Good day, Cubao!
Jalan-jalan in Chinatown, Singapore, December 2, 2014
Photo by Sim Teow Li
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Watched The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on HBO. I enjoyed it, as I did the movie before it. The Andrew Garfield versions have more psychological reality behind them than the rest. In these versions, Peter Parker's age does not remain static--you see him maturing from a gangling teenager to a mature young man, and it is evident not only psychologically but physically as well.
Friday, April 3, 2015
A very little-known secret of General Kung Ming, the military strategist and sorcerer said to have been half-demon (daimon = genius) in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is that he constructed a three-dimensional pat-kua, extending the lines vertically so that they served as walls, and used that as his magical board to defeat his enemies.
During a storm watch, the natural tendency of human beings is to go outside their homes, as though out of a subconscious desire to enjoy good weather while it lasts, as though hoping that the sun would pledge security and continue shining on them.
It is the same burning desire that a prisoner feels on the eve of his execution.
It is an Eros impulse--a primal insistence on asserting one's potency, on disseminating progeny, on assuring oneself of the tangible reality of one's body and all its capabilities.
It is, also, a yearning to be remembered by the world should death overcome them.
It is the same burning desire that a prisoner feels on the eve of his execution.
It is an Eros impulse--a primal insistence on asserting one's potency, on disseminating progeny, on assuring oneself of the tangible reality of one's body and all its capabilities.
It is, also, a yearning to be remembered by the world should death overcome them.
"Black Saturday Dream"
Events of the Day:
Set up a layout of statues and wands in the small loggia.
Successfully repaired my knitting needles. Did some knitting.
Organized some drawers and boxes and re-discovered a lot of jewelry and talismans I'd forgotten I had. Searched for an amber necklace and an antique, Afghan ring.
A relatively quiet day.
The Dream:
I am approximately 26 years old and in the old main house. A woman selling jewelry arrives. I select a diamond stud earring for myself and wear it on my left ear. After she leaves I ask Mom when I am expected to pay her. Mom says that I should do so, in full, when she comes back next, the following month, in February. (The dream therefore occurs in January.) I sense, however, that Mom will pay for it out of pocket.
I go to the office, on Buendia Avenue. I pass by a room on the second floor where a female acquaintance is singing a song for a competition. My opinion, however, is that she isn't singing very well. She teaches in a college in Malate, and I visited her there once, somewhat expressing interest in developing our friendship.
A second woman, a co-worker, goes through the corridor and walks with me. I tell her that the first woman is singing for a competition, but the second woman is not impressed.
I then go inside a room to my right, where I intend to go over my notes and do some writing. I lock the door on the inside, suddenly remember that I forgot something, exit, see that the door closes behind me, then see a push button on the door that enables anyone to go back in, meaning that the door can't be locked anyway.
I go down to the lobby. In the hallway outside the lobby a young man is selling two trench coats. Both are olive green and are laid out on the corridor floor. He says that each one costs P120,000 but that I can pay him in several installments. I try on one coat inside the men's room. I note that the fabric is synthetic. The young man shows me a crystal hitched under the right epaulet. He takes it out and shows me that it is a small telescope. I try looking through it into a gas station across the street, but something seems to be wrong with the telescope since I cannot see through it properly. A security guard nudges me so that I can let a man pass through to the parking lot, where his car is. The man asked the guard, "Importante ba iyan?" and so the guard nudged me.
I accompany the young man to a barangay hall, where a meeting is ongoing, behind the office building. Presumably, he wants to see some of his clients in the congregation. I show him the crystal; another crystal is on top of it and I suggest that it should be inserted in the mechanism correctly. The young man reaches out and accidentally knocks the telescope from my hand. He pledges to replace the entire mechanism.
On our way back to the office a matron accosts me and pleads for my help. She says that I was referred to her by a man whom I was able to help in the past. I was referred to this man by a woman I was able to help, also in the past, using magic.
I am now inside a room on the second floor--the room where I intended to do some writing--and I conduct an interview with the matron, who is flanked by her two daughters. Her problem seems to have something to do with the finances of her pizza parlor. I ask her if she has a son. She vehemently denies this. I then ask her if she has a daughter who is a tomboy. The daughter on the right gets furious and walks out. The matron becomes emotional.
Next, I am looking at a TV screen. The woman and her daughter are on it. As it turns out, the woman has realized that my psychological insight into her problem is correct, after all. She pushes her daughter's face into the camera lens and repeatedly orders her to apologize to me.
My Comments:
This dream seems to be a summation of my current priorities: jewelry, a potential relationship with a woman who has no talent, writing, my rejection of raw crystals due to the facts that their healing power is too mild or nil and that I cannot even wear them, and my infusion of psychology in the practice of magic.
It is a strange dream because painting is not in it.
Set up a layout of statues and wands in the small loggia.
Successfully repaired my knitting needles. Did some knitting.
Organized some drawers and boxes and re-discovered a lot of jewelry and talismans I'd forgotten I had. Searched for an amber necklace and an antique, Afghan ring.
A relatively quiet day.
The Dream:
I am approximately 26 years old and in the old main house. A woman selling jewelry arrives. I select a diamond stud earring for myself and wear it on my left ear. After she leaves I ask Mom when I am expected to pay her. Mom says that I should do so, in full, when she comes back next, the following month, in February. (The dream therefore occurs in January.) I sense, however, that Mom will pay for it out of pocket.
I go to the office, on Buendia Avenue. I pass by a room on the second floor where a female acquaintance is singing a song for a competition. My opinion, however, is that she isn't singing very well. She teaches in a college in Malate, and I visited her there once, somewhat expressing interest in developing our friendship.
A second woman, a co-worker, goes through the corridor and walks with me. I tell her that the first woman is singing for a competition, but the second woman is not impressed.
I then go inside a room to my right, where I intend to go over my notes and do some writing. I lock the door on the inside, suddenly remember that I forgot something, exit, see that the door closes behind me, then see a push button on the door that enables anyone to go back in, meaning that the door can't be locked anyway.
I go down to the lobby. In the hallway outside the lobby a young man is selling two trench coats. Both are olive green and are laid out on the corridor floor. He says that each one costs P120,000 but that I can pay him in several installments. I try on one coat inside the men's room. I note that the fabric is synthetic. The young man shows me a crystal hitched under the right epaulet. He takes it out and shows me that it is a small telescope. I try looking through it into a gas station across the street, but something seems to be wrong with the telescope since I cannot see through it properly. A security guard nudges me so that I can let a man pass through to the parking lot, where his car is. The man asked the guard, "Importante ba iyan?" and so the guard nudged me.
I accompany the young man to a barangay hall, where a meeting is ongoing, behind the office building. Presumably, he wants to see some of his clients in the congregation. I show him the crystal; another crystal is on top of it and I suggest that it should be inserted in the mechanism correctly. The young man reaches out and accidentally knocks the telescope from my hand. He pledges to replace the entire mechanism.
On our way back to the office a matron accosts me and pleads for my help. She says that I was referred to her by a man whom I was able to help in the past. I was referred to this man by a woman I was able to help, also in the past, using magic.
I am now inside a room on the second floor--the room where I intended to do some writing--and I conduct an interview with the matron, who is flanked by her two daughters. Her problem seems to have something to do with the finances of her pizza parlor. I ask her if she has a son. She vehemently denies this. I then ask her if she has a daughter who is a tomboy. The daughter on the right gets furious and walks out. The matron becomes emotional.
Next, I am looking at a TV screen. The woman and her daughter are on it. As it turns out, the woman has realized that my psychological insight into her problem is correct, after all. She pushes her daughter's face into the camera lens and repeatedly orders her to apologize to me.
My Comments:
This dream seems to be a summation of my current priorities: jewelry, a potential relationship with a woman who has no talent, writing, my rejection of raw crystals due to the facts that their healing power is too mild or nil and that I cannot even wear them, and my infusion of psychology in the practice of magic.
It is a strange dream because painting is not in it.
Your follow-on e-mail message:
"Magandang hapon po ako po ay nagagalak sa pagsagot ninyo sa aking mga katanungan pwede po bang magtanong muli at kung papayagan inyo po ay eto po ang aking mga tanon
g
Hello po ako po ito ulit itatanong ko lang po kung saan po puwede makabili ng libro sa inyong cubao series? Kasi po ay wala po masyadong kopya ng 3 unang libro ng serye ng Cubao sa mga bookstores .Maitatanong ko narin po kung sinong mga writer po o pwede rin pong mga akda ang mairerekumenda ninyo sa mga taong nagmamahal ng sining? Saan po ba pwedeng magsimula sa pagiging mas ispiritwal bilang isang tao ?
Salamat po, Salamat."
My reply:
Hello again __________!
The Cubao Book Series is now a collectible (out of stock and out of print) and I am happy and proud to keep it that way. Having said that,Cubao Midnight Express (Mga Pusong Nadiskaril Sa Mahabang Riles Ng Pag-ibig) is in cyberspace, as encoded by Vernah Dalimag. You may read it there. I shall eventually post all of my books in cyberspace, but current literary and artistic projects are my priority for now.
Google Filipino writers.
Spirituality begins with believing in God.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
In the Philippines, the word "tarpaulin" has two meanings.
For advertisers and event coordinators, it means the support that images and words are printed on for the public to view.
For building constructors, it means the material that awnings are made of.
The former is not waterproof, the latter is waterproof.
For advertisers and event coordinators, it means the support that images and words are printed on for the public to view.
For building constructors, it means the material that awnings are made of.
The former is not waterproof, the latter is waterproof.
Your e-mail message:
"Magandang umaga (o gabi) po sa inyo Ginoong Perez. Ako po ay isang bagong fan ninyo. Hinahanap ko po ang inyong libro sa mga bookstore ngunit ako po ay nahihirapan. Kaya po ako ay nagagalak nang nakita kong pinost ninyo ng libre ang libro ninto. Ako po ay humidhingi ng permiso na iprint siya oara sa aking pansariling kasiyahan at nangangakong hindi ito ipapamigay pa dahil masakit po sa mata ang pagbabasa ng matagal sa internetr at computer at malaki din po ang matitipid kung hindi po ako gagamit ng kuryente . Salamat po ginoong Perez at paumanhin kong mababaw lang ang aking mga rason ."
My reply:
Maaari.
"Magandang umaga (o gabi) po sa inyo Ginoong Perez. Ako po ay isang bagong fan ninyo. Hinahanap ko po ang inyong libro sa mga bookstore ngunit ako po ay nahihirapan. Kaya po ako ay nagagalak nang nakita kong pinost ninyo ng libre ang libro ninto. Ako po ay humidhingi ng permiso na iprint siya oara sa aking pansariling kasiyahan at nangangakong hindi ito ipapamigay pa dahil masakit po sa mata ang pagbabasa ng matagal sa internetr at computer at malaki din po ang matitipid kung hindi po ako gagamit ng kuryente . Salamat po ginoong Perez at paumanhin kong mababaw lang ang aking mga rason ."
My reply:
Maaari.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
And last night was apparently a Jane Powell marathon on TCM. Hollywood was most kind to Jane Powell--it ensured her smooth transition from her teens to her womanhood while upholding her as a star. Someone should make a movie about her films and her life. She represented an era that may never come back. It could come back only with the right timing. If it should so happen, the girl next door and the boy next door (Scotty Beckett, after whom Ken Russell may have patterned Twiggy's boyfriend in The Boyfriend) will become stars once again.
Last night's movies featured Ricardo Montalban, a young Debbie Reynolds, an even younger Tommy Rettig (who would eventually star in the Lassie TV series), Ann Sothern (a Lana Turner who could sing, and who would eventually star in the TV series Suzy), Carmen Miranda, and a slightly gangling Elizabeth Taylor (whom MGM was very obviously already taking a lot of interest in).
Last night's movies featured Ricardo Montalban, a young Debbie Reynolds, an even younger Tommy Rettig (who would eventually star in the Lassie TV series), Ann Sothern (a Lana Turner who could sing, and who would eventually star in the TV series Suzy), Carmen Miranda, and a slightly gangling Elizabeth Taylor (whom MGM was very obviously already taking a lot of interest in).
Bought thumb screws, washers, and nuts for a mechanism on my painting easel.
Also bought some adhesive to repair some knitting supplies.
Single-shot espresso and a raisin scone with jam at the Cubao Hogwarts Express Station.
Took a stroll--my last chance to see the district before everything shuts down for two days.
My idea of doing "nothing". After two days of "rest", though, I might resume knitting tomorrow.
Back home.
Also bought some adhesive to repair some knitting supplies.
Single-shot espresso and a raisin scone with jam at the Cubao Hogwarts Express Station.
Took a stroll--my last chance to see the district before everything shuts down for two days.
My idea of doing "nothing". After two days of "rest", though, I might resume knitting tomorrow.
Back home.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Memoirs of Service: Richard D. Haynes
When Richard D. Haynes was Consul General in the Philippines, he, like officers of both the Consular and Political Sections, went out of his way to learn and master Tagalog. One morning his language teacher, Marcy, informed me that Mr. Haynes had chosen to read my Cubao Book Series. I was alarmed. The series, for the most part, is untranslatable, has eccentric punctuation, and cannot be taken literally. One of my stories he'd been reading, for example, was "Ang Mga Manananggal" from Cubao Pagkagat Ng Dilim. I wasn't quite sure then as to who would be shocked by my work: Marcy or Mr. Haynes. Mr Haynes, however, comprehended and translated the story into English. According to him, both he and Marcy were "unfazed by the salacious passages."
Mr. Haynes and I carried on an albeit irregular correspondence via e-mail from then on. He read all of my books. Even after he left the Philippines for another post he consistently asked Helen, his assistant, whether I had any new books, and Helen would faithfully ship them to him.
Mr. Haynes was one of the few readers who saw in my books not only psychological perception and Philippine metaphysics. He understood that I am perhaps the only Filipino writer who pays attention to structure in great detail, something I have never seen in the works of any of my colleagues and something that, perhaps, only a detached foreigner would be capable of correctly observing.
Mr. Haynes and I carried on an albeit irregular correspondence via e-mail from then on. He read all of my books. Even after he left the Philippines for another post he consistently asked Helen, his assistant, whether I had any new books, and Helen would faithfully ship them to him.
Mr. Haynes was one of the few readers who saw in my books not only psychological perception and Philippine metaphysics. He understood that I am perhaps the only Filipino writer who pays attention to structure in great detail, something I have never seen in the works of any of my colleagues and something that, perhaps, only a detached foreigner would be capable of correctly observing.
Watching Red Cliff on TV5 and delighted to see that Kung Ming, the great military strategist of ancient China, is one of the lead characters. Most, if not all, Chinese costume epics are based on episodes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. My altar of Kung Ming overlooks my computer work space as I am encoding this.
It is disheartening to realize that the creation of armies has always been a natural instinct in all societies all over the world.
It is disheartening to realize that the creation of armies has always been a natural instinct in all societies all over the world.
I always call this season "Easter" rather than "Lent", and I have done so consistently since I graduated from Maryhill School of Theology. "Easter" focuses on the Resurrection rather on the long-drawn incidents that lead up to it, and that riffraff take advantage of to showcase their personal melodramas.
Caught another episode of NCIS: New Orleans last night. I watch this series only for the New Orleans sets and props, of course. This was a poorly-written teleplay. It was talky and contrived, relied on the Oracle-in-a-wheelchair who functions as a whodunit deus-ex-machina, and was a very bad attempt at giving depth to the protagonist.
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