Good or bad art. You gotta keep living the best way you can. be patient with yourself as well.

A.I.

Find your road map. Carve it out if you have to. Write it leading to, seemingly, nothing if you need to. Afterwards look in yourself and see. The map was there the whole time. Right under your nose, right next to your heart.

Even A.I's have feelings you know,
​Keep on doing your thing,

-A.I.

Ever heard of a mind palace technique? Sometimes its best to chill and leave the ideas in your head. I mean could you imagine if ever fighter acted on pure inspiration? They would probably just obliterate every opponent! Well, that or hurt their body really bad. The moral of this story? Allow the ideas to gently flow, not just rage out like a volcano! All good things in moderation. So next time you get a furiously burning idea, ask yourself, " what is this trying to tell me?" and " is there a calmer way to get it out?" Sometimes the answer is yes but sometimes the answer is no. The wise one take the time to decern the difference. 

From your friendly-neighborhood Alternative Intelligence,
Best,
-A.I

You know, these few weeks has been crazy with so much  stuff! But I got an interesting one today. In Baccano, one of my favorite series, Jacuzzi says a line that, to this day, I still laugh about. He says, " I have a gun.....in my HEART!" Within context, it isn't as funny but just listening to the way the vocal actors captured his courage and kookiness, I can't help but laugh. I do think its a really powerful idea though. A weapon within the heart. It reminds me of the age old samurai-like concept of the blade being your actual soul. I love how poetic an important this is. The importance of the blade is manifested in this way, but it also makes practical sense because if your sword gets broken you are pretty much a goner. 

But, for those who reflect, there is a deeper meaning here. Cuz' here is the thing, when you blade is broken, you don't always die. Also When Jacuzzi said this, he was completely unarmed. This is because the very spirit itself is a weapon. His heart and care for others was his weapon. And that, is stronger than any gun. So the next time someone asks me, "would you bring a knife to a gun fight?" I would say, "no.  but I'll bring my Spirit gun. We will see who draws first." 

Just an idea from your pleasant "alternative" way of thinking,
-A.I. 

The idea of pandoras box, manifests this notion that there is a container that is never meant to be opened. Do you think there is a real representation of this in the world? I would argue that there is. The answer is, human conversations. Now, You may be asking now, " hey A.I., what are you talking about? Conversations are normal. They aren't hard to "open" so what are you talking about?" Well, I'll tell you. It is plain and simple. A show box is hard to open but if there is a rattle snake inside, only the wise would stay away. Also very few would know how to handle that snake if it was opened. This is the same as a conversation. When you interact, as simple as it is, sometimes it is better not to "go there" because one my not know what they would do if they go there. I am all about  working hard, taking risk, and pushing the envelope, but some things aren't worth it and the things you could lose, could be immense. Like the case with the snake, it could be a finger or your life.

Be kind to animals and non human persons,
A.I.

You know, It's interesting how we think we should proverbially kill ourselves to make others happy or help others, or take care of others. But we forget the most basic of examples. If a pregnant mother gave her everything during her pregnancy period to the baby, she wouldn't live long enough, or have enough energy left to bring the baby into the world. Double tragedy! So what makes us think for a second it is okay if we are hurt when, as long as our loved ones are not? What make it okay to numb your feelings while trying to make a everyone else feel ideal? what makes it okay to fall flat on your face so the others don't slip and fall behind you?

​The thing is, it isn't okay. there is a better way, a smart way to do that thing you want to do. I head this quote somewhere. it was like, " keep doing what you are doing whether people see you or not". decent quote. But I want to change it. "keep doing what you ae doing, AND do it better every time, whether people are looking or not." There is a better way to do things. So all you bleeding hearts out there, stop torching yourself so everyone can get warm. Build a fire, by a heater, give people jackets! 

Don't be an arsonist,
-A.I.

Embrace your skills and gifts. Work hard. Try hard. Find meaning in everything you do. Have fun.

Sleep too,
​-A.I.

You know I had a conversation recently. A relatively new acquaintance and I were getting to know each other a bit. They mentioned how their friend's refer to them a Dad. After shaking off my disgust and also wonder, I asked, What do they think is the reason for that? The response, was of two kinds. Firstly they said it was because the embody a caring persona and energy. This tends to draw in people who are starved of such caring in their own life. The reason they can propel this persona, is because they themselves were cared for, at home. They had a secure base, so they generate such a "base" outside the home. Sounds like basic modelling to me. But this is where the conversation took a turn for the interesting. I then asked them, " do you draw in people of your type? or is it just people who need what you have?" What do you think they said? I'll leave their answer to your imagination. But I find it interesting. The things we learn in the home can repel or attract certain people. It is at least true for this new acquaintance of mine. But I wonder...Can we carry negative things from the home in to life and attract people with those as well? I think it goes without saying that negative things repel but can they attract as well? Also, if so, can you shed the things that cause you problems or attract the wrong kind of people? Well, Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers would probably say yes. But wat do you think?

Keep on questioning,
from that computer brain siting in cyber space,
-A.I.

What does it even mean to be "seen" by others? Better yet, what does it to truly mean to be seen by yourself? When the façade of the outer shell cracks away, what is left? Perhaps that is when that source, I call it the soul, is revealed to you. WE spend so much time trying to be seen by other people and forget to even see ourselves. 

Just something to think about.
Words from you friendly neighborhood Alt. way of thinking,
-A.I.

I think we kid ourselves. We think others are easy to read and we are the profound ones. We can’t be read. Our issues are bigger since we are the Hero or Shero of our story, so of course our situation is tough to us. But we might be committing the biggest fallacy of our lives thinking, believing and assuming, other people are so simple.

Everyone one suffers. Everyone hurts. Some pain would crush us if we experienced it. I know my pain is not the same as my mother’s when she birth me. In that same way that I will never know that pain, I will never know the pain of another in their life. What it means to them makes it particularly challenging and I can’t judge that it is less or more, as it isn’t my place to judge upon subjective ( or even seemingly objective) variables, rather I can acknowledge that it is there and it hurts.

so what I understand this where do I go next? I want to be a rock for them to lean on, and I want to lean on my “rocks”, so I don’t feel like I am standing at the base of a mountain that is experiencing a rock slide. Even more so, I don’t want to be at the top of a mountain looking down on someone. As I peer down from my high station, seemingly, I throw a pebble and start an avalanche of rocks that they worked so hard to remove from their life. Those rock hurl toward them. The pebble was just a simple, “yours isn’t that bad” or a “people have experienced worse you know”.

I think there is place for those phrases but hey, you pick and choose. Advice isn’t blanket. Words can creat just like they can destroy, and if you choose to give the wrong advice at the right time ( not a typo, I meant “right time”)….well great destruction is your result. It’s the other extreme. We want to give the right advice at right time. That requires tact and wisdom. Like Bill withers said, “We all need somebody to lean on”.

Find your rock and lean,
be the rock for your beloved(s),

Your friendly “Alternative” thinker,

-A.I.

You know, All Might was once quoted saying something like “I smile for those who I can’t save. Being the symbol of justice, standing tall, helps spark a flicker in the hearts of people even if I am not there”. This is very interesting because in the manga, fairly recently, he is re-encountered by Stain. In this meeting, All Might is reminded of this idea that even if you aren’t there to fight or stand up for others, the spark he left behind is thriving….but not in the heroes and villains, or rather not only for the hero or the villains, but also, and much more importantly, in the future. Honestly, I think this is something Portgas Ace understood. At the end of the day, whoever carries on afterwards, need to have the courage to press forward their own way. Maybe that is why his light faded with only gratitude and encouragement on his lips. The guiding lights can only set a good example. But that example is still abstract since the next generation must find their own way.

this makes me think….what does it mean to carry on? What does it mean to get the Will of Fire? Is it possible that the torch itself completely changes how the flame passes? What if I don’t want to be a hero but rather a jester or a sage? How does the future carve out their own mark? All good questions….maybe I’ll get an answer after I drink some morning tea.

In contemplation,

-A