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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Perhaps My "Dreamer" is Broken...

I rarely dream. While others recount their dreams to others – sometimes at an uncomfortable level of detail – tales of flying over cities and meeting Johnny Depp 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? Huh? Answer me that one!

So what’s it all about, Alfie?

Is it because my conscious life is just so darn 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!

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.)

Anyway, I still have my “skip”, which I suppose is something (in your face, Mom!) but I can’t help but wonder if I’m missing out by not remembering my dreams.

37 comments:

Gigi said...

Why yes, Willie does bring it on himself - when will they learn that we know what we are talking about especially when it comes to Errand Running Monkeys??

You aren't the only one, Pearl. I don't dream either - but I can skip with the best of them.

Douglas said...

Maybe you do dream and do not remember because they are dreams of wholesale and wanton dismemberment of people who won't provide you with an Errand-Running Monkey. Just sayin'

I often wake up with a feeling of sweet exhaustion that later turns to an inexplicable surprise when I run into certain people on the street.

Kal said...

Wow, what I wouldn't give to not dream or not remember them. I have gotten to the point where I can conciously manipulate my dreams sometime. I use the power to float above the road in front of my house. I only can do that when I dream of the neighborhood I live in. Very strange but not as strange as the one I had once where Tom Cruise tried to kill me in a pizza place by driving his car through the large picture window. For some reason he was upset that I casted someone else in my Hello Kitty movie.

You ain't missing nothing.

EcoGrrl said...

yeah, most of my dreams i'd rather forget (the ones i remember) - last night it seemed i dreamt for hours about trying to track down a child molester who kept slipping just out of reach. it was awful!

Irish Gumbo said...

Sometimes I remember my dreams, but usually the totally weird ones that truly don't make sense. Or maybe they do, I just haven't figured them out yet.

BTW, that's hard-core, talking smack to your moms :)

Lisa @ Grandma's Briefs said...

I used to remember my dreams in vivid detail. I think getting older blurs them a little ... or makes them not really all that important to recall since they're usually bizarre. BUT, I am one wonderful whistler! I whistle more than I sing (but only because I used to lose my voice all the time and it was the only way I could carry a tune).

My first time here -- I love it and will be back!

Kittie Howard said...

Fun post! I dreamed once that I'd won a world-wide lottery, $3 billion! My computer crashed from folks wanting money...I got outta the house just as the mail carrier drove up in a huge *think really big* truck and dumped junk mail at the front door...all a hoot later...but, truth be told, you ain't missin' much!

Anonymous said...

I have an occurring dream that I'm an Olympic swimmer who always gets beaten into second place by a demented dolphin who attempts to blow me out of my lane!
And yet, my dream always seems to carry on over into my reality as I always wake up in a pool of water...
at least I think its water!

Rezden said...

What I use to use to remember my dreams was telling myself over and over, "I will remember my dreams," before I fell asleep. I usually fell asleep to this thought to and it worked a good 80% of the time. The trick was as soon as you wake up, writing it down. :) It's interesting to see who and what makes the cut in your dreams.

Madame DeFarge said...

I'd prefer to forget my dreams. Life seems way more interesting in them and I bemoan the contrast. And my teeth fall out in the dream. Which is not a good thing.

sage said...

I do dream, but thankfully Johnny Depp hasn't yet made an appearance in my subconscious daze.

vfh159 said...

Whistling's not so special. I often whistle unconsciously whilst I work. My coworkers hate it.

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

If you dream about chocolate, will it magically appear? Could save on the upkeep of an Errand-Running Monkey.

Notes From ABroad said...

I have one of those substitutes for an Errand Running Monkey and I am fine with him, monkeys can be so messy.

I really have sympathy for you about this dream forgetfulness... really, I do.
I dream in Technicolor and remember Everything. Sometimes it might be nicer if I didn't remember everything.
I was accused of making up stories at one time, when recounting yet another dream, color included.
I like dreaming and I am happy I remember most of them.
Wishing you dream memories !!

Jocelyn said...

Freud effed it up for so many people. He writes a book, and makes a few comments about cigars, and suddenly people who wake up and say "I dreamt I could jump up into the air and NEVER COME DOWN AGAIN" are somehow more interesting and validated than those who show up, shut up, and make good salsa.

RbMommy said...

Want to trade? I don't like most of mine anyway,:P

RbMommy said...

BTW I love that you're not using the freaking word verification to post comments. It makes it almost impossible for me to comment , since I can't see enough to read it, and the audio option never works.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Hi
Good stuff, scarily alive. Your followers etc suggest there's much I dont know. Will be back.

HulaBuns said...

Naaaaah! Actually, I think if you don't remember your dreams you are sleeping deeply (and well). I'm a light sleeper and remember a lot of my dreams (to the detriment of both Binderclips and I) but don't sleep that well.

Glad you still have your "skip"! :)

Bossy Betty said...

Some of my dreams are so scarily revealing--it's not a good thing. Your beautiful brain is simply protecting you!

Flea said...

Not a bad thing, not dreaming. Not bad at all. I hardly ever dream anymore, but my dreams have almost never been pleasant.

You ever read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis? Third in the Narnian series. One of the islands they encounter while sailing is more or less and endless cave where all your dreams come true. The results are horrific.

Be grateful you don't dream.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hi Pearl, Nice to meet a fellow Minnesotian..even if you are a non dreamer..I dream so much I wake up exhausted..all that running and swimming and looking for bathrooms in your dreams can be exhausting.
I read your scary story..It was scary:)

Unknown said...

I dream, but it's usually weird disconnected stuff like meeting Bruce Springsteen but being totally distracted by the fact that I have lobster feet.

Unknown said...

I like your writing style and what you have to say, so I'm afraid you have a new follower; actually I'm afraid. I already have 120+ in my reader, and I try my best to read them all faithfully. Well, except for the Recipe blogs. If I don't like the sound of the recipe, I don't read it that day. But the others I read and try to comment regularly. I hope you're happy; you've placed the burden of following your blog on my shoulders, just by your sheer talent and readability!

The Retired One said...

Great. Now you have me SO wanting an errand-running Monkey. Wonder if they have them at Walmart???

gayle said...

I do dream but not every night! Most of the time I love my dreams. Especially when I dream about my dad...........it's like we have really been together!! Then all the next day......it's so wonderful!!

Cheeseboy said...

Sorry to hear about your broken dreamer. My wife's is broken too. She says she never dreams, but I know for a fact she does because sometimes she will be asleep and start saying things like "Matt Damon... Matt Damon..."

Wait, now I know why she says she doesn't dream.

Anonymous said...

Does this stuff just come to you? You amaze me with your story telling genius!

TheUndertaker said...

Man, I read the word 'skip' wrong and I thought you said that your mother had lost her 'SHIP' and I thought, ok, I'm new here so maybe I have just missed out on some tiny family detail as it doesn't seem to be a big thing... The mother ship...? Yep, I'm sad, sorry : )
Dreams can be very confusing, maybe your daydreams are fulfilling enough or you just have the best sleep ever!

Murr Brewster said...

I wish I didn't remember mine. Most of the time I'm running through an airport trying to find a gate with no time to spare. Once every eight years or so I have a sex dream, and I always end up doing the same thing I'd do in real life--tell the dude, Sorry, I'm married. Would you like to come over and play cribbage with my husband and me? It's a #%$^&n' dream. MUST I do that?

Steve said...

Wish I could soften the blow but you are missing out. I kept both a dream diary and a real life diary in my twenties. My dream diary was far more interesting and entertaining. Which was quite depressing.

Anonymous said...

I can always remember some of a dream but not all of it, and I spend half my day, trying to mentally catch the bit that is missing. very frustrating. I thought I could skip but my kids said what I'm doing doesn't qualify. I can't whistle either.

Notes From ABroad said...

LOL, Far Side if Fifty reminds me of the UpSide of Not Dreaming ....
".I dream so much I wake up exhausted..all that running and swimming and looking for bathrooms in your dreams can be exhausting."

Enjoy your dreamless sleeps ..
you know, some people say that everyone dreams, it is just a matter of remembering them.

The mad woman behind the blog said...

I am sorry yours is broken. While I don't dream often there are a few that will forever live in Technicolor in my mind. The dream about flying. THAT one is awesome, until you wake up from falling out of bed.

The last one, a real sexy one about a boy I had had a crush on in elementary school was delicious! But neither of us were children. Ahem.

Jhon Baker said...

I would not miss the movies that play in my sleep, not for a minute. Dreaming is way overrated. like skipping, which I cannot do so maybe I'm just bitter.

Anonymous said...

The "Do we have any chocolate?" ploy - I thought I was the only one who did that! And ladies, it works, it really works! Trust me! - G

Anonymous said...

Not dreaming is a sign of mental illness, so I'm SURE you dream and just forget!

Funniest blog on the planet. Yours.