You may say I'm a dreamer

I had one of those bizarre nights where it felt like I didn't sleep much but I dreamt a lot... not the same dream but there was a thread running through them all. Nothing racy, mind. It was all about STUFF. One of them I was in a home helping sort belongings (cleaning/organizing???) and they said I could keep what I wanted and it seemed like I kept discovering layers and layers of cool stuff - vintage jewelry, neat purses, bright silk scarves. And even though they said I was welcome to it, I felt like I was stealing. And that just made me greedier; like I was gorging on baubles. When I woke up, I was disappointed I didn't actually have all that bling. This was followed up by a shoplifting dream (makeup, which I can barely bother to wear anymore but it was something about the colors...) and then there was a dream about finding a wallet that kept expanding to have more cash and treasures and I went from opening it to discover the owner and return it to stuffing my pockets furtively with the contents.

So apparently even in my dreams I'm greedy. Good to know.

I know it's a travesty for the mental health profession but I've never bothered much with dream interpretations. Most of the time I don't remember; the rest of the time I don't care. But I can recall very clearly the rush of acquiring things that were literally a steal. Weird, and vivid.

Perhaps I'm feeling deprived lately, as I haven't shopped at all. How pathetic is that? I am not deprived of a single solitary thing, yet I dream of more stuff like a starving person would food. What do people in a state of perpetual, actual want dream of? Survival? As a dream? Talk about your hierarchy of needs....

I'm trying to raise the bar to not just second-hand but necessary. Right now all I can think of is puddle boots for X. And I haven't felt motivated enough to start that quest, although a week of rain should get me in the necessary mindset.

Spring is in the air, finally. Oh no wait, that's just the scent of thawing doggie shit...

It has been nice and warm and sunny enough that we have the kids biking and we've discovered that my flamingo-proportioned 7 year old has seriously outgrown her bike. So today we stopped by the Sibley Bike Coop on University Ave in St. Paul. It's one of those places that makes you really glad you live in a city with such civic-minded, selfless people. They have hundreds of bikes, all donated, fixed up by mostly volunteer mechanics, and sold at quite reasonable "suggested donations" which in turn go to support the co-op and it's 3 or 4 dedicated staff. They even run a summer workshop for kids 11 and up to learn how to rehab a bike from top to bottom and they get to keep the bike. Check out their website:

www.sibleybikedepot.org

We scored two great bikes for the kids - both in phenomenal shape - for less than $100, total. The staff & volunteers were amazingly helpful and enthusiastic, and the shop has a great community feel to it. As we were leaving, Bob mentioned he wasn't sure why we didn't shop for my bicycle there a few years ago. I couldn't think of a single good reason, although I love my bike. At the time, buying used didn't even occur to me. Now, that's kind of embarrassing. I think this whole consciousness-raising thang is going to make me quite intolerable. Really.

Gotta watch the sanctimommy. Or I'll be having a slice of humble pie with a hemlock chaser.