Zipoff Pants

Last night's dream was in the category of fantasy land! I was in the mall and I go in this store called "True Alaska Gear" and I look around and I see this awesome pair of zip-off pants just my size! I'm so stoked and I'm going to the fitting room and I see another rack that has pants just like my old favorite pair that just ripped out. I was like "NO WAY!" I was so happy I almost started crying- I found a pair just my size and it was truly one of the happiest moments of my life.
So I go to the dressing room to try them on, and it was really wierd, it was like a one-way-mirror, so I could still see out, but other people couldn't see in. So before I start changing I look out and I see this guy start to get into a fight with this girl. I decide to help her out, so I run out and break up the fight. When everyone is all happy again I go to try on my pants (and they really are perfect!) but before I got to the checkout- I woke up! Oh, man! I tried so hard to fall back asleep and continue the dream, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Not a dream- True Story- But I wish it was a dream

Okay, so this really happened, but it still feels kind of dream like, and it makes me laugh.
So the other night after giving a presentation for my Graduate Assistantship, I got home and realized that I had left my jump drive in the computer at school. Crap. My jump drive has my whole life on it (All the work of done on my thesis, reports I'm doing for practicum, All of my assignments for entering data for my assistantship), basically if I lost it I would just call it quits and move to Alaska without having a job waiting for me.
So I hop in the car and zoom on back to the university, it's like 8:30 at night, and I go back to the room where I left it.
I look in the room and there's like 30 guys wearing suits and ties all sitting in the classroom. Then I change my angle and at the front of the room there's a panel of 10 older guys wearing suits and someone is giving a presentation.

I have no idea what they were doing in there, but it looked pretty serious. I also had no idea how long it was going to go on, and I had parked in the 15minute parking meter and didn't want to get a ticket on top of not wanting to wait around. So I made the decision that I'd just quietly enter and grab my jump drive.
So as I entered the room and had to walk right down the middle of it in my jeans and t-shirt. Everybody looked at me and got that real uncomfortable look like "What! He can't do that? What the heck?" So I gave a smile and a little half wave like "Hey...wazzup?" The person giving the presentation did a great job of just ignoring me and not making a big deal- he just kept on talking as if I wasn't there. The problem was that he was standing right in front of the computer with my jump drive in it.
So I just had to give him a very confident and polite "Excuse me" and gently pushed/guided him out of my way. Then I grabbed my jump drive, told him "Thanks" and left the meeting.
Yeah.... it was a little awkward. But totally worth it to get my jump drive back. Don't worry, I've backed up everything on my computer now, and will continue to do so.

Snow in Phoenix by verda

I'm going for a walk dressed in shorts and tennie shoes.  I'm going east on Thomas Road.  When I turn unto 7th Ave I can see that buildings have snow on them.  That can't be snow!  I pick up the pace and when I get closer I see that YEP it's snow.  I'm dumb founded.  How can it be snowing?  I keep walking along, looking into the sky when another women comes up next to me.  You looking at the snow?  Isn't it pretty. 
I nod my head and the two of us become fast friends and we continue walking up 7th Ave.  The snow fall is getting heavier and I notice that both my walking friend and myself have on heavy coats and boots.  We quickly make our way across the street at a stop light and find a store front with an awning.  Two more women meet up with us and we are all hudled together giggling like school girls.  One of them points out that there is a donut shop on the other side of the street.  Everyone agrees a donut would be yummy so we start to make our way back to the light and one of the ladies says to me, are you really going to go like that?  Like What!  She is pointing to my feet.  I have taken off my boots and pants and am standing there with a pair of thick brown wool socks, thermal underwear, and still wearing my coat.  They all start laughing and so do I because I don't know why I am half clothed on a snowy day standing on a major city street.  So they tell me to hurry, I go to find my boots and pants and darn if I don't wake up.  Phoenix did look pretty under a blanket of snow.  I wonder if the donuts were any good?

Toilet Apology by Verda

If anyone read my dream about the toilet I believe my toilet took offense.  Sunday evening I flushed the toilet and it hints to me that it is bloated.  Yep, the water begins to rise and it overflows.  YUCKY!  On Valentine's Day no less.  So I go blame the guys for giving my toilet a tummy ache and I begin the clean up.  I'm sorry Mr. Toilet, I  promise not to blog about you again.  But on a good note, I didn't have a filthy toilet dream last night, I believe I'm making progress.

Organizing for my room and board by Verda

Gary and I are in transition and need a place to stay for a week or so while we look for a place of our own.  Aunt Linda offers to let us stay with her.  She already has roommates,  two Hispanic women with three children and a older fellow who has some physical impairments.  She says she has a huge place but the kitchen is on a schedule for each meal.  We give her the cash and she keeps the fridge and cubbards stocked.  She shows us to our room which is an absolute mess and she tells me, Verda, you guys don't need to pay me to stay here, I want you to organize the whole house, it's in Chaos!  Okay, we get a good night rest, Gary takes off early and I go to the kitchen to get a bite to eat, I forget about the schedule and the women and children are all together.  The women are busy chatting and the children are all in the sink taking a bath while they eat their breakfast.  I apologize for intruding, they don't even know I'm there, and I leave to survey the house.  Oh my goodness.  The whole place looks like it exploded.  Clothes, toys, bedding, personal items, antique furniture, pictures, frames scattered everywhere in every room.  I go to work sorting and come across lots of great things.  Among the regular dirty clothes I find some fabulas Vintage Dresses in excellent condition.  WOW!  these are cool.  I go from room to room organizing and continue to find cool things. Like some great old photos and frames.  It seems like as soon as I get one room completed another one appears like it's being hidden by a majical veil.  I put all the vintage items together so that they can be restored and used in the home for decor and Gary comes into the room. He brings with him two litttle dogs.  Only small in height, these doggies are fat..I don't know how there are walking around. What are you doing with these dogs, I ask.  Well, Papa said to bring them to you.  WHY?  I don't know why, I'm just doing what I'm told.  Gary disappears and the dogs follow me everywhere. They are actually kind of cute.  Next thing I know Angie and Julie are with me, I need a break and say to the girls, let's go outside and survey the yard work.  The back yard is one very large area with grass and two sad little trees in the back corner.
 Nothing to do here I say to the girls, let's go out front.  The gravel driveway is a mess, there are piles of bricks strewn along the length of the yard, the flower bed s are all overgrown.  Look's like I'll be busy out here tomorrow, the girls disappear, literally, poof! their gone.  The old gentlemen room mate appears and he takes off with a friend, in a 1950's something truck, totally restored,  really cool.  I admire the truck as it pulls out of the drive and go back into the house. HALLEUJAH! A transformation has taken place.  All the photos are in the frames polished and repaired.  The beds are made with all the hand pieced quilts I found, the furniture is restored and in it's proper, useful place and the entire house is spotless.  I go into the Kitchen to begin preparing dinner and I wake up.  I sure got a lot of stuff done, never have I acheived so much in one day and it was nice to see Angie and Julie again, not sure about the dogs.

Traveling with Granny

The Hebner's and Granny are on vacation.  We are making our way home when Granny says shes tired of being in the car and wants to get a hotel room for the night.    So we stop.  We have a good night's rest and when it's time for check-out we can't find Granny.  The kids go outside to look for her and they find her crossing the streeet.  She comes to the front desk and tells us that there is a lovely Zoo, an amusment park and a professional baseball stadium right across the street.  Theres a game tonight she says with her eyes as big a saucers. Let stay and go to the game.  The game isn't til 6 p.m. we have to stay another night.  We all go to the game and half way through Granny gets tired and says shes going back to the  hotel and go to bed.  We finish watching the game and also return to the hotel.  Next morning we are checking out, and there is no Granny.  The kids find her walking up the sidewalk waving at them with tickets in her hand to go to the Zoo.  I haven't been to the Zoo in forever, she tells us.  So we take our bags back to our room and the Zoo doesn't open til noon.  Granny wants to eat lunch at the Zoo.  We all go to the zoo and after walking all day, we are all exhausted and find our way back to our hotel rooms and Granny goes to bed.  Next day we are checking out AGAIN and that's right you've guessed it, Granny is missing.  The kids go to look for her and now she has decided that she wants to go to the amusement park which doesn't open  til 2:00.  AGAIN, we take our bags back to our room.  As we are entering the gates of the amusment park, I wake up needing to go to the restroom and as I'm making my way back to my comfy bed, I am so glad I don't have to go back to the hotel for another night.  I wonder if Granny ever lets us leave that place.

The Toilet Hauntings by Verda

The reason I share this dream with you today  is because it's one that reoccurs regularly, at least once a week I have this dream... The places and people are different each time, but the outcome is exactly the same.
I am haunted by a toilet.  Last night I was in a resturant with my neices and Granny.  After eating such a large meal, I  excused myself and went looking for the Ladies Room.   Upon arriving, I see that a line is forming outside the Ladies Room.  I have to go bad, so I go looking for another restroom.  After weaving in and out of several hallways and rooms (this goes on for what seems like forever) I finally find another restroom.. There are other people inside and all the stalls are taken.  I survey the room and see that there are several urinals lined up on the wall and between them is a toilet.  No stall, no door, just urinals and this one toilet, which i might add is absoluety filthy (GROSS)  I am now at the point where I am doing the potty dance and am desperate so I begin to consider  baring my bottom in front of all these people and if that is not embarrassing enough  trying to straddle this toilet.  I approach the toilet and lucky for me I WAKE UP!.. Yahoo!.  My bladder is screaming and I shuffle my way to the bathroom where I find a beautiful, clean,  toilet and all is well in the world.  The question I ask is, "Why am I constantly being haunted by a filthy toilet?

Another strange dating dream...by Verda

I was introduced to a really nice guy.  He lived in the country, farming communtiy, he drove a great big 4-wheel drive truck.  He asked me out and when he picked me up he explained that he had forgotten about a family get-together that night and would if be okay if we went to his parents house for a pool party.  I was okay with that.  We drove way out in the country and came to a small farm and a darling little house.  Our conversation was fun and I enjoyed his company.  When we reached the home, all the family came out to greet us.  Really nice, warm happy people.  I was given a tour of the house and  out to the pool we all went for some water fun.  It wasn't long when my date (I have no idea what his name was, we never shared that information, funny huh!) said it's time for us to go, are you ready to leave.  Okay, I said.  We took a another long drive through the country side, had a great conversation, laughing etc.  When we came to a small town, he stopped at a convenience store and bought us some kind of snack sandwiches that  came in a box which included dessert.  I thought they were yummy, how convenient something filling and something sweet in one box.  He thought it was wierd that I had never had one before.  Than we turned the corner and he said, You're going to like this...really, I  said, where are we?  You'll see.  We went into a  large building, when inside I was hit with the smell of incense burning, YUK! I thought why are we here.  Than a women dressed  like the women in India came to greet us, she was very familiar with my date, and she handed him a set of clothing and directed us to a room that had a rug covering the doorway.  She pulled the rug aside and gestered for my date to enter the room, she followed him and left me in the hallway.  I stood there for 15 minutes and decided to take a tour of the place.  I found all sorts of wierd things.  One room was filled with laughing children readying themself for a sleep over with pillows and blankets.  Another room had people waiting for a massages, than i came across a steam room.  No one seemed to be concerned that I was just walking around.  I never saw my date again. So I called a cab and went home....I wonder what that was all about!

Behind Enemy Lines

Disclaimer- This dream is long and boring, but it was really vivid.

Last night I was in the military and my plane got shot down behind enemy lines. I didn't have a weapon and the enemy was all around, so I just hid underneath a car, but eventually I was spotted. I came out with my hands up as they surrounded me all speaking (I think) Urdu, or another mid-eastern language. Seeing that they didn't speak English I spoke to them in Spanish and told them that I surrendered.
They all started laughing, and spoke back to me in Spanish and English. "No way man, we're not gonna hurt you. Just come to church with us." So I went into a large (I think) Catholic church, and we greeted the priest by bowing to him and then taking our seat. I sat by my new friends until they explained to me that in their culture it wasn't right- I needed to sit somewhere different. So I did and sat through a long sermon that I didn't understand.
After church when we were all trying to leave I was asking them what country I was in- they kept telling me that I was in the Dominican Republic. I didn't believe them at all because their Spanish was so poor and slow. So I kept trying to ask other people. Just then I saw some Mormon missionaries in the church and got all excited. I ran up to them and was like "Americans! You gotta help me! I'b been shot down and I need to know what country I'm in!" They just looked at me and then spoke to each other in the language that I didn't understand. I finally communicated with them enough to establish that they weren't Americans.
Just then I saw a member of my current ward who is a Linguist (he speaks 7 or 8 languages) but he's very old and now speaks very very slowly, and he was talking to the priest in the other language. So I ran up to him and he was all excited to see me (as he's the nicest old man I've ever met) Bro....ther....... Call....! Wh....at.... are... you........ do....ing... here...? So I explained the whole story to him and was trying to ask him what country I was in, and he started to respond, but it was taking him a really long time to tell me because he has a hard time speaking. Before he could get it out, the people who had brought me to church came and found me and were like "Come on, it's time to go."
So we got in their car and were going to the grocery store to get some food, and I was trying to get them to tell me where I was and they kept insisting that it was the Dominican Republic-
And then Kaci came in and woke me up.
Like I said, not a real interesting dream.

Back to Hawaii, again

Last night I was back in Hawaii hanging out with my old roommate, and a new friend that I made here in Virginia. We were going to teach my new friend how to surf so we were getting our boards ready when I realized that both of my boards (Bonita and Talulah) had cracks in them.
Being resourceful I thought, "I know, I'll just wrap them up in plastic wrap!" (I'm not sure why I never thought of that before). As I was wrapping up my boards my buddy mentioned "You better hurry, I think the bus is coming." I laughed and sarcastically commented "Yeah, every half an hour right"

Just then the bus came by (which should have been a tip off to me that I was dreaming), and Liam and I jumped on, as soon as we got on the bus driver took off driving down the street leaving our third friend chasing after it (that's what made me think that it was real). Two stops later our friend joined us, just in time to get off two stops later at Ali'i Beach Park. It's kind of crazy to go surfing out there right now, the bus driver told us. We told him not to worry, we do this all the time.
So we get off the bus and everything is covered in snow! I was like "This is so cool! I love the snow! I can't believe you got more snow here than we do in Virginia!" "Yeah, it's some sort of effect of global warming."
Wierd.

Internship in Utah?

Last night I inteviewed for an internship at my old Junior High school (Riverview)in Murray.

At the end of the interview they handed me a 3x5 card with a picture of the school telling me I got the job and that they were excited I was going to take it.
I was like "Hold on a minute! I'm actually moving to Alaska to work there."
They just wouldn't believe me, and tried so hard to convince me to stay. They were using arguments like "Just think about it, the salary is really great here, you already know the community, you're family is all here!"
I was already starting to get suspicious and then they finished with,
"If you think about it, you could actually just live with your parents and save a lot of money!"
That's when I asked, "Did my mom put you up to this?"
Them, "Ummmmmm.... maybe?"

Dance Party of the Century

So last night I was at some high school function and everyone was singing the school fight song, I was like "What's going on?" and someone told me that they were recording it. Then they got done and the principal announced "And now it's time to party!"
Then this really cool beat came on, and I busted out this AMAZING RAP! Seriously, I know you guys think I can't rap, but this really was like the RAP OF ALL RAPS - it was legit (2legit maybe). Even as I was doing it I thought "I can't believe I'm actually rapping like this... This is cool!" Then everybody just started going crazy and dancing! Man it was so fun. People were going wild! That's when my buddy Bret
(This is Bret) from high school got in the center of a circle, ripped off his shirt, and started dancing (Probably one of the coolest things I've ever dreamed!) I just remember being on this high, and laughing so hard, and dancing my little heart out. Man, I wish you all could have really been there. Especially you Bret.

P.S. I thought I should clarify for those of you who don't know Bret. He is by far the LAST person in the world who would do this (even less likely than my dad) which is why I thought it was so great (Not because of his amazing 6'3" 125lb physique"

Paul McCartney Speaks

Last night it was my privilege to be in attendance at a private concert by Paul McCartney performed in my parents home. The best song was one entitled "Electric Company", which Paul became very emotional when he sang it. He told us that he had really hoped that Electric Company would become one of the classics like John's "Imagine" but that he really got hosed by the other Beatles. He was mad because they put his song on a cd with Peter (Ringo's real, real name) on the cover of it. And that really just made it unpopular.

The song is so special because (as he disclosed to us in my dream) Paul is diagnosed with high functioning autism, and the song really gave a picture of how he views the world. I can't really remember the words from it, but the song sounded a lot like My own two hands by Ben Harper and Jack Johnson. It was really quite a touching experience.

Blindside- double dream

So last night there was a big Call family reunion and all of my uncles and cousins were all staying in the same house. Consequently I had to share a bed with my brother. Then I fell asleep and had the dream inside of a dream- which was: I was watching a high school football practice (in the 1970's- it was like I was in the movie Blindside (which I haven't seen))and a ball got kicked over to me. So I took it back and started talking with the football players. They were cool, but they were like "You better get out of here before coach gets back- he's kind of rough." And I could tell that they meant he was abusive. So I was like "No way, I'm not afraid of your coach- I want to meet him." Just then a lady showed up and was like "Hey, what are you doing here?" I assumed this was the coach and got all crazy and started yelling at her "Are you the coach! Listen you little punk, I ain't afraid of you just cuz you're a woman! You better..." And she interrupted me "No, no, no, I'm just selling sodas. Would you like to buy a Sprite. Just 3 bucks." I started laughing "Three bucks for a can of soda. Nobody is gonna pay that. Listen lady, you may not believe me, but I'm from the future, and even in the future nobody is gonna pay three bucks for a can of soda."
Just then the real coach showed up, saw me, grabbed a sharp object and came after me. So I knocked the object away, tackled the coach and wrestled him to the ground and started giving him a piece of my mind "Listen punk! If you want to coach another practice alive you better start treating these kids right- use discipline not threats and abuse! Teach them to play, not to cheat! Teach them....."----
That's when I woke up from that dream and was back to the dream where I was sharing a bed with my brother. And in that dream I've got my brother in a headlock and he's wiggling to try and get away and I'm yelling at him that he better shape up or he's out of here. Then I realize that he's not the football coach, so I just let him go, and all my cousins who where in the room just busted up laughing. "That was so funny! You just started attacking him in your sleep! hahahaha!"

It was pretty funny.

The Missionary Bar

So last night in my dream I went to the missionary bar. You may ask, what is that? Well, it's a place where members of the lds church can invite their friends to kick-back, relax, have a drink, and learn about about the mormon church. It's open for everyone and drinks are free. For those who come without friends, there are always members there who will be your friend and strike up a conversation about the church. The idea is that once people learn about the basic doctrines of the church, and believe in them, then they'll willingly give up drinking on their own, and then volunteer at the bar.

All in all, I think it might be more effective than door to door tracting.

Hayley getting married

Last night I dreamed that my little sister Hayley came back from her mission and was getting married. The only problem was that she wouldn't tell us who she was going to marry. The reason she wouldn't tell us who she was going to marry was that she thought I would go beat the guy up. This made me suspicious. "Why would I beat him up Hayley?" her "I don't know, you just might" So that got me to thinking- there's something wierd going on here- If Hayley thinks he deserves to get beat up, then I better find this guy and beat him up. So I hid out in the bushes to wait for them to get home- then I popped out and started getting into it with this guy- interrogating him to find out why I need to beat him up.
It was a great start to a relationship with my new future brother-in-law.

Mormon Airplane Factory

Last Night I was exploring and I ended up finding an Airplane Factory in the town next to the one I live in. When I went inside I found that the people working there were Mormon Missionaries and there was an LDS Bookstore where you buy tickets- or you could get a free ticket if you listened to a short presentation that the missionaries gave. Man, people were lining up to hear the missionaries!

Kaci's Dream

Hey Kaci, what did you dream last night?
Kaci: "Play friends! Play John and Laura. Eat Ice-cream! Laura eat ice-cream. John eat ice-cream too! Make pancakes!"

Sounds like a great dream!

Going up to the Parade

So last night I dreamed that we were going up to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. To make the trip easier we had rented a U-Haul and I was sleeping in the back while Kerri drove. I woke up and she had parked and gone looking for some food. I got out and found that we were in a real scary area. So I just started talking to people and I was like "What city am I in?" They told me "This is Chicago man!"
I was like Oh, cool, I've never been here. Then I saw an ice-cream shop and I bought everyone ice-cream cones and sat around and talked with them while I waited for Kerri to get back. When Kerri got back and it was time for us to go, one of the guys was like, "You're all right man. I can tell you're a good person, so I'm gonna do something for you. Here. I'm gonna give you your wallet back." And handed it to me. I was like "What!?" and he told me "You're nice. But don't trust anybody." And then he walked off.

Professional Church Ball

So last night, the Harrisonburg 2nd Ward was playing a basketball game against the New York Knicks. I just went to watch, but was finally persuaded to enter the game and teach a thing or two to the Knicks. "I'm not very good" I told them, but then I got out there and right off the bat I blocked a guys shot. Then I ran down the court, they passed it to me and I made a shot. The same scenario was repeated about 5 times and I was totally the all-star! I sat there trying to figure out how I could be so good when playing against professionals -- and then came to the logical conclusion that my whole life I just haven't been playing against people who were good enough for me to show my true talent. It's probably true