hey!

i don't know why some people still keep pets when their actions clearly show they don't really want one.

our neighbor (oh no, not another neighbor) who lives across us, owns two dogs. everyday, he finds out his dogs have soiled their cage (it is quite a cramped cage for two adult dogs) which would upset him, always. he would now start muttering and shouting to the dogs about how baboy (pig-like) they are, how they never learn and a host of other invectives the dogs wouldn't understand* anyway (or maybe they could sense it). as he proceeds to clean their cage, i would hear a few yelps from the dogs as they are most likely hit or slapped by angry owner.

and this happens everyday. the unhappiness of these dogs are clearly evident in their appearance. they have thinning fur, exposing skin that is almost covered with sores and blisters. when they are led out of the cage one at a time for a walk, this sense of "freedom" must be so overwhelming to the dog as it scrambles away, dragging its owner behind.

i cannot say that this pet owner is entirely bad. he seems to be quite dutiful in keeping their cage clean and taking the dogs for brief walks. unfortunately, pet-keeping and its daunting tasks may be too much for him. especially with an unrealistic view that a dog has excellent bladder and poop control that can hold for hours until his next walk. and of course, that a life inside a cramped cage is what a dog deserves.

i am contemplating on sending an anonymous letter to my neighbor that would contain humane pet ownership and effective dog-training tips. i hope this would help in making the dogs' lives better and more stress-free. and maybe his life too.

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several sites on pet care:
veterinary petcare
peta companion animals
care4pets

*a current favorite gary larson cartoon about a scientist's discovery on what barking dogs are actually saying (coming soon)

lethargy of the word

the funny thing about blogging is that you have to assume that somebody actually reads what you write, which gives you some kind of responsibility to post something — something at par with the ones you've already written, for your "loyal" reader/s.

the past weeks since my last post i have been urging myself to write the blog entries i've been composing in my mind. unfortunately, they have all been kept at bay either by pressing tasks or more urgent laziness.

i am quite tired of using the current mercury retrograde as an excuse, but if far more powerful forces are at work here, why resist? in fact, i started this post yesterday but i'm quite optimistic i will finish it today with a bit of satisfaction that it came out the way i planned.

it was a surprise to me when two weeks ago, my inbox contained this article from the webmd newsletter: "the positive power of daydreaming". this to me is almost akin to a scientific/medical breakthrough. finally, there is an attempt to understand the true inner workings of a human body that does not necessarily conform to race track settings or minute-by-minute account of things accomplished. to me, one is not necessarily "recharged" by a one-hour lunch break or even an eight-hour sleep. putting-off for tomorrow what you can do today may simply mean gearing up for a more inspired burst of productivity or creativity for the next days to come. not everything has to happen now. even the masters, the geniuses often stared blankly or indulged in less productive endeavors. but look what came next.

i've often assured my friend who's a writer that doing nothing or something else despite a pressing deadline is in fact part of the creative process.

so coming out with this blog post can only mean one thing. i have had my rest.