Last year we won a bottle of wine at the countdown raffle. This year we won a gorgeous notebook and pen from the Novotel boutique.

I didn't bother to take photos of our overnight stay at Novotel this year, but the countdown dinner was definitely more exciting and wilder than last year's. Last year we left the ballroom before the actual countdown to watch the city fireworks from the pool deck. This year we stayed inside the ballroom because of the lively band and the stunning, digital visuals. At 11:45 PM everybody, including the guests, children, waiters, and staff members, rose and danced round the ballroom (actually two Monet ballrooms merged as one). All the paper and plastic horns started sounding non-stop like the thousand shrill drones of war planes. At exactly 12:00 MN showers of gold and silver confetti started falling from the ceiling.

All throughout the ruckus I saw a deceased co-worker seated in an empty chair near me. I asked her what really killed her, and she replied that it was, at the root of everything, her unrequited love for a man who would not love her back. Her illness was symbolic of that issue. I asked, "What? How could you let a stupid thing like that kill you?", then quickly realized that the same thing has killed and has been killing other people whose sole objective in life is to love and be loved.

What a strange world I live in, and it is probably even stranger that I see things differently from others.

The year of The Hunter and The Archer begins.

Beware the element air.

Beware arrowheads and other sharp, metal weapons and objects

Back home from an overnight stay at Novotel with family.

Offline later. Back with family after lunch tomorrow

In the meantime, here's to all my Friends' having a Happy New Year minus the superstitious claptrap!

We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors!

Good morning, Cubao!

The lives of the heroes and saints always were, still are, and will always be profusely edited to suit the times..

Your Messenger m3esage:

"Hi Sir Tony, good eve. I want to ask these questions:

"1. How do i know where my spirit house is? Your no. 14 states I put a bowl of coins. And then, may I ask why? "2. My mother, who has Alzheimer's / dementia,can see little children, in Manila and even here in the provincial house of ours, where I brought her in. Her caregiver had also seen on separate occasions, a child with no face. Are these hallucinations ( of my Mom who has dementia and who had, in the past, taken cared of children) or are these real and how do we know which is real or not, and whether these are earth bound spirits or dwarfs? We have a big caimito tree in front of our house, which many friends, who can sense, say is a portal for these 'spirits' .I would like to know how they can be appeased or told not to harm, esp that my Mom, who may not be able to distinguish what is real or not, may be vulnerable. Pls let me know how I can protect her, or us. On a side note, we have lived in this house for 30 or more years abd my children have not been harmed,except for 1 instance. So do we say they are harmless as long as we do not disturb them?"

My reply

Hello ______!

If you don't have a spirit house, you need not bother,. Not everyone has a spirit house.:

Spirits are as "harmless" as human beings, i.e. they can be very tolerant and even beneficent unless provoked. They also have a lot more common sense than we do, so there is nothing to worry about, and gestures of appeasement are not necessary.

New Year's Eve eve.

I love the eves of eves.

Good morning, Cubao!

The year sprints to the finish line.

Now on Level 161 of Differences: Online Journey.

Ever since Aice installed a well-stocked freezer at M.'s cafe, I've ben having watermelon and pineapple ices for dessert.

Good morning, Cubao!

The day is a list of exciting plans for the coming new year.

The Rope Curse 3

Watched Taiwan's 2023 The Rope Curse 3 (1:48:33), which has a promising beginning but a disappointing middle and ending. It is the seventh lunar month, Hungry Ghosts Month, and the Gate of Ghosts is open. We are immediately shown altars with Thai kuman thong; a banishing ritual performed with paper talismans, mugwort, yin-yang water. rice, and salt; and a kao ka performed by a troupe that features the Taoist character Zhong Kui, known in the Philippines as the Demon Queller. We are informed that, as long as the actor playing Zhong Kui masters and performs his steps well, all evil spirits will take him for the real Zhong Kui, fear him, and flee.  

Alas, both the screenplay and the direction are gravely flawed. Kuan-Yu, the kao ka director's son, performs as Zhong Kui and introduces unwarranted parkour moves to his role. We are led to believe that a series of misfortunes is the outcome: an actress is possessed by an evil spirit, a hotel guest hangs himself in his room, an invisible boy plays ball in the hotel corridors as seen on CCTV, Kuan-Yu's best friend is killed, and evil spirits vow to take seven lives and seven bodies to kill Zhong Kui.   

To make things worse, all of the characters are basically unpleasant persons, and the injection of Freudian incidents--especially in the midst of horrific scenes--to explain away their pasts does not make them deserving of audience sympathy. The result is an Asian horror movie hodgepodge that gets lost in its own chop suey. which is what happens when mythology is translated into horror, like what Hollywood has been doing to the Christian religion all these years.   

The ending is gentle and nostalgic, though, and the end titles long and complete, which is atypical of Netflix movies. This is, however, a movie of many misunderstandings, especially of the Thai demon and the Thai kuman thong. That this is a Taiwanese and not a Thai production is not a good excuse.

What people still do not understand to this very day, hilariously, is that everyone who likes lighting firecrackers, including born-again Christians, is, whether they like it or not, a staunch follower of Zhong Kui.

Unexpected Business Thursday

My nephew led me on a walk-through of the compound demolition, and then offered me two business propositions for when the 15-story condominium building is done: 

--a laundromat for the compound, which can be located in the rear passage of my property, and

--a water-filling station, which can be located outside the cafe waiters' sleeping quarters (an area I've always been referring to as the studio foyer).

My nephew and I won't be into operations, of course, but will provide all the equipment necessary for the success of both enterprises. M. and his relatives are most willing to run the laundromat and water refilling station, aside from the cafe.

In the meantime the compound is still hardhat central.

We'll see what happens, and what doesn't over-challenge my esthetic taste.

Wearing Gardenia by Elizabeth Taylor.

Had a pounding, Swedish-combination massage last night, and it wrung my body dry of the creepy December chill, having had to pay bigger real estate taxes than usual, interacting with Cynthia's relatives at her funeral wake, and hearing news of acquaintances who also died simply because they couldn't take anything else anymore.

M. sat watching a movie on Netflix while I was having the massage. I gave the masseur a packed dinner of chicken sisig, rice, and Mountain Dew after.

Today is Cynthia's burial day.

The fresh buko vendor and his wife buzzed by expectantly, but I didn't buy anything this morning because our ref is full to the brim.

Four days to the New Year and I feel that the year will end with many, loose ends.

Good morning, Cubao!

Some employees killed themselves because, when their workplace began to kill them, they weren't quick enough to turn around and kill their workplace before their workplace could kill them.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center; Toto drove for me.

Sent some holiday money to my younger son Chito.

Good morning, Cubao!

The greedy always get their just deserts.

And now to bed with Sam Siciliano's The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Venerable Tiger, and I hope it's good.

Good night, Cubao!

The family is safely ensconced in their den-glamping beds. 

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not feel shut out of the action. Feel, on the contrary, that you are in a safe space and far away from harm.

An Afternoon On Planas Site

My sisters Remi and Alice and some of the compound staff went to the Planas Site funeral chapel this noon to pay last respects to Cynthia, who passed away December 22. I took a brief lunch, then followed half an hour later.

I'd never physically been in that part of Planas Site before; I say "physically" because I suddenly realized I'd been there several times, on the astral. In the dreams I had, there are a row of small stores offering different kinds of food, which are not there in reality, since there are only homes.

I now understand that the small stores in my dreams were metaphorically operated by persons who had died and who were interred in the funeral chapel. They invited me to visit, though I didn't know them personally.

A real man for others never describes himself as a man for others.

My youngest sister Sylvia and brother-in-law Rey fly back to Sydney December 29. They've been clearing out their pantry and ref, since they'll be gone for another year.

Some belated holiday gifts. Love that witch liquor bottle!

\

She praises mediocre artists to high heaven--and ignores everyone who is a threat to her own artistic status.

Good morning, Cubao!

Like elephants, they go home to die in silence and in obscurity.

Good night, Cubao!

The shepherds were gullible, and were capable of spreading fake news.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables  in your name: Do not go back to a woman who was unfaithful to you.

Staggered holiday dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

December 25 holiday lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

The granddaughters cooked our lunch.

Watching One Fight Night 17 on One Championship Philippines,

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun bakes the islands like brown, gingerbread cookies.

Tonight the ongoing holiday party is right on our compound!

Watching One Friday Fights 46 on One Championship Philippines.

I spoke too soon. Mico sent over a box of macaroni salad, plus a bottle of oil of gladness to infuse my room with.

No More Food, Please, If It Can Be Helped...

We came home from my youngest sister Sylvia and brother-in-law Rey's home-cooked, Christmas Eve lunch with a lot of take-home food,

Then Herry sent over a flat basket of biko; she loves cooking sweetmeats on holidays

Now Karen and Don brought over a bowl of Kapampangan asado, which Malou cooked

As it is, Angelique had to throw out perfectly good, old food from the ref and freezer to accommodate the new food.

Back home with my sister Alice and the granddaughters from a Christmas Eve lunch with my youngest sister Sylvia and brother-in-law Rey at their condo unit on 11th Avenue. Rey prepared an entire, home-cooked meal.

Good morning, Cubao!

The healing that works for one does not work for others.

The crystal ball fairy sends me a parcel of holiday goodies.

Good night, Cubao!

Enjoy games, but do not be a slave to them.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with seven syllables in your name: Do not go back to a woman who was unfaithful to you.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Good morning, Cubao!

The infirm must spend a restful day in bed.

Good night, Cubao!

I have a very low regard for "psychics" and "mages" who did not male preparations for their financial stability, How could they not have had the foresight of their own poverty?

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Continue to conserve your money, You are not obliged to spend your savings despite the holiday season.

Dinner at home with M.

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:

"Good morning Sir Tony, im sorry to disturb, may i ask your kind advice?

"This is about a recent incident that happened to me. My small white luggage containing all my jewelries amounting approximately 300K located under the sofa bed in my room which is locked in my parents house got lost. My suspects were my brother and nephew. Had filed a police blotter/ report. Currently thinking to file charges against them and talking with a certain lawyer. The only witness that it’s under my sofa bed before they locked my door were my mother and my nephew but they were asked by my father and my siblings not to cooperate and not to be witnessed. May i respectfully request your kind advice on my next action? Should i pursue the case, should i stop communicating with my family, i’m really at a loss now. Hoping to hear from you soon."

My reply:

Hello _______!

Pursue the case,. Get a good lawyer. Theft is theft, whether committed by a relative or a complete stranger.

Ask the police to do a round of pawn shops to find out whether your jewelry has been offered or sold, and by whom.

Angelique's oath-taking day

Good morning, Cubao!

The elements speak up when you least expect them to.

Another holiday party ongoing on the Planas Site courtyard. I can hear the music from my bedroom window.

Good night, Cubao!

The children sleep soundly under three blankets.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with seven syllables in your name: If you want to advance in this world by leaps and bounds, you need to stop thinking, envisioning life, and living as a classroom teacher.

Dinner at home with Rayven.

Night chores.

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

Home alone in a while.

The granddaughters are checking in at a hotel near Angelique's oath-taking venue for tomorrow.

Had to select a pearl-white fountain pen from my collection and load it with ink, because Angelique turned up her nose at the Singapore repousse ballpoint pen, New Zealand ballpoint pen, and technical sign pen that I set aside for her signing.

In the meantime a vegan peccadillo meal arrived from my neighbor's restaurant, for my dinner tonight.

December 2023

The compound is closed.

Demolition on two-thirds of the compound is ongoing in preparation for the construction of a 15-story condominium building, the first three floors of which will be devoted to parking space. Dust, debris, and men walking round in orange jackets are the order of the day.

Am thinking of eventually renting a north-facing unit to use as a studio.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun sounds his gazillion, golden wind chimes.

Doi Boy

Watched Thailand's 2023 Doi Boy (1:38:40), about a refugee from Myanmar who becomes a male prostitute in Chiang Mai, his hooker girlfriend, his policeman boyfriend, the policeman's wife, and two, gay activists who attempt to expose corruption among high-level officials. The movie is perplexing because, at its core, it addresses the human-trafficking issue in Myanmar--and only incidentally has gay characters, who didn't have to be gay to carry the story through in the first place. In the last analysis, the movie has nothing to do with being gay or with gay relationships, especially after it misleadingly opens with a variety of carnal scenes set in Doi Boy Club.   

There are, nonetheless, many lovely shots in this movie. It features life in Thailand at the height of the CoVID pandemic and the difficulty of holding on to stable jobs. On the downside, it is one of those "gay" movies that bring down gayness to the level of male prostitution. The fact is, it is difficult to sympathize with male characters who choose to become sex workers for want of a better and decent occupation, and it is all too easy to perceive them as lazy bums who could have preferred other kinds of work with higher moral standards.

Another holiday party is ongoing elsewhere in the neighborhood. Camp Panopio Compound? I can hear the music from my bedroom window.

Good night Cubao!

The gnome caregivers light bottled candles in braziers at the feet of beds.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five and you with six syllables in your names: The best holiday venues will always be the city, the neighborhood, and the house you live in.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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 morning. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have been attached to this bell(Tongkaling bell) for a long time, especially now that it has become stronger to the point that even when I'm about to sleep, the bell is on my mind, even though I try to ignore it. By the way, I come from a lineage of babaylans, but now in my generation, there are no more babaylans. I'm wondering what the purpose of this bell is. Should I make one like this? I hope you can give me some advice because I'm really confused. Thank you very much. Namaste."

My reply:

Tongkaling bells double up as musical instruments and as amulets. I myself have a T/boli brass belt with three layers of bells in a chevron pattern, and I wore it in public on one, special occasion.

In magic, bells tied to trees herald the arrival of spirits. They are even used to summon spirits and elementals or to drive them away.

It wouldn't hurt to have tongkaling and ear it as jewelry. I suggest, however, that you wait for it to come to you rather than go out and search for it.

Good morning, Cubao!

Love always rises in the east.

And now a holiday party seems to be ongoing at the Planas Site courtyard. I can hear the music from my bedroom window.

Good night, Cubao!

The infirm are cozily tucked in bed in the travelers' inn.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not give money to mendicants and menial workers just because they walk up to you courteously and ask you for it. You are not obliged in any way to give them anything, no matter what the time of year.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

If you like pineapple in your pizza, it is because you perceive pizza as a salad,.which it is.

If you don't like pineapple in your pizza, it is because you perceive pizza as a sandwich, which it also is.

Good morning, Cubao!

The goddess of the sea wears her South Sea pearls.

Susan, here are five visualization exercises you can do before submitting yourself to a dreaded medical procedure:

--Imagine yourself in front of a huge glass window. Outside, you can see a tall building with many windows. In the windows you are witnessing different people going through their personal lives and personal dramas. Everyone is oblivious of everyone else. 

--Imagine yourself on a beach, contemplating the golden sand. You are a grain of sand among other grains of sand. Take a handful of sand and wait for the cloak of humility to fall on your shoulders.

--Imagine yourself in outer space. Thank the universe for selecting you to undergo this trial, for you know that, had it happened to any one of your loved ones instead, they would not be able to withstand it because they do not have the strength that you have.

--Imagine yourself surrounded by your ancestors, who are watching over you and ensuring that nothing bad will happen to you.

--Imagine yourself siting in the middle of a giant, pink lotus with a thousand petals, and that you are glowing with a soft, pink light. 

A holiday party seems to be ongoing on the Samson College compound, on the other side of our adobe wall. I can hear the music from my bedroom window.

Good night, Cubao!

The elfin mound is hosting a banquet every night through the last night of the year.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: Ensure that you have adequate rest whenever you are feeling under the weather. Never take your health for granted. Your well-being is much more important than all of the things you need to do.

Four deliveries arrived.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are melting vanilla popsicles.

Now on Level 160 of Differences: Online Journey, but I'm calling it a day.

One Message For One Of 3.400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Take your prescribed, seven-day medication faithfully, ensuring that you do so on a full stomach.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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:

"Good afternoon, sir.

"I dreamed of a woman in a white dress with long white hair. I was surrounded by a white environment, and she taught me something - a back massage technique that involved a four-dot pattern. She said, 'Anak gamita ni sa imong pagpanambal og panghilot' (Anak, gamitin mo ito sa iyong panggagamot at panghihilot). Then, I woke up. This was a strange dream I had three years ago, and I've been searching for answers ever since. I hope you can help me, sir. Thank you."

My reply:

The woman in your dream is a personification of your Higher Self. You are being called to do healing either on yourself or on others. The four dots represent four elements and four cardinal directions, everything to be carefully kept in balance.

Your Messenger message:

"Kumusta po? Maagang pagbati po ng maligayang Pasko.

"Nais ko sanang mahingi ang interpretasyon n'yo sa panaginip ko. Nanaginip po kasi ako na sa sobrang linaw e' pagkagising ko ay akala ko ay nangyari talaga. Narito po: "May sumundo po sa amin ng ina ko. Mala-tour-guide-bus ang disenyo ng sasakyan. Sa loob, may mga tao na nakaupo. Pupunta kami sa airport. Doon sasakay naman ng eroplano. Lilipad sa bansa na 12-hrs ang EST ng byahe. Ramdam ko 'yung takot ko kahit sa panaginip dahil hindi pa po ako nakasasakay ng eroplano (kahit sa waking-life ko). Nagawa kong mag-backout. Naiwan ang aking ina sa paliparan. "Nang makalayo na ako, nalaman ko na plano iyon ng ate kong nasa abroad na dalhin kami sa ibang bansa. Para raw maranansan namin ang buhay sa ibang bansa. Kaya naman bumalik iyong minibus sakay ang aking ina. Hindi raw lilipad ang eroplano kung kulang ang pasahero. Bumalik kami kasama ang aking ina sa airport. Sa tagpong 'yon, nagising na ako. "Dagdagan ko po, wala kaming bagahe o mga gamit na bitbit. At sinabi rin ng ate ko na kapag nandon na kami sa bansang iyon (USA), susunod daw ang aking ama at kapatid na bunso. "Maraming salamat po kung sakaling mabasa at mabigyan niyo ito ng pansin.

My reply

Hello _____!

Sa buong buhay mo, maraming pagkakataon ang pinalampas mo dahil sa maling pagpapakumbaba at kawalan ng tiwala sa sarili mong mga kakayahan.

Sa panaginip na ito, paalaala ng Diwa mo na ang anumang tagumpay na dapat mong kamtin ay di lamang para sa iyo kundi para sa lahat ng minamahal mo. Ang pagkait mo ng mabubuting pagkakataon sa sarili mo ay para na ring pagkait ng ikabubuti at ikaliligaya ng mga mahal mo sa buhay.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning po Sir. What can you make of this. I got this from my deceased father who was a freemason but I can't remember seeing him do some strange rituals of sorts. Just this one, it is only a photocopy but I know it has some energy to it coz everytime I hold and just look at it or read some of what's in it I always felt a strange headache and dizziness. Showed it to some of my friends who are into the paranormal and practicing occultist but.all they can say is that it is powerful.

My reply:

Hello _____!

It is the taladro of Alpha-Omega, deliberately spelt by albularyos as Alpha-Umega (AUM, AVM). Yes, it is very powerful.

Back home from lunch out with family at our default restaurant, Bellini's in Cubao Shoe Expo.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are white lotus flowers in the pond of sky.

10:00 PM. Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz are back home.

Good night, Cubao!

Buy yourself only gifts that you know you will truly enjoy.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: Plan everything, even the simplest activity, completely. You will feel a lot better for it.

Dinner at home with Rayven.

Night chores.

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

Rayven and Bertod take our Snowy and our Scooby-Doo (Yukiko Taka and Cloudy) for an afternoon walk.

It perplexes me that muay thai and MMA fighters don't know which corner to exit after a fight in a ring After all this time, shouldn't there be some visual clue to guide them?

I finally outgrew Tarot cards three years ago, and have been giving away my decks and books to Jannine and the Spirit Questors ever since.

Home alone.

Watching the other half of One Friday Fights 45 on One Championship Philippines.

My daughter-in-law Ivy's birthday.

Lighting candles at our family altar.

The grandchildren are traveling north this morning to visit her grave.

Last night was worker elves'  night at M 's cafe. The crew was cooking all night through 5:00 AM for a bulk order to be picked up this morning  Someone must be having a holiday party somewhere.

Good morning, Cubao!

A day can make up for an enrire year.

Watching One Friday Fights 45 live on One Championship Philippines.

The granddaughters have a full slate of activities the second half of this month, including a scheduled visit to my daughter-in-law Ivy's grave on Ivy's birthday.

As for myself, I only have the following:

--a long break from painting and writing

--a visit from the amber man

--the arrival of more stuff I ordered online
--Christmas Eve lunch wit my youngest sister Sylvia and brother-in-law Rey, who is cooking, December 24
--New Year's Eve check-in. countdown dinner, and January 1 buffet breakfast with family at Novotel

Those simple events cap my 2023.

Good night, Cubao!

It's a good time to pamper yourself before an interesting weekend.

One Message For One Of 3,400 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: Plan to take it easy and rest over the year-end holidays. Stay home, avoid crowds, avoid the traffic, be safe, and be content.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Our silver, facsimile coins from ancient Athens, the original site of the Olympic Games. The King's mother-in-law, who owns a silver smithy in Baguio City, had them set in sterling silver for us. They were designed to be worn on our right forefingers.

It's open, but I don't see any rides for adults.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiesta-Carnival-Cubao-Quezon-City/230794833737556

That writer never experienced having physical beauty and being desired by others, that is why he has been compensating by having a scrupulous, obsessive-compulsive mind.

Aubrey designed a tarp for Angelique. It now hangs above the entrance to our side porch. The boys of M.'s cafe installed it for us.

Photos by Aubrey Miranda

The rarp in the daytime.

The tarp at night.

Your Messenger message:

"Sir tony, the boy in the ICU has finally recovered. Praise God"

My reply:

That's the best news I received today.

Good night, Cubao!

It is most gratifying to lie in bed on holiday nights watching horror movies.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: I warned you that there would be disappointments before the year is over. Be hopeful and cheerful the remaining 17 days. It is not, after all, the end of the world.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

An index of successful and gainful retirement is buying your own food and not relying on freebies from relatives and friends.

Good morning, Cubao!

It takes many, different religions to comprise an entire world, and it is truly tragic to witness how each one of them goes to war with the rest to declare that they are the one, true religion.

Good night Cubao!

More is not better, but then again neither is less.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five and you with six syllables in your names: Remember to shut out everyone who shut you out.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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:

"Dear Sir Tony, I just want to share this with you. My youngest son was born around 44 weeks. He was huge. His birth date fell on Black Saturday, 2005. He was an easy child. But as he grew up, he always had accidents. But fortunately, it seemed that there was someone who always protected him. When we left the Philippines, it was the same. He learned to take care of himself at a young age because my husband and I were both working. He was left with his cats and, later, his dogs. When he was around 9 years old, he always told me about his shadow friend, whom he called '___ ___________.' As the years passed, he no longer remembered ___ ____________. A week ago, while on his way to school and waiting for a bus, two students on a motorbike from a rival vocational college tried to attack him. He said that one of the students threw a firecracker, and then the backrider attacked him with a machete. There were few bystanders but they were surprised that my son was able to defend himself even before they were able to help him. Fortunately, my son knows basic self-defense and was able to disarm the boy and punch him twice in the chest. Incidents like this are common in _____________. It has become a public health and security issue. Since the boys were wearing helmet and there was no CCTV in that particular area, he reported it to the police for the record or blotter. But it did not end here. My son has many friends at that rival school, too. So, the incident spread and the attackers were found. On Saturday evening, my son told us that the kid who attacked him called him via messenger. He said the kid was remorseful, saying sorry, etc. My son forgave them and was the one giving them counsel of some sort. Then, on Monday, my son told us that the two boys had an accident while on their way back to the city. The boy who attacked him, named ____________, was instantly killed, while the other one is still unconscious and in the ICU.

"You know what, my son is still upset. He told me that he has this kind of connection with the boy - like he was a friend in his word.

"Despite the bad thing they did to my son, I also feel sorry for the kids because they never had the chance to change for the better. Their lives were cut short. I just hope the boy who died would find the light and the other one would recover."

My reply:

Hello ________!

Let things be for now. Light yellow joss sticks at your altar for the living and for the dead.

Killer Book Club

Good morning, Cubao!

The impatient always forget that time heals.

Good night, Cubao!

Already, the fairies and the gnomes are preparing for a celebratory weekend.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Always make sure you have the last laugh. It is most enjoyable.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Carter

Watched South Korea's 2023 Carter (2:13:57), not to be confused with the cartoon TV series of the same title.

`Dr. Jung Byeong-ho and his daughter Ha-na disappear en route to North Korea. Dr. Jung successfully developed an antidote to the deadly DMZ virus that originated in North Korea and used it to cure Ha-na. They are now sought after by the North Korean government. The American CIA, the South Korean CIA, and North Korean subversives plotting a coup, however,  also want to get their hands on Ha-Na.

Agent Carter Lee is tasked by the North Korean government to find Ha-na and deliver her safely to North Korea.

This is a wonderfully exciting movie well-performed by a South Korean cast and replete with breathtaking but fluid camera movements by drones, by AI-assisted and simulated drone shots, and by non-obtrusive animation. It is ten times more impossible than all of the episodes of Mission Impossible and puts to shame all of the Bourne series movies taken together. It is replete with twists and turns from beginning to end. While it is extremely violent, one is continuously made conscious of suspension of disbelief and has no other recourse than to enjoy all of the sequences as though they were in a long and protracted video game.

The North Korea-South Korea situation always lends itself well to the production of movies on Asian espionage. And, while the movie seems to be one, endless chase, there is a method to the madness, like a painting that uses the Greek Golden Rectangle as a template. Many of the scenes are actually symmetrical--the bathhouse massacre in the beginning and the laboratory massacre toward the ending, for example, are in complete balance of each other.

A must-watch for everyone seeking total escapism.

Good morning, Cubao!

The retirees sit back and are served the day on a silver platter.

Good night, Cubao!

Religious people do not evolve because they believe that they are already completely "enlightened". It will always be their distinct form of arrogance no matter how "humble" they pretend to be.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: Leave the wannabes to their tinsel trophies.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores,.

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

In muay thai tournaments, I note that when a fighter is escorted by a showy flirt whose body language says, "This man is mine and no one else's," the fighter loses.

Watching One Friday Fights 44 on One Championship Philippines.

Good morning, Cubao!

The fairies wear turquoise on the last month of the year.

Your Messenger message:

"I just want to let you know that I sent your reply to my sister. I know that she is also still grieving from my mother’s passing. She said she still can’t move on. She has regrets too. She said the night before my mom died, our mom called her through my father to tell her she can’t breathe. (My sister lives on the second level of our parent’s house.) She was having a hard time going downstairs because she has just given birth to his second child. She just check on my mom briefly and went upstairs thinking it’s just another episode of my mom just wanting a companion. The following day, my mom died. She was filled with grief after that.

"She’s never the same. When I got back from the US last July and saw her, I was surprised at how her whole being was changed. She has this 'loshang' look. I was thinking maybe because she just had her third child plus she works at night from home for a BPO company. "I know she still grieves for our mom because she would always post something on her FB page about missing my mom. I didn’t realize that it affects her greatly still even after I showed her your reply to my message. "I have been reading your books again because I think going back here in the Philippines make me miss my mom big time. I want to learn something from your books about moving on and share it with my sister. "We both don’t dream about our mom. No 'paramdam' at all so my sister was thinking maybe my mom is 'nagtatampo' to her. "I will send pictures of my mom if that’s okay with you. Maybe you can have a glimpse if she has a message for us or if she is at peace now.

"These are pictures of my younger and healthier mom."

My reply:

Hello ______!

I retired in 2015.

Your sister and you should seek help from an elder counselor of your own gender.

Good night, Cubao!

A soft drizzle cloaks enchanted gardens in the moonlight;

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five and you with six syllables in your names: Every person has a surrogate father who fulfills everything his biological father was unable to fulfill.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Back from lunch at Gateway 2 with family.

 I Unfollow everyone who Highlights Posts and Comments tagging Followers.

Good morning, Cubao!

Enjoy everything the day has to offer.

 Six deliveries arrived today, one for Aubrey and five for me, but I'm expecting a seventh which I hope will arrive tonight or tomorrow.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Tried our neighbor's vegan pork barbecue but it wasn't smoky enough for me. I like his vegan humba best and his vegan adobo second best. I think, I'll try his vegan eggplant katsu next. But, how wonderful to have a neighbor who produces and delivers vegan food. He lives on Planas Site but his restaurant is in Makati. The name of his restaurant is Cafe Poblacion,

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then watching the second half of One Fight Night 17 on One Championship Philippines.

Watching One Fight Night 17 on One Championship Philippines.

Good morning, Cubao!

Do not give just because someone asks.

Good night, Cubao!

The gnomes gather round the fire pit to discuss the latest goings-on in the district.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: Do your best and that is good enough. They who love you will continue to be proud of you. 

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

1) What does Facebook mean when it says, "It looks you tried to get likes, follows, shares or video views in a misleading way"? 

What is "a misleading way" when there is only ONE way--to simply POST something?

And isn't it NORMAL for readers who agree with you to Click on Like, Follow, and Share?

2) Facebook then threatens to suspend your account if you Post what you Posted again--WITHOUT showing you what you Posted and what IT doesn't agree with and why. "Community standards" is not a valid reason because there are INDIVIDUAL standards too, such as those by freethinkers who have every right to challenge the status quo. 

This, then, is one social medium that will never produce major philosophers.

Rayven reported to do work today. He's trying to make as much money as he can before going home to Bicol for the holidays.

Good morning, Cubao!

The day is a line-up of holiday parcels.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage while Rayven watched an action movie on Netflix.

Ended 11:50 PM.

Good night, Cubao!

Always tune in to the enchantment of a long weekend.

One Message For One Of 3,.300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: The year will not end without unexpected disappointments but take everything with a cheerful heart.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

What else would you expect from generations whose role models are entertainers, both local and foreign?

Your Messenger message:

"Hi, Sir Tony. Just wanna share my dream with you but before this, I'm gonna tell you about my car.

"About less than a month ago, as I was attending a birthday party I parked my car on a ramp along with other cars and when I was about to leave, my front passenger side’s window glass had broken, and stolen my designer sunglasses and Chanel makeup kit. I had my car repaired and thank God my friend was parked a few steps behind me so the trauma was contained. Last Monday, I went to a park to take my walk and when they got back I couldn't insert my key. When I opened my car, I thought I hadn't locked it but my glove compartment was opened. Nothing was stolen. When I went home, I locked my car in the garage behind my roommate‘s car and when she was about to leave I had to take my car out so she could get out when I was about to open my car, that's when I realized that my car door was compromised. I couldn't get my key in. Thank God one of my neighbors had tools and was able to open the car. I'll have it repaired tomorrow since that's the only available time for me and my car mechanic. "After these two events, I'm tinkering with the idea of buying a new one but still hesitant to do it soon. "This morning this was my dream: "The late __ let her family get into my car and it made me believe that the car was ours. I asked him how I was gonna get home when I saw his family left in my car. There was another car that he was supposed to drive and said to me- 'I've to ask my family' "Next scene- I was contemplating the event and realized why would he think that the car was ours when I solely paid for it. I didn't want to confront him and upset him so I went to seek advice from ______ on how I should tell Rj about it. Then I woke up. A few seconds after I just said- wow! That was __! "Hoping for your insight. Maraming Salamat Po, sir."

My reply:

Hello ______!

To begin with, the image of your car and the troubles you are having with it, whether in the dream state or in reality, signify an inability to move for3ward, to make the right next step, or to p5roceed with ease.

That you dreamt about __ confirms the difficulty you are having at present, for __ represents dreams not achieved, projects not completed, a career nipped in the bud, and ambiguous relationships left blowing in the wind.

Go with the flow. Live and enjoy life. Worry not and care not about what comes to you and what doesn't.

In a manner of speaking, secure your car the normal way and drive to where your happiness takes you. 

My Complete Clavo en corona Collection

Popularly known as Clavo Corona, Corona Clavo, and even Cristo Clavo and Clavo De Cristo (and not to be confused with the talisman Cuatro Clavos, which I also have), the legend behind this talisman is that Emperor Constantine's mother, Helena, a.k.a. Saint Helen, was able to obtain the three brads that were used in the Crucifixion. She allegedly threw one in the middle of the sea, nailed another into the emperor's saddle, and placed the third inside his crown.

Background: Linen Panyo with complete oraciones, purchased from Ramona Singian in 2010.

Center: Sterling silver medallion

Clockwise from Top: Brass talisman; stainless steel talisman (attributed to Frederick Bayas); sterling silver ring (antique); copper talisman (attributed to Jeffrey Limuco); sterling silver talisman with spiral pattern (antique); and sterling silver talisman (antique)

Clavo en corona is allegedly a talisman of triumph.

Good morning, Cubao!

All dreams are meant to be remembered upon waking.

Good night, Cubao!

Do not go out of your way to spend money on inefficient laborers.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not spend time mulling over the wrong decisions you made in the past, Concern yourself with the present and look forward to the future.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Wearing Elizabeth Taylor's Passion for Men.

Take precaution.

The sun's flaming arrows descend to Earth, and the days and the nights grow hotter.

I must have sent Angelique through 21 years of schooling from the time she was a toddler all the way through her bachelor's degree in Business Administration and her juris doctor degree in Law, and she passed the bar exams yesterday.

Memories of my late, elder son Nelson, who graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and came home one afternoon with a broadsheet announcing that he passed his board exams, came by. 

And of my younger son, Chito, who earned a degree in Computer Science and went on to become a licensed mortician.

And of my granddaughter Aubrey, who has a B.S. in Psychology and still dreams of becoming a brain surgeon someday.

These are the biggest awards I received in this lifetime. My trophies and prizes in Drama and in Literature and my recognitions in Art are NOTHING compared to them.

Photo shared from Aubrey Rose Miranda

9:44 PM

Lit celebratory joss sticks at our altars this afternoon, and double the amount of red joss sticks this evening.

Finally inside my bedroom after a long day.

Good night, Cubao!

Avoid crowds, both in the daytime and at night.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends. One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Life is like a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. It is up to you to assemble it, piece by piece, to see the entire, beautiful picture, no matter how long it takes you to complete it.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

Pizza and cake deliveries for an impromptu celebration.

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

 Photo by Jazz Baculi

My eldest granddaughter, Angelique, passed the 2023 Bar Exams!

We now have a lawyer in the family!

Back from jalan-jalan at the center; Toto drove for me. Withdrew money at the bank, had dollars changed to pesos, paid our electric bills, and sent some money to my younger son Chito. Angelique now pays our phone bills online.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun sings happy songs from your childhood.

The King and the Clown

Watched South Korea's 2005_The King and the Clown_ (2:00:35), a real gem of a movie and a far cry from all modern K-dramas. Set in 1504, the equivalent of the Medieval Age in Asia, it is about two male minstrels who perform bawdy, acrobatic skits in marketplaces: Jaeng-Saen and Gong-Gil, his younger associate who plays female roles. While it has been classified as an LGBTQ+ film, there is nothing explicit between these two men other than that they care for each other. The dialogue and the skits are earthy and vulgar; other than that there is no nudity and no sex except for one, brief kiss planted by the king on Gong-Gil's lips.

The conflict begins when the minstrels travel to Seoul and perform a parody featuring the king and his courtesan Nok-Su. They are invited by head minister Cheo-Seon to perform at the palace and eventually perform skits exposing the corruption of the palace ministers. The king takes a liking to the troupe, encourages them to stage more parodies, and then uses them to wield power against his enemies, 

He also falls in love with Gong-Gil.  .       

This is a serious, tragic, and disturbing film that is nonetheless exquisitely written and performed. It showcases a slice of South Korea that we don't see in other movies. The scenes with the band of minstrels are strangely reminiscent of the company kept by Michelangelo Merisi di Carvaggio, (1572 -1610), the Italian painter who lived in Rome with equally bawdy associates. It is also a strange film in that it pits homosexual relations against heterosexual relations, something which I believe has never been attempted before. Sadly, it is scheduled to be pulled out of the Netflix repertoire December 16, 2023.  

The Invitation

Watched the U.S.A.'s 2022 The Invitation (1:44:45), a modern-gothic horror movie with a classic, albeit unexpected, twist. Evelyn Alexander, recently orphaned and working for a living as a catering crew member. sends her DNA sample to an online service that offers to trace people's existing relatives all over the world. The search leads her to second cousin Oliver Alexander from England, who invites her to Whitney, Yorkshire, to attend a wedding and meet her other long-lost relatives. Evelyn accepts the invitation on an all-expenses, paid trip to a breathtaking mansion named New Carfax Abbey, where she meets and is attracted to handsome but mysterious Walter De Ville, lord of the manor. Very soon, however she observes that the mansion, Walter himself, and all of her long-lost relatives are keeping a dark secret from which she eventually attempts to extricate herself.    

While this movie makes a satisfying screening with no letdown ending, the first three-fourths is nothing more than a prolonged process of flirtation. One gets the feeling that the production is a dark, Hallmark romance originally written for Meghan Markle, what with the lead performer's being a look-alike and the story essentially that of a middle-class American woman suddenly thrust into aristocracy.

You get how this is really a cinematic prank on the audience toward the conclusion, when Evelyn runs to a cottage for help and is met there by a familiar couple (whose names I will not mention), harking back to a much older story with much older characters.   

Good night, Cubao!

This is the time of the year to make the annual inventory of your treasured possessions.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not lend money to anyone, no matter how much the person asking you begs and pleads.

You will never get your money back.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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 with Rayven.

Failures in life are always interested to know how others are doing.

That is why they host dinner parties and invite those who can give them information they want to know.

Good morning, Cubao!

Cheerful vendors breeze through the neighborhood streets on sunny mornings.

Good night, Cubao!

The best holiday gifts are not always the biggest.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Always be mindful of what you spontaneously blurt out or exclaim whenever you are angered or surprised. Those words will always be a reflection of your character.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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

Good morning, Cubao!

Author your day as creatively as possible.

Gave our second lion's head backpack to the King when we met up last week. Aside from the fact that he now trains at Eduard "Landslide" Folayang's Lions Nation, Lion is the power animal of Baguio City. His son, Gudan, is shown here in front of the gym's mural, which was painted by Harold Banario, brother of MMA fighter Honorio Banario and himself an MMA fighter and a painter. I purchased an exquisite male nude from Harold some months ago.

I collect novelty backpacks the way women collect designer bags. And I wear them. In public.

Photos by Danny Ittiw Kingad

Two-hour, deep tissue massage while Rayven watched an action movie on Netflix.

Good night, Cubao!

The neighborhood cobbler loves working through the night.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Being thankful and being grateful are two different things. It is good to be thankful, but you are never obliged to be grateful.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then snuggling in bwd with the second part of One Friday Fights 43 on One Championship Philippines.

Oracle reading, alternative healing, faith healing, mediumship, and life counseling are not professions--they are mere VENTURES, sometimes even hobbies, meaning that they offer practitioners no retirement annuity, and that their practitioners must continue working for a living through the end of their lives.

 Two deliveries arrived: one for Angelique and one for me.

Waiting for three more deliveries, and I'll be done with holiday shopping for myself.

Watching One Friday Fights 43 on One Championship Philippines.

The point of retirement is to enjoy the kind of life you dreamed of when you were still employed.

Good morning, Cubao!

No day is ever a routine day.

Good night, Cubao!

They who feel under the weather retire to bed early, under the watchful eyes of their caregivers.

One Message For One Of 3,300 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with eight syllables in your name: Love your child, but do not spoil him to a fault. You will regret it when he reaches his teen years.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Night chores.

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