catching a serial killer

I am in the middle of an ice skating rink during Christmas time. There's a big tree on the side and festive lights surrounding me. There is a guy dressed up as Santa Claus. He is the serial killer I am looking for. The cops have hired me to use as bait for the serial killer.

I approach him and we talk for a little bit. He starts getting suspicious and starts to skate away from me. As I try to skate after him, the crowd engulfs him and for a split second I no longer know where he is. I turn around and he's next to me in a different outfit. We hold each others' hands and skate in a circle. He's trying to pull me away from the crowd but I keep him in the middle. We're turning in circles but staying in the same spot. He's talking to me in a very charming manner. I definitely know this is him.

The serial killer and I are standing still. Coming behind him, I see my sister, who's also a part of the undercover piece, and behind her are a bunch of uniformed cops. My sister finally comes up beside him and he knows what's happening. I turn him around and my sister and I start to cuff him. He struggles and tries to fight us off but the other cops are approaching.

And then... I wake up.

no syllabus

I'm teaching my first class. I walk into one of those classrooms that are in trailers. This is where my class is going to be. I can't believe it. I feel excited but also really nervous.

I walk in and I see desks set up but if you walk deeper into the trailer, there's a small opening, enough to fit one person at a time, and that leads to another classroom within the same trailer. This one is all decorated already, someone has already claimed this side of the trailer. I go back towards the front of the trailer and start setting up.

The director of my program comes in, along with 2-3 other professors, who will be sitting in to see how my first class goes. I write my full name on the board and decide to add "Professor" in front of it. A couple of my friends come in and some of the 2nd year PhD students are with them. They sit in the back and to the side. Some are here to support me, others are here because it's required for them to watch a 1st year teach his/her first class.

I realize I have absolutely no syllabus. It's the first day of class and I forgot to create a syllabi. My professors don't want me to dive in to the material, they want to see how I deal with going over the syllabus, but I have none! I panic but don't show it. My students begin walking in and choosing their desks. I'm sweating and have no idea what I'm going to do. I have nothing to pass out. It's too late to go and make copies. My professors are watching me. It's already time to start so I begin by introducing myself.

The AC is on really loud inside the trailer so students in the back tell me they can't hear me. The director of my program speaks up and says to move to the other part of the trailer (that I had described earlier). As we all head there, the director pulls me aside and says, "Next time, try to be more prepared, you're wasting a lot of time right now", I respond with a "Yes, sir" and quickly walk to the front of the room.

I still have no idea what I'm going to do about the syllabus. I start walking around the class speaking about my background. I'm starting this motivational talk, trying to buy some time for myself. I keep walking around talking and sit down next to my friends to seem approachable to students.

And then... I wake up.

racial profiling at Disneyland

4 friends and I are walking around Disneyland trying to decide which ride we want to go on. We had just gotten this Groupon for Disneyland it was basically free for us to go so we were all excited.

We head towards a ride and we see a line. As we make our way to the back of the line, this security guy comes out of nowhere and asks us for our ID's. We couldn't believe it. He hadn't asked anyone else for their ID's but when he saw 5 minorities walking around, he decided that we must be breaking the rules. We were so shocked. We kind of laughed but you could tell we were all angry. Everyone else in the line was staring at us.

We hand him our ID's and he accuses me of having stolen someone else's ID who is currently in jail. He is basically saying that he accused that person of having a fake ID when in fact, I had stolen that girl's ID. I laugh hysterically and cannot believe he's telling me this. I yell at him that this IS me in the ID but he doesn't listen.

He lets us all get back in line while everyone else whispers and stares at us.

And then... I wake up.

grandpa

I am in a neighborhood with lots of houses and winding streets. I think I just got off my bike or out of my car. I see my paternal grandfather [who passed away more than 5-7 years ago]. He looks great, he's in great shape and is walking around the neighborhood.

Somehow, I know that he has Alzheimer's and hasn't been able to recognize him. As I'm staring at him, he walks towards me but is looking down at his feet. As he slowly approaches me, he starts to look up, smiling at me as if I'm just a passing stranger. But then, something lights up in his eyes and he starts smiling. He recognizes me! My heart jumps and I get so excited. I run to him and jump on him giving him the biggest hug I've ever given him. He laughs and I start crying. I ask him, "You remember me, don't you Grandpa??!!", and he replies, "Yes, I do."

And without saying it, I know that we both realize this is just a short moment that's going to pass. In a couple of minutes, he's not going to remember who I am.

And then... I wake up.

inconsistent clocks

I wake up [in my dream] and I look at the clock beside my bed, it says 9:55am. I completely missed my Stats class! Even if I do go there now, I'll only catch the last 5 minutes by the time I get ready and run there. I'm panicking, I can't believe I missed class. I check my other watch, it says 8:05am. Wait, maybe I'm not as late as I thought I was.

I look outside my window and it's bright outside. It has to be late afternoon already. I check my computer which is already turned on. It says it's around 3pm. All my clocks are wrong! It says 08.08.08 across my computer. I think to myself that the date is 08/08/08 is what's throwing off all the clocks.

I check my ipod but that also says a different time. I call my friends up but no one is telling me what time it is. I ask them but they keep talking about something else.

I look outside my window again and there's a parade going on. I'm suddenly walking against the parade and trying to get to school.

And then... I wake up.

reunited

I am in this open field and I run into my old friends from UCI. I hug them and we begin catching up. They've brought posters with them that say "Happy birthday, Lyds" and are planning on giving it to me after everyone signs them. I turn around and my residents are all on the field, waiting to sign the poster.

I tell them they don't have to. I feel weird watching them sign my birthday posters as if I brought them and made my own friends sign them. My high school volleyball coach is there and he tells everyone to get seated because he has something to say.

I see my old high school friends that I played volleyball with. They apparently just lost the championship game and Coach wants to talk to them about it. I sit in the back. He starts yelling at what a horrible job they did during the last game. My friend sits down next to me and leans on me. I play with her hair and ask her how she's been doing. We're whispering but stop when Coach looks at us. I ask her how many games they lost by and she says 3. 

And then... I wake up.