b118 (6.12-2.2024): intentional attention

intentional attention [i]
by a. t. tentive 

intentional attention
a tendency of mind
a path of in-tervention
a life that we design
 
intentional attention
a way that we can Be
a subtle shift (perception)
a co/unique j-our-ney
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (6.12-2.2024). intentional attention. book 118: night & day Game. © 2024 by wellnesseducation.us. 

b118 (6.12-1.2024): intentional attention

intentional attention [i]
by a. t. tentive 

the Game (really) is one of attention.
 
the personal, human experience unfolds… based upon where we place our attention.  the drama (thank G∞d for drama) comes from our frown-face-base experience (fear) re-volve-ing into a smiley-face experience (toward love).
 

example: a fish gets chased by a bigger fish ☹ – 

escapes 😊 – then eats a fly 😊.

 
event-u-ally, events re-veal that we can (intentionally) pay attention to whichever experience we’d like!*
 
i tend to go for (and like):
·       visual stimulation (e.g. home-made art, hummingbirds, sunrises/sunsets)
·       nature (rivers, beaches, mountains)
·       female essence (in all of her shapes, flavors and colors)
·       laughter and fun
·       sense-uality (e.g. massage)
·       physical activity
·       expression (living things cannot not)
·       relationships (everything is “in relationship”)
 
*by paying attention to it, we live it… whether it’s a political party or a beach party.  we co-create our world/experience.
 
the byproduct of this (of course) is that we are completely response-able (and therefore, responsible) for our own, unique world.  you are the star… in your own, dazzling (or not) Play.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (6.12-1.2024). intentional attention. book 118: night & day Game. © 2024 by wellnesseducation.us.
 
[ii] note: it is probably a good idea to look around at our life-experience (people, surroundings, feelings, health) and determine what we’ve done to facilitate it.  then (if desired) we can begin to shift focus/attention, intentionally.  -the beginning? 😊 

b67 (6.11-1.2009): it's All for[e]Play

https://joalmartino.blogspot.com/2009/06/b6-611-12009-its-all-foreplay.html 

b91 (6.10-1.2020): dreams

https://joalmartino.blogspot.com/2020/06/b91-610-12020-dreams.html 

b63 (6.6-4.2008): why are we called "beings"?

https://joalmartino.blogspot.com/2008/06/b63-66-42008-why-are-we-called-beings.html 

b118 (6.3-1.2024): welcome to my nightmare

welcome to my nightmare [i]
by a. dreamer 

welcome to my nightmare
welcome to my dream
welcome to a ride that’s so much better than it seems
welcome to a motion/picture, sound-effects and trials
welcome to a new sensation, conversation, smiles :)
___________________________________
 
·       upon further review, it’s a pretty cool nightmare.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (6.3-1.2024). welcome to my nightmare. book 118: night & day Game. © 2024 by wellnesseducation.us. 

b53 (6.1-2.2007): hat

https://joalmartino.blogspot.com/2007/06/b53-61-22007-hat.html 

b42 (6.1-1.2005): echoes in the sand

https://joalmartino.blogspot.com/2005/06/b42-61-12005-echoes-in-sand.html 

b118 (5.16-1.2024): purposeful Be-ing

purposeful Be-ing [i]
by a. b. eing
 
s/he named her puppy ‘purpose’
as far as s/he could See
his only act (contrition) was sub-mission:
he just Be
_________________________
 
·       b/c he cannot not but Be.
·       S/he saw… through the veil.
·       a sub-mission is a piece… or a part… of the Mission (of contrition).  huh?
·       can he be just… or can he just… Be?
__________________________
[i] martino, j. (5.16-1.2024). purposeful Be-ing. book 118: day and night game. © 2024 by j. martino.

* values, purpose, mission(G∞d)

 

Values: G∞d. values = gratitudes of the past & present and for the future.

• Powerful: (1-10 scale)
• Stimulation (SNS)
• Recovery (PNS)
• Connective: via the bodymind (senses, thoughts, feelings)
• Positive: strive to feel better; when “feeling worse” happens, use that to turn negatives into positives.
• Affirmative: Feedback from self-to-others and others-to-self.  Yes, this is, in a sense, talking to yourself.
• Motivational/In-Spir-at-i-onALL: a continuum from me/i -- I AM.

 Purpose: to Be (EE)

·        To experience expression (EE), or re-Cognize expressive experiences

o   Living things can not but express

§  Flower, opening to the sun,

§  A BEE (or even an ant, even when it is biting your child’s ankle)

§  Cloud

§  Human

§  Solar system…

o   Living things strive to survive

§  Survival -> thrival (better EE, on a 1-10 scale)

·        For me, this would be “Be-ing” in the Play:

o   Actor (star)

o   Actor (co-star)

o   Actor (supporting artist)… you get the idea…

§  Actors can be aware of the drama, or

§  They can choose to get “caught-up” in it (known as “getting lost in the role”)

o   Director (the Play [event-u-ally) becomes a little less interesting, when one re-Cognizes that s/he can direct it).

o   Audience (“getting lost in the play”)

Mission: my mission is to live my purpose daily, 

moment-by-moment and interaction-by-interaction.

b118 (5.9-1.2024): a sad affair

a sad affair [1]
by anna francine fair

alternative title: p.u.t.

a sad affair (it ended)
of passion (not control)
of intermittent pleasure
of never getting old
of course (we shouldn’t do this)
of not the truth, but dare
of nothing close to prudish
of ending sad:
affair
________________________
 

• an “affair” (also known as “cheating” or “infidelity”) is often framed in a negative light.
• but think about it: if you really, really loved someone… wouldn’t you want him/her to live-out his/her fantasy every now and again?  conversely, if you don’t want your partner to experience his/her best life-time on planet earth, then look in the mirror – because your own controlling mindset stems from fear, not love. 
• the really cool/fun/energizing/titillating things about affairs are the taboo:
• the secret meetings,
• doing things you’d never dreamed of,
• the intermittency,
• the time-bound urgency,
• the passionately uncontrollable desires…
• it is easy to understand that the taboo is what makes the affair fantastic!
• what’s the excitement in “swinging” (for example), when it’s all agreed-upon and in the open?  at that point, it would just be another physical experience.
• an affair, however, embraces the dark side, the inner-seductress & the don juan-esque thrill.

anna fair understands affairs.  s/he embraces them, s/he doesn’t tell her partner about them, and s/he loves every passionately-uncontrollable taboo.  in fact, that’s my new (more positive) term for an affair: a passionately uncontrollable taboo (p.u.t.).
 
forget the fact that man-made rules of promising fidelity are ridiculously restrictive.  the only reason that anna’s affair was sad… is because it ended.
__________________________

[1] martino, j. (5.9-1.2024). a sad affair. book118: day and night game. © 2024 by j. martino. 

*sidenote: expect the self-righteous to criticize this theom (and claim "heresy!")... all the while, in the secrecy of their own minds, knowing that they (too) want to (occasionally) dance on the dark side.

b118 (4.21-1.2024): red flags

red flags [i]
by a. man

red flags (let’s talk about it when the conversation lags)
red flags (let’s talk about it)
red flags are just
red flags
___________________________________
 
red flags (things that i don't like):
·       smokers
·       loud, angry people
·       complainers; victim-mentality
·       extremists (right or left, we vs. they, feminists or manosphere)
·       people who “need to be heard”.
 
on the other hand, i like people who are smiling, happy, complimentary, connective, understanding, supportive, and nonjudgmental.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.21-1.2024). red flags. book 118: night & day Game. © 2024 by j. martino. 

[ii] sooooo, joal... how would others perceive you... and your red flags?  what might others dislike, about you?  come on.  be introspective.

• excessive consumption (ravenous eating, excessive drinking)
• eating fast
• beer, wine (volume, consistency)
• compulsion (see this blog, for example)
• writing, home-made art
• hummingbirds
• excessive passion (at times)
• lust (for hot women) 
• susceptible to seduction?  my sex-drive is healthy.
• non-committal (unless intrinsically committed)
• prefer friendships over contracts
• prefer short-term moments over promises 
• displays of anger (albeit rarely [if ever], nowadays)
• during the past year, only with 2 male bar patrons
• was easily baited, in my last relationship (hopefully i've matured)
• on a positive note, i am protective. 
• not a dog (or indoor pet) person; non-domestication
• low tolerance for barking dogs (and owners who do not train their dog)
• low tolerance for owners who don't pick-up after their dog
• no kids, never married (never changed a diaper)
• no kids (that i know of)
• of course, that means no debt, no ex-wives, none of that kind of baggage
• low tolerance for baggage (single moms, bad kids, psychos, etc.)
• low tolerance for excessive phone use, social media, attention-seeking 
• not a fan of 'marriage'
• stay in touch with several ex-girlfriends
• lots of options, opportunity, possibilities

upon re-reading my personal red-flags, a few might actually be green flags (for some people). 

b118 (4.10-1.2024): fake flowers by your grave

fake flowers at your grave [1]
by fay k. e. flowers
 
fake flowers at your tombstone
fake flowers at your grave
fake flowers say soooo much about our love (and that you’re saved)

fake flowers at your tombstone
fake flowers when you die
fake flowers cost soooo little
fake flowers make me cry
___________________________________
 
yes.  i cry so much for you… but i’m happy that i don’t have to go to your grave anymore, because we’ve got fake flowers there, so… really, that represents our love for you.  i mean, we don’t really want to go to your freaking grave… it takes time!
 

what are we going to do there?  pray to a rock?  it’s f---ing ridiculous!

 
anyway, yeah, we put fake flowers by your grave… because if we put live ones, they are going to die, and then we are going to have to go back and spend more money for more live flowers. 
 

what the f---? why do that?

you’re gone! 

 
of course... we pretend that you’re “up there, looking down at us”, and that some kind of "god" has you wrapped in his little arms, and that everything is good and that you are floating on clouds, and we are going to come up there and meet you someday.
 
but we’re not ready to come up there and meet you now... even though we saaaaaaaaay: 

“it’s better up there, it’s better up there… it’s soooo much better up there”

 
but we aren’t dying to get there, are we?  well, maybe we are dying to get there, but we aren’t trying to get there.  because it would be easy to end our lives… and go to heaven… but (of course) some religions say that if you end your life then you go to hell.
 
so maybe that’s why we are so medicated, and we eat such sh—ty food, and we have such poor behaviors… maybe that is what we are trying to do…  maybe we are trying to kill ourselves without really killing ourselves.  that way, we can get to die faster, and we can hang out with our loved ones.
 
-the end?
_______________________________
[1] martino, j. (4.10-1.2024). fake flowers by your grave. book 118: day & night game. © 2024 by j. martino. 

* rewrite, from: [1] martino, j. (6.5-1.2020). fake flowers by your grave. book 91: j-Une. © 2020 by wellnesseducation.us. 

b118 (4.20-1.2024): ass

beach volleyball [i]
by ima being truthful 

alternative title: ass

we call it beach (beach volleyball)
a sport, a game (with class)
why can’t we call it what it is?
why can’t we call it…
 
ass?
___________________________________
 
·       yes, the female athletes are athletic.
·       yes, the competition is great.
 
…but why has beach volleyball become a sport/game that people watch? 
 

ass

 
of course, we must deny this.  the players (themselves) will deny it, all the while sporting their ass.  the coaches and promoters will deny it, all the while promoting the viewing of ass.  everyone will deny it while knowing the truth: 

beach volleyball = ass.

 
why can’t we just call it what it is?  …ass!
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (4.20-1.2024). ass. book 118: night & day Game. © 2024 by wellnesseducation.us.

[ii] truth be told, all sport is foreplay.

  

b118 (3.28-1.2024): happy either way

happy (either way) [i]
by heather appy
 
when the votes are in
when the come what may
when the lose-or-win
happy (either way)
_________________________
 
·       how can we set-ourselves-up to be cool, understanding, accepting (even if not agreeable), if/when things don’t turn out perfectly?
 

how can we be happy, no matter what?

 
·       because politics, economics, relationships, health and the walk by the water… evolve in their own way, and personal perspective matters most.

·       with an infinite number of realities to choose from, each situation offers the perceiver an objective/subjective window: gratitude or regret?
 
the choice (or experience) may be more personal than we can imagine.
__________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.28-1.2024). happy (either way). book 118: day and night game. © 2024 by j. martino. 

* great movie lines

 some movie lines can (1) stand alone and (2) withstand the test of time.  

example:

"she is lying to you."
-hitch

b118 (3.25-1.2024): when TSHTF

when TSHTF [i]
by when not if
 
when the sh-- hits the fan
there’ll be no where to go
the chances are, you won’t be with the ones you love the most
the chances are, you won’t be able to enact your plan
the chances are (it’s when, not if) when the sh-- hits the fan
_________________________
 
·       when TSHTF, it will probably be sudden.
·       when TSHTF, few will be expecting it.
·       when TSHTF, the unprepared will rely on those who have access to provisions.
·       when TSHTF, people will do anything to survive, and it will be “every man for himself.”
 
of course, there will be some cooperation, communion, compassion, caring etc. …but that gets lost -- amid the looting, riots, and violence.
 
there is no way to escape the where and the when TSHTF.  there may only be enough time to tap into gratitude for what came before… which is now.
 

be grateful for now, now.

__________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.25-1.2024). when TSHTF. book 118: day and night game. © 2024 by j. martino. 

* hypergamy doesn't care

of course, one would need to be relatively unplugged to get what rollo tomassi is saying on page 192 of his e-book "the rational male", but it is (surely) one of the (many, many) highlights of his book.

to quote just one of the many, many oh-so-true statements:

"Hypergamy doesn't care about the words you said at your wedding." 

* what skills do I have?

what skills do i have?

by j. martino

 

as the coronavirus signals the beginning of a new era for life in the usa and abroad, 

it is important to ask ourselves “what skills do i have?” 

and then determine if they’ll be relevant in the new world.

 
my skills:

1.      coaching
   a.      health
   b.      health & wellness
   c.      life
2.      fitness training
   a.      strength
   b.      cardio
   c.      flexibility
   d.      balance
3.      yoga instruction
   a.      gentle, restorative
4.      therapeutic massage
   a.      thai, swedish
5.      teacher education
   a.      kinesiology
   b.      powerpoint (master)**
6.      education administration
7.      reading and writing
8.      airplane pilot, but…
   a.      haven’t flown in decades
   b.      cessna 152, 172
9.      kinesiology/movement education
10.   driver
   a.      uber food?
   b.      does matt casey need drivers?
11.   ex-military, but…
   a.      retired decades ago
                                                     i.     physical fitness school
                                                   ii.     aviation (helicopters: ch-47, uh1h, th55)
                                                  iii.     introduction to leadership (fsu assistant professor)
                                                  iv.     special operations aviation
 
** i can teach you how create the greatest gift that you (or anyone else) will ever receive: an audio-visual slideshow of the best times of their life.
 
for decades, i have created picture slideshow-movies (from my own music & photos) that:
1.      can make you and your loved ones extremely happy, by highlighting the best times of your lives.
2.      can be shared with loved ones, electronically, via facebook and other media.
3.      can be modified (added to, etc.).
4.      can be free (if you own microsoft office).  everybody has access to favorite photos.
 
there is nothing more powerful than the still-photograph slideshow, coupled with the right music.  it can/will bring you and yours to spontaneous laughter, tears (of joy), and smiles.
 
creating the slideshow has multiple benefits:
1.      it will keep you busy, and away from the bad news.
2.      it will be unique (as you will be the choreographer).
3.      it can be short or long, depending upon your preference.
4.      it can be used as a daily meditation.  my shows are a labor of love, and i end up feeling closer to my loved-ones during the creation of a show – as well as when it is shown.
5.      it can be used at family gatherings, including weddings, celebrations, memorials, etc.
6.      here is an example of what you can create: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jxmot7y3nk (in this video, i start the music after the first couple of photos, for effect). 

b118 (3.23-1.2024): bittersweet & toxic

bittersweet (and toxic) [i]
by a. cuppa & c. offee
 
bittersweet (and toxic)
hot (but growing cold)
she’s a tad obnoxic
angry, sad (and old)
 
she’s tried all the fake cosmetics (some, not so discreet)
passive and aggressive
toxic (bittersweet)
_________________________
 

• probably still a 6-7 (for her over-50-physical smv), but the toxic traits constitute a 3 or below.

• a coffee meet-up would be the perfect blend.

__________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.23-1.2024). bittersweet (and toxic). book 118: day and night game. © 2024 by wellnesseducation.us

* a secret to life

 one of the secrets to life is to feel hungry, and to consciously delay the gratification... 
with the confidence of being gratified, at some point, soon.

the follow-up is, when the gratification comes, 
to savor the process and to refrain from over-indulgence... 
with the confidence that the feeling of hunger (and future wellness), 
will be even easier to attain.

:) 

* update

 so it is mid-march, 2024, and:

• no hummingbird sightings yet,
• below freezing this morning (in mt. hollywood, nc),
• not dating anyone, and not pursuing,
• weight loss plateau (need to remedy that),
• alcohol free january was good,
• 4 personal trainers helps,
• top-10 (about the same),
• f.s.u. baseball is the only undefeated team in the u.s.a.,
• the u.s.a. can do no better than b & t? (it might be time to move).

* be unapologetic...

 ...about doing what you want to do, as often as you can, and without regard to others' desire to control you & your behavior.

here's the secret: they are doing it already... albeit covertly.

b118 (3.9.2024): draft, but do not send

draft, but do not send  [i]
by ann otha draft

draft (because some messages might never, ever end)
draft (here in the moment)
draft (but do not send)
___________________________________
 
·       with email and text messages, pause.

·       if anything is the least-bit critical or terse or anger-induced… draft it in your mind (or on email) but do not send/deliver the message.
 
breathe.  slow down.  be grateful for the emotions.  be grateful for the Play.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (3.9-1.2024). draft, but do not send. book 118: night & day Game. © 2024 by wellnesseducation.us.