05 November 2009

"Don't you know I had a dream last night, that you were here with me" --Jim Croce

Years ago, I told a shrink that I didn't think the sessions were helping and maybe I should stop. He told me that if they weren't helping, I ought to set up more sessions, not less. Irritatingly, he was right. At some point, you start to peel enough of the onion that you get to the strange stuff. And some of that strange stuff may prove important.

Or just strange.

So it seems with NaBloPoMo. File this in the not funny but maybe strange enough to be interesting column. I'll bring the zany tomorrow. Promise.

Many years ago, I was in a Master's program and got a chance to take a class with a really effective instructor. Most of my instructors knew their stuff but weren't what I'd call dynamic. This guy was interesting from minute one. I loved the things he dug up and brought in to share with us. It was a marketing class and he was chock full of studies and theories about the brain and human behavior. Great stuff!*

Early in the semester, he shared that he had been in the military and that the military had done some experiments on him and some of the drugs they used might have affected his brain. Okaaayyyy. For what it's worth, he showed no signs of kookiness or paranoia, so, I believed him. And he was nothing short of a brilliant instructor, so maybe the drugs had done him some good.

One week, well into the semester, the night before class, I dreamed about the instructor. It wasn't a sex dream but the fact that he was in my dream, outside a classroom setting, was intimate enough. In reality, the only thing I found attractive about him was his ideas. But there he was in my dream. It was what I'd describe as a lucid dream; everything was hyper-real.

The next day, I woke up remembering the dream and thinking how strange it was that I'd dreamed about him. Quite frankly, it's a little embarrassing to have strangers in your subconscious. I, very decidedly, put the dream aside and went about my day.

That night, I got to class early and he immediately walked over to me, which was unusual.

He, looking perplexed and slightly alarmed, said: L.A., what are you doing to me?

Now, you have to admit, that's a mighty strange question coming from an instructor. I could have said the truth: "Nothing." But why miss an opportunity to mess with somebody?

I smiled sweetly and said: What do you think I'm doing to you?

He looked at me for a few seconds, shook his head, chuckled, and walked away.

I didn't mention it again and he didn't mention it again.

I got the distinct impression I wasn't the only one who had had that dream.


Questions du jour:

1) Would you let someone do experiments on you that might alter your brain? For country? For bucks? For some other reason?

2) Have you ever had the feeling that someone was messing with you on a psychic level?


* (To quote HIMYM) Have you met my friend, Ted? These days, I get a lot of mind-blowing ideas from Ted.

19 comments:

Kate said...

I think I WOULD let someone do experiments on me. Isn't that sick?

Little Ms Blogger said...

No I haven't and no I wouldn't.

Love the taglines

The Maiden Metallurgist said...

I think I would let someone do experiments on my brain. I feel like life is so short, that if, somehow, these experiments created a more open conciousness or something new-agey like that I'd love the unique experience.

That all sounded better before I wrote it out like that. Reading it it just sounds kind of cheesey, but I hope you know what I mean.

the dogs' mother said...

No!
And wow, that was weird!

Hannah said...

I'm a little leary of experiments that screw around with the wiring of one's brain, but for me I guess it would depend on the type of experiment and what the goals would be. An experiment to make me better at math might be worth it though!;)

Liebchen said...

I think my head's messed up enough - I don't really want anyone else mucking around in there. That said, I've had dreams like that where I wake up wondering if it's real and I have to ask the other person if it's a memory or a dream.

Tina said...

no and probably not but its hard to say for sure. I would be curious enough aobut the outcome that I might ovecome my worries about the risk. (I am kinda fond of my brain just as it is).

I have had some weird and disturbing dreams though - a few of them have been reoccuring ones from my youngest childhood days to currently.

Bowie Mike said...

I wish you had asked, "what do you mean?" Now we'll never know what the prof was thinking.

Let someone do experiments? Hell no! I draw the line at nibbling on my nipples.

repliderium.com said...

I tend to be the messer not the messee
Bad karma, I know.

Mike said...

1 - I experiment on myself with a drug called beer.

2 - I've got that feeling right now.

Titania said...

Wow... that's weird... And, no, I wouldn't, at least not now. When I know for sure my brain is not working properly anymore and is melting and turning into something similar to hot cheese, maybe.

About somebody messing mentally with me, no per se, but I do believe that people is connected with some others, usually those that are emotionally close (and one would hope those wouldn't want to mess with you, correct?)

Alice said...

i don't think i'd let anyone do weird shit to mah brains. i have enough weird shit going on up there all on my own.

i've never thought someone was messing with my psychic-ly, BUT i have had a few REALLLY detailed dreams that ended up happening the next day (eg, word-for-word conversations about something i should have had no reason to know).

Tracie said...

No and no. (You aren't, are you?)

brad said...

no experiments. no way.

but i'm free game psychically, world. come and mess with me.

brad said...

or "fair game." i am not like an abundance of quail, or something. fair game. not free game. right. carry on.

repliderium.com said...

f.B.- is that the same as "free range"?

Brutalism said...

I'm with Mike -- beer is about as mind-altering as I'll go (well, that and any reality TV programming starring Flav-a-Flav...)

And I don't think I'm bright enough to realize if someone WAS messing with me on a psychic level. (Is that a trick question? Are you doing it now?)

Giant Butters said...

Spooky!
But no and no. My head is messed up enough as it is without somebody else mettling inside of it.

lacochran said...

Kate: Maybe not. You're far from alone in this idea. Or is it just that my commenters are sick?

Little Ms Blogger: Thanks for weighing in and thanks very much for noticing the tags.

The Maiden Metallurgist: I think I do.

frogponder: I know!

Hannah: I (and Barbie) feel your math pain.

Liebchen: It's such a strange feeling.

Tina: They haven't been about this man, have they?

Bowie Mike: How about if they nibble on your brain?

repliderium.com: But so much fun!

Mike: 1- :), 2- *adjusts brain waves up to 11*

Titania: Mmmm, hot cheese. And, yes, one would hope.

Alice: Freaky!

kys, Brutalism: Thanks for weighing in. Do you *think* I am?

f.B: Thanks and stay away from Dick Cheney.

Giant Butters: Indeed! Thanks for stopping by.