December 21, 2022 - January 1, 2023

The view from my room

Raffle prize

I left before midnight. Had to take a shower and change.

 

The biggest breakfast buffet I've ever seen

Delights from Vanessa's very recent visit to Turkey.

Vanessa was my student at university long before the establishment of the Spirit Questors.

Lost two painting days, but that's okay.

We were given seven, finely-crafted cardboard horns at the hotel during New Year's Eve, but we decided to leave them behind. Should have brought them home and given them to the cafe children, Rayven and Leah.

I noted something during our overnight stay at the hotel in Araneta Center. Both of my granddaughters turn heads wherever we go--of men, women, boys, and girls.

Am still mentally deliberating whether I should be disturbed by this or not.

Had a cup of black coffee early this morning at the sumptuous breakfast buffet, but I must have my cup of black barako this afternoon.

Posting Angelique's photos from New Year's Eve 2022. I did take my own photos, but mainly for references for a novel I'm writing, and I'm not Posting those. 

Couldn't be bothered to download her videos, though.

We won a bottle of wine during the countdown raffle.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi Tony -

"My apologies if this is too long but I tried to keep it short. "I'm one of your followers in FB for maybe 2 or 3 years but I have started reading about you and spirit questors since I had problems related to the paranormal in our household. I think that was around 2017. "I contacted one of the paranormal groups in PH, which is closely related to SQ, to help me out. I think they have done pretty well compared to the two albularyo's whom I contacted to help me. "The following year, I joined that same group as I wanted to help and still an existing member. One of my reasons in joining the group is that I feel I owe it the elementals/spirits to offer myself to serve. Apart from that, I feel like it's really something that I should be doing apart from my day-time job. "For the past years and until now, my doubt though on whether I should be in this group lingers in my thoughts and I'm already at a point of quitting. One of the reasons is that I feel I'm not good enough or have not 'developed' my abilities enough so I feel inutil. In fact, one of the dreams I had where you are present was that you asked 'why I'm still not open?' "I think the first time I had you in my dream was before I joined the group which is around 2017. I remember having several encounters with you and some characters from the group which were former SQ members. Maybe this year I have dreamt about you 3 to 4 times but I don't remember all the details. I think one session is about enhancing our psychic abilities but I don't remember having a follow-up session after that. "In any case, I feel I need guidance from you on: (1) Should I not force myself getting involved in this paranormal group given that I don't think I have the right skills or talent. (2) if I stay, what should I do to develop my abilities? Maybe it's just all about mind-set and that I'm not really meant to have these abilities. What have I been doing wrong?"

My reply:

Hello _______!

There are groups and there are groups, and, naturally, albularyos will pale in your perception when those groups start teaching you stuff that they learned from what they, in turn, perceive. as "cool" Llewellyn publications. It's nothing more than post postmodern, New Age mentality.

Try exploring on your own. Look closer to the wisdom of the Philippines and to the wisdom of Asia, particularly China, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The decision to stay in any group, however, is yours and not mine.

Good morning, Cubao!

We dream under the light of the dawn stars.

Good night, Cubao!

A banquet is once again being held inside the dragon tree, to which all the neighborhood pets have been invited. If your pets sleep early and deep, it means that they are astral-traveling to partake of the festivities. 

One Message For One Of 1,900 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: Do not wear your vulnerability on your sleeve--people will only use and abuse you. Avoid, especially, those whom you are attracted to; they are not worth your money, your time, and your energy, and they are the worst friendship investments you can ever make.

Dinner at home alone; Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Asked Rayven 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.

Lani and Malou dropped by to give me two boxes of their home-made pound cake, which always sends me to heaven, a jar of tuna pesto, and a packet of linguine.

Cath and her boyfriend visited.

Worked half an hour on twenty-ninth glaze.

Cath and her boyfriend visited.

Worked half an hour on twenty-ninth glaze.

Worked half an hour on twenty-eighth glaze.

Might call it a day for painting to let these glazes dry completely. Also need to pack an overnight bag.

Worked an hour on twenty-seventh glaze.

Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz came down to a late lunch in the dining room.

Lunch at home alone; everyone else still in bed, though Aubrey made pancakes early this morning.

Good morning, Cubao!

The day begins with coffee in a holiday mug. 

Good night, Cubao!

Fruit bats are the night's enchanted drones.

One Message For One Of 1,900 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Break away from the past. Always look forward. Every day is a bright, new life.

Dinner at home alone; Angelique and Jazz are having dinner out and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Asked Rayven 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 ten snuggling in bed with a Netflix movie.

Worked half an hour on twenty-sixth glaze.

Worked half an hour on twenty-fifth glaze.

Worked an hour on twenty-fourth glaze.

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

An early lunch at home alone.

M. sent over a bowl of pancit Canton.

Good morning, Cubao!

The dragonflies announce the coming of abundant rain.

One Message For One Of 1,900 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not breeze through serious matters with an attitude of merely wanting to have fun. It is self-defeating in the long run.

Staggered dinnertimes. 

Asked Rayven 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.

Worked an hour on twenty-third glaze.

Jerry sends goodies all the way from Camarines Sur.

Worked an hour on twenty-second glaze.

Lunch at home with Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is hung with white and silver toy horns.

Christmas goodies from Peachie and Ryan.  Peachie is completely vegan and a health buff. I made the mistake of giving them a rain check to try the chicken sisig at M.'s cafe.

Tony Perez's Art of War: Do not unFriend or Block people who envy you. Allow them to continue reading your Posts and to continue suffering.

Dinner at Gateway hosted by Ryan and Peachie, with four of their nine trainees. The man on the extreme right is a grandson of T.Y. Wong Aiham, who translated _The Divine Oracle By Chuko Kung Ming (a.k.a. Chuoko Liong), (181 - 234 B.C.E.)_ from the Chinese by Ting Wen Giok, and which I in turn translated into Tagalog and posted in cyberspace. I'm glad to have met him; he is one of the two remaining Wongaihams in this country. I should invite him to my small Taoist temple someday, but definitely after my art exhibit.

With Henson Wonngaiham

Signing a book forAmanda