Friday night
Kevin W., a former post-doctoral fellow where my wife used to work, was a youngster again, about 17 or 18 years old. He was sitting in the corner of a classroom, taking an American citizenship test. Surprisingly, his hair was completely white.
*****
Kevin is in his 30s now, and he and his family live in Knoxville. He came through Nashville last weekend to see a concert, and we were supposed to hook up for dinner, but my wife had a cold, so we canceled. I thought of him again yesterday, however; Kevin is a huge Ohio State fan, and his family gave out buckeyes as favors at his wedding. Yesterday, one of my coworkers, apparently another huge fan of Ohio State, walked around with a tray of edible "buckeyes," made of dollops of peanut butter smothered in chocolate. They were sinfully good, but I had to have three of them to make sure.
Anyway, Kevin's hair is black, but is rapidly going prematurely gray. The strange conceit of this dream is that it supposedly reveals that he started out with white hair, which gradually became streaked with black.
Kevin was born in Ohio, by the way, and has never needed to take a citizenship test.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Commercial / Not My Thing
Thursday night
Dream 1: Commercial
My employer(s) decided that they needed to make a TV commercial to reach the younger audience, so they enlisted the help of some of the 20-somethings at work to plan it, and appear in the spot. Christy S. and Eden F., among others, were filmed out in the woods with their Jeeps parked nearby, taking part in some hip, off-road youngster party.
Dream 2: Not My Thing
The Eagles had a new album out, so one enterprising reporter decided to track down singer Don Henley's son and ask him what he thought of it. The son said, "To be honest, I never really got [understood] my dad's music."
*****
Dream 1: Commercial
This dream reminds me of those cigarette ads that I used to see in magazines, in which beautiful people were shown having a blast at the seashore, on a sailboat, in a hot rod, making a snowman, etc., while wielding (unlit) cigarettes in their hands. I'd think to myself, That does look like fun... but what do the cigs have to do with any of it?" I suppose that the purpose of those ads has always been for the subjects' glamour and joie de vivre to rub off on the product being sold, however unlikely the situation, and that's what was going on in last night's dream.
Christy and Eden are both nice people. I don't know if they own Jeeps or not.
Dream 2:
The Eagles just released their first new studio album in 28 years, and the thing has reportedly already sold 3 million copies worldwide. Don Henley and his cohorts have given a few press interviews lately, saying that this CD might be their swan song, and that it serves as a present/message to their children, most obviously on the last song on the double album, "It's Your World Now." That's probably why I dreamed of Henley's kid. I have no idea how many kids he has, or if they are boys or girls.
Do any kids really like their dad's music, or vice versa?
Dream 1: Commercial
My employer(s) decided that they needed to make a TV commercial to reach the younger audience, so they enlisted the help of some of the 20-somethings at work to plan it, and appear in the spot. Christy S. and Eden F., among others, were filmed out in the woods with their Jeeps parked nearby, taking part in some hip, off-road youngster party.
Dream 2: Not My Thing
The Eagles had a new album out, so one enterprising reporter decided to track down singer Don Henley's son and ask him what he thought of it. The son said, "To be honest, I never really got [understood] my dad's music."
*****
Dream 1: Commercial
This dream reminds me of those cigarette ads that I used to see in magazines, in which beautiful people were shown having a blast at the seashore, on a sailboat, in a hot rod, making a snowman, etc., while wielding (unlit) cigarettes in their hands. I'd think to myself, That does look like fun... but what do the cigs have to do with any of it?" I suppose that the purpose of those ads has always been for the subjects' glamour and joie de vivre to rub off on the product being sold, however unlikely the situation, and that's what was going on in last night's dream.
Christy and Eden are both nice people. I don't know if they own Jeeps or not.
Dream 2:
The Eagles just released their first new studio album in 28 years, and the thing has reportedly already sold 3 million copies worldwide. Don Henley and his cohorts have given a few press interviews lately, saying that this CD might be their swan song, and that it serves as a present/message to their children, most obviously on the last song on the double album, "It's Your World Now." That's probably why I dreamed of Henley's kid. I have no idea how many kids he has, or if they are boys or girls.
Do any kids really like their dad's music, or vice versa?
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Mask
Wednesday night
It was almost Halloween, and I'd decided that I'd thrill the trick or treaters by dressing up as the wolf man. I put on my hairy gloves and went over to the local party store to put the finishing touches on my costume. When I got there I found a rubber wolf man mask that used electricity (batteries?) to make the mouth move. As it did, it broadcast pre-recorded scary sayings in a loud, deep voice.
*****
I did dress up as the wolf man for Halloween this year, and I did have the hairy gloves, but no mask. Instead, I opted for makeup; I colored in a black dog's nose and drew up some scary arched eyebrows. I also had some pointed white rubber fangs, but they didn't stay in too well. For a few minutes, I thought about using Fixodent or some denture adhesive, but I was afraid that they'd never come off. The ensemble was topped off with a sort of a pompadour wig, which, unfortunately, was black, when it should have been brown. I looked in the mirror and said, "I look like a deranged Tony Orlando."
The party stores at the mall and the Halloween shelves at Target were filled with expensive, moving, talking gadgets this year, but I tend to shy away from the gimmicky stuff, which seems to be dated fairly quickly. I prefer simpler, home-made Halloween decorations.
It was almost Halloween, and I'd decided that I'd thrill the trick or treaters by dressing up as the wolf man. I put on my hairy gloves and went over to the local party store to put the finishing touches on my costume. When I got there I found a rubber wolf man mask that used electricity (batteries?) to make the mouth move. As it did, it broadcast pre-recorded scary sayings in a loud, deep voice.
*****
I did dress up as the wolf man for Halloween this year, and I did have the hairy gloves, but no mask. Instead, I opted for makeup; I colored in a black dog's nose and drew up some scary arched eyebrows. I also had some pointed white rubber fangs, but they didn't stay in too well. For a few minutes, I thought about using Fixodent or some denture adhesive, but I was afraid that they'd never come off. The ensemble was topped off with a sort of a pompadour wig, which, unfortunately, was black, when it should have been brown. I looked in the mirror and said, "I look like a deranged Tony Orlando."
The party stores at the mall and the Halloween shelves at Target were filled with expensive, moving, talking gadgets this year, but I tend to shy away from the gimmicky stuff, which seems to be dated fairly quickly. I prefer simpler, home-made Halloween decorations.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Eye in the Sky
Monday night
I took off in a sprint across the prairie, put my arms out, and soon I was soaring like a hawk. I could feel the thermal winds in my fingers, and could bank and swoop with the slightest adjustments.
Although I was having a great deal of fun, this wasn't just a pleasure cruise; I was on a mission. After a while I arrived at my destination. I pulled my arms in and landed with my feet in a branch of a tall tree next to a rustic cabin. (Some birds in the tree were startled by my arrival, and got out of the way.) Some Indian (Native American) men were milling about outside, and I had to remain hidden; they might shoot me if they saw me. They were dressed in a mixture of styles; their shirts and pants were made by whites, but they also wore bandanas and jewelery.
I wasn't there to see the Indians, however. I had come to see a baby Caucasian boy who was being kept inside. I flew by periodically to check on him, to see that he was all right.
Some time later, when the boy was about 2 years old, I had somehow arranged to get him out of the shack; presumably, I had adopted him. At the end of the dream the kid was sitting on a bench outside the general store, and he was wearing a bright white sweater. I was standing next to him, and we were waiting for the stagecoach that would take us to our new life together. In the meantime, I had my portable boom box with me, so I hit the play button, and he and I did the Twist to "At the Hop" by Danny and the Juniors.
*****
I was flipping through a magazine the other day, and noticed a photo of a room that contained a cardboard cutout of John Wayne. Last night I may have been thinking of his film "The Searchers," in which Wayne's character and some others chase after some Comanches who may have kidnapped his niece after a raid that killed her family.
I took off in a sprint across the prairie, put my arms out, and soon I was soaring like a hawk. I could feel the thermal winds in my fingers, and could bank and swoop with the slightest adjustments.
Although I was having a great deal of fun, this wasn't just a pleasure cruise; I was on a mission. After a while I arrived at my destination. I pulled my arms in and landed with my feet in a branch of a tall tree next to a rustic cabin. (Some birds in the tree were startled by my arrival, and got out of the way.) Some Indian (Native American) men were milling about outside, and I had to remain hidden; they might shoot me if they saw me. They were dressed in a mixture of styles; their shirts and pants were made by whites, but they also wore bandanas and jewelery.
I wasn't there to see the Indians, however. I had come to see a baby Caucasian boy who was being kept inside. I flew by periodically to check on him, to see that he was all right.
Some time later, when the boy was about 2 years old, I had somehow arranged to get him out of the shack; presumably, I had adopted him. At the end of the dream the kid was sitting on a bench outside the general store, and he was wearing a bright white sweater. I was standing next to him, and we were waiting for the stagecoach that would take us to our new life together. In the meantime, I had my portable boom box with me, so I hit the play button, and he and I did the Twist to "At the Hop" by Danny and the Juniors.
*****
I was flipping through a magazine the other day, and noticed a photo of a room that contained a cardboard cutout of John Wayne. Last night I may have been thinking of his film "The Searchers," in which Wayne's character and some others chase after some Comanches who may have kidnapped his niece after a raid that killed her family.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Train Time Warp/Circles/Shopping/Collection
Saturday night
Dream 1: Train Time Warp
I was traveling with my brother Jimmie and an older woman with black hair. She was short; we're talking Toulouse-Lautrec stature. We were walking through a dark train station which seemed to double as some sort of a historical museum. At one point Jimmie broke off to the left and walked into a tunnel. Nonplussed, I said, "I'll see you in South America," meaning that I'd rendezvous with him there. A few minutes later I'd walked out ahead of the small woman, and I heard her scream my name. I turned around to see her grabbed by guards; a wall was closing them off. She called out, "I've been arrested by the United States in 1914!" and then she was gone.
Dream 2: Circles
My wife and I were walking around in a large scientific lab with another guy, who I presume was her boss -- I had never met him. I was tasked with discovering the difference between a circle and a sphere. I thought, "Maybe one is 2-D and one is 3-D; or maybe one of them isn't exactly round, but might have some corners if you look closely."
Dream 3: Shopping
My old high school friend, Jeff V., and I were excited about going to a large record store in an old, early 20th-century building. We'd never been there before. The stock was huge, but still somewhat disappointing. I didn't find any of the imports or new wave records that really set a cool record store apart from the ordinary, run-of-the-mill variety. We had meandered through the store to the exit on the other side when we came across some organs and pianos. I said, "So, this is where all the instruments are." I asked Jeff if he found what he wanted; he said no. The place wasn't all it was cracked up to be, so we left, looking for something to eat.
Dream 4: Collection
Shannon F., one of the managers at my current job, was visiting me at my parents' house. We were sitting on the floor of the basement playroom. I said, "Do you like 80s music?" She said that she did, so I said, "Well, have a look at this." I took a key from my pocket and unlocked a wooden cabinet along the wall. I opened the door to reveal many neat horizontal stacks of 45 r.p.m. singles, most with interesting paper or cardboard covers, stored immaculately in clear sleeves. She said, "Do you have the software to play these?" I said, "I have a record player."
We took a few stacks out of the cabinet, laid them on the floor, and began looking through them. Many of the 45s were from the 80s. There were a few singles by The Go-Go's, solo singles from Belinda Carlisle, and a nifty British picture disc single by The Cars, from 1979. Then Shannon picked up a 45 that stopped her in her tracks. She squinched her face and said, "John Travolta?!"
*****
Dream 1: Train Time Warp
The spooky train station in this dream is eerily similar to the one in a dream I titled "Panic" (8/19/07). In fact, this may be a recurring dream. Interestingly enough, I was walking ahead of someone else in that dream, too, who also disappeared. Strange.
I think the older woman in this dream may have been actress Linda Hunt in her role as Billy Kwan in "The Year of Living Dangerously," from 1982. Her comments about being arrested "in 1914" are pretty bizarre, even for one of my dreams. I don't know what that's about, but I may have been thinking about recent reports I've seen on public television about the U.S.'s policy of "extraordinary rendition." The American guards were definitely thugs in this dream.
Dream 3: Shopping
The local F.Y.E. store here in Nashville, formerly Tower Records, is located in a large 1920s building with a nice gray facade. I think it was originally a utility building, maybe an electric company. Jeff V. was a very close friend in high school. We visited many record shops in our day. Denise is his sister (see the dream "D.," 7/6/07).
Dream 4: Collection
We had one of those large all-hands meetings at work the other day, and someone was loosening up the group by asking musical trivia questions. I won a giant candy bar for being the only one who knew Paul McCartney's first name (James). Later, I was standing near Shannon when someone said, "I wished they'd asked more questions about the 1980s."
I did keep my beloved collection of picture sleeve singles in a wooden cabinet, but it had no doors, and wasn't locked. It's strange that the singles were stacked horizontally in the dream; I would never have done that; the records would have warped. My singles were stacked neatly in vertical rows, gently leaning against each other. I did own the Go-Go's and Cars singles in the dream, but while I bought one or two Belinda Carlisle 45s, the ones in the dream were made up. And no, I never bought a single by John Travota.
I got rid of my 45s when I finally made the jump from vinyl to CD. Some days I wish I still had them, but I wasn't playing them anymore, and it became sort of a storage problem, just like my photo albums (and everything else). I did love collecting them, though, and love them still.
Dream 1: Train Time Warp
I was traveling with my brother Jimmie and an older woman with black hair. She was short; we're talking Toulouse-Lautrec stature. We were walking through a dark train station which seemed to double as some sort of a historical museum. At one point Jimmie broke off to the left and walked into a tunnel. Nonplussed, I said, "I'll see you in South America," meaning that I'd rendezvous with him there. A few minutes later I'd walked out ahead of the small woman, and I heard her scream my name. I turned around to see her grabbed by guards; a wall was closing them off. She called out, "I've been arrested by the United States in 1914!" and then she was gone.
Dream 2: Circles
My wife and I were walking around in a large scientific lab with another guy, who I presume was her boss -- I had never met him. I was tasked with discovering the difference between a circle and a sphere. I thought, "Maybe one is 2-D and one is 3-D; or maybe one of them isn't exactly round, but might have some corners if you look closely."
Dream 3: Shopping
My old high school friend, Jeff V., and I were excited about going to a large record store in an old, early 20th-century building. We'd never been there before. The stock was huge, but still somewhat disappointing. I didn't find any of the imports or new wave records that really set a cool record store apart from the ordinary, run-of-the-mill variety. We had meandered through the store to the exit on the other side when we came across some organs and pianos. I said, "So, this is where all the instruments are." I asked Jeff if he found what he wanted; he said no. The place wasn't all it was cracked up to be, so we left, looking for something to eat.
Dream 4: Collection
Shannon F., one of the managers at my current job, was visiting me at my parents' house. We were sitting on the floor of the basement playroom. I said, "Do you like 80s music?" She said that she did, so I said, "Well, have a look at this." I took a key from my pocket and unlocked a wooden cabinet along the wall. I opened the door to reveal many neat horizontal stacks of 45 r.p.m. singles, most with interesting paper or cardboard covers, stored immaculately in clear sleeves. She said, "Do you have the software to play these?" I said, "I have a record player."
We took a few stacks out of the cabinet, laid them on the floor, and began looking through them. Many of the 45s were from the 80s. There were a few singles by The Go-Go's, solo singles from Belinda Carlisle, and a nifty British picture disc single by The Cars, from 1979. Then Shannon picked up a 45 that stopped her in her tracks. She squinched her face and said, "John Travolta?!"
*****
Dream 1: Train Time Warp
The spooky train station in this dream is eerily similar to the one in a dream I titled "Panic" (8/19/07). In fact, this may be a recurring dream. Interestingly enough, I was walking ahead of someone else in that dream, too, who also disappeared. Strange.
I think the older woman in this dream may have been actress Linda Hunt in her role as Billy Kwan in "The Year of Living Dangerously," from 1982. Her comments about being arrested "in 1914" are pretty bizarre, even for one of my dreams. I don't know what that's about, but I may have been thinking about recent reports I've seen on public television about the U.S.'s policy of "extraordinary rendition." The American guards were definitely thugs in this dream.
Dream 3: Shopping
The local F.Y.E. store here in Nashville, formerly Tower Records, is located in a large 1920s building with a nice gray facade. I think it was originally a utility building, maybe an electric company. Jeff V. was a very close friend in high school. We visited many record shops in our day. Denise is his sister (see the dream "D.," 7/6/07).
Dream 4: Collection
We had one of those large all-hands meetings at work the other day, and someone was loosening up the group by asking musical trivia questions. I won a giant candy bar for being the only one who knew Paul McCartney's first name (James). Later, I was standing near Shannon when someone said, "I wished they'd asked more questions about the 1980s."
I did keep my beloved collection of picture sleeve singles in a wooden cabinet, but it had no doors, and wasn't locked. It's strange that the singles were stacked horizontally in the dream; I would never have done that; the records would have warped. My singles were stacked neatly in vertical rows, gently leaning against each other. I did own the Go-Go's and Cars singles in the dream, but while I bought one or two Belinda Carlisle 45s, the ones in the dream were made up. And no, I never bought a single by John Travota.
I got rid of my 45s when I finally made the jump from vinyl to CD. Some days I wish I still had them, but I wasn't playing them anymore, and it became sort of a storage problem, just like my photo albums (and everything else). I did love collecting them, though, and love them still.
Friday, November 9, 2007
I Want What I Want
Thursday night
I was looking for shoes, and I was all business. I walked into a shop and a tall, thin, older gentleman asked if he could help me. I said, "I'm looking for Chuck Taylor high-tops, but I want them with a stronger, more reinforced sole." The man led to me to his display of tennis shoes. The selection was limited, amounting to a few pairs of regular Converse shoes in blue, gray and black. He said, "The kids aren't wearing the high-tops these days." I frowned; this was not what I wanted to hear. The salesman stood by good-naturedly, seemingly amused that I could get so worked up over a pair of Chucks. I left by the side door so I wouldn't have to talk with him again.
*******
Despite my actions in this dream, I tend to be a slow-moving, contemplative person, and hate being rushed. I enjoy going to the mall and spending hours just bopping about. (Sometimes I tell my wife I'm going out to do "the bear thing." She knows that I mean that I'm going to wander about blissfully until something grabs my attention, as the bears do. That's my idea of a no-stress afternoon.) So, shopping doesn't bother me; constraints on my time bother the hell out of me.
Having said all that, I must admit that I hate it when I do have my mind set on something and find that the store is out of stock, so I have to go elsewhere, or wait. Of course, it makes me uptight because I'm usually crunched for time. If I don't have to worry about the tyranny of the clock, then I don't mind so much driving to another store. "Slow down, you move too fast / You got to make the morning last..."
I wore Converse Chuck Taylor high tops when I was a kid, and started wearing them again in the 1980s, only stopping when someone convinced me that they didn't offer enough support. That explains this dream; I still love the things, I only want an improved version.
I have had some luck while shoe shopping lately. I was shivering from the cold last weekend, so I went over to Macy's and found a very comfy pair of Gold Toe premier suede slippers with real shearling padding, or somesuch. I put those things on the second I arrive at home each night. As for work shoes, I've decided that I don't want to deal with laces anymore. (That way, they're easier to kick off.) I'm wearing a pair of slip-on shoes made by a company called Sandro. They are made of distressed-looking brown leather, and feature a "comfort gel" sole. They are mighty comfortable for work shoes, although I don't know if they are in keeping with the latest styles. To me, they look like something Joe Namath would have worn, circa 1973.
I was looking for shoes, and I was all business. I walked into a shop and a tall, thin, older gentleman asked if he could help me. I said, "I'm looking for Chuck Taylor high-tops, but I want them with a stronger, more reinforced sole." The man led to me to his display of tennis shoes. The selection was limited, amounting to a few pairs of regular Converse shoes in blue, gray and black. He said, "The kids aren't wearing the high-tops these days." I frowned; this was not what I wanted to hear. The salesman stood by good-naturedly, seemingly amused that I could get so worked up over a pair of Chucks. I left by the side door so I wouldn't have to talk with him again.
*******
Despite my actions in this dream, I tend to be a slow-moving, contemplative person, and hate being rushed. I enjoy going to the mall and spending hours just bopping about. (Sometimes I tell my wife I'm going out to do "the bear thing." She knows that I mean that I'm going to wander about blissfully until something grabs my attention, as the bears do. That's my idea of a no-stress afternoon.) So, shopping doesn't bother me; constraints on my time bother the hell out of me.
Having said all that, I must admit that I hate it when I do have my mind set on something and find that the store is out of stock, so I have to go elsewhere, or wait. Of course, it makes me uptight because I'm usually crunched for time. If I don't have to worry about the tyranny of the clock, then I don't mind so much driving to another store. "Slow down, you move too fast / You got to make the morning last..."
I wore Converse Chuck Taylor high tops when I was a kid, and started wearing them again in the 1980s, only stopping when someone convinced me that they didn't offer enough support. That explains this dream; I still love the things, I only want an improved version.
I have had some luck while shoe shopping lately. I was shivering from the cold last weekend, so I went over to Macy's and found a very comfy pair of Gold Toe premier suede slippers with real shearling padding, or somesuch. I put those things on the second I arrive at home each night. As for work shoes, I've decided that I don't want to deal with laces anymore. (That way, they're easier to kick off.) I'm wearing a pair of slip-on shoes made by a company called Sandro. They are made of distressed-looking brown leather, and feature a "comfort gel" sole. They are mighty comfortable for work shoes, although I don't know if they are in keeping with the latest styles. To me, they look like something Joe Namath would have worn, circa 1973.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The Hapless Chef / Gumshoe
Wednesday night
Dream 1: The Hapless Chef
It was sometime in the late 1990s, and I was back on Dinwiddie Street, trying to prepare a nice dinner for my family. I had planned to serve the meal at a round table in the basement playroom, but things were not going well. For some reason I was standing next to the table, holding a gray metal piece of the grill from the bottom of the stove, and it was burning. Suddenly it was too hot to touch, so, not knowing what to do, I set it down on the table, and planned to race upstairs to get some potholders. I got to the bottom of the stairway, only to see my dad headed my way, with a plate in his hand. He was having difficulty walking, so he was moving slowly. He got halfway down the stairs and remembered that he'd forgotten something in the kitchen, and slowly turned around to walk back up there. The whole time I was blocked, of course, and worried that I'd burn the house down.
Dream 2: Gumshoe
It was nighttime in New York City, and a private detective was milling about behind someone's home. He was frustrated, as he "still hadn't found what [he was] looking for." He said, "9 million houses in the city, and I gotta pick the one without a trashcan."
*****
Stress and frustration permeate these dreams, no doubt brought on by my experiences at work. Holiday time is a pretty busy period for our business.
Dream 2: Gumshoe
I used to have this conversation with my brother Jimmie: CPC: There should be a clock, a phone and a trash can on every corner." Jimmie: "But if you have a trash can on every corner, you have to pay enough people to empty all of those trash cans."
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I still want them.
Dream 1: The Hapless Chef
It was sometime in the late 1990s, and I was back on Dinwiddie Street, trying to prepare a nice dinner for my family. I had planned to serve the meal at a round table in the basement playroom, but things were not going well. For some reason I was standing next to the table, holding a gray metal piece of the grill from the bottom of the stove, and it was burning. Suddenly it was too hot to touch, so, not knowing what to do, I set it down on the table, and planned to race upstairs to get some potholders. I got to the bottom of the stairway, only to see my dad headed my way, with a plate in his hand. He was having difficulty walking, so he was moving slowly. He got halfway down the stairs and remembered that he'd forgotten something in the kitchen, and slowly turned around to walk back up there. The whole time I was blocked, of course, and worried that I'd burn the house down.
Dream 2: Gumshoe
It was nighttime in New York City, and a private detective was milling about behind someone's home. He was frustrated, as he "still hadn't found what [he was] looking for." He said, "9 million houses in the city, and I gotta pick the one without a trashcan."
*****
Stress and frustration permeate these dreams, no doubt brought on by my experiences at work. Holiday time is a pretty busy period for our business.
Dream 2: Gumshoe
I used to have this conversation with my brother Jimmie: CPC: There should be a clock, a phone and a trash can on every corner." Jimmie: "But if you have a trash can on every corner, you have to pay enough people to empty all of those trash cans."
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I still want them.
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