Aliens Invading my Dreams

So, I told you that I would tell you about my dreams sometime. Well, I have one that is worth telling. So relax, get comfortable, and let your imagination out for some playtime.

   I dreamt about an alien invasion.

Now, before you start yawning, let me tell you, it wasn’t your average, run of the mill invasion. There weren’t little green men shooting up the joint with laser guns. Nor were there massive doomsday spaceships blowing up every metropolis on Earth. In fact, there really wasn’t any violence involved. No, the aliens used hypnosis to turn everyone into slaves. Imagine that! I always thought the scariest, creepiest movies are not the ones that use blood and gore like it’s going out of style, but the ones that sneak into your subconscious, mess with your mind, and play on fears you didn’t even know you had.Same goes for nightmares.

The funniest thing about my dream was the alien's method of hypnosis. It involved a video a la “The Ring”. If you haven’t seen that movie, it’s basically about a video you don’t want to watch or you’re dead. Anyway, in my dream, people would become hypnotized after watching the video, and then they would play the video for everyone around them, and one by one, people fell under alien control. And when their minds had been seized, their bodies would shake so rapidly that they looked like a blurry photographic version of themselves. If you’re a True Blood fan, think of the maenad Maryann and how she moved when she was casting her spell on the people of Bon Temps. If you haven't seen it, YouTube it. It will trip you out! (It's a blog, I can say "trip out")

Well, I knew what was up and was able to turn away when my sister tried to make me watch that video. I told her I loved her, grabbed my purse,(really?!?) and ran out of the house we were in. I was heartbroken that the aliens had gotten to her and I began to cry. Suddenly, a man and his young son walked up, wanting to visit with my sister. I warned him that she wasn’t herself anymore and he shouldn’t watch the video. He looked just as heartbroken as I felt but there was no time to for a therapy session because my dream morphed and I was standing in a field surrounded by hills. I had a memory of the hills being covered in thick green trees and tall grass. But the hills weren’t green anymore; there wasn't a single tree or blade of grass, just dirt as far as I could see. Were the aliens preparing the land for their own version of tract housing? Oh, the horror!

Obviously I’m kidding about that last part. I live in tract housing! You should know by now that I’m just a bit on the sarcastic side. Anyway, that’s about all I can recall and all I can fit in a blog. Perhaps someday I can collaborate with a filmmaker and give you some idea of what all my strange dreams look like.

So, it’s apparent that maybe I watch a bit too much television and have a completely overactive imagination. And when I thought about the empty hills, I remember it looking  similar to an area near my house where grading is in process for new housing. I know I was surprised by this because: 1. Why is anyone building right now? We’re in a recession! and 2. I live near a beautiful nature preserve and I didn’t think they would encroach further into the canyon area. I guess that was on my mind. And yes, I do think about alien invasions on a regular basis. Call me paranoid, but I believe we are ignorant to think we are the only advanced (?) beings in this vast universe. Who knows, maybe we’re being watched right now. Maybe those aliens are waiting for just the right moment to sneak up on us and turn us all into mindless slaves! Maybe it won’t be all out war, but a slow, methodical process. Maybe it’s already been set in motion and we don’t even realize it! Could there be some mind numbing video floating around out there, just waiting to turn us into zombies? Thank God I never rented Gigli!

All joking aside, I do think there is a possibility it will be as T.S. Eliot said

 “This is how the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper.”

I don’t mean to frighten you or create panic in the streets. We all know there will be an end and it should never keep us from enjoying the now. Nightmares should not make you never want to dream. And movies and television should not interfere with your reality. I just like to give you something to think about and get the wheels in your imagination turning.

Here's a eerie video from one of my favorite bands. Sweet dreams...

Looking Back

My husband and I were doing some spring cleaning. Yes, I know, it’s almost the end of summer. Better late than never I always say, maybe because I’m always late. Anyway, we opened up the cave under the stairs in order to stuff some rarely used junk in there, and my husband came upon a cardboard box. He handed it to me to figure out what was in it and if it was necessary to have it take up precious storage space. I slowly pulled back the packing tape, half expecting some giant spider to jump out and bite my face. But when I peeked inside, it wasn’t cobwebs and arachnids that I found, but memories.

This box was really all I had left of my youth. I moved away from home at 18. My mother moved away a few years later and unfortunately, whatever I left behind got tossed. Not her fault really. She had some people living in the house at the time, and they did some purging before they left. But I digress. So, inside this box were some old report cards, awards, trophies, and letters and notes. I pulled everything out and suddenly, nostalgia grabbed my hand and took me for a stroll down memory lane. Well, maybe it was more like the Ghost of Christmas Past pushing me into the ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’.

As I looked at my report cards, CTBS test results, and scholarly awards, I exclaimed, “I was smart back then!”

My husband responded, “You don’t lose it, you’re still smart.”

So, what happened between then and now? Well, as I looked at the report cards from my later years in high school, I remembered. I lost my way, as many teenagers do. I wasn’t sure who I was or if I belonged or what I really wanted in life. I was confused and a mess emotionally. Instead of focusing on school work and my future, I got lost in my own head. Then came the partying. And it was all downhill from there. My straight A’s turned to B’s then C’s and yes, there were a couple of D’s and yikes, an F. Now, I wonder what would have happened if I had remained on the straight and narrow. Perhaps I would have attended UCSD and gotten that double major in Psychology and Drama. (I know, strange combo right?)

As I pondered what my future would have been like had I graduated with honors and been accepted to a prestigious university, I began to read the letters and cards from old friends and admirers. Some made me smile, some made me sad, but they all made me realize a few things. At the time, I always felt alone and unloved. I felt like an outsider. But reading those old notes, I see now that I wasn’t alone and that people did care about me. I also realized that I was so wrapped up in myself, that I couldn’t see the love, pain, passion, anger, and beauty in the people around me. I wish I could tell everyone that I’m sorry if I hurt them or pushed them away. I wish I could thank everyone for their friendship, for their love, for being a part of my life. I wish I knew then what I know now. But hindsight is always 20/20 right?

So, here I am. I can’t go back. I can’t unsay the things I shouldn’t have said or say the things I should have. I can’t undo the things I shouldn’t have done or do the things I should have. And if I keep looking back, I’ll run into a wall. No, I won’t live with regret and sorrow. I won’t let the past keep me from enjoying  the present. I know that as humans, we all make mistakes. All we can do is learn from them. And our mistakes help shape who we are.

They say everything happens for a reason. I may not have a degree (yet). I may not be voted Most Successful at my next class reunion. I may have had a lot of people walk out of my life. But I have a wonderful husband and a beautiful son and they both think I’m smart. Some of those notes I found were from friends who are still in my life, who still love me for the crazy person I am. I am working towards a degree that is better suited for my personality. I have had many great experiences, and met many great people . In short, I am happy with the way things turned out. I am happy that life has twists and turns and ups and downs and that I got to experience it all. The unpredictability of life is part of its beauty, and never really knowing what will happen makes us appreciate every moment.

So, it just wouldn’t be my blog if I didn't throw in a song so here you are...