Dream Weaver

I dream rather frequently. Usually, they are quite vivid and I am able to remember them when I wake up. There hasn't been any dream quite so life-changing as Stephenie Meyer's visions of a glittery vampire in  meadow, but still, quite interesting. And I've noticed a recurring theme: bathrooms.

No matter where the dream may start, I seem to end up in a bathroom of some sort. A dream about being a teacher landed me in the boys' bathroom of my elementary school. An Olympics setting oddly included facilities with commodes resembling dentist chairs. Another dream had very long, narrow stalls with walls that were only waist high, while seated. That made for awkward conversations with the other patrons.

The other night, I had a dream where zombies invaded my neighborhood. After whacking a few neighbors and friends who craved my brains, I sought refuge with other survivors in a secure house. Since room was scarce, I slept on a pool float in the hot tub. And the bathroom? It was scarily similar to the set of "Deal or No Deal," but with toilets instead of briefcases. So maybe it should be called "Pee or No Pee." There was even a model for pets. (Unfortunately, if zombies really did knock on the door, our dog would be the first to greet them.)

Since bedwetting hasn't been an issue for several years, I don't think it is my bladder trying to get my attention. So I turned to the prominent source for dream analysis: the internet. Here's a quote from dreammoods.com:

"To dream that you are in the bathroom relates to your instinctual urges. You may be experiencing some burdens/feelings and need to "relieve yourself". Alternatively, a bathroom symbolizes purification and self-renewal. You need to cleanse yourself, both emotionally and psychologically."

Fair enough. But again, I don't think it's because of my real-life bladder. What alternate insight could this website offer?

"To dream that you are in a public restroom with no stalls or that there are a lot of people around while you are trying to do your business signifies your frustrations about getting enough privacy. You are always putting others ahead of your own needs. As a result, you are lacking a sense of personal space."

I have kids. Of course I have no privacy. And try explaining personal space to a pre-schooler.

"To dream that you can not find the bathroom or that you have difficulties finding one indicates that you have difficulties in releasing and expressing your emotions. You are holding back your true feelings about something."

Now we're getting somewhere! With those same kids running around, even though they are constantly seeking my attention, they don't actually listen to me. Sure, they're looking right at me with vacant expressions but when my mouth ceases to move, they resume whatever it was they were screaming doing.

With a need to release, I turn to my blog to express my dream bladder in the form of runny, pungent words. You are welcome.

Teaser Tuesday: The Dead-Tossed Waves

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share a few “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Have you been reading my blog long? Has it become obvious that I'm semi-obsessed with zombies? An undying devotion to the undead? Gawking at the walking dead? No? 

Well, it should come as no surprise that I'm reading a zombie book. The Dead-Tossed Waves is the second in a series by Carrie Ryan. The first book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, gave me nightmares. It also inspired me to recommit to getting my concealed carry permit. Nothing like teenage love drama amidst the Unconsecrated. 

Since I just started this book, the Teaser from the first few pages:

"I want to tell him that I've never crossed the Barrier before. I've never wanted to--I still don't. I've only stood at the top of the lIghthouse where I live, and even then I feel overwhelmed staring out at the ocean and the Forest and the breadth of the world around us."

-pg. 5, The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

As an added bonus, I'm including the book trailer. Because it's awesome.

What are you reading?

Or…

What's your favorite zombie-related item?

Teaser Tuesday: Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share a few “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I kinda have a thing for zombies. And when I hear about a cool book about the undead, I'm gonna give it a look. So when I heard about an anthology featuring zombie animals, I hunted that book down like it was the last Twinkie. (Zombie fans know what I mean.) The fact that it featured stories from two of my favorite authors (Anton Strout and Carrie Vaughn) was just more cream filling.

So far, there've been zombie raccoons out for revenge, murderous bunnies preparing for the killing season, a real book wyrm (yes, with a "y"), an otter-like god for animals, a seriously creepy one about a dying man and a groundhog, a tale about pigeons that will have me avoiding all eye-contact with the winged rodents, and poisonous snakes doing the bidding of a serial killer. And I'm only half-way through the book. Not everything is about zombies or bunnies (which has me really wanting to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail).  

Here's the Teaser:

"'Godfrey…?' Chloe's voice was full of doubt and panic. The creature was almost upon her.The idea that she was an actual damsel in distress caused something deep inside to snap, and he dug his feet back in and met the sway of the bookshelf with all his strength."

- pg. 55, "for lizzie" by Anton Strout, Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes 

What are you reading?

Teaser Tuesday: The Art of Zombie Warfare

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give away too much. You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

For years now, I've kinda had a thing for zombies. I read the books, watch the movies, and record the tv shows. The Boy even got a How To Speak Zombie book for Christmas, complete with push-button examples. So when I saw The Art of Zombie Warfare on the discount rack, I picked it up. It's the kind of book that I'll read once, chuckle plenty, and then pass on to some other fan of the walking undead.


Here's the teaser:

"Slow-moving zombies don't think about how much faster the battle would go if they could sprint up to their enemies and start eating them right away. They realize that a battle is like an exquisite ten-course banquet -- something to be drawn out and savored for as long as possible."

- pg 199, "The Art of Zombie Warfare" by Scott Kenemore

What are you reading?

Wordful Wednesday: When Zombies Attack Young Couples

It's no secret that I anticipate a zombie apocalypse…possibly starting around late December 2012. Or not. And I'm not the only one.

A young couple, hopelessly in love, takes a trip to a more rural and rustic part of the country to capture those stylish engagement photos with forgotten backdrops. You know the scene: overgrown fields of wheat, abandoned buildings, rusted farm equipment. What they should have asked was why those places were abandoned in the first place…

I can't do it justice and I'd rather not "borrow" someone else's work, so go on over to Amanda Rynda's photography site and take a look through her most recent photo shoot! Makes me want to do mine all over again.

600 Zombies

Lately, it seems like zombies are already taking over the world. Or at least my world. And since I am the center of the universe, it affects everyone. And really, if there was a zombie invasion, wouldn't you want to know about it?

Innocently enough, it started with Facebook. One day, we might discover that the fall of mankind began with a status update, but in my case, it was flair. Flair is a collection of clever/funny/mushy/serious images and sayings in the shape of buttons. Like those you might wear on your rainbow-colored suspenders. I found one that was clever and cute and oh so innocent:

Things started to snowball from there.

I read "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" by Carrie Ryan while we were camping down in Moab...causing me to have zombie-induced nightmares the entire trip.

As if wiggling in a sleeping bag out in the middle of the wilderness isn't enough, reading about a girl running through the wilderness being chased by zombies isn't conducive to a good night's sleep. I liked the story, but because of the nightmares, I won't read the sequel. At least, not unless it's full daylight outside, all access points to my house are barricaded, and I can hold a baseball bat in my free hand.

Then my favorite radio station recently fired all the djs and now only plays 90s music. So I've heard the Cranberries' "Zombie" quite a bit lately. A teenaged acquaintance was horrified that I didn't know Rob Zombie's music. And after listening to it, I think I was better off oblivious.

Sadly, one of my favorite Twilight-themed blogs went dormant but I still like to peruse the entries. The last post? One that explains how Edward wouldn't be nearly as desirable if he were one of the living dead. True enough. As if sparkling wasn't enough of a turn-off, attempting to eat my brains during a make-out session would definitely kill the moment.

One of my can't-decide-if-I-really-like-it-but-I-can't-stop-watching movies is Shaun of the Dead.

Thinking this was a silly comedy, I made the mistake of trying to watch this while the Man was out of town. At night. With no viable weapons in the house (we don't own a Cricket bat) and surrounded by plate glass windows just begging to be smashed by decaying limbs.

Now, I see zombies everywhere...in other books, casual mentions on tv, otherwise innocent conversations, and even in the mirror when I have to wake up extra early to get the kids ready for the Fourth of July parade. It's inevitable. The zombies are coming.

The final straw arrived in my email the other morning:

Oh my...

During a zombie invasion, what would you do to survive?