4891

The year 2008 fades to its end. The ship of 2009 sails into the harbors of our lives. A changing of the guard! The transition point of yet another year. Days, weeks and months have come and gone. They fade into the mists of the past. The clocks tick. The season winds down and makes way for the next wave of actions. Time, relentless time!

Dreamed last night (the final dream of 2008) that I was helping my daughter move. There was a lot of chaos surrounding what we were doing. There were multiple vehicles, a range of different items to be transported, various routes to be taken. Somehow, everything got moved despite the turmoil. I felt some frustration during the process, but was settled down by the time we moved the final load.

Heading over to BH's/GH's tonight. They are hosting a gathering to bring in the new year. I took a good nap this afternoon so I would be rested before the celebration. May 2009 bring everyone joy, peace and good fortune! May everyone be healthy and filled with light!

4892

Walked the baylands today. Sun broke through and kept the temperatures mild. I slept in late, but got up and ran some errands, walked, ate lunch and returned home for a nap. I seem good for about four hours of activity before I need to rest and relax.

Dreamed a couple of elaborate dreams last night. One involved being back in the NS company. I was enmeshed in producing documentation and was having to interact with a large number of people as the projects unfolded. Work activity was intense and required a lot of attention and focus. I seemed to be doing alright with everything, but it was stressful.

A second dream was just as elaborate and intense, but I can't recall the details now. Seems like it had something to do with food and creating a variety of dishes. I remember holding up a piece of asparagus that I had peeled with a grating tool. The spear was striped from the grating and the filaments of the peel were placed under the spear as a decoration. There was some discussion going back and forth about using different techniques to showcase various food items.

Watched Manon of the Spring this afternoon. A rich visual movie! Has subtitles, but the dialogue does not overwhelm the action on the screen. Could almost be watched without translation. It's a sequel to another film, Jean de Florette, which sets up the story for Manon. May pick up the book that inspired both movies. I saw the movies about twenty years ago. Ah, yes, those were the days!

Read a story about Kahlil Gibran--how he came to write what he did (The Prophet)--and how unexpectedly successful that publication has been. Without actually intending to do so, it seems that he managed to tap into the cosmic consciousness--that he produced a work that people were ready to hear despite what any critics may have said about it. Chance and circumstance! The whirls of fate!

The new year hovers! The moon is dark! The fates decide!

4893

2008 and counting! The end of this year's daze is about to happen. There is some promise in the air, but the world's turmoils continue.

Dreamed last night that I was taking a test. It was four or five pages with four or five questions on each page. The format of each page was similar and I figured out that once I had solved the problems on one page, I could use what I had done to do the other pages. There were quite a few of us taking the test. The results of the test were going to be used to select some of us to continue on in the program. Many would be winnowed out based on the test results. I felt comfortable taking the exam, and was pleased to have figured out a strategy to solve all of the problems. I was a bit concerned that I would get demerits because I had used the margins to make notes and perform trial computations. I wasn't too worried, but that thought crossed my mind when I handed in the results. I had made a false start at the beginning, but managed to redirect my approach and go on to answer the questions. I awoke not knowing if I had made the cut.

Had a tasty lunch with BH (salad, salmon, vegetables, polenta and dessert). We watched a Josef von Sternberg film, The Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel). Film was made in 1930 and was one of Marlene Dietrich's first film roles. The sound was annoying (poor quality and filled with static, also some in German with no subtitles), but the story and photography was well done. Amazing to look back at these early films and budding actors.

Missed taking a walk today. It was clear and sunny, but got up late and was tired when I came back form BH's. Slept better last night. Was starting to think I was feeling anxious and was sleeping poorly. Sleeping in this morning took the edge off of things. Perhaps it will be early to bed tonight. The dreams go on!

4894

And it's 3... 2... 1... 1...! The countdown into the New Year. The scientists are adding one second to the year 2008 to correct for the slowdown in the Earth's rotation. Apparently, they've been doing this on and off for several years. That is in addition to the leap year correction which adds an entire day. They have to keep the wobbly Earth in tune with the atomic clocks. So, I have an extra second in this year. What will I do with it? What's the best use of that extra moment?

Sunny day, today! Made a loop around the park. Not too many people out and about despite the clement weather.

I slept a bit poorly last night, but ended up sleeping in this morning. Dreamed a dream about helping someone who was home bound. He needed to have something done for him and we were going to use his car. But, the vehicle had problems and we had to figure out some other way. He lived in an old house that needed lots of repair. There was some problem with the door locks. We had to fiddle with the front door to gain entrance and when we left the place. I think we managed to pick up what he needed, kept him safe in the house, and left him in good shape.

I made it to the farmer's market and had lunch there--memela with two poached eggs (serving of masa, beans, cabbage, cheese, salsa and eggs). Very Californian! Very tasty! Napped when I returned.

Picked up a large box of blueberries yesterday. Tasty treat! The week ends! The weak ends! What will the next week hold?

4895

Dreamed last night something about being in a classroom. I was one of the students. We were all fairly young--perhaps in the 4th or 5th grade. There was a second dream that involved adults. I seemed to have lost the details now.

Made it for a walk on the baylands today. It was cool but sunny. Felt good to stride and walk. I'm feeling more comfortable with thinking about spending the next few years (like the next 10 years) keeping myself in good shape and staying physically active.

Went out for breakfast this morning. Had a bowl of oats with bananas, sugar and milk. Also had a blueberry biscuit. It was a treat. Picked up a couple of films from the library. Can only keep them for a week. Took me a while to devise a good search strategy for isolating the DVDs in the library system. Not exactly a friendly search system, but I figured out a way to get the information that I needed to isolate the films and determine if they're on the shelves. Have to visit the Mitchell Park branch--seems like they have more titles on the shelves there. Many of the preferred movies are checked out--an amazing number of them.

Well, only 363 shopping days left until Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!

4896

Twas the day after Christmas and that's about it! Nothing of miraculousity to report. Had a wonderful acupressure session this morning. Had a delicious lunch with BH (a tasty brown rice dish with small shrimp and ham). Watched an incredible Chinese film, The Sun Also Rises (yes, there is a Hemingway book by that title). Directed by Wen Jiang, who also directed Devil's on the Doorstep, which GH and I had already seen. This latest film had a flavor of some of the Kaufman movies we've seen (Memento, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). There was the pieces of the story told out of order--coming together at the end.

Cold today! A clear day, but a chilly one. The acupressure practitioner is heading for Mexico. Hopefully, he and his wife are heading to a place in the sun. Sounds nice!

I'm feeling kind of porky! I've gained weight and probably now am well over 170 lbs. Would like to be exercising more, but the weather is making that difficult. Soon, I won't fit into my trousers and will have to do something--like buy more pants. Glad that I've gained instead of continuing to lose like I was doing, but don't like being so hefty.

Starting to slide toward the end of the year. Goodbye, 2008! Hello, 2009! What wonders will the new year bring? Many, I hope! For all!

4897

Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! It's a merry Christmas! Winter weather makes a showing! Rain storms and heavy winds in the early morning. Made it sound like old St. Nick crash landed on the roof.

Dreamed last night a repeating dream segment that I've had before. It has something to do with a young man. He comes before the elders to present an option that involves a ritual called névé. The word means firn or snow. The elders use another, older force or ritual. The boy tells them that it is time to change to his form of the ritual. There is much discussion and people have many different opinions regarding the matter. When I awake the matter is not resolved. And so it reappears in another dream.

In the dream, I am clear that the newer ritual is the correct way to proceed. Even though it is difficult, in the dream I hold onto my position and argue my cause.

I have an acupressure session in the morning. Then lunch and fun with BH/GH in the afternoon. I'm felt well this week. I could use a bit more exercise, but I'm feeling good--feeling positive. Looking forward to the new year!

4898

Christmas Eve! And all is well! Roads are crowded, but businesses don't seem that busy. Maybe people are just driving about since gasoline is so cheap. Paid less than $2/gal this week. I've seen places selling gas for $1.75! How does that match up with the price of oil?

Managed to get in a walk around the park loop today. Rains stopped for a while and gave me a chance to make a lap. Felt good to get in some movement.

Read an article about a sleep disorder that seems to be a predictor of PD and Alzheimers. Its called RBD (for REM sleep behavior disorder) and involves making kicking (striking, hitting) motions while dreaming--something that I do. The study tracked about 100 people with the disorder and found that they had significantly higher rates of several neurological diseases over time. There's nothing that can be done at this time with the information, but it may open the door to future early diagnosis and possible interventions.

I had a triplet of dreams last night. The first one took place in some type of factory. We were canning vegetables. We put the produce onto conveyor belts where they were washed, chopped and routed into cooking tubes. When they emerged from the tubes, they were sent into cans and sealed. It was a huge complex.

The second dream had me aboard a ship. It was like a huge Navy carrier. I was low-level seaman and was running around doing different tasks. This dream segued into being aboard a huge ATV. We were approaching a village and were trying to move into position to capture several people. It was really dark and it was difficult to see the people we were chasing. I awoke while this dream was still playing out.

I'm nearly finished with the Jaynes' book. The book covers a huge span of time--from 20,000BC to the present day. At one point, I had a distinct sensation of all that time and how short it really is in the scheme of things. Also how little time has passed in the last two millennia--also how quickly this 3rd millennium will unfold. An ant on the sea of time! How little I have seen and known! What a small amount I can remember! Finiteness versus eternity!

4899

Picked up a set of books from the library. Got some stories with more "juice!" I was struggling through the ones I had and didn't want to spend the holidays pushing through dense prose. Got a book by George Saunders, In Persuasion Nation, that is freaky but good. Also a couple of books by Dorothy Gallagher that contain "true stories." The stories are about her life and are actually in the biography section. Some people have lived interesting lives--lives filled with memorable people and events.

I wish I had something interesting and memorable to report. Alas, I do not! My dreams even absconded from last night's dream-a-sode. I think what I dreamed was of interest to me, but I no longer recall the details.

Awoke to heavy rains early this morning. The storms blew through and the some sun peeked out later in the day. Streets are humming! People are busy making last minute purchases as the holiday draws near. Several stores heralding their imminent demise and the final sales as they sink into the financial bogs.

Checked my IRA today. It has recovered some from the downturn. I'm letting it ride. I think it will reset itself in the coming months. Still bought a lottery ticket. That's plan B! Let the dreams begin!

4900

Happy holidays! Sleep was a bit ragged last night. I think I'm feeling some anxiety and it's leaking over into my sleep time. I'm sleeping enough; just not doing much with my days.

Had lunch (delicious!) with BH today. She and I then watched an old movie--39 Steps--an early Hitchcock film. He was experimenting with camera angles even back then. There were a few top-down shots that were memorable.

I'm sloshing through some of the story collections I got from the library. Mixed bag of stuff! Will have to get in and pick up some better volumes before the library goes dormant for the holidays. Looking forward to a couple of books I've researched.

Had a flood of dreaming last night. One dream involved me being on a team of people who are responsible for helping prepare A/V materials for a presentation. I came up with an idea of using 3-D objects to make the panels stand out. It required a lot more effort to make each panel, but the results were worth it.

A second dream happened on a beach in a warm climate. I was sitting in a lounge chair and looking up the coast as the waves broke onto the shore. There was a light mist covering the view. As I peered into the mists, I thought I could see large shapes, like whales, floating in the air. They were swimming in the mists and floating up over the beach. The scene was pleasant and light.

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring forth some sunshine. I would like to take a walk on the baylands or at least around the park. It rained on and off today, and the weather was fairly cool. Lots of people out and about. If they're not shopping, what are they doing? Frenzy time! Merry madness!

4901

Winter solstice! And also the high holy days. Rained almost all day today. Not very heavy, but a steady pitter-patter. I slept in this morning. I didn't sleep well last night--tossed and turned a lot. It felt like I had drunk a cup of tea--I was wired. Finally dozed off but slept away the morning.

My dreams last night (and this morning) were scattered and fragmented. Lots of little dreamlets.

I spent a lot of time today trying to recall a TV series from several years ago. I couldn't think of the show's title, but could recall the actor's face--but not his name. Finally, I remembered that his last name was Greenwood. With that I was able to find his full name and the name of the series--Bruce Greenwood and Nowhere Man. Amazing what the mind stores and remembers.

Why was I doing all of this? Good question! I've been searching out online video sites that play full episodes of TV series. I thought Nowhere Man would be a great show to see again. Unfortunately, I have the show's information but can't find anywhere that it's being shown. Rainy day times on the Internet!

Will have lunch with BH tomorrow and a film with GH. Holidaze are happening!

4902

Almost the solstice! Then the flood of holiday events! Amber, the Indian fast food place, is playing an awful mash of ancient holiday albums. Some I know I've never heard before and for good reason--they are terrible. Looks like they should be playing Indian music at an Indian cafe. I guess the pull to assimilate is too powerful.

Dreamed last night about time traveling. I was with a group of people who were traveling back in time (from a few centuries from now) to the present time. We were like a group of sociology students who were coming back here to study how people made decisions about their purchases of household appliances. We were cautioned to not let everyone know that we were from another time. We were also told not to tell people about any technological advances that were being used in our home era. We were gathered at a home appliance convention. There was an exhibitors' area but we were spending most of our time in a beer hall where there was entertainment and dancing.

The dream, as it is described, was fairly silly. We were bouncing around trying to get information for our project without disclosing anything about who we really were. Every interaction in the dream seemed awkward and clumsy. We all knew that the future held many advances over what we could see in the exhibition. It wasn't clear why anyone would want to buy any of the existing items. I awoke from the dream feeling exhilarated about the time travel element, but chagrined over the content--home appliances of the future! Hmmm!

Did a walk on the baylands today. It was brisk, but was worth the effort. Came back and did my laundry. Napped briefly in my chair. Feeling pretty good today. Took my medication a little later in the morning and in mid-afternoon. I wanted to see if I take the pills a bit later if they will not have so much wear off in the evening (and overnight). Seems to be working! Will keep on observing!

Latest Google blogging tool has an export feature that allows me to dump this entire blog into a file. Very handy! Much easier than cutting/pasting the blog content into a set of files. Ah, technology! What wonderful things we weave (or find out has been woven)!

Looking forward to the new year. Ready to move and dance! Expansions!

4903

Deluge of rain last night! Let up in the early morning and some sunshine made it through the rolling clouds.

Had an acupressure session this morning. Felt good! I slept erratically last night. Session woke me up and left me feeling light. I had a late lunch (Indian food) and napped for a few hours in the late afternoon.

Dreamed that I was part of project team. We were building a software package. Not sure what the package was supposed to do. Most of the dream involved discussions (arguments) about what changes were to be made to the program. I was lobbying for one approach and another person was arguing for another. We were in each other's face over the issues. The heavy rains woke me up and brought me out of the dream.

Got a lovely holiday e-card from my friend P. She's somewhere in Africa, but had sent the card before she left last Monday. It's from a web site in England and is quite well done. Thanx, P! Happy holidays to you!

Keep meditating on what it is I can be doing with my life. I can't seem to make a breakthrough of the patterns and fogginess that surround me. Feels good to lay down and sleep like I did today, but such actions are not fulfilling or purposeful. What am I about? The question continues to resonate. May my dreams reveal some answers.

4904

Dreamed last night that I was helping create a children's toy. It involved some form of color recognition task. Bars of color would appear on the video screen (TV). The kids had a booklet or some type of recording device. They would mark the book or screen with a marker or stylus, putting a color on the page they were viewing. I'm not sure what the challenge was, but everyone was marking colors and laughing a lot. It was a happy dream.

Had lunch with BH today (chicken, potatoes, broccoli and cucumbers/tomatoes. It was a lot of food, but I seem to be eating more--so it worked out. Also had dessert (fruit, cookies, cranberry mousse). GH and I watched Memento. It's the 3rd time I've seen it, I believe, and it's still tough to follow--even though I know it's being told in reverse.

I felt fairly steady last night. Slept in a bit this morning--it was really cold last night--I was snuggled up warm in my bed. Will not be as cold tonight--going to be a bit warmer in the coming week. Feeling fairly steady tonight as well. Shock waves from Wednesday's encounter with the realities of PD have softened some. May my bicameral mind give me a hint of what I am to do.

Have an acupressure session in the morrow. Will forage for my lunch. May have to do laundry. Will see how I feel after the acupressure session.

4905

I went to the PD exercise class and holiday celebration today. It was crowded! The combined classes and attendant care givers filled the room. I found it sobering to see so many people who are dealing with the illness all in one place. The prognosis doesn't appear to be all that encouraging. I'm in relatively good shape when compared to the people there today, but time marches on, unfortunately.

Many of the people were struggling with movement and vocalization. Several people spoke but could not be understood. My voice has rebounded some in the past few months. The hoarseness and mumbling has reversed itself, or so I think. The doctor remarked on the quality of my voice when I saw him on Monday. He said it was strong. I feel that I should be doing something to get ready for my ultimate condition--and I am. I'm exercising, moving, singing, dancing, and keeping on with keeping on.

I'd like to know how the others have come to their conditions. Learn, perhaps, what they've done or not done to deal with everything. I see that many of them still drive, which is a bit frightening to think about. But, they are still moving! I guess that's the important part. I wonder how many there are who are not getting out, but are sitting and shrinking every day. Probably, many more than I can imagine.

It was really cold last night and this morning. Snow in the hills all around the area. My symptoms are more noticeable until I can get really warm. I know these first few days of low temperatures are the most difficult. I'll get used to everything as time goes on. And soon it will be spring. After the new year, I'll start to be active everyday of the week. I believe that that will help me better deal with things. We shall see!

I have been dreaming, but the content keeps sliding away as I awake. Just went out for a soup and sandwich. Feeling good now that I've eaten (I only ate a small amount at lunch). Joining BH/GH for lunch and a movie tomorrow (a day earlier than normal). Acupressure on Friday! And then it's the Winter Solstice! Let there be light!

4906

All quiet on the techno-front. New browser seems to be working well. Some surprises from the "auto" features, but they appear to be helpful once I got used to their incursions. The movie player I installed seems to be working well. Thank the techno-spirits!

Cool weather is triggering the PD symptoms. I'm fine as long as I stay warm and wrapped. Lots of winter left! Going to the last PD exercise class for this year tomorrow. Starts early (10am) but has a catered lunch on tap, plus some visitors/observers (which is why we have to start early). The visitors are associated with a riding buddy of Lance Armstrong, Davis Phinney. Phinney has PD and has started a charitable organization. Don't know if Phinney will be there or just his people.

Haven't walked a lot in the past few days--too chilly! Miss the movement! Will be good to hit the class tomorrow. Feeling like I'm hibernating! Winter is a'comin' in!

4909-4907

Several days since I made a post. Been eating quite well and amply. Cold weather triggering a winter feeding frenzy. It was getting really cold this afternoon. Seems warmer now, like it seemed last night right before I went to bed. May be an illusion.

Saw the neurologist today. He remarked on how well I looked. I'm feeling better. I think it's related to my backing off on some of my medication. The cold weather makes the symptoms more pronounced, but if I stay really warm they are not that noticeable.

Looks like the Firefox browser now has automatic spell checking! Last night (yesterday) I had a techno episode--I downloaded and installed the latest Firefox browser and found and downloaded an AVI player. For some reason, I have some AVI files that indicate they can be played with the Quicktime player, but don't work. I found a freeware player that seems to work. It works on the bogus AVI files as well as some WMV films. Got a great WMV film of the space station with the astronauts working away. Awesome!

Watched a German film today, Erleuchtung garantiert (Enlightenment Guaranteed). Most of the film takes place in a Japanese monastery. Intriguing film! Lots of humor. Director is a woman, Doris Dörrie. She has made quite a few movies and written many scripts. GH said he also has a film be her that has the same two main actors in a movie when they were much younger.

In my techno frenzy, I also located a host of streaming video sites that play some of my favorite TV shows (which I cannot see now since my free cable was shut down). Where there's a techno-will there's a way!

Slept poorly last night. I seemed to be a bit anxious about seeing the doctor today. Feeling less anxious now. I told him that I'd like to continue with my reduced medication levels and see what happens. He suggested that I take a 3rd, smaller dose in the afternoon, instead of just skipping the 3rd dosage. I'd rather see how it goes on just the two pills for now. In general, I'm feeling good and want to see if I can expand that window.

Friend PH is off to Africa today. Bon voyage! Have fun skydiving! She's planned another leap while she is there. Brave soul!

I didn't win the MegaMillions jackpot on Friday. Such is life! Happy winnings to someone in Ohio!

4910

Acupressure, tasty lunch, Kaufman movie "Adaptation" (another 2nd view miracle film), and now a full moon. Day went well. I'm feeling good. Didn't take a nap in the afternoon. Got a call from the people who sponsored the PD class--they are doing one after the first of the year (on Thursday--my open day).

I've also read more of the Jaynes' book. Content of the book meshes well with the Kaufman movie. Also learned more about Kaufman, such as he credited his on-screen twin brother with helping write the script. His supposed filmic twin received an Oscar nomination for best script! Hilarious! An apt ending to the making of the film. Learned that director Spike Jonze's real name is Adam Spiegel--he's an ex-inlaw of the Coppola clan. The motion picture data base is full of stuff!

Dreamed last night a series of dreamings. First one involved being in a rustic cabin with three guys from the men's team. We were hunkered in from a storm. It was cold and wet. Things got more wet when I pissed my sleeping bag. I awoke (in the dream) in a puddle and had to move my bedding so the place would dry. The dream had two or three other segments, but I can't seem to bring them back right now. One involved (I believe) something to do with a set of neighbors who lived (in the dream) across the street from where I lived. There's something ominous about that dream's residue, but I don't recall any details.

Nearly dream time once again. Let the play begin!

4911

Did a walk on the baylands today. Weather warmed up some so it was tolerable enough to do a walk. Walk felt good. I made a trip to the library to pick up some new reading materials. Had lunch at an Indian buffet--Sue's Kitchen. Not extraordinary food but mostly vegetable dishes. Tasty and warm!

I came back and fell asleep for a couple of hours sitting in my chair. Nodded off quite easily. The walk prompted the nap.

Read some when I awoke. Feeling a bit antsy. Will probably hit the bed early tonight. Read some before nodding away again. Have an acupressure session tomorrow (at 10 instead of 10:30) and lunch/movie with BH/GH.

Dreamed last night but forgot the details when I awoke. Dreamicle! A frozen dream!

Check my IRA. It's recovered some despite the way the market's flailing. I'm still down from where I was a few months ago. I'm thinking that it will recover over time. I don't have to start drawing it down until a little more than a year from now. Have to trust that things will be back in order by then.

Just got my SS notice of what I'll be making next year. About $100/month increase! Can't complain!

4912

Went to PD exercise class today. Lots of people showed up--almost a full house! I could tell that we haven't had a class for a while. It was a challenge to do some of the routines. Next week we will have some people dropping by to observe. Class will be held at 10 in the morning that day. We'll be treated to lunch afterwards. Should be fun!

Bumped into JON today. He's finishing up another game. He's late for the holiday market (same old story), but will get some sales. He has been persistent. Perhaps the economy will work in his favor--costs less for a board game than going out to a movie! He will see.

Dreamed last night that I was in a house with a woman (wife) and a young girl (daughter). The house had been invaded while we were out. Objects were scattered everywhere. The place was a mess. We were reluctant to stay the night--worried about the intruders coming back. We went to the house of some friends (two women and a young boy). They took us in and fed and comforted us. We bunked down in one of their spare rooms. In the night, I awoke and walked through the house, down some stairs into a basement area. It was a musty, dusty place that reminded me of an open space beneath a house I played in when I was young. The place belonged to some friends of mine and we used to play in that part of the house. It was open back then and had been enclosed at some point in time. In the dream, I had the eerie feeling that I was in both times--back in my youth and now with the enclosed space. As I stood there, I could sense the walls disappearing and being restored by my thoughts. If I thought of the past, the walls would go away. If I thought about today, the walls would return. I awoke drifting back and forth between those two worlds.

Flannel sheet did the trick last night. I was warm through the night without turning on a heater. Nothing of import planned for the morrow. Perhaps it will warm up enough for a baylands trek. Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! On the way to a healthy day. Didn't nap today. Did drink a cup of green tea when I returned from exercise class. Feeling good and awake right now. Will read some when I head for the bed. Let the dreams begin!

4913

No tea tonight! I had trouble falling asleep last night. I think it was the cup of tea I had in the afternoon. I slept in late this morning, but felt well when I awoke and headed to the laundromat.

Tuesdays at the laundromat! Still a quiet experience--no one there the whole morning as I washed and dried. Afterwards, I picked up a refill of my medication and stopped for lunch at the Persian cafe. Nice, tasty meal!

Dreamed last night about being in a caravan of two cars. One car had two women and a young boy. A second had me, a woman and a young girl. We had agreed to caravan from our homes to a camping area and back. For the most part, we managed to stay together. We did get lost from each other a few times, but we were able to talk to each other on our mobiles and reconnect. There was a lot of driving involved in the dream with very little actual camping.

My feet got really cold last night. I added a blanket to the bed today. Perhaps that will help keep in the heat. (Just realized that I put a flannel sheet on the bed and not the light wool blanket. Oh, well! Will see what it does. Can always add the blanket later.)

Many thoughts today about the movie (Eternal Sunshine) that I saw (again) yesterday. The story has lots to say about knowing, forgetting, using others (techniques) to help the process of forgetting, as well as overcoming the losses involved. Kudos to the story creator! What a rich set of ideas!

PD exercise class tomorrow! Looking forward to going. It's been a month since we've had a session.

4914

Enrolled in line dance class and a movement class today. They start in the new year. Look forward to having more things to do each week. Not a full schedule, but starting to fill out.

Lunch and movies with BH/GH on Mondays/Fridays. Line dance class on Monday mornings.
Movement class on Tuesday evenings (plus laundry on alternate Tuesdays). PD exercise class on Wednesdays. Baylands walk on Thursdays (plus on the weekends and whenever I can make the trek on other days). Acupressure sessions on Friday mornings. Some exercise and rest each day. The beat goes on!

Watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again today. It was like watching a brand new movie after having seen it once. Brilliant script! Deja vu within deja vu! Also quite moving!

Dreamed that I was working on a project that involved some kind of repetitive use (or reuse) of some software modules. I had identified where the modules were being invoked, but there was some logic problem that couldn't be resolved. I had marked the code module invocation points on a voluminous listing. Some members of the team and I were reviewing the code. I felt on the spot and at cause for the errors. At some point, the dream morphed into another dream scene.

It involved some kind of apparatus where objects were being inserted into a chamber. After the objects were inserted, they were removed from the chamber and they were transformed. There were either more or fewer items, with some items being altered and modified. Everyone was pleased with the results. It seemed that the chamber was a type of toy that was going to be marketed by the company running the experiment.

Didn't take a nap this afternoon. Drank a cup of green tea around 5pm. Read some and had a light dinner (BH made a grand lunch today and I'm still sated). Will probably go to bed and read some in a while. Laundry day tomorrow! Also a trip to the pharmacy!

Bumped into the guy who used to live across from me here in the apartments. He was at the recreation center. My "face recognition" software still works. I saw him and his name rumbled up to consciousness. Amazing what the brain can do! It's been two years since I saw him last! Affirm the synapses! They are resilient!

4915

Found a line dance class in Sunnyvale that starts next year. Also a movement class in Mt. View taught by a person I contacted about two years ago. For the price of a class (which is really low at the Senior Center), I can get the benefit of her expertise. Her class also starts next year.

Was cool today--too cool for a baylands jaunt. Saw BH at the farmer's market. She was busy buying food items from the many vendors.

Will not drink a green tea tonight. The cup I had last night wired me and made it difficult to fall asleep. Have to drink it earlier in the afternoon. It's comforting and tasty. Will just drink it earlier rather than later.

Dreamed last night about printing a document. I had submitted a document for a project and it needed to be duplicated. There was some problem with making a copy--I had gotten the document from somewhere else and didn't have an electronic copy--just a printed version. I was attempting to scan it and make a copy from the scanned images, but it was not coming out cleanly. There were some other issues with the whole task. I experienced frustration and anxiety.

Reading a lot. Mowing through the books I have on hand. Reading some short stories by non-American authors. Strange tales! Also reading some SciFi--Asimov and Fantasy&SciFi magazines. Feels good to be absorbed with reading. Also started a book by Julian Jaynes about consciousness. Dense but absorbing!

Don't miss my cable connection that much. Have found full episodes of most of my favorite shows on the web. I can watch them on my computer. Ah, technology!

4916

Walked the baylands today. It was a little cool, but the sun managed to burn through the haze.

Awoke early, but napped into late morning. Then went out for breakfast and a walk. Napped again in the afternoon and read quite a lot. Spent time on the web looking up dance classes that will start next year. Found a C&W class in Sunnyvale that I can attend. Looking forward to doing some dancing!

With reduced medication, I seem to be able to sense the wear-off in the afternoons. I take two tablets--one upon rising and one around noon. I seem to notice the symptoms as the day goes by--although it's been fairly cool weather and that's a factor in everything.

Am still adjusting from the loss of my cable connection. I'm having a bit of "cable withdrawal" symptoms, but I'm reading more and getting out and about as well.

Digestion/elimination has been going well this past week. Perhaps the reduction in medication is better for my flora/fauna. I've started drinking a cup of green tea before I go to bed. Don't know if there are any effects from doing so. Tea is great--Good Earth green tea blend--very tasty.

I've been dreaming. Not sure if I've been having dreams or replaying memories--perhaps both! Keeping the dream door open! Finding the glitter in the lights!

4917

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind! That was the movie fare for today. Another Kaufman film with a brilliant, mysterious tale to tell. Well worth the seeing!

Had a good (their all good) acupressure session today. I had to get up early since the sessions are being done earlier in the mornings, but felt good to get up and out. BH made a tasty lunch--stuffed turkey breast (with gravy and cranberries), vegetables, salad, and dessert. Tasty, tasty!

I'm still without cable. Wasn't shut off by accident. They're probably readying the lines for the HD channels that are being broadcast after the first of the year. I just got caught in the unplugging. Miss being able to zone out, but I'm reading more and using the web more. I'll survive without it! I can still see most of the series episodes over the web, if I want to do so.

Dreamed last night that I was working on some web product with a group of people. We were each working on some aspect of the system, but were doing so in isolation from each other. At one point, I needed some supplies. I entered a small room, like a closet. There were nearly empty shelves against the four walls. Once I had entered the room, it was not clear how to get back out. There were slots in the walls that let me see some of the other working areas. The dream was tense and claustrophobic.

Seem to continue to be well with reduced medication. It's been several weeks now since I cut back on the dosage. I still need to get one more refill to finish out the year. Will have to pay full price since I'm in the Medicare "donut hole" until I move into 2009. Not a big deal! Mostly a nuisance!

Time to do some stretching and lift a few weights. Then, it's off to an early bed, like last night. Felt good to get to sleep early last night. May tonight be more of the same. Adi-doo!

4919-4918

Walked the baylands today. Sun came out and it made for nice walking. There were a lot of painters sketching pastoral scenes of the mud flats and waters. After the walk, I had lunch in Mt. View--Indian food at Sue's Kitchen.

Discovered that my "free" cable connection had been turned off while I was out for a walk and some lunch. Guess a cable repair person discovered the errant connection and terminated it. I was becoming addicted to watching programs--especially the evening shows. Guess I'll read more and zone out less. Will get my news and views from the radio.

I fell asleep reading this afternoon. Continue to feel tired after just a few hours of activity. Awoke late this morning, went for walk, had lunch and went back asleep for a couple of hours. I fell asleep in my chair. Without a TV diversion tonight I'll probably get to bed much earlier than I've been doing.

Dreamed a few nights ago that I was leading a seminar. I gave the seminar on two different days. The first day went well--I was energetic and did a good job of communicating the material. The second day didn't go as well--there were several people in the audience that I knew and their presence was distracting. I made it through the second day; I was just not as effective as I was on the first day.

I've been dreaming quite a lot. Dreams within dreams! With less TV, perhaps I'll remember more of what I dream.

Tomorrow I have an acupressure session and lunch/movie with BH/GH. December days fly quickly past. Winter is a'comin' in!

4921-4920

December! The year wobbles to its end. The days grow shorter, heading for the longest night of the year--the winter solstice--the festival of lights.

Walked the baylands today. Was tired after the walk and slept for a while when I returned. It was sunny at the baylands--warm and clear.

Had lunch at BH's yesterday. We watched the movie, Being John Malkovich--one of the films written by Kaufman. He's quite a talented story teller--wacky and innovative. Hell of a movie!

No PD exercise class tomorrow. Will do another long walk. Look forward to getting back to the classes. Continue to exercise with weights each day. Feeling pretty good--not 100% yet, but getting there--getting there!

Got a note from RB. Been a while since I'd heard from him. He's not been traveling lately.

Had some problems over the weekend with elimination/digestion. Everything finally cleared, but continues to be an on-going issue. The disruption was triggered by the amount of animal protein that I ingested from Thanksgiving on. Had a vegetarian Indian lunch today. Back to basics!