ACADEMIC SUPPLIES: Information Processing & More…

You can be a student for life! There’s this myth that, once you become an adult, you stop learning. Something that, to be honest, used to frighten me. However, turns out that it is not the truth. You only stop learning once you stubbornly believe that you already have all the answers and cannot be bothered to question anything anymore. You may have more responsibilities, more that’s taking up your time and energy, or even your focus, so you can no longer devote yourself to being a full-time student, but, unless you’re physically impaired, it is more a matter of psychology. Are you welcoming knowledge, lessons, and wisdom?

Attitudes for Fluent Learning

Your attitude determines plenty, if not all! You can be resistant and in refusal, which would make you nearly impossible to work with or just insufferable in a classroom. Or you can be eager to discover more of what’s out there, filling up the gaps and revising the patches in your worldview. The formula for Fluent Learning is essentially having Curiosity (interest and excitement), Receptivity (perception and flexibility), and Discernment (judgment and structurization). All of this is fundamental so that you can be led to truthfulness rather than misled to falsehood. All while staying engaged enough to follow through the ups and downs and the maze that comes with learning and, especially, deeper and greater learning.

Uncertain & Unproven Ideas or Claims

Many people miss out on going further, making discoveries, having realizations, and reaching extraordinary levels of consciousness because they firmly stick with what is tried and true. And that is totally okay if that’s how you prefer to go about it (we need overly reliable people like that). However, if you like to push boundaries, go into the unknown, wonder about the what-ifs, and philosophize about existence, not only in the concrete but also in the abstract, that is valid too and should not be dismissed. Nevertheless, it is recommendable to make it a habit to frame and state what hasn’t yet been sufficiently proven for certain as Possibilities (or, if more applicable, as Fiction) instead of as facts. This will keep your credibility intact and potentially make you someone intriguing and entertaining to listen to, whether or not you will later come back with proof and certainty to share the facts as facts.  

Information Processing

Let’s say that, for whatever reason, you’ve been under a rock and have missed all the news. Or worse, you’re barely coming out of some nasty brainwashing. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have nothing of value to contribute to the conversation. You can still process information. Whatever you’ve been chewing on has been exercising your mind and you can continue to exercise your mind by chewing some more. Yet, this time, on more correct and accurate information. 

And perhaps you do have a rich knowledge base, but it is outside of what is being discussed and considered as relevant. There are likely parallels that you can draw out of that to further illustrate an issue! Anecdotes that enhance the experience and even the understanding could also come into play every now and then.

But you don’t have to teach, either. You can simply be a student. If you know what you don’t know, you can seek out those who do know what you do not know. Be attentive, take notes, and make your teachers proud (or at least have respect and gratitude for them).

Arguments and debates are not banned; they are intellectual sparring that can yield innumerable benefits. But they do have a place and time - which can be tricky to figure out (so much to consider). Formulating arguments and participating in debates, alone, can be a sophisticated art to master. But if you wish to get that far, preparation helps and practice makes perfect.

Ignorance & Confusion V.S. Awareness & Comprehension

How well do you know what you’re talking about, though? If you’re aiming to master a subject, any sign of ignorance on your part should be taken as an invitation to move toward awareness, and any sign of confusion as an invitation to move toward comprehension. Rather than doing that, we often shy away and create a comfort zone, as if an impenetrable barrier, that keeps us from growing and evolving. Sometimes you are aware of little but comprehend it much. Sometimes you are aware of much but comprehend it little. The goal is to be aware of and comprehend much. Alternatively, failure is being stagnant within ignorance and confusion.

Sources Matter

Open-mindedness, hearing from different sides, is encouraged, yes. Regardless, without restraint, it can be awfully counterproductive. If a source has demonstrated, over and over again, that it is not trustworthy, is your investment in it justified? There’s a chance it’ll spit one or two truths, here and there, but this might be so infrequent, or so mixed up in misinformation and disinformation, that it is actually disingenuous to your learning to keep dwelling in it. Manipulation, propaganda, gaslighting, and more are all too common and you might not be as immune to them as you’d like to believe. Continuous exposure, without effective counteraction, will eventually cause cracks to slip into and have you convinced of something that’s not. So, be selective about who you consider and for how long. 

The world, the universe, and everything in it is so vast and complex. It can be overwhelming to try to wrap your head around it all. But remember that you can give yourself time, take it in bits, go step by step, and eventually catch up enough that you are not so behind in it. 

This, Too, Shall Pass

I don’t mean to put anyone on the spot with sensitive topics, but I oughta emphasize that:

If you’ve ‘let yourself go’, whether because you ran out of reasons to fight or because you’re going through a rough patch that has you putting yourself last, it takes only one year (out of many more still left to live), given the required resources and having an effective system in place for it, to significantly turn things around. To tend to and recover from various injuries and illnesses that have accumulated. But also, though not that it really matters to anyone who can see past trivial superficialities, drop the extra weight, revitalize your skin & hair, and such...

You know what isn’t so easy to get, however? A soul. And the kind of character that takes decades and countless factors to come into play and forge.

Don’t let remediable issues blind you from what’s unmeasurably rare and valuable. Just take care of them. ✌🏻

Building & Fostering Community

A community doesn’t have to be a cult. It also doesn’t have to be composed of meanies that would be constantly measuring you and would ostracize you over trivial stuff. Furthermore, community isn’t necessarily something vapid that only the weak would seek. There is strength in numbers, cultivation of potential, and so much more.

Maybe you’re used to being a little (if not quite) odd and the mere idea of being part of a community scares you. Maybe your past experiences didn’t serve you or did you dirty. Or maybe you’re just so solitary that you assume any community would be too taxing for you.

The thing is that there are countless ways in which a community can be built and fostered. They don’t have to be stiff and strict. They don’t have to follow ridiculous rules and comply with absurd norms. They don’t even have to be actively participated in. You can find and, if not, make your own kind. And as long as people are safe and happy there, it counts and prevails as such.

There are a few qualities essential to communities. Everything else is optional and can be tweaked. However, be careful of what you change or remove - what may seem arbitrary may in fact be fundamental to one or more aspects of it. Put shortly, they are:

• Sharing, exchanging, and cooperation.

• Similar interests and/or aspirations.

• Sense of belonging and security.

• Specially fulfilling events and activities.

• Survivability against potential and future threats.

Now, you’d have to ponder what these fully imply and how they would apply to the kind of community that you can bring about.

For example, many communities thrive on firm hierarchies and defined roles. And this would fall under what it means to have a sense of belonging and security. Treating everyone “the same” sounds good in theory but doesn’t quite work in practice when it doesn’t consider what people are contributing, what their preferences are, and if they have limitations that should be accommodated. It is nuanced work if you hope to get it right. And there may be plenty of trial and error.

As another example, it might seem as though competition should be banned, but competition fits under what’s sharing, exchanging, and cooperating. If it doesn’t get so malicious and harmful that it destroys relationships, it’s merely a means to encourage development and improvement among those competing. They’d have to be mature enough about it, though. Or have someone around with conflict resolution skills to smooth things out and help them through any tensions.

It is simple, yet complicated. And it depends. Different challenges come with different types of communities. If they’re large or small. Diverse or uniform. Going against the odds or going with the flow. And if you’re serious about it, it is a full-time job to figure out what’s best for it and implement it.

Not Too Early, Not Too Late, Newcomers

I said I would be a better Host this year, but what was in store for me went beyond anything I could have predicted (and I’m still trying to get it together). However, whether you catch me in my most receptive, flexible, and accommodating self or not, you can be 100% sure that, if you’re the kind of person I make content for, I’ll be happy to have you around!

What kind of person is that? You may ask. Well, I can be quite polarizing rather than palatable to most. However, that’s how I prefer it because it is rooted in specific values and principles that I’m firm about. They keep me on track with my mission ('Unbridling & Sustaining Artistic Abilities') and ultimately filter in and out who I’m rolling with. So, in other words, if you don’t have a problem with what I am and stand for (openly or not), chances are I don’t with you either (I do take feedback and make revisions, I simply do not tolerate sabotage). Then, we might click together in mutually beneficial ways.

I’ve accumulated plenty to browse through already, but I’m still working on making sense and putting in order all that I must for things to flow with (at least comparable) stability and ease. Yet, please keep in mind that, regardless of how much I cover, it is still on you to seek out content from other (ideally reliable) sources to continue to develop yourself the best you can. And I’ll just regularly put out my part in contribution.

Furthermore, there are times when I am paying close attention to current events and times when I am not. If you really must bring something to my attention (and I seem to be missing it), allow yourself to be extra ‘obnoxious’ about it, leaving comments or sending direct messages. I may be busy (or zoned out), but not indifferent. I'll be gathering concerns and tackling them over time.

PS: I also pretty much function in a “if the hat fits, wear it” manner. Don’t take for yourself any hostility or intervention that isn’t merited. If it doesn’t apply to you, then it doesn’t. But if it does, in the same or a lesser degree, then it is an opportunity for self-reflection. And even so, it may or may not have been directed at you or anyone in particular (just addressing common or related issues). ✌🏻

Being a Decent Human Being

“It costs nothing to be nice.” Actually, sometimes it does. Maybe a little and maybe a lot. But it might be worth it anyway. Nice or kind.

We may have ventured into a world, or an area of it, where being a decent human being is not rewarded or even encouraged. Where most would boast about their lack of concern and consideration for others, as if it is some sort of grand achievement that separates them from the “sheep”. But this is quite an oversimplified and skewed view of it.

You can be nice (and kind) to others without betraying yourself. You can accomplish great things without being a lousy or terrible person. You can be in disagreement and lose the approval of others and STILL be a decent human being. So no, it is not about losing your independence and your individuality. It is simply about, at the very least, behaving in a justifiable manner. 

You can put yourself first. But does that mean you should be stepping over others on your way or even be going out of your way to punch and kick them? Unprompted? You can push yourself further. But does that mean you are allowed to steal, exploit, or even abuse others? Including those with fewer resources than you and more at a disadvantage? You can give yourself a break. But does that mean it is okay to completely ignore and dismiss it when others are in danger and require help? Regardless of whether or not they were there for you or rely on you?

In some form, you ought to work concern and consideration for others into the equation. It doesn’t even have to be a 50/50 balance. But make it so that you are not just a leech or a cancer to the world and those in it. 

Give when you can and don’t take what’s not yours to receive. If you earned something, or will reciprocate that something, or you’d honor it in a significant manner, or it was simply in overflowing abundance… Then there might be no issue with claiming it. But if you go around pretending to be someone you’re not, making promises you don’t intend to keep, assuming you’re entitled to more than you truly are, and leaving people worse than you found them… You’ve failed at justifying your existence.

Should you off yourself? Get away from everyone? Sit in a corner? And never come back? Not really. But if you cannot be bothered to properly maintain and correct your behavior, do not expect to belong in circles where people do.

Back To School Month

September is here!
It’s Back To School time.
You can expect an emphasis on education-related content.

Autumn Once More

Autumn arrives once more...
Do you know what that means?
It means we go further.
Look more closely, reach depper.
And maybe face what's been avoided.

A Day At The Beach

♪ Y aunque parezcas despistado, con ese caminar pausado,
conozco la razón que hace doler tu corazón… ♪

I was finally able to take time for myself, away from the screen. I accidentally got sunburnt, but at least I got there. So I could make this compilation of my surroundings at the beach. Surprisingly, I did end up moving quite close to it and, for that, I rejoice!

PS: The song coming to mind for this occasion, though I can personally relate as well, reminds me of all the devoted healers out there, putting in the work to mend the wounds of the innocent and/or the unfairly treated. 😌

When You're Being Watched

Nothing like being watched to bring back your inhibitions. Suddenly, things you forgot or weren’t even aware you were insecure about are making you self-conscious. It makes you nervous, cripplingly so, and embarrassed, to further your detriment.

A lot of the time, however, we are being too harsh on ourselves, too nitpicky. Maybe because we know that others will be so. But even if they are, should it matter that much? Isn’t that a THEM issue rather than a YOU issue? And if that’s the case, maybe you could use more self-acceptance, coming to terms with the things you don’t like so much about yourself or even learn to appreciate them if they can be.

Confidence, not arrogance, can go a long way in immunizing you to unkind stares. Remembering that you’re the whole package and, unless there’s something seriously wrong about you, to be truly concerned about, you’re not some sort of freak of nature that’s failing so badly at being within what’s normal or, if actually odd or outstanding, failing at what can be considered worthwhile. Therefore, any cruel judgments are unmerited.

Nevertheless, we may want to put our best forth. If not for those who love us, then at least to not give the satisfaction to those who hate us of seeing us at our worst. If that’s the case, preparation and improvements could be due.

We could also benefit from tuning out. If you can trust that you will operate according to your standards, being attuned to what others might be perceiving and interpreting would be needless and counterproductive, holding you back from flowing smoothly.

Furthermore, have solid arguments in your defense. For any incoming attacks aimed at any vulnerability, or what might look like such, so you can’t be hit and thrown off. You don’t necessarily have to debate it, you don’t have to explain yourself either, but you should definitely have them for yourself so that you can remain unbothered.

Another trick is to return the humiliation. However, that’s not a very ‘zen’ thing to do. It is effective, though. If anyone’s giving you nasty stares over something of yours, give them some back over something of theirs.

Ideally, you’d have enough privacy to not have your guard up all the time, but when you’re being watched, at least this much can make it manageable.

Message In a Bottle

What if you wanted or needed to sneak in an extra message? Something that’d get the attention from only a few. Normally, it’s what we do when we whisper, gesture, or make expressions towards those who can see and hear us, leaving out the rest from the little secret.

It’s nothing new. Is it kind of rude? Yes, when you’re not in it. But then again, there are way worse things in life. And when it comes to art, multiple messages, some less obvious than others, are to be expected. The question is then: Are you paying close attention?

If you’re invested enough to be able to tell when something is off or might have an added meaning, you’re already past the door and into the circle of people who ‘get it’. Are you welcome there or not, however? That still depends. 

Let’s say you’re making art and you’d like to add hidden messages for a minority. A specific target audience, your most invested participants, and such. There are a few ways to go about it. And you can choose the ones that suit your style and/or fit the level of discretion that you’re aiming for.

- Put it in something you don’t regularly do. An extra piece that isn’t quite like the others.

- Put it in your regular pieces, but subtly highlight it by consistently adding a mark that signals that it should be read further into.

- “Casually” add background music with lyrics that speak for you.

- “Casually” add background signs that point towards or literally say it.

- Have a separate collection or via through which your work, though it may seem normal, always carries hidden messages.

Then it is a matter of giving them the time to recognize these quirks, along with your particular patterns. You can think of more ways, of course, there are plenty, but these are some of the least messy, yet still “hidden in plain sight”, sort. And you can continue to go about your day job as if you haven’t been doing anything extra and sneaky.

Later on, whether you will admit to any of this more explicitly, it is for you to decide. You shouldn’t be messing with people’s heads and hearts, causing psychological harm or worse. But if it’s all just been without ill intent or even for valid reasons, and you’ve kept yourself in check (beware of using symbols or “symbols” that should be respected and/or avoided, etc.), you can have a clear conscience.