CTwelve
Wandering Wolf
Home
But with nowhere to go
Time is irrelevant
All land is unknown
Everywhere is home
Everywhere I’m alone
The world’s a mystery
And people are cold
I keep riding on, though
Home must exist somewhere
Perhaps buried below
Regardless, I go there
It’s a long ride home
I spent my life running
Away from any love
But tell love I’m coming
No Clowning Around Will Teach You 3 Truths About Life
“No Clowning Around” is episode 11 of the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The Rangers hang out at a carnival and are having a great time until a creepy clown turns Trini’s (Yellow Ranger) little cousin into a cardboard cutout version of herself.
The creepy clown named “Pineapple” is actually, thus far, the most normal and legit monster yet. He fits into the modern negative clown stereotype that we have today. (I’m so sorry if you are a clown and are not a creep. I’m sure there are plenty of decent humans who dress up in obnoxious makeup and colorful clothes, but I can’t help but see all clowns as versions of Pennywise or John Wayne Gacy. Thanks a lot, horror books and serial killers.)
But JUST when you think we have a regular monster to fight, he sheds his human clown skin and becomes a giant pineapple…
We almost made it through one episode without insanity and then giant pineapple man shows up and screws up everything. But it wouldn’t be Power Rangers without an eccentric beast. And he turns people into cardboard cutouts, which is actually not too bad of a trick. I’d certainly like to turn a few people I know into boards.
Anyways, here are 3 life lessons from “No Clowning Around,” episode 11:
1 – Keep a close eye (and probably a hand) on children at carnivals (or any public place).
When it’s crowded, loud, and chaotic, it’s difficult to keep up with kids. And unfortunately there are too many evil people in the world. So keep a watchful eye on kids at carnivals, and watch your own back as well. Stay on your toes.
2 – Praise your teammates when they perform well.
Encouragement and praise are great motivations to continue to work hard. Constantly show teammates love and they’ll show you love in return. As a result, the team will be unstoppable.
3 – Prioritize your family/responsibilities.
Sometimes the universe throws multiple meteorites at us and we have to make decisions on what to tackle first. Remember what’s most important. Choose wisely and take care of the most crucial issue before trying to destroy the others.
Watch your kids at crowded places, praise your teammates, and prioritize responsibilities. Thanks for reading, have a great day! Don’t get kidnapped by any evil pineapple clowns.
5 Common Sense Laws from The Satanic Bible
In 1969, Anton Szandor LaVey published his controversial Satanic Bible, the official book of the Church of Satan. It’s not at all what you might assume it to be by it’s title. (I’m talking to you, Mom. I promise I don’t worship the devil.)
I read this book out of curiosity and it’s pretty interesting. Some of it I agree with and some parts I don’t, but that’s typical for anyone with most philosophical reads. I found LaVey’s sarcasm comical and his ability to jumpstart a new religion/church intriguing.
Here are 5 points The Satanic Bible makes that should be common sense law to everyone:
1 – Don’t judge a book by its cover (or a group by its symbol).
LaVey may have been shooting for some shock value when he decided to use the symbolism of Satan for his movement. Or he may have just been saying “screw you” to those (like Catholics) who viewed Satan and free thinkers as the ultimate sinners.
That being said, this book really has noting to do with Satan or black magic, demons or anything you might assume by the name and cover.
This book is LaVey’s views on life and how he feels we should act as people of Earth given the gift of life. It’s more anti-Christian than Satanic. It sounds like he viewed some hypocrisy in his early life and decided that perhaps the entire system is rigged and set up to make humans fail continuously.
Don’t be deterred by the name of Satan or the inverted pentagram. LaVey is basically just saying, “Well if Satan is ‘evil’ because he did what he wanted, then he’s my hero and I guess I’m evil, too.”
2 – Keep it simple – just live your life.
This is one of the main principles LaVey conveys in his book. He discusses freedoms, desires and natural impulses that all humans have. He explains how many religions describe these desires and impulses as sin, leading men and women to suppress feelings to the point of exploding and being terribly ashamed. LaVey theorizes that if we’re allowed to indulge on our impulses, we won’t be so angry, uptight, and irritable. If we know these desires are natural and not sinful, we won’t feel ashamed and in need of forgiveness.
LaVey is careful to mention that we should follow our impulses as long as it doesn’t hurt or hamper the freedom of anyone else. So he’s not condoning actions that harm others.
Shame so overpowering and commonplace in our society. Why is this so? Is it because religions have shamed us for natural instants for centuries?
It’s something to think about. Are we living our lives how we want or how we feel we should be living?
3 – Question everything.
Cynicism might not be the healthiest way to live, but generally having a skeptical mind isn’t a bad thing. Especially in this day and time – we’re fed so much BS through the internet and news stations that are supposed to be giving us truth. It’s hard to find credibility anywhere. Everyone claims to be an expert, everyone claims to have knowledge on subjects because they read some posts on Facebook, and everyone believes WAY TOO much of what they hear and see.
I want to believe that everyone is honest and genuine, but unfortunately, that’s not the case nowadays. I’m not sure that was ever the case when referring to ads and any form of media.
Everything we hear and read must be consumed with at least a hint of skepticism. It’s so easy to fall into a trap of misinformation. Read multiple sources and don’t take every Facebook article to heart.
4 – Be genuine, not a hypocrite.
LaVey talks about seeing men at carnivals hooking up with young women and then showing up to church the following morning with their wives and children. This was one of his main quotes in leading up to the spark of the Church of Satan.
If you follow a certain religion, that’s great. You do your thing. But don’t chastise others for breaking your religion’s rules if you do as well.
Just be genuine. It’s so simple. Don’t claim to be something you’re not. Don’t claim to be perfect, because no one is perfect. And that’s okay, that’s fine. Don’t call everyone out on his/her “sins” if you know you perform the exact same activities. (Don’t call anyone out on sins anyway, that’s a bit prude, Janice.)
Hypocrisy is disgusting. If you want to live by certain rules then go for it. If you break the rules, own up to it. We’re only human, here. Don’t pretend to be anyone other than yourself. Because you just might lead a young man to create a church that idolizes your church’s devil.
5 – Take responsibility for your own actions and your own life.
This is one of my favorite points from The Satanic Bible because religious or not, I think we all fall short of taking full responsibility of our own actions and lives. I’m guilty of this, too. We probably all are.
A few years ago I finally stopped blaming others for my issues and took some responsibility. That’s when I started to get better. Right now I’m working on taking responsibility for the direction of my overall life and career path.
Taking responsibility is difficult because it adds an enormous amount of pressure. It makes one think about his/her decisions objectively. It makes it your fault when you fail. So yes, it’s not always enticing. Here’s the thing, though – it’s so empowering to take control.
Jump into the command seat of your life starship. Don’t wait for the tides to turn or for the gods of Olympus to grant your every prayer. Take control and say, “You know what, even if I crash – at least I lived a little. At least I got to drive my own ship while others set sail on auto-pilot.”
Thanks for reading this post. The Satanic Bible is interesting, if nothing else, and certainly worth a read if you are curious about various religions.
Thanks for being alive. Go out and be genuine and live your life the way you want!
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‘Game of Thrones’ Haikus Part 2
A head on a spike
From a murder out of spite
No one can survive
Travel to the South
You won’t see your friends again
There your life will end
Speak highly of him
He’s your king and he has spies
He kills and he lies
3 Love Connection Tips from ‘Peace, Love, and Woe’
“Peace, Love, and Woe,” is episode 13 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season one. We meet the mysterious and extremely creepy looking Madam Woe who can control weather and zap beings into alternate dimensions.
For some reason, this sorcerer with awesome powers is loyal to evil space witch, Rita. So of course, Madam Woe agrees to ensnare the Rangers, leaving Earth undefended from Rita’s putties and clay monsters. All this is agreed upon as the Rangers prepare for a local dance at the juice bar.
Here are 3 Life Tips from “Peace, Love, and Woe,” episode 13 of season 1 that will help you make a connection with your crush:
1 – Be yourself when trying to attract a crush. Don’t try to be like anyone else who might have good “moves.”
Zack, the Black Ranger, is a great dancer (90’s dance moves). He offers to help teach Billy some moves to help Billy impress girls at the upcoming dance. Billy respectfully declines the offer.
Later on, Billy meets a girl who likes him because he’s…Billy. They have much in common and hit it off quickly. Billy didn’t need to be taught anyone else’s moves to find a date to the dance, he just had to be himself.
Be yourself and you’ll find the right person. Never make the mistake of thinking you have to be a certain way. Billy found a date that had been in the same “Accelerated Baby Genius Program” as a child, so you can definitely find a match with much in common with yourself. But you have to be yourself in the first place.
2 – When it comes to crushes, just go for it.
It’s always awkward and maybe even terrifying when confronting personal feelings for another. Approaching a crush is comparable to entering a war zone. Or better yet, it’s like ripping off a band-aid because the only way to do it as painlessly as possible is to just get it done.
Go for it. Rip off the band-aid. Take a chance. Life is too short to hold back and ponder what the other is feeling. Go for it and whatever happens, life will go on. The sun will continue to rise in the morning and love will still be complicated. So why wait?
Take a deep breath and take your shot.
3 – Step up to defend the ones you love (or have a crush on).
In this episode, Billy is quick to step up and volunteer to take Madam Woe one-on-one. He wants to keep his new friend safe and sound. He knows that Woe was after him in the first place, and he’s determined to make it right.
Thank you for reading this post and I hope if there’s anyone out there you dream of dating – just go for it. (Unless it’s creepy and/or illegal. Don’t do that. Seriously.)
Have a great day and take some chances!
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5 Wholesome Lessons from Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland was published in the 1860s by a man named Lewis Carroll. There have been movies made based on this fantastical book and it continues to be popular in the 21st century. It’s a fun read full of madness and anomalous events.
Here are five wholesome life lessons found in this classic tale:
1 – Falling into a hole isn’t always a bad thing
“I almost wish I hadn’t gone down that rabbit-hole – and yet – and yet – it’s rather curious, you know, this sort of life! I do wonder what can have happened to me!”
Alice
Just like Alice, we all occasionally fall down the metaphorical rabbit hole. We take a tumble, look up, and think, “How did I end up here?”
At first, the fall always seems scary and unpredictable. But maybe unpredictable isn’t a bad thing. Maybe we need to fall in life from time to time to have an adventure and discover more about the world around us.
2 – Search for yourself.
“‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”
Alice
Exploring ourselves and what we’re made of can be a lifelong journey if we have the courage to step out and discover new things. We might have a general idea of wants, needs, fears, and likes, but there’s always more to be found out about who we are.
3 – We, as humans, change all the time and can be many things in this life.
“…I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
Alice
“How puzzling all these changes are! I’m never sure what I’m going to be, from one minute to another!”
Alice
As we venture through life and explore more about ourselves, it’s very likely that we’re going to change – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Welcome changes and embrace new discoveries. Everyday is a new day to learn more about who we are and what we are.
Cedar Creek Lake 
Indian Paint Brush
4 – If the destination is unknown, you’re free to take any path.
“‘I don’t much care where -‘ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.”
Narrator
If you find yourself lost or wandering, enjoy the limbo. It can be so very intimidating and mysterious, but that’s the beauty of having no direction. If there’s nowhere you feel you have to go, you’re free to explore any path available.
5 – We’re all crazy.
“We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
The Cat
Seriously, we’re all insane. We all have issues and different perspectives on life. We all have unique beliefs, values, opinions, and styles. So don’t judge and never be afraid to be yourself.
On a medical note, if you find random bottles of liquids that say, “Drink this,” it’s probably a good idea to NOT drink them. To be fair, Alice is a child who just fell into a hole full of fantasy, so she’s off the hook.
Thanks for reading this post and I will leave you with a goodbye question:
“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
The Hatter
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The Wall Has Fallen
Before the night ends // he’ll come for us all
He’ll arrive with troops // the dead hear his call
They rise from the ground // barely bone and flesh
To bring on the night // our watch now begins
Men saying goodbyes // children hide below
Hear the mourning cries // leaving food for crows
Armies uniting // forgiving bad blood
All hail the living // enemies are one
Forging fancy glass // locate solid steel
Prepare for attacks // contemplate the kill
Know the enemy // the blue eyed and dead
Fight for survival // will this be the end?
BURN THE DEAD – STAB THE KING
BUTN THE DEAD – KILL THE KING
The House of Winter // quiet before storms
A single calm night // before we’re at war
Release all tension // let down any guard
This might be the last // chance before dawn
Do all the bad things // you never did do
Find solace in sin // before time is through
The king of night rides // in this moment, now
There’s no place to hide // speak oaths, take a bow
BURN THE DEAD – STAB THE KING
BURN THE DEAD – KILL THE KING
Before the night ends // he’ll come for us all
He’ll arrive with troops // the dead hear his call
They rise from the ground // barely bone and flesh
To bring on the night // our watch now begins
My Personal Curse
My personal curse
Writing this verse
No one to read it
Could be much worse
I could be like you
A cruel lying fake
With petty concerns
And mistaken faith
But you are no matter
I only fight for me
Concerned not of others
I accept my disease
My personal curse
Writing these lines
To be forever unread
At least it’s mine
5 Disturbing Life Lessons from Animal Farm
In 1945 George Orwell released his iconic novella, Animal Farm. Schools across the country continue to read this book to this day due to its political symbolism and simple/direct metaphors.
This short book only has about 140 pages, but it’s filled with truth and thought provoking scenes. There’s much to be learned from Orwell’s classic. It’s eye opening and definitely changes the way one looks at government and society as a whole.
Here are five major and disturbing life lessons from Animal Farm:
1 – Workers will work harder if they think they’re working for themselves.
The animals on the farm work twice as hard for their new swine leader and eat a lot less because they feel they’re working for themselves instead of a human master.
The pig basically turned the farm animals into free-labor slaves by making the animals think they were working for themselves and not man. They accepted less food and did twice as much labor than they did for the human owner.
The animals were being fooled, of course. They were lied to and made to believe they worked towards their own self-interest when in reality, their new pig leader was taking full advantage of their loyalty.
2 – Creating imaginary, powerful enemies increases loyalty and faith in the leader.
The animals on the farm are constantly fed the stories that a menacing thief and saboteur is destroying their hard work. Not only is their leader lying about this, but he’s the one actually stealing more food for himself and his posse.
If you want to increase the loyalty of your followers, make up an evil enemy. Make them scared and angry at this imaginary foe. They will then allow you to steal more of their freedoms because they’ll trust you to protect them from the false enemy. In return, you as the corrupt leader will get more goods for yourself and more blind trust from your subjects.
Fake, evil enemies/antagonists = loyalty and the submission of freedom.
3 – The fear of losing accustomed comforts will increase loyalty.
In Animal Farm, the farm animals occasionally grow tired and somewhat question the pig’s decisions. In all of these instances, the pig basically says, “Well at least we have it better now than we did with our man owner.” Or, “Hey, we have it much better than those animals on the other farms.” And then all the animals agree for fear of losing their new “freedom” and go back to work.
A lot of times, we don’t question the way things are because we’re afraid of losing some of the goods and services we feel we’re lucky to have. This doesn’t only apply to countries and governments. This is also typically the case with relationships and careers as well. We’re afraid to quit and move on because of the unknown awaiting us after the departure.
From Animal Farm, it’s implied that maybe it’s better to question the situation and try and improve conditions instead of living in misery for fear of the unknown, potentially arduous future.
4 – History repeats.
Good intentions are common in the beginning of everything. With time, however, evil, selfishness, and greed tend to find their way back into all establishments.
How do we avoid becoming the very sinister institutions we work so very hard to escape from? History, corruption, and governments – they all tend to follow vicious cycles. They start out wanting to make a difference and end up wanting only to protect themselves.
Lies, greed, deception, stealing the freedoms of citizens, civil disturbances – it’s never ending.
5 – Think for yourself. Question your leaders, question everything.
Anytime in Animal Farm, when an outlier calls the pig out on his inconsistencies, the pig and his crew quickly create fables to cover their tracks. They blame false enemies, they blame the animals for not trusting their leaders, and they use violence often.
Instead of questioning the pig further, the animals accept the lies and punishment and continue on with their arduous labor and starvation.
We want to believe that our leaders have our best interests in mind. We want to trust that they’ll protect us because we’re their people and because we pay them taxes and have a “democracy.” But unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. In fact, it’s probably rarely the case.
I’m not just referring to federal, massive governments. This applies to everything – bosses, relationships, partners, friends, team captains, heroes, etc. Learn to think for yourself and don’t always accept everything you hear, see, or read. Question everything.
Animal Farm is short, insightful read and I would suggest everyone read and analyze this metaphorical story. Though it was written in retaliation to a specific government of Orwell’s time, it continues to be applicable and valid in modern society.
Question everything, watch out for repeating history, don’t be afraid to work towards a better life, make sure the enemies aren’t imaginary, and don’t be fooled into thinking you’re working for yourself. Reality can be disturbing, but we can’t be blind to the truth forever.
See the swine for what they are – gluttonous pigs.
Thank you for reading this post. Fight to keep your freedom.
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4 Insightful Life Lessons from…Rude People
No matter who you are or where you find yourself wandering, rude people are unfortunately unavoidable from time to time. Especially when working for the public and dealing with customers, it’s inevitable that we all come across these unpleasant humans occasionally.
It’s never fun to encounter those who are impolite and disrespectful, but looking on the bright side, there are four life lessons to be learned from brash people:
1 – Being rude makes a person generally unhappy.
Typically, rudeness is a vicious cycle. Let’s say a certain lady is in a poor mood and treats a cashier with ill-tempered shortness and disrespect. By being so mean, this lady is going to worsen her already sucky mood. This will lead her to continue her impertinent behavior. She will keep spreading negativity and consequently hamper her own happiness.
Look at the people who are always rude and I can almost guarantee they are also rarely happy. They have let a poor mood fester and grow into an overall judgmental and mean-spirited personality.
If you want to be happy, don’t be rude to others. Hurting feelings is a sure way to inadvertently destroy your own emotional state. You won’t be ruining another person’s day, you’ll be ruining your own day.
2 – Never make others feel the way rude people make a person feel.
One of the golden rules of life is to “treat others as you would like to be treated.” When someone treats me poorly, disrespects me, or is just flat out cruel to me – I know in my soul that I absolutely, sincerely hope that I NEVER make another person feel that way.
All the times someone was rude to me, it reinforced a behavior that I want to be totally sure I never repeat to others. I don’t want to make others feel poorly about themselves. I don’t want to hurt feelings. I don’t want to be an example of how not to treat people.
3 – We are all going through hard times.
Whenever I encounter a rude person, I’ve learned to picture that person’s personal life as being stressful and strenuous. When taking this perspective, it’s easier to brush off the negativity and write off any rude comments as that person letting off steam and taking things out on me.
It’s not okay to take things out on others who have no clue what you’re going through, but many people do this unknowingly and it comes off as sheer disrespect. There’s no excuse for this behavior, so don’t let it affect you.
If you’re dealing with an impertinent human, don’t let that person upset you. He/she probably has a lot going on personally and is unfairly taking insecurities out on the wrong person. Don’t take it personally. The rude person is stressing out and needs to learn better ways of dealing with it than yelling at innocent bystanders.
On the flip side of this – make sure to never let your personal life issues lead you to explode onto those who have nothing to do with it. Find healthy ways to deal with stress because every human on the planet is dealing with something internally.
4 – Life is too short for insolence.
Deep down we all want to leave a legacy on this planet. Don’t waste time being impatient and disrespectful. Life is too short to waste precious minutes on malicious behavior.
All we’ve been given is one life and we need to make the most of it. Don’t waste time being unhappy and spreading negativity. Instead, spend time enjoying what we have and spreading good spirits. Make others feel loved, not “less than.”
That’s what my experiences with rude people has taught me. It’s never a pleasant moment in the midst of another’s poor attitude, but it has taught me how NOT to act. And perhaps, that’s just as important as being taught the right way to act.
On a less serious note, I’ve also learned that rude people HATE it when you’re super nice to them. Kill ’em with kindness. Flash a huge, cheesy grin. 😀
Thanks for reading this post. Go out and spread positivity and don’t let the rude people bring you down.
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