[ DISCLAIMER ] Charity Starts at Home Admittedly, I have long admired many hip hop duos. It’s difficult to pick which one I ultimately cherish the most. Nevertheless, the Durham, North Carolina (NC) duo Little Brother (lyricists Phonte and Big Pooh ) are undeniably within my uppermost favorite category! As other fans of the group may agree, Little Brother was subjectively at their peak when record producer, record executive, and DJ 9th Wonder (“9th”) was part of the

[ DISCLAIMER ] Within my blog, because I generally focus on healthy and unhealthy negative emotions , I don’t spend much time discussing positive emotional states such as happiness and joy. For context, the American Psychological Association (APA) thusly defines happiness: [A]n emotion of joy, gladness, satisfaction , and well-being . I view happiness as a state of being rather than representing the six core emotions experienced by humans, which include joy, fear,

[ DISCLAIMER ] I attended my first graduate (“grad”) studies program, for counseling, from 2009 to 2011. I then experienced grad school for a second time, for social work, from 2012 to 2014. It was in the second program that I met student X. We shared some similarities and some differences. For a shared similarity, we’d both attended the same university than the one regarding our social work studies. Concerning a difference, student X was said to come from an affluent whi

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . The authors quote Seneca who stated, “Nothing is noble if it’s done unwillingly or under compulsion. Every noble deed is voluntary” (page 225). “Noble” means having, characterized by, ari

[ DISCLAIMER ] Living in a children’s home in 1992, a fellow resident and friend of mine told me about how the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps was the “most bad-ass” military branch in our nation. Although I was raised under the tenets of Jehovah’s Witnesses , what he said appealed to me. For those who are unaware, the religious doctrine up with which I was nurtured assumes a politically neutral position and discourages military service. Still, perhaps because I had lo

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . Have you ever had big plans to do something, only to discover that your arrangements wouldn’t come to fruition? If so, then you may consider what ancient Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca h

[ DISCLAIMER ] By the time I attended United States Marine Corps Recruit Training (1996), I’d already been in a number of physical altercations. As my experience with fistfights began in elementary school, I had awareness of what it was like to get punched in the face. For instance, as a resident of a children’s home in middle and high school, I’d engaged in mutual affrays with various boys. On one instance, a school bus driver pulled me off of a boy who sucker punched me

[ DISCLAIMER ] Earlier, when working out, I heard the song “ Unruly ” from the album Speshal Machinery: The Ghronic Edition (2024) by Conway the Machine and Big Ghost Ltd. , as the track features 38 Spesh . Notably, I briefly paused my physical training routine when listening to 38 Spesh’s verse: Ayo, now, where your heart go? I’ma make sure that you bleed awful No joke; to match my smoke , you gon’ need charcoal Seen Narcos ? I transport extreme cargo And I don’t call

[ DISCLAIMER ] Photo credit , fair use The Epicurean On their album Demi Glacé (2019), hip hop group Vendetta Kingz released the track “ The Epicurean ” upon which it is stated “life is best lived to the fullest,” “enjoy the finer things,” and “enjoy the fruits of my labor; epicure, beauty in the flavor.” For context, an “epicure” is one with sensitive and discriminating tastes, especially in food or wine, and this term archaically related to one devoted to sensual pl