About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies. And other quick jokes.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

I ASKED Fizz The Wiz: “Should I always lock the front door when I leave the house or sleep at night?” Fizz: “Forgetting to lock the door is an oversight humans make, but the majority of Americans make sure to turn the key when they leave. And it's a good thing they do–locked doors and a doorbell camera can deter a burglar looking for an easy-to-access home.” That’s according to Her Excellency The Koolcat Shinobi Royale in the house, Fizz The Wiz. Not according to Google. 😺🚪😼

SNAILS are slow because they carry their heavy shells on their backs and move using a single muscular foot. They also need to conserve energy and find shelter during hot days. Now you know. Stop worrying about it. It’s not about politics. 🐌🚦🐌

DO cats really need to be rescued from trees? Most cats might come down on their own, if given some time. Cats are very tough and hardy animals. If a cat had to spend the night in a tree it should be fine. Some cats may come down during the night after people calm down, cool out, and rest those cellphones. They are simply up there to spy on a new neighbor’s cat or dog. Or take a selfie on a different spot. That’s all. 🐈🌴🐈‍⬛

THERE are many kinds of coffee drinks. Latte. Espresso. Red Eye. Black Eye. Long Black. Macchiato. Cortado. Mocha. Americano. Cappuccino. Flat White. Cafe au Lait. Republicano. Democrato. Independiento. Greenero. Libertariano. Trumpero. Bideno. Filipino. Barako. Etc etcetera. And the Premium+Plus versions of those, of course. ☕🫖☕

SCRATCHING is a normal, instinctive cat behavior. Cats have a need to scratch. They do it to express emotions, like excitement or stress, to mark objects with their scent (they have scent glands in their paws), to remove the dead part of their nails and, often, just to get a good stretch. But if you provide your cat with enjoyable distractions like an iPhone, laptop, and their own TV screen with a remote, of course, they will stop scratching your expensive furniture. 🐈🐾🐈

CATS and dogs have a range of interactions. The natural instincts of each species lead towards antagonistic interactions, though individual animals can have non-aggressive relationships with each other. Fact is, the narrative that infers cats and dogs don’t get along is fake news. Such negativity came from partisans who use these animals as anchors for their Left vs Right or Liberal vs Conservative street fight. Uh huh. 🐈🥰🐕

AROUND the world, a child goes online for the first time every half second! This has created unprecedented opportunities for children and young people to communicate, learn, socialize, and play, exposing them to new ideas and more diverse sources of information. Major reason why the young today are a lot dumber than the young then, before there was internet or social media. 👧🧒📲

DOGS love their toys, but even so they manage to destroy them. But the behavior is perfectly natural, since your dogs don't really see toys as toys. For your pup, a brand new, perfectly intact toy is nothing other than a vessel for their primal instincts! Arrow The Good Doog is also a surgeon. So when I go out, I pass by Goodwill Outlet to get her stuffed toys to operate on–while Fizz takes notes and Ching video-documents the proceedings. 🐕🧸🐕

THE majority of cats can happily coexist with a dog if they are given time to comfortably get to know each other. If a puppy and kitten are raised together, they generally will learn right away to tolerate each other, and some cats and dogs grow to be real friends, even playing and napping together. Arrow gets along breezily with Ching and Fizz. They sleep side by side, they play Uno, they google stuff together, and they nicely discuss political stuff. 🐈☺️🐕

DO most people use Google Maps? Google Maps is used by 67 percent of all smartphone users. The other 33 percent simply figure directions out on sheer common sense. Or they seek the help of their cat for really accurate directions, and the fastest route. 🚗😒🚕

Compilation of my short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

News: “Liz Cheney Is Prepared to Lose Power, and It Shows.” The article adds: “The meaning, and cost, of going against Donald Trump.” Corporate America isn't pleased with how Donald handled foreign affairs. Point at the advent of China and Russia. The tag #1 rule. Geopolitical narcissism via economics. Fact: The world evolved, whoever Potus leads. But Liz Cheney is a device to slam the door on Trump. Done. Would that mean China and Russia “quiet down” as well? 🗽🏦🗽

Condolences to the family of basketball great Bill Russell. My childhood was cheered big time by Mr Russell. Talkin’ about NBA, I am with Laker legend Jerry West when he castigated recently retired JJ Redick for commenting that Bob Cousy got famous at a time when pro ball was played by “plumbers and firemen.” Disrespectful, indeed. In conversations on the subject of “then and now” with BFFs Cindyrella and Marta Nicer, we got lots to say. If you are our age, you too? Uh huh. ?⛹️🏀

Many in America don’t favor hyphenated ethnicity. Japanese-American, German-American etcetera. Not me. I favor hyphens in reference to an ethnicity and national/cultural origin of a person—especially those who were U.S. naturalized or raised in mom/dad’s native household. Or how we grew up, adapted, and evolved in society. To understand people, we need to zoom in on their background as a people, regardless of citizenship. It lessens racism. 😏😒🙂

Former Laker Slava Medvedenko auctions his championship rings to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. Admirable but not magnanimous. My thoughts point to: Would the proceeds go to military heft or to Slava’s fellow Ukrainians who are hit by war? Who knows, that’d be Volo and Olena or Kyiv’s leadership’s ball game. So far, Russia is winning, on and off the battlefield. If I were Slava and I’d have resources to help, I’d forward `em different ways. But I digress.⛹️‍♂️☮️⛹️‍♂️

A Facebook post is not News per se. Majority are (re)formulated numbers/thoughts that feed particular (economic, political) intents. Mostly, the Page “owner’s” thingy. My words unless I credit specific sources or quote lines per sentence. What I post could be fact or fake (that is if I type LOL!) Though I try not to share BS about serious stuff. Yet veracity of posts on FB depends on how we are reading, not really about the posts per se that are tossed at us, 24/7. 📱👇📲

Emotional support animals help their owners cope with the challenges associated with depression and anxiety. Admittedly, I never believed in “support animals,” never being attached to a pet until 2009 when I started living with 2 dogs and a cat—as I stayed more indoors from my long, relentlessly active “outside” life. I tell you now, I’d cave in without a pet dog and pet cat beside me, 24/7. Weird, right? No girlfriend, no wife—no prob. But no dog, no cat? Nope. LOL! 🐕💓🐈

Slowly sliding back to my Facebook “regular programming.” But I’d probably cut 1 hour or so online to resume painting. Will paint a larger canvas of Cyd (misses her so much!)—and Hershe, Chloe, and Georgia. We adopted two tiny cats yesterday (photos here) from Brother Wolf, where we got Arrow a year ago. Ching The Zing and Fuzz The Wiz, less than a year old sisters. The Majick Sisters. Ching is the nickname of my mother (from Conching, a popular Filipina nickname). 💞🐈💞

First morning in 14 years of my life without Elle Cyd The Koolcat. No meows that woke me up today; no stare that ushered me to start a day. Please bear with my pet cat drama… Slowly, I’d slide back to my “regular programming.” All night, all I did was scroll up and down Cyd’s photos. A new “furry friend” will join me and Arrow in our bedroom but it’ll take time to calm my quiet grief down. Cyd’s spirit stays within the rooms of my heart that she helped keep alive for years. 💞🐈💞

News: “At least 7 injured after shooting at Los Angeles park.” Again?!? Macabre. I was a police reporter as a young man; covered coup d’etats, narcos hits, and countryside wars. I had answers on why. But the (mass) shootings in America are confounding. The United States professes as The Model of/for anything sociopolitical good. But what’s happening? The carnage goes beyond guns, politics, and (social) media coax. I point at the hate divide. Yet wickedly puzzling. ☮️💝☯️

A voracious (streaming) TV series watcher as I am? Notice that quite a number these days are so dark? Literally dark as in lighting dark. WTH?!? I looked it up. Rationale: "To make it truly impactful..." Uh huh. For example, last night we started “The Terminal List.” PTSD is dark, I get it. Yet dark while brushing teeth? Come on! Same as my whine in the last season of “Goliath.” Hey, quit this nonsense! LOL! Give us entertainment. Not your self-serving “artistic masturbation.” 📺🥸📺

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

WHILE the radiant heat emitted by our laptops creates an irresistible snuggle zone for cats, their behavior goes beyond seeking warmth. When cats sit on your laptop, it's usually due to them being curious, wanting attention, wanting to mark their territory, and because it provides comfort. So in case you want to formally complain, write a letter to your senator or launch a million-signature campaign to stop this cat behavior. 🐈💻🐈‍⬛

THERE could be several reasons why your dog is suddenly afraid of things. This can be due to medical issues, developmental issues (in the case of puppy fear periods), or because the problem is brewing inside, and they've become sensitized through repeated exposure. Or you, hooman mom or dad, worry too much so they worry. Be confident that the cat will figure the problem out soon. 🐕🥹🐕

AUTOCORRECT, a software function that automatically makes or suggests corrections for mistakes in spelling or grammar made while typing. Of course you know the shenanigans that “autocorrect” does. So triple-check a message or word that you are about to text before sending them. “Learn how to do math,” and not “Learn how to do meth.” Or “...that’s a good deal though,” and not “...that’s a good dildo.” These “autocorrect” thingies happened to me. Got me in trouble. 📱📲🥹

IF your dog is standing near the door or alternating their gaze between you and the door, your dog is most likely telling you they feel tense because they desperately want to go outside. With Arrow? Easy. She trained me to get up and take her out for bathroom breaks, sniff-sniff moments, and walk etcetera at specific time/s of the day. I oblige like a true, bonafide servant royale. 👈👈🐕

IT takes most cats eight to 12 months to develop a friendship with a new cat. Although some cats certainly become close friends, others never do. Many cats who don't become buddies learn to avoid each other, but some cats fight when introduced. To avoid these troubles, before you adopt a new cat, make sure to ask the newbie’s political affiliation. Republican or Democrat. They need to be followers of the same party. You know what I mean? 👈😼👉

MATH scores among American students — which had been stagnant for more than a decade, according to the National Science Foundation — are now getting worse. Also, some kids struggle with math because of a learning difference called dyscalculia. Yes, that’s it. Dyscalculia. Dyscalculia. Remember that word. 👧🧮🧒

WHY do cats and dogs take so much space in bed? Firstly, it could be a natural behavior influenced by their instincts to find a comfortable and secure sleeping position. Additionally, dogs often seek warmth and comfort, and sprawling out sideways may help them regulate their body temperature and feel more relaxed. Until they own the entire bed, then the bedroom. So you just take heed and oblige. 🐕🛌🐈

IT is possible for a formerly feral cat to adapt and get along with other cats within a home, but it may require patience and careful introduction. Feral cats are typically unsocialized to humans and other animals, so they may initially exhibit fear or aggression towards other cats. Feral cats usually go to a FA or Feral Anonymous meeting before they join a house setting with other cats. Some domestic cats are FA sponsors or FA lecturers. 🐈😇🐈‍⬛

DOGS tilt their head to show that they are engaged much the way humans would nod during a conversation to indicate that they are listening. Social dogs that enjoy human interaction usually tilt their heads more often to encourage the continuation of the conversation and prolong human contact. Otherwise, if they forgot to ask more questions or weren't able to inquire for further elaboration, they’d text their hooman with a sticker of a dog on tilted head. 🐕🐩🐕‍🦺

ACCORDING to animal behaviorists, domestic cats are thought to be incapable of recognizing their own reflection. However, this doesn't mean that they can't learn or respond to mirrors. Many cats are interested in the movement and visual stimuli in the mirror, possibly thinking that they are encountering another cat. Wouldn’t you? Many humans, when in front of the mirror, exclaim “OMG! That is not me! OMG!!!” 🐱🪞🐱

Compilation of my short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Old or old school writers are good. I just write and write and write. Read me or you don't. I don't need to argue with people about whatever I wrote. Or be concerned that only a handful or 4 friends read me. I evolved as a writer/journalist at a time when we simply wrote and submitted the copy, done. We didn’t discuss a report or article with 55 people all at the same time, LOL! Arguments to defend stuff are for lawyers. They get paid for those. Writers get paid for writing, that’s all. 🗣👀✍️

Seldom do we hear songs with poetic depth anymore. I grew up enjoying rock/folk music as I intently listened to the words. Pored over the lyrics and learned life. Many songs by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon were written even before they were 20. These days most lyrics are bankrupt of creativity. Google how many “F--- Y—” hit songs are sung by kids. There’s even a song about “f------ a dog.” And grownups with 12 year old brains think these songs are cool. 🎹🎸🎼

As we remember the sublime wisdom and endearing glory of the past, we also remember the wicked acts and visual horror. We smell the cadaver stench of memory; we hear the cries of pain in the dead of a quiet night. They persist. Yet we are still here, alive. Without thoughts of the ugliness of yesterday, hard to appreciate the beauty of today. So we cling to intermittent rays of hope and enjoy the little blessings as they come. Life is what it is. We live it. ☮️💝☯️

Reading through my Homepage, it continually annoys me that other peoples on earth beyond white, white west are viewed as illiterate, clueless, and dumb. Either you are automatically dismissed as “Shut up!” or told “…You don’t know anything about America” or unceremoniously ignored (sic) outright. Not referring to Left or Right, Liberal et al or Conservative. People per se. Don’t geniuses know that this is the 21st century? BTS isn't a Bacon Taco Sandwich. Google it! LOL! 😒🤨🤪

We are contradictions. All a matter of how the world out there responds to our “insanity.” Good or bad. Good, I hope. I love people but I don’t “like” people. I anchored my “rock journeys and sublime madnesses” with meeting diverse personages as a journalist, founded organizations, and organized events for communities. But I prefer to watch from backstage or be alone after the show. Very low tolerance when strangers poke at me. Leave me alone, okay? LOL! ?☮️👉

Business. Streaming TV? Amazon Freevee? The tech giant always got smart sales trickery. Hulu and AppleTV have theirs as well. Not so much on Netflix. Yet that is Business 101. Market economics per consumer demographic. Trade’s deduction is an exponential spike in profit. A company that doesn’t up the revenue scale is “losing.” Abortion tempest? News: “Abortion Pills Take the Spotlight as States Impose Abortion Bans.” Drug titans will never be left behind. Yup. 🗣👀✍️

As a boy, I was a huge fan of “Combat!” and cowboys and Indians movies. Yet I evolved as a virulent anti-war activist. I may discuss other issues with parallel intensity but when it comes to war, it is unconditional thumbs-down. Hence, leaderships that pull troops out of war and governments that nix NATO and don’t allot military budget over gut needs like health, housing, and food? My respect. I don’t care about cool or uncool Potuses. No war? You are awesome!☯️💝☮️

The current U.S. tempest? No opinion. I was born and evolved in a galaxy so far away at a time when the islands were hell to America’s heaven. Economic dump, countryside war, EJKs, killer typhoons. Yet we found moments of community coolness amidst gargantuan gloom. Still the same, I am. I savor the blessings of North Carolina. But my howls of dissent are loudest on gut issues such as end of wars, mass shootings, and 8.6 percent inflation. All the rest are just stuff.☯️💝☮️

Sad that major political issues, national or international, are discoursed as per partisanship fire or Left vs Right, Democrat vs Republican. Not as Issues per se. Yet the truth is party principles and ideological paradigms—and their propagators and politicians—change the playbook and alter the strategy all the time. They jump ship, jump out, jump wherever per power-base convenience. Yes, Abraham Lincoln was Republican; Andrew Jackson was Democrat. Etcetera. 

       Abe Lincoln ended slavery and created the possibility of civil and social freedom for African-Americans. But he was also criticized for his “…aggressive handling of the Civil War, his assaults on civil liberties and his aggrandizing of the federal government.” Democratic Party founder Andrew Jackson was the only Potus who led with no national debt and supported individual liberty. But he also instituted policies that resulted in the forced migration of Native Americans. 👈🗽👉

Religious extremism ignited wars. Yet armed hostilities subsided when compromises ensued for peaceful coexistence. King Cnut was King of the North Sea Empire (England, Denmark, Norway) from 1016 to his death in 1035. Till all 3 kingdoms evolved as individual nations. These days, extremism is mostly political. Partisans are now The Zealots. Fanatics. Yet both political extremes are ruled by 1 power. Left vs Right begets “Divide and Rule.” Profit gods win.☯️💝☮️

Compilation of my short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

The ability to listen is lost. Not gadget dependency. But due to a New Moralism that promotes self-righteousness. I was the quiet kid, listening. The reason why I evolved as a writer. I had to write what I heard. Journalists then asked and listened more than they talked and talked. I was barely in my 20s when I was part of a city mayor’s advising team; later with a think-tank for a presidential candidate back home. I learned a lot listening to older strategists. 

       Funny that when I was younger, during family/kinship gatherings, while everybody talked and talked and talked—I’d simply sat and listened. The following week, whatever they talked about would be in my week’s newspaper (or magazine) column. Of course, I never mentioned a name. That’d coaxed my family to read me each time a new issue of the paper came out. 🗣👂✍️

Old. Although I still read politics as ever, now it’s all leisure time thingy. I don't give so much damn anymore about benevolent assimilation, partisanship pedagogy (!) critical race theory, Objectivist Epistemology. I just want to end wars, feed the hungry, be with dogs and cats, watch sports TV or a good series with less spoonfed politics. Better be, my day’s struggles are now confined with wishing the backyard veggies grow faster. I beat inflation with good ole ramens.☯️💝☮️

When you present a certain insight that (usually) delves from the popular/partisan thinking, with historical backgrounders and cornucopia of data, more often than not—you’d be dismissed as a “conspiracy theorist.” Because you read/reread stuff past and present, connect dots, figure some analysis out, then formulate your opinion out of those. You’d get this annoying emoji 😂 as response, mostly from people who “craft” their own smart takes of/from life via this source: 😂

Life is smothered by gargantuan contradictions. Such as this: The United States and Europe are so high and hot on climate change yet higher and hotter on wars. Frustrating. Wars: Tanks flatten vegetation, bombs scar landscapes, explosives ignite fires. Weapons spew toxic gases and particulates into the air and leak heavy metals into soil and water. In massive amounts. Billions of dollars blown away; lives wasted. Then we say: “Love the environment, love life!”☯️💝☮️

A popular meme: Blame oil titans for the cost of gasoline, not Joe. Here: ExxonMobil is a multinational corp. run by a CEO. The oil/gas giant 2021 revenue: $270+ billion. Corporate profit exponentially increases annually. If it fails, CEOs are fired. The government runs a country’s economy, not a corporation’s operations. Ergo: The U.S. economy is not run by Darren Woods. President Biden runs the world’s #1 economy, which is now sunk in a murk of 8.6 percent inflation.

       Maybe you are wondering. Venezuela’s inflation rate last year was 600+ percent. These days? 4.4 percent. The U.S. is #1 producer of oil. Venezuela was a top 10 oil producer but these days, coming from an economy that grossly tanked, it is only at #25, globally. Cost of gasoline per gallon in Venezuela? Less than a dollar. Same cost average in (also) oil-rich Middle East. ⛽️💰⛽️

We protest the (war) draft. Yet I notice that dogs sent to war aren't so big a deal. Then we worry about our dogs getting’ stressed' with fireworks or thunderstorms. Why don’t military tech R&D invent and develop gadgets that can do what dogs do in war? I am fine with dogs used in law enforcement. They can sniff 13 substances: Cocaine, bath salts, meth, opioids etcetera. Arrow can sniff-sniff 26 or more. But nope! I don’t want Arrow The Brat Doog to go to war. 🐕👃🐕

Freedom of Speech? I learned it first from my family. Dad, on the dinner table: “If you have nothing important to say, don’t. Eat!!” Mom: “If you have important things to say, say it—in complete sentences.” Speak your mind. But speaking/talking didn't include cussing and cursing. The time that we’d be hushed—no matter how important or urgent our message. I am still the same. Quiet. Yet when I talk/write, it’d be via complete sentences. Not with that silly emoji. 🗣👀✍️

Years ago, as a journalist back home, I covered the surrender of a top rebel leader. His mother was present along with the media. Mom’s first words to son: “Are you hungry?” Sublime Love of a Mother. I posted last night that Draymond Green had a better game because his mom hollered at him to lose the drama and play! I was raised by a mother who disciplined me when I misbehaved and didn’t do my house chore. When I did good, she rewarded me with a fine dinner! Mom. 👩‍🦳💓👵

New York Times: “Blowout losses by Democrats send signal to Biden.” And adds: “Biden has leaned left since becoming president. But big ideas pushed by party progressives are radically disconnected from everyday life, which spells political peril.” I was drawn to the Left most of my life due to its direct connection to/from everyday life. The people. The gut-level ideology is gone. The New Left promotes via media narrative a New Moralism that I couldn’t grasp. 👤🗣🫂

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

WHEN a child feels misunderstood she feels like she can't be herself. No wonder our children sulk, scream, tantrum and cry at these moments. Depression, they say. No pills would help. Only an iPhone upgrade. 👧🧑📲

CATS often knock things over because they want attention or to play with the item. While this behavior may be unwanted, it's normal and nothing to be concerned about. So your cat won’t knock plates and glass off the kitchen counter, and flower vases off the living room center table, respond to their texts. That’s all you gotta do. Respond to their texts. 😼⚱️🙀

GRASS-FED, fed on herbage, cattle fed on grass. Not weed, but grass. But many humans are fed on weed. Uh huh. 🐂🌿🐄

DOGS are pack animals with a natural inclination to follow a leader, making them more open to training and eager to please. On the other hand, cats are more independent by nature and may be less motivated by traditional training methods. You may need an iPad, visual aids, A.I., and other electronic devices to train cats. 😺😼🙀

PHEROMONES, glandular secretions, barks, whines, yips, growls, body postures, etc., all serve as effective means of communication between dogs. Unlike in people, canine body postures and olfactory (scent) cues are significant components of dog language and vocal communications are less significant. But since most dogs now coexist with cats under one roof, cats taught dogs how to text and IM. Much better. 🐕🗣🐕

CATS do recognize their own names. Cats can also identify and remember vocal patterns. Clicker-training can help cats to understand their name and associate it with a positive experience (treats, toys, attention). But cats don’t like to be called names that are ID’ed per your political dogma whatever. They don’t like those, they don’t. 🐈😼🐈

DOGS are pack animals with a natural inclination to follow a leader, making them more open to training and eager to please. On the other hand, cats are more independent by nature and may be less motivated by traditional training methods. Cats either come from The Resistance movement of the past or from a Shinobi class of royal blood. That’s why. 😺😼😾

THE average time spent per day by American users on Facebook was 33 minutes. Facebook was the platform with the largest amount of time spent daily, followed by TikTok and Twitter. When people don’t go to Facebook, something’s wrong. Really wrong. Uh huh. 🕴📱📲

IN summer, it's like an open buffet for the reindeer: Lichens, herbs, mushrooms, plants. So they’re very, very active during the very short growing season in summer, but they're very lazy in winter when there isn't any food. Santa stock up on food for the December 24 night gig so they are fine. Otherwise, Mr Clause simply had Amazon do deliveries. 🫎🎁🫎

CATS have many scent glands on their head, especially in the nose, mouth and chin area; with each rub against you, these glands leave behind a "mark." Rubbing their head all over you is their way of saying, "I love you." So Ching loves me a lot! She rubs her head on me all the time, especially when she wants a few minutes of back rubs. 🐱💓🐱

DO cats know that you are talking to them. Interestingly, they can also tell when we are talking specifically to them. A study in Animal Cognition has shown that cats can detect the subtle changes in their owner's voice when they are talking to them as opposed to having a conversation with another person. Fizz to me: “I can’t talk right now. But you can text me or IM whatever it is that you want. I will see if I can oblige to WTH you want.” 🗣🐱🐱

MANY zoos have had unions for decades now. For example, the Bronx Zoo in New York City unionized in the late 1970s. All Wildlife Conservation Society institutions are unionized and have been for many years. That’d mean all animals in zoos are unionized. Including Santa Claus’ reindeers who work as computer engineers in a zoo somewhere before their December 24 gig comes along again. 🫎✊🫎

NATIONAL test results from September 2022 showed math scores dropping for the first time in the history of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is administered every two years. Math scores among nine-year-olds plunged 7 percentage points. Sad, isn’t it? I ask a 10-year old what 23 + 34 is. She quickly googled it. I ask a grownup the same. She asked me if the question is political. 👧🧮🧒

CATS like sitting on laps because it's warm and comfortable, and keeps them as close as possible to their human companions, and they can keep you trapped for as long as they want. Because cats are the bosschiefs. 🐈😇🐈‍⬛

MOST animals may dislike having their picture taken because the camera can be perceived as a threat or unfamiliar object. The sound of the camera's shutter, the flash, or the act of being focused on can make pets feel uneasy or anxious. But that was before the invention of the cellphone camera and social media. Uh huh. 🐥📸🙈

Compilation of my short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Ah. This drama of racism! People are not just reprimanded or disciplined. They also lost their job, shamed online, and outed from here to eternity. You think we’d be able to eradicate racism via ideological purity? I work/ed with people who don’t share my skin color. Sure, I get racial snides from those who claim to be Right or Left. Both. I just shrug `em off. Be ignorant. Let it rip! I am cool as long as you don’t touch my shoulder. Then we have a problem. 🤨🧐😎

Life isn’t perfect. Cliché. Such as relationships with our adult children. I feel I am luckier. Most parent confessions that I read are grim. Daughter, addicted to meth; son, in jail. Etcetera. Me: I wish my son creates more art subjects other than naked butt. My daughters cook more seafood aside from Pinoy bizarre foods, watch other Netflix series beyond K-drama, and pursue clients other than Elons (LOL!) No prob though. They are relatively fine, peaceful, and cool. 👩‍🦰🧑‍🦰👩‍🦱

We hold different stories why we are anti-war or guns concern us. Yet we hush and allow healing to take its natural course. Whatever ideology I seem to imbue, it is gut ushered. Not some kickass politics that I read or heard. I lived and survived them. My past: Families that I dined with this night, dead the next day when bombs fell. I covered drug hits, countryside wars, and coup d’etats. Deaths before me. I didn’t read the news, I wrote them—because I was there. ☮️💔☮️

Memorial Day. I read peeps complaining about fireworks. Dogs get funky. Not many good words to those who died in war. In the islands, dogs get rowdy before a typhoon or earthquake. They warn us. However, I never noticed them acting weird when firecrackers got loud or thunder growled. But Arrow is scared with all sorts of “unordinary” noise. The other day when thunder rumbled, I held and reassured her it’s gonna be okay. Cyd eyed us, seemingly saying “…You two okay?” 

       Memorial Day. In the Philippines, we have Bataan Day. Like any other holidays, we consume the day in fun, food, and frolic. Excuse the fiesta! My family, friends, and neighbors were aware that I have always been a Leftist activist who protest/ed war and military shenanigans. But on holidays, we don’t discuss that stuff. We: Police, soldiers, bystanders, Pasckie. We spend the day crackin’ silly jokes, Led Zep on karaoke, playing chess, or watching basketball on TV. ☯️💝☮️

Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton is vilified after he wrote a letter to a Jan 6 “insurrectionist.” Whether I concur or not, not the point. Isn’t it America’s calling to inspire the world to speak its mind, regardless that words may cause discomfort to others? I was born into a different culture that taught me to hush when others are talking but not to shut it when it’s my turn to speak up. John is shamed because his words, or act, didn’t conform with the other side? 🗣👥🫂

I am OCD-structured. Family rules. And trained in/around professional rules, as a journalist. Although I am less active than years ago, I still stick to a daily regimen. When I facebook (verb), I follow my self-imposed rules, timeframe, mental energy exertion. I file 99 percent of what I post; I don’t post at random. I try not to “waste” time on silly arguments (in or out of here), aware that I’d lose time gardening, chat moments with dog and cat, and Netflix/sports TV. 

       The majority on my friends list are kin, friends, and the network that I built before there was internet. The rest are possible readership. If only .o1 percent read me, no prob. I am old-school Old. Then, we just wrote as we breathed. We didn’t go around town or phoned people to ask them if they read an article that we wrote yesterday. Besides, I am not a talker in a crowd. If I unfriend/block or ignore a personage in here, it is a professional gesture and a personal imperative.☎️📺⏰

Meme: “Ban guns not books.” First, if a book is banned in 3 states but not nationwide, that book is not really banned. In China or Iran? They BAN books. In case a book is deemed “dangerous” in the U.S., and of course, guns are—the issue isn’t “banning” them. Supreme Leaders can do “banning” but not the U.S. leadership. The issue that both politics and people find it hard to do: How to protect children—or America—from clear and present danger. Reason: Disunity. ?☮️💔

Meme: “I want to live in a country that loves its children more than it loves guns.” Words that miss the bloody gut of the issue. America loves its children so much so that scolding them for a wrongdoing is called child abuse. Problem: America doesn’t know how to protect children from guns that are so loved as well. Yet when Washington tosses billions$ worth of weapons to a war over negotiations for peace, think how many children are gunned down in 1 minute of war.☮️💔☮️