Some Photos from Our Halloween Happy Hour This Afternoon

This year Halloween Happy Hour and Costume Contest was a bewitching success. The winner of the Costume Contest ( for residents ) was Minoo Farvar dressed as a witch. The winner for the employees was Veronica Arriaga dressed as a Grecian Goddess-Athena. Jenny S took my picture along with Veronica as follows: 

I wore my Hairy T-Shirt during the Party. My shirt received a few Ah's and Oh's from the Ladies.   

The music was provided by my favorite music Guru-Alek the Russian dressed as the Devil with his two red horns. I enjoyed Alek's music very very much, we even sing some of the songs along with him.  Alek sang Falling In Love, which made Mary Ann D super happy.  

At the party, the Employee of the Month was won by Sean ( one of our Drivers).      

I had a chance to dance the Cha Cha with Marsha. For some reasons, my legs were not aching. I attributed this to my one hour massage by Indy ( Darry Choy) in the morning.

Incidentally, I feel asleep during my one -hour massage this morning before the Happy Hour.   

Before the Party, I took two Selfies featuring my Hairy T-shirt , I purchased from Amazon just a couple days ago as follows:    

Jenny took a few more pictures that I am posting as follows:

Look at the Witch ( Winner) at the Back of Our Table. 

Mary Ann D and I enjoying the Happy Hour. Showing off my Hairy Chest!   

More Dancing Photos with Marsha K. 

Thanks a Million to  Jenny S, our Acting General Manager for the beautiful Photos above. 

Kudos to THD and Activity Director Alexis Jones for a well-planned and super successful Halloween Party and Happy Hour. I did not win the Candy Counting Contest nor the Picking Up small pumpkins and witch hats lottery.   

After the Happy Hour, Mary Ann and I along with Bill Obenchain ( My neighbor) went to Dinner. I ordered the Halloween Dinner ( see Menu below). I enjoyed the Rhubarb Pie but not the Soup. I rather have Beef Nilaga or Pork Sinigang.  But I am a super minority here at THD, being the only resident with Filipino ancestry out of over 160 seniors. Thus, I am happy even if we have only a Filipino dinner once a year during the Celebration of Filipino-American History Month on October every year.       

Our Next Big Event Here at THD will be the Coming Thanksgiving Dinner. Looking forward to it. 

Meanwhile, here's my Photo of the Day:

 

 

The Rebel with a Cause: An Introduction to Albert Camus

This posting is inspired from my recent viewing of the movie, the Stranger based on one of Albert Camus literary work that I enjoyed very much.  If you have heard of Albert Camus before, I salute you. You must be someone who has knowledge of world literature.  Camus won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. 

The Rebel with a Cause: An Introduction to Albert Camus

Have you ever looked out at the vastness of the universe and wondered, What is the point of it all?

If you have, you are in excellent company. Decades ago, a brilliant, charismatic writer from North Africa asked the exact same question. His name was Albert Camus, and today he remains one of the most widely read, captivating, and misunderstood thinkers of the modern era.

If you are discovering his name for the very first time, here is a journey into the life, the passion, and the timeless literature of a man who looked deep into the dark void of human existence and told us to smile anyway.

The Boy from Algiers: A Life of Poverty and Passion

Albert Camus was born in 1913 in Mondovi, Algeria, into a world of extreme hardship. His father was killed in World War I when Albert was just an infant, leaving his mother, who was deaf and illiterate, to raise him in a dirt-poor neighborhood of Algiers.

By all accounts, Camus should have slipped into historical obscurity. But life had other plans. Blessed with an incredible mind, a passionate love for soccer, and the guidance of an intuitive schoolteacher who recognized his genius, Camus earned a scholarship to study philosophy.

His life was a whirlwind of dramatic chapters:

• The Resistance Fighter: During World War II, when Nazi forces occupied France, Camus joined the underground French Resistance. He became the editor-in-chief of Combat, a banned, highly dangerous underground newspaper, using his pen to fight tyranny.
• The Rock-Star Intellectual: With his sharp trench coats, movie-star looks (often compared to Humphrey Bogart), and fierce independence, he became an overnight celebrity in Paris.
• The Nobel Laureate: In 1957, at the young age of 44, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, cementing his status as a global voice for justice and human dignity.

Tragically, just three years after winning the Nobel Prize, Camus’s life was cut short in 1960 when he died in a sudden, catastrophic car accident in France. In his briefcase, authorities found the unfinished manuscript of his final, deeply personal autobiographical novel.

✨ Shareable Quote: "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."

The Core Idea: What is "The Absurd"?

To understand Camus's books, you only need to understand one word: The Absurd.

Camus argued that humans have a desperate, natural desire for meaning, order, and purpose. However, the universe is cold, silent, and completely indifferent to us. This collision, the human scream for meaning meeting a silent universe, is what Camus called "the Absurd."

Many thinkers of his time thought this realization should lead to despair or giving up. Camus fiercely disagreed. He believed that recognizing life’s meaninglessness is actually the ultimate freedom. Once you realize the universe isn’t going to hand you a purpose, you are entirely free to create your own meaning through love, art, solidarity, and passion.

✨ Shareable Quote: "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion."

3 Essential Masterpieces to Start With

If you want to dive into Camus's brilliant literary world, here are the three essential works that shook the world:

1. The Stranger (1942)

• The Premise: This short, haunting novel follows a detached French-Algerian clerk named Meursault. When his mother dies, he doesn't cry. Shortly after, on a blindingly hot beach, he shoots an Arab man for reasons he cannot fully explain.
• Why it matters: The book isn't really about the crime; it's about the trial. The court sentences Meursault to death not just because of the murder, but because society is terrified of a man who refuses to play along with social games or lie about his feelings. It is a gripping study of isolation and authenticity.

2. The Myth of Sisyphus (1942)

• The Premise: In this famous philosophical essay, Camus uses an old Greek myth to explain his worldview. Sisyphus is condemned by the gods to push a massive boulder up a mountain, only to watch it roll back down to the bottom for all eternity.
• Why it matters: Camus looks at this endless, meaningless labor and asks: How do we survive this? His answer is revolutionary. Sisyphus conquers his punishment simply by choosing to walk back down the mountain and push the rock again with a defiant smile.

✨ Shareable Quote: "One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

3. The Plague (1947)

• The Premise: A terrifying outbreak of the bubonic plague hits a coastal Algerian city, forcing the gates to close and plunging the citizens into a strict, terrifying lockdown.
• Why it matters: Written as an allegory for the Nazi occupation of Europe, this epic novel tracks how different people respond to a collective crisis. While some panic or exploit the situation, a quiet doctor named Bernard Rieux risks everything to treat the sick, simply because it is the right thing to do. It is a beautiful masterpiece about human solidarity, decency, and our duty to fight against suffering, even when the odds are stacked against us.

Why Camus Matters Today

Albert Camus didn't sit in an ivory tower writing abstract theories. He lived, loved, fought in revolutions, and wrote for everyday people. He reminds us that even when the world feels chaotic, fractured, or deeply unfair, our greatest rebellion is to live honestly, love deeply, and stand up for one another.

✨ Shareable Quote: "Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend."

Have you read any of Camus's works, or watched any of their film adaptations? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Here's one of his popular book, the Rebel available for $490.  

https://www.biblio.com/book/rebel-camus-albert-read-herbert/d/1380795149?srsltid=AYCX9vK4lL_TlHQoqJyBPT5161bR4PLpY-aeVsJ6cremkZwOLp-KO0zb

Here are several of Albert Camus’s other literary works that have been adapted into films over the decades besides the Stranger (2025):

Literary Work	Film Adaptation(s)	Current US Streaming Status
The Plague(La Peste)	The Plague (1992): Directed by Luis Puenzo, starring William Hurt, Robert Duvall, and Raul Julia.	📺 Available to stream on Netflix. (Note: It is no longer available on Prime Video or Google Play).
The Guest(L'Hôte)	Far from Men (2014): A widely acclaimed French drama inspired by his short story, starring Viggo Mortensen.	🔍 Not currently available on major subscription platforms; check VOD storefronts like Apple TV or Amazon for digital rental availability.
The First Man (Le Premier Homme)	The First Man (2011): An autobiographical adaptation directed by Gianni Amelio, covering Camus's childhood in Algeria.	🔍 Digital availability varies; occasionally streams on specialized international platforms or Kanopy depending on library access.

Dear Boys, Looksmaxxing Is a Fool’s Errand- Or Is It?

Dear Boys, Looksmaxxing Is a Fool’s Errand - Or Is It?

My reflection inspired by Joel Stein’s recent piece in The Wall Street Journal

There was a time, not too long ago, when a young man’s worth was measured quietly.
By how he kept his word. By how he showed up when it mattered. By how he treated people when no one was watching.

Today, that quiet measuring stick has been replaced by something louder, harsher, and infinitely more unforgiving: the mirror… and the algorithm behind it.

The other day, as I read Joel Stein’s article “Dear Boys, Looksmaxxing Is a Fool’s Errand,” I found myself pausing more than once, not because the idea was new, but because it named something many have felt but few have articulated so plainly.

What Exactly Is “Looksmaxxing”?

For those who may not yet be familiar, looksmaxxing is the growing online obsession, fueled largely by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, that encourages young men to optimize their physical appearance to the highest possible degree.

Not just basic grooming. But optimization:

• Jawline enhancement
• Skin perfection
• Hairline engineering
• Gym-sculpted physiques
• Even, in some circles, surgical intervention

It is self-improvement taken to an extreme, where the body becomes a project, and the face, a lifelong renovation.

The Seduction of Control

Let me say this clearly: the desire to improve oneself is not new. Nor is it wrong.

In fact, in many ways, it is deeply human. We diet. We exercise. We dress better as we grow older.

But looksmaxxing offers something more intoxicating: the illusion of total control.

If you are not succeeding in life, it whispers, it must be because you are not attractive enough. If you are not loved, it must be because your face has not yet reached its “final form.”

It reduces the complexity of human experience, love, respect, belonging into a single variable: appearance. And that is where the danger lies.

When Improvement Becomes Obsession

At some point, improvement quietly crosses a line into obsession.

You can often tell when it happens:

• When a missed workout feels like a moral failure
• When a bad hair day ruins an entire day
• When a stranger’s filtered photo becomes a benchmark for your own worth

And perhaps most troubling of all-when self-worth becomes conditional.

Not on character. Not on kindness. Not on contribution. But on symmetry.

A Generation Under a Digital Microscope

What makes this moment different from any other in history is not vanity, it is visibility.

Young men today are growing up in a world where:

• Every flaw can be zoomed in
• Every comparison is global
• Every “ideal” is artificially enhanced

The standards are not just high, they are often unreal. And yet, they are consumed daily, quietly shaping expectations of what it means to be “enough.”

The Quiet Things That Still Matter

As I sat with Stein’s argument, I found myself returning to something simpler. Something older. The men I have admired most in my lifetime-the ones who left a mark were rarely the most physically perfect.

But they had presence. They listened.They carried responsibility without complaint.

They made others feel seen. These are qualities no algorithm can measure. No filter can enhance. No surgical procedure can replicate.

So… Is Lookmaxxing Really a Fool’s Errand?

Perhaps not entirely. There is nothing foolish about:

• Taking care of your health
• Presenting yourself well
• Wanting to feel confident in your own skin

But it becomes a fool’s errand when:

• It replaces inner development
• It becomes the primary source of identity
• It convinces you that you are never enough

Because the truth, quiet, stubborn, and enduring-is this:

No amount of external perfection can compensate for an unformed inner life.

A Final Reflection

If I could say something directly to young men navigating this world, it would be this:

Take care of your appearance-but do not build your life upon it. Invest in your body, but also invest in your mind, your relationships, your sense of purpose.

Because long after youth fades and it always does-what remains is not the sharpness of your jawline, but the depth of your character.

And in the end, that is what people remember.

For my readers around the world, many of whom have watched generations rise and fall, perhaps this is not a new lesson, but it is one that each generation must rediscover for itself.

And maybe, just maybe, that rediscovery is part of what makes us human after all.

Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview

Looksmaxxing, the trend of extreme, data-driven self-improvement popular on TikTok, is likely a fool's errand for young men, argue articles from the Wall Street Journal and other observers. Joel Stein, writing for the WSJ, suggests the intense focus on facial metrics and physical, "hardmaxxing" changes (like surgery or extreme dieting) is a short-term, unsustainable endeavor, and encourages "looksminning" instead. 

Why Looksmaxxing is Considered a "Fool's Errand"

• Objectification and Misaligned Goals: It is rooted in a "20% of men get 80% of women" mentality, treating romantic pursuits as a, "fantasy-league football" game.
• Dangers of Hardmaxxing: Extreme methods like tapping faces with hammers for jawline definition, dangerous, "hardmaxxing" tactics.
• Long-Term Ineffectiveness: Intense focus on appearance often ignores the long-term reality of relationships, which extend well beyond the dating, "market".
• Over-Focus on Metrics: It reduces attractiveness to simple ratios, like facial width-to-height, rather than overall health or personality. 

Why It's Gaining Popularity

• Social Acceptance and Confidence: Many, like TikTok user Kareem Shami ("Syrian Psycho"), argue that improving one's appearance is a powerful tool for self-confidence, self-expression, and personal branding.
• Peer Validation: It's seen as a way to gain social validation.
• Online Culture: It's part of a, "digitally native" trend of tracking and optimizing every aspect of one's life, from fitness to, now, face structure. 

The Alternative: "Looksminning"

• A "Looksminning" Approach: Instead of chasing, "looksmaxxing," some suggest, "looksminning," which is interpreted as focusing on more grounded, sustainable self-improvement that embraces a more relaxed, authentic, and perhaps even "flawed" or, "personable," aesthetic rather than a "perfect" one.
• Focus on Health: This approach might involve prioritizing, "mental health and overall wellness" rather than, "just physical appearance".