month ng accident bigla po siya nag popop up ulit sa head ko po at least several times, at hindi na po ako mapakali and it seems he has something to tell. He even showed in my dream once. Need your guidance Sir Tony. Salamat po.."

My reply:

Hello _______________!

Yes, your friend wants to tell you something. Rather than go to a medium or a psychic, ask him aloud to tell you directly what it is. Before you go to sleep tonight, tell him that you would like to receive his message in a dream. Remember well what that dream is, record it, and send it to me. If you cannot remember any of your dreams in the morning, just go with the first dream you remember AFTER YOU READ THIS MESSAGE, no matter how many nights it takes.

When you send me your dream, send me also a photo of your friend.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnomes nibble on blue cheese while gazing at the moon.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Remember everyone who did not take your advice. Remember never to give them advice again.

Tony Perez's Art of War: It is not necessary to punish one's enemies, because they will always punish themselves.

It is not always necessary to prove that you are right. All you have to do is be right.

It is not the reading of new books but the rereading of old ones--like the frequent enjoyment of one's favorite dishes--that fuels one's originality.

Everyone should have the common sense to know whether they have the talent for something or not.

If one does not have talent, however, he can keep trying out of sheer passion, and many have not only succeded that way--they have also managed to surpass those who do have talent.

Sometimes the choice is between two evils.

Have a toy castle in your bedroom and let it represent the castle within you.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Retain only friends who value your mind more than they value your status, your finances, or your physical beauty.

Worked an hour on nineteenth layer.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery. Bought a sliced loaf of white bread and two boxes of ice cream (banana with Graham cracker bits and chocolate chips, and a Double Dutch-Cookies 'n' Cream combo).

Finished rereading Flight 714 and The Shooting Star last night, both the closest Herge ever got to suggesting the existence of extraterrestrial life.

 Worked an hour on eighteenth layer.

I've mentioned before that  the computer is the workplace and the classroom of the future.

If we carry on like this, every office and school complex will eventually be reduced to one admin building. The rest of their space will have to be converted to hospitals and housing for the poor.

Lunch at home alone, then Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room; Aubrey still resting upstairs.

It's Aubrey's first day of class for the first semester of this school year.

Good noon, Cubao!

The sun's flares are the planetary system's fireworks.

Good night, Cubao!

Elfin water-bearers gather healing dewdrops in crystal flasks.

Asked Lennoel to bring some food over to M.'s cafe.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to ed with TinTin.

Ordered a combo sandwich (bacon, ham, egg mayo, veggies) from M.'s cafe for a bedtime snack later. It costs only 99 PHP, or 2.03 USD.

Worked an hour on seventeenth layer.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked an hour on sixteenth layer.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Had to buy a bulb for my bedside reading lamp. First, the kitchen ceiling, now my bedside reading lamp.

When our light bulbs conk out in a series, it means that my spirit guides are about to show me something important--whether in the waking state or in a dream.

Lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Good noon, Cubao!

Sprites ascend to the bright playground of the sky.

Good night, Cubao!

Comic book illustrators work feverishly under the influence of the moon.

Worked half an hour on fifteenth layer.

Dinner at home with Angelique; Aubrey is taking her dinner upstairs.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Worked an hour on fourteenth layer.

A very late lunch with Angelique.

One-hour, noon nap.

Worked an hour on thirteenth layer.

Aubrey came down to a late lunch in the dining room.

 Worked an hour on twelfth layer.

Your Messenger message:

"Sir, usually po parang nirereject ko siya or di ko po nagagamit ng tama. when i was young po kasi and naiwan ako mag-isa sa bahay, meron pong sumigaw sa tenga ko. tapos kapag po natutulog ako, mas sensitive po yung hearing ko ng kung anu ano kaya po nagcocover ako or madalas on one side lang yung ear ko then covered ng isang unan pa yung kabila. hindi na po komportable pag di covered every night. minsan finoform ko as circle yung arms ko overhead para mukhang block lang. imbalance po kaya yun?

"https://www.facebook.com/100002302090886/posts/3216540821765956/"

My reply:

Hello ________!

First of all, you need to understand that all psychic senses (clairvoyance, clairaudience, sentience, intuition, psychic taste, and psychic smell) need to be accessed and used WITHOUT FEAR. Otherwise your defense mechanisms will act up, get in the way, and even make you believe that you are surrounded with evil. Psychic senses are best enjoyed IN A STATE OF VULNERABILITY--the same state a writer is in when authoring a novel or an artist is in when making a painting.

Use psychic hearing proactively and not passively. Explore every sound in the house, in your room. Listen to faraway conversations. Then travel through the neighborhood in your mind and cast your hearing net wider.

Worked an hour on eleventh layer.

Finished rereading The Red Sea Sharks, The Seven Crystal Balls, Prisoners of the Sun, and TinTin in America last night.

Good morning, Cubao!

Cicadas rejoice and sing in sunshine and in rain.

Good night, Cubao!

Wherever there are toadstools, there are gnome communities.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Worked half an hour on tenth layer.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Finished rereading The Castafiore Emerald last night. Love the art in this one. Rereading The Red Sea Sharks in bed tonight.

 Worked an hour on ninth layer.

Worked an hour on eighth layer.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning again Sir Tony. My dad passed away earlier this year and because of his illness he was no longer able to speak or write...although we were able to say our goodbyes while he was awake, we never got to hear his instructions or wishes.

"My mother has decided to give me his phones to use. He always used these. My mom decided to let me have them to use, but doing so would delete all his data and photos. I am secretly hoping that he left notes for us etc, but she says that if he wanted us to see those he would have left instructions.

"I'm sorry if this is rambling, but what should I do? Do I find ways to open it or do I just wipe everything clean?"

My reply:

Hello _____________!

Open his phones. At the very least you will gain a deeper understanding of your father, his loves and his hates, his dreams, and his faults.

The best business of all is one that has no need for marketing, all the way from our neighborhood bakery to toothpaste brands that do not advertise to artists whose works are so in demand that all they need to do is stay home and continue painting.

Lunch at home alone, then Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

If a man truly loves his job, he is already in heaven.

Good afternoon, Cubao!

Sunlight pierces the darkest thickets of garden foliage.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnomes love roaming through toy villages.

Dinner at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey are fixing their own dinner and taking it later.

Asked M. to bring some food or to his cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Jerome and Lennoel adjusted the vise grips on my diptych.

Worked an hour on seventh layer.

Three-hour, deep tissue massage.

My masseur pushed all of the rainy days out of my body.

Finished rereading Red Rackham's Treasure last night (more exciting than The Secret of the Unicorn, but what happened to the Bird thug?), and started rereading The Castafiore Emerald.

Lunch at home alone, then Angelique came down to take her lunch in the dining room; Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Six of Angelique's law textbooks arrived today.

A brief, heat rainfall.

Good afternoon, Cubao!

The sun transforms every bottle of cranberry juice to liquid alexandrite.

Good night, Cubao!

Look for the enchanted castle made of seashells.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Finished rereading The Secret of the Unicorn last night. Steven Spielberg's animation production, which tried to put too much in one movie, was such a far cry from it, but I enjoyed both.'

Rereading Red Rackham's Treasure in bed tonight. I identify with Captain Archibald Haddock, even if I don't have a TinTin.

It is exactly a week to the first day of Hungry Ghosts Month.

Never forget that Philippine magic was originally developed and wielded by rebels,. As such it is essentially aggressive and offensive.

 September will be a month of theft. Take care of your money and your possessions.

Focus on your digestive system.

Retirement is a form of heaven on earth because it is a state of not having to go to work.

Do not underestimate or take for granted psychic hearing. It is one of the most useful senses.

You can place as many principal figures representing yourself as you like in your dollhouse.

When light travels through a dust mote, the dust mote takes on all the visual qualities of an orb.

Like light, sound can travel to the most unlikely places.

It seems that some people subconsciously gravitate toward suffering rather than away from it. Unfortunately they take their children along with them.

Worked an hour on sixth layer.

Been unFriending inactive Friends left and right, and hoping that the new ones I've been taking in are somehow more appreciative of being in my Friends List.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Bought a ceiling bulb for our kitchen and four C-clamp vise grips to hold my diptych together.

It was Great-Gatsby-summer hot again.

Lunch at home alone, then Angelique came down to have lunch in the dining room; Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Must go to the hardware store later.

Good afternoon, Cubao!

The sky is a slice of white bread slathered with golden butter.

You were the worst CAO I ever knew, and it is my great pleasure to know that you are now an absolute nobody and will remain so through the end of your life.

Ang Huli Sa Balita

Kumilos kang maagap sa simula pa lang ng lockdown. Pumakyaw ka ng mga de-lata at gamit. Saka kayo nagkulong sa bahay: ikaw, ang asawa mo, at ang dalawa n'yong anak. Wala kayong pinahintulot na pumasok. Di kayo nagbukas ng pinto sa lahat ng kumatok. Umakyat at lumubog ang araw. Kumain kayong mabuti. Parang bakasyon, ang sabi mo. Ang sabi mo pa, ka'wa'wa naman ang mahihirap. Nawalan ng hanapbuhay, naghihingalo sa gutom, nagpapalimos sa mga daan.

Wala kayong ginawa kundi matulog, magluto, kumain, maglinis ng bahay, manood ng balita sa telebisyon. Kampante ka pagkat di kayo puputulan ng kuryente, ng tubig, ng telepono. Nang dumating ang ulan, natuwa ka dahil parang di man lang nababawasan ang mga de-lata at gamit na inimbak mo, lalo na ang paboritong pagkain ng mga anak mo.

Naging problema n'yo lang ang masama at nakasusulasok na amoy na parang nagmumula sa ibabaw ng mga kisame. Malamang, ang sabi mo, may mga pusa at daga na tumakas sa ragasa ng tubig sa mga kanal at umakyat at naipit doon. Doon kayo naglatag ng mga kutson sa sala at tabi-tabi kayong natulog. Ang di n'yo alam, bago pa man dumating ang ulan, pumasok ang pandemya na parang akyat-bahay sa tahanan n'yo, at isa-isa kayong ninakawan ng buhay.

Patay na kayo. Matagal na kayong patay. Pumasok kayo ngayundin sa mga silid-tulugan n'yo at pagmasdan n'yo ang nabubulok n'yong mga bangkay.

Good night, Cubao!

Count your saved money when you are alone in your room and the moon has risen.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with TinTin.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on fifth layer.

Finished rereading Across the Nightingale Floor in bed. Decided to keep it, though it's only the first volume of a trilogy. Hopefully the other two volumes will come my way some time in the future.

Retrieved five favorite TinTin comic books, The Secret of the Unicorn, Red Rackham's Treasure, The Blue Lotus, and The Castafiore Emerald, to start rereading in bed later.

Went with Aubrey to the neighborhood grocery. We did major groceries.

Worked an hour on fourth layer.

Worked an hour on third layer.

A very early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun smiles at you through your computer screen.

Good night, Cubao!

Dollhouses should always be located where moonlight can easily fall on them through windows.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Takeo.

Worked half an hour on second layer.

Rich men who fall ill will give you the urgent message that wealth is nothing if one is not in good health. But, as for myself, I would rather get sick rich than get sick poor.

Never let it be that the road not taken was the road to lucre.

My greatest loves are my children and my grandchildren, and nothing can ever change that.

What are the luxuries you continue to enjoy while on lockdown?

"Each wood has its own sound. Every house has its own song."

--Shiro in Lian Hearn's Across the Nightingale Floor

"Don't you know the man whose life you spared will always hate you?"

--Kenji in Lian Hearn's Across the Nightingale Floor

"The less people think of you, the more they will reveal to you or in your presence."

--Takeo in Lian Hearn's Across the Nightingale Floor

Tony Perez's Art of War: Do not extend help to those who did not extend help to you in the past. Consider yourself an agent of their karma.

 Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room.

Worked an hour on first layer.

The sun came out.

Lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

The clouds are chrome plated shopping carts in the gigantic supermarket of sky.

Good morning, Cubao!

Wet night, wet day. Weather for ducks.

The rain falls steadily but gently, treading on our rooftops like ox carts crossing a bridge.

Still one of my favorite videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGn1T8KuCa0

Good night, Cubao!

Partake of mooncakes not only during the Moon Festival but every month when the moon is full.

Asked Jerome to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

Chilly night in Cubao.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then off to bed with Takeo.

How my office looked like in the mid-1990s. Believe it or not, this photo was taken by Cecile Brainard, whom I programmed to give a lecture.

                 

With three-year-old Angelique on Kennon Road, after a workshop at Saint Louis University. One of the vehicles in our convoy broke down, and we stepped onto the edge of the ravine to have photos taken. 

                    

 Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

My former college classmate Boy Martin, who works as a volunteer at Bulacan National High School, sent me this class photo of my father, who graduated as a top student in 1932. He is the young man on Extreme Left of Front Row. (Yes, I used a magnifying lens.)

 Bought a sack of corn chips and red wine vinegar dip from M.'s cafe.

Happy Birthday, Tina Golden Firelion!

Your birthday messages:

1) True joy comes from the younger, not the older.

2) Sweep aside all petty troubles and focus on improving your life. 

3) Do not expect big gifts from small people.

4) Wise action is more essential than the passive collection of knowledge.

5) Your health should be more important than your love life.