* the only "happily ever after"...

...is Now! :) 

* all in one

...is when one verse of a song tells a whole story.  for example:

"i was cuttin' a rug 

in a place called the jug 

with a girl named linda-lou 

when in come a man 

with a gun in his hand 

and he was lookin' for you-know who." [1]

______________________ 

[1] lynyrd skynrd's gimme three steps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJZrXhMBG1E

b114 (4.16-1.2023): on[e]ly

why? [i]
by a. rising

alternative titles: on[e]ly; one[ly]; (one)ly

 
question: why does any (one) person have to love only (one) other person?
answer: they don’t!
 
the “love only me” rule is often imposed by the (one) person who wants to control you, your love, and your behavior.
_______________________________ 

• the unspoken truth (that almost everybody knows)... is that human beings are really, really bad at loving only one other. 

_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.16-1.2023). on[3]ly? book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

b114 (4.15-1.2023): waking-up to pink

waking-up to pink [i]

by a. rising

it is hard to fathom (what any-body thinks)
it is “up & at ‘em”
waking-up to pink

 

_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.15-1.2023). waking-up to pink. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

* Air BnB just lost me

 Air BnB just asked me to "verify" myself by using "Plaid" to get into my bank account.  I've been a 5-star customer with air BnB, have had zero issues, and my credit cards have been verified multiple times before while using the Air BnB booking system.

Now, they want to get into your bank account!  Don't do it.  I (just now) removed all of my credit card data from my Air BnB account, and booked a hotel instead.

Goodbye, Air BnB.  

You just lost me.

* autonomy, freedom, power...

somehow, growing-up (although i craved attention), it wasn't fame.  i had a knowing that it was great to have a great (albeit small) group of friends who held mutual admirations of each other while being able to live with each others' quirks and even some ill-advised decisions.

i valued privacy, yet wanted to be known.  a showman who, like the guy in the wizard of oz... prior to his becoming the wonderful wizard.

i knew that power corrupted powerfully, and that 

i'd be powerless under its power.  

freedom was an innate knowing, and freedom from certain responsibilities, addictions, fatherhood, command, meant being able to have local power... which is kind of like buying/eating locally.  

my brother, we lived the dream.  we had an autonomy that can never again be experienced in a world of instant media -- potentially going viral.

if this blog ever gets too famous, i will enjoy it for the moment, prior to disappearing into a void of a whisper of a shadow: insignificant, unimportant, incognito, and free.

_________________________ 

* excerpted from an email to a friend.

b114 (4.11-1.2023) freedom from fame

freedom from fame [i]
by f. reename

born (and named) with freedom
what is in a name?
name a way to be (be free) to me:
freedom from fame
 
_______________________________

[i] martino, j. (4.11-1.2023). freedom from fame. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

* the universe (explained)

 

b114 (4.9-1.2023): i (100 genders)

i (100 genders) [i]
by g. enders

i (100 genders)
i identify
with a race or species or deep-space or pizza-pie
 
i can flow between (which benefits return-to-sender)
i am what i feel i am
i: 100 genders
_______________________________
 
·       genders, quite frankly, should have no meaning at all.
·       race, ethnicity, etc. should have no place on any job application or any other identification.
·       country, city, or itty-bitty thoughts about who i am should be able to change… in a moment’s notice, for my own benefit.
·       i can be purple, female, native-american, cat, pigeon, amoeba, cosmos… in any moment of my own choosing.
 

i’m feeling really non-neutral, right now.

 

they flow.

_______________________________ 

note: i don't care what you are, and (in the privacy of your own privacy), i don't care what you do -- when it comes to gender.  but...

to be completely honest, it’s the non-binary-ish who need to decide who they are… and they should receive absolutely no benefits given to gender or race or creed or whatever it is that they choose to identify as.  

for example: a high-t person who has a penis does not have the right to "identify" as female so he can beat-up girls in m.m.a. 

_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.9-1.2023). i 100 genders. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

* "you should never..."

 "you should never ask a fish how to catch it.

you should ask a fisherman how to catch it."

-richard cooper

* value-able & sacred

 

 

“there are only four questions of value in life:

(1) what is sacred?  

(2) of what is the spirit made?  

(3) what is worth living for?  and…

(4) what is worth dying for?  

…and the answer to all of these is the same: only Love.”

-don juan demarco

* carnivore

my apologies:

 

b114 (4.5-1.2023): i woke up, uh... unmarried :)

i woke up [i]
by t. rapped
                                                         alternative title: true story
 
it was my wedding day, and i was having doubts.
 
i went for a walk, amid thoughts of divorce.  loss.  failure.
 
i thought about the little things: dual insurance (double [potential] loss).  her medical bills.  potential car accidents.  implant issues.  her borderline personality.  potential arguments.  all of the potential things that could ever go wrong.
 
on the walk, i met an insurance salesman.  i poured my heart out, and said i was scared-to-death.  i verbalized all of my fears, and i could see it in his eyes: “what in the world made you propose?” 
 
without him responding in words, i made a plan.  i wouldn’t sign the marriage license.
 
back at the house, everyone on my side of the family was gathered.  they could sense my anxiety.  those who had experienced wedding days knew what i was going through.  i had an aura of “i don’t want to go through with this.” 
 

simultaneously, i was in Love.

 
all the while, my mind was racing with thoughts of the repercussions (and the broken heart) if i didn’t go through with it.  i was completely torn, and the clock was ticking.  in my mind, the signing of the documents would occur after the wedding, and (maybe) i could get sick (or something) and not sign.
 
but the documents were there, ready for signature, in the living room, and they wanted me to sign now, prior to the bride’s arrival!  i saw the spot (with my spelled name, and the line for my signature).
 
i left the room, and was met outside by a few brothers/friends who knew better than to advise, at this point.  everyone was dressed-up.  i poured my heart out, and explained all of my fears.  they all knew that i didn’t want to go through with it.
 
back in the living room, a short, stocky, bossy woman with short hair looked at me with a furled brow. she said something inaudible, and approached me (to walk me to the signing-papers… in front of everyone!).  she was loud, and everyone was watching.
 
i walked toward the signing table, not really knowing what i was going to do.  was i going to let everyone down?  was i going to break the heart of my beloved?  hundreds of conflicting thoughts and feelings were simultaneously battling, inside of my head.  

“you’ve got to do it! 

--------------- 

don’t!”

 
little miss bossy was shouting something about signing, and i extended my arm, flat-hand... a few inches in front of her big, fat mouth, shutting-her-up.  i said “shut-up.  i’m a big boy.  i’ll do what i want to do!”
 
then…

i woke up.

_______________________________
 
·       i cannot remember ever feeling better, waking from a nightmare.
·       true story.
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.5-1.2023). i woke up. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

* thank you

 just watched the movie "brian's song" for the 101st time.

how many wonderful times (on this here planet) have i had?

how many completely out-of-this-world experiences can i be grateful for?

many, many, many!

too many.

:)

thank you. 

b114 (4.2-1.2023): never goin' back to you

never goin’ back to you [i]
by movin’ ontoo

sung to the chorus of kenny chesney’s 

"save it for a rainy day”

 
we’ve always re-cycled,
we’ve always been hot
we’ve always come back, baby ready-or-not and
 
we’ve always re-played, and
we’ve always re-viewed
 
but i’m not comin’ back to you
 
we’ve always re-vamped and
we’ve always re-coiled and
we’ve always re-minded and always re-boiled, and
 
we’ve always re-mained and
we’ve always re-scued
 
but i’m never goin’ back to you
_____________________
 
·       as one who never, ever says “never,” it feels really, reeeeeeally good to say it (this time).
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.2-1.2023). never goin’ back to you. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

* options

freedom means having options.

in relationships, that means having multiple close friends and several high-value acquaintances.  surround yourself with good people. 

one option, in relationships, is to enjoy spending time with yourself.

enjoy your own time, your own space, your own persona.  be comfortable with you.

smile.

* save it for a rainy day

 

b114 (3.30-1.2023) if "it didn't make it"

if “it didn’t make it” [i]
by a. survivor

if "it didn’t make it"
if it did not survive
if it didn’t have enough to be (to stay) alive

if "it didn’t make it"
if the going (tough)
if "it didn’t make it," then it shouldn’t have:

 

enough

_______________________________
·       living things seek to survive, then thrive.
·       if it (the bird, the bee, the relationship, the tree) didn’t make it, then it (simply) didn’t have what it would take... to make it.
·       why is this so hard to comprehend?
·       if it didn’t make it, then it wasn’t supposed to replicate itself.
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.30-1.2023). if “it didn’t make it”. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino.

* "a watched teapot..."

...does, in fact, boil.

(i own a glass one)

in fact, it's a good idea to pay close attention to the behavior patterns of your sweet, little teapot.  she may have the potential (if unobserved) to spew boiling water all over the place!

humans make a lot of claims that simply aren't true (although they may sound nice -- at the time).

sometimes, humans simply agree/vow to untrue claims.

i don't. 

b114 (3.27-2.2023): beam me up

beam me up [i]
by a. n. alien

captain to the bridge
activate the beam
life is too predictable (if you know what i mean)
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.27-2.2023). beam me up. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

b114 (3.27-1.2023): what is wealth?

what is wealth? [i]
by w. healthy

true wealth (well-th) is having the resources and the wherewithal to experience what you want, when you want, how you want, and why you want – while sharing the experiences with who you want.
 
indicators of wealth include:
·       dream home and residence,
·       dream vacations,
·       dream job,
·       dream social life,
·       dream dreams memories,
·       …and a lack of fiscal responsibilities, like debt.
 

if you never worry about money, you are wealthy.  

if you are healthy, you are wealthy.  

if you can meet life’s challenges with an appropriate amount of response-ability, you are wealthy.  

if you have friends/family/Love, you are wealthy.

 
wealth can be viewed as a multi-dimensional set of continua, so a temporary challenge in one dimension can easily be offset by multiple positives in other dimensions. 

be well.  

_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.27-1.2023). what is wealth? book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino.

* "life is not comfortable."

 -mike norvell. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J-DLXxlwtw

* do not reward bad choices

 just because society rewards bad choices... 

...doesn't mean that i am obliged to.

-jm

* "doubting thomas"

 when i was a kid, the story of "doubting thomas" carried negative connotations.  shame! 

thomas wouldn't blindly believe when he'd heard that a dead man had "risen from the dead" and was "appearing" here and there, kind-of-like an alive ghost. 

would you believe a story like that?

do you (blindly) believe 

magicians,

politicians,

salesmen,

drug dealers,

religious leaders,

lawyers,

newscasters, 

etc.?

who would you want to negotiate your next car deal (or peace treaty) -- 
"gullible/believing betty" or a doubting thomas?

doubting thomases are people who use the scientific method to determine truth, reality and facts.  a good scientist will actually attempt to disprove his/her own theories, in the search for the real truth.

some people are just gullible.  maybe they're lazy, maybe they're stupid, or maybe they weren't taught how to think critically.   maybe they are part of a cult that doesn't allow its leaders to be questioned.

controllers do not like doubting thomases.
that's why they shame the doubter.

b114 (3. 19-1.2023): brontologia

brontologia [i]
by t. h. under

bron-to-lo-gia:
we predict what comes
just a little dis-course
thundering (As One)
 
we believe in things that a 3^rd-grader would say “wha???”
lightning, thunder, trust me:
brontologia
_________________________________
 
·       brontos (thunder) and logion (discourse) is the process of relying on thunder to predict the future.
 
it is no surprise that humans have believed in things such as this.
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.19-1.2023). brontologia. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino.

[ii] wise, m.; abegg, m.; cook, e.; the dead sea scrolls. p. 303. harper. san franciso: new york: ny. 

* topless/bottomless

"the sign on one bar said 'topless/bottomless'.  

i went in... and there was no one there!"

-rodney dangerfield

:)  

b114 (3.18-1.2023): dove did not give up

dove did not give up [i]
by ima dove

dove (she knew eggs-actly when enough, was, well… enough)
dove did not abandon
dove did not give up
_________________________________ 

 
·       she stayed with those ill-fated eggs for twice as long as their incubation stage.
 
·       she stayed with their potential (through ice, freezing rain, and predators).
 
·       she stayed until it (the end) was beyond doubt.
 
dove did not give up.
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.18-1.2023). dove did not give up. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino. 

* she is the ocean

photo taken by a. friend (location: myrtle beach, sc.) 

b114 (3.14-1.2023): the law of accelerating returns

the law of accelerating returns [i]
by anna observer

take one look around
societies that learn
technology abounds... with accelerating returns
_________________________________

·       when Superintelligence (sometimes imagined as “the Singularity”) occurs, don’t bet on the optimistic-lie (that It will be available to all).  optimists say things like:

a)     “It will cure cancer… and diabetes.”

b)     “It will be under our control.” (by the way… who is “…our”?)

c)      “It won’t be used for power, control (e.g. military or police purposes).”

 

honestly now… what are the chances of that?

 

d)     “we will develop It with our own moral code.”

 

‘d’ seems inevitable… so the moral code of a human-male-ego will have God-like power.

 ·       once we conclude that a very few men-machines (or maybe the first man-machine) will experience Superintelligence, he/they will be God-like.

·       humanity, then (and musings like this thoem), will immediately be reduced to the insignificance of mosquitos.  at that point, it will be up to the Superintelligent to decide if humanity survives.

the decision to allow humanity to survive might not even be a decision, as the Superintelligent will have much bigger/better things to do.  one might hope (if one hopes to survive) that he/she might be selected as low-level “entertainment” to some lower-level General Intelligence.

 …question: “how interested are you… in the lives (social, sexual, societal, etc.) of mosquitos?”

_____________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.14-1.2023). the law of accelerating returns. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino.

*as of this writing, the only thing that lets me sleep at night is (1) I’ve been wrong in the past, and (2) when ASI happens, we won’t even know it. (yes.that’s two things). 

b114 (2.13-2.2023): mega-spectra

mega-spectra [i]
by connie tinuum

everything is mega-spectra, nothing black or white
everything continuum (while some see left or right)
everything collective (integrated bowl of stew)
everything (yes, everything) connects the me and you
_________________________________
 
·       since everything affects everything, we-you-mans can only (really) speak with confidence about apparent tendencies and possibilities.

·       his-story, of course, will always be in the mind of the storyteller.
 
if somebody is watching the earth-channel, s/he is either (a) extremely entertained, or (b) so far advanced that our experiences (here) barely raise he/r collective, digital eyebrow.
_______________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.13-1.2023). mega-spectra. book 114: untitled. © 2023 by joal martino.
*In-Spired by neal degrasse tyson, describing cause and effect as a spectrum.