Looking backward to look forward

Last February 6 2008, Ash Wednesday - I had life-changing surgery.  i had a kidney transplant at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

It will be my two year anniversary this Saturday. And today, as Saturday approaches, i think about yesterday and look at tomorrow, to see what i should implement today.

Life goes on, sometimes so fast. We must never forget to stop, take a breath, and look at where we are, what we have done, and what we have yet to do, and most especially, to always count our blessings.

Amihan, Alice, Benita, Dr. J

Robert A, Amihan, Alice, Benita, Dr. J

In December 2008, we had the first of Arts n Friends art sale. We were at Rafa's.

By the way, watch out for the Arts n Friends gallery at multiply. http://artsnfriends.multiply.com/

Black Soup Owner, me, Alice, Rafa owners, Benita, Manny

Last 30 January 2010, we had the second Arts n Friends art sale at the Black Soup at Maginhawa Street. We had lots of fun, even if we were so very tired at the end of the day.











One of the main beneficiaries of Arts n Friends is the NGO Kidney Friends. Their website is at http://kidney_friends.livejournal.com/

Agatha Christie books read over the years, and still to read

titles are in bold, comments in normal font, to be read in italics


This post will be updated as i remember the story, or as i re-read. and i discover/remember all the other agatha christie books

And Then There Were None
most of AG's novels are about death, and the methodology for such a death. these detail how each one met death, and what happened to the last person.  I always think of this book as the Ten Little Indians - an alternative title, i believe.  i rather like this book because it has people who have successfully done the deed and gone unpunished.  only a clever and devious mind can manage such a drama

Anne Beddingfeld 01 – The Man in the Brown Suit - to read
although i think i have read this at least one time in my life. but really the waters of the mind are terribly muddied

Bobby Jones 01 – Why Didn’t they Ask the Evans?
witnesses to a signature, or a will are important, And so Bobby Jones wonder why not Evans. A nice wonderful story of a robust Bobby, and a wonderful lady friend. I thought Bobby Jones was brave and, for the lack of a word, cute.

Charles Hayward 01 - Crooked House -  no Hercule
Ah.  Done re-reading.  
This is about a family living together under their rich father.  There are many side stories as AG usually has in "at home" mysteries.  the actual culprit was a bit of surprise for me.

Colonel Race 01 - Sparkling Cyanide - no Hercule
initially confused with another book, re-reading clarified which one this was.  So that i will remember next time, Anthony Browne and a dinner table should suffice.  Iris stands to inherit her sister Rosemary Barton's wealth.  George, her husband had died as a result of a bungled attempt to kill Iris.  Thanks to Race and Anthony, Iris is saved and the culprit caught.

Death Comes as the End
Done re-reading. As i surmised, this is one of AG's Egypt stories, an ancient setting - she uses the plot of the stepmother Nofret with vicious skill. i rather like Renisenb's musings on her past and future loves.  makes for contemporary thoughts.

Destination Unknown
I have not finished reading this book. It is currently lying face down in one of the book shelves...

Endless Night

i have to re-read this one stormy night.


Hercule Poirot 00 - The Casebook of Hercule Poirot
o many stories, but all of them good - if you like whodunnits

Hercule Poirot 01 - The Mysterious Affair At Styles
this was the first book of AG that featured Hercule.



Hercule Poirot 02 - Murder on the Links
between 2 holes, and golf, and murder


Hercule Poirot 03 - Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Hercule Poirot 04 - The Big Four

Hercule Poirot 05 - Mystery of the Blue Train
Another story of a rich man (well, they say love of money is the root of all evil), an inheritance, a rich girl, a rich man's secretary. and if you will, there is a certain similarity to another story. a much


Hercule Poirot 06 - Peril at End House
Ah Madeline, Madeline. And a rich aviator. a shawl.

Hercule Poirot 07 - Lord Edgware Dies (Thirteen At Dinner)
And who

Hercule Poirot 08 - Murder on the Orient Express (Murder in Calais Coach)
Do you remember the movie? A star-filled movie. Richard Widmark was the guy killed.
A kidnapping leads to death, and death is returned. guilty says the jury of 12 individuals.

Hercule Poirot 09 - Three Act Tragedy (Murder In Three Acts)
Hercule Poirot 10 - Death in the Clouds (Death in the Air)
Hercule Poirot 11 - The ABC Murders (The Alphabet Murders)
I always thought one had to be British to understand the title. 

Hercule Poirot 12 - Murder in Mesopotamia
Hercule Poirot 13 - Cards on the Table
Hercule Poirot 14 - Dumb Witness (Poirot Loses a Client)
Hercule Poirot 15 - Death on the Nile
two lovers. a boat. and a beautiful rich girl who coveted what the poor little girl had.
the movie version had Mia Farrow i think and the guy - the guy was the one who played Manimal, remember that series?

Hercule Poirot 16 - Appointment With Death
one of those evil matriachs, AG reveals the workings on the Boyntons. who killed evil mama?
Hercule Poirot 17 - Murder for Christmas
Hercule Poirot 18 - Sad Cypress
Hercule Poirot 19 - One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Hercule Poirot 20 - Evil Under the Sun

Hercule Poirot 21 - Five Little Pigs (Murder in Retrospect)
Hercule Poirot 22 - The Hollow (Murder After Hours)
Hercule Poirot 23 - Taken at the Flood
Hercule Poirot 24 - Mrs. McGinty's Dead
Hercule Poirot 25 - After the Funeral
Hercule Poirot 26 - Hickory Dickory Death
Hercule Poirot 27 - Dead Man's Folly
Hercule Poirot 28 - Cat Amond the Pigeons
Hercule Poirot 29 - The Clocks
Hercule Poirot 30 - Third Girl
Hercule Poirot 31 - Halloween Party
Hercule Poirot 32 - Elephants Can RememberThere is another title for this book, but i cannot remember. This is about 2 sisters, 1 man, a daughter, and madness. and the knowledge will decide a wedding.

Hercule Poirot 33 - Curtain (Poirot's Last Case)
Inspector Lejeune 01 - The Pale Horse
Inspector Narracott 01 - The Sittaford Mystery
Mary Westmacott - Burden
Miss Marple 00 - The Complete Short Stories
Miss Marple 01 - The Murder at the Vicarage
Miss Marple 03 - The Body in the Library
The husband of Ms. Marple's friend, Arthur - if i am not mistaken, finds a body in his library. The body is dressed somewhat sluttily, for the period, at least, and gossip abounds.

Miss Marple 04 - The Moving Finger
Miss Marple 05 - A Murder is Announced
Miss Marple 07 - They Do It With Mirrors
Miss Marple 08 - A Pocket Full of Rye
Miss Marple 09 - 450 From Paddington
Miss Marple 11 - The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
Miss Marple 12 - A Caribbean Mystery
Miss Marple 13 - At Bertrams Hotel
Miss Marple 14 - Nemesis
For a little old lady, she certainly gets around. In this story, there is a rich old man, and where there is a rich man, there be bad intentions.



Miss Marple 15 - Sleeping Murder
 The advice is to let sleeping dogs lie, but when one insists on getting to the bottom of things, murder will out.

Ordeal by Innocence

Parker Pyne 01 - Parker Pyne Investigates
Passeger to Frankfurt
Plays 01 - Black Coffee
Plays 08 - Spider's Web
Plays 11 - The Unexpected Guest
Quin and Satterthwaite 01 - Mysterious Mr. Quin
Short Stories 01 - Poirot Investigates
Short Stories 06 - The Listerdale Mystery
Short Stories 08 - Murder in the Mews
Short Stories 09 - The Reggata Mystery and Other Stories
Short Stories 10 - The Labours of Hercules
One of my favorite stories. Each labor is a story. Hercule decides if he should come out of retirement. I truly rec this one.

Short Stories 12 - Three Blind Mice

Short Stories 14 - Adventure of Christmas Pudding
Short Stories 17 - Poirot's Early Cases
Short Stories 20 - The Harlequin Tea Set

Short Stories 22 - Surprise, Surprise

Superintendent Battle 01 - The Secret of Chimneys
One of my favorites. There is a very beautiful woman. And politics.

Superintendent Battle 02 - The Seven Dials Mystery
Superintendent Battle 03 - Towards Zero
Superintendent Battle 04 - Murder is Easy
I love Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. They are a very interesting couple, full of vivre -
and is stopped neither by their youth nor their old age.
Tommy and Tuppence 01 - The Secret Adversary
Tommy and Tuppence 02 - Partners in Crime
Tommy and Tuppence 03 - N or M
Tommy and Tuppence 04 - By the Pricking of my Thumbs
Tommy and Tuppence 05 - Postern of Fate
Victoria Jones 01 - They Came to Baghdad


I will update this post as i read or re-read.

Manila Sunset

One of my favorite spots in Manila is the view - the sunset by Roxas Blvd.

To my mind, it is one of the most romantic spots in Manila.

One can go there, sit by the bay, and indulge in one of the most exotic things - set the mind free and imagine.

i found a  picture - and it was one of the art i wanted to purchase at the Arts n Friends Show III but my friend Babie got it first.  Here she is with the picture. Babie Andres is the sister of Cora A. Bisda

Babie Andres with the Sunset Photo Art

Remembering my Friend Edgar H. Sarte

Remembering Edgar H. Sarte


he would have been 66 in real time today. those who knew him would understand what real time meant. he was a very good friend.


i still have his old cellphone number - and he passed away in 2003. a day before Christmas eve. i was at the office - in the middle of an office Christmas party - when i found out. i couldnt believe it. so i called his number, knowing that someone close to him would answer.

he gave many IT lessons. a lot of them both technical and financial.
i had known him for more than 20 years! we met when i was at my first job - in Makati.
a company i didnt even apply to - they had seen my name in UP's list of honor graduates.


i remember the gifts i had sent him through the years.
i had given him a book in the 80s... which he never got to read until year 2000.
as i said then, at least he got to read them and liked them .... even if it was more than several years later.


i shall think of him tonight.

edit:  those of you who love my friend Ed who want to know more about him, i will be periodically posting stuff i remember. just follow the label EHS

Creation Day

a long time ago, i had a blog but i hid behind a pseudonym but no more.
today is the first day of my public life.

hello world. watch out.