b122 (2.28-1.2025): let's bring-in the righty

 
let’s bring-in the righty [i]
by a. reliever
 
starting pitcher lost it
got beat-up in three
manager taps his right arm (it’s time to bring-in me!)
 
god knows i’m not the closer
just here to stop the pain
i’m good for a few innings, i don’t criticize/complain
 
a cagey-vet with fastball, curveball, slider up his sleeve
i’ll play for a few innings
i’m just middle-relief
 
a set-up for the closing pitcher, i don’t need the glory
i give my best then take my rest
utilities and stories
 
starting pitcher lost it
i can bring the heat
hard and strong but not for long
i’m just middle-relief  
________________________________
 
·       i know my role.
·       bring me in, for a few innings, to keep you in the game.
·       use me up, then send me to the showers.
·       if i did my job, i’ve got things set-up for the closer.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.26-1.2025). i’m just middle-relief. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

* why do men do stupid things on boats?

they're drinking. 

b122 (2.26-1.2025): my Love runs deep (for you)

 

my love runs deep (for you) [i]

by s. weet  & t. aboo

 

my Love runs deep (for you)

it simply-always always will

just stop and feel the gentle wind

in the warmth you can feel the chill

 

remember the slow caress

remember the stormy night

remember the slow undress

remember the (oh, baby, we just might)

 

remember the rhythm & rhymes

remember the sweet taboo

remember us: the partners in crime

remember, baby, me & you

 

it happened… so it already is… forever

___________________________________

[i] martino, j. (2.26-1.2025). my Love runs deep for you. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.25-2.2025): cherry whiskey

 
cherry whiskey [i]
by s. weet  
 
cherry whiskey (she's a sipper)
cherry whiskey (fine)
cherry whiskey (in the winter you’re a friend of mine)
cherry whiskey (warm my heart and make my brain cells run)
cherry whiskey (now i’m gone, but girl we had some fun)
________________________________
 
·       she’s sweet (alright).
·       she warms my heart…
·       …but she’s killing me, slowly.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.25-1.2025). cherry whiskey. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.24-1.2025): commit

 
commit [i]
by i should & beco m. mitted  
 
they tell you to commit – because it serves them so
they tell you to commit “it is the only way to go”
they tell you to commit (let’s see) “from sea to shining sea”
they tell you to commit: they mean “now you commit to me”
________________________________
 
·       those who ask for commitment (of course) have a self-serving agenda.  from the local girlfriend to mother teresa, their desire for your commitment serves their goals.  

don’t.

·       commit to yourself.  commit to your own self-betterment.  commit to your own honesty, loyalty, compassion, empathy, joy, wonder, expression, etc.

·       put the oxygen-mask on first, before attending to anyone else.

• charity begins at home.

• you can’t help others to be well when you are ill. be well.

the simple truth is... that you can't (really) love her... until you love your-self and your passions.  only then -- can you make her a true priority.  now that's commitment.  

___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.24-1.2025). commit. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.23-1.2025): cold

 
cold [i]
by cold s. houlder  
 
she runs hot to cold, depending on her mood

(i thought) 

maybe she has gas?  maybe it’s the food?
maybe it’s the weather or the news that’s on tv?
maybe it’s her daddy?
maybe it’s just me
________________________________
 
·       what i’ve found is what i suspected, but could never verbalize:
 

.................................it was her.

___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.23-1.2025). cold. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.22-1.2025): dope-a-mine

 
dope-a-m[e]ine [i]
by alfred dope  
 
dopeamine feels good (it seems to captivate one’s mind)
deep within the brain (and into things we can’t define)
well into the chemical reactions of the day
dopeamine can make us sort-of dopey (in a way)
________________________________
 
·       dopeamine makes me dopey.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.22-1.2025). dopamine makes me dopey. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.21-1.2025): 190 (294)

 
190 (294) [i]
by high c. holesterol  
 
the LDLs are high, the HDLs are too
but it’s the LDLs (and it’s the total that rings true)
good numbers in november… after two months dry
good weight (as i remember)
my question is just why…
 
did i go back to drinking?
________________________________
 
·       total cholesterol 294.
·       weight gain of 10 lbs.
·       belly fat gain of 1.5 inches.
 
joal, you are self-aware enough to know all of this.  you teach this sh-t, for god’s sakes!  you’ve got ONE choice, here.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.21-1.2025). 190 (294). book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.20-1.2025): some [maybe] can't be helped

 
some (maybe) can’t be helped [i]
by johnny d. sturbed  
 
some might be beyond the stage of healthy sense of self
some might not be able
some (maybe) just can’t be helped
________________________________
 
·       in this case, i’ve done all that i can do.
 
joal: you have tried, numerous times… to help this young man.  you’ve been the confidant, the father-figure, the commanding-officer figure, and the documentation person.  he definitely needs something beyond what you can give.
 
if he gets permanently kicked-out, however, he will blame everyone in the chain.  we’ll never know just when he’ll be coming back (for revenge).
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.20-1.2025). some just can’t be helped. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.19-1.2025): disturbing

disturbing [i]
by johnny d. sturbed  
 
it’s a tad unnerving
when he comes around
johnny is disturbing
big and brash and loud
 
one’s whole life can change in one short moment (auto, swerving)
we’ve got to be careful
johnny is disturbing
________________________________
 
·       there’s a young man in our midst who is manic, in terms of self-absorption, attention-seeking,  and ego.

·       people are wary of him, and he’s been asked to stay away.

·       he is the type of person who could be dangerous.
 
joal: you documented a counseling session with him, yesterday.  he was suspended, today (for different incidents), but he might link the two together, somehow.  be extra alert.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.19-1.2025). disturbing. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino. 

b122 (2.18-1.2025): celibacy rules!

 
celibacy rules! [i]
by a. celebite & celebrating c. elibacy  
 
celibacy is a game that can be played at school
celibacy triumphs
celibacy rules!
________________________________
 
·       be-cause… if you are destined to be celibate anyway, you might as well choose to be.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.18-1.2025). celibacy rules!. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.17-1.2025): time to stop the chase

 
it’s time to stop caring about the pursuit of sex. [i]
by bu t. why 

it's time to stop the chase

it's time to reason why

it's time to bend (to leap/transcend)

it's time to touch the sky

______________________________  
 
1.     pursuing... is a waste of one's time.
2.     you can have anyone, anywhere, anytime (mentally), and (truth be told) that might be better than physically!
   a.  nobody gets attached, or hurt, or dis-eased, or pregnant, or self-conscious.
3.     you will always perform well (in the fantasy).
4.     you control the orgasms.
5.     you determine what to do afterwards, and clean-up is easier.
6.     since there isn’t a girlfriend or a wife involved, you are not responsible for food, clothing, housing, vacations, accessories, dogs, cats, kids (in that order), insurance, emotions, drama, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum.
 
you can still enjoy reality-sex, if and when it is obvious that a hot gal wants to get together for short-term fun.  but it will be up to her to initiate, to send the right signals, and to let you know that it is just for fun.*  in addition, you’ll be more choosy.  you won’t pick from the low-hanging fruit.  if someone is going to get to see your p-, she will have to earn it via hb & r/o.  you won't just give it away.
 
you’ve already had all of the sex, all of the Love, all of the fun, all of the activities, all of the emotions, and  all of the experiences.  you can’t have ‘em all with everyone, joal.  you’ve had more conwantual, fun, sexy partners than 99.999% of the men who have ever walked upon planet earth.  that is a fact.
 
once you stop pursuing sex, you can still flirt… it’s just that you won’t care about an outcome.  there’s no objective.  there’s nothing to win.  there’s nothing to prove (to anyone).
 
no more tinder, or dating apps, or “on-the-hunt” in bars.  conversely, you’ll still be able to enjoy the beauty, the sexiness, the pageantry (etc.) of women.  you will appreciate them even more!  you’ll care more about the inside than the sex-side.  ws far as your physical need to release pressure and experience orgasm, you've got more than enough (in the way of tools) at your disposal to take care of that.  the time saved from ceasing the mental-physical chase will be mon-u-mental.  

 -------------------------------------- 

for soooooooooo many years, your self-esteem was related-to and governed-by your prowess with the ladies.  you am free of that, now.  your self-esteem is based-upon who you are (as a man, as a human, as a neighbor, as a co-worker, as a teacher, as a family member, and as a friend).
 
oh, and Joal… drinking (alcohol) needs to go, once again.  get fit for yourself, not for anyone else.  care about yourself, first.  you’ll end-up being better for everyone… including the women who choose to play (the game of love) with you.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.17-1.2025). it’s time to stop caring about the pursuit of sex. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2025 by j. martino.

b122 (2.16-1.2025): i don't need it (really)

 
i don’t need it (really) [i]
by idonna needit  
 
i don’t need it (really)
i don’t need it (fine)
i don’t need to force this thing that we call yours & mine
i don’t need to make-believe that you and i are one
i don’t need it (really)
 
let’s just have some fun
________________________________
 
·       the contemporary u.s.a. construct of male-female mating & dating and marriage doesn’t inspire me to do it – much like swimming with alligators doesn’t.

·       i don’t have to pretend to believe the things that others are pretending to believe.

·       i’ll do it (within the boundaries), but i’ll do it my own way.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.16-1.2025). i don’t need it (really). book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

* i don't need the conventional marriage, cohabitation, relationship, sex, etc.

b122 (2.15-1.2025): yes, it's a bad habit

 
yes, it’s a bad habit [i]
by igotta bad habit  
 
yes, it’s a bad habit
yes, i know it’s wrong
yes, that is the reason and the season for this song
________________________________
 
·       waking-up and having a beer… well, it leads to another beer.  it (event-u-ally) wastes the day.

·       astonishingly, i’ve wasted a lot of them.  i’ve “sat right here, and had another beer in mexico” right here in the safe confines of my own home.

·       to be honest, i’ve had fun doing so, and i believe that there might even be some positives to “wasting away in margaritaville”.

·       i’m just not exactly sure what they are.

___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.15-1.2025). yes, it’s a bad habit. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b122 (2.14-1.2025): valiant-teeny-times

valiant-teeny-times [i]

by valiant times

 

valiantly i send the roses and the card-of-rhymes

anything but teeny/tiny

valiant-teeny-times

_____________________________

 

1.     let’s be honest (sic).  it’s not about the expenses of valentines (although it is, but it’s not).

2.     as a man, you’d better out-do the expense-efforts of her friends’ men (but even then: brother, you’re just getting started).

3.     you’d also better out-do anything that you’ve ever done on prior valentines days (which means you’d better have a memory – and a good credit card).

4.     …but the real thing that matters (let’s face it: #s 2 & 3 just got you in the door) is to affectively touch her emotions by showing that you’ve listened, that you cared, and that you took the time and energy to figure out and plan, based upon the clues into the emotions that she’s not even sure she’s had yet!

5.     congratulations.  you just survived another valentines.

6.     the sad news is… is that (uh, ummmm…) she’s still not satisfied.  after all, all you did was show her that she’s the most important thing on the planet, and (like ‘bik’ in the movie ‘wicked’) you proved that you’ll do anything for her.   sorry (again), but even that is a mistake… because she sees her perfect man as one who doesn’t care about the valentines frill as much as he cares about his own vision, mission, purpose and goals.

7.     you might have just driven her closer to brawny biff, who was out swilling beer and consorting hookers on v-day.

being valiant (and honoring a day that you don’t really believe in) is both teeny and time bound.  welcome to valiant-teeny-times.

gentlemen.  be honest.  how do you both feel on february 15^th?  

by the way…

question: what did she do for you on men’s bj day?

answer: if there ever even was such a day, it would be laughed-at, shamed out of existence, and called-out as self-serving (before being forgotten, in lieu of the v).

as the movie “war games” ended soooooooo peacefully, with these words:

“the only way to win the game, is not to play.”*

 ___________________________________

[i] martino, j. (2.14-1.2025). valiant-teeny-times. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

*truth is… even when you don't play, you can’t win.  you can only survive.  

(all of that being said, you can pretend to honor the val, while internally laughing at the lemmingousity of it) 

:)

b122 (2.13-1.2025): talking heads & clickbait

 
talking heads & clickbait [i]
by twenty-twenty five  
 
talking heads and clickbait
in my face & time
telling me to come and see and buy (it’s free!  it’s mine!)
 
selling me a trial
singing me a tune
talking heads and clickbait:
 

sorry (i’m immune)

________________________________
 
·       be-cause… after the relentlessness of talking heads and clickbait (and junk mail and telemarketers and spam etc., etc., etc., etc., …you simply become immune to it.  i’m repulsed by it.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.13-1.2025). talking heads and clickbait. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

·        truth is, some don’t.  some get worn-down by it, and simply succumb.   

b122 (2.12-1.2025): sometimes, drugs are fine

 
sometimes, drugs are fine [i]
by a. d. rugger  
 
sometimes, drugs will screw your life (as you complain and whine)
sometimes, drugs can kill
sometimes, drugs are fine
________________________________
 
·       sometimes, drugs (the alcohol or pot or blow or whatever which way you go) brings you into a high-tened sense of connection, hysteria, love, happiness, anxiety, fear, joy, etc.

·       sometimes, drugs do exactly what they are intended to do.  think: coffee.

·       sometimes, drugs are fine.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.12-1.2025). sometimes, drugs are fine. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

*of course, those who shame this type of thinking are probably those who used drugs for the exact purpose that they expected and received.

b122 (2.11-1.2025): true, i made mistakes

true, i made mistakes [i]

by miss taken  

 

true, i made mistakes

you (and me) bad breaks

if i could go back and do it over…

 

…i’d go back as me

i’ll go back and be…

the man i am (now that i’m older)

________________________________
 
·       be-cause… we’ve all done things or said things or been things that we regret.

·       wouldn’t it be great to get washed (clean), and to be seen as who we are now… now that we’ve grown.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.11-1.2025). true, i made miss takes. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino. 

* sung... to the tune of "teenage wasteland" by The Who. 

*

b122 (2.10-1.2025): why haven't you ever gotten married?

 
why haven’t you ever gotten married? [i]
by steven ingle  
 

alternative title: where can i sign-up for some of that?

 
she said "why haven’t you been married?”
 
why, oh why ask why?
why haven’t i been married?
why don’t reindeer fly?
________________________________
 
a more fair question would be: “why on earth do people get married?”
 
i’ve never been married, and:
 
·       i’ve never gotten divorced.
·       i’ve never been in a sexless marriage.
·       i’ve never had the experience of not wanting to go home to my wife.
·       i’ve never “cheated” on my wife.
·       i’ve never had a wife cheat on me.
·       i’ve never felt obliged to “support” a wife (until death).
·       i’ve never promised something that i wasn’t sure of.
·       i am observant.
·       i don’t skydive if parachutes are effective less than 50% of the time.
·       i simply refuse to buy into societal constructs that make no sense.
·       etc., etc., etc.
 

are you serious?  why would anyone ever get married?

 
1.     men get married for sex. 
   a.     men make romantic-relationship-commitment agreements because they believe that they will gain partnership with someone who will also provide more sex, more regular sex, easier sex, etc., etc.

2.     women get married -- for security.
   a.     financial security,
   b.     relationship security,
   c.      child-rearing security,
   d.     societal-approval security,
   e.     etc.
 
prior to marriage, women bargain with men -- and trade sex for potential security.  once that security is secured through some type of commitment, women no longer need to barter.  what this means is simple: after the commitment, sex will decrease. 
 
forget about the fact that (1) sex will get more boring, or that (2) men aren’t monogamous, or that (3) the tsunami of other obligations and responsibilities will cultivate an environment that suppresses sex.  forget about the fact that sex doesn’t always end in mutually satisfying orgasms.
 
the simple truth is that (for her) sex is messy, choking on a d is not fun for her anymore, and (once she’s had her desired allotment of children), getting pregnant isn’t desired anymore.  the simple truth is that (once she’s gotten what she wanted) she wants something else!
 
·       the chase is over,
·       the motivation is over,
·       the taboo is over,
·       the challenge is over,
·       the competition is over, and
·       the game is over…
…so what does sex actually do for a woman in a cohabitational-commitment?
 
very little.  compound that with the fact that the man is bored with it also.  let’s face it: dude might like a nice ribeye steak (for example), but if every meal (for the rest of his life) is only a ribeye…
·       ribeye for breakfast (ribeye eggs, ribeye toast, ribeye butter, ribeye milk),
·       ribeye for lunch,
·       ribeye for dinner,
·       ribeye snacks,
·       ribeye smoothies,
·       ribeye beer…
…dude will become less excited about ribeyes.  he won’t look forward to eating.
 
oh, let’s add another layer on top of this sad situation: not only can he only consume only ribeye for the rest of his entire life, but he can’t even lust after or hope for or master-bate to anything else!  his “commitment” to lifetime ribeye renounces his right to desire anything else.  this contributes to his lack of enthusiasm for ribeye.   re-read that.  even his thoughts are committed.
 
oh, and imagine if the ribeye-partnership that he committed to doesn’t do anything else for him either!  it doesn’t cook, it doesn’t clean, it doesn’t help to generate income for him…  in fact, all it does is confer more and more responsibilities onto his already responsibility-laden life! 
 
not only that, but ribeyes can be expensive. veeeeeeeeeeery expensive. weddings and anniversaries and birthdays and children and college and holidays (like valentine’s day) and jewelry and cars and home improvements and (of course) her never-ending dis-satisfaction with everything that she already has gotten.  never even mind the implants (& retreads), the botox, the make-up, the extensions – and the eventual “girls vacations”.
 
yes.  event-u-ally, she (and her friends) can justify her cheating – because her needs aren’t being met!
 
to review: the topic, ladies and gentlemen, is marriage.
 

where can i sign-up for some of that?

 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.1x-1.2025). why haven’t you ever been married? book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

did my health insurance & car insurance & life insurance & homeowners insurance (etc.) just increase?

 

b122 (2.9-1.2025): power can be brutal

 
power can be brutal [i]
by p. o. werful  
 
power can be brutal
let me count the ways
power mutes the truth (in every-thing the servant says)
________________________________
 
·       the person in power will be lied to, when:
   o   s/he informs those who are not in power of what s/he wants to hear.
   o   s/he threatens punishment to those who tell he/r otherwise.
 
note: lies happen even when “the word” and/or “the punishment” aren’t communicated overtly.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.8-1.2025). honeymooner bj? book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

      examples:
1.      parents, who threaten to “take away the cell phone (or video games)” if the child breaks a rule.
2.      partners who have committed promises (e.g. fidelity).
3.      gods who threaten “forever hell” to those who don’t believe and obey.  

b122 (2.8-1.2025): honeymooner bj?

 
honeymooner bj? [i]
by aintno suchthing  
 
you want honeymooner bj?
but t/here’s one, little twist
baby’s with the dj (you & bj don’t exist)

____________________________________

as it turns out, the thing you thought would get you more...

...gets you way, waaaaaay, waaaaaaaaaaaaay less.

(and that, my brother, is what's called "the ol' bait & switch").

___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (2.8-1.2025). honeymooner bj? book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

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