Mad Skillz

Posted on August 1, 2026 by Topher

What’s a skill you consider basic, that most people don’t actually know how to do?

I can name a few, but we’ll focus on taking care of woollens. Firstly, you can’t just chuck wool garments in the washing machine. Being tricky fabrics, they won’t survive a gentle wash and the dryer. Whether lambswool, merino, wool-blend, or cashmere, hand washing is the way to go.

The method

A cursory online search would reveal the proper technique. I’ll save you the trouble. Fill a basin with lukewarm water. Add wool detergent or baby shampoo. Turn the jumper inside out and soak it for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the item and rinse it in the sink. Ball up the piece and press the woollen; don’t wring it. The sweat should be damp but not soaking wet. Reshape, gently tugging at the sides and hem. Ensure it doesn’t shrink. Wool is fickle. Washed improperly, it tends to warp. I’ve ruined a few sweaters in the past. If between sizes, sizing up is best. That way, you’ll still have a decent sweater even if it shrinks.

Roll it in a towel to remove excess water. This is called the burrito method. Repeat the process on the towel’s dry side. Upon finishing, hang the piece on a clothes airer. Never place it in the dryer, even on low heat. This would damage the fibres. Give it a few days and it’s ready for your next jaunt. You also can’t use fabric softeners.

Buyer’s remorse

Last year, I exchanged a black Levi’s sweater at David Jones from medium to small. I recall the care instruction saying ‘do not wash’. It was a wool/polyamide blend. I didn’t make an allowance for shrinkage. I should’ve stuck with the medium even if it were somewhat roomier. Disregarding the ominous label, I washed the jumper and it downsized.

Try this at home

If you haven’t got the time, leave it to the dry cleaners. This was my go-to. However, with initiative and resourcefulness, you’ll save dollars by doing your wool laundry at home.

Washing is half the story. Many fashionistas hang woollens on their robes. Wool sweaters must never be stored on hangers. This causes them to stretch and lose shape. Folding is the proper method.

The collection

I have four wool sweaters. One red lambswool Tommy. Size medium and with long sleeves, I use it as a pullover. It has subtle Tommy branding and is made with Italian yarn.The chunkiest of my winter sweaters, I always layer it over a deep green YD mock neck.

One dark green wool/poly Ben Sherman from The Iconic. Offering the least wool content of my winter tops, though 49% polyester makes it dry quicker. A Reserve blue merino polo from Myer. More of a smart casual option with the collar. A Uniqlo striped charcoal merino crew neck. Aside from these, I have a pure cashmere sweat and an 85/15 cotton-cashmere jumper from H&M.

I used five of those sweats this year. The pure cash was the outlier. These delicates don’t need regular washing unlike cotton and synthetics. Wool is odour-resistant. Rainy conditions are their weakness, absorbing water more than polyester and nylon. Not water-resistant, a rain jacket is better in adverse conditions.

Thermal Boy

Merino is great at temperature regulation. It adapts to the conditions. When it’s warm, you’ll feel cool. When it’s chilly, merino will warm you up. Merino fibres are shorter than lambswool. Most of it comes from Oz and NZ. In contrast, lambswool hair is coarser.

Merino has different grades. Fine and extra fine are top of the class. Unlike lambswool sweats, merino jumpers are noticeably thinner and lightweight. Lambswool is better as a mid or top layer. Merino v-necks are perfect layered over a shirt. They’re like a featherweight boxer who punches above his weight. In wool parlance, heft and grams are not a definitive determinant of heat.

While I only have two merino casual sweaters, I’ve got heaps of merino thermals. I bought them in pairs. Two black thermal tops and matching long johns from DJ. Two more black sets from Aldi. A grey LS top from Baselayers. I have 2 wool blend tops from the latter and a blue cotton poly set from Kmart. I’m battle ready for the cold months. You can machine wash the thermals but be prepared for some shrinkage.

Blue Mountains

Sensitive

Aside from merino, cashmere is a wondrous insulator. A premium fabric, it’s famously pricier than wool garments. It provides much more warmth while being much lighter than lambswool. Keeps you cool in humid weather, too. My pure cashmere is in dark brown. I noticed that my jumper’s shoulder width is rather short. Hence, it won’t work as a pullover.

It must be layered under zip hoods. Regardless, cashmere drapes well and gives you a fuller appearance. Being breathable, cashmere – like merino – is an all-rounder. You can use it in blustery winter weather. Likewise in summer Blue Mountain treks.

A very sensitive fabric, tread carefully. Due to its price point, most people would regard cashmere as an investment. It feels luxurious and very soft ‘like Charmin’. Years ago, Uniqlo would clear their stock for $79. Good luck finding your size.

This blog may not be a fashion site. However, I’ll gladly share my knowledge. Muchas gracias for taking part in Wool Care 101.

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Reming

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Topher

What’s the funniest misunderstanding you’ve ever been part of?

The following is from my first book. It’s based on a true story.

Once she bought a 10kg bag of white rice from Woolies. Having seen a cheaper match at the Coles catalogue a few days later, she would return said item. Her friend had also given her movie passes, so we decided to watch Fracture as well. I snacked at her place before we saw the movie, but I was seriously famished after the session.

The aftermath of typhoon Reming

‘Do you want to have dinner?’

‘Yes, I’m starving,’ I told her.

‘We’ll be having supper soon anyway. I’ll just refund the rice and we’ll go home.’

As we left the carpark, she realised that she was over the four-hour free parking limit. She must pay the excess usage fee to the attendant at the gate. While driving the car towards our suburb, she couldn’t let it go.

‘Anak ng pating (crap),’ she said. ‘The savings from the rice just went to the parking fees. Oh gosh.’

I turned towards the window, unable to stifle my giggling. Here was a woman who would enter and exit the carpark, intent on avoiding charges.

Once at home, she commanded me, ‘Eat slowly’.

If it weren’t for your penny-pinching, then I wouldn’t be eating like this, would I?

Adding to the comedy: she talked with a baker for fifteen minutes. Those on the queue gave up, saying ‘She’ll take all day.’

Had she not wasted those minutes, she wouldn’t get slugged with the parking fee. She liked to ask me, ‘Whatcha gonna do?’

She also told me to remove my DVD as it was acting up.

‘That is-tee-you-peed (read: stupid) asshole!’

‘Get that off my player before it ruins it.’

Westfield Hornsby

I decided against joining her at the supermarket another time, opting to stay in her cute car. That was when she got into an argument with the checkout chick. She was next in line when the lass ignored her and entertained someone else.

‘HEY, I’m next!’ said pint-sized aunt Jess. ‘I came before the couple you’re serving now.’

Avoiding a scene, the pair stood aside and allowed her items to be scanned first.

‘You’re a racist,’ she told the chick. When she came back to her Beatle-like wheels, passengers from other cars gawked at her. I only shook my head as she retold the vignette. The other white customers must be thinking, ‘This Thai-looking senior is small but terrible.’

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The task: Topher Wins

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Topher

Which book have you read more than any other?

I’ve read my 300 page memoir/self-help, cover to cover, a dozen times. I saw it evolve from 151 pages to 224 and finally 300 pages. I did most of the proofing, with a little help from Laura, my editor. I picked up proof copies from the print shop, fine-tuning. I felt confident upon the book’s release. Creating and finishing the project was epic. My most substantial book, Topher Wins is also my only nonfiction work.

Slam Dunk anime

A dozen

Divided into twelve chapters, Topher covers my early childhood in Oz, my years growing up overseas, and later studies in Sydney. I unpack my IELTS results and dissect each Test component. My memoir has humour, nostalgia, and references. You will encounter Bret Ellis, Veronica Roth, Kurt Vonnegut, and Jose Rizal. I compare the length of Topher with other notable books.

Each chapter begins with a quote. There are laughter and jeers. Basketball and books. Movies and lectures. Tutorials and mentors. The release likewise includes three appendices. Two of my finest poems, first published on this website. A post about this anime show, which my whole high school followed. Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. For a change, the acknowledgements was at the front.

Laura described my Author’s Note as ‘word-perfect. Topher Wins is an invaluable resource for students and IELTS examinees, a ray of hope for those doing it tough.’

Above the norm

Publishing multiple books, let alone a 300-page manuscript, is no mean feat. Many people dream of writing books, but few finish them. So far, I’ve released a 64-page story collection, 300-page memoir, 112-page poetry collection, and 482 blog posts. That’s a prolific resume spanning a decade.

For Musings, my poetry collection, I made five drafts. Each one was revamped with mostly new poems. Being much shorter than Topher, it was easier to edit and proof. Both of them have plus covers. My memoir has the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Musings has three animals with autumn leaves and the sun.

Rare Air

My high school class has produced many physicians, lawyers, educators, accountants, registered nurses, and other professionals. No one else has published three books and counting, let alone one.

Uni of Cambridge, oversees

A family doctor has told us that he couldn’t score 7.0 in the IELTS. A manager from a government agency also told my mum that she can’t attain an 8.5 overall band score.

Most peeps balk at proofing. You must spot inconsistency, awkward phrasing, word choice, spacing, proper font, punctuation, spelling, fact checking, readability, and usability. Each sentence is important, every vignette matters. Clarity is crucial. You don’t want readers guessing. I likewise utilise my unique voice, which isn’t as accessible as Mitch Albom.

As my maths teacher wrote, ‘There are no shortcuts to success.’

‘Trust the process’

It took me four years to actualise this project. Four years, on and off, of writing, reminiscing, editing, and proofing. I got the ISBN, printing many copies. Altogether, I wrote 77,000 words. A trade paperback, it has coloured matte covers and the interior pages are printed on thick 90gsm paper. I sent copies to my dad overseas and others as well. They have my life story and memories of our high school journey together.

‘Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight and his punishment is he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.’ – Walt Whittman

P.S.You could purchase my memoir/self-help ebook via this link. It’s discounted by almost sixty percent.

Topher Wins: How I notched up an 8.5 Overall Band Score in the IELTS Academic
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The Poltergeist

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Topher

What do you do to improve your sleep?

Recently, I’ve been battling insomnia. Here’s a snapshot of my experience.

Note: This poem was published as part of my poetry collection last year. For this piece, alternate rhyming is utilised.

Awake in the dark hours, unable to shut down

The vicious minutes go by his mind an F1 driver

Looks at his Mac, a wayward pawn

Hot and cold for ages, he requires a breather

At first the morning coffee made him jittery

Slept three hours and no more

Changed countries but the theme had consistency

Tossing and turning, he’d trade his long day for a snore

Monte Carlo race track
F1 driver

Many evenings passed before relief

He’d wake up early and walk in the park

Met furry critters he admired their cheery owners’ self-belief

Others had the same idea, jogging on their mark

In time’ he’d know the regulars, the bona fide from fake

Couples were outliers, often twas the pet and owner

Brits and Aussies, old and young, thin and overweight

Dogs did tricks with the odd Labrador retriever

Labradors
worry doll

The world wound down as his insomnia carried on

No cure but healthy sleep hygiene

Lasted a week or two the battle was not won

A regular bedtime, milk, a warm shower, avoiding naps, alcohol, and caffeine

Slumber is a necessity that became a luxury

We get bombarded with sleeping aids

From white noise to warm milk, whale sounds to worry dolls, melatonin to astrology

If you’re facing a loaded mind, what’s the difference? Your restless noggin won’t surrender to fits of rage

The many faces of Christian Bale

He saw a retro film, The Machinist

Starred Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh

Bale is a skeleton, fifty pounds under his usual weight though no catastrophist

Works in a car factory and dates Leigh

She jokes that ‘Nobody ever died from not sleeping’

The movie was well-received imagine if it wasn’t

Bale shed his kilos for nothing might’ve quit acting

Months later, he bulked up for Batman couldn’t look like a peasant

coyote

A muted voice, an irrepressible night owl

His thoughts wander, as do his steps

Sees them from afar, drunk women, a battered car, even, he swears, a coyote howl

Try as he might, his brains could not settle, not after many exercise reps

Dwells on the past, as the present he cannot decipher

He glimpses the future, when he’s writing manuscripts, a dream roaming free

Tomorrow is an irascible vulture

Counts his eggs before they hatch though it’s silly

Bondi, NSW

There is no escape; ‘When it rains it pours’

Tip your hat and hope it’s better

The insomnia resolves on its own goodbye, insufficient hours

When the swell has ran its course his conking out is back together

This stingy shuteye hovers, a bleak shadow

Doesn’t really go away

Is it the change in seasons? Stress? Lack of exercise? No beef bone marrow?

Who are we to judge? With his next release, he’s never astray.

Autumn in Sydney
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The city and its uncertain walls (2023) reviewed

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Topher

If you could change the ending of any book, which one would it be?

I’ve finished reading this Murakami novel, the year’s first physical book. I’ve crested only one other read, Robert Parish’s bio. My last hard copy was John Grisham’s latest in December. I’ve offloaded my iPad A16, hence the lack of reading. I used the tablet to write, edit, and proof my poetry collection’s fifth draft. It’s served its purpose. Three Apple devices were overkill. Regardless, eBooks are better devoured on iPads than on my m4 mba.

Here are my fave quotes from Uncertain:

‘The essay contest was held every fall… The theme that year was ‘My Friend’. We had to write five pages by hand, and sadly I didn’t have a single friend I could write that much about, so I wrote about our family cat…how our old female cat and I got along, our life together, how we expressed our feelings to each other….My cat was clever…and I had a lot of things to say…there must have been a few cat lovers among the judges. People who love cats naturally love other cat lovers.’

***

“By the way, have you ever worried about your shadow?”

“My shadow? You’re talking about the dark shadow I cast?” On the other end of the phone Oki thought this over for a while. “No, I can’t say I ever have.”

“I can’t help worrying about mine. Especially these days. I feel a sort of sense of responsibility, as a person, toward my shadow. Like whether I’ve been treating him right, or fairly.”

‘Oki felt silent again, and the said, “I understand…Well, honestly, I’m not sure I totally get it, but I’ll think a bit more about my shadow. About what’s right, and fair.”

***

‘As I listened to the music, I thought about being forgotten for two hundred years. Two hundred years was a long time. Two hundred years in which he was ‘completely ignored, a forgotten figure from the past.’ No one knows, of course, what will happen in two hundred years. Or even in two days, for that matter.’

***

“To go back to the town surrounded by a wall,’ the younger brother interjected. ‘What aspect of your town do you think he was most drawn to?”

‘I was stuck for a reply. How should I respond to that?’

“I’m afraid I don’t know, since he never told me. He was just caught up in drawing a map…He was drawn to a town where the social skills you mentioned weren’t necessary. All he needs to do in that town is to go the library and read some special books. Basically, the same process he’s been doing in this town, in this library. Nothing else is required. And in that town reading these books is extremely significant.”

“What do you mean by special books?’ the older brother, the lawyer, asked. An obvious question to ask. ‘Why is reading those so important for the town?”

I sighed. For some reason the image of the skinny female cat slowly cutting across the library garden came to mind. And the picture of Yellow Submarine Boy gazing, never tiring of it, at the cat and her five kittens. It all felt, though, like something from the far-off past.’

Haruki Murakami Library, Tokyo

***

‘There’s a description in the book that goes like this. The village chief spoke to the assembled villagers and said, “Anyone can climb up coconut trees using their legs, but no one’s ever climbed up higher than a coconut tree.” It’s a very specific, easy to grasp expression. An allegory anyone can understand. And full of many implications.’

***

Near the end, I skipped pages of unnecessary description. A very focused effort by Murakami, I’m surprised it sits below 80% on Goodreads. He takes us to a special place and dissects teenage heartbreak. The protagonist carries this angst into his forties. His future relationships cannot steady the unrest of his past. He sees his adolescent girlfriend, forever preserved at sixteen in a parallel universe.

Style guide

The book has many of the author’s hallmarks. Having read a lot of his work, I’m accustomed to them. From Kafka on the Shore to three books of 1Q84. From Sputnik Sweetheart to Elephant Vanishes and Norwegian Wood. References to Beatles songs: Yellow submarine boy. Magical realism in the shadows, dream town, unicorns, and a librarian’s ghost. Furthermore, the separation of shadow and body aligns with his narratives. The jazz element as Murakami owned a jazz shop. The use of felines (one character was allergic to dogs). The subconscious narrative, as pages were allotted to dreams. The cooking routine as his protagonists are often independent males who know their way around the kitchen and housework. Likewise, the telephone element, adding a bit of spice to the plot.

Having feasted on his prose, I look forward to more of his oeuvre. Walls is divided into three books. The first one alternates between past and present. The protagonist is in love with a private school lass. They send long letters and meet in the park. Talking about this dream town, she feels like her body is a shadow. Her real self resides in that other place. He never sees her again.

snowy cafe in Japan
Blueberry muffins

My ending

Murakami introduces a young love interest, a fellow outlier and coffee shop owner. There, our protagonist buys blueberry muffins and gets his cuppa. While this storyline was explored, it felt truncated. The ending shouldn’t have been darkness but a definitive reunion with this high-value partner. He returns to the real world, reunites with his shadow, and the couple live happily ever after.

He works in Tokyo’s publishing industry for decades before quitting his job. Settles on a library by the mountains. The winter is snowy, shops are scant, and the townsfolk keep to themselves. Outsiders are rare.

He also meets this ghost of Koyasu, the former head librarian who passed away a year ago. Their conversations are productive. You wouldn’t infer that he was talking to a phantasm. Koyasu even unveils this subterranean room in the repository’s bowels. While they share long chats, the ghost’s final disappearance was abrupt. Despite their interaction, it seemed like he ghosted him in the end (pun intended). The book has a few vanishing acts: the teenage damsel, the former head librarian, and Yellow submarine boy.

Verdict

In the afterword, Murakami admits that he wrote the title forty years ago, in 1980. At the time, he was an unknown author working on his first novel. Sheep became his debut but it wasn’t until Norwegian Wood that he became a world beater. Initially, Uncertain was a 150-page novella. Expanded in 2020, as the world coped with the coronavirus. While editing, he rarely ventured out. Forty years later made a world of difference. He was quite pleased with the end result. So was I.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Rizal in miniature

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Topher

Who are you most inspired by?

I’ve been under the weather, so I did some web-based research on Jose Rizal, the ‘first Filipino’. Though we studied him, I had assumed that he was mere pen pals with Leonor Rivera. She has been described as his ‘lover by correspondence.’

Turns out they had an intense, real world relationship and were secretly engaged. I admire Rizal’s immense intellect (he was a noted polymath, novelist, and linguist). However, I find his amour problematic on two counts. Rivera, his cousin, made the relationship incestuous. Secondly, she was merely thirteen when they met (he was a 19yo medical student).

Resembling a modern day textlationship, they wrote letters for 8 years and never saw each other in the flesh again. Rivera, sickly, often had insomnia, secretly longing for Rizal. Meanwhile, Jose studied medicine in Europe, always thinking of Rivera. Her mother was aware that Rizal was Spain’s mortal enemy. To protect her daughter, she kept Rizal’s letters away from her. Leonor moved on, wedding a Pom and had two kids, before dying in childbirth. Leonor’s marriage devastated Rizal. Still, he immortalised her as Maria Clara in his debut novel, Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not).

Portrait of José Rizal with the title 'Rizal in Europe, 1882-1885' and a world map in the background, featuring various locations marked.
A close-up of a young woman with long, dark hair and a white traditional dress, smiling at a young man. The background features a soft, blurred interior setting.
A historical black and white portrait of a young man with wavy hair, wearing a collared shirt and coat, alongside a sketch of a young woman with long, curly hair and a serious expression.

I’ll mostly quote the rest of this post from chapter eleven of my 300-page memoir, Topher Wins (2022).

Ballpen

‘As an adolescent, I fell in love with Jose Rizal’s virtuosity. We studied his two immortal novels in class, satires and commentaries that displayed how “The pen is mightier than the sword”.

Rizal proved the potency of words, that you could make a difference without lifting a weapon. He looked tyranny in the eye and put an empire on its knees. A hundred years since his passing, his two texts remain as pertinent as ever.

Boys and men

He wrote this all in his second language, Spanish. Given, it was the lingua franca of his time, but this exhibits his genius. Not many people, even his fellow intellectuals at the time, had the dedication to pull this off. Indeed, Rizal contended with associates who cared more about women and vices than saving the motherland. In the Philippines, Rizal’s initial idea of collaborating with his scholarly peers is common knowledge. Like many things in life, he did so alone.’

Let me pause this for a moment. Rizal’s brilliance directly prompted my poetry collection. I singled him out, together with Jose Garcia Villa as my school heroes. They planted my early artistic seeds. In a separate post, I depicted Villa already. He was known as ‘the pope of Greenwich Village.’

A historical black and white photograph featuring a group of men dressed in formal attire, including suits and top hats, gathered together for a portrait.
Rizal with his fellow intellectuals

The road to publication

‘In all his glory, the hurdles that Rizal faced is easy to forget. He started writing the Noli in 1882 while studying in Europe. In 1887, aged twenty-five, his debut was published. The road to fruition was far from simple. As a young expat in Madrid, financial constraints tied up Rizal. He got so disillusioned that he hurled precious pages of his debut novel into the fire. He had thought that his first book would never see the light of day. However, as his dream began to fade, he was given a lifeline. His friend, Maximo Viola, was a generous donor. The latter loaned him 300 pesos, which equated to 2,000 copies. The first edition was published in Berlin in early 1887.

The text became a thorn in the Spanish side, resulting in their burning. Rizal became the public enemy. I wonder how it feels to produce a book so powerful that people will ignite them.

Illustration featuring the title 'Martyrdom at Bagumbayan, Chapter 25' with a background of historical documents and figures, emphasizing themes of nationalism and sacrifice.

‘The good die young’

Rizal lived a full life. He was killed by firing squad at Bagumbayan aged thirty-five. By then, he had already published two novels, crafted four plays, two nonfiction reads, loads of articles, and heaps of poetry. My works will not be required texts for Filipino students, but I haven’t done bad either. If it was only a matter of quantity, I’ve finished this nonfiction read, published one anthology, one poetry collection and maintain a blog with over four hundred posts. My current project is a return to fiction.

…Being born in Laguna, he seems just like anyone among us, and yet was so much more. Rizal has become a mythical figure on a pedestal. All of us have heard about him but no one has met him. The martial artist, Bruce Lee, carries a similar mystique: he died too soon. Already an accomplished actor, he pioneered eastern success in Hollywood. Bo Jackson, the former football and baseball all-star, would be his modern-day equivalent. We are left with stories, eye-popping accounts of a great Filipino, if not the greatest. In time, further generations would ennoble him.

Illustration of a muscular athlete wearing football shoulder pads, holding a bat, with the text 'BO KNOWS' and the Nike logo.
A sports-themed image featuring a player wearing a football helmet with intense facial expressions. The text 'TECMO BOWL' is displayed prominently at the top, with 'Bo Jackson BATTLE ARENA TECMO BOWL EDITION' at the bottom.
Bo Jackson
A baseball player in a dark uniform holding a bat, preparing for his turn at bat in a dugout setting.

Genius

Watching Jose Rizal with the whole Chinese school at the cinemas was a high point. In grade four, I vividly recall the actor Cesar Montano as Rizal in his tour de force. Elias was brought to life as a hardened defeatist. The firing squad at Bagumbayan may lack suspense, but not the mercy shot.

‘They did that to clinch his death,’ was Jimmy’s response to my question. A senior at the time, he was a presidential candidate at the student organisation. My achi later told me that he moved his teachers to tears by giving his valedictory speech in flawless Chinese. He won the most medals during the ceremony.

The Rizal movie opened my eyes about our national hero’s life. I’ve heard bits about him, but seeing his story played out on the big screen blew me away. The production topped the box office and swept the awards. Montano won most Best actor statuettes. The picture provided great detail from his childhood, when he idolised the martyr Filo priests, to his world beater days as an ophthalmologist…his surreal exile in Dapitan moved me. He had a stillborn baby with his partner, Josephine Bracken.

Yet even though the movie is three hours, this still seems insufficient in plotting out Rizal’s genius. No runtime would ever suffice when profiling Rizal’s greatness.

A black and white photograph of J.D. Salinger, a male author with dark hair, alongside the cover of his famous novel 'The Catcher in the Rye', which features a red and white design with a horse.
A young man in a red cap and scarf stands against a wall, holding a cup while gazing thoughtfully into the distance. The scene captures a chilly, urban environment with outlines of buildings and flying birds in the background.
Black and white portrait of a young man with a slight smile, looking over his shoulder and scratching the back of his neck.
J.D. Salinger

We live in fiction

Both Rizal and I have written in literary fiction, timeless works of art that resonate with all walks of life. Filipinos and expats who wrote in the language of their time. Both studied overseas, although he plied his trade in the medical profession. Like him, I nurtured my flair for writing in my formative years. Much more than a writer, he was a master of tongues who succeeded in everything he touched…except Leonor Rivera.

In this regard, gauging my progress against Salinger makes more sense. The famous recluse retreated from public life for fifty years, never publishing anything new. He would surface to block others from capitalising on his fame. He was the inspiration behind William Forrester. His body of work includes one immortal novel and three collections. This, I think, is closer to what I’ve amassed thus far. His trio of compilations were all released fifty to sixty years ago but are much critiqued and loved. Catcher is de riguer reading among some American high schools. Remember that scene in Forrester? Jamal loses a bet against William, seeing that all of the latter’s books were checked out. People do read older books.’

See? Rizal might be long asleep but his legacy lives on in present-day authors like me. Even though I’m in Sydney, his lessons reverberate. We can learn from his star-crossed love affair with Leonor. To paraphrase a fictional English professor, ‘A polymath who offered everything and an astute disciple who yearns to offer more…’

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Money and Happiness

Posted on June 19, 2026 by Topher

What’s a common misconception people have about happiness?

Equating dineros with happiness is a widespread notion but that doesn’t make it true. I say it’s simplistic. Money is a medium, a means to an end. We use it for groceries and branded items, on expensive toys, to pay for tuition and travel, dining out and utilities. While giving clout and capital, worshipping dollars is unwise. We are passing through and shouldn’t hoard funds. Robust health, peace of mind, and utilising time thoughtfully are far more important and fulfilling. All the world’s money can’t buy genuine happiness or contentment.

A serene beach scene at sunset with calm ocean waves, featuring the text of Proverbs 10:2 emphasized above.
Promotional artwork for the video game 'Narcos: Rise of the Cartels', featuring key characters from the series in a dramatic collage.
A serene forest scene with a flowing stream, featuring lush green trees and large rocks, overlaid with a Bible verse from Job 20:15 KJV.

Heaven’s tax

People who adore wealth dumbfound me. Your billions won’t get you closer to heaven. I believe in the afterlife and golden rule. Evildoers will be held accountable, before as tomorrow. There is no hiding in the future and they will cower in fear.

The Bible says wise things about ill-gotten wealth.

‘Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.”

Take for instance Pablo Escobar. He ruined countless life for his billions. When he perished, did he bring his fortune to the next world?

Another two quotes, this time both from Proverbs: ‘Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.’

‘Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.’

Three people sitting on a couch in a modern living room, looking serious and engaged in conversation. Two adults, a woman in a sweater and a man in a leather jacket, are seated next to a teenage boy wearing a hoodie.
Nemesis
A scene depicting a figure speaking to a crowd near a body of water, with the quote 'You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' displayed prominently.
Close-up of an older man with a beard, looking intently at another man in a suit, conveying a serious conversation.
Rush Hour 2: ‘Greed…’

The Truth

In Rush Hour 2, the villain avers that ‘Greed will imprison us all’.

Being a thief himself, he is sent to kingdom come after uttering those words.

Sound advice. Another useful remark from Jesus: ‘And you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free’.

More from the Bible boy:

Proverbs 12:19 ‘The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.’

Luke 8:17 ‘For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all’

See? In Netflix’s Nemesis, Isaiah Stiles loses everything as his mortal enemy frames him. No one believes him and he’s being pegged as a murderer. In time, the tables are turned and the real villain revealed. It may take time and won’t unfold in too soon. Justice may not always prevail, but God has great plans for us.

I’ve known souls who died the hard way. They didn’t treat me well. We have a limited amount of days, so we better use them benevolently and prudently.

Historic Ralph Lauren store located on a busy street corner, featuring ornate architecture and modern buildings in the background.
Ralph Lauren store, Sydney
A group of fans at a basketball game, with one young man in a blue shirt yelling excitedly, while others show a mix of reactions.
Actor Timothy Chalamet courtside
A stylish retail display featuring various clothing items, including jackets, shirts, and pants, arranged on racks and a wooden display table in a well-lit store.

Money can’t buy you happiness

Having money is nice, a buffer in trying times. You can buy your desires and sway people. You can go anywhere in the world without worrying about the cost. You can live in an exclusive nieghbourhood and secure courtside seats to the NBA Finals. Wine and dine in the glitziest restaurants. Buy the swankiest cars, jets, and yachts.

However, all good things come to an end. Designer clothes won’t stay fashionable. The neighbourhood crumbles like a Michael Bay scene. The NBA Finals features new cabrons next year. Restaurants will be boarded up when the novelty evaporates. The value of cars, jets, and yachts will depreciate.

As I said, these are worldly things and mindless distractions. Replaceable, like humans. So don’t worry about tomorrow’s purchases. Protect and nurture today’s blessings. People come and go, just as our finances have highs and lows. Do not grow attached to material possessions and sell your souls. They are appendages and tools. Life is not measured by houses or cars, ‘but the eternal word of God’.

A vintage-style piece of paper with the text 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' from Matthew 5:3, placed on a wooden surface.
A young boy and an elderly man in flowing robes walk together in a bright, ethereal space with soft lighting.
Albus and Harry
A young boy reading a book next to a kneeling elephant, with a quote from Matthew 5:5 overlayed on the image.

Happiness ‘is in the eye of the beholder’

My interpretation is not definitive. Yours may be different. One thing is for certain: doing good will inspire far more joy than causing mayhem and counting dollars. Kindness and generosity makes someone’s day. Counting your posts around fuels your greed. People who worship money and cause trouble are never contented. Once they harm others, it’s a void that needs to be filled. Their lust for inflicting suffering is a thirst that needs to be slaked. Or chronic constipation without remedy. They can strain all they want on the toilet seat, but the cycle never ends. Hollow and empty vessels, I almost feel sorry for them.

Channelling Hogwarts

In the last Harry Potter book, Professor Dumbledore and Harry eye this fugly infant. Upon hearing him, Albus tells Harry that the creature was ‘beyond their help.’

Their talk occurred in the afterlife, with Harry’s near death experience. He regards the place as a very clean but deserted Kings Cross. Albus assures Harry that he’s not quite terminated. I can’t be certain if being fugly babies is the endgame for modern day death eaters. A serving of warm pumpkin juice won’t be waiting. Maybe dementors would torment them. Or they’ll be sucked into the apron. Perhaps they’ll deal with a Hungarian horntail and its flames. Or be perpetually murdered by a basilisk, just like Prometheus having his liver pecked each day. This was the cost of fleecing the gods and teleporting fire to humankind. Like Bill Murray in Groudhog Day. See also: Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow.

A fictional character with large ears and greenish skin, standing with arms crossed, wearing a simple garment.
Dobby the house elf
A group of people at a train station platform, standing beside luggage carts while a train waits in the background.
Promotional image for the movie Groundhog Day featuring a man with his hands up in front of a clock, with the text 'Groundhog Day February 2, 7PM' overlaying the image.

In Dobby’s words

We will never know what awaits the wicked beyond this realm, but of decent people we can always guess. The town may not register their atrocities… but our omnipresent God does. Frankly, that’s more than enough.

Sharing and caring is a light in this bleak tunnel. People have long memories. Often they’ll remember the good you’ve done and the days of yore.

I end this post with two beatitudes learned in high school.

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

‘Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.’

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Inculturation: The Trains of Tokyo

Posted on June 12, 2026 by Topher

What’s a cultural tradition from another country that you wish existed in yours?

At an anthropology elective, we studied inculturation. This implies the gradual acquisition of cultural traits by another race, nation, or ethnic group. Jovan, an excellent professor, showed us a clip where various nationals fight over this dish’s origin. Turks, Greeks, Kurds, Macedonians, and Cypriots vied for the honour. Cultural traits and idiosyncrasies are rigid and relative. So pliant are they that their genesis gets blurred. They become intertwined in time and tradition.

A festive buffet table set up with various appetizers, including mini quiches, vegetable platters, chips, and dips, along with cupcakes and holiday decorations.
A group of three colleagues celebrating at a festive office party, wearing Santa hats and holding sparklers and drinks, with Christmas decorations visible in the background.
A festive banquet hall decorated for a Christmas event, featuring round tables covered with red tablecloths and adorned with white plates, cutlery, and centerpieces. Each chair is accented with a red Santa hat. Tall Christmas trees decorated with garlands and stars are placed around the room, enhancing the holiday atmosphere.
Crowd of commuters waiting at a train station platform with a train in the background.
A crowded subway train with passengers standing close together, some holding onto the overhead bars as they prepare to exit.
A crowded subway train interior with passengers standing close together, some reading and others looking at their phones.

‘Tokyo Drift’

I met this atheist guy at a Christmas party. In Japan, the trains are never late or early. They arrive on the dot. He wished Sydney’s trains were as spot-on. You could turn up every day at the same time and expect the usual. He left out that those same trains in Tokyo are packed to the rafters. It’s a miracle that they can run on time with all those passengers. The children are very disciplined, unlike other countries. You need not tell them twice. Excellent listeners, they have impeccable manners.

He doesn’t get The Catcher in the Rye. Yes, it’s so famous and studied in schools but what was the point? Dead Russian writers are the world’s best. He mocked the Catholic Church and its beliefs. I wanted to contradict him, but he was in the zone. ‘Christmas is originally a pagan tradition, now embraced by Christians and atheists alike.’

A collage of three classic portraits in ornate frames, featuring male figures from Russian literature.
Interior view of a grand atrium with an ornate glass ceiling, featuring decorative arches, a red wall, and a spiral staircase in the background.
Group of school children in uniforms with yellow backpacks, waiting for a train at a subway station.
A classroom scene with children leaning over their desks, focused on their work, with bright natural light coming through the windows.

All of the above

I’d like to see these in our country. Imagine all trains, buses, and the metro running like clockwork. No delays, limited track work, and zero cancellations. Whether in commute or weekend, you could count on Sydney Trains and buses to show up. A headache-free network and very proactive. One train mayhem won’t affect others.

If Japan can do it with much more commuters, then so can Sydney. We must gauge and learn HOW they operate and follow their lead. We don’t need to emulate other Western systems. We should go with the best.

A hand holding an Opal travel card in front of Sydney's harbor, with the Sydney Opera House and city skyline in the background on a sunny day.
A person holding an Opal card with the Sydney Opera House in the background over the water.
A hand holding an Opal card is about to tap it on a circular contactless payment reader.

Blanket revamps

Through the years, our public transport has overhauled its system. No more singe, return, and weekly tickets. Previously, I got the latter to save, since phased out. Enter the Opal card, the new normal for the state’s transport network. Fares are calculated by distance, with daily and weekly caps. Use your bank card to tap on and off.

While I appreciate the changes, toeing the system’s line is a hassle. I sometimes carry lots of stuff. Tapping on off seems daunting, with a small window and a queue behind you. Phone cases are RFID, meaning you’ll have to remove your Opal. Before, scanning to the reader was painless as my phone case wasn’t RFID. Those were the days. While technology safeguards our cards, things are more inconvenient.

The moth and the flame

Speaking of discipline, I recalled this news report. A kid treated the QVB balcony as his personal slide and fell to his death. It was like the moth and the fire. The mini moth disobeyed his parent, treading too close to the flame. It doomed him and sent him to kingdom come. That imp never listened to his elders, bringing him to his final destination.

A historic building with ornate architecture and green domes, featuring large arched windows and decorative detailing, viewed from the street on a clear day.
Queen Victoria Building
Interior view of a shopping mall featuring escalators, colorful stained glass windows, and shoppers walking by various retail stores.
A close-up view of a historic building featuring ornate architecture, a green dome, decorative sculptures, and contrasting modern skyscrapers in the background.

My friends admitted that they were given tough love growing up. As the Bible says, ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child.’

I’ve discussed these sentiments in a prior post. If we could recreate Japan and have model kids, we would be developing tomorrow’s leaders. Success starts from within. We need skippers from the grassroots level. In order to cultivate the future, we must train them from the get-go. We shouldn’t wait for high school educators to tame these gung-ho operators. Mould our kids’ listening and reading. They must get limited screen time and more outdoors spells. Introducing them to sports is a good first step. As is embracing new languages. To be true torchbearers, we must inculcate the right attitude. Respect for elders. Being serious with both studies and other activities. Soaking new learning like a sponge. Taking up music and being proactive. Thinking on their feet. Becoming team players. Knowing technology’s pros and cons. Maintaining the right diet. Following their passion and mission.

‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’

Change isn’t overnight. Progress, is a step at a time. True advancement cannot be done in a snap. It must be earned gradually. You can’t return from Tokyo and expect the same from Sydney pronto. Seeing the difference, a concerted effort is required. As a movie poster once read, ‘The greatest battle comes from within’.

A historic architectural landmark featuring ornate design, with a crowd of people gathered outside under a clear blue sky.
A dynamic image of a superhero in a red and blue suit, climbing a tall building with a city skyline in the background, featuring the text 'His Greatest Battle Begins' at the top.
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iPhone 16e: ‘The Return of the Comeback’

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Topher

Who do you spend the most time with?

I spoke too soon. In February, I said that my iPhone wasn’t good value. The latest entry level model came out and I had buyer’s remorse. Now I’ve taken a different view. While the iPhone 17e has more bells and whistles, I’m doing just fine with its predecessor. I don’t need 256 gb of storage space. Wireless charging is nice but it’ll add more wombat dollars. The A18 chip is good for many years. Since I was complaining about screen size, they’re the same – though the 17e has a better resolution. I’ve since embraced my new phone over my Oppo Reno. Since early May, it’s been my go-to. This marks my return to the Apple ecosystem after my iPhone 14.

A smartphone screen displaying a variety of app icons organized in a grid layout. The top row includes apps for Maps, Health, TV, and Games, while the second row has Flybuys, Mail, FaceTime, and Calculator. Lower rows feature social media and communication apps including Facebook and Proton Mail, and a search bar at the bottom.

Face ID

Both are 5G phones. I use Vodafone, one of three available networks in Oz. While the Reno has Face unlock, you can only use it to open your phone. Otherwise, it’s fingerprint unlock. The iPhone takes it a step further, as you could utilise it on apps for added security. Face ID is one in a million. Fingerprint is one in 50K. I mentioned getting a blue leather case for the phone. My Opal card is there, as are a few reminders. Lately, I’ve been mobilising the Notes app. Not just Oppo either. My M4 MacBook Air uses Touch ID, too.

I used the phone for two weeks in March. I went back to the Oppo for two months. I did not like the smaller screen and worse battery. Now, I’ve learned to appreciate them. Through web-based research, I’ve found the solution. After a month, the Reno was the odd one out. While the Oppo offers better value for now, the iPhone is the clear long-term winner.

Music Man

Apple Music is by far my most used app. Inside our house and beyond, I listen to my curated playlist. I save my fave songs. Or random tunes. Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran are my picks. I patronise retro music. Today’s fresh ideas become tomorrow’s history.

Email Guy

My ProtonMail accounts are linked to my phone. I used them on my iPad A16 before migrating to the iPhone. The notifications are handy. Painless and convenient, I am in the know. Previously, I did not install them on Android phones.

I use it for banking, instant messaging, checking the weather, and managing WiFi and mobile plans. Before, I did not include my bank app on Androids. Now, banking is part of my routine. Checking my transactions, spending, subscriptions, and promotions are easy.

Screenshot of the ProtonMail homepage featuring a blue sky background with mountains and options to create an account.
Front and back view of the OPPO Reno13 F 5G smartphone, displaying its lavender color and dual-camera design on the back.
Screenshot of the CommBank app displaying the cash flow summary for November, including income, spending, and savings sections, with a greeting message and a logout option.
A smartphone displaying a photo gallery of cats, with the Apple Photos app logo on the right, set against a light purple background.

WordPress and Photos App

The Jetpack app is where I peek my site stats, insights, and notifications. I get a good idea of my viewers and traffic. Which countries and posts are popular. Here, I find inspiration for my next draft. I am updated on notifications and fellow bloggers. I likewise use Facebook on my phone, as usual.

I utilise the Photos app. Save screenshots and AI responses. I check the Battery on Settings to see my usage, ditto Screentime. The battery health gives you the maximum capacity and total cycle count. I regularly check the software update tab. You need the latest security patches.

Double Team

I have two rewards program apps: Flybuys (Coles) and Everyday Rewards (Woolies). You could boost your offers, review you transactions, claim your rewards, and see your points soar. Given my annual subscription, we’ve been ordering groceries from the latter. Getting em delivered is handier than heading in-store. Gone are the days when we’d enter the dragon and check out weekly specials at the local Woolies. Whenever I see that Woolies truck, I have an adrenaline rush…just kidding.

A smartphone displaying a digital loyalty card for 'Everyday Rewards' with an orange background and a barcode.
A delivery truck with a festive advertisement featuring a Christmas tree, colorful decorations, and a Santa Claus theme.
A smartphone displaying a Flybuys digital card alongside a physical Flybuys card on a light blue background.

I recall always using a $20 gift card to be redeemed at checkout. The chick would squint at the minute numbers (40% font size) before asking a younger workmate for assistance. We’d often get Lebara prepaid recharge, which seemed a mammoth task for them.

For a few months, we tried pickup. It wasn’t an upgrade over delivery. The only difference was lugging those groceries for a few blocks. We then tried Coles delivery, which offered free freight for six months. We went back to shopping in-store then to Coles delivery ($19/month) before my annual Woolies subscription. Buying fruits and veggies in fruit shops and specials at the local grocery is economical. However, more effort is required; going online saves you the trip. As I said, time is our most precious resource. It must not be squandered and should be spent wisely. Lost time can never be regained.

Four athletes posing together outside a Guzman y Gomez restaurant, wearing navy sports shirts and holding a rugby ball, with a bright yellow building in the background.
A variety of Mexican dishes, including tacos, nachos topped with guacamole, fresh salsa, salad, and side condiments on a wooden table.
Illustration of a smartphone displaying the MyMcDonald's logo, surrounded by icons of food items like ice cream, French fries, and burgers.
A person holding a smartphone displaying the MyMacca's app, showcasing exclusive offers and menu items from McDonald's.

No pwede

I have two rarely used food apps on my phone: McDonald’s and Guzman Y Gomez. This fast food options are not as healthy. Before pigging out on enchiladas and Big Macs, remember that ‘Prevention is better than cure.’

What we consume now will impact weeks, months, and even years later. Before, I wasn’t as concerned. I am more cautious. Time to restrict the junk and fast food from our diets.

News bytes

I don’t read the news as much, though I should. I backup my phone on my Mac and to the cloud. Safari is my main browser but I also use Duckduckgo. No library apps. My reading has hit a wall. I don’t use the Pages app, only on my Mac.

You can be more productive on a Mac or iPad. You can mobilise both for reading ebooks and writing documents or a novella. The iPhone is simply too cramped to work on your bestseller or conquer Mount Grisham. Others use it as their mini computer and to stream shows. For me, it’s unideal.

Afterpay it!

I have Afterpay. I keep track of my orders, which I pay off weekly. Managing finances and being prudent is important. I have current orders with JB HiFi, Officeworks, DoorDash, and UberEats. Compared to the past months, there are a lot less orders.

Food delivery is impractical. We were probably one of few regular clients. Given the cost and fees, home cooked meals and occasional takeaway are better. I have a friend who never ordered food delivery. The cost turned him off. The inclusion of Afterpay as a payment option got us hooked for a while.

With the Oppo, you enabled the Afterpay card by turning on NFC. A hassle, this isn’t the case with the iPhone. Just do a double tap on the side button and presto.

New dawn

As you can see, I had most of these apps on my Reno, save for banking and email. The Oppo might have a larger screen, higher refresh rate, and much bigger battery. However, my main phone offers a better processor, security, and resale value, as well as longer support.

The 17e’s main drawcards are the better processor and more storage. It has basically a similar camera, the same battery, 8 GB ram, and display size. For $200 more when released a week later, the iPhone 17e wasn’t good value. The 16e wasn’t a bad birthday prezzie to myself, after all.

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‘Losing Family’

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Topher

What quality do you value most in a friend?

‘Losing family obliges us to find family; not always family that is our blood, but family that can become our blood.’

If we manage to look beyond what lurks dimly on the horizon, there will be angels ready to spread our wings and make us fly. I borrowed that quote from the ending of my fave film.

 

Many of my fellow young blood are too elusive to grasp the full meaning of losing a part of you. We live in a time where it is hard to speak from the heart. A thousand trivialities smother our lives, and the thoughts and cares of daily affairs, silence the poetry of our spirits. The song in our hearts, the song that we have waited to share, the song of being vulnerably human, is silent. We find ourselves full of lightning, but wanting in thunder.

 

The Assignment

There either is or is not a way things should be. As I wrote when I was sixteen, ‘The question was posterised with a resonating echo and left everyone in the house gasping for breath.’

I’m talking about the search for life’s meaning. This was the theme in our high school yearbook. In my time as a writer, I have never written something as meaningful nor answered a question so interesting. As I looked into the depths for answers, I saw the truth always comes dainty.

 

My perspective, of course, wasn’t contained in my high school yearbook. One page is never enough. I am still an inchoate paradox. I’ll let the years onward be the judge. Meanwhile, the search continues. So though I may give a finite answer to a conundrum, like, for instance, others, I can touch the peak of Mount Everest.

 

The Subject

An equally unique mind is needed for such a soul-searching query. Before speaking of the devil, I’ll describe his class. Now, there were lectures but the subject was different. Freedom, mercy, conscience, and sIn. They seem fundamental, but he took us to the art beyond the art, the game beyond the game. For instance, he called conscience the ‘Big C’, and wrote sIn that way as it focuses on the I. Mercy, I answered, is the human face of God. He will rush on with so much detail that kept us hanging to his every word.

 

We watched films about boys dancing in the wind. With triangles in their hands, he made us interpret exactly lay beneath their act. He encouraged us to read The Catcher in the Rye. Asked us who won in the end, Freddie or Jason? There were the questions that mesmerised you: Why is water wet? What would you rather be, a contended dog, or discontented man? Which comes first, being human or being humane? What is more important, a sense of humour or sense of compassion? Like he said on the first day of classes, it was about the ‘grey matter’, between the prosaic black and white.

IMG_3069

The Teacher

If you have read the book Tuesdays with Morrie, you’ll know this kind of special bond. The book itself is teeming with life’s meaning. I felt the same way with Bro Ed as Mitch Albom did with Morrie Schwartz.

 

I knew early on that he was not someone you would meet everyday. His engaging personality borders on the surreal. This, plus a wicked sense of humou, makes him a splendid teacher. Nobody wanted to miss his class. What really separated him was his fountain of knowledge. Like a wellspring of wisdom, he always had something noteworthy to add – another book, figure or event. His hour was the single, most memorable class.

 

Blue scheme of things

Bro Ed also had one passion that sparked so much friendly debate – his propensity for the colour blue. There is a reason behind this. He is a die-hard fan of the ‘blue’ school along Katipunan Avenue. Naturally, he bears the grudge for the ‘green’ school along Taft Avenue. That’s where the fighting begins, a class torn apart by the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers.

 

When the latter had beaten the former in their UAAP (Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines) encounter, there was teasing, and vice-versa. So as you can see, there were talking points in his class that everyone else couldn’t even try.

A young man writing mathematical equations on a chalkboard in a classroom.
A bronze statue of a basketball player standing in front of a sports arena with a curved roof and grassy landscaping.
Moro Loren Sports Complex, Ateneo
A scene featuring two men sitting outdoors, one with a beard and a cap, wearing a patterned sweater, while the other has short, blonde hair and a serious expression. Trees are visible in the background.
GOOD WILL HUNTING, Robin Williams, Matt Damon, 1997

In which he reverberates

High school’s senior year was when he taught me. It was during this time that we forged a close friendship. He found me almost as interesting as I found him. As I look back three years ago, there was nothing we couldn’t talk about with each other. We shared interests, zodiac sign, and helped ourselves see more than our mismatched ages allowed us.

 

In so doing, he let me ogle the importance of others in our journey. Meanwhile, I helped him understand the shortcomings of a sixteen-year old trying writer. Although I have not seen him in a while, like Albom with Schwartz, I can still feel the fire of his affinity. I found out that he is now a Catholic priest. Before this, he worked in Escuella Taller, a Spanish school in Manila. He also had further stints as an educator. This included a spell at our sister school, Saint Scholastica’s College Manila.

Interestingly, Robin Williams (pictured above) passed away a decade ago. He made a career-defining turn in Good Will Hunting, bagging the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The film was directed by Gus van Sant, one of my fave helmers.

Three doors down

Of all the light he shone upon my young mind, one event eclipses the rest. This was the retreat, in fourth year. I missed my class’s version. That disappointed some classmates, including this girl who had fancied me. He was so convincing in letting me join that I dragged my weak spirit to another class’s retreat December of my senior year. We spent three days in a retreat house for this occasion.

 

Ours was a beautiful experience. On the first night, Bro Ed said that the purpose of this was finding the ‘three doors’. They were the marked door, unmarked door, and empty door. Those three days were the sunniest I’ve felt in a long, long time. I felt quite relieved; my worries filtered out. Amid the invigorating ambiance, I found true-blue freedom, and hoped the change lasted.

A woman comforts a distressed man sitting outdoors, with the woman gently placing her hand on the man's shoulder as he rests his head on his hand, appearing troubled.

Losing Family

Brilliant as the sky was, there was a catch. In the welcoming grounds, my indestructible mentor showed some softness. He told us the story of how he lost family, to tragic circumstances. Listening to the drama unfolding, I felt for him. Yet what I admired most was how he did not let this snag affect his personal meaning of life.

 

Here I would like to quote a line from Albert Camus:

In The midst of Winter

I finally learned that

I had in me an

Invincible summer

 

I knew that at some point, Bro Ed was caught in a chilly winter. Because he was made of sterner stuff, the winter of his life gradually became conquered by spring. And as he saw the leaves blossom round him, he prepared to forget the past. Armed with this determination, he willed summer to sprout all around him. In this summer, I was happy to be invited.

IMG_3073

 

Prolific Summer

I have exhausted most of my story through what happened during my senior year. However, something even better took place when my high school days were all but over. During the bus ride to the retreat house, as my seatmate, Bro asked if I would be interested in helping him with the yearbook. Without much thought, I said yes. After this, he asked me again during graduation practice and I agreed once more.

 

He already gave us yearbook’s topic: the meaning of life. Every one of my batchmates was to offer their retort to the big question. My good friend made sure that all seniors had their say with a solo picture accompanying each graduate’s page. Aside from class shots, there were collages of activities done throughout the year. All was something to cherish: conversations with the guy who encoded and decorated the yearbook and the day I submitted the poem. The latter was my legacy to the school. Seventy-one verses long, a definitive poem of my alma mater. Up until now, at the very last page of the yearbook, I count it as one of my finest achievements. All in all, it was the most prolific summer to date, for me. I truly hope that someday, here in the heart of Sydney, I would experience even a semblance of what went on back in the day.

Quick aside: since writing this, I have published three books. Fiction, nonfiction, and a 112- page poetry collection (my latest). As I’ve shared in the past, the nonfiction read was 300 pages. I detailed our friendship in my memoir. All of them were self-published. I’ve been blogging weekly for years. This confirms that my writing journey has continued. I’ve evolved from the yearbook guy to a serious literary triple threat.

 

Sunset

So here I am, writing more chapters along the Sydney side of things. Nothing’s ever the same, that’s why we both got a move on. He remains in the same place. Things are much different in my case. I have left the city I called home for many years. I’ve moved countries ages ago, though I still write poems. When I’m feeling magnanimous, I would pen love poems.

 

I know I can’t say this enough, but thank you very much, Bro.

 

*Originally written a while back. Remastered for today’s WordPress daily prompt.

IMG_3070
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