So I had a couple of dreams that merged together. First, I was at Bon Jovi concert.

Side-note: I recently saw Bon Jovi pitching for Aleve, popping them like Chicklets. I wonder if he still has a stomach, or if he’s on a feeding tube. Crazy. It’s like money over honor.

Anyway, in the dream, Bon Jovi covered Motley Crue’s Don’t Go Away Mad. I guess they thought Lay Your Hands on Me wasn’t holding up well.

The Dream transitioned into some crazy chase scene in Asia. Maybe it was Hong Kong. It was a group of us. Some Yakuza were chasing us.

We hopped on one of those street cabs. You know, the kind where the guy is pulling you along. Anyway, the guy was hauling. He was fast, faster than the ninjas that were dressed in regular street clothes.

We end up at the cabby’s house. He leaves a clue out front that we were in the house. I was like, “Why?” And the cabby was like, “Let them find us. I dare them to come in.” Of course, I locked the door when we got in the house.

Bon Jovi Concert and Hong Kong Chase is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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So, I had three dreams last night that were interconnected.

The first one, I was away at a training seminar. About halfway through, I stopped doing the coursework. Lost interest. bored. I remember planning to travel back with a co-worker; it was a long drive, like, 20 hours or more. I was up at 2am the morning of the trip.

Dream two was interconnected with dream one: former co-worker Juan Arasa was at the training seminar. We were talking Real Estate. Turned out he lived near the house in Fort Myers that I am losing to foreclosure in real life. The actual area was a fictional looking Fort Myers, like a mix of Florida and North Carolina. Anyway, he had moved there and I was telling him how to get to my old house. Not sure why I was giving him directions … to give him furniture? Who knows.

Dream three: I was at a theme park with the family. They had this amazing roller coaster. Second time I’ve seen it in a dream. Basically, there are these huge, clear spheres that are lined up on the track. Two people can step in the sphere. It opens like a clam and then closes. There was a beachball-size magnetic ball inside for each person. You’re supposed to hold on to the magnetic ball during the ride. That’s it. No straps, no seats, no harnesses, nothing.

It was an indoor coaster, and yet it stopped when it rained?

The ride begins. You’re sitting in the sphere. When the coaster starts to turn, you twist around. The ball you’re holding on to keeps you oriented and inside the sphere. At certain points, the clear sphere you’re in opens up, and the ball somehow keeps you from flying out, as long as you hold on. You can hang if you want, but just don’t let go! Very unsafe ride, right?

Anyway, it started raining just as our coaster was going. So, they stopped the ride and let us off near this grandstand where people watched the coaster go by. The coaster was not allowed to run when it rained, for some reason. It was a mostly indoor coaster!

One thing led to another and my son Bubba snuck off and walked across the tracks to where the coaster ends. I noticed and started yelling for him to come back. He sat down. I couldn’t tell if he was sitting on a seat or the actual track; the grandstand obscured the view. Turned out he was sitting on the track.

Luckily, the person operating the coasters saw Bubba and stopped the incoming coaster before it ran him over. It stopped right on top of him. I feared the worst.

Bubba did not realize he was sitting on a track. He thought he was safe. I made it over there, panicked. He was fine.

So, three dreams … it makes me think of times in my life where I’ve felt overwhelmed, like now….

Three Dreams, Interconnected: Sphere Roller Coaster is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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2011-08-18_18-10.mp3 Listen on Posterous

Vahl discusses:
– Dream Seeker audio book
– Kate Bush
– Google Panda
– Star Trek Traveller
– Beyonce

The figurative Realtor's hand is in many things. Many folks have signed up. There is no Dream Seeker to counter his reality trade.

The figurative Realtor is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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A Justice Crew Tale

The Spanish ships appeared, intimidating as a Hollywood movie alien invasion. The natives greeted Columbus and his sailors in a friendly manner, offering numerous trinkets to their would-be conquerors.

Would-be. The Arawaks did not know the future.

Several mile-wide discs appeared in the sky. This time, the Spaniards stared in awe and curiosity. Jet-packed
predators in armored space suits flew out of the nearest disc, landing and immediately killing Columbus and the sailors around him.

A ten-story tall walking tripod landed on the beach. It began blasting the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria out of existence and history books.

The back of the tripod had a custom plate with the letters WR PRGRS. Inside the tripod, a Howard Zinn book was tucked into the back of the pilot’s seat.

Over the next few months, the combat aliens trained the Arawaks in the art of 21st century warfare, complete with weapons, munitions, body armor and enhancers.

Rose from the Soul Patrol watched the progress from her cabin in the main floating disc. Time travel gave her the ability to be very productive with her free, uh, time. She never aged due to the curse, which made these sojourns possible. While Sean, Eva, Maria, and the others slept the night away in the present, Rose time-traveled for months.

She smiled, even though she had merely created an alternate timeline. It was not possible to undo the injustices in her own timeline, but she found solace in that she had created a new reality where an evil event had been prevented and rectified. 

Soon, the Arawaks and other natives would sail the Atlantic and, ahem, visit Europe. One good turn deserved another, as far as Rose was concerned. She hoped Antonio de Machado was among the first to bite the dust.

“Machado created the Soul Patrol,” telepathically commented the R’chtr Z’thms alien crystal that had befriended Rose and made all this possible.

Exactly, thought Rose.

Arawaks vs. Aliens is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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There are certain celebrities and athletes that I will apologize for no matter what they say or do, much like the fictional character The Apologist in the Dream Seeker Universe. One person that I feel compelled to defend at the water cooler is Lebron James.

The man wears that number 6 proudly, doesn’t he, Enneagram fans? He is such a paradox. LeBron James is dominating and friendly. He can be insensitive to others when he speaks, and yet appears sensitive to personal attacks. He’s a dominant scorer who likes to pass. He blows talcum powder in the air during his player introduction, and yet he wants to be respected. The LamESPiN media doesn’t know what to make of him.

Well, I know what to make of LeBron. He’s a still-maturing 25 year old who happens to be incredibly talented AND wealthy. He is listened to because of his basketball skills by the MSM, but let’s face it: he’s still growing up. LeBron skipped college. His adult life has been a childhood dream for everybody else. He’s a dominant player who can carry a team of lesser players into the playoffs.

So what he puts his foot in his mouth? So he insulted owner Dan Gilbert and Cleveland fans because of the manner of how he left for Miami. I’m sorry, but what does that say about Gilbert, that he put so much stock in a kid who was still wet behind the ears? When did athletic skills = maturity, anyway?

Honestly, I don’t care what LeBron has to say at this point. He can belittle us poor people and lash out at mutant Twitter users all day; I get that he’s a kid, and I don’t really know him. He’s a digital image on my screen, playing for a team that I happen to root for. He’s part of my entertainment package. His prowess on the basketball court helps me forget for worries, if only for a brief moment. I’m rooting for him to work on his jumpshot and post-up game in the off-season, ala Magic Johnson and Michael Jordon, and that’s about it.

As far as him quitting against Boston back in 2010: it does appear that when he gets tired of a bad situation, and he knows there’s an escape route (free agency, next season), he will pull back. I totally relate to this. I remember one time, I was working real hard on a project called Digistar, back in the 90′s, and the managers knew a bunch of us were about to be laid off. It was after the lay off happened that I recognized the look of sadness on their faces as I gave 110% to get a job done. So, they knew my effort was for a lost cause.

Sorry, folks, but giving 110% all the time, even for a lost cause like Digistar or the 2010 Cleveland Cavaliers is the path of the easy mark. I don’t blame LeBron for taking it easy when playing for a team that can’t acquire talent for him.

Returning to Dan Gilbert: he should be frustrated at himself for not recruiting players to come and play with LeBron when he had the chance. Gilbert’s tweet last night, “Old lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE” is incredibly LAME, considering the Cleveland basketball organization tried to take a shortcut to a championship by drafting LeBron and surrounding him with B-List talent.

Anyway, I wish LeBron James the best in his future basketball endeavors, and I hope he unplugs from the ESPN/Twitter matrix. Continue being a great defender. Work on that jumper. Work on that post-up game, ala Kevin McHale. Keep passing that ball, ala Magic.

Yankees fans unite!

List of People I Defend: LeBron James is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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When I was reading about the Facebook smear campaign against Google, I was amazed by the description of Burson-Marsteller, the PR firm that Facebook hired to conduct the smear. I read terms like:
- “Evidence-based Communications”
- “Digital Marketing”
- “Global Public Relations”

I was reading this and thinking to myself, “Is this the Realtor’s organization in real life? Is this the company that buys, sells, and trades realities to the masses? Have they been caught red-handed?”

Well, let’s see: Burson-Marsteller has been around 58 years. Not that long, in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps this is like the Realtor when he sheds an identity like a snake sheds its skin, and redefines himself for a generation or two.

I checked out 90 year old Harold Burson’s blog, and he seemed like a nice old gentleman. He did not seem like the Realtor at all.

I watched a video with current CEO Mark Penn, COO Richard Powell, and Realtor-wanna-be Josh Gottheimer, and except for Josh, they all seemed to be nice. Sure, Mark Penn has the piercing eyes of an Enneagram Type 8 CEO, sharing the same personality as Dream Seeker icon the Gambler, but he was aggressively pitching evidence-based PR, tracking performance, data-driven approaches. He sounded like a Google acolyte more than a Gambler.

Then again, the Gambler knows how to play the odds, and understands the mathematics of chance.

And let’s not forget what brought Burson-Marsteller into the world of tech news: their attempt to accuse Google of privacy infringement. Their actions speak louder than words; in this case, two workers decided to take on an unethical project from Facebook. If these two workers felt comfortable taking on such job, what does that say about the corporate culture at Burson-Marsteller? Gamblers know how to play the odds, but they also tend to play things fast and loose.

If you think about it, you could argue that all Public Relations is a calculated gamble. PR firms attempt to influence public opinion, which is about as predictable as knowing which number will face up when the die is cast. You know the odds, and you can place your chips based on that knowledge, but you can’t predict outcomes to 100% accuracy.

I think all the talk of being data-driven and evidence-based is just a gambler bragging about how he counts cards at the Black Jack table. Burson-Marsteller and their CEO, Mark Penn, understand the odds when it comes to PR, and they played the game better than anybody.

Until this week.

Anyway, if I were to compare Burson-Marsteller to a Dream Seeker character, I would compare them to the Gambler.

Whether Mark Penn is actually an Enneagram Type 8, or perhaps a 2w3, is open to debate.

Does Burson-Marsteller = The Realtor? is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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We’ve invited Dream Seeker character the Realtor to give his take on some photos Tony Vahl took, as well as to talk about the new economy we’re living through currently.

- photo of house with graffiti, announcing that the house has already between vandalized once

Graffiti on house tells vandals to stay away.

“The house already looks vandalized. The graffiti is overkill.

“This is a great example of what is wrong with the economy. People have no pride in what they own. This homeowner should invest some effort in making the house look good, which would increase the value of the home and the surrounding neighborhood.

Remember when Madden 10 and Red Steel were $49.99?

- $7.99 Wii games

“That’s capitalism. Demand goes down, and so do prices. Nintendo is reacting to the market by announcing a new console for 2012.

“You can’t blame Walmart for selling you a game that cost $49.99 two years ago that only costs $7 today. Heck, you got to play that game back when everyone was playing it. It was part of your social experience, bonding with fellow game players as you played We Ski or Red Steel. Connecting with friends and family is always worth the full retail price.”

What? Perfectly good food tossed in front of a gas station pump?!

- half-eaten McDonald’s chicken sandwich laying on the ground, in front of a gas pump

“Heh, Tony Vahl. I just have to laugh at this photo because it proves my point: the recession is in your mind. If gas prices were really that bad, that sandwich would be in someone’s stomach, and not the floor.

“The fact that we throw out so much food proves the economy is still strong, despite what the naysayers claim. Including you, Vahl.”

Realtor: Welcome to the New Economy is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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Oh, yeah. Check out that adult video store right on the river.

Look at the trash on the concrete bridge.

Look at the endless pillars holding up empty offices and stores.

While you’re watching the spectacular Goodyear blimp shots of the AAA and celebrities like P. Diddy watching the Miami Heat, understand that the REAL Miami is just a few blocks away. Homeless, derelict shops, pan handlers, toothless dudes talking to themselves and walking towards you.

This place needs a hero. Miami needs the Shadow Gentleman.

Real Shadow Gentleman: Welcome to the Real Miami is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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Recently, Damian and I had a conversation about the choices someone we know has made during their life. We’ll call this person Ariadne.

So, Ariadne has a disorder that is difficult to overcome. Difficult, but possible.

Over the years, Ariadne has let me down many times, big time. While I sympathize with her condition and the traumatic experiences she’s lived through, I’m not a punching bag. When a person repeatedly abuses my friendship and trust, I eventually write them off. The person is no longer worthy of the bond I develop with friends, so I sever the connection.

This is very similar to what the Soul Patrol does in the Dream Seeker novel The Velvet Mask and other stories, but I’ll get to that.

Ariadne recently stopped taking her medications and had a series of incidents that landed her in the hospital. Damian pointed out that she made the choice to stop listening to her doctors, and she made the choice to give in to her impulses.

Damian is quite correct. In a free society like the USA, you have free will, and you are held accountable for your actions. Ariadne made a foolish choice, and now she must live with the fact that she is in the hospital.

However, when I write someone off, I disregard their choices. So, my accounting mind was having trouble reconciling accounting for someone’s free will when I’ve already written them off.

People like that are like ghosts, as fast as I’m concerned. When I encounter Ariadne, it feels like I’m reliving the past from a distance, and I’m in the present. It’s like watching an old horror movie again. It’s like time travel without the butterfly effect.

Yesterday, I finally reconciled the equation. It occurred to me that Ariadne made her choice years ago; she did exercise her free will. So, while I disregard her future choices, it’s because she made poor choices in the past. What’s done is done, and I am under no obligation to give her the benefit of the doubt in the future.

This reminds me of the Soul Patrol; the group’s mission in life is to capture humans who have lost “it,” the vital human quality that helps us choose to overcome our base urges and desires. People who lose “it” are like walking human husks. They have no soul anymore. They keep society stuck in neutral with their vapid existence.

Since there is no Soul Patrol in real life to perform this function (just American Idol Taylor Hicks fans), people like me, who strive to be and remain self-actualized, have to write people off and disconnect from people that could drain us and bring us down.

Does that sound harsh? It’s not as harsh as someone like Ariadne, who leaves you stranded when you need her the most. She makes no apologies for her harshness towards her husband, children, family, and friends; I make no apologies for defending myself, my family, and my friends against her madness in a world that is already sufficiently crazy.

Real Life Soul Patrol: Choices is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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Download now or listen on posterous

Dream Deja Vu and ripping the Nihilist.mp3 (2201 KB)

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Dream Seeker podcast, where DailySkew co-founders Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital talk about their dreams and Dream Seeker characters.

On today's podcast, Vahl discusses a real life scenario that reminded him if a dream, how he sees the future in his dreams, and rips people that act like Dream Seeker character Neil Haney, a.k.a. the Nihilist.

Dream Deja Vu; Ripping the Nihilist is a post from: Dream Seeker Universe 2010 Copyright Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital

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