List of Medications for Erectile Dysfunction

This is the last article on my series of list of medications for common ailments/diseases in the US.  I hope you found the series informative. 

 

Medications Used to Treat Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the condition of not being able to get or keep an erection that’s firm enough for sexual intercourse. It’s often caused by an underlying health problem. The Urology Care Foundation estimates that this condition affects 30 million men in the United States. For some men, treatment with drugs may resolve their ED.

There are many types of drugs used to treat ED. Each drug works differently, but they all improve sexual activity by stimulating blood flow to the penis.

The most common ED drugs belong to a group known as phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. They block certain enzyme activity that leads to ED.

If you have certain health issues, it may not be safe for you to take ED drugs. For instance, if you have heart disease, your heart may not be healthy enough for sex.

1. Alprostadil

Alprostadil (Caverject, Edex, MUSE) comes as an injectable solution and as a penile suppository. You’ll inject the solution directly into your penis 5 to 20 minutes before having sex. You can use it as needed up to three times per week. You should let at least 24 hours lapse between injections.

With MUSE (or Medicated Urethral System for Erections), the suppository should be administered 5 to 10 minutes before sex. It shouldn’t be used more than twice in a 24-hour period. The more common side effects of this drug include pain in the penis and testicles, as well as burning in the urethra.

2. Avanafil

Avanafil (Stendra) is an oral drug and a PDE5 inhibitor. You should take it about 15 minutes before having sex. Don’t take it more than once per day.

You shouldn’t use any PDE5 inhibitors if you’re also taking nitrates to treat heart disease. Examples of nitrates include isosorbide mononitrate (Monoket) and nitroglycerin (Nitrostat). Taking nitrates with avanafil can cause severely low blood pressure and even death. The more common side effects of this drug include:

• headache
• flushing, or the reddening and warming of your face
• stuffy or runny nose
• back pain
• sore throat

3. Sildenafil

Sildenafil (Viagra) is also a PDE5 inhibitor. Viagra is only available as an oral tablet. You should take it only once per day, about 30 minutes to an hour before sex. The more common side effects of this drug include:

• headache
• flushing
• stuffy or runny nose
• back pain
• upset stomach
• muscle aches
• vision changes, such as blurry vision and changes in how certain colors look

4. Tadalafil

Tadalafil (Cialis) is an oral drug that increases blood flow throughout your body. You take this PDE5 inhibitor about 30 minutes before sex, no more than once per day. It may work for up to 36 hours. The more common side effects of this drug include:

• headache
• flushing
• stuffy or runny nose
• back pain
• upset stomach
• pain in the limbs

5. Testosterone

Testosterone is the main sex hormone in the male body. It plays many roles in overall health. Testosterone levels naturally drop with age. This change can lead to ED and other issues, such as:

• fatigue
• low sex drive
• reduced sperm count
• weight gain

Doctors sometimes prescribe testosterone to treat ED. In fact, PDE5 inhibitors are most effective when used alongside testosterone therapy in men with a testosterone deficiency. However, the drug does come with risks. Testosterone can increase your chance of a heart attack or stroke. Because of these risks, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source says that only men who have low testosterone due to certain health issues should use testosterone.

Your doctor will watch you closely if they give you testosterone. They’ll test the levels of testosterone in your body before and during your treatment with this drug. If your testosterone levels are too high, your doctor will stop your treatment or lower your dosage. Side effects of testosterone may include:

• acne
• male breasts
• prostate growth
• fluid retention that causes swelling
• moodiness
• sleep apnea, or interrupted breathing during your sleep

Testosterone for ED comes in many forms. The table below lists the forms of testosterone and their brand-name versions. Some forms may also be available as generic drugs.

Testosterone form	Brand names
Transdermal cream	First Testosterone Cream 2%
Transdermal gel	AndroGel, Fortesta, Testim, and Vogelxo
Transdermal patch	Androderm
Transdermal solution	None (only available as generic)
Topical gel	AndroGel and Natesto
Nasal gel	Natesto
Oral capsule	Testred
Oral tablet	Android 25
Mucoadhesive film that dissolves under your gums	Striant
Pellet implant	Testopel
Solution for intramuscular injection	Depo-Testosterone and Aveed

6. Vardenafil

Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn) is an oral drug and a PDE5 inhibitor. You take it as needed 60 minutes before sex. You can take this drug up to once per day as recommended by your doctor. The more common side effects of this drug include:

• headache
• flushing
• stuffy or runny nose
• back pain
• upset stomach
• dizziness

7. Vitamins and supplements for ED

There are many vitamins and supplements on the market that claim to help ED. Some promise better sexual function as well as increased energy and vitality. However, these supplements usually don’t work. They may also be unsafe.
Some supplements that are marketed as “natural” may even contain drugs. ED supplements can still interact with other medications you’re taking. They may also cause side effects. Talk to your doctor before using any vitamins or supplements for ED.

Before you take ED medications

Not everyone with ED needs to take medications. If you think you have ED, see your primary care doctor. They’ll give you a physical exam and request certain lab tests, as well as a complete medical and psychosocial history.
They may also refer you to a mental health professional, who can help you manage performance anxiety or relationship issues related to your ED.

ED caused by underlying conditions

Your ED may be caused by untreated diabetes, high blood pressure, or another issue. Treating that condition first may improve your ED symptoms.

ED caused by medications

ED may also be caused by other medications you’re taking. These may include drugs used to treat:

• high blood pressure
• heart disease
• depression
• seizures
• cancer

Your doctor can review the drugs you’re currently taking. They may make some changes that can improve your ED.

ED caused by lifestyle choices

Sometimes lifestyle choices can contribute to ED. Adopting healthy habits may help improve your symptoms. Try avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, and keeping your alcohol intake in check.

Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/medication-list#work-with-your-doctor

Meanwhile, enjoy this photo from the Internet

Peter Peppers 

Also enjoy this video,
https://youtu.be/7KqlAMqkxt0 

Sea Creatures in the Coral Gardens of the Amoingon Coast

"I consider myself to be a pretty tough dude. Rough neighborhoods don’t bother me. But I was snorkeling today and ran into one of these motherfuckers swimming straight towards me and I started flailing around like a wild radioactive chicken, my mouthpiece filled with water, started choking cuz I thought I was drowning, and then swam back to shore like I was running from the cops.
My mom shouted over from sea asking why I wasn’t coming back in and I was like CUZ I’M CHILLIN’ DAMN WHY YOU ALWAYS GOTTA BOTHER ME, SHIT. I’M JUST TIRED CAN’T A FLIP GET SOME REST.

                                                         

Photo: Zee Jambalos

The above two photos from the FB pages of Macrine's nephew and niece respectively reminded me of three articles about the Amoingon Coast of Western Marinduque, Philippines. The Amoingon Coast is the backyard of Chateau Du Mer- our second and vacation home in Boac.   

1. Snorkeling in the Amoingon Coast of Western Marinduque

Son David III after his daily snorkeling with Miko our pet dog at Amoingon Beach- a few meters from the CDM beach house.

Three weeks ago, two prospective clients for Chateau Du Mer from Australia and Virginia, USA asked me if the beach in front of the beach house is excellent for snorkeling. I told them, i really do not know( because I do not snorkle), but last year when my youngest son was vacationing here, he snorkeled almost every day when the waves are calm and the sun is bright. Their questions prompted me to search for old articles about the Amoingon coast. Attached is a posting from Marinduque Rising titled Amoingon Beach Colors written by the prolific writer, Eli Obligacion- a fellow blogger, former neighbor and friend.

marinduque rising: Amoingon beach colors: Just a few meters away from the pebble-strewn beach in the quiet coastal barangay of  Amoingon in Boac are coral gardens still home to a ...

Personally, I like to promote the Amoingon Coast as the snorkeling capital of Marinduque and the Torrijos Coast as the diving capital of the province.

 

2. A Paradise at Amoingon Coast

by Jane Dacumos on June 25, 2012

The western coast of Marinduque, known as the Amoingon Coast, is a coastal area with an abundant marine ecosystem. Just 10 to 15 meters away from the beachfront, the quiet coastal Barangay of Amoingon is home to a variety of tropical fishes, colorful butterfly fishes, bobbing clownfishes, lionfishes, melon-sized seashells, schools of angelfish, seahorses, and marine mollusks.

Amoingon is just over a mile away from the Port of Cawit in Boac. The beach itself is a tourist attraction. It is the home of numerous coral gardens. A railroad vine that help control erosion are allowed to bloom on this beach. These coral gardens welcome every visitor with a good and lovely charm.

Chateau-du-Mer is among the few resorts found in Amoingon with a beach house ideal for short vacations.

And Number 3: From Eli Obligacion Blog

http://marinduquegov.blogspot.com/2012/06/amoingon-beach-colors.html?spref=bl 

Meanwhile, enjoy this pompano sarciado, we had for our Dinner last night

 https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/

Here's How Carlos described his encounter with the sea Creature above lurking in the Coral Gardens of our backyard at CDM*

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Our CareTaker wanted to help me take out our Christmas Decor today. I told her, we keep our decor after the Feast Of the Three Kings- the last day of the Christmas Season.  Of the 10 houses in our neighborhood, seven took our their Christmas lights on December 26.

This incident inspired me to search for more information on the 12th day of Christmas. Here's a summary of what I learn from the Internet.

"Most people today believe that the twelve days of Christmas start on December 12th or 13th and run through Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But in fact, the first day of Christmas is December 25th and the final day is January 5th. Thus, for hundreds of years the Christmas holidays didn’t begin until Christmas Eve and didn’t end until Epiphany.


 https://youtu.be/vOwyMIoG5KI

Why were these twelve days important? These dozen days were tied to more than just the teaching of the Catholic Church. A host of other denominations also celebrated the twelve days of Christmas. Some denominations celebrated Christmas in January and began to count the twelve days then. But whenever they began, the counting of the days became an important facet of each holiday season. Even in the Dark Ages, in some Eastern European churches, the twelve days of Christmas meant attending daily church services.

For Christians who lived during this extremely difficult age, the twelve days were a time of re dedication and renewal. It was also a period when small, simple, and usually symbolic gifts of faith were given to children. Thus, in both coded poems and public worship, the twelve days were considered a holy period.

For many Christians today, even the recognition of the twelve days of Christmas has been lost . . . for two reasons. The first is that when Epiphany lost out to Christmas as the day of giving gifts, many simply quit celebrating the twelve-day observance. The other reason is based more on the change in the fabric of culture than on overlooking the Christian holiday of Epiphany.

In ancient times, when most societies were rural, few people worked in the dead of winter. It was a time when many were spending long, dark days inside their homes, looking forward to winter’s chill giving way to the spring thaw. So devoting a dozen days to prayer, reflection, and attending church was not a huge undertaking. Yet with the coming of the Industrial Age and the regular year-round work schedules it brought, finding time to continue the activities that had been traditionally associated with the twelve days of Christmas became all but impossible for most people.

So the passing of the twelve-days custom probably had as much to do with “progress” as with anything else. As fewer and fewer churches and families participated in the tradition, it was all but lost. Yet in the obscure poem that was later turned into a popular carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” live on. And the twelve days described are actually a wonderful and complete picture of the Christian faith.

The “true love” mentioned in the song is not a sweetheart but the Catholic Church’s code for God. The person who receives the gifts represents anyone who has accepted Christ as the Son of God and as Savior. And each of the gifts portrays an important facet of the story of true faith.

So, just a silly song? On the surface maybe, but in reality, a refreshing reminder of the essential elements of Christian faith. The twelve days of Christmas may no longer be a widely recognized holiday tradition, but the days were an important bridge that connected persecuted believers of the past with the whole story of God’s plan. In the complicated world of today, a trip back to the not-so-distant past when Christians celebrated the twelve days of Christmas would only enhance the meaning of Christmas for everyone".

For more information read:

https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/the-twelve-days-of-christmas.html

 Meanwhile enjoy this video of a Classical Trio:
https://youtu.be/CTXx_r6G1wE

October is Filipino American History Month

Fifteen Memorable Facts About Filipino-American History by Kevin Nadal

To celebrate Filipino-American heritage in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, I asked Fil-Ams from all over the country to share what they want the world to know about Filipino-Americans — what makes them memorable rather than forgotten.  This article reminded me of my recent article on Carlos Bulosan.

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2019/10/an-update-have-you-heard-of-carlos.html

I am listing # 15 first, since I could identify with it during my employment with Food and Drug Administration from 1990 to 2002. I also added my own #16 at bottom of page.
  
15. And while May is Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, October is Filipino-American History Month!

Me pointing at my photo during Asian-American Week Celebration in FDA, 1998

Because of the unique experiences of the Filipino-Americans, Fred and Dorothy Cordova of the Filipino American National Historical Society declared October as Filipino-American History Month in 1988.

In 2009, both the U.S. Senate and Congress declared October as Filipino-American History Month. In 2015, President Obama recognized the month at a celebration at the White House.

1. Filipino-Americans are the second largest Asian-American group in the United States.

Courtesy of Liz Casasola

There are over 3.4 million Filipino-Americans in the country, the 2010 U.S. Census reported. That's about 20% of all Asian-Americans in the country!

2. Filipino-Americans are the largest Asian-American group in 11 out of the 50 states.

Courtesy of Greg Cendana

Filipino-Americans are the second largest Asian American group nationally, but they're the largest Asian-American group in 11 states, including California (which has the largest total population of Asian-Americans).

3. Filipino-Americans are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States.

Filipino-Americans are one of the largest foreign-born groups in the U.S. — about 5% of all immigrants in the country.

4. Filipinos were the first documented Asian people to arrive in the United States.

The first Filipinos landed in Morro Bay, California, in 1587, three decades before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. These Filipino men escaped Spanish galleon ships en route to Spain. Some Filipinos migrated in similar ways and settled in the bayous of Louisiana in 1763, giving Filipinos deep roots in the U.S.

5. The Philippines is the only country in Asia to have been fully colonized by the United States.

After the Philippines gained independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, it was then colonized by the United States. The country did not regain its independence until July 4, 1946. As a result, American English is the second national language of the Philippines, and the U.S. has since maintained a military presence in the country.

6. A quarter of a million Filipino-Americans are veterans of World War II.

More than 250,000 Filipino soldiers fought under the American flag in World War II. They agreed to fight in the U.S. military on the promise that the government would grant these soldiers American citizenship and full veteran benefits. However, these promises were not granted until President Obama took office in 2009, and hundreds of thousands of Filipinos did not receive the benefits they were promised.
Today, activists are working for Filipino-American veterans to be recognized with the Congressional Medal, as they are the only ethnic group who served in World War II yet to receive this honor.

7. Filipino-Americans contributed significantly to the American labor movement, particularly with the United Farm Workers movement in the 1960s.

• While Cesar Chavez and Mexican farmworkers are often credited with leading the Delano grape strike of 1965, Filipino-American farmworkers were the first to strike. Filipino-American leaders Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz reached out to Cesar Chavez to fortify the union.

While internal power struggles resulted in Filipino-Americans distancing themselves from the United Farm Workers, many historians and activists like Dolores Huerta credit Filipinos with being the first to strike.

8. Filipino-Americans have been a part of many advocacy movements throughout U.S. history.

In the late ’60s, Filipino-Americans were at the forefront of the fight for ethnic studies in San Francisco. In 2015, Filipino-Americans fought for the Alvarado Middle School to be renamed the Itliong-Veracruz Middle School after the Filipino-American labor leaders. The school was the first school in the country to be named after a Filipino-American. In 2016, Filipino-Americans successfully attained historical recognition for the South of Market (SoMa) district of San Francisco to be renamed SoMa Pilipinas.

9. Filipino-Americans have a significant presence in the arts and in hip-hop culture.

Lea Salonga was the first Filipina to win a Tony Award. Filipino-American musicians include Bruno Mars, Vanessa Hudgens, and Apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas. In hip-hop, many Filipino-Americans have excelled as DJs and beatmakers, like DJ Neil Armstrong, DJ Q-Bert, DJ Icy Ice, as well as b-boys and dance crews — including members of groups featured on America’s Best Dance Crew like the Jabbawockeez, Super CR3W, and Quest Crew.

10. Filipino-Americans are more likely than other Asian-American groups to marry outside of their race.

• Contemporary studies find that racial identity may influence Filipino-Americans who are in interracial and interethnic romantic relationships, in that those who are married to non-Filipino Asian-Americans tend to identify more as Asian-American, whereas those who are married to black Americans or Latinos are more likely to view Filipino-Americans as a distinct ethnic group and feel more connected with black and Latino communities.

11. One-fifth of the Filipino-American population is multiracial.

• Nearly 22% of Filipino-Americans identify as biracial or multiracial — much higher than the 8% of the entire Asian-American population who are multiracial. This phenomenon, scholars have argued, may be due to shared histories of colonialism, experiences with colorism and racial discrimination shared with black Americans, and shared American values, customs, and language with white Americans.

12. Filipino-Americans identify as members of many different religions.

• About 90% of people in the Philippines identify as Catholic, thanks to Spanish colonialism. Four to five percent practice another form of Christianity, and another 4–5% percent identify as Muslim.

13. Many Filipino-Americans also choose not to identify as Asian or Asian-American, often due to a history of exclusion.

• Research supports the idea that many Filipino-Americans do not identify as Asian or Asian-American. Potential reasons for this include having a darker skin color (or identifying as “brown”), having similar experiences with racism, or feeling excluded or marginalized in the larger Asian-American community.

Scholars have described how Filipino-Americans have historically felt marginalized in pan-ethnic Asian-American organizations, particularly given their lack of representation or leadership opportunities in these groups. Other researchers have found that many Filipinos identify more with Latinos than with East Asian-Americans.

14. Filipino-Americans have unique experiences with racism.

• Studies have revealed that Filipino-Americans experience a range of racial microaggressions, including that they are misperceived to be members of other racial groups like Latino, multiracial, black, or Pacific Islander. Further, many Filipinos report being told that they are not “Asian enough” — by both Asian-Americans and non-Asian people.

Discrimination from other Asian-Americans results in a unique racial and ethnic Filipino identity: Filipino-Americans might reject a pan-ethnic Asian-American identity and develop a strong, ethnocentric, purely Filipino-American identity.

Source:  https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevinnadal/fil-am-history-facts
Meanwhile here's a short video summarizing Filipino-American history for your information:
https://youtu.be/7JlbyP3irNY

Allow me to add my #16:

16. Filipino Americans are involved in Science, Education, Health,  Public Service and Politics:  (See my Pinoy Pride List)

https://hubpages.com/business/caste-system-in-the-philippines

Only in the Philippines...

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2019/08/only-in-philippines.html

Filipino Business Signs of Wit

A decade ago I received an e-mail from a Filipino friend listing 25 business signs in the Philippines. Most of them are still funny and humorous. The author was not listed. If you know the author please let me know so I can acknowledge his work.

1. The sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.

2. Anita Bakery.

3. A 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night

4. Barber shop called Felix The Cut;

5. A bakery named Bread Pitt

6. Fast-food place selling 'maruya' (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey.

7. Then, there was Christopher Plumbing.

8. A boutique called The Way We Wear.

9. Two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.

10. A restaurant in Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken.

11. A local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's.

12. A doughnut shop called MacDonuts.

13. A shop selling 'lumpia' (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll.

14. Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the 'Taglish' (The Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino accent)such as:

15. At a restaurant menu in Cebu:"We hab sopdrink in can an in batol" [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle].

16. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called "Bids And Pises" - [translation: Beads and Pieces--or-- Bits and Pieces]

There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to 'correct' them like....

17. In a restaurant in Baguio City,the 'summer capital'of the Philippines: "Wanted: Boy Waitress"

18. On a highway in Pampanga: "We Make Modern Antique Furniture"

19. On the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan: "We Shoot You While You Wait!"

20. And on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila: "Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier".

Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression such as:

21. A shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: "We Sell Imported Robber Shoes" (these could be the 'sneakiest' sneakers);

22. A rental property sign in Jaro reads: "House For Rent, Fully Furnaced" (it must really be hot inside)!

23. Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique - if not altogether odd. A city in southern Philippines which said: "Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation" .

24. European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia - which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr.. Ho and Mr. Po respectively - (believe it or not)!

25.. Some folks also 'creatively' redesign English to be more efficient. The creative confusion between language and culture leads to more than just simple unintentional errors in syntax,but in the adoption of new words,says reader Robert Goodfellow who came across a sign... "House Fersallarend" (house for sale or rent).. Why use five words when two will do?

According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako,there is so much wit in the Philippines because we are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and bad actors.

A Recent Visit from My Nephew from Australia

Photo from Dave Recent Visit, May 2019. Macrine with the 3 David Katague.

Dave and His Family- Dave's Dad is my younger brother, Efren.

Last week my nephew from Australia, my name sake visited us. He was in LA on a business trip, but placed us in his busy schedule just for an overnight visit. He flew from LA to SFO and drove from SFO to Sacramento.

Macrine, David III and I enjoyed his short visit. The following is one of his videos about his family in Sydney Australia. The video is mesmerizing and fun to watch.


I like to share with you, the following video taken by my nephew from Australia who happens to have the same name as myself. Enjoy!

Visiting The Aquarium | "Turtle!" from Dave Katague on Vimeo.

Dave Katague, the only son of my younger brother is a Sydney( Australia) based Motion Designer. He has the passion for anything related to 3d / motionography, cinematography, photography, motion control time lapse, film, illustration /animation, typography, branding and special effects. You could see other samples of his work on his website, davekatague.com

The Wife-An Award-Winning Movie about Writing and Writers

We saw this movie on Netflix just recently. We enjoyed the movie so much as it reminded me of my article in my blog wondering if good writers are born or made. **(https://myarticlesfromviewshound.blogspot.com/search?q=born+writers, 12/11))

One sentiment in the movie that all writers should know: No matter how good or accomplished is your writing, if no one reads it, it will just rot in the book shelves.

Here's the trailer:

https://youtu.be/d81IM0loH7o

If you have not seen it, it will be worth your time. Here's what Wikipedia says:

The Wife is a 2017 drama film directed by Bjõrn L. Runge and written by Jane Anderson. It is based on the novel of the same name by Meg Wolitzer. It stars Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, and Christian Slater. The story follows a woman who questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm with her narcissistic husband, who is set to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The film premiered on September 12, 2017, at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in the United States on August 17, 2018 by Sony Pictures Classics. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with Close's performance garnering high praise. Close won the Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress for her performance, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress.

**Excerpts from my article on my blog about writers( born or made) and writing:

Most writers that I know write because they love writing. To them writing is just like breathing. These born writers do not work hard to create an excellent article, because their writing comes from the heart and their soul. Others write with a lot of work, training and pain. Good writers run in the family as exemplified by the family of Stephen King. Most writers however are made and only become good writers through hard work and constant practice. The most common traits of good writers are patience and persistence, whether their writing talent is inborn or just developed.

Allow me to quote Jan Bird from her recent article, The Writing Bug. "Writing for me right now, is like love. It isn't something I do, it happens to me. It takes me completely by surprise when I least expect it and then it absolutely refuses to let go until it wants to. It's intoxicating and irrational".

The Days Prior to Our 62nd Wedding Anniversary

Macrine enjoying a beautiful spring day in our patio-April 26, 2019

This coming May 8 ( a Wednesday-work day) will be exactly 62 years when Macrine and I got married in the Philippines. Two weeks ago, I had planned a get-together of relatives, friends and neighbors to join us in this memorable event in our life. Because May 8 is a work day, I asked our relatives and friends of two possible days that may be convenient for the majority. At first, I decided on May 12. With a few exceptions all of my future guests responded they will not be able to attend since it is Mother's Day. So I decided that May 5* ( Cinco de Mayo-big Mexican-American Festivities) is the day. As of this writing date, only ten are planning to attend.

The other day, I also received some bad news from the Philippines. Macrine's sister, Sister Guia( Cenacle) is seriously ill. Macrine's two other sisters here in the US are going home to the Philippines to be by her side on her last days of life.

I am a little bit disappointed that only half of my invited guests are coming. Macrine and I will celebrate our 62nd wedding anniversary with honey-baked ham, Pancit, Kare-kare and a few other Pinoy dishes. I have ordered the cake from our local French Pastry Shoppe. It is an orange-chiffon cake decorated with fresh fruits. The orange-chiffon cake was a significant item and was a catalyst in our May 8, 1957 marriage( sixty two years ago) as discussed in my autobiography (https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2013/05/today-is-our-56th-wedding-anniversary.html).

The following five photos: Our Wedding Day, 25th Wedding Anniversary, 50th Wedding Anniversary, 55th wedding anniversary and 60th wedding anniversary.

Wedding Day, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, May 8,1957

Silver Wedding Anniversary, Pinole, California,USA, May 8,1982

Golden Wedding Anniversary, Boac, Marinduque, May 8, 2007

Macrine and I, May 8, 2012.-Our 55th Wedding Anniversary-Fair Oaks, California

Our 60th Wedding Anniversary-May 8, 2017

*https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2013/05/cinco-de-mayo-celebration-and-sales.html

Fears of Retirement

Last week, one of my FB friends and Macrine's relative posted a big headline on her page that Preparing for Retirement is Not for Sissies. Her posting reminded me of my own retirement fears seventeen years ago.

I retired from the Food and Drug Administration in 2002 when I was 68 years old. Prior to my retirement my plan was to retire three years before( when I turned 65). However, at that time I had feared that retirement will ruined me financially. Retirement will make me feel useless and that my Social Security will not be enough. I also feared that I will miss the social and intellectual interaction of my colleagues and coworkers.

However, one month after my retirement all the above fears disappeared. How did I do it? I followed the suggestion in the article below. If you are in the process or near retirement, the following article is a must read.

https://www.newretirement.com/retirement/the-3-greatest-retirement-fears-and-how-to-feel-more-confident-about-them/

Fearing retirement is a normal reaction, although it will change your lifestyles. Enjoy your retirement years dear friends and relatives!