Dreams on an Epic Scale

Interestingly enough, my last two blog posts were exactly 12 hours apart. That was completely unintentional. Anyway, to sum up my last post, I did end up falling asleep last night around 1:30am. That's pretty darn late for me.

The caffeine must've still been in my system while I slept last night, because I had some awfully bizarre dreams. In one dream, I was sword fighting a group of elves. I'm talking the "Lord of the Rings" style elves. Not Santa's helpers. I don't remember much of that particular dream, but I'm pretty sure I had Fantasy on the brain last night, as I had a totally separate and equally bizarre dream...

I was back in high school, on the last day of classes before graduation. My backpack was slung over my right shoulder and I was carrying a laptop under my opposite arm. When I reached my locker, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten my locker combination, so I had to meet with my homeroom teacher to get it back. Since it was between classes, I poked my head in and explained the situation. Even though it was supposedly my senior year, he acted as if he hadn't seen me in years and we began talking about random stuff that I don't recall.

While talking to him, my backpack was stolen off my shoulder and my laptop ripped from my arms. When I turned around, nobody was there. My homeroom teacher started a search of the room, but my stuff wasn't turning up. Yet, somehow, I knew who took it. Vowing revenge, I start banding together an army of students as I walk down the school hallways. I drag my posse out to the football field, where a group of disheveled angry students are waiting for me.

I notice that I'm completely outnumbered and I also get the distinct feeling that these thieving students want me dead. Both sides line up (Braveheart style) and then run into each other. Pandemonium is unleashed as hand-to-hand fighting begins. I'm standing near the back, giving orders, but it becomes apparent that my group of students are being overwhelmed. The evil thieves are breaking through my lines and coming straight for me.

At this point, I say to myself, "Okay, this is my dream. I can do anything I want." When the first of the students reach me, I bust out some crazy kung-fu moves. I'm taking down multiple opponents at once with ease. I'm dodging punches, weaving to avoid kicks, and flipping the people who grapple with me.

And then I woke up. Damn it. This always happens at the good parts. The moral of this story? Drink coffee a few hours before you go to bed for really cool, lucid dreaming.

Caffeine + 10pm = Trouble

You know, there used to be a time when I was immune to the effects of caffeine. I would chug coffee, tea, Coke, Pepsi, Mt. Dew, and Jolt moments before I went to bed and I'd be perfectly fine. I'd zonk right out in a matter of minutes.

Then came the doldrum years, in which I'm currently residing. I'll drink an occasional Diet Coke or maybe a single cup of coffee to get me going in the morning, but most of my liquid intake is reserved to things like Fresca, Sprite, Diet Rite Cola (zero caffeine), green tea (low caffeine), and water. These days, if I have a cup of coffee, I practically shake myself out of my skin. I act like Woody Woodpecker on amphetamines.

I don't know what I was thinking at 10pm tonight, but I made myself a large cup of iced coffee. I ground it myself from freshly roasted beans that I had purchased earlier this afternoon. Using filtered water, I brewed it with care. I then cooled it down to room temperature and slid it in the refrigerator for a "brief" chilling session... and forgot about it. This all happened around 8pm.

Sometime later, after watching some television, I ventured back to the kitchen, retreived my tasty elixir, and dumped it into a plastic cup I kept from my visit to Holman Stadium (LA Dodgers spring training camp) this past March. Without looking at the clock or contemplating that I was holding over 20 ounces of strong coffee in my hands, I slugged it down and then had the presence of mind to check the time... 10:14pm. Crap.

So, here I am at 12:45am, still wide awake. My body is saying, "I'm tired! Let me rest!" while my brain is replying, "Shut up, you sissy! Use this time to clean your bathroom!" The result is that I'm now living in some sort of dizzying stupor that I'm finding difficult to fathom. I figure that any moment now, my brain will finally give in and I'll just pass out on my keybfopajsm csa'c.cs.as.... ... ..

Quote of the Day

"People drain me, even the closest of friends, and I find loneliness to be the best state in the union to live in." -Margaret Cho

Okay, so that quote isn't exactly spot-on. I probably wouldn't use the term "loneliness" to describe the best state in which to live. But, it's no secret that I enjoy my alone time.

Happy Birthday, Dad.

My Dad happens to be one of the five people that read this blog, so I figured this would be a nice place to wish him a happy birthday.

Much to his chagrin, I'm going to announce that he's turning 59 years old today (sorry, dad!). But, one can honestly say he's 59, going on 40. We all can only hope that we have his level of health come our 59th birthdays. No prescription medications, low blood pressure, no family history of heart disease or cancer, and regular exercise. This guy should be the poster boy (er... poster man?) for all major health organizations.

Happy birthday, Dad. Hope your day is all it should be.