Insects kept as pets will always be unhappy and will languish. Moreover, remember that elementals frown upon human beings keeping insects as pets.

An envious person seldom changes, because his/her predisposition to envy is deeply rooted in his/her childhood deprivations.

Sometimes you cannot help listening to broadcasters not to find out how knowledgeable they are but to find out how ignorant they are.

Dinner with Angelique, Aubrey, and J. at M.'s cafe.

Worked an hour on thirty-seventh glaze on one painting and first glaze on the other.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi, Sir Tony! I need your advice. I was attracted to this painting and took it but when I brought it to my apartment my landlady was adamant about having paintings at home for fear of the energy it might bring. You think I should keep this or put it away? Looking forward to hear from you. Thank you very much."


My reply:

Hello _____!

The painting is quite pretty. Your landlady is quirky--this is the first time I heard about paintings being prevented from installation in a rented house.

But, she is the landlady after all. Just wrap the painting and wait until you can move into your own property. Save up for it and do it. There is no other freedom like living in a place you own.

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

Waiting for the third glaze on the other painting to dry completely.

Scraped one wooden palette clean.

Worked an hour on thirty-fifth glaze on one painting and third layer on the other.

The painting with three layers has now suddenly come alive.

Lunch at home with Angelique.

Note that, when people do not deserve whatever they take or get or make themselves out to be, they are required to lose or give up twice what they have.

Fewer people voted because she could not transcend behaving like a hyperactive retard.

In your dream, we walked. You told me that your greatest fear was death. You wondered how your cadaver would look like in your coffin and whether it should smile a little so that others wouldn't feel so sad gazing on it.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are installed with hundreds of video cameras.

Read two more chapters from The Cat Who Said Cheese.

Sat with Angelique while she had dinner.

Everybody home.

Gave food to the security guard.

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

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

Dinner at home with Aubrey.

R. arrived. Aubrey and he are working on their presentation defense tonight.

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

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

Worked an hour on thirty-first glaze on one painting and second layer on the other.

Your Messenger message:

"Sir Tony pede po ba...mgpa interpret po ng dreams ko...? Sir I had a dream na asa kitchen ako then nkita ko ung pinto sa itaas na bahagi ng lababo inayat ko ito sa panaginip ko, ng sinilip ko ung ng pinto ko ng likod ng kitchen nung una dko mamukhaan kung cno yung anino n nakatingin sken ng titigan ko cxa mabuti nkita ko ung lola ng classmate mo (kmaganak nmin cxa, when I was young u always ask her hand pra magbless) nakatingin cxa sken n sa kabilang bakuran, nkangiti lumabas ako ng pinto at cnb ko "lola mgbbless po ako"sa halip n iabot nya kmay nya sa my bakod lumapit cxa, tumawid cxa pra makapgmano ako. Bago cxa nkalapit my aso sa harapan nya nkatali ngworry ako n bka mkagat cxa pero dinaanan nya lng yung aso at umupo cxa s harapan ko at ngmano ako. Tas sb ko daw s kanya my kukunin lang ako saglit s loob ng bhay ,nakangiti cxa sken at inaantay nya ibbgay ko. Tas ng baba nko s baba s pinto kitchen n mataas nkita ko yung tubo umaagos n color brown dko alam kung ano un. Dun po nputol pnaginip ko. I also wondering s panaginip ko umayat ako sa may lababo pra mkarating s pinto ng likod bhay nmin which is hindi normal style ng bhay na sa halip n cabinet s my taas ng lababo pinto ang asa pnaginip ko. Plus that lola is mtanda n nung bata pko at patay n cxa."


My reply:

Please send me this in straight Tagalog.

Your e-mail message:

"Dear Sir Tony,

"Good Morning. Sharing with you my dream yesterday.

"In my dream, i was with my mom and sister in our house (although the house doesn't resemble our current home). it was a bit dark, parang blackout. then kailangan ko magcharge ng phone. may available sa malapit na poste ng bahay pero nung sinaksak ko parang nag short circuit. so i went to an open dark room where the phone of my mom is charging. tinanggal nya with ease yung phone nya para ako naman makapagcharge. nung ako na yung magcharge may nakaharang na aparador tapos parang bigla lumayo yung socket. di ko maabot para magcharge. for some reason di ko sinubukan na iipod yung aparador. then binuksan ng nanay ko ilaw ng kwarto. inipod ko yung aparador. pero bigla ako natakot pumasok sa room. kaya lumapit ako sa nanay ko para magpasama sa loob ng kwarto. 

"Ragards,

"_________________"

My reply:

Hello _______________!

It is possible that you are fantasizing about entering an illicit relationship with a woman. Your family values (mother and sister) are preventing you from doing so. So is your psyche, since you are unable to insert the plug into the socket.

In this dream, light represents realization and insight. Your house does not resemble your current home because it implies a major change that you are not ready for. 

Does the armoire have a mirror? If it does, it behooves you to look upon your own reflection in it. 

Your Messenger message:

"Good afternoon po. Thanks again for... I would also like to ask for your help with my family. They had a blow out yesterday and it's because of my younger brother. I really think he has mental issues but I don't know how to make him to seek treatment other than asking him. He is verbally and emotionally abusive to my parents and his wife and kids. He is now separated but sees his children regularly. I have messaged him and tried consoling my parents. I don't know what else to do after that other than pray for them and ask my spirit guides to assist us. For episodes like this, is action always required or should we just watch, let it unfold and accept that this is necessary like payment for karmic debt for the people involved?"


My reply:

Hello _____!

Do your best. You are also a karmic player. Guide him and allow him to mature. It's like taking care of a delicate plant.

Yes, we are not only stewards of the earth. We are also our brothers' keepers.

He was eliminated because, to the average voter, he looked more and more and more like a grotesque matron. 

Lunch at home with Angelique.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is festooned with white gelatin.

Phat Q'aat

Tony Perez's Art of War: Everyone has a mean streak. Show yours once in a while, especially if you can be deliciously mean, so that others know whom they are up against.

Tony Perez's Art of War: When you conduct a workshop on any topic, make sure that no one else can conduct it effectively but you.

Dinner at M.'s cafe with Angelique and Aubrey. Angelique tried the sizzling pork, I tried the sizzling tuna, and Aubrey had the barbecued buffalo wings as usual.

I also tried the nutella shake, which was good.

I'm so full I can't do any more painting tonight. Will just snuggle up in bed with The Cat Who Said Cheese.

Worked an hour on thirtieth glaze on one painting and first layer on the other.

Three-hour, deep tissue massage.

CatCat and Ashraf arrived from Divisoria, then left for Cavite once again. They are coming back to stay overnight before the day of their flight back to Lebanon.

Worked an hour on twenty-ninth glaze on one painting; finished construction lines on the other.

Lunch at the center with Angelique and Aubrey. Then Aubrey did some minor groceries, after which I dropped the two at a coffee shop where they will be studying through the afternoon.

Back home, CatCat and Ashraf arrived from Masantol, where CatCat introduced Ashraf to her relatives. They left after a few minutes to go to Divisoria.

Treachery is always offered in exchange for money.

Worked an hour on twenty-eighth glaze on my painting.

Set up an eighth canvas and finished its underpainting. Hoping to commence construction lines this evening, after the underpainting dries.

Two cups very black, Kalinga coffee that my son Chito bought in Baguio for me.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a blank spread in a writer's journal.

Thought of going to M.'s cafe for a drink and barbecued buffalo wings, but decided to have lambanog night in my captain's cabin bedroom. Two shot glasses of liquid, flawless diamonds.

Wishing P. were here with me. I like drinking with people I really like.

Going to bed with the satisfied feeling of now having six new paintings for the prospective exhibit for the 50th Year of the 4-F Elans. I pledged eight to my co-alumni, but I think I can produce ten.

If this event doesn't happen (after all, it was already cancelled once), I can always exhibit the paintings on my own for a period of three to five days (I refuse to handle the stress of anything more than that). 

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and J.

CatCat and Ashraf might drop by tomorrow. They're planning to go to Divisoria.

Worked an hour on twenty-seventh glaze on one painting and fourteenth glaze on the other.

The painting with fourteen glazes is finished. If I have time later tonight, I will set it aside and set up another canvas in its place.

Worked an hour on twenty-sixth glaze on one painting and thirteenth glaze on the other.

Consumed a third half-bottle of Paning's butong pakwan while watching TV. It's just me, I guess, but afterward I always feel like I've eaten a wedge of camembert.

The only person who can tell you "Well done!" is yourself.

Worked an hour on twenty-fifth glaze on one painting and twelfth glaze on the other.

Worked an hour on twenty-fourth glaze on one painting and eleventh glaze on the other.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Overcast skies above Cubao.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a polished, brass, belt buckle.

Calling it a day for painting.

It felt like a long day for me, for some reason.

Worked an hour on twenty-third glaze on one painting and tenth glaze on the other.

Dinner at home with Angelique and J.

Worked an hour on twenty-second glaze on one painting and ninth glaze on the other.

Washed twenty-eight brushes.

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

The day pulled me a fast one. It's 3:13 PM already.

Lunch with Angelique and J. Aubrey and R. are still working on their school project.

Worked an hour on twentieth glaze on one painting.

When a student rejects you once and then comes back to you, do not take him in again.

Never wish other people "More power to you!" indiscriminately, because the majority of people psychologically short-circuit with "more power".

Good morning, Cubao!

The sky is a whiteboard on which little children write their wishes.

Aubrey made chocolate-covered strawberries tonight.

As for myself, I watched TV in bed and consumed half a bottle of something I bought earlier. Yes, I committed a grievous sin today. I swung by Farmers Market and purchased two bags of...Paning's butong pakwan.

My spiritual son A. showed me the beginnings of an exquisite artwork that he is giving me. I can't wait to see the final product.

Calling it a day for painting. I have to wait for both glazes to dry completely.

Now Angelique and J. arrived. They had dinner out.

Everybody home.

Dinner alone. As it turns out, R. is allergic to shrimp, and so Aubrey and he decided to have food delivered. R. is editing a video and Aubrey is assembling a PowerPoint presentation for school.

Worked an hour on nineteenth glaze on one painting and eighth glaze on the other.

Aubrey and R. arrived from university 4:30 PM.

Went to the Korean store to buy a big, black pack of Sam Yang noodles 5:00 PM. Then went to Henry's to buy a new chair for my writing desk.

Our old chairs are temporarily being used to prop up my new paintings.

Decades ago, one of my Clinical Psychology professors was fond of alarming her students by pointing out their slurs, slips of the tongue, and behavioral quirks as possible indications of brain lesions.

I wonder where she is now. She seems to have disappeared into nowhere, like many full-time professors who retire and who are nothing else.

She must have finally fallen into the quicksand of her brain damage research.

Never perceive a brilliant and talented co-artist as a threat. You will only wallow in misery.

Embrace him, instead, as a treat.

Worked an hour on eighteenth glaze on one painting and seventh glaze on the other.

Home alone. Angelique off to college; Aubrey still at university.

Worked an hour on seventeenth glaze on one painting.

Brought my younger son Chito to the center. We had lunch there. I bought him a stainless steel thermos to use at work and sausages to take home to his family.

Worked an hour on sixteenth glaze on one painting.

Wearing the antique, bronze cross today. Its first message:

Counteract every piece of trash with a work of serious art. That, in itself, is a form of exorcism.

Good morning, Cubao!

The clouds are trucks laden with ripe sugar cane.

One of the blessings of retirement is finally being able to create your own space wherever you want it and whenever you want it, while also being able to devote yourself to your family.

Loving this antique, bronze cross that Regina gave me for my birthday. Its provenance is Imperial Russian circa late 18th - 19th century. Known as a "male cross" and an "Old Believers'" cross, it has King David's Psalm 68: 1-2 inscribed in Cyrillic on the back:

"Do something, God!

Scatter your hateful enemies.

Make them turn and run.

Scatter them like smoke!

When you come near, make them melt like wax in a fire."

It has been suggested that such a cross was used for exorcisms. I found the perfect chain for it, also bronze.

Aubrey and R. had dinner out. They are now home to study together.

Worked an hour on fifteenth glaze on one painting and sixth glaze on the other.

Dinner at home with Angelique.

Could hear the faint sounds of evening patrons and music at M.'s cafe from behind the wall. Another werewolves' night.

The werewolf crossed the street to buy a sugar-free grape and apple shake.

Read another chapter from The Cat Who Said Cheese, which might be my third painting charm, the first being the antique, Japanese still life and the second being the stone owl from Greece.

Worked an hour on fifth layer on the other painting.

This layer must dry completely before I apply its first glaze.

Worked an hour on fourteenth glaze on one painting.

Back from jalan-jalan. Paid our electric and desisted from shopping. Bought two dozen glazed doughnuts and four caramel coffee doughnuts instead.

The sun was baking bread on the streets. Glad to be wearing one of my caps and a light-colored shirt.

A teacher gives lessons, a trainer gives exercises, a coach gives prompts.

Lunch at home with Angelique.

Going jalan-jalan in a few.

CatCat and Ashraf are now off to Cavite.

Worked an hour on thirteenth glaze on one painting and fourth layer on the other.

Worked an hour on twelfth glaze on one painting and third layer on the other.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is a Faberge egg encrusted with topaz.

Everybody home.

Calling it a day for painting.

Worked an hour on eleventh glaze on one painting and second layer on the other.

Angelique, CatCat, and Ashraf have a chicken dinner at M.'s cafe.

Dinner at M.'s cafe with Aubrey.

Tried the buffalo wings with jalapeno; Aubrey and I like those too.

Afterward Angelique, CatCat, J., and Ashraf arrived completely exhausted from their trips to Pangasinan and Baguio City.

Will have to feed them at M.'s cafe also.

Worked an hour on tenth glaze on one painting.

Sat with Aubrey, who had a late lunch.

Worked an hour on ninth glaze on one painting.