Heart to Heart

This is my first rant of 2019, welcome.

I probably talked or have written about similar things before, but now I want to hit on something else, my own happiness.

Why aren't you smiling more?
Well, because you don't give me a reason to smile, maybe it's not your fault, cause I might have things on my mind and I am worried. Maybe it's because you disappointed me, you made my life harder, or took a decision that now I have to deal with. Maybe, it's because you're a hypocrite.

Why do you always joke? You know that's unprofessional, right?
Cause I am funny? Cause I can see the irony? Because it's unbelievably stupid? Because the situation is funny? Or because it reminds me of something funny.

Why are you always so serious? Can't you take a joke?
I thought you wanted me to be more professional and serious, which is it? Or is it that you only want to joke when you ain't the butt of the joke?

You should be happier! Enjoy life more.
I should, but you stand in my way.

Here's how people stay in my way:
They're hypocrites. That's it, thank you.

Nah, I'm joking. Not done, otherwise this fucking rant is pointless, I need to get my point across more clearly so that it hurts.

I can be plenty happy on my own, or with the content I choose to digest, the food I enjoy, the people I choose to be with, and who I am. Happy plenty, grateful plenty, cheerful as it can be. But…

If you stand in my way for no other reason than being an asshole, if you hurt others or make their lives harder and mine too by proxy, then I can’t be happy.

If you’re acting all high and mighty but you’re doing the same thing you accuse those of doing, then you’re a hypocrite and you’re doing no good to me or anyone, so I can’t be happy.

If you choose to take advantage of me, my time, my skills and then throw at me empty words when you are punishing me, then I can’t be happy… How can I?

If you’re creating problems for me because you don’t care, then how can I be happy?

If you’re a business owner, manager, boss of any kind and I see you take advantage and punish your workers for your mistakes, then how can I be professional and be cheerful working for you?

If you’re a hypocrite that is in a position of power and does all this and all this impacts me directly, then how can I be happy? Well, if you’re a hypocrite and you’re asking me to “be the better man” that means you’re the lesser, that means that you just want to take advantage of me or others, that means that you’re blind to how toxic you yourself are. So don’t ask me to be happy, professional, the better man… Because I don’t need you to ask any of that from me, because I know I can be. But that doesn’t excuse you. Yeah, you. Democrat, republic, whatever… All the same shit to me if you’re a hypocrite and can’t do what you ask from others.

Conclusion: If you want the best from someone, be the best and give your best too. Don’t mistreat them, don’t punish others for your mistakes and your idiocy.

Consider donating: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

Attropolis Nulla

Part I - Macedonian Wars.

The beginning of the Roman empire, a legend in the making, thus this story begins with the Macedonian wars, the first push towards the East of Europe and its growth into a real empire. The Macedonian wars spanned from 230 BCE to 146 BCE. These wars ensured the domination of the Roman Empire over Ancient Greece, with the destruction of Corinth in 146 BCE.

Part II - The Rise of Augustus

Born on the 23rd of September 63 BCE, to much luck and wealth, as his great-uncle was the Julius Caesar. His father governor over Macedonia, his mother niece to the Julius Caesar himself. His father remembered for his victory over some rebellious slaves, had died when Augustus was just four years old, so he was taken in by his grandmother, Julia, Caesar’s sister. His mother had married the governor of Syria, Phillippus a self-proclaimed descendant of Alexander the great. At the age of twelve he was elected in the College of Pontiffs, a year later he was in charge of the Greek games in honor of Julius Caesar. After which he wanted to join the Caesar in Africa and Hispania, but his mother protested and then he fell ill and was unable to travel. A few years later he was undergoing military training when his great-uncle was assassinated. From there his rise to power was inevitable, as he was a formidable young man with a lot of potential. After years of political intrigue and the wars against Pompeius and Anthony and Cleopatra and their demise, he had finally gotten to the place he thought he was rightful for. The place his great-uncle stood, keeping this facade of a republic alive, before he himself was crowned Caesar. With this Augustus also completely took over Greece with the battle of Actium in 31 BCE.

Part III - Greece under Rome

Under the rule of the Roman empire and its Caesar Augustus, Greece was at peace and flourishing. Which is where we are starting the story for Attropolis. Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.

ALSO JUST SO WE’RE CLEAR, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED: THIS PIECE OF HISTORICAL FICTION IS GOING TO EXTREME PLACES AND IS NOT FOR EVERYONE FAINT OF HEART.

Consider donating: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

New Short Story Series Announcement: Attropolis

History, our way to reminisce about the way we were, to be fascinated by our own past actions and keep stories that might have been lost to time. They say that those that do not know history are doomed to repeat it. Just look at the resurgence of Nazis, a perfect example of just that. Then again, there are people that still know the history and the only thing they can do is observe. It seems to me that either way we’re doomed. Yet the late great Stephen Hawking has said that you shouldn’t look to history to learn anything, because history is the history of fools. And if I may add, greed, misjudgement and misplaced anger and frustration. Which applies to today as well. This series looks at a period in time of extraordinary potential and that we still know little about. Following some interesting couple of characters and their day to day life in two of the biggest civilizations of the ancient world, that had an impact on our understanding of history and the world we live in today, Ancient Rome and the Early Roman Empire and Ancient Greece under the rule of the Roman Empire. A story that has never been told until today, after the revelations of the author of this series regarding the time period. The main protagonists of this story are Juliusegos and Hippos, two rambunctious boys, one from Rome and one from a small city in ancient Greece. Attropolis will be the story that brings their legends to light and their life back into glory, as these two have been lost to time and their tragedy lost to too much sorrow. In an attempt to learn about the traditional Roman and Greek family, culture, education and lifestyle, something that hasn’t been attempted before, at least not to this level. Attropolis will span over 52 weekly chapters over the whole of 2019. This coming of age story promises you war, precises and graphic details of a vivid past world that has come and gone, leaving an impressive mark on human history. Not just that, but love stories, hard hitting commentary on society, historical facts and past beliefs that will draw you into this ancient world. With all that said, I do welcome you to Attropolis, a one of a kind story, starting with a prelude next week. And the official start in January 5th.

Consider donating: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

New Book Announcement

I think, at some point we all asked ourselves: “What if?” Just that, just those two small tiny words. Which were the inspiration for this third chapter too… A classic question everyone had to think about at some point, just like we all wished we had started working on something earlier, or if we’d been more driven to succeed at a younger age. Or simply dealing with the anxiousness that is life. That is the base level of the story of Trapped: Winter, the third chapter of the Trapped: Seasons series, complete with a new setting, created by your mind. New characters in a new world that feels old. Because what is dead may never bleed, what is dead may never bleed, what is dead may never bleed.

Trapped: Winter is the something else of my works. With each chapter written in this series, the more I got to discover myself and create something rather unique. The story of an old man, Richard, running away from something strange, something dangerous which he can’t control. And Mark, this adult chasing something, anything for the sake of it. We have here an interesting parallel between someone that is being chased and someone that is chasing. The apparent disconnection between the two situations makes us draw lines, just so we can compare them to one another. But still, to any story I write there’s something more, due to the need to try and portray a better, more concise look, having a batter grasp on the story, the characters. We also have the weird, the mysterious, the out of place yet it makes sense. After writing this series for two years, with the progression of time, it changed. And this can be seen through the characters and their dialogue. As with the previous two Trapped: Seasons books, this one has a similar style. A Shakespearean style play, put as a novel and filtered through today’s eye in order to try and create something more. Keep an eye on the blog for more news, cover reveal, a full synopsis and more details about the book launch.

The book Trapped: Winter will have its launch on Saturday January the 12th and will be available for pre-order as an ebook soon.