I’ve just been focusing on vivid dreams for the most part. I’ve done lucid dreaming many times, but honestly I kind of suck at it. I can get to that state, but the problem is, once I realize I’m in a dream, I start trying too hard and begin to wake up and then lose everything. It's a struggle to walk that line. And I really can’t control things in them the way I’d like, so it’s kind of frustrating. I used to be really good at them as a kid though. The non lucid vivid dreams are nice for now because my conscious mind can’t go screwing it up. I’ll probably start practicing the lucid dreaming once the vivid dreams become even more commonplace, as that ultimately would be more interesting and useful if you can harness it.

Never heard of Waking Life. Just took a glance at the wiki page and it looks really interesting. I’ll definitely check it out.

Aerobic exercise will help you with all that heavy dreaming stuff. It's all about the blood flow. and the cutback in smoking (not the thc, the oxygen-squeezing smoke)

I am do not want to dip into the politics thread. My father in law came to the u.s. in the 70's from czechoslovakia as a political refugee. He gained citizenship by claiming asylum from a repressive communist regime. I support this unequivocally, but he is now pushing back against Islamic or middle eastern refugees. I have been trying to make the case that he essentially represents the Islamica right now. In the 70's & 80's people emigrating to the us as commies or Muslims need to be vetted.

Bill McNeal wrote:I am do not want to dip into the politics thread. My father in law came to the u.s. in the 70's from czechoslovakia as a political refugee. He gained citizenship by claiming asylum from a repressive communist regime. I support this unequivocally, but he is now pushing back against Islamic or middle eastern refugees. I have been trying to make the case that he essentially represents the Islamica right now. In the 70's & 80's people emigrating to the us as commies or Muslims need to be vetted.

So let me see if I've got this: you want your FIL retroactively denied entry to the US? Whaddaya telling us McNeal?

Slowhand wrote:
Never heard of Waking Life. Just took a glance at the wiki page and it looks really interesting. I’ll definitely check it out.

It will definitely help with your dream life, since the the first step to having dreams is to be put to sleep.


I kid, I kid. I know many people that love it, and even I like large portions of it. Just maybe not all at once.

Slowhand wrote:I’ve just been focusing on vivid dreams for the most part. I’ve done lucid dreaming many times, but honestly I kind of suck at it. I can get to that state, but the problem is, once I realize I’m in a dream, I start trying too hard and begin to wake up and then lose everything. It's a struggle to walk that line. And I really can’t control things in them the way I’d like, so it’s kind of frustrating. I used to be really good at them as a kid though. The non lucid vivid dreams are nice for now because my conscious mind can’t go screwing it up. I’ll probably start practicing the lucid dreaming once the vivid dreams become even more commonplace, as that ultimately would be more interesting and useful if you can harness it.

Never heard of Waking Life. Just took a glance at the wiki page and it looks really interesting. I’ll definitely check it out.

I thought only I could do this! I am pretty good at vivid dreaming unless I am drunk. It's fun and I usually remember things most of the time. When I drink a lot I don't remember anything unless I am going through the sleep paralysis which is the exact opposite of fun.

swishnicholson wrote:

Slowhand wrote:
Never heard of Waking Life. Just took a glance at the wiki page and it looks really interesting. I’ll definitely check it out.

It will definitely help with your dream life, since the the first step to having dreams is to be put to sleep.


I kid, I kid. I know many people that love it, and even I like large portions of it. Just maybe not all at once.

It's got Alex Jones in it. Now I've gotta watch it!

if you break it up over like 10 viewings it's tolerable

has anyone tried the Texture app yet? It's billed as the Netflix of magazines. I just signed up for a free month trial, and saw a deal for 3 months for $10, so I sent that to a friend.

drsmooth wrote:

Bill McNeal wrote:I am do not want to dip into the politics thread. My father in law came to the u.s. in the 70's from czechoslovakia as a political refugee. He gained citizenship by claiming asylum from a repressive communist regime. I support this unequivocally, but he is now pushing back against Islamic or middle eastern refugees. I have been trying to make the case that he essentially represents the Islamica right now. In the 70's & 80's people emigrating to the us as commies or Muslims need to be vetted.

So let me see if I've got this: you want your FIL retroactively denied entry to the US? Whaddaya telling us McNeal?

Oh doc... The nuance is significantly more significant that it was. My father in law far more anti Muslim than iI would be. My father in law was a refugee from a communist country in the 70's. He came to the country with nothing and made a great life here.

Bill McNeal wrote:

drsmooth wrote:

Bill McNeal wrote:I am do not want to dip into the politics thread. My father in law came to the u.s. in the 70's from czechoslovakia as a political refugee. He gained citizenship by claiming asylum from a repressive communist regime. I support this unequivocally, but he is now pushing back against Islamic or middle eastern refugees. I have been trying to make the case that he essentially represents the Islamica right now. In the 70's & 80's people emigrating to the us as commies or Muslims need to be vetted.

So let me see if I've got this: you want your FIL retroactively denied entry to the US? Whaddaya telling us McNeal?

Oh doc... The nuance is significantly more significant that it was. My father in law far more anti Muslim than iI would be. My father in law was a refugee from a communist country in the 70's. He came to the country with nothing and made a great life here.

Me and my family arrived in the US from Vietnam much the same way (plus a boat escape, evading sea pirates, wrecking onto the coast of Malaysia and 8 months in a refugee camp in '78). The majority of Asian Americans vote Democrat, especially younger ones. The segment that votes the most Republican are the older Vietnamese who escaped Communism (I think because Republicans opposed Communism and Democrats were seen as Communist sympathizers). I rarely talk about politics with my extended family, so I don't know what they think, but I'd guess they're like your father in law, which makes as much sense to me as it makes to you I bet.

lethal wrote:

Bill McNeal wrote:

drsmooth wrote:

Bill McNeal wrote:I am do not want to dip into the politics thread. My father in law came to the u.s. in the 70's from czechoslovakia as a political refugee. He gained citizenship by claiming asylum from a repressive communist regime. I support this unequivocally, but he is now pushing back against Islamic or middle eastern refugees. I have been trying to make the case that he essentially represents the Islamica right now. In the 70's & 80's people emigrating to the us as commies or Muslims need to be vetted.

So let me see if I've got this: you want your FIL retroactively denied entry to the US? Whaddaya telling us McNeal?

Oh doc... The nuance is significantly more significant that it was. My father in law far more anti Muslim than iI would be. My father in law was a refugee from a communist country in the 70's. He came to the country with nothing and made a great life here.

Me and my family arrived in the US from Vietnam much the same way (plus a boat escape, evading sea pirates, wrecking onto the coast of Malaysia and 8 months in a refugee camp in '78). The majority of Asian Americans vote Democrat, especially younger ones. The segment that votes the most Republican are the older Vietnamese who escaped Communism (I think because Republicans opposed Communism and Democrats were seen as Communist sympathizers). I rarely talk about politics with my extended family, so I don't know what they think, but I'd guess they're like your father in law, which makes as much sense to me as it makes to you I bet.

There's a number of interesting articles about how Republicans ought to be attractive to Asians in lots of ways, but Republican xenophobic rhetoric prevents that from happening. I think saying nice things about WWII internment camps is going to set the R party back several decades in this regard.

Bill McNeal wrote:I am do not want to dip into the politics thread. My father in law came to the u.s. in the 70's from czechoslovakia as a political refugee. He gained citizenship by claiming asylum from a repressive communist regime. I support this unequivocally, but he is now pushing back against Islamic or middle eastern refugees. I have been trying to make the case that he essentially represents the Islamica right now. In the 70's & 80's people emigrating to the us as commies or Muslims need to be vetted.

Not that this makes him right but there is a real difference in there having been some significant ideologically motivated attacks perpetrated by Islamic radicals in a way that I don't think really happened with people fleeing central or eastern Europe. That 99.9% of people looking to come here from there are folks looking for a better life in the new world like he was should be something he could acknowledge even if he wanted to focus on the first bit.

How much of an asshole am I for opting out of secret Santa at work? I hate when people buy me stuff. Its awkward when you have to act surprised and delighted opening the gift. I'd rather get nothing.

not an asshole at all

Just not a team player is all!

think i'm not doing it this year either

every year i've gotten my match something but they've never gotten me ANYTHING

stupid dog

Slowhand wrote:Just not a team player is all!

Probably also a secret Muslim

Slowhand wrote:

Slowhand wrote:Just not a team player is all!

Probably also a secret Muslim

or a Jew

Soren wrote:Hey Bucky, did the kiddo every pick up on the MtG tip?

couldn't really seem to pique (?) his interest much. He still may get something for christmas, though. So confusing