Quote: Joseph Goebells

"Make the lie big, keep it simple, keeping saying it and eventually they will believe it."

Links: Learning Tagalog

I have started to learn Tagalog for my anticipated 2019 trip to the Philippines (my first trip). Here are some links I have been using to study, just in case you all want to learn with me. Things are coming along slowly after 10 months or so of intensive effort I might be able to speak in simple ways directly to the Filipino people, more importantly I can hear what they are telling me. Only after listening and learning from them can a bit of understanding happen.

Good YouTube Video Tagalog Teaching Source
Online Google Dictionary With Audio, English To Tagalog

FACEBOOK Post Update With Link

Gerry Yaum

Hey all, since my return to Canada II have not really done much facebooking. Felt I sort of overdid it a bit in Asia. Now I am chilling in Canada, getting healthy, and doing post photo work in the darkroom and on the computer. Am also taking care of my mother whose health has deteriated. She is doing a bit better now, so feel good about that.

Am reading the life story of a Irish priest in the Philippines. A fascinating tale of a mans fight for the rights of the poor. Father Shay has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 4 times. If any of you are interested below is a blog link with the book title etc. I contacted Father Shay who kindly invited me to visit him in the Philippines at his aid organization PREDA. He also wrote me an incredibly nice and inspiring email related to the dump "Families" work in Mae Sot. 

Because of this new book and the important work being done there I have decided that I need to go to the Philippines next trip (Thai and the dump also). To that end I have started to learn Tagalog (Filipino). My head hurts!!!! Learning a language at 54 is daunting. I think Tagalog can be learned thou, all it requires is enough determination and effort. Still it hurts my itty bitty mind! I keep forgetting and getting the words mixed up but it is coming slowly, slow and steady.
AKO MATUTO SA MAGSALITA TAGALOG...

I think that means, "I am learning to speak Tagalog". Need some Filipino friends to practise with. Hopefully I can go to the Philippines next year to make photographs and visit Father Shay and PREDA. I also want to photograph and meet families living in Manilas graveyards and in the imfamous Tondo slum. Never been to Phil so it all is a bit iffy, a bit dangerous, but you got to try to do new stuff, chase new opportunities, enter new lives, make new friends and photographs. At one time going to the dump in Mae Sot seemed iffy, dangerous and difficult. Now not so much! Now the dump is filled with friends, some very close. Here is the link to the book.
Hope your all well...IBIG (love) Gerry

https://gerryyaum.blogspot.com/2018/06/passion-and-power-by-fr-shay-cullen.html 

Wrote Fr. Shay

I wrote Father Shay a few days back, thanked him and told him about the work being done in the Mae Sot dump. We have exchanged a few emails since then then. What a generous good hearted man. His note is extremely encouraging and inspiring especially after all the recent grant and gallery rejections.

Here is the email. Please if you can donate to his organization which helps the Filipino people, PREDA. If I visit the Philippines I plan on visiting Preda and Fr. Shay. Might try to go there for the first time next year.

Letters like this from a good man who sacrifices to help others berfore himself are so uplifting. I thought I would share the email with you all.

Note* Fr Shay has been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize 4 times.

Dear Gerry,

I say congratulations on your great  charity work ,fundraising , and leading a life worth living  helping others and documenting and advocating for the  poor.  The photos are  excellent and well done.  If you are ever you can visiting the Philippines you are very welcome to visit me here in Preda ,at Olongapo City.  Keep up the good work and your photography  you are a great example to others too and inspiring many people with your good works. Well done !!    Every  success in finishing the book ,where did you find it ?

Every blessing and happiness   

Fr.Shay  

www.preda.org

"Passion And Power" By Fr. Shay Cullen

A few days back I started to read a book written by Father Shay Cullen who is an Irish catholic priest living and working in the Philippines. He has been living with the poorest of the poor and helping those in need for over 30 years now. Father Shay's book is a difficult but very important read. It deals with his life in the Philippines and the fight against the exploitation of children and young women working the sex bars of the Philippines. Father Shay's work with the poor, corruption in the country, many beautiful and sad stories are covered. It is a book of heart and caring. I recommend it to everyone out there. Please take the time to buy and read it.

Passion and Power by Father Shay Cullen

Quote: Will Rogers

"Don't let yesterday take up to much of today."

Quote: Dalai Lama

"Our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if you can't help them at least don't hurt them."

Gallery Rejection Note

Another gallery rejection, do not even remember submitting work to this place. Nice of them to send me the generic note.
-------------

Hello,

Thank you for submitting a proposal for the 2019 exhibition season at the Harris-Warke Gallery and please forgive the delay in providing a response. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a show at this time.

We were encouraged by the response to our call for submissions and received individual and group proposals representing both emerging and professional artists.  We selected eight shows that reflect diverse practices and we look forward to presenting the results in the gallery next year.

Thanks again for your interest. As fellow artists, we appreciate you taking the time to prepare a proposal and enjoyed learning about your work.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. 

We wish you success in your continued work.

Mom Dad Dream

Am back after 3 days camping. On the second night I had a dream about mom and dad. They were laying in a hospital bed dad was hugging mom, there were tubes, medical tubes of all kinds attached to their bodies. Dad had a tube down his nose, mom had a IV in her arm, there were many other tubes hooked up to big machines. It was a frightening look, a scary dream. The strange thing was they seemed content, and happy in a way.

Mom is in the hospital until the 14th at least, dad is gone. I wish I would stop having dreams like this. I miss dad so much. How much time does mom have left?

Off Camping

Am off camping for 3 nights, to Jasper Alberta. It should be a nice change of pace of the craziness of the last 1/2 year plus. Going to take some stereo photos, eat, read, sleep and hike about. The beauty of nature will be a nice soothing experience after the dump world and my hectic return to Canada.

Update: Saw a bobcat behind my campsite. It was rather amazing, it was the first cat of any kind I have ever seen in a Canadian national park.