There are so many delicious foods to eat on Thanksgiving, and it can be hard to narrow it down to just one or two favorites!
If you’re a Thanksgiving newbie, check out this list of Thanksgiving foods that start with L and introduce your taste buds to all of the scrumptiousness that awaits you!
Whether you plan on eating them in a traditional Thanksgiving dinner or as part of your own personal feast, try these tasty treats on your holiday table!
If you’re wondering what to serve at your Thanksgiving feast this year, consider the following list of Thanksgiving foods that start with L.
Listed below, these healthy dishes are delicious and nutritious ways to give thanks this holiday season.

1. Lobster

The holiday season means that it is time to celebrate, relax, and enjoy the company of family and friends. What better way to celebrate than with a scrumptious feast?
If you are searching for a mouth-watering dish to serve for your feast this year, look no further than lobster!
Lobster is a traditional dish served on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, its popularity has also made it an appetizer that can be served any day of the year.
Lobsters are available fresh or canned at most grocery stores or seafood markets. There are so many different ways to prepare lobster that it is hard not to find one that would suit your needs perfectly!

2. Linguine

Linguine is a type of pasta that is shaped like long, flat noodles. It can be served with various sauces or toppings, and it's a popular dish for the holiday season.
Served with butter, garlic, and olive oil, this dish is similar to clam sauce but has a more subtle flavor. Linguine can be served on its own as an appetizer or as part of a larger meal.
Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and set aside in a serving bowl, reserving a cup of the cooking water in a small bowl.
Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming subsides; add garlic and cook, occasionally stirring, until fragrant but not browned (about 30 seconds), about 2 minutes.

3. Lima beans

Some people may not know that lima beans are traditional Thanksgiving foods that start with L. It's true! Lima beans (aka butter beans) are easy to make and taste delicious, especially when paired with ham. They're also high in protein, making a great side dish for vegetarians.

4. Lionfish

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if you're looking for some new, exciting Thanksgiving foods that start with L to put on the table.
There are lots of options. One example would be lionfish. This delicious fish can be prepared in various ways and makes for a tasty alternative to turkey or ham.
It's easy to find at most grocery stores, so all you need to do is pick up your ingredients, get cooking and enjoy!

5. Lychees

Let's talk about lychees. This delicious fruit is often a staple in Asian dishes, but it has also become more popular in Western cooking.
It looks like a little yellow grape with a tough outer shell that needs to be peeled away before you can eat the flesh inside. A great way to start your day!

6. Lamb

A rich and savory dish that pairs well with all of your favorite fall vegetables. Lamb is one of the most popular thanksgiving foods that start with L, but it's common to serve lamb.
Lamb is healthier than ham because it contains less fat and cholesterol than other meats. Plus, it also tastes delicious with cranberries and mashed potatoes!

7. Lasagna

This dish is perfect for feeding a crowd and can be made in advance to save you time on the day of the feast for Thanksgiving foods that start with L.

8. Latkes

Crispy and delicious, these potato pancakes are a delightful side dish to any meal. The latke is a dish that is traditionally served during Hanukkah but can be served at any time of year.
Latkes are typically made from grated potatoes mixed with eggs, salt and onions. The mixture is then pan-fried in oil. A typical garnish for a latke might include sour cream or applesauce.

9. Lemonade

It's not a holiday without the traditional pumpkin pie, but some other Thanksgiving foods start with L to consider.
Which is Lemonade, Refreshing and comforting. However, Lemonade is a staple for many people during the warmer months.
Nevertheless, it's also an excellent drink to enjoy on cold winter days. Whether you enjoy lemonade with a little bit of vodka in it or prefer iced tea with a generous helping of freshly squeezed juice, this beverage can be enjoyed all year long.
Besides being delicious, lemonade offers some health benefits, such as aiding digestion and providing Vitamin C.
This tangy beverage should be at the top of your list when you're looking for something new to try this Thanksgiving holiday!

10. Loin

The loin is a meat cut that comes from a pig's back and lower part. It's usually roasted, grilled, or smoked. In French, it's called filet, which means a thin strip.
The loin lies between the backbone and ribs, as well as in front of the sirloin and behind the tenderloin. Another term for a loin is pork chop.
Pork chops are often eaten fried or grilled with bacon. They can be served with applesauce or caramelized applesauce.
When buying pork chops, it's important to look at them closely to ensure they're not too dried out or stringy.

11. Lynchburg Lemonade

• Ingredients include
• Sweet Tea
• Triple Sec
• Fresh Lemon Juice (tablespoons) Instructions: Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Serve cold over ice cubes and garnish with a lemon slice!

12. Leek

A leek is a type of onion with a milder flavor than other onions. Leeks are used in soups and stews and as an ingredient in making curry sauce, and they will surely serve you perfectly for your Thanksgiving foods that start with L. They also work well with potatoes, spinach, and cream.
Slice off the root end of the leek, cutting up to one inch away from where it starts to flare out into green leaves.
Rinse thoroughly under cold water or soak in boiling water for a few minutes until it is softened but not colored. Trim off any tough parts from the green leaves near the white part, then slice them thinly crosswise.

13. Lahana Sarmasi

Start by chopping onion and green pepper into small pieces. Please place them in a medium-sized pot with vegetable oil, then add tomato paste and salt to taste.
Add water to cover the vegetables, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
After cooking time is up, remove the pot from the stovetop and stir in sugar (to taste) before leaving it to cool for 30 minutes.
When cooled down, mix in raisins, almonds, and pine nuts before adding rice; ensure the rice is well mixed before returning it to the pot.

14. Lovage

Lovage is an herb that tastes like celery, with a flavor similar to parsley but more intense and more like celery. It's often used in French cooking.
The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a side dish (often boiled, braised, or sautéed). The seeds can be roasted, ground into a powder, and mixed with water to make a refreshing drink of Thanksgiving foods that start with L.

15. Liqueur

The liqueur is often used to signify a special drink enjoyed on holidays and other occasions that you want to fill your tables with Thanksgiving foods that start with L.
However, Liqueurs are typically sweet and are often made from fruits, nuts, herbs, or spices. One of the most popular liqueurs is Amaretto, made from apricot kernels.

16. Latte

I love a good latte! I like to start my day with one in the morning or have one with an afternoon snack and then end it with a cup of hot cocoa after dinner. Lattes can be enjoyed any time of day.
I love that lattes are easy to make at home. All you need is some whole milk, a teaspoon of espresso, a tablespoon of hot water, and some sweetener if you want it.
Nevertheless, You can make them as strong or as weak as you want by adjusting how much water you add too.
I also like that latte's come in different flavors and combinations, so there is always something new to try when you want your occasion to be special with Thanksgiving foods that start with L.

17. Lakoocha

Lakoocha is a traditional Russian dessert made of dough, oil, and honey;

18. Limeade

The tangy limeade is a refreshing drink for hot summer days. All you need to do is squeeze some fresh lime juice into a glass of water and add sugar if desired.
Also, a few ice cubes will help keep it cold while you sip on this delicious drink. If you want to make iced limeade, place all ingredients in a pitcher and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over ice and enjoy!

19. Lavash

Lavash is thin, unleavened loaves of bread that are usually baked in a large clay oven called a tandoor. They can be used as Thanksgiving foods that start with L for serving guests.
The word lavash is derived from an Armenian word that means bread. Like many other cultures, Armenians wrap their traditional dishes in lavash before serving them to guests.
Their cuisine often includes dishes like kebabs or kabobs wrapped up in lavash before being eaten.

20. Lumpia

The Filipino dish, Lumpia, is one of the Thanksgiving foods that start with L, an egg roll with a savory filling wrapped in a thin wrapper and deep fried to create a crispy exterior.
Lumpia is usually served as an appetizer or as part of the main meal. The word lumpia means spring roll in Tagalog, reflecting that this dish has been around since ancient times in Southeast Asia.
L lumpia is typically made with ground pork, carrots, onion, garlic, and chili peppers in Filipino cuisine.
The mixture is then rolled up into flour wrappers that have been cut into strips before being dipped into hot oil to fry them until golden brown. This cooking method makes for a crispy outside with a moist inside and flavorful filling.

21. Lollipop

The lollipop is one of the most iconic sweet treats in America. In fact, more than 100 billion lollipops are made each year in the United States.
However, did you know that this confection has been around since at least as early as 1796? Believe it or not, Thomas Adams is credited with being the first person to put a stick into a ball of candy!
In addition to being a popular treat for people of all ages and backgrounds, lollipops also make great props for wedding photos and party favors for birthday celebrations. Plus, they're perfect for stocking stuffers too!

22. Lingcod

The lingcod is a type of fish that lives in cold water. It has a light, delicate, and meaty texture. There are many different ways to prepare this as one of the Thanksgiving foods that start with L, and it can be used in soups or stews as well as baked on its own.
The skin should be removed before cooking because it can become tough after cooking. The lingcod can also be grilled or pan-fried with butter and herbs, which will help keep the meat from drying out.
The best way to cook this fish is by baking it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes per inch of thickness (when measured at the thickest part). This ensures that the flesh is moist and tender without being dry or overcooked.

23. Littleneck

A littleneck is a type of clam found in the Atlantic Ocean and used as one of the common and popular thanksgiving foods that start with L. The name comes from its small size, which is about half that of a cherrystone clam.
This small bivalve mollusk has a hard and shiny exterior shell. Littleneck is often eaten steamed or raw as sushi, but they can also be used to make clam chowder or pasta dishes.

24. Limburger

This cheese is perfect for those who love a strong flavor. It's tangy, salty, and slightly pungent. This cheese has been aged for at least six months to help develop its complex flavor profile.

25. Lard

Lard is an animal fat that can be rendered to make cooking oil and soap. Lard has a higher melting point than butter, so it’s also often used in frying food.
Lard is also often used in desserts, such as pies and biscuits because it makes them flaky and crispy. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, lard can be replaced with vegetable shortening.
But it’s important to read the labels of any replacement product before using it because some contain hydrogenated oils, which are high in saturated fats and low in trans-fats.
For healthier alternatives to lard, try coconut oil or margarine made from plant-based fats such as soybean or sunflower oil instead!

26. Loaf

Many different types of Thanksgiving foods start with L, including quick-bread loaves, yeast-bread loaves, and sweet-bread loaves.
It's possible to find traditional versions or versions with nuts or raisins for some added texture or sweetness.
Bread can also be shaped into a round shape instead of a loaf. This is called a bâtard or boule. The word loaf comes from the Old English word hlāf, meaning bread.

27. Liverwurst

This German specialty is made with a mixture of pork and beef liver, bacon, and spices. It's typically served as part of a charcuterie platter or on rye bread.
Liverwurst is best when it's cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit. This will give it that nice brown color and a slightly crispy crust.
The taste of liverwurst depends largely on how much bacon is included in the recipe, which determines its saltiness.
A good rule of thumb is that if you want to make something sweet for your Thanksgiving foods that start with L, liverwurst is a go, and you must use less bacon than you would for something savory (or add sweetener ingredients).

28. Land Cress

A delicate green herb with a peppery flavor, land cress is not to be confused with watercress which belongs to another genus entirely.
The plants of land cress are delicate, so it is best when eaten raw in salads or sandwiches.
Another way to enjoy it is by mixing it into fish sauces and using it as a garnish on soups. It does not keep very long, so you should use this herb immediately.

29. Loquat

The loquat, or Japanese plum, is a small fruit with a sweet and sour flavor. It is usually available in late winter and early spring. The loquat has green, leathery skin and yellow flesh.
You can eat them raw or cooked; they are often used to make jellies, jams, chutneys, and pies. Loquats contain high amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants.

30. Lemongrass

I can't think of anything better to eat on a cold, wintery day than a big bowl of thanksgiving foods that start with L.
The zesty, citrus flavor is perfect for warming up your insides while also providing a nice little vitamin boost. It's such an easy recipe too!
However, you need some chicken broth, fresh lemongrass, peeled ginger root, lots of fresh cilantro, and some salt (and pepper if you want) to taste.
Just add everything to a pot and let it simmer on low heat until all the flavors are well combined. I like to make this with lots of toppings like fried shallots, chopped peanuts, or even basil leaves that I can stir before serving.

31. Limoncello

The word limoncello literally means lemon honey in Italian. This sweet, citrus-flavored liqueur is perfect for any occasion, but especially on Christmas and New Year's Eve!
Limoncello is made by infusing lemon peels in alcohol, adding sugar to sweeten it, and then letting it rest for months.
It's usually served chilled or over ice with a splash of water or club soda. To make limoncello even more festive, add some fresh cranberries to make a cranberry limoncello!

32. Lettuce

Do you need a quick way to make your Thanksgiving dinner better? Try adding some Thanksgiving foods that start with L to it!
Lettuce has many health benefits, so it's a good idea to include this leafy green as part of your traditional menu. Here are some of the best Thanksgiving foods that start with L.
When it comes to lettuce, there are many different varieties to choose from. Green and red leaf lettuce both have a slightly bitter taste with a more bitter flavor when they're older.
Romaine is crunchier and has a more peppery taste which goes well with heavy salad dressings. An iceberg is milder than other lettuce and is a great choice for those who don't like the stronger flavors of other types of lettuce.

33. Lobscouse

This traditional Newfoundland dish is made with salt beef, potatoes and onions. Cooked in a pot or kettle, it's simmered together until tender and then thickened with flour.
The word lobscouse comes from the French lobster as this dish will be perfect for selecting from Thanksgiving foods that start with L.
It was originally made with lobster meat before salt beef became popular due to its affordability.
Lobscouse also has many variations depending on where you are in Newfoundland: it may be cooked in a large pot or kettle over an open fire and boiled for at least 4-6 hours; it might be served without vegetables (because they were scarce); and it might include carrots, turnip or parsnips.

34. Loganberry

The Loganberry is a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. It was developed in 1907 by John Watson, who was a plant breeder from New Jersey.
The Loganberry typically has three to four times more sugar than other berries, with an intense taste that ranges from tart to tangy.
In addition to being delicious, the Loganberry is easy to grow and can be easily stored for long periods of time because of its high sugar content.

35. Lekvar

The word Lekvar is a common name for a fruit preserve made from whole quinces peeled and cooked with sugar.
The finished product has a consistency similar to that of jelly and can be used as a dessert topping or spread on cakes.
It also makes an excellent sauce when mixed with chicken, game meat, or pork. The name Lekvar comes from the Hungarian word lekvár, meaning fruit preserve.

36. Lox

You can't go wrong with lox when it comes to Thanksgiving foods that start with L. This cured salmon is delicious and packed with nutrients that will keep you energized all morning long.
Plus, it's super easy to make! How To Make Lox. Rinse a 1-pound salmon filet under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel on both sides.
Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper and place in a large bowl or dish. Combine one cup of sugar, one cup of kosher salt, three tablespoons dried dill weed, two tablespoons crushed black peppercorns, and four whole bay leaves in a small bowl and mix well to combine.

37. Lutefisk

This traditional Scandinavian dish is a gelatinous mass made from dried cod soaked in lye. It has a long history and was popular as a meat substitute during fasting.
Lutefisk is served traditionally with boiled potatoes, melted butter, and ground black pepper.
The taste and texture can be acquired for some people, but there's no denying that it's as appropriate to serve on Thanksgiving as Thanksgiving foods that start with L!
This traditional Scandinavian dish is a gelatinous mass made from dried cod soaked in lye. It has a long history and was popular as a meat substitute during fasting.
Lutefisk is served traditionally with boiled potatoes, melted butter, and ground black pepper.

38. Linguica

This dish is an American-Portuguese sausage made from pork, garlic, and red wine. The Linguica is a popular choice for those who like spicy foods because it has a hot kick to it. It’s commonly served with rice and beans or on its own as a breakfast meat.
Plus, this food is also great for outdoor barbecues because of its long shelf life and low price point. Try Linguica in your next meal today!

39. London Broil

Are you in charge of planning Thanksgiving foods that start with L? If so, congratulations! It's a big responsibility.
You may not know it but in addition to choosing food that everyone likes and making sure there are enough plates, silverware, and napkins on hand, you also need to consider the order of service.
For example: should the London broil be sliced ahead of time, or will people want to carve it themselves?
Will guests serve themselves from an entrée table, or will they be seated at their places with all their dishes set out for them?
And what about drinks? Which beverages will people prefer while they're waiting for dinner—water or wine? As you can see, there are a lot of decisions to make. But don't worry. London broil will always serve your guest right.

40. Liquor

This is obvious and will be needed for some of your guests. There are many different kinds of alcohol to choose from. If you know who will be coming, pick a type of alcohol that suits their tastes, whether that's wine, champagne, or something else entirely.
The liquor store is also where you can find all sorts of mixing ingredients, such as mixers like sodas or juices to go with it.!

41. Lahmacun

It's typically served with yogurt on the side for dipping or as a sauce for dipping. The dough is also sometimes sprinkled with sesame seeds before baking it.
The origins of Lahmacun are not entirely clear, but some believe it originated in Central Asia. While others say, it was popularized by Ottoman soldiers who brought this dish back to Turkey from their travels to Eastern Europe centuries ago.
No matter what its origins may be, one thing remains true - lahmacun is delicious among Thanksgiving foods that start with L!

42. Limpa

It's officially falling. This means that it's time to break out the pumpkin spice, but also time to enjoy the last of summer produce.
One of my favorite things about autumn is that we can finally start making some of our favorite Scandinavian dishes, like Limpa bread.
Limpa is a white bread containing wheat flour, rye flour, and malt syrup. It has a light texture and a lot of flavor from the combination of grains in it.
It was first created in Sweden for Easter Sunday because it's a special type of bread that uses all three main ingredients in communion wafers: wheat flour, water, and wine; rye flour; and malt syrup or molasses.

43. Lalanga

The lalanga, also known as pomegranate, is a tasty fruit with a sweet and tangy taste. It's also one of the first fruits to ripen in late summer.
The name for this fruit comes from the Persian word for apple, and it was brought to India by traders, where locals called it lalang.
There are many different varieties of Thanksgiving foods that start with L, and lalanga is one of them, and lalanga are of different types too, but they all look similar with thin-skinned red or dark-purple fruit.
Lalangas are often eaten fresh or dried, but they can be made into jams and other desserts. Lalangas are high in vitamin C, making them an excellent food for the cold season.

44. Liederkranz

I love Liederkranz. It's a mixture of cheeses, apples, and nuts that is baked in a ring-shaped dish. It's traditionally served at Christmas but tastes great any time of year.
My mom makes it for me every holiday because she knows I love it so much. Nothing is better than biting into one of those thick slices with whipped cream on top.

45. Lupin Beans

This ancient legume, lupin beans, is relatively unknown in the United States. They are gaining popularity with chefs and heirloom food enthusiasts alike due to their meaty texture, earthy flavor, and ease of use.
Lupins can be used in many dishes, including soups, salads, or even rice replacement. Rinse and soak overnight in water to which you have added 2 Tbsp of salt.
Drain and rinse again before cooking for about 30 minutes until tender but not mushy. Flavor with butter, soy sauce, or garlic if desired (optional).

46. Lavender

The first letter of lavender is L for Lavender. Lavender is a perennial plant and can be found in many colors, including purple, white, blue, and pink. The leaves are used for cooking, but the flowers are also edible.
This herb has a gentle flavor that goes well with other herbs like thyme or rosemary. Adding it at the end of the cooking process is best because heat will cook away some of its flavors.
When making mint tea or iced tea, you can use lavender buds as a substitute for peppermint leaves.

47. Lady Apple

Mix one cup of apple cider with three tablespoons of brown sugar in a bowl. Peel and chop two apples.
Add the apples to the mixture and stir. Place in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, occasionally stirring until it starts to thicken.
Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until it becomes syrupy. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream as a topping if desired.

48. Lentils

Lentils are an inexpensive and healthy source of protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Lentils are also a good source of fiber which can help lower cholesterol levels.
They are perfect Thanksgiving foods that start with L for people with diabetes because they have a low glycemic index and do not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar.
Lentils come in both green and brown varieties and can be served on their own as a side dish or mixed with other ingredients to make soup, casseroles, or chili.

49. Lemons

The quintessential lemon is a yellow citrus fruit that looks like a large, roundish lime. Lemons are high in vitamin C and low in calories; they contain both citric and ascorbic acid.
The juice of lemons can be used as a flavoring or as an ingredient in many Thanksgiving foods that start with L, including desserts like lemon meringue pie.

50. Limes

Lime is a citrus fruit that is round in shape and lime green in color, though they come in various shades of green, from yellow-green to dark green, depending on the ripeness of the fruit.
They are typically sour and juicy, with some varieties being sweeter than others. Limes are a great way to add some tangy flavor to your dishes.
Whether you want to use them for margaritas or want to squeeze a little juice on top of your dish, limes will give you that tangy flavor.
Juicing limes can be messy, which is more challenging than juicing oranges because they are much smaller.
Be careful when juicing limes because you can easily get seeds in your drink, and nobody wants that. If you don't care about the seeds, squeezing limes might be easier for you than any other citrus fruit.

51. Liver

This nutrient-packed and low-calorie food should be noticed. It is rich in Vitamin A, Iron, and Selenium. The liver is also a good source of Zinc, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Copper, and Potassium.
The consumption of liver can help build muscle mass due to its high protein content, which is perfect for Thanksgiving foods that start with L.

52. Lemon Basil

This recipe is a twist on traditional basil pesto. I wanted to use lemon because it's such an awesome flavor and in this recipe has that tart citrusy taste, which is perfect for fall.
It includes cilantro, garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, and basil. It's so simple to make and will be a great addition to your thanksgiving menu!

• Cup fresh cilantro leaves (leaves only) Cup fresh basil leaves (leaves only)
• Cup olive oil
• Cloves garlic
• Juice from one lemon
  
• A pinch of salt
  
• A few dashes of chili flakes
  

53. Lemon meringue pie

There is nothing more comforting or delicious to warm up with on Thanksgiving day than thanksgiving foods that start with L. Lemon meringue pie.
It has an airy, melt-in-your-mouth crust, creamy lemon filling, and a fluffy meringue topping that's baked to perfection.
You can make this dessert in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to serve it. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line the pie crust with parchment paper or foil and fill it with pie weights or dry beans so that it doesn't puff up while baking.
Bake the crust for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and remove parchment paper or foil along with weights and beans before adding the filling.

54. Lamb’s Lettuce

This type of lettuce is a cross between romaine and butterhead lettuce and has an overall soft appearance. The leaves are green or dark red in color and grow to be about five inches wide.
It features a mild flavor that blends well with most salad dressings, making it a favorite among chefs.
The leaves are crisp and can hold up to heavy dressings without wilting or becoming soggy like some other lettuces do when mixed with creamy sauces.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you with your search for new thanksgiving foods that start with L. It's important to keep in mind that only some dishes work for some families.
So be sure to make a list and try it out before you commit to anything. And, of course, if you have any occasion, please feel free to use thanksgiving foods that start with L. Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello all, my name is Raphael, you can call me Raph
I'm a 28 year old M physiotherapist who is working in the United States. I was born in the Philippines and moved here when I was two years old. I can offer English at a fluent level. I enjoy learning languages and looking to immerse myself even more with speaking. I took Spanish in middle school and high school and went on an exchange program for around 2 weeks in Spain. Currently working and I am to use some of my Spanish in work and would like to keep practicing. I am around a B1-B2 level I believe and would like to improve. If anyone is also offering Tagalog, I would appreciate that as well. My first language is Tagalog but I remember bits and pieces of it so I would say I'm at a A2 level.
Some of my hobbies include:
Fitness / Hiking / Traveling / Running / Psychology / Anatomy / Science

Hey all, this is my first post in this subreddit.
So I'm kind of in a weird spot. My Dad is retired, I'm semi-retired with investments, but occasionally do some gig work for some extra cash. I stopped my lease on my apartment and moved back in with him.
I'm going to be splitting my time in between these two great countries for the next few years (I'm citizens of both.)
I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but how would you divide your time up between the two countries if you were me?
The time zone difference is massive. My Tagalog is awful and I'll need to live their for longer periods of time to become acculturated.
But I'm making $100k at an annual rate here in Boston from UBer driving (working ALOT but it's all about MINDSET)...so it's a balancing act. You could live like a king for $1k in PH (provinces) so I'm sure you can see where my mind is going :) Plus I have some investments from my career in finance...

[Authors note] : as unusual as it might sound, one of my thoughts after reading lots of wonderful storier posted here, was " how about to drop a YA love story into it?" Too much AO3 recently I assume.
So, few evenings, and my first contribution to this sub has been born - Blossoming With You. Apologies for any language missteps, and enjoy the read :)
Heat of the early autumn's afternoon was happily scorching the surface of the large, rectangular courtyard, surrounded by the buildings of the University. Trees, grown in even and symmetrical Rows, resembling a honorary guard of the the mother nature itself, provided just enough relief from the sun to draw attention of groups of students hastily crossing the otherwise concrete inferno, to leave the monument in the middle of the Square untypically deserted, in contrast to the usual crowds sitting around the postument, playing cards, laughing off the stress of upcoming exams and forgetting the reality around them for just enough time to practice the art of cop-outs from being late on the next lectures session.
T’kai took the unexpected opportunity to give a monument a closer look. From the safety of shadowy spot underneath the column of the Administration office building, he examined two, intertwined sculptures, resembling large tree branches, swirling around each other in a static dance, culminating with a stylised pair of hands, holding each other in the universal symbol of hope, cooperation and trust. T’kai always admired this elusive art of presenting a message, or even more, backing it up with symbolic, emotional undercoat. Twisted, yet sturdy branches, almost one on one representing the missteps, challenges and breakthroughs they all have endured throughout their separate, and since almost nine generations, shared history. Hands, holding each other as if their promise of better future could be universally heralded as a guarantee of prosperity and well being of all sentient life. And some rather ubiquitous collection of inscriptions, letters, and markings left by the generations of students on the steps leading to the monument - an unconquerable proof of the indescribable spirit of human social life and relationships.
T’kai snapped out of his contemplation, and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Temperature in recent days was driving off even the sturdiest humans he knew, making them hide in air conditioned halls and basements. For N’hon, technically an aquatic creature, even a short walk this day has been bothering torture, or an advanced form of masochistic practice. He sighted, leaving the shadowy doorstep of the Administration buildings, resuming a march towards a lecture hall. “Hundred and sixty three years of pumping ozone into your atmosphere, and yet the effect of climate changes brought up by your kind have been reverted in less that 70% - and you still claim some of you denied it in a first place” he murmured in his thoughts, as warm wind swept throughout the courtyard, bringing a smell of cinnamon and chocolate form the tiny bakery located on the other side of the campus. T’kai passed the cozy-loooking shop this morning, when he frantically ran between various offices of the University with permits, applications, cards, and all other sophisticated methods of torture invented on the base of a simple text file. It looked inviting, even having in mind a risk of accidental poisoning with one of many ingredients the human diet consisted of, and which still happened to send numerous N’hons to an ER treatment, if ingested carelessly. At least the cinnamon flavored tea he had a chance to try for the first time last winter sounded safe enough to give the shop a chance to prove its worth. He caught a glimpse of a gardening drone transporting a bag of fertilizer, probably to one of exotic bushes or plants in the university's gardens. Carefully preserved, they served both as a testimony to otherwise long-extinct varieties, and a reminder of sheer creativity of life and evolution patterns.
On a verge of sinking into a puddle of his own thoughts again, it took T'kai only a few more steps to find himself at the entrance to a wide gray-painted building, reminding more an illegitimate child of a coffin and hockey stadium, rather than a main lecture hall. Just the mass of the construct towering over his head screamed at any passerby that this building was supposed to be newer, larger, better and more megalomaniac than the rest of the surrounding area. Despite its usefulness, and surprisingly spacious halls housing large part of the university's main facilities, even T'kai with a rather utilitarian approach to architectural marvels of Sol system had to admit that the structure looked hideous. Leaving these thoughts at the doorstep, T'kai entered the calmingly cold, Air-conditioned inside of the hall.
×

• Just how much?! - a tall brunette exclaimed looking at the price card at the taxi stand.
• With the stated number of luggage, the cost of renting the Autodrive to the selected destination… -

AI powered voice of the terminal spat out a line of soothing communicates aimed at convincing the soon-not-to-be client that leaving equivalent of 2 days wage for a lift by a glorified self-driving box was the best deal he could find in close approximation of the MagTrain Station. Its recipient however has not seemed to be anything close to being convinced, and just hushed a quick “terminate the transaction” command to the screen, silencing the terminals babbling.
Brunette looked at a pile of luggage barricading substantial part of the sidewalk, and with a bit of resignation selected a contact from his wrist - terminal. Two short beeps signaled that the call has been received, and a rasp voice filled the mans earphone a second after.

• Seth, what do you want this time? - a slightly bored question sounded as one being asked just in the perfect middle spot between adding an unspoken “I’ll charge you for that extra” after a question mark, and an honest “sod off.” left hanging in the air
• Uncle Scotty! - Brunette tried to give his voice a more positive demeanor - How have you been rec…
• I asked what do you want. - rasp voice barked in response, apparently untouched by theirs nephews chirping.
• A lift. Preferably. Sending you my location.

Seth knew that another attempt at chit chat would only end up with a sound of call being cut short. Uncle Scotty being a man of few words seemed to be allergic to anything resembling a small talk.

• Fine. But I’d send you this month's reports from the shop to double check. Favor for a favor?
• Uch, whatever. Waiting for you near the 3rd hall.

Not waiting for confirmation Seth ended the call.
Regarding all the time he spent on a process of moving to the New Barthana, Seth still felt he was coming on top in a constant stream of “deals” with his relative, even if that cost him few evenings a month, filing the paperwork from his uncle's local business, and allowing him to cut a bit on the budget on licencing for the accounting softwares. In return, he got an unofficial pass for using Scotty's time, and more importantly, contacts, when organizing his life a mere half a planet from his hometown.
Soon his ride appeared at the entrance to the narrow street connecting the station to wider Avenue, meandering in-between skyscrapers. Uncle Scotty peeked at him through the window, and for a second Seth noticed a twitch of facial muscles, barely covering a sad, exhausted smile, before the usual mask of grumpiness and warmth of an ice cube returned in full display. Seth has not asked, nor given any clue he has noticed it - he knew, standing there in the sunny Day, with wind playfully picking up strings of his hair, how much he resembled his older cousin. And he knew how much his hazel eyes and tanned skin reminded Uncle Scotty of the last picture of his son he still kept in his safe, taken shortly before that fateful day, and his son's demise in a hiking incident. And that's why this shadow of a smile, carefully hidden and therefore seen so rarely over the last decade, has been more of a prize of its own, better than the letter of acceptance he has received from the university a month before.
It didn't take Seth long to pack a pile of his belongings into the trunk and take place beside Scotty. His benefactor sunk himself into an argument with shops customer over a phone call, and Seth, not in the mood to listen to rather one sided debate about how much a biofilter should cost, simply gazed through the tinted glass, admiring the panorama of New Barthanas downtown. Business center, framed by the MagTrain lines from the North and East, sprawled towards the southern residential areas, creating long, sharply edged canyons of steel and glass, connected by a multitude of passages, bridges and catwalks on the upper levels of skyscraper units. Just like any city from the Great Restoration time, NewBar, as locals tended to call it, saw a mixture of Human and N’hon architectural styles, mixing, enriching one another, yet still distinct enough to draw a species - shaped line between individual buildings. N’hon skyscrapers, residential condos and multi-levelled apartment buildings, with their distinct, pearl-white, twisted pillars and support beams resembling exoskeletons of some staggering, mythical creatures, presented unmistakably distinct look from angular, more massive and stockier blocks laid down by human engineers. Some of them, drawing from legendary designs of Earth past centuries were masterpieces of their own, yet in comparison to hourglass, or raindrop shaped constructions entwined with a web of white support pillars and decorative galleys, they quickly lost a contest of mesmerizing Seth and pinning him to the window.
Still, even in their distinctiveness, they've managed to blend with human constructions, allowing two of their species to live together in relative harmony, representing shared strength and might of their civilisation. Seth remembered all too well from their modern history courses how the first contact with N'hon Armada occurred, or rather, how their verdigris-skinned saviors in a need of saving found an almost burned out, smoking wasteland, Earth has been on a verge of becoming. At the beginning, their invaluable help in restoring Earth's atmosphere and ozone layer to a level preceding the age of industrialisation, and rebuilding of coastline areas as interspecies shared habitats was not an interplanetary contest of altruism, but a need of finding a new home as well. After all, counting from its entering of Earth's orbit, more than 80 human years, or around 4 N’hon generations have passed since the remnants of once proud, aquarian civilisation, gathered in ragtag armada of freighters, warships, mining barges and civilian liners, and left their home system, devastated by a cataclysmic solar flare incident. Of course, the first years were not easy, and as some researchers claimed, only a diplomatic miracle and desperation saved both humans and N’hons from ending each other's journeys in the roller coaster of life.
Yet, years have passed, and humanity learned to slowly forget and wash off centuries of conflicts, prejudices and rivalries, accepting the helping hand covered in blue skin, and building a shared history with their new allies in common cause of survival. Surely, the new neighbors built over a stripe of our lawn while setting up the foundation of their new home, but hey, they turned out to be very helpful folks after all. Oh, and paid their initial land claim off with some technological marvels after a while.
Fast forward two Hundred years, and the Republic of Sol flourished, guided by political and legal leadership of humanity's brightest minds, and supplied with technological ingenuity of N'hon institutes and laboratories. It was an enormous technological leap, achieved thanks to Humanity perfecting, and N'hons recreating what technical solutions have been lost in the demise of their homeworld. Under the flag of Earth, slowly recovering from wounds of the past, Starships carrying the white and blue emblems of two-species empire delivered first colonists to Luna, Mars, Ganymede, Ceres and dozens of smaller outposts and stations, eventually venturing beyond the limits of the starsystems boundaries, laying claim to colonies and outposts in Nova Babylonia and Y’to - first extrasolar, habitable planets, reached thanks to joint efforts of human and N’hon works on experimental FTL Slingdrives. Still, travel to either planet was a matter of at least several weeks, resembling an adventure taken by XVIIth century sailors, challenging the oceans on their way around the globe.
Nevertheless, the Human-N'hon collective rejoiced, jumping a decimal point upwards in Kardashev scale. And who knew, if they had met each other in the stars, what other possible wonders and mights resided beyond the sensor's range? What if one day, another actor would come up on stage, ready to play their part? For all these questions, Seth knew that since elementary, they needed an adequate response.
×
Office of professor Hursley, well hidden between an entrance to the server room, and a small lecture - hall used to conduct some seminars and specialization lectures felt surprisingly inviting, even considering expensive, decorative furniture and massively-looking tomes of scientific works filling various shelves and cabinets. Some of the rooms' equipment attempted to give an impression of modesty, yet no-one could doubt that whomever resided here, had means and opportunity to carve the space around them to the requested level of comfort and luxury in a blink of an eye. In a middle of this makeshift temple, raised to the gods of neoclassicism, a large desk filled with a mix of holotablets and papers separated T'kai from a comfy-looking chair, and an elderly woman, dressed in a simple, yet elegant gray dress and gold-patterned, amaranth jacket, supplemented with various pieces of jewelry. T'kai always had a problem with describing or assessing human age, but various wrinkles and proudly worn snow-white hair of the professor told him enough - this person radiated experience, knowledge and authority, traits which, what he was sure of, lead her to the position of Head of Xenodiplomacy Cathedral.
Invited by a barely noticeable gesture of long, narrow fingers, he took a seat at one of the chairs in the office, noticing a collection of names he reckoned from the next semester syllabus engraved on various tomes and books. With a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, he focused his dark eyes with thin, golden pupils back at the room's host.

• I am very thankful you have found a minute to join me, mr. O'iint'sho'o. - Professor Hursley took another long look at him, before continuing. - I hope the process of dealing with administration has not been too discouraging, T’kai ?
• It has not, it was a quite pleasant experience - T’kai choked on his words a bit, trying to complement the painfully slow process of acquiring all the necessary signatures under his documentation, at the same time noting a feeling of pleasure and surprise, he had found in a woman's words. Fact, that she remembered, and paid attention to a complicated role of names and clannames in N’hon etiquette, even if almost any other human would have sticked to just calling him by his clanname, or surname as they tended to call them, in any formal situation, has been a great surprise to T’kai, and an instant ice breaker, if he had to be honest.
• Usually I do not invite students before their first day of classes to my office, but, as harsh and undelicate as it might sound, I had to make an exception for you, T’Kai - professor continued. - Nevertheless, since the founding of this, I have to admit, an experimental course, 8 years ago if I remember correctly, only a handful of N’hon students enrolled for it. And up to this day, no one has managed to pass further than into the third semester. I’m not trying to discourage you, or anyhow scare you - she added quickly, observing a twitch on T’kais’ face, as well as slight change into a lighter shade of blue of his skin, a very visible reaction to tension.
  • I’m saying that, because of the potential I've seen in your results, especially regarding the final exams from High School. I cannot recall any of my future students to have such an impressive scoresheet on their first steps in academia. That's why, even if you’d find yourself stranded without a helping hand, or have any doubts of academic nature, please, do not hesitate to contact me. - she ended her speech with a well studied smile.
• Of course, I mean no unfair favorisation. However, I highly encourage you to share any doubts or problems encountered on the way. All my students hopefully would grasp this concept well.
• Thank… thank you so much - T’kai stuttered a bit, feeling overwhelmed with the professor's kindness. After all, he has not expected any kind of special treatment just because of his species being different from most of the students this year.

He had understood however, why the sheer fact of his graduation from a very social-oriented education, and quick acceptance to Xenodiplomacy course was an achievement on its own. N'hons were not known for their sophisticated oratoric skills, and whilst their art was highly valued on markets, it was its rarity which dictated the prices. Very few N’hons developed advanced skills in abstract thinking on the same plain as humans understood that term. N'hon social constructs, way of expressing thought, culture and art represented a highly mathematical, utilitarian manner, at the same time operating on mutual understanding between members of their own species, which often came as completely misunderstood, if not unnoticed by their other-spieced companions. So it were the human diplomats, politicians and orators, which helped their people understand the position from which N’hons reached out to Humanity, as their refugee armada arrived at the edge of the Solar system. It was their philosophy, sociology, legal and spiritual guidelines, which allowed to defuse tensions before an imminent first contact war, which has almost ended both of their civilisations history. Of course, years, decades, and soon, centuries of coexistence reshaped their relationships, as well as heavily impacted the N’hon culture, ripped away from their homeworld and planted in unfamiliar soil - and yet still N'hons ran three times more laboratories and technical institutes, while humans usually occupied the art and political schools.
Professor kept the conversation about the upcoming lectures and positions from recommended literature going for another few minutes or so, before excusing herself with an urgent meeting she had to attend to. Much relieved by the positive tone of conversation, T'kai left the monumental building, and turned North to the area occupied by student houses. Passing the corner of the hall, he had almost bumped into an elderly gardener, caressing a deep-orange hibiscus plant. Flowers looked almost surreally beautiful, and movements of the gardener, skilled and gracious as ballerina in her most applauded performance resembled almost a ritual dance, or a Secret code of conduct, understood only by the gardener and his kingdom. Gardening drone, turned into “standby” mode Laid on a sidewalk, like an apprentice, studying moves of their master. Small pots with water, waiting to hydrate and moisturize the plants, got cooled in the shadow of Lecture Hall, which only reminded T'kai of how desperately dehydrated he was due to the weather. He had remembered having a bottle of water in his room in the students house [Bless the Administration, which allowed him to move in few days before his, yet to be met, roommate, to avoid expected chaos of collecting two unorganised piles of luggage in a rather compact living space], yet he still needed to take at least few minutes of walk through these full of flowers, but also scorching heat, alleys.
When entering the students house building, T'kai noticed a small leaflet pinned to the entrance door, informing about a malfunction, and a planned break from access to running water until the evening. N'hons have not been known to use swear-words often, but T’kai was on the verge of contradicting that popular belief in the face of the first passerby. However, the building was eerily, yet calmingly empty, sunken in the golden Rays of sun, coming through large, crystal-clear windows. Even his flatmate has not moved in yet, leaving one segment of the room empty, while T'kai unpacked his belongings in the other. With the last straw of energy, he entered his room, or rather, a narrow corridor made out of movable wall segments, connecting two artificially created rooms and a small kitchen, carved out of a larger space. Students house has been designed with modularity and adaptability in mind, allowing to modify the plan of segments given to disposal of students with just a few minutes work with a magnetic key and clever planning on the usage of magnetic wall pieces. Upon entering the flat however, T'kai noticed his vision getting blurry all of the sudden, and to his terror, these were the last conscious thoughts he had recalled.
×
Unpacking Uncle Scotty's truck out of his luggage took Seth several minutes, but final results allowed him to place all of it in a transport platform rented for a day from the University's Administration Office. He wanted to thank Scotty for the lift, but noticing he had started another long call with a client, he gave up, sending him only a long, cheerful smile, to which, he was almost sure, Scotty responded with one of his micro-smiles as well. Moments later, Seth stood alone in front of the Entrance Gate to the Campus Area, with a pile of luggage on the platform and several more bags hung on his shoulders.
Seth marched throughout the campus cautiously, keeping an eye for the information boards and displays with a map of the terrain, definitely not keen to being lost with all the weights he carried. All he dreamed of right now was a cold shower after the trip, but asking a gardener he passed on his way if he could soak him and all his belongings in water reserved for some exotic-looking plant did not seem appropriate. Fortunately, after navigating the campus, he had found the area of students' houses, and searched for a number of the dorm he received in his application letter. Fact that he moved from quite a distance from here allowed Seth to make ease with most of the formal documentation and administrative issues by the net, avoiding the excruciating task of filing all the paperwork just hours after arrival, especially considering the fact of not renting any flat to stay for a day or two, before moving to the students house. Upon entering the right corridor and finding the desired door, he also noticed a leaflet informing about the water shortage that day. - Guess the shower must wait then - he murmured to himself while entering the door. And then came to a halt like he had been paralyzed.
There has been a figure lying unconscious in the corridor, and by the first look, not a human one. Seth has not spent that much time around N’hons, as in the sub-alpine region he grew up in the blue-skinned population was rather scarce and uncommon. After all, line “aquatic creature walks into a bar in the mountains “ sounded like an opening of some horrendously unfunny joke. Nevertheless, it took Seth just one look at the elongated skull, symmetrical thin, rectangular bone plates extending from where human temporal and parietal bones would connect, bulging of the clothes covering the retracted fins on the forearms and tights… it was definitely a N’hon. Unconscious one. In his shared dorm. Oh fuuuuu….
Seth felt he started to lose his cool. He used to attention to extensive First - aid courses, but almost all of them featured only human - based phantoms, let alone mentioning the complexity of N’hon respiratory system he read about in comparative anatomy classes...
That last thought brought him back to earth. He noted, almost subconsciously, that the N’hon breathed, although very shallowly, as well as one thing that did not match the usual look N'hons he knew presented - this one's skin was almost gray and wrinkled, resembling an elephant, more than any N’hon he had ever seen. That meant his neighbor / future friend / roommate / whoever this unfortunate soul was, had been severely dehydrated, and potentially heatstroked - which for an aquatic being, able to both breathe, and filtr oxygen through their skin if submerged, was even more dangerous than for humans. Seth had to act quickly.
His first thoughts revolved around either pulling the unconscious body under the shower, or just dumping him into a large bowl of water of any kind, which instantly met with a Stone wall of water supply being cut out for today, and a risk of shocking his neural system a bit too much. Trying to pour some water into his lips was also a terrible idea due to a risk of choking his companion. Seth was starting to get desperate, looking for anything he could find. And then an idea struck him like lightning.
He sprinted out of the room, and returned seconds later with a sprinkling can grabbed from the pile of gardening equipment outside the building. Mentalny excusing the poor plant for an inevitable delay in their turn to get soaked, he started to cautiously pour water on N’hons arms and legs, avoiding shocking his neural lines placed along the spine, and keeping his mouth above a level of puddle of water which started to grow on the floor. This seemed to work wonders - after just a minute of this curation, N’hons skin started to regain it's deep blue color, which soon got followed by a twitch of muscles, and unintelligible groan coming from the heat victim's mouth. Seth paused the process of watering his newly met companion, and helped them move up into a sitting position, revealing their delicate, almond-shaped face to a full extent. - Welcome to the world of living! - He smiled, as still a bit confused, but questioning look of N’hons fascinating, dark eyes landed on his face.
×

• Once again, you have my immense gratitude, Seth - T'kai almost bowed in front of a tall brunette.
• Oh, no problem at all! After all, I couldn't just leave my new flatmate to dry themselves like a chilli pepper - his interlocutor smiled with a mix of excitement and embarrassed - It's me who should apologize for starting up the day by making such mess - he winked, leaving T'kai out of words for a second. Cheerfulness and energy radiated from the brunette.

As T'kai went to change and rest for a while, Seth unceremoniously piled up most of his belongings in his part of a flat, claiming that physical work and unpacking anything other than necessary before the sunset would count as almost torturous, which T'kai had to agree with. They now sat in the kitchen annex, right side of the flat entrance, sipping water from bottles Seth pulled out of his travel bag. T’kai took a few closer looks at his savior, and with each he blessed the complicated pathways of evolution, leading to fact that N’hons blushed in a way recognisable almost only by their own kind. Trying not to fit something around fifteenth expression of gratitude for saving, as it seemed to embarrass, and cloud the dark-haired ray of sunshine illuminating the common room a bit too much, he smiled gently and offered - Considering the fact of you recent arrival, I assume you must be tired, therefore, hungry, after the trip. Let me show you a spot that looked inviting enough to visit - he said, thinking of the cinnamon-smelling bakery. - Oh, you read my mind,- Seth exclaimed cheerfully - Thought of setting of, looking for something, but would gladly enjoy some company in the way if you’ve rested enough to join me. - Of course, with great pleasure! - it was T’kais time to smile - just allow me to grab my bag. - Sure! And cover your head, don't wanna see you sunstroked again!
That is… surprisingly charming, T'kai thought, diving quickly into his room for his bag and key to the door. I am not sure if this amount of cheerfulness is typical for him, but after all, his care seems genuine. If only he remained like that, caring and also… - he felt another heat wave, this time, internal, as realization exploded in his head like a firework.
Who knew that infatuation worked the same way as plants - he thought leaving the flat with a wide-smiling brunette by his side, his heart skipping a beat or two- apparently they both need just a cup of water to get planted successfully?

Hey hey! Alyssum here! Please do credit me as Aly_Audios (on YouTube) / u/Alyssum_Audio if you decide to use this script. I’d love to hear your fill so don’t forget to post a link to your fill in the comments down below!
As someone who's Filipino, I rarely see any Tagalog scripts posted out there so I decided to make one myself! Not to worry for those who can't understand Tagalog since I will also be including an English translation to this script.
There will be a link to both the Tagalog (TAGLISH) script and the English translation of it along with the combination of both will be in this post. Don’t hesitate to give me constructive criticism since this is pretty much my first script- would love to improve more in writing!
Also, you can change bits and pieces of the script (you can even change the title, improvise some parts, change the terms of endearment, etc.) to make it seem more natural for you to read as long as you don’t change the overall intention of the script itself.
Synopsis: You and your S/O are in a long distance relationship for quite some time now and you haven’t been able to talk to them much lately. You have been up for a while in the evening and you decided to call your S/O to check on them.
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Tagalog (TAGLISH) Script
English Translation
Tagalog (TAGLISH) Script (w/ English Translation)
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(I do hope you enjoy the read!)

(kaunting backstory ng komunidad na'to) so basically naisipan ko gumawa ng reddit community dahil na inspired ako sa r / nosleep kung saan punong-puno ito ng mga storya (kahit fictional) at mostly nakakatakot pa. Isa pa, marami nang mga storya doon ang naging nobela at published na under bigtime publishing companies which is rarely lang nakikita natin sa Pilipinas ( I'm referring sa horror genre )
Cut to the main point, ang goal ng reddit community na'to is to promote more tagalog horror stories na beyond sa norms ng mga genre na mababasa at mapapanood natin sa media. From the white lady stories na kinabaliwan natin sa younger days, I think it's time to dive into different elements of story writing while still evoking the eerie atmosphere of tagalog horror story. Though I'm still allowing old-school horror stories, but make sure it has the heebie-jeebies we all want to feel while reading.
With that said, feel free to post your scary piece of stories revolving around the Philippines (fictional or not ) and give us a tasty syrup of fear as we scroll reddit in our free time. #BringBackTagalogHorrorStories #SINDAKPHSTORIES
p.s. your story might make it to Tiktok creators who likes reading creepy stuff while doing their night make-up idk
p.s. Still hiring mods (3/24/2024)

I'm 30, locksmith/door repairman. Of Spanish descent and living on the East Coast. Speak multiple languages, I'm allergic to dogs and bananas. I own birds and as a result am not enthused about cats, because cats murder birds. I like them when others own them away from my birds though.
I speak Standard Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese in addition to English and know bits and pieces of Malay, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Shanghainese.
I practice Chinese and Japanese polytheism and am very religious.
My biggest deal breakers are cheating, use of cannabis or cocaine, and people who aren't open to religion.

My island district was free from any form of rebellion and as the politico-military commander I am proud of this. I would like to believe that my success is largely due to my good understanding of the people. The natives here do not want to trouble themselves with the stresses of governance. They are happy enough to let us deal with such issues, while they focus on matters more important to them, such as crop production and preparations for the next fiesta. In such things, I am happy to assist them and provide, which contents them very much. Under such helpful authority, why should they rebel?
Aside from that, the natives here care little about the idea of separating from Spain. The thought of joining the rebel General Aguinaldo repulses them. The opinions of the natives are best summed up by the local gobernadorcillo, who, the other day, told me: ‘What would a Tagalog like him know about the troubles of us people over here?’ They have no desire to join Aguinaldo’s plans for a Tagalog Kingdom and only wish to be left alone under the protection of Spanish authority.
My only concern at the moment is the interference of outside influence. Reports from the Governor-General says that Aguinaldo has been sending out his agents to various provinces in an attempt to incite the natives there to rebel. Although I do not doubt the loyalty of those under my jurisdiction, as a precaution I have ordered the Guardia Civil detachment to begin patrolling streets and surrounding areas, as well as monitor the movement of suspicious persons.
At the moment I have a meager force of twenty men from the Guardia Civil to fulfill this task. The men I command are too few to cover all the district capital, let alone the whole district and its various barrios and roads. However, they would at least display to any infiltrating agents that this area will not be caught lacking and that the government is ever vigilant to stop them.
In regards to other local matters, Dr. Garcia has arrived at the district capital. He is to replace the aged Dr. Rodriguez, the head of the military infirmary in the village, as the latter desires to return home to Spain. Dr. Rodriguez is set to leave for Manila a few days from now, after he is satisfied that Dr. Garcia is comfortable at his new post and well acquainted with the health and sanitary situation of the village.
​
***
​
A strange occurrence was reported to me this morning by the sargento commanding the Guardia Civil detachment.
He tells me that during the previous night, while he was leading a patrol along the outskirts of the district capital, he and his men sighted the silhouette of a man lurking at the edge of the jungle. Finding this suspicious, they decided to investigate and approach the man.
As they got close, the sargento recounted smelling the foul stench of rot in the air. At first they wondered where it came from, but quickly realized that the odor was from the man. With each step they took towards him, the fetid smell increased and nearly overcame their nostrils.
However, all thoughts about the odor were completely forgotten when they got close enough to get a good look at the man. The sargento reports that what he saw was no man but a walking corpse.
Under the dim light of the moon, he was able to see that the man was almost completely naked, with only bits of torn clothing on him. With nothing for cover, the rotting flesh of the man was exposed and gave a gruesome sight. In some parts of that man’s body, he says that the flesh was barely hanging from the bone.
He and his men were appalled by the sight and were momentarily unable to act. Eventually though, the sargento spoke up and called up to the man, asking if he was okay and what he was doing in the jungle at such a late hour. This caught the attention of the strange person, who quickly turned towards him and his party. Then, without hesitation, the man rushed towards them with great speed. Before they knew it, he had tackled one of his guardsmen to the ground.
Struggling to get the man off of him, the guardsman screamed as his attacker scratched him and bit him. Unable to pull away the assailant, and concerned for the life of his guardsman, the sargento decided to shoot the man on the back of the head. This immediately resulted in the attacker collapsing, allowing the young guardsman to crawl away.
At the moment, the guardsman is being treated by Dr. Garcia. Although the cuts and bites on him were numerous, Dr. Garcia says that a day of rest was all the guardsman would need before being fit for duty again.
After personally receiving the report from the sargento, I was left baffled. I would have doubted the account and called the man a fool had there not been clear proof, in the form of the deceased body of the attacker and the sorry state of the poor guardsman who was assaulted.
In the end, I concluded that the man must have been insane and had been wandering the jungle for days, gathering up all kinds of illnesses along the way. This would explain why he looked so awful by the time the Guardia Civil patrol encountered him.
The sargento seemed to agree with this deduction. However, before he left for his barracks, he couldn’t help but tell me something he remembered from his old days, when he was still serving in a native infantry regiment posted in the Visayas islands. In that region, he says that the natives there had many mythical creatures that they feared. One of them was called the Maranhig and is said to resemble walking rotting corpses. When he saw that man standing there in the jungle, he said that he couldn’t help but remember that old myth upon seeing him.
In other news, the monthly ferry arrived earlier in the morning, bringing in supplies, as well as local residents returning from Manila. I have ordered the Guardia Civil to inspect each person who got off the boat and to interview those who were not native here.
Later in the afternoon, the ship departed, with Dr. Rodriguez and his family on board. The old doctor is now on his way home.
​
***
​
There is great unrest in the village today. The natives are very much agitated and have sent me complaints and threats all day. Even the gobernadorcillo, who is normally positive and very loyal to Spain, tells me that his hands are tied and that his people demand an explanation from me.
This recent wave of outrage began when, according to witnesses, a member of the Guardia Civil violently attacked a farmer who was bringing a cart load of vegetables into the village to be sold at the local market. Initially, the interaction between the two was calm, as the guardsman inspected the cart for any illegal firearms.
However, as the guardsman conversed and interviewed the farmer, those who were there say that the former seemed to grow more and more agitated. Eventually, this guardsman slammed the butt of his rifle on the farmer’s head, knocking him down. Then, without hesitation, the guardsman pinned him down and began beating him up.
Some bystanders responded to the attack and tried to help the farmer, but the guardsman lashed out at them and prevented them from pulling him off. One villager was even bitten by the guardsman, as he tried to push the latter off of the poor farmer.
Alerted by panic stricken villagers, fellow guardsmen, who were patrolling nearby, rushed into the scene and apprehended their wayward comrade. They then brought him back to the Guardia Civil barracks, where the sargento of the detachment tried to reprimand him and ask for an explanation for his actions. However, the guardsman gave no comprehensive reply, and only shouted and lashed out at him. Due to this, he was transferred to the public jail, where he is currently locked up and under watch.
Meanwhile, the farmer, and the villager who tried to help him, were sent to Dr. Garcia, who tended to their wounds. The former is said to be badly bruised, while the latter had a large wound from the bite. Both were treated by Dr. Garcia, before being sent home.
As it turns out, the guardsman was the same man who was attacked by the deranged stranger a few nights ago. I wish I knew what motivation he had for attacking the poor farmer, but as of now he continues to give no intelligible response. Even from here, in my office at the comandancia, I could hear his screams. I doubt anyone in the village fails to hear him.
Following the incident, various village officials and natives approached me throughout the day, demanding to know why the guardsman did what he did. However, not knowing the answer myself, I merely told them that it was still under investigation. This response did not seem to please everyone, as I would get distant shouts from unseen natives, telling me that I was a tyrant trying to suppress the truth. Such accusations shocked me, as I have never been labeled as such by these people before.
Feeling suspicious, I ordered the sargento of the Guardia Civil to increase their patrols and the number of outposts he had in order to safeguard public places. He said he would do what he was told, but complained that he lacked the number of men to effectively cover the whole village.
To help his men, I ordered the cuadrilleros of the village to present themselves and help man the outpost and patrol the streets. It was after calling up the cuadrilleros that I got information from one of them.
According to him, a few hours after the guardsman attacked the farmer, many of the young men of the village gathered at the home of the Hernandez family. With some of his friends there, he was able to join and listen in, as the eldest of the Hernandez brothers gave a sermon to those present.
The Hernandez boy, who had recently returned to the village after studying law at Manila, criticized the recent attack and said that it was yet another example of the Guardia Civil abusing their power. He then went on accusing me as an abusive officer who most likely gave ther order for the guardsmen to be rough to the natives. He then ended his speech by saying that all of them should stay alert for any further abuses and that they should look after one another.
Hearing this concerned me greatly and I ordered the Guardia Civil to keep a watchful eye on the Hernandez family, as well as all those who attended the meeting.
***
​
It was late into the night and noise made by the imprisoned guardsman had become unbearable. In order to quiet him, the sargento has ordered that a piece of cloth be placed in his mouth. This was quickly done by the guardsmen and cuadrilleros at the jail, but one of the cuadrilleros was bitten during the process. He was thus sent to Dr. Garcia for treatment.
​
***
​
Today Dr. Garcia met with me and told me what he believed could be the reason for the strange behavior of the imprisoned guardsman. Talking about it as I hosted him for dinner, he explained to me that while he was serving as an army doctor in Cuba, he had a colleague who was conducting a study on a new form of rabies.
Dr. Garcia explains that, according to his colleague, the early symptoms were aggressive behavior and a tendency to scream out in anger. Later stages of the disease have worse symptoms, as the skin of the poor victim would begin to rot and, in some parts, begin to fall off. During this latter stage, the mind of the infected person would be completely lost, as he would begin to wander around and act with great hostility to anyone he would encounter. In all essence, he would become feral and wild.
Sadly, no known cure or treatment for the disease is known. Dr. Garcia says that he colleague was in the middle of studying the disease and observing possible cases of it in Cuba. However, he was killed in a raid by Cuban insurrectos against their camp before he was able to do so. Dr. Garcia himself did not think much about his fellow doctor’s research at the time and thought it was absurd. Now though, he was beginning to believe that his colleague was on to something and wished that he had read more of the notes the late doctor had left behind.
After telling me this, Dr. Garcia then suggested that the farmer who was attacked, as well as the villager who was bitten by the guardsman, should be placed under his direct observation. The cuadrillero that was bitten by the guardsman was currently still in the hospital, and now he wants the other two to join him. He is under the belief that the disease spreads through bites given by an infected victim, seeing that it is how the guardsman obtained the disease from the deranged wandering man many nights ago.
Realizing the necessity of this action, in order to prevent the further spread of the disease, I quickly agreed. I told him that he could visit the two tomorrow and take them to his hospital. However, I advised him to bring an escort of at least two guardsmen, in case the two were proved uncooperative or aggressive.
***
​
Earlier in the day, Dr. Garcia managed to collect the farmer from his home outside the village. The farmer proved to be very cooperative and was escorted to the hospital without incident. The second native, the villager bitten by the guardsman, proved to be another story.
Once they arrived outside his home, Dr. Garcia’s calls for him were met with no response. Concerned, Dr. Garcia decided to enter the nipa hut, where the man, who I am informed is a widower, lived alone.
Upon entering the home, Dr. Garcia says that he found the native standing at the central living area and muttering to himself. Despite more calls towards the man, he just continued to stand there without moving or taking note of the doctor’s presence.
At that point, the two guardsmen that escorted the doctor stepped forward and attempted to forcefully grab the man. However, before they could do so, he suddenly turned around. Upon facing them, Dr. Garcia says that the native villager’s face had shown signs of rotting, while his jaw seems to have unhinged, which resulted in his mouth hanging permanently open.
It was a strange and horrifying sight, and it made the two guardsmen hesitate for a moment. This hesitation allowed the man to suddenly rush towards them. Luckily, the guardsman the man was rushing for acted quickly and used his rifle to block the man’s attack. This resulted in the man’s jaw biting the rifle. When this occurred, the second guardsman moved quickly to help his comrade. Using some rope he had with him, he got behind the man and tied his arms.
Once they were sure that the man was secure, the two guardsmen then led the man out. By then, the rifle had been removed from his mouth, resulting in him screaming and shouting incomprehensible things as he was forcibly led out of his home.
Due to this noise, many natives nearby crowded the streets and watched as Dr. Garcia and the guardsmen used all their strength to bring the struggling and howling man towards the hospital. All along the way, curious villagers watched them with curiosity and Dr. Garcia says that he tried to reassure them that they were only taking the man to the hospital for the interest of public health and safety.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the guardsmen, along with a couple of hospital assistants, took the man and tied him to a table. After that, Dr. Garcia then carefully placed some cloth in his mouth in order to quiet him.
Examining his patients, Dr. Garcia found out the farmer had been lucky. Despite being pinned down by the infected guardsman, and despite receiving some scratches from that incident, he didn’t have any bites on him and seemed to have no symptoms of the diseases. Due to this, he was allowed to return home.
The other two cases, however, were another story.
The cuadrillero who was bitten was beginning to show some early symptoms, as he grew more and more restless and agitated while staying in one of the hospital’s rooms, where he is kept inside with a guard constantly watching him. Meanwhile, the villager was in a far worse state. Dr. Garcia says that he was in a similar status to the guardsman, where they were now both highly aggressive and no longer able to communicate.
The doctor also noted that much of the villager’s skin has begun to rot, with some parts already falling off. This is similar to what was happening to the infected guardsman, who barely had any skin that was not rotting or falling off at this point.
He suggests that we request for additional medical professionals to study the diseases and help maintain public health and safety. I have thus decided to send out a messenger to head to Manila tomorrow.
***
​
We are in a bad situation.
It all began when a crowd gathered outside the comandancia, demanding the release of the cuadrillero and villager. They claim that I had ordered the Guardia Civil to illegally arrest and detain the two.
Going out to meet the crowd, I and Dr. Garcia tried to explain the situation to the natives. Speaking before them, Dr. Garcia said that the two men were sick and were being treated by him. The crowd responded with displeased cries, calling us liars and abusers.
One villager standing at the front shouted at the good doctor, saying that his son, who worked as an assistant in the hospital, saw the doctor and the Guardia Civil tie the villager on a table and then torture him by ripping his skin off. He also said that, according to his son, we kept a member of cuadrilleros locked up in the same hospital, with an armed guard outside the door.
The crowd began to stir upon hearing this, as they pointed fingers at us and threw more insults. The only thing that was preventing them from rushing us were the members of the Guardia Civil that stood by our sides, rifles ready.
However, despite their intimidating presence, the crowd dared to move closer. At their lead was the Hernandez boy, who said that we had no right to imprison the two men.
Trying his best to calm the crowd, the doctor said that the men were not being imprisoned but merely quarantined. This did little to settle the crowd’s emotions.
Soon, some of the more youthful native among them began chanting. “Down with the Castilla! Freedom for our people!”
At that point, we knew that there was nothing more we could say. Left with no other choice, I ordered the Guardia Civil forward in order to disperse the crowd. Despite the intimidating sight of the remingtons, the mob held their ground. As the guardsmen got closer, I was shocked to see one of the more youthful members of the village pull out a long jungle knife. He was followed by other young men, as they drew out hidden blades and suddenly rushed the guardsmen.
Caught by surprise, the Guardia Civil were able to let loose a couple of wild shots, before being cut down by a couple dozen assailants. With that done, the armed villagers then turned their attention towards us. Dr. Garcia and I were vulnerable, with my only weapon being a revolver. Because of this, we ran away from the scene and headed towards the Guardia Civil barracks.
From the noise behind us, I knew that the angry villagers were following. Luckily, those who pursued us gave up the chase when the guardsmen at the barracks opened fire at them.
Frustrated by this, the mob then moved away and turned their attention towards the hospital. Realizing their intention, Dr. Garcia told me that the reckless villagers were placing themselves at risk and that we had to stop them. However, with only ten guardsmen in the barracks, I knew that we would be unable to do anything except get ourselves killed.
Left helpless, we were only able to watch as the villagers stormed the hospital, then the jail. At first, triumphant shouts could be heard, and I can only imagine that they thought they had won a great victory over us.
It did not take long for the gleeful shouts to turn into panicked cries, as a loud, and nearly demonic, growl joined them. I knew that this meant that they had freed the infected villager and, in gratitude, it repaid them by giving them the same disease that had overcome him. I could only guess the number of new infected natives there were now, and how many more would be added in the hours to come.
Watching from the barracks, we could see that the villagers were now running away from the hospital and jail. Realizing this was an opportunity, I then took my small band towards the church, which was the only stone structure in the village. Once there, we were greeted by Friar Santiago, who had come out to see what the commotion was all about.
Having little time to explain, I urged him to go back inside, before telling the guardsmen to close and barricade all the doors of the church. As they were about to close the main entrance, I looked out towards a mob of native men, women, and children, running away from the hospital and heading towards the church. For a moment I contemplated if I should let them in. But I soon dismissed the idea, knowing it was too risky, as I could potentially let in someone. infected.
With a heavy heart, I allowed the main door to be closed and barricaded. For the next few hours, I watched from the bell tower as natives ran off towards different directions, as the three infected men, recently freed by the naive natives, chased after them.
Many villagers met an unfortunate fate and were torn apart by the diseased men, as they ripped off limbs and threw them away. Some were merely biten, but such a fate was nothing to be happy about. Many others managed to escape, either heading to the jungle or heading towards the shore and jumping into the water. Eventually, the village became quiet and seemingly empty. Only the occasional distant screams and growls from the jungle, and the cries of help from people drowning, could be heard outside.
During this respite, we contemplated what we were to do next. The ferry was not due to arrive at the village for a few more weeks, so that meant we had to hold up in the church and wait. We knew that in a few days those who were beaten would soon become aggressive and eventually be completely feral. Until then, however, we had time to prepare and gather supplies.
​
***
​
It has been three days now and the first group of newly infected natives have now arrived outside the church. Stumbling across the plaza like drunks, they then looked up at our guards on the upper floors of the church and screamed at them. Observing from the bell tower, I counted at least two dozen of them.
Soon the infected gathered around the church and began slamming their bodies against the stone walls and wooden doors. The noise of both their constant screaming and banging echoes within the church halls. It is unnerving and it brought an uncomfortable shiver through me. It was horrible to hear that constantly and I want nothing else but to get away from it.
In an attempt to ignore the noise, I occupied myself by checking each man on guard. Talking to the guardsmen, I made sure that they were constantly awake while on duty. I then told them to remain vigilant and not fire upon the infected, unless they were about to get into the church.
I wanted to save as much ammunition as possible. When the ferry arrived, we would need every single bullet we had in order to kill all the infected that would stand between us and the wharf.
At the moment we had plenty of rice and water stored in the church, most of which were gathered from the village during the past few days. If we ration our supplies carefully, we would be able to make it last till the ferry arrived.
​
***
​
Sometimes, I cannot help but stand by the window and watch the suffering infected. They looked terrible, their skin rotting, jaws hanging open and wide. Meanwhile, their stench was strong, and as more and more gathered outside the church it was hard to avoid the smell of death they carried.
It was repulsing. It is hard to believe that they were once the natives that I had under my jurisdiction. Now they were just monsters.
I hope that we do not meet the same fate as them.
​
***
​
The noise of the other infected seem to be attracting those who roamed the jungle, as the mob of sick rotting natives outside the church grows every day. According to Friar Rodriguez, it seems like the whole village was now here, banging on the doors and screeching outside the walls.
Every second, we can hear nothing but them. We have to constantly yell at one another in order to communicate. The sound they make is now excruciating and I feel many of us are going mad just from listening to it all day and all night.
Sleeping is hard, almost impossible. Only exhaustion brings a temporary reprieve from the torture we are in. The day time is no better, as those of us on guard have to watch the great masses of sick gathering in front of us.
I am lucky that I kept my journal in my coat at all times. Writing helps keep my mind away from the noise of death around us. Although it does not last long, it at least gives me a temporary respite.
Guard duty is the worst, as I watch and stare at the infected monsters outside our walls. Every day we see the barrier that prevents us from escaping. Every day we wonder when our time would be. At night, when the elusive sleep falls upon us, our dreams are filled with the terrible sight of those who want nothing more than to maul and bite us.
I pray everyday that the ferry will arrive soon.
​
***
​
The damn altar boy had been in here with us the entire time and he was infected! Friar Santiago must have kept him inside his room, hiding him, even when he knew he was sick. I would ask the friar myself why he did it, but he is dead now, killed by the very boy he tried to save.
Ten other people died because of the friar’s attempt to save the unsavable.
It all happened so fast. One moment I was standing at the main hall, the next moment I was tackled by this young boy. Despite his size, he showed strength greater than I could fight.
Staring at the maddened look on his eyes, his broken jaw that hung open and drooled over me, and the rot all over his skin, I felt fear surge through me. No experience I have ever had before could compare to the emotions I felt that moment.
Desperately, I tried to shove him off of me, using my hands to push him away. As I was doing this, I felt a great excruciating sensation of pain. He had bitten me.
Staring wide-eyed, I watched a blood drip from my hand. Turning my eyes back to the boy, I saw him staring at me menacingly. I was convinced that biting me was not the only thing he wanted. There was pure malice in his eyes. He wanted to tear me apart.
The only thing that saved me was the sudden appearance of a guardsman, who slammed the butt of his rifle on the boy. This managed to knock him off of me, but I soon saw him get up and charge the guardsman. As my vision began to fade, I watched as the boy grabbed the guardsman’s foot and broke it. Then everything faded.
When I woke up again, I noticed Dr. Garcia was treating my wounds. Confused and feeling lost, I looked around to find blood and limbs littering the church.
I was told that nine of the guardsmen died before they were able to kill the boy. It was only Dr. Garcia, a lone guardsman, and I who survived, but not unscratched. All three of us were bitten by the infected boy. We thus knew that our time would soon come.
Not wanting to go out in such terrible terms and be transformed into feral beings, we agreed to make one final act before we die.
In a few minutes, the guardsman and Dr. Garcia would open the main church door. Once it was open, I would stand by the altar and lure all the infected villagers in. When we believed all of those infected outside were now within the church, Dr. Garcia and the guardsman would then force the door closed. At that moment, we will then use torches to burn the church down. If all goes according to our plan, all of us infected would all burn to death and the last remnants of the disease will burn with it.
This will be my final entry here. I would soon bury the journal in the church cellar. I floor there is cold dirt, so I dug a hole and will soon bury this, along with my family ring. I hope that someday, someone will find it and learn what happened here.
​
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​
The journal was recovered by the construction team in charge of repairing an old Spanish church at an abandoned island colony. It was found inside the cellar, along with a golden ring that bore a family crest. Meanwhile, the journal itself was in remarkable condition, despite being buried for more than a century.
As a historical advisor in the team in charge of repairing the church, the journal was handed to me for study. Being knowledgeable in Spanish, I spent my spare time translating and transcribing it.
What I learnt from it shocked me and horrified me. At first, I didn’t want to believe it. But now, as the renovation of the church continues, and as bits of burnt bone fragments are being found at the church, I’m beginning to think that there is some truth to the story.
Now, every night at our campsite, whenever I hear distant growls in the jungle, I can’t help but wonder who was making them.

Example: for me, "Dagundong" represents ALAMAT the most. I actually didn't like "Dagundong" that much at first. I'm always partial to their multilingual songs, always happier when their comebacks are not just in Tagalog/"Filipino". I prefer their songs with other Philippine languages such as Cebuano, Ilocano, and so forth. My fave ALAMAT songs are the multilingual ones like "Hala" and "Day and Night"
And their MVs tend to be great in quality, so I wouldn't say that "Dagundong" MV stands out particularly in terms of quality. Their MVs are all nice.
However, I realized lately that "Dagundong" represents the group the most. I think, more than anything, "Dagundong" works best as a performance piece. It's theater-ish, really. Especially with how the members seem to be communicating with EACH OTHER in the verses. They're telling a story. It's very theater, very narrative. That's why I think this song/MV represents ALAMAT the best, even if it's not my favorite.
ALAMAT has always been a more theatrical, dramatic, high-concept pop group compared to other P-Pop groups. No doubt because of the creative direction the group's always had. Their creative director is an actual film director, after all.
Anyway, what are the most representative songs/MVs for other groups, in your opinion?

Using this method to get an outsiders perspective on cognitive functions rather than doing a test. Hello
• How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself.
Im 29F. I'm generally the friend who makes funny and blunt comments. I tend to make friends with people based on shared activities or being 'adopted' by more outgoing/reputable people. Most recently, I've befriended a bunch of people through my connection with my boyfriend.
I'm also less than 5 ft tall and have been said to have a 'baby face' or 'look like a teenager.' It's a double-edged sword. Always funny when I'm underestimated until mid-conversation. Sometimes makes important tasks harder and increases the chance of getting unsolicited advice.
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
Questioning if I have ADHD/autism. The former seems more likely. I also had social anxiety and sensory issues in my childhood, various traumatic experiences, etc.
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
It was a sheltered Christian and conservative upbringing. Authoritarian but also unpredictable. While I was generally too chaotic/skeptical to accept religion, I kept my dissenting opinions on the downlow until I moved out.
I was one of those kids who learned to be sneaky with rule-breaking but generally wasn't recklessly wild. I used what could be considered greyrocking to distance myself from toxic family while making myself busy with extracurriculars and using a lot of persuasion to get some semblance of normalcy.
I did a lot of random, unconnected things and benefited from being an honor student while cutting corners as much as possible. This made it hard to narrow down a career path...
• What do you do as a job or as a career (if you have one)? Do you like it? Why or why not?
... So I bounced around a lot. Did data entry, coding, researching, proofreading, tutoring, piano accompaniment, writing, and art commissions. I mainly work remotely as a writer these days. Music and art have fallen into hobby territory, but I am mostly okay with that.
I have a loose idea of the direction I want to pivot my writing career (I eventually want to become a ghostwriter). But if I get bored to death with that, I also have considered trying to study/get certifications for web development.
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
I would be bored out of my mind without social contact. But I would welcome a weekend to slow down and recuperate mostly on my own if the workweek kicked my butt.
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
Lots of activities are welcome in good company, so long as it isn't the same old same old. Im not really athletic these days but used to enjoy biking and playing tennis.
I enjoy DND, watching videos/anime with my boyfriend, and occasional outings with my friends.
Solo hobbies recently involve playing guitar, drawing, puzzles, video games, cleaning things while high/ my mind wanders, and reading manga.
I can't be outside often due to allergies and eczema, but would have liked to be more outdoorsy.
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
My curiosity is fleeting and my internal monologue is a cacophony. My curiosity could lead to entertaining a rabbit hole of a subject for a few days. Or sometimes I might wonder about the state of appliances/spaces in the place I live. My thoughts were a lot more cerebral and paranormal when I was much younger. Though maybe I am less curious due to more experience, less energy, or becoming better at approaching situations instead of just questioning them in my head.
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
I don't really enjoy the expectations that come with it. I have a history of being talked into some roles and doing well enough to see projects end well before stepping down. My style of leadership has been one where I would outline some expectations and possible consequences but otherwise leave people to their own devices. Over the years I have also learned to be more approachable and reassuring when needed so as to not discourage those I work with.
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity?
I'm clumsier under immense pressure that messes with my focus. Otherwise I think I'm average. I've put a lot of practice into drawing and painting but still occasionally struggle with precision and sometimes shaky hands. Having small hands helps with fine motor skills that can be practiced.
I'm good at cooking but clumsier when making big batches.
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
I'm pretty good with color theory and composition. I gravitate towards loose still life and landscape when using watercolors. I'm impatient with colored pencils. A loose painting approach helps with color blocking for digital art. But my lines can be quite wonky.
I gravitate towards simple art that emphasizes a few subjects or techniques.
Musically I enjoy catchy but clever lyrics and instrumental.
Dancing isn't something I'm compelled to do. But I appreciate showy/cultural dance presentations and occasionally get pulled into shenanigans if my friend group and I are tipsy and goofy enough.
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
The past is something with a lot of painful lessons and generational trauma. The present is where I have most control. And the future is a future problem. I thought about it and wrote it down somewhere. Sometimes it's exciting when there are plans to go somewhere or a box to open.
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
I am more willing to help my boyfriend or certain best friends/relatives than others unless there's a clear incentive or social benefit.
If I can't help with something due to lack of knowledge or energy, I try to at least point a person I'd want to help towards a resource.
• Do you need logical consistency in your life?
Yes, some sense of logical consistency helps with narrowing down options, avoiding bs, and conserving energy. And without it, how could I trust my understanding?
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?
It's important for survival and freeing up time. I sometimes choose methods that may be seen as inefficient but make it easier for my brain to not loose track of what I'm doing. I'm most productive when in motion doing something rather than nothing.
But nothing time is also productive in its own way. And important in the context of taking breaks. So yay, productive nothing time.
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
I know that my presence motivates my boyfriend and closest friends, but I generally do not tell them what to do unless explicitly asked how I would do something.
I control what I can about my appearance if trying to make an impression - whether it's about emphasizing certain strengths or blending in unassumingly.
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them?
points to earlier paragraph about my hobbies
I enjoyed most of my hobbies as ways to kill boredom, develop skills, or find topics to discuss with other people.
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
I learn best when given lots of input (visual, audio, hands-on) from different perspectives until I can reproduce or share the knowledge. I struggle with environments that force a very specific order in which to learn things or environments that limit you to using only one or two methods while snubbing the rest. I can memorize things with acronyms but don't like memorization-heavy classes.
There was also a college course that lead to burnout and almost failing - you had to complete 12 projects. Failing one and moving on wasn't an option. If you struggled on one project/failed to meet the deadline, you had to stay behind to work on that project, even with time ticking for the next project. Even if the unfinished project was in no way related to the others. Failing one project would lead to failing the entire class. Office hours were always packed with students having breakdowns so I would often have to struggle alone. It was stupid.
I'm more motivated by a combination of logic/creativity/hands-on involvement.
It also helps to not be constantly shamed and discouraged for normal failures that come with the learning process. A history of being made fun of and shamed by my family while trying to learn Tagalog makes this language a touchy subject, even though I studied Spanish and Japanese with less issues.
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
I outline a lot of things only to improvise and then end up editing my outline. A lot of these moments of improvisation come from being thrown a curveball in life or from opportunistic streaks that put me ahead of what I outlined.
If working on multiple projects, I tend to batch related tasks so that my mind doesn't shift around too much. So yes, I could break up projects into manageable tasks.
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
Professionally I want something both lucrative and mentally stimulating. Personally I just want to look out for the close people in my life and carve out quality time with them as well.
My upbringing makes me quite distant from my biological family, and I don't particularly care for marriage and children at this point of my life.
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why?
I would fear having to leave the life I carved out for myself behind to return to my family abusers. I also get jumpscared by thunder.
Anyone who is a combination of loud/mean/dumb grinds my gears because communication is difficult.
One-on-one discussion with an acquaintance who isn't clearly friend or foe is more uncomfortable than integrating with a new group.
• What do the "highs" in your life look like?
When I moved out
Small moments in my past where I could just be a kid
Getting paid
Finishing a drawing or learning a music piece after getting the 'itch' to do so and enjoying the process
Dying of laughter with my friends
Seeing someone improve and their face lighting up with their progress
My friends and boyfriend smiling in general
Recovering from an illness
Every time I face a fear
• What do the "lows" in your life look like?
Emotional abuse and fighting in my family
That one college course
Moments of unemployment and not knowing where my next project would come from (because that would spark the fear of moving back with abusive family)
Severe eczema flare-ups and skin infections
Friendship fallouts due to lost communication or toxicity
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
I daydream occasionally when taking breaks or left to my own devices for long periods of time. I am also pretty hypervigilant in the ears. So I am never completely detached from reality unless I'm (rarely) super stoned.
I'm more time blind, however. I have so many alarms....
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about?
If left in a blank and empty room, I might feel compelled to yodel and impersonate stupid voices. I might think about what lead me to such a room and how to kill time (assuming I know I will get out). Maybe I'll fall asleep.
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
Subconsciously forever. Consciously, a few days to a week. So long as it's in the planning phase, I will likely change it up lot while entertaining multiple options.
But once I act on a decision, I consider it done and don't take it back.
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
I tend to have a delayed reaction/awareness to bigger or more complicated feelings. More straightforward ones are vocalized or shown rather than talked about, unless someone around me points it out and talks about their feelings or the reaction they observed from me.
It's at least important for me to not hold onto what eats away at me. And to make sure there's enough emotional safety.
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why?
I appease more with polite tone. But I will still voice disagreement.
Agreeing just to appease happened more often towards my parents when I was a teenager trying to get on their good side so that I wouldn't be so cooped up in the house. This is also a tactic reserved for moments where my physical safety could be threatened and I need to get away.
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged, or that they know better? If you do break rules, why?
Not a lot and I'm not too wild. But if I'm curious in exploring the limits or reasons behind a rule, I may challenge and break it when I'm not monitored. Without proof of expertise and social good will, authority definitely should get challenged.

it happened when i talked to my junior in college who was offering tarot readings; it was at my college's yearly festival. i don't know what compelled me to talk to him, but i did anyways -- i have no idea if it was fate/i was meant to talk to him that day . . . that specific day was a mercurial day (my research yielded results about president malphus being associated with mercury, to which my jr did confirm he does; he does agree/i am skeptical about his associations with saturn but i'll end it here because these coincidences are too scary to be just coincidences).
NOTE: PLEASE DEBUNK ANYTHING I RELAY HERE. I AM TAKING EVERY PIECE OF INFORMATION WITH A HELPFULS OF SALT. I AM OPEN TO BE CORRECTED/TAKING SUGGESTIONS/GIVEN WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS, AND WHAT HAVE YOU. (would be hella neat to share book recommendations too)
we did a reading about my personal problems; then we had a tangent of which deity or entity he can suggests for me to work with. i brought that tangent up, btw. i mentioned specifically that the primary demon i was compelled or was drawn to was stolas. he inquired even further, here are my answers; (1) my favorite ocs have birds as pets + one is an owl shifter, (2) my traditional and vedic chart has a prominent amount of air placements (aquarius) and (3) i like birds. not crazy passionate about them, but i kind of enjoy them more passively more.
to anyone who worked with president malphas, i would like to have this description clarified for me because this is how my junior understands him and describe him to me: he is aloof, kinda nonchalant. he does not mind (you) around him as long as you have great sense of timing of when to approach him and when to just let him be. he specifically told me he has a "resting bitch face", but did clarify he does not mean for anyone to take it too seriously/by heart. it's just that this is his default appearance. great temper, not much of a talker unless he inclined to talk . . but even then, he's more of a doer than the sayer type. for me, he kind of gives me the vibe of, "i know you can do it, you have the resources to do it. and i'm over here, not doing about it. what are YOU going to do about it?" which is like . . a wholesome backhanded encouragement type to me, but certainly the one i could get behind because it's almost like an acknowledgement i CAN be independent, so ACT like IT. (i safely made this conclusion after reading reddit threads and research). but of course i do acknowledge he can be of amazing help when needs be. anyways, i kind of conclude he has a cattish attitude for a bird, and my junior (let's call him F) agrees.
disclaimer: i have not talked with him personally yet; i am taking these descriptions with tons of salt because i acknowledge not all approaches by the same demon is the same for any other person they had connections with. that being said, after F described him to me, i went, "wait a moment . . that kinda sounds like me."
he did another reading for free this time for me, just to make sure. i forgot what were the cards, but it read, "i do not mean to cause conflict with you; in fact, i want to make bati (tagalog trans: make amends; greet; make friends; reassurance (?)) with you."
everything went downhill in like ... 2 hrs of talking to him:
— my umbrella has feather prints; in colors of red, magenta, very pale blue and white (+ green too). he clarified red and magenta (although my sources yielded he resonates with orange) are his colors; so does the blue and white for his feathers. i bought it because of the vibes, he had a visceral reaction of disbelief.
— i had parakeets when i was younger (that's how some of my fave ocs have birds as pets too)
— my mercury sign in my traditional chart is in mercury in pisces with gemini degrees (10H) which is a mercurial planet. my north node is in gemini too with aquarius degrees.
— the moon on the day i was born was a waxing crescent; F associates president malphas with the waxing crescent moon. — this is very funny because it's just a recent occurrence but apparently, some birds have made residence in our open ceiling (not open roof).
— i am conflicted whether or not president malphas is associated with crows or ravens because of the conflicting sources, but this is also hella funny because ever since i was 11
-- just for funzies, i took a sorting hat quiz for the first time and i got ravenclaw. now that i think about it, i think it was the very age where i started to disassociate from christianity. not full-blown; just a very slow and very agonizing gradual change because i would have to suffer for it years after. i didn't even know that i was disassociating myself at 11 until now. even until now, i am still in ravenclaw. i never changed . . just mistyped XD
— funnily enough, i owned more dogs than birds in my life, but i never really have this affection for dogs as passionate as any typical dog lover . . i have fondness for the birds, that fly and keep their distance from me; i would love to care for a bird one day though. my favorite yt artist/animation artist, jaiden, has a bird named ari.
QUESTIONS:

1. If this cannot be/is impossible to verify directly that this is president malphas reaching out to me from this post, then can anyone prescribe or tell me what other viable methods i can do as a closeted witch to verify this? (after being corrected of course).
   
2. Am i allowed to approach president malphas without any ties to the ars goetia?
   
3. If I cannot, aside from practicing cleansing and banishing habits, what warnings or precautionary measures I should take before invoking him? (i do not have intentions to "summon" him or to "enslave" him; i would say i need help with some of my disorganization/esteem issues that i am actively working on by myself, but i would like to try it with a support of an entity (even if it's as passively as watching me do the work, just someone to be there. i believe it's what adhd-havers do/have when they work with someone. it's called "doubling")).
   
4. (VERY IMPORTANT) I noticed I have a trend here where I am drawn to demons are somehow . . not beginner-friendly like prince stolas and president malphas. even though I do acknowledge the warnings that come from these experienced practitioners are in good faith, i also am not a stranger anymore to the fact these not beginner-friendly demons can choose people they deem fit to work with them. now that i realized i was consciously drawn to stolas and simultaneously/and/or subconsciously drawn to president malphas . . what now? i am just a beginner witch, that's still in trenches of processing on how to deconstruct the christianity that's shoved in my mouth when i was a baby. any advice or helpful takes?
   

thank you so much!

My friend mentioned a book to me and I really want to try reading it but she for got the title so here's some stuffs about it.
•It's taglish. Kinda. The story is described in English but whenever the characters talk, it would be in Tagalog or taglish because the setting is in the Philippines. •It's bl or mlm •The bottom is a young Mafia boss, his name is Juno. •The top is a province boy who just came to Manila to work. •Their fist interaction was like this. Mafia boss and province boy were in some kind of bakery, they fought for the last piece of a certain bread. Province boy felt like his nose was gonna bleed because Mafia Boss was speaking in English. Eventually he gave up and just left the bread to Mafia Boss. He also found the Mafia Boss adorable even though he was literally carrying a gun along with bodyguards also carrying guns just because he was " short "
That's all. It would be nice if one of you knows the title :)

My friend mentioned a book to me and I really want to try reading it but she for got the title so here's some stuffs about it.
•It's taglish. Kinda. The story is described in English but whenever the characters talk, it would be in Tagalog or taglish because the setting is in the Philippines. •It's bl or mlm •The bottom is a young Mafia boss, his name is Juno. •The top is a province boy who just came to Manila to work. •Their fist interaction was like this. Mafia boss and province boy were in some kind of bakery, they fought for the last piece of a certain bread. Province boy felt like his nose was gonna bleed because Mafia Boss was speaking in English. Eventually he gave up and just left the bread to Mafia Boss. He also found the Mafia Boss adorable even though he was literally carrying a gun along with bodyguards also carrying guns just because he was " short "
That's all. It would be nice if one of you knows the title :)

I was at my monthly SGI-USA world peace prayer meeting this past Friday night. This is the time each month when (at least in my chapter in Burbank, California) we all get together to chant and watch a videotaped speech of our organization's international leader in Japan, Daisaku Ikeda. You also get to see your friends, give a donation if you like, and applaud for anyone joining the SGI and receiving a mandala Gohonzon.
At last month's meeting, a senior leader and a very nice lady - someone I like and respect - got up and made a few announcements. One of them had to do with the creation of a "new group" - for those of you unfamiliar with the SGI, we are a Japanese cultural colony in many ways. Everything is done in groups. And typically, Daisaku Ikeda gives these groups names, like:

• The Sophia Group These are members of the women's division - another group - who get together to study SGI publications, particularly Ikeda's autobiography;
• The Boys and Girls Group (the name speaks for itself);
• The Lotus Group for recovering addicts;
• The Soka Group members of the young men's division - another group - who help out at activities;
• The Courageous Hearts Group which is made up of people who have friends in our rival sect / parent sect Nichiren Shoshu;
• The Fierce Pride Group for gays, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members and their friends and familes; and of course...
• The Glorious Colonoscopy Group (named by me in honor of a friend of mine who is undergoing the procedure next week). This group has not yet been officially recognized by the SGI-USA, and I don' t know if it ever will be. It may turn into one of those internet phenomena your leaders have warned you about.

So, last month, this nice lady stood up and announced the formation of a new group. This group would be composed of SGI-USA members over the age of 60 years who had been chanting for at least 30 years. She told us that they had applied to Daisaku Ikeda for a name for the group, but they didn't have a name yet. Then, she joyfully told us of this group's first "campaign".....they were going to challenge a million daimoku (i.e., they were going to chant a million "nam-myoho-renge-kyo") for a specific goal, and that goal was...."to close a Nichiren Shoshu Temple in the United States" by Daisaku Ikeda's 80th birthday on January 2nd, 2008.
For those of you who are coming in late to the Nichiren Buddhism in America Show (a Chuck Barris Production), the Soka Gakkai International "divorced" its parent sect, Nichiren Shoshu in the early 1990's. Or they excommunicated us, or whatever. We still haven't settled on a coherent piece of language for the split. If you are familiar with the history, you can skip this italicized part. If you're a glutton for punishment, read on.
At any event, for the next 15 years, our organization was obsessed with defeating the evil temple. Non-Buddhist guests came to our meetings, seduced by promises of "Buddhism for World Peace", only to find a rabid religious divorce underway. Our publications oozed anger, and "guidance in faith" became an excuse to stoke the flames of hostility. Got cancer? Chant to defeat the evil temple. Bankrupt? Chant to close the temples.
At one point, I even got a telephone-tree notification that the local Nichiren Shoshu temple was holding a potluck church social, and the SGI was organizing a chanting session for the failure of our rival denomination's potluck. Good grief. In my chapter, chanting sessions were organized if an SGI-USA member was having lunch with a temple member. While the two were out at lunch, the SGI membership would be gathered around, sincerely chanting to "disassociate" the rival sect's member from their church of choice. Things got really weird there, for awhile. Really, really weird.
Those SGI members who advocated applying American values such as religious tolerance and the rights of individuals to freely choose their denominations were marginalized, denounced, or demoted. Those who supported the war on Nichiren Shoshu were promoted and rose within the ranks of leadership. There was no effective "conscientious objector" status allowed, and we lost a lot of good people and scared away a lot of guests.
The war against Nichiren Shoshu was pretty much focussed on the person of the then-high priest of that sect, Nikken Abe. The SGI alleged (inaccurately) that Nikken Abe had personally altered basic Nichiren Shoshu doctrine. This was not true, but was a fiction needed by the SGI in tradition-bound Japan to keep the Japanese members from defecting to the enemy parent sect. Those SGI-USA members who did any reading in mainstream Buddhist scholarship soon discovered that Nikken hadn't really changed much of anything at all. Nichiren Shoshu had been screwed up and "non-Buddhist" for many centuries before the Soka Gakkai was even founded. It was tough for the Japanese organization to admit this, however, since it would have meant that the Soka Gakkai's founding presidents had made a mistake and taken up with a weirdo denomination. Americans have a much easier time saying "oops" than the Japanese do...
...And so the Western values of rights of conscience and religious freedom were subjugated to the Japanese sectarian war because, after all, we in the SGI-USA are a colony.
When Niken Abe retired from his position as head priest of Nichiren Shoshu in December, 2005, there was a general sigh of relief within the SGI. Now that the personified King Devil of the Sixth Heaven was out of office, maybe we could get back to Buddhism and world peace. What a relief that would be.
So, for the past couple of years, every now and again, you might hear a little burp of hostility towards the temple, but for the most part, the SGI seemed determined to pretend that the whole embarrassing, sputum-spitting, 15-year episode had never happened. "Deny with a smile and move on" seemed to be the word of the day. That was fine with me and with most other sane souls. And then....last month... we heard about the new senior citizens' group's campaign to "close a temple as a birthday gift to President Ikeda".

God! This temple war is like the swamp thing! The thing that wouldn't die! Someone should make a zombie movie - we could call it "28 Years!"

Anyway, so silly me. Back to the present. I thought that whomever had conceived of this "close a temple for Sensei's birthday" campaign would be gently corrected by the SGI national leadership, maybe administered a laxative, and we would hear no more about it. But no. This past Friday when I went to the Kaikan again for kosen-rufu gongyo, there it was. The flier. Announcing the creation of the new group! And what was the group's big, happy kick-off campaign? What do you think?

• A toys-for-tots campaign with a nice big box in the foyer for the members to drop in their donations for needy children?

Nope.

• A "feed the homeless at holiday time" campaign in cooperation with other churches in the Burbank area?

Nope.
That's right, you guessed it. The first campaign was just as it was announced last month. Let's all get together and pray really hard to close a rival house of worship as a birthday gift for our supremely humanistic leader in Japan! Somehow, I get a weird mental picture of Ruth Buzzi from "Laugh In" with her hair in a fishnet chasing a lecherous Japanese priest around a park bench and hitting him on the head with her purse. I know you can see it, too.
OK, this entry is getting long, so I will try to cut to the chase:
The Japanese place a huge premium of "debts of gratitude" - our official prayer books daily encourage us to pray to repay our "debts of gratitude" to the founding presidents of the SGI. Nichiren Daishonin himself, the founder of our practice, wrote a treatise entitled "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude" - and one of the debts he discusses is the debt to one's country. As in my debt of gratitude as a writer and member of a minority religion to the principles of the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
Because "repaying debts of gratitude" is such an important concept for the Japanese, and because the ongoing temple conflict is holding back the propagation of Nichiren Buddhism in America, I will state the issue as clearly as I can:
Daisaku Ikeda and the SGI owe a huge debt of gratitude to the principle of religious freedom. There would be no world-wide Buddhist world peace organization, and Daisaku Ikeda would be no-one's eternal Mentor if it were not for the fact that Douglas MacArthur imposed a constitution on post World War II Japan which allowed the Soka Gakkai to grow and flourish as a lay organization of Nichiren Shoshu. The SGI owes its very existence, and the organization's President owes his position to the principle of religious freedom. Here in the United States, that means that we respect other peoples' right to be wrong. We respect their rights to worship as they choose, even if we think it's dung-headed.
The SGI's campaign to shutter rival houses of worship in the United States is the height of ingratitude. It must stop immediately. I am no fan of Nichiren Shoshu doctrine - anyone who knows me knows that, but if the SGI wishes to spread Nichiren Buddhism as a mainstream religion in this country, it must do more than develop choice real estate and print glossy publications. We must respect the principles of this society, and religious freedom is chiefest among them.

Stop the War Now.

Thanks for listening to my long rant.
Be reasonable, be enlightened, be cool.
Byrd in LA
P.S. I have nothing against the fabulous Golden Pioneers - I hope they will decide to engage in some wonderful community service or another. Good luck to them, and may they live long and healthy lives. -b-

COMMENTS

Hi Byrd;
Of course, without the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, MacArthur would not have been in a position to impose anything. Should we Buddhists be grateful for those events as well?
Likewise, without the bombing of Pearl Harbor there would have been no US war with Japan. Are you implying Japanese and American Gakkai members owe a debt of gratitude to Admiral Yamamoto?
Why not Ogasawara and the other collaborationist Nichiren Shoshu priests? Had the priesthood not abandoned Makiguchi and Toda, perhaps they may not have been so viciously persecuted by the Thought Police. Had Makiguchi not died a martyr, would Toda have become the Toda of 1945 - 1958? Would you have us owe these priests a debt of gratitude for betraying our founders Byrd? Dependent Origination can get very complicated.
I don't understand this obsession some anti-Gakkai folks have with trying to read the Sermon-on-the-Mount into the Lotus Sutra or the Gosho. You know the part... "If a man strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If he demands your coat, give him also your cloak. If he cannot pay for his harlot and is in danger of losing his camera, offer to pay yourself and keep it quiet." ;-)
Happy Holidays, Michael
I know that dependent origination can get complicated, that's why it's important to decide what principles we value and hold onto them. That way, we can make clear, constructive causes in the maelstrom.
The incidents you cited, Michael - Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the bombing of Pearl harbor and so on - were in fact events in history. However, the idea of religious liberty and freedom of conscience - the idea that people have a right to their houses of worship, even if we don't believe as they do -- that is a principle for the ages, and not a mere event.
Religious liberty, and the rights of church organizations to exist - even those groups I disapprove of or do not like - is a good principle to hold onto. It protects us as well as the Temple. And yes, the SGI does owe its existence to that principle. We call ourselves the "value-creation society," and I think it's time that we started to value the values of the Enlightenment with more than oratorical rhetoric.
I repeat my belief that the SGI needs to respect the principles of this, it host country. If we don't want to respect the principle that religious minorities have a right to exist, we'll have no grounds for consternation when the Christian fundamentalists decide they want to hold prayer vigils to "close down" our community centers in the Bible Belt.
Thanks for writing in, Byrd in LA
Hi, Byrd -
I have occasionally been accused of ignoring my "debt of gratitude" to NSA/SGI-USA, since I have become a member of Nichiren Shu.
My response is usually to reference the details of how Nichiren repaid his debt of gratitude to his master Dozen-bo. Nichiren did not stand with Dozen-bo right or wrong - he retained a profound sense of gratitude for the lessons he learned from Dozen-bo, but he did not follow Dozen-bo's teaching once he understood it clearly enough to evaluate it for himself.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett [aka Ryuei]
Byrd,
The italiciized section is a marvelous concise history of the realities of the split between Nichiren Shoshu and the SGI. Nicely done. I'm jealous and may steal it.
More importantly, I am appreciative of your clarity in identifying the issue of religious freedom as a guiding principle. People like Michael who are so caught up in defending the organization, wrong or wrong, seem to have abandoned the notion that principles matter, and that we are only as good as the values we live by. Yours are obvious, and stellar. Thanks for writing this. I hope the right people read it, and get it.
Cheers!
Andy
Failure of a pot-luck? I don't see how chanting about something could make it fail, they probably had an even more wonderful party as a result.
ch [Clown Hidden]
Michael wrote: " I don't understand this obsession some anti-Gakkai folks have with trying to read the Sermon-on-the-Mount into the Lotus Sutra or the Gosho."
I don't classify Bryd as "anti-gakkai", Michael...she attends meetings and really enjoys her district. She happens also to attend interfaith activities and participates in open non-demonitnational discussions on the internet.
She deserves all the respect of the Buddha, and we all need to recall the example of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging in our comments. Even little remarks like "anti-Gakkai" can carry a great implication of disparagement.
David
Hello Byrd:
You wrote: "The SGI's campaign to shutter rival houses of worship in the United States is the height of ingratitude. It must stop immediately."
Gee, Byrd, you sound as indignant as that crazy guy over on "Sokagakkaiunofficial"...oh, yeah, that's me!
I hope you send a letter on this to Mr. Ikeda and Danny Nagashima. I don't think they read your blog.
Maybe they should.
Anyway, I appreciate your passion. It's the right thing.Like you say, the Pioneers are well intentioned. But kosen rufu requires a keen sense of the manners and customs of the region.
I forget who said that...was it..Nichiren?
Thanks and Love;
David
Byrd,
Still just complaining. When are you going to talk directly to that nice lady you write so nicely about in the beginning, but never spoke directly, or anyone else you talk about on your Blog?
Do you use this as a forum to talk about people without actually talking to that person or people?
They have a name for talking about people behind their backs. You know what they call it don't you?
To bad you do not speak directly to anyone just talk about what others do.
Patrick [Troll]
Hi David;
You wrote: "Even little remarks like "anti-Gakkai" can carry a great implication of disparagement."
Perhaps you're right David.
My original phrasing was something like - "those who have made an 'assiduous practice' of publicly mocking and criticizing the SGI, (with only the best of intentions in mind, of course, for its own good)" - but that, while more descriptive, seemed a bit verbose.
Michael
Byrd:
Amazing that this idiocy is still going on. Based on personal experience, if you want to experience loss, more loss, even more loss, unhappiness, and worse, just keep up whipping up that old soka spirit. As stated before the SGI and NST ARE the funi-twins - two, but not two. It's looking in the mirror and seeing your enemy - oh, that's kind of like that old saying, "I saw the enemy, and it was ME!" (or something like that).
Great post, Byrd. Your leaders wil be thrilled.
Charles [Atkins]
Hi, Patrick -- the Golden Pioneer Leader is merely a symptom. My blog entry is not just about symptons, it is about the problem -- the conflict between the policies of the SGI and the values of religious freedom which we hold dear in this country.
It really isn't about the lady herself. It's about the nature of the "campaign" -- as far as I'm concerned, this is America, and if someone posts something, it's OK for you to talk about it. They decided to make an announcement and post a flyer in the SGI-USA activity center. That means it was intended for SGI-USA members to read. In this country, it's OK for me to discuss the contents, and I don't have to go in private and bow first.
One of the traditions our culture has, which the Japanese lack, is the "open marketplace of ideas" - it's acceptable (in fact, traditional) in America, to discuss ideas openly and in writing. From Thomas Paine to the Federalist Papers, to the Autobiography of Malcolm X - we put our ideas out there and discuss them. We don't have to "talk to anyone about it" first.
I don' t bear this woman or any of the Golden Pioneers ay ill will at all - if they want to discuss the issues they can do so right here, in writing, and they can even use an assumed name if they like. No problem, no closed doors.
Thanks for writing in, Byrd in LA
Hello Michael;
Your description of "those who have made an 'assiduous practice' of publicly mocking and criticizing the SGI, (with only the best of intentions in mind, of course, for its own good)"...certainly applies more to myself than to Byrd...
There are two serious points within that phrase that go to the heart of the matter.

1. "publicly mocking and criticizing"...I can tell you I know many leaders who express themselves privately in much the same way as Byrd and I...but they'd cut off their right arm before making any public criticism. This has been instilled very strictly in the members. it guarantees limited, if any, exposure to unwanted critiques or serious dissent. Those who violate this rule face the wrath of the gods...

2."of course, for its own good".
This is most frustrating...when the motives of a critic are questioned rather than addressing the criticism...if you criticize publicly, you're an enemy.
You have precluded the possibility that Byrd really and truly respects the SGI and wishes for its prosperity. That is a serious matter, in my book. It goes beyond mere disparageing phrases and into demonization. This is how excesses such as the soka spirit mess get rolling...it is their foundation.
Better to work hard at assuming the best intent among your fellow members.Presumption of evil intent is a very dangerous path.
David
Kris,
Cottage Cheese in Green Jello. As a lad, I called it 'Throw Up Salad.'
robin
Wow Michael S. Do you think Buddhism means get revenge? I do not understand Nichirenists who want to read the Matta Sutta, Compassion, and Forbearence out of Buddhism. Is it Bodhisattva Fukyo or Eff You? Is True Buddhism a rejection of the values traditional Buddhism holds in common with Christianity?
Let me see, religious freedom is like the Atomic Bomb? Wow!
If defeating others, hatred, anger, holding grudges, and smear campaigns were what it is about, I, for one, want no part of that. Yiu are welcome to it, though.
gassho
robin
Byrd wrote, "In this country, it's OK for me to discuss the contents, and I don't have to go in private and bow first."
But you are talking about their actions without talking to them direwctly. In other words you are not addressing the problem, but merely complaining how this woman acts or women like her act within the SGI.
Why did you not dialogue with this lady directly after the meeting if it botherd you so much to talk about her on the internet?
Nichiren teachs to directly approach a problem not talk about someone behind their back, where they most likeley will not look.
What is it you are attempting to accomplish, find people that agree with you, or actualy address the issues directly, or just complain about how things are going within the SGI?
The SGI does not practice here or anywhere near this Blog site, so talking about them; the SGI; here is just that, talking about the SGI and doing nothing in regards to the issue, that has you all fired up.
You speak about American values as if they are something to brag about.
American's torture people. Americans typically cheat on their taxes, lie about many things etc. American values. I am not impressed with AMerican values.
Americans also do not care for their own children or the homeless, or the old, etc. More American values.
Give me a break with your American values. Your American values sound too much like rhetoric. No thank-you.
I think I will stick with Human values as, The Lotus Sutra establishes a true value system of and for people.
Patrick
Michael:
You wrote: "I don't understand this obsession some anti-Gakkai folks have with trying to read the Sermon-on-the-Mount into the Lotus Sutra or the Gosho.
It has been my post-Gakkai experience that a great many people who are anti-gakkai are pro-Buddhist, meaning they're waant to learn and spread the dharma. They're not about hair-splitting or "blowing back the fur to expose the flaws in the leather." The SGI preoccupation with preaching tolerance while practicing sectarian oppression is transparent. The whole campaign was misguided from the start and sucked the members - including me - into a vortex of negatiivty. It's a failed crusade.
You know the part... "If he cannot pay for his harlot and is in danger of losing his camera, offer to pay yourself and keep it quiet."
The guy needed a hooker, dude, so what? Let's open up your mind and the mind's and past dirty of all our sanctified leaders and see who the boy scouts are - who bad girls were. I'll bet every one of you has a nasty little secret or some warped fantasy that would make Larry Flynt blush -and many of you give your faith based guidance.
No real difference in doctrine. No tolerance. No compassion. No real victory of any kind. No less weird or kinky. Ha!
Charles
Patrick, if this were mere gossip - such as publicly discussing if the lady farts a lot,or if she has body odor, or if she has cheated on her husband, then I would see your point. Obviously, I would want to speak with her privately and spare her any embarassment. Obviously. The campaign to "shut down the temples" is an SGI-USA campaign, and I don't have to talk to anyone else first before I discuss it. Neither do you. Your focus on form over substance only serves to change the subject from the issue of religious freedom to that of playing by Japanese courtesy rules. Again, this is not about "the lady", it is about the values of the First Amendment, whether Daisaku Ikeda owes a debt of gratitude there, and whether the SGI's "close the Nichiren Shoshu Temple" campaigns tend to indicate a gross ingratitude toward the principles that made the SGI's existence possible. That is the issue, not any particular "lady". She may agree with me or not. You may agree with me or not. The issue is still there.
If you are uncomfortable with the idea of "American" values, and I agree with you that our recent record has not been good, then let's us the term "Western" values. I'm good with that as well.
There have been numerous attempts in the past by numerous people and groups to help the SGI-USA "Americanize". There have been similar attempts in Europe and Great Britain. All have been met with crackdowns from Japan and "the line".
Do you really believe that your SGI leaders "represent" you in any way, or that "talking to them" about policy issues serves any purpose? This has not been my experience at all.
I feel that the most effective thing I can do is cultivate the open marketplace of ideas and allow a space for people to talk about issues openly. That's what is going on here. If the SGI wanted to have an open forum, it would offer one. It does not want such a thing, so it does not offer it. No problem. We can set up an open marketplace of ideas online.
It is a pretty standard Japanese (and SGI) tactic to complain of form in order to avoid addressing content. I think this tactic is being used here, by you. If the SGI is nowhere near this board, you are free to speak plainly - do you think that Daisaku Ikeda and the SGI owe any debt of gratitude to the values of the first amendment? If so, how do you believe that this applies to the various campaigns to close down Nichiren Shoshu temples in this country? That's the substance of the conversation. Feel free to be substantive in your discussion rather than providing a critique of my form. I am genuinely interested in your opinion on the matter. Thanks, Byrd in LA
Byrd wrote, "There have been numerous attempts in the past by numerous people and groups to help the SGI-USA "Americanize". There have been similar attempts in Europe and Great Britain. All have been met with crackdowns from Japan and "the line"."
American values again Byrd? perhaps this is what lies at the core, using Americanism as an afront to Buddhism. Conflict between nationalism and buddhism.
Byrd also wrote, "If you are uncomfortable with the idea of "American" values, and I agree with you that our recent record has not been good, then let's us the term "Western" values. I'm good with that as well."
I am not uncomfortable with American values, only let us be honest, whether they are western or American, they are not humane in nature. America is neither equal or fair. W
hy emulate this trasvesty of justice on the world? Iraq and Afghanistahn should be a clue to Americanism in the world today.
Why should anyone whom is not American "owe a debt of gratitude to American values?"
Buddhism is about something greater than nationalism, humanism perhaps. The Lotus Sutra.
The four debts of grattitude are quite apparant and Nichiren spoke directly to them, and Nichiren did not make any special note of American or Western values as being necessary to repay any debt of gratitude to be a good buddhist.
The American Constitution/Bill of Rights is not balanced nor humane, not were they meant to be. The Constitution says, "All men are created equal" American intrepreted that to mean only WHITE men are created equal, and not women as well.
Is this the type of value system we owe a debt of gratitude towards?
I think not.
As a Black man. I can tell the difference, between equality and something less. America offers something less. can you tell the difference?
I beileve American's have a responsibility to repay their four debts of gratitide to the Buddha, as does everyone else should, and not to America or American values.
I do not confuse Americanism with Buddhism. There is a difference, one is nationalistic and one is universal.
I am usally offfended when American's suggesting the SGI are doing things wrong, by American standards.
Universal standards based on the Lotus Sutra; Nichiren's Gohonzon; and not something lesser as you suggest.
I speak for myself, and represent myself. I do not need anyone to speak for me, whether they are SGI or otherwise.
I think you are espousing Americanism and not buddhism. you appear to be using buddhist concepts to extend American values into the Buddha's teachings, which is a mistake I believe.
I am mot Japanese.
I merely pointed out if you spoke directly with the person you have conflict with, or did you just decide to talk about her on the internet, without her further involvement?
I am interested in that answer as well.
Patrick
Patrick continues to discuss many subjects other than the one Byrd raised. That's his perogative, I suppose, but it seems kind of silly. What Byrd pointed out is really clear, for those with the brains to actually read and understand her words. It's not a Buddhist issue, but rather one about how her organization presents itself, behaves, and is perceived by others.
Byrd correctly points out that it presents itself one way - read the SGI Charter, articles 3 and 7 regarding freedom or religion and tolerance - and behaves another - sponsors campaigns aimed at restricting religious freedom and fostering intolerance. It's a pretty simple issue.
Byrd further brings in American - yes, American - values that are based on the First Amendment of our Constitution. She did not quote it, Patrick, but if you will take a look at "On the Recitation of the Hoben and Juryo Chapters" (I think I got the title right) Gosho, towards the end, Nichiren offers a critical passage on "zuiho bini" and the importance of the "manners and customs" of a country. Check it out.
I speak for myself, but I believe that Byrd (and others) will agree when I point out that, until the SGI-USA begins to put that zuiho bini guidance into practice, it will remain a third rate tiny religious group in this country, always out of the mainstream.
Cheers!
Andy
I did not "talk about her on the internet, Patrick" -that implies gossip. I talked about the SGI's campaign to "close down" Nichiren Shoshu temples. The group in question was an example, that's all.
And no, I think that if you stand up and make policy statements (or "launch campaigns") in this country, you implicity consent for your listeners to discuss the policies involved. No one has to talk to you about it first. You are free to discuss a lecture by Sensei or by Danny Nagashima or by Linda Johnson, or any writer in Living Buddhism, and you don't have to talk to the author about it first. If they publish, I think they're consenting for a discussion. If I stand up at a meeting and talk about my literacy tutoring work, I assume that my listeners will talk baout it - I even hope that they will talk about it.
The problem here is not that I have failed to "talk to the lady" about her campaign, but rather that I have failed to submit my opinions to an internal SGI editing and censorship process on the matter. That's another darn western value on the line - free speech. Patrick, you wrote: "I am not uncomfortable with American values, only let us be honest,whether they are western or american, they are not humane in nature." Patrick - we are talking about recognizing peoples' rights to worship as they choose. Even sects we don' tlike or don't agree with. You are saying that this is not a "Humane" value? I don't understand. The SGI purports in its charter to support this value. Do you not agree with this purported position of the SGI's?
I don't think I've said anything nationalistic at all. I'm no more a supporter of George W. Bush than you are, in all likelihood. I'm not in favor of any wars in Iraq, or going back to Jim Crow or any other discriminatory laws. I honestly don't know where you got that.
You ask "why should anyone who is not American owe any debt of gratitude to American values?" The reason why I believe that Daisaku Ikeda and the SGI owe a debt of gratitude to the principle of religious freedom is because it is this principle which has allowed Ikeda to become a Buddhist Mentor to Millions,and it is this principle that has allowed the SGI to spread Nichiren Buddhism globally. I have no reason to believe that the Lotus Sutra is in any way contradictory to this principle, and in fact, I believe thatthe sutra supports the principle of religious freedom.
When we work against that principle, or engage our membership in "campaigns" which restrict others' rights to worship as they choose, we slander the sutra, I believe. I don't have to talk to any one else about it before I state this opinion.
Patrick wrote: "why should anyone who is not American owe any debt of gratitude to American values?"
OK...but we should honor our SGI Charter:

1. SGI shall respect and protect the freedom of religion and religious expression.
   
2. SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them toward the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.
   

How are we going to "engage in dialogue and work together" with a sect when we engage in official prayer vigils to close down their Temples?"
Should we take the Priests down to Redondo Beach and cut their heads off?
David
Hello all:
I just wanted to confirm that the Senior Group here in New York also put out a flyer about their daimoku Campaign to close the temple...sometime before November 18th...so it is not an isolated incident.
I know nothing else, but I'll try to find out more.
Thanks
David
American values? The country was founded on religious intolerance,all the religious parties got their own state so they wouldn't have to put up with anyone else. When they banded together as a nation they wanted to ensure that that would continue so they made sure that there would be no federally recognized religion. Even today for a Jew or any other non-christian to be elected president is judged to be just about impossible. Even a Mormon has a problem being accepted. America is not a land of religious tolerance or racial tolerance even now. A friends son was arrested and one of his friends beaten up by cops for the crime of being black in Texas. Maybe you should stop believing in the fairy-tale land you were told you live in.
ch
All good points, Clown - but that doesn't mean that the SGI has to make things worse, does it? I hope not....
Thanks for writing in, Byrd in LA
Patrick,
Do you think chanting to close down a Temple, as an act of revenge, is a Universal Buddhist Value?
Clown,
Anyone with an ounce of brain matter knows that America does not always live up to our ideals and values. We are a nation of imperfect people. Racist cops are just racist people. Someone mentioned torture. American soldiers thrust into war do mean things. How shocking! Does anyone think the people they are fighting play by the rules?
So, if we hate American values so much, maybe we should stop exercising the freedoms we enjoy? You guys are dragging this off the topic.
Are you saying this: Americans do not always live up to our values, therefore SGI most certainly should not?
At SGU, one poster seems to be saying that NST has done mean things, so we should be mean to them? Is this not exactly the same rationale used to rationalize torture?
Michael seems like he wants to discard the Golden Rule, after all it is Christian, and go with an eye for an eye? Get them before they get us?
Hi, Robin - I don't think chanting to close down a rival house of worship is interpreted as an "act of revenge" within the SGI. Rather, I think it is seen as a noble and virtuous display of "never give up spirit". The US must be made "shoshu-rein", and must be cleared of the "cockroaches", as the Hutus in Rwanda referred to the Tutsis. In the case of this dispute, the "cockroaches" are Nichiren Shoshu clergy.
SGI groups' praying to close down rival houses of worship is (I think) a way of "clarifying the True Law for America". The fact that people exercise their first amendment right to chant, do so outside of the SGI's governance structure, and owe no loyalty to Sensei is potentially "confusing" to the public, and to the members. Since the people in the SGI who decide what is and what is not "confusing" are not native to our culture (or else have deeply assimilated the foreign cultuire's values), the issues which are dear to us (such as religious freedom) do not get raised. There are no voices calling for this value to be upheld, because the people who are in leadership positions are there because of their demonstrated willingness to suborn Western values as a gesture of loyalty to kosen rufu. No-one asks questions out loud like that which I am asking here - whether perhaps Sensei owes something to us, rather than the debt of gratitude running solely from American citizens to him in Tokyo?
So, revenge has little or nothing to do with it, Robin. Rather, it's about Japan not having had religious freedom as a customary value, and so they don't know how to handle it, except as a sort of decorator item (as in the SGI Charter).
Oh, well- this has been an interesting line of discussion. Tomorrow, I think I will blog on the tempting Christmas treats here at the office.
Take care all, and thanks for writing in. Best, Byrd in LA
Andy,
Actually, I spoke directly to the point.
I will reiterate the same point differently.
Nichiren Shoshu attempted to use a shinto talisman to nationalize Nichiren's teachings for the Japanese.
How is what Byrd and others recommend any different?
Exchanging American values for Japanese values gives you the same result, not Nichiren's Buddhism any longer.
If you want to integrate American/Western values into Lotus Sutra's teachings you are making the same attempt the Priesthood did in the past, appeasing others, and an incorrect understanding of Nichiren's intent.
Robin,
You or Byrd never spoke with the Golden Pionee member. You do not know what hetheir intent is, revenge or otherwise.
It is the heart that matters most!
It is what lies in our heart when we chant the daimoku that is most important. Do you know what is in this Golden Pioneers Heart without asking first. NO.
You say revenge because that sounds good to you and bad for her. But is that the truth or just your spin of the truth?
David,
I see you recommend the SGI-USA members take some American oath of allegiance in order to practice Nichiren's Buddhism correctly, like a nationalistic attachment to Nichiren's teachings.
posters,
I think until you actually engage in dialogue with the Golden Pioneers, you are only speculating what is in their minds and hearts and you are just gossiping about what you actually do not know much about except a posted flyer.
Myself, If I was five years older I would be one of those Golden Pioneers, but alas I am just an American Pioneer. I was offered an invitation to join the Golden Pioneers, but they found out I was younger than they thought.
The golden Pioneers, actually built the first temple in LA for the Nichiren Shoshu. I guess if they asked them here, they can ask them to leave as well.
A debt of gratitude to the Buddha perhaps.
Myself, I have no problem with the four debts of gratitude, but they have nothing to do with American/Western values.
I would recommend a read on the four debts of gratitude before you make assertions about adding American/Western values to them.
Like Nichiren said, nam myoho renge kyo is complete and needs no other teachings.
Patrick