Drowning In Birthday Cakes, Among Other Things.

Some interesting things for today:

During my travels, I came across a TED talk by MIT researcher Deb Roy. Entitled, “The Birth of a Word,” it’s his study on how his son learned language, done by recording 8 to 10 hours of video in their house every day for about 3 years. The cool thing is not just how quickly the research shows his son learning to say and differentiate the word ‘water’ from ‘gaga’ but also how the environment – the home and other people – react to the son’s ability to learn. Maybe it’s because this talk corresponds to the readings I’ve done for my Media Audiences and Language and Society class, or maybe because I think Roy is a good public speaker, but I really like this T-talk. Granted, I would never wire my house/apartment with video cameras for 3 years. But check it out: TED talk

If you dream about chickens, you may be holding some cowardly tendencies. Or that someone is displaying spineless behavior. To see bones, you are discovering personal, familial or cultural secrets. Also, seeing broken bones means there may be a weakness in plans or thinking. To dream of a dinner event, with other people (yourself as the guest) signifies happy times and your acceptance of others. But to dream of a meal may suggest that you are dwelling on trivial matters.

Well. I woke up from a nap not to long ago, and this is what was clear from it: I dreamt about deboning and preparing a chicken for a special dinner event. I had to rush through breaking the bones and cutting it down to the breasts, thighs and wings, but I did them perfectly. I thought about frying or roasting the chicken. Mel and Justin and a few other friends arrived to see how the food was coming along. I put the bird in the oven and then woke up. So my question is, what does deboning a chicken mean in the dream world?
From what I’ve discovered, after checking out ‘plausible’ definitions of images common in dreams, I’m not really sure. Maybe I just really want to cook a chicken today. Weird. I have weird dreams. This is concrete evidence.

Also: the good thing is that my family didn’t forget my birthday is today, so I’ve got one up on Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles. All I need is a Jake Ryan and I’m set….

Nothing Good Happens After 2 a.m.

Okay, okay, I may have one logical explanation as to why I’ve been having such odd dreams this week. I can’t remember last night’s as much but I do know I woke up going “What the hell WAS that” while trying to shake the drowsiness from not getting enough sleep. I think it’s because I’ve been staying up late, writing entries because I am somehow compelled to write whatever comes to mind.

What’s the latest you’ve stayed up at night? Were you drunk and out with friends? Were you studying for an exam or writing an essay due the next day? Were you waiting to watch the sunrise? Were you unable to fall asleep?

There’s an episode of How I Met Your Mother titled “Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M” that I always think of when I’m either out past 2 in the morning, or faced with a difficult decision. If you’re not familiar with the show, I suggest you go and watch it in the near future, or borrow the 1st season from me. For those of you who won’t do such a thing, I’ll elaborate. (Spoilers) Season 1 : Ted is the kind of guy who just wants to be married. Ted meets Robin at their local bar and falls instantly in love with her. They seem to hit it off, but Ted blows it when he tells Robin how he feels; she gets scared and they both agree to be friends. Ted cools off for a while, and finds himself drawn to a woman named Victoria. They connect instantly and start dating. Robin seems fine, but she’s harboring some feelings for Ted when she sees him and Victoria together. A business endeavor calls Victoria away to Germany, leaving Ted alone and confused. Now we’re up to speed.

The episode has two story lines: one in which Ted is convinced – and for good reason – that nothing good happens after 2 am; and the second in which Ted’s friend Barney (Neil Patrick Harris – love him) tries to convince their married friends, Lily and Marshall, that good things CAN happen after 2 am.

So incidentally, it’s 2 am as I’m writing all of this down. I should be getting into bed, wrapping covers around me and hoping sweet dreams of sugar plum fairies will soon fill my head. But I’m not. My mind is on hyperdrive. The scouter would probably say my brain wave levels are over 9,000.

In thinking about this mantra that I find myself repeating constantly, I remembered a video I had watched over the summer. It’s a TED talk about coincidences throughout history that have occurred around 4 a.m. Which is such an odd time, if you think about it. What things happen after 4 am? Why is this such a common and prevalent time in history?

I know I stayed up all night once when I was younger, to watch the sunrise, half watching Twister on television followed by multiple other terrible tornado movies. I never looked at the clock though, so time escaped me. I’ve also walked back to my apartment in the middle of the summer at 5 am because the ACE only ran every 45-65 minutes, not counting the time spent on the subway train. By the time I could have gotten a cab instead, the train would come creeping into the station and I’d be as much frustrated by its presence as relieved.

So it’s probably because I stay up later than I should that my dreams are rampant with bizarre plots and characters. Or maybe it’s the light from the computer screen giving me a headache. I just want to write it all down, whether or not something good has happened.

Here’s the talk.

I’m off to sleep, goodnight. 14 days! (also, Remember, remember, the fifth of November.)