Collective Trauma: The fallout 13

I'm going to try to write today, Gentle Reader, only about nice, positive, or maybe just benign and interesting things. That's right, it's going to be very short today! I had a rather interesting dream after waking up following just four and a half hours or so of sleep. When I went back to bed following a precautionary bathroom visit I tried to lucid dream as a way of getting me ready for sleep, given how difficult it can be at times to get back to sleep. So, in this dream, I was on a big bus with one of my supervisors from work and we were talking about my need to buy more art materials for the classes that I have been preparing for our clients, and while he was fishing in his wallet for several bills to give me, I noted that I already had money, but then recalled that it was a fund for my own needs and I should accept my supervisor's generous offering. The bus had already passed my stop but it was a beautiful neighbourhood and there would be time to walk. I accepted the money, then tried to get off the bus, but it had already widened till it looked more like the inside of a shopping mall. When I got out I was sitting on the grass in a park nearby with a small group of people, a lot of whom were Asian-Canadians. The fellow who was giving us some kind of motivational talk was a Filipino of perhaps forty. He approached me and got right in my face with his microphone to interview me and also to direct some of his talk at me. He seemed to like me. Then, two of the Asian Canadians got into a good-natured argument. It turned out that one of them was from southern China and was teasing the other guy about how superior the southern Chinese are to his kind who are from the north. I am not even going to begin to try to interpret this dream and it really doesn't matter. It was very real, innocent and fun. I am enjoying getting people, especially complete strangers, to smile, even if it's just to wish them a happy Sunday, or Saturday, or whatever day it is. I live in a nice little apartment that I can afford, in Vancouver, and I have just been given a generous reduction on my rent. In Vancouver! The weather has been lovely and summery, and following a heat wave, no longer too summery. I am enjoying more of the coffee I brought back from my friends in Costa Rica. I have friends. Very good ones, Canadian and Latino. My fridge and cupboards are full of good food. Since I have stopped listening to the radio, except for special programs, like this morning as they are playing some lovely classical music with interesting commentary, my blood pressure is back down in a healthy range. I could go on, but I think I will shut up for now. I will accept comments on today's blogpost. And I do trust that we are all going to take one little unselfish step today, to help make this world a slightly better place.