What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0095

4701.  Monica (Stachowski) has soft lips;

4702.  Tiësto is pretty awesome;

4703.  Apparently, you can scroll through your phone using your nose;

4704.  Apparently, you should never tell a woman that you have a scratchy/sore throat or that you’re not feeling well;

4705.  I’ve had a man kiss me on the lips . . . (damn) Germans;

4706.  One U.S. dollar is worth about 6.75 Croatian Kuna (in August of 2016);

4707.  Concentration is the act of focusing one’s attention.  As the mind is allowed to focus on a single object, it stills.  As the mind is kept in the present, it becomes calm.  Concentration means keeping the mind now and here.  Concentration is the supreme art because no art can be achieved without it, while with it, anything can be achieved;

4708.  Rhythm can never be achieved by being overly purposeful about it; you have to let it happen.  But sensitivity to rhythm developed through concentration helps;

4709.  It is consciousness which makes possible awareness of the sights, sounds, feelings and thoughts which compose what we call “experience.”  It is self-evident that one cannot experience anything outside of consciousness.  Consciousness is that which makes all things and events knowable.  Without consciousness, eyes could not see, ears could not hear and the mind could not think;

4710.  When attention is allowed to rest in one place, it comes to know that place because attention is focused consciousness and consciousness is that power of knowing;

4711.  Awareness – Attention – Concentration – One-Pointed Concentration;

4712.  What is higher consciousness, but seeking more of what is already there?  As one’s ability to focus the light energy of consciousness increases, the effective range of her/his vision increases. S/he seems to see things that are invisible, such as the thoughts of others, the so-called past or the future.  Actually, s/he is only seeing what is already there and is now visible to her/him because s/he can focus the energy of her/his awareness;

4713.  The value of concentration becomes clear as we grow to understand that nothing can be enjoyed or appreciated if it cannot be known.  Beauty cannot be enjoyed unless one can know it.  Peace cannot be enjoyed unless it can be known.  The same goes for love and truth-in fact, anything that is valued by man.  By increasing the effective power of awareness, concentration allows us to throw more light on whatever we value knowing and to that extent enables us to know and enjoy it more;

4714.  But it is also necessary to learn to focus awareness in the now.  This simply means tuning into what is happening in the present.  The greatest lapses in concentration come when we allow our minds to project what is about to happen or to dwell on what has already happened;

4715.  Usually part of our energy is left in the thought world of past or future, so that the present is not seen with all of one’s light awareness;

4716.  Since the mind seems to have a will of its own, how can one learn to keep it in the present?  By practice.  There is no other way.  Every time your mind starts to leak away, simply bring it gently back;

4717.  You become more aware of what is going on as you learn to keep your attention in the now.  The most direct means of increasing one’s ability to concentrate is through the practice of meditation;

4718.  How to stay concentrated in the here and now between points?  Focus your attention on breathing.  Some objector activity which is always present is needed;

4719.  Anxiety is fear about what may happen in the future and it occurs only when the mind is imagining what the future may bring.  But when your attention is on the here and now, the actions which need to be done in the present have their best chance of being successfully accomplished and as a result the future will become the best possible present;

4720.  It is perplexing to wonder why we ever leave the here and now.  Here and now are the only place and time when one ever enjoys herself/himself or accomplishes anything.  Most of our suffering takes place when we allow our minds to imagine the future or mull over the past;

4721.  Our desire that things be different from what they are pulls our minds into an unreal world and, in consequence, we are less able to appreciate what the present has to offer;

4722.  The Pharos Hotel (SuncaniHvar.com/Hotel-Pharos.html) in Hvar(, Croatia) is really nice;

4723.  In Hvar, (Croatia) the after parties are at “Carpe Diem Beach” (Carpe-Diem-Beach-Hvar.com) and (at) “Pink Champagne” (PinkChampagneHvar.com);

4724.  Apparently, “being in your body” feels a lot like being drunk except you’re coordinated and you don’t slur your words;

4725.  It seems that people drink and do drugs (in an attempt) to try and “be in their bodies;”

4726.  There aren’t any Starbucks in Hvar(, Croatia). . . . (Come to think of it,) I don’t think there are any Starbucks in Croatia (period);

4727.  There aren’t many chain stores in Hvar(, Croatia) except the grocery store and (maybe) the drugstore;

4728.  Croatia is a very cash heavy society;

4729.  The pizza in Croatia is awful;

4730.  There are no (international) transaction fees for an international ATM withdrawal from Burke & Herbert Bank;

4731.  You have to meet Molly. . . . She’s your friend;

4732.  “Kinder Bueno” chocolate bars are pretty tasty;

4733.  If you want to go to Yacht Week Croatia, but you don’t want to pay for it, (you might) try being a summer intern (TheYachtWeek.com/summer-internships);

4734.  Sunseekers are really nice boats . . . and, apparently, they’re British;

4735.  I can say I’ve gone diving off a boat;

4736.  It’s (probably) not a good idea to swim (out) to a secluded beach without a life vest, especially when the only way to get there is to swim and you’re not a very good/strong swimmer;

4737.  Lori (Hill) has a (strong) sexual energy/vibe about her when she’s drunk;

4738.  One U.S. dollar is worth 24.4 Czech (Republic) Koruna (in August of 2016);

4739.  Prague (in the Czech Republic) is cheap.  A steak dinner at a nice restaurant is about $20.00 U.S. dollars;

4740.  If you thought the strip club panderers in (Las) Vegas were bad, don’t go to Prague;

4741.  Apparently, the age of consent in the Czech Republic is 15;

4742.  Apparently, “Karlovy Lázně” (KarlovyLazne.cz/en/) (in Prague) is the biggest/largest club in central Europe. . . . It’s five stories;

4743.  With the conversion rate, Uber is really cheap in Prague;

4744.  (I can say) I’ve had beef goulash in the Czech Republic;

4745.  A trdlo is like a cross between a cream horn and a cinnamon roll;

4746.  The pork knuckle at Bredovský Dvůr (RestauraceBredovskyDvur.cz/restaurace/) (in Prague) is pretty tasty . . . and cheap (i.e., about $12.50 U.S. dollars);

4747.  Traditional Czech food is similar to Bavarian cuisine;

4748.  Dark, Czech beer is rather tasty;

4749.  Slovenian women hate it when you confuse their country with Estonia;

4750.  It’s (probably) not a good idea to take LSD (i.e., acid) during a rainstorm in the middle of a busy park (specifically Letná Park in Prague);