Big brother Thomas and little brother Charlie are a year apart. Thomas is gifted with natural intellectual and physical abilities. He could pick up concepts easily and is naturally coordinated. He is over-confident at times and for good reason --- it’s easy for him. On the other hand, Charlie is not as agile and it takes longer for him to figure things out. But what he lacks in physique and talent, he makes up with determination.

Raoul’s Two Cents: May 30, 2025 My Buddy I stared at the text message from the wife of my old buddy, Ed Landry: “I have a report on Ed.” The last time I heard from Ed, he had trouble breathing so I knew this wasn’t good. A former fireman turned full time missionary — Ed mentored me in my early …

Meet Agent Triple Eight (888, because it’s luckier than 007), played by a chiseled Chinese action star who moonlights as a patriotic pop idol. He’s got the charm of Daniel Craig, the martial arts chops of Jet Li, and a gadget-filled Huwawei smartwatch that doubles as a noodle cooker.

Thoughts of my age hit me again this week. You know you’re getting old when your body starts sending you hate mail every morning. Popping joints, mystery aches, and a lower back that’s staging a full-blown rebellion—welcome to the daily grind of aging. I swear, I went to bed at 30 and woke up feeling like a creaky 80-year-old antique.

For many in this world, Sunday is Mother’s Day. But for our family, it’s an annual complicated day of celebration because we have two grandmas, two Moms, a Dad’s birthday and a Mother’s birthday. How do you make them feel special when they share the same cake? Get separate cakes that no one will eat? I don’t think so.

As you read this email, know that I am currently in Ventura County, California, accompanying my wife in one of her business trips. It’s the first time I’ve ever been here. I asked my good friend Ed (a travel aficionado) what Ventura County is famous for and he said “Thrift Shops.” Immediately, gold nuggets started pouring out of my eyes. I got excited because I love the bargain hunting game. It's one of the simple joys of life.

So, I started painting again. I've been planning to do this for years. When I was younger I thought I would get the chance to do this when I retire. Then I figured, why wait? Just do it now while I still can see, still can use my hands … still cognizant. So now my room's all messed up with paint tubes and brushes all over the place.

It was an ordinary day. People were waking up preparing for the work of the day. My Dad was gathering the sheep to graze on the mountains. Mom was preparing breakfast. I was on my way to the well to fill up a pail of water.

She said (growing up) her parents were so strict about their bedtime; even if the movie they were watching was not yet finished, they had to go to sleep already. This pattern stayed with her all her life. To this day she has no clue of the endings of many movies she has partially watched.

Coincidentally, last Sunday I had a conversation with a church mate who just retired from the marketing division of Toyota. He said that Toyota's quality control was so stringent that there are only 10 parking slots at the end of the factory's production line. There is where the inspectors measure every single gap in the doors, the tightness of the steering wheel, the flashing of the signal lights, etc. Each car comes with a fixed number of parts that are supposed to be assembled in that model. If they discover a solitary screw that is unattached, an alarm goes off and the whole plant stops production until they figure out where that screw should have gone. Compare that to factories of General Motors where there are hundreds of parking slots at the inspection line. Quality for the Japanese vs. volume for the Americans.