<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296</id><updated>2024-08-29T00:50:15.078-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Slimfast Buddha Lives Here</title><subtitle type='html'>A Truly Anonymous Existence</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default?redirect=false'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default?start-index=26&amp;max-results=25&amp;redirect=false'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>94</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-8504363177187586094</id><published>2016-05-31T09:55:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2016-05-31T09:55:28.404-05:00</updated><title type='text'>A Summer Of Commitment </title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;&quot;Woke up today and decided to kill my ego,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;It ain&#39;t ever done me no good no how.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;Gonna break through and blast off to the Bardo,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;In them flowers of light far away from the here and now.&quot;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;- Sturgill Simpson&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 26.4864px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
Sometimes, you just have to be honest with yourself and admit that you&#39;ve been coasting. That you&#39;ve grown complacent. That you&#39;ve stopped challenging yourself. What a waste. But the essence of life is that you can change such circumstances at any time and be reborn. Thus, I&#39;m giving birth to the summer of enlightenment. Of commitment. Of dedication. Of personal growth. I could use the aging.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Read. Write. Create. Experiment. Explore. Learn.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/8504363177187586094/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/8504363177187586094?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8504363177187586094'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8504363177187586094'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-summer-of-commitment.html' title='A Summer Of Commitment '/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-6430868138445618549</id><published>2014-05-05T18:18:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2014-05-06T13:16:26.898-05:00</updated><title type='text'>The In Between </title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;ecxMsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21.299999237060547px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;In fading nighttime hours&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;when shadows dance like bees drunk on flower
sugar,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;when heat sways like boys new to love,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;when wind caresses like lips full on &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;until stillness teases pure promise,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;I pace delirious for your presence.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;I bind myself aggressively to anticipation.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;I scream silent expectations.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;I commit you entirely to my space.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;I attack with desire unceasing,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;unbridled,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;unrestrained.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Your breath is my prey.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Your curves are my trails.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Your mouth is my purpose.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Your pleasure is my reason.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Gladly, I’ll end time here.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Content.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Complete.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;Confirmed.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 15.95pt;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;&quot;&gt;- BAF&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/6430868138445618549/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/6430868138445618549?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/6430868138445618549'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/6430868138445618549'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-in-between.html' title='The In Between '/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-2252745002119841068</id><published>2014-05-01T11:49:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2014-05-01T11:49:34.121-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Complacency </title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{134}&quot; paraid=&quot;1484109649&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Complacency,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;you&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;dec&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;eptive beast&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{137}&quot; paraid=&quot;1534247285&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;you phony, dead friend,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{140}&quot; paraid=&quot;476834569&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;you fog,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{143}&quot; paraid=&quot;1622466442&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;you cloud,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{146}&quot; paraid=&quot;1744434422&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;you familiar face in the crowd,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{149}&quot; paraid=&quot;1979539217&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;I&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;need you&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;to leave now&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{152}&quot; paraid=&quot;779704973&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;It&#39;s time to&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;go&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{155}&quot; paraid=&quot;783972551&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Make way&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{6375109e-4056-4534-9651-352f3da1ffae}{251}&quot; paraid=&quot;1756352852&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Be gone.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{158}&quot; paraid=&quot;1404326363&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;F&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;orget&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;we ever met&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{161}&quot; paraid=&quot;57235212&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Too many days&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;gone&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;dead&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{164}&quot; paraid=&quot;77330587&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;t&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;oo m&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;any m&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;inutes faded black&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{167}&quot; paraid=&quot;1507723147&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;t&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;oo many&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;times the same road tread&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{173}&quot; paraid=&quot;1610926415&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Pack your bags&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{176}&quot; paraid=&quot;2072403399&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Hit the bricks&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{179}&quot; paraid=&quot;1255898915&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;P&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;iss off&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{182}&quot; paraid=&quot;66603875&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Bust a move.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{185}&quot; paraid=&quot;1247185573&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Leave the past in the past&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{188}&quot; paraid=&quot;1474096632&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Leave well enough alone&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{191}&quot; paraid=&quot;56052559&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Find another to rob&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{194}&quot; paraid=&quot;117526846&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;find somewhere else to make home.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{197}&quot; paraid=&quot;1006784585&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;You stole my&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;chances&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{200}&quot; paraid=&quot;727725635&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;wallowed them whole,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{203}&quot; paraid=&quot;1070006989&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;apped me thin,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{206}&quot; paraid=&quot;1107590206&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;l&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;eft me old,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{209}&quot; paraid=&quot;1297717632&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;p&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;unched me drunk,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{212}&quot; paraid=&quot;847043198&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;kicked&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;me low,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{215}&quot; paraid=&quot;93889291&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;b&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;uried me deep,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{218}&quot; paraid=&quot;1878269664&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;t&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;urned me slow&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{221}&quot; paraid=&quot;253541198&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;Complacency, you clever shit,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{224}&quot; paraid=&quot;1876937784&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;y&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;ou&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;shadow of&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;haze,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{227}&quot; paraid=&quot;16648217&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;y&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;ou&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;veil&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;,&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{0bc81466-0d9a-4761-a0a3-ee38568d0801}{32}&quot; paraid=&quot;235129363&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;you liar,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{230}&quot; paraid=&quot;643506244&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;y&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;ou manipulating fuck,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{233}&quot; paraid=&quot;1049031244&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;I’&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;m&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;through with you.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{236}&quot; paraid=&quot;238813167&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;You&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&#39;re&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;dead to me.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;OutlineElement Ltr SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Segoe UI&#39;, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;Paragraph SCX3402842&quot; paraeid=&quot;{8c77069d-0efd-4ade-9b10-a535ff630a07}{239}&quot; paraid=&quot;504273773&quot; style=&quot;color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;M&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;a&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;TextRun SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;y we never meet again.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCX3402842&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/2252745002119841068/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/2252745002119841068?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/2252745002119841068'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/2252745002119841068'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2014/05/complacency.html' title='Complacency '/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-3804979049495795079</id><published>2011-09-07T16:25:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-09-07T16:25:24.582-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Deep Gut Revelation</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Deep gut revelation, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;don’t abandon me now. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Tell the truth: &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Am I able? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Am I worthy? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Am I justified to know how? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Sing it. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Bring it. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Look me in the eye. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Deep gut revelation, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;don’t leave me dry. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Spill the beans: &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Am I fit? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Am I apt? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Am I to be trusted to know why?&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Deal it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Feel it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Say it like it is. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/3804979049495795079/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/3804979049495795079?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/3804979049495795079'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/3804979049495795079'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/09/deep-gut-revelation.html' title='Deep Gut Revelation'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-6277629745424717671</id><published>2011-09-01T09:09:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-09-01T09:09:13.543-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Fall</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;You, Fall, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;I find disturbingly persistent&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;in pushing my summer daze down the road, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;in sticking your nose in my heated business, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;stepping on my tan toes, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;dirtying my crystal water with filthy leaves. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;Do me a favor, Impeder, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;sit down, drink your coffee, and wait your turn. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;You represent nothing but change, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;and I’m not interested. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;BAF&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/6277629745424717671/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/6277629745424717671?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/6277629745424717671'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/6277629745424717671'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/09/fall.html' title='Fall'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-1284943190881286335</id><published>2011-06-22T10:55:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2011-06-22T12:52:04.470-05:00</updated><title type='text'>All Over Again</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;If I had everything to do all over again, I&#39;d never compromise on my wants and wishes. I&#39;d never give up. I&#39;d never turn away. I&#39;d never&amp;nbsp;acquiesce. Instead, I&#39;d bulldoze. I&#39;d plow. I&#39;d break down every door. I&#39;d demolish walls. I&#39;d walk in the wake of my destruction, and I&#39;d never bat an eye. I&#39;d face down aggressors. I&#39;d attack first. I&#39;d always react. I&#39;d speak loud and bold. I&#39;d use common sense but couple it with confidence plentiful. I&#39;d never bend over. Never fail to strike back. I&#39;d never diminish myself. Never leave words unsaid. I&#39;d never let bullies have a free pass. I&#39;d do more than frown. I&#39;d do more mumble. I&#39;d do more than pass judgement quietly. I&#39;d call out instigators. I&#39;d call out bluffers. I&#39;d call out liars. I&#39;d take back what was stolen. I&#39;d fight the good fight every second of every minute of every day. And I&#39;d do it willingly and gladly. I call bullshit when it needed called. I&#39;d strip away facades. I&#39;d read between the lines. I&#39;d not dignify stupidity. I&#39;d not acknowledge morons. I&#39;d never accept half-assed truths. I&#39;d do all this from the start. From the very minute of existence. I&#39;d do all this with vigor and gusto. I&#39;d do all this with passion. I&#39;d never accept less than what I&#39;m worth. I&#39;m only sorry it took me this long to realize being agreeable too often is a menace, burden, plague. I need proof. I need substance. I need integrity. If I had it all over to do again, I&#39;d never be fucked with once and let it go unanswered. Never. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/1284943190881286335/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/1284943190881286335?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1284943190881286335'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1284943190881286335'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/06/all-over-again.html' title='All Over Again'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-4146294142614998277</id><published>2011-06-14T10:13:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-06-14T10:13:48.753-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Space</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Space,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;I hate you&amp;nbsp;for interfering,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;leering, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;jeering,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;rebranding,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;expanding,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;dividing,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;grinding,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;erasing,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;replacing,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;fading reminders, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;entrenching binders,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;shifting directions, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;clouding connections, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;choking intentions,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;strangling reflections until you conquer. &lt;span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;I hate you. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/4146294142614998277/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/4146294142614998277?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/4146294142614998277'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/4146294142614998277'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/06/space.html' title='Space'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-1439925579568327630</id><published>2011-05-26T11:44:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-05-26T11:44:07.163-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Run 4 The Homeless</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
I&#39;ve been gearing up for a 5K &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/blaineflamig/run4thehomeless&quot;&gt;4 The Homeless Run &lt;/a&gt;in Lincoln later this summer that will benefit the local homeless. I&#39;ve been raising money for the event through donations, and if you by chance read this and would like to help the cause, please do.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I&#39;ve never been homeless. Never ever really wondered where I&#39;d be able to sleep for even one night. I&#39;m not sure I&#39;ll ever have to, and for that, I&#39;m entirely grateful.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I&#39;m beyond fortunate. I realize this now more than ever watching people in neighboring Missouri deal with their lives turned upside down recently following the tornadoes that hit the state. I don&#39;t cry much, but I&#39;ve shed many tears watching the reports.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I feel and know how fortunate I am. &amp;nbsp;By no means am I basking in riches, but I&#39;m able to stuff food in my mouth three times a day. I wear clothes that keep me warm. I have a bar of soap to use whenever I need it. I drive each morning to the job I have. I&#39;m able to afford a few things that keep me entertained. I&#39;ve traveled more than I thought. I have the means to aspire to more if I so want to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I have so little to legitimately complain about, and still, I find myself doing it too often. It&#39;s been wonderful raising money for something that other than spiritually, I&#39;ll never benefit from personally. It&#39;s been wonderful being unselfish. Wonderful to give money and comfort to people I&#39;ve never met and probably never will. To know someone may benefit directly from something I helped bring about.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I&#39;ve done plenty of volunteer work through my life, but most of it has related to the environment and animals. For whatever reason, other than handing over a few bucks or spare change to a homeless man or woman on the street whenever the situation presents itself, I&#39;ve never done anything on a bigger scale concerning this issue. I&#39;m glad to say I don&#39;t think it will be the last time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/1439925579568327630/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/1439925579568327630?isPopup=true' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1439925579568327630'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1439925579568327630'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/05/run-4-homeless.html' title='Run 4 The Homeless'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-1296948832201284317</id><published>2011-05-06T11:55:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2011-05-11T13:49:57.795-05:00</updated><title type='text'>May 6th Encounter Entirely Certain</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;We meet again, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;just when I believed you’d drown.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Face to face, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;past to past, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;two boys out on the town. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;If it’s possible, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;if I’m able, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;I’ll cherish this rendezvous. &amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;I learn much,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;these seconds of hate.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;They stockpile my dignity, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;reinvigorate. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;They replenish my faith, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;renew integrity&amp;nbsp;I feared&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;had long past faded. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Oh, I ache to punch,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;yearn to maim. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Ultimately,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;why waste the motion? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You suffer obvious already; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a prisoner of meaningless devotion.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Those pretty-boy jeans,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;you wear them just right. &amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;That wrinkle-free shirt&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;rolled up so precise.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Both match the bracelet&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;that dangles such so, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;accent spiky hair &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;gelled slick to flow. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Such a hip little earring.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Such daring hair on the lip. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Such trendy brown boots&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;laced as not to slip. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You walk in no direction. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You’re a bullet without a hole. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You’re a situation master; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a builder without a home. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;Should I have expected different &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;from a clown so in tune? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;A wave rider so offensive? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;A disease so immune? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You’re trendy chic cool, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a mug etched cock-sure.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You’re everything to despise; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;everything to endure. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You’re a walking stain, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a blemish in motion,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a lingering flaw&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;that won’t scrub free.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You’re a bad intention, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a sad invention, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a sour taste&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;that won’t wash out. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;You&#39;re a little puppy,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;searching door to door,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a lie about to transpire, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;a sad, little whore. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;We meet again here together, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;one a boy, the other a man;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;one an opportunist, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;one a provider, teacher, guardian. &amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;BAF&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot; style=&quot;tab-stops: .25in .5in;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/1296948832201284317/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/1296948832201284317?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1296948832201284317'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1296948832201284317'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-6th-encounter-entirely-certain.html' title='May 6th Encounter Entirely Certain'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-7058448814355730631</id><published>2011-05-04T16:08:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-05-04T16:08:24.452-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Driving Together Alone</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Driving alone&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;down broken city byways&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;trafficking bobbing heads,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;laughing prisoners, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;hollow-minded zombies dead to feel, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;I realize I’m incapable of response. &lt;span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;I realize I’ve always driven &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;among hypnotized souls, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;following, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;turning, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;merging, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;braking,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;a willing participant in pigeon-holed jams. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;We haul no intention. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;We map no aim.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;Steer-happy lab rats&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;traversing Point A to B,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;ignoring destinations labeled Purpose, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;ignoring moments free of dictated arrival, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;ignoring landmarks in lieu of acceleration. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;We’re rut makers on four wheels, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;stymied by side streets, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;confused by rolling hills,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;bewildered by fields stretched empty,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;content to funnel home.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;We’ve always driven together alone, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;happy for the company we’ll never know. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;&quot;&gt;BAF&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/7058448814355730631/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/7058448814355730631?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/7058448814355730631'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/7058448814355730631'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/05/driving-together-alone.html' title='Driving Together Alone'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-661242634240839095</id><published>2011-04-29T15:56:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-04-29T15:56:00.119-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Why Do I Love MMA So Much?</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;In recent years, I’ve grown an odd fascination with mixed martial arts. I’m hooked. I’m an unabashed fan who can get enough. I’ve spent what has probably amounted to too many hours contemplating exactly why I’m so absorbed by violent kicks to the head, swinging elbows to the jaw, arms and legs being bent in directions that God didn’t intend them to be. More often than not when my wife passes through a room in which I’m watching an MMA match, she’ll ask, “Why do you watch that stuff?” Typically, I start to mutter some kind of a reasonable explanation, only to usually end up slouching down in the couch and turning my head away to avoid the embarrassment she expresses on her face for being married to someone who takes joy in watching two men purposely seek to make one another bleed. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Still, among the those friends I have that share my appreciation for the sport, I’ve seldom felt a stronger kinship concerning some kind of like-minded interest, and that includes such passions I hold dear as kids, music, movies, writing, politics, golf, the Yankees, etc. When I’m talking the finer points of MMA with like-minded souls, I find myself blissfully content. When we’re analyzing upcoming matchups to nth degree by drawing comparisons to previous matches and shared opponents, the strength of a fighter’s ground game vs. his striking ability, or the merit of his jujitsu, I think to myself, “If only I could put this much thought into my own future.” The whole topic baffles me to no end. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;That feeling only compounds when I realize that pretty much throughout my entire life, I’ve hated both being in fights and watching them. Even when the fights I’ve seen (and I witnessed too many for my taste) had some kind of justifiable element to them, in that one of the guys/girls had it coming, I’ve hated them. Even when I’ve had to fight due to some reason or another that I really believed in, the feeling that I’d rather be anywhere doing anything else has always been present. To this day, when I see some a physical confrontation occur, it sticks with me for days, and not in a good way. I remember vividly being in a cab years ago near Times Square. The cab in front of us screeched to a halt, only for the driver, a huge man, to jump out and sprint to the front of the limo stopped in front of him, which was being driven by an equally huge man. They two exchanged a few brief words and then set about pummeling each other in the middle of the street. To this day the image of that takes me back, not only because they were senselessly harming one another, but also because seemingly everyone on either side of the street and in the surrounding cars didn’t seem to give a flip or take notice. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Maybe the reason I can rationalize a purpose for MMA is that to me, an MMA “fight” isn’t a fight. Rather, it’s a well-thought out, well-prepared for battle much in the same way two men strategize during a game of chess and execute moves made to attack and defend. Rather than move pieces about a board, however, MMA “players” look to exploit physical weaknesses or vulnerabilities in an opponent. They’re seeking to use their own strengths to exploit the other’s weaknesses. Not everyone who views MMA from the outside recognizes this, and I guess honestly, I wouldn’t expect them to. Violence is violence after all, whether the two participants are willfully engaging or not. Ultimately, there’s too much violence that exists already without men and women willingly engaging in it. Would the world be a better place without UFC pay-per-views beaming into homes around the world every month? Yeah, most definitely. Still, are these “battles” all that much different from the battles that take place in corporate America every day, where CEOs aim to permanently injure or maim competitors? Is it any worse than the political battles that occur every hour in Washington and play out on news TV 24/7 in which drastically divergent sides purposefully seek to discredit and damage one another in ways that are often dishonest and illegal? At least the participants in an MMA fight know they’re engaging in competition where each knows what is allowable and what is not. Everyone knows the risks up front. Everyone knows what’s expected and what’s not. Further, I’d argue that the kind of mutual respect that takes place inside an eight-side square after a MMA fight, especially following the battle, occurs in few other venues with as much genuine sincerity and purpose. &lt;span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;I know this much about my fascination with MMA: At least in part, it’s directly tied to a lifelong appreciation/respect/admiration/etc. for the “warrior” mentality, particularly the samurai culture and lifestyle. I respect beyond all description anyone who is capable of making discipline not just part of his life but the reason he lives his life. So many people, including myself, waver day after day, often just to suit needs presently at hand with little to no thought. So many people push supposedly rigid ideal and morals aside without hesitation if it means propelling them even one step further. So many people walk around an obstacle in front of them instead of climb it. So many people settle for less when more is possible because it might require even a little extra effort. So many people refuse to sacrifice even the slightest because settling for mediocrity is far easier than working a little harder to obtain greatness. I admire anyone who possesses the discipline to push their boundaries and venture into the unknown. To seek what they’re truly capable of. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Are there knuckleheads who merely want to “rip somebody’s head off”? Hell yeah. But you can find “that guy” in any environment, and often you don’t have to look too hard to find him. Few environments, however, provide you the capacity to both mentally and physically tap yourself dry—to really challenge yourself to not only meet fear in the eye but kick it the hell out of the way and stomp all over it as you keep walking to the unknown in the way MMA does. I admire the hell out of that. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;That’s how I see MMA. I wish there was an easy way to explain all that when my wife or anyone else when they ask, “Why do you watch that stuff?”&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/661242634240839095/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/661242634240839095?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/661242634240839095'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/661242634240839095'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-do-i-love-mma-so-much.html' title='Why Do I Love MMA So Much?'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-8681058063013577456</id><published>2011-04-28T10:45:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2011-04-28T13:04:38.492-05:00</updated><title type='text'>The odd power of song lyrics</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;These are two of my favorite passages from songs. They were written years apart by different men, most likely under far different circumstances. And like many lyrics from good songwriters (and these two are among the best in my opinion), their original intent was probably much different from what I later interpreted them to mean. Still, these lyrics always seem to travel fairly closely together when I think of one or the other. Perhaps it&#39;s because I&#39;m seeking some sort of contradiction or counterbalance to how I&#39;m feeling one way or another within a particular moment. In some weird way, these lyrics give me that: balance.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;Look me in the eye,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;Then, tell me that I&#39;m satisfied&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;Was you satisfied?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;- Paul Westerberg &quot;Unsatisfied&quot;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;I&#39;ve got reservations&lt;br /&gt;
about so many things&lt;br /&gt;
but not about you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Georgia, &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;- Jeff Tweedy &quot;Reservations&quot;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/8681058063013577456/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/8681058063013577456?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8681058063013577456'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8681058063013577456'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/04/odd-power-of-song-lyrics.html' title='The odd power of song lyrics'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-8995459156802437691</id><published>2011-04-14T14:28:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-04-14T14:28:59.756-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Quotes</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;&quot;The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-converted-space&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;-- Friedrich Nietzsche&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;&quot;The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious yo&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;ung people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.&quot; – Banksy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I&amp;nbsp;ran across these two quotes recently, and they have my head spinning in numerous ways. What&#39;s particularly interesting to me are the reactions that those who I shared Banksy&#39;s quote with had. Most of these individuals &amp;nbsp;mentioned money in one way or another, which I more or less expected. What I didn&#39;t expect was how divergent their money-specific reactions would be. On one hand, there were those who felt it makes sense that the young flock to advertising because there is no money to be had by creating art in the traditional manner. On the other hand were those who agree with Banky&#39;s summation but feel a strong urge to somehow make the two words meet--to somehow stay true to their art while coming to grips with having to &quot;sell out.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
I believe his viewpoint is flawed, or at the least, narrow-minded in its execution. I mean this in the sense that if you choose to have a family, for example, as countless artists do, you&#39;re choosing to give up certain benefits, namely the freedom of living a single life that&#39;s mostly independent of others. In other words, you have no direct, physical responsibility for the well-being of others. Precisely, children. You&#39;re free to&amp;nbsp;pursue&amp;nbsp;your art with far less conflict. If you do have children but manage to remain true to your art and all that entails, most likely you&#39;re living the proverbial &quot;struggling artist&quot; lifestyle (as most artists never achieve great wealth or fame), which means so are your children. It most likely also means you&#39;re consumed with your art to the point it takes precedence above everything else, translating to you&#39;re probably not a terribly good father or mother. At the least, you&#39;re probably not terribly attentive to the needs of your children, if you&#39;re even aware of their needs at all. That&#39;s probably too harsh and sweeping, but I think it&#39;s accurate to a great extent.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At any rate, sometimes, the desire to succeed has nothing to do with wanting to achieve financial wealth or fame or distinction. Instead, it has everything to do with contributing to the happiness of those you&#39;ve purposely or&amp;nbsp;purposelessness&amp;nbsp;chosen to bring into your life and this world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the end, I think Nietzsche&#39;s summation that the essence of beautiful art is gratitude holds more truth for me. What Banksy find beautiful, I may not, and conversely. For me, an artists economic status has nothing to do with whether I find his art&amp;nbsp;instinctively&amp;nbsp;beautiful. I don&#39;t believe that because an artist participates in advertising he&#39;s necessarily bright, creative, or ambitious. I see this firsthand. I also don&#39;t believe the slow and self-obsessed are all who remains. I see this firsthand, as well. I do completely agree that today, so much is being used to say so little. I know this firsthand.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;, serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/8995459156802437691/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/8995459156802437691?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8995459156802437691'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8995459156802437691'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/04/quotes.html' title='Quotes'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-7899377809476143740</id><published>2011-04-13T15:56:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-04-13T15:56:30.827-05:00</updated><title type='text'>7 + 7 = Decay</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;font-family: Arial, sans-serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;One year, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;12 months,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;365 days. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;And for what?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More monotony scarred on tedious faces? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More appreciation feigned?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More deformed instructions unjustified? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More guidance unexecuted from potential gone gray?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More ground lost?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More space divided? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;More intentions led astray? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;365 days squandered. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;12 months pilfered. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;One more year drained. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;apple-style-span&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;BAF&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/7899377809476143740/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/7899377809476143740?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/7899377809476143740'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/7899377809476143740'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/04/7-7-decay.html' title='7 + 7 = Decay'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-5833602058359673630</id><published>2011-03-31T13:19:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2011-03-31T13:21:32.571-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Vogue</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;Passing waiting-room minutes&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;in the pages of &lt;i style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;Vogue&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;I invest myself elsewhere, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;waking in NYC, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;owning Paris, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;tainting London,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;breaking souls in Rome--&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;anywhere escaped of Nebraska soil.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;I’m stepping out, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;smelling fine, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;entirely dashing, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;completely sublime. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;I’m a poet haunted,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;painter revered, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;actor possessed,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;songwriter gone gold.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;I’m self-made, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;self-aware,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;self-contained, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;self-assure. &amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;My model accessory, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;she&#39;s so skinny good,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;fit to be tanned,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;a sophisticated drunk, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;a bedroom treasure. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;My cigarettes burn sweet.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;My liquor fuels favors.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;My cocaine lights fires.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Another daybreak ignored.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;My apartment bears witness,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;pitches no black,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;divulges no cracks, &amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;entices the elite. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Only the elite. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Only the elite. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Only the elite. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Only in the pages of &lt;i style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;Vogue&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;BAF&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/5833602058359673630/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/5833602058359673630?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/5833602058359673630'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/5833602058359673630'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/vogue.html' title='Vogue'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-6700636310628462898</id><published>2011-03-24T10:20:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2011-03-24T12:15:21.321-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Geeks Are People, Too</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;I’ve worked in technology for close to 15 years, writing about seemingly every aspect of it--from hardware to software to data centers to virtualization to quad-cores to VoIP to fiber optics to backhauls to overclocking to ink toner to USB 3.0 to DNS to malware to vaporware to partitions to defrags. I watched the Internet boom and then bust. I tested the first consumer digital cameras. I&#39;ve held all iPod iterations in my hands. I’ve seen Bill Gates speak numerous times. I’ve spoken with inventors, developers, designers, visionaries, pioneers, trailblazers, thieves, pirates, innovators, explorers, and masterminds. I’ve watched my kids become part of a world I never imagined possible in my own youth. But by far the best aspect of working in technology all these years is the utter and endless appreciation, respect, and admiration I’ve grown to hold for “geeks.” Geek was a dirty word when I was walking the playground. It was a sign of weakness. It tainted you. It was a scar you couldn’t hide. Once you were labeled, it was your cross to bear through graduation. Turns out the morons, the weaklings, the scorned were the non-geeks, the ones without vision, without foresight, without a sense of bigger possibilities. I wasn&#39;t smart enough to be a geek. I’m smart enough to call many my friends now, however. I love their passion. I love their enthusiasm. I love their work ethic. I love their determination to break down walls. Wish I was half the geek.&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/6700636310628462898/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/6700636310628462898?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/6700636310628462898'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/6700636310628462898'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/geeks-are-people-too.html' title='Geeks Are People, Too'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-2126506122193060011</id><published>2011-03-16T16:56:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-03-16T16:56:52.207-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Problem vs. Inconvenience</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;I think I&#39;m pretty good about realizing when a problem is really a problem and when it should probably just be recast as an &quot;inconvenience.&quot; Take, for example, the water pipe situated between my home&#39;s upstairs and the recently renovated downstairs that days ago cracked and proceeded to spew what I&#39;m guessing was dozens of gallons of water before being noticed. Naturally, a steady stream of water dripping down basement walls, as well as an obvious pool of water collecting above the ceiling, was a cause for concern. Some people on the scene cried. I chose not to. More interesting was that I really wasn&#39;t all that upset and what had transpired. And for several days, I was more bothered about why I wasn&#39;t all that bothered about the wreckage. Sure, all the hours I had spent the prior few weeks ripping up carpet, dry walling holes, and painting walls seemed a bit pointless facing what was a sagging ceiling and carpet so saturated we&#39;d ultimately be able to pull gallon after gallon out of it. Still, we were talking about drywall and carpet--not the two most terribly important materials in the world. And we were talking about a basement that realistically amounts to nothing more but extra space in which we can come to be entertained, educated, enlightened, or amused--not a mandatory living area where we sleep, eat, and escape. This wasn&#39;t an entire home being pummeled or swept away by a tsunami or earthquake. There was nothing of great value lost. No one was injured. Hell, barely anyone outside those living in the house even knew or cared. Why would they? What really was there to be mad about? Lost time and money? Maybe? But neither are worth my tears or anger in this case. I think the older I become, the more I realize there&#39;s always a choice as to who or what we hand over our anger and disappointment. I&#39;m learning that there is almost always at least a minute or two to contemplate truly what has taken place and then pass an accurate judgment concerning its severity. At the least, it feels a hell of lot better feeling unlucky than feeling bitter.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/2126506122193060011/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/2126506122193060011?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/2126506122193060011'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/2126506122193060011'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/problem-vs-inconvenience.html' title='Problem vs. Inconvenience'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-4272650334953980636</id><published>2011-03-15T11:17:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2011-03-16T16:58:19.259-05:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Swoon, midnight moon. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;I’ll follow you home tonight. &amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;I’ll praise your height, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;your light, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;your might, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;your insistence to attack the night,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;to decimate pretensions, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;decipher suggestions,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;ease tensions threatening demise. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;Swoon, midnight moon. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;I’ll be your baby alright.&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
BAF&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/4272650334953980636/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/4272650334953980636?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/4272650334953980636'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/4272650334953980636'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/swoon-midnight-moon.html' title=''/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-5624142826140990122</id><published>2011-03-09T09:19:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-09T12:56:25.532-06:00</updated><title type='text'>The End Sum</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;My kids say crap all the time that embarrasses me, that makes me wonder, &quot;how in dark hell did that notion ever enter his/her skull?&quot; In the same light, they do crap all the time that makes me bow my head and want to pretend I don&#39;t know them; that&#39;s makes me want to walk ever so briskly, yet&amp;nbsp;inconspicuously,&amp;nbsp;in the opposite direction before anyone can make the connection that we&#39;re somehow linked together. That said, those feelings are temporary, in the sense that they have their own brains working feverishly inside their noggins&#39;, and it&#39;s not my responsibility to tinker and toy with them. It&#39;s my responsibility to teach them how to use them, teach them how to put them into gear and come to their on conclusions. I&#39;m not afraid of mistakes, and they shouldn&#39;t be either. I&#39;d rather them take a wrong step, say the wrong thing, and open the wrong door than blindly sit back and never see the damn scenery in the first place. They ruffle feathers, including my own, but they participate. They engage. Most importantly, they think. So what if what their thinking doesn&#39;t jibe with what my mind conjures up and centers on? What I believe we have in common is an ability to form opinions and stand by them. So, yes, they do and say crap constantly that I&#39;d just as soon pretend I&#39;d never witnessed, but that&#39;s the beauty. They force me to pay attention. They force me to respond. They force me to react, to remain diligent in my own truth. I love them for that and for being individuals, as embarrassing as their words and actions can be. I&#39;m sure they feel the same about mine.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/5624142826140990122/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/5624142826140990122?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/5624142826140990122'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/5624142826140990122'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/end-sum.html' title='The End Sum'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-1937979097978192012</id><published>2011-03-07T12:05:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-16T16:58:03.217-05:00</updated><title type='text'>On Running In March Snow</title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW_mL6VbhVrnFdBV7NZPO0C14K3E_PFjzeILujCpzFe9s1i0TWuLGnLg-zSkP2LE5NunsXI0NKJ-NhqjMDRVoxLotNANX_z89X0UKsPKsKEA5vOb3TiJwrN9ymS4iVi3VnhiE/s1600/berries.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;66&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW_mL6VbhVrnFdBV7NZPO0C14K3E_PFjzeILujCpzFe9s1i0TWuLGnLg-zSkP2LE5NunsXI0NKJ-NhqjMDRVoxLotNANX_z89X0UKsPKsKEA5vOb3TiJwrN9ymS4iVi3VnhiE/s320/berries.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;This misplaced March snow &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;smells of high school afternoons &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;begrudgingly spent running &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;to the railroad tracks and back,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;through flaking walls plastered wet,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;deep into maddening madness—&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;a sentence declared by a track coach gone bored,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;perpetually unimaginative, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;hopelessly uninformed. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Taunting March snow&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;reeks of steps stomped angrily &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;with fellow suckers for pain, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;long distance colleagues for miles,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;brothers in running shoes &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;sucking air wicked, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;churning consistent complaints, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;dripping noses red.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Another hour spent sideways&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;glamorizing girls never dated, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;prophesizing jobs never possible, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;visiting streets never walked, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;spending money never possessed,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;battling reality’s demands&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;to accept snow-burned cheeks,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;sweatshirts soaked fat, &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;shoes squishing surrender,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;socks sagging dead,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;spirits breaking cold. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Why&amp;nbsp;couldn&#39;t&amp;nbsp;I be a sprinter? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Why&amp;nbsp;couldn&#39;t&amp;nbsp;I jump higher? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Why&amp;nbsp;couldn&#39;t&amp;nbsp;I put a shot? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Why&amp;nbsp;couldn&#39;t&amp;nbsp;I vault a pole?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;Why was I always escaping snow? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;BAF&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/1937979097978192012/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/1937979097978192012?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1937979097978192012'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/1937979097978192012'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-running-in-march-snow.html' title='On Running In March Snow'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW_mL6VbhVrnFdBV7NZPO0C14K3E_PFjzeILujCpzFe9s1i0TWuLGnLg-zSkP2LE5NunsXI0NKJ-NhqjMDRVoxLotNANX_z89X0UKsPKsKEA5vOb3TiJwrN9ymS4iVi3VnhiE/s72-c/berries.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-8865400949292829059</id><published>2011-03-04T08:18:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-04T09:27:03.437-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Lion Guardians</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur=&quot;try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}&quot; href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnya0NPzWRWagyZ95Hef7A1cpfJbFF_zACbaflPYZrkWSuOq3loj4vUCVmC-SIuzTnHT-D3p72_eSjh9RImC0wBkLZFNMW4DpxvhK0EQfrnpGn5nKti6ThpjZ2NbfLmHs9PouH/s1600/Sikiria-Lion-Guardians.jpg&quot;&gt;&lt;img style=&quot;float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnya0NPzWRWagyZ95Hef7A1cpfJbFF_zACbaflPYZrkWSuOq3loj4vUCVmC-SIuzTnHT-D3p72_eSjh9RImC0wBkLZFNMW4DpxvhK0EQfrnpGn5nKti6ThpjZ2NbfLmHs9PouH/s320/Sikiria-Lion-Guardians.jpg&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; id=&quot;BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580245837732183170&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div&gt;Ran across the&lt;a href=&quot;http://lionguardians.wildlifedirect.org/&quot;&gt; Lion Guardians&lt;/a&gt; effort from the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.defenders.org/index_v2.html&quot;&gt;Defenders of Wildlife&lt;/a&gt; this morning. It&#39;s extremely sad and disturbing to contemplate my daughter&#39;s children will most likely grow up in a world in which many of the grandest animals ever to walk the planet will no longer be walking it, including lions. I&#39;m not certain of what indirect role I&#39;ve played in their demise, but I&#39;m sure I have, and it saddens me. What saddens (and infuriates) me more is those who would hunt something so magnificent merely to add a stuff carcass to a trophy case. Moronic. But I think that adjective sums up human beings more often than not. I&#39;ve been thinking a lot lately about what kind of a world my grandchildren (if indeed I have any) will live in, and I&#39;m not thrilled with the prospects. I believe I&#39;m living in a great transitional period (although all time is transitional, I suppose) in which we&#39;re moving to an existence that will rely on technology for most things, leaving behind that which can&#39;t tie into the grid. I&#39;m thankful for having lived during this transition and experiencing what&#39;s possible, but I can&#39;t say I&#39;ll be sorry to be gone before that final transformation  comes. I believe it&#39;s going to be a far less beautiful, joyful, engaging, and accommodating place. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://lionguardians.wildlifedirect.org/&quot;&gt;Lion Guardians&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/8865400949292829059/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/8865400949292829059?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8865400949292829059'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8865400949292829059'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/lion-guardians.html' title='Lion Guardians'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnya0NPzWRWagyZ95Hef7A1cpfJbFF_zACbaflPYZrkWSuOq3loj4vUCVmC-SIuzTnHT-D3p72_eSjh9RImC0wBkLZFNMW4DpxvhK0EQfrnpGn5nKti6ThpjZ2NbfLmHs9PouH/s72-c/Sikiria-Lion-Guardians.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-3865884878159033066</id><published>2011-03-03T09:11:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-03T09:14:08.781-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Always Be Closing, Loser.</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; &quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; &gt;A=always, B=be, C=closing. Always be closing. Always be closing. I&#39;m tired of living and working in this environment. Atmosphere. Surroundings. Influence. It’s omnipresent. I hear and see it all day. I feel it crawling all over me like a skanky dirt bath. I’m starting to worry I’ll never be able to clean it off. What the hell are you closing anyway? Another car sold? Another tube of toothpaste passed on to the white-tooth-wannabe consumer? Another Big Mac stuffed down another kid’s gullet? Another shoe wrapped around a fat foot that won&#39;t put it to use anyway? Congrats. Congrats on “closing.” Way to go. Way to hit the mark. Way to make the grade. Way to make that pie graph turn in your favor. You’re a closer. A winner. A success. A leader. A man among men. Your what we should all inspire to. You’re also a loser. You lose because when you were closing, you should have exploring. I say, “always be exploring.” Exploring the current moment, and the one after that, and so on. Exploring your real meaning. Exploring your real purpose. Explore what your gung ho energy could really accomplish. Could really create, construct, and maintain. Always be exploring. Otherwise, all you’re really doing is wasting time. Minutes. Hours. Days. Opportunities. Chances. Emotions. Your life. You’re wasting your life, closer. And unless I’m really wrong about this, you only get one. So going ahead and spend your time schmoozing, lying, manipulating, drifting, combing your pretty hair, shining your shoes, and making the rub. Do you what you must do, and for hell’s sake, always be closing. But know this, you’re a loser, even if you’re too busy closing to realize it. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;Apple-style-span&quot; &gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/3865884878159033066/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/3865884878159033066?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/3865884878159033066'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/3865884878159033066'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/always-be-closing-loser.html' title='Always Be Closing, Loser.'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-8614215102738762551</id><published>2011-03-02T09:19:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-02T09:20:41.521-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Going to miss you, ole&#39; girl.</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur=&quot;try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}&quot; href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1DeY4_a-JTfZRS9H36tZP2ngk2kuN6gotFjFARzPHfHmOKUzNPja3ENRoceU-eHWDah_7MPRSTCHWihPutHC5PAcmSkWdzNqwB_tsZGAb38qxRS6PrLrA7TqCf-mbs4OKvQ3/s1600/Rubi+winter+2009+2+001.jpg&quot;&gt;&lt;img style=&quot;display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1DeY4_a-JTfZRS9H36tZP2ngk2kuN6gotFjFARzPHfHmOKUzNPja3ENRoceU-eHWDah_7MPRSTCHWihPutHC5PAcmSkWdzNqwB_tsZGAb38qxRS6PrLrA7TqCf-mbs4OKvQ3/s320/Rubi+winter+2009+2+001.jpg&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; id=&quot;BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579502791102089794&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/8614215102738762551/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/8614215102738762551?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8614215102738762551'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/8614215102738762551'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/going-to-miss-you-ole-girl.html' title='Going to miss you, ole&#39; girl.'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1DeY4_a-JTfZRS9H36tZP2ngk2kuN6gotFjFARzPHfHmOKUzNPja3ENRoceU-eHWDah_7MPRSTCHWihPutHC5PAcmSkWdzNqwB_tsZGAb38qxRS6PrLrA7TqCf-mbs4OKvQ3/s72-c/Rubi+winter+2009+2+001.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-7593790918253362507</id><published>2011-03-01T09:29:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-01T09:40:31.370-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Answers</title><content type='html'>I&#39;d give about anything some days to never have to answer to another soul again. I don&#39;t want to answer to myself. My maker. My end. I don&#39;t want supply answers to the man. To the woman. To the superior. To the inferior. I don&#39;t want to spend time pondering my answers, devising them, constructing or reconstructing them. I don&#39;t want to pick them apart. Defend them.  Analyze them. Craft them. Shape them. Search for them. I don&#39;t even want to consider the questions I&#39;m seeking answers to. Answers, beat it. Now.&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/7593790918253362507/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/7593790918253362507?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/7593790918253362507'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/7593790918253362507'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/03/answers.html' title='Answers'/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27821296.post-4522074492763400621</id><published>2011-02-28T08:04:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2011-03-16T16:59:43.902-05:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpFirst&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Especially in  fading nighttime hours&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;distance oozes,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;seeps sticky thick,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;as if never to depart.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I crave it’s death.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
BAF&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormalCxSpMiddle&quot;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;You know you want to.&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/feeds/4522074492763400621/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27821296/4522074492763400621?isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/4522074492763400621'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27821296/posts/default/4522074492763400621'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://theslimfastbuddha.blogspot.com/2011/02/especially-in-fading-nighttime-hours.html' title=''/><author><name>BlaineFlamig</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01781000955192896760</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>