Asked M. and Nino to flip the canvas on the easel.

Continued painting cradle sides black.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

December 1, 2021: Started decorating for Christmas. The gingerbread houses are now in the small loggia and the side porch writing area.

Good morning, Cubao!

Fairy children strand jasmine blossoms into necklaces and medallions in the afternoon.

Good night, Cubao!

Lie on the enchanted raft and float on the sea of dreams.

One Message To One Of 220 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Never allow yourself to be seduced by anyone or anything. Seduction always leads to unnecessary excursions that lead you away from your life's true objectives.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Finished watching all 12 episodes of Korea's Nightmare High on Netflix. It's a series of different short stories about the students of a high school class, specifically Class 3 of Grade 11 at Yosan Private High School, led by a mysterious, substitute homeroom teacher. The episodes are indeed short; each one lasting only approximately 18 - 20 minutes, but are no less creepy than full-length features. All of the characters belong to the same class: A bullied girl who desires to reverse her social situation and uses a magic diagram to control relationships. A school fighter whose objective is to win over the strongest boys using a magical stamp on his wrist. A creative writer who is a congenital liar with a romantic fantasy and receives a journal that makes everything she writes become reality. A cheater who excels on tests because of a canned soda that improves memory. An insecure girl obsessed with youth, physical beauty, attractiveness, and appeal who discovers a phone App that makes her gorgeous. Everything of course, with twists and hitches a la O. Henry, and all of it observed by two other students in the class--the class president/school newspaper reporter and her photographer boyfriend, who both notice that their classmates are disappearing and that there are more empty seats than usual inside the classroom, and who spy on the substitute homeroom teacher.

It's 12 steps into the Korean Twilight Zone. However, I would have done away with that superfluous metronome.

Jazz arrived. 

Staggered dinnertimes.

Took a very early lunch.

Continued painting cradle sides black.

So glad I cut down my List to only 220 Friends. It was too, too depressing to see how badly other people were doing.

Good morning, Cubao!

Fairy couriers vend gemstones in velvet-covered, flat baskets.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnome children frolic under night rain.

One Message To One Of 220 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: Never force your body to do what it does not feel like doing, for it has a mind of its own.

Asked Brian 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has online classes through 9:30 PM.

Drizzly afternoon in Cubao.

Asked M. to buy me a tube of paint at the center.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage.

Angelique and Aubrey are taking an early lunch today.

Good morning, Cubao!

High noon is always a time of powerful magic.

Watched Korea's Burning (2:27:53) on Netflix. This movie won several awards and was nominated as Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards the year before Parasite.

There is something non-Asian for me about the way this movie was directed, and not because it was partially based on Wiliam Faulkner's "Barn Burning". Its cinematic storytelling and its darkness remind me of how Luis Bunuel handled his Belle de Jour. The narrative is deliberately slow but smooth, as though it is being told by a friend who is sitting close beside you. All this with minimal set-ups--most of the shots are from handheld cameras--and apparently lighted mostly only by daylight, the sun, and even the evening sky. The atmospheric sounds are also great--they are haunting, containing faraway voices and sounds that make you feel that other stories are occurring simultaneously elsewhere. 

Though the movie claims to be about the isolation that the younger generation of Korea feels, it is also about the corruption of innocence, shot tenderly among three characters. It was extremely fascinating to me as a playwright: it seems that the director/writer checked out all the locations and settings first before putting together a story.

I'm still wondering how many sunsets it took to shoot that scene on the front porch of the farmhouse.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon is a ball of white howlite with light-gray streaks.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: The simplest things need the most frequent cleaning and maintenance. Always be mindful of your chores.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Nino cooked crispy pata for us for dinner, and I ordered a bowl of chef's salad with ham and vinaigrette dressing from M.'s cafe.

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.

Traditionalists do not fear hell.

They fear change.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Started painting cradle sides black.

Still a wet day in Cubao. Perfect for warm-white lamps, scented candles, and oil burners.

Ironically, when you bash candidates too much, atchays will rally to their cause out of sheer compassion.

It's called kindness.

Weather for ducks in Cubao. Truly a gray, November day.

Good morning, Cubao!

Gnomes hang their laundry on the highest branches of trees.

Finished watching all 16 episodes of Korea's The Uncanny Counter, about a group of hunters of evil spirits who work in a noodle shop. The situations remind me of the Spirit Questors when they are at M.'s cafe. The template is misleadingly Ghostbusters with Asian characters, but quite enjoyable. Also gives the viewer an idea of how spirit guides work. 

Episode 8 shows a very interesting memorial ceremony for the deceased in one's family.

A good screening. Perhaps too many unresolved fight scenes until Episode 16, but be prepared to take an emotional roller coaster ride all throughout the series.

Good night, Cubao!!

Twilight is the secret seam between day and night.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Do not make your daily routine artificially complex if only to impress others. Streamline it. Only then will personal progress happen.

Staggered dinnertimes; Aubrey is out with friends.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

You will meet him, reincarnated and young, and you will recognize him.

Asked M. and Nino to move the Pauline Letters easel to the center of the studio area, in preparation for my painting the cradle sides black.

When you say, "When I die, I want to be with my loved ones again," also say, "but only if they also want to be with me again."

Borrowed Nino from the cafe to tenderize meat in our kitchen.

If you want your candidate to win, stop campaigning among yourselves.

Campaign among atchays, because the candidate who wins is the candidate the atchays are already voting for.

Good morning, Cubao!

House mice fashion planters out of peanut shells.

Good night, Cubao!

It is auspicious to have a picture of the moon inside your bedroom.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: They who left you in the past will want to come back. Do not take them in because, if you do, things will never be the same again anyway.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Placed the Netflix movie I'm currently watching on pause and ordered a tapsilog from M.'s cafe, because the characters were having a Korean meal with a plate of fried eggs.

Vernissage: _The Pauline Letters_

Good morning, Cubao!

Gnomes gardeners grow mushroom patches in the shade.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnome taverns light up at 6:00 PM.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Build only on a solid foundation.

Angelique came down to dinner in the dining ro0om. Aubrey and I sat with her.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand and bought himself a bedtime snack for later.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has online classes through 9:30 PM.

When in doubt, desist.

Reflection is possible even in the midst of chaos and distractions.

Give your children their own bedrooms so that they can learn to live lives of their own.

They who sit up front will always be perceived as the information counter and the reception desk.

The wind brings you fallen leaves like note slips from your guiding tree.

Watch the squid mage in politics: when one drops out, the rest pretend to sympathize.

If you cannot build an actual folly on your premises, make a miniature, tabletop one.

Now that he sees the writing on the wall, he will try his best to make a good impression on everyone.

The queen will come home without the crown.

All of the elements are present in your house: water in your plumbing, fire in your wiring, earth in your floors, walls, and ceiling, and air in the atmosphere that comes in through your doors and windows.

Always remain in the center.

If a person denies you once, never go to him again. If it so happens that he comes to you, make sure that you deny him.

A forefront is not complete without able fighters.

Reasoning and facts are two different things.

But blind obedience and submission can be the same thing.

After you retire, it will always be a great joy to see others working.

Treat people as VIPs only if they also treat you like a VIP. Otherwise let them fend for themselves.

A long nap is a good mental, emotional, and physical reset.

Sleep is a blessing shared by the rich and the poor alike.

They in the middle can be the happiest of all.

Value trees with black bark, for powerful elementals live within them.

Mulched the ground-floor plants.

M. and Nino visited the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens.

3:39 PM. Done writing for the day, and ready to varnish a painting tomorrow.

Replenished our soda supply..

Took an early lunch alone; must do some more writing at the side porch writing desk.

Good morning, Cubao!

On Thursdays the sky is a pastel shade of blue-green.

Good night, Cubao!

A teddy bear sentinel stands at the entrance to the gnomes' candy store.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Never be too quick to make friends of mere acquaintances. Acquaintances are like distant relatives. You never know what their true motives are.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

It is time to look down on everyone who used to look down on you.

The mind is like a water faucet. All you have to do is turn it on to make the ideas flow.

You need not say, "Let there be light," for all you need to do is flip the switch.

Nature evolves and human beings evolve. So does God, for we were made in His image and likeness.

Nests of red ants in trees provide food for birds.

Most face shields may look flimsy, but they are not necessarily to be disposed. They can always be washed and reused.

Despair is an open path to crime.

The sounds of construction are the sounds of thunder on earth.

Why do the middle-class eat ham only in December? Can they not afford it the whole year round?

The only time I will believe that a religion is the one, true religion is when all the other religions declare that they are not the one, true religion.

Bought 1.7 kilos fresh pata from the meat vendor who services the compound. I'll ask Brian to cook it over the weekend.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery to do minor groceries. So relaxing to do when one has fulfilled all other obligations for the day.

Finished up with a lot of work at the side porch writing desk, but will have to work on something else tomorrow.

In the meantime it's time to begin watching another Netflix movie.

If you are only a writer or if you are only a painter, the world will see only one dimension of you.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

Elderly gnomes recline on the gnarled roots of banyan trees.

Despite all arguments to the contrary, cash remains the most appreciated holiday gift.

Must continue writing on the side porch through Thursday, and, if I'm lucky, can varnish one of the paintings Friday.

Watched all ten episodes of Japan's Crisis: Special Security Squad on Netflix, a compendium of high-level cases assigned to an NCIS-type team, including the token female character who plays a computer wizard. For some reason all of the four men looked to me like Kabukiza actors, the bomb expert playing female roles, but, of course, that's just me.

I thought that this movie was terribly disjointed until, in Episode 3, I realized that each episode was a separate case with its own beginning and ending. As such, the viewer gets ten stories, though not all have happy endings. The episodes show not only how ruthless perpetrators are but also how corrupt and dishonest the government is, and how the disillusionment of the youth can lead to terrorism. A must-watch for all who are pro- and anti-government.

Noted one continuity glitch in Episode 10. A wound on the female computer wizard's neck mysteriously is healed in a few succeeding sequences and then, in a following sequence, her neck is bandaged, almost as an afterthought. 

Good night, Cubao!

Gnome mothers spin yarn in their candlelit chambers.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: Your holidays begin not on specific and predetermined dates but whenever you are ready for them to begin.

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

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day as come again: an evening shower, and then snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Watered the ground-floor plants this evening. Nino watered the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony plants.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand and bought himself a bedtime snack for later.

A model was available this afternoon, and so I took photo references of him for my next painting, this one of Saint Peter. It will be the companion piece to The Pauline Letters but so unlike other paintings of Saint Peter that you've ever seen.

Done writing at the side porch desk.

Time to rest.

Took a very early lunch alone.

Must go back to the side porch writing desk.

Good morning, Cubao!

Gnome spas open in the rainy season.

When you retire, finally blossom into the beautiful person you would have been had you not been compelled to undergo a life of employment.

Good night, Cubao!

Fairy princes present gifts of multicolored sapphires to humans they love.

One Message To One Of 219 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Value your health above everything else, for life has most meaning only to those in good health.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Other people's perception can be very amusing,. We have no antiques on our side porches, but when people pass by they usually exclaim, "Ang daming antique!"

Took an early lunch alone. Must do more work at the side porch writing desk the entire afternoon.

Good morning, Cubao!

Gnome caravans travel through grassy, empty lots.

Watching another 16-episode movie on Netflix, this one from Japan.

Your Messenger message:

"Good evening, Sir Tony. It has been a long time since I have written to you. Thank you for the constant guidance through your posts and writings. You have been truly a gift to my life.

"This message has nothing to do with my dreams. I just happen to enjoy taking pictures of the moon, every now and then, especially when it is full moon. Something fell from our mango tree while I am at it, tonight. As I zoomed in to the taken photo, I saw a clear image with an S below it. I said hi back, thinking maybe it just wanted to say hello. I wonder what it was. "P.S. I haven't had much precognitive dreams in a long while, no supernatural encounters either. I am merely living in the present just enjoying what I can and being grateful that I am given the chance to live and spend time with my family. "I just came to say hello and to say thank you for changing how I view myself and the world. It has never been the same since then. God bless you and your family always. ❤"

My reply:

Hello _______!

Both photos are beautiful. The object in the second photo looks like the sculpted head of a Gray. I hope you kept it; it looks very interesting and may be of help to you someday.

Thank you for your kind words. I am always glad to be of assistance to others.

M. fried more slices of ham for us.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz.

Evening meeting with liaison officer from the Filipino Language Commission at M.'s cafe. Approved the second cover study because it was the most intriguing.

Looked up from the side porch writing desk at 4:35 PM and wondered where my day went.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Now back to the side porch writing desk.

Took an early lunch alone.

Planning to do more writing at the side porch desk this afternoon.

Walked to the Araneta Center Christmas Bazaar and bought lunch for all of us.

A death in their family will throw a candidate into an inconsolable depression.

A good death is in comfort, in peace, and in the embrace of your loved ones.

Good morning, Cubao!

Gnome artisans create sundials on tin rooftops.

Watched Japan's The Fable (2:03:39) on Netflix, about a hit man trained since he was little. Adapted from an animation feature. A good screening without annoying, multiple episodes, but falls too much within the usual formula of Netflix gangster/action movies, so that everything is predictable, and even ends with the usual, climactic showdown in which too many people get killed.

Good night, Cubao!

The dragon tree hosts midnight banquets even in the rainy season.

One Message To One Of 218 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Resist the temptation to splurge over the holidays. Set aside money only for essentials.

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

Asked Brian 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Christ was born in a manger not because Joseph and Mary were poor but because there were no available accommodations.

Amazing that the magi didn't move them to a better place, what with their connections.

 The person with a scrupulous mind never goes to heaven, for he is already in a hell of his own making.

Our bodies have repetitious illness patterns. Know what yours are.

Aim as though you have accurate aim, not only with your eyes but with your entire body, and you will hardly miss.

It is the bipolar person who ultimately heals himself, not with medication but with a major change in attitude and worldview.

The spirits of the dead do not haunt you. It is your memories of them and their previous incarnation that do.

Learn how to enjoy house chores, because they keep you very well-grounded.

Unbeknownst to you, they also keep you very much alive.

If you have vitamin deficiency, won't multivitamins level up everything as it already is and leave you with the same vitamin deficiency?

Jazz arrived.

M. went to the center to pay our water bill.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Still waiting for the paint to dry. Will just do some writing at the side porch desk today, then attend to house chores later in the afternoon.

Good morning, Cubao!

Garden birds build their nests in the branches of ficus trees.

Finished watching all eight episodes of Korea's My Name, because my granddaughters urged me to. I can see how they liked it. It's about how a young woman with a strong will can survive in a world dominated by men, and how such women can take down men in a fight at any time. A suspenseful and exciting action movie.

Good night, Cubao!

Jasmine is the fragrant flower of the night.

One Message To One Of 218 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Know who your truest friends are, for there are but a handful of them.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey. 

M. cooked golden-brown french fries for the granddaughters in  the kitchen.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery. Bought a loaf of sliced, white bread, a pack of french fries, and kitchen sponges. Passed by D.'s store and bought a ream of ziggurats.

When I am watching a Korean movie and the characters are having a big meal, I have to put everything on pause, go to the kitchen, and have a snack, usually a chef's salad from M.'s cafe with chunks of ham and red wine vinaigrette that I add slices of kimchi to. Minus the soju. 

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

As it turned out, The Oil Paint Store in Ali Mall ran out of linseed oil. They also didn't have any in their other branches. Peter and Christine Bellen Ang very kindly sent me two bottles all the way from Baguio City. Plus an unexpected box of pastries!

The military will vote for the military.

Took an early lunch at home alone.

Good morning, Cubao!

The Sky Serpent slithers round the globe once again.

Good night, Cubao!

On Thursdays the night is a deep viridian.

One Message To One Of 217 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name:  Keep ahead of your obligations. Do not slip into laziness and irresponsibility.

M. fried sliced ham for the granddaughters.

Angelique and Aubrey took their dinner after Angelique's online class.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has online classes through 8:30 PM.

One-hour, early afternoon nap.

Washed 27 brushes and three palette knives.

Will wait for both paintings to dry before varnishing, after which I need to purchase a new canvas.

Took an early lunch alone.

At least three companies rent corporate units in my nephew's tenement housing, on our compound. One of them is the electric company in Romblon. Two weeks ago they moved one of their linemen to the unit. He suffered electrocution on duty; as a result his right arm had to be amputated from below the elbow, and his left leg is completely bandaged. He hobbles on a walking stick while taking daily walks round the compound. When I first saw him I thought he figured in a bad, vehicular accident or some kind of ambush, and I was hesitant to converse with him and listen to his story.

He still looks dazed, but I hope he is grateful to be alive.

There must be a glut of two-toned men's leotards in the Sitio Catacutan Market. I've seen at least three young men wearing them; the left leg is a different color from the right leg. I wouldn't wear those myself, of course, but I cannot help but think that the young men stepped out of a medieval painting.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun takes lemon coolers with his afternoon tea.

Good night Cubao!

Gnome cobblers craft their shoes out of vegetable fiber.

One Message To One Of 217 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: The flu season is on. Always protect your head from the rain and from cold air.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie. 

_Portrait of Cecilia Brainard (After John Singer Sargent's _Portrait of Lady Agnes of Lochnaw_)_

Portrait of Cecilia Brainatd (After John Singer Sargent's Portrait of Lady Agnes of Lochnaw_)

Oil on canvas

82" x 46"
April 24 -30, October 18, and November 17, 2021

Worked half an hour on fifty-second glaze.

Worked half an hour on fifty-first glaze.

Angelique went to the neighborhood tea house to buy milk tea for Aubrey and herself.

Asked M. to buy a jug of refined linseed oil and a can of turpentine for me.

Angelique and Aubrey took their lunch in the dining room.

Worked on fiftieth glaze on Cecilia's portrait.

Staggered lunchtimes; Aubrey is doing a personal errand at the center.

Good morning, Cubao!

When upset or in doldrums, stay away from the sun, for it amplifies emotions.

Finished watching all 16 episodes of Korea's Beyond Evil, a police thriller. One actor in this movie is from Awaken, another from Squid Game. Two cops, a veteran and a newbie, revive cold-case murders and search for a serial killer at large. In the meantime newly-surfaced murders are discovered. Everyone in the small town has reason to suspect one another. Yet another movie that addresses the darkness within men, as complex as a piano piece by Rachmaninoff. The viewer has to be at least 30 years old to appreciate the characters, their motives, and their interrelationships; young audiences will find them perplexing, if not boring. Great ensemble acting, and a satisfying ending.

Quite a few Korean movies involve a senior protagonist and a junior protagonist working together or in conflict with each other. To me this is a reflection that South Korea is in the midst of changing its values, perhaps because of its successful exposure to the outside world. I believe that two big factors in the worldwide success of Korean movies is that 1) their performers are appealing not because they are beautiful but because they have extremely expressive faces, and 2) they have highly intelligent subtitle writers/translators with a good knowledge of Western idioms and the intention of making everything clear to English-speaking viewers. They add subtitles even when the characters are saying nothing!  

Incidentally, that was an interesting whiskey glass in Episode 5. I want a set of six!

 

Good night Cubao!

A fairy king and queen rule in every neighborhood.

You with two syllables in your name:  Remember that your mask protects you not only from the virus but also from dust allergy.

One Message To One Of 217 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name:  Remember that your mask protects you not only from the virus but also from dust allergy.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Fabric and paper masks protect other people from YOU. Face shields protect you from OTHER PEOPLE; that is why they cover your eyes as well as your nose and your mouth.

Angelique and Aubrey took their lunch in the dining room. 

Now back from jalan-jalan at the center. Bought a pack of crab sticks from the Chinese grocery. Bought a pack of dried seaweed, two packs sausages, four packs black Samyang noodles, and a box of kimchi at the Korean grocery.

We love Korean food, but it is always more expensive than other kinds of food. Korean mayonnaise at 500 grams, for example, is more expensive than Japanese mayonnaise at 600 grams.

Took an early lunch.

If one child got infected in a crowded mall, then OTHERS must have gotten infected as well.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun crochets doilies of light out of the liquid skeins spun by water fountains.

_The Pauline Letters_

The Pauline Letters
Oil on cradled canvas
6' x 4.5'

October 18 - November 16, 2021

There was no escaping a painting of Paul of Tarsus for Maryhill School of Theology. At least six units, including the New Testament, are included in the school’s curriculum. 

 

I used available photos of my artist friend Raul Deodato Arellano instead of hiring a model to pose for Paul. I have always visualized Paul as a Stars Wars Jedi sage like Obi-Wan Kenobi. The background was based on Silas’ and Paul’s actual prison cell in the Carcere Mamertino in Rome.  The sword is based on the official sword of Saint Paul as can be seen on his statue in the Vatican. Although we were taught in school that scholars are uncertain as to whether six of the 13 epistles can be attributed to Paul, I included all 13. For his halo I used the Tibetan lotus mandala, the lotus being a symbol of deep spirituality. In this painting the four gateways in the mandala represent not only the four cardinal directions but the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as well. The mandala is a reminder that Paul was inclusive of Asians, as Peter was exclusive of them.

 

The auditory stimulus I used while making this painting was https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVX80UpMPDI. Do listen to it while viewing the painting. 

Good night, Cubao!

Night rain is a blanket that settles over the city.

One Message To One Of 217 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Take especial care of your money and your valuable belongings through the end of the year.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then snuggling in bed with a Netrflix movie.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on seventy-second glaze.

Jay and Brian are now cleaning the side porch. I'm still deliberating whether to locate a teacart with tea things there.

Worked half an hour on seventy-first glaze.

Worked an hour on seventieth glaze.

Jay and Brian are cleaning the ground-floor areas of the house.

Alkaline water delivery, 45 gallons.

Afternoon downpour in Cubao.

Jay and Brian walked Keiko Kashigawa, Yukiko Taka, and Cloudy on the compound and gave them a lavender-scented, anti-flea shampoo.

Worked half an hour on sixty-ninth glaze.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

An early lunch alone.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sometimes you have to allow Nature herself to tend your garden.

She makes an emotional fuss over two candidates, both of whom she loves, but she need not trouble herself, because neither of them will win. 

Good night, Cubao!

Watch enchanted rainfall from your bedroom window.

One Message To One Of 217 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: Be happy and content with your present life, especially if the past was dark and dismal.  

Worked half an hour on sixty-eighth glaze.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Worked half an hour on sixty-seventh glaze.

Worked half an hour on sixty-sixth glaze.

M. and Nino visited the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens.

Worked half an hour on sixty-fifth glaze.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun always lights the road to be taken.

The love of God is unconditional, but the love of men is not.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon is a jelly opal cabochon.

Message To One Of 217 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: Keep your cool and keep your distance; others around you will be irritable due to personal disappointments.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Worked half an hour on sixty-fourth glaze.

Yakult delivery.

Worked an hour on sixty-third glaze.

Allan came in a Grab car and picked up more shamanic stuff I set aside for him.

Worked an hour on sixty-second glaze.

Slept nine hours last night.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The king of magic ascends to the sun on a golden rope.

Good night, Cubao!

"Pearls are cold."

--Greta Garbo in _Grand Hotel_

One Message To One Of 215 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Consider pickling up from where you left off on a talent you enjoyed practicing when you were young.

Jazz arrived.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

M. and Nino visited the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens this evening.

Worked half an hour on sixty-first glaze.

Worked an hour on sixtieth glaze.

It is what you earn and provide your family to last for generations, rather than your reputation, that counts more, for your trophies will merely sit on a shelf and cannot shelter your family and feed them three meals even for a day. 

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun sparkles like fireworks through glass bead curtains.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has online classes through 8:30 PM.

Worked half an hour on fifty-ninth glaze.

Worked half an hour on fifty-eighth glaze.

Worked half an hour on fifty-seventh glaze.

Jasmine tea delivery.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Good morning, Cubao!

Every morning, lick your palms and raise them to the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

Moonstones, selenite, pearls, howlite, and white opal are the gemstones of the moon.

One Message To One Of 215 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: Do a general cleaning from time to time. Move out items that have been in storage for a while and are likely to remain in storage for a longer time. Consider giving them away to persons who will love and appreciate them.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Worked half an hour on fifty-sixth glaze.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Worked half an hour on fifty-fifth glaze.

Two deliveries arrived.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Worked half an hour on fifty-fourth glaze.

Good morning, Cubao!

On Wednesdays the sky is a zinc white.

Good night, Cubao!

Locate your pet's sleeping basket by your bedroom door.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables inn your name: Identify which color you like least, and make it your favorite color for an entire week.

You will encounter many exciting changes and surprises in your life.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on fifty-third glaze.

M. and Nino visited the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens.

Worked half an hour on fifty-second glaze.

Worked half an hour on fifty-first glaze.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Didn't it ever occur to you that Europe should be wearing not only masks but also face shields?

We are so concerned with doing what other countries are doing without stopping to think that THEY should be doing what we are doing. 

Good morning, Cubao!

When the sun rises, dark dreams dispel into nothingness.

Finished watching all 16 episodes of Korea's Awaken. An engrossing movie about serial murders, police investigations, human experiments, children who survived a Day of Tragedy, a mysterious agency in control of life and death, puzzles, lucid dreaming, and selective amnesia. Suspenseful, and with a most satisfying ending. Yet another Korean movie in which even bit players and extras give truthful performances, and I think that is because their movie actors are never the same as their stage actors, and casting directors never take stage actors for supporting roles.

It was worth watching for all 16 hours, though I continue to believe that more than seven or eight episodes are a bit too much for urban viewers who have a lot to do in their everyday life.

Korean movies have superior editing. It is always intrinsic to the telling of the story.

This is my nth Korean movie so far, and I note that:

--The characters take Korean dishes only, as though it were a highly patriotic thing.

--Soju is taken with every meal, even in the daytime.

Good night, Cubao!

White seashells glow on garden floors.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: On what kid of days do you tend to be invisible to others, including your loved on? How do you feel on those days?

Worry not, for everyone has such days.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Nino 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery.

Angelique's fourth and last day of online midterm exams.

Worked half an hour on fiftieth glaze.

Worked half an hour on forty-ninth glaze.

Two-hour, noon nap.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Worked half an hour on forty-eighth glaze.

As long as we have to carry vaccination cards, the pandemic is far from over.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are white parachutes hanging in the sky.

Your Messenger message:

"Good evening Sir Tony. Hope all is well. I would like to share with you my dream early this morning around 6am. Would like to ask for your insight if possible

". Here are the details of my dream. "Kuya ( my brother who passed away about 8 years ago) went down the stairs singing and smiling then suddenly he threw up - a large orange cat came out from his mouth. Not sure if dead or alive but the cat did not moved. We were at our ancestral house in Makati. "My stepmom and I hugged him and prayed The Lord's prayer / called and asked St. Benedict for help and protection bec. he acted as if he was possessed by an entity. "Battled with the possession several times. I struggled with 2 hands of my brother then it became 4. Seems like the one I was trying to control is not from my brother bec. it was long and small but does not look like arms of a human being. While this is happening, I was not afraid. I am very consistent in my prayers and I felt that I can beat the entity and all will be well soon. (Those are the thoughts in my mind while I am praying The Lord's prayer.) "My younger sister arrived - found out that she is transferring residence to ___________ St. _____ house ( about 5mins. away from our place) - I immediately think that the house was built by my client "My brother asked me na ' Talunin natin ' - I shouted and ordered the entity to leave our home right at that moment. I also hugged dad (my dad passed away about 7 yrs ago. he was very sleepy in the dream) and told him what is happening and asked him to help me pray. "Instructed my sister to get my St.Benedict pendand inside my black bag .Took so long and when she went down she brought several necklaces and a big St. Benedict pendant. Not same size of the pendant that I have in mind. I put around the shoulder of my brother and battled again with the entitty. My brother puked again - something hard and black came out. Not sure what it was but looks like a big black rat. Then his face changed. He looked like somebody else - did not recognized who but in my mind I thought that maybe it was the spirit or another being that possessed him that is why his face changed. "Several times I instructed the entity to leave the body of my brother and our house. I also said that he should not come back and bother us or shouldn't touch /hurt any of our family members. "Ending of the dream was my stepmom is crying while hugging my brother. My dad was lying down beside my sister. I was sitting holding my brother and making sure that he is okay. "Thank you Sir Tony. Keep safe always."

My reply:

Hello _______!

In your dream, your deceased brother and deceased father represent your fear of the unknown. It is possible that there has been a recent cause for insecurity in your life, and the unclear future you sense ahead of you seems to you as irreversible as death. Hence, in this dream you are your dream Ego, while your brother and your father are combined personifications of your fearful, masculine side: one who is willing to fight back against all odds (your brother) but throws up ferocious animals, and another who is sleepy, passive, and ineffectual (your father).

The Saint Benedict medal/pendant/talisman represents your defense mechanisms. Your psyche seems to be telling you that they are no longer effective because they are overused.

Your sister in this dream represents the person you want to be: secure, with a residence of her own, physically present for her family, and supportive.

During this pandemic it is normal for everyone to have dreams such as yours, for the unemployed remain unemployed and the employed face potential unemployment. Learn to relax, count your blessings, appreciate simple joys, and avoid overstressing yourself. Sometimes it is the best one can do, but it is good enough.

Good night, Cubao!

It is always heavenly to sleep alone in one's cozy and well-appointed bedroom.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with more than three syllables in your name: Just do what you have to do. You will find that your spirit guides will take you by the hand and make things easy for you. 

Asked Brian 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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on forty-seventh glaze.

M. is frying pepper beef for the granddaughters in the kitchen.

Yakult delivery.

Afternoon drizzle.

M. and Nino visited the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens.

Worked half an hour on forty-sixth glaze.

Nature strikes when you are distracted and relaxed.

Worked half an hour on forty-fifth glaze.

There are only two sets of two syllables, coupled with specific voices programmed in my Unconscious, that are capable of waking me up from my deepest sleep. One is "Papa," spoken by my younger son Chito. The other is "Grandpa," spoken my granddaughters Angelique and Aubrey. Even when spoken softly they are like alarm tones that I wake up to immediately.

I believe that, long after I have left this lifetime, I will continue to respond to those syllables.

Took an early lunch, then Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Good morning, Cubao!

Fairies bathe in lakes warmed by the sun.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage. Ended past midnight.

Brian and Nino installed our new dining room ceiling lamp tonight.

Good night, Cubao!

Moonlight is fluorescent, sunlight, incandescent.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Do not go where the crowds are going, or else you will be swept away by their directionless, collective mind.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Worked half an hour on forty-fourth glaze.

Worked half an hour on forty-third glaze.

Worked half an hour on forty-second glaze.

Outer space is beautiful, but I have never seen anyone moved to tears at its sight.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Bought six bulbs for our new dining room ceiling lamp. Switched from incandescents to warm white LEDs.

Went at noon, when most of the atchays were hunkering down to their lunch.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Saturday, Saturday

Angelique's fourth day of online midterm exams.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun plays badminton with stars in the nearest galaxy.

Stay home through the second week of January 2022.

Good night, Cubao!

At the exact moment you cross the threshold of sleep, your body and mind suddenly relax, and a feeling of complete peace comes over you.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: Know when you are entering a clumsy period and tend to break or misplace things. Step back and reset. Your clumsy periods are always a result of wanting to do too many things at the same time, and of doing one thing while thinking of another.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Why punish yourself by living east of Eden when you can always move north, south, and west?

Worked half an hour on forty-first glaze.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery. Did minor groceries.

Worked half an hour on fortieth glaze.

Angelique's third day of online midterm exams.

Worked half an hour on thirty-ninth glaze.

Worked half an hour on thirty-eighth glaze.

The bipolar curator now wonders why all of the artists are avoiding him.

Roi arrived.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun strews the streets with golden tickertape.

Your goal as a Filipino artist is not to be a National Artist, but to be more productive than National Artists.

I sincerely thank God that I retired in 2015 and have been spared, since that time, from the hell of our public transportation system.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon is sprinkled with desiccated coconut.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with more than three syllables in your name: It is unwise to have doctors prescribe you sleeping pills and/or anti-anxiety medication. They will only make you their financial and psychological slave while pretending that they are doing you a big favor.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi Sir Tony! Good evening po.

"A friend said you are the best person to ask regarding dreams. I started my tarot journey just awhile back. I dreamt of the King of Wands twice. Both during my afternoon siestas. Yesterday and today. "The King of Wands is usually faced side view right? Yesterday, I dreamt that he was facing all the way front in all his glory. He was emanating a very very strong aura. The emotions I felt were that I wasn't really scared but maybe more of close to the "Masyado siyang mataas para sakin" na emotion. Tapos my third eye was tingling so strong during that time, I interpreted it in the dream as someone who was watching me from a distance. Watching my growth. A person came to mind, my intuition was so strong and I knew it was this person. But my relationship with the person that my intuition was telling is me is a bit so-so. A bit taboo for my own too liking. Sometimes, I'm confused and deny the connection. Most of the times, I'm sure but if my intuition says I'm right about this person, my heart says no. Vice versa, when my heart agrees, my intuition says no. It's probably my masculine and feminine side fighting dominance or balance. I hope I conveyed what I mean through the latter part of this, Sir. "Today, I took a nap again this afternoon. Dream of King of Wands again. But he was turned to the left. His face can still be seen -- just a bit. His wand was standing at the left but after a bit, he placed it in the arm handle of the chair in the left. My emotions during that dream was that I was really curious because he seems to have so many thoughts on his head. Like he's looking so far at a distance figuring out what's there on the horizon. "This morning, I dream of The Hermit, too. Been having frequent tarot cards dream lately. "Looking forward to your response sir! Thank you sir!"

My reply:

Hello _______!

When you dream of Tarot cards in succession, interpret them as though you were reading a spread.

In the dream you presented to me, the King of Wands urges you take proper action on present issues or problems in your life. The changes in orientation of the cards in your dream (side view-front view)facing right-facing left, wand standing-wand resting on arm rest) is an indication of your habitual indecision (so-so relationship-taboo relationship, masculine-feminine, king-hermit) and tells me that you are constantly torn between two tendencies.

On a deeper level, the King of Wands represents the lover who cannot be yours. Stop yourself from toying with the idea of touching the wand of fire that will singe not only your hand but others' hands as well.

Your psyche, in this dream, cautions you to achieve balance. Balance will prevent you from wavering between two tendencies.

Worked half an hour on thirty-seventh glaze.

Worked half an hour on thirty-sixth glaze.

Worked half an hour on thirty-fifth glaze.

Worked half an hour on thirty-fourth glaze.

Starbucks and Dunkin ground coffee deliveries.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Jay reported for work today.

He will lose most of his fortune to users and abusers. His family members will gnash their teeth and tear out their hair.

The man in long sleeves is making copious notes for a book he is writing. It is about his superior's secret habits and activities.

The book will be a bestseller when it comes out, after his superior steps down. 

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning po Sir Tony! I would like to share my dream last night po.

"My partner and I are supposed to travel outside the country. On the day of the flight he asked me to leave for work because of the flight but when we got to the airport i asked details found out that we don’t have visas and therefore could jot fly out. "He planned the whole trip and i didn’t have to shell out any money but he didn’t give any of the details during the planning process. He asked during check in for my vaccination card and a 1x1 photo but I only have a card with my name misspelled. It was very stressful but I felt bad that we couldn’t proceed with the trip when he made an effort to plan for everything so i went up to him and tried to console him by saying maybe we can rebook the flights to another date. "And also Sir, i don’t know if it has any bearing at all, he changed the bed sheets last night as I asked him to when I remembered your post. "Salamat po Sir and magiingat po kayo palagi!"

My reply:

Hello _______!

The changing of bed sheets triggered this dream--a dream of inadequacy, of disappointment, of frustration, and of the need for renewal.

On one level, your psyche is telling you not to place your complete reliance and trust in others, especially if you do things better and are more efficient than they are. Examine your innermost thoughts: Are you more intelligent than your partner? Do you have a brighter future than he does? Are you wishing that things were otherwise?

On another level, are you so self-confident that you tend to overlook important details?

Sex and companionship are important in a relationship such as yours, but it is also the duty of each person to ensure that his/her partner blossoms to the fullest in all other ways.

There is a possibility that you are beginning to get bored with your situation. Celebrate Valentine's Day all over again this November, see everything good in each other, and be humble in accepting that you both need to improve yourselves in many ways.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun urges you to look back at your life when you were 18.

Good night, Cubao!

On Wednesdays the night is an iron gray.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with more than three syllables in your name: Never match your mood to the weather. It makes you multipolar.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Worked half an hour on thirty-third glaze.

M. and I worked separate times on the ground floor, roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens.

Happy Birthday to our second eldest kuman thong, Channarong (2016)!

Back from jalan-jalan at the center with Angelique and Aubrey. Toto drove for us. Went to the bank, then changed dollars to pesos and paid our electric and phone bills. Sent some money to my younger son Chito. Did major groceries. A bottled, scented-candle sale was on at Shopwise and I bought several for the granddaughters. Lunch out.

Good morning, Cubao!

Little children cup their hands to catch the sunshine.

Good night, Cubao!

The surface of the moon is dusted with confectioner's sugar.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with more than three syllables in your name: Be happy the way you want to be.

If no one buys you flowers and candy, buy them yourself.

If no one buys you new clothes and shoes, buy them yourself.

If no one buys you a car, buy it yourself.

If no one buys you a house and lot, buy them yourself.

Do not wait for The One, for there is usually No One.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

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

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day as come again: an evening shower, and then snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Lit afternoon joss sticks and candles at our four, ground-floor altars.

Worked half an hour on thirty-second glaze.

Then Jay and I went to the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens to water the plants.

Worked half an hour on thirty-first glaze.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Jay reported for work today.

Happy Feast of All Souls, everyone!

Good morning, Cubao!

The day plods on like a man contemplating his destiny while walking along a country road.

If you have nerve-ending problems in your feet, do this in the morning and at night:

Take a hairbrush with nylon bristles and brush your thighs, moving downward to the soles of your feet and your toes. Do this three times for each leg.

Lit evening candles at our family altar and columbary and in the small loggia.

Good night, Cubao!

The moon is a pan of tapioca pudding.

One Message To One Of 214 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: Know how to detach yourself from entertainment, for it exists to serve you and not to be served by you.

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 snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Jazz arrived.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Turned on the lights inside the miniature houses in the small loggia.

Five little girls on the compound came to our side door to do trick or treating. I gave them goodies in a trick-or-treat bag.

Lit candles at our family altar and columbary.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Mid-afternoon two-hour, deep tissue massage.