Heads or Tails

Carl Sandburg once said, ~Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.~ If you think about it, life would most definitely be interesting if the choices each of us decided on were only made by a simple flip of a coin. For whichever side it lands on that will inevitably be the choice one goes with unless you're the type of person who goes for 2 out of 3, which is basically your prerogative. Hey, life is considered a gamble and sometimes you have to take risks as you make not only those fairly semi-non important decisions but also those life altering ones as well and whatever the consequences afterwards you'll deal with it.

Without a doubt, we've all at some point made that fairly unimportant decision as to where to go in order to get one's proverbial grub on. It can be a comical and yet frustrating situation indeed when a group of people can't make up their minds on where to eat to the point you all end up not going anywhere and just order pizza instead, which probably many have done recently or in the past. The decision on what/where to eat would be primarily easy if it was just one's own choice, but when it involves a group of people it can turn into one huge, ugly debate/argument as to why that particular eating establishment shouldn't be the unanimous choice to go with and that's when the time to flip the coin comes into play.

Think about this, what if accepting and declining a job comes down to the flip of a coin when it pertains to weighing the options of which two places of employment would best benefit you both personally and financially. For it can be a tough situation for any person to make as one tries to figure out the best possible future for not only one's self but also for one's family as well. Depending on if you have a family or are thinking about one day having one, the right job means not just having financial stability but also means doing something you absolutely enjoy doing rather than doing something you totally loathe and despise. Hopefully, the choice made with one's future profession as you toss your life in the air is one you can be happy with and if not then your s.o.l.

Let me ask you this question, what if love or true love for that matter was decided by a coin. In my own thinking, it would make relationships a bit more interesting as you leave the decision on who you would rather spend your entire life with on an inanimate silver object that is merely worth 25 cents. Oftentimes, the hardest choices one can ever make come from within your very own heart and the decision as to who will stay at your side and who will leave heartbroken is sitting right there in your pocket. However, in a sense though, you're not throwing a coin up in the air, but rather you're metaphorically throwing your very own heart in the air as the faces of those two people are on either side of the coin and whichever side it lands on, he's/she's the one.

In retrospect, with every choice we make in life you'll in some way hear a distinct coin being flipped in the air. Flipped, not by the hand of those who think they can make those choices in life for us, but flipped by our own hand because the future is what we can make of it, especially when it comes to love. Sometimes those particular choices we've made in life and in love didn't necessarily work out and yet, it's those particular unfortunate flips of the coin that one may lose at times have become learning experiences. In the end, you have to continually keep taking out the coin of life in your pocket and flip it without being scared of what the outcome(s) may be as it either lands on heads or tails.

That's Just Wrong

Friedrich Nietzche once said, ~In revenge and in love woman is more barbarian than man is.~ There is an old saying that goes revenge is a dish best served cold and this particular sentiment rings so true especially when it pertains to a woman getting back at a guy for doing her wrong. Does he deserve it though? It really depends on the situation at hand that merits the cruel and unusual punishment. For the state of mind a woman gets in can be absolutely unpredictable because you never know what type of payback she may be planning in her mind. Its a scary thought indeed as to how vindictive a woman can truly be when she gets in touch with her darkside and it's not going to be pretty at all for that guy to either see, hear, and/or feel.

Let me ask you this question ladies, have you ever sought out and taken revenge on a guy who did you wrong recently or in the past? If so, to what extent and how much did the "gentlemen" in question suffer? Thinking about it, when it comes to taking out some sweet revenge on a guy personally, she will usually turn her attention to the one thing that means a lot to him...his car. Whether or not women are willing to admit to it, there may be situations where certain women made it their mission to vandalize a guy's car by either throwing a brick through the windshield, slashing what may very well be expensive tires, or the proverbial go to revenge tactic which is ruining the paint job by scratching/writing all over it and know this they've enjoyed every minute of it.

Essentially, revenge on a guy by the hands of a woman is not just personal, it can also be mental as well. All women have the ability to completely destroy a man's mind from the inside out to where he's just a shell of his former self. I think all men would agree that women are masters at psychological warfare, in a manner of speaking, when it comes to making men lose their minds. One such psychological tactic used is not speaking to him or as a matter of fact having all her friends not speak to him to the point of alienating him from any kind of verbal contact whatsoever. Let me tell you something ladies, that tye of revenge is considered one of the most cruelest forms of torture because silence is so deadly that it can metaphorically kill you.

Without a doubt, a woman physically taking her revenge out on a guy is a fate worse than death because it can affect him not only personally and mentally, but also emotionally. Intentionally causing bodily harm and/or injury to a guy's family jewels is the most heartless thing any woman can ever possibly do or try to do because one blow can leave a man seeing stars as he lays on the ground singing soprano, so to speak, with tears in his eyes. Speaking of singing soprano, THE cruelest act of revenge has to be from a person that every woman cheered for and and every guy feared...Lorena Bobbit. Ladies, mention her name around any guy who is even thinking about doing you wrong and trust me, he'll rethink doing it.

In retrospect, there are so many things that a vengeful woman can do to a man like hooking up with his best friend or any friend of his for that matter that it can make any guy want to not get on a woman's bad side...EVER! For the question can be asked though to any guys out there if they were the recipient of any vengeful act from a woman from their past and did you actually do something wrong to get her that mad at you. Personally speaking, I thankfully have not been the target of any woman who hated me for doing something wrong to her personally, at least I hope not. *knock on wood* In the end, when a guy hears about or sees acts of vengeance by a woman against another man we will usually give this response...dude, that's just wrong.

The Better Man

Someone once said, ~When love is lost, do not bow your head in sadness and look down upon the ground. Instead, keep your head up high and gaze into the heavens for this is where you broken heart is sent to heal.~ When it comes to guys competing against each other over a woman, the proverbial gauntlet can be thrown down. In some aspect, it would be like the medieval days as two knights would put their heart/honor on the line by competing in duels such as jousting to win the greatest prize one will ever receive, which in this case is a woman's heart. Although there are no actual weapons being used, the hopefully genuine actions/words they use are the "weapons" of choice and win or lose, they fought a good fight.

Let me ask you this question ladies, would you consider it romantic or immature if two men "fought" to win your heart? Here's another question, have you ever been in this type of situation? Anyways, in my own thinking, a woman would be absolutely flattered if two guys "fought" for her in the name of love, but doing it in a more classier chivalrous way such as in the supposed story of King Arthur and Sir Lancelot with Lady Guinevere. On the other hand, in this day and age there aren't many guys who not only don't know how to treat a woman with class but also aren't mature enough to know what respect, chivalry, and/or the days of what courting a woman means as they merely want to win a woman's heart for selfish gain.

Speaking of courting a woman, it has been without a doubt left in the medieval days as it is now all about dating a woman. What is the difference, you may be asking? Well, when it comes to courting a woman its all about the act or period of wooing a woman without any intimacy involved. Dating a woman, on the other hand, is making or having a social engagement with a person of the opposite sex with the intimacy involved. Think about this ladies, when was the last time you honestly were courted/wooed by a guy who before even asking you out on a date took the time to actually build a friendship of honesty and trust so that he could get to know not just you, but also your family and friends as well?

Oftentimes, the dating scene can be considered one big jousting competition between guys as they try to make a name for themselves to possibly impress and persuade the decision she makes to go in his favor. Whether or not they abide by the code or throw away the code completely is up to them. It's a code in which 2 things are considered important: honor and respect or the status/recognition to build up their armor so that particular fair lady can be proud to be seen at his side. Let me tell you something, it doesn't take new armor to win a woman's heart, but rather what's located behind the armor and that is a man's heart, which is considered his excalibur that if used properly wields the greatest power he can ever share with a woman.

In retrospect, every woman at some point in time will be put in a difficult position to choose between two guys that she loves/cares about to where he will inevitably be her so-called knight in shining armor. For it always comes down to the guy who's been part of her past in which she experienced the bad, as well as, good times or the new guy who walks into her life and possibly wipes the slate clean of past hurts that may still be felt within her heart. Ultimately, a woman's choice can sometimes be made easier for her as one guy will make the hard decision to just step aside because he loves her that much to not put her through that emotional pain. In the end, I ask you this question: who really wins and comes out the better man?

The Art Of Love

Jiddu Krishnamurti once said, ~Martial arts is like a mirror in which you look at yourself before you wash your face in the morning. You see yourself simply the way you are.~ In some aspect, love is like martial arts as both share the one common denominator that keeps you getting back up, as well as, reaching for more from within yourself when you suffer times of defeat and that is heart. For it’s your heart that reflects/mirrors who you truly are as you stand in the ring of life across so called opponents who stand ready to see if you are prepared to handle the punishment he or she may inflict on your heart. Essentially, to face the opponent known as love you must be prepared in three key ways: mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Without a doubt, you have to be in the right mindset to take on something that is considered to be one of the most or THE most toughest opponent one will ever face in life. Why do I say that? Love can seemingly be an easy thing to prepare for as you certainly see people around you go toe to toe with it. However, love is never easy because what you see is totally different than what you're going to actually experience, which is something that will most definitely mess with your mind. It would be safe to say that in the metaphorical sense love can mentally psyche you out as it plays mind games by showing those that stood before you who were defeated and left picking up the pieces of one's fearful, frustrated, fragile, doubt-filled mind.

Essentially, you can't just be mentally strong as you also have to be physically strong as well to take on something that can/will overpower you to where you're literally knocked to the ground. A person can have all the muscles in the world, but unfortunately the massive amount of strength that love has can make any man or woman absolutely weak to where one is brought to their knees. It's a sad situation indeed when the crafty veteran known as love can get the upper hand to the point where you end up defending yourself by covering up/holding back. For the most part, you simply have to rely on the strength within your heart to be able to defend/counter moves that can get the better of you if you're not quick enough to se it.

Let me ask you this question, when it comes to potential and/or a significant relationship, are you spiritually centered within your heart? Oftentimes, when facing an opponent such as love, the mental and physical strength just aren't enough because of how overwhelming it can all be. For the feeling and emotions can/will keep the chi within your heart totally off balance to where either anger, fear, frustration, hate, doubt, or all of the above take over, which you don't want ever to have happen. It's at that point you look to spiritual strength to bring about peace within your heart so that your mind and body can be in perfect harmony. If that's not the case, you're going to face love mentally unfocused and physically unprepared, so to speak.

Martial arts legend Bruce Lee said, ~Emotions can be the enemy, if you give into the emotion. You must be at one with your emotions because the body will always follow the mind.~ In retrospect, we all will stand or are already standing face to face against the biggest martial arts challenge in your life that judges whether or not you are truly ready for love. Ultimately, you have to keep your emotions in check or everything you've tried to prepare for falls apart and remember this, you alone can't judge love because love has the ability to judge you. In the end, if you can be mentally, physically, and spiritually prepared to face love without fear, doubt, anger, frustration, and/or hate filled within your heart then my friend you've mastered the art of love.

Call Me When You're Sober

Ernest Hemingway once said, ~ Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.~ Being a person who doesn't drink alcohol you can be considered the proverbial party pooper when you hang around friends who do, but fortunately though for me its those particular friends that don't pressure me to do or make fun of me because I don't. In any case, when it comes to being the sober person among a group of intoxicated people, you experience countless things by either hearing or seeing firsthand that it becomes not only a story to tell him or her the following day, but it also can be considered blackmail material if documented in video or photo form.

Let me ask you this question, are you a totally different person after you have a few or several drinks in you? The effects of alcohol can most definitely turn a reserved person into a wild and carefree person whose inhibitions can/will be lost as your inability to judge what you're doing is either right or wrong. Such possible embarrassing and foolish acts that one may do is saying I love you to everyone including inanimate objects, thinking that you know some type of martial arts to where you want to fight everybody in the room, and thinking that you're the smartest person in the universe that you debate/argue on reasons why stuffed crust pizza is better than thin crust, which I have been a part of many times.

Without a doubt, alcohol is considered a so-called truth serum as you will talk about or reveal things about yourself that you wouldn't necessarily share with others...voluntarily. You truly learn so much about people when they start to spill their guts to you that it comes to a point where its just too much information. Information in which you either find out dirty little secrets they've kept hidden for quite some time or just something that doesn't make any sense at all. If you think about it though, when one begins to open up two things tend to happen which are: #1) sobbing, whimpering, crying and #2) becoming more affectionate to where that person starts hugging you. For the question can be asked of you, are you a hugger, crier, or both?

Personally speaking, of many experiences I've encountered over the years sober there is one that sticks out in my mind and it happened 7 years ago involving an acquaintance/former co-worker. The woman who shall remain nameless was at a party and wasn't even there for at least an hour when we noticed that she was passed out in the corner. Seeing that she was okay, we continued having fun and after 20 minutes we noticed she was gone. She was nowhere in the house until we noticed she was outside in my friend's truck stealing change and putting it down her dress. We got her out of the truck, tried to get her into the house but she got away, and then looked at me and said she wanted to race down the street. Needless to say I won by forfeit being that she passed out after only running three steps.

In retrospect, when it comes to the consumption of alcohol there is one thing that every person shares when he or she is smashed out of one's mind and that is calling somebody very late at night preferably between the times of 12am-3am. It can be from either a friend, a best friend, girlfriend/boyfriend, or an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend. Let me tell you something, having a person call and tell you that they love you and you have no idea who they are at first because you're somewhat half asleep, is a very interesting experience. In the end, when you receive a phone call from somebody drunk or are the person who made the drunk phone call the one thing you will inevitably say or hear is...hang up, go to sleep, and call me when you're sober,which is a song by Evanescence that tends to reflect this thought.

The Best Is Yet To Come (400th Yodaism)

Steve Brunkhorst once said, ~Challenge each problem you face with purposeful thought and determined action. Resolve that every situation you encounter will make you better, stronger, wiser, more skillful, and more loving.~ Without a doubt, each yodaism has been in and of itself a challenge to write. For if you look and read the very first one I wrote 10 years ago up to what is now my 400th one I have written you can most definitely see, as well as, feel a change as the years progressed. In any case, let me ask you this question out of pure curiosity, have any of these Yodaisms helped you in any way you've actually benefited by either becoming a better, stronger, wiser, more skillful, and/or more loving person?

To be perfectly honest, I don't think you can become a better person simply by reading something written by a guy who has been mentally messed up in the head by females in my past. However, I do believe much of what I write can help you be mentally stronger. When it comes to writing something that unknowingly pertains to your own life there tends to be one question people ask me which is are you psychic? My answer is no, but when I write something that someone is either experiencing or going through at that very moment it is kind of freaky, but you have to admit you do get uplifted to the point of feeling a little stronger as you read a yodaism that somehow just comes at the right time in your life.

Oftentimes, women will ask me how come you can think up these things because...well...you're a guy. You're supposed to be a guy who either thinks about guy things such as sports, women, nothing at all, etc. My response...I do think about guy things, but what separates me from the rest of the male population out there is that I actually listen, observe, take in, and learn from the mistakes that not only guys do, but also women do as well to where it is written down for you to read. Let me tell you something, whether it's watching it on reality tv, talking to people, or hearing it around me, you learn from the mistakes people who are in potential and/or significant relationships make that you hopefully learn from it and become gradually wiser yourself.

Essentially when it comes to challenging my thoughts on Yodaisms about love it doesn't necessarily involve the improvement of a reader's skills when it pertains to his or her so-called game, which is wrong in how that person interprets it. What it does pertain to though is the growth of one's heart and how much love a person can have even though one may encounter times of heartbreak to where he or she becomes not only hateful but a bitter person against the male/female species. Hey, I'm just a guy who tries to break down love in my own way to not just help my own scarred heart heal from being hurt in the past, but heal your scarred heart as well. For the question can be asked, have I been able to help you with what I wrote over the years?

In retrospect, I've faced and conquered the mental challenges that have been put in front of me as particular subject matters came to mind. For the most part, there are times where they just write themselves and other times they fail miserably to where I scrap the whole thing altogether. Personally speaking, I have several Yodaisms that I consider my personal favorites and I wonder if you have, if any, some that are considered your personal favorites. Ultimately, I hope you've enjoyed reading all 400 Yodaisms as I've enjoyed writing them as I've been able to use both my mind, as well as, my heart. Ultimately, you probably think you've read the best I can possibly write, but you know what you haven't because the best is yet to come.

Hello

October 9, 2006 Carl Gustav Jung once said, ~ Every form of addiction is bad no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism.~ If you think about it, we're all addicted to something in this world that can give you that proverbial high. However, the high that I'm speaking of doesn't involve any illegal substances that can either get you arrested or worse, cause your untimely death. The "high" that I'm speaking of concerns certain things that you just can't get enough of, which in all intents and purposes can be considered a drug. For no matter how hard you want to try to stop and quit, you can't. Let me ask you this question, what or who are you addicted to that can quite possibly be deemed borderline obsession?

Without a doubt, there are people out there who crave attention and are addicted to having all eyes on him or her. It's purely egotistical as the things said or done, whether they're a celebrity or not, keeps one's face and name in the so-called spotlight. We all know, see, or at least hear about someone who is constantly being talked about, that you inevitably get tired of him/her being talked about in the media because of how useless to society he or she may be. Everyone would agree that Paris Hilton is an attention seeker who hasn't contributed anything to society except spending the family fortune. Even though she’s the constant butt of jokes and ridicule she's talked about, which unfortunately boosts her own ego even more.

When it comes to making music and performing songs, musicians can experience a certain "high" when he, she, or they hear the roar of the crowd as they either scream or sing along word for word their songs. It's a pure adrenaline rush that raises the energy level up a notch in whatever venue they're playing at to where you can go deaf because of all the noise, which that particular performer or performers feed off of and when the audience is happy, they're happy. Essentially, that's what all singers/songwriters/ music producers love to hear and see because it not only keeps audiences coming back for more, but it also keeps him, her, or them inspired to keep doing what they love to do.

Oftentimes, a person can be addicted to a particular type of technology such as a cell phone, which seemingly tends to get upgraded either every day, week, or month. For some, most or all people they can't live without it and it's always at their side to the point it can borderline on obsession. Why? In my own thinking, one doesn't want to miss out on something that is considered to that particular person important as he/she is always connected, as well as, standing by at a moments notice when the business world or one's own inner circle calls. Yet, it's a sad situation indeed when it can cause the break up of a relationship where an ultimatum is given to either choose it or him/her. So, the question remains, are you addicted to your cell phone?

About 2 years ago, a friend of mine...*cough*(Germaine)*cough*...sent me a link to a website that many people today are using worldwide. In any case, it's this particular website that has now become a new kind of "drug" that people like myself can't stop or quit because its considered so addictive that a person will or can go into dt's. For the question must be asked, how long can you go without logging on to this particular website? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Ultimately, they say in order to deal with an addiction you have to admit you have a problem. In the end, if this were a meeting I would stand behind a podium and say to those of you who are fellow addicts....Hello, my name is Yoda and I am addicted to Myspace.

Unconditional

Robert C. Solomon once said, ~Love can be understood only "from the inside", as a language can be understood by someone who speaks it as a world can be understood only by someone who lives in it.~ Let me ask you this question, how many of you have a deep understanding of what love or true love for that matter truly means. For its not as easy to figure out because a person can mistakenly perceive it to be something you can always see, hear, and/or touch, but it is in fact something you experience by simply opening your heart. Essentially, when you open your heart you gradually begin to understand what love actually means as you share in ways that you not only never dreamed of, but also that particular person as well.

If you think about it, opening your heart to someone is considered easy, but when it comes to opening up yourself emotionally that can be the hardest thing any person can possibly do. Why? It can leave you absolutely wide open to being brutally hurt, which probably many have experienced to the point you're not only closed off emotionally, but you also built up a defense or defenses around one's self. For it's a sad situation indeed when a person isn't capable of sharing all of one's self emotionally probably because of either stupidity, stubbornness, and/or fear. Whatever the reason, being able to open up to someone and sharing from your heart without restrictions gives you a chance to live in a whole new world you never thought existed.

Without a doubt, one of the things that makes a relationship stand the test of time is having unwavering support with someone who will always be there for you through thick and thin. A woman, more than anything, greatly understands and appreciates how important having a guy be physically, as well as, emotionally, be there for her when she needs him the most. This also applies for guys as well when it pertains to the woman in his life. Essentially, its that support system you have with that person who you put your trust in and count on as he/she cares enough to carry some, most, or all the burden/weight off your shoulders and place them on his/her own, which primarily makes one's life not only less stressful but also less anxiety ridden.

For the question can be asked of you, do you have any dreams or aspirations that you have been going after? Here's another question, would you give up or at least put on hold what you've been going after and try to make the dreams and aspirations of the one you love come true. Its that self-sacrificing, appreciative, respectful, unselfish love that doesn't have any ulterior motives or hidden messages, but what it does have is something so pure and innocent that it actually inspires the Add to dictionary, who may not believe in love. What it basically comes down to is knowing you're, in some way, helping the one who has forever captured your heart in achieving something that makes him or her happy that it makes both of you smile inside and out.

In retrospect, love gives you chances to understand and learn from past mistakes concerning your own heart. Oftentimes, those mistakes can lead a person to set boundaries and hide within one's self to where one unfortunately feels uncomfortable showing or receiving any sign of affection. However, when you meet someone who makes you feel comfortable enough that you are not only gradually introduced to your own heart again, but you don't feel like a stranger anymore. In the end, every person will finally grasp the type of love that keeps on sharing/giving rather than taking and that type of love is unconditional, which is a song from country great George Strait.