(no subject)

[cblj_backup]

Since college, and without knowing why, I've had nightmares where I've had a limited amount of time in which to pack up an apartment and either get out of the one I'm in or get to the one where I'm going. The problem in the dream is that I never seem to be able to finish packing; I always keep finding more stuff. (There are variations where I just need to get out of the house and go to work but I'm unable to finish packing my work bag, I keep having to put more things into it.)

Literally, today will be about having a limited abount of time in which to pack up and get out -- we have to be completely gone by 5pm -- and we keep finding more stuff. And I'm not going to say this is as bad as the time I randomly and without warning or apparent cause had a panic attack in a Macy's, but it's inching up there. Every time I think about the packing I start breathing hard.

Ultimately it will be okay. There's two of us and there's not realistically a day's worth of packing to be done. The paintings and the few truly valuable other pieces -- things that have sentimental or high monetary value -- have been packed, so if we had to leave something behind at this point, we could. And I don't even think we will.

But I wish someone would tell my autonomic nervous system that.

Comments

[spiderine.livejournal.com]

You're carrying too much baggage, stop trying to take it all with you. I have found that the subconscious is not subtle; its metaphors are more cliche and on-the-nose than anything that would be acceptable in a good fic.

[ysabet.livejournal.com]

spiderine is right; the subconscious draws in those great big thick crayons they give really little kids. And, like a little kid, sometimes its language isn't clear-- it's just really, really LOUD and it won't shut up until it gets what it wants or you soothe it to sleep with comforting things.

[meggitymeg.livejournal.com]

You have my sympathies - in my nightmares like that, not only does stuff keep appearing, my mother is following me around unpacking my boxes and suitcases and all the while I'm trying to catch a flight back to England. At least your mum is helping you pack?

[sherylyn]

I agree that our subconscious is truly less-than-subtle. I've had (basically) two main variations of that "have to do this alllll night" dream. One is that someone comes along and tries to make me go back to re-do something from *high school* (and given that I'm working on my Ph.D., that's saying something!!), and I keep arguing all night that I've *done* this, thankyouverymuch, and I don't need to do it again!! And the other is that I suddenly have a baby to take care of, and I spend all night trying to figure out about shopping for everything he needs. And the weird thing is that it's *always* a boy baby, and I've only had girls, and I have all nieces! It's been a LONG time since I even babysat a boy! LOL!!

Whatever all that means, I'm not completely sure, but at least we all know we're not alone, I suppose ;-)

Good luck w/the packing. I'm sure it will all go just fine, and I hope your nervous system realizes that soon!!

[frenchroast.livejournal.com]

That reminds me of a dream my husband has all the time, where he has to go back to high school, but realizes on the last day that he already has his ph.d, so he walks out before graduation.

[mycatsellsclues.livejournal.com]

Sit down, Sam's nervous system.

(Sorry that's all I've got. It's what is say to mine given that it'd be doing the same thing. I had a very mild panic last night looking for something in my basement whilst realized I had to pack ALL THIS SHIT by end of July as we are moving. It's only gonna get worse. And then it will be done. Still, sit down nervous system. You aren't needed in this.)

[kaetien.livejournal.com]

I have the exact same recurring dreams, usually where I'm having to pack everything in my college dorm room to move home and I've procrastinated so hard that I'm trying to do it all in about an hour. I have this dream probably because this is very close to what actually happened at the end of my second year of college. I don't read too much into it, other than my tendency to leave things to the last minute.

You said it - ultimately it will be okay. An excellent mantra for beating into your nervous system.