[DISCLAIMER] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness. For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, n

[DISCLAIMER] When practicing Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I often use irreverent communication (a style of interaction that deliberately disregards normativity standards or expected politeness, incorporating humor, sarcasm, frankness, and atypical observations). This includes expletives (exclamatory words or phrases, especially those which are obscene or profane), also referred to as cusswords, profanity, swear words, and obscenities. For example, the term “m

[DISCLAIMER] The American Psychological Association (APA) defines sobriety as “a state in which one abstains [chooses not to do or have something] from drinking or taking drugs for a period of time; that is, abstinence.” In a blogpost entitled A Lifetime of Sobriety, I stated of this matter: [B]ecause I was the single sober teen in my friend group during high school, having been given the nickname “2-Nice” partially for this reason, I did a fair share of babysitting peopl

[DISCLAIMER] I invite you to consider that one source states, “We’ve all heard the phase before – ‘Don’t cry over spilled milk.’ It’s a classic saying meant to remind us that getting upset over things we can’t change won’t do any good,” using milk as a symbol of something valuable, yet easily lost. Sometimes expressed as “there’s no use crying over spilled milk,” the meaning of this idiomatic expression infers that there’s no point in being upset over something that has a

[DISCLAIMER] Hate the Sin, Not the Sinner When enlisted in the United States Marine Corps (1996-2007), my religious foundation in the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Churches of Christ informed my worldview. Of course, as a fallible human being, my faith-based perspective wasn’t practiced perfectly. For example, I was taught Leviticus 20:13 which states, “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to b

[DISCLAIMER] “Son,” my dad told me when I was a child, “I don’t know why I brought children into this world when it’s so wicked [morally very bad; evil],” per 1 John 5:19. He went on to explain that anyone with knowledge of the Bible would do well to reconsider the desire to have kids. This was a revelation to me, as my dad had four children! Furthermore, his admission was contrary to what my late stepmom told me when saying it was an “abomination” not to abide by the bib

[DISCLAIMER] In Existentialism: Meaning Versus Meaninglessness, I discussed a fellow military police (MP) patrolman from the United States Marine Corps, when assigned to Camp Kinser (1997-1999), to whom I referred as “Jugador.” He and I were fairly close when stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Jugador and I wound up again being stationed together when I was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (2001-2003). Unfortunately, he and I lost touch around the time when I experi

[DISCLAIMER] In common parlance, suggesting that something is “screwed up” means that someone or something is acting or functioning in an erratic, confused, or otherwise undesirable way. A grittier version of this phrase is to say that something is “fucked up,” also “messed up.” In hip hop, the expression “screwed up” may also reflect music of the late and legendary Houston, Texas pioneer DJ Screw, who’s best known as the creator of the chopped and screwed DJ technique. I

[DISCLAIMER] In 2002, I was romantically involved with a woman who shared my appreciation for electronic dance music (EDM). During that year, Louie DeVito released his album Dance Factory which contained the DJ Sammy track “Heaven”, featuring Yanou and the vocals of Do. From his album Heaven (2002), DJ Sammy’s song “Heaven” served as a cover to Bryan Adams’ song “Heaven” from the romantic drama film A Night in Heaven (1983), later released on Adams’ album Reckless (1984).

[DISCLAIMER] When they were assembled, before apparently going on to pursue solo careers, the group Tragic Allies reminded me of golden age hip hop. Therefore, I still appreciate the album 14 Forms: The Book of Estee Nack (2015) by former group members lyricist Estee Nack and producer Purpose. As a side note, Estee Nack has more self-ascribed nicknames than any other rapper or lyricist of which I can think. A personal favorite is “Nacknuggets.” In any event, on the aforem

[ DISCLAIMER ] * Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit , property of 20th Century Studios, Hulu, and Disney+, fair use I often share my opinions on movies, expressing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) about how I tolerate and accept outcomes of frustration, annoyance, and disappointment which stem from my beliefs. For clarity, one REBT source states (page 71): REBT conceptualizes [ distress ]

[ DISCLAIMER ] Message to the Grass Roots On his 2018 album I Self Lord and Master (I.S.L.A.M.) , lyricist Recognize Ali released the song “ Liftin Me Higher ” that featured a sample of the 1963 speech “ Message to the Grass Roots ” by the late black nationalist leader el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (better known as Malcolm X ) who said: All the revolutions that’s going on in Asia and Africa today are based on what? Black nationalism . A revolutionary is a black nationali

[ DISCLAIMER ] Years ago, when working in the field of nuclear security (2004-2008), I joined a running club with several coworkers and one of their spouses. Having developed a number of injuries associated with my military service (1996-2007), I underwent an adjustment period with running. That method of change was radical (very different from the usual or traditional), because I’d grown accustomed to simply being injured and not appreciating previously enjoyed activitie

[ DISCLAIMER ] In 2006, hip hop duo Little Brother (lyricists Phonte and Big Pooh ) released Separate but Equal which contained the track “ Let It Go ”, produced by 9th Wonder , that featured lyricist Yasiin Bey and a sample of “ Got to Get Along ” (1976) by Jamaican reggae fusion band Third World . Notably, the hook states, “ Let it go . Ah, ah, let it go. Better let it go. Ah, just let it go. Pull it back, let it go. Ah, and let it flow, like… (All my hopes were

[ DISCLAIMER ] Mobb Deep, Heltah Skeltah, and 2Pac Among classic tracks from the golden age of hip hop , songs with which arguably even those individuals who don’t like rap music remain familiar, are “ Survival of the Fittest ” by duo Mobb Deep (lyricists Havoc and the late Prodigy ) and “ Changes ” by the late lyricist 2Pac . Featured on Mobb Deep’s second studio album The Infamous (1995), “Survival of the Fittest” was produced by Havoc and contains a sample from th