Thoughts crash and swirl,

a cacophany in my mind.

Paper and pen at the ready,

eyes bright with intent.

Seconds become minutes,

minutes an hour.

Pen poised over paper,

frozen and waiting.

A tear forms and falls,

as reality dawns.

No more words.

No more words to fill the page.

No more words to ease the pain.

No more words to plead my case.

No more words left in my pen.

No more words.

#no more words

Why do I blink in the dark? It does not help. It did not help in the dark jungle or desert full of dangers and death. It did not help at night in my room when the monsters under my bed growled and gnashed their teeth. It did not help when they laughed at me as I mounted the stage for my award. It never seems to help when the pain hits or the dentist begins his drilling. It does not help now, sitting in the dark, as my life falls apart around me and the tears begin to flow. Why do I blink in the dark?

Who is left to write from the perspecive of the Mohican? The Bo? Capayan? Koningo, Lache, or Taino? Should we forbid anyone to write from their perspective and thus consign them permanently to the bin of forgotten history? What of the living tribes of the Amazon who have no written language and no author to relate their tales or stories of their perspective to ecnourage support or knowledge of their experience?

Look at it another way. Should we only allow former Nazis to write of the experiences and history of their exploits? Of course not, since we all know very well that there would be little or no reflection on the actual results and horrors of their history. Even the few that would write ‘honestly’ would by nature have to mitigate their own involvement to avoid outright castigation.

I understand the sentiment to deny anyone other than a member of the group to write from or about the group. It seems noble on its face, however: It severly limits exposure of smaller groups to society as a whole since there would be fewer authors available if any. Although the proponents of such a ‘ban’ would claim a racial element I contend that it is equally racial to propose the ‘ban’ in the first place. After all, the ultimate reality is that we are all basically equal and internally the same human base model, with different exteriors and experiences. If an author is careful to research thoroughly, and rigorously filters their own internal voices, they may be able to create a path to understanding that would otherwise not be there, or might be rejected outright due to the authors actual race.

Of course, if we take the ‘ban’ to the extreme, then we would have to end the practice of publishing Biographies, as that too would be ‘appropriational’. Also, men could only write novels filled with other men and only the description or non-interpretive dialogue for any women encountered in the novel. By the way, nobody seems to mind the female writers in Vogue or Cosmo writing article after article each year since forever, about “What men really think!” or “Why your man does what he does!” And of course noone ever really knows who wrote the dialogue of the various characters in television shows or movies.

Finally, I notice during these discussions of late, the limitation seems to be aimed only at 'certain' groups. For example, gay writers may write about straight characters but not vice versa, or black writers can create white characters but not the reverse. Once again, as long as the author is careful in their research, and diligent in their efforts to filter out their own perspectives when writing about or for characters of other backgrounds, it is my opinion that they do more good than harm.

Of course I am an extremist when it comes to freedom to write and say whatever you wish, however you wish, leaving the task of censorship up to the readers.

I have watched you win. I have watched you lose. I have seen your tears and seen your fangs. I have suffered through the slideshows of your exploits and conquests. I have laughed at your jokes and ridiculed your enemies. I have held your hair as you bent to purge the sins of the evening, and I have picked you up after oh, so very many falls. But today, that all changes. Today I must tell you the one thing I have kept secret from you. Today I must finally explain why I have always been there for you, and why I always will be there.

I love you.

Love and money are great motivators but there is one thing that motivates pretty much everyone who experiences it: Fear. The problem is dosage. Too much fear and you get lock up, shaking, crying, and quite often shouting and cursing, and finally flight. Too little and you risk inuring the target to your efforts and can even provide a pleasant rush. In the proper dosage, Fear will drive even the most complacent to action. With further careful application of Fear one can achieve the desired results.

Well, definately closed casket.

Damn, this wind is freakin' cold as hell! Wish I had worn a jacket now.

Hope the moron that 'forgot' to tighten the bolts on that rail dies in a car fire.

Ok, maybe that was a bit harsh.

Should I let myself flip over or just let the impact come as a surprise?

Oh crap! Mom's gonna find my stash of porn.

Where is my phone...oh yeah...dropped it...lunged for it...and here we are. idiot.

Is that bird laughing at me? haha, yeah, yeah!

I hope this doesn't hurt.

I knew I shoulda' gone beach not this ridiculous Canyon.

Man I wish I had the phone. A death selfie would go totally viral.....forever!

What the hell is that guy yelling for.

Yeah! I know! I'm falling. Idiot.

Did I lock the jeep?

I could flip over and do a swan dive screaming at the world thing. Might get recorded.

I'm scared.

Man it sure is cold.

Holy Crap!

I'm falling.

I'm going to die!

Dammit, I shoulda told Mom I loved her before I left.

She knows.

I will not cry.

This is taking forever, that's not fair.

Please don't let this hurt God. I'll settle for a cot out back for no pain.

I'm sorry mom.

Sorry God.

Sorry world.

I shoulda done more.

Wake up

Rain helps us appreciate the sunshine more. Sadness makes even the smallest happiness seem monumental, and death reminds us to live.

Stand still for a moment, let your heart rest, your mind ease into park, and take a good look around your life. Examine all that you have and what is most important, most valuable, to you. If it is a person, tell them. If it is a thing, use it. If it is an activity, do it. Stop walking past the roses, stop and smell them, admire them, appreciate them. Stop walking past the world with your head down. Instead, lift your head, smile and say hello to the world. Say hello to the day and all the people and things in it.

Wake up people! Stop living in theory and start enjoying reality! #wakeup #livelifefully

There are people who will think the most unthinkable of you in their moment of crisis.  Remain steadfast in your friendship strong in the knowledge of your innocence.  They may never believe you but at least the door remains open for the future.  Often this is the only victory for a righteous man.