Sunday night (12/30/07)
It was Weight Watchers Weekend at a retreat center, and this year they had a Bee Gees theme. Andy Gibb could be seen bicycling around the compound, smiling at everyone, and Barry Gibb was inside the pavilion, having a drink and talking with one of the members of the program. The guy said, "I'm having trouble losing the first 10 pounds." Barry replied, "Well, those are always the hardest." Later on I was lying in a cot in a large open room, which was a sleeping area for the guests. Two teenage girls were lying near me on the floor, and were vying for my attention. Although it was dark, I could see what they were doing; both opened their sleeping bags / pulled away their covers to reveal that they were naked. (Neither one needed Weight Watchers, either.) I climbed down and pulled the covers back over each of them, and said, "Hey -- my mom can see what you're doing!" (She was in another cot near mine, and was wearing a red checked bathrobe.) The girl to the right was most unhappy that someone else was prying into her business, and exclaimed, "She's a JERK!" Later on I got a call from my wife, who wanted to know how it was going at the center, and where our child was. I paused, and said that I'd left the kid with a babysitter -- one of the teenagers...
*****
My mom in this dream wasn't my real mom, and my wife wasn't my real wife, and we don't have a child. This is almost a cliche -- the older man tempted by the young babysitter. In the real world, my real temptation, as we start this new year, is not young women, but food which will continue to elevate my bad cholesterol. Let's hope that I can get that number headed in the opposite direction.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Christmas Spirit
Saturday night (12/29/07)
I was in a parking garage elevator with several other people; all of us were headed down to the street level. We were going to a nice restaurant where we would dine together. I was wearing my brown leather jacket. I looked to my left and saw a young gay couple, guys in their mid-20s, who looked almost like identical twins. They had short, blondish haircuts, each wore glasses, and both of them wore white button-downs with Christmas slogans emblazoned all over them in red and green: "Merry Christmas!" "Ho Ho Ho!", etc. I said, "I like those shirts." One of the guys said, "Thanks. Susan gave them to us."
*****
The "Susan" that the fellow was referring to is Susan B., the director of my department at work.
I was in a parking garage elevator with several other people; all of us were headed down to the street level. We were going to a nice restaurant where we would dine together. I was wearing my brown leather jacket. I looked to my left and saw a young gay couple, guys in their mid-20s, who looked almost like identical twins. They had short, blondish haircuts, each wore glasses, and both of them wore white button-downs with Christmas slogans emblazoned all over them in red and green: "Merry Christmas!" "Ho Ho Ho!", etc. I said, "I like those shirts." One of the guys said, "Thanks. Susan gave them to us."
*****
The "Susan" that the fellow was referring to is Susan B., the director of my department at work.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saving the Game
Friday night (12/28/07)
It was the late 1960s or early 1970s, but I was the age that I am now. I was in Manhattan, and went up in a high-rise to the office of retired baseball superstar Joe DiMaggio. I was there to persuade him to give me the address of baseball's commissioner Bowie Kuhn, something that was a closely-held secret. I made my case, and eventually he relented and gave me the address, because I had a plan to save the game he loved. I made my way to Kuhn's office, and walked in without an appointment. Once there, I opened a big square case that I had been lugging around. It contained a metal contraption inside a clear box, which, when placed on a baseball outfield, would chew up and strip off Astro Turf, revealing the natural grass, so that once again the game could be played the way it was intended to be played.
*****
I'm still in Richmond, at the home of my twin brother and sister-in-law. Last night, just before bed, I stood before Drew's bookcase filled with books about baseball, and chose one called "The Glory of Their Times: The Story of the Early Days of Baseball." A biography of Joltin' Joe DiMaggio was next to it.
This dream is a metaphor for the current problems in baseball; I could just as easily have substituted steroids for Astro Turf and Bud Selig for Bowie Kuhn, except for the fact that Selig is probably worse than Kuhn ever was, and the problem of steroids is a lot more difficult to root out and solve than the scourge of Astro Turf.
It was the late 1960s or early 1970s, but I was the age that I am now. I was in Manhattan, and went up in a high-rise to the office of retired baseball superstar Joe DiMaggio. I was there to persuade him to give me the address of baseball's commissioner Bowie Kuhn, something that was a closely-held secret. I made my case, and eventually he relented and gave me the address, because I had a plan to save the game he loved. I made my way to Kuhn's office, and walked in without an appointment. Once there, I opened a big square case that I had been lugging around. It contained a metal contraption inside a clear box, which, when placed on a baseball outfield, would chew up and strip off Astro Turf, revealing the natural grass, so that once again the game could be played the way it was intended to be played.
*****
I'm still in Richmond, at the home of my twin brother and sister-in-law. Last night, just before bed, I stood before Drew's bookcase filled with books about baseball, and chose one called "The Glory of Their Times: The Story of the Early Days of Baseball." A biography of Joltin' Joe DiMaggio was next to it.
This dream is a metaphor for the current problems in baseball; I could just as easily have substituted steroids for Astro Turf and Bud Selig for Bowie Kuhn, except for the fact that Selig is probably worse than Kuhn ever was, and the problem of steroids is a lot more difficult to root out and solve than the scourge of Astro Turf.
Bike Shop
Thursday night (12/27/07)
I was shopping with my 5-year-old nephew, Dominic, when we happened upon a bicycle shop and walked inside. I said, "If you could have any bike in the shop, which one would you pick?" He didn't answer; he was too caught up in looking at all of the varieties, which covered the walls. At one point I handed Domi to one of the workers behind the counter; he held him as I stood on my tip-toes to get a better look at an older bike which was out of reach. (Domi wasn't too thrilled to be handed to someone he didn't know.) A little while later I was done looking at everything, and I carried Dom back outside. I was surprised to see that Domi was starting to cry. He was upset that he didn't get a new bike. I said, "We can't go home to seven brothers and sisters with one new bicycle."
*****
Dom is old enough to walk on his own, but he still likes to be carried. I suppose that it wouldn't be fair to bring a little kid into a bike shop and leave empty-handed, but what do you do when that kid has so many siblings? You don't go to the bike shop in the first place...
I was shopping with my 5-year-old nephew, Dominic, when we happened upon a bicycle shop and walked inside. I said, "If you could have any bike in the shop, which one would you pick?" He didn't answer; he was too caught up in looking at all of the varieties, which covered the walls. At one point I handed Domi to one of the workers behind the counter; he held him as I stood on my tip-toes to get a better look at an older bike which was out of reach. (Domi wasn't too thrilled to be handed to someone he didn't know.) A little while later I was done looking at everything, and I carried Dom back outside. I was surprised to see that Domi was starting to cry. He was upset that he didn't get a new bike. I said, "We can't go home to seven brothers and sisters with one new bicycle."
*****
Dom is old enough to walk on his own, but he still likes to be carried. I suppose that it wouldn't be fair to bring a little kid into a bike shop and leave empty-handed, but what do you do when that kid has so many siblings? You don't go to the bike shop in the first place...
Friday, December 28, 2007
Look: Up in the Sky!
Wednesday night (12/26/07)
Gene P. and I were standing in the the middle of a city at night, surrounded by skyscrapers. We were looking up at the sky, marveling at a huge flying disc, covered with lights, which was hovering not far above the buildings. I said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that was a space ship!" Both of us knew that it wasn't -- it was a communications satellite. Gene pointed to it and smiled and said, "There's 3 million people on that thing!"
*****
Gene is now the director of the Nashville branch of the foundation where I used to work. He was always nice to me.
I suppose that any hovering, flying disc carrying 3 million people could rightfully be called a space ship...
Gene P. and I were standing in the the middle of a city at night, surrounded by skyscrapers. We were looking up at the sky, marveling at a huge flying disc, covered with lights, which was hovering not far above the buildings. I said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that was a space ship!" Both of us knew that it wasn't -- it was a communications satellite. Gene pointed to it and smiled and said, "There's 3 million people on that thing!"
*****
Gene is now the director of the Nashville branch of the foundation where I used to work. He was always nice to me.
I suppose that any hovering, flying disc carrying 3 million people could rightfully be called a space ship...
Everybody's Waiting
Tuesday night (Christmas)
I was in a convenience store, such as a 7-11, and my wife's sister, Liz, and her husband, Jim, were outside, waiting for me in the car. I was there to buy some stocking stuffers for their kids. It was time for me to pay, and when I opened my wallet, the $50 bill that had been in there was suddely gone. I panicked, and beseeched the people behind the counter and a bunch of folks in line to wait a minute while I looked for it. I could see my brother-in-law and sister-in-law through the window, and they seemed to be frowning and asking the same question as the people at the end of the line: "What's the hold-up?"
*****
My brother- and sister-in-law never expected me to buy any such thing for their kids, and treated me and my wife very nicely during this trip. Having said that, I had planned to pick up some little things, such as pens, to place in the kids' stockings, and never got around to it, so I suppose I was beating myself up about it in this dream.
I was in a convenience store, such as a 7-11, and my wife's sister, Liz, and her husband, Jim, were outside, waiting for me in the car. I was there to buy some stocking stuffers for their kids. It was time for me to pay, and when I opened my wallet, the $50 bill that had been in there was suddely gone. I panicked, and beseeched the people behind the counter and a bunch of folks in line to wait a minute while I looked for it. I could see my brother-in-law and sister-in-law through the window, and they seemed to be frowning and asking the same question as the people at the end of the line: "What's the hold-up?"
*****
My brother- and sister-in-law never expected me to buy any such thing for their kids, and treated me and my wife very nicely during this trip. Having said that, I had planned to pick up some little things, such as pens, to place in the kids' stockings, and never got around to it, so I suppose I was beating myself up about it in this dream.
Fish / The General
Sunday night (12/23/07)
Dream 1: Fish
Actress Meryl Streep was interested in learning about a certain type of fish, which were small as guppies. She stood very still, immersed in a pond, or lake, with only her head above the water, and her back faced the shore. The "camera" was facing her from the lake, focusing on her face. She was hoping that the fish in question would show up. Finally, one fish was curious enough to come in close, so Meryl slowly submerged her head, so she could have a look, eye to eye.
Dream 2: The General
I was kneeling next to my brother Drew, who was sitting in a chair at his desk. We were watching "The Charlie Rose Show" on TV. Rose was interviewing former General Norman Schwarzkoph, and they were taking phone calls on the air. After a few such calls, Rose picked up the phone, but this call wasn't broadcast. After a minute or so, he put the phone down, and said almost apologetically, "That was my nephew." He (the nephew) was a fan of the general, and was asking Rose to relay a question for him. When the taping of the show was over, we could see Schwarzkoph from the back. Rose said to him, "That was very good." N.S. said, "Not bad, eh?" A voice off-camera said, "Go on... talk to him." It was the nephew's mom, encouraging him to go up and meet his hero. He walked up timidly and said, "Mr. Schwarzkoph? Mr. Schwarzkoph?" The general turned around, got up and faced the boy. Schwarzkoph was wearing dark pants, a white button-down shirt, and a light blue tie. The boy said, "I'm Timmy." The general extended his hand and said, "I'm Norman Schwarzkoph, and I'm your good and holy friend."
*****
Andrew has always liked "The Charlie Rose Show." Jimmie, too, for that matter. Drew and I have this running gag, based on my observation that Rose still never seems to know how to sign off at the end of a program. He is amiable, all right, but he does tend to go on and on. Sometimes I'll call Drew's cell phone and imitate Rose, leaving the longest run-on sentence imaginable.
Dream 1: Fish
Actress Meryl Streep was interested in learning about a certain type of fish, which were small as guppies. She stood very still, immersed in a pond, or lake, with only her head above the water, and her back faced the shore. The "camera" was facing her from the lake, focusing on her face. She was hoping that the fish in question would show up. Finally, one fish was curious enough to come in close, so Meryl slowly submerged her head, so she could have a look, eye to eye.
Dream 2: The General
I was kneeling next to my brother Drew, who was sitting in a chair at his desk. We were watching "The Charlie Rose Show" on TV. Rose was interviewing former General Norman Schwarzkoph, and they were taking phone calls on the air. After a few such calls, Rose picked up the phone, but this call wasn't broadcast. After a minute or so, he put the phone down, and said almost apologetically, "That was my nephew." He (the nephew) was a fan of the general, and was asking Rose to relay a question for him. When the taping of the show was over, we could see Schwarzkoph from the back. Rose said to him, "That was very good." N.S. said, "Not bad, eh?" A voice off-camera said, "Go on... talk to him." It was the nephew's mom, encouraging him to go up and meet his hero. He walked up timidly and said, "Mr. Schwarzkoph? Mr. Schwarzkoph?" The general turned around, got up and faced the boy. Schwarzkoph was wearing dark pants, a white button-down shirt, and a light blue tie. The boy said, "I'm Timmy." The general extended his hand and said, "I'm Norman Schwarzkoph, and I'm your good and holy friend."
*****
Andrew has always liked "The Charlie Rose Show." Jimmie, too, for that matter. Drew and I have this running gag, based on my observation that Rose still never seems to know how to sign off at the end of a program. He is amiable, all right, but he does tend to go on and on. Sometimes I'll call Drew's cell phone and imitate Rose, leaving the longest run-on sentence imaginable.
Heron / Fire
Saturday night (12/22/07)
Dream 1: Heron
Duncan S. and I were in our early 20s, and we were renting rooms in the home of my ex-boss, Rod S, and his wife. Their own kids had already moved out of their house at that point, but Rod and his wife still lived there. The place was undergoing an extensive renovation, giving it more of a "modern" look. The upper floor of the house had new drywall, and I noticed that one wall had a door cut into it at a pretty strange angle. The finishing touch would be the installation of a large white sculpture of a great blue heron, resplendent in flight with neck folded in the customary "S" shape, which would sit boldly at the apex of the new roof.
Dream 2: Fire
A young punk, maybe 18 to 20 years old, decided that he'd like to burn a car in a parking lot, just for kicks, so he did. Soon, a crowd gathered; they had followed the billowing smoke and the flames, and all of the onlookers and curiosity-seekers were standing around, waiting for the authorities. One of the members of the crowd surveyed the scene, and he was mightily pissed off. It was Bruce Springsteen, and this was happening in his neighborhood. The "camera" focused on his face, which was very stern and serious, as the flames and smoke danced behind his head. They seemed an apt metaphor for his rising anger. Eventually, the fire department arrived and put the fire out, and the police carted the offender off to jail. A few days later, Springsteen had a hunch about what would happen next. He strolled back to the parking lot (wearing his jeans, boots and a T-shirt) and waited. Sure enough, after a little while, the pyro kid showed up. He had been released temporarily, and returned to the scene of the crime to see what he had wrought. Bruce approached him, as if he wanted to strike up a conversation. The kid turned to look at him, whereupon Springsteen head-butted him in the face, and knocked him to the ground. The kid was still lying there, with blood coming out of his nose, when Bruce stood over him, looking down. He said, "What kind of sentence did they give you?" The kid said what it was, and Springsteen frowned. He said, "That's excessive... it's outside of the Federal guidelines. I want you to know that I'll do everything I can to get you lighter sentence." The young man looked up and said, "You can do that?" Bruce said, "Well, I work nights."
At the end of the dream, Bruce was kicking a soccer ball around with me and our pal, E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt. Somebody kicked it too hard, and it went over a fence into the neighbor's yard. Bruce looked at me and said, "You're up." I was always the go-fer, and I didn't like it. As I opened the picket gate to the neighbor lady's garden, I sang a Steely Dan song to myself: "I don't want to do your dirty work, oh yeah / I don't want to do your dirty work no more."
*****
Dream 1: Heron
Duncan and I worked together at Adcom Art Supplies in the late 1980s and early '90s. We shared a townhouse in Falls Church for several years with a revolving cast of characters. Rod was my previous boss in TN. Fortunately I didn't actually see him in this dream. If I never see him again, that's fine with me. I last laid eyes on him in April 2005. I haven't seen Duncan since I attended his wedding in Connecticut, at least 10 years ago. Jimmie and I took a trip up there to attend their nuptuals, and at one point we rounded a corner at night and nearly hit a deer or two. Memories of that incident, and of the wonderful fall colors and 18th & 19th century architecture are all vivid in my mind to this day.
My wife and I drove up to Virginia last week for the holidays, and we're still in VA now. The day that I had this dream, we got a close-up view of an immense great blue heron as it flew across I-95, maybe 10 feet above our car.
Dream 2: Fire
I like this version of Springsteen, practicing "tough love." You can almost hear him saying, "I'll beat the crap out of you if you screw up my neighborhood, but I'll fight to ensure that you get a fair shake in the courts." His response "Well, I work nights" meant that his "day Job," playing in a rock band, was actually a "night job," which meant that he could fight for truth, justice and the American way during the day time. This dream was no doubt influenced by interviews Bruce has given during the "Magic" tour, in which he has decried the current state of political affairs in the U.S., and how far we've fallen from our ideals.
The close-up of Springsteen with flames behind his head probably came from the image on the picture sleeve single of "I'm on Fire," from 1985. The head-butting incident came from the movie "The Commitments," which my wife and I had watched earlier in the week. The second drummer for band ("The Committments," not the E Streeters) was a violent sort of fellow who was in the habit of jumping into crowds and head-butting people. Top-notch film, that one.
Dream 1: Heron
Duncan S. and I were in our early 20s, and we were renting rooms in the home of my ex-boss, Rod S, and his wife. Their own kids had already moved out of their house at that point, but Rod and his wife still lived there. The place was undergoing an extensive renovation, giving it more of a "modern" look. The upper floor of the house had new drywall, and I noticed that one wall had a door cut into it at a pretty strange angle. The finishing touch would be the installation of a large white sculpture of a great blue heron, resplendent in flight with neck folded in the customary "S" shape, which would sit boldly at the apex of the new roof.
Dream 2: Fire
A young punk, maybe 18 to 20 years old, decided that he'd like to burn a car in a parking lot, just for kicks, so he did. Soon, a crowd gathered; they had followed the billowing smoke and the flames, and all of the onlookers and curiosity-seekers were standing around, waiting for the authorities. One of the members of the crowd surveyed the scene, and he was mightily pissed off. It was Bruce Springsteen, and this was happening in his neighborhood. The "camera" focused on his face, which was very stern and serious, as the flames and smoke danced behind his head. They seemed an apt metaphor for his rising anger. Eventually, the fire department arrived and put the fire out, and the police carted the offender off to jail. A few days later, Springsteen had a hunch about what would happen next. He strolled back to the parking lot (wearing his jeans, boots and a T-shirt) and waited. Sure enough, after a little while, the pyro kid showed up. He had been released temporarily, and returned to the scene of the crime to see what he had wrought. Bruce approached him, as if he wanted to strike up a conversation. The kid turned to look at him, whereupon Springsteen head-butted him in the face, and knocked him to the ground. The kid was still lying there, with blood coming out of his nose, when Bruce stood over him, looking down. He said, "What kind of sentence did they give you?" The kid said what it was, and Springsteen frowned. He said, "That's excessive... it's outside of the Federal guidelines. I want you to know that I'll do everything I can to get you lighter sentence." The young man looked up and said, "You can do that?" Bruce said, "Well, I work nights."
At the end of the dream, Bruce was kicking a soccer ball around with me and our pal, E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt. Somebody kicked it too hard, and it went over a fence into the neighbor's yard. Bruce looked at me and said, "You're up." I was always the go-fer, and I didn't like it. As I opened the picket gate to the neighbor lady's garden, I sang a Steely Dan song to myself: "I don't want to do your dirty work, oh yeah / I don't want to do your dirty work no more."
*****
Dream 1: Heron
Duncan and I worked together at Adcom Art Supplies in the late 1980s and early '90s. We shared a townhouse in Falls Church for several years with a revolving cast of characters. Rod was my previous boss in TN. Fortunately I didn't actually see him in this dream. If I never see him again, that's fine with me. I last laid eyes on him in April 2005. I haven't seen Duncan since I attended his wedding in Connecticut, at least 10 years ago. Jimmie and I took a trip up there to attend their nuptuals, and at one point we rounded a corner at night and nearly hit a deer or two. Memories of that incident, and of the wonderful fall colors and 18th & 19th century architecture are all vivid in my mind to this day.
My wife and I drove up to Virginia last week for the holidays, and we're still in VA now. The day that I had this dream, we got a close-up view of an immense great blue heron as it flew across I-95, maybe 10 feet above our car.
Dream 2: Fire
I like this version of Springsteen, practicing "tough love." You can almost hear him saying, "I'll beat the crap out of you if you screw up my neighborhood, but I'll fight to ensure that you get a fair shake in the courts." His response "Well, I work nights" meant that his "day Job," playing in a rock band, was actually a "night job," which meant that he could fight for truth, justice and the American way during the day time. This dream was no doubt influenced by interviews Bruce has given during the "Magic" tour, in which he has decried the current state of political affairs in the U.S., and how far we've fallen from our ideals.
The close-up of Springsteen with flames behind his head probably came from the image on the picture sleeve single of "I'm on Fire," from 1985. The head-butting incident came from the movie "The Commitments," which my wife and I had watched earlier in the week. The second drummer for band ("The Committments," not the E Streeters) was a violent sort of fellow who was in the habit of jumping into crowds and head-butting people. Top-notch film, that one.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Spoken Word Piece
Tuesday night
I was in England, and was standing on a large, open lawn, watching an avant garde piece performed by boys and girls from an academy of elite students. They wore matching dark blue blazers, and were gathered together as if they were a choir. Their teacher, an older man with white hair, stood behind them; he was wearing a brown suit. As the performance began, various students called out words and phrases, seemingly in no apparent order. No one spoke over anyone else, and the play was not ad-libbed; it was scripted. Everyone knew their part in advance. And so it continued, for several minutes, with the teacher contributing at one point, and finally ending with someone on the front left letting out a scream. When the performance was over, all of us walked to the road which would take us back to the school, off to the right. I overheard someone saying that the teacher lived nearby. I caught up to the teacher and said, "I enjoyed the performance, but what did it mean?" He said, "What do you think it means?" I said, "Well, we're devolving, particularly in America. We were progressing toward enlightenment, but now we're headed in the other direction." He replied, "That's right."
*****
In my few trips to Europe I have gotten the feeling that they are light years ahead of the United States, which is stuck in the Dark Ages in many ways (still fighting over evolution, etc.). Sometimes I allow myself to hope that a President Obama might lift the veil and head us back in the direction of intelligence and progress. Yet, living in Tennessee, I have my doubts that America will elect a black man, particularly one with a "foreign-sounding" name. Yesterday an older coworker said to me, "This is gonna' sound bad, but I'm just not ready for a 'President Obama.' I said, "How is that any stranger than a 'President Eisenhower?'"
I was in England, and was standing on a large, open lawn, watching an avant garde piece performed by boys and girls from an academy of elite students. They wore matching dark blue blazers, and were gathered together as if they were a choir. Their teacher, an older man with white hair, stood behind them; he was wearing a brown suit. As the performance began, various students called out words and phrases, seemingly in no apparent order. No one spoke over anyone else, and the play was not ad-libbed; it was scripted. Everyone knew their part in advance. And so it continued, for several minutes, with the teacher contributing at one point, and finally ending with someone on the front left letting out a scream. When the performance was over, all of us walked to the road which would take us back to the school, off to the right. I overheard someone saying that the teacher lived nearby. I caught up to the teacher and said, "I enjoyed the performance, but what did it mean?" He said, "What do you think it means?" I said, "Well, we're devolving, particularly in America. We were progressing toward enlightenment, but now we're headed in the other direction." He replied, "That's right."
*****
In my few trips to Europe I have gotten the feeling that they are light years ahead of the United States, which is stuck in the Dark Ages in many ways (still fighting over evolution, etc.). Sometimes I allow myself to hope that a President Obama might lift the veil and head us back in the direction of intelligence and progress. Yet, living in Tennessee, I have my doubts that America will elect a black man, particularly one with a "foreign-sounding" name. Yesterday an older coworker said to me, "This is gonna' sound bad, but I'm just not ready for a 'President Obama.' I said, "How is that any stranger than a 'President Eisenhower?'"
Monday, December 17, 2007
The Sky is Falling
Sunday night
I walked into the "old basement" in my parents' house, and found my wife by my dad's work bench. I said that I'd just seen something strange out in front of the house: an acorn-sized thing fell from the sky, followed by a booming voice-over that said, "The Simpsons -- Mostly Progressive." As if that wasn't odd enough, the voice was not that of a Simpsons character. It was the voice of Strong Bad, from homestarrunner.com.
*****
As far as I'm concerned, a little bit of "The Simpsons" goes a long way. I don't really want to spend a lot of my time watching a dumb guy who drinks a lot of beer.
Somebody introduced me to the "homestar runner" cartoons on the Web about three or four years ago. I haven't looked it up in a while, but it's usually pretty amusing stuff, in a bizarre way.
I walked into the "old basement" in my parents' house, and found my wife by my dad's work bench. I said that I'd just seen something strange out in front of the house: an acorn-sized thing fell from the sky, followed by a booming voice-over that said, "The Simpsons -- Mostly Progressive." As if that wasn't odd enough, the voice was not that of a Simpsons character. It was the voice of Strong Bad, from homestarrunner.com.
*****
As far as I'm concerned, a little bit of "The Simpsons" goes a long way. I don't really want to spend a lot of my time watching a dumb guy who drinks a lot of beer.
Somebody introduced me to the "homestar runner" cartoons on the Web about three or four years ago. I haven't looked it up in a while, but it's usually pretty amusing stuff, in a bizarre way.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Enough Already / Ya Just Gotta Hear It
Friday night
Dream 1: Enough Already
My wife and I were staying at a hotel, along with my brother Andrew and his wife, Susan. We were in town for a family wedding. Drew has always been a kidder, and we used to "roughhouse" a bit, as my mom would say, but this time I just wanted to relax, and he simply would not leave me alone. We sat in chairs near the pool, and he was kicking me and pushing me, just fooling around. Finally, I'd had enough, and dove into the pool. Somehow, as I did so, Drew grabbed me by my feet, and held them. He wasn't trying to drown me or anything, just having a little more "fun."
Dream 2: Ya Just Gotta Hear It
I was talking with someone about Bruce Springsteen, and I was wearing a baseball jersey from the 1980-1981 world tour, featuring a drawing of the cover of "Born to Run." The person on the other end of the conversation was a fan, but mainly knew Springsteen's later work. I said, "If you like his stuff now, wait until you hear bootlegs of his 1978 tour. You won't believe it!"
*****
Dream 1: Enough Already
My wife and I recently watched "A Christmas Story," and I laughed whenever Ralphie and his brother Randy fought each other to leave a room or to get up the stairs. We did a lot of that in my house, but the problem is that my brother Andrew still thinks it's funny to kick me and block my path, and I'm over it at this point. I was visiting Andrew and Susan at their home in Richmond, VA about 10 years ago, and we took a tour of the Confederate White House. We held up the line because Andrew refused to walk up the stairs in front of me. Of course, I finally went up the stairs first, and he proceeded to kick me in the ass several times, only stopping when the guard gave him a stern warning. This was when he was a grown man, in his mid-30s, and he had not been drinking.
Dream 2: Ya Just Gotta Hear It
I like a lot of Springsteen's music, but there is something very special about his 1978 album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town," and the recordings of his accompanying tour. His shows at that time were particularly passionate, and Gordy, Ed and I bonded over our shared love of Springsteen's music from that period. We were teenagers when that record was released, and all these years later, it still moves us. Ya just gotta hear it.
Dream 1: Enough Already
My wife and I were staying at a hotel, along with my brother Andrew and his wife, Susan. We were in town for a family wedding. Drew has always been a kidder, and we used to "roughhouse" a bit, as my mom would say, but this time I just wanted to relax, and he simply would not leave me alone. We sat in chairs near the pool, and he was kicking me and pushing me, just fooling around. Finally, I'd had enough, and dove into the pool. Somehow, as I did so, Drew grabbed me by my feet, and held them. He wasn't trying to drown me or anything, just having a little more "fun."
Dream 2: Ya Just Gotta Hear It
I was talking with someone about Bruce Springsteen, and I was wearing a baseball jersey from the 1980-1981 world tour, featuring a drawing of the cover of "Born to Run." The person on the other end of the conversation was a fan, but mainly knew Springsteen's later work. I said, "If you like his stuff now, wait until you hear bootlegs of his 1978 tour. You won't believe it!"
*****
Dream 1: Enough Already
My wife and I recently watched "A Christmas Story," and I laughed whenever Ralphie and his brother Randy fought each other to leave a room or to get up the stairs. We did a lot of that in my house, but the problem is that my brother Andrew still thinks it's funny to kick me and block my path, and I'm over it at this point. I was visiting Andrew and Susan at their home in Richmond, VA about 10 years ago, and we took a tour of the Confederate White House. We held up the line because Andrew refused to walk up the stairs in front of me. Of course, I finally went up the stairs first, and he proceeded to kick me in the ass several times, only stopping when the guard gave him a stern warning. This was when he was a grown man, in his mid-30s, and he had not been drinking.
Dream 2: Ya Just Gotta Hear It
I like a lot of Springsteen's music, but there is something very special about his 1978 album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town," and the recordings of his accompanying tour. His shows at that time were particularly passionate, and Gordy, Ed and I bonded over our shared love of Springsteen's music from that period. We were teenagers when that record was released, and all these years later, it still moves us. Ya just gotta hear it.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Author
Tuesday night
My brother Andrew had just published his first book, a treatise on Constitutional law, and I asked him if I could see a copy. (The family was very excited and proud of him; it was going to be the real deal -- hardback cover and all.) He handed me a copy and I was shocked to see that he'd placed a 20-year-old photo of me on the cover. I was shown wearing aviator-style dark sunglasses, and had slightly longer hair than I do now. I was smiling in the picture because I'd gotten in a little legal trouble at the time, for being a jackass; I'd climbed atop a large statue and gotten busted for it. As I held the book in my hands I reminisced about the incident with Drew. I said, "I guess I deserved it." (I remembered putting my shoes on the statue's face as I scrambled to the top.)
I flipped through the black and white photos in the book, and came across a picture of Bill Clinton, Andrew and me. We'd run into the former president in a diner. He (Bill) was wearing a polo shirt and a baseball cap. I sat next to him, to his left, and Drew was next to me, standing and leaning on the end of the booth.
*****
None of the events in this dream ever happened. Well, I did have aviator frames 20 years ago, but the rest is bogus. My brother has been published thousands of times, but for newspaper articles, not books.
I never met Bill Clinton, but I've seen him twice. On the morning of his first inauguration, in January of 1993, the powers that be closed off I-66, so that he would be unencumbered while riding in a bus from Monticello in Charlottesville to D.C. Some friends and I went to the Vienna, VA Metro station, and stood in the enclosed bridge over the highway to see him pass by on the way downtown. It was strange and eerie, seeing no cars on what normally is such a busy road. After waiting for some time, we saw a cop on a motorcycle in the distance, heading our way. He was followed by several more bikes, and finally Bill's bus came through. He sat in the right front seat, and waved to us and the other folks who had come out to wish him well. I suppose I could say that I also saw him later that day at the inaugural at the Capitol, but we were so far away, I couldn't really see much. I heard him, though.
The only time I saw Clinton close-up was around 1998, when Andrew was invited to a press picnic on the south lawn of the White House, and he asked me to come along with him and my sister-in-law. It was a good time, except for the fact that is was such a hot summer day. There were free hot dogs and burgers, and ice cream, too. At one point the prez strolled out to greet people, and mingle with the families. He was wearing sort of a Hawaiian shirt; short sleeved, with no tie, of course. My first thought was, "He's a big man. He's about a head taller than everyone else." Later I got a blurry photo of him, and managed to get Drew in the frame. Bill was surrounded by chicks, of course.
My brother Andrew had just published his first book, a treatise on Constitutional law, and I asked him if I could see a copy. (The family was very excited and proud of him; it was going to be the real deal -- hardback cover and all.) He handed me a copy and I was shocked to see that he'd placed a 20-year-old photo of me on the cover. I was shown wearing aviator-style dark sunglasses, and had slightly longer hair than I do now. I was smiling in the picture because I'd gotten in a little legal trouble at the time, for being a jackass; I'd climbed atop a large statue and gotten busted for it. As I held the book in my hands I reminisced about the incident with Drew. I said, "I guess I deserved it." (I remembered putting my shoes on the statue's face as I scrambled to the top.)
I flipped through the black and white photos in the book, and came across a picture of Bill Clinton, Andrew and me. We'd run into the former president in a diner. He (Bill) was wearing a polo shirt and a baseball cap. I sat next to him, to his left, and Drew was next to me, standing and leaning on the end of the booth.
*****
None of the events in this dream ever happened. Well, I did have aviator frames 20 years ago, but the rest is bogus. My brother has been published thousands of times, but for newspaper articles, not books.
I never met Bill Clinton, but I've seen him twice. On the morning of his first inauguration, in January of 1993, the powers that be closed off I-66, so that he would be unencumbered while riding in a bus from Monticello in Charlottesville to D.C. Some friends and I went to the Vienna, VA Metro station, and stood in the enclosed bridge over the highway to see him pass by on the way downtown. It was strange and eerie, seeing no cars on what normally is such a busy road. After waiting for some time, we saw a cop on a motorcycle in the distance, heading our way. He was followed by several more bikes, and finally Bill's bus came through. He sat in the right front seat, and waved to us and the other folks who had come out to wish him well. I suppose I could say that I also saw him later that day at the inaugural at the Capitol, but we were so far away, I couldn't really see much. I heard him, though.
The only time I saw Clinton close-up was around 1998, when Andrew was invited to a press picnic on the south lawn of the White House, and he asked me to come along with him and my sister-in-law. It was a good time, except for the fact that is was such a hot summer day. There were free hot dogs and burgers, and ice cream, too. At one point the prez strolled out to greet people, and mingle with the families. He was wearing sort of a Hawaiian shirt; short sleeved, with no tie, of course. My first thought was, "He's a big man. He's about a head taller than everyone else." Later I got a blurry photo of him, and managed to get Drew in the frame. Bill was surrounded by chicks, of course.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Carried Away
Monday night
I was reading a blog written by a well-known book reviewer. He described a lovely British holiday that quickly went awry. It seems that he was reading an awful romance novel while staying in an old manor house, and it inspired him to pick up a dueling foil and get in a fight with two members of the staff -- one male, one female. When it was all over, all three of them were sitting on the floor, dazed and bloody; each had lost a nipple.
*****
This strange dream was no doubt inspired by one of the Star Trek episodes we watched the other day, called "The Naked Time." Sulu had become infected with a virus and suddenly he was running around the Enterprise with a foil, imagining that he was D'Artagnan.
I was reading a blog written by a well-known book reviewer. He described a lovely British holiday that quickly went awry. It seems that he was reading an awful romance novel while staying in an old manor house, and it inspired him to pick up a dueling foil and get in a fight with two members of the staff -- one male, one female. When it was all over, all three of them were sitting on the floor, dazed and bloody; each had lost a nipple.
*****
This strange dream was no doubt inspired by one of the Star Trek episodes we watched the other day, called "The Naked Time." Sulu had become infected with a virus and suddenly he was running around the Enterprise with a foil, imagining that he was D'Artagnan.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Canoe Trip / Reminiscing
Friday night
Dream 1: Canoe Trip
Jimmie and I decided that we'd take a trip in a canoe, and make a day of it. He sat in front and I sat in the back, and we paddled together down a river, for hours. Finally, we pulled over to the shore, walked up a bank, and went shopping. We'd been there for a while when I realized that it would be dark soon, and on our return trip we'd have to navigate among the rocks and whatnot without any lights. I found Jimmie and said, "Don't you think we'd better go?" He turned toward me and cocked his head to the side and said, "Oh... yeah." He hadn't given it much thought.
Dream 2: Reminiscing
Ed B. and I were flipping through his photo album. We came across a picture taken at one of Ed's parties; it showed Ed standing next to Andrew, who, for some reason, was wearing a ladies' wig. (The long, black hair hung down past his shoulders. That must have been some party.)
Ed kept flipping until he came across some photos of a vacation he'd taken to a historical site in Greece, or Rome. He was shown standing next to the base of a large, ancient, broken column. I was amazed to see it, because my wife and I had visited the same place on one of our vacations. I said, "That place was amazing, but did you go up the hill and see the site looking over the river? That was even better." Ed said, "Oh, yeah."
*****
Dream 1: Canoe Trip
The funny thing about this dream is that if Jimmie and I ever did plan a day's journey via canoe that would involve traveling back at night, he would probably have outfitted that canoe with some super duper remote-controlled halogen headlamps or something. He might over-plan, but would never, ever under-plan.
For some reason, lately I've been thinking about some of the things that I want to accomplish with the rest of my life. This is probably because the huge CD project that has occupied most of my waking moments for the past 9 years is coming to an end next Christmas. I'd like to learn to speak a foreign language well, but need to decide which one. I want to see England, Italy and the South of France, and would dearly love to return to Ireland. I'd like to learn to play the guitar. And someday, after I've paid off all credit card debt, I want to buy one of these beauties and while away my time on calm lakes and rivers with the wife:
http://www.merrimackcanoes.com
Dream 2: Reminiscing
I'm not sure where this dream came from, although I was talking with my coworker Eden the other day about foreign travels, and she mentioned that she'd been to Greece, and said it was beautiful there. Ed and I have spoken about his honeymoon trip to Italy; he and his wife had a marvelous time. The past few days my wife and I have watched two, or even three episodes of Star Trek season 1 per night, so the broken column may have appeared on one of those sets. It's a wonder that I'm not dreaming about the Enterprise or some hairy monster that wants to suck all of the salt out of my body.
Dream 1: Canoe Trip
Jimmie and I decided that we'd take a trip in a canoe, and make a day of it. He sat in front and I sat in the back, and we paddled together down a river, for hours. Finally, we pulled over to the shore, walked up a bank, and went shopping. We'd been there for a while when I realized that it would be dark soon, and on our return trip we'd have to navigate among the rocks and whatnot without any lights. I found Jimmie and said, "Don't you think we'd better go?" He turned toward me and cocked his head to the side and said, "Oh... yeah." He hadn't given it much thought.
Dream 2: Reminiscing
Ed B. and I were flipping through his photo album. We came across a picture taken at one of Ed's parties; it showed Ed standing next to Andrew, who, for some reason, was wearing a ladies' wig. (The long, black hair hung down past his shoulders. That must have been some party.)
Ed kept flipping until he came across some photos of a vacation he'd taken to a historical site in Greece, or Rome. He was shown standing next to the base of a large, ancient, broken column. I was amazed to see it, because my wife and I had visited the same place on one of our vacations. I said, "That place was amazing, but did you go up the hill and see the site looking over the river? That was even better." Ed said, "Oh, yeah."
*****
Dream 1: Canoe Trip
The funny thing about this dream is that if Jimmie and I ever did plan a day's journey via canoe that would involve traveling back at night, he would probably have outfitted that canoe with some super duper remote-controlled halogen headlamps or something. He might over-plan, but would never, ever under-plan.
For some reason, lately I've been thinking about some of the things that I want to accomplish with the rest of my life. This is probably because the huge CD project that has occupied most of my waking moments for the past 9 years is coming to an end next Christmas. I'd like to learn to speak a foreign language well, but need to decide which one. I want to see England, Italy and the South of France, and would dearly love to return to Ireland. I'd like to learn to play the guitar. And someday, after I've paid off all credit card debt, I want to buy one of these beauties and while away my time on calm lakes and rivers with the wife:
http://www.merrimackcanoes.com
Dream 2: Reminiscing
I'm not sure where this dream came from, although I was talking with my coworker Eden the other day about foreign travels, and she mentioned that she'd been to Greece, and said it was beautiful there. Ed and I have spoken about his honeymoon trip to Italy; he and his wife had a marvelous time. The past few days my wife and I have watched two, or even three episodes of Star Trek season 1 per night, so the broken column may have appeared on one of those sets. It's a wonder that I'm not dreaming about the Enterprise or some hairy monster that wants to suck all of the salt out of my body.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Hopes Crushed / Tall Trees
Tuesday night
Dream 1: Hopes Crushed
The media and the public had found out, after the fact, that Senator Obama, who had been on the cusp of victory in the Iowa caucuses, had walked to the edge of a forest overlooking the ocean, and hanged himself. He had been depressed, but few people knew it. Thankfully, there were no pictures of the event, but we all saw the site afterward, and there was a shared sense of sadness and tragedy. Senator Clinton's major roadblock to the presidential nomination was out of the way, and there was some question about how she would, or should react.
Dream 2: Tall Trees
I had walked into someone's very large yard to see two gigantic Christmas trees that they had recently installed, one next to the other. A few strands of lights had been strung on them, but it was daytime, so they were not lit. I noticed that some huge branches near the top of one of the trees had been sawed off in order to ease the process of getting it out of the forest, so it had a strange appearance; just a bunch of ugly tree limb stubs coming out from the trunk. I wanted a closer look at how the trees were able to stand on the lawn, without toppling over. They were so tall that I was able to walk around the base of each, in the space between the ground and the lowest branches. Some large logs were propped against their trunks, to hold them in place.
*****
Dream 1: Hopes Crushed
I saw a commercial for depression medicine on TV last night (the one about how it effects the whole family), and I have the new TIME magazine on my bedside table, featuring a cover story on Obama. I am getting caught up in the possibility that he might win in Iowa, and I'm getting excited about it, but I'm also worried about what his success might mean in regard to his personal safety. I'm not concerned that something might happen to him at his own hand, but rather, from the hand of some prejudiced jerk out there somewhere.
This dream seems to re-live the situation in 1968, just after RFK won the California primary. Hopes were dashed, and suddenly Humphrey's (and Nixon's) chief rival was gone. How would they react? How should they? I'm grateful that I wasn't old enough in the 1960s to grasp what was going on.
I hope I don't have another dream like this one for a long time.
Dream 2: Tall Trees
It's been a rough patch at work lately -- just a lot of complications and responsibilities, tied in with the holidays. I came in on Saturday to get some stuff done, and actually got sick from the pressure. I can't remember that happening to me before. I talked to my twin brother, and he said it's happened to him on occasion, because he internalizes stress. So, I think that the Christmas trees with the limbs lopped off signify that I'm trying to get in the spirit of the season, but I'm not in full "joy" mode yet; there's too much responsibility, too much on my mind. My Christmas spirit has a few of the branches lopped off right now.
Dream 1: Hopes Crushed
The media and the public had found out, after the fact, that Senator Obama, who had been on the cusp of victory in the Iowa caucuses, had walked to the edge of a forest overlooking the ocean, and hanged himself. He had been depressed, but few people knew it. Thankfully, there were no pictures of the event, but we all saw the site afterward, and there was a shared sense of sadness and tragedy. Senator Clinton's major roadblock to the presidential nomination was out of the way, and there was some question about how she would, or should react.
Dream 2: Tall Trees
I had walked into someone's very large yard to see two gigantic Christmas trees that they had recently installed, one next to the other. A few strands of lights had been strung on them, but it was daytime, so they were not lit. I noticed that some huge branches near the top of one of the trees had been sawed off in order to ease the process of getting it out of the forest, so it had a strange appearance; just a bunch of ugly tree limb stubs coming out from the trunk. I wanted a closer look at how the trees were able to stand on the lawn, without toppling over. They were so tall that I was able to walk around the base of each, in the space between the ground and the lowest branches. Some large logs were propped against their trunks, to hold them in place.
*****
Dream 1: Hopes Crushed
I saw a commercial for depression medicine on TV last night (the one about how it effects the whole family), and I have the new TIME magazine on my bedside table, featuring a cover story on Obama. I am getting caught up in the possibility that he might win in Iowa, and I'm getting excited about it, but I'm also worried about what his success might mean in regard to his personal safety. I'm not concerned that something might happen to him at his own hand, but rather, from the hand of some prejudiced jerk out there somewhere.
This dream seems to re-live the situation in 1968, just after RFK won the California primary. Hopes were dashed, and suddenly Humphrey's (and Nixon's) chief rival was gone. How would they react? How should they? I'm grateful that I wasn't old enough in the 1960s to grasp what was going on.
I hope I don't have another dream like this one for a long time.
Dream 2: Tall Trees
It's been a rough patch at work lately -- just a lot of complications and responsibilities, tied in with the holidays. I came in on Saturday to get some stuff done, and actually got sick from the pressure. I can't remember that happening to me before. I talked to my twin brother, and he said it's happened to him on occasion, because he internalizes stress. So, I think that the Christmas trees with the limbs lopped off signify that I'm trying to get in the spirit of the season, but I'm not in full "joy" mode yet; there's too much responsibility, too much on my mind. My Christmas spirit has a few of the branches lopped off right now.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Detente
Sunday night
Jeff D. was visiting with me in the basement playroom at 3374. We were sitting in a couple of chairs, facing each other, in the middle of the floor. There didn't seem to be any other furniture in the room. He was in a good mood, smiling, and acted somewhat sheepish and surprised that I'd been upset that we hadn't spoken in so long. He hadn't thought anything of it.
*****
Jeff and I haven't spoken since he stormed out of the poker tournament in the early hours of April 10, 2005. He and his family are back in Virginia now. Details of this spat can be found in the explanation beneath "Another Day, Another Theater," August 29, '07.
I wonder if we'll ever talk to each other again.
Jeff D. was visiting with me in the basement playroom at 3374. We were sitting in a couple of chairs, facing each other, in the middle of the floor. There didn't seem to be any other furniture in the room. He was in a good mood, smiling, and acted somewhat sheepish and surprised that I'd been upset that we hadn't spoken in so long. He hadn't thought anything of it.
*****
Jeff and I haven't spoken since he stormed out of the poker tournament in the early hours of April 10, 2005. He and his family are back in Virginia now. Details of this spat can be found in the explanation beneath "Another Day, Another Theater," August 29, '07.
I wonder if we'll ever talk to each other again.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Adult Art Class
Friday night
Habib, the best friend of my next-door neighbor here in Nashville, was taking an adult art class in Alexandria, VA, and he had invited me to be a spectator during his "final exam." He was going to debut an animated film that he'd created. An old friend of mine, Stuart R., was showing his own film in another room, and I hoped to see it, too, if I had time.
I drove over to the classroom on my lunch break, so I was still wearing my work clothes, including a tie. When I arrived, my brother Andrew met me there. He'd be watching Habib's film, too. I greeted Habib and thanked him for inviting me. He said, "Well, I liked your film, too." (Apparently I had taken part in a live-action film that he had seen before, possibly for the same class.) As his film began, I quickly fell under its spell. There were wondrous scenes of colorful animals and plants in the sea, all rendered in lifelike detail. I was particularly interested in his depiction of a large green sea turtle, one of my favorite animals. I said, "How long did it take you to do this?" He said, "About two years."
As interested as I was, the film was pretty long, and I started to fall asleep after awhile, curling up on the floor, near my brother.
*****
Habib is a very close friend of my next-door neighbor, Jack, and both of them are very talented artists, although I'm not aware of any animated films made by either of them.
The strange thing about this dream is that while it clearly was about Habib, the main character wasn't him; it was another, shorter Middle Eastern man that I knew some time ago. The maddening thing is that I can see him clearly even now, but can't remember his name, or the context. I particularly remember him being a pretty sly, cagey guy, and can see him smiling, with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. Is he the guy who runs the cafeteria at my current job? Is he the guy who managed the gas station where our friend Ed M. worked in high school? Is he Mexican, the father of my childhood friend, Mark D.? Hopefully it will come to me later.
At the end of this dream, I was making fun of myself. No matter how great the DVDs are when we're watching at home, as soon as I stop moving, I fall asleep. I must be chronically sleep deprived, or something. Anyway, so it's funny that I nod off during films in my dreams, too.
*****
November Dream Roundup: More musicians and actors, plus a couple of politicians. I've listed the last time I've seen some of these people in parentheses, just for the heck of it.
Family & Friends:
My wife
Andrew C.
Brent L. (2006)
Dad
Denise P. (1997)
Ed B.
Gordon S.
Jeff V. (1999?)
Jim B.
Jimmie C.
Kevin W.
Kyle N.
Laura M.
Mom (1999)
"Sis" (Dad's sister; my aunt) (2001)
Stuart R. (2006)
Coworkers & Acquaintances:
Christy S.
Connie P. (1984)
Darrell B.
Dasha T.
Eden F.
Erik B.
Habib
Max C. (2000)
Sally C. (2006)
Shannon F.
Celebrities:
Belinda Carlisle (Her 45s were seen in "Collection")
Bob Dylan
The Cars (Their 45s were seen in "Collection")
Cher (She'd once dated the star of the show in "A Shot at Fame")
Danny & the Juniors (My kid & I twisted to their hit "At the Hop" in "The Eye in the Sky")
Don Henley (His son was interviewed in "Not My Thing")
The Eagles (Their new album was mentioned in "Not My Thing")
Gilbert Godfried (I compared Max C. to him in "A Shot at Fame")
The Go-Go's (Their 45s were seen in "Collection")
Hillary Clinton (Bob Dylan, Ed B. & I campaigned for her in "On the Trail")
Jackie Cooper (Starred in a DVD watched in "The Pharmacist's Daughter")
John Cleese
John Seigenthaler
John Travolta (His 45 was seen in "Collection")
Linda Hunt (Probably in her role as Billy Kwan)
Martha Stewart
Mick Jagger
Prince (Someone phoned to say he'd died in "The Call")
Roy Orbison (Mick Jagger mentioned him in "Airport Meetings")
Sally Field
Ted Kennedy
Habib, the best friend of my next-door neighbor here in Nashville, was taking an adult art class in Alexandria, VA, and he had invited me to be a spectator during his "final exam." He was going to debut an animated film that he'd created. An old friend of mine, Stuart R., was showing his own film in another room, and I hoped to see it, too, if I had time.
I drove over to the classroom on my lunch break, so I was still wearing my work clothes, including a tie. When I arrived, my brother Andrew met me there. He'd be watching Habib's film, too. I greeted Habib and thanked him for inviting me. He said, "Well, I liked your film, too." (Apparently I had taken part in a live-action film that he had seen before, possibly for the same class.) As his film began, I quickly fell under its spell. There were wondrous scenes of colorful animals and plants in the sea, all rendered in lifelike detail. I was particularly interested in his depiction of a large green sea turtle, one of my favorite animals. I said, "How long did it take you to do this?" He said, "About two years."
As interested as I was, the film was pretty long, and I started to fall asleep after awhile, curling up on the floor, near my brother.
*****
Habib is a very close friend of my next-door neighbor, Jack, and both of them are very talented artists, although I'm not aware of any animated films made by either of them.
The strange thing about this dream is that while it clearly was about Habib, the main character wasn't him; it was another, shorter Middle Eastern man that I knew some time ago. The maddening thing is that I can see him clearly even now, but can't remember his name, or the context. I particularly remember him being a pretty sly, cagey guy, and can see him smiling, with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. Is he the guy who runs the cafeteria at my current job? Is he the guy who managed the gas station where our friend Ed M. worked in high school? Is he Mexican, the father of my childhood friend, Mark D.? Hopefully it will come to me later.
At the end of this dream, I was making fun of myself. No matter how great the DVDs are when we're watching at home, as soon as I stop moving, I fall asleep. I must be chronically sleep deprived, or something. Anyway, so it's funny that I nod off during films in my dreams, too.
*****
November Dream Roundup: More musicians and actors, plus a couple of politicians. I've listed the last time I've seen some of these people in parentheses, just for the heck of it.
Family & Friends:
My wife
Andrew C.
Brent L. (2006)
Dad
Denise P. (1997)
Ed B.
Gordon S.
Jeff V. (1999?)
Jim B.
Jimmie C.
Kevin W.
Kyle N.
Laura M.
Mom (1999)
"Sis" (Dad's sister; my aunt) (2001)
Stuart R. (2006)
Coworkers & Acquaintances:
Christy S.
Connie P. (1984)
Darrell B.
Dasha T.
Eden F.
Erik B.
Habib
Max C. (2000)
Sally C. (2006)
Shannon F.
Celebrities:
Belinda Carlisle (Her 45s were seen in "Collection")
Bob Dylan
The Cars (Their 45s were seen in "Collection")
Cher (She'd once dated the star of the show in "A Shot at Fame")
Danny & the Juniors (My kid & I twisted to their hit "At the Hop" in "The Eye in the Sky")
Don Henley (His son was interviewed in "Not My Thing")
The Eagles (Their new album was mentioned in "Not My Thing")
Gilbert Godfried (I compared Max C. to him in "A Shot at Fame")
The Go-Go's (Their 45s were seen in "Collection")
Hillary Clinton (Bob Dylan, Ed B. & I campaigned for her in "On the Trail")
Jackie Cooper (Starred in a DVD watched in "The Pharmacist's Daughter")
John Cleese
John Seigenthaler
John Travolta (His 45 was seen in "Collection")
Linda Hunt (Probably in her role as Billy Kwan)
Martha Stewart
Mick Jagger
Prince (Someone phoned to say he'd died in "The Call")
Roy Orbison (Mick Jagger mentioned him in "Airport Meetings")
Sally Field
Ted Kennedy
Divided Loyalities
Thursday night
I was the detective, or bounty hunter, this time, and I was back in Arlington, trying to track down a very large Samoan, or Hawaiian guy, who had a name as long as your arm. (I was aware of the name in the dream, but can't remember it.) While I was there, I had to figure out where I was going to spend the night. My friend, Jim B., had recently separated from his wife, and she was living in another house in the same neighborhood. Each had offered to let me stay at their place, so I had to choose.
*****
What is it with the detective stories in my dreams?
I later married Jim's ex-, and I'm still married to her now. I can't deny that there's complications and fallout involved when marrying the ex-wife of a friend. I'm glad that we're married, but there are some regrets, too. If only those two were never married, and she and I met at a party, or something...
I was the detective, or bounty hunter, this time, and I was back in Arlington, trying to track down a very large Samoan, or Hawaiian guy, who had a name as long as your arm. (I was aware of the name in the dream, but can't remember it.) While I was there, I had to figure out where I was going to spend the night. My friend, Jim B., had recently separated from his wife, and she was living in another house in the same neighborhood. Each had offered to let me stay at their place, so I had to choose.
*****
What is it with the detective stories in my dreams?
I later married Jim's ex-, and I'm still married to her now. I can't deny that there's complications and fallout involved when marrying the ex-wife of a friend. I'm glad that we're married, but there are some regrets, too. If only those two were never married, and she and I met at a party, or something...
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