Love Isn’t Forever

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Romantics long for eternal love. For mere mortals like us, however, it’s not in the cards. Come to think of it, this isn’t really bad as we tend to appreciate something more when it doesn’t last. The best way to love somebody then is to realize that it will end.

How to Win in the Middle East

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If there’s something I wish to see in my lifetime, it’s lasting peace in the Middle East. However, it doesn’t seem likely.

Even though the U.S. Army prides itself as being the best in the world, it finds itself bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its training, modern weaponry, and technology aren’t a match against a determined adversary who’s willing to die for jihad. As Bin Laden once said, “we love death. the U.S. loves life. That is the difference between us two.”

In the war in Iraq that officially ended in 2011, the U.S. forces suffered nearly 4,500 casualties. A significant portion of the fatalities were caused by suicide bombers. Why would a young Muslim embrace death by blowing himself up? Islam forbids suicide. It appears, however, that killing oneself in this manner isn’t suicide per se. Only the Western press says so. Actually, it’s considered martyrdom because it’s done in the name of Islam.

Truffle Hunting in Montone

I have many pleasant memories of Italy. One of them was a visit to a farm in Montone, a walled medieval village tracing its roots back in the 10th century. It’s about 20 miles from the city of Perugia in central Italy.

Our travel guide said we’d go for truffle hunting. Pardon my ignorance, but it led me to assume that truffles were some kind of prey. I squirmed at the thought of seeing blood on my hands. Little did i know that they are actually wild mushrooms that grow underground where oak trees are found.

 

Whodunit Mystery Solved

 
For a couple of weeks now, I’d been wondering who the hell was leaving a half-eaten orange on top of the backyard fence. Could it be the next door neighbor? I doubt it. He doesn’t seem to be that friendly. At the same time, I shudder at the thought that he might be suspecting me doing it as some kind of prank. Trust me, you would get scared, too, if you see him. He’s one you don’t want to cross. He’s built like a defensive tackle on the football field.

It’s Haircut Day

I went for a haircut today. When I woke up this morning, my hair looked like a dried mop that had seen better days. It wouldn’t succumb to the power of my comb’s persuasion anymore. My former barber used to tell me that I’d know it was time to pay him a visit when I couldn’t manage my hair the way I wanted to. Unfortunately, we’d lost contact since I left the Philippines. For all I know, he must be dead by now. But no problem about that, as I always find another barber willing to take his place.