Dreams.

Some of my favourite things to talk about and remember are dreams.  I suppose for me it is because dreams are something that I really don't know very much about.  What my subconscious does while I am asleep has always been something that interests me.  I also have a strange feeling that dreams come true… not necessarily in the traditional "Disney" sense that is often associated with that phrase, but more in bits and pieces.  I know that some of my dreams most definitely won't come true.  Those are the weird dreams where I end up stealing the "D.A.R.E." car, or hide in the attic of my grandparents old house (which doesn't have an attic as far as I know) because I am being chased around by rogue F-16s.  Most of my dreams however don't consist of crazy scenarios or implausible situations, but seem like real things that could actually end up happening.  They often feel very familiar and when I wake up instead of thinking "what a crazy dream", I think "I wonder when that is going to happen".  

With that in mind, in 2011 I have noticed an increasing trend of mine for me to be able to remember my dreams.  That coupled with all of the new goals and ambitions I have for this year has led to a lot of situations where I am excited to see when what I have been dreaming about will happen.  I don't expect all of my dreams to end up happening, nor do I expect everything that happens in my dreams to happen, but one of my favourite things about dreams is that I have noticed they often lead to déjà vu which I am a big fan of.  I really enjoy that 1 or 2 second interval when I see / hear / experience something, and I know that I have experienced that before.  It is a slightly eerie feeling, but I enjoy it quite a bit nonetheless.  I feel like dreams can be tiny glimpses of our future that the Lord allows us to have to help us know later on that we are on the right track.  Little pieces of personal revelation for each and every one of us that is able to remember what we dream about.  I don't know if that is entirely true, or much about the science behind dreams at all, but there are lots of accounts of people in the scriptures having dreams that end up coming true so is it so crazy to think the Lord may allow us to have some of the same more personalized experiences?  I don't really know what got me so interested in dreams at the beginning, but I do know what has helped my interest in them continue up to this point.  Thanks Inception.  01-23-11

Multi-tasking

One of the things that I have been ever more aware of the past few months is how much multi-tasking I do.  It seems more and more that I am becoming almost incapable of simply focusing one activity.  The one thing that I do take comfort in is that it seems that I am not the only person that has been inflicted with this condition.  Every day the world seems to be getting faster and faster, with more and more things to catch our attention on a daily basis.  There are many times in the morning where I find myself getting ready for the day, while eating breakfast, watching Sportscenter, and listening to music.  That is just one example of the ways in which multi-tasking has taken a hold of my life.  While I was in school, I found that I had a hard time focusing on my homework or what I was studying for an extended period of time as well.  When I did my studying I actually often found that I did a better job of getting things done and retaining what I was studying when I had music / television on, or both. 

The interesting thing to me is that the world seems to be ever more oriented towards a multi-tasking mindset.  Gone are the days when you could simply focus on one thing at a time.  There are so many competing sources for your attention these days that it is no wonder that so many kids have diagnosed or undiagnosed ADD and other disorders which make it harder for them to focus.  I was wondering the other day what it would have been like to live 50 or 100 years ago when there were not so many things to distract us.  Would I still find it difficult to focus on things for an extended period of time?  Would there be as many kids with trouble in school due to their inability to pay attention?  One of the presumed benefits of the ever increasing multi-tasking society we have become is that it helps people get more things accomplished.  We have become a society in which things need to get done, and they need to get done now.  I can't help but wonder as we continue down this path of trying to fit more activities and entertainment into shorter periods of time, what the consequences will be for each one of us individually and for the world as a whole.  01-09-11

* I have however found that blogging while trying to watch TV / movies makes the whole process a lot slower…

2011.

Another year has started.  I am pretty excited about it for a lot of different reasons.  This is going to be a really good year, I just have a feeling.  Not only because 11 is my favorite number, but it is kind of just one of those premonition type things you feel occasionally.  As a random side note I have already had déjà vu twice today which I think is a good sign for the year 2011.  I also seem to have a renewed sense of purpose, as well as some fresh ideas / mindset of what I want to do / get accomplished this year.  I am excited by quite a few of the goals or "resolutions" I have come up for myself this year…

·         Make a trip to Europe

·         Go skydiving

·         Weekend trips to the closest temples: Oklahoma City, Houston, San Antonio, Lubbock, Albuquerque, St. Louis, Nauvoo, Baton Rouge

·         College football games at cool stadiums: Ole Miss, Texas, Provo, Notre Dame?, Florida?, Hawaii?

·         Finish at least 3 songs I have started but never finished

·         Go to the temple at least once a month

·         Exercise and get my body in shape and maintain throughout the year

·         Smile more to demonstrate my internal happiness

·         Make more friends both in / out of the ward

·         Stay in touch with at least 2 new people a month

·         Learn to ollie on my skateboard

·         Do at least 2 snowboarding trips

·         Take the GMAT and apply for MBA schools

·         Fill out at least one room upstairs in my house / get blinds for upstairs

·         Read at least 2 books per month

There are other things that I want to get accomplished this year as well, but these are the ones that come to mind at present.  I mostly just want to have a lot of fun in 2011, and enjoy living.  Also, I HAVE to do something super awesome on 11-11-11.  If you have any ideas of something awesome I should consider, I am open to advice / suggestions.  Also, if you would like to join me on any of these adventures, please let me know.  The more the merrier in 2011.  May you be successful in all of your upcoming endeavors and resolutions this year!  01-01-11