It happened today; that feeling of being out-of-sorts and discombobulated; like some essential part of myself has floated off into a pool of primordial jelly, while my physical self blankly stares, sipping on a latte.

The root of this disconcerting feeling tends to be economic; the results of which are a combination of bad luck and a predilection for life-choices that are somewhere between nefarious and masochistic. But it’s not like I haven’t tried to be ‘normal’ or ‘responsible’ or make ‘better economic choices’ in the ‘real world.’ I have. …

And I was a damsel in distress, with amaranthine desires for love, attention, and pleasures. Men, who’s clandestine anguish fit my wounds, found me irresistible…lock and key. We were angels and devils and hungry ghosts, drinking of one another, consuming through bliss and agony; black holes that slowly absorbed the sun, moon and stars.

There was a part of me submerged, flowing within the currents of the ocean, while the remainder thrived upon the shores; eating, sleeping, fucking… and running from demons and from wolves. I still heard her voice, that muse, distant as she was. She knew my creativity…

Sounds intense, right? We might think of 50 Shades of Grey, dark underground sex rooms, leather, spikes and chains. Mostly, these images arise from Hollywood, extremist media and San Fran sex shows. But the original meaning of sadomasochism, applicable to this discussion, was a bit more tame.

Sadomasochism is a portmanteau of sadism and masochism; terms coined in the nineteenth century by German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing, who conceived of common natural tendencies of sadism in men and masochism in women that were based on control rather than necessitating physical pain or violence.

In his book, Escape From Freedom, Erich…

Revised and Republished from July 2018

Interpersonal relationships are the glue that holds societies together. They extend from partners to family and friends, our neighborhood, and the entire global community.

In observation of the state of our relationships, our future appears quite precarious — something like balancing on one toe while juggling hot potatoes and kazooing the national anthem.

But our relationship models are changing… as they must. The nuclear family, combined with America’s hyper-individualism and ‘free market’ values have left us isolated, disconnected and mentally ill. Trapped within our nuclear family model, children often become fearful of one another…

How to be free 101

The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation—Thoreau

Do you ever ask yourself where you’re going or what you’re doing?
I’m not talking about when you walk into a room and wonder why you went there. That happens. What I am talking about is the bigger picture; your life. Is the way you live your life meaningful? Do you feel a sense of drive and purpose in what you do?

Sadly, most people don’t feel that way. They work merely for survival.
This is normal. It’s also deadening.

Forty hours a week (a minimum for most) is a hefty…

Sexuality and Relationships 101

Almost a decade ago, I went on a spectacular journey with a partner. We drove through the Dolomites, visited a gothic cathedral in Cologne, strolled the footbridges of Venice and looked over the sea from the cliffs of Cinque Terra, Italy.

I remember one particular moment when looking out from those high cliff windows, watching the setting sun’s light sparkle upon the rippling ocean. I was thinking about how I’d never before experienced such adventure and luxuries as during this time with ‘Ron.’ We were visiting gorgeous places, eating delicious foods, and meeting delightful people along the way. There was…

Zombie Survival 101

You watch the world stage as the zombies of the rampant capitalistic apocalypse frantically rush to meet their quotas and increase the GDP. Hands grip steering wheels, heads bouncing while they listen to K-Fed, or grunt spasmodically in response to commentary by Mike Huckabee. Engines roar from interminable lines of vehicles snaking, day in, day out, ceaselessly around the globe.

While the zombies drove to their respective jobs (they hated them but still went) they would see people waiting tables through windows of little restaurants as they passed, or leaning over the open hoods of cars, or bent over, planting…

Sexuality 101

We walk a convoluted path when it comes to sex and relationships. Particularly for women, everything around us relays the message that sex is our greatest value and asset; from twerking music videos, to beauty advertisements, to Kim Kardashian. If we’re sexy, we’ll be loved and admired, and we’ll make the big bucks.

That’s the cultural stuff. Then add the personal into the mix.

When I was fifteen, I ran away and had to find a way to survive. That, in itself, was challenging enough. Yet because my father had left before I was old enough to walk, that basic…