Daily Loaf

“Dream Momma, I had dream while I was away from my family studying in Norway, I was at my brother’s house up where it was behind the hospital. My brother and I were watching TV, and these people came to the door. Just as there are people who stop you when you are in your car and start washing your windows and then demand money, these people, like young kids, various ages, came to the door and started doing lawn care and landscaping. I knew they were going to charge us for it afterwards, and I didn’t want to be taken advantage of. They were immigrants, so I started yelling gibberish at them so they would stop. They got mad because they knew I was making fun of their English skills, but they got back into their big van/suburban, and drove off. As I sat back on the sofa, I saw a flash from the car, and I knew they had shot a gun, and I felt the hot metal entering my skull. As I collapsed, I told my brother, tell mom and dad I love them. So mellow dramatic. then I woke up.” (sic)

This dream is about a split psyche based on the guilt you feel for leaving your family. Read the rest of this entry »

“I live in St. Petersburg, in my dream i was sleeping and i suddenly wake up and look out  the window. my ex boyfriend is sitting with a girl next to a pool. all i could see is the back of my head and my ex and the new girl. my ex looks up and gives me the goofiest smile and starts waving, i give him the finger. next thing i know he’s climbing up the side of my house, and i help him climb through the window and into my room. he stands on my bed and he starts talking to me. next thing my dream switches to me in a room with my mom and i am slowly getting a belly, and i realize that i am pregnant. i’m confused why nobody is freaking out except me, and when i go to touch my belly half of it deflates and it becomes see through, and inside there is a snake growing inside of me. i start freaking out and my mom tells me that this happens to everybody when theyre pregnant. i got to school the next day and no one seems to notice that i am pregnant. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?” (sic)

You’ve had a heavy dream, dark and rich with hidden family myths that you are intuitive enough to sniff out.  It means that in your family belief system, sex is related to betrayal. Read the rest of this entry »

Thought I’d share a dream I’ve had for years…ever since I was a teen. Not sure what it means, but I have to say I remember it clearly even though I have not had it for about three years now.  I think of it every so often though.

I realize that I am on the tip of a needle on a record player. I see myself from different angles…I am the tip of the needle, I am going through the eye of it – well, I sense that I am. I don’t see myself going through the eye physically. Then I see the record spinning under me. Next I am on the arm on top of the record and I see from that angle, and then I see myself atop the arm.

Never did find out why it was a reoccurring dream for years, why I dreamt it or why it stopped. It bugs me not to know what it meant. Never did get the name of the record playing. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Fixing sprawl and redesigning suburbia- Grant Rimbey CNU explores a possible strategy towards improving existing sprawl. Fixing the sprawl that we have, along with sprawl demolition and recycling, are strategies that could be employed in the future as a new green industry.

Nation’s largest solar facility to be in DeSoto County by next year- Florida Power and Light is currently building the nation’s largest photovoltaic plant in DeSoto County, a $173.5 million, 25 megawatt solar generating facility.

Fresh: New Thinking About What We’re Eating screening – What’s wrong with the mega-industrial food industry- Struggling small farms, problems with food safety rules and the mega-industrial food industry, and a film about all of the above.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Issue:

-During the school year, each student will create 240 pounds of waste.

-The average family with school age children will spend $594.24 on back-to-school purchases this year!

-During the school year, the average school throws away 38 tons of paper, the equivalent of 644 trees!

-Each year, six billion pens are thrown away in the U.S.!

-During the school year, each elementary school cafeteria creates 18,760 pounds of waste.

-Schools use more than $6 billion in energy every year and about $1.5 billion (or enough to hire about 30,000 new teachers) is wasted due to inefficiency! Read the rest of this entry »

” i see an image of a killer whale hanging upside down as if hung on a hook or by a crane; it is a female, alive, in agony, and whining. Flash to another image of the whale’s embryonic baby that has been removed from the mother’s body; a male voice-over talks about killing the whale babies.  I am reminded of the 1970s film Orca.”

This is a very dark dream. This is a dream about a family in pain. About a mother who harbored very dark energy but remained helpless or rather suspended in space by either her family, her spouse, her culture or her community. Even perhaps her church. A woman whose life was also topsy-turvy, unpredictable. Enter her masculine counterpart, who speaks over her and her situation (the voice-over) and who, like many males of certain species, has murderous thoughts about his offspring.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Dream Momma, Last weekend I had a dream (nightmare) that I was trying to outrun a sinkhole with the family in the car. We made it to a shopping mall and ran inside just in time to see the parking lot and everything that lay beyond it swallowed up. It freaked me out and the only thing Julie could say was “What did you eat last night?”

Dear Dreamer, I have to assume you are married with kids and that Julie is your wife. On that assumption I believe this dream is about your belief and your marriage. You and your family are in a car (the marital journey) trying to outrun a sinkhole (big problem-separation-divorce-global crisis). In a nano second you are saved but the world outside is swallowed up.

Hmmm, swallowed up. What comes to mind when you think of the world being swallowed up? Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Dream Momma, This little dream has been bothering me so I thought I would send it to you. In the dream my boss and his wife stopped by my house and my bed wasn’t made. (I always make my bed every day unless I’m so sick that i need to be in it.)

Hi Messy Bed Dreamer. I’m going to assume that when your boss and his wife stopped by you weren’t really sick in bed. So, what are you sick of? The dream says your job. The house is your life and the bed is your job, relationship, family, health, lifestyle, religion, social life, (Circle all that apply). Read the rest of this entry »

“Dear Dream Momma, In my dream I was walking with my little sister. She told me not to look behind me or I would get hurt. That made me feel very uncomfortable and trip out a little so I started to walk faster. I pulled hard on her arm but she pulled away and walked slower than before. I was afraid to turn around but I knew my sister was walking right behind me and I felt weird, like she was going to hurt me so I turned around to look at her and instantly she said, “don’t worry I’m not going to hurt you.” The way she said it was probably the scariest/weirdest part of the whole dream. In real life my sister and I are really close. What do you think it means?”

Dear Big Sister, the first thing that comes to mind is sibling rivalry. Something most of us has to deal with at one time or another. I’m guessing what your sister doesn’t want you to see, why she tells you in the dream not to look behind you, is her envy- something she’s aware of (and you are too, unconsciously) and doesn’t demonstrate unless you are not looking. Read the rest of this entry »

“I am here to wash those dirty words straight out of your mouth sir,” she lashed out. After their war in the media Governor Sarah Palin had come to surprise David Letterman and get her sweet revenge. She showed up, unannounced, in a move to shock her prey. Her victim had no alternative but to stand there, mouth agape in shock. The angry Queen of Alaska, hair pulled tightly back, eyes blazing behind her studious eye glasses, would not relent.

“You know damn well the trouble you’ve caused and a woman of my position will not stand for it!”

Read the rest of this entry »

“Hi Dream Momma,  I dreamed I was visiting my aunt, uncle and cousins as a child.  In their kitchen there was a hole at the baseboard and I could see little mice through it. I was scared until I realized they were afraid of me and not coming out.”

Hmmm, mice. Hmmm, family. This dream is a little sketchy but here goes. First, I’m assuming the dreamer is an adult but in the dream he/she is a child again.  Often. something going on in real time echoes an unconscious  memory that pops up as a dream.  Symbolically, mice mean disease, proliferation, and quietness.  So, my first question is; does this family have any hidden (baseboard) illnesses that are genetic (family) in nature?

Next we have fear.  Why are the mice afraid of the dreamer?  What power does the dreamer possess?Does the dreamer have “cat energy?” Remember, we’re not talking about real mice, but symbolic mice that may represent a genetic family illness. To get even trickier the illness can be symbolic too, i.e. not physical.  If it is physical think of illnesses that are quiet in nature, i.e. high blood pressure.

That’s the best I can do with the info involved.  Love to hear back from dreamer with more details and feedback on my feedback.

Dream Momma

Memorial Day is more than an extra day off (if you’re lucky). It’s an opportunity to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for their country. At the same time, it’s a chance to show appreciation for those active and retired service personnel who make daily sacrifices as well. And one way to show appreciation is to send some free stuff their way. Fortunately, some local businesses have put together a few nice entertainment options on Monday that are totally free for active and retired military. Here are a couple of good ones: Read the rest of this entry »

Our next patient, who I shall call, oh I don’t know…. “Vikki”, had an issue with her mother (and her obvious disdain of head wear) and a wedding anniversary.  She came to me frantic and looking for a solution.  I think my answer went down smoothly; with a spoonful of sugar, and a bit of good ol’ fashion reason.

She writes:

My mother is trying to kill me! She wants to throw me a surprise anniversary party next month (9yr wedding anniversary) only it leaked out and what’s WORSE is she is making it a gay theme party where everyone has to wear the most ridiculous hat they can find and I HATE hats… WTF am I going to do? Hats have nothing to do with weddings or anniversary parties. I don’t know what to do, I don’t want to burst her bubble, but I also don’t want to have a ridiculous party I hate.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m on an Earth Day guilt trip. Why does all the celebrating have to be outside? Oh, right, we’re celebrating nature, so it’s either itchy eyes and a pounding head or the questioning from my friends, “Say Lisa, little Ms. Green, we didn’t see you over the weekend at that Earth fest.” Hold on! Earth day isn’t until Wednesday, there’s still time for redemption! Teensygreen, a great website for green moms and dads- is where I learned of my plan for salvation,  Mr. Mouse and your nature film buddies, I owe you.

Disneynature’s Earth is being released on you guessed it, Earth Day, April 22nd. You know that mouse, he’s a PR hot shot. The best part (I’m looking at this as a double win) is relieving Earth Day guilt and doing my part to stimulate the economy, and Disney will plant a tree for every ticket sold opening week- bonus points!  Read the rest of this entry »

As the inauguration craziness gets into full swing this weekend, here’s some video from Obama’s 137-mile train journey from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

Here are some shots from the trip, below the jump: Read the rest of this entry »

Sooner Holley:  In addition to the constant ribbing I’m getting lately about how “Tebow is Superman – just admit it” and how I better start mining for kryptonite, there’s a more personal Holley-criticism which is coming to me more and more frequently: Apparently, I lack objectivity.  By not admitting that Tim Tebow may as well be Zeus and Apollo combined because he has faced more top 50 defenses than Sammy B. and the Sooner offense, I am failing to recognize some legitimate facts and therefore, am not an objective fan.

Objective….Fan….Objective….Fan….there’s something that doesn’t feel right about that pairing of words.

Oh, it’s that they are completely contradictory.

If you are a “fan”, you have a bias.  That is the definition of the word.  You support a particular team, group, cause, ice cream flavor, grocery store, yada yada yada.  Objectivity doesn’t really have a place in “fandom” or “fannery” or “fanaticism”.  (I think that last one is the correct noun, but honestly, I like “fannery” the best.  It has a nice ring, doesn’t it?)

Example: Read the rest of this entry »

William McKeen is chairman of the University of Florida’s Department of Journalism and author of several books, including the Hunter S. Thompson biography Outlaw Journalist.

FAMILY ALBUM: Carlos Frias publishes his first book, Take Me With You (Atria, $24.95)  this week. It’s a terrific story about his trip to Cuba, the home of this parents … the home to which they cannot return.

Carlos is one talented dude. The book reaches out to everyone, not just people of Cuban American heritage. I’m from Indiana and I dug it, for God’s sake.

It’s a book about family. Anyone who’s had a mother and a father will find something of value between the covers. Think of all of those people in your life who died before you could say what you needed to say. Sucks, doesn’t it?

That’s a problem Frias probably won’t have because he’s put so much of his heart into this book.

A few years back I wrote a book about my older children and what it was like to be a long-distance divorced father. In that book (Highway 61) I speak to my family. I talk about a lot of things that I wish I had done differently. I write about all the struggles a father goes through when he’s away from his children. I’ve been writing for 40 years and that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

So I really admire Take Me With You because of Frias’s emotional courage.  It’s much more than the story of a trip. It’s about this imperfect organism of family. Read the rest of this entry »