don’t stop at red lights or slow down in school zones. don’t recycle glass bottles or tell people to clean up after them­selves. don’t go to the beach. don’t go to the theatre when you can down­load the movie later.

don’t take risks, go out on a limb, break a sweat, or oth­er­wise try in some way.

and for god’s sake, don’t dance.
ever.

don’t get to know your neigh­bour or his dog’s name.

don’t ask and if asked, don’t tell. don’t offer to pick up the tab. don’t waste gas on long drives down winding boulevards when the rest of the world has gone to sleep. don’t turn up the music or roll down the windows.

don’t hold her hand. don’t let her press up against you. don’t stand there waiting for a kiss on the porch. don’t listen to her secrets.
don’t offer them.

don’t get lost in the moment.

don’t sip corona on water­front patios in the bright summer sun of mid-​july. don’t stand on the ter­race on the thirtiest floor. don’t wonder how far you can see. don’t take the window seat.

don’t do some­thing you can’t explain to someone else later. don’t smile for no reason.

don’t be reck­less, crack jokes, enjoy a back­street boys song, bask in the stu­pidity of the moment, or oth­er­wise enjoy your­self free of pre­tense or inhib­i­tion. don’t forget that someone is always watching you.

don’t listen to 80s music.

don’t dress up for hal­loween or send christmas cards. don’t get caught up in romantic com­edies. don’t do valentines day. don’t write let­ters or keep old ones in a shoebox under­neath your bed.

don’t struggle. don’t protest. don’t stand up. don’t fight back. don’t travel, learn a new lan­guage, eat strange food.

don’t believe in a cause. don’t believe that there might be some­thing better out there.

don’t do all the little things that fall lost between the big things that you wait for to happen, all the little things that add a little magic to a life that, by and large, is out of your control.

don’t fall in love.
don’t sing.
don’t vote.

why should you vote when your vote doesn’t matter?
why should you matter when you can’t even vote.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8y1e-z1JA0[/youtube]