The Block By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   BONG and I are friends. We communicate occasionally and update each other and the progress of what we currently do. Several times he would talk about writing a book about his thoughts on art and culture, and its potential to change society. His…

The mouth of the river By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   TRANSITIONS in life do not occur in abrupt phases. You do not suddenly become an adult at a given age, or become senior at another age. These are benchmarks that make it easier for others to understand and make appropriate…

The idea of a composite man By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   EACH day, the first thing I do is to look at the sky, and look at the moon, and it was not there at dawn. It is there of course, only I did not see it, because the clouds…

Divine beginnings of beer and bread By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   AMONG those translated from Sumerian documents is a poem with the English title, “A hymn to Ninkasi”. It is a poem describing the recipe for brewing beer, most probably with the intent to pass on a recipe for generations…

Blue dawn By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   THE plants have grown so well in the tiny paradise I nurtured to honor the moonshine and the sunshine. Some people still gather the flowers and run away with cuttings, but some have learned to knock on my door to ask for the…

Wallet na maswerte By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   TODAY, in my continuing effort to “travel light” in this world, I went over a pile of my past acquisitions and marked some for clearing. I have segregated and marked the boxes and bags to be passed on to whoever I think…

Lost in transition By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   WE all forget over time. Some forget by sheer will, others by the passing of time. Uncannily, we also remember things we thought we have buried, encountering the same experience with either freshness or more pain, but not necessarily with the same…

Just DOH it! By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   SOME people I know have survived COVID-19 following strict protocols laid down by hospitals. Some have recovered and recorded no relapse. Even with expensive medical treatments, recovery from the impact of the virus is not guaranteed. Others have moved on to another…

One life to live By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   IF I would have a chance to meet somebody who came back from the dead, I would like to ask what afterlife is like. Is it maybe another life, totally different from the current one we are living, or a totally…

Wellbeing By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   UNDER the current circumstances, and having very little influence on the macro level, people are focusing more on their personal wellbeing. Conversations are shifting towards maintaining a healthy mind and body and achieving happiness. Before, young professionals were focused on losing weight, toning muscles…