blue artichoke

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real that your brain treated it like a memory, as if it really happened?

My dream about becoming best friends with Tim Sylvia was so realistic that when I did see him shortly after waking from the dream, I approached him as if we had actually met before and become friends. Only after I grabbed his hand did I realize that this man was really a stranger, so perhaps I should unhand him. That was weird and awkward, but that wasn't the end of it. Part of the dream was trying to figure out which door I should use to bring him into my gym for my Muay Thai class. When I went to my Muay Thai class this week, I had such a sense of deja vu as I walked into the gym and had a little freak-out moment as I thought, "Oh, crap. I should have brought Tim through the side door." I had to remind myself that that was only a dream, that Tim Sylvia wasn't actually with me at the gym. Again, weird. The dream has invaded my memory.

Reading the Kosher Gentile's recounting of our trip to Vegas makes it even more apparent how faulty my memory is. His account makes more sense than mine. I "remembered" planning to stay longer in Vegas, but being disappointed and deciding to leave earlier than planned. On my subsequent trips to Vegas, I've wondered how on earth I was disappointed on the first trip. I'm not much of a gambler, true, and we were watching our money so weren't tempted by any shows, but there is still plenty to do and see in Vegas without spending a lot of money (really!). I've loved Vegas on my recent trips. His story makes more sense, so why did I remember it incorrectly?

I've known that I have a bad memory, but I thought my problem was just not remembering some things. I didn't think it was remembering things incorrectly. I think I've got my new research topic now: how memory works and, more importantly, how to improve mine. If anyone happens to know a good starting point or can recommend some good books, do tell.

Getting to Know All About You: Have you had realistic dreams that you couldn't shake, premonitory dreams or recurring dreams?