Friday, July 31, 2009

4680-4679

Acupressure session this morning--it really loosened things up. Still some catch in the muscles of my left leg/hip, but things are moving better.

BH fixed a tasty lunch (tomato tart, strong cheese, salad, lemon chicken, apple crisp, and cranberry juice). GH and I watched Cider House Rules. The movie was somewhat flat. I think I liked it more the first time. This time it didn't hold together all that well. As GH pointed out, looking at so many other good films made this one's faults stand out. It had too many unnecessary scenes and actions that didn't move the film along. We're going to look into the films of Alain Resnais. N, BH's/GH's daughter, suggested that we might look at some of his films as we go forward.

Dreamed the night before about being with a group of people. We were at a house and decided to drive up to a ridge. It had been snowing and the roads were rough. We got to the ridge and had some kind of car trouble. We ended up calling a man who could tow us. He arrived with a large moose on a rope. That was going to be our towing assistant. He wanted $600 to tow us. I thought that he was way overpriced. I talked the others into heading back under our own steam. The tow person wanted something for his inconvenience. I talked him into accepting $200. We paid him and went back down the hill on our own.

Last night I dreamed that I was folded up in carton. There were other cartons on all sides of the carton I was in. The other cartons were filled with replicas of a woman--the same woman in each box. We were in a huge warehouse. There was something we were meant to be used for, but it wasn't clear just exactly what that was supposed to be.

I'm feeling like I'm totally frustrated with my health status. I'm tired of being in such a limbo state of being. I just want to feel "normal" instead of the low level tenseness that I seem to feel all the time. Tenseness and fuzziness! I keep going day by day, but I feel like I'm going nowhere fast. And I keep encountering breakdowns instead of breakthroughs. Eli! Eli!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

4681

Didn't go to PD exercise class today. Rested and stayed off my twingy leg. Not sure if it helped, but tried to give it a rest. Will see tomorrow about going to the movement class. I'm convinced that it involves my periformis muscle and sciatic nerve. It's very much like the sciatic episode I once had when I was running. I pulled up with a intense sciatic episode that did eventually heal. I think that giving everything more rest is the key. That and the acupressure sessions.

Dreamed last night that I was staying in someone else's house. I was in a bedroom that was set above the ground floors and that looked out over a grand view of the front lawns, gardens and pools. In subsequent parts of the dream, I kept encountering a woman. She was tall and stoic. Her facial features appeared to be frozen and not reactive in any way. I kept talking with her, but she never replied or indicated that she heard me. She was disconcerting.

I slept in late this morning. Got up, ate some breakfast, and went back to bed. Awoke in the afternoon and ate again. Tried to rest my leg and did so for the most part. Read some and watched some TV on the Internet.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

4682

Went to the PD dance class in the morning. Did a few errands and grabbed a bite to eat. Came home and fell asleep. Left leg/hip was giving me some problems. Slept for a few hours and woke up just before the Movement class. Decided to not go. Didn't feel like it would be good for my leg. Instead, just stayed quiet and tried to relax. Hated missing the class, but I think it was better not to put more strain on the leg. Have a PD exercise class tomorrow. Will see how I feel in the morning.

Dreamed something about an electronic device. There were images of me opening a cabinet and revealing a panel with lights and switches. I'm not sure what the device was supposed to do, but in the dream I seemed to be making adjustments to the panel that was affecting some activities.

Been reading a lot. Got a new Hemon short story collection. He is a really good writer.

Moon is at the quarter phase--headed for a full moon.

Monday, July 27, 2009

4683

Went to CW dance class this morning. Left leg was a little tight, but class went well. Leg was on/off this afternoon and am now having cramps in my left calf. Have to assume that the periformis is being aggravated. Can't seem to get that leg stabilized in some way. Acupressure session on Friday definitely eased the tightness, but that relief has gone away over time.

BH fixed a tasty lunch today (guacamole, sauteed squash and a unique type of pole bean, carrots, a platter of broiled spicy shrimp with pineapple, sorbet and fruit, and cranberry juice). GH and I watched Ang Lee's film The Ice Storm. There were many familiar faces in the cast--some of people who have gone on to do fame in various ways. The film was a slice of life in the 70s, focused on several families from different characters' perspectives. The script was tightly drawn and the director let the images move the story along. It was clearly a film with Ang Lee's handprints all over it. It was not his greatest movie, but it demonstrates his progression and his focus on how people interact with each other. Look forward to seeing his new films which are in production.

Dreamed last night but don't remember any details. I feel that it was an intense dream episode, but can't say what it was about.

Picked up some short story books at the library. One of the books I selected is one I read earlier this year. I thought it looked somewhat familiar when I checked it out. It wasn't until I got it home that I realized I had already read it. It has some great stories. It's called Livability by Jon Raymond.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

4684

Dreamed last night a three-part dream. In the first part, I was in an apartment. I was asleep and was awakened by various noises outside the apartment. There were cars coming and going, doors being shut, and the sounds of footsteps on the stairs and walkways. In the dream, I awoke when I heard the noises and was concerned about someone entering the apartment. I did a mental inventory of the doors and windows, trying to recall if I had shut and locked everything. I finally felt comfortable that I had secured everything and fell back asleep (in my dream).

The second part had me running to catch a train. I was with two business partners and we were boarding a train that was taking us to work. The two people with me were CW and SM whom I had worked with in my real (not dream) past. We had to push our way into a car that had several other people already on board. SM took out some notes and started going over a couple of projects that we were supposed to present that morning. I was a bit concerned about discussing the projects with other people present, but SM didn't seem to care. She went over one project where she had added some features that made the project much stronger. I was sitting next to a well dressed business man who kept trying to avert his attention on the notes we were passing around.

The third part of the dream had us arrive at the client's location. It was a huge complex with all manner of shops on the ground level. The offices were on the upper floors. SM wanted a coffee and we stopped at one of the coffee vendors. It was not one of the best places in the complex, but they had good pastries. We followed SM up some escalators to an upper floor. CW and I lost track of SM at one point. We made our way to a large conference room where other presenters were gathering. It was going to be an "A-level" presentation session. SM joined us. She had noticed that we had gotten separated and she had come looking for us. The projects involved drawings and details for new toys and devices. I felt comfortable that we had an innovative set of ideas and would do well in our presentation.

The dream sequences were very detailed and felt very real. The first part almost made me wake up (in reality). I managed to note that I was dreaming and went back to sleep (both in the dream and for real).

Read through all of the short story collections I have from the library. One collection, Love and Obstacles, was written by an ex-Bosnian, Aleksandar Hemon. A rich, powerful set of stories that are extremely well written. Couldn't put them down! He has two other short story collections. Will check them out!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

4685

Watched a movie with Nicole Kidman called The Others. A suspense/mystery story about ghosts. The film telegraphed its ending as the events unfolded. An OK film, but nothing awesome about it.

Dreamed last night but don't remember the details. I slept in this morning (as usual). Went out for a late bite to eat and to return some DVDs. Came back and slept in the afternoon. Was awakened by the heat. It got fairly warm this afternoon.

Feel like I'm floating down a river aimlessly. No particular goal, just keep floating. Growing tired of the drifting, but can't seem to get anything under control. Waiting for the rapids! Know they're out there somewhere ahead of me.

Friday, July 24, 2009

4686

Acupressure session really helped loosen up my hip joint in my left leg. Too bad I can't get a session everyday--that would keep everything loose and help prevent everything tightening back up. Have to do some of the stretches the practitioner showed me--and have to do them every day. It feels so good when the muscles are not bound up!

BH fixed a delicious lunch today (egg and caviar spread, pickled beets, corn on the cob, salad, broiled fish, pita bread, olives and apple cobbler). GH and I watched Ride with the Devil. It was a surprising film--a bit bloody but replete with painterly scenes, heroic music, and characters who were struggling to make sense in a senseless war. Lee's hand was all over the film. We're getting his The Ice Storm and will follow Tobey Maguire, who appears in Ice Storm, as he acts in Cider House Rules. Maguire has become a franchise in the SpiderMan productions.

Also watched The Human Stain this evening. An intense film about people with secrets and how those secrets affect their lives.

Dreamed last night that I was with a group of men. We were associated in some type of cabalistic way. We each had a role that we were to assume. Everything was determined by a symbol that looked something like a candelabra with places on the symbol for six objects. We each had an object and took turns placing the objects on the symbol--which determined our roles and our fates. The dream was dark and mysterious. I didn't feel threatened by the dream--it was in some ways very compelling and seemed to resolve some uncertainties.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

4687

Went to a Rosen movement class today. Walked over and back with somewhat less tension in my left leg. Class made the leg feel even better. Leg is quiet now. Will get an acupressure session tomorrow, which should make it feel even better. Will be glad when I can walk unimpeded once again.

Watched a Zhang Timou (or is it Timou Zhang?) movie Curse of the Golden Flower. Can see why he was chosen for the Beijing Olympics. He built an elaborate set (one of the largest ever built at the studio where he made the movie) and used, literally, a cast of thousands. He was depicting a period of opulence in Chinese history and he did it well. The story line got a little old and drawn out, but the scenery and costumes were awesome.

Dreamed a dream last night about moving into a house. The place was somewhat rundown, but it felt good to at least have a place. However, there was some tension involving me, my work, family, and relatives. I came home to find a bunch of relatives there, who were planning on staying for a while. They had co-opted my study to make a bedroom for some people. We were having to share space (and food, facilities, etc.) with everyone. It was crowded and noisy. I felt like I had not been consulted about everything, but was having to go along with the inconvenience. The dream was sad and frustrating--it was like a time in my life when everything got out of control and I had been swept along by events and circumstances. I woke up in the middle of the dream because it felt so uncomfortable. It was about 4:30AM when I awoke.

Acupressure session tomorrow and a meal and a movie with BH/GH. Looking forward to it!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

4688

Had a dental hygiene session today. Teeth/gums are in fair shape. Next dental checkup is probably going to be followed by replacement of several of the older fillings. Some of these fillings have been in place for decades.

Had a PD exercise session after the dental appointment. There was a couple of video people at the session. They are making a documentary on exercise and PD. Their presence and a rather large class made for a so-so session. But I came away with energy enough to go do my laundry.

Dreams from last night didn't stay in the memory bank. I don't recall what I dreamed about.

Watched Pather Panchali--the first movie by director Satyajit Ray. A great film! It launched his career as a film maker, writer, and musician. Will check out some of his other films. He directed almost 40 movies and some of his scripts/novels are still being made into films. He was a prolific writer/filmmaker. He penned a script in 1967, The Alien, that some say was co-opted in making the movie ET.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

4689

Went to two classes today--PD dance class in the morning and Rosen movement class in the afternoon. Everything went well. Still dealing with tightness in my hip/leg, but it felt good to dance and move. We danced to some wild percussive Indian music in the dance class. It was joyous and felt really wonderful. The movement in the Rosen class had its standard effect--I came away feeling relaxed and feeling well.

It was a bit of a stretch to do both classes. I grabbed some Chinese food between classes and also napped for a while before heading to the movement class. The day zoomed by with all of the activity. Tomorrow will be somewhat more of the same--dental appointment in the early morning, a PD exercise class in the late morning, and doing my laundry in the afternoon.

Don't recall what I dreamed about last night. I seem to have a vague recollection of dreaming, but not anything about the content.

Full solar eclipse today (on the other side of the world). Darkness covers the earth!

Monday, July 20, 2009

4690

Had a CW line dance class today. I did well. Dancing was smooth and fun. I didn't get overly tired, finally. I also danced the dances flowingly. We reviewed several of the dances we had learned over the past few weeks. Even though I didn't have the benefit of dancing the dances at the clubs, I still could recall the steps. I'm finally settling in with this class, which I didn't think was happening up until now. My leg worked well with the dancing and continues to feel like it is stabilizing. Hooray for the acupressure last week that turned everything around!

Had lunch with BH. She created a tasty fete--ceviche, fava beans, guacamole, beets, steamed broccoli, a piece of salmon, and sliced fresh peaches. Also had a cup of cranberry juice diluted with water. She and I watched an Ang Lee film, Sense and Sensibility. Great cast and a long but absorbing movie. Lee is really versatile given the range of movies he has directed. Many subjects done with equal greatness! We're looking at another of his films next Friday.

Dreamed last night that I was taking a class at what seemed like a university. The subject had something to do with the law. The class was packed. The instructor was a woman who was well-known in the field and who was a sought after teacher. I remember looking through the notes for the class and jotting down my thoughts and questions in the margins. I felt really comfortable in the class and was sure that I would do well. In a class session, the instructor peppered us with questions and points of clarification. It was a lively class.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

4691

Another warmish day! I feel like I'm trapped in a toaster oven. It's staying way too hot, too hot, too hot!

Watched a movie by a Japanese director. Movie is called Chaos. It was a bit like watching Memento--had a similar inversion of scenes and actions. It was tricky to follow what was going on but it came together (in a way) by the end.

Dreamed last night that I was working with CW and BH (two ex-business partners) on a software project. BH was doing the coding. He was having problems with the development of the algorithm that was too drive the computations. I had been working out some of the logic. It was late in the afternoon and I was scheduled to meet someone for dinner. CW asked if I wanted to join him and BH for dinner. I told him I had other plans, but he pointed out that we needed to make a breakthrough on the project. I agreed to go with him and meet BH. He and I had a good interchange as we drove to meet BH. I came away feeling that we were about to break through and make some progress with the product.

Leg is definitely better. Still some regression but generally feeling better. CW line dance class tomorrow followed by a meal and movie with the H's. Going to be a busy week. All classes are scheduled plus I have some extra events such as a dental appointment.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

4692

Still hot and crispy! A few clouds today that helped cool things down a bit. But still a day of heat.

Dreamed last night that I was teaching a class. I had to prepare some handouts. Each handout presented a problem to be solved along with some hints on how to go about finding a solution. My classes were quite large so the handout preparation was taking a lot of time. A principal was checking in with me to see how I was progressing with the handouts. I was running behind time and the principal was pushing me to finish. The process of creating each handout was enjoyable. The time pressure involved was not enjoyable.

Watched Ocean's 13 this afternoon. Not that engaging a film. Ocean's 11 was better. There was a lot of explanation of what was being done in place of direct action. The "impossible" mission was just that and the unfolding of events didn't make it seem more probable.

Slept in this morning and napped some in the afternoon (perhaps a couple of naps). Leg was better today. The acupressure session definitely helped. Will see how it does as the week plays out. Would like to go to the next acupressure session with the leg doing better. So be it!

Friday, July 17, 2009

4693

Had a breakthrough today with acupressure session and the tightness in my left leg. The practitioner focused on manipulation of the problem leg and managed to free up the tensions. I suspect that the periformis in my left buttock has been aggravated and is clamping down on the sciatic nerve(s). He loosened up my muscles and the tightness. I was able to walk some this afternoon without discomfort. I've had some slight recurrence but the leg feels much better. What a wonderful release in that area!

BH served a tasty stir fry of rice, noodles, veggies, chicken and mushrooms. Had a slice of melon for dessert. GH and I watched a movie by Ang Lee, Lust Caution. The title is actually a non-translatable pun in Chinese where the same ideogram is used for the words caution and ring. The movie was really well done. It had an intriguing story around which all of the action took place. Ang Lee has directed several great films, such as Brokeback Mountain, Sense and Sensibility, and Hulk. Lee is Taiwanese. He auditioned 10,000 women for the lead role in Lust Caution. The woman he selected was superb in her role.

Hot weekend on its way! It's been hot, hot, hot! I dreamed last night, but don't recall anything I dreamed about.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

4694

Hot day! And looks like more on the way! Went to movement class. Had some trouble walking over there--tightness in left leg was noticeable. Seemed to abate some while in class. Walk back home was troublesome. Seems to be better now--some tightness but seems easier to move about. What a pain in the...leg! Maybe in the butt as well. Hip, sciatica, who knows? Have an acupressure session tomorrow. Will see how it goes once I've had a treatment.

Dreamed that I was in a huge crowd of people. We were waiting for some gates to be opened so we could go inside. I had two big loads of stuff that I was bringing in to be sold. Different people had different things with them. Mine piles of stuff were mostly old office furniture. I saw that there was a woman, NH, that I knew who was in charge of things. She was going back and forth with the security people prior to opening up the gates. I thought that my knowing her might be an advantage in some way, but quickly let that thought go.

Will see BH/GH tomorrow. Looking forward to a good meal and a movie.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

4695

Went to the PD exercise class today. We had a good-sized group. We did an exercise where we remembered everyone's name. There was Lydia, George, myself, Dick, Ted, Chen, Linda, Carla (?), Chris, Dave, Valerie, Monica, Tim and Frank. I'm unsure about Carla because she came in late and we didn't say her name.

We did a 5 minute power walk exercise where we walked to some fast music and bounced a ball as we walked. It was not an easy task. My tight leg muscle felt good during the walk. It tightened up some this afternoon, but the walking felt OK. I need to do more walking. I can walk through the tightness.

Dreamed last night that I was doing a performance where I was to sing. I was practicing around the house. There were two kids in the dream. They were going with me to the performance. The singing went well. I was pleased with the singing that I did.

It was hot last night. Slept with a fan blowing air across the bed. Warmed up again today, but was slightly cooler than past few days. Still promises to be hot in the coming days. Thank goodness the AC works in my truck.

Movement class tomorrow. And acupressure sessions resume on Friday. Looking forward to that.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

4696

Went to movement class this afternoon. It was brutally hot today. Classroom was air conditioned so that was nice. Class went OK, but the movement seemed to aggravate my tight leg muscle. Perhaps will know more tomorrow after I rest tonight. It's becoming quite a nuisance. I'm having to hobble about when the tightness is present. If it doesn't clear up this week, I'll have to do something about it--see either the doctor or a chiropractor.

I believe I dreamed last night, but don't remember any details.

Waiting for the evening to cool down. It's late and still quite warm.

Monday, July 13, 2009

4697

Hot day! By noon, everywhere was cooking. Temperatures must have been close to 100. The warm days of summer.

Went to CW line dance class in the morning. It was still somewhat cool for about half the class and then the heat took over. Class, and leg movement, went well. Muscle tenseness is getting better. Not sure what I did to create the problem. Hope it's fading away, finally. We learned a new dance today and reviewed some that we've been practicing.

Had lunch with BH (BLT sandwich, steamed squash, corn on the cob, apple cobbler with cream). GH and I watched a quirky movie called Happiness. Director is Solondz. It was a sad but funny film--somewhat rough to sit through in parts--but very creative in a Synecdoche kind of way. It involved three sisters and their connections to other people--all of whom are seeking happiness in different ways. Part of the tension in the film was just how everything that was happening in their three lives was going to come together. The director has a new film in post-production that might possibly get released this year.

Movement class tomorrow (no PD dance class). Going to be a hot one!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

4698

Dreamed last night that I was involved with distributing a newspaper. There were many people associated with the activity. At one point, there was a huge line of cars coming toward me. Each car was a delivery vehicle for the paper. As the line of cars approached, I flagged down one of the lead vehicles, got a stack of papers from the driver, and turned and walked to a nearby house. When I got to the front door, an elderly woman opened the door and I gave her a paper. There was a first part of the dream that took place in some offices. It was at the editorial offices of the paper. A group of us were deciding what was going to be in the next edition.

Quiet day! Didn't do much. Made it to the library and picked up some new story collections. Had a late meal at the CG. I was a little hungry by the time I got there, but I had a modest meal. Still not 100% with my leg muscle tightness, but it's better. Hopefully, it's fading away!

Typed up the Biggersville Cemetery lyrics so I can give a copy to GH. Have a CW line dance class tomorrow and movie/meal with BH/GH.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

4699

Dreamed last night that I was in an area where there were cabins. The buildings were summer homes that were in a wooded locale. In parts of the dream, I was going to different cabins for some reason. At one point, I was in a car with BH and GH, and a couple of women who owned one of the cabins. I also owned one of the cabins. As we were driving up a road that wound through the trees, we encountered NH (someone I once knew and no relation to BH/GH). She was walking off to the side of the road. We stopped and everyone was introduced to each other. BH and GH were asked if they knew NH's parents. In any case, the whole dream focus was shifted to NH, her parents and her daughter. The dream became a flow of memories associated with NH. It was a somewhat strange sensation--having the dream co-opted like that.

I ended up sleeping in this morning. Around noon, I finally got up and about. I went to the CG and had a late breakfast. I finished reading a great short story collection by Paul Yoon called Once The Shore. They are beautifully written stories about life at various times in Korea and Japan. It was one of those story collections that you hate to finish reading--you want to read more when the last sentence arrives.

It's LA's birthday next week. Happy Birthday, L! Many more!

Friday, July 10, 2009

4700

Today was Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse--the documentary of the making of Apocalypse Now using footage that Coppola's wife Eleanor directed while on location. A great insight into some of the turmoil encountered as the feature film was made. It made for a compelling story about creative effort and letting go of fixed positions as events unravel. The making of the feature film affected many of the people who were in the crew. It was of interest to learn about how some of the film's elements came into being--both intentionally and not.

Dreamed last night that I was in a house that kept morphing into a hotel. I was in a suite of rooms (when it was the hotel) that were at one end of the building. Sometimes, when I went outside the building would shrink and become just a moderately-sized house. When I was inside, the rooms seemed to expand and become a suite in a much larger building. I was looking through different rooms, rummaging through piles of old clothing and miscellaneous debris. I was picking out some clothing items that I intended to wear. Everything in the whole place was shabby and rundown. I never seemed to understand exactly why I was sorting through the piles of clothes and picking out various items.

GH is putting together his next set of shows. He's doing some brilliant work in modifying some of the original song lyrics. He's a veritable Gershwin (although the Gershwins might not think so)! His description of what he's doing prompted me to think of the song lyrics I've come up with while driving around the country. (Hey Joe, Biggersville Cemetery, 100 Miles to Tuscaloosa and such.) He and I both have a strong sense of rhyme.

Weekend looms! A couple of days of relative quiet before the next week arrives with music and dance!

Thursday, July 09, 2009

4701

Had a movement class (Rosen Method) today! Came away feeling good. My left leg is still feeling tight around the hip area though. Walked to and from class and it took some effort to walk normally.

Dreamed last night that I was in Alaska. I was making plans to take a trek across the width of the state. I was aiming to hit two points on the map that were labeled Ensau and Enroe. These two places were on opposite sides of a mountainous region. There were few settlements between the two places. That region of the map was marked in red, denoting a dangerous and wild area. I had dreamed about making this trip before, but in the previous dreams it was mostly exploratory and research based. Last night's dream was more preparatory to actually beginning the journey. I didn't detect a particular reason for making the trek--it was just something I needed to do.

Tomorrow I'll be heading to BH's/GH's for food and film. GH picked up some other films by the Argentine director of La Ventana. Look forward to the visit with them.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

4702

Went to PD exercise class today. Felt good and seemed to help loosen up my leg that's still tight. Movement seems to be better than non-movement. Hopefully, I can get back to walking some, soon.

One of the men in the group had a new mobility cart. It was a collapsible minimum profile electric cart. It was designed for traveling. It has a range of about 5 miles on a single charge. Uses a really small battery, but seems to have some zip to it. Ahhh! Technology!

Dreamed last night, but don't remember what I dreamed about. Slept some this afternoon when I came back home from class and grabbing some food.

Have a movement class tomorrow. Looking forward to moving more. Someone in New York won the lottery. May they enjoy their good fortune. A single ticket winner gets all $133MM!

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

4703

Slept in late this morning. Finally pulled myself out of the sleep mode and got up and out. Did my laundry and made it to the movement class (Rosen Method). The class was great. I went there feeling heavy and with a tightness in my leg (still). Came away feeling light and fully relaxed and at ease. The class is magical! We do so little and yet it feels so good!

Dreamed last night something to do with hidden objects/people/things. There was one particular scene where someone was standing in front of a fence made of sticks. Behind the fence was another person, hidden by the sticks.

MegaMillion lottery has a drawing tonight. May its fortunes fall my way! I think tonight's jackpot is $133MM. That would be enough to change a few things.

I'm glad my leg is feeling better. I'm feeling like I want to expand some of my physical activities, but my gimpy leg has definitely been keeping me on a short leash. Time to expand! PD exercise class tomorrow. Ready, ready, ready!

Monday, July 06, 2009

4704

Went to CW dance class today. Leg felt stiff when I awoke, but I decided to go anyway. Glad I did! Dancing and learning a new dance went well. It felt good to move to the music. Have to keep on keeping on! The walk on Sunday and the dance class helped loosen things up. Have a movement class tomorrow (Tuesday evening sessions resume for five weeks), but no PD dance class (no class for two weeks). Will give me a chance to do laundry.

Had lunch with BH (a delicious salmon sandwich, made on a spinach nan, stuffed with tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts and more, plus some fresh fruit). GH and I watched a well done Argentine film, La Ventana (The Window). It was about an elderly man who was ill and what took place during his final days. The film was not "mushy" or maudlin--it just told the story and let events unfold as they do in life. It was not sentimental, yet it was rich and absorbing.

An odd thing was that the film opened with the man dreaming about a scene he experienced decades ago when he was a boy. He had a vivid dream about his mother and a woman coming into his bedroom while there was a party downstairs. The woman was his sitter and he recalled her kissing him on the forehead. The odd thing was that I had that flood of memories on Sunday of people and events that were from decades ago for me. The film was like an echo of my Sunday "movies." Reality and the dreamtime merged!

I don't recall if I slept any this afternoon. I was feeling well after the dancing, food and movie. GH is an inspiration! He is battling his vision issues and seems to be winning. He is doing all sorts of side projects in addition to putting together his new shows for the fall. As someone remarked, he is a national treasure. Both he and BH are! It has been a joy to get to know them!

Sunday, July 05, 2009

4705

Went for a short walk today. I wanted to see how my leg would react to some movement. It felt good. Upper left leg is still tight, but walking some felt good. I only walked about one-third of a mile or so. Still not sure exactly how I injured my leg, but it's slowly getting better. Have a CW dance class tomorrow. Will be careful, but will give it a try.

Had a fairly quiet 4th yesterday. Slept in late this morning. Got out and about some in the afternoon. Been reading a lot. I've been plowing through some short story collections that are excellent reads. Picked up a lottery ticket. MegaMillion is up to $133 MM! Time to play! Would be wonderful to win.

Dreamed last night some dreams about me sleeping. It was like I was asleep watching myself almost wake up and then fall back asleep--but as part of a dream. I also had a spate of memories about some events in my life that came flooding into consciousness today. It was like watching old movies of things that I'd done and experienced. Very detailed! Events that happened over 40 or 50 years ago. It's like I'm on instant replay!

Saturday, July 04, 2009

4706

Thunder in the sky! The fireworks bloom and crack. The holiday is over.

It was almost like it wasn't a holiday today. People were out everywhere and many stores and businesses were open.

I dreamed last night about being with the many people I knew when I was a consultant. I was meeting with them to catch up on what had taken place over the years. I was surprised, in the dream, to see so many faces that I knew and had worked with. We had some rather technical discussions about the value of information concepts and how they could be applied. I was in a huge office complex that they had built to house their employees. It was an immense facility. It was centered in a downtown area that was convenient to all kinds of businesses. There were elegant food places, stores, art galleries, and more. I spent part of my time talking to my old work partners. I also spent time shopping for gifts and various items. The people I remembered included CS, JM, RH, BJ, WR, EC, DB, TR, PS, and many others. I recalled their names and saw their faces. It was quite remarkable! An amazing dream!

I went out for a late brunch. The Country Gourmet was open. I had a nice scramble with fruit and a scone. May eat there again tomorrow.

Friday, July 03, 2009

4707

It's the day before the Big Bang day! July 4th comes around tomorrow! Had a fine lunch with BH today (Brie, grilled zucchini with sesame seeds and spices, stuffed cabbage rolls, and figs and melon). Excellent!

GH and I watched Apocalypse Now (Redux). We have a suspicion that the original version makes for a better movie. The redux version is longer by 49 minutes. The extra, now included scenes, don't add all that much to the film, but instead slow it down. It's still a powerful movie, but I look forward to seeing the original for comparison. The movie must be incredible with a surround sound system.

Dreamed last night that I was part of a team of athletes. We were in some kind of competition (cycling, running, climbing, or??) where we were pitted against other teams. The competition took place in the mountains. We were housed in small cabins. There was snow and the weather was chilly. I don't recall that many details. We spent a lot of time huddled around a fire strategizing about what we planned to do when we started competing. I think we had a team liaison who was a woman. She was European and spoke with an accent.

One of the neighbors brought in a large steam-cleaning system today. They cranked it up (it was mounted on a truck) and proceeded to clean an apartment and some cars. What an ungodly racket early in the day. I still managed to sleep through some of the noise. I love my late morning sleep time.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

4708

Went to a movement class today--Rosen Method. It was a small class, which is great (except for the instructor who comes all the way from SF). My left upper leg is still tight and sore. I walked over to the class and had to hobble a bit both ways. The soreness is better but not back to normal yet.

Dreamed last night about sleeping. It was almost as if I were awake and kept falling back to sleep. Then I'd start dreaming, which woke me up and I'd then fall back to sleep. A strange dream that was semi-lucid. I felt like I got my normal ration of sleep despite the strange dream states I was experiencing.

No acupressure session tomorrow. Practitioner is still on vacation; he'll be back in few more weeks. Look forward to having him return.

I slept for a couple of hours in the afternoon when I returned from grabbing something to eat. Weather was a bit cooler today. That helped me grab a nap with the fan blowing air around me.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

4709

Had a PD exercise class today! First one in about a month. Only a few people showed up. Partly because of the holiday/vacation period, but also a shift in the class time. The class was challenging--the month off was noticeable. Some exercises took effort. Signed up for a symposium at Stanford in August on Exercise and the Brain. They will discussing the latest results in that domain. Exercise, dancing and music and the brain! Interesting areas of exploration!

Dreamed last night that I was preparing for a relocation--to exactly where was a bit vague. I got intimations that it was going to be quite a change. There was even some hint that I was being sent to another planet in some distant galaxy. For that reason, I had to go through everything I owned or used and only take what I thought would be absolutely necessary. Anything I elected not to take would be given to my workmates. So in the dream, I spent a lot of time picking up things and either putting them back or tossing them into large containers. The containers that I filled would be sent with me on my trip. I went through a lot of stuff--some personal and some job related. By the end of the dream, I was feeling comfortable with what I had chosen to take and to leave. The building that I was in was huge. It had large open spaces and thousands of items on shelves and in storage areas. There was a woman shadowing me. She carried a device with an inventory list. She marked the entries for the items I was keeping of leaving behind. She was very focused and not very interested in items about which I had stories or comments. She was all business.

Slept a short while after going out for a soup and sandwich. Had a giant raspberry lemonade. The day started out cool, but quickly warmed up as the clouds blew away. It's somewhat cooler tonight. Thank goodness!