Dream - Computer running during power outage

I would appreciate some ideas on the possible meaning of this dream.

Background: I'm a 26-year-old male college student. Lately I've been struggling with a few things, including the recent loss of my job and doubts about whether I can finish school.

Dream: I wake up in the middle of the night and head to the bathroom. I flip the light switch, but it doesn't work. Though it's dark, I can see in the mirror that my face is painted completely black -- a startling revelation. I then go around the house flipping light switches, but none of them work, so I assume there's been a power outage. However, I notice that the computer is still running.

Do you spend a lot of time on your computer? The running computer may represent something constant in your life. All the light switches not working may represent a feeling of being lost when it comes to your job and school - while the running computer reveals that at least some things in your life are still right and running smoothly. Your face being painted black may be a signal that you are starting to go "black", or having negative feelings toward everything that is happening in your life. With everything black except your ever-running computer, maybe a part of your subconsicous is trying to tell you that even though things seem dim right now, everything will be fine, and to concentrate on the parts of your life that are right, not only the ones that seem wrong.

Only a guess, since you are the best person to interpret your own dreams.

Actually, it's very common to have electronics function in an out of the ordinary manner. Light-switches usually don't work (though they sometimes do), and mirrors usually show something other than your true image. There's a great scene in the movie "Waking Life" (a staple movie here at DV) that kind of illustrates that idea.

To me, dreams are like a "broken mirror" image of our reality. We see enough clearly so that the dream appears to be coherent, but there are bits and pieces that are missing and/or borrowed from other parts of our lives. It's like a mixing bowl where all the pieces are mixed up, but it's only been lightly stirred... okay, dumb analogy, but still.

If you ever see another light-switch in your dream, or even in real life, flick it on and off to see if it works. It's an easy way to become lucid.

-Amé

Unable to turn on the lights: unable to see what is going on.
Face painted black: negative image of how others see you.
The pc still running could represent anything, perhaps this website!
Walking around room to room: self examination