"Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory." -- Gen. Douglas MacArthur

There's this Starhub commercial with a lil girl who keeps calling her daddy on their IDD line. Because some conversations need to go on a little longer, is the pitch. My first thought? Dude! That's a girl! Well, a small sample, but still a girl! What's worse than telling a gal she can use IDD any time and for as long as she wants! (At this point one of our Miss Universe finalists would so give me a smack for being sexist.) Look what we're turning our kids into.

My second thought? Dude! You're turning into a citizen of this city, what the hell!

I once read a novel by an Indonesian author -- not in the list, though -- in which there was this quote from Douglas MacArthur. (BTW, three paragraphs and three links to my own entries? How's that for self-pimping?) I'm pretty sure it was MacArthur. Yet, Google didn't find it, so I took the closest I could find and started doubting myself. Now, how's that for self-confidence? You're sure. Google can't find it. Now you're not so sure.

The quote I tried to locate goes like this, sort of: gimme a son who's strong bla bla bla, let him travel not the smoothest roads, but make him stronger through rough journeys. (Yet another failed attempt at being poetic.) Perhaps in time that Starhub gal will grow up and realize too much IDD will kill her -- or her daddy -- regardless of the operator. Then, in turn, she'll be wiser and raise lotsa wise kids, who will themselves raise lotsa wise grandkids.

It's really that Nelly-Kelly song, isn't it, choosing what's best for your lovely juniors. (That's right, four! And counting! Dude, I'm on a roll!) True you don't need to cut yourself or get burned first to know the danger of knives and fire. But sometimes you do. Give you another quote.

"In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." -- Harry Lime

Sadly, all this won't make it easier when the time comes for me to decide, should I let them take the public bus or should I drive them to school? Of course, assuming I have something to drive them in. Also assuming I have them. Should I let them climb the tree and fall down -- while secretly hoping they'll develop their Spidey skills and instincts, after all with great power comes great responsibility -- or should I keep the trees in our lawn small and short? Assuming we have our own lawn to plant trees in.

Should I tell them not to stay up late while in fact that was exactly how I learned my coding skills? Should I tell them not to hang out with the "wrong" kids while in fact that was where I developed my sense of solidarity and responsibility? Should I tell them not to spend too much time in chatrooms while in fact this very experience was what improved my English?

Then again, people have to change. Someday, when I tell my kid, "Son, why don't you try blogging? It's fun and will improve your writing aptitude. You'll find lotsa friends also," he might look at me in pity and reply, "Daddy, I love you, I do. But blogging? That's so last century!"

Never mind that this online journal thingy actually started gaining its popularity in 1999 and became a worldwide phenomenon around 2000-2001.

We hope for our kids to learn from mistakes, after all.

Current music: Metallica - The God That Failed
Current mood: happy