Conquerors, visionaries, artists, poets, and resolute men of all sorts throughout time have been driven to extraordinary acts by their commitment to triumphs that most of us admire - but would prefer to leave to someone else

Tales of human becoming animal and then back again are older than the Stone Age. Every paleolithic culture in the world has their own version, including modern-day paleolithic cultures from Siberia to the Amazon.

I don't think Tom has ever been inclined to sift the chaff from the grain. His interest in the connection between the two, precludes interest in examining the value of either.

When a bank gives your money to someone that isn't you, the bank is as guilty of theft as the thieving I.D. hacker. The bank was remiss in protecting your account, therefore the bank should reimburse you for allowing your money to be stolen. I think the same should apply to I.D. theft of any sort.

Black Dog delights in crunch of bone and spurting blood. Fiends from hell relish the same. Except it's not the same. Fiends from hell relish pain and violence; their pleasure is destruction. Black Dog thrills only to the throbbing fulfillment of primordial impulse:

Follow the sage advice of B. Bunny - "Unlax, Doc". If you find it hard to re-lax, perhaps you should instead, un-lax. Anxiety is self-imposed. It can only be perpetuated by your own insistence.

How is it bad to try too hard when you’re fighting hard to get what you want, and when what you’re fighting for is hard to get? It seems to run against common sense.

The literal meaning of thoughtless is: without thought. Having no thought for others is certainly bad. Being thoughtless about certain other things isn't so bad. You might be thoughtless about getting praise You might be thoughtless about getting credit for what you do. You might be thoughtless about a lot of things that are usually called virtuous.

I'm inclined to think of Physical Therapy as a process of medical healing. I'm inclined to think of Psychological Therapy as a form of bunkum - a sham promise of healing that might be more accurately called, Therapeutic Shamanism.

The lunatic dance of the world isn't tied to any particular place or time. "Come out from among them" isn't about any particular place or time. It's about stepping outside the dance of the bacchanal altogether.

Maybe it seems that way to me because of the pleasant hallucinogenic effect of the smoke swirling suggestively through my head. I wonder, Is it me waxing poetic, or is it the smoke?

           Should I care which?

Despite defensive quibbling's, Eugenics is brutally simple: kill all the ugly ducklings to allow the handsome ducklings to breed themselves into a more perfect flock.
The principal holds whether with ducks, or people.

Complicated explanations typically signal something's wrong with the explanation.

Trusting toddlers become cunning adults. They lose the innocence they were fated to lose. Cubs become lions. Baby rhinoceros turn into massive tanks. Puppies become wolves. Kids become teenagers. Those once cute are no longer cute.

You are author of you own narrative". Every life is a narrative. Even though most of the plot will be written by forces beyond your control - you still have editorial influence.

Truth is a big word. Seeking, "The Truth", is an abstract adventure. It's an adventure that usually leads to grandiose theorizing resulting in little usable information.
Seeking, "The Truth", isn't a rewarding use of time. Seeking what's true in a particular case is more practical, though it's no easier.

Playing and daydreaming are seriously underappreciated. When your mind is off-duty you are
free to notice what seemed unimportant when you were working.

When played by world-shakers, King of the Hill, is a very serious game. Horseracing is often said to be the sport of Kings. The true sport of Kings is war. Some say that that might doesn't make right, but it can't be proved by the evidence.

A lot of people, from far back in time, have believed numbers to be mystically significant. They don't always agree which number signifies what. They do agree that numbers account for more than just counting.

The example of closing time is easy to understand. Whatever barroom need or hope you have has to get done before closing time. Life has its own closing time. Keeping that limitation in mind focuses attention on what really needs doing.