Real Fortitude

: for·ti·tude
Pronunciation: \ˈfȯr-tə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin fortitudin-, fortitudo, from fortis
Date: 12th century
1 : strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

I happened upon a rather disturbing though albeit contemplative scene by accident. The scene was of this homeless couple walking along the sidewalk to destinations unknown to me while being trailed by their 2 pet dogs. 'So what is so disturbing about that?' you may ask. Well, simply put, the 2 pet dogs were both handicapped in the sense that they were deprived of both their front legs and yet were able to maintain a constant distance with the couple they were following. to give you an idea what they looked like, imagine pushing a wheelbarrow.. You have the picture in your mind?.. Good.. Now replace the picture of the wheelbarrow with the dog with the absent front legs.. rather disturbing isn't it? This image had bothered me greatly being that i'm a general animal loving kinda guy, with more inclination to favor the members of the canine species. I had honestly tried to look away, but my eyes seemed to be rebelling against the signals being sent to it by my brain. I have seen a dog walk home after losing its hind leg in an accident, but had seemed to display minimal difficulty walking (i guess this was because he had 3 more to help him along). But the image of these 2 dogs sans their legs had bothered me deeply.. until i noticed their expressions and actions. I'm not some dog wisperer or expert in canine affection or what-not, but i have been taking care of dogs long enough to be able to read some salient signs. And from what i had observed of these 2 dogs, as they were struggling to, for want for a better description, propel themselves forward along the sidewalk, they seemed to be playing with each other. I mean, if they had full use of their faculties, they would undoubtedly be trying to wrestle each other and trying to trip each other in their own unique canine way. I guess for them, there was no disability, but their games just became more challenging.

This is what i find so interesting. So many people spend so much money on Inspirational Books, talks and Videos when inn all actuality, they simply needed to do was look out the proverbial window and see what lessons they can get from Ol' Mother Nature. Im not saying their wasting their money, but rather im cheering them on further in the sense that they had decided to give it one more shot and not give up. Kudos to you people!! But then, there is also the other side of the coin. Im talking about the people who had given up all together and just decided to cash in their chips and take a loss. Ok, fine.. You guys may not be made of sterner stuff, in fact, some people may call you downright weaklings for that matter. What i dont understand is, if these 2 dogs can persist to continue even with their current disabilities, whats stopping you from giving up so easily? I guess for some, cowardice is the only way out. Its a good thing not everyone is a coward, and want to strive even harder for that extra mile. Its a good thing Nick Vujicic is made of sterner stuff.

Futurama S6 Ep 3 Rocks!!!

I had just finished watching Futurama episode 3 of Season 6 titled "Attack of the Killer Apps". I absolutely loved the episode. For me, i had really found the spoof that they had done on the Apple IPhone and its Apps really funny. I guess one of the reasons that I had found it so amusing was it does follow the saying "Life Imitating Art". I myself am not really an Iphone addict or an avidsoftware user of any of their other technologies but do happen to have lots of friends that do happen to love this company's product so i don't really have a hard time picturing them in lieu of the cartoon's characters, hehe.

Unfortunately, it also fits into the saying "jokes are half meant". too true is their satiric take on how people act like with regards to not only this specific brand of technology, but with other brands as well. Before i continue, dont get me wrong. I am not supporting any one particular brand, and had happened to mention the one particular brand since i was making a reference to the spoof of the cartoon, and nothing more. And nor do I hold any particular grudge either to any continuing developments with regards to such technology, but rather i am rather quite amazed by the speed that such tech is developed. But rather I merely expounding on the fact that so many people are too easily lured by the sudden and quick developments of such tech that they fail to completely appreciate what they had bought in the first place. Some people i happen to know who are guilty of such do so that they may be in the "In Crowd", while others, sad to say, just are too careless with their money. Sometimes, one does have to wonder just how bad things are when such situations in society are to such a degree that writers use them as a means to garner more network ratings. "Hmm..."

Dumb Arsed Drivers...

As i commute around the greater metropolitan manila area, I cannot help but be surprised and shake my head at the idiocy and the plain brazenness of some of the drivers of public utility vehicles. These are people who depend on their skill as drivers and they actually have the telemetry to drive as if they are racing against Mario Andreti or are participating in the Le Mans Race and are vying against other drivers for the Championship Gold Cup at the finish line (even if this is only actually going on in their own deluded psyche). All other privately driven cars are at the mercy of these deranged fools, and even if you do decide to try to intimidate them with your own driving skills then you either better have 1 or all of the following parameters covered: (a)Have really humongous cajones made of steel, (b) packing a personal defense weapon (anything that can be more intimidating than a lead pipe as this is what the offensive drivers will be packing), (c) have the calling card of some Police or Army official on your person or within your wallet (or even better than that, Having such a personage as a Drinking Buddy, Best Friend, Relative or someone who's willing to give you an odd favor now and then) , (d) have an even more offensive attitude then the driver you'll be taking on verbally, (e) have a posse of bruisers in your passenger seat or (f) Have St Peter's direct line on speed dial on your cellphone.

These are some of the things that you have to drum into your noggin every day once you decide to step into the drivers seat of your car and you have to go somewhere. Low gas? Pesky Traffic enforcers? Occasional Street Beggars? Persistent Street vendors selling useless crap at exorbitant prices? These are merely the icing on the cake. Once you pass thru their area of vegetation, then you're in the clear. But those friggin dumb-arsed drivers that ply the roads of manila as if they were doing bumper cars in the amusement park and not ferrying blank-faced passengers to their desired destinations (blank faced but are really silently making peace with their Creator of their respective religions at the same time preying to the aforementioned celestial being to smite the offensive driver before he causes them to leave the prime material plane for the spiritual world). But the best part of all is when these aformentiond Dumb-arsed drivers actually get caught by diligent Traffic enforcers have nothing else to do but scratch their heads in mute apology! Sometimes I'm thankful i don't own a gun.. Or do I? Hmmm...!