Good morning, Cubao!

Today the birds and the honeybees are assigned to watch over the children.

During the one and only class luncheon reunion I attended, I was told the story of a man who never got along with his father. One day the man had a big argument with his father and said something insulting to him. He turned his back on his father and, as soon as he did, his father collapsed and died.

Nonon Padilla said that the incident could have been a scene from one of my plays.

Actually, I would never write such a scene. No one in the audience would believe it.

But then again this kind of thing DOES happen in real life, not only to the man in the story. I recall that, many years ago, it happened to a transgender's father on the day--or was it the next day?--he arrived from the States. The father all the while believed that his son was in military training, and had no clue that his son would come back as a female fashion plate.

Good night Cubao!

Newborn puppies sleep and dream in their mother's warm embrace.

One Message To One Of 233 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Always move forward from a bright present to an even brighter future.

Angelique and Jazz took an early dinner, then Aubrey and I had dinner in the dining room.

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

Night chores.

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

Tell It Like It Is

1. When Angelique was three years old she indicated to her aunt CatCat and me that she wanted to see one of the children's books in her collection, the one with "Nam Boys". We couldn't figure out what she meant by that. Did she mean Vietnam Boys? If not, what kind of boys? It took us some time before we understood that she meant "Numbers". That went under my blind spot since I wasn't too enamored with numbers when I was her age.

2. One of our CAOs, Jim Callahan, was from Boston. He called up Rosie, the office secretary, one morning, and asked her to send an Embassy driver to pick him up at "Sannagasta". Rosie went to everyone in the office to inquire where "Sannagasta" was. It was the Embassy driver who figured it out. He was in San Agustin Church.

Took reference photos of a female model for Painting #6 for my next exhibit.

Ordered a ham salad with mayonnaise dressing from M.'s cafe. Wondering why I'm on a binge today.

Worked half an hour on seventh layer. 

Glazing commences tomorrow.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery to buy a dozen fresh eggs, then had a blueberry fruit tea with nata de coco at the neighborhood tea house.

Worked an hour on sixth layer.

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

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is an inverted, ice skating rink.

Deep tissue massage  Ended 11:00 PM.

Good night, Cubao!

They who sleep well exercise more patience.

One Message For One Of 233 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Reorganize your clothes and your belongings, and enjoy doing so.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique is at a friend's surprise birthday dinner and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Worked half an hour on fifth layer.

David watered the plants in the roof deck, side balcony, and front balcony gardens.

Watched all ten episodes of Korea's 2021 Juvenile Justice, a legal drama featuring a female judge who takes on a series of crimes committed by minors. Seems to me that the springboard could have been the USA's Law & Order: SUV, the protagonist Shim Eun-seok a Korean Olivia Benson replete with a traumatic past and receiving flak not only from offenders but also from colleagues. Lee Jeong-eun plays the Presiding Judge Na Geun-hee in the second half of the series--I recognized her as the crazy landlady in the chilling drama Strangers from Hell a.k.a Hell Is Other People.  

The series gives us a look at how investigations of juvenile cases and trials are handled in South Korea. The stories presented were possibly based on actual cases (murder, domestic abuse, tensions and harmful dynamics in a girls' home, a high school group's involvement in exam leakage, bullying and an underage group figuring in a motor accident, and gang rape and underage pornography).

The performances by the adults are commendable, the roles of Shim Eun-seok (Kim Hye-soo) and associate judge Cha Tae-joo (Kim Mu-yeol) impressively underplayed. If the juvenile actors and actresses are the actual ages of the the roles they portray, however, they definitely outshine the adults in nuances, and they are one bunch of superb performers.

This was a nice change from all the Korean supernatural movies I've been watching. It was disturbing but not depressing. Most importantly, it was very insightful. Despite its subject matter, the movie's treatment was far from melodramatic (except, perhaps, for that mother-in-law scandal scene in Episode 9). I also kept thinking how sad it is that our very own DSWD is burdened with more cases than it can handle.

Much is always attributed to K-drama performers, writers, and directors. Of equal expertise and seldom mentioned, however, are their editors and their handling of transitions, flashbacks, superimpositions, and scene variations and interpolations--distinctively and consistently Korean, for I have never seen such editing in movies from other countries.

P.S. This is the second or third movie I've watched that somehow indicates that Koreans have a shoe fetish.

Worked an hour on fourth layer.

Lunch at home with Angelique; Aubrey asleep after her night shift.

Good morning, Cubao!

The gnomes harvest mushrooms from hay beds.

Good night, Cubao!

Sometimes you need to enjoy just sitting and resting inside a dark room.

One Message To One Of 233 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with seven syllables in your name: Always have a secondary source of illumination in every room of your house.

Angelique came down to dinner in the dining room.

Night chores.

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

Staggered dinnertimes.

A celebrity collapses, a perpetrator relapses.

Worked half an hour on third layer.

Unity is impossible in any democratic country. Its opposite is not division or disunity. Its opposite is equality in diversity.

A democratic country, therefore, has several voices and never speaks in collective unison.

Worked half an hour on second layer.

Lunch at home with Angelique; Aubrey asleep after her night shift.

Atchays will Comment on your Posts. Then, after you've replied to their Comments, they Delete their Comments so that everyone else won't see how stupid they are.

This is the same modus of online scammers who sell bogus items online.

What I do is Comment on my Comment, "______________, why did you delete your Comment, '________________'? Did it make you ashamed of yourself?"

Nothing is ever the same after damage has been done.

Sometimes you have to liberate yourself from liberation itself.

Good morning, Cubao!

When the children rise from bed, it is time for the teddy bears to rest and go to sleep.

Good night, Cubao!

The stars speak, and so, listen.

One Message To One Of 233 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Count your blessings, and expect more.

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

Night chores.

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

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Angelique's college friend Kate visited.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

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

Worked an hour on first layer.

Claimed Angelique's bed linen from the compound laundry.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Watered the ground-floor plants.

Good morning, Cubao!

The day is a notebook half-filled with thoughts and memories.

Good night, Cubao!

The gnomes are holding a torchlight parade in the grassy field.

One Message To One Of 233 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: Do not go out of your way to meet someone who doesn't want to meet you.

Dinner at home with Angelique. Aubrey came down to dinner much later.

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

Night chores.

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

M. and Rose are having their civil wedding March 24.

M. fried pepper steak for us.

M. and Brian helped me with a chore, then checked the water faucets on the roof deck and second-floor guest bathroom.

Ang Simula ay ang Tuldok, at ang Tuldok ay naging Mata.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery to buy milk and fruit soda, then bought three strips grilled liempo from a hawker's stand.

A group of high school students was shooting a movie, presumably a class project, on the compound.

Worked an hour on construction lines.

Someone--my neighbor Glenn?--dropped off this box of Bailon's Piaya--the only piaya that exists in this world for me--at the cafe while I was having forty winks. From Tanya? It came without messages--either physical or electronic.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Toto drove for me. Paid our electric bill. Resisted the temptation to browse through The Oil Paint Store.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

The enchanted folk hold a big breakfast buffet on the roof deck.

Good night, Cubao!

When no one is there to hug you, what are the ways in which you hug yourself?

One Message For One Of 231 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Save your money. Do not buy whimsical items that have no real value.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Worked half an hour on construction lines.

Commenced construction lines for Painting #5 for my next exhibit.

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

Lunch at home with Aubrey; Angelique still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

Day fairies rest on cast iron sets in flower gardens.

Good night, Cubao!

The gnomes are building additional chambers in the dragon tree.

One Message To One Of 231 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with seven syllables in your name: Take especial care of your hands and fingers.

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.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Porch lights fixed!

Took reference photos of a model for a future painting.

Brian still working on fixing our porch lights.

Worked half an hour on seventeenth glaze.

Painting #4 for my next exhibit is finished (February 20 - March 5, 2022).

Worked half an hour on sixteenth glaze.

Jazz arrived.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique has online classes through 12:00 NN and Aubrey asleep after her night shift.

My elder son Nelson's death anniversary (1998).

Lit candles and joss sticks at our family altar and columbary.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a ball of yellow amber.

Watched all 16 episodes of Korea's Hotel Del Luna a.k.a. Guest House of the Moon (2019), which Angelique and Aubrey recommended. It's about an expensive, palatial hotel that takes in spirits of the dead as guests so that they can be consoled and be given the chance to do everything they wanted to but couldn't when they were living. It's also about grudges of the dead against the living, and many of the situations, though cloaked in fantasy, are real as I have observed over 26 years of Spirit Questing. A la Hotel Transylvania minus the comedy but just as bizarre. Episode 1 already shows us a Tim-Burtonesque production design, and the story jumpstarts as a deconstruction of Beauty and the Beast with reversed genders. It was a pleasant surprise to see the actor who played the support team leader in Black play the mayor here, albeit in merely a bit part. Love the owner of Pizza Alvolo; reminds me of M. and M.'s cafe.

The sets and props of this movie are fabulous and the story clearly told. Like most other Korean productions dealing with the supernatural it is, of course, really a love story disguised as a horror story. Jang Man-wol is a modern, Korean Scarlett O'Hara out of Gone With the Wind, and singer/actress IU plays the role well. The protagonists in this movie were so likable that, by the time I was on Episode 15, I knew that I would miss them terribly after my entire screening was over. Love that sword named Full Moon. Reminds me of my double-handed sword Tikbalang. And the Moon Tree, the dragon tree outside our house.

Seems like I should have built my own hotel years ago, but I think the dollhouse dojo in my bedroom can serve that purpose. It may have several guests already.

Couldn't resist Posting a shot of some of my moon jewelry. Rings, Left to Right: white jade, moonstone, labradorite, and labradorite in Gaia setting. Pendants, Left to Right: labradorite and moonstone. 

Good night, Cubao!

The gnomes are glamping on backyards tonight.

One Message For One Of 231 Friends, One Ever Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Normal people should keep their treasures to themselves, lest other people covet them.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

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

Night chores.

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

Worked half an hour on fifteenth glaze.

Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room.

Worked an hour on fourteenth glaze.

 Your Messenger message:

"Prof. Tony, with the digitalization of daily interactions, do elementals and deities also use the web and ICT in general? just a thought"

My reply:

No. Otherwise they would be building their own skyscrapers by now. Their natural means of communication is telepathy, which no man-made technology has ever replicated.

Elementals are concerned primarily with Nature and take very little interest in the ways and advancements of humans.

Lunch at home with Aubrey. She worked overtime and is now going to sleep after her night shift.

Angelique's air-conditioner is being serviced.

Good morning, Cubao!

In mid-afternoon, before sunset, the sun toasts the clouds a golden brown.

Good night, Cubao!

Darkness is a mattress covered with satin.

One Message For One Of 231 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: It costs nothing to smile, but it has the power to uplift tired and lonely hearts.

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.

Two campaign groups descended on our compound this afternoon.

The first was Bobby Andrews and his entourage. As he was walking away I read his mind. He was wishing that, someday, he could afford to be sitting on an open but secure porch surrounded by beautiful things.

The second was Ariel Inton and his entourage. I also read his mind. He was mentally exhausted and wishing he were somewhere else, like beside a swimming pool. He was also displeased with two or three members of his campaign group; I was unable to determine why because he walked by so quickly.

Forty winks.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center with Angelique and Aubrey. Toto drove for us. Went to the bank, changed dollars to pesos, paid our telephone bill, sent some money to my younger son Chito, did major groceries, and had lunch out at a new restaurant. Also managed to buy two Charlie Bone books.

A sweltering hot day.

Delivery of a bag of Starbucks coffee. We asked the vendor to grind the beans for us.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are white, paper lanterns hanging from the sky. 

Two-hour, deep tissue massage. Ended 11:45 PM.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnomes gather midnight dew in silver pails.

One Message For One Of 231 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with two syllables in your name: Remember to lock up before retiring to bed.

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

Night chores.

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

Asked Nino to fry tocino to add to our dinner.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has online classes through 9:30 PM and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Worked half an hour on thirteenth glaze.

Lunch at home with Angelique; Aubrey asleep after her night shift. 

Delivery of Grinders' bold and rich, ground espresso.

Picked up the granddaughters' bed linen from the compound laundry.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery.

Good morning, Cubao!

The fairies are having mid-morning tea in the flower garden.

Good night, Cubao!

Sleep on pillows stuffed with moonbeams.

One Message For One Of 231 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Never make religious people make you feel guilty. You have every right to be yourself.

Brought some food over to M 's cafe staff.

Night chores.

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

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has online classes through 9:30 PM and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Your Messenger message:

"prof. Tony, what's an atchay?"

My reply:

Riff-raff, hoi-poloi, social scum, the rowdy peanut gallery, human trash, parasites, blackhearts, skunks, undesirables, pedestrian Machiavellians, pigheaded megalomaniacs, brain-injured politicians, cultural ignoramuses, opportunists, vagabonds, mercenaries, parasites, dirt bags, douche bags, sleaze bags, sleaze balls, dicks, pricks, assholes, ass-lickers, brown-nosers, bootlickers, blockheads, shitheads, cunt heads, pinheads, motherfuckers, narrow-minded sons of bitches, jerks and jerk-offs, lazy bums, slobs, good-for-nothings, moochers, users and abusers, delinquents, imitators, hypocrites, fakes, social climbers, pretentious intellectuals, poseurs, charlatans, uppity folks, la-de-das, schemers, devious people pretending to be friends, voyeurs, mediocre wannabes, inadequates, bunglers, sabotagers, the not-cute trying too hard to be cute, stalkers, religious cranks, maniacs, crooks, anti-environmentalists, litterers, sorry losers, nonentities, copycats, pranksters, absconders, thieves, pickpockets, burglars, hackers, scammers, hoaxers, overpricers, tricks, cheaters, bullies, manipulators, con artists, vandals, rock-throwers, impersonators, plagiarists, credit-grabbers, slanderers, tall-tale tellers, backbiters, gloom and doom predictors, liars, scandal mongers, rumor mongers, mudslingers, sensationalists, malingerers, morons, corrupt people, judgmental people, road hogs, road ragers, tantrum throwers, double crossers, double agents, double spies, traitors, snakes in the grass, heels, spouse snatchers, candy takers, gluttons, greedy-guts, desperate flirts, hookers, selfish people, people with a chip on their shoulder, people with an axe to grind, gluttons, rude and disrespectful people, people with hurt pride, well-wishers and envious people, people who borrow money and never pay it back, people who never apologize, bad sports, malicious competitors, sorry losers, nitpickers, the ill-intentioned, the insincere, gripers, and people who act above their station.

And in Captain Haddock's words: "Sea-gherkins! Freshwater swabs! Ectoplasms! Nitwits! Nincompoops! Bashi-bazouks!"

There are atchays in every country. The world is full of them. Use your gift of discernment to identify them.

The Mandarin "shi mei" means a young female apprentice, assistant, or student. It is the origin of the Filipino word "chimay", meaning maid or female household help. It is not to be confused with the term "ah chai" (derogatory), meaning "my girl/boy toy". It is derogatory because the nickname "Ah Chai" is akin to the nicknames "Ah Kang" (Stupid Man) and "Ah Huwei" (Stupid Woman). In the Philippines, the Hokkien term "Juan Ah Kang", usually applied to laborers, means "Stupid Filipino". Hence the derogatory term "atchay".

Forty winks.

Worked half an hour on twelfth glaze.