Welcome to Weird Dreams

I have some super vivid dreams - to the point where I sometimes confuse my memories of the dreams for reality. There's always some tiny detail that helps me realize that these memories are actually dreams, things like an extra room in my grandpa's house or I realize that I have never had a polar bear as a pet (not that I would ever want one).

The subconscious is a strange place. It isn't even a place, though it sometimes feels like it is. Scientists have been trying to find the answer as to why we humans have dreams. Some think it's a way for our minds to sort out all of the information we take in while awake to better store as memories, others find that dreams help us understand our emotions.

TV shows, movies, books, graphic novels, and other forms of media have portrayed the subconscious and the dreams we create in some way or another. I think my favorite depiction is from the play The Book of Mormon when one of the main characters has a dream about going to Disney World only to end up in "spooky scary Mormon hell." It's a depiction of his guilt about treating the other main character like crap and a manifestation of his arrogance rolled into one.

Dreams have always had a significant meaning to the human existence. Many biblical figures such as the two Josephs, Pontius Pilate, and St. John the Divine all had important dreams that shaped the course of Christianity (and in the first Joseph's case Judaism). There are dream interpretation websites and books for sale dedicated to help people interpret their dreams (mileage may vary with these).

As I wrote before, I occasionally will mix up a remembered dream for an actual event that took place. It usually takes me a couple of minutes to realize my mistake, but the dream or the memory of the dream feels so real that part of me thinks that it must have happened. Maybe it did in another timeline or universe, one where I made Y decision instead of X.

Some people believe that dreams can be used to tell the future. I'm not sure if I'm ready to believe in prophecy dreams, but I have had some weird ones that can be attributed to my ability to pick up on tiny details in my surroundings. For example, I was told as a little kid that when you dream about fish someone close to you is expecting a baby. I've had a fish dream (usually where I'm swimming in an ocean) a couple of times and each time, someone I knew was indeed pregnant. I think it's more that I picked up the signs that they were expecting before they chose to tell me that they were.

One particularly weird dream that came true involved my friend's significant other proposing. I was in a car with the two of them and the significant other turned around and said: "I'm so excited, I'm going to propose." I told my friend who totally brushed the dream off. The next week my friend and their significant figure went on vacation with my friend's family. The significant other proposed at the very end of the trip.

My friend was shocked and happy. The significant other told me to never have another dream about them again - like I can control that.

My point is, that sometimes dreams literally come true. My guess is that the subconscious picks up on something or other and makes a connection that the conscious mind can't. This is what causes these prophecy like dreams. Cultural norms and superstitions help shape the signs that stand out in our dreams that point us in the correct direction.

So, what do you guys think about dreams be they prophecy like, weird nightmares, vivid adventures, or lucid explorations? Most of the time I enjoy my dreams and wish that they had been real life experiences (I mean they were real in my head). They inspire my creative side and many a nightmare have been the basis for a short horror story.

I'll leave you guys with a strange dream I recently had. Maybe you'll find a meaning to it that I couldn't or you'll just think it was a funny dream.

A couple of nights ago, I had this really bizarre dream where I was camping on an island. It was really cold and wet in the dream, until a huge polar bear showed up. The polar bear popped out of the water and started trying to snuggle with me. At first I was scared, thinking the bear was going to attack or eat me. As the dream continued, the polar bear kept popping up, only to continue to try and use me as an unwilling teddy bear. Eventually I was just mildly annoyed by the whole situation (I think there were zombies running around too at this point), but that's when my alarm went off and I grumpily hit the snooze button. Then I started having a lucid dream about changes to the Land Pavilion at Disney World's Epcot park. I was kind of sad to lose my polar bear companion.

Until next week!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to a Horror Revival

Movie award season is underway and I couldn’t help notice a lack of nominations for a particular genre: horror. I might be a little bias, I happen to write a lot of horror stories, but there have been a number of decent to good horror movies made over the past few years. I think some more than others deserve recognition.

Movies like Get Out, Midsomer, Us,  and the VVitch had amazing acting, were visually stunning, and  some amazing costumes (especially the VVitch). The new version of Suspiria was a little long and there were a few questionable choices, but the updates they made were creepier and more relevant than the original (the original is still my favorite because it is one hell of a trippy nightmare fairytale). I love watching The Ritual on Netflix on a quiet night and The Babadook along with Hereditary are emotional rollercoasters.

A lot of good horror movies came out this past decade, but few got the recognition I think they deserved.

The VVitch - currently on Netflix

I enjoy a good horror story for a number of reasons. Sometimes I need a creepy tale to get me thinking of what I might do in a similar situation. Other times it makes me think about the real life situations these stories are based on. Candyman has a lot of great commentary on class inequality and policing in minority communities (hopefully the remake will go a few steps further). Jacob’s Ladder, one of my all time favorite movies, has a lot of accurate and horrific facts about the Vietnam War. Maybe that’s why I like it so much - it’s a deadman’s dream rationalizing his senseless death.

The one type of horror I’m not super fond of is overly violent gore nor found footage. It’s one thing if it’s sparing and tastefully done, but the torture porn genre that emerged after the rise of Saw is not my cup of tea. I prefer atmospheric that causes a creeping tension with few releases of emotions. Minimal jump scares  and not too much found footage.

The remake is the better series of movies, but the original holds a special place in my heart.

I do have a few exceptions. If the story is good and I can watch the movie without feeling sick to my stomach, I usually enjoy them. The first Saw movie, though incredibly gory at times, has a lot of good twists and an excellent story. The found footage movie As Above So Below has amazing symbolism and use of layered story telling.

Unfortunately, horror movies and stories have a reputation for being terrible (and for good reason), but some of cinema’s greatest movies are horror. The Shining, Pan’s Labyrinth (yes I count this one as horror), Alien, and Psycho are all amazing and have had a major impact on today’s pop culture.

Even the more campy horror movies have merit. I love pretty much anything with Vincent Price in it and Christopher Lee is probably my favorite Dracula, but these movies aren’t always masterpieces and their shoe string budget occasionally shows. The Fog, Sleepy Hollow, The Woods, and even Halloween might have a few big plot holes and leave the viewer asking more questions than the movies probably intended, but the visuals, aesthetic, acting, and music really make the viewing enjoyable.

Evil witches and plants...yes please!

I hope that this next decade ushers in a new era for horror stories and movies. I want more movies with creepy atmospheres and lots of suspense. I want a good soundtrack that takes me out of the ordinary and let’s me live in a dream within a dream. I want gothic houses to explore and monsters that are never seen, but always lurking in the shadows.

An evil fairytale brought to life.

Bonus points if the stories have just enough answers to not confuse the watchers, but doesn’t hold their hands either.

Give more movies like The Woman in Black, Cabin in the Woods, and The Lighthouse. Plant the stories in both reality and in dreams. Let the mind wander and think.

And nominate some of these movies for awards.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please, like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to that One Movie Obsession

If there’s one movie that I have un-ironically fallen in love with in recent years, it’s the 2006 “The Woods”. I have no idea if this is an obscure movie or one that fell to the wayside because audiences didn’t like it (but critics mostly liked it -it’s fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), however I love this movie.

And not just because Bruce Campbell has a minor role.

“The Woods” is one of those quasi horror movies that isn’t so much scary as it is a fairy tale with horror elements. Much in the same way that the original 1977  “Suspiria” or the more recent “Pan’s Labyrinth” and "Sleepy Hollow", it’s a mix of terrifying concepts, beautiful imagery, and dreamlike storytelling.

Fairy tale elements can be found throughout the movie. The setting is at an all girl’s school located deep in the woods (hence the  title) in the 1960s. There’s a sense of mystery, some of the girls start to go missing, there’s a mean girl who bullies our protagonist, and there are witches. 

If the location weren’t enough to indicate that we’re in a fairy tale, the music certainly does. It’s haunting, a little off putting, and at times down right creepy. However, I do like the use of “You Don’t Own Me” peppered throughout at key moments. It helps reinforce the overarching themes of individuality and rebelliousness that embodies the protagonist.

However, I can see why movie goers might not have been drawn to it. The story is a little confusing and inconsistent at times. Motivations aren’t always clear outside of the protagonist. And some characters seem to know more than they should (though that could be because of their undefined “gift”).

Yeah a lot of the girls in these films are “gifted” or, in lame man’s terms, psychic, telepathic, or otherwise magically inclined. How do these gifts connect to the larger world? Never explained, they just have them. It’s established early that the protagonist, Heather, has some sensitivity to psychic phenomena, but her real talents are revealed during an emotionally charged scene between her and the headmistress.

Honestly, I love picking a part this movie. The ending, though entertaining, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Some of the earlier information is contradictory to what ends up happening, but it also isn’t clear who is a reliable source of information and who isn’t. Furthermore, the inciting incident of the course is a little confusing and not explained well.

These issues could easily turn off the average movie goer. 

I freaking love them. All of the ambiguity has the wheels in my head turning over and over. I’ve got a few theories and ideas. Personally I think the woods the school was located in were always evil and possessed the witches or acted as their puppet masters. I also like to think that they only needed to “feed” the curse at certain times. Then again, “feed” probably isn’t the right word, but provide new hosts to continue what the woods want. 

And my favorite theory is that Heather from “The Woods” is Sarah’s deceased mother from “The Craft”. They have some similar powers and ticks that make me wonder if the actress who played Heather was a fan of “The Craft”. Plus the timelines for the character’s ages align.

All the proof I need that Heather is Sarah's mother

Seriously, check out this movie and tell me that Heather couldn’t potentially be Sarah’s mom. It’s on Amazon Prime right now.

I love fairy tale dreamlike quality of some movies. There’s a reason I go back to “Suspiria”, “Sleepy Hollow”, “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The Woods”. They remind me of a time when the woods were filled with imagined monsters and there were still mysterious places to be explored with danger around every corner. They transport us from reality and into a realm where anything is possible.

This is also likely why I enjoyed “Sleep No More”.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to a Childhood Dreams

In the early 2000s there was a TV show on the Travel Channel called "Great Hotels" hosted by Samantha Brown. My sister and I loved the show for a variety of reasons. Some of our favorite episodes included her trips to the Disney Hotels where she also got to check out one of the parks, any time she went to Hawaii, and her trip to The Hotel Hershey where she spent the day at the Hershey Spa.

As soon as I saw the Hershey Spa episode, I knew that one day I would have to go and be drenched in chocolate.

This past weekend, I got to fulfill that dream with a friend of mine.

It was amazing.

Though we didn't get to stay at the beautiful 1933 Spanish and Italian influenced hotel (or as my dad calls it: "an example of American Imperialism at it's finest"), we did spend an entire day at the Hershey Hotel Spa. One day I hope to stay at the hotel (if only so that I can go to their outdoor pool area and slide down the two water slides) and have the whole amazing experience, but there are only so many excursions I can do at the moment.

A day at The Hotel Hershey Spa was well worth saving up for. We decided to do one of their garden and herbal packages and ended with a lovely chocolate message. By the time I was finished, I was a happy pile of goo. Basically I had turned into butter on a fresh baked roll in July. Plus my skin is so soft, it's amazing.

The experience was so much more than I expected. Not to mention the muffins are some of the best I've ever tasted and I could eat as many as I wanted.

I admit that I could gush about the experience throughout this post and turn it into a free advertisement for Hershey, but that's not entirely the point.

This was a wish fulfillment that I've been dreaming about doing for years. To some people it might seem silly or unappealing, but not all dreams have to appeal to everyone. I have a lot of dreams and wishes I have on my Bucket List. When I tell people about them, sometimes they're very encouraging, other times I'm straight up told I'm a weirdo and asked why "anyone would want to do that?"

They're still my dreams and wishes - most of which I have to work very hard to fulfill.

It took me years before I was able to have a spa experience like this, but the little kid in me is extremely happy. I'm extremely fortunate and lucky and I hope to continue to cross those items off the Bucket List.

Even as the Bucket List gets longer and longer as time goes by.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a message. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to My Voice

I occasionally wonder how or even if you, my reader, can hear the words you are reading in your mind. Some people don't hear a voice when they read. I think that's unfortunate.

My mind always creates a voice for what I'm reading. Characters in a novel have distinct voices, while the narrators typically sound like that voice over guy in commercials. More often than not, I hear Morgan Freeman dictate instructions from a manual I'm reading.

Do you hear a voice in your head when you read?

If you do, what does my blog post sound like in your mind? Is it your own voice? Is it mine? Or is the voice someone else entirely?

Do you hear me?

I often worry that something is lost when my hands type out these words. I'm not speaking them to you in a visual or audio format. You can't hear my sarcasm or the long pauses I might make if I were speaking instead of typing. I can only give you context clues and funny punctuation.

Do you ever imagine me speaking these words to you? Especially if you know me in real life. If I am the one narrating these words, what do I sound like? Are you hearing the me of now or a much younger version of my voice?

Honestly, I'm not too fond of the sound of my voice. I've heard its not uncommon for people to dislike hearing ourselves recorded. The way sound reaches our ears when we are speaking is different from when others speak. This YouTube video  can help explain this phenomena. So, please, don't try to force yourself to "hear me" as you read this. I'd rather have my words narrated by someone with a much more interesting voice - like Morgan Freeman or Emma Thompson.

Have you ever imagined hearing music when you read? I often write to music and I think it can influence what ends up on the screen. It influences my mood, which in turn, influences my author's tone.

What sort of music would you put this post to? Or would that be too distracting?

In my wildest fantasies, I imagine a voice, strong and confident, speaking my words exactly as I intend them to be spoken. There is music, epic music, playing in the background. It's starts low, but grows louder and louder to punctuate every point I want to make. A climactic scene in a movie, meant to inspire.

As soon as I click that "publish" button these words are no longer mine. They belong to everyone. Anyone can read this post and create their own meaning from it, regardless of my original intent. I set the tone, but you feel the mood.

My word choice indicates my feelings, my sarcasm or sadness or bubbly delight. But do you read them that way?

What do I sound like to you?

Am I the whiny, obnoxious stereotypical voice of the Y-generation? Or do I sound older? Younger? Am I logical and cold or emotional and volatile? Possibly both, depending on the post.

Or does my voice "die" and get replaced with an entirely different voice?

These words are only mine, if I keep them hidden. Once I share them, I've lost all control to their interpretation.

One day, I hope you can hear what my written words sound like to me. The emotion will be just right with epic music playing in the background, maybe something by Hans Zimmer or Two Steps from Hell. The voice is comforting and powerful, smooth and forceful. It's a voice people want to listen to.

Is that the voice you expected from these words?

I don't mind if it isn't.

Maybe someday I'll write something worthy of that imaginary voice. I'd like to think I can. To write something inspiring and powerful, something the great orators quote and practice would be amazing.

And even when my voice fades, I like to think that my words will remain.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome To Kids Stuff

Otherwise known as Peter Pan Syndrome 

I have made it my life's mission to never grow up. Why you might ask. Because having the mindset of a kid is awesome. As a kid anything is possible. As an adult you realize your dream of being a wizard isn't exactly possible (unless you've learned a secret of the universe that the rest of us haven't discovered yet in which case I'm not talking to you). 

Yesterday I played laser tag in years. It was a huge amount of fun. I even managed to get second place both games (see proud image of score cards below).

It was a ton of fun and I want to go out an play again (sooner rather than later). There are even leagues for people my age to play competitively (no I'm unlikely to join any of those).

My parents constantly nag me about watching cartoons and reading comic books. Honestly if it's a good story why should it matter? Not everything made for kids is stupid. Some of it is very entertaining (and not mindlessly so).

I also still believe in Santa Claus (there I admit it!), even if deep down I know he's more of a spiritual being than an actual one. There's just something magical about the time between Halloween and Christmas. I always feel like I'm still 12 years old.

Reality of course sets in around January.

Oh, well, maybe I will become a superhero someday. A person can still dream, even if they can't go back in time. Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post or it really pissed you off, like comment or share with friends, family or your worst enemy. Now it's almost time for the Futurama and Simpsons cross over.