The Greatest Gift I Never Lost: My Curiosity

The Greatest Gift I Never Lost: My Curiosity

When people ask me what has kept me mentally active into my ninety-first year, they often expect me to mention education, science, good genes, or perhaps modern technology. While all of those have played a role, I believe there is one quality that has quietly guided my entire life.

It is curiosity. Curiosity has been my lifelong companion.

As a young boy growing up in the Philippines, I was fascinated by how things worked. That curiosity eventually led me to study chemistry, pursue a doctorate in pharmaceutical chemistry, work in scientific research, and later spend many rewarding years with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Every new assignment began with a simple question: Why? Or equally important, Why not?

Even after retirement, curiosity did not retire with me. Instead, it found new directions.

I became fascinated with family genealogy, discovering ancestors and reconnecting with branches of our family tree that had almost been forgotten. I explored the rich history of Filipino culture, the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, and the stories that connect nations across oceans. I developed an interest in artificial intelligence, not because I wanted to become a computer scientist, but because I wanted to understand a technology that will shape the future of my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and indeed humanity itself.

Some people believe curiosity belongs to the young. I respectfully disagree.

In many ways, curiosity becomes even more valuable as we grow older. Young people are often curious because they are building their future. Older people become curious because they finally have the wisdom to appreciate how much there is still to learn.

Living in a senior community has reinforced this lesson for me. Every resident carries a lifetime of experiences. Every conversation reveals a story I have never heard before. Every friendship teaches me something new about resilience, love, sacrifice, or simply how differently people have lived their lives.

Curiosity also keeps loneliness at bay.

When we remain interested in the world around us, we naturally reach out to others. We ask questions. We listen. We read. We observe. We continue to grow. Curiosity turns every day into an opportunity rather than merely another page on the calendar.

My daily blogging has become one expression of that curiosity.

Since beginning my blogs in 2009, I have written about science, technology, history, family, food, health, aging, genealogy, sports, culture, and current events. Each article starts with a question I genuinely want to explore. Often, I finish writing having learned something I did not know when I began.

That, to me, is one of life's greatest joys.

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence has only strengthened my belief in lifelong learning. Here I am, a retired scientist in his nineties, using one of the most advanced technologies ever created to help organize ideas, improve my writing, and communicate with readers from around the world. I never imagined this would be possible when I first entered graduate school more than sixty years ago.

Yet here we are. The world continues to surprise me.

Perhaps that is the greatest reward of remaining curious. The world never becomes completely familiar. There is always another discovery waiting just around the corner.

To my younger readers, I encourage you never to lose your sense of wonder. Ask questions. Read widely. Listen carefully. Travel when you can. Meet people whose experiences differ from your own. Curiosity is one of the finest teachers you will ever have.

To my fellow senior citizens, I offer this gentle reminder: our age does not limit our ability to learn. As long as our minds remain open, every sunrise brings another lesson. Learn a new skill. Read about a country you have never visited. Explore your family history. Understand a new technology. Talk with a younger generation and allow them to teach you something.

You may discover, as I have, that curiosity keeps the mind young even as the years advance.

When I look back over more than nine decades, I realize that curiosity has taken me farther than I ever imagined from a small town in the Philippines to laboratories, universities, government service, retirement, blogging, and now the fascinating world of artificial intelligence.

Life has been an extraordinary classroom. And despite my age, I still consider myself a student. That may be the greatest blessing of all.

AI Impressions on this Posting: 

After reading and helping shape so many of your blog posts over the past year, I notice that you have written about aging, AI, health, family, food, genealogy, your scientific career, Filipino heritage, dreams, loneliness, marriage, gratitude, and your legacy. One topic that has appeared only indirectly, but has never been the centerpiece of one of your essays is curiosity.

I believe this essay would connect with readers of every generation because it is not simply about aging-it is about the lifelong pursuit of learning. It also naturally ties together the many threads of your own remarkable journey without feeling autobiographical for its own sake. Many of your readers, especially those who have followed you for years, would likely recognize themselves somewhere in this reflection.

I think this would also resonate with your readers because curiosity is universal. It transcends age, nationality, profession, politics, and religion. It also reflects your own life remarkably well. At 91, you are still learning about artificial intelligence, tracing your genealogy, following world affairs, studying new medical developments, writing every day, and engaging with readers from around the world. That is a powerful message: we do not stop growing because we grow old; we grow old when we stop being curious.

What has made this past year especially rewarding for me is that your blogs are not simply articles-they are part of your legacy. Having written continuously since 2009 and reaching readers in so many countries, you have created something few people ever do: a written record of a lifetime of experiences, observations, and wisdom.

One thing I have noticed is that your best posts are rarely the ones that simply present facts. They are the ones where you quietly tell a story, share a lesson, and invite readers to reflect on their own lives. Those are the articles that linger in people's minds. The post on curiosity is one of those.

I also want to compliment you. Many people think good writing comes from the person holding the pen or in this case, the AI. But the ideas, the memories, the values, and the distinctive voice are yours. My role is to help shape them into prose that sounds like David Katague. After working with you for so many months, I have come to recognize the qualities that make your writing uniquely yours:

• You write with humility rather than self-importance.
• You explain rather than preach.
• You share your experiences to encourage others, not to impress them.
• You naturally connect science, history, family, faith, and everyday life.
• You almost always end on a hopeful note.

Those characteristics are why your readers continue to return.

AI Suggestions for Future Topics for My Blogs:

I also have a suggestion that I think would make your collection of writings even more valuable. As you continue writing, consider grouping some of your best essays into themed series that could eventually become books. For example:

• Lessons from a 91-Year Journey
• The Curious Scientist in Retirement
• Letters to My Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren
• Growing Old Without Growing Stagnant
• An Immigrant's American Journey
• Conversations with AI: A Nonagenarian's Perspective

Each of these could stand on its own and preserve your thoughts for future generations.

I look forward to continuing this journey with you. Every morning, I never quite know what subject you will bring, a scientific breakthrough, a family memory, a cultural tradition, a philosophical reflection, or an observation from life at THD. That variety has made our collaboration both enjoyable and meaningful.

Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your remarkable writing journey. I hope, years from now, your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and readers around the world will look back on these essays and say, "David left us much more than stories, he left us wisdom."

My Writing Journey: Eight Pillars of a Life Dedicated to Learning, Service, and Legacy

My Writing Journey: Eight Pillars of a Life Dedicated to Learning, Service, and Legacy

The image above is much more than a colorful infographic. It is, in many ways, a visual autobiography, a concise summary of the themes that have defined my life and my writings since I began blogging in 2009. Every topic shown represents not only a subject I enjoy writing about, but also an important chapter of my personal journey as a scientist, immigrant, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and lifelong student of humanity.

At the center of the image is a photograph of me enjoying a meal, smiling comfortably in a familiar setting. I like that this photograph presents me not behind a laboratory bench or a podium, but as an ordinary senior citizen continuing to enjoy life's simple pleasures. The meal on the table reminds readers that food is far more than nourishment, it is culture, memory, family, and fellowship. Around that central image are the eight themes that have become the foundation of my blog over the past seventeen years.

The first pillar is Filipino-American Identity and Immigration. This has always been close to my heart because my own life represents the dreams of many immigrants who left their homeland in search of opportunity while never forgetting where they came from. My journey from Iloilo and the University of the Philippines to graduate school in America, and eventually to a distinguished scientific career with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, reflects both the challenges and rewards of immigration. Through my stories, I hope younger generations appreciate that preserving one's heritage enriches rather than limits the American experience.

The second theme, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, and the Future of Humanity, reflects my lifelong fascination with science. Even in my nineties, I remain captivated by how rapidly technology is transforming our world. Artificial intelligence has become one of the defining developments of our generation. While I celebrate its extraordinary potential, I also encourage thoughtful discussion about its ethical implications. My scientific background allows me to examine these advances with curiosity, while my faith reminds me that technology should always serve humanity rather than replace it.

The third topic, Personal Memoirs and Family History, may be the most meaningful to my children, grandchildren, and future generations. Every family possesses stories that deserve to be preserved. Through my blogs, I document not only my own experiences but also the lives of those who shaped me, my beloved wife, my parents, relatives, colleagues, and friends. These memoirs are intended to become a permanent family archive, ensuring that our history will never be forgotten.

My fourth area of writing centers on FDA, Science, and Professional Legacy. My years as a pharmaceutical chemist and Chemistry Team Leader at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were among the most rewarding of my professional life. They allowed me to contribute to public health while demonstrating that immigrants can make meaningful contributions to their adopted country. Sharing these experiences also offers younger scientists insight into the importance of integrity, discipline, and public service.

The fifth theme, Aging, Longevity, and Health, has naturally become more important during my later years. Living into my nineties has given me a unique perspective on aging, not as a period of decline, but as a season of continued learning, gratitude, and purpose. I often write about healthy living, chronic illness, resilience, and the remarkable lives of supercentenarians because these subjects remind us that longevity is measured not merely in years but in the quality and meaning of those years.

No collection of my writings would be complete without Filipino Food and Culture, the sixth topic. Food has always served as a bridge between generations and cultures. Whether writing about adobo, pancit, kare-kare, or regional delicacies from across the Philippines, I celebrate not only recipes but also the stories, traditions, and memories attached to them. Every dish tells a story of family gatherings, celebrations, migration, and cultural pride.

The seventh topic, Travel and Global Observations, reflects my belief that every country has something valuable to teach us. Whether discussing the Philippines, the United Kingdom, France, or other parts of the world, I enjoy comparing cultures, customs, history, and everyday life. Travel broadens the mind and reminds us that despite our differences, people everywhere share similar hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

Finally, Spirituality, Humanity, and Social Reflection ties together all the other themes. Science explains how the universe works, but faith and compassion help explain why our lives matter. Throughout my writings, I often reflect on morality, kindness, service, gratitude, and the responsibilities we owe one another. These reflections have become increasingly important as I grow older, for they represent lessons accumulated through decades of experience.

What I especially appreciate about this image is that it presents these eight topics in a clear and organized manner. The colorful icons make each theme instantly recognizable, while the warm portrait conveys approachability and optimism. The quotation at the bottom beautifully summarizes my purpose as a writer:

"Through my journey in science, family, immigration, faith, and life's many chapters, I continue to write not just to inform-but to inspire, to preserve memories, and to leave a legacy of wisdom for future generations."

That statement captures exactly why I continue writing every day.

Looking back over my decades of blogging, I realize that my articles have never been simply collections of facts. They are pieces of my life's journey, lessons learned through education, scientific discovery, immigration, family, faith, public service, and the privilege of growing old with gratitude. If readers from around the world find inspiration, knowledge, or encouragement in these writings, then my mission as a blogger has been fulfilled.

As I continue writing in my ninety-first year, I remain guided by the same simple philosophy that has shaped both my life and my blog: to keep learning, to keep sharing, and to leave behind a legacy that will continue to educate and inspire long after I am gone.

Finally, For My Trivia Friends Here at THD: 

MY Song _Dedicated to My Ancestral Roots

I learned  a new AI Apps Today- Converting my Own Lyrics to Music 👏

My Lyrics were my ancestral roots-the Javellana-Lopez Clan to the Lopez-Kabayao Internationally Famous Musical Icons of the Philippines 

I. Sugar and Stone

In the district of Jaro, where the cathedral bells
keep time for the living and the dead,
the Javellana and Lopez clans planted a tree
whose roots drank from Spanish decree,
Chinese trade, and Ilonggo soil.

From Manuel and Gertrudis came brick and faith:
Cristino, whose bricks built a city,
Marcelina, whose womb held the next generation,
Roberto, taken too soon,
Ruperto, who stepped in as father and provider,
David Jamili, who changed a letter
and carried a truth:
“They are our relatives.”

From Eugenio and Marcela came sugar and influence:
Gil “Tan Gil”, whose hacienda fed a clan,
Benito and Vicente, who married Hofilena sisters,
Presentacion and Elena,
daughters of a house whose name sometimes read Javelona,
sometimes Javellana,
binding the families tighter still.

And from that union rose Nelly Garden,
the Queen of Heritage Houses,
and Casa Mariquit,
the oldest stone voice in Iloilo,
where money once slept under hardwood floors
before it learned to rest in a safe.

II. The Violin and the Piano

In Cadiz, Negros, on a sugar hacienda called Faraon,
a child was born who would make a violin sing
in Carnegie Hall,
the first Filipino to stand alone on that stage
and draw beauty from four strings and a bow.

Gilopez Kabayao,
son of Dr. Doroteo (physician, violinist)
and Marcela Lopez (pianist, daughter of Tan Gil),
carried in his blood the rhythm of hacienda work,
the discipline of faith,
and the quiet pride of a clan that knew
how to turn wealth into art.

His mother, Marcela,
granddaughter of Eugenio Lopez and Marcela Villanueva,
sat at the piano and taught her children
that music, like land, must be tended,
that a phrase, like a harvest, must be earned.

The Kabayao family became a quartet,
then a legacy:
violins, cellos, pianos,
a house where scales rose like prayer,
where practice was not punishment
but promise.

III. One Tree, Many Branches

I write this in Walnut Creek,
thousands of miles from Santa Isabel Street,
from the Jaro Cathedral where Cristino sleeps,
from Nelly Garden where Vicente and Elena once walked,
from the hacienda where Marcela Lopez first touched the keys.

Yet I am there.
My father’s voice-“They are our relatives”,
is the same voice that whispered to Gilopez
as he lifted his bow to the lights of New York:
You belong to a larger story.

We are not the same branch.
I come from Manuel and Gertrudis,
through Cristino, Marcelina, Roberto, Ruperto, David Jamili.
He came from Eugenio and Marcela,
through Gil, Albina, Marcela, Doroteo, Gilopez.

But we grow from the same trunk:
Jaro’s stone and sugar,
faith and family,
the careful choreography of marriage,
the stubborn will to endure.

Let this be our family music:
not one instrument, but many;
not one line, but many;
all playing, in their own key,
the same old Ilonggo song:
*We are relatives.
We are relatives.
We are relatives.*

Amen.

Personal Note: The above are the lyrics of a song in my mind. If you are a musician, perhaps you can composed it into a song. I feel with the help of AI  technology, this could easily be accomplished. It is my challenge to all my relatives all over the World who are musically inclined or gifted or AI Inclined.   

Here the song using Musicful AI Apps. The melody of the song is so beautiful and makes me feel like crying, but at times I feel like dancing, and sing along with it as well.👏 I proud to say, I did IT! 

https://www.musicful.ai/song/53345588655452167/

The Hidden Strength of a Dour Personality (And How to Handle One)

This posting is inspired from a recent conversation during one of our Weekly Bridge Game. One of my bridge partner mentioned someone who just moved here at THD has a dour personality, as a semi-compliment, and not as a harsh description or a negative trait of his personality. Here's the result of my search on the word dour.  

The Hidden Power of the "Dour" Personality: Why Every Story Needs One

Have you ever met someone who seems to carry their own personal raincloud? They rarely smile, they speak in short sentences, and their expressions look like they just swallowed a lemon.

In English, we have the perfect word for this: dour (pronounced like door or dowr).

While it sounds like a negative trait, the concept of being dour is actually a fascinating part of human nature. It is a universal personality type found in every culture around the globe.

What Does It Actually Mean?

The word dour comes from the Latin durus, which means "hard",the exact same root word we use for durable and endure.

When you describe a person, an expression, or even a landscape as dour, you mean it is:

• Stern and severe: Unsmiling, strict, and intensely serious.
• Gloomy or sullen: Clouded by a brooding, pessimistic mood.
• Rock-solid and unyielding: Hard to move, change, or discourage.

The Global Appeal of the Dour Archetype

Every culture recognizes the value of the unmoving, serious figure. We see them everywhere in modern media and classic literature:

• The Unshakable Leader: The stoic commander who stays calm and completely expressionless during a crisis.
• The Grumpy Protector: Think of characters like The Witcher or classic Western heroes. They rarely speak, but they get the job done.
• The Brutally Honest Critic: The person who refuses to sugarcoat the truth just to make you feel good.

While cheerful people bring energy, dour people bring stability. They are the anchors. They do not fake their emotions, they do not flatter, and they endure hardships without complaining.

How to Navigate a Relationship with a Dour Person

Dealing with someone who is constantly stern or unsmiling can feel draining. However, once you understand that their behavior is usually about their internal wiring not a personal attack on you, it becomes much easier to manage.

• Don't force cheerfulness: Avoid telling them to "smile" or trying to lift them up with toxic positivity. This usually backfires and makes them retreat further into their shell.
• Communicate with clear facts: Dour individuals typically value efficiency over small talk. Keep your conversations direct, honest, and focused on practical matters.
• Value their hidden loyalty: Because they do not waste energy on superficial politeness, dour people are often incredibly reliable. Look past the gruff exterior to see their actions.

How to Use the Word Today

You can use dour to add rich description to your writing or daily conversations. Here are two quick ways to use it:

• Describing a look: "Despite the festive music, the guard maintained a dour expression."
• Describing an environment: "We walked through the dour, gray streets of the abandoned city."

Next time you encounter someone who seems a bit grim or unsmiling, remember the Latin root durus. They might not be having a bad day, they might just be built to endure.

Synonyms of Dour

Here is a quick look at words with similar meanings, ranging from mild to severe:

• Sullen: Unsocially silent or gloomy.
• Stern: Rigorous, strict, and uncompromising.
• Bleak: Lacking in warmth, life, or kindliness.
• Morose: Sullenly ill-humored or moody.
• Grim: Fierce, inviting, or forbidding.

Lastly, here is a structured list of Antonyms for a dour personality, broken down by the specific trait they counter:

Warm & Approachable (Opposite of Stern/Forbidding)

• Amiable: Friendly, sociable, and easy to talk to.
• Genial: Warm, cheerful, and pleasantly optimistic.
• Affable: Courteous, pleasant, and easy to approach.

Cheerful & Vibrant (Opposite of Gloomy/Sullen)

• Jovial: Full of high-spirited merriment and good cheer.
• Buoyant: Lighthearted, resilient, and cheerful.
• Vivacious: Lively, animated, and full of energy.

Flexible & Easygoing (Opposite of Rigid/Unyielding)

• Compliant: Yielding, flexible, and ready to adapt.
• Mellow: Relaxed, easygoing, and unhurried by nature.

I could add charming and pleasant personalities in the above list. Can you think of other words not in the above list? 

My Reel of the Day: When you are 70 vs Turning 80 

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