Space, has been living in my brain since I was about 9 years old, I'm talking about "Outer Space". Growing up in the 3rd world, an unfortunate common idea is "The Sky", quite literally, "the sky" is the limit. So you can imagine my shock when I learned about "Astronauts" when I arrived in the USA when I was about 9 years old. The "idea" that there is MORE then just "The Sky", blew my mind. Ever since then, I've had an infatuation with Outer Space.
Unfortunately a short 3 years later I was sent back into the 3rd world, and by the time I returned, I had to focus on things like learning the educational system of the USA so that I can get a college degree, and of course work full-time to support myself getting that degree. I think if I had not been sent out the USA at age 12, I would probably have been an Astronaut.
One of my dreams is to be the 1st Sudanese artist to perform at the International Space Station, and no I'm not joking. I genuinely want to do that, and will keep trying until I achieve it one day.
I have my personal reasons for wanting to do this, but one of my reasons is to hopefully help my beloved people of Sudan know that "The Sky" is NOT the limit.
I'm currently reading a book called "The Overview Effect" by Frank White, he has been labeled a "Space Philosopher", and rightly so. The book is fascinating to me, it talks about the emotional and philosophical effect of seeing "Earth" from outer space. The experience is different for each astronaut, but there is a common theme, unity. It really is amazing.
I will be talking more about this book and my thoughts on it in future posts, so brace yourselves :)
One of things that I keep thinking about is "Why don't they have an 'Art' mission to outer space?". One of the quotes in the book was from one of the Astronauts who said "They should send poets, not test pilots", because one of the first questions they are asked is "What was it like?", and many of them don't have the words to describe it.
It is no secret that 'Art' is a powerful tool, from paintings, to songs, to poems & novels. Artists are in a way superheros, with the power to evoke thought and emotion. I constantly use the cosmos in my writing, be it references, or flat out songs like "Cosmic River" which is about auroras, and "Moonless Planet" about the "planet of contemplation" which is part of a universe I created for my concept album "Novella".
Maybe I should become a "Space Desert Poet", I'm practically one already :)
I was having a conversation with my talented friend and musical brother Nelson of Nelly's Echo, and he even challenged me to write a song that DOESN'T have some kind of cosmos reference, needless to say, I did not accept the challenge, I love my cosmos too much :)
I've never thought I would be a "philosophy" guy, but this book is really getting my brain gears to turn, adding more questions to the ones I already have about "life on Earth". One thing I also noticed, is that most of the countries who live in a particular "Archaic Thinking Bubble", don't have a Space Program.
I wonder if there is a connection.
I have a feeling this book is going to add fuel to the Space Fire that is already with in me, what I have been reading so far has actually given me hope that my dream of visiting outer space may actually happen, so I'm crossing my fingers, and trying to find avenues to make it possible. I can only imagine what kind of material I will end up writing about that out of world experience.
Wish me luck :)
Much Love
Mosno Al-Moseeki
www.mosno.net | Inta/Tweet: @mosno_music
