National Blah Blah Blah Day

[Davey Do]

I don't understand it . When I was working at Wrongway Regional Medical Center with all its stress, plus the normal life stressors, I typically had good dreams.

Now that I've been retired a year, and my stress level is down near zero , I have bad dreams. Not nightmares- just uncomfortable dreams, like not getting something done or TCB, and having to deal with the consequences. 

Last night's dream included the scenario of finding an old man in a cornfield who had been neglected and was in need of hygienic and medical care. I called 911, gave a report, and did what I could until EMS and the PD arrived, but it was a very uncomfortable dream.

National Blah Blah Blah Day is "an impulse to do get the things done which people have been nagging you to do". My dreams are nagging me to do something and I'm not sure what that something is.

[DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN]

Is this possibly the result of a lifetime's frustration of nursing manifesting itself? All those times we want to give more but we can't because we're short staffed, lacking resources, underfunded, absolutely wrecked as we approach the end of a hectic 12 hour shift, 3rd day on? Are your dreams telling you that sometimes you wanted to go that extra mile but somehow couldn't through no fault of your own?

I stress I am no dream analyst, just guessing!

  

[Kitiger, RN]

Is your dream telling you that you need to be doing some type of nursing now, as opposed to being retired? Maybe a part-time volunteering gig?

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

Perhaps this is a reflection of streaming overload disorder (SOD). That’s when, after a year+ of streaming on-demand TV you’ve seen all the good stuff and now all there is left are the dramas and series you didn’t want to see in the first place. Compounding factor: nothing new under the sun on AN, either. And yet ... there they all are on your (dream) screen.
SOD it all, what you need is something everything-old-is-new-again and fresh. 
Recommendation: something completely different. Yes, old Python sketches should give your brain some new incongruities to play with. Rocky and Bullwinkle. Or the old quirky Twilight Zones (the newer ones suck, IMHO). Avoid Black Mirror, which is awesome in its own right but often downright disturbing. Have some fun c it. 

[Davey Do]

2 hours ago, DavidFR said:

I stress I am no dream analyst, just guessing!  

Nonetheless, an interesting interpretation, DavidFR!

However, somehow it doesn't feel correct. A common denominator in my dreams is something is left undone or has not been attended to, as in the case of the old man in the cornfield. I've had dreams where I didn't complete something in the nursing program, or even in HIGH SCHOOL and had to go back and take a class or a test.

When I was working as a nurse, I was generally satisfied with my performance and what I could do. I had great dreams- entertaining and/or funny- to the point that I looked forward to where my dreams would take me.

Now my dreams are rather mundane or passively negative.

Maybe it's a balance thing: A relatively difficult reality = good dreams and a really happy reality = bad dreams.

Thanks for your post, DavidFR- it gave me some food for thought.

 

[Davey Do]

31 minutes ago, Kitiger said:

Is your dream telling you that you need to be doing some type of nursing now, as opposed to being retired? Maybe a part-time volunteering gig?

Oh Jeez no, thanks Kitiger.

I'd rather deal with negative dreams than go back to working as a nurse. Really, going back to any kind of work disagrees with me.

And it's not that I didn't like being a nurse, wasn't a good one, or that I'm lazy. I loved being a nurse when I had to work, and I was a pretty darn good one.

As far as actual work, I've done more manual labor around my place in the past month than I have been able to in the past, in an entire fair-weather season. I could bore you to tears with all the projects I've started, have completed, in the process of completing, and have planned.

I never feel bored or in need of putting my energies elsewhere.

Thank you for your consideration, Kitiger!

[Davey Do]

1 hour ago, Hannahbanana said:

SOD it all, what you need is something new and fresh. 

With all due love, which isn't carnal, and respect, which is in the process of being obtained, I don't think that is it, HB.

1 hour ago, Davey Do said:

I could bore you to tears with all the projects I've started, have completed, in the process of completing, and have planned.

I work outside on my property, landscaping, gardening, and on outdoor art which encompasses recycled wood, plastic, metal, paint, and anything else I can find for about 8-10 hours every day.

For example: Just yesterday I completed and seeded a rock garden with a windmill made out of old metal shelving, a garage door hinge, a chair roller, long threaded bolt, old metal dust pan, old lawnmower wheel, and some license plates.

EVERYDAY is new and fresh with me and my projects. Even though  it's raining today, I've started painting two metal signs in my garage, and tomorrow I expect to receive a kit to motorize my single speed bicycle.

Sorry, HB. But hey- thanks for playing!

 

[Davey Do]

25 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

Just yesterday I completed and seeded a rock garden with a windmill made out of old metal shelving, a garage door hinge, a chair roller, long threaded bolt, old metal dust pan, old lawnmower wheel, and some license plates.

[Davey Do]

5 hours ago, Davey Do said:

National Blah Blah Blah Day is "an impulse to do get the things done which people have been nagging you to do". My dreams are nagging me to do something and I'm not sure what that something is.

I'm requesting others opinions, including @TriciaJ, @Hoosier_RN, @Emergent, @JKL33, @amoLucia, @Curious1997, @CalicoKitty, @SmilingBluEyes, @VivaLasViejas,and anyone else interested in interpreting my National Blah Blah Blah Day uncomfortable dream.

[Davey Do]

1 hour ago, Hannahbanana said:

 Compounding factor: nothing new under the sun on AN, either. 

Oh yeah! I forgot @SilverBells!

[TriciaJ, RN]

Well, Davey, I dearly love for my opinion to be requested.  I think you're the neglected man in the cornfield.  According to the great Fritz Perls, all the people in our dreams represent some aspect of ourselves.   I know you're not sick or even hygienically-challenged.

Are you up-to-date on medical and dental checkups or did things get put off due to covid, etc.?  You are probably just fine but after a certain age it's helpful to get things checked out just for peace of mind.  Your dream does not signify peace of mind.  Do you have any nagging symptoms that you need to put to rest?

Interesting about the cornfield.  (Yes, there's the whole Field of Dreams thing.  Any old dormant dreams trying to manifest?)  Also, corn fields are used to make corn mazes.  Are you navigating a maze of some sort?  Are your social needs being met?

Having worked psych, you were in daily contact with different people who appealed to your sense of humour in different ways:  witty coworkers, off-the-wall patients, etc.  Who is providing for that need, now?

You describe a lot of activities that keep you busy.  But I don't think they're satisfying the whole person.  Even if you're not a joiner, you need to find something to join.  Even something completely unstructured, like an old geezer coffee klatch at the local greasy spoon.

I think navigating retirement is something like a maze.  I'm three years in and still navigating.

[guest1163268]

You could start with doing something about the grass? 

I think the dream is about the coming apocalypse and the part you will play when you go to Cincinnati and sit in a rocking chair in a corn field waiting for the people to come to you, so you can lead them to Colorado to confront those fake entertainers in Vegas and then you will open up a show called Tiger King ?????!