[DISCLAIMER] When conducting physical training earlier this morning, as part of my daily self-care regimen, I allowed my mind to wander. As is commonly the case, I was reminded of the inaccessible past. In particular, I thought of a childhood friend, about whom I stated in a blogpost entitled Mac: If memory serves, I met Mac in 1992 when I was a resident at a children’s home. The cottage in which I lived was sponsored by a local Church of Christ (CoC) congregation that wa

[DISCLAIMER] On his third studio album, Love Story (2015), rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Yelawolf released the song “Till It’s Gone”, which was produced by WLPWR. On the chorus and hook, Yelawolf sings: Ain’t much I can do, but I do what I can But I’m not a fool, there’s no need to pretend Just because you got yourself in some shit It doesn’t mean I have to come deal with it You handle your own when you become a man And become a man when you handle your

[DISCLAIMER] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Inamar, I heard her spin the song “Delete Time” (2024) by Sevenn and Space Motion. For clarity, to delete is to eliminate, especially by blotting out, cutting out, or erasing. As well, the American Psychological Association defines time as “a concept by which events are ordered into past, present, and future.” When contemplating the concept of deleting time, a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emo

[DISCLAIMER] From when she was approximately six-months-old, until the week of her fifth birthday, I helped raise the daughter of the woman with whom I was in love. After marrying the woman, the dad of my stepdaughter insisted that she not refer to me as “dad,” “father,” or any derivative thereof. Therefore, she called me “my Deric.” Admittedly understating the matter, I loved her very much! Nevertheless, when my wife left me, contact with the little girl I’d helped raise

[DISCLAIMER] On his album ElCamino 2 (2019), lyricist ElCamino released the track “Eat”, which was produced by Rick Hyde. Within the chorus, ElCamino states, “I did some dirty shit that’s way far out my reach.” Here, “dirty” regards impure, and “shit” relates to deeds. When contemplating the lyricist’s healthy perspective, concerning matters of the past being “way far” out of is reach, a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) now comes to min

[DISCLAIMER] Photo credit (edited), property of Philips, fair use Within my blog, I often reference my late mother. Despite her flaws, of which there were many – though perhaps no more so than my own, she wasn’t a good or bad person. She was merely a fallible human being, as am I. Therefore, any interpretation I have of her behavior is subjective. One act which was personally favorable regards how my mom used to sing when cleaning our home, holding me close, or whenever h

[DISCLAIMER] In the early part of 2008, life was going rather well for me. I was comparatively fit, I had a high-paying job, I’d been paired with a relatively intelligent and conventionally attractive girlfriend, and I’d purchased a brand new Honda Civic that was completely paid off eight months later. While at work one day, I listened to an AM broadcast of a female evangelist whose name now escapes my mind. She said something to the effect of, “There’s a reason the winds

[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. Ancient and modern Stoics tend not to shy away from the topic of death. Colloquially speaking, someone is said to be “gone” once they die. After a relatively lengthy period of time has passed, one

[DISCLAIMER] On the intro of “Take Me Back”, from the album Tha Truth, Pt. 3 (2017), Houston, Texas rapper Trae tha Truth states, “Say, you remember that shit? Talmbout them days, nigga. We pull up, nigga. Sta-Flo, starched down!” If you’re unfamiliar with Texas hip hop, then you may be lost. The phrase “talmbout” is a conjunction of the words “talking” and “about.” Also, Sta-Flo is a potent liquid starch which people from the South use when pressing (i.e., ironing) creas

[ DISCLAIMER ] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Mila Rubio , I heard her spin the track “ 9 PM (Till I Come) ” by trance music German DJ and producer ATB from his debut studio album Movin’ Melodies (1999). That track brought back a lot of pleasant memories! Hearing one of the EDM tracks I spun when DJing in the ‘90s and ‘00s, I thought of a relatively brief psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Now, I invi

[ DISCLAIMER ] I practice Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), a psychotherapeutic modality developed by the late psychologist Albert Ellis . Unlike other models which focus on the past (having existed or taken place in a period before the present), I stated of REBT in It’s In the Past : The overwhelming majority of clients with whom I’ve ever worked have discussed unresolved issues of the past. While I meet with these individuals in the present, I’m unable to alte

[ DISCLAIMER ] On his debut solo album Chick Magnet (2004), Texas hip hop legend Paul Wall released the song “ Did I Change ” which...

[ DISCLAIMER ] In the above photo, I sat in a children’s home surrounded by friends, family members, and other children’s home...

[DISCLAIMER] Photo credit, The Walt Disney Company, fair use One of The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) films I most treasure is The Lion...