More or Less

I want to wake up in a better place

A better world, not one that's falling on it's face

A slow decline - the sudden stop at the end

Sun's gonna rise - inshaallah in the east again

Rushing up, forming crowds and breaking lines

Is this the last act flashing before our eyes

or the starting of the rising tide?

I want to reach out

but not to break the fall, calling interference

This is not the time to cower in the shadow of doubt

This time we can clasp our hands around the world and

pave the streets by pounding the pavement, with our feet we'll

Stand together - all around the world

When the riot act is falling on deaf ears,

It's time to open your eyes

With one heart beating, back against the wall

No way to give up in a crack down

With everybody looking for the smoking gun

Can you ever go back home, now that this has begun?

Pay no mind, to the man behind the mirror - and all the lies

This is so much bigger than an election or a leader

If politics and fashion are the same thing

Then human rights are as real as what's in between

a you and a me

There's a fine line violence getting walked on

A united front in divided times

There a set amount of getting stepped on

Before it's time - it's time to rise up

I want to clasp our hands together

pave the streets by pounding the pavement with our feet

Stand united - all around the world

While there's a leaf blower blowing up the white house lawn

Millions of millions are getting dusted in down town Tehran

Paying in blood but taking baby steps forward

While the world watches on over youtube's shoulder

Just killing time, while they're killing themselves

In the name of freedom and for hope itself

Living in the nightmares

we use to get scared

of others just like ourselves...

If we ever wake up - this will be a better place

If we ever wake up - we can make a better world

not one falling on it's face

If we ever wake up...

Everybody wake up.

early morning puppy poop patrol

I woke up to the least fantastic sight of the week: plenty of poo in my doggie's kennel. Boo Uhura, boo. This is a first. In three weeks she has not pooped in her kennel for an unexcusable reason (she poohed in it when we left her with a strange lady - her vet - over night last weekend, but she was super stressed, and I wasn't there so I forgive her) until this morning/last night.

I'm going to be perfectly honest, I don't know what to do.

I cleaned it off the kennel itself. I hand washed her blanket and pillow, followed by machine wash (where they are now), and I shortened up her kennel space from all of it to just over half. I took her outside where she pooped and pee'd again and I have to give her a bath at some point. If she'd ever stop whining I'd take her out of the kennel again (I don't let her out when she's being vocal about wanting her freedom).

=(

I want to have fun with her and take her for a walk, but I don't want her to have any sort of reward associated with crappin the kennel. I love this little puppy and even though I'm not so pleased with her antics, I understand that she is a natural creature with needs and bowels and that this is probably my fault. When she makes her mess inside I feel like I failed her.

Symbolic Waking Dream After Meaningful Experience

I have had a waking dream.

I have dreamt:

A wall of ash taking the shape of people and animals on it's leading edge - It's moving, they're moving - as fast the wall can advance. It shifts between shapes like leaders in an infinite amount of races. Rushing towards doomsday, rushing towards the end of existence. Fading from the front is like slipping into quicksand - at what point is it all at a loss?

But not all are arriving as such. A banner, I beacon or a sign-post. A standard upon which rests a lengthy oak staff . High above the lengthy column of followers (reds and oranges, uniforms or robes?): A red phoenix in an sphere. In it's iron cage the bird appears joyful, either mechanical or most pleased. The bearer of the standard wears a silly hat - it is four, black folded corners upon a white cap. Triangle/diamond shapes folded up on a half sphere. They were very different than anyone else.

When I saw the ash wall, I thought, "where am I?" I didn't feel represented, thought, "Have I fallen back into the disintegrating ash?" I looked upon the phoenix with admiration. I did not feel like I was a part of the ash.

I dreamt of an angel watching over me counting each action I make marking it's length with and without using numbers, colors. I saw him counting down, but not moving backwards. And, as well as also - never instead - like two angels. Outside my concept of time.

Time moving through itself. The end coming from it's beginning, the beginning crossing through towards the end. Perhaps circling back upon itself only to collide again.

I thought of the Judaeo-Christian-Islamic idea of judgement day. I looked up to a door in an archway where it was assumed that Jesus would be and it was empty; like it was his apartment and he was elsewhere. He was where he is supposed to be. I looked up and saw Mohammad(pbuh) praying for the ummah and all who would be saved by the mercy of ar-rahman.

This was happening on a desert plane seemingly nestled between the ever shifting ash-like images seen above and below, not a reflection but not a separation either; flowing like water and smoke.

[+-=#=-+] felt bigger than anyone's concept of GOD could contain - larger than perception itself. I didn't know where I stood and I worried about whether or not that meant I'd be consumed by the ash but for the first time since I ever imagined hell, I felt safe.

* * *

If our genes are codes that contain possible preferences and capabilities... Nature & Nurture - programmed for better or programmed for worse but given a choice. The better can choose worse, and the worse can strive for better. With time working forward and backward. The entirety seen as crystal clear from outside. All things known.

Beyond life, I felt alive.