I dreamt that I had a most gorgeous warm suntan. I then peeled off a layer off my face to reveal a beautiful glowing fresh face underneath. It was a really detailed peeling, all the way down to the edges of my hairline, and into my brows as well. I was smiling.

I dreamt about Halloween. It would've been about dusk. I was walking down the streets, tarred roads, in a modern day Calgary. Maybe it looked like our soon to be redeveloped East Village/Inglewood. The streets were themed, and buildings were decked out all Halloween like - with huge graphic boards of grafitti and other scary things. Think an overly intentional and well-done spooky. I was walking by myself, but there were a lot of people around me, I don't think I knew anyone. I crossed over a bridge, and on my right was a stunning graphic art billboard on the building. I followed like the cattle of humans, and turned left. The double story shophouses were converted into haunted houses. One building in particular, as a means to attract footsteps, featured a man-like hologram, who would have aced a multiple personality disorder test. You'd essentially roll the dice, and test your luck, to see what kind of horrors awaited you in the house. It was my turn to roll the dice. The scary holographic man puffed out shades of green and white around him, laughed some kind of evil sinister laugh, but I wasn't intimidated. He said, "enter the building. At your own risk." I entered. The first floor was rather creaky. Old baseboards, old hardwood floors. It all felt familiar, but I couldn't place the location. (editor's note: Now that I'm awake and functioning, I realised the location reminded me of my friend's place in Baltimore, and the International Hostel I stayed at in NYC). The staircase wrapped around the walls, and creaked with every step I took. The house was predominately bare with high vaulted ceilings. No art on the walls, no furniture. I went up the stairs. On the second floor, the ceiling seemed lower. The person, a gruffy unkempt kind of man, behind me coaxed, "Keep going, go up the stairs again." I walked down the second floor's narrow carpeted hallway. Turned left, and saw 3 narrow short steps, the ceiling didn't get any higher, so I had to crouch lower. The dimly lit house still had it's cream-white walls. Before I could enter the 3rd-floor, the same holographic-scary-man in puffs of green and white appeared. He laughed his scary laugh and then continued on, "enter". Almost immediately, screaming girls came running out of that 3rd floor room. I entered, and there wasn't anything scary about it. Maybe the dice I had rolled earlier wasn't too bad. I stayed in the room a while, hunched over. There was a microwave or some electronic kitchen gadget sitting in the bare room? Eventually, I left the attic-styled 3rd-floor, down the narrow carpeted 2nd floor, and made my way down the creaky staircase. I saw the large glass windows and out onto the streets. The streets were filled with people, in a semi-riot and definite panic. I made it out into the open. It was now leaning into day-light on the streets. I saw my ex. Or more like he saw me. A stranger, a guy, grabbed my arm and dragged in a different direction, right into the panic-stricken streets. My ex saw that, and then came running for me. Throughout the madness, the crying, and screaming, there was definitely a sense of calm about me. I felt no fear.

I dreamt about a penguin last night, and that I had put a red touque on it. I immediately realized that it didn't look good so I snatched it off as quickly as I could before someone saw my fashion faux pas

I dreamt about the old ways of the Samurai, and about how love served as a function in their society. In my dream, I knew in my gut who the love of my life was, and he had a face (editor's note: at this point in my life, my ex is the biggest love I'd known so it only made sense that his face was featured in my dream, so for the purpose of this story, we'll say his name is 'KD'). Rewinding back to the beginning of the dream, it started on a cruise. On this cruise, was everyone I knew from my life from my secondary school days. I swam on the boat, almost all day long, and never left the cruise ship even when we docked. I don't recall if I wore a bikini. All I know is that I never ate on the cruise but had lots of conversations with old friends. To break down the floors of this huge cruise ship - the dining room was on level 6, my room was on level 7, the swimming happened all on level 12. Once I accidentally pressed level 24. The elevator rocketed to the top, and it was only when I saw the red digits on the panel 24 then did I realise I pushed the wrong button. It was a clear glass bubble elevator. The elevator did a slight free fall from 24 to 19, to 12 to 7. I turned around to see the outside world. The entire time as the elevator free-fell, (change of scene, I'm not one a cruise ship anymore) there was a man standing in the middle of tall glass and iron buildings which lined the long avenue. We locked eyes, and didn't unlock them as I felt my feet lift from the elevator floor as I free-fell. The elevator came to a slow halt at my floor, as if easing back into gravity. I was not scared. Back to the cruise. KD and I had split, and everyone on the cruise-ship found out. KD never came "home" after we split (I called it home for some reason), and I slept alone in the cruise's bedroom. Days following, I swam around the boat myself. Ignoring all the random cat-calls from people/strangers/friends. I saw the most beautiful sunsets by myself. Groups of beautiful people calling me to join them and their parties. They were friends and strangers, yet I declined all their invitations. Jump to fireworks set off into the sky from the cruise into the night sky. Jump to deep diving into the cruise pools. Beautiful deep blue, dark navy tiles. I scanned the pool floors. There was something on the floor, not significant to me, I didn't touch it or pick it up.


My dream moved into the samurai age. Everyone was decked out in traditional kimonos. Other ladies featured in this dream would be one of my closest friends in Calgary. Her name is AM. One other young girl, and lots of other ladies. The ladies gather around, and stories are shared about how when a love is called upon in times of need, the talisman turns colors. Like bad omens, you know when something wrong is going to happen to your loved ones. The ladies and I take classes on how-to-be. I learned about the nature of these talismans. I understand that the samurai can only survive with a partner who has an unyielding, unwavering kind of trust in each other. In our training, the girls wait in the huge open central spaces of the temple. We go through the motions of the exercise. Sensei says, "You have to want to be here to get your lover here. They can only find you when your chi calls them. They are searching for you." In the distance, we see and hear the trees in the distance rustle. Like ninjas flying through the air, the darkness shields them, but you can make them out. You know what is coming for you. In this exercise, the ladies shoot long sheets of strong silk out from their bell-shaped kimono sleeves. These silk sheets fly with such tenacity, like in the oriental ancient movies. A natural reaction follows, the ninja (her love) catches the silk sheet and slides down towards them. All the ninjas land safely. All except one. KD is missing. I realise that I am not fully participating in the exercise. I'm not at the temple training with the ladies. I am at a different location, sitting at the base of the mountain temple. I am in a kimono, dancing a ritual in front of hundreds of people. The audience is enjoying the show. I am showing a gentleman how to fold a long beautiful printed silk sheet. Lay it flat length-wise, half it, drag it from the centre left a bit. You have to take one step on the fold, one foot off it. I explain that if it is done right, you can run on it. The other people do a little run on it, and we all laugh. Suddenly, I feel a deep urge in my stomach. Like a bad omen. I look at my talisman. Its colour changes. I look back at the audience and the silk sheet below me and I commit to finishing the show. I acknowledge that pride is everything in this culture. One cannot leave a commitment, or your reputation will be tainted for it. My gut feels worse, I am completely aware that something wrong is happening to KD. In the middle of my routine, I stand abruptly, apologise, show the elders my talisman, and the crowd gasps in fear. They understand the severity of the situation. The elders send me away quickly, offering ninja escorts. I take the ninja escorts, happy to have them. And I fly. A flight so impressive over buildings and up the mountain side. Elders shoot fireworks like bullets into the foliage, cutting down trees, shooting into the sky, dragging the stars down to help light the way. It is beautiful. Colorful. Bright. 100% helpful. This is all happening from a 3rd-party's perspective from the the showcase area at the base of the mountain, not from my first-person view as I fly through the trees. Finally, I arrive at the temple where the ladies are training. Everyone is now with their partners, successfully landing their first mission. KD is nowhere in sight. KD didn't have an aura to find. He is injured somewhere in the forest. I give my wishes to the sensei. Dream ends.

I dreamt I was playing tennis. The term love came up multiple times, though I have no idea who was winning or losing. There was an ex-lover, a blonde girl (beautiful? probably), a goofball (goodlooking? maybe), and an older couple in their late 30s/early 40s (who came across as tried and tested, and true love). When we were pairing off, ex-lover was matched with beautiful blonde and I was with the goofball. In my dream, it was absolutely gorgeous out and sunny. The courts were so green, the skies were so blue. I don't recall holding a racquet, or actually playing a game... Maybe I did. Throughout the dream, my ex-lover and I were sneaking in random conversations around our tennis partners on the court. At the end of the game, ex-lover was on the other side of the court, I yelled, "Hey! If you ever need anyone to look after your kids in the future, let me know." He stopped in his tracks, looked at me with serious eyes, like he was mid-accepting the terms of the new relationship, "You said it!" Then he ran over to my side of the court, and said, "Thanks." I said, "Last one?" He said, "Last one." then gave me a quick firm, with lips sealed, kiss on my lips. Off he went, we never looked back. At the bottom of the hill, I see my partner, the goofball hitting, nay, kicking the tennis ball around the court. Think pinball machine. The ball bounced 5 times around the court/fences before coming back to him like a boomerang. It was bouncing around like the speed of a fighter jet. I threw a ball down the hill, it rolled down the grassy slope, then it bounced off goofball's head. "Hey!" he yells back up to me, then laughs. The dream was very comfortable, and I was always in smiles around the goofball. The older couple were standing next to me, and said something I can't remember, and we three looked down into the tennis cage where the goofball was kicking the balls. I smiled. I know that at the end of the dream, my ex-lover stayed with his new someone, and that the tension that was present throughout the dream didn't dissipate, but just changed to a different kind of understanding.

I dreamt I was digging my way to the other side of the world. Logic told me that once I had dug a good 99% of the way over, I had to reorientate myself or else when I kicked the last bit of dirt out on the other side, I'd have fallen out the other side (like if the world was flat). I don't recall the reason or purpose for the trip/adventure. I felt like it was something I had to do.

I dreamt I was at a dinner, in a restaurant in one of the world's tallest buildings. The restaurant was situated high over the rest of the city, with glass windows all around. It truly was a beautiful sight. The restaurant/room falls silent as this unknown person (no face/no body/no voice) gives a speech. Suddenly a phone rings, and everyone is looking around searching for this phone. Someone proposes to me to an heirloom ring. Someone I'm not interested in. For some reason, my gut was telling me I like his relative(?) a brother perhaps. I'm on the phone while the unknown person is giving his speech. The person on the other line (no gender) is talking about how they didn't think it was right to fall in love during these times (hard/harsh?), then they mention something about the bombings as of late. Imprints of a dress, multi-strand of silver pearl necklaces, #31, #17 #18. Bomb.