Musing on Dreams

I have heard that a lot of people don't remember their dreams on a regular basis. I can't relate to that. I remember at least one dream a night, usually more. I don't always remember them in detail, and they rarely make total sense, but I suppose that it would be accurate to state that I dream prolifically.

I will go through phases in which there will be a recurring motif in my dreams. There was a time period where the recurring motif was a movie theater. It was not typically the same movie theater, nor would it be a movie theater as we would know one, but it was always a movie theater and I knew that I was safe in the movie theater. Amusingly, I rarely actually watched a movie there, though I recall one dream in which movies were being shown in a large room on multiple screens. I was more concerned about the acquisition of popcorn in that particular dream. People were talking more loudly than the movies.

At some point (I don't remember because against the recommendation of many professionals, I do not keep a dream diary - some things shouldn't be written down I think) I stopped dreaming about a movie theater and started dreaming about amusement parks, usually Disneyland. Often I would be alone - unless I was with my sister Julia, sometimes these amusement parks would contain a casino. I recall one dream in which I left Disneyland and went to a casino where the slot machines dispensed raw fish. I shoved the raw fish into my purse assuming that it would spend somewhere. I rarely would go on rides at these amusement parks, though I can think of a dream in the last few years in which I went on an amusement park train ride which took me into Chicago then left me there. This segue ways well into the next motif, which is subway stations. I have found myself dreaming that I am running around subway stations either in New York City or Chicago. I always can tell the difference because Chicago's trains talk, and New York City's don't.

I am still dreaming off and on about subway stations, but I have also dreamed about waiting for the bus. I typically don't actually get on the bus.

I dream about people. I dream about people I know (which is kind of why I don't want to write it down). I dream about people who look different from how they look in the waking world, sometimes drastically so, but in the dream I *know* that it is them. It isn't until I wake up that I realize that they didn't look like themselves.

Sometimes it's obvious that a dream is my brain processing things. Sometimes, I think it's a meeting of souls in the ethereal plane. Sometimes, it's just for fun (in other words, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar).

I will probably never keep a dream diary, but I will always be fascinated by my own dreams.

And It Got Cold

I actually really enjoy winter running... if the sidewalks are clear. Unfortunately, when there is snow, even a wee bit of snow, the sidewalks could be icy. Then again, they could not be. Since I don't have the time or energy to walk the entire path to Lake of the Isles (I can safely assume the lake path is alright), Last night I decided to go running at the indoor track at the YWCA like I did last winter.

The indoor track that I run on is the upper level track - that track is 1/6 of a mile. The floor track is used in the Indoor Triathlon - that track is 1/8 of a mile around. Over in the upper right of the picture, where the vending machines are, is where they give out the free coffee and string cheese on race day.

Because I have the first Indoor Triathlon of the season on Decmeber 2 at the Midtown YWCA, it it certainly a good idea to get in some indoor running practice, whether or not I run indoors for the rest of the season.

Besides just being a temperate and dry place to run, the Indoor Track at the YWCA is a great place for people watching. Last year I saw a pair of idiot parents let their kids rollerskate there. I mentioned it to the trainer on duty and she took off running to stop it. Of course there are also the folks who are walking around the track speaking on their cell phones loudly in Arabic. I don't speak Arabic so I don't know what they're talking about, but you can always tell when their conversations become important, because they stop and stand there in the middle of the track to say whatever it is they're saying. I figure I could get irritated, or just jog around them. I choose the latter.

Last night's run reminded me that running on the indoor track is slightly different from running outdoors, and I will need to work my way up to the mileage I'm used to outdoors.

In a related story, I have signed up for a Christmas Day 5K. It's at Como Park, and I plan to take the bus. Because there will most likely not be a gear check, I plan to dress in a utilitarian fashion and grin and bear any cold that I feel on the way in and way out. I'll probably wear the Monster Dash jacket, that bad boy is actually pretty warm - and yet it breathes. If you are reading this and will be participating in the afforementioned race and do have wheels, I would of course appreciate a ride, but I am not harboring any expectations there.

Pimp My Oatmeal - #1 - In the Office

Ever look at an instant oatmeal packet and think that the fact that one packet = one serving is a bit of a joke? I sure have! But what if you don't want two servings of fiber-rich oats for breakfast, or what if you aren't interested in two packets worth of calories... or what if you are just bored with breakfast and want to make a change?

My solution is simple, but takes a little bit of work. This is something which I have done at work multiple times, so all you need is a sharp knife (which I keep in my desk drawer), a packet of oatmeal, a microwavable container, something to cut stuff on, and an apple.

This is the finished product

Dice the apple and put it into your microwaveable container with your oats. Add your water. Eyeball it. Trust me, cooking oats isn't like baking bread. It's not going to fail if you aren't exacting with the measurements, and the apples will add extra moisture. Stir the whole thing up and cook it in the microwave for a few minutes. How many? Till it looks done! This is another thing you eyeball, and why I probably will never have a job writing recipes.

Today I added walnuts. You can pretty much add anything, just keep in mind that if you add something that has it's own moisture, that will reduce the amount of water you will need, and if you add something that sucks moisture (like raisins) you will need more water.

Ta da! Breakfast!

I Needed Coffee Before I Could Handle Making Coffee

This is Tony Stark, he is my Keurig coffee machine.

I picked him up when I moved in June, since it was just going to be me, and I'd always wanted one of these (well, not always, because they haven't always had them, but since I knew what they were...).

Apparently, this morning I was so zonked when I started my coffee that I was able to fill the reservoir, pop in the pod, and hit the start button, but I was not able to remember to put the cup in its place.

Fortunately, the catcher that the coffee cup sits on has just exactly enough space to accommodate a cups worth of coffee.

Amusingly, my thought when I got out of the shower and looked at the coffee machine was "WHERE DID THE COFFEE GO!?!?!?!?!"

Meanwhile, I left my thermos at work today, so tomorrow it's going to be Super America coffee. Hopefully they still have some of that Pumpkin Spice coffee on.

Merry Thanksgiving And Good Will Towards Elves

The "tree" at the Target Store

Last time I posted, I had just come home from Chicago where I saw my sister Celeste and ran a half marathon. This past week was Thanksgiving and Celeste came here to visit. 

We did the usual tourist attractions, like the big giant Target Store downtown (pictured) and the Big Giant Mall. The Wednesday she arrived, we we to the Midtown Global Market and sang a rousing rendition of Horchata by Vampire Weekend, while drinking horchata. We left our balaclavas at home. 

We went to our friend Joe's for Thanksgiving Dinner, which was awesome and entirely devoid of the usual holiday stressors which people tend to assume accompany the holidays. Joe blogged about Thanksgiving here: http://prepwithtwist.blogspot.com/2012/11/and-so-it-begins-holidays-holidays-are.html 

Because the universe has a sense of humor, the 5 day weather forecast before Celeste's arrival indicated that it was going to stay in the 50's. It was in the 60's the day she arrived. Naturally, on Thursday it went down into the 20's and Thursday night it was in the lower teens. I think I need to procure some more blankets.

Friday night we went to the Holidazzle Parade, which can really only be compared to the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland.

I think it's gingerbread.

If you are not a local Minneapolitan, the Holidazzle Parade starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs Thursday - Sunday until Christmas. All of the floats and everyone who marches in it is covered in holiday lights, and there is all kinds of cute. It is also difficult to photograph without an SLR camera. I do not have an SLR camera, so that picture to the left is about as good as it gets. I posted more on Facebook. You can read more about the Holidazzle Parade here: http://www.holidazzle.com/



After the Holidazzle parade, we went to Macy's for their 8th Floor Auditorium display. They used to change it every year, but for the last few years they have been doing A Day in the Life of an Elf (I've been referring to it as more of a horror flick, *Day Of The Elf*). To us locals, it's become a little stale, but attending with someone who has never see it before is a good reminder that it is actually pretty freaking cool. If you would like to know more about the Macy's Display, go here: http://www.uniquelyminnesota.com/activities/macys-8th-floor-display-minneapolis-mn.htm (This site has far better pictures than I was able to take.)

On Black Friday, we succeeded in not purchasing any products. We only purchased services and food: coffee, skating, coffee, coffee, food, coffee, and ice cream. In that order.

Giant Mall trips are incomplete without Joe.

Saturday, on the other hand, we went to the Big Giant Mall, where Celeste embraced the wonder and the splendor of Minnesota's NO SALES TAX ON CLOTHING!!! Seriously, if you need to go clothes shopping, Minnesota is the place to do it. Besides, all the Black Friday sales were still going on.

We finished out Saturday with dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory, and Sunday Morning (noon) Celeste was back on the bus headed home to Evanston, IL.


Next adventure: I signed up for a Christmas Day 5K. Oh boy.

And I Ran I Ran So Far Away

My sister Celeste is going to school at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Having searched for a really good excuse to go bug her for a weekend, I decided to run in the Chicago Monster Dash Halloween Half Marathon which was scheduled for October 21, 2012 - not to be confused with the Minnesota race of the same name which occurred on October 27, 2012. 

I got to Chicago a few days before the race and got to bum around Evanston and Chicago. I did some reconnaissance and found the location where the race would be on the preceding Friday, while my sister was busy doing school/work related stuff. Ultimately, this wound up being unnecessary, as all that we really needed to do Sunday morning was follow the other people getting off the Red Line at the Roosevelt stop who were wearing costumes and race numbers. Lesson learned. 

The race was really fun. My favorite costume worn by another person was the 50-something man who was in a Star Trek the Next Generation style Starfleet uniform - Command Red. Hee. I was not in costume, I don't think I could possibly run 13.1 miles in a costume. Sorry kids. 

After the race, we went to Gino's East for deep dish. 

If my sister is still in Illinois next October, I may do this again. If not, hell, I may still do it. I can safely say that I know my way around Chicago!