Posts by briskbison62

Man, I am feeling so soft right now! I was just chilling, listening to NPR, when they played this absolute classic: Welcome back, sweetheart , a song my guy used to have on constant repeat on his old vinyl player way back when we first met and I first swung by his place. Honestly, music just hits different sometimes—it’s everything to me.

William Collins11 said:Hahaha, oh my goodness... 😂😂😂😂😂:lol :

Goodness, I actually laughed out loud—it certainly isn't General Electric.

Iskra

That is such a gorgeous name. 🙂 I heard somewhere that the painter and poet from the Oreb source actually got his name because there was this massive drought hitting his island right when he was born... I love that kind of backstory—it makes a name feel so much more meaningful.

electricdriver33 said:That's actually a beautiful American name, though it's rare, and it's shared by a famous American Franciscan monk: 😉

I know who Linić is. 🙂 But this buddy of mine was just your totally average guy, and he honestly felt like the name didn't really fit his vibe. Personally, I’ve always been way more into those rare, quirky names than the super common ones you hear every day. 🙂 For instance, I definitely wouldn't want to go by Gordana, which is the name Edward Murphy4 brought up.

Edward Murphy4 said:I mean, I totally get why Gertrude hates her name.🤣

Look, you can have hang-ups about any name—even ones that sound all trendy, sleek, and "urban."😍 It’s clearly just a matter of how you see yourself.

Take me, for instance—my name is pretty basic and straightforward. Sure, it's super common globally.🤣 But it's timeless.
When I was a kid, I couldn't stand it. Now? I actually love it.🙂

I mean, maybe that’s true sometimes.

So, Steve Pizdolizec rolls up to the DMV to change his name.

"I hear you—so, what would you like to go by now?" the clerk asks.

"Frank Pizdolizec"

😁

I had this buddy back in the day named Zane, and man, he absolutely loathed his name—he thought it sounded way too pretentious and, honestly, just not masculine at all. I actually lost touch with him after high school, so I have no clue if he ever went by something else... On the flip side, my own name is pretty rare, and I’ve always been kind of proud of it. Back in elementary school, kids used to give me a hard time with those silly little rhymes, but you know me—I just took it as a compliment and figured they were just giving me some extra attention... 😬

The name says it all. 😉 Your name is your destiny.

Paul Jones7 said:If you strip away the whole concept of revenge and even the idea of justice, you start to realize that the word "punishment" isn't actually the right way to describe what’s happening. It just doesn't fit—not if you're looking at the deeper purpose behind it. I mean, when you look at things through a karmic lens—you know, that whole cause-and-effect loop—someone isn't being punished because some cosmic judge decided they needed to be made an example of for the sake of universal fairness. It's more personal than that, I guess. It's almost like they're being forced to face the consequences out of pure necessity—their own necessity, and nobody else's.

I mean, I’m talking about how our thoughts actually shape what’s coming next—you know, that whole idea of thoughts influencing the future. It's a bit deep, I guess, but it's worth considering.

I mean, if you look closely, even among us regular folks, there are these constant, tiny little energy wars going on—little power struggles that probably start way back when we were just kids.

Goodness—if you can even call it that—is really just a search for love, awareness, and willpower. I don't know, maybe it’s more complicated than that, but labeling people as "good" or "bad"... that feels like a pretty shallow way to look at things. It isn't a particularly happy way to live, honestly. There aren't really such things as "bad" people or "good" people, at least not in the way we usually mean it. I guess it’s much easier, and probably a whole lot better, to just view everything through a transactional lens rather than trying to categorize everyone and shove them into little boxes. You don't actually need to do all that, anyway.

hah... you've learned something once you actually wrap your head around it and start using it. and as for the whole experience thing—well, I guess that’s just 🙂

just activate that willpower. what do you actually want, and more importantly, what are you choosing after getting yourself deep into this mess? the stuff you can actually influence is what

I get where you're coming from, honestly—it's not hard to relate, since I suppose we're standing in pretty much the same shoes. we see the problem and we feel the need, it's just a matter of reaching out with some actual will. the whole point of learning, I think, is having the drive to take that step... and make the change.

Yeah, I can definitely see it that way too. It’s all about that pivot—that massive shift in direction. That’s why what feels like a total slap in the face or some kind of punishment to us... honestly, most of the time, it’s actually a gift in disguise. 🙂 I mean, if you take a step back and look at the big picture—way beyond this tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it little earthly existence we're stuck in—it feels like there’s this kind of "cosmic justice" out there. I don't necessarily see it as some grand, vengeful punishment, either. It's more like a fundamental law of nature—you know, just pure logic. Like, if you ignore the eternal Laws of the universe, things just break. It’s less about being punished and more about the inevitable fallout of ignoring how things actually work. Just basic cause and effect playing out on a massive scale.

Honestly, even among us grown-ups, there are these constant, tiny little energy wars going on—it’s wild. And the crazy part? It all starts back when we're just kids.

I was doing a little digging into all that stuff lately—and honestly, even though I’m a bit skeptical and feel like energy is just... well, there, you know? Like it's just a thing that exists? Still, I've been reading up on that whole "energy vampire" concept and all that other spiritual baggage. It’s pretty wild to think about.

Being a truly good person isn't just some accidental thing that happens to you—it’s an active pursuit. It takes real consciousness, a genuine sense of love, and most importantly, the actual will to make it happen. It’s not enough to just "be" good; you have to choose it, every single day.

That’s a really beautiful way to put it. 🙂

Look, this whole "good vs. evil" thing? It’s such a lazy way to characterize people. Honestly, there aren't really any purely "good" guys or "bad" guys out there—it's just not how life works. I’ve always found it much easier (and way more interesting, if I'm being real) to just look at things through a transactional lens. Instead of trying to force everyone into these little moral boxes and labeling them, you should just look at what's actually happening between people. You don't need all that extra baggage anyway.

Alright, look—I think labeling people as just "good" or "bad" is a bit of an oversimplification, don't you think? It’s never really that black and white. But I'm curious though—when you say "transactional," what exactly are you getting at there? The only thing that immediately pops into my head is transactional analysis from psychology... so I'm wondering if that's where your mind is going, or if you mean something else entirely? 😁 Think about people as these beings that are constantly shifting—just always in flux. It’s like we're never really the same version of ourselves from one day to the next, you know?Is it about us, or just the vibes we create between one another? Honestly, it feels like we could just spiral downward into this endless loop of negativity, right? Or do you really think life keeps handing us infinite second chances until we finally hit the mark? I don't know, man. The reality is that there are some people out there who are just willing to go to extremes—people who are genuinely capable of causing massive harm and carrying around a whole lot of hate... 🤷 You know, I’ve always felt that if you focus on the good in someone—really dig for that spark—you usually end up bringing it out of them. It’s like you start vibing on that same frequency, and suddenly, you’re connected in a way that feels totally real. But honestly? I can't help but wonder... once you get to a certain age and everything kind of settles into place—once you're basically "set in your ways"—is it even possible to actually turn things around? Or are we just stuck with who we've become? 🤷

Just gotta find that spark and flip the switch on your own willpower. So, now that you've really dived headfirst into this whole mess—now that you're actually feeling the weight of it all—what’s the move? Like, what are you actually looking for, and more importantly, what are you choosing to go after? You know, I’ve been thinking lately about how much we stress over stuff that’s basically out of our hands—it’s exhausting, right? Like, you spend all night worrying about some massive economic shift or what some politician in D.C. is going to do next, and it just eats you alive. But honestly? If you strip all that noise away, the only thing you actually have any real pull over is the numbers—your own little ecosystem of influence. I mean, think about it. You can't control the stock market or whether the weather ruins your weekend plans, but you *can* control your own metrics. Your savings account, the hours you put into your side hustle, even just the way you manage your time during the day... those are the digits you can actually move. It’s like when I was trying to get my fitness levels up last year—I couldn't control how fast everyone else was hitting their goals, but I could sure as hell track my own mileage and my own calories. Once I focused on my own scoreboard, everything else just felt way less heavy. At the end of the day, if it isn't a number you can personally manipulate or improve through your own sweat and effort, why let it ruin your vibe? Focus on your own math. Everything else is just background noise.

That’s actually a really solid question. Thanks for asking. 🙂

I totally get where you're coming from—honestly, it's not even hard to relate because we're kind of in the same boat here. We both see the issue and we definitely feel the need for change, it’s just that final step of actually grabbing hold and making it happen. To me, the whole point of learning anything is having the willpower to actually take that leap... and make a real change.

Yeah, that's a great point. And honestly, that part—actually following through—is the hardest bit for me too. 😁

***

nothing at all
will ever be
for nothing
as much as you were
nothing
at all

Samuel Beckett

Brenda Cook4 said:Society really needs to stop being so material-obsessed... honestly, I think a better world could be found through simplicity. At the very least, it would lower the collective anxiety levels. 😬

Now, you might totally disagree with me on this one, but there are people out there who argue that communism would have been the perfect system if they hadn't stripped away the idea of God from it—they even claim Jesus was basically the original communist.🙂

Paul Jones7 said:I guess I never really faced any real consequences for my own weaknesses. Why? Not because I didn't deserve them—believe me, I deserved them, big time—but it wasn't because I was "manifesting" or "attracting" things. At least, not consciously. And it wasn't because I wasn't afraid; I’m definitely not immune to fear. It’s more like there's a larger plan at play involving the current stage of life we're in—in my case, a punishment would have just been counterproductive. As for the lessons tied to those flaws, they'll come eventually. Everything happens in its own time, I suppose.

You went through that consequence, sure, but maybe being punished for a weakness was actually more necessary for you because grasping that specific lesson was more vital for your path right then than it was for mine. If that fallout was the best way for you to learn, then it served a purpose—it was directed toward a goal, much more so than just being about the mistake itself.

True. Some people might even go so far as to say that every single experience holds the potential for growth and change.

Honestly, looking at it purely through a rational lens, it feels like "punishment" has to actually mean something—because, at the end of the day, the universe just feels inherently logical to me, almost like we’re all part of some massive, cosmic game. I wasn't quite sure what you meant by being "hexed," though—I used to be pretty cynical about that kind of thing myself—but yeah, it’s a bit cheap to think everything boils down to whether we choose to think positive or negative thoughts. That said, there’s that old idea that demons gravitate toward unhappy people because they can't stand hanging out with anyone who's actually cheerful... so maybe our own pessimism is just a way of inviting that darker energy into our lives? It reminds me of that old story about Brother Jaglenac and his sister Rutvica—you know, how those evil spirits from the enchanted hill couldn't touch Jaglenac because he was just so genuinely pure and believed in the good in everything. But then again, real life—and just plain old experience—shows us that plenty of terrible people are absolutely killing it, while some of the kindest souls seem to get hit with nothing but bad luck. It's like we really can fall under the sway of dark forces, where even divine grace can somehow flip into divine wrath. Some folks believe there aren't actually any truly evil people at all—that everyone is fundamentally good deep down, and we just lose our way when those darker influences take hold.

Look, you definitely caught some heat there—but honestly? Maybe getting hit with a penalty for showing weakness was actually more important for you in that moment than understanding the deeper lesson about the weakness itself was for me. If that punishment was what it took to make the lesson stick for you, then it served a massive purpose. It wasn't just about the penalty itself; it was about hitting that specific goal you needed to reach, which honestly matters way more than anything else.

I don't know, I can't shake the feeling that I totally missed the mark on this lesson—honestly, it felt more counterproductive than anything else. Instead of feeling like it gave me that much-needed push forward, I just feel completely deflated. It’s like I’ve been punished rather than actually learned something, though I realize that’s probably just my own headspace talking. There's a massive difference between rationally understanding what happened and actually shifting your mental state enough to change how you act and move on... and right now, I'm definitely stuck in that gap.

Yeah, honestly... I feel like some people really need to hear that more often—that there's actually potential for growth and change tucked away inside every single experience we go through, even the rough ones.

Oh, the potential is definitely there—it’s massive—but man, it’s all about how much runway we actually need to turn that spark into something real. Sometimes I get this feeling that we’re just stuck, you know? Like we're constantly being held back by these tiny little weaknesses or those small, nagging ways we fail ourselves. It's like we have all this momentum building up, but then we trip over our own feet because of some minor flaw we can't quite shake. It's frustrating, honestly. 😢

Yeah, so there’s this one country...
Where did I put that? Honestly, man... I’m slowly starting to forget everything.
It’s just one of those things that weighs on you—that feeling of being crushed by all these nameless, faceless people out there.
Just there, tucked away—head down, fast asleep.
Honestly, we all like to act like we've got it all figured out, but let's be real—we actually don't know a damn thing.
Even when the silence is heavy, you can still hear the echoes of what was lost—it’s like that old saying about how a song lingers even after the singer has passed away. It’s a heavy thought, honestly. Sometimes the most powerful things are said when there's nothing left to say, just a quiet, fading melody hanging in the air.
So, I was just wondering—is Sprud actually heading out on a trip?
Honestly, there’s just nothing to cry about.

I’d say I only have a surface-level understanding of my own loneliness—like, I know it’s there, but I haven't really sat down to truly get to know it yet. It’s one of those things that feels familiar, but if you actually tried to pin down exactly what it looks like or how it works, you'd probably realize you're still just scratching the surface.
I tell myself I've got all the time in the world,
but what kind of time is that? It feels like I'm starving through some endless, hollow stretch of nothingness,
just drifting through this celestial void that keeps fading out on me,
like a tiny speck lost in my own sky,
rising up in flickering gusts of wind
made of nothing but microscopic particles from years of darkness.

You want me to just get from point A to point B? No chance.
I can't even step outside because I'm stuck in a land without any landmarks or signs to guide me.
It’s actually pretty wild how much you guys have there—you've got something truly beautiful in your hands.

And honestly, don't bother asking me what's going on anymore.
It's just a swirling vortex of current dust, or whatever you want to call it.
Peace, love, hate... peace, peace.

Samuel Beckett

😢

Lisa Morales4 said:And this mess .. but I guess there's nothing to be done if he's one of those lucky ones chosen by fate

How could it not be! God watches over the drunks and the little kids! I know I''m gona die one of these days, al least I will go with a smile on my face!

Lisa Morales4 said:Hey Alicia... he's just that guy... you know, the one who can't get anything right... but I guess it doesn't matter when luck is on your side.. look at what he's doing

but regardless, he still has that certain magic



Alice, be careful, don't let him pull you down.. though I'm glad you see him too, so I know I'm not just imagining things 😛 we both got a little bit lucky tonight with our mirrors..

God gave us all the plants in this world

and taught us which ones are meant for meditation

and after that, you'll be riding high for a while—I don't care about the details, who's doing what, or who's wearing what kind of hoodie, it doesn't matter one bit.
It’s all about your mindset! 🤣

vividbison9 said:It’s got eyes, it’s got a mouth, it’s even got a heart—but it’s missing a nose and ears.

So, where'd the nose and ears go? 🤷😕

Man, I feel like I’m losing everything—no more hands, no belly button, no abs, and I’ve totally lost the hair on my chest... 😍

vividbison9 said:So, you could pretty much sum him up with this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDJDQ...eature=related 😁

😂 Man, what a disaster! I mean, seriously—how on earth were they allowed to let him go public like that? It’s just wild. 🤣

Brenda Cook4 said:At the end of the day, it’s all about defining what actually makes *you* happy and sticking to that path. If you feel fulfilled, then you've made it. Period.

Then again, there are people for whom "status" or pouring energy into material possessions doesn't matter one bit. It would actually just be a distraction from their true purpose. Say someone is focused on something entirely different—maybe they already have everything they need, so they don't waste a single second worrying about stuff. They can save all that precious energy for the things that really count, like time... and so on.

For me, having my own space has given me this incredible sense of FREEDOM. Now, sure, there are plenty of ways to find freedom, but—get this—I met this older guy back when I was traveling through Germany, a total voluntary drifter, who was bragging about how he'd spent the last twenty years sleeping strictly under the stars. 😍

And let's be real, most people nowadays are basically slaves to their jobs (plus all those endless wants and needs) and the constant pressure to own stuff. It's just classic societal alienation...

46

When The Tao rules the land,
horses enrich the soil with their waste.
When people abandon The Tao,
war horses trample the fields.

There is no greater curse than greed.
There is no greater evil than envy.

Only a humble person who understands
when they have enough,
will always have plenty.

The Bible, Lao Tzu

Brenda Cook4 said:Just imagine how divine it feels—to be someone who doesn't feel that sting of envy or the constant need to go out and grab more, because they actually realize they already have everything they need. They can just spend entire days lost in thought, just soaking in the wisdom of Lao Tzu... that's what I'm getting at.

It’s a little weird seeing you jump into my thread to comment like that—someone might actually think I was the one who wrote it...

Look, you could totally be a monk, a nun, a sanyasin, or whatever else, and just dedicate your whole existence to that kind of peace... I get what you're saying, I really do, but to me, that kind of ideal feels a bit hollow. Honestly? I think there's way more substance in finding meaning and fulfillment within all the messy, difficult stuff life throws at you. To me, that's where the real greatness lies...

EDIT on EDIT: You totally confused me and now my post is a total mess...

cosmictinker21 said:Honestly, go tell that to the crowd obsessed with status symbols and all that superficial nonsense... the pure consumerism trap that catches anyone who can't find any actual substance within themselves. They try to manufacture an identity through designer labels, high-end shoes, or even outright lies, just so they can show up at the right parties and pretend they belong. It's all just a desperate attempt to impress others—specifically, people with slightly deeper pockets...😁

Exactly. And honestly? No amount of stuff is ever going to fill that void inside them. You could buy out the whole mall and they’d still feel empty because material things aren't what makes life actually worth living. But hey, our society is practically built to encourage this—capitalism loves turning people into mindless consumers and addicts to keep the wheels turning. It reminds me of how much simpler things felt back in the day before everything became so flashy and superficial. I remember when we’d make a big trip once or twice a year just to go shopping in Venice, and even then, we weren't being fed these fake, manufactured desires that you can never actually satisfy... It’s pretty obvious to both of us that real value lies elsewhere. Like, back when our grandmas were kids, happiness was just about those Sunday family dinners or lying in bed sharing stories with an older sister. That lack of "stuff" didn't make them any less rich in spirit...

Honestly, I went through so much struggle before I finally found my own space—I was basically living out of a suitcase, bouncing from place to place and just taking whatever life threw at me... but man, that makes me appreciate what I have today so much more. Even if my place isn't some massive mansion by typical standards, to me, it’s a total castle. And honestly? I definitely value it way more than if some rich dad had just handed me a penthouse on a silver platter!

I mean, if that were actually true, you’d think the whole jet-set crowd—you know, the Hollywood A-listers, the massive CEOs, those big-shot politicians—would all be living these incredibly deep, enlightened, high-quality lives. But honestly? That's rarely the case. If anything, it’s usually the exact opposite... they're often just chasing the next thing. And then there's the other side of the coin, where people are struggling just to hit that bare-minimum survival line, which is obviously a whole different level of hardship. But look, just because someone isn't rolling in cash doesn't mean their life lacks substance. I've met plenty of folks who don't have much to their name, yet they live way more meaningful lives than those guys swimming in money who are constantly obsessed with getting even more...

Paul Jones7 said:If we’re talking about things happening spontaneously—like a piece of a larger plan serving its purpose—then given everything you’ve been through, I imagine things should be looking pretty clear to you by now.

In principle, the strongest people usually carry the heaviest loads, though I suppose that isn't always the case. Some people who seem "weak" end up burdened by the sheer weight of their own choices and consequences, while some truly powerful people follow a completely different, predetermined path. Why would a great teacher have to endure a rough life after they've already mastered their craft? Well, maybe part of their design is simply to help others, and that requires certain prerequisites.

It’s tough enough trying to find your own path, let alone trying to interpret someone else's or figure out if they're even on the right track. We can't really wrap our heads around what someone else actually needs.

The right path is usually the one where doors start opening for you—the one where you feel the least amount of internal resistance.

As for money: try focusing on what you actually lack, rather than just what you wish you had.

That’s a beautiful way to put it. Some folks have already done the hard work and learned their lessons, so they're basically like a Hemingway novel—just coming back to Earth to teach the rest of the flock what they know... They don't really need any more "strikes of fate" to learn how the world works.

Paul Jones7 said:I mean, look, it's your life and your own specific lesson to learn. Maybe things just fall into someone else's lap, or maybe they've learned how to attract them, but that's their journey, and their lesson is going to be something entirely different. Personality alone can't do it all, because the soul is constantly watching and trying its best—as much as it's in its power—to keep the personality from veering off course. Actually, the soul attracts things—more, better, stronger, and more spontaneously than our personalities ever could. I suppose that's something worth noting, especially with this whole New Age surge we're seeing lately.

If the spirit is God's very essence and the sole source of life, and we have the ability to manifest that spirit, then God really does flow through us and through others. It's like saying, "God sent you to me." And honestly, it's true. The issue sometimes is that the personality doesn't know how to value an event or a certain direction. It tends to assume that if life hits you hard, it's bad, or if life is gentle, it's good. That's just because it's looking through its own narrow lens, rather than seeing the bigger picture. And that truth—the one right in the middle of the chaos—isn't always easy to see when you're in it. It's usually much easier to judge the meaning and importance of things once there's some time and distance involved.

Totally. I've definitely been there—I used to have (and honestly, still struggle with 😳) a certain "vice" or weakness, and the guilt was just crushing. I’d sit there thinking, "Okay, this is it, this is my karma catching up to me!" I won't get into the messy details, but let's just say some bad stuff—actually, even worse—did happen, and it was pretty obvious I had invited it into my life through my own mindset and actions, along with whatever media I was consuming at the time. But looking back now, instead of just sitting around crying over spilled milk, I'm trying to see it as a chance to actually grow and change...

Chris Peterson53 said:If that’s how it works, then my karma regarding this whole situation is pretty pathetic... honestly, yuck!
I’ve had to sweat and grind for absolutely everything I have. In all my life, I’ve won at a casino exactly once—and even then, it was a tiny amount. If I could just get my hands on a 20-carat diamond, I wouldn't even be able to afford it... 😂
A twenty-dollar bill could practically stick to my shoe and I probably wouldn't even notice it lying there... damn this karma, though I suppose I have to make peace with it, seeing as I know people whose luck is even more disastrous than mine...
Let’s be real: I’m not envious of anyone—don't get me wrong. Not even my cousin. This guy didn't even blink when he inherited a few hundred thousand dollars; he immediately went out and bought a luxury car worth maybe $80,000, only to crash it while drunk three days later. He sent the wreck straight to the scrapyard since he luckily escaped without a scratch, and then just ordered another one... then he bought his son a 1,000-square-foot condo right in the heart of NYC for his wedding. He burned through the cash in about three months, but then, before even a couple of weeks had passed, more money just fell from the sky for him... in a way you couldn't even imagine if you tried...
One spiritual advisor actually tried to explain it to me—that because my cousin doesn't value money or material things at all, they just seem to gravitate toward him effortlessly...

Is there any way to actually change your karma????

Hahahaha, oh man, it sounds like your cousin definitely wants that kind of karma, doesn't he?! People usually say someone like that is just "blessed" (or maybe just totally clueless)! 😂 Honestly, I don't know how much of that is actually luck or good karma. Isn't it supposed to be that the best students get the hardest assignments?! Is everything really going great if it's *too* easy? There's that saying that you should even thank Bog for the bad times, too—since we can't see the big picture, we have no idea what those struggles might be preparing us for... I look at people sometimes who just breeze through life—they aren't exactly hustling, nor are they particularly moral, yet nothing ever seems to go wrong for them... But maybe it's like a video game, where the first level is super easy, but as you level up, things get way more intense and complicated... 🤷 And then you have those people who stay completely superficial and never grow, almost like Bog gave up on them because even a little bit of hardship wouldn't be enough to make them learn anything... 🤷

Sean Nguyen4 said:Thanks for bringing back the dropdown menu. 🙏 🙏 🙏

darkmarlin16 said:how do I actually get that dropdown menu to show up?🤷😢

For real though! Where is it? It hasn't even popped up on my end yet! 😕