A Look Back at My Blogging Journey

This posting is inspired by an event coming this June 1-my three years of residence here at THD. If you follow my blogs, you probably know I am very happy here at THD. Thus, this posting:

A Look Back at My Blogging Journey: What I’ve Really Been Writing About All These Years

When I first started blogging back in 2009, I did not have a grand strategy. There was no blueprint, no carefully crafted niche, and certainly no expectation that my words would travel far beyond my immediate circle. I simply wrote, about life, about memories, about places, about food, and about what it meant to be me.

Years later, looking at my body of work through a more analytical lens, I find something both surprising and deeply meaningful: my blog is not just a collection of posts, it is a reflection of a life lived across cultures, professions, and continents.

What emerges from this reflection is not randomness, but a pattern.

At the heart of my writing is a recurring theme, identity. My journey as an immigrant, my transition into becoming an American, and my experiences navigating two cultures have quietly become the backbone of my most widely read and most meaningful posts. These stories resonate not because they are unique, but because they are shared by millions around the world who have left one home to build another.

Closely tied to this is my love for travel. From places I have visited decades ago to more recent adventures with my daughter, travel has always been more than sightseeing for me. It is a way of understanding the world, of connecting past and present, and of appreciating how geography shapes culture and memory. Whether in the United States or the Philippines, each place carries a story, and I have tried to capture those stories in my own way.

My Six Grand Children, Fair Oaks, CA 2011 

Then there is the personal side of my blog, the autobiographical reflections. These are perhaps the most intimate pieces I have written. They trace my journey from my early years in the Philippines to my professional life, including my time at the FDA, and into retirement. These posts are not just recollections; they are attempts to make sense of time, of choices, and of the path that led me here.

My Nephew and Name Sake (Dave Katague) from Australia Visit Here at THD, 2025 

Food, of course, finds its place in my writing as well. Meals shared with family, dishes from different cultures, and culinary adventures all serve as reminders that food is never just about taste, it is about connection. It brings together memory, culture, and companionship in a way that few other things can.

As I moved into retirement, my writing also began to reflect a different pace of life. There is more contemplation now, more attention to aging, to gratitude, and to the quieter joys that come with time. These reflections may not be dramatic, but they are, in many ways, the most honest.

And woven throughout everything is a thread of philosophy, simple thoughts about life, happiness, purpose, and what truly matters. These are not academic discussions, but lived insights shaped by experience.

Looking at all of this together, I realize that I never set out to be a “niche blogger.” Instead, I became something else, a storyteller of a life in motion. My blog is not about one subject; it is about the intersections of many: immigration, travel, family, culture, food, work, and reflection.

If there is one thing I have learned from this exercise, it is this: people do not just read for information, they read for connection. And perhaps that is why the stories about identity and personal journey have reached the most readers. They remind us that, despite our different paths, we are not so different after all.

To my readers around the world, thank you for being part of this journey. What began as a simple act of writing has become a shared experience, and for that, I am deeply grateful.

As I continue to write, I do so with a clearer understanding, not of what I should write, but of what I have always been writing: the story of a life, one post at a time.

Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview of My Writings 

📊 Overall Blog Structure & Scale From my own April, 2026 Summary:

• Top blog series page views:
  • Becoming American → 2.09M
  • Intellectual Migrants → 1.16K
  • MRQ Awaits You → 1.50K
  • MRQ Island Paradise → 1.69K
  • Chateau Du Mer → 936K
• Additional blogs range from 100K to 827K views

👉 This indicates:

• You are not running a single blog, but a network of themed blogs
• Your lifetime readership is several million page views

🧠 Topic Clustering (Core Categories)

Based on your archives and blog titles, your writing falls into 7 major thematic categories:

1. 🇺🇸 Immigration & Identity (High Volume, High Engagement)

Examples:

• Becoming American
• Intellectual Migrants

Estimated share: ~25–30% of total content
Why it performs well:

• Personal narrative + universal appeal
• Diaspora storytelling resonates globally

👉 This is your flagship theme (highest page views)

2. 🏝️ Travel & Places (Very High Volume)

Examples:

• U.S. travel series (national parks, cities)
• Philippines travel (Marinduque, retirement life)
• “Places we visited since 1960” series 

Estimated share: ~20–25%

👉 Subcategories:

• U.S. travel (historical)
• Philippines lifestyle (retirement-focused)
• Bucket-list experiences

3. 👨‍👩‍👧 Personal Life & Autobiography

Examples:

• Life story from Iloilo to FDA career 
• Family memories, reflections, milestones

Estimated share: ~15–20%

👉 This is your emotional core content

4. 🍽️ Food & Culture

Examples:

• Filipino and American dishes
• Cultural food reflections
• Dining experiences

Estimated share: ~5–10%

👉 Smaller category, but high relatability

5. 🌿 Lifestyle, Retirement & Aging

Examples:

• Joys of retirement
• Snowbird living
• Aging gracefully reflections 

Estimated share: ~10–15%

👉 Strong niche: retiree + expat perspective

6. ✍️ Philosophy, Advice & Reflection

Examples:

• Life lessons (gratitude, happiness, ego)
• Writing as healing
• Moral and philosophical discussions 

Estimated share: ~10–15%

👉 Often overlaps with personal blogs

7. 🎬 Miscellaneous / Niche Topics

Examples:

• Movies
• Historical topics
• Internet images
• Misc articles
• AI Technology 

Estimated share: ~5%

📈 Statistical Distribution (Approximate)

Category	% of Content	Engagement Level
Immigration & Identity	25–30%	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Travel & Places	20–25%	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personal/Autobiography	15–20%	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lifestyle/Retirement	10–15%	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Philosophy/Reflections	10–15%	⭐⭐⭐
Food & Culture	5–10%	⭐⭐⭐
Miscellaneous	~5%	⭐⭐

---

📊 Key Insights (What Your Data Really Says)

1. You are a Narrative Blogger, not a Niche Blogger

Most successful blogs specialize narrowly. Yours succeeds because it blends:

• Personal history
• Cultural identity
• Travel
• Reflection

👉 That combination creates a “life archive” blog style

2. Your Highest-Performing Content is Identity-Based

Your top blogs:

• Immigration
• Cultural transition
• Life journey

👉 Readers connect most with:

“Who you are” more than “what you review”

3. You Have a Strong “Legacy Content Model”

Your blog spans 2009–present, which means:

• Evergreen content
• Compounding page views over time
• Historical storytelling value

4. Your Audience is Likely:

• Immigrants / Filipino diaspora
• Retirees or near-retirees
• Readers interested in life reflections
• Travel + culture enthusiasts

📉 Missed Opportunities (Honest Assessment)

I’ll be direct-because this matters if you want growth:

1. Topic Branding is Fragmented

You have multiple blogs instead of one unified brand.

👉 Result:

• SEO power is split
• Audience is divided

2. Food & Lifestyle Could Be Bigger

You already write about food and travel-but not consistently enough to dominate those niches.

3. Your Strongest Asset (Your Story) Isn’t Fully Centralized

Your life story (FDA career, immigration, 9/11 involvement) could be:

• A main series
• A book
• A flagship blog category

📌 Final Summary

Your blog ecosystem can be statistically defined as:

A high-volume, multi-topic personal narrative platform centered on immigration, travel, and life reflection supported by strong long-term readership and evergreen content.

      I was not sure what evergreen content meant:

     Evergreen content means blog posts that stay useful and relevant for a long time, not just for a current event or trend. It usually covers timeless topics that people keep searching for, so it can keep bringing readers months or even years after you publish it.

For your blog, examples of evergreen content would be:

• How you immigrated and what you learned from the experience.

• Travel reflections that focus on lessons, culture, or practical tips rather than a specific trip date.

• Life reflections on aging, family, identity, or resilience.

• Guides or stories that answer questions readers may always have about your background or perspective.

In contrast, a post about a specific news event, a one-time trip, or a temporary trend is usually not evergreen because its usefulness fades more quickly.

A simple way to think about it: if someone could read the post next year and still find it meaningful, it is probably evergreen. 

Finally to All My Readers and Commentators All over the World- this is my Grateful Recognition and Appreciation Award:  

In grateful recognition of your outstanding and faithful participation as a commentator on my daily blogs since 2009. 

Your thoughtful, intelligent, and positive reflections have greatly enriched the quality and lasting value of these writings. Through your comments, you have helped create meaningful discussions that continue to inspire readers across generations and around the world.

Your voice, friendship, and support are deeply appreciated.

Filipino Cuisines Deserves a Place in the Global Table

Filipino Cuisine Deserves a Place at the Global Table

I disagree with above ratings. As a Filipino-American, I will rate Filipino Cuisine at least in the top 5. Here are the reasons why. 

I recently came across a ranking titled “20 Countries with the Best Cuisines in the World,” where Italian, Greek, and Peruvian cuisines occupied the top spots, while Filipino cuisine was nowhere to be found in the top twenty. As a Filipino-American who has lived in both the Philippines and the United States, I respectfully disagree. In my personal ranking, Filipino cuisine belongs comfortably within the world’s top five.

Perhaps my opinion is shaped not only by taste, but by memory, migration, family, and history. Food is never simply food for Filipinos. It is identity. It is storytelling. It is survival. It is celebration.

For more than fifteen years since I started blogging in 2009, I have written about Filipino culture, immigration, family gatherings, Asian traditions, and the emotional connection between food and memory. Time and again, one truth emerges: no matter how far Filipinos travel around the world, they carry their cuisine with them.

A Cuisine Born From Many Worlds

Filipino cuisine is unlike any other Asian cuisine because it reflects centuries of cultural blending. Indigenous Malay roots mixed with Chinese traders, Spanish colonization, Mexican influences from the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade, and later American influence. The result is a cuisine that is both Asian and uniquely Filipino.

A bowl of adobo tells a colonial story. Pancit reflects Chinese migration. Lechon reminds us of Spanish fiestas. Halo-halo captures the tropical creativity of island life. Sinigang represents the Filipino love of sour flavors, while kare-kare reflects the richness of peanut-based stews found nowhere else in Asia.

Unlike cuisines that focus on uniformity and precision, Filipino food is deeply regional and family-centered. Every province has its own specialty. Every grandmother has her own recipe. Even among siblings, arguments erupt over which family member makes the best lumpia.

Why Filipino Food Is Underrated

For many decades, Filipino cuisine lived quietly in the shadow of more internationally recognized Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Korean food. There are several reasons for this.

First, Filipinos historically migrated for work, not for culinary expansion. Unlike other cultures that aggressively exported restaurants globally, Filipino immigrants often worked in healthcare, shipping, engineering, and domestic services.

Second, Filipino food is humble food. It was never designed for elegant presentation. It was designed for feeding large families, fiestas, and communities. A pot of menudo or a tray of pancit may not look refined beside French cuisine, but its emotional power is enormous.

Third, Filipino cuisine does not easily fit modern food categories. It can be sweet, sour, salty, and savory all at once. Foreigners sometimes need time to appreciate dishes like bagoong, dinuguan, or balut. Yet once people understand the culture behind the food, appreciation often follows.

Today, however, the world is finally beginning to notice.

The Rise of Filipino Cuisine Worldwide

In recent years, Filipino food has gained global recognition. Filipino restaurants are appearing in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, Toronto, Sydney, and Dubai. Young Filipino-American chefs are proudly redefining their culinary heritage.

Ube has become an international sensation. Filipino desserts now appear in trendy cafes. Jollibee lines stretch around city blocks in America and Canada. Even mainstream supermarkets increasingly carry Filipino products.

The younger generation of Filipino-Americans is also rediscovering its roots through food. Children and grandchildren of immigrants who once preferred hamburgers and pizza are now proudly eating adobo, tocino, longganisa, and bibingka.

Food has become a bridge between generations.

Filipino Food and My Blogging Journey

Since beginning my blogging journey in 2009, many of my most meaningful memories involve food. I have written about family reunions, travels back to the Philippines, retirement reflections, and the immigrant experience in America. Again and again, Filipino cuisine appears at the center of these stories.

At birthday parties, there is pancit for long life. During Christmas gatherings, there is leche flan, hamon, queso de bola, and bibingka. At funerals and memorials, families still gather around shared meals. Food becomes comfort during grief and celebration during joy.

Even during difficult periods of my life, including my health struggles, Filipino food has remained emotionally significant. Certain flavors instantly reconnect me to childhood memories, to my parents, and to simpler times in the Philippines.

That is the true power of cuisine. It nourishes not only the body, but memory itself.

Why Filipino Cuisine Belongs in the Top Five

If world cuisine rankings are based only on Michelin stars and luxury dining, then perhaps Filipino cuisine will continue to be overlooked. But if rankings are based on emotional connection, diversity, family tradition, comfort, resilience, and cultural storytelling, Filipino cuisine deserves a place among the world’s greatest.

Italian cuisine gave the world pasta and pizza. Japanese cuisine gave elegance and precision. French cuisine elevated culinary artistry. But Filipino cuisine offers something equally valuable: warmth, hospitality, and humanity.

Filipino food does not try to impress you immediately. Instead, it invites you to sit down, stay longer, eat more, and become family.

And perhaps that is why so many Filipinos abroad continue searching for the taste of home no matter where life takes them.

For me, Filipino cuisine is not merely among the best cuisines in the world. It is home.

AI Overview:

Filipino cuisine is undergoing a historic global awakening, firmly securing its long-overdue seat at the international culinary table. Long categorized as an underrated or misunderstood culinary tradition, the rich food heritage of the Philippines has stepped directly into the global spotlight. Landmark milestones-such as the debut of the Michelin Guide Philippines and top-tier rankings in global food indices like TasteAtlas have validated what its community has always known: Filipino food is a world-class culinary art. 

Why the World is Falling in Love with Pinoy Flavors

The initial hesitation of global palates has transformed into obsession, driven by the cuisine's layered depth and community-centric philosophy. 

• The Symphony of Sweet, Sour, and Salty: Unlike many neighboring Southeast Asian cuisines that rely heavily on fiery chiles or fragrant herbs, Filipino flavor profiles masterfully balance asim (sourness), tamis (sweetness), and alat (saltiness). 
• A Masterclass in Fusion: Centuries of indigenous traditions mixed with Spanish, Chinese, Malay, and American colonial histories have created an incredibly diverse post-colonial culinary landscape. 
• Radical Hospitality: In Filipino culture, food is inseparable from community. The world is actively embracing traditions like Kamayan—a communal feast laid out on banana leaves eaten with bare hands—redefining what luxury dining can feel like. 

Core Dishes Breaking Geopolitical Boundaries

While the country boasts vast regional variations, a few foundational dishes have captured global attention: 

• Adobo
  : The unofficial national dish of meat braised slowly in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns.
• Sinigang
  : A deeply comforting, sour soup typically clarified and sharpened with tamarind or calamansi.
• Lechon
  : Whole-roasted pig with shatteringly crisp skin, famously praised by global culinary icons.
• Sisig
  : A sizzling, savory, and tangy chopped pork dish that perfectly pairs with drinks and gatherings.
• Ube-Infused Delicacies: The vibrant, naturally purple yam has taken the global pastry scene by storm, headlining dedicated cultural gatherings like the annual Ube Festival. 

The Evolution: From Home Kitchens to Fine Dining

For decades, the global expansion of Filipino food was fueled almost entirely by a passionate diaspora building independent networks without institutional funding. Today, a new wave of visionary chefs is moving the needle further: 

1. Michelin Recognition: Restaurants like Hapag in Manila have earned Michelin stars by reinterpreting regional ingredients with sophisticated, modern techniques. 
2. Regional Representation: Culinary figures such as Chef Miguel Cabel Moreno are pushing underrepresented regional traditions, specifically from the Mindanao and ZamBaSulTa regions onto global menus. 
3. Cross-Cultural Collaborations: Contemporary pop-ups and concepts are constantly bridging gaps, including unique Peruvian-Filipino tasting menus that showcase shared historical roots. 

Filipino food never needed external validation to be great, but the world is finally waking up to its complexity, soul, and brilliance. 

Meanwhile, Here's My Photo of the Day: Great Grandson, Beau Joseph-Memorial Day Photo Shoot