This electronic diary is continued on Tony Perez's Electronic Diary (May 15, 2018 - ), on tonyperezphilippinescyberspacebook40.blogspot.com. Kindly proceed there for the continuation of this cyberspace book.

Tony Perez's Art of War: When someone does not want to help you, he will tell you, "It doesn't work that way."

Remember that line. Use it on him when it is his turn to ask you for help.

Worked an hour on fifth layer on one painting.

Lunch at home with Angelique. Aubrey at university.

My love affair with red

The sun is the pot of gold, that is why you never find it at the end of the rainbow.

He was eliminated because his first line was always soft, low, and inaudible.

Being an artist is always suspenseful because an artist cannot see what his works will be 50 years from now.

One step toward making your dream reality is to write them down in your private journal.

Have a throw carpet. It represents astral travel.

Overconfidence is worse than lack of confidence.

Sometimes you have to allow the mind to do the walking.

You can never be truly upset with someone whom you understand completely.

Worked an hour on fourth layer on one painting.

Might have to call it a day for painting. This layer needs to dry completely.

Worked an hour on third layer on one painting.

Worked an hour on second layer on one painting.

Angelique now off to vote and then study in a coffee shop.

Fredo, who used to work at Miranda's Cove (circa 2002), his wife, two kids, and brother Nino arrived from their hometown to bring Nino to work at Lelyn's store. They'd had lunch, so I gave them dessert, brought them to Lelyn's store, and afterward to Lelyn's mother's store. Quite a production number; the little boy's diaper had to be changed in my bathroom.

The house is no longer what it was in 2002, and I had difficulty envisioning how Fredo remembered it to be.

Lunch at home with Angelique. Aubrey at university to finalize a group project with her classmates.

"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase applicable only to people without talent, because everyone who has talent survives no matter what.

Actually, every true artist should be capable of being a B-I-T-C-H whenever he needs to be.

Humility allows you to accept things as they are, and therefore let things be. One cannot be humble if one wants to introduce changes and challenges to one's self and to the world.

Humility is demanded by a commander, of his soldiers. By a corporate head, of his subordinates. By a religious leader, of his followers.

Yet, a true artist cannot be humble on others' orders. He is an individualist, and does not conform even to his individualist peers.

No cultural and artistic revolutions are ever the result of humility.

A great artist will show more than his works whether he likes it or not. He will inevitably and unconsciously also show his complex personality.

Some days I miss wearing my rings, other days my bracelets. Can't wear them when I'm painting.

Been wearing only earrings some days and necklaces other days.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a girdle of golden coins.

The werewolf crossed the street to the burger stand.

Watching yet another episode of Genius: Picasso on National Geographic.

Dinner at M.'s cafe with Aubrey. Aubrey had barbecue-flavored buffalo wings and rice, I tried the tapsilog again. We took home a serving of hot and spicy buffalo wings and steamed rice for Angelique.

Worked an hour on first layer on one painting.

Painting is a result of a vampire's bite.

Writing is a result of a werewolf's bite.

Both conditions are irreversible.

Worked an hour on construction lines on one canvas.

Finished construction lines. The canvas is now ready to receive first layer of paint.

Washed two brushes and a mortar and pestle used for glazing.

Now in bed watching another episode of Genius: Picasso on National Geographic.

Worked an hour on construction lines on one canvas.

Getting there.

Worked an hour on forty-ninth glaze on one painting.

This painting is finished.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is wearing a yellow track suit.

Angelique, Aubrey, J., and R. are back from their dinner out.

Everybody home.

Worked on forty-eighth glaze on one painting, continued construction lines on the other.

Bustling house, home admin duties, a ten-painting exhibit, syllabi for two playwriting workshops, among other things--these would not have been possible had I not retired from work.

Home alone, dinner alone. Thought of going to M.'s cafe but decided to have leftovers instead.

Commenced construction lines on my ninth painting.

Washed 17 brushes and five palette knives and scraped two wooden palettes clean.

Family left for the airport in two vehicles to see CatCat and Ashraf off to Lebanon.

The werewolf crossed the street to buy a sugar-free mango shake.

Finished underpainting on one canvas. Will commence construction lines as soon as it is completely dry.

Only if you paint for hours and hours a day will you discover your real, artistic breakthroughs.

Going to bed tonight not with a Judge Dee book but with Arianna Huffington's 1988 Picasso: Creator and Destroyer, though somewhat dreading it. I recall that, when I read it for the first time, I found it very sad and very depressing. After this reread I shall decide whether to give it away or not.

Aside from my week-long playwriting workshop "From Dreams To Drama" (incorporating exercises in dreamwork and dream analysis) for TheatreWorks Singapore, I am conducting one, half-day workshop for prospective participants of the 24-Hour Playwriting Competition.

The half-day workshop will be held at historic Haw Par Village. (I can't upload load the photos but I love those pieces of sculpture depicting the Taoist hells; they seem to be all over the place!)

I would invite my Filipino friends who are interested in playwriting to sign up for "From Dreams to Drama", but the registration fee is quite pricey--I think, but I am not sure, between $600 - $900, and they have to pay for their own return air tickets, accommodations, and food, on top of that.

Aubrey and R. off to the mall.

CatCat and Ashraf arrived from Divisoria.

Worked on forty-seventh glaze on one painting.

The other canvas is ready for underpainting.

Lunch at home with Aubrey. She is now going to a mall to meet R. and buy a pair of shoes and a thermos. Angelique at college, but J. and she will have lunch at home in two hours. CatCat and Ashraf back in Divisoria doing more shopping. All of them going to the airport this afternoon, after which Angelique, Aubrey, J., and R. are having dinner out.

As for myself, staying home painting. One of the paintings will be finished very soon.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a sack of golden mangoes.

Calling it a day for painting, but I feel that I accomplished much today.

Worked an hour on forty-sixth glaze on one painting.

Keeping Angelique company; she is studying in the dining room.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, CatCat, J., R., and Ashraf.

Seven at table.

I now feel like the old man in "The Japanese Lantern".

Worked an hour on forty-fifth glaze on one painting.

CatCat and Ashraf arrived mid-afternoon. They are staying here tonight to catch their flight back to Lebanon tomorrow.

CatCat now cooking halal food in the kitchen while Ashraf is playing Egyptian music. I like.

Antihistamine will make you feel tired at night. But, it will continue to make you feel tired the following day.

Not all Economics majors are economists.

Know that, by the same token, not all Fine Arts graduates are artists and not all Creative Writing graduates are writers.

Worked an hour on forty-fourth glaze on one painting.

Due to a changing of the guard amongst spirit guides, twentieth-century strategies no longer work in the twenty-first century.

A warm rainfall on Cubao.

You either listen patiently to the music and try to appreciate it as best you can--or stop it altogether and play something else.

Worked an hour on forty-third glaze on one painting; also primed one canvas.

Aubrey off to the family dentist's and later study with R. at a coffee shop.

A sweltering afternoon.

It seems that neck scarves bring bad luck.

We dream not only at night when we are asleep but also in the daytime when we are awake.

Fate, ironically, will always force you to see the good in everyone, even if it be against your will.

"Gentlemen, it's time for one of you to leave the forge."

--Forged in Fire

The incapacity to have purchasing power is always the springboard for envy.

Do not immediately dispose of your sketchbooks. They are records of your habitual mistakes--mistakes you should train yourself to correct and avoid.

Art never works well with deadlines. Take your time. Do not let others set deadlines for you, and do not set deadlines for yourself.

A mage will never chase or woo anyone to be his apprentice. It is always the other way around.

Lunch alone; I need to start painting again.

Angelique and Aubrey waiting for J. to arrive; they are having lunch together.

CatCat and Ashraf due 2:30 PM.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is the surface of a blue, porcelain vase.

Your Messenger message:

"sir tony magandang gabi. ano pong ibigsabihin po ng dalawang guinea pigs sa panaginip kp. nagulat po ako at nagising ako na nasa kama ko yung isa walang balahibo sa may leeg. yung isa naman po sobrang laki (taba). ang pakiramdam ko po sa panaginip ko ay nag panic ako dahil nakawala po sa cage. not sure po kung natakot ako. salamat po"


My reply:

Hello ______!

Both guinea pigs signify that, at this point in your life, you are looking at the wrong choices and the wrong options.

It is possible that you are making career decisions via trial and error and are committing more errors. Always think ten steps in advance, plan everything, and have good, interpersonal relationships with your co-workers--at least, until after you retire, when you then may be as vicious as you like toward them.

Read the last two chapters of The Cat Who Said Cheese. Wondering if I'll pick up a Judge Dee book next.

D.L. and J.A. want me to do their portraits. Will have to schedule these after my exhibit.

I hope that no one else asks me to be somewhere else tomorrow. I've already lost two full, painting days. There is nothing left for me to do now but rest and watch TV. 

Dinner at home with Angelique and J., then Aubrey woke up from her nap and had dinner too.

Ordered a dish from the cafe. The new, young waitress (who had never been inside the house till then) served it through the secret passage and was blown away by my paintings. She stayed and watched me paint for a while.

Worked an hour on forty-second glaze on one painting.

The werewolf crossed the street to buy a sugar-free avocado shake.

Mars interview on ghosts/spirits with Suzi Abrera and Camille Pratts

Worked an hour on forty-first glaze on one painting.

Must stop for now. Going to a TV interview later and don't want to look spaced out.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are unopened love letters.

Calling it a day for painting. Now in bed watching TV.

Worked an hour on fortieth glaze on one painting.

Painted till midnight tonight. The living room is now--albeit temporarily--filled with seven, finished oil paintings propped up on chairs, there is one unfinished painting on one easel and a canvas awaiting underpainting on a second easel, and after that one more canvas in storage needs to be worked on for a total of ten paintings.

Working like the Vampire Marius, but loving it.

Everybody home.

Angelique, Aubrey, and Cath are now upstairs.

Dinner at home alone. Angelique having dinner out with Cath, after which Cath stays here overnight. Aubrey having dinner out with friends; they have no classes tomorrow.

Worked an hour on thirty-ninth glaze on one painting.

Worked an hour on thirty-eighth glaze on one painting.

Worked an hour on second glaze on one painting.

This painting is finished. Setting it aside to dry and will place another canvas on its easel to commence another painting.

Second delivery of the day

Coffee from the Middle East from Christine Bellen

Prepared Angelique's lunch, then had lunch at the center with a friend.

Back home in time for a delivery to arrive. Perfect timing.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is an entourage dressed in gold.

Been watching the series Genius: Picasso on National Geographic. Fabulous cast, fabulous sets and props, great cinematography, screenplay, and direction. Although not set against a massive revolution, it is, to me, as epic as David Lean's Dr. Zhivago.

A person who likes having his way all of the time is better off living alone.

If too many other people are now doing what you are doing, it is time to move on to something unique.

He who does not compete is seldom disappointed.

There are three, standard, necklace lengths, which is why you can wear all three at the same time.

You cannot sing yourself to sleep. Someone else has to sing to you.

Both suffering and pleasure are temporary.

One side of a coin cannot see the other, but the sides of other coins can.