Dreams, This and That

My dreams have been quite vivid lately. Early last week I dreamed that I was being shown around a McDonalds for a job there, and once they had concluded the tour of the (spotless) kitchen and food preparation area they proceeded to tell me that I couldn't have the job because I was wearing a t-shirt with the Kelloggs Corn Flakes rooster on it.

A few days later I dreamed that I met a beautiful woman at a party, and that we exchanged numbers at her suggestion that we should go out some time soon (I think the woman was Lena Headey, I've lately been watching the Terminator TV series which she stars in). Just as she was about to hand me her number she stopped and said, "There's something you should know: I have a son who is three and a half years old, and he has Downs syndrome." That's when I woke up, something jarring my subconscious to say, "You're dreaming."

Seriously, what's that all about?

Finishing my thesis is a great weight off my shoulders, and now am trying to figure out my approach to what I have to do next: write some papers, apply for some jobs, prepare for my viva and figure out when I'm going to take some proper down time.

Have about 90 things in my list of 101 things; depending on whether or not I visit my nan in the hospital this evening (I've been this afternoon, she is very poorly and my mum and aunt have been with her all day) I'm going to start sorting through them, grouping them together. One of the biggest sections by far is related to writing - I love to write, but very rarely do I push myself to actually get it done. I'm narrowing down possible names for the blog that I'm going to record the 101 stuff in (didn't want to clutter this one up - I'm not leaving writing here either).

Finally today I leave you with two interesting little things that I came across in the last few weeks. The first is an entry over at Superhero Sewing Circle, showing a re-dubbed part of an episode of Captain Planet (remember: the power is... yours!) that I thought was too funny not to share. The second is a page where you can read the first issue of a recently started comic, Gutsville. The concept is delicious: a community of people living in the belly of a beast (like Jonah's great fish), stranded inside for over 150 years and evolving their own kind of society. The artwork is a little grisly in places, and there's the occasional swear word, but if you're inclined to try new things then give it a read - the final page is a real jawdropper, rich with possibility.

More soon.

Today

I've grown to like xkcd more and more as I look through the archives. This strip seemed to mirror perfectly my own thoughts on relationships recently...

I sent off my application for the job I mentioned previously. Was good to get it sent off, but at the same time the stress of preparing for it has collided with the relief of it being sent, so am feeling a bit numb.

My nan is still in hospital; she had another operation yesterday to remove a drainage tube that was mistakenly left in after her first operation two weeks ago... Luckily there was no infection as a result of the tube being left in, but due to the heating failing on her ward for a day last week she has a touch of pneumonia now too.

My dad would have been 60 today. I guess the thought of that has been playing on my mind a little more than I thought. Last night I had a dream where I met him. He looked exactly the same as he did before he passed away (nearly ten years ago). In the dream I remember telling him that I knew it was a dream. We sat for a while and I think I said more but I don't remember what. I think I told him about my what I was doing now, but I can't say for certain. In any case, he didn't say anything, just smiled as I talked, and finally we stood up and shook hands.

"And then I woke up" - the end of any story about a dream.

Right. Off to play squash and football again, burn off some of the stress.

More soon.