Good morning, Cubao!
Crystal prisms dangle from the silver clouds
Photo by JR Dalisay / April 21, 2017
Thursday, June 30, 2022
Your Messenger message:
"Goodevening Pai.Can i ask you about something? This is not about magic, Santeria or the paranormal things.
"Do you have an idea how much and how difficult will it take for someone if he wants to make/produce a book? A photobook, picture storytelling book or most they called a coffee table book?Thank you""*or what most"
My reply:
Hello ________!
Almost everyone has dreamed of publishing his own book without realizing that an entire staff is needed to make the project succeed:
--an editor
--a proofreader
--perhaps an illustrator
--a layout artist
--a book designer
--a marketing manager
The safest option is to write the manuscript and submit it to a publisher. The publisher will even determine whether you have the talent to be a writer or not. Sometimes what the publisher tells you will make you feel you are in heaven. Sometimes it will feel like a slap in the face.
One Message For One Of 476 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with two syllables in your name: Do not splurge in your times of crisis. It will only make your situation worse.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
One Message For One Of 474 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with seven syllables in your name: Your interests and strategies remain fixated in that period of your life when you were still in school. Shake them off and step into the world as an adult with new interests and new startegies.
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
One Message For One Of 473 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with two syllables in your name: Even in dire situations, always be cheerful and hope for the best.
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Meeting with Jimmy at the Cubao Leaky Cauldron. Coffee and pastries. Gave him the Afghan ring and was surprised that he'd bought me a coffee mug that keeps liquid hot for two hours. He showed me his coin apports, and they were very intriguing.
Also brought a hematite pendulum/pendant for Emily, but, since she didn't show up, gave it to Jimmy instead.
Monday, June 27, 2022
One Message For One Of 473 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with four syllables in your name: Do not plod only with a generally good outlook. You need specific objectives. That is the only way you will really get somewhere.
A delivery arrived,
Then went jalan-jalan at the center with Bernard. Yes, in the rain. Bought man stuff, checked out some books, bought a bag of pita bread, a bag of ube pandesal, and a bag of chocolate chip muffins, then had a snack. The rain stopped exactly when we got home.
The granddaughters arrived before we did.
Sunday, June 26, 2022
One Message For One Of 472 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: Cherish the past, but know that your future now hinges on the present.
Saturday, June 25, 2022
One Message For One Of 470 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: Derive inspiration from those you admire, but neither copy nor plagiarize their works.
Your Messenger message:
"Good afternoon, Sir Tony. I wanted to consult with you regarding my dreams relating to animals.
"This one is the last part of the dream that I had last April: "There was a retreat happening in the body of water (falls that is somehow connected to the ocean). The retreat was about getting back the life force. There was a small circle that looked like a pearl. It symbolizes that there are no more blockages and that one is in the state of flow. Everyone was finishing rather quickly. It is worth to mention that although mine took its time (last one to perform the ritual), it did not mean that I cannot make it. Instead, it will make the impossible possible. 'When have you ever seen a giant turtle and the otter together? Never. But it will happen. It will be powerful', the narrative says. "This next dream narrative is what I dreamed about just last night. "I was in a room with a little child and a grandmother. That room was filled with college students, at first, before I entered in. They were playing some kind of horror board game. I happened to go inside that room while searching for each rooms along the hallways to shop for a nice dress. When I looked through the hallways, there were rooms for hair coloring, for wardrobe, for food, restroom, etc. Then, I came across the room where a delivery guy and a hotel receptionist brought a case of soft drinks in front of that room. The girl receptionist told the guy that the girl who ordered for the soft drinks will have their empty bottles taken by 10:20pm which the delivery guy got upset about as he was to drive again late at night to pick it up. The receptionist suggested that he picks it up earlier instead. The profit wasn’t that much anyway. "I went into that room after the gathering of the college students. I was cautious in laying down because I knew that others have used those linens before. As I was about to wrap myself in blanket in the dark, a guy suddenly barged in the opposite direction (back/exit door). He seemed to have gotten wet from the storm outside. He looked for shelter and randomly opened the exit door that was not locked at that time. He went outside in the rain again when he realized that there were people inside the room. I called him back to enter the room and exit through the main door so that he will be safe from the storm. He did what I said. He looked grateful but didn’t say anything when he left. "I checked out the door where he came from. I was so surprised. A huge old tree fell from the storm along with an elephant and another animal (perhaps, frog?) I can’t remember. I was really disheartened by the sight of it that I can’t even take to see what happened. Ironically, I was munching on the meat of frog out of nowhere. I spat it out. "I, then, found myself hiking on top of a tall mountain. I was alone yet unafraid. There was someone else whom I was with but I wasn’t physically with him during the hike. I just felt his presence. I was scarred somewhere but I felt, free, strong, and independent. "Next dream part that I can remember was I was crossing hanging bridges over a river that was cut from time to time. That made my knees weak as I rest and sat on one of it next to a girl and other people who were crossing the same bridge. A girl was really flirtatious with one guy even if she was married to another. I was disgusted by the innocent act that the married woman played as I rest on the bridge. Then, I suddenly got a very important letter from a well-known higher authority, there were two parts in the letter. I cannot remember what it said but I can remember the feeling of comfort through the letter. It was full of wisdom and seemed to tell me that everything is happening for the highest good. It also tells me that someone is looking for me out there somewhere. When I looked around, Brad Pitt, the hollywood celebrity, gave a letter. It was for someone. He gave it to a messenger through a riddle. But it felt like it was for me. That concluded the dream. "Thank you for reading my dream narrative as I continuously learn to understand and make sense of it. God bless."My reply:
Hello ______!
1) The dream you had last April was all about pain and the desire to change one's life. A precious pearl comes into being when a grain of sand lodges in a clam's flesh. It causes the clam pain and discomfort, that is why the clam's flesh must layer it with nacre for the irritation to go away. Beauty and preciousness come from pain and discomfort--apparently paradoxical, as paradoxical as an otter lying beside a turtle.
What is the grain of sand that causes you pain in your life? Are you able to see where you are going with this pain?
Sand and pearl, otter and turtle--two apparently unrelated things will spell INSIGHT, for insight is nothing more than seeing a connection between the unconnected.
2) The dream you had last night is in three parts: the first is set in a room, the second on top of a mountain, and the third on a hanging bridge above water.
As I explained to you before, whenever a dream has two or more parts, each part means exactly the same thing--as though your psyche were relaying the message to you in different languages to ensure that you get the message correctly.
2A) In the first part of the dream you search indoor shops to buy a nice dress and come upon items for hair coloring and wardrobe stuff, reflecting the same desire for change that you had in your dream last April. In the April dream there was the ocean, representing overwhelming emotions. In your dream last night the ocean is replaced with another kind of liquid--soft drinks--that are to be consumed at a certain time.
You lie down under a blanket in the room, waiting for--yes, change. What happens next is that your Masculine Self comes in from a rainstorm and then seeks exit BECAUSE IT SEES YOU waiting for change. Your Masculine Self disapproves of it--and you even help him leave the right way. In this dream he represents your resistance, resistance to change, in the way that the clam's flesh resists pain and discomfort. When you look outside an elephant and a frog have fallen along with a tree. Know that in both dreams the animals (otter, turtle, elephant, frog) represent your base instincts. Your psyche is trying to tell you that they need to coexist (as in the April dream) or that they need to die (as in last night's dream). The soft drinks become rain, still representing overwhelming emotion.
2B) In the second part of the dream you are alone hiking, yet you feel confident and unafraid because your Masculine Self (albeit unseen) is with you and watching over you. At this point, then, ask yourself: What is the gift your Masculine Self gives you? Do you seek to please him? Are you concerned with what he approves and disapproves of?
2C) You are on a hanging bridge, an iffy and precarious situation. The water beneath the bridge that you could potentially fall into still represents overwhelming emotion. You see your Feminine Self--a flirtatious, immoral character because she is a woman attempting to seduce a married man. There are no animals in this dream because your Feminine Self IS the animal. You are disgusted. You DISAPPROVE, hence you IDENTIFY with your MASCULINE SELF, who even sends you a letter of consolation and is even personified by Brad Pitt.
To summarize: You desire and seek change, perhaps in the name of independence and feminine liberation. What does this change entail? Does it entail a forbidden love or a forbidden relationship? Whom do you listen to in this situation: your Masculine Self or your Feminine Self?
Know that change is exciting, but it is not always good and should always be ONLY for the better.
Watched all 50 episodes of China's The Legend of Bruce Lee (2008). It opens, in black-and-white, with the aftermath of Bruce Lee's death in 1973 and speculations about the cause of his death, then segues in color to the beginning of his life story as a young man about to enter a school cha-cha competition. The entire series is in Mandarin, including the dialogue of the foreign performers. The dubbing is excellent, including the utterances of babies and children. Despite grammatical errors the subtitles are also commendable. They thoroughly convey not only the depths of Bruce Lee's mind but also the Tao of Jeet Kune Do.
Most of the cast members are real martial artists and only actors second, but they deliver both martial arts and acting very well. There is no melodrama in this movie, only genuine drama. The longer you watch Danny Chan as Bruce Lee, the more he looks like Bruce Lee, and you end up believing that he IS Bruce Lee. The only discombobulating factor to me was that, aside from the names of Bruce Lee's family members and close circle of friends, all other names have been changed--and casting deliberately avoided selecting performers who looked like the actual persons they were playing. It took me several episodes, for example, to figure out that the character Hoffman in the movie was Chuck Norris.
The movie excludes Bruce Lee's boyhood as a child actor and begins with his high school years as a bullied teen and his struggle to excel as a martial artist. Approximately THREE-FOURTHS of the movie is devoted to this, with very detailed martial arts instructions, exercises, and great fight scenes. If you aren't into either martial arts or into Bruce Lee, you might tend to grow impatient with the progress of the movie. If you stick through it, you will have to agree that this is the definitive Bruce Lee biography to watch. You will fall in love with Bruce Lee--and he isn't even acting in it! The series contains the origins of many of the elements of Bruce Lee's future movies: the jade pendant that later on figures in The Big Boss, the phrase "Sick Man of East Asia" that is later used in Fist of Fury, Bruce Lee's sense of humor and Seattle's Ruby Chinese Restaurant that becomes the setting of Way of the Dragon, and the origins of "Be Water, My Friend". It is one of the best projects that Shannon Lee, as executive producer, ever undertook.
There is, however, the intentional effort to romanticize and glamorize Bruce Lee, as there has always been in the biographies of all national heroes, religious leaders, and saints. Many of the facts and details mentioned in Matthew Polly's Bruce Lee: A Life are glossed over, and I suspect that a lot of tweaking was made in the service of premise, conflict, and cinematic art. There are glitches, such as a lot of tea being spilled in close-ups and some costume concessions--in Episode 11 A Ming, Wang Linshao's right-hand man, is wearing a Justin Timberlake (born 1981) T-shirt, and this was set in the 1960s! In Episode 45 there is a chair cushion that moves all by itself and was extremely disturbing to me
While there is an effort to reconstruct Bruce Lee's life as that of a Chinese national hero's, the movie is really about a human being with dreams and frustrations. The production appears laid-back but is actually lavish in its own way, especially in terms of setting and crowd scenes. Written by Qian Linsen and Zhang Jianguang and directed by Lee Moon-ki, it is an epic revolving around an individual created by persons who not only know quality drama but also have a deep knowledge of and passion for martial arts.
Only in the middle of Episode 36 do we see Bruce Lee offered by producer "George" (Stirling Silliphant) to be filmed and be in a movie. In Episode 41, nine episodes away from the end of the series, we see Kato of The Green Hornet , the beginnings of Golden Harvest's The Big Boss, and the aborted Silent Flute. In Episode 43 Silent Flute falls through, The Big Boss begins shooting in Thailand, and Bruce' s wife, Linda, gives birth to their second child, Shannon. In Episode 45 Fist of Fury begins shooting and Bruce's Uncle Shao passes away. In Episode 45, Way of the Dragon is shot by Golden Harvest's Concord Production, Inc. In Episode 48 are the beginnings of The Game of Death and Enter the Dragon. Episode 49 is about Ip Man's funeral. Episode 50, the last episode, is magnificent. The death scene is beautifully handled.
This movie screens like the reading of a thick, juicy novel. It is a journey through the life of arrogant, impatient, ambitious Bruce Lee, whose efforts pay off in the end. At the very least it was fascinating to me to visually travel through the streets and houses that Bruce Lee actually walked in. Other biographical movies about Bruce Lee pale beside this one, for they all tried too hard to be metaphysical and ended up being pretentious. One such movie even attempted to analyze Bruce Lee's personality in the light of Jungian psychology!
This is a beautifully told story about the greatest warrior of the 20th century.
Friday, June 24, 2022
One Message For One of 467 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with five syllables in your name: You were a Filipino in a previous lifetime. I am glad that you have found in this country your home.
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Passing these on to Allan to thank him for the last Spirit Quest he conducted.
Old and battered lantern used for magic (use this as is, do not have it repaired or restored), stack of literary books, voodoo doll, Tibetan llama, measuring scale for stones and herbs (in grams), Egyptian-design tin, horror board game that we set up once but never played, blown glass inkwell.
As usual, the offer is good for only a week.
One Message For One Of 466 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with four syllables in your name: Never compare what you have with what others have, for they do not have many of the good things that you have.
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
One Message For One Of 462 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with two syllables in your name: Do not be overconfident regarding health concerns. Continue taking safety measures.
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Your Messenger message:
"Sir Tony I was sitting at my table taking apart some herbs when one of the flashlights I had on my table wobbled and almost fell over but righted itself. I stopped to make sure that I had ko contact with the table as this happened. I checked with a flashlight to see if there was any animal or insect which may have jostled it but there was none.
"I stopped what I was doing when I heard what sounded like a coin or metal hitting the table. Again I check but there's nothing which may have caused the movement. "I'm a bit rattled that this is happening in my home that we built. I find myself sometimes frightened in my own sanctuary."My reply:
Hello ________!
1. Offhand I would say that playful elementals are trying to get your attention and acknowledgement of their presence. Are there big trees surrounding your house?
2. There is also the possibility that you are capable of psychokinesis--rather, that your subconscious is. The activity you wer engrossed in could have lulled you into the state of alpha, and this ability may have been activated.
3. I would wait for this isolated incident to be repeated. I can go and visit your house, if necessary.
One Message For One Of 462 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with two syllables in your name: Watch your diet. Unhealthy food creeps up and will suddenly make you ill.
Monday, June 20, 2022
One Message For One Of 462 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with seven syllables in your name: Love does not just happen. You have to work to maintain it continuously.
Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Toto drove for me. Paid our water bill. Then, since I'd finished the ninth painting for my next exhibit, wallowed in some "me" time. Browsed through a bookstore, bought a bag of flat bread and a bag of all-in bagels for the granddaughters, and had a snack at the Cubao Leaky Cauldron: a mushroom and spinach omelet with cinnamon toast and a bottle of sparkling, Bundaberg guava juice.
Sunday, June 19, 2022
Your Messenger message:
"Sir Tony good morning!
"Can you enlighten my mind on being a Christian and a witch at the same time, is it good or bad? "Thank you..!"My reply:
Whether anything is good or bad depends on what you do with your life, what you do to yourself, and what you do to others, and has nothing to do with the religion you practice. Any religion--for all religions are mere structures that men created to control others in the name of law and order.
An effective spell begins in the earth, in the ground beneath your feet, traveling up your legs, your testicles, your abdomen, and your chest, into your arm, your hand, and into your wand--if you are holding a wand.
The power that passes through must expand and billow, but all of this must be done with a relaxed body and a relaxed mind, for tension constricts the circulation of energy within you.
One Message For One Of 460 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with nine syllables in your name: Rise with the sun and rest with the moon, and live a good life in between.
Saturday, June 18, 2022
One Message For One Of 460 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with seven syllables in your name: Review your list of friends. Does everyone deserve to remain on that list?
Friday, June 17, 2022
One Message For One Of 458 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with seven syllables in your name: Are you on the right path to success and a stable future? Is not your interest of choice the surest way to poverty and insecurity?
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Your Messenger message:
"Hi Tony! I never thought I'd consult you about a dream but this one was rather weird. I went to the wake of my dad's friend with my family. I knew it was Rudy Fernandez for some reason. (My dad didn't know him personally in real life). The wake was held at a multi-storey bamboo hut. The place was huge. I can still see the bamboo slat floors and bamboo steps. There were people everywhere. Some were cooking on the floor. For some reason, we couldn't get to the floor where the casket is. It was on the topmost level and we can see the funeral flowers and the visitors from the window. We even went outside to figure out a way there so we can pay our respects. As far as I know, that's where the dream ended. I woke up with a sense of dread. I would appreciate it if you can shed some light on this. Thank you for your time."
My reply:
Hello ________!
In this dream your psyche is telling you that your old Self is dying, if not already dead. The bamboo structure is your home country, which you may have left behind for good. Rudy Fernandez is one of your former alter-egos, probably because you used to admire him. The bier is on an upper floor because you refuse to view the cadaver in the coffin--a result of the defense mechanism denial.
A person who goes abroad to live there is never the same person he was before migrating, no more than a former resident can expect to be in exactly the same house he left behind. In a foreign country, many things change: careers, values, friends, companions, love interests, health issues, life objectives, and dreams. It is, indeed, dreadful to be reminded of how one has changed irreversibly.
Do a reality check once in a while. Are you happy where you are or do you wish you were not there? And, if so, what are you willing to do about it?
One Message For One Of 453 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with seven syllables in your name: Continue to reinvent yourself based on your natural talents, taking care to bring yourself only to a place of financial security.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
One Message For One Of 440 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: It is time to pick up from where you left off. Live and belong to the living.
Dinner at home alone; Angelique asleep after her last, online final exam for the semester, Aubrey preparing for her night shift.
Asked David 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.
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
One Message For One Of 423 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: You live your life through the life of your daughter, and that is what gives you great fulfillment.
Monday, June 13, 2022
Your Messenger message:
"hi pai. would like to ask for your advice.
"1. the past few weeks. i have these 'moments' when i see myself either: a. in another place and time i can even sense the environment sense the smell example i see myself walking towards a monastery or a castle, as a female sitted on a hill feeling the breeze. b. moments in my childhood like chirstmas time when i was still a kid - in my grandmother's house the parol the noise. it makes me happy. i feel the emotion of each one.
"2. i dream of dead relatives and friends. they are alive in my dreams. i converse with them. and i will wake up in the early morning dazed and sometime even have to check my environment to be sure of where i am. this makes me feel tired when i wake up in the morning. i think it maybe because i would recite prayers using my mala until i fall asleep. "i dont know if this is good. i know i need to offer prayers and merits for them. someone seems to have told me that news is going on in the other realm that i help people who passed on by having masses offered for them or blessed candles lit for them. and so they come. "what should i do to stop this or control this so that i wont feel tired when i wake up in the morning. "and i wonder. can the other people i dont know i see in my dreams could also be spirit s asking for help? "luckily they don't bother me at work or when i am awake. i dont see or sense them. only in my dreams. "my unit is warded so i dont think negative spirits can come in. "thank you pai. love u pai."i am even contemplating on renting this thai amulet.
My reply:
Hello ______!
Remember that dreams are essentially symbolic and almost never literal, In the final analysis, your psyche might be telling you to pray for your own sake rather than for others--perhaps due to guilt feelings and denial of frustrations.
Always hydrate yourself before going to bed.
P.S. Never rent talismans.
Your Messenger message:
"Sir Tony, please let me know when i can talk to you about my son ___________________....I need to know how to help him po. Thank you in advance..
"Name: ____________________
"Dob: ______________ ___, 1999
"Suffering from very bad bouts of anxiety and depression. He's become very withdrawn and anti-social. He has gifts. Like mine. Precognitive dreams. Claireaudience amongst others...but im not sure if he believes in this and thinks he has schizo-depressive disorder.
He lives in _______________ now, sir Tony. He even stopped schooling 4 yrs ago. He should be graduating already if he continued ..
"Sir Tony. I really want to know what is happening to him. He has become estranged. This is so heartbreaking beyond words.
Are we hexed to become separated? I know a person who is addicted to hexing by going to kulams and paying money. This person has Bipolar disorder, BPD, NPD.
Made our family life a living hell.
I want my children's heads be cleared of this madness sir Tony....what am I to do?...
"Thank you so much for hearing my plea...
God bless sir...""This is his latest photo last May 17, 2022. Taken by his father, waiting for his dental appointment at _________________ po.."
My reply:
Hello, __________!
I scanned your son's photo. The cause of his condition is a deep-seated resistance to both parents, whom he finds overwhelming and invasive of his privacy. As such, he chose to shut out not only them but the rest of the world as well.
I'd let him be and come into his own, if I were you. It is a form of respect. He is an adult now.
Never over-worry about your children. They are not you even if they look like you. They are naturally complete strangers to you, and vice-versa. They have their own thoughts and feelings that have nothing to do with you. He has his own pace and his own rhythm. Do not impose yours on him.
Watched all three episodes of the 2022 Vietnamese Horror Story, a trilogy of very gothic stories:
--"The Sugarcane Juice Lady", about an actress who never ages because of a grisly secret
--"The Magician", about a street vendor who performs mediocre magic and discovers, in the end, what his real identity is
--"Three Souls and Seven Spirits", about a female shaman tasked to search for the victim of a heinous crime.
For a 2022 production, the concept and treatment of the stories seem terribly outdated. They are about helpless male and female victims unable to release themselves from what they fear--in short, stereotype horror movie characters. Everything is predictable, which is the last thing horror movies should be. The endings are downbeat, as though the writer and director firmly believe that downbeat endings make horror stories more horrific.
The other problem with ASEAN movies (including those produced in the Philippines, of course) is that they are shot in real, available houses, the space restricting the director's and cinematographer's creativity. Since these houses are not sound sets, they don't have walls and floors and roofs that could be disassembled if necessary. As such, there is no ample space for the cameraman to utilize versatile setups.
In this movie there are a few theatrical and camera tricks here and there, plus an ample use of shadows and spotlight gels, but those just can't compete with other horror movies being produced in the Digital Age.
One Message For One Of 407 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with four syllables in your name: You progress, but your progress is slow because you mix your work with your signature hanky-panky.
Aubrey's graduation ceremony and lunch out are done, and everyone else has had their Independence Day holiday, but I must not forget to greet Saint Anthony of Padua on his feast day, June 13.
This image of Saint Anthony was purchased by my aunts on the day I was born. It is made of plaster and is quite heavy. I had it restored and matted with fiberglass at Arte Italiana many years ago.
Sunday, June 12, 2022
Do not place all of your talismans in one location or in one container. You will find that the strongest talisman will disempower everything else, making them what local magic practitioners call "suspendido".
Similarly, if you live in a house with clutter, know how to place everything in order that the energy of each object will not interfere with one another. This applies even to books on shelves.
There should be at least one room in your house that contains nothing, and that is where your most potent magic will work.
That is why some mages do their spells inside their bathrooms.
One Message For One Of 390 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with four syllables in your name: Life is a natural series of helloes and goodbyes. Know that, when someone goes, your are not being left behind. You are merely being allowed to continue your journey, temporarily on your own for now.
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Watched all four seasons of Stranger Things (2016 - 2022). I have a DVD of the first season, which my sister Sylvia sent me from Sydney many years ago. Despite references in dialogue to Stephen King, the first season came across to me as a Dean Koontz movie. I had to watch this season all over again plus the three succeeding seasons because Angelique urged me to do so.
The four seasons are really variations and interpolations of the same, two themes--the monsters without and the monsters within, but are hampered by too much adolescent and teenage flirtation, including those by adults.
What is amazing about this movie, however, are the performances delivered by the child actors. I know how difficult it is to direct minors and elicit emotional truthfulness from them, especially with long passages of dialogue and with scenes against green screens, not to mention having to make them fully understand the concept of continuity. Production design and special effects come second, though too much darkness is employed in the mise-en-scene. There is also, thankfully, a minimal amount of "horror movie" screaming and hysteria.
In all, the series seems to be a Halloween party salad with ingredients comprised of situations and scenes patterned after those in The Fury, X-Men, It, Signs, Alien, Aliens, Gremlins, Goonies, Night Chills, Firestarter, Constantine, The Blob, Enter the Dragon, Carrie, The Hardy Boys TV series, the Harry Potter series--even Superman, making it overwhelmingly derivative, but maybe that was the point and that is what makes it original. It has, moreover, a twenty-first century, horror-story difference: In this series, characters step out of the box. Revenge and killing the enemy are as completely justified as in a Chinese kung fu movie, and there is no unnecessary moralizing.
The movie is slick, well-made, and looks like a billion dollars. It works on a carefully written script with no stupid loopholes. The subplots are substantial, and well-orchestrated characterization resulted in fine ensemble acting. Every member of the cast is showcased and allowed nuances and reflective moments--you can tell that the performers not only did their homework but that they also loved their roles. I especially appreciated the performance of Judy-Garland-look-alike Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven. It reminded me so much of Jodie Foster's natural, underplayed acting, and was a fascinating counterpoint to Winona Ryder's academy acting and David Harbour's Indiana-Jones performance. It was also great seeing Sean Astin again; he is always a lovable character actor. The direction is well-thought-out and well-executed: visual imagery is extracted in even the smallest scenes without tiredness and without cliches. It is a nice, cozy screening especially for pre-bedtime, and the suspense is handled very well. Seasons 3 and 4, in particular, have brilliant editing--it is the editing that tells the story.
It was fascinating to watch the young cast age, over four seasons, into gangling adults, as in the Harry Potter series. Unlike in the Harry Potter series, however, the characters don't just grow up. They mature.
The only twentieth-century remnant I found in this series is the insistence on creating characters with family dysfunctions and traumatic pasts in order to make them interesting or to justify their weird actions. I felt that all that should have gone out with Alfred Hitchcock. In a world already full of the strangest things, I consider this technique passe. I feel that it is actually more challenging to make normal, "uninteresting" characters interesting to audiences. Season 4 also relapses into a lot of screaming a la Nightmare on Elm Street. I was expecting Freddie Krueger to show up any moment. And he did, minus the hat and the Edward Scissorhands hardware. Or was that Doc Ock from Spiderman?
And, for heaven's sake, will there ever be a movie set in school WITHOUT bullies?
I nonetheless look forward to the next season's screening beginning July 1 to provide closure to this entertainment experience.
One Message For One Of 349 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: Let go of everything benefits you nothing.
Friday, June 10, 2022
One Message For One Of 326 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: Indeed, the tallest bamboo tree bows the lowest when it has to.
Thursday, June 9, 2022
One Message For One Of 312 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with four syllables in your name: Know that when you devote too much time to your work, you lose focus not only on your family but also on your personal life.
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
One Message For One Of 305 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with six syllables in your name: For a long time now--since high school?--you have been using your anger to fuel your motivation and your drive toward success.
You are on the wrong track. Switch to self-love, love for your family, and love for others.
Not only will you attain success, you will also be in good health.
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
One Message For One Of 301 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with ten syllables in your name: Do not define yourself by the work you do for others. Rather, define yourself by the work you do for yourself.
Monday, June 6, 2022
Angelique and I noted that we both conveniently forget the plots, endings, and details of the Netflix movies we've watched, and I am sure that that is true for many other persons.
It is the Digital Technology Age. There is too much information to absorb, and our brains reject what is unimportant, retaining only what we need.
One Message For One Of 299 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with eight syllables in your name: Do not rush success. Do not rush fame. Always be on good terms with yourself.
Sunday, June 5, 2022
One Message For One Of 297 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with two syllables in your name: In order to have bigger savings, go shopping only every other month.
Saturday, June 4, 2022
One Message For One Of 296 Friends, One Every Night Of The Years
You with two syllables in your name: Do not become despondent when things look bleak. As long as your intentions are good, things ALWAYS change for the better.
Friday, June 3, 2022
One Message For One Of 295 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with eight syllables in your name: Release yourself from the bonds of the persons who influenced you in negative ways in your past, reset yourself, and start life anew.
Thursday, June 2, 2022
Your Messenger message:
"Good morning, Pai!
"
h
How are you? You visited me in my dream this morning!
"We were talked in acabana near a beach. And you asked how I am and about my projects and plans. We talked for a bit but I forgot na what it was. I think I was sharing some challenges. You gave a warm.and loving smile and said just follow your heart. 
Meron ka pa mga sinabi pero di ko na maalala. 
"You're clean shaven and wearing white pants and long sleeves. Tapos you have this very thin, delicate and intricately designed scarf around your neck. You have a wand and a really awesome and brilliant topaz ring.
"Basta at the end, before you left, I hugged you and then you placed your hands on my cheeks, then moved it to the top of my head. You whispered a short prayer. Then with the right hand and wand on the top of my head you blessed me. Then we parted ways na.
"Thank you so much, Pai. I feel a whole lot better. "My reply:
Hello _________!
You were in this morning's night classe (usually held from 4;:30 AM onward but, since time is not linear in the astral realm, many students have been able to access the classes at different times of the day and night).
I appeared to you in your dream as the king of the white cloth. The messages I relayed that you claim to not remember are the following:
--About deep loneliness: Your love has never been reciprocated by others in the right ways and, at present, you are unsure about proceeding to pursue a seemingly promising but risky relationship.
--About your personal ambition: You do not know how to utilize your art and make a difference in this world, and it makes you question your talent and feel very insecure.
--About death and mortality: Have you recently lost a relative or a friend? There is nothing to be sad about or to fear, for everybody dies and everyone reincarnates, hopefully toward higher evolution.
One Message For One Of 294 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with five syllables in your name: You are bored. Do not allow your boredom to lead you to destruction, as it did Hedda Gabler.
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
One Message For One Of 294 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year
You with seven syllables in your name: Take a psychological vacation from your trivial concerns.
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