A World-Class Filipino Musician

I first met Noli Aurillo and his partner, Bessy, at Tago Jazz Café, where he performed frequently. I became an instant fan of his quieter solo guitar music. Sometimes Bessy and I would watch together. On March 25, 2022, I made my first venture out into night life since the beginning of the pandemic and discovered Tago was doing an evening tribute to him. I hadn’t

known that he’d died. I sat with Bessy, who was upset about an article that had appeared in a local paper, and told her she could tell her story here however she wanted to. … Read More

Memorial Post: Susan Quimpo and “Subversive Lives,” Part 1

At the end of August of 2021, I was very saddened to hear from   Sarita Chiu, daughter of Susan Quimpo (pronounced Kimpo), that Susan had died last summer of systemic scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected her heart and lung. The Cultural Center of the Philippines is now preparing to honor her as one of the departed individuals who were part of their community. Susan is an author of Subversive Lives: a Family Memoir of the Marcos Year and a popular speaker on that topic, bringing history to people who are too young to

I’ve been very isolated since Read More

A Very Inclusive Spirituality

I met Reverend Tet when a friend in Japan suggested I join her at a Zoom talk by the President of the Unitarian Universalist Church in the Philippines, Tet Gallardo. Her spirituality is very eclectic and includes both Islam and Buddhism. A few days later the two of us talked via Facebook Messenger. Thanks to Tet for the photos.

The Zoom talk began with this poem, which proved to be an excellent introduction and summary of what she had to say:

There’s My Temple

By Ma Theresa “Tet” Gustilo Gallardo

There’s my temple!
Believer, unbeliever or wild one.
You are … Read More

A Freelance Digital Ninja in the Philippines, Part 2

For me as a writer it’s gratifying to “publish” on the website every month without having to spend millennia trying to find an agent, which is what I’m doing with the first novel manuscript. But there’s a lot more involved with a website than I knew when I started this in 2009.

In Part 1 of this post, Junno Gonzales details what’s involved in setting up and maintaining a website if you do it properly, which I did not. In Part 2 we discuss the human side, like freelance work, possible communication problems, and the dynamics of international work. 

Junno’s

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