Saturday, August 2, 2008

In Which I Dream of Tomato Paste

I think pregnancy has affected the subject matter of my dreams lately. Whereas I used to dream about bizarre things totally removed from reality (e.g. helping Robin Hood fight a giant pizza), these days my dreams tend to be about everyday situations. That can be stressful when I repeatedly try to do a mundane task and it doesn’t work out. For some reason I can handle dreams where I should be able to fly but can’t manage it, but dreams where I simple cannot get the dishwasher to run are really exasperating.

What’s more, daily life dreams can be downright disorienting in the mornings when I drift in and out of reality and quasi-reality. In my dreams I feel like I’m up and going about my usual routine, until I suddenly open my eyes and discover I’m back in bed again. Sometimes this happens several times in one morning, and it's a little disconcerting. In the Robin Hood dreams, I'm involved but some part of me recognizes it's not real. In everyday dreams, I'm not as aware that it's fake so it's strange to be in one room of the apartment then open my eyes and find myself in another one.

This morning’s dream scenario was a particularly odd case. Last night I tried a new curry recipe that didn’t turn out anything like what I expected. The flavor balance was strange, and I’m not really looking forward to eating all the leftovers. In the wee hours of the morning, my dream self got to wondering whether I should have put in half a can of tomato paste instead of the whole can. I spent most of the morning trying to check dream cookbooks or look up the recipe on my dream computer, and often I would wake up just before I “found” the answer, only to drift back to sleep and begin the search anew.

Of course, when I finally got out of bed (for real) the first thing I did was fire up the computer and check the recipe. It turns out my dream self was on the right track—I should have put in just a tablespoon of tomato paste instead of the entire can. No wonder dinner tasted weird.

6 comments:

Caitlin said...

Ah the old subconscious at work. That's pretty impressive that you figured out where the problem was in the recipe. Chad has found some really ingenious solutions to some problems at work after dreaming about them and it sounds like you two are similar in that respect. However he hates when he dreams that he was at work all night and then he has to get up and do it all over again.

Science Teacher Mommy said...

That is so funny. I once had a can of tomato paste explode in my kitchen as soon as I depressurzied the top with a can opener. It looked like someone had been murdered. Nope. Just dinner.

Jodi Jean said...

OH no!!! i'm sorry kimberly!!

i hate it when i dream about work ... like working on patterns all day (when that's all i used to do) and then more patterns at night ... ugh, or typing legal madness for the whole night. not relaxing at all when you wake up!!

Kimberly Bluestocking said...

No kidding. I slept very poorly last night until I settled into the unreality of a private shopping trip with Paris Hilton (whose idea was THAT??), followed by an episode of "Indiana Jones in the Kingdom of the Fancy Palace with No Place to Put the Dang Crystal Skull." Good times.

Serena said...

Oh yes. Those days. Alex calls them pregnancy recipes. He can always tell what I am craving and what recipe I dreamed up the night before. Lol. I love the dreams where you have accomplished alot, and when you wake up, you've realized nothing was done.Lol.

Nicole Shelby said...

i'm dreadful!

I've been so absorbed with my own adjustments that i haven't read anyone else's blogs - for a month!

I had no idea that you were pregnant! That's just wonderful! Congratulations! Mass Sympathy! Huzzah! And hoping the miserable-ness passes soon!

I am so happy for you and your little family!