Creativity – Breakaway Consciousness

Poker & Life – Old Roads, New Roads & Pursing Dreams | #Life | #Goals | #Freedom | #Writing | #Poker | #Inspiration | #Motivation | #Change

“The turning point in the life of those who succeed usually comes at the moment of some crisis.”
– Napoleon Hill

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
– Gandhi

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
June 1, 2019

Life offers infinite choices. Choices are one of the gifts that make life so grand, vast, and intriguing.

Some choices arrive instantly, such as slamming on the breaks not to rear end someone, while others, such as choosing a major in school, allow for extensive thought.

In this blog, choices are a subject that has been written about extensively. This is because no matter what happens, life offers a wide well of choices to draw from on a daily basis, many more than most individuals realize given that so many choices are done on autopilot, such as not having to think about directions to the grocery store. But there’s a lot more choices than the autopilot ones, and many can be significantly life changing.

For quite some time I have stood still on my path, mindful of two separate choices that can be, though not necessarily need be, joined at the hip when it concerns what I chose to do for a living. At this proverbial fork in the road I have pondered long and hard about what to do, which choice to make and the ramifications of each one to a considerable extent. While these choices have been a long time coming in a sense, for years in fact, I knew that eventually the longer it took for me to make these choices, the longer I would have to wait to chase one of my dreams.

Now, to chase certain dreams in life, an individual isn’t always required to sacrifice other things or dreams. Often, individuals can just chase a dream in a manner that doesn’t affect other parts of their life considerably. Other times, dreams can require a certain level of sacrifice, certain choices that you perhaps might not want to (or need to) make.

With this in mind I’ve chosen to stop one of my career paths, which is playing poker for a living, and only focus on business. In conjunction with that however, I have also chosen to take up writing on a more serious basis, hopefully 4-8 hours a day, if not more. Writing isn’t being chosen as a career path, though there are certain financial possibilities there as well that I am open-minded about, but that is in no way shape or form any of my main reasons for choosing writing. If I was concerned about making money or increasing income I would just log more hours playing poker. I simply choose writing because that is what I love doing.

The final portion of my poker bankroll was liquidated and converted into business inventory, as has been taking place for weeks and now. This way I can just pursue the two small businesses as a career in conjunction with writing as a passion as well.

I have loved writing ever since I was a teenager although I never thought about it seriously as I have the last few years. I have grown to love it more and more every single day. It matters not what the topic is about, I love writing about imagination, creativity, inspiration, research, non-mainstream matters, and more. And when you couple that to creative writing in the form of short stories, prose and poetry, I’m in absolute heaven when I write. I can’t get enough of it in all honesty.

Admittedly though, I did contemplate not writing as a passion, because being open-minded by default requires considering all options, even the unpleasant ones, like quitting poker.

But couldn’t I simply add writing to my plate and not quit poker? Yes. Haven’t I been writing somewhat regularly the last few months? Yes. Could I add writing to a more serious extent, even more so than now, in addition to poker? Yes. Would that be the best choice? Not in any way whatsoever.

Why is this? Because if I choose to write regularly, irrespective of what I write or to the extent that I wish to do so, it’s going to require a lot of time to write, but more importantly, to grow as a writer [1]. As Rappaport once stated, with writing, you are either all in or you’re not – not unlike poker! If you’re going to write seriously, it has to be part of your life, if not part of your being. Writing is something that I will absolutely sink myself into and have already been doing so for weeks.

In fact, just yesterday, while at the gym, I wrote 7 blogs while I was there, at least the first drafts of them as an outline format with bullet points; this very write up was the second one of those [2]. I don’t usually employ bullet points as a first draft in writing, but when you’re writing on a traditional notepad and not on a laptop or notebook, streamlining key points is all that matters in my opinion. Such an approach also allows for the honing of logic given the sequential order that’s needed to maximize effectiveness in writing, just like in life, and also simplifies to a significant degree as well. That said, I think doing that and only that at the nascent stages of writing would be detrimental to the process as a whole. I just employ an outline format when need be, and also because I like simplifying, though I think writing in the traditional sense is much better since it allows for thoughts to be written in their full breadth and scope.

Even with all that, there’s a more crucial reason why letting go of poker is a no-brainer and this has to do with health. Poker, by its very nature, is an incredibly stressful game. In a regular every day 9-5 job, you show up, you get paid. In poker, such is not the case. You could go days, weeks, or months (if you’re a tournament player) playing flawlessly and still lose. Some have even gone a full year without any profits, YIKES! Though I’ve played countless tournaments in my life and dabbled considerably in them, this was mostly before the fateful ‘Black Friday’ date that poker went through years back.

Poker is just a game (or career) that creates a never-ending avalanche of stress that most people cannot handle, and even with those that do, it can still affect them greatly, like it has affected me in the past and many others that I know.

Being cognizant that health is my main concern at this point, choosing to stop poker isn’t even a choice. That said, just because I have stopped playing poker doesn’t mean that I had to add writing. But, given that writing is my main creative passion in life and it allows me to vent to a significant degree, thus relieving stress, which is the opposite of what poker would do, I see no reason why not to venture head long in it.

I always knew (or at least hoped) that poker was simply a means to an end, a way to make a living while enjoying the love for the game. The chief binary reasons why I love poker are (1) not only because poker allows more freedom than what a traditional job could offer, but more importantly, (2) poker allowed me to stay home, and staying home was important for someone who’s always had family in mind ever since I can remember.

In fact, having family has always been a big dream of mine in a weird sense and something I thought about often while growing up. Before my parents’ divorce, my father used to work for FEMA and he had to travel a lot. At times, he was gone for months at a time, with one time him being gone 9 months if I recall correctly. Whenever there was a disaster he had to bolt with no warning. Whether it was the Mississippi river flood, the Oklahoma City bombing, or anything similar, he had to be gone because it was his job to set up the communication networks when things went haywire and nothing could be accomplished during emergencies without communication.

The fact the he made that choice never bothered me or anyone else in my family that I know of. Yes, we all wanted him home, but that’s what he had to do given his career choice. Those circumstances always made me think that if I had the option to not be away from family, then I would actively seek it out. Had I followed through with Aerospace Engineering as I originally planned on after ASU, I knew having a lot of time for family would never happen, which is another major reason why poker always seemed amazing.

While at ASU I spoke to many current or former engineers that worked at Lockheed Martin or other aerospace companies that would venture to campus occasionally, and the vibes I got most of the time were that even though they liked (or even loved) their jobs, they all worked a lot, and a small amount were even downright miserable because they didn’t do what they were told they would be doing out of college even though they were all making great money and a fantastic living in the traditional sense.

Don’t give me wrong, I don’t mind working hard at all, or spending lots of time at work. Working hard has never been an issue. If anything, no matter the job, if there’s anything I could be accused of being is a workaholic. Not the best trait to have, but it’s one that’s true, or at least it was many a year ago. But given a choice, the adage of working smarter over working harder should always be chosen. These days I’ve simply taken the 4-Hour work week approach, whether it was poker or business. Not that I only work 4 hours a week, nay. Essentially, my goal is always to accomplish as much as possible with work (or writing) in the narrowest time slot available at the moment. This approach has kept me focused and saved me from serious heartache whether it was poker or business.

It’s odd because although I played poker for a living for well over ten years, I never went to Vegas. That’s even more mind bobbling due to living in Arizona, which is a stone’s throw from Nevada.

I can hear it now: “YOU PLAYED POKER FOR A LIVING AND NEVER WENT TO VEGAS!?!” My friends will never let me live this down, and I’m sure many are still laughing. No, I have never been to Vegas, even when we only lived 5 hours (drive time) away from Vegas. Eventually I would like to visit, but that’s definitely for the future.

It’s incredibly paradoxical because you would figure that someone like me that loves meeting people, having dinners with friends and family, the night life, dancing and so on, would easily choose visiting Vegas, at least once. But no, Vegas never appealed to me like that. And although I do enjoy the aforementioned inclinations to a great degree and those are things I like or even love doing, like dancing, those past times were never my defaults.

By default, I enjoy writing, reading, thinking, meaningful conversations, and so on. Every single one of those is something I love doing, which is why those are some of my defaults, and not the prior proclivities.

In any case, because of that assemblage of reasons, making the choice to play poker (though it certainly wasn’t set in stone at the time) was a no-brainer, just like pursuing writing as a passion is now. But unlike poker, which was done primarily out the freedom it offered coupled with the potential for profits and income that allowed for the capacity to make a living, writing is strictly chosen as a passion, as one of my dreams.

In all honesty, I couldn’t chose writing if I didn’t have something to fall back on. In essence, the Ebay and Bricklink stores have replaced poker, and allow an approach that significantly decreases stress in more ways than I can express. Also, writing is simply going to take the time slot that poker used to take, as it has for the last 2-3 weeks, with the usual writing that I do sprinkled in the mix that I’m liable to do at anytime, anywhere, for any reason.

Will I ever play again? Heavens yes, of course. My Mom drags my wife and I from time to time to the casino and not the other way around as it might seem [3]. Interestingly enough, my Mom draws a lot of inspiration from that actually. I hope to write about how that inspires her in the future.

Now, am I following writing as a career path? Nope. I will do it because I love doing it, because I have an unending passion for it.

Writing is one of the ultimate freedoms of expressions of the individual. And in an outside-of-the-box sort of way, writing is one of the biggest investments an individual can carry out, not unlike an individual’s proactive focus on health.

Writing as a passion is essentially going to become my drop into the aether in hopes to spawn change at a grassroots level with individuals. The way I have always seen it is like this: if every single post I share within this blog reaches only one person every single day of my life, then that will have meant thousands of people helped over the course of my life. Thankfully, the blog has done way better than reaching one person a day, but I don’t want to try and get too ahead of myself.

I employ this mindset due to a particular scene that played out from the action movie The Core if my memory serves me right. Within the movie, one of the protagonists is stressing about saving the world. Within that key moment, one of the other protagonists goes on to share their sentiments, where they said something along the lines of, saving the entire world is complicated, so why not simplify. He stated that in his case he was simply attempting to save 3 people, which were his family, that’s all. If he could save those 3 people, which were his wife and two kids, then everything else would follow. That simplicity and depth always stuck with me.

That’s taking a huge complex problem, and boiling down to only its core aspects, which allows for significantly less stress and more focus to be had, some of the very things that a sound mindset would employ.

Now, something I have noticed in the alternative research community is that many people share news articles, perhaps dozens, hundreds, or thousands of them over many years and expect the world to change in a heartbeat. Change at that ferocious speed is nigh never going to happen. Not that it cannot happen, it certainly can and it very rare instances has; it’s just that change at that rapid rate is incredibly complicated for innumerable reasons. Such is not how the world operates. The world is fluid, its chaotic, it’s wonderful, its boundless, it’s growing, and it’s a blank canvas at its foundation. Life is a blank canvas that requires constant application of an individual’s dreams for significant change to not only manifest, but to create resonance with others.

Blank canvases and the resonance they create allow for individuals to express themselves as they see fit while affecting the world, whether it is artistically or academically. This self expression allows for creativity to be explored, which allows for roads to be ventured.

And in synchronistic fashion, the very road that allows me to make my drop-in-the-bucket type of contribution to help others, also allows me to follow my passion, which is writing. In that sense, choosing writing is simplifying because writing, compared to poker, is a walk in the park, when it comes to stress at least, and almost everything else as well.

But what’s most incongruous and intriguing is that is that, if you think about it logically, what is simpler than doing what you love, which in my case is writing?

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Author Notes:

[1] One aspect of writing that takes a considerable amount of time is editing, particularly in more objective and lengthier research-based pieces. The longer the write up, the more editorial sweeps an individual must do to make sure the writing has quality, unless someone has considerable skill level at editing. I don’t mind editing, and at times it’s even fun, it’s just that editing is not something that’s talked about as one might often think, but at least it’s a developable skill.

For instance, this entire write up took me more than 10 sweeps to get to a satisfactory point and at least a few hours. Could it be better? Probably. But given how much time I had already spent writing this and editing it, I think that for what it is, it gets the point across with no glaring mistakes (that I can see at least). That said, most of my blogs don’t take that many sweeps, particularly the ones that are 2-3 pages long, as opposed to this one, which is 5 pages in total.

[2] I mention the amount of blogs I made first drafts not in a bragging manner, especially since anyone else can do the same, but to show how excited I was at the time that I was finally embedding myself into what I have wanted to do for years, which was writing. I derived a lot of inspiration from these thoughts and still find them incredibly inspiring.

[3] Why would I not be leading the charge to the casino on a regular basis? Because the poker I played was mostly online, since it saves on average 500 hours of road time a year, and for someone that’s incredibly cognizant of time, how precious it is, even if all you get is minutes within an individual, 500 hours of year is lot of time that can be allocated for other things.

[4] I hope to eventually write a book on poker and life, similar to some of the blogs that I have written on this very topic within this blog, but that’s something that I will probably begin to tackle next year. As it stands, my year is already jam-packed with countless ideas and goals that I wish to accomplish or at least begin, but I will take proactive steps towards the goal of writing a Life & Poker book though.

[5] I hope every single one of you takes at least one step, every single day, to whatever goal you wish to accomplish, no matter how big or small. Those individual steps, while seemingly inconsequential, will accrue to a significant degree and eventually snowball into something more magnificent. Or as grandpa Yoda said, “Do or do not, there is no try.”

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Book Review: The War Of Art – Break Through The Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield | #SmartReads | #Art | #Writing | #Poetry | #Poems | #Dance

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
May 29, 2019

The War Of Art – Break Through The Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield is a very innovative way to look at the resistance individuals face (a.k.a. writier’s block, et al.) when attempting to walk the path of a creatively conscious life.

Because resistance is something that we all face in one way shape or form life, this book is a book that stands to help everyone in their own unique way.

Pressfield minces no words in his apt definition of what holds creative individuals back: Resistance.

Resistance is what leaves most of us feeling like abject failures after we’ve lost multiple bouts with it. The paradox of this conundrum is that Resistance isn’t as untouchable as it might seem at first blush. Yes, Resistance is the paradise of procrastination on the creative path, it is the ultimate obstacle, the veritable Darth Vader. As such, resistance is the epitome of self-sabotage. But, therein lies the key to this curious conundrum: self.

Marauding deep within our darkest inner realm, Resistance is the ultimate enemy which seeks to slay every one of our hopes and cast limitations into each and every one of our dreams.

As Pressfield points out:

“Resistance is a bully. Resistance has no strength of its own; it’s power derives entirely from our fear of it. A bully will back down before the runtiest twerp who stands his ground.”[1][Bold Emphasis Added]

In other words, if the percipient individual – guided by the self – is to overcome this ruthless opponent, they need to face it head on. As the saying goes, fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Like the ego, it only grows when you feed it, so cutting Resistance of at the pass is crucial. And this is where this book shines, in the proactive ways not only to look at the matter at hand at a deeper level, but how to handle it as well.

The War of Art is split into 3 parts. In Part One, Pressfield shows a plethora of ways in which Resistance can be better understood. Thereafter, Part Two features ways that the individual can tackle resistance in myriad ways, while Book Three goes beyond that and into deeper ruminations on invoking the ever-elusive Muse. Likewise, Pressfield also covers what separates amateurs from professionals, and an unorthodox – but refreshing – look at the artist and how the artist fits into the grand scheme of things. The book yields more, but those are the core concepts, the veritable foundation of the book.

As the author aptly notes, if Resistance couldn’t be overcome, the great works that humanity has wouldn’t be available at all for people to enjoy and learn from.

If you are an individual who runs head on into Resistance daily – and who doesn’t? – or needs a healthy dose of inspiration, this book will definitely help you handle those in spades. And if you seek to live a more creative life, whether by hobby or profession, then this is a must read.

One fascinating thing covered by the author is how he broaches the subject of the ever elusive Muse. Pressfield’s unorthodox approach to invoking the Muse is a breath of fresh air, and one that we can all relate too. In his own words:

“When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.

“Just as Resistance has its seat in hell, so Creation has its home in heaven. And it’s not just a witness, but an eager and creative ally.”[2]

After reading the book, my only wish was that the book was not longer. That’s the sign of a great book.

If you want an active ally to accompany you in your personal battleground against Resistance and need a spark to light the tinder of action, get this book.
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Source:

[1] Steven Pressfield, The War Of Art, p. 99.
[2] Ibid., p. 108

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Suggested Reading & Watching:

What Is The Difference Between Education & Public Schooling?
Logical Fallacies Employed In Every Day Life
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
Weapons Of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
13 Great Reasons To Study Logic
How A Generation Lost Its Culture – by Professor Patrick Deneen
A Different Kind Of Teacher by John Taylor Gatto
Socratic Logic by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.
Philosophy 101 by Peter Kreeft Ph.D.
Brave New World & Brave New World Revisited by Aldous Huxley
What Is Education? The Elite Curriculum – John Taylor Gatto
Breakaway Guide To Censorship, Disinformation, Logical Fallacies & More
How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
History So It Doesn’t Repeat – The Deliberate Dumbing Down Of America With Charlotte Iserbyt
Classrooms Of The Heart [Documentary] – John Taylor Gatto
Sumerhill School – A New View On Childhood by A.S. Neil
Social Engineering 101
Dialectical Thinking – Zeno, Socrates, Kant, Marx by Tommi Juhani Hanjijarvi Ph.D.
Underground History Of American Education With John Taylor Gatto
The True Purpose Of Modern Schooling
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Open-Source Method: Genius Education – Examples | John Taylor Gatto
The Trivium – The Liberal Arts Of Logic, Grammar & Rhetoric by Sister Miriam Joseph Ph.D.
Cultural Literacy – What Every American Needs To Know by E.D. Hirsch Jr.
A Rulebook For Arguments by Anthony Weston
A Workbook For Arguments by David R. Morrow & Anthony Wesson
Drilling Through The Core – Why Common Core Is Bad For American Education by Sandra Stotsky & Contributors

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If you find value in this information, please share it. This article is free and open source. All individuals have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and BreakawayIndividual.com

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About The Author:

Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, inquirer, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, and freelance writer who aims at empowering individuals while also studying and regularly mirroring subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.

#Quote Of The Day | #Solitude | #Creativity | #Imagination

“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”
– Albert Einstein

The Artist Of Eternity | #Art | #Creativity | #Imagination | #Poetry | #Poems | #Writing | #Painting | #Dancing | #Singing | #Motivation

“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become.”[1]

“He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it.”[2]

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
April 23, 2019

The Artist of society, irrespective of what branch of art they undertake, is a very salient component of life in its full breadth and scope. So much so that they are one of the pillars upon which society, modern culture, stands.

In fact, with a critical eye towards this notion, James Allen, author of the gem-laden As A Man Thinketh, wrote in his reverberating book on this that:

“Composer, sculptor, painter, poet, prophet, sage, these are the makers of the afterworld, the architects of heaven. The world is beautiful because they have lived; without them, laboring humanity would perish.”[3]

The idea of humanity perishing without The Artist might seem outlandish at first blush, but maybe not. Perhaps the notion is best thought under the guise that, humanity as it currently stands, would perish. This would mean that humanity and life itself, without the appreciation for what makes life great via The Artists, would be akin to an individual experiencing life without joy.

Removing art in its every form would be removing one of the strands of life that makes it great, one of the very strands of life that makes it pleasurable, exciting, inspiring and incredibly meaningful to experience.

This shows how paramount The Artist is to the human condition, to human life, to society as a whole. Likewise, this also showcases why imagination and dreamers are so important. This is because:

“The dreamers are the saviors of the world. As the visible world is sustained by the invisible, so men, throughout all their trials and sins and sordid vocations, are nourished by the beautiful visions of the solitary dreamers. Humanity cannot forget its dreamers; it cannot let their ideals fade and die; it lives in them; it knows them as the realities which it shall one day see and know.”[4][Italics In Original, Bold Emphasis Added]

This is why appreciating the inherent ability of human potential cannot be overstated. What inspires individuals should not only be appreciated but held in high regard, for it is the fuel that lights the fires of the phenomenal, it is the engine that drives people’s motivation to achieve great things.

With these thoughts in mind, as an individual, you should consider to:

“Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.”[5]

Stay true to them, stay true to you, stay true to your course, your journey.

The power of dreams shouldn’t be looked at askance, as most of modern society does. Those that seek to trap an individual’s imagination are merely conforming to the very system that aims to do just that, and they are conforming without a second thought.

Of utmost important is the fact that:

“The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.”[6][Bold & Underline Emphasis Added.]

Every dream requires a vision, every dream requires imagination. Where one goes, the other one follows.

Nothing paints a better future upon the canvas of life than The Artist.

Nothing can, and nothing will – The Artist Is Forever.

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Footnotes:

[1] James Allen, As A Man Thinketh, p. 52.
[2] Ibid., p. 51
[3] Ibid., p. 51
[4] Ibid., p. 51.
[5] Ibid., p. 52.
[6] Ibid., pp. 52-53.

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Suggested Reading:

Have You Ever Walked On The Moon?
Never Underestimate The Power Of Imagination, The Power Of Dropping Seeds
The Artist & The Trance Of Inspiration
Stranger On The Moon
Wings Are Made To Fly, Seeds Are Made To Grow
Breakaway Individuals Throughout History: The Individuals, The Trailblazers & You
Why A Sound Mindset Is Crucial: The Light Side Of Mindset Vs. The Dark Side Of Mindset
Mindset Mindset Mindset!
A Sound Mindset Amidst The Obstacles Of Life
Mindwaves & Mindfulness
Modern Misteps Meet Mindfulness
25 Simplicity Quotes: Simplifying Aspects Of Your Life
How TV Robs You Of Your Life
How You Deposit A Truckload Of Black Pearls Into An Emotional Bank Account
How Are Your (Emotional) Bank Accounts Doing?
Emotional Bank Accounts: Mutual Funds
Emotional Bank Accounts: Deposits & Withdraws
Emotional Bank Accounts: Gems Gems Gems, Babies Everywhere!
Emotional Bank Accounts: I Call Your 7 Cents & Raise You A Dollar
Poker & Life: Pulling The Friend’s Card
Poker & Life: Pulling The Mask Card
Imagination Unleashed
The Inherent Power Of Curiosity
A 7 Cent Investment Into An Emotional Bank Account To Convert A Hater?
What Do You Find Inspiring?
Poker FlashBack: Swimming With Sharks, Swimming With Whales
Imagination Rises Out Of The Jaws Of Defeat
What’s Your Story?
You The Individual Are Author Of Your Own Journey, Of Your Own Destiny
Harry Potter Fans Trash Talk? Say WHAT?!
Consciously Creating The Road Of Change, The World Of Tomorrow
What Are Your Personal Defaults?
A World Of Grays
The Opening Salvo, The First Minute
The Seeds Of Today, The World Of Tomorrow
Assumptions Are Mother Of All F@!$ Ups
Piercing Perspectives #1: Taking Things For Granted | Health & Mindset
Piercing Perspectives #2: You The Individual Are Extraordinary
Piercing Perspectives #3: The Divide & Conquer Left Right Paradigm
Piercing Perspectives #4: Poker As A Mirror For Life
The Individual, The Foundation Of Society

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If you find value in this information, feel free to share it. This article is free and open source. All individuals have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Zy Marquiez and BreakawayIndividual.com

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About The Author:

#Quote Of The Night – #Creativity | #Imagination | #Divergent

“Creativity is the greatest rebellion in existence.”
– Osho

A Storm Of Imagination On The Moon | #ShortStory | #Writing | #Imagination | #Creativity

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
April 19, 2019

Arriving on the moon employing a lightning strike that would reverberate for hundreds of miles, I meander along the grey and vapid dust covered terrain to see how my friend is doing.

Noticing her asleep with her face buried in an artbook, I say, “Hey, you alright?”

No reply. I tap her on the shoulder about to whisper, ‘Are you okay?’ when she jumps perplexed and wide-eyed.

“Hey,” I say.
Groggy, she says, “Hey…sorry…”
“No apologies.” Nodding to the drawing book that’s on her desk I say, “So what are you working on?”
Flash-fast, she snaps it shut saying, “Nothing.”
“Uh huh,” I reply. “Just like all those books you have over there,” as I motion to the books, “And that crate of notes you have behind you.”
“That’s none of your business,” she replied immediately.
“Re-lax, it’s all good, I was just curious, meant no harm by it, really. So you come to the moon to get work done too, huh?”
Rubbing her eyes with the base of her palms while waking herself up, she replies, “Yeah, I like this place. It’s peaceful.”
“And barren.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Here,” I state while handing her a cup of scalding coffee. “Here’s some – “
She snatches it from my hand and drinks the boiling cup of coffee in record time as my mouth just opens slowly, wondering why she didn’t feel anything.
“We’re on the Moon, remember? Or did you forget?”
“Yeah, yeah, just never saw anyone drink a cup of scalding-hot coffee that quick.”
“Well we’re not on Earth, you know,” she states matter-of-factly.
“Touché. You know, you missed it,” I said switching the topic.
“Missed what.”
“I came here in my best Zeus impersonation, arriving with a lightning strike and everything. You should have heard the thunder.”
“You forgot the puff of smoke,” she couldn’t resist saying.
“Nah, that’s too over-the-top. I like to keep it low key, you know.”
Suppressing a small laugh, she shakes her head saying, “You’re something else.”

My reply was a slow shrug with palms facing upwards. Thence, noticing some of the decorations in her newly-decorated private cozy alcove, I can’t help but comment.

“You’ve made it home-y here.”
“Can’t put a price on comfort, you know.”
“You’re right about that,” I said.
“I heard explosions over on the other side of the Moon early this morning.”
“Oh…yeah…about that…”
“What?” she replied curiously.
“That’s probably Yoda training younglings in the ways of the force using the mind to defuse explosive devices and all that jazz.”
“Yoda’s on the Moon?” she said perplexed.
“Everyone’s on the Moon. He likes to hang out with Socrates you know – a meeting of The Minds of there ever were one. They live in a cave on the other side by this enormous crater.”
“You know Socrates too?”
“Uh, no, but he knows me very well. He knows everybody better than they know themselves. Just wait ‘till you meet him.”
“Sounds fun,” she replied eager.
“It’ll be a thrill, I promise,” was my sarcastic and yet honest reply.
“You don’t sound too, uh, reassuring you know…”
“Oh, no, it’ll be lots of fun. And lots of everything else too. You’ll understand when it happens.”

Sinking into her mind and placing her forearms on this cozy rocking chair she had, she rocked slowly for a couple of minutes in deep thought.

Not able to resist the urgh, I ask, “So, about that -”
“Don’t ask.”
“Why can’t I know what you are drawing?”
“Because it’s none of your business,” was her reply with enough emphasis to build a bridge to walk on.
“You mean this?” I said as I magically had the drawing book in my hand, pulled out of thin air with a flash of the mind.
Looking back at her desk, then at me, then at her desk panicking, she snapped off, “Don’t!”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t you dare open that – “ she started to say when she began being held by her arms by two SWAT team members while duct-tape covered her mouth.

“Time-Out,” I said in my best Zack Morris impersonation wherein everything froze, with her eyes bug-eyed wide.

Snapping both fingers, a classroom of young kids manifests with dozens among the students.
Continuing in my best professor-like fashion, I state, “What we have here class, is a failure of imagination,” I say as my arms gesture a sweep to my friend.

There was a slight earquake felt throughout, making all the kids nervous.

“Worry not, it’s just Yoda on the other side of the crater training younglings,” was my attempt at calming the kids nerves, knowing better.

My friend’s reply to this was slowly narrowing her eyes, fighting my use of imagination with hers, slowly, but very powerfully.

Continuing on, I add, “What’s the #1 Rule Of Imagination?”
“Anything’s possible!” says one of the student’s in an overly enthusiastic and yet annoying manner.
“What’s Rule #2 of Imagination?”
“”Hell is empty and all the devils are here.””
“Wait, what? Why are you quoting Shakespeare? That’s not Rule #2.” was my reply, as I quickly turned to him in curiosity of his response, shifting from having my eye on my friend for a second as our minds battled for control of the current circumstances.
“Look at her eyes, THEY ARE BRIGHT RED!”

Turning to her and instantly panicking, I put my palms up in resignation, saying “Wait, wait, wait, wai-“ when it happens.

She unleashes a death-ray my way just like Cyclops from X-Men, that I dodge by a hair’s breadth, which scorches the landscape for hundreds of miles, as she sweeps her eyes chasing me as a target while she simultaneously turned both SWAT team members into pillars of flaming dust that whispered away into the environs.

After stopping, seemingly exhausted for a second, I interrupted her quickly saying, “Look! I was kidding, I wasn’t about to look at your drawing book, it was an act in jest you know. Think about it, if I wanted to look at it, I would have merely manifested the drawing book out of thin air fully open, no?”
“Oh…yeah….I guess you’re right,” she said in contemplation, while rubbing her temples mentally exhausted from what she just did.
“I know it was hard to tell at the time, but I was going to give it back.”
“Guess I got a little carried away…”
“A little?” I reply with an overly-excited gesture pointing at the horizon that had been pierced by her laser-eyes moments ago. “You just remodeled the Moon” I said with incredible emphasis. “It usually requires asteroids to do that, you know? I’ll admit, that was a sight to see.”
Replying with a small smile, she asks, “Really?”
“Hell yes! Woman, you just sliced off a chunk of the moon, LIKE IT WAS A SLICE OF CHEESE,” was my reply with a loud laugh. “With. Your. Eyes!” I said pointing at her artistic work again to prove my point. “How many people do you know that have done that?”
“Nobody,” was her reply with a shy smile. Continuing on, she states matter-of-factly, “That was cool. Sort of.”
“Understatement of the millennia. Though I don’t know if cool is the word that I would use to describe it. I’da probably said ‘That was hot’,” was my reply in jest.
Laughing, “Okay, yeah.”
Looking at the watch on my wrist, I say “You know, it’s getting late. I better bolt.”
“Like lightning?” she eagerly replied joking, proud of herself.
Laughing out loud, I reply, “Okay, smooth operator, that was good. But yeah, it’s that time.”

Summoning another one of Zeus’ signature lightning strikes, this time an order of magnitude more powerful, the thunderbolt pierces the ground in a echoing equally in all directions as I vanished out of sight.

Him and his damn lightning bolts was her first thought as she shook her head.

Pensive for a minute, she stood there taking in the sight of the barren and aridly cold landscape. Thence she looked left, then looked right, making sure that nobody was watching. While smiling in sinister fashion, storm clouds begin manifesting within the atmosphere slowly circling ahead brought about by her mind, increasing speed with every second. In apocalyptic-like fashion, she unleashes hundreds of lighting strikes across the landscape, with the most powerful lightning strike being a bright purple one that she unleashed as her thundering departure, literally bolting out of existence.

Dozens of miles away, Yoda says, “One lightning strike, that was not,” as he mentally absorbed what took place while taking one of his signature deep breaths. “A spectacle, yes, yes it was.”
“A spectacle of what?” replied Socrates intrigued.
“A spectacle of imagination,” was Yoda’s reply, as he smiled in his ever-knowing way.

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Author Notes:

[1] My quoting Shakespeare about ‘Devils’ and so on isn’t a shot at anyone, but finding an intriguing quote to add a little depth to the story. It’s not meant in any negative way; the quote and the scene are merely my point to convey that while the character might look like a devil, it was obvious she was not. To the children she seemed like a devil because they saw her fearfully, but to me she was someone with superpowers. I hope that makes sense. Moreover, the story is to show off the power in imagination that individuals don’t know they have within themselves. That’s the main point of the whole story.

[2] I wrote this 3 day ago, right after the other short story on the moon. I waited because I wanted to share it with the person whom I believe inspired this post, but seeing as the internet is one confusing cluster-@#ck of unknowns, I just decided to share it here and just be thankful of whomever was in fact the person that inspired it since I really have no idea at this point.

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Suggested Reading:

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About The Author:

The Artist & The Trance Of Inspiration | #Art | #Writing | #Poetry | #Poems | #Inspiration | #Creativity | #Imagination

“Don’t worry about failures. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.”
– Jack Canfield

“Dreams and dedication are a powerful combination.”
– William Longwood

“There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.”
– Brian Tracy, author of Maximum Achievement

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
April 18, 2019

How often do each and every you artists get inspired? By artists I mean artist of all types – painters, dancers, writers, sculptors, musicians, poets, et al.

This thought-form just hit me like a sledgehammer because how often artists get inspired is rarely the topic of conversation.

Inspiration undoubtedly comes in many forms, sometimes positive, sometimes negative. For instance, my Mom’s health, though now thankfully a bit better, was not to good a week ago or so. This circumstance made me write more poems in a week that I believe I’ve ever written in a week before by an incredibly wide margin. During that period of worry, if it wasn’t one negative emotion driving me, it was another; it mattered not, they all led to me writing at rates I’ve never written before.

Conversely, there are countless times individuals get inspired, and the positive instances are the most usual of ways individuals get inspired. These types of circumstances serve to stoke the embers of imagination many times fueling these embers into blazing infernos where creativity goes off the scale and amazing creation are made.

Whether it is one confluence of circumstances or another, whatever factor does ignite inspiration, it’s an interesting proposition to consider.

Next question: do any of you artists out there ever enter a form of ‘trance’ where you just create ceaselessly? I’ve often wondered about this.

By trance, what I mean is a state in which creation is literally effortless – you are creating things and so ‘in the zone’ that nothing can essentially stand in the way. Some may call this circumstance an individual achieving their state of ‘flow’, but irrespective of what one calls it, this type of scenario exists and has been oft-considered.

There was an article not long ago, though I can’t recall where, that spoke of this very subject. I would like to find it because it was resoundingly intriguing. Unfortunately, such hasn’t happened.

The point is that, inspiration comes and goes, but how often it hits individuals is one thing that my curiosity beckons. It would also be interesting to see if there’s a correlation between inspiration and quality of life. That’s merely me thinking out loud, however.

Whatever you are creating or are going to create, make sure to keep stoking those embers of creativity for inspiration is contagious, especially for fueling your inner being.

It always is and always will be.

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Suggested Reading:

Have You Ever Walked On The Moon?
Never Underestimate The Power Of Imagination, The Power Of Dropping Seeds
Stranger On The Moon
Wings Are Made To Fly, Seeds Are Made To Grow
Breakaway Individuals Throughout History: The Individuals, The Trailblazers & You
Why A Sound Mindset Is Crucial: The Light Side Of Mindset Vs. The Dark Side Of Mindset
Mindset Mindset Mindset!
A Sound Mindset Amidst The Obstacles Of Life
Mindwaves & Mindfulness
Modern Misteps Meet Mindfulness
How TV Robs You Of Your Life
How You Deposit A Truckload Of Black Pearls Into An Emotional Bank Account
How Are Your (Emotional) Bank Accounts Doing?
Emotional Bank Accounts: Mutual Funds
Emotional Bank Accounts: Deposits & Withdraws
Emotional Bank Accounts: Gems Gems Gems, Babies Everywhere!
Emotional Bank Accounts: I Call Your 7 Cents & Raise You A Dollar
Poker & Life: Pulling The Friend’s Card
Poker & Life: Pulling The Mask Card
Imagination Unleashed
The Inherent Power Of Curiosity
A 7 Cent Investment Into An Emotional Bank Account To Convert A Hater?
What Do You Find Inspiring?
Poker FlashBack: Swimming With Sharks, Swimming With Whales
Imagination Rises Out Of The Jaws Of Defeat
What’s Your Story?
You The Individual Are Author Of Your Own Journey, Of Your Own Destiny
Harry Potter Fans Trash Talk? Say WHAT?!
Consciously Creating The Road Of Change, The World Of Tomorrow
What Are Your Personal Defaults?
A World Of Grays
The Opening Salvo, The First Minute
The Seeds Of Today, The World Of Tomorrow
Assumptions Are Mother Of All F@!$ Ups
Piercing Perspectives #1: Taking Things For Granted | Health & Mindset
Piercing Perspectives #2: You The Individual Are Extraordinary
Piercing Perspectives #3: The Divide & Conquer Left Right Paradigm
Piercing Perspectives #4: Poker As A Mirror For Life
The Individual, The Foundation Of Society

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About The Author: