b121 (1.15-1.2024): it's all clickbait

it’s all clickbait [i]
by master baited
 
it’s all clickbait (really)
it’s all clickbait (true?)
it’s all clickbait insomuch as it is charming you
_____________________________
 
·       if it is on media (advertisements, blogs, pods, videos, news) its agenda is to be clicked upon.  having an agenda, it can never be 100% trusted.
 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.15-1.2025). it’s all clickbait. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.

b121 (1.14-1.2025): wellness (well) decisions

wellness (well) decisions [i]
by tra n. s. formation
 
wellness (well) decisions
writing on the wall
making good decisions should be no problem at all
 
what is it about my current/critical condition?
writing on the wall
wellness (well) decisions
_____________________________
 
with everything that i know, why is it so hard to make high-level wellness decisions, sometimes?
 
·       drinking a bottle of wine (at home, alone, on a school night).
·       eating sugary foods, like yesterday’s brownies.
·       skipping the gym. 
 
why do these (seemingly) self-sabotaging decisions even make themselves possible?
 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.14-1.2025). wellness (well) decisions. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b122 (1.13-1.2025): when 4 = 10

when 10 = 4 [i]
by n. umbers
 
treat 4 like 10 (and 10 like 4) and here’s the reason why:
abundance is the reason to reach up and touch the sky
 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.13-1.2025). when 4 = 10. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.12-1.2025): watch that little teapot

watch that little teapot [i]
by tra n. s. formation
 
watch that little teapot, she’s the cutest little thing
watch her as she boils
watch her as she sings
 
watch her as she turns the water into evening tea
watch her as she boils
watch her sing (for me)
_____________________________
 
the old saying “a watched teapot never boils” (though obviously false) speaks volumes:
 
·       be patient.
·       allow nature to unfold in its own time.
·       if you aren’t a helicopter (or hummingbird), don’t hover. 
 
biblical passages don’t have to be literal his-story lessons.  parables (poetry, verse, song) interweave art & science as only God can.
 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.12-1.2025). watch that little teapot. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.11-1.2025): transactionalove

transactionalove [i]
by tra n. saction
 
humans are funny, in the way that we kid ourselves into thinking that our pets give us “unconditional love”.  right. 
 
let’s experiment: starting tomorrow, stop feeding your pet and begin treating it badly (in other ways) while i begin to feed her and treat her well.  how long do you think that it will take… before her “unconditional love” for you begins to wane?
 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.11-1.2025). transactionalove. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.9-1.2025): life is one, short day

life is one, short day [i]
by a. live
 
what if dreams are naps?
what if love-bug flies?
what if what we think is just a flash before our eyes?
 
what if (while awake-ing) is when we are (fast) asleep?
what if life is one, short day? (a day we cannot keep)
______________________________
 
·       the love-bug lives its whole, 1-day life… to pro-create, and then die (on the windshield of an RV).
 

…but what a glorious life it was…

 
·       and we, the you-man/s… never quite understand/s… the naps, the dreams, the plans… of the Love-Bug.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.9-1.2025). life is one, short day.  book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.
 
* inspired by a wicked-good time, and one, short day (in the emerald city).
* R = re-Creational
* V = V/eh-i-cle 

b121 (1.8-1.2025): life is its own drama

life is its own drama [i]
by d. rama
 
life is its own drama
life is its own play
life is its own sitcalm
life is its own way
 
life begets phenomena (let’s call it instant karma)
life is its own play
life is its own drama
______________________________
 
·      life is its own Play... and (truth be told) we like it that way.

___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.8-1.2025). life is its own drama. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.7-1.2025): how can green be bad?

green can be sooooo bad? [i]
by emerald green
 
how can green be bad (yet emerald, soooo good)?
one relates to jealousy, the other surely should
one: akin to riches, and lavishes (and fame)

how can green be bad?
is it all in the name?

_____________________________ 

• "green" can become "bad" if a person of influence says that it is.

___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.7-1.2025). how bad can green be? book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.
 
* inspired by a wicked-good time. 

* i like dogs

what i don't like is:

• pet hair
• barking (esp. unfriendly barking)
• showing teeth, etc.
• dog poop
• scratching (e.g. when they jump up on you)
• responsibilities (e.g. planning trips)  

b122 (1.5-1.2025): i wish the best for you

i wish the best for you  [i]
by c. ompassion
 
i ground myself in essence, a contentment point of view
i don’t feel empathetic, i just wish the best for you
______________________________
 
·       the idea is to allow the ego to re-cognize its apparent separation, and to trust that each individual is going to learn to do what is best for him/her-self.
 
·       then, as i really, really want the best for _________, i take action to ensure the best for myself. 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.6-1.2025). i wish the best for you. book 122: s[no]w angel. © 2024 by j. martino.

b121 (1.4-1.2025): please return to sender

please return to sender [i]
by g. oing postal
 
please return to sender
suffice it to say
Love trumps the pretender
have a blessed day!
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.4-1.2025). please return to sender. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2025 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.3-1.2025): hot cold hot cold hot cold

hot cold hot cold hot cold [i]
by b. adalpha bet
 
hot cold hot cold hot cold
cold hot cold hot cold hot
relationships get old
attractive (you are not)
 
you realize the goods you bought are not what you were sold
“i love you/hate you” (headache)
hot cold hot cold hot cold
______________________________
 
·       yes, she loves you (in the beginning), but… as she is allowed to alpha-beta-tize you, her attraction (and love) for you wanes -- toward the wanes (and bobs, and joes, and jimmys).
 
·       you (at this point) experience the proverbial hot cold hot cold hot cold… but it is confusing (because it is happening amid sooooo many other circumstances).
 
·       you don’t realize that by being who she wanted you to be: committed, predictable, available, tamed, etc., you’ve sealed your own fate (and you are no longer the man that she fell in love with).
 
the sad news is that you did it to yourself – because you simply didn’t have the tools to understand the alpha-beta-tization process.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.2-1.2025). hot cold hot cold hot cold. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.2-1.2025): can't have game without play

can’t have game without play [i]
by sir vival & t. h. rival
 
we can’t have game without it
we can’t have fun (today)
we can’t have smiles (when pout-ed)
we can’t have game (without play)
______________________________
 
·       as orion taraban has pointed out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k44g9r1p8m, play is the very essence… of game.
 
it is a statement that is so obvious (think: sports) that it is counter-intuitive.  but if we can play the game with a win-win attitude, the dynamic itself revolves around fun, mutuality, connection, support and Union (as opposed to the type of game that results in a victory or defeat: work, one-upmanship, bad feelings, revenge, sadness, inadequacy, etc., etc.
 
if in doubt, just play!
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.2-1.2025). can’ t have game (without play). book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (1.1-1.2025): johnny's got a gun

johnny’s got a (bigger) gun [i]
by sir vival & t. h. rival
 
johnny’s got a gun
johnny’s got a gun
tomorrow has begun
we are (we are One)
______________________________
 
·       in the ego scheme of things, he who knows how to use his gun, wins.
 
·       winning (of course) might mean the eventual revenge scenario, which often means loss.
 
·       he with the gun is (eventually) going to need a bigger gun, more guns, and even then… his enemies might resort to other modes of explosive COA’s.
 
·       force-full victory is short-sighted… although it might bring the short-sighted rewards.
 
·       the only way to (long-term) victory is to eliminate need and/or expectation.  to refuse to be high-profile.  to connect – in the moment.  to re-cognize One-ness.  to re-cognize what makes one feel happy.
 
my best girlfriends (well, most of them) evolved via massage.  massage (even in the absence of a girlfriend) is superb.  my best future will involve massage.  not “owning” a massage school, per se, but facilitating that kind of connection and pleasure.
 
-the beginning (of 2025).
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (1.1-1.2025). johnny’s got a gun. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.

*origionally, this thoem was inspired by a clint eastwood western, but it evolved. 

b121 (12.31-2.2024): in-flight move-ie

in-flight move-ie  [i]
by i. m. mersed
 
i watch the in-flight move-ie
so i can just pretend
that these things happen to me
i watch until
-the end
______________________________
 
·       we are all watching/living our own in-flight movies.  we are stars, supporting actors, props, directors… and even our own audience.
 
·       sometimes, we get caught-up in the movie.
 
·       sometimes, it’s more analytical.  we watch it for technical reasons, or for the acting.
 
·       in the book “illusions,” richard bach notes that the whole movie is there, on the reel.  beginning, plot, end.  we can jump-in at any point, we can re-watch, and we can avoid certain types of dramas.
 
·       in the end, there is no better movie… than the one that you are watching, right now. 
 
go ahead.  get caught-up in the drama (or not).  feel the feelings!
 
we can even pretend things (e.g. that this is the eve of a “new year”), and "tomorrow" will be 2025!  brilliant!
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (12.31-2.2024). in-flight move-ie. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.

b121 (12.30-1.2024): possibilities

possibilities [i]
by i. m. possible
 
i love the potential
the flirt, the feint, the tease
maybe it’s essential
possibilities
______________________________
 
·       what is it, that i really love?
 
·       is it the sex?  the adoration?  the connection?  the proving (to my friends) that i am worthy?  the proving (to myself) that i am worthy?
 
·       is it the potential at the beach?
 
·       is it the chasing of memories and fantasies… or is it a disease?
 
·       …or am i just a high-testosterone male?
 
am i just a high-testosterone male who was raised by a loving mom and a fun (yet distant) dad… born with some beneficial (physical) features… who is simply utilizing/maxim-i-zing his potential? 
 
am i simply instincted/addicted/attached to survival/thrival/fun/love?
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (12.30-1.2024). possibilities. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

* when you are honest...

 ...you lose people who don't deserve you.

-anthony hopkins

b121 (12.29-1.2024) we do it to ourselves

we do it to ourselves [i]
by mental masturbation
 
we do it to ourselves
set love on pedestal
we form some expectations
the moment (far from dull)
we place our lover in a place that s/he might never be
we do it to ourselves
a silly my-story
______________________________
 
·       we do it to ourselves
 
·       a lover says a few words (or does a few things), and we assume… based upon our own frame of reference.  we decide the reality -- based upon our own confirmation bias.
 
·       this not only pressures he/she who we (ahem) ‘love’ but it creates a fantasy of need.  don’t do it! 
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (12.29-1.2024). we do it to ourselves. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.

b121 (12.28-1.2024): why outer-course of course

why outer-course of course [i]
by o. f. course
 
why outer-course not intercourse (of course of course) it sings
why outercourse results in all the pleasure that it brings
why outer course-of-action is a damn fine COA
why outercourse (not intercourse) is the main dish, today
______________________________
 
·       emotional intercourse is an inner process of mind-melding.
·       outercourse, formerly thought-of as foreplay, has now become the entre’ (the main course, if i may).
 
maybe it always was!
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (12.28-1.2024). why outer-course (of course). book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

b121 (12.27-2.2024): he's not my kind of girl

he’s not my kind of girl [i]
by al most
 
he’s not my kind of girl
we come from different worlds
s/he’s hot! and nice! (truth is, thought twice)
s(he’s) not my kind of girl
______________________________
 
·       butt, s/he was the hottest girl in the bar, from the moment s/he swayed in.  it wasn’t even close!

·       s/he had everything that a man might want:
  o   hot body (especially her waist, hips and ass)
  o   friendly, and forward
  o   great conversationalist
  o   fun
  o   overtly flirtatious and tactile
  o   passionately aggressive
 
to be honest, it was probably the best conversation i’ve had on this trip.  it was interesting, open & honest, fun, and god-damned sexy!
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (12.27-2.2024). s/he’s not my kind of girl. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino. 

* "eat your food as medicine..."

"...or (later in life) you'll be eating your medicine as food." 

-jordan peterson said that, and i'm not sure if he was quoting someone else. 

b121 (12.26-2.2024): santa came to town

santa came to town [i]
by mr. s. claus
 
santa came to town
had a place to stay
moved himself around
learned about the way
spent a lot on lessons in a world of up and down
 
learned a lot of lessons
santa came to town
______________________________
 
·       made some rookie mistakes.
·       connected.
·       worked the system.
·       had a whale of a time.
·       worked the body.
·       stayed true to self and others.
___________________________________
[i] martino, j. (12.26-2.2024). santa came to town. book 121: opportunity (on deck). © 2024 by j. martino.