Stream of Consciousness Writing.

Shove me. Love me. Hug me. Drug me.

Blocking both noise and negative outside influence becomes a struggle as my wherewithal wears continuously more thin. As I question my own perceptions and ask why things seem as they do, I am reminded through truth, that truth hurts. It hurts because it is raw, bare and stripped of all duplicity. Honesty strikes a chord because it remains largely unseen in its purest form and also because it still causes confusion when presented as fact. Without honesty there is nothing, yet many of us refuse to accept even that basal truth. We believe people tell us the truth when asked to, but sometimes even that belief loses out due to the overriding (and common) perception that everyone lies. Or that no one is honest all the time. Or that everyone has an angle. Or the belief that people are only out for themselves.

Or what? What? What now?

When does the stimulation end? 

When does the simulation end? 

Ever? Never? My choice?

I wonder: Who's energy am I responsible for? Mine? Sure. Yours? Yes? No? But our energies affect each other (so I do have a role in you?) whether it is obvious at the time or even is recognized as it is happening. It can not be denied that humans affect whatever we come in contact with. This should be obvious as most everything we see and experience has been allowed to exist, or exists purely, because of human interaction/intervention. A perceived need was identified, a solution was required, and now to prove that we humans are doing it all fucking wrong, I present the very real existence of 8,500 Walmarts and 34,000 McDonald's as the realized answer.

Disgusting.

It is a horrible waste of time by all involved (builders, franchisers, suits, customers, etc.) to believe these places, or anything remotely close, do anything to help ease our world's collective struggles. Outside of supplying some temporary employment for people as they move towards something greater and offering cheap prices (on shitty shit), big box type stores and their wares largely function as reflections of society's confusion.

Even with the truth represented by the items on the shelves, still we deny. All that foreign made crap? Does that not speak volumes?

Surely we are not all deaf to the cries?


Stop building strip malls. Stop building ugly. Stop building cheaply. Stop misguiding energy. Stop stupid before it starts.

Shut the FUCK up!

Enough already. Change it.

Imagine building for beauty's sake. Imagine beauty for beauty's sake. Imagine building for health's sake. Imagine living for yourself and being the vibrancy that brings about positive change.

In Grand Rapids, Alpine Avenue and 28th Street are probably tied for the number of vile rote buildings in a row. Token colors are found and there are gems hidden amongst the chains, but 28th Street could be any "major" street in any city in the country. Nothing special or discerning. Only traffic, messed up left turns and retailer after retailer housed in common and vulgar storefronts peddling the same tired wares as their neighbors.

Boring. Gross. Burn them to the ground. We do not need another Michael's or Office Depot. Never ever.

Where is the variety? Where is the pretty? Where is the passion? When did this complacency blanket get thrown over our heads? When did we collectively allow "plain" to become the overriding and acceptable end resulting from our chosen means? What happened to the goddamned details?

Local businesses are much more likely to have unique items than the rest. If you want 15,000 G.I. Joes, go to Walmart. If you want a special something go down the street. A simple idea really, but tough for many to adhere to or even consider. Forget about convenience for once and attach meaning to all you do. Believe that your time is you. It is all that exists and however you choose to spend that five minutes, two weeks or that quick instant will affect someone else in some way.

Control your world by controlling yourself.

Peace.