Sweet Dreams

I've found it to be very true that people dream about things that they see, hear, or think about during the day.  They usually aren't random dreams that have nothing to do with anything.  I've noticed it most about David.  He tells me his dreams and I can almost always directly relate it to something he was telling me about earlier.

One thing I've noticed about sleep is how funny some people are when they sleep.  My sister used to sleepwalk when she was little and when she was in high school, she would lie about not having to get up to go to school and then have a panic attack when she did wake up and realize she almost missed a test or something. I know most of us kids talked in our sleep.  I would hear my younger brother talking in his sleep from the next room over!  I've been told that I talk in my sleep a little, an even starting singing a little one time. 

But I think the most entertaining sleeper I've ever seen has got to be my husband.  He likes to get in the most awkward positions in order to fall asleep and when he does get to sleep, he twitches so much I almost think he's having a seizure.  That stuff is fun and all, but the real fun starts at about 3 in the morning.  David is a very vivid dreamer.  He remembers so many details about his dream that I know when he's having them they appear VERY lifelike.  So lifelike, in fact, that he acts them out!  And sometimes I get to join in, whether I want to or not!

I remember one time I was fast asleep when I wake up to David sitting up and shaking me.   I thought the house was on fire or something so I yelled at him to tell me what was the matter.  All he said was "You have to leave!  They're coming!"  "Who's coming?"  "You just have to leave!  Go to the gate!" "What gate?  Who's coming?"  (at this point I knew he was dreaming and was trying not to laugh)  "Go to the white gate!  THE DRAGONS ARE COMING!!!"  If I wasn't so tired I would've cried from laughing so hard.  I told him I would go to the gate and that quieted him down and he went back to sleep.  He had been reading the Eragon book series which is about a dragon.

David can talk in his sleep with perfect clarity.  When he talks in his sleep, it takes me awhile to realize he's not awake because it sounds like his normal speech, not slurred or anything.  About a week ago I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep, David having already been asleep for a little while.  Very quietly, David starts whispering something with a worried look on his face.  I leaned in and asked him to repeat what he said (he usually answers my questions and responds while he's talking in his sleep).  He then says "The mosquitoes are getting in.  You have to keep them out."  "David, there aren't any mosquitoes."  "Yes there are.  They're getting in through the pump!"  "Oh....ok"

Those were fun and all, but the best experience happened last night.  I was sleeping with my back to David, enjoying our very comfortable bed.  All of a sudden I felt myself being shoved across the bed and almost off it!  It was quite the rude awakening!  I turned around to make sure David was asleep (because if he wasn't then we were going to have a problem) and he was!  Sound asleep.  I moved around so that I was facing him (so I could defend any more attacks) and he wakes up and says "I'm sorry!  I dreamed I was fighting a guy with knives and I got stabbed."

I imagine there will be many more stories in the future, but I know that our lives will never be boring, even when we're asleep!

Killing Me With Cuteness

Almost every day I am reminded of what a sucker I am for cute fuzzy things.  When David and I are driving around, I can always spot the wagging tail or pink nose waaay faster than him!  David likes to make fun of the oohing and awing I do when I see kitties or doggies, but I don't care!  I love animals!  And I know it's a family thing because on the fourth of july, I went to the parade and park with my parents and sisters.  Whenever one of us saw a cute little doggy being toted around we all had the same reaction, which is a high pitched squeal and pouty faces.  I'm sure to anyone watching we are ridiculous, but I don't care!  I can't wait to get a pet of my own.  I told David that I don't care where we move next, we are going somewhere where we can get a pet.  Luckily, he agrees!  Although he said we aren't getting a cat, but I think I can change his mind....

So in honor of all those who get killed by cuteness, I'm posting these pictures for your pouty-faced pleasure!

I told David this is what I wanted for Christmas!  A cup full of kitty!

For anyone who's slept at our house, you know this is coming after you feel Burns jump up on your bed!

For my Mama, who loves elephants

Good Day

This morning, David and I both left for work.  It was pretty exhausting for both of us, but we decided to make the best of a beautiful, sunny day!  We took a trip to St. Anthony to go swimming for a little bit.  The water was freezing (it was in a river) but after a hot day it felt good!  After that, we went to my parents house and got some free stuff!  I pretty much love anything that's free.  I got some shoes (thank you Grandma!) and we got a mat to put under our rolling computer chair.  David has been wanting one of those mats for a long time and almost bought one a few times so when my parents acquired some he kept asking me if they would sell him one.  We got it for free so it was a good deal!

We don't get the chance to have dinner together very often because both of our work schedules are kind of weird, so tonight we planned it out and actually sat at our table to eat.  It was amazing!  David cooked some beautiful pork chops and I made some accordion potatoes.  Since then we've both been relaxing and doing our own things.

I like the summer for that reason.  Neither of us are in school and, when we're not at work, we just get to relax with each other.  Once the fall hits, we're so busy with work, school, concerts, etc. that it's hard to even get conversations with each other.  This is a nice time of life when we can just enjoy each other while we have the time.

Bystander Effect

Every week my mom sends out an email with some of her thoughts on life.  This last week, part of her email was about Group or Herd Mentality.  Here's an experiment she mentioned that explains it:

"They did an experiment years ago, where they invited people to show up if they were interested in participating in a psychology experiment.  When someone came to the office, they were given a form and escorted to some chairs in a separate room to fill it out. This WAS the experiment, although everyone thought they were just filling out the form so that they could participate.
                There were two parts to this.
•         First of all the “subject” was in the room alone.  Smoke started pouring in from under one of the doorways.   The subject, within a few seconds of noticing the smoke, went over to check it out, and then left the room to report it.
•         Second circumstance:  The subject was taken to the same room which was now full of other students all ostensibly filling out the form, but were actually in on the experiment.  Their job was to sit there and take no notice of the smoke. Just pretend that it was commonplace and not out of the ordinary.  This subject noticed the smoke and then kept glancing around at everyone else who seemed to take no notice.  She was highly agitated and kept looking at the smoke and then the people, but did not move to report it. At one point the smoke was so thick she had a hard time seeing her paper. She sat there for over 20 minutes, and only left when they called her name.
Here’s a YouTube link that shows a bit of that experiment:   http://youtu.be/KE5YwN4NW5"

Related to this is a story I heard on NPR a few years ago that has always stuck with me.  A man who was writing a book about the "bystander effect" was walking around some big city (I think it was Chicago but I can't remember).  He noticed a man lying unconscious on the street.  No one stopped, no one hardly even noticed.  People were even stepping over his legs.  He watched for a few minutes and then went over to the man.  As soon as he knelt down, he said at least 10 other people stopped as well, within minutes they found out the man only spoke Spanish, so they got a translator, an ambulance was called, they discovered he hadn't eaten in days so someone went and got him some bread, and he was all taken care of. 

Here's a video that demonstrates the same principle-



I've found that, even though I know all these stories and know what the normal tendency is, I still find that it's incredibly hard to go against to grain.  To be that person that reports the smoke or to help that person on the street when no one else will stop.  I think that's the natural man in all of us, those instincts that tell us to blend in and not take a chance because we might look foolish.  I can say that I hope I would be that good person, but I won't know until the opportunity presents itself.  Till then I'll just have to remember that it doesn't matter what others think or do, I need to do what I think is right.