What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
I have to say anybody who is matured, been educated, and developed in opinion on anything would change their mind on many issues.
I feel this question is very redundant because it applies to everything. When we grow, and we become educated, we change and become better people.
This applies to everything there is. Just my $.10.
-aaa
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
To answer today’s question of the day, I’ve decided to flex my creativity. I hope you enjoy.
TIME MARCHES ON 🕰️
Fifty years was old, until you reached it
Honestly, novel, unless you preached it.
–
Expensive just a word until you’ve spent it
Money quite abundant, until you’ve lent it.
–
Time everlasting until it’s all gone
Criticism lambasting but you carry on.
–
Twenty, quite young but no so long ago
It was a milestone age for us you know.
–
New music trends and all our ovations
Now audible on Classic Rock stations.
–
Naps were sacrilege at our youngest age
Now at age fifty-two, they’re quite the rage.
–
Nostalgia floods us with TV shows passed
Now streaming on services, mind surpassed.
–
Fast food we ate up at eighteen in a flash
Now more like reconstituted tasteless trash.
–
Movies that were amazing in our youth
Seem lame, older in our own the truth.
–
Our politics change like underwear
We became informed and started to care.
–
World events touch us like never before
Educated, experienced, we know the score.
–
In youth, growing old seems such a change
In reality, considerably more is rearranged…
-AAA 10/04/2024
Tell us about a time when you felt out of place.
I’d honestly, have to say pretty much since consciousness.
Being an empath and a male is very difficult and challenging. You’re different than most men in the world and you feel it and you’re different than most people in general.
You feel what they feel and they get freaked out by it and they push you away. What’s worse is at the time there was no term for what this was and I just thought I was going nuts.
I’ve always wanted to fit in and be like everybody else, but I realized that it will never happen. So instead, I’ll happily be myself and those that want to be in my orbit will be nearby and the rest can be by the wayside.
I’m happy being me even if I am weird, different, odd, eccentric, gauche, etc. It’s taking me 52+ years to get to this point and I am not ever going backwards.
Ergo, being/feeling out of place is OK because some of us I’ve always been there. As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
Instant Karma! Is a track off the Plastic Ono Band, a very catchy John Lennon song. Plastic on a band was sort of a super group of Lennon’s at formed in 1969 through 1970. He’s really talking about something here.
“Instant Karma’s gonna get you, gonna
knock you on the head. You better get
yourself together, darling. Are you soon
gonna be dead.”
This is so true karma is real and it does get ya. I always try to be positive and lead positive impacts on others. I think if you don’t, it comes back to you tenfold I’ve seen it happen. Do by others it’s just a natural thing and it feels right and then you know karma’s on your side. In the 90s I recall Nike did a really interesting ab campaign with this song and like the words popping at in 3-D was very powerful and I think it worked well.
Anyhow, enjoy this tune it’s very good, and you’ll find very interesting who was on hand to record this song in the studio:
John Lennon: lead vocal, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, piano
George Harrison: electric guitar, piano, backing vocals,
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar, electric piano, backing vocals
Alan White: drums, piano, backing vocals
Billy Preston: Hammond organ, backing vocals
Yoko Ono: backing vocals
Mal Evan’s: chimes, hand claps, backing vocals
As always thank you for reading and listening 🎵🎶🎼😊
-aaa
Your life without a computer: what does it look like?
I was born in 1972, so I spent most of my life without technology, other than video games (Intellivision, Atari, ColecoVision, Apple IIe, and arcade games like Pac-Man), and some very, very low level computers at the time.
When I wrote poetry and prose, I wrote it on a spiral bound notebook. I’ve unfortunately lost those notebooks when I lost one of my two storage units years ago. I used the VCR and VHS tapes analog video and was happy to do so.
What limited technology we were forced to use our imagination imagination, and we went outside a lot. You’d find children playing outside a lot rather than on their phones are playing in their homes.
These days there are even grown adults that would rather play a virtual world game, than live in the real world. I find that to be very sad very sad indeed.
That being said my career of 28+ years has been all computer and technology related, including now. I work from home as a technical writer and obviously blog as well so it’s like two jobs. Without this technology, I guess I just could be a writer, a teacher, and a musician.
Very important to say, I do not regret starting up my life without technology and learning how to responsibly utilize it rather than let it take over my life like the younger generations do these days. I think they can do without it for a while too, and start using their heads again thinking for themselves for a change.
Social media and status has taken over so much of what people think are important and it really isn’t. It’s all just trivial BS.
Just my humble opinion, and as always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
What do you do?
What do you do when your dreams don’t come true?
What should you do?
–
What do you feel?
What do you feel when the world is too real?
What should you feel?
–
What do you say?
What do you say at the end of the day?
What could you say?
–
What do we give?
What do we give with just one to live?
What should we give?
–
How do you dream?
How do you dream when your life is serene?
How could you dream?
–
How will you be?
How will you be when no one can see?
How should you be?
–
How fast do you run?
How fast do you run when you’re running from the sun?
How fast could you run?
–
How do you love?
How do you love like a star up above?
How should you love?
–
What do you want?
What do you want just a quick little jaunt?
What should you want?
–
How do you play?
How do you play just a roll in the hay?
How could you play?
–
How will this poem end?
How will this poem end, my dear friend?
When I say it ends.
-aaa
Sweet scented orchids.
A million petals in bloom.
Blow my fragrant mind…
-aaa
Originally Published 05/10/2024
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Our life is very long
Take each lesson even if rough
In stride for one day you’ll be strong.
–
Take each opportunity
That comes your way
Don’t get caught up in scrutiny
Make the most of every day.
–
Just keep going
You’re always in motion
Crushing your journey
With your inner devotion.
–
Someday you’ll move miles
And on others just inches
Do so with a smile
Even when life pinches.
–
Always experience grace
With general gratitude
Move at your own pace
Exhibit a positive attitude.
–
This journey is important
It’s where you become the best
The steepest climbs are potent
But you will pass this test.
–
Now give yourself a hug
Because you’ve nearly made it
Feel your heart and pride tug
For the progress you created…
-aaa
Originally Published 05/11/2024
What skill would you like to learn?
I’d like to become fluent in at least 3 additional languages besides English.
I’m always trying to master new poetic forms and styles.
I think the top of my list would be a successful published writer. When I can master that then I’ve mastered everything.
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
For all your folks out there, that don’t know what a mashup is, it’s two songs that are in the same key or most of the lyrics and the vocals are in the same key. They can translate one onto to the other with surprising fitting results.
You’d be surprised how many songs actually can be smashed together. In fact, if I do recall, in Southern California, KLOS FM on Friday night dedicated three hours to these songs.
Anyhow, I’m going to share my favorite mashup that I’ve ever heard. This blew my mind because these are two songs I’ve always known, and I never realized how close they fit on each other.
Breathe the second track on the dark side of the moon (if you’re counting the initial track) by Pink Floyd of Dark Side Of The Moon and Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles of the Revolver LP. Check this out I think it’ll blow your mind. It certainly blew mine the first time I heard it.
As always, thank you for reading and listening 🎼🎶🎵😊
-aaa
What details of your life could you pay more attention to?
It’d be very easy to go into all kinds of different things we need to pay attention to: our physical health, our mental health, gratitude, goals, maintenance, every day important things, and so many others.
But when you’re an over-thinker like I am, you really need to pay less attention to yourself and more to the beauty of the world around you.
Our society these days seems very self oriented and very narcissistic. You see it on the road, you see it in stores, you see it in the lines. People are very self oriented and selfish right now (in general).
I think we could do for a little less of that. Just a different perspective from me. As always, thank you for reading. 😊
-aaa
What’s your #1 priority tomorrow?
I have extensive technical writing to do tomorrow for my day job (technical writer) and of course, extensive creative for my blog as well.
Thank you for reading.
-aaa
In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?
Seems like a blatantly obvious question. How about, it depends?
Obviously, getting something accomplished is always satisfying, working hard, and getting nothing accomplished is not satisfying.
So if you get something accomplished, completed, etc., it can be very fulfilling. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your time or beating your head against the wall.
Just my humble opinion, as I have experienced complete fulfillment from hard work as well as zero fulfillment.
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
What’s the trait you value most about yourself?
Feelings are just like colors on a painter’s pallet. Each quite vivid and unique.
What a value most about myself is a very very double edge sword. My empathy is what I value the most about myself. It is also what I have despise the most about myself too. Many or most people throughout my life, haven’t understood what this is or how it works. Something I make it up, or other others think I’m a drama queen which I’m not. However, I really get a good read on people, and that comes in very handy and lots of situations like meetings and work and other things. Also, it helps me with my friends. I know when to say and what to say at most times because I can read them. Not 100% sometimes I make mistakes we’re all human, but my empathy does help a lot.
Any of my friends and ex spouses, etc. have never understood how this works. Some were afraid, and others thought I was just full of BS.
The hard part is most of my life going back to my young young years. I’ve had this, and there was no definition or explanation for what it was or what it meant.
Until more recently, when the terms empath or sensitive person became part of the current lexicon of our language.
It also I realize it has helped me with my writing, creating much more vivid imagery in it, as well as with my musicianship. I always seem to know the right time to come in how loud how much just by feel. I can read the music fine and I can read very well, but I can also play by feel something I couldn’t do without my empathy.
I also have love for everyone, this is often abused and taken advantage of, but all impacts really care about everybody. I think in some ways we are healers as well as storytellers and even life coaches from our mistakes.
The hard part of being an empath as you know when people are lying to you were about 100% accuracy. And I’ve seen some of the closest people to me in my life lie to my face over and over and knowing they were lying. Also, people hate you. You can feel their hate and it’s the worst.
I feel we do help a lot of people they just don’t realize it, but that’s OK. As long as we know. As challenging as it is to have this gift, I have found that it has actually assisted me and almost every aspect of my life, and I’d be blind without it. 
As always, thank you for reading.
-aaa
List three jobs you’d consider pursuing if money didn’t matter.
Blogger (I’m doing that here and now).
A writer (I’ve always been one).
A musician (I was a musician from age 8, to age 24, I still know how to play percussion pretty well, can play piano by ear, and can hear in thirds and harmonize vocally).
As always, thank you for reading…
-AAA 09/26/2024
What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?
I’m proud of all of my family heritage and am glad I am here to talk about it.
My paternal heritage is Italian so I am half Italian and I do love Italian cooking, the art, history.
My maternal heritage is a little different. I am a quarter Armenian and a quarter Lithuanian.
I am very proud of my Armenian heritage and glad that I am talking to you now. As my great grandparents were both murdered in the 1917 genocide in Turkey. I hold no hatred towards those that killed them. If anything, I have learned the art of love and tolerance of all races and creed and beliefs. Provided they don’t hurt anybody. I’ve been that way ever since childhood. I feel that when atrocities happen we all must learn to tolerate other people and their beliefs.
Massive wars and death have resulted from intolerance. Hatred bigotry all those terrible things. That’s a lesson that I have learned from what happened to my family and my inherited trauma from what happened.
Someday the world will learn and understand that hatred is stupid. That we all bleed the same red all have the same organs and are all part of the human race.
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
When will it be enough
Why must we be so tough.
–
Life can be cruel and so unfair
But it’s worth, beyond compare.
–
When we reach, “enough”, we know life’s worth
That’s a big part of our time here on earth.
–
The setbacks are the worst
Likened to unsatisfied thirst.
–
Lessons must be learned
Yet the earth must turn.
–
Life without strife
Just wouldn’t be life.
–
So when things don’t go your way
Take pause, meditate, and pray.
–
Things can be so much worse
Life’s hardships are not a curse.
–
Teaching us what we need to know
In order to become better and grow.
–
Master the lessons and pass the test
And make this lifetime your very best…
-AAA 09/25/2024
What brands do you associate with?
I humbly apologize to all my readers, but I will be abstaining from the question today. This feels like a marketing/data mining ploy in my humble opinion.
As always, thank you for reading hopefully we’ll get a better question of the day tomorrow.
-aaa
What could you do more of?
I could write more, a lot more, but then I’d never do anything else. I could work out more but then I’d be sore all the time. I couldn’t get on a more strict diet, but those are hard to maintain and I end up breaking them.
The Law of Diminishing Returns proves (in theory and graphically) that too much of anything is never good. I do understand that this is applied to the principle of production and management, but you could easily apply it to almost anything.
Be it something extreme, or something even moderate. Too much of anything is never a good thing.
Life is a balance with: balance in your work, balance in your play, balance in your love life, balance in your diet, how complex you make your drum solo on a music chart, etc.
We could always do more of everything, but that could be too much and that’s all I’m saying. Ergo… “everything in moderation”. 😀
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
Do today what want to tomorrow
Your regret is comfortless sorrow.
–
Do what you will as you might
Live each day for your delight.
–
Take chances turn off your phone
Venture out to nature on your own.
–
Get off the grid and disconnect
Then your peace will circumvent.
–
All that has gone and all that remains
Needn’t cause you endless pain.
–
Live in the now and live in today
Who gives a care about yesterday.
–
Tomorrow’s not promised so lower your eyes
Look at this moment and claim the prize.
–
As the pain contorted, drops from your face
And you’re filled with peace, gratitude, grace.
–
I know your life’s lessons have been hard
But ease up on yourself in that regard.
–
The past mistakes shouldn’t be dire
If you deny this then you are a liar.
–
Overcome all the obstacles placed
And watch as frustration’s erased.
–
You’re better now, than ever before
And you’re feeling happiness more.
–
So, do remember that you did survive
Reap the rewards of your lessons, alive…
-AAA 09/22/2024
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received was from myself. Some crucial lessons I’ve learned are listed below:
1. Be present never get caught up in the past or worry about the future so much.
2. Whatever is meant to be will happen and the rest will never work out so don’t sweat it. Trust in God/Universe/Source that what is meant for you will find you.
3. You are not the sum product of your mistakes, you are made up of the lessons you learned.
4. Love yourself if you want to be loved by others. If you don’t, you’ll choose people won’t.
5. Divine timing is real and happens everyday.
6. Karma is real, do good by others, even those that have wronged you. Trust me you’ll get what you deserve in the long run and so will they.
7. Forgive all who’ve wronged you, not doing so doesn’t punish them, it punishes you instead.
As always thank you for reading…
-AAA
What things give you energy?
This is a simple question. Each morning I combine one White Monster Energy Ultra Zero 16 ounce can and 1 two ounce packet of Energen-C Super Orange. I call it my “Breakfast Cocktail. 🤣
As always, thank you for reading.
-aaa
“Touch me very softly”, she said
So I caressed her precious head
–
Running my fingers through hair
I can hear her gently sigh
Her feelings safe with none to fear
She closes both of her eyes
–
She drifts and floats to welcomed sleep
I hold her and her breathing is deep
–
She has a dream of a crystal clear lake
And the waters ebb in gentle waves
I have my dream, but I am awake
Receiving the love that my heart craves
–
She awakens well rested after a while
And I continue to hold her with a smile…
-aaa ❤️
Originally Published 05/03/2024
Her given name was Pretty Kate
She’d be dressed to the nines by eight
She’d fashion a grin
To all who walked in
She was prim
On a date…
-aaa
Originally Published 05/02/2024
What’s your all-time favorite album?
I love music questions and I cannot put one album on. I will put my favorite album and probably my top 9 other favorite albums are nine I guess.
He will be the type of things you’d wanna have on a desert island on the planet on the moon and orbit, etc. etc. you could listen to over and over and over.
I won’t digress on the content of the albums again or this will turn into a monster post. You don’t wanna read.
My all-time favorite album of all time by my favorite band as well is Abbey Road by The Beatles.
Another favorite of mine is Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys.
Another one of my top albums is the Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd. I mean anybody who doesn’t recognize this album cover is dead inside in my humble opinion.
I love Rumors by Fleetwood Mac.
A band that has stirred up plenty of controversy, Oasis, made a great album called. What’s the Story Morning Glory.
Kid A by Radiohead is a fantastic, Grammy award winning album.
Whatever and Ever Amen by Ben’s Fold Five, is yet another amazingly interesting album to check out.
Morrison Hotel is still my favorite Doors album.
I’ve posted about this one before, it’s the greatest Genesis album that I’ve never heard before that’s absolutely amazing and become my favorite, The Wind and the Wuthering.
And I could add like another thousand albums here I’m gonna end it with Replicas by Gary Numan’s Tubeway Army.
As always, thank you for reading and for listening 🎵🎼🎶😊
-aaa
This life
Is not easy,
or for the faint at heart.
Yet, we persevere through it all.
It’s ours…
-AAA 09/20/2024
Stand still
This may hurt
Stand still
Do not blurt.
–
Stand still
Do not move
Stand still
Trying to soothe.
–
Stand still
Adjustments are hard
Stand still
In this regard.
–
Stand still
Hold your breath
Stand still
Feel the breadth.
–
Stand still
Is my creed
Stand still
Follow my lead.
–
Stand still
Life gets worse
Stand still
That’s our curse.
–
Stand still
Take pause
Stand still
Retract your claws.
–
Stand still
This is a test
Stand still
It’s for the best.
–
Stand still
Your cross to bear
Stand still
Life isn’t fair.
–
Stand still
Don’t react
Stand still
Call off the attack.
–
Stand still
You will achieve
Stand still
Just believe.
–
Stand still
It isn’t the end
Stand still
You’re not alone, my friend…
-AAA 09/19/2024
Lovely lively
never contrively
–
What does “contrively” mean
This is its debut site unseen
–
It’s a portmanteau of contrived and lively
Adding to the lexicon is beside me
–
So if looking for contrively in a dictionary
When it’s not found you needn’t be wary…
-aaa
Originally Published 05/04/2024
What would your life be like without music?
Let’s just say it wouldn’t happen. Music is a language of my soul. And it accompanies everything I do: work, play, driving, exercise, showers, baths, and even sleep.
Anticipation of this question I wrote this little ditty as well:
Music, The Language of my Soul
Music is the language of my very soul
From Classical and Jazz and Rock ‘n’ Roll.
–
The drums, bass, rhythm, and lead guitar
When put together, go very far.
–
Alternative, Grunge, and New Wave
Musical styles I often crave.
–
Classic Rock, Indie, and Punk
I often love the occasional funk.
–
Classical and Jazz are such a gas
Listening or playing these styles in the past.
–
Heavy Metal and it’s various sub styles
Hard always makes me smile.
–
R&B and the straight up blues
Powerful music, powerful truths.
–
Fast paced SKA and slower Reggae
A myriad of songs I love to play.
–
Protopunk and it’s far ahead ways
Kept me moving and grooving for days.
–
Industrial and Techno-Pop
Stinking sounds that never stop.
–
Yacht Rock and lighter faire
Always makes me stop and stare.
–
Bluetooth speakers and playlists
All my favorite songs with my own twists.
–
I really could go on forever
A world without music? I say, never…
-AAA 09/18/2024
Just be brave
Don’t let life shake you
The world won’t behave
Don’t let it unmake you.
–
Take a chance
Try something completely new
Go to that dance
Sit near that person in the pew.
–
You just never know
What the world has in store
Take a chance, go
Lest your life be a bore.
–
Grab that new job
Try a different food
Or else you might rob
Yourself of some good.
–
Venture far away
From your comfort zone
You might extend the stay
For what you’ll become.
–
Keep moving forward
Whether it’s raining or snowing
Even if that road is curved
Just keep on going.
–
This is a critical lesson
I’ve found it rather nifty
If could make one concession,
learn it at 25 instead of 50.
–
Life is very scary
But you must try
Be a little less wary
Before you die…
-AAA 09/17/2024
If anybody told me, that at age 6 months, my blog would have over 132,000 views, 107,000 likes, just under 23,000 visitors, and over 1000 subscribers, I’d say they were crazy.
Yet, here we are at six months today. I have never written as much as I have written in this past six months in my entire life. I really pushed my creativity to its limits, but it’s worth it.
I have written north of 1100, poems, posts, articles, short stories, and essays over these 6 months. I started out with approximately 7-8 poetic forms I was using. I have expanded that to over 32 now and some hybrids and combinations of forms. I truly enjoyed the technical aspects and challenges of all these different poetic forms, and just hope the words do fit in nicely. I hope the master quite a few more, which makes it far easier to write and find inspiration.
My biggest thrill was getting my first subscriber. I remember my excitement and then and there I set an initial goal of 300 subscribers by years end (about 9 months after I started my blog in March, 2024). I think I have slightly done better than that at six months, and it’s still a great thrill getting a new subscriber today.
I haven’t written this much poetry in my entire life, even in my crazy youth. Back then, I had all these little spiral-bound notebooks, I was taking with me everywhere. Now I just do it all my iPhone. I even edit the photos and add ArtFilters and do all the different visual content on my iPhone and crop it and everything. I push my creativity hard pretty much seven days a week and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
When I first started my blog, I wanted to get an audience to read my writing, provide me with feedback, good and bad and share my feelings emotions. I got so much more, this is a great community of writers artists authors, creative people all around. Very supportive and very encouraging. Such great people that I am very lucky to sharing with. ❤️
Not to mention they are all excellent writers in their own right. I will continue to do my best to produce as much high-quality material and frequently as possible and continue growing this blog and making it bigger.
My hopes are with all these writings that I am creating that I will be able to publish several books in the near future. As always, I thank you, my friends, subscribers, readers, and fellow authors for helping me get to this point! Here’s to six more months and then some. ❤️❤️❤️
-aaa
Write about your most epic baking or cooking fail.
My epic fail is pretty funny. I love irony in life and this is one of those cases.
So I work with my Nana and I was going to make a poundcake, it was very careful about all ingredients and preparation and baking, and she watched over my shoulder as I cooked and prepared it.
All seemed great and everything looked good as it was baking, however, I missed one key ingredient and it’s a biggie, baking powder.
As a result, my poundcake collapsed in the middle and it look like somebody had pounded their fist through the center of the cake.
Hence, my “poundcake” became a “pounded cake”. it still tasted good. It just didn’t rise properly and as a result, this was an epic fail, but a funny and delicious one.
-aaa
Make your mark do not hesitate
Life is short so you must be great
Obstacles hamper
Don’t let that damper
Just pamper
It’s your fate…
-AAA 9/16/2024
I am right where I belong
I am me and hear my song.
–
Do what you feel
And feel the appeal.
–
Forward move
To a nice groove.
–
Each day now is an adventure
No longer being censured.
–
A happier we
Life drama free.
–
We’re off the shelves
Challenging ourselves.
–
What else can we say
We’re happier today.
–
Finding ourselves at 50
Solving the ish is nifty.
–
It’s never too late
So don’t hesitate.
–
There’s always tomorrow
Despite a past sorrow.
–
Be like me be brave
It’s your own life you’ll save…
-AAA 09/16/2024
Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.
There’s so many things I could write here, but I’m gonna try and keep it very simple this time. I’m gonna talk about the greatest lesson. I wish I taught myself in my youth. This lesson was to have a love for and belief in myself.
I had such a doubt on myself in my younger years, and as a result, I picked terrible partners, lovers, friends, and my career.
I was convinced I had to settle for whatever I can get rather than choose and discriminate my tastes.
I don’t do that anymore. I have boundaries, love for myself, self-respect, and I have a career, I love now. Also I have self-love and self-respect and dignity that I’ve never had before. I had to build it work at cultivate it from nothing.
The only regret was that it took me to age 50 to finally figure it out. But I guess that’s part of life’s rich pageant. We have to learn our lessons the hardest way possible and repeat them over and over until we master them.
Remember no matter what just keep going I tell myself that many many times when I’m not sure what’s gonna happen next.
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
Look in the mirror what do I see?
Gray old man looking back at me.
–
Where did all the years go
So fast the time does flow.
–
My beard is full and such curly hair
Has thoroughly caught me unawares.
–
Life is strange as it moves by fast
Wondering how long this life will last.
–
Oh my mirror must you be cruel
Showing me I was such a fool.
–
My lifetime hasn’t all been a blast
Cold harsh realities in distant past.
–
Take some stock it wasn’t all a waste
Parts of our lives have a bitter taste.
–
The hardest lessons have been learned
To assure a far better life in return.
–
A drip in the sink drops with kerplunk
I set down my razor and bathroom junk.
–
Now I’m shaven and my teeth are clean
I’m far better than I have ever been.
–
The time for reflection is at an end
Let’s resume your living my friend.
–
Take the time and lessons, discard strife
And resume living your very best life…
-AAA 09/15/2024
I want to think all my readers, subscribers, friends, and everybody on here. Today was quite a milestone. I have over 1000 subscribers now.
Originally my goal was to have up to 300 subscribers by the end of the year. I had that goal when I started my blog in late March.
Obviously, we’ve exceeded that and I want to thank you all because you made it possible. I promised to continue to provide as good of writing as possible mastering new forms of poetry and refining the skills I already have.
I think late next week if I’m not mistaken, I will be hitting the six month mark of my blog and it’s been a lot of fun and I hope it’s gonna be a lot more and I hope you’re all be there to enjoy it. Thank you again for everything I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if it wasn’t for you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
-aaa
How often do you walk or run?
I used to walk daily. I’m gonna get back into that habit and get walking again.
I need to get active again and get healthier.
I do run when I play tennis. It’s a great way to trick yourself into doing a lot of running when you’re competing to win.
As always, thank you for reading 😊
-aaa
Do you see yourself as a leader?
I definitely see myself as a leader in many situations as they dictate the need to. I also try to lead by example as often as I can.
Whenever we have an earthquake or natural disaster for whatever reason, I step up and help other people and try to keep them calm.
As a musician, I was a very strong site, reader and reader of my music, and as a result was a first chair or a captain in percussion for many years spanning: elementary school, junior high school, high school, and in college as well.
Working in technology, I often lead meetings and projects using my expertise and ability to bring people together and rapidly create and rollout new information systems.
As an empath, I often have to help others deal with feelings and emotions and lead by my heart and gut instincts.
I find myself often volunteering in my jobs to learn new things and take on new responsibilities to make me stronger and more versatile.
Anybody can be a leader and what they work in or what they find most passionate. They just have to be brave and trust themselves and just go with it.
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
What’s your favorite word?
My favorite word would definitely have to be LOVE. It is such a versatile powerful word. As many other great things come from the word love:
Respect
Trust
Happiness
Generosity
Humanity
Empathy
Charity
Peace
Fellowship
Community
Belonging
Union
Friendship
Modesty
Happiness
Intimacy
Selflessness.
It’s a powerful word that other great words derive themselves.
As always thank you for reading…
-aaa
Originally Published 04/14/2024, republishing as I do not like today’s question about what I am doing tonight as it’s invasive and reeks of data mining.
Describe a positive thing a family member has done for you.
This is a great question. I have many family members and friends whose contributions throughout my life have been immensely positive and influential. Today I choose to talk about the closest person to me in my entire lifetime. My godmother/favorite aunt.
My godmother was my dad’s sister, and she was an integral part of my life pretty much from when I was born until her far too soon death at age 50.
She was that favorite aunt the one that would watch my sister and I every time my parents will go out of town or take a trip and we had the best time. We got to stay up later than normal. We got to eat a lot of special treats. We normally get to have. It was wonderful, in fact, I was almost bummed when My came home.
My godmother loved playing games board games in card games even video games (Astrosmash, David’s Midnight Magic, Sammy Lightfoot, and Apple IIe Olympic Decathlon). We’d play: cootie bug, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Sorry, Candyland, checkers, chess, backgammon, Pictionary, gin rummy, double solitaire,Spirograph, and many other games. My love of the rules and playing games the right way came from my godmother because she was a stickler for the rules.
And playing games such as Pictionary my aunt and I were a very difficult team to beat because we could almost read each other’s minds and guess drawings with very little information on the piece of paper. We had the same sense of humor and liked similar stand-up comedians.
Her love of the ocean, pool, swimming, and water also became mine and still is to this day. ❤️ 🌊
My godmother was very brave on the side. She sang back ups and a little Elvis outfit called memories of Elvis. I know she was very shy and yet she went out there and even went on tour with the band several times it reminds me when I get nervous myself taking new steps in my life to go for it like she did.
We’d watched Grease 2 (I know I’m sorry) 100 times. I don’t know why she just loved the movie. I remember she recorded with the tape recorder some of the songs and then we went to the pool we’d sing along.
One of the best parts about my aunt was that she like I was an empath. Therefore, I could be a sensitive and odd as I wanted to be, and I’d be normal around her. she was far more sensitive than I am and I guess I’m thankful for that for if I was any more sensitive, I’d probably go crazy. Even some of her fear is carried over to me for a time. She was always very afraid of storms and lightning and thunder and so was I for a small period of time. She was so afraid, that she’d call me and ask me, “when the storm was going to pass” because I’d always know as I’d have a Weather app open or the Internet up or something.
Being a unique individual is not always been easy for me. I am not always fit in with the crowd of my peers and often was shunned for it so when I was 14 and most of the people I knew were dating I really didn’t have anywhere to go or anyone to do things with sometimes. My aunt knew this and would take me out on a family date. We go out to Whittier and go see Nana and have dinner over at Ruby’s Frosty freeze. It made me feel like a normal kid. She did that for me and it was so huge as I didn’t have a lot of friends and I didn’t measure up like the other kids. She made it so I felt OK anyway.
She had the greatest influence on my taste of anybody in my life. Bands that she loved I love such as: The Beatles, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie wonder, the Little River Band, Elton John, the Electric Light Orchestra, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Hall & Oates, Dan Fogelberg, and many others. I’m sure my wanting to be a musician and being one for many years also came from her influence. When I was unsure about my abilities as a musician, she reminded me that Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys was told by his music teacher in high school that he would never amount anything and look at all the beautiful music he created. 
I recall hearing a lot of those bands on the radio in her car when she’d take me on adventures when i was young. She took me to Penn Park, where we saw the swans. In the summer times she take me to the Whittier Public library and I spent hours in the wading pool. She took me to the greatest record store on earth (It doesn’t exist anymore) Tower Records.
So, when her time was up on this earth (nearly 20 years ago), I tried pay tribute to her the best I could. I eulogized her talking about a lot of things that are in here. A lot of my gentle nature, my caring, and loving of other people all come from her. She showed me that it was OK to be soft and sensitive even if I am a guy and it’s not easy being a sensitive man.
I can see a lot more, but if this gets too long, no one’s ever gonna read it I know how these blogs work. So I want to say one final thing and it’s going to sound weird to those of you that are not familiar. One day, Marian and Martian in the space cadets (our little group comprised of my Godmother my sister and I) will be reunited again. I thank you for who I am and who I’m becoming.
Rest peacefully,
Your loyal co-Space Cadet
-aaa ❤️❤️❤️
Originally Published 05/01/2024
I’m floating in space.
At a thousand miles an hour.
Without a worry…
-aaa
What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?
From extensive experience with it, I would say that the following is a red flag:
When someone’s behavior contradicts what they say.
When what someone says, contradicts their behavior.
Manipulation and games and lies.
Bottom line narcissism. If I even sent a hint of it, I am gone. After having wasted 26 years with three narcissistic women, I learned the hard way.
As always, thank you for reading…
-aaa
Originally Published 05/01/2024
The undertow pulls.
Just roll with it don’t fight it.
Emerge and take air…
-aaa
Originally Published 05/01/2024
My hero sits here.
He’s achieved all I wanted.
I’m happy for him…
-aaa
How do you relax?
There are many ways I relax and they include:
Writing prose and short stories (daily).
Listening to a lot of music (daily).
Think of all that I am grateful for.
Playing on my piano.
Meditation
Going for a long walks.
Spending great time with great friends.
Laying down and binge watching streaming shows from the past.
Relaxing in the Jacuzzi.
A nice hot bath.
As always, thank you all for reading…
-aaa
Anthony’s Crazy Love and Life Lessons in Empathy 