*************************************************
To keep the retelling of dreams as simple as possible, all dreams are told from my point of view within the dream. Whenever reality conflicts with the dream, I will indicate reality like this (R:...). In general when I say, "I stood up", then I really did stand up -- sleep standing.
*************************************************
Tuesday 8/15/00 -- I was sleeping in my bed, except it
wasn't a regular kind of bed. This bed was supported by many tall bamboo trees, which
had only big flat tiles at the top of their trunks instead of leaves. Approximately 25
trees were growing very close to each other, so the tiles on top made a platform for my
thin mattress. I rolled over, and the bamboo tiles started to cave in!! To avoid falling
through, I leapt out of bed, with all my blankets and pillow. Any weight left on the bed
could be devastating!
Several small men (approximately as tall as my knees) ran back and forth from the bed to the jungle around us
to cut down more bamboo poles to support the tiles. I stood at the edge of the bed,
waiting for it to be fixed. I looked around to find somewhere else to sleep because I
was so tired, but decided that it would be best just to wait for my bed to be fixed.
While I was up, I went to the bathroom. As I was sitting on the toilet, I remembered
that my bed was not balanced on treetops, and I'd never heard of bamboo tiles before.
Yes, it was surely a dream. And I went back to bed, and fell quickly asleep.
Friday 7/31/00 -- I can't remember the first part of this dream, but I remember I was in someone's house, with several other people. We had found this box of chemistry stuff, and we were all playing with the beakers, and vials, and liquids. Then one of the other girls, came running into the room shouting "He's BACK! Quick! He's Back!!". Then there was a mad rush to return all the equipment back where it came from. I made three trips from the where I was sitting to the box across the room, with my hands completely full of tiny glass vials, and these little wired screens, which I was trying very hard not to loose.
(Re: I woke up during the third trip. During that foggy moment when I became awake, I
said to myself "since you're cleaning up the chemistry stuff, you might as well clean the
whole house." And I started the clean things off the couch. Then I thought, it's pretty
late. I should just go back to bed. and that's what I did. Side Note: In the morning,
I went to where the box was, and instead of finding a pile of vials and wire screens, I
found a pile of really random things from around the room. A pen, some scraps of paper,
the ban-aid I was wearing, saltshaker, and a tube of anti-biotic ointment that I had
left out last night.)
Sunday 7/2/00 -- After a long sleepwalking hiatus, I was up
last night. (re: I wear glasses, and every night, I set them on the bedside table) So,
I was sleeping comfortably in my bed, when two people woke me up. (re: I’m still
sleeping). They were dressed in business suits -- one man, one woman, and they had come
to brief me on something, including an in-depth slide presentation. The slides were
printed with lots of very tiny words, so I said "Wait a second, I’ll have to put on my
glasses for this one". And so I sat up, put on the glasses, and watched their
presentation. (re: this morning, I can’t remember a word of what the slide show was
about, but I have the feeling it was some kind of James Bond-here's-your-assignment
thing).
I remember asking them a lot of questions. Then they packed up and left, and I went back
to sleep. (re: this morning I found my glasses under the covers with me, and I was
sleeping with my head at the wrong end of the bed).
Friday 3/31/00 -- I was relaxing in my room, when I heard
two short knocks at the door. "oh good! -- ROOM SERVICE" I said. In my mind I had a
clear image of a large platter of macaroni and cheese. The homemade kind, with gooey
real cheese, and large elbow pasta. I guess that is what I ordered. I jumped up and
went to the apartment door. I unlocked the dead bolt, and opened the door.
The light in the apt hallway was really bright, and my eyes were very blurry. I stuck my
head out, but all I could see was a very blurry vision of our brightly colored hall
carpet. There was no one there. No room service. I said to myself "it's a trick", then
quickly closed and locked the door.
That is pretty much when I woke up. I laughed at myself for opening the door for room
service in my own apartment -- and mac and cheese at that. Then I had the feeling that I
got up for room service earlier that night, because I
remember opening the door and taking some drinks from a hotel clerk.
I am not 100% sure that I was sleepwalking for the drinks room service call, but I think
I was.
I laughed a bit, and went right back to sleep.
Thursday 3/2/00 -- I was in my living room playing with this
small metal tin. It was round, with some lovely painting on the lid. I opened it, and
about 300 tiny bugs flew out. They were shaped like sequins, and colored sparkly
blue/green. These bugs flew out in a swarm (like bees in cartoons do), and headed into
my large walk in closet. I as a bit surprised when I opened the tin. I even ducked to
avoid the swarm of sequin bugs.
I quickly followed these bugs to my closet. But before I got there, I heard a voice
calling "Medusa, Medusa". Then I remembered that she was the lady with snake hair who
turns people to stone for looking at her. I knew that these bugs had come together to
form Medusa in my closet. so I stood up against the wall next to my closet. I so badly
wanted to see what these bugs had turned into. But I didn’t want to be turned to stone.
I was very afraid that she'd find my standing outside the closet, and turn me to stone
anyhow.
That's when I awoke from the dream. I am not sure what caused me to wake up then. I
realized I was sleepwalking, but still couldn’t make myself look in the closet. I went
back to bed, but it was a long time until my heart slowed down it's pace, and I was able
to relax.
Thursday 12/23/99 -- (r: I am sleeping at my aunt's house.
the walls, bed, windows are unfamiliar). I am walking down the street. It's a sunny day
and I'm window-shopping. A giant shipping truck (not 18-wheeler, more like moving truck
rental) comes around the corner. I can see it start to topple over. I jump back to
avoid a fatal disaster, but I’m up against a storefront with my arms held out. I know
it's hopeless, but I try to hold the truck up.
I startle awake. I'm standing up in bed, my back against the corner of two walls. My
hands are still held up against an imaginary truck.
Tuesday 12/06/99 -- It's quite late at night. My friend
Richard and I have just returned from the store. I am inside my apartment. Richard is
out back with 3 massive generators. We are trying to lift the generators up and into my
third floor apartment through the window. Just then Richard starts up one generator.
It's very loud and echoes through the alley behind my apartment. I am suddenly very
worried about my "noise sensitive" neighbor and lean out the window to shout at Richard
to turn it off. But I can't see him. He must be around the corner of my apartment
building. I shout "RICHARD!"
I don’t know if the freezing cold woke me up, or my shout but I suddenly find myself --
waist up -- leaning out the window. I know at that instance that I was dreaming, and did
not buy generators with Richard tonight. I'm a little embarrassed and return to bed for
the rest of the night.
Summer 1998 : The sun woke me up. As I sleepily came to, I noticed the walls around me were unfamiliar. That's when I realized my bed, dresser and other furniture were in the main hallway of my apartment building. (re: I am asleep inside my apt unit.) I start to think how much trouble I will be in if the apt manager sees me sleeping out here. I get up, and start to push all the furniture back into my apartment. It's hard work, but I get it all inside.
(RE: when I *really* woke up, my bed and lots of my furniture was pushed about 3-5 feet out of their normal locations. I do not think I was ever outside my apartment, but I guess it is possible.)
Summer 1997: I was asleep in bed when I heard someone on the roof just outside my window. I opened the window to have a look around. That's when I saw a man crouched on the ledge of the roof. I shouted "GET OFF MY ROOF!! I"M CALLING THE COPS!!" Then I closed the window, and locked it. I looked all the windows in my room, and closed all the blinds. I hid in the corner, and hyperventilated.
After what felt like an hour, I thought the threat had passed, and climbed back into bed, and feel asleep (or back into non-sleepwalking sleep).
Summer 1997 : I was sleeping in bed, when I awoke because I heard some noise in my room. (re: I am still asleep). I opened my eyes, and saw an old man in the corner of my room.
He was very gray-haired, and hunched over. He walked with a cane, and generally looked very frail and confused.
"Hey. What are you doing in here?" I asked.
He didn’t reply, but kept walking into the corner of my room. I thought he was looking for the door, but was too disoriented to find it.
I kept asking him where he was going, and he just mumbled something I couldn’t understand. So I got out of bed, and tried to lead him out of my room. He was moving very slowly, and I tried to reach out and put my arm around his waist, but I couldn’t get a hold of him.
That's when I scraped my knuckles on the wall, and it really hurt. I woke up, to find myself standing right in the corner of my room. The moon was shinning so brightly that night, that it cast a light shadow through the trees outside my window. The light patches were in the general shape of a person. I was trying to walk the moon outside.
Winter 1993 -- (R: I was dating this guy Greg, we were not very serious, and this is what happened the first night he spent at my house)
I was sound to sleep when I heard the piercing sound of the fire alarm. When I opened my eyes, I saw the red flashing lights of a fire truck just outside my apartment. That's when I first saw smoke falling into room. I was instantly in a panic. From the bed, I can see into the kitchen. From my stove I saw flames leaping up about 6 feet high and 3 feet wide. Black smoke was pouring from the kitchen through out the apartment.
I jump to my feet and start putting on pants, jacket, and shoes. There is snow outside, and I know it's cold. I start shaking Greg, "WAKE UP!! FIRE!!!" He grumbles a bit, but does not move. In a panic, I keep shaking him and yelling "FIRE! GREG, FIRE!!" Then he's awake and panicked too. We both scurry about looking for my cats.
Bundled in warm clothes, and a cat under each arm, we both head for the apt door. I put my hand on the doorknob and pull the door open a few inches. It's brightly lit and very quiet. Everything is as it should be in my apartment building's hallway. I look back into my apartment. It too is quiet and still. No smoke, no flames in the kitchen, no fire truck sirens.
"Oh, I'm sorry, it was only a dream. back to bed", I explain to Greg. He looks very confused and says "no fire?"
"nope". I have to push him back to bed and he falls instantly asleep. I however am up for another half hour as my heart and body relax after so much adrenaline and panic.
(re: Greg never stayed the night again, and we stopped dating shortly after this incident).
Fall 1992 -- I was asleep when I heard the toilet flush. The water just keeps filling the toilet long after it should have stopped. Then I heard water splashing onto the floor.
When I sat up, I saw a river of water flowing down the apartment hallway.
Why me?! Something must be done with it, so I stand up. As I walk down the flooded hall, I have to tiptoe along the wall to avoid all the water. Sometimes I walk with my back flat against the wall, or leap across the water to the other wall. (r: This is a so common a walking style, that it's come to be known as "the Miami Vice Sneak Up".). When I get to the bathroom door, I can see water gushing out from the crack at the bottom. I stand to one side of the door and plan a strategy.
I clearly pictured something out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon... with a room filling up to the ceiling with water, then the door is opened and a tidal wave of water falls on the person opening the door. But there is always a second when the water holds the shape of the door before it falls. This give me time to kick the door open, the jump to the other side of the door before I'm drown in toilet water.
With my best Miami Vice moves, I leap in front of the door, kick ... and get the fright of my life.
I spring awake. My cat was in the bathroom and I scared her so much that she was racing in circles and leaping into the air, and finally racing past me. That's when I saw that the bathroom was as it always is. No toilet overflowing, no river of water.
As I go back to bed, I hear my roommate laughing.
Fall 1991 -- (re: I was living in the University dorms at this time. I lived in a "cluster" of four two-person rooms, with a central bathroom, hall and common area. On this night, my roommate was in the common area talking to another cluster mate. The time is about 2am, and she left the room to our door open a crack.)
I was sleeping when I heard my roommate Julie calling out "Christine, Christine, when will she come dance for us?!" Quite suddenly I felt enraged. I'm sleeping and they want me to come out and dance for them?! How rude! I lie in bed and listen for a while. They keep talking about me. I get more furious. I stand up, get fully dressed, and go out there to give them a piece of my mind!
When you step out of my room, the hall leads ahead to the common room, or to the left where a door separates the main hall from our cluster. I hear dance music and can see the flashing disco lights under the door to the left. They must be a the roller-rink. Go left, touch the doorknob then remember we don’t have a roller-rink in the dorms. I turn back for the commons room.
My two roommates are sitting there talking. "Don't talk about me behind my back!" I lay into them right away. "What?", they say looking very confused. I reply, " I heard you -- when will Christine dance for us? -- well, I’m sleeping and I am *NOT* going to dance for you!!" They are looking at me like I am crazy.
Julie asks, "Why did you go that way?" pointing to the door down the hall.
"I though you guys were in the roller skating rink, then I remembered you weren't!" I shout. "Quit talking about me".
"We weren't talking about you. I swear", says Julie. "I think you're sleepwalking."
Oh, I am so angry now! I know I'm right -- I heard them talking about me! "I know when I'm awake, and I know when I’m asleep and I AM AWAKE NOW" I growl.
Now they both know I am sleepwalking, and start laughing. They start asking questions to confuse me. Questions that are completely off topic. Because they are so casual when I am so enraged, I know something’s wrong. I get confused, then realize I have just woke up.
"Sorry, I was sleepwalking" I say and go back to bed.
Fall 1991 -- I do not remember any of this dream, other than what came back to me after my roommate told me what I was doing. She said I got out of bed, and looked like I was digging in a big pile of stuff under my bed, until I emerged with a box. Well, there was really no pile of stuff, and no box. But I walked around the bedroom a bit with my hands holding an imaginary box. I went to the corner of the room, opened the box, closed it and went back to bed.
I remembered a very clear and detailed dream about returning shoes, and buying a different pair.
Since then I have had several roommates tell me "you were returning shoes again". Apparently it is a common dream of mine that I never remember having.
Summer 1988 -- I was sound asleep when a booming voice from above said "here is the puzzle, solve it!!" and a hand pointed to a large scarab on the wall. But it wasn't a real bug, but a computer/robot thing, about the size of my hand and covered in buttons of many glowing colors.
I understood the puzzle. I had to hit the buttons in the right combination. I also understood that failing to get the solution would bring disastrous results -- death to myself and my family.
Carefully I studied the scarab. Then it started to move, slowly at first. It marched quietly up the wall, then made a sharp 90 degree turn. This made the puzzle harder, because now all the buttons were at a different angle. The beetle described a large square, and started around again. Which each turn the square became smaller, and the puzzle moved faster.
In the course of a few minutes, the bug was now madly spinning, constantly turning body angle. All the buttons became one swirling patch. There was no way to solve the puzzle. I was trying to catch the scarab, to hold it and stop its movement, but I could not get my hand around it.
My stress level was very high, and I scrapped my knuckles against the wall. The combination of stress, eminent death, and pain woke me up.
With a deep sigh, I realized it was a dream. It took some time for my body to relax, and allow sleep to conquer me again.
? 1986 ? -- I have no memory of this dream, but woke up (really awake) to find myself sitting upright, hugging my knees in the corner of the kitchen. I had two large fistfuls of silverware in my hands -- all the sharp points pointed into the room.
I do not know what the dream was about. I guess I was defending myself. I walked back upstairs and went to bed.
