The World Gathers for Mandela Memorials

It’s raining and pouring heavily in South Africa right now, the same as the tens and thousands of people who flocked at the FNB Stadium including 91 world leaders to remember and honor one of the greatest (if not ever) head of state. It has been five days since Nelson Mandela died at his home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 after suffering from a long fight of recurring lung infection. And the current South African president released a statement "that the man known affectionately as Madiba and had been the father of the people" has succumbed from his illness.

I may not know how he overcame the depth and the breadth of a love that overwhelms hatred but I know for sure that it was his refusal to be consumed by bitterness and resentment that unites everyone, both whites and blacks alike, including his enemies. In fact, he even invited the state prosecutor who put him behind bars, to a dinner then he also appear in the 1995 Rugby World Cup finals by wearing a Springboks green and gold jersey. It was those gestures of bringing about social change that stunned both his loyal followers and detractors, that unified South Africa.

Perhaps, Nelson Mandela’s 1994 autobiography the “Long Walk to Freedom”, which covered his 27 years in prison and his well known quotes “I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days” has became his legacy as someone who changed humanity by fighting against oppression and apartheid. And many believed that Mandela became an emblem of peace by reconciling with individuals who had been the instruments of oppression and deep racial tensions while he was behind bars.

South Africa may have lost its greatest son or have lost a father, but he lived long enough to see the fruition of his dream in dismantling the apartheid system by persuading reconciliation and embracing forgiveness. Nelson Mandela, Madiba or Tata is gone but he has set example about healing pain of apartheid and today the world gathers for Mandela Memorials.

Image from wikipedia.

Blue Bloods

When I like a certain TV series, I will finish more than four episodes at a single chance of my free time. I have mentioned “chance” in that sentence because we don’t have the luxury to fight with the three-year old toddler as he owns the TV when he is awake and in the house. Not that we tolerate him watching TV all the time but it is because that is his chance to be still at one place in the house. And if you don’t know his time when he is not watching TV then it is like you are watching a track and field tournament. He is like racing with Usain Bolt.

So before the European football season resumes tomorrow, I already had the luxury to finish several episodes of one of my favorite TV series Blue Bloods so I can catch up in the fourth season. Three weeks back, I did finally found a good link with clear online streaming reception and also did a marathon viewing of it during the first leg of the last World Cup qualifying matches.

Anyway, I was hooked up with Blue Bloods as it is not just concentrated being a police procedural drama but also it depicts the life and the decisions they must make in and outside the law enforcement. What’s more interesting is the way they portray how they able to separate their own emotional family feelings from their line of work. They must be fair in making their decision without jeopardizing their support from their family. In fact in so many instances, I found it very hard to decide on what needs to be done when caught in a dilemma. That it is not only being fair for everyone but it also must not violate the law that they are enforcing especially being a Police Commissioner at the same time a father to his two sons who are under him at NYPD.

Image from wikipedia.

The TV Series Obsession

When the TV series Dexter was officially announced its last season, I kind of started to look for another show that I can watch without boring myself. Just like the obsession I got from the TV series Dexter. Although I’ve been watching already NCIS before but it wasn’t like it now that I’ve been following every episode there is. In fact, when I was hooked up in NCIS, I watched it all over from the very beginning of the first season until I finally catch up with the latest one. And it was in the latter part when I learned that NCIS was voted America’s favorite TV show and I believe it all started in season 7.

So the latest TV show that I have followed then was Blue Bloods, it is a police procedural drama series that revolves around the Reagan family of police officers. The setting is the NYPD. The same with NCIS, I have seen some of its episode before but since I am a diehard Dexter and CSI follower it was in the last picking of my choices. The only difference is that, I have seen only a few series of it. And it was before the very last season of Dexter when I just so happen to see one episode of Blue Bloods when I started to like it. It was also the start of another TV series obsession that I really searched for it so I can start from the beginning of the show.

And it was during the international break in football that I will be able to focus on watching them as I have to joggle the football season matches, which is every weekend and midweek for the Champions League and league tournaments a well, and in keeping an eye on a very active toddler. We are just so lucky this time that he already went to school that during the morning of weekdays, the house is free of a child who sprints all the time as if he don’t know how to walk. So if you have a free time, watch Blue Bloods and let me know if you won’t be hooked up with it.

Image from wikipedia.