I tend to have very vivid dreams. I also frequently remember them. I believe this is unusual because when I tell people about dreams I've had they are often surprised at the detail I remember them and tell me they rarely remember their dreams at all.
I'm not into dream analysis per se, however I can usually pinpoint what certain elements of my dreams represent or at least where they were skimmed from the surface of my subconscious. I dream about my friends, people at work, books and magazines I have read, TV and movies I watch. Pretty much if I see it or think about it, it ends up somewhere in my dream life. This weekend I had a very odd work-related dream.
I was in a building on a corner of a busy urban street. The room had very large windows and I could see people constantly hurriedly walking by. It was a brisk, chilly day.
At first I didn't recognize anyone in the room however I knew they were people from work. My friend Thomas was there. He was waiting to be interviewed for a position open on my team. I don't know the other guy who was to be interviewed but I felt as if I knew him.
Then a group of people came in. Among them were Evan Williams, Jason Shellen and Biz Stone.
Time for a disclaimer: I don't know Evan, Jason or Biz, nor have I met or corresponded with them. I have only read their weblogs like countless other people. I know what they look like because they post pictures of themselves on their blogs. I make no assumptions about them nor have I any inkling about the kind of people they are.
They are taking off their coats. Evan and Biz go to talk to the group of unfamiliar faces. I walk up to Jason and stick my hand out to say hello and introduce myself. He uneasily shakes it and looks me up and down with a look of uncomfortable skepticism. I tell him I've read his blog. He avoids making eye contact, says "that's great," and blows me off to join his group.
The Blogger Team is there to interview the candidates for this position. Why? I have no idea. It is very clear I still work for "The Monster Company" and they still work for Google. I guess they are there as consultants(?). I am there to give my feedback. Noticeably absent are my superiors. I overhear someone say they know about the interview but the want to leave it to these guys to make a decision.
We all sit down at a long table. They are on one side. I am on the other with Thomas to one side of me and the other candidate on the other. The other nameless people are sitting around all of us.
Evan starts to ask Thomas and the other candidate interview type questions, but I am distracted by my thoughts and am not paying close attention to what is being asked and answered. In my mind, I know that these guys are unqualified to work on my team and I will end up picking up the slack of whomever gets the job. I am annoyed by this. I am annoyed no one asks me for or wants to hear my opinion. I ask the candidates questions, hoping to expose their inexperience. It doesn't work. Thomas is charming them. They laugh at his anecdotes and feel comfortable around him. Biz is doing Christopher Walken impressions and cracking everyone up. (Okay...I know where this one comes from. See this. I still laugh out loud when I hear it again.) Everyone throws back their heads and laugh in unison. It is all so David Lynchian.
Then everyone gets up. We are all going to have lunch. The Blogger guys are putting on their Blogger hoodies. I have one too. Suddenly everyone has their coat on, but I can't find mine. They are walking out the door and Biz tells me to catch up to them. I am looking around the room, under benches for my coat and ask a woman I know from work but have never talked to, if she has seen it. She says, "you're wearing it." I look down and see I am. I think how did that happen.
I walk out the door, onto the street heading the direction the left. I woke up before I caught up to them.
Pretty bizarre - huh? So what does it all mean? Hell if I know. Here are some random thoughts:
- Currently I feel very ineffective and unappreciated at work. I think that is pretty evident in this dream.
- The only reason I can think that Thomas is in the dream is because that day, I drove by his street on my way home. I'm not sure if his presence has any other significance.
- Why Google/Blogger? Do I wish I worked for Google? No way. I am not an engineer or a developer, nor do I want to be. I suppose because in my mind, Google's culture is the kind of company I wish I worked for. They are young and innovative. And they serve free lunches. Who wouldn't love that?
- Why Evan, Jason & Biz? Most likely I read way too many blogs.
