what a way to go.

the most common cause of death among fruit flies is constipation. I have been thinking about this as of late. It is one of the simple facts about the world that I truly enjoy. I am not exactly sure why it has been a piece of knowledge that has stuck with me for so long, but it has, and who am I to question fate?

fruit flies have a very short life-span, no longer than about three days as i understand. They are heavy breeders who mature very quickly. within just a few hours of birth they reach adulthood, and are themselves capable of reproducing at a rate which allows them to be grandparents all in one afternoon. To you and I, it is only a brief moment. we blink, and a week goes by and not much changes from our daily routine. Yet in these moments, fruit flies are born, go to school, get jobs, get married, have children, retire, see the world, and pass on. in those three days they fight for life and thrive. each second is a new experience. and when their time in this world comes to an end they die because they are not capable of taking a shit. they never have done it before, and their bodies do not function that way. they have never needed to evolve that far because they have already procreated successfully without it being necessary. they have done so much, but never taken the time to just take a dump.

i know this is a strange thought, but i think there is something romantic in the plight of the fruit fly. not constipation that is. i in no way find that romantic. But it is the idea that so much can happen in what is just a moment in time. we can do anything we wish to, and every moment it precious.

yet i spend a lot of time sitting. i read books, and dont get out much. i will go from the work week to the weekend with nothing eventful. meh, what can you do?

Another random fact that i love, is that the Advertising agent who first thought of putting a commercial for a presidential candidate on television, was also the guy who came up with the slogan, "milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand." this is why i like NPR.