Barrow-Down Dreams

[Thinlómien]

I had a long and weird dream including bears and Leonard Cohen and various others, but to spare you I shall only tell the BD-related part: Agan and Morsul were trying to instruct me (and other people) to play a strange card game. One of the cards in the game was "Inziladun", he looked a lot like one card in Middle Earth: The Wizards card game except that he was sitting in some sports car in the picture. Agan, who heard more of the dream, also wanted me to mention that at some point there Legate and a guy who looked like Rune were taking a shower in the same bathroom at the same time (but there were too showers and before you ask, no my dream didn't show them there , they just went there Legate first and then the Runeish-looking guy later before Legate had come out).

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

This looks like a bunch of BD dreams recently, I had some dream to(I almost wrote toDay! ) where a large group of 'Downers was on some sort of tour in some historic city, could have been somewhere in southern France or Italy or something like that, there was a huge castle on top of a hill in the middle of the city and a part of it was an old church tower, very high, with a steeple. We have sort of split while touring the city, because everybody wanted to see different parts of it, and I remember Morsul and Fea and I think Mira went to the tower, whereas I went alone to a burning building (yeah, it was being burned down at that time) somewhere on the further side of the town. The other 'Downers around there included people like Loslote, Rune, possibly Sally. I don't really remember any particular events, just sort of moments or pictures of people being here and there and visiting the historical places, but not any actual action in the dream.

[Brinniel]

I had a dream where a bunch of BDers were at my house (in Idaho). We were playing a game where we threw a stuffed animal (I think) to each other and whoever dropped it has to sit out. So of course when it gets to me, I drop it. I mutter to Sally, who's next to me, that she'll never have to worry about getting out because I'll end up dropping it every time since I'm not good at these types of games. So I have to sit in my own little square while everyone else wanders off to do their own thing. After awhile, I don't hear anything and freak out worrying that everyone left the house without me, but then I notice all the cars are still parked in the driveway. I discover all the BDers chatting on the patio in the backyard and having a really great time. But I can't partake in the fun because I'm still out and must stay inside.

Not exactly a happy dream, yet it's something that's perfectly applicable to my RL. Ever since not long after Bostonmoot when my semester began, I've been crunched down with schoolwork. I spend long hours at labs (I'm at one now and obviously not being productive), all-nighters writing papers, long days at classes and work...I often don't get home until after 9 or 10. I have a short time to eat, catch up online, finally relax...and then sleep (which I only get 3-4 hours of typically). Needless to say, I have absolutely no time whatsoever to chat with BDers, and barely any to talk with people on Facebook. Meanwhile, everyone else is chatting with everyone, keeping strong connections, particularly those made this winter. I observe, but can't partake. After all these months of barely talking to BDers, I'm afraid I've lost these connections I've made, and at worst, friendships. My own fault for not trying harder, but nevertheless it's frustrating. The good news is that I'll be forever done with school in two and half weeks which means free time again. I only hope it's not too late for these lost connections to be remade.

Wow, I probably just depressed everyone (sorry). Though it's really strange how dreams can reflect your RL conflicts...and I just had to mention that.

Everyone else has so much more interesting BDers dreams. I'm jealous. I usually can't remember mine.

[Laurinquë]

This afternoon I decided to take a nap. This is unusual because I had just got up from eleven hours of sleep about four hours previously. I blame too much sleep for the events that 'happened' later.

In my dream I was on the computer. And naturally, being on the computer, I went on the Barrow-Downs. BUT in my dream the BD had gone through a massive renovation. My User CP contained a list of 'reviews' about my posts; the latest one being from Aganzir. It read a lot like a snippet from a book review, made me sound like a great author. Thank you Agan!

There were a number of other changes as well, I remember freaking out because all the threads had been reassigned to different areas and I could not find them. And then there were all these new members with weird and wacky avatars. It was like I had been asleep for many years and had gone on the Barrow-Downs of the future. Avvies were bigger and the whole style of the place was different. And did I mention it was changing as I watched? It was. It started out looking as it does now, all black and green. But then it started looking more and more like Facebook--a black and pink Facebook with lots of dead people. Few of my old acquaintances were there and I was all alone with people I didn't know and inside jokes I had never heard.

What does this say about me? Nothing good I imagine. It rather reminds me of Brinniel's post. Barrow-Downs angst.

Originally Posted by Brinniel

I've been crunched down with schoolwork. I spend long hours at labs (I'm at one now and obviously not being productive), all-nighters writing papers, long days at classes and work...I often don't get home until after 9 or 10. I have a short time to eat, catch up online, finally relax...and then sleep (which I only get 3-4 hours of typically). Needless to say, I have absolutely no time whatsoever to chat with BDers, and barely any to talk with people on Facebook. Meanwhile, everyone else is chatting with everyone, keeping strong connections, particularly those made this winter. I observe, but can't partake. After all these months of barely talking to BDers, I'm afraid I've lost these connections I've made, and at worst, friendships. My own fault for not trying harder, but nevertheless it's frustrating. The good news is that I'll be forever done with school in two and half weeks which means free time again. I only hope it's not too late for these lost connections to be remade.

Wow, I probably just depressed everyone (sorry). Though it's really strange how dreams can reflect your RL conflicts...and I just had to mention that.

Just to let you know Brinn, this sounds like my life. I don't think that everyone has been having a good a time as you think they have. Things always sound better when you weren't actually there. I'm really sorry that you are having to go through this. At least you did get to go to Bostonmoot at all. Us Alaskan/Finnish/everyone else Downers did not. You will be able to renew any 'lost' connections you made when you have some more time on your hands. Good luck with school.

[Loslote]

I had a rather alarming dream last night...a whole bunch of Downers were running away from Velociraptors. Fea was being a sort of cheerleader, telling us to run faster and giving us "encouraging" raptor trivia ala xkcd, but Nerwen, Sally, Shasta, and Boro all disappeared, presumably caught by the raptors. Eventually the "raptors" caught up, and it turned out that it was the European Downers, running away from what they thought were the raptors, so we were just running in circles. The four that disappeared had just gotten bored and started to play Whist. Then we were all laughing, and The Phantom was petting a cat...I don't remember if he was being all evil mastermindish by petting the cat, or if it was just a cute kitty.

[Boromir88]

I would pay $50 to see phantom pet a cat...no joke, that would be a polaroid moment. heh

[wilwarin538]

My first Downs dream in a long time:

I dreamt that since I'm so sick I forgot to post on the current WW game on Day 1. So I ended up remembering like 3 minutes before DL, and instead of looking at what the votes were I decided to try to read through the thread. It was only 2 pages; the first pages was all people posting a picture of the avatar of the previous poster, and the second page was all people voting for me. Shasta then just posted saying: "Wilwa is dead" in really big letters with a picture of a dead butterfly. Then either Fea or Mira (I wasn't sure which it was in the dream), sent me this picture which I can't remember and it was accompanied by this voice clip that I think may have talked about Vampire Diaries and cookies and a rediculous amount of swearing. ha. Then suddenly I was in a room with a bunch of strangers, but I think they were supposed to be Downers (they just didn't look like what you guys really look like), and I was trying to defend my absence.

There could have been more, but I can't really remember. It was weird.

[Blind Guardian]

I had a dream that was more lotr then Barrow-Downs. But TGEW was in it! We were on the Arizona Colorado border running for our lives because all around us was Orcs. Tgew turned around and screamed 'It's Melkor!' which made the situation even worse. It took us forever of hiding in a school building, attempting to hijack a car, and killing a few Orcs, but finaly we got to our own truck and started running over orcs. (Bye-bye paint job!) We turned up a small road to pull out a map to see where we were. After a while I gave up and just used my iPod. Turns out we weren't far from a high way and a resturant! The debate ended when we turned around a saw orcs running at us. I woke up after falling asleep in the truck.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

This is where TomTom comes in handy. It's never failed me. Ever.

[Blind Guardian]

TomTom? What are you talking about?

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Blind Guardian

TomTom? What are you talking about?

If we were lost we could have just used TomTom. It's very useful.

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior

If we were lost we could have just used TomTom. It's very useful.

The urge to make a Bombadil joke is huge, even for me. *resists* Also, I hate GPS systems. They don't generally account for road construction and they get me confused all the time.

[the phantom]

and they get me confused all the time.

I think that's primarily because you often confuse right and left.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

The urge to make a Bombadil joke is huge, even for me. *resists* Also, I hate GPS systems. They don't generally account for road construction and they get me confused all the time.

TomToms really are made of evil. We had one in Britain and it kept getting us lost. We had to use two maps, a road atlas, and the locals to get around. And we still got lost. That may have had something to do with the fact that my mother missed turns. A lot. Not with the navigator. But I digress.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Blind Guardian

We turned up a small road to pull out a map to see where we were. After a while I gave up and just used my iPod. Turns out we weren't far from a high way and a resturant! The debate ended when we turned around a saw orcs running at us. I woke up after falling asleep in the truck.

Wow, just last night my uncle was insisting that there were no such things as maps in America (or GPS, or anything) and that everyone relied entirely on verbal directions.

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Wow, just last night my uncle was insisting that there were no such things as maps in America (or GPS, or anything) and that everyone relied entirely on verbal directions.

I can't really read a map. *shifty eyes* That might further the stereotype.

Or, for TGEW: I can't even point to Germany on a map.

[the phantom]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Wow, just last night my uncle was insisting that there were no such things as maps in America (or GPS, or anything) and that everyone relied entirely on verbal directions.

Ha ha! No, no, we have maps.

Though if he meant for local travel (within 50 miles) he might be right. I honestly can't recall the last time any of my friends or I used a map or GPS to go someplace around here. Even if it's a place some of us have never been, someone in the group has been there, and so they say- "Turn right when you see the Pizza Hut, then go to the second light and turn left, then the park is on your left." So yeah, verbal directions rule.

And actually those are the sort of directions I gave the Finns when they came to visit (no map links or anything, and I did not assume they were using a navigation system). So Mr. Uncle may also be right when it comes to meeting people somewhere. Basically the only time I or anyone I know uses maps is when one of us resolves to go somewhere unfamiliar and we aren't going there to meet anyone (because if we were meeting someone that person would have given us directions and we'd no longer have much of a use for a nav system or a map).

[Blind Guardian]

Originally Posted by the phantom

Ha ha! No, no, we have maps.

Though if he meant for local travel (within 50 miles) he might be right. I honestly can't recall the last time any of my friends or I used a map or GPS to go someplace around here. Even if it's a place some of us have never been, someone in the group has been there, and so they say- "Turn right when you see the Pizza Hut, then go to the second light and turn left, then the park is on your left." So yeah, verbal directions rule.

We do. When we moved to Phoinex, like last month, we didn't know were anything was so we had to us it a lot.

Turn right, recalculating.
What? We didn't even get to the turn!

Try doing that everyday!

[Loslote]

Originally Posted by the phantom

Though if he meant for local travel (within 50 miles) he might be right. I honestly can't recall the last time any of my friends or I used a map or GPS to go someplace around here. Even if it's a place some of us have never been, someone in the group has been there, and so they say- "Turn right when you see the Pizza Hut, then go to the second light and turn left, then the park is on your left." So yeah, verbal directions rule.

My family and friends are awful about doing this. "Okay, turn left at the tree." "You live in the middle of a forest." "It's a special tree." I swear I've had this conversation...and I was the person giving directions...

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Maps are extremely useful! So are road atlases, by the way. I recommend everybody get one. Then you'll be able to find Germany... if it's a road atlas to Europe, that is.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by the phantom

Ha ha! No, no, we have maps.

Though if he meant for local travel (within 50 miles) he might be right.

Well, that is probably what he was basing it on, really, but he insisted you lot don't have maps at all.

[wilwarin538]

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

Or, for TGEW: I can't even point to Germany on a map.

Most Americans can't name more than 3 of our provinces or territories (and we have only 13). But most Canadians can name atleast 30 of the 52 states (or more...my sister can name them all, along with their capitals).

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by wilwarin538

Most Americans can't name more than 3 of our provinces or territories (and we have only 13). But most Canadians can name at least 30 of the 52 states (or more...my sister can name them all, along with their capitals).

I can, I can! I got seven (all provinces, not territories), and actually forgot some of the easy ones (British Columbia, anyone?). Most Americans, I suspect, can't actually do more than half (fewer?) of our state capitals. Though I'll confess to a couple things:

1) I'm a visual learner, so if I see something on a map, I remember it (versus if somebody tells me where something is, I won't; those at the Geneva Convention can testify that I'm useless with remembering what's said to me, but quite good at remembering what I've seen or done).

2) Contemporary art history was the most painfully boring class I ever had to take, and Nienna and I worked our way through many hours by listing states, capitals, countries, former countries, major bodies of water... We drew maps from memory (which was hilarious and a little traumatizing... where does Wyoming go again? And Estonia goes over there, right? Hold on, is that a country or a nickname? What are they calling the Congo these days?)

So we're a bit ahead of the curve, really, since we very intentionally learned geography just to pass the time.

Anyway, I've been meaning to post this:

The other night/morning I had a really elaborate dream about the Finns.

We were at The Airport (which seemed to be a conglomeration of several ideas of what an airport might be like, as opposed to being anything like a real one) and I really only knew it was an airport because there were a lot of awkwardly placed escalators and there were planes flying above us.

Near to a vendor of cheap touristy trinkets of dubious ethnic or regional interest was a table at which sat a woman in what looked like it might have been a sari, and a man with a vast beard.

Their job was to dye people's hair brilliant colors. Somehow they were affiliated with a carnival.

Greenie dyed her hair very bright blue. Aganzir's was many colors, and Lommy's hair was bright white. Nogrod looked on with amusement as Greenie convinced me that the special version of dye the couple at the table used would saturate just as vibrantly on my dark brown hair as it did on her bright blond tresses.

So I showered with a blue rinse to prepare my hair for the dyeing process, and when I came out of the airport shower (which was very dark and kind of sketchy), I put on a dress much like that of the lady at the table. Greenie pointed that my natural gold highlights were already looking very blue, and they hadn't even dyed my hair yet with the powder!

At this point I seem to remember seeing red powder (the dye) on Nog's hair, and wondering if it was going to stain his scalp.

Then we played on escalators (really long ones) and then I woke up.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I was delighted to realize, in dream, that the reason I was sitting in the window seat of a large airplane was because I was on my way to Finland.

Kath was seated next to me, since we were on the leg of the journey that would take us from England to Norway.

Now, it apparently is true that airplanes work a bit like rollercoasters, in that they get their momentum by going really fast up and down rickety tracks before taking off.

As it would turn out, we didn't get up to speed properly prior to the part where the tracks end and the plane is supposed to shoot upward toward the sky.

We ended up afloat in the Atlantic, which I sort of thought was the Hudson River at the time.

Wondering if I should take action and save the good people of the sinking plane, I started fumbling with the oxygen masks that were taped to the windows, wondering how to turn the seats into flotation devices. I was worried about my camera, since water was fast filling the plane and we were all still strapped down with our seatbelts, and I was pretty sure Kath's camera was already waterlogged since she'd stowed her carry-on under the seat.

Finally a flight attendant came onto the plane from a side door and told us that we weren't going to sink any more, but to please put on the masks and it would all be fine.

While the airline folk worked on getting the water off the plane, my college painting professor ordered a guy that graduated from college the year I started to go on a mission to find food. I asked if I could go with him, and was told no.

I discovered that my professor had a studio in Norway where he'd been dabbling in ceramics.

On the plane again, I tried to send out a mass text message saying, "I'm in Norway!" but my phone wouldn't work on that side of the ocean.

Kath's wouldn't either. I dozed off then, because it seemed there wasn't much else to do.

When I woke up, we were speeding through the Norwegian landscape, which looked shockingly similar to upstate NY but which was only about 65 degrees, which I found very pleasant, since I like cooler weather. I was a bit surprised to see that most of the signs on shops were written in English. This seemed a bit... odd.

Before I knew it, we were at Nogrod's apartment, which was a fascinating second story place with cool architecture. One of the floors was sunken, and the chairs were made to accommodate the slanting. Agan, Lommy, and Greenie were all there, of course, as were Mira, Nienna, and Lari. And Kath, clearly, who I'd arrived with. Also joining us was a girl that Ni and I lived with as sophomores in college; since that rooming relationship had gone sour and we hadn't talked to her since, it was downright awkward for the girl to be there demanding our attention when we wanted to devote it all to our wonderful Finns!

For a while we were outside frolicking on a hillside and we were all showing off our shapeshifter abilities. Lommy turns into a penguin. I turned into a German Shepherd, but that was only because I liked the shape; I could have turned into other things.

When Nog arrived (he'd run to the store), I nuzzled him in dog form, attempting to ask him what animal he was capable of turning into. I thought possibly a grizzly bear, but he's too nice!

We all transformed back into our human selves, and I took an unintentional nap on the hill side, waking up to find that everyone had gone inside to find food. When I got inside, I found a note saying they'd gone to the masquerade at the thrift store, and that I should meet them there.

I tried to find the ingredients to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but there were only pieces of eerily flattened bread, and mint jelly, and the peanut butter container had bars of chocolate in it instead of peanut butter.

Finally I found a very small container labeled, "Kath's pound of peanut butter" which struck me as very odd, since she's allergic. Nevertheless, I decided that since she was allergic, she wouldn't miss it, and I made myself a sandwich and then found Nog!

He'd come home to find me, and, excitedly, I asked him, "If we could all turn into animals at will, what do you think we would turn into?"

I wish I could remember the rest of that conversation.

Eventually we managed to all meet back up, and everything was quite lovely.

The end.

[Aganzir]

Last night I had a dream Lommy, Encai, I and some other Downer girls decided to sleep in a tree. In the middle of the night Rune stalked there in a black cloak and tried to stab us, just to prove it was possible to do it without us noticing it early enough to flee. Turned out it wasn't.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

What's the Downer body count at now, Lommy? I think your subconscious must have killed off a good quarter of the active members at one time or another.

Not sure. I think I have killed at least Legate, Rune, Brinn, Mith, Encai and Nilp, but probably more. Someday when I'm bored I'll count.

Somehow I thought this:

Originally Posted by Fea

I can, I can! I got seven (all provinces, not territories), and actually forgot some of the easy ones

was a reply to:

Originally Posted by Wilwa

that causes the woman to respond with "Well than I hope you have a lot of dwarves at home to help you make it".

...?

[satansaloser2005]

In a somewhat unoriginal move, I had a dream about Lommie and an army of penguins. Linux penguins, actually. She waged war on that guy from the Mac commercials, and, of course, won.

Also, Wilwa was a giant angry talking muffin taking over New York. o_O

[satansaloser2005]

Also, Lommie, please never dream about me. Ever.

[Pitchwife]

Ah, come on - being killed by Lommy's subconscious is a rite of passage all of us must undergo sooner or later (much like being mentioned in the Downer for the first time). Besides, we're all dead to begin with, so it doesn't hurt.

[satansaloser2005]

I had a dream last night that Glirdan was modding another game. I remember thinking it was strange, since he'd just modded, but I of course signed up *snuggles her Glirdypie* and eagerly awaited my role.

Then I got my PM. And my head went asplode.

I in fact got two PMs. One detailed some game facts, which I can't remember, and the other contained my actual role. For some reason Glirdan had decided to send the Game Facts PM to multiple people at a time (which makes sense, really), but he had mixed up the actual contents of the PMs, meaning that like five people knew my role (and vice versa, since it was a standard PM that somehow included ALL of our roles). Obviously, I was a bit confused, and very cross.

So I called Glirdan to tell him that he'd either have to re-assign roles or I would drop out of the game. When he answered he was very rude and cranky and just started cursing at me for no reason. He told me it was a bad time to call him and then he hung up, mumbling all sorts of horrible things.

Weird thing is, I don't remember pullling out of the game.

[Glirdan]

.............I don't even know how to properly respond to that other then with a good hearty chuckle!

[Glirdan]

Wow, so it's been awhile since anybody's had a dream isn't it?? Well do I have doozy for you guys.

Vanilwamuffin and I had saved up all our money to go to Finland for the Finns moot next summer and it was a grand week or so that we were there. Obviously all the Finns were there along with Kath and Rune when we had arrived, and arriving with us, I believe were Fea, Boro, Sallycakes, Nienna, Formy and Stick. I also believe Rikae, Mac, our dear wereduckling and phantom were there at some point as well.

Anyways, a week of frivolity and fun turned into an absolute nightmare. It was time for us to leave, but Wilwa had decided to go for a walk through the countryside by herself, and we were supposed to leave in like five minutes to catch our flight home (yes, I freaked out as bad as I did when I thought you had all lost her in Boston ). For some reason, [b]Lommy had a motorcycle parked out back in the shed. So I asked her to use it to find her, having never had motorcycling lessons ever.

Well, I went out and couldn't find her and this is where things got really weird. My point of view switched to that of Rune riding a motorcycle elsewhere with Kath on cycle next to him and hers stalled and there were tornado's touching down all around them and he zoomed up a hill and next thing I know, he's waking up in the hospital.

When they got out and got back to the Finns, there were Wilwa and I sitting there, having a grand ol' time and Rune just cursed us and starting drinking.

That's the gist of it anyways...I'm pretty sure there are some details that I don't quite remember.

[Blind Guardian]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Wow, just last night my uncle was insisting that there were no such things as maps in America (or GPS, or anything) and that everyone relied entirely on verbal directions.

Really? America praticly created the GPS! Well not really, they had help from China We have GPSs and maps.