Do you know what indulgences are? They were invented during the infamous inquisition by the church fathers to allow parishoners to buy their way to heaven. This is the reason why Martin Luther, “protested” against the practice and eventually started the “Protestant” movement. So I was surprised when I received a text from an old classmate who was excited about something he learned in church.

For me, the best safeguard against Covid is by building my immunity. And the only way to do that is by getting sick first.

This is what I do. This is what I enjoy. I want you to experience that too. If you are employed and have marketable skills, let’s bring out the creative entrepreneur in you. Do you know what it means to be an entrepreneur?

Raoul’s Two Cents: August 5, 2022In a NutshellI’m stumped. As I stare at the monitor … writing today’s TGIF edition, I’m stumped. Writer’s block happens a lot when I decide to write this intro at the end of a long day when my mind is already fried.So (just now) I shared this predicament with an old friend (Edwin) who happened …

On July 22, last Friday, the Sandiganbayan (the special Philippine court overseeing government graft and corruption) decreed that 200 billion pesos that were confiscated from the Marcos dictatorship back in the 80's be returned to the Marcos family due to insufficient evidence. No surprise that with Bong Bong "owning" the government, corruption was expected to follow --- the sins of the father emulated by the son. And, true-to-form, the spineless judges decided to end the decades-old lawsuit. Imelda, you can have your shoes back.

I was brushing my teeth in front of the mirror the other night and I saw this patch of skin at the back of my scalp glistening in the reflection. I knew my hair was thinning but I didn’t know I was losing that much hair. It was pathetic … reminded me of the Amazon Jungle suffering from years of deforestation.

I heard a harsh bark coming from the back of the house. Sounded like an old dog straining to catch attention. What I saw was disheartening. Artie had a tight noose around her neck. Her gray-white fur was muddied and there were patches of exposed skin. Her staring eyes wondered if I was friend or foe. She cowered when I approached and moved as far away from me as the chain would allow. Slowly, I reached out my hand and pat her on the head. Eventually, I started to give her a good massage. All the while, I could see she was trying to process this strange sensation --- as if, for the first time, someone actually recognized she was an animal who had dignity.

To me he was always Gary, my little brother who thought a lot, laughed a lot and dreamed a lot. His philosophy in life was greatly influenced by Atticus in the movie “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In fact, that was one of his names. He became a lawyer and a scientist ... a Director for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in Washington DC for about 30 years. A series of events (like his dissatisfaction with government corruption) made him quit his job and he found himself alone in a village called Mindo in the jungles of Ecuador which is the northernmost tip of the great Amazon Rain Forest. All throughout his career, he saw the importance of preservation. He made feasibility studies of Ecuador, and then plans which he presented to scientific bodies and received a huge grant from MIT.

If you are among the many who have wondered where your Friday emails went, I explained this in the Travelingboy.com website. In fact, if I disappear again with my TGIF emails, go to Travelingboy.com and it will usually post things about my whereabouts. If you want to know about my traveling adventures, I posted two long articles about my trip and the city I lived in for a month and a half.

Have you been wondering where your TGIF edition went? You’re not alone. Several have been asking the same thing.First of all, there’s nothing to worry about. Raoul just went on a very long vacation of sorts. He went to Dalipuga, a small village in Southern Philippines. He’s there to take care of his 94 year old father who was reported …