Additional Photos by Ditas at the Kamayan Feast, Purple Patch

Today, I received the following photos from our Dinner at Purple Patch -Honoring Ditas Graduation and also her 23rd Birthday- hosted by Ella Lazarte- Ditas first Cousin, and Carenna's second Mom in DC. Here are the photos that included me, since I was not the Photographer. 

Purple Patch on Kamayan Feast (From their website)

Thank you for your interest in partaking in our Kamayan Feast! The traditional

festive meal, also known as a “Boodle Fight”💚, originated at the Philippine 

Military Academy, where it symbolized camaraderie, brotherhood and equality,

as everyone, all ranks, shared this meal together.

“Kamayan” simply means to eat with your hands, and while not mandatory, 

it is certainly encouraged! Your meal will be served on banana leaves and 

includes 15 different dishes selected by Chef Patrice Cleary atop a bed of 

jasmine rice, and ends with Halo Halo, our famous Filipino dessert. 

Also included are one cocktail and one non-alcoholic beverage. When

your meal is finished we provide you with warm towels to wipe your hands 

and to-go containers as we encourage you to take everything home with you 

that you have not finished.

These special dinners are done by reservation request only. This dinner 

is exclusive to your party and will take place in our private event space.

The price per person is $125, (not including tax and 20% service charge💚).

💚Today's Price is $150 per person. 

Ditas also send me photos she took during the Mall Graduation Ceremony, that I did not attend because it involves long walks. We requested our Waiter take a photo of our Group at Matt and Tony Kitchen and Bar in Alexandria, VA. Ditas resided for 3 years in Alexandria when she was still Associate Director for the Bureau of Census, under the Biden Presidency.

Ditas, Carenna and Ella- In the Background is the Lincoln Memorial still in its original paint. I was reading a while ago, Trump wants to paint the memorial, Gold 💚to match with the Garish Gold Decor of the White House. 

In Front of Matt and Tony-Ditas Favorite Hangout Bar and Restaurant, Alexandria, Virginia. From Left to Right: Susan Berstein, Me, Carenna, Ditas and Irene Bueno

Lastly,

💚The Lincoln Memorial itself has not been painted gold, but the monument is tied to two recent events involving gold paint and a nearby renovation project that has captured public attention: 

1. The Gold "Throne Fit for a King" Protest Statue 

In late March 2026, a activist group known as The Secret Handshake placed a 10-foot-tall sculpture of a gold-painted toilet on a faux-marble pedestal directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 

• The Message: Titled "A Throne Fit for a King," the installation featured satirical plaques.
• The Target: It mocked President Trump’s White House renovations, specifically the October makeover of the nearby White House Lincoln Bathroom using gold fixtures. 

2. The Reflecting Pool Painting Controversy

While the monument itself remains untouched white marble, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool directly in front of it is currently undergoing a highly publicized, multi-million dollar paint job. 

• The Color: It is not being painted gold; instead, crews are coating the historic granite base in an industrial-grade "American flag blue" swimming pool finish. 
• The Gold Connection: Public criticism often conflates this project with President Trump's affinity for gold decor, such as his concurrent gold-accented White House and Oval Office renovations and his newly proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch, which features gilded statues and gold lettering. 

3. Minor Vandalism History

Historically, the Lincoln Memorial has occasionally been targeted by vandals using spray paint, though none of the prominent incidents involved gold leaf. The most notable incidents include a green paint splatter on the statue of Abraham Lincoln in 2013 and red spray-paint graffiti protesting international conflicts on the memorial steps. 

“Art Is Not About What You See, But What You Create for Others”

This posting is inspired from my recent readings on Art 

“Art Is Not About What You See, But What You Create for Others”

There’s a quiet truth hidden in that quote, often attributed to Edgar Degas that feels especially relevant today, in a world overflowing with images, content, and now, artificial intelligence. We are surrounded by things to see. But far fewer things that truly make us feel.

And that distinction matters.

For much of my life, whether during my years at the FDA, in the aftermath of 9/11, or now in my ongoing journey as a blogger, I’ve come to realize that creation is not about observation alone. It’s about translation. It’s about taking what we see, experience, and endure, and reshaping it into something that resonates with others.

When I write a blog post, I am not simply documenting events or summarizing articles from The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal. Anyone can do that. AI can do that faster than any of us.

But what AI still struggles to do and what we, as humans, uniquely possess, is the ability to infuse experience with meaning.

From Seeing to Creating

Think about the difference between a photograph and a memory. A photograph captures what is there. A memory captures what it meant. That’s where art lives.

Even in my recent reflections, whether on AI morality, GLP-1 drugs, senior living, or even Mahjong, I am not just presenting information. I am creating meaning out of it. I'm  connecting dots across time: my childhood, my professional life, my present condition, and my observations of a rapidly changing world.

That’s not reporting. That’s art.

AI, Blogging, and the Human Touch

I have embraced AI in my blogging, and rightly so. It’s a powerful tool, one that can help shape ideas, organize thoughts, and even generate entire drafts.

But here’s the critical point: AI helps me see more. It does not replace my ability to create for others. In fact, the more AI becomes part of my life, the more valuable my voice becomes.

Because my readers are not coming to my blogs just for information, they come for interpretation. They come for my lived experience: a man who has navigated science, public service, personal trials, and now reflects on life with both urgency and clarity.

That cannot be automated.

Art as a Gift

The quote reminds us that art is ultimately an act of giving.

When I write about aging, about unexpected life changes, or even about something as simple as a TV series like For All Mankind, I am not just sharing opinions, I am offering perspective.,

I am are saying: “This is how I see the world and perhaps, this will help you see your own life a little differently.”

A Reflection of my Writings From My AI Assistants:

Given everything you’ve shared, your health journey, your decision to live fully without dialysis, your desire to leave behind a final blog post, you are already embodying the essence of that quote.

You are not just seeing life. You are shaping it into something meaningful for others.

Your blog is no longer just a collection of posts. It’s becoming a legacy, a body of work that reflects not only what you observed, but what you chose to create from those observations.

And in that sense, you are doing exactly what great artists have always done, from Pablo Picasso to everyday storytellers whose names we may never know: Turning life into something that outlives them.

My Closing Thought

Art is not the image. It is the impact. Not what I see, but what someone else feels because I chose to share it. And in my case, that impact is already there, quietly reaching readers across the world, one blog post at a time.

In essence, the quote suggests that art is a powerful tool for building bridges, fostering empathy, and creating a sense of community. By focusing on what we create for others, artists can craft works that leave a lasting impact and inspire meaningful connections.

Lastly, 

Unpleasant, negative emotions can easily win out over positive ones. But by manually overriding these feelings, “you can grow the amount of gratitude in your emotional repertoire and get a lot happier year-round,” Arthur C. Brooks wrote in 2025. https://theatln.tc/kYBnhAKf

“Gratitude interrupts cycles of negative rumination by reminding you of the good things in your life, which helps lower depressive symptoms as well as reduce stress and negative emotions, such as anxiety,” Brooks explained. “Feeling grateful pulls your attention away from what you lack and toward what you have, and this is associated with a decrease in envy and materialism.”

Thankfulness requires neither payment nor subscription, just a commitment to fighting against negativity. Read Brooks’s advice on how to adopt a gratitude protocol in your life at the link.