Dreamscapes, Screams and Gothic Nightmares

When I go to sleep each night, it is an adventure, led by my subconscious mind, taking me on a dreamy, often nightmarish journey. As some of you are familiar with, these nighttime images range from harmless dreams to full-blown gothic psychodramas. My dreams are influenced by an interesting combination of innate creativity, fantasy stories, world events and underlying psychological needs and urges. These dreams, which are mostly bad and scary, cause me great distress, but make for great stories to share with other people, including you.

My subconscious brain gets creative when sleep takes over. My mind likes to create buildings and landscapes that never existed. The buildings often include mysterious new houses in unexplored neighborhoods. The homes include basements with secret passageways, and I’m often fleeing a massive tornado which is bearing down on me. For some reason, it always spares me and the house that I'm in. I also have dreams and nightmares involving blizzards and windstorms, which sometimes do afflict us here in eastern Pennsylvania.

My most dramatic dream stories are of my Gothic nightmares; they are the stuff horror movies are made of. They often include me flying at dangerous heights, fleeing fire-breathing dragons, being lost in old medieval cities, and getting lost in vast forests, with tall, leafless trees. These stories of the mind would be worthy of Tolkien, which is not surprising because I often read The Lord of the Rings, and other books by J.R.R. Tolkien, before going to bed. My dreams of this sort are a combination of Norse mythology and medieval imagery.

I also frequently have vivid nightmares about natural disasters and other tragic events that rock our nation and my local community. For example, I have had numerous nightmares relating to 9/11, gas explosions and floods. For about 10 years after September 11, 2001, I had vivid nightmares about the event, even though I don’t live in New York, nor do I know anyone personally involved. The same thing happened with that grisly Allentown gas explosion of 2011. If I see images of a horrible tragedy on TV or the Internet, they are seared into my memory and manifest themselves in my dream life.

In my 20s, after a night of drinking, my dreams would be even more lucid and terrifying (I'm sure you guys can relate to this!). On those nights I would have nightmares about ferocious fires, collapsing buildings and, once, even being chased by a biker gang. In the latter dream, I was lured to a rural farmhouse by beautiful, eager women, where I was confronted by a group of irate, outlaw bikers. I led the biker gang on a chase that ended with me running through a subterranean irrigation ditch. On another such occasion, I suffered a lucid dream in which I was convinced that a flying squirrel had invaded my bedroom and was crawling up the side of the blinds; I woke myself up with a piercing scream that shook the entire house!

My dreams often involve a number of themes that relate to the human psyche. These include wish fulfillment; thoughts that terrorize us; fears that are present in our daily, waking lives; and subconscious concerns about our lives that we are ignoring. For example, the dream about the biker gang was at a time in my life when I was frequenting rough bars in order to meet beautiful women. There were some rough men at these spots who sometimes gave me trouble. In my nightmares of gas explosions, 9/11 and deluges of floodwaters my mind was retrieving disturbing images that I had suppressed in the awakened state.

I am often upset and physically tired when waking up from my nightmares. I often wake myself up with my loud, high-pitched screams. I also wake up bathed in a cold sweat and grinding my teeth; I’ve even had to have a root canal and wear a mouth-guard for this reason. At least, I have some great stories from my dream life. I can only hope that my dreams and nightmares are a sign of an active and creative mind, as each dream becomes a blank canvas for my brain to paint on.

My Non-reality Reality

Like many of you, I have enjoyed watching television throughout my life, but recently have turned more to books and the Internet for my entertainment needs. I am trying to increase my knowledge and literary skills. Also, I am dismayed by the changes that I see in the TV of the 2010s, as it is almost completely dominated by mindless reality shows.

I have always hated reality shows. I never once watched Survivor, The Amazing Race or any such program. My problems with reality shows include: the lack of a well-developed plot, unknown actors and actresses, filmed interviews woven into the episodes and really pathetic uses of sex appeal. The actors are largely untested and unskilled, suiting the bottom lines of media corporations, but not entertaining for the enlightened viewer. As for the sex appeal, I as a single guy, do enjoy seeing beautiful and sexy women; however, the overuse of this tool often indicates an inferior plot.

When I do watch TV nowadays, I tend to watch either cable news or episodes from seasons of old TV shows that my dad or I own on DVD. My dad's seasons of Columbo are particularly entertaining; it was the very best of 70s cop shows, playing up the nitty-gritty of detective work in a way that intrigues the viewer. I also love watching the King of Queens, because it has a unique way of making me laugh. It is a humor that everyone can relate to, and we all feel like Doug Heffernan is a lifelong friend. For a while, I was into watching cable news shows, but now, in 2017, they are too depressing, just as we all need to think about positive, uplifting things.

However, in the past, in the 2000s, I used to watch more TV than I do now. I bought a TV and VCR/DVD player in 2003, so from then to about 2011, I watched a lot of shows on TV. This was the period when reality shows had just come into existence and were merely a novelty that sometimes haunted only a few stations. I mostly enjoyed the crime shows of the period, but also viewed shows on history and other informative topics. I loved watching the CSI shows, including CSI: Miami and CSI: NY. I particularly liked the roles played by William Peterson, David Caruso and Gary Sinise. I also loved Cold Case and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

During this period, the History Channel was a favorite channel of mine. I was totally enthralled by the specials they had on the Vikings, the Middle Ages, the ancient Romans and the barbarian invasions of the 4th and 5th centuries. Even the programs on sex and the Devil were pretty interesting and provocative. Social history is often just as interesting as learning about the major battles and political rulers. From 2004 to the late 2000's, the History Channel was at its best.

The one exception for me, with regard to reality shows, was the show Scare Tactics. I thought that it was presented in such a way as to seem 100% real, and it was entertaining! Shannen Doherty was especially sexy and entertaining when hosting it. She was perfect for the role, due to her naughty, feisty personality. This was just when she was coming off her role as Hollywood's bad girl.

Even into the early 2010s, there were a few good shows left on TV, but the Great Recession was leading TV stations to pack the schedule with reality shows. During this period I mostly watched shows like 1,001 Ways to Die, Criminal Minds, Archer, Sons of Anarchy and, of course, re-runs of CSI: NY that were played on TNT. Archer, for those of you who don't know, is a raunchy, but fun adult cartoon. The Sons of Anarchy appealed to the dark side of the imagination. These shows made TV worth watching, even when the number of reality shows increasing like cancer cells.

Now, however, with the demise of modern television, I have discovered that relying on the word is better than being programmed by modern television to be a mindless zombie. I can spend my time improving my blog, exploring the blogosphere and reading exciting new books. I'd rather become more of a literary man than be up on the latest scoop relating to a favorite character in some stupid reality show.

Food Connoisseur Extraordinaire

Eating is a favorite activity of my life. I love to eat tasty foods that I can savor. I enjoy a wide variety of foods, for every mood and occasion. I turn to certain things - my comfort foods - when I'm down and need a pick-me-up, others for more festive occasions. Food, for me, is also a way of connecting with people, especially with family. I often have dinner with my parents and enjoy meals with the larger family on holidays, especially on Christmas and Easter.

 
I like restaurants, from fast food places to high-end establishments. I don't eat out all that often, but when I do, naturally, I go to places that have the food I enjoy. I will sometimes eat out when I have a day off from my lawn care business and decide to visit the coffee shops during the day and Barnes & Noble, or an open-mic night at night. I also go out to dinner with my parents from time to time, usually to pizza places or to the Palace Restaurant, a local gold mine near my parents' place.

 Red meat is definitely a favorite of mine, especially on my birthday and on a few other occasions, as well. I love both prime rib and steak; my favorite is prime rib medium rare, which I get on both of my parents' birthdays, as well as on my own. For my mom's birthday, we have a dinner at the Palace; for my dad's birthday, we dine at the Newport Inn; and, finally, for my birthday, we celebrate at Texas Roadhouse on Freemansburg Avenue, where I get my prime rib covered with sauteed mushrooms and accompanied by Caesar's salad, baked sweet potatoes and cinnamon bread rolls. On such occasions, I even get up on the saddle and let them give me the "big Texas ye-haa!"

 

Poultry is the meat that I enjoy more frequently, on holidays, as well as for dinners on nights during the week. I love lamb, chicken, turkey and ham. Turkey is a drier meat, so I like the dark meat covered with turkey gravy, and then, only on Thanksgiving and a few other rare occasions. Ham and lamb are always perfect for Easter, when people are breaking the fast and really want to treat themselves to a tasty, tender meat. Chicken is a regular favorite of mine, as my mom makes it frequently during the week for our sit-down dinners that bind us together as a family.

With seafood, I don't indulge quite as often, but when I do, I like various entrees and fishes. I enjoy shrimp, squid, grouper, talapia and sushi. Talapia is a tasty fish that Mom makes often, so I have to say that it is one of my favorite fish dinners. When I want to treat myself, however, to turn to shrimp, squid or grouper. I love Shrimp Scampi and that is a meal that I will get at a fancy restaurant. Sushi is not my favorite, but I do sample it once in a while at China Buffet at the Westgate Mall in West Bethlehem.

I have to admit that I do like my fruits and vegetables. Unlike many people, I do enjoy peas, carrots and green beens! My favorite vegetables are corn, carrots that are cooked and flavored, scalloped potatoes, sweet potatoes and baked beans. I especially enjoy baked beans and, no, it doesn't make me especially gassy!

I like food from various cultures, including Italian, Chinese and Spanish. In addition, I am often up for sampling new types of foods, from all over the world. I love Italian restaurants when I want to enjoy a really nice dinner at an especially classy place. My favorite Italian place would be Sal's in South Bethlehem, on New Street. Their lasagna dish is delicious, and the atmosphere and location are equally cool. Further north, the new Westgate Pizza is also a suitable Italian place for a Friday or Saturday Night, especially for a group of people; families often go there.

 I also crave my fair share of snacks and desserts. I have to admit that I have a sweet tooth for pies, cakes, puddings and ice cream. I also like rich, decadent desserts, such as tiramisu. For pies, my favorite varieties include apple, cherry, pecan, pumpkin, lemon meringue, blueberry and strawberry. Pie is a wonderful treat for holidays and family gatherings. I have also sampled some pretty awesome cakes, including my Noni's old apple cake and Jewish sour cream cake. After a dinner out at a nice restaurant, I often appreciate puddings, which include bread pudding, rice pudding and tapioca pudding.

Once in a while, I'll also indulge in junk food. For these occasions, I like Taco Bell, Subway and Burger King. Sometimes at home I'll also indulge in candy and pretzels. At Taco Bell, I'll order three soft tacos, with mild salsa, cinnamon twists, and Mountain Dew. When I visit Subway, I'll get a foot long BMT, two cookies and a Diet Coke. Finally, during my excursions to Burger King, I'll treat myself to a grilled chicken sandwich, large fries and a large Coke. That is my guilty pleasure with comfort food!

Like many people, I have enjoyed candy and pretzels from the time I was little. I used to love Halloween and Easter, for this reason! I mostly like candies that are sweet, including Raisinets, Twizzlers chocolate twists, gummy bears, peanut M&Ms and Reese's Pieces. When I was a kid, my Noni got me into small, salted pretzels. Now I take them with iced tea, which is one of my favorite beverages.

I like beverages, as well, ranging from soda to water. The iced teas that I like are the Turkey Hill and Giant brands. I also enjoy soda on numerous occasions, such as when I visit the NCC library or the Cosmic Cup in Easton. My favored sodas include: Coke, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Dr. Pepper with extra cherry, Cherry Coke and Mountain Dew. As I get older, I do try to limit my soda intake, in order to stay at least fairly healthy and to avoid gaining too much weight. 

  

I also enjoy coffee, as referred to in my previous blogs. That is the number one beverage of my life in more ways than one. It is the both the strongest diuretic and the strongest stimulant that I treat myself to in my daily life. Therefore, I often have to chase it with ice water, in order to combat thirst and dry mouth. I'm glad that Congress didn't ban coffee like they wanted to do in 1914!

In short, I use types of foods as different tools to fill my stomach and please my palate. Food also connects me to other people who I care about, which is important to me. I am a foodie who lives to eat, and not eats to live. I am a person who wants to explore all that this world has to offer and to enjoy life. I am very much into having fun, instead of denying myself the pleasures of this world.

The Rituals of the Wheel

The change of seasons affects my personal life. The four seasons provide me with an annual cycle of continuous personal renewal. Each month takes on its own character and has different meaning for me. June is my birthday month, October is Halloween and December is Christmas. Each month has its own character and its own story. For that reason, I celebrate the arrival of each new month.

I enjoy all types of weather, so with the four seasons I get to see nature in all its forms. I also enjoy seeing the flora and fauna of nature, as it changes forms. Mother Nature has a large and varied wardrobe and she is always changing her outfits. Sometimes she tries to appear sexy, other times majestic. How she appears dictates how we relate to her. For example, in spring we all feel joyful and exuberant, delighting in the enticing beauty of nature.

I often base my activities on what season it is. In fact, holidays and observances also follow the four seasons, so they are great ways of celebrating the "Wheel of the Year." Such holidays and observances often have their roots in the Pagan celebrations of ancient time that were based on the nature-based religions that predated Wicca and other forms of modern paganism. We thus perform our rituals to celebrate the arrival of new seasons and phases of natural growth.

Spring especially serves as a time of renewal and rebirth for me. Spring is short; it is basically comprised of just April and May. I am happy in the spring that I can venture outdoors again, for activities other than walking to the bus, or from the coffee shop to the library. The increased sunlight also gives me energy. At this time, I often feel like starting new things and recommitting myself to ongoing endeavors.

The main part of spring lasts from April Fools' Day to Memorial Day. It includes Easter, Income Tax Day, 4/20, Mayday and Mothers' Day. The growth of spring also advances throughout the season, changing from week to week. For example, when April begins, spring finally shows itself through green grass and trees and bushes that have significant budding going on. At this time, the weather is cool and rainy, with frequent heavy rainstorms that sometimes result in flooding. This is when people make good use of their sump pumps!

As April progresses, the grass starts growing faster, buds begin opening up and people start working on their lawns. By this time, everyone is out taking part in outdoor activities, venturing out to area coffee shops, parks and nature trails. The weather is showery, but on sunny days nature is green and beautiful; Mother Nature wears a seemless emerald garment. The new growth and feeling of invigoration also spreads romantic feelings among many people. This is often when people change relationships or embark on new ones. It is also the time when women whip out their beautiful spring clothing.

May is "High Springtime," Nature in full flower, both figuratively and literally. There are large green leaves on the trees (especially on the Norway maples); the lack of freezing nights enables people to plant their shrubs, bushes and flowers; and the roses bloom. Spring is literally busting out all over and everyone is out to enjoy it! They want to enjoy being outside before the heat of summer. Summer is often enjoyable as well, but some years can be particulary brutal when it comes to heat, humidity and drought.

This year I especially look forward to making the most of spring. I want to involve myself in urban exploring, hanging out in local parks and hiking trails, exploring new coffee shops and spending valuable time with friends. I plan to restart my lawn care business, cutting lawns, trimming shrubs, and weeding. I also want to use this time to make great new friends and establish valuable social connections. I will journal my Spring 2017 experiences on my blog. I can't wait to share my new stories!