All Matters of Dopeness (Musings and Comedy in Erie's World)

I basically stopped liking Alicia Keys when she married Swizz Beats.  Well...I tried.  I could never deny her talents and gifts but I just thought getting with someone who was married was tacky.  In fact, when I heard the song "Unthinkable" I thought she had a lot of nerve because rumor has it (and rumors always have truth in them...lol) that the song is about her and Swizz.  He and his wife were said to have been having difficulty and were separated when he and Alicia got together, but I felt like that was too much.  It's was my opinion--and I was entitled to it--as I am now.  Ironically enough, as I listen to the words of this song I have managed to move past my initial opinion and into some form of contemplative thought about what it means to be drawn to someone you "should not" be drawn to because it is taboo.  I have found myself singing: "I was wondering maybe/could I make you my baby/if we do the unthinkable would it make us ...

There is a new and rising interest in an old art....the Art of Manipulation.  Several months back I was thumbing through a book on this topic while I was at someone's house, and I have to admit the book was quite enthralling.  Yet, as engaging as it was it was also scary.  Not only did it give "how to's" on how to manipulate people and play mind games to get them to behave and react a certain way; it also explained just why some people are so skilled at doing so.  The truth is that every person has the capacity to manipulate, deceive, and play games.  While most do it subconsciously, there are those who practice this witchcraft in a very specific way.  This topic came to mind as I was thinking about the nature of human relationships in general.  At times there are people who do outlandish things, borderline psychotic things, and then pretend they are not doing so in order to make another person look crazy.  I think this is typically seen in romant...