(transitive verb)
1
: to direct or take part in the operation or management of
: to direct the performance of
: to lead from a position of command

2
: to cause (oneself) to act or behave in a particular and especially in a controlled manner

3
: to bring by or as if by leading : GUIDE

(noun)
1
: a mode or standard of personal behavior especially as based on moral principles

2
: the act, manner, or process of carrying on : MANAGEMENT

. . .

[Photos below of very sweet, well-behaved dogs at Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang, Vietnam, followed by an embed link to the music video for the Dandy Warhols “Smoke It” with dogs from a dog show on stage with them as they belt the circa 2005 political protest anthem]

“. . . So if you’re gonna be a dog then at least be a good dog.”

sub · lime / “sə-ˈblīm” / definitions in verb, adjective, and noun use are provided below.

(verb)
: to elevate or exalt, especially in dignity or honor

(adjective)
: lofty, grand, or exalted in thought, expression, or manner
: of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth
: tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality (as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur) or transcendent excellence [I absolutely adore the smile of the young woman on the train opening a letter with her friend in the second photo]

(noun)
: American ska band formed in Long Beach California in 1988 that became known for pop hits such as “What I Got” and “Santeria,” which you can still find being played (ironically or not) in dive bars everywhere from here to Japan. [My apologies, as there is only one line from “Santeria” that I can remember. 🤭]

[Photos expressing and describing some form or expression of “Sublime” one way or the other from scenic vantage points in 🇻🇳 Vietnam to hearing an acoustic cover of Sublime’s “Santeria” at a punk bar in Golden Gai in 🇯🇵 Japan ]

am·​bi·​gu·​i·​ty ˌam-bə-ˈgyü-ə-tē 

1

a

: the quality or state of being ambiguous especially in meaning

“The ambiguity of the poem allows several interpretations.”

b

: a word or expression that can be understood in two or more possible ways : an ambiguous word or expression

2

: UNCERTAINTY

(Merriam-Webster)

“If you’ve got to go somewhere, then you better go somewhere far” is text written over a white noise filter of a figure, from El Vy’s “Return from the Moon music video.

Managing ambiguity is a soft skill I knew I needed to learn at work but the challenge is that it involves pushing through and persevering in spite of one of my biggest fears—ambiguity, as in the opposite of clarity.

I always think about the “uncertain” definition of ambiguity but I forgot there was another definition that came first—and that is the space where poetry may surface. I went on this trip to get uncomfortable and challenge my own ways of thinking. I’m going to share more on this website, and on Instagram.