Sax with a homeless man.

[Matthew Mussolini]

There is a homeless man at coopers who plays the Saxophone in front of the door for change.

Would you be more likely to give him change than a guy holding up a sign at an intersection?

I'm more likely to give change to a female and have done so, but more likely to give to the sax player.

However, he can't play, and I have to wonder, where did he get that sax? and someone might steal it. Those things are kinda expensive.

Someone else was playing guitar for money in the park today. This guy looked like a college student in nice clothes just practicing for a gig.

At least when I go panhandling I don't claim to be homeless, as I believe that displeases Kami. Dishonesty will make me unhappy, and produce bad psychological and spiritual states.

Also, another thing I do is leave my phone number with the words "willing to work" on the sign.

But who would you be more likely to pay, the sax guy or the sign person?

[Quark]

I can’t believe you’re six years older than me.

[Matthew Mussolini]

I can’t believe you’re six years older than me.

Thank you!

Yes, I never grew up. I have matured in some areas. Have not grown up in others.

I have had people tell me in certain areas intellectually I am more mature than most , but regarding my sense of humor or some of the comments I make , they are inane and barely qualify as adult.

You bring up a good point. Thank you!?

[Quark]

It would be cool if you visited Japan. I hope you can check it out one day. (Seriously)

[Matthew Mussolini]

I can’t believe you’re six years older than me.

Let me ask you though, did you have any responsible parents that acted like adults?

My mom was a flaming liberal with few morals who was never home and had many partners . After winning custody, my Dad kidnapped us, took us to Portugal, tried to raise us there, and we really didn't see too much of him after that.

I started getting in trouble with the law and becoming a ward of the state at age 10.

Didn't have the best role models.

Yes, a person can grow up in spite of all that, but it isn't actually as easy as "Make good choices".

Doesn't work like that. If a person develops nothing but bad habits beginning as a young neglected child and is institutionalized and addicted as an adolescent, there isn't a whole lot that can be done for them.

I've developed the ability to have compassion and empathy , become more considerate, become more thoughtful, changed many habits, but the damage has kinda been done.

[Matthew Mussolini]

It would be cool if you visited Japan. I hope you can check it out one day. (Seriously)

Me too. If I could I would visit all all their Shinto Shrines, and the Shrine to Emperor Jimmu and Ojin, especially Yasukuni shrine would I visit , first and foremost.

So you have been to Japan?

[Quark]

So you have been to Japan?

Only to Tokyo for a weekend. I regret not going to Nagoya instead. It has the world's largest train station - so that would have been cool to see. (I love train stations)

Let me ask you though, did you have any responsible parents that acted like adults?

My upbringing was "normal". Whatever that is...

---------

I did an ungodly amount of blow from the time I was in high school until I was about 20. Other shit too; mostly shrooms and ecstasy. Basically everything except for crack, meth, and heroin.

I never did any kind of drug by myself, so all it took for me to quit was to stop hanging around the friends I did that stuff with. If I did use drugs by myself, it probably would have been much harder. EX: I didn't start smoking cigarettes until I moved to China. That was a habit I picked up by myself - alone in strange places, walking around in circles chain-smoking. Til this day I still can't quit. Which is weird, because I was able to stop smoking weed without any problem (something I never thought I'd be able to do.)

In another thread I saw that 6 mentioned taking walks. That's probably one of the best things you could do. Sometimes I force myself to go for long walks without bringing any cigarettes. At least that way I go 2-3 hours smoke-free.

Would I trade smoking cigarettes for smoking weed again? Even though I know it would be healthier, I wouldn't. It simply "zonks me out" too much. Again, that's my own problem (not everyone is like that - most can function normally). Basically, I smoke cigarettes for the same reason you smoke meth. Productivity. I just make sure I get stuff done so the damage is at least worth it.

I'll have news to share regarding something else soon - which is also going to give me a "forced" opportunity to quit. We'll see how it goes...