Dearest Rachel – It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a dream about being unprepared for school; in fact, I can’t remember the last time that’s happened. Of course, that may just be due to the fact that I rarely ever felt that I was during my educational career. Which rather begs theContinue reading “Essay on Eight”
Category Archives: Dream Journal
Backrub Boy
Dearest Rachel – I suppose it shouldn’t come as an great surprise to find out that I still have dreams about my old job from time to time. I’ve never bothered to actually try to calculate it, but I wonder if I didn’t spend more of my waking hours there, dealing with Mohinder, than IContinue reading “Backrub Boy”
Thanks For Your Help
Dearest Rachel – It’s so weird to think that, only a few years ago, I was regularly waking up at five or so in the morning in order to shower, shave, get myself something for breakfast and get a little reading in before heading off to an actual job at an actual office. You’d thinkContinue reading “Thanks For Your Help”
Fine With the Evil Choice
Dearest Rachel – I realize that the ‘you’ I saw in last night’s dream was wildly out of character, but I’ve come to accept that this is how dreams operate. Considering that there was a whole other level of distance from reality involved, it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. In the dreamContinue reading “Fine With the Evil Choice”
Never That Young
Dearest Rachel – So, this morning, I woke up to the bright sun pouring in from what seemed to be all sides of the room (you know how it is; the bedroom has windows all around it, apart from the one wall that’s attached to the laundry room). But when I grabbed my phone toContinue reading “Never That Young”
Up Too Early, Up Too Late
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know where I first heard it, but I have heard that the difference between comedy and tragedy is simply a matter of timing. It’s probably a corollary axiom to the fact that comedy is tragedy plus time; where any occurrence involving the loss of life (no matter how horrific) canContinue reading “Up Too Early, Up Too Late”
Matsuri Yume
Dearest Rachel – Six forty-five. After a brief moment of wakefulness around four, I’m finally, actually waking up. “Oyaho.” Daniel, it seems, has been awake for an hour or so. And up until now, I’ve been the one to wake up first. I turn and open the curtains to the veranda – we’re still sailingContinue reading “Matsuri Yume”
Like You Were Never Gone
Dearest Rachel – There’s a part of me that thinks this is silly; I really should be back in bed, getting some needed sleep, because we’ve got another tour in the morning. but there’s another side of me that, when I see you in my dreams, I feel I have to let you know aboutContinue reading “Like You Were Never Gone”
Muddled Morning
Dearest Rachel – It’s that kind of morning today; I know I’ve said it before, but it never ceases to strike me as topsy-turvy that the one day a week I have to set my alarm is a Saturday. Sure, it’s the one day that I actually have a commitment to be somewhere earlier thanContinue reading “Muddled Morning”
Of Self-Awareness and Stoicism
Dearest Rachel – There’s something particularly recursive about having a dream about putting on a production; in a way, it’s a case of one’s unconscious mind taking one behind the curtain as the dream itself is being assembled. The fact that I was the one in the directors’ chair last night should have suggested nothingContinue reading “Of Self-Awareness and Stoicism”
At Home with Him
Dearest Rachel – It’s enough when I see you now and again in dreams; to see Kevin, laughing at what seemed to be modern-era Simpsons episodes (which, to give my opinion, have jumped so far that they can barely see the shark from orbit) even as I sat there, incredulous at his amusement, was justContinue reading “At Home with Him”
Words Before the Battle
Dearest Rachel – Last night’s dream, as far as I can recall, appeared to have me in the role of Neville Longbottom, giving a St. Crispian’s style speech before the Battle of Hogwarts. Most of what I can remember is starting from the top of a table in the Great Hall, and continuing to moveContinue reading “Words Before the Battle”
The Irresponsibility of Responsibility
Dearest Rachel – You know how Dad has always been so enthusiastic about learning everything about our travels, while we (partly due to my experiences a year and a half ago in Basel) have tried to remain reasonably indifferent? Yeah, I think that’s catching up to me. It would seem that my unconscious mind isContinue reading “The Irresponsibility of Responsibility”
Notes from the Simulation
Dearest Rachel – It’s hard to say how long it’s been theorized about, but there seems to be a growing belief in ‘life as we know it’ being little more than a simulation. Maybe it comes from the popularity of the Matrix movies, where so much more seems to be possible, even for blue-pilled humanity.Continue reading “Notes from the Simulation”
Running Toward the Chaos
Dearest Rachel – It’s not natural, when everything is going crazy around oneself, to head in the direction of the chaos. The flight instinct is part of the whole self-preservation mechanism that is common to virtually all sentient life. But of course, someone has to get those in the midst of the madness out ofContinue reading “Running Toward the Chaos”
Inception Levels
Dearest Rachel – I need to start off by saying how much I appreciate it whenever you decide to visit me in my dreams, no matter how uncanny the situation might be, and how it makes me question things. That being said, I’m not gonna lie; this was Inception levels of weird, despite its plausiblyContinue reading “Inception Levels”
Sacred Secrets?
Dearest Rachel – Far be it from me to tell the all-knowing God His own business; He obviously know why He chooses to do as He does, and that His choices are correct. But since He hasn’t let me in on the ‘why’ in most cases, I can’t help but wonder from time to timeContinue reading “Sacred Secrets?”
Dreams of Older Women
Dearest Rachel – While I may know better than to do the stock cliché of “middle-aged man creeps on girls young enough to be his daughter as part of his midlife crisis,” I have to confess that I’ve never been much for women my age. Scrolling through the dating website is looking at a catalogueContinue reading “Dreams of Older Women”
Random Acts in Washington
Dearest Rachel – As you know, some mornings I have some pretty wild and elaborate dreams, and others I don’t. Since yesterday was one of those ‘no dream’ nights, it seems only fair that I found myself in a surprisingly involved one this morning. Indeed, this one was elaborate enough that it felt like aContinue reading “Random Acts in Washington”
Irritating Dreams
Dearest Rachel – You know, honey, not all bad dreams are nightmares. You don’t spend all your unconscious moments being chased by a monster or a psychopath (which I guess is the same thing in humanoid form), or otherwise in the midst of mortal terror from one danger or another. Nor do you necessarily findContinue reading “Irritating Dreams”
No Sense in Going Back
Dearest Rachel – Last night’s dreams were mostly scattered fragments, with very little to them to allow me to remember and relate to you, even these few minutes after waking up. The couple of bits I do remember seem hardly worth telling you about either, except that by that very nature, they form a minorContinue reading “No Sense in Going Back”
Preparations, Questions and Imaginations
Dearest Rachel – There’s something strange about driving back from a workout, and needing to stop and prepare for the next one before going home. It’s not unlike finishing up lunch, complementing the chef, and wondering immediately thereafter where and what one would be having for supper that night – a scenario that I’m muchContinue reading “Preparations, Questions and Imaginations”
Room 354
Dearest Rachel – I think that the first time I visited you at your parents’ house down in Macomb, I had to deal with a long freight train as it cut through town while I made my way down Jackson Street (the ‘main drag’ of town) in order to get there. So it seems appropriateContinue reading “Room 354”
Arguing In (and About) Images
Dearest Rachel – There are times when I’m pretty sure my unconscious mind is trying to tell me something, but for the life of me, I can’t make out what it is. Last nights dream seemed like a message – even a warning of sorts – but it wasn’t even remotely clear as to whatContinue reading “Arguing In (and About) Images”
A Touch Of (and For) Distress
Dearest Rachel – In fairness, you were never much for cuddling, to speak of. In your mind, you had no desire to be treated like a teddy bear or a hugging pillow, and with that in mind, you chose to give me my space in turn, especially at night (assuming, not incorrectly, that such constantContinue reading “A Touch Of (and For) Distress”
“Get Them the ––– Outta There!”
Dearest Rachel – Most of the time, dreams come to one more or less unbidden; none of us can say what may have prompted them, if anything. Last night’s, however, may well have been birthed by a letter I received, and promptly discarded. Not that it was telling me to go back and retrieve theContinue reading ““Get Them the ––– Outta There!””
Preoccupied With the Same Old Things
Dearest Rachel – I already wrote nearly a thousand words to you this morning, only to be forced to accept the fact that I could never post it as it was. It was the sort of dream that might be taken as a good omen had it been on New Year’s Day (although it containedContinue reading “Preoccupied With the Same Old Things”
Dreaming of Our Next Trip Already
Dearest Rachel – Now that I’m looking at it, this title seems unfortunately phrased, or maybe it could be about the real ‘final frontier.’ Would that the word ‘our’ included you as part of it. But with my bringing Daniel with on next spring’s cruise to Japan, I didn’t think twice about using the firstContinue reading “Dreaming of Our Next Trip Already”
Losing the Plot
Dearest Rachel – Last night’s dream (and it was definitely last night’s – I woke up in the recliner at one in the morning with this running through my head, and somehow managed to keep most of the storyline despite getting what you would consider a full night’s sleep thereafter) is one that, among mostContinue reading “Losing the Plot”
How Long Until You Knew?
Dearest Rachel – Just think, it was only yesterday that I was congratulating myself for having reacclimatized to the local time zone. I really should have known better. But last night, I had already woken up once, at three, so I was mildly disgusted with myself about that. At the same time, my head wasContinue reading “How Long Until You Knew?”
Not On the Same Wavelength
Dearest Rachel – It was nice to hear your voice again last night, even if we clearly weren’t on the same wavelength – or even in the same time zone. And I’m not talking about those few hour differences that I’m still coping with throughout the last week (although they clearly have something to doContinue reading “Not On the Same Wavelength”
Club Megumi
Dearest Rachel – Another early morning, another thing to write you about before I go back to sleep and forget all about it. Don’t know how far I’ll get before that happens, but I might as well try and see where this goes. Anyway, this is about a dream, which have been fewer and fartherContinue reading “Club Megumi”
The Satisfaction of Dreams
It’s often the little things in life that can be the most satisfying, particularly after a relatively long absence. For instance, after a week of irregular sleep, the fact that I woke up from a dream lets me know that I’ve finally gotten a good night’s sleep. It wasn’t anything fancy, to be honest. TheContinue reading “The Satisfaction of Dreams”
The Value of Sacrifice
Dearest Rachel – It may have been last night’s game of Civilization between Kevin and myself, which, upon being joined on the line by Erin, I found myself explaining my mild fascination about history, and the great men (and women) throughout it that helped to sculpt the world into the shape it is in, forContinue reading “The Value of Sacrifice”
Water, Oil and Wine
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know how my mind can go from black-and-white line drawings one night to full (if dimly lit) color and tactile sensations, but it was good to see and hear from you last night, even if it left me with more questions than answers – and I still had to letContinue reading “Water, Oil and Wine”
Mercy, Grace and Pity
Good morning, honey – This morning’s visions are going to be considerably more disjointed than most – dreams can be like that, after all – but it’s the sort of thing you’d likely be telling me about if it happened to you, so I think it’s only fair. This letter might also be the sortContinue reading “Mercy, Grace and Pity”
Between Fashion and Utility
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what prompted the images of last night’s dream – and they were mostly images, rather than any sort of coherent storyline – but I suppose that dreams, by their very nature, don’t require a logical explanation. My best guess, however, is that of various memelords and other Photoshop experts,Continue reading “Between Fashion and Utility”
For the Sake of Former Adversaries
Dearest Rachel – Back in the day, I rarely had nightmares about work – or at least, not that I can remember. After all, I would wake up a little after five in the morning in order to begin preparations to get myself ready for work, and the alarm would essentially interrupt any dream thatContinue reading “For the Sake of Former Adversaries”
Another Weight Lifted
Dearest Rachel – One of the advantages of being confined to the bedroom while the boys are watching anime in the family room is that, if I get tired or bored, I can just shut my eyes and I’m already in bed. As a result, I’m pretty sure I was asleep before ten last night.Continue reading “Another Weight Lifted”
On Seth and Cain
Dearest Rachel – These characters aren’t the ones I saw as I was climbing from the depths of sleep in the chair in the family room the other night. Their living conditions were most likely as primitive as those you might picture from the stone age, whereas I envisioned scenes from a mansion with aContinue reading “On Seth and Cain”
Hadn’t Heard Your Voice in So Long
Dearest Rachel – Wouldn’t surprise you to know that I’ve started to forget what your voice sounded like? For all that I’ve kept your cell phone – and still continue to pay a nominal fee for it – it’s been ages since I’ve called it to hear you say how you ‘can’t come to theContinue reading “Hadn’t Heard Your Voice in So Long”
In No Mood to Get Up
Dearest Rachel – It’s six in the morning, and for whatever reason, I’m awake. It’s not quite pitch black, but it’s pretty thoroughly dark out yet. Several muscles surrounding my Achilles’ tendon are still screaming at me, despite my attempts to stretch them ex post facto. And I’ve just woken from a dream in whichContinue reading “In No Mood to Get Up”
Running from Responsibility?
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning, wondering why I might be imagining myself as a runaway staying at some halfway house on the outskirts of an actual city, rather than as I am, a homeowner in the suburbs, supposedly in charge on my own destiny. I know I have this mental picture ofContinue reading “Running from Responsibility?”
One Feature After Another
Dearest Rachel – There are some mornings when I wonder what I’m going to tell you about; there are others where I have the odd dream or two. And then there are mornings like today. I’m just hoping I can remember everything that passed before my eyes last night, and write them all down beforeContinue reading “One Feature After Another”
The Frantic Chaos of a Restful Night
Dearest Rachel – What with having Kevin over, I confess that I will be hard-pressed to keep in touch with you every day. And while been given dispensation to skip a day here and there, as I’ve built up a number of consecutive days of writing you, it gets that much harder to give upContinue reading “The Frantic Chaos of a Restful Night”
I Want to Believe
Dearest Rachel – You might dimly remember this slogan; it was the motto of “The X-Files,” which, for all your love of the science fiction and horror genres, you never seemed to get into. Maybe it was just having our hands full with a new baby; maybe it was the fact that we could onlyContinue reading “I Want to Believe”
A Message to the Newlyweds
Dearest Rachel – Believe it or not, I found myself dealing with a couple of dreams last night, both of which I thought you might as well hear about. To be sure, the first was a little more than an ironic bit of punishment visited upon some quack con man, but the whole concept behindContinue reading “A Message to the Newlyweds”
Cultivating Karma
Dearest Rachel – There wasn’t much to remember about last night’s first dream, only a news item. Still, it was sufficient to take into consideration, and perhaps turn into an essay of sorts. It would seem that this fellow, whose name I can’t remember, and may never have been dropped (since it didn’t really matterContinue reading “Cultivating Karma”
Back, But on Borrowed Time
Dearest Rachel – Look, honey, I understand that we’re all on borrowed time, from the day that we’re born. But last nights dream (okay, so it was definitely this morning’s, but you know what I’m talking about) was that much more so than usual. We all seemed so much younger than we have been inContinue reading “Back, But on Borrowed Time”
Disasters
Dearest Rachel – There are a lot of ways to go that I don’t want to experience – yours, in retrospect, wasn’t so bad, being so sudden you probably didn’t see it coming until it was upon you – and last night included quite the collection of possibilities. Most of them seemed to involve islandContinue reading “Disasters”
A Hole In Space
Dearest Rachel – Well, honey, I got my assignment in my email yesterday evening, and it turns out I’ll be spending most of the weekend in the kitchen just as I expected to. What I hadn’t expected (but probably should have) is that most of my time there will be spent handling cleanup rather thanContinue reading “A Hole In Space”
Even Magic Can Only Do So Much
Dearest Rachel – I already had a topic to write you about today – in fact, it was already a day behind, about yesterday’s events – but when one wakes up with a certain song in one’s head, and fragments of a dream lingering in one’s mind, one needs to get that written down beforeContinue reading “Even Magic Can Only Do So Much”
Can’t Get Him Out of the House
Dearest Rachel – In a way, I think I’d prefer to talk to you about my dream from last night, but it was so much of a non sequitur that I wouldn’t be able to make much of a story out of it. Basically, it involved my dad and I trying to sell a litterContinue reading “Can’t Get Him Out of the House”
When the Beings on My Shoulders Both Agree
Dearest Rachel – You’re familiar with the trope, most commonly used in cartoons and comics, of the angel and the devil on a character’s shoulders, each persuading the character toward right and wrong, respectively. We would recognize them as the pulls of conscience and desire, if not specifically sensing separate entities arguing with our ownContinue reading “When the Beings on My Shoulders Both Agree”
A Wish to Return
Dearest Rachel – Last night, I found myself dreaming about our trip to San Antonio, and wishing we could go back there. I’m not entirely sure why. Oh, don’t get me wrong; there are plenty of good reasons to want to. The place we stayed at was really quite something, with its expansive room andContinue reading “A Wish to Return”
Way Too Soon
Dearest Rachel – I know I deliberately retired to the bedroom early last night in order to get up with enough time to get ready and be at church by seven, but I meant to wake up at five. Two a.m. is way too soon. And yet, that’s when I found myself awake, mulling overContinue reading “Way Too Soon”
The Things I Can’t Relate
Dearest Rachel – For all the times recently that I’ve gone into detail about this or that dream, there are those that I can’t relate to you – at least, not here. Sometimes, like this morning, it’s simply because the moment I open my eyes, everything pops like an enormous soap bubble. The only thingContinue reading “The Things I Can’t Relate”
No Plot, No Point… No Problem?
Dearest Rachel – There are times when I don’t know why I’m filling this space with the scenes I see at night. Most of them don’t have a story to them, and the ones that do leave me wondering if they were supposed to mean anything, and being unable to come up with any reasonableContinue reading “No Plot, No Point… No Problem?”
Red Steam in the Sunrise
Dearest Rachel – I’ve made this distinction before; it’s a rare thing that one’s daydreams and one’s dreams should coincide. But this morning’s screenings clearly must’ve resulted from having won the lottery or something like that. I mean, sure, I probably acquired the thing for kopecks on the ruble, but fixing up an old SovietContinue reading “Red Steam in the Sunrise”
Merchandising Dreams
Dearest Rachel – There are some days when I have a letter to write you begun in my head – I may even start to put it down in the cloud to post the next day (assuming there’s a time in the afternoon when I don’t simply decide to hang out in the family roomContinue reading “Merchandising Dreams”
More than Required… Or Not
Dearest Rachel – Maybe it was the six miles. I can’t think of any other particular reason. As I mentioned yesterday, I met Lars yesterday afternoon to walk through a forest preserve. This time, it was in our area, at Busse Woods, since he wanted to see the work that had been done on theContinue reading “More than Required… Or Not”
Mission Improbable
Dearest Rachel – Throughout all that time that I was taking care of Chompers for you after the accident, you’ll recall that I told you many times how I’ve never been much for animals. Along those same lines, I’ve always been somewhat contemptuous of animal liberation groups. At best, they tend to be somewhat misguided,Continue reading “Mission Improbable”
Schoolhouse Rock
Dearest Rachel – Ever since I made this a challenge to myself, to write you something at least once a day, there are days when I find myself wondering what’s going to be new that’s going to be worth telling you about. It is a ‘new normal’ that I am living in, but when youContinue reading “Schoolhouse Rock”
Little Nightmares
Dearest Rachel – So, last night’s study had us wrapping up the book of Philippians; you know the passage, the one about not being anxious, but rejoicing in every situation. I’ve always had difficulty with that, simply because I can’t keep from thinking of joy as an emotion, as opposed to an action (yes, IContinue reading “Little Nightmares”
Abandoned
Dearest Rachel – Last night’s dream was a weird one to wake up from. What I can remember of it had to do with the family and a handful of others (including animals) needing to get back from somewhere in central Missouri, and quickly. So, while most of the others got cars to drive homeContinue reading “Abandoned”
Resentful of Mercy
Dearest Rachel – I can’t necessarily speak for you, but I have always felt quite safe in our home. Despite its location on a major thoroughfare – or maybe because of it, as its high visibility and lack of street parking precluded most easy break-in possibilities – and its location literally on the ‘wrong sideContinue reading “Resentful of Mercy”
How Soon Until We’d Notice?
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old children’s-level joke that asks whether heat or cold is the faster, with the punchline being ‘heat… you can catch cold.’ At the risk of Aunt Florencing the joke (you’ll recall the reference, but I may have to explain this one to everyone else), I remember from even the firstContinue reading “How Soon Until We’d Notice?”
Infinite Loop
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes it’s ridiculous what my mind comes up with overnight these days. Other times, it just ever so slightly depressing, if only for the fact that it spoils the fantasy. But you being you, you would ask about my dream in any event, and while the details are already starting to fadeContinue reading “Infinite Loop”
Nowhere Near “In Control”
Dearest Rachel – After drifting through a dream in which I could control the flow of events much like the art director from “Duck Amuck” (although rather more violently, as one of the individuals in this dream Twitter video was chucking grenades at whoever was filming it, and I was simply pausing the video toContinue reading “Nowhere Near “In Control””
A Date in Time
Dearest Rachel – I tend to take it as a good sign when I’m able to construct an entire story with my mind in my dreams. If nothing else, it suggests that I’m getting a full nights sleep in the process. I wish I could ask you about this story, because it seems so familiar,Continue reading “A Date in Time”
Dismissed
Dearest Rachel – So, last night, in my dream, I got fired. Seriously, that was the basic gist of things. Daniel and I drove to my old office, and after I made sure he was at his job there (what that job actually was, I really couldn’t tell you – indeed, on the inside, theContinue reading “Dismissed”
My Fate in Dream
Dearest Rachel – Well, that was disconcerting… and downright terrifying in its plausibility, to a certain extent. What’s particularly strange is how calm –almost indifferent – I was to my own fate. The dream effectively started with my applying for a renewed drivers license (although, to be sure, the place didn’t look a lot likeContinue reading “My Fate in Dream”
Late Night Talk
Dearest Rachel – It may have had something to do with our discussion en route to last night’s Bible study. I don’t know how the subject came up but Daniel and I were sharing about how late night talk show hosts just aren’t what they used to be. For my part, I never took aContinue reading “Late Night Talk”
That Could Have Gone So Much Worse…
Dearest Rachel – That title pretty much sums up last night’s dream, honey. Don’t know where it came from; as cold as I may have felt, I did sleep in my clothes to mitigate the chill, so I shouldn’t have been feeling it in my unconsciousness. And as for the rest of it, well, IContinue reading “That Could Have Gone So Much Worse…”
Why Are We Messing With This?
Dearest Rachel – I suppose I really should’ve seen this day coming. Not so much the dream, however. Let me start with it, as it’s the first thing that I wake up to. I warn you, however, but it’s not a subject matter that really interests you – not to mention, neither you nor IContinue reading “Why Are We Messing With This?”
So Much Nonsense
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what my brain was trying to process last night, but it certainly was working overtime in generating dreams. Mostly, however, the dreams it was creating were both fairly realistic (that is, nothing to psychedelic or dreamscape-y), and at the same time, illogical enough for me to recognize them asContinue reading “So Much Nonsense”
Notes from the (Unplanned) Experiment
Dearest Rachel – I would almost expect that your first reaction would be to read that title, turn to me, and ask “Wait, wasn’t it your plan all along to sleep upstairs in the yellow room during the construction?” Well, yes, that’s true… sort of. You see, I had assumed that the operation would beContinue reading “Notes from the (Unplanned) Experiment”
If I Could See My Way Clear
Dearest Rachel – Well, it could’ve happened at a worse time. Barely an hour before Jenn was supposed to pick me up so that we could drive to cousin Jim’s memorial service in the Twin Cities area, I get the bright idea to clean my glasses. Just as I start to rub the lens withContinue reading “If I Could See My Way Clear”
Giving Up and Going Down
Dearest Rachel – I want to say it was Everest; I’m pretty sure it was the North Col we were suspended from. Our Sherpa guides – because you definitely need them, when assaulting this mountain – had advised us to make our way back down, even though we were ‘only’ a thousand feet short ofContinue reading “Giving Up and Going Down”
Dreaming a Little Too Deeply
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes you just know where your dream is coming from. That doesn’t make it any less absurd. I’m pretty sure this had to do with the combination of my scoping out a new trip for later this year (pending confirmation of any scheduling conflicts – yes, they can be a thing yet),Continue reading “Dreaming a Little Too Deeply”
Instant Regret
Dearest Rachel – I’m guessing this has something to do with yesterday’s letter, combined with having watched a couple of speed runs of Cuphead last night. It’s the only thing I can think of off the top of my head that’s why I would have a dream about the governments of Massachusetts and Connecticut throwingContinue reading “Instant Regret”
Taking Delivery
Dearest Rachel – This morning started with a confusing jumble of images and story. It’s probably why it’s so hard to relate dreams to someone else; it’s hard to unravel the storyline, even for yourself. Had I gone back in time, or was I running through an alternate universe where the accident hadn’t happened? WasContinue reading “Taking Delivery”
Less Eventful Days
Dearest Rachel – So, we are now headed back toward Florida; another non-stop sail of some 1,200 miles or so. Two whole days of nothing but open ocean, as we make our return. This is the dénouement; barring something catastrophic or stupid (or catastrophically stupid), these last two days will be considerably less eventful thanContinue reading “Less Eventful Days”
Arrant Nonsense
Dearest Rachel – Of all the earworms to have going through my head, this is the one I wake up hearing? I’ve been Norman Mailered, Maxwell Taylored.I’ve been John O’Hara’d, McNamara’d.I’ve been Rolling Stoned and Beatled ’til I’m blind!I’ve been Ayn Randed, nearly brandedA Communist, ’cause I’m left-handedThat’s the hand they use… well… never mind.Continue reading “Arrant Nonsense”
Candy Floss and Soundtracks
Dearest Rachel – There are mornings when you try to put together the dreams from last night, only to find yourself holding a paper cone of candy floss (okay, cotton candy, if you must) that’s been out in the hot sun for the last two hours. It may not have been that long ago thatContinue reading “Candy Floss and Soundtracks”
Impossibly Ideal Island
Dearest Rachel – There’s not much to tell you in the way of a story, as far as last nights dream went. To be honest, I’m going to say that the location itself was essentially the story – and how, upon reflection, it would probably be almost impossible for such a place to exist, atContinue reading “Impossibly Ideal Island”
Tomatillos
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes, I find myself wondering what my mind is thinking. Then I remember what’s doing the wondering, and reality folds in upon itself. When my own brain doesn’t seem to know what it’s coming up with, I have really fallen down the rabbit hole. Fortunately, the things it comes up with areContinue reading “Tomatillos”
Date, Marry or Dump?
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes, it’s not so much the dream that’s memorable, as the idea behind it that I need to write down and tell you about. I’ve already pretty much lost the specific images that I saw, but the concept, well, that’s worth talking about. For all that we enjoyed watching various YouTubers playingContinue reading “Date, Marry or Dump?”
Ask You No Questions
Dearest Rachel – I guess I should thank you for showing up last night (this morning?), despite the fact that I can’t seem to stop myself from asking you questions and breaking the spell. So if the dreams you appear in are all too short, I guess that’s on me. Anyway, I should get toContinue reading “Ask You No Questions”
The Deadpan Voice of Reason
Dearest Rachel – Another early morning, another weird dream. And, as a consequence, another hour or so of dictating to Siri before it fades out completely. This one didn’t involve anyone I know except me, but it did literally involve a complete cast of characters. I couldn’t tell you, now that I’ve woken up, whetherContinue reading “The Deadpan Voice of Reason”
Twice the Loss
Dearest Rachel – I’d already started a letter to you last night, based on the events of last night – or rather, an event from last night – but upon waking up from this, I had to tell you about it. Another dream, of course, so dream logic – or rather, the lack thereof –Continue reading “Twice the Loss”
Glitches, Botches, Dreams and Reality
Dearest Rachel – For the last couple of weeks, we’ve been watching several new channels that I’m sure you would’ve appreciated were you still around, hanging out with us in the family room while YouTube was running in the background. We started looking for such channels after watching a video essay on the concept itself,Continue reading “Glitches, Botches, Dreams and Reality”
Imagine Storms
Dearest Rachel – Another long night, another dream – or series of dreams – that might otherwise make sense except for the timing, the location, the cast, and the fact that I was constantly looking for my phone to take pictures of it all, only to find that it was nowhere near me (which, asContinue reading “Imagine Storms”
Of Reindeer Skins and Dreams of Summer
Dearest Rachel – I found myself dreaming of summer last night. Nothing special, no remarkable scenes I can remember or tell you about. Just warmth and… yeah, that’s pretty much it. I think it comes from too many reindeer skins. You know what I’m talking about. It’s been a long-standing family joke, ever since myContinue reading “Of Reindeer Skins and Dreams of Summer”
Maple Sugar Club
Dearest Rachel – Well, this is one of those dreams that I wake up from wondering where it came from. I’m almost tempted to just say ‘forget about it,’ but it was so… realistic that I couldn’t seem to ignore it. One of the particularly odd things about it is that I haven’t even seenContinue reading “Maple Sugar Club”
I Never Dealt with Nightmares
Dearest Rachel – I should tell you upfront that Daniel does not seem to approve of Ruby. Every time the phone ‘thrums’ to indicate a message from her when he’s in earshot, he gives me a sideways glance as if to ask ‘her again?’ even if he doesn’t always say it aloud – which heContinue reading “I Never Dealt with Nightmares”
The Payoff
Dearest Rachel – After pondering last night’s dream, I found myself wondering about how, exactly, I would be expected to make good on such a wager in the first place. For that matter, for the other guy – whoever the heck he was – to even expect me to do so would have required himContinue reading “The Payoff”
Betting Our Lives
Dearest Rachel – Well. Thank heavens that wasn’t anything more than a dream. I couldn’t tell you the specifics, exactly. And in fact, it probably doesn’t make any difference as to who the teams were that were involved, other than the fact that they were playing football. All that really matters is that time wasContinue reading “Betting Our Lives”
Keep the Bar Low
Dearest Rachel – In all the letters that I’ve written to you since I’ve started doing this, I’ve mentioned several times about your parents’ astonishingly low expectations for the two of us; how they were afraid that ours was no more than a ‘starter marriage,’ whatever that is, and how they were pleasantly surprised atContinue reading “Keep the Bar Low”
Nothing Worth Celebrating
Dearest Rachel – Well, 2021 is finally over with, and good riddance to bad rubbish. I can’t imagine how a year could have been worse than this. Now, I’ve been admonished not to phrase my observation so, because it’s like tempting fate. Asking “how could things get worse?” is a surefire way to actually findContinue reading “Nothing Worth Celebrating”
Letters to Rachel 