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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Why Dream When My Waking Life is So Darn Interesting?

I rarely dream. While others recount their dreams to others – sometimes at an uncomfortable level of detail – tales of flying over cities and releasing Prince Albert from a can and whatnot, I’ve got nothing to say.

At this point, I’ll leave you alone for a moment to let the idea of me, speechless, sink in.

Perhaps my “dreamer” is broken.

My mother, after all, claims to have lost her “skip”.

Then again, while I fully expect that my mother could, at one time, skip, I’ve never been one for remembering my dreams.

Everyone, I am told, dreams; it’s just a matter of whether or not we remember them. And I’m thinking, well if I’m not remembering them, what’s to say I had them in the first place?

Answer me that one!

So what’s it all about, Alfie?

Is it because my conscious life is just so dang fulfilling?

It’s true that I have a fabulous view of downtown Minneapolis – if you lean over and look right there you can see the garbage incinerator for the whole metropolitan area!

And it’s true that I once alphabetized my canned goods just for the fun of it.

It’s also true that I am just this far away from being able to whistle something identifiable. (I am always amazed by whistlers.)

It’s even true that I can often get a late-night snack just by planting the seed a good 45 minutes before I’d like one, ala “Do we have any chocolate?” knowing full well that we don’t. (And yes, I know that is lousy of me, but if Willie would just quit resisting the idea of buying me an Errand-Running Monkey, he wouldn’t have to do it; so really, he brings it on himself. But that’s another blog.)

I still have my “skip”, which I suppose is something.

But I can’t help but wonder if I’m missing out by not remembering my dreams.

27 comments:

Flea said...

Never? Since childhood? I went through years of not dreaming, but my dreams recently returned. I'm pretty sure it was when I got off the amphetamines that the dreams returned.

Wynn said...

Wow, at least you're freed from the disgusting nightmares, right? And dreams can be all sorts of annoying, like when you dream that you're making out with the boy of your dreams, and then wake up. Alone. Half an hour before the alarm is to go off. Without the boy.

It's fun and sucky to remember you dreams. Maybe sometime :D

Molly Potter said...

I mostly don't remember my dreams. However, you have caught me on a day when I vaguely remember being a TV games host for a disgusting game where I squirted people with mud and made them eat live worms while they sat in their tiered cinema style rows of velvet seats. I am not sure what state that means my subconscious is in.

What about daydreams...I bet you're really good at them especially on the 47th floor.

The Jules said...

Maybe your dreaming now?

Check to see if you're about to do any public speaking and whether or not you're wearing clothes.

Marla said...

Maybe you don't dream because you're living your dreams. Boy, am I deep or what?

Pat said...

I only remember my dreams when they are high-anxiety dreams or they are just before I wake up. Maybe you have such a vivid imagination when you're awake that your subconscious doesn't have to work things out with bizarre, scary dreams. I say that's a good thing!

darsden said...

hummmm pondering

Simply Suthern said...

Dreaming can be over-rated. It just wakes you up with a jolt while falling in mid space, or trying to run away to safety and keep tripping and falling. Or the ole realizing that you are nekkid in public and cant find any clothes. Hey it aint polite to stare. I do enjoy the ones where I get lucky. You know where you find a penny heads up. Yea that one. I think I may need to tweak my dreamer.

Willoughby said...

Most of the time, I remember my dreams for all of 30 seconds or so after I wake up. After that, I got nothin'. But, like you, my daytime life is so incredibly exciting that I don't really need dreams, anyhow!

Douglas said...

First, it is true that everyone dreams. As do dogs and cats (watch them sometime).

What you have to realize is... [cue ominous music]

There is a reason you do not remember your dreams.

Kyddryn said...

Dreams are, in part, how one's mind processes the events of the day, and in part how one's mind communicates with one. Perhaps your lack of remembrance isn't an indication of anything wrong, but rather indicates that you are well adjusted and processing fine, thenkyouverymuch.

Shade and Sweetwater,
K (whose dreams are like little in-flight movies that entertain her at night, only without the popcorn, dang it)

MJenks said...

I remember my dreams--often a the "disturbing" level of details that you mention. I even remember dreams I had in college from my freshman year, and that was 20 years ago now.

If you wake up and don't feel like you're dead, you dreamed. Dreaming is apparently a side effect of REM sleep.

And here, I thought it was just Drive and asking guys named Kenneth about the frequency.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

I think it's part because you are living the dream in real life - I mean come on, you ride the bus everyday. How better than that does it get???

And it's part that you get everything out of your head before you go to sleep and you can turn off that part of your brain (so I hate you)

I once had a dream that I crashed into a cafe so that I could convince Tom Cruise to star in my 'Hello Kitty' movie.

Count yourself lucky.

Golden To Silver Val said...

Most of my dreams I can't remember but I know that I've dreamed. I had one 20 some years ago that's still fresh in my memory though....it was a hot encounter with a delicious hunk (who I did not know and had never seen before IRL...can't understand WHY I'd dream about this person, but I did....oh YES I did!) One of my latest ones however was of me helping Angelina Jolie vacuum. (must have been the late supper of pizza or maybe it was the vodka.....)

ICKY said...

I think its all the acid you did in the 60's.........70's......and 80's.

The Retired One said...

You are missing out by not remembering your dreams..it is good for many laughs around our house..mine are all WEIRD and good for hours of therapy. ha

Roshni said...

Forget about not dreaming... I can't BELIEVE you alphabetized your canned goods!!! For the FUN of it?!?! Really?!?!?!??!

Zaedah said...

Ohhh... I'm supposed to 'release' Prince Albert when he bellows from his can. Man, do I feel sheepish!

I remember exactly three dreams. Ever. In my entire life. Musta broke something vital early on.

ruthibel said...

Interesting life you've got there... I don't know about the remembering your dreams thing either.. I'm somewhere in the middle... Lately, I havent remembered any. But when I did recall, it was always snippets... think random flashback.

I'm fascintated by whistlers too!! Especially the ones who put their pinkies into the sides of their mouths and let out that screeching sound... I've tried... nothing but spittle and wasted air.
To my credit (and redemption) though, I like to believe I can whistle something intelligible. So there.

Great post, as usual :)

anon said...

You don't dream, Pearl?

What do you do all night ?

Sleep peacefully?

When I worked in service, I used to dream that I woke up in my place of work naked just as the doors were about to be opened. An awkward feeling, at best.

When I worked in dispatch at a trucking company, I dreamed that my desk caught on fire and I kept burning my hands trying to get the waybills gathered up. That was fun.

When I worked as a blaster I dreamed that I killed someone with flyrock and then ran away. If I slept long enough I got to dream about the guilt of killing that guy and about being a coward all at the same time. Thats the special bonus feature.

And in between I have nightmares that would leave Steven King just a tiny bit envious, and dreams in which I can breath underwater AND fly.

I guess its a trade off. But man, I'm tired sometimes when I wake up.

I might like to not dream too.

Tempo said...

Its really dusty here abouts...what, you may ask does this have to do with dreams? (well, go on then...ask)
I bought a Negative Ion Generator for my bed room which claims to help clean the air and settle dust. Since Ive had it I dream very vivid dreams all the time. (dont ask me why)

Anonymous said...

Try keeping a notebook by the bed, immediately upon waking make a note of the dream.
It doesn't always work, like last night I had a dream that I kept waking up...

Secretia

Kabbalah Rookie said...

The only dreams I remember are the ones where I am in intimate situations with someone entirely inappropriate or unattractive. It makes for a very awkward situation the next time I see them.

What this says about me, I dread to think. If I find the Dreamer On/Off switch, I'll let you know.

ICKY said...

Your mom lost her skipper?
Who navigates her and keeps her from running aground?

Indrayani said...

This is intriguing...
Dreamless sleep huh!
I wish i could say i have that.... I see one or sometimes two everytime!!!

WrathofDawn said...

Oh, highly overrated it is, remembering your dreams. I can remember dreams I had 50 years ago. No kidding. Not all of them, of course, but some recurring ones and a few of the odder ones over the years. And they're taking up space in my brain that could be better used for remembering to renew my car registration on time or that it's garbage day and time to get those bags out to the curb. Perhaps I could slip a few dreams into those garbage bags...

SweetPeaSurry said...

I often wake out of a semi-dream state, everything is sort of ethereal and slow motion. I try to write them down in my dream journal, but I find when I go back to read the notes, I can't decipher them. Perhaps I just sleep-write.

Blessings!