rshort1202

I’m driving somewhere and notice that the horizon behind the hills has an ugly yellow tint of wildfire smoke. The look of it is unmistakable and instantly saddens and angers me. I sigh my discontent. Now, I’m walking with Melissa and Stella in what looks like these hills. We round a corner going uphill and some flames come into view. They are burning tall and intense yet confined to roughly a 20 foot diameter. We continue walking on the trail. (I had seen an ambulance? - which maybe I assumed was a fire truck - while driving earlier, otherwise I’d be calling 911. Come to think of it, it was headed in the wrong direction). As we get a little uphill of the flames I consider throwing some sand onto it or rolling some rocks over it. I then think the rolling rocks may only spread the fire and that it looks to be surrounded by sand anyway. We now seem to be at the top of this hill. There’s a man with a dog on the trail a little ahead; Melissa starts running after him, calling “sir!” I’m confused, but it’s because she watched him not clean up after his dog. She catches up and tells him this. He looks annoyed, maybe because it’s outside - though it is right on the trail - but goes to pick it up. It looks tiny through the bag. This path leads into a stairwell built into the hillside. There’s a little landing before, on which the dogs meet and don’t really do much with each other.
(I’m not sure if this is part of the last dream or not). I’m in some two story house with Melissa. Stella is on the second floor and we can hear her barking at something. It sounds and feels like she’s directly above us.

I am with Melissa in some building. I can’t tell if it seems more like a casino or a huge apartment building. I think we’re trying to go up a floor or two and end up taking a staircase that actually takes us lower. At some point, the staircase opens to an area with half a dozen or more staircases. It seems they’re leading in all different directions. We end up on what must be the ground level and then outside on a sidewalk. I was briefly thinking about what it was like for the architect to design all those staircases in that one space.

For my birthday? Mom has arranged for me to climb Half Dome. I know it’s been a long time since I’ve climbed, but I think I’m excited. I am looking at the wall now (I’m not sure it’s actually Half Dome) and it’s incredibly tall and somewhat slabby. There’s something about some bolts at the top and me considering top roping it but not being sure if the rope is long enough.



I am in some building with Luke and Danielle from work. I think it’s an apartment building that both or one of them lives in. Walking through it, it is vast, but none of the space seems like living space so far. There is a succession of common rooms that have art on the walls and some others viewing it. Now I am walking through a hallway that seems upstairs and like it has the living spaces. I complete a lap around the place, back at the main room. There’s a fair amount of people here; I think there’s some event happening.

I am outside with some others. We are following a middle aged British lady to a house that must be hers. We nonchalantly ascend an impossibly steep staircase as she tells us about the house. I make a comment about the architecture, in admiration of it. I also tough the black façade (it’s steeply inclined, almost 90 degrees) and rock on my heels to put weight on whatever I’m standing on, finding it to feel hollow and not altogether sturdy seeming. We are inside the large house now. I think the others are some of my coworkers and we’re staying in a room with one of the residents. Mine is a girl, maybe in her teens. This room is large, upstairs, and completely baroque. The color scheme seems to be greys and dark wood, but every surface is ornamental, sculpted, or decorated. There is a shelf along the entirety of the far wall that is set with china as if for a meal. I find it odd at first but then come to like the idea. The bed is in the center of the room and impeccably made. The feeling is somewhat sterile, but maybe more so refined and elegant. I see Eric in the room across the hallway. I go over and close either his door or the door to this room, hoping he doesn’t find it suspicious. I say something that the girl takes sexually?, which puts me off because this is not at all how I meant it.

I am outside somewhere that seems pretty far from home, but still in the states. The sky is bright blue, streaked by billowy clouds that are moving at an almost impossible, time lapse speed. There is dense, dark green vegetation around and it seems humid out; this makes me think I may be on the east coast. As I walk, a large building comes into view. It looks like a classical style, whether replicated or actually antique I can’t tell. There are two facades, the left one set at about a 20 degree angle from the main one. From the main facade cascades two long, straight staircases parallel with each other. Between them lies a fountain. I start up the stairs, passing a family coming down. I get the impression that this is a tourist site. I also get the impression of an octopus, I think because of how the stairs spill out of the main level? The stairs lead to a sort of open landing. On the ceiling I notice two different tracks of what almost look like fake icicles? running to the back of the room from the center line of each staircase. Though this main room is open to the outside, it is very dim. There are more people in here. There’s also some kind of museum-like display. I look at it, noticing the photographs and placards of text. There’s a wing off to the right that I think was the set of a movie. I want to go explore it, but the lights are all off and not coming on and it’s kind of creepy. It looks like a nice house up here. I now leave and take a few pictures of the building. I think I’m somewhat self conscious of being alone and/or taking pictures.

I am looking at a house for rent with Melissa. It looks like it is in the South Meadows area. It looks nice and fairly inconspicuous from the street, but when we get inside I am really impressed. There are nice wood floors and two levels. The stairs end in a little landing that overlooks the first floor. I open the back doors, stepping onto a patio that is unenclosed and almost flush with the surrounding marshland. The sun is setting, filling the clouds with a cotton candy pink that contrasts beautifully with the winter blue of the sky. This coupled with the reflections in the water creates a beautiful, peaceful scene that I feel immersed in. Back inside, I express to Melissa how much I like this place. I was thinking the rent was $1,800, but when we step out front I see a paper taped to a window that says $3,800. I tell Melissa, but I think she already knew. Kris now appears and says something about a family just moving in or out - out, I think. We then follow her into her house which is right over here. The inside seems fairly simple, yet homey.

I am alone and walking up the stairs into a house or apartment near the river. The staircase is wide and tall, bending once at a 90 degree angle. The interior seems to be a tint of pink and looks fairly but not completely modern. In this large, open room there is an almost floor-to-ceiling window with a view of the river. Now, Mairin walks in. At first she doesn’t pay any attention to me, but then she ends up saying hi. A fairly large group now comes in, and I think they must be her family. I stand here and talk to her for a bit. I think either this is her place or she’s staying here.




I am wading in the river in a section that seems to be downtown. I near the other bank and see a woman approaching that seems to be homeless. I’m not sure if she is benevolent or not, but I turn around anyway. Wading back to the other side, all I can notice is that the river is full of dirty, shitty clothes and other debris. At one point it is all that surrounds me, and I become hyper aware and acutely panicky. I get a profound urge to move out of this city.




I think I’m at Dad’s house. I need to go somewhere, but it is snowing very hard. My car is either parked in the driveway or off to the side, and it’s almost completely covered in snow.

I am sitting alone on some flight of large stone steps that lead down to a body of water. I’ve brought some food so I can sit down and eat it. I’m not sure if I’ve come down here to be alone or to possibly talk to some others. I think there are some others down here.

It is dark outside and I am downtown. I am entering one of the casinos along with some others coming off the street, with a sense of mild fervor. There is some type of show starting, and I think I’m meeting Mom (and possibly also Makayla) here, inside. Everyone is climbing stairs, dispersing at random intervals. I’m not entirely sure how high to go, so I keep going. I catch glimpse of the seating, auditorium-like, dim. The theater is much taller than it is wide or long, the seating seemingly defying logical proportions. The stage seems to be at least 50+ feet above the floor. I am now just above level with the stage and walk out into the seating. It is like a platform of what could be tan marble with raised (hexagonal?) sections that nicely dressed people are sitting on. I notice one couple in particular - darker skin that suggests an Asian ethnicity as well as darker hues - I’m pretty sure the girl is wearing a longer dress. It is sleek like her longer, dark hair. I continue out to the edge of this platform and take a seat at a corner edge so that my legs can dangle off the edge. Sitting here and looking down through the vast empty space below and around while some show is about to start gives me a sort of ethereal exuberant feeling.


I am outside, at a sport climbing granite wall that seems familiar. I’m with Dad and 1-2 other guys my age. I think they’ve been climbing, and now I’m going to go last. It seems that there are already too ropes set up here or something, and I comment on how you used to have to set up a top rope yourself if you wanted one. I start climbing, and I’ve been out of it for so long that this easier route becomes fatiguing for me. I do end up making it to the top though. I call down to take the slack and lower, which the belayer does right away. He then starts lowering me very quickly. I feel the sick jolt in my stomach and brace myself, but then relax and accept and enjoy the feeling. In a few moments I am back on the ground.

I am outside somewhere - the slight incline, soil composition, array of granite stones, and surrounding pines suggest Lake Tahoe. I follow a trail down a moderately steep hill. It is not long at all before I reach the bottom and the sandy beach. The best beach spots are some yards away to my left and right. They both are filled with people. I’m looking for a space to pee, but this seems too close to the people, so I start back up. I’m now inside, walking up an enclosed stairway. It is carpeted in a maroon or similar color. I think the walls are wooden, making the place seem older. I still need to use a bathroom and, as I’m coming up another flight, I see one built into the wall right off the staircase. I step in and it’s very small, with just enough room for a toilet and sink. I think I use it and then continue on my way. The stairs end at the entrance to a fairly large room. The room is dim and home to a large, square, wooden dining table that takes up a fair amount of it’s space. Melissa’s family is seated around it, seemingly most of the way through a meal, as I join them. Melissa is across the table from me, but her mom is at the corner right next to me. I notice a few assorted, empty/near empty wine bottles. I also notice everyone, including myself, has a glass with about ¾ of an inch of red wine in it. I wonder why they’re all filled similarly.