4:30 PM November 19, 2022. Renz picks up his copy of my book.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Drizzly day in Cubao.

Alkaline water delivery, 50 gallons, and dispenser cleaning.

Painted three cradle sides black (TCOM).

Happy Birthday to my eldest sister, Lourdes!

Slept nine hours last night.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a rotund egg yolk in outer space.

Good night, Cubao!

The baker gnomes are already planning their projects for the coming month.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: Don't just fervently wish for something. Go get it within legitimate means.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Brought some food and a box of doughnuts 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 book I am still reading.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center with Arthur David. Gave him a copy of Cubao Ilalim: Unang Aklat. We had a heavy snack at The Greasy Spoon, then doughnuts and drinks at Krispy Kreme.

Good morning, Cubao!

Life and a second chance at life come in the most unexpected forms.

Good night, Cubao!

The gnome children are already tucked in for a long, restful night.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Be prepared, this early, for December, Stop making useless expenses this month and conserve your money and resources for the end-of-year holidays.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique ordered food from outside after her online class and Aubr4ey preparing for her night shift.

Asked Bertod 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 book I am still trying to finish reading.

Two-hour, early afternoon nap.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning, Sir Tony. I would like to consult with you a dream that is so random and weird yet felt important and meaningful at the same time.

"Nov 16, 10pm "It started with a conversation about getting in a ship for my grand uncle’s wake. I told my parents that the diamonds where there when he told his wife to kiss the huge rock as he was saying his final message. But the wife refused to believe. I know how the rock looked like specifically. I can’t imagine why they would refuse such big treasure. There was a woman who was behind us who almost caught our conversation so we had to really talk cryptically. The next thing I know is that my brother is the one lying in front of a crowd, not feeling well. I was at the backstage with my sister. We were singing Lupang Hinirang. Our mother joined us but she was out of tune. The three of us were laughing as we hear her sing. Prior to that, we started the song even before the one who is supposed to lead it started singing. We were really chuckling. "I had to pay something on the table for a 10aed pitch in with previous college-mates. I had several coins in a cup, on my table, so I gave 3 coins. I am not sure if it was 30 in total value. I had a full cup of those coins. I could have given more but decided not to since that will be an enough share for my part. It turned out that I contributed the most. I pitched in more than my part and larger than the majority. I was happy to know about that. I went about my way. "While in the crowd, there was a very stylish guy. I instantly judged that he wasn't doing well in his studies because he had so much of his focus on his clothing. I knew because he looked really fine and posh all the time. He really cared about his looks the most. I liked his style, though. "I saw another college-mate from the crowd. But the face was of another friend. He was a chef apparently busy cooking all that time. It just happened that people before him created a mess on his path and he wanted me to clear it up for him. I didn’t mind. I picked the food up and put it on the side as it wasn't my trash. It looked like a siomai. I had a pair of knife. I just had to move it to the side with it. I moved on. He, then, asked me for another favor to ask someone about being abroad. I asked the person the specific question (which I cannot remember). I told him that it wasn’t me who was asking but someone else. I told him to tell the answers directly to that same person. He refused and said that he will only tell his answers to me. I said okay then. I moved on. "Then, after this, I can’t remember the transition but I was in a ship again where I was helping someone organize some stuff for a guy on a shelf. Next thing I know, another guy was torridly kissing my neck and wanted me. There was a particular song that was playing making this scene go by in slow motion. I refused the guy, firmly stating that I am not that kind of person. He felt humiliated but made it look like he was the one rejecting me and it was my loss because he wasn’t mine, in the first place. I never looked back and just went forward saying bye and I don’t care. I don’t associate myself with his likes, I thought to myself. He moved on to another ship for another girl. I shrugged it off as if already expecting it to happen. "Moving in the opposite direction. Now, I see a very huge current in the ocean. I had two choices. It is either that I jumped to another ship (which is relatively safer since I won’t get wet in the process and it looked like a really smooth path) or worked through my way up to the stairs with raging waters. I did the latter. I was really careful with each step that I make because the stairs were made of bamboo and the water gushed in between each step. I took one step at a time until I saw a poor guy (who looked homeless) who was helping me through the process. I was hesitant, at first, as I could well do it by myself. But I still chose to grab his helping hand to show that I am grateful of his offer (besides, I do not want him to think that I refuse to hold him for the reason that he looked filthy because that was not the reason at all). "After that, it got so much easier for me to climb up. Another guy helped me again to move up to another set of stairs. As I reach the concrete ones, I felt truly grateful for choosing that path. I reached the peak. I saw two familiar looking girls who were best friends in their young age. I asked where their Ate’s where. It seems that we were friends. There, I reached a barangay which had chaotic characters in the scene (the typical chismosang kapitbahay, the teenage girl who has a fight with another teenage girl, children playing on the streets) It felt like a typical Filipino barangay. I woke up to this dream feeling inspired. The dream wasn’t anything fancy or close to fairytale but it felt magical. "As I was listening to the song after the dream, I cried as I realize that my highest self is the one conversing with me through the song. "This is the lyrics of the song "Oceans by Kenna Childs "You call me out upon the waters The great unknown Where feet may fail And there I find You in the mystery In oceans deep My faith will stand And I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours And You are mine Your grace abounds in deepest waters Your sovereign hand Will be my guide Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me You've never failed And You won't start now So I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours And You are mine, ooh, ooh, ooh You are mine, ooh, ooh, ooh Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior And I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours And You are mine "I write to you to see perspective that I may have missed in interpreting this dream. Thank you very much for sharing your precious time."

My reply:

Hello _____!

This is another summary dream that capsulizes where you are at the moment, where you want to go, and what obstacles you need to overcome.

The dream must have been triggered by an event in your waking life, most probably within the day, and aroused your frustration about your limitations--who you are, where you are, what you are allowed to do, and what you are not allowed to do.

The sea represents your emotions, the ships or boats your traversing them. All of the male characters in your dream are personifications of your Masculine Self; I recall a few of your dreams in the past that indicated your subconscious desire to be male and have powers usually exercised by males.

Those characters are:

--a deceased granduncle, the legacy he left behind in diamonds, and the dismissal of the diamonds by fragments of your Feminine Self, who are reminding you to favor the spiritual over the material. Your Masculine Self protests; he reminds you, on the contrary, that you must always have coins in your cup.

--the stylish guy, who again emphasizes a conflict in values: he is well-dressed (materialism) but you know he is poor in his studies (spirituality).

--the chef, who has the power to feed others (material and spiritual), whom you assist, and who represents your past yearning to go abroad and make a name for yourself.

The message of the chef becomes most disturbing to you because he contains polar choices, and, it seems, you have really not made a deliberate choice. You continue to question where you are and what you have become. This brings you back to the sea of emotions and to ships or boats. The next male character who makes an entrance places yet another obstacle from making a rational choice; he is physical passion. In the dream, you reject him, for physical passion is yet another factor that brings you farther from spirituality. This creates an anxiety situation, and you are presented with two paths: to take the safe path or to take the path with risks. You choose to take the path with risks, and two more characters representing your Masculine Self emerge: a poor young man who extends his hand to assist you, and the second finally bringing you to concrete steps and to the reality of your context in your community.

My advice is to never look back at the past and its broken dreams. All of those were simply part of your lifetime journey. You chose to get married rather than be a career woman. That is where you are, but where you are is also where you can be the best of what you can be. Value that role and know that it is not only good enough--it is where true spirituality is, and that is what the song is telling you, for Allah is neither here nor abroad. He is in your heart.

An early lunch at home alone.

Good morning, Cubao!

The frangipani's children grow in porch pots.

Every soul has a purpose and is never really "lost".

Good night, Cubao!

The night gnomes go door to door and share bowls of food with their neighbors.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with four syllables in your name: You will reinvent yourself three more times in your lifetime. Ensure that each one is thorough and complete.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Asked Bertod 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 continuing to forego Netflix to finish reading a book.

Vernissage: 13th Painting for my next exhibit

Lunch at home alone; Angelique at work and Aubrey sleeping after her night shift.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sunshine blooms on tin rooftops like hundreds of golden flowers.

Good night, Cubao!

The fairies hang multicolored lanterns from the branches of the trees.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: You had fun in graduate school, for life then seemed to be a lot of fun. Afterward the reality of life hit you in the face, and you were suddenly constrained to find a better job and make money. Assess where you are now and how much farther you need to go.

Dinner at home with Angelique; 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 must forego Netflix to reread Part IV of an old book.

How my granddaughters see me.

Breakfast at Seattle's Best Coffee, October 2022. Photo by Angelique Pearl Mianda.

Lunch at Seafood Island, July 2022. Photo by Aubrey Rose Miranda.

Two-hour, afternoon nap.

Good morning, Cubao!

The dragon tree wears a crown of golden sunshine.

Watched all eight episodes of the U.S.A.'s 2022 Ancient Apocalypse, hosted by journalist Graham Hancock, who seeks evidence that a culture more advanced than the hunter-gatherers existed at the end of the last Ice Age, contrary to the traditional canon of human civilization according to trained archaeologists. The series warns us that a great cataclysm like that known as the Younger Dryas that occurred 12,800 years ago could occur once again and that we should not ignore its possibility. 

The series gives us a tour around the world--above ground, underwater, below ground, even into the skies--as Hancock inspects ancient sites in Indonesia, Peru, Mexico, Malta, Egypt, the Bahamas,. Turkey, and the U.S.A. It is impressive and convincing because Hancock is methodical, insightful, and eloquent, and he forwards his speculations minus extraterrestrial brouhaha. In its attempt to be thorough, however, there are times when the series is redundant. 

Hancock includes in his presentation Plato's description of Atlantis in 260 "B.C.", universal stories of the Great Flood, and the ancient gods Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl, Viracocha, Sansuna, Horus, Prometheus, Maui, Zoroaster, the Seven Sages, Oannes, and Ahura Mazda, whom he believes to have passed on the knowledge of astronomy, agriculture, and architecture to the survivors of the cataclysm. He gives emphasis to the universal symbol of serpents, frequently found in stone carvings, maintaining that they represented comets falling from the sky.

It is somewhat a relief to be aware that modern science continues developing mechanisms to deflect or shatter comets and meteors into fragments, but then again everything that is state-of-the-art can also be inadequate or have a very brief shelf life, so that we can never say that we are out of danger. That and, of course, our irresponsible treatment of Earth. Many times in the series, Hancock and his co-researchers ask aloud why archaeologists, historians, and scientists stick to their guns about the timeline they've established and remain close-minded regarding the revision of the history of human civilization. This question is never answered in the series.

My answer is that archaeologists, historians, and scientists are essentially fundamentalists. They fear that any change in history will change their religion, their faith, and whatever they believe to be their salvation. Indeed, religion is probably the worst invention of civilization. It always gets in the way of true progress, including spiritual progress, and it could very well be religion that will ultimately destroy this planet. Fundamentalists always practice their religion in isolation from everything else, and are always prepared to go to war for it. 

By the way, I found it disturbing that the series used "B.C." and "A.D." rather than "B.C.E." and "C.E." 

Good night, Cubao!

The gnomes' night shift begins 6:00 PM.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Take your art seriously and shine, at a time when there is an artist in every square inch of this country.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has on online class and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Night chores.

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

Had a Vigan empanada for merienda. While eating it, I was reminded of the group of Marines at the U.S. Embassy the year I retired. They were young, friendly, and enterprising. Every week they set up a food stall in the lobby and sold two varieties of Irish pasties (pronounced PASS-tees), which originally were miners' brownbag meals.

Those Marines must have been reassigned elsewhere now, and I envy the people who are currently enjoying their pasties.

Good morning, Cubao!

The temple priest lights the first joss sticks for the day.

Washed 14 brushes and three palette knives.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnomes' bedroom windows glow on the upper trunks of enchanted trees.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Know who envies you. They are people who frequently criticize you, lead you to make the wrong decisions, and laugh at your mistakes. Give them a dose of their own medicine.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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

Night chores.

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

Moseyed over to the Christmas bazaar at Araneta Center. Bought food for our dinner tonight: pork barbecue, bagnet, Vigan empanada, bibingka with fresh coconut shavings, and puto bumbong. Had a tall, fresh dalandan drink while waiting for the food to be cooked.

The bazaar is open 24/7. Prevented myself from looking at more garden gnomes.

Staggered lunchtimes.

I remain slim because, whenever I sit down to a meal or a snack, I invite the kuman thong and our spirit guides to partake of it with me.

Good morning, Cubao!

What is the tallest mountain in your life?

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

Good night, Cubao!

Gnome serenaders play their music while sitting on the branches of enchanted trees. 

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not enter into a romantic relationship with someone just because you are lonely. A man is often best and is strongest when he stands alone.

Asked David to bring some food over to M.'ws 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.

Watched all seven episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 of the U.S.A.'s 2021 Catching Killers

Season 1 is comprised of "Body Count: The Green River Killer," about trucker Gary Ridgway, who sexually abused and killed a total of 49 women, most of them prostitutes, including a 14-year-old runaway, beginning 1988 in Seattle, Washington; "Manhunt: Aileen Wuornos," a lesbian hooker who killed seven middle-aged men beginning 1990 in Marion County, Florida; "Truth Lies: The Happy Face Killer" (over two episodes), about three suspects who all own up to killing a woman yet contradict one another, in Portland, Oregon; "Bind, Torture, Kill," about serial killer BTK, Christ Lutheran Church president Dennis Rader, who massacred a family and killed women from 1974 - 1991 in Wichita City, Kansas; "The Phoenix Serial Shooter," about Samuel Dieteman and Dale Hausner, who participated in drive-by shootings in 2006 in Phoenix, Arizona; and "The Toronto Village Killer" (over two episodes) about real-life cannibal Bruce McArthur, who picked up, killed, and processed as meat men, mostly from the Gay Village, 2012 - 2017 in Toronto, Canada.    

The series focuses mostly on the valiant efforts of the police and detectives to identify, track down, and apprehend the perpetrators, and only secondarily on the victims and on the psychology of their killers. The viewer is given a preview of the evil that exists in the world, and how dangerous it is to be dealing with absolute strangers.

All episodes are exciting and satisfying, except perhaps the last two in Season 1 ("Truth Lies: The Happy Face Killer"; that an old woman would admit to committing a murder only to get her husband out of her life seemed extremely implausible to me.

Home alone--Aubrey at her company's end-of-year celebration and Angelique and Jazz at a birthday party.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi Sir Tony, good afternoon! Hope all is well.

"If it’s not too much of a bother, Sir, may I ask for your help in interpreting my dream?

"I dreamt that I visited you on a Sunday afternoon. We were at your studio, I believe. There was a big, wooden desk and open windows all around. I was seated on your left side. You told me that you would teach me about crystals.

"As I read the curriculum of the Spirit Questors in your previous posts, I asked you if you would also be able to teach me other things after crystals. You didn’t respond.

"So then I proceeded to ask you if moving forward, only males would be trained as spirit questors because I recalled seeing your posts where you would say that females should consult older psychics of the same gender

"Your reply to me was, 'Did I say that?' You then told me to reach out to a person named ________________.

"Sir Tony, did we really meet and converse in the astral plane? Or was it just my subconscious because I want to eventually be able to attend your night classes?

"Thank you, as always, for your time and guidance, Sir Tony!

"I’m not sure, though, if you still hold night classes. You mentioned that you would no longer be announcing when you would have them."

My reply:

Hello ________!

Yes, you attended one of my night classes--the only kind of classes I now teach, because I retired in 2015 and am now a full-time writer and painter. And, yes, I seldom announce them.

I give exception only to male students of my choice, and there are only two or three of them, because:

--it is easier to travel with fellow males to haunted, if not strange, places, especially if it means rooming together in a hotel, hostel, or inn.

--In the past, I frequently experienced the phenomenon of transference with female students. After a certain period of being together, they subconsciously project their feelings toward me as though I were their grandfather, father, uncle, brother, boyfriend, or husband--something that never occurs between my male students and myself.

--I am better able to provide for the needs of male students--what we eat, what makes us comfortable, how we do things, what jokes make us laugh, what interests us other than paranormal matters--more than for the needs of female students.  

--I do not like waiting for female students finish taking a bath, getting dressed, fixing up, attending to their hygiene, and fussing with their bags and things.

I suggest that you stick with my books in print and in cyberspace. 

It can be done.

One-hour, mid-afternoon nap.

Jazz arrived.

Overcast skies and a drizzle on Cubao.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sunshine paints stone walls with golden images.

Good night, Cubao!

Earth stretches her limbs and yawns before sleeping.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with seven syllables in your name: Venture forth to meet your brothers, but respect their varied backgrounds.

Staggered dinnertimes.

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

Night chores.

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

Your messenger message:

"Dear sir Tony, good evening po. I hope this isn't too much of a bother. I decided to write because I saw something this afternoon and I would like to ask you about it. Do you think there is someone/something in between me and my friend in this picture? This gathering happened some years ago, around 2016, but I only saw this photo today because one of our companions here posted it on Facebook. Is it my imagination? I thought at first it was an object but when I zoomed in... Thank you for your time. Good evening, sir Tony

""

My reply:

Hello_____!

Yes, though the figure was apparently formed by your head's shadow and the .light's refl4ectins on the couch's backrest, spirits and astral travelers take advantage of such situations to convey messages. The first thing that came to my mind was a rejected lover or someone you may have hurt--he may not have passed away but may have been sending you intense thought-forms at the time. He looks to me, for some strange reason, like Tim Dacanay, but I am certainly not suggesting that it is he.

Watched all five episodes of the U.S.A.'s 2022 Worst Roommate Ever. Four cases are presented: "Call Me Grandma," about Dorothea Puente, a former prostitute and madam who committed six murders, all of them to obtain money, valuables, and Social Security checks from her victims; "Be Careful of the Quiet Ones," about Asian-American K.C. Joy, who murdered his landlady Maribel Ramos because she kept rejecting his love for her; Youssef Khater, a Danish-Lebanese who lied and conned his way to Chile to pretend he was a marathon runner only to milk people of their money; and, over the last two episodes, "Roommate Wanted," about serial squatter Jamison Bachman, who made life miserable not only for the apartment owners he stayed with but also for his family.

The documentary reveals how the most apparently decent and impressive tenants turn out to be monsters. It also informs us of the U.S.A.'s flawed tenancy laws, which make it difficult for home owners to evict unpleasant tenants. Thank God, there are different tenancy laws in the Philippines, perhaps due to awareness of the proliferation of unpleasant tenants and their wily ways.

"Roommate Wanted" must have been sequenced last because it had the happiest ending.

Slept nine hours last night. I think, that happens the night I finish a painting.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are stuck to the sky with white glue.

Good night, Cubao!

Golden fireflies hover outside the entrances to enchanted trees.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with five syllables in your name: Do not entertain acquaitances who claim to be friends of your deceased relatives.

Asked David to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff. He stopped and admired the painting I'd just finished.

Night chores.

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

It disturbs me that many strangers sign up to my account because they think that I am an actor--maybe Tony Mabesa? They even claim that they often watch me on TV and in the movies. Tonight someone just sent me a Message asking how much my daily talent fee is.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique resting after her work day and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Tried M.'s cafe's cheese parmesan buffalo wings.

Worked half an hour on thirty-ninth glaze.

This painting is finished (October 5 - November 10, 2022).

Two more paintings to go for my next exhibit: Painting #14 and a Prologue Painting, a portrait of a former student.

Worked half an hour on thirty-eighth glaze.

A delivery arrived.

Lunch at home with Aubrey.

To dust we shall return, but before that is what matters. 

Good morning, Cubao!

Know how to enjoy overcoming obstacles.

Good night, Cubao!

The elf strands bloodstone beads to create an enchanted necklace.

One Message For One Of 1,700 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with three syllables in your name: Do not be too forward with your social media Friends. Some of them are predators, and you will rue the day you ever met them.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Asked Bertod 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 thirty-seventh glaze.

Watched all four episodes of the U.S.A.'s 2021 The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness, about alleged serial killer "Son of Sam" David Berkowitz, a.k.a "the .44 Caliber Killer", who confessed to shooting 13 and murdering six in persons in New York, most of them lovers in parking lots, under the stoops of their own houses, and in the streets. The real protagonist in this documentary, however, is Maury Terry, a former reporter for IBM's in-house magazine, who conducted, on his own, a thorough investigation into Berkowitz's occult family and uncovered a network of Satanic groups responsible for a variety of heinous crimes. Terry eventually wrote his best-selling book The Ultimate Evil: An Investigation Into A Dangerous Satanic Cult.

The documentary spans approximately 20 years, from 1976 onward. It includes interviews with district attorneys, reporters, detectives, a psychologist, neighbors, victims' relatives, news editors, Air Force base investigators, a volunteer, and a producer. It is set against two of the worst decades of New York City, when murder, rape, robberies, pornography, and child abduction were rife. 

Sometimes we must pause and reflect on how First-World countries give their citizens everything they need yet how dysfunctional their families turn out to be, and how, despite democracy, the worst crimes always occur closest to their homes.

At the very end, I hope that I will have devoted the largest part of my life to my family, more than to anything else.

Worked half a hour on thirty-sixth glaze.

Staggered lunchtimes.

It is the work you choose to do that determines what your illness is.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sunshine pours on tin rooftops like golden honey.

Good night, Cubao!

Elves always pass through the secret passages in houses.

One Message For One Of 1,600 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with seven syllables in your name: Do not let your passion prevent you from giving full attention to your family.

Dinner at home with Angelique; Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Ask David to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

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

Worked half an hour on thirty-fifth glaze.

TCOM

Two more deliveries arrived.

Worked half an hour on thirty-fourth glaze.

TCOM

A parcel arrived for Angelique.

Worked half an hour on thirty-third glaze.

TCOM

Bertod is now giving Yukiko Taka and Cloudy a shampoo.

Staggered lunchtimes.

A cup of Salma's Basilan Arabusta. Bold and bracing.

Good morning, Cubao!

Open your eyes and continue to see visions of your dream life.

Good night, Cubao!

The elder gnomes have prophetic dreams when they sleep under the light of the full moon.

One Message For One Of 1,600 Friends, One Every Night Of The Year

You with six syllables in your name: Because of the career you have chosen, continue improving yourself, and have photos taken of you to document the process.

Staggered dinnertimes; Angelique has an online class and Aubrey preparing for her night shift.

Night chores.

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

A compound tenant throws out their old sofa.

November 7, 2022

Men on the compound finish up work cutting down the mabolo tree.

Thought of taking a chunk of trunk to convert to a coffee table, but I'm not into rustic  anymore.

Worked half an hour on thirty-second glaze.

TCOM

Worked half an hour on thirty-first glaze.

TCOM

Two deliveries arrived.

Lunch at home alone,

Preparing to do some more painting today.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are bags of gold and silver coins.

Watched all three episodes of the U.S.A.'s 2022 I Just Killed My Dad, about 17-year-old Anthony Joseph Templet, who shot his father in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2019. The documentary includes interviews with the District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney of Baton Rouge, Anthony's defense lawyer Jarrett Ambeau, Anthony's grandmother, mother, stepmother, and brother, a clinical and forensic psychologist, a police sergeant, an investigator, and a reporter.

The crucial question in the beginning is whether or not to charge Anthony with murder, for which he would be in prison for life. The documentary then proceeds to unravel Anthony's father's history, his relationship with Anthony, and his relationship with his wives, family, and coworkers.   

We are made to pause and reflect on family dysfunctions and how modern living calls forth the Shadow within us. Yet, this documentary is also about compassion--how those who genuinely care extend their compassion to us and how it eventually enables us to be compassionate to ourselves.

A must-watch in a world besieged with depressing current events.