Bizarre dreams, sleep deprivation, and #writemotivation

I’ve not slept well the past week or so, partly as a combination of crazy weird dreams, and Daylight Savings Time. 

What bits I remember of my dreams are so bizarre that I don’t want to remember more. They’re not scary, just… weird. And I’m getting tired of them, because I don’t really rest when I’m trying to figure out WTF is going on in my sleep.

And THEN, of course, we had Daylight Savings Time start yesterday.

I want to know what genius thought changing the clock would give farmers ‘longer days’. (Or at least that’s what I’ve been told is the reason for DST. Correct me if I’m wrong.)

Because there’s one thing I’ve learned as an urban farmer: when you have animals and plants, it doesn’t matter when the sun rises, you rise with it. It don’t matter what the clock say. At all.

And really, all DST does is delay bedtime. It’s dumb.

writemotivation_header1-36217_186x186

So, goals:

  1. Finish Ferret A-Z posts.
    Have not worked on this at all yet. So, still only 2/5 complete.
  2. Write all personal A-Z posts.
    A-F complete! Need to work more on these…
  3. Work on Catalyst revisions a minimum of 6 hours per week.
    I… only worked on Catalyst for 2.5 hours last week, and most of that was in a single day. In my defense, we had a winter storm move in last weekend, and I spent a day or so getting ready for it because half-naked chickens are more vulnerable to frostbite.
    But it really doesn’t excuse me *sigh*.
  4. Work on turning in article for THE AWESOME OPPORTUNITY. If THE AWESOME OPPORTUNITY works out, write two more articles.
    Still waiting to hear back. Have send a gentle nudge via email.
  5. Filing cabinet. Seriously.
    Still pretending it doesn’t exist.
  6. Read.
    I’m… doing well on this one! 😀 This week, I have read:
    15 pages of Seraphina (Rachel Hartman) (this one is a re-read)
    56 pages of The Way of Kings (Brandon Sanderson)
    338 pages of Days of Blood & Starlight (Laini Taylor)

And I’m so ready for a nap…

Recent Comments

  • Eris O'Reilly
    March 10, 2014 - 3:31 pm · Reply

    I’m curious… Are you dreaming at all? You said your crazy dreams were keeping you up, then you mention that you could only remember bits and pieces of them. I’m only asking because I know that in order to dream, you need to reach REM state or below–which is also indicative of you getting the good rest you need. A lot of people who have insomnia or aren’t getting enough sleep complain that they don’t dream at all–a sign that they aren’t getting to that REM state (or lower).

    Like I said, just curious. Also, does your body hurt when you get up? Because I just learned that sometimes a bad mattress will totally screw up your sleep cycle.

    • Rebekah Loper
      March 10, 2014 - 3:38 pm · Reply

      The mattress needs flipping at the very least (there’s no way replacing it is in the budget right now), but I have to get Brandon’s help with that, and he’s not very enthusiastic about that chore, lol. I can’t say I blame him.

      I am definitely dreaming. I’m getting *some* sleep – just not enough of it. I bought some Valerian for Brandon the other week because he wasn’t able to fall asleep, I may just need to take some and see if it helps me to sleep.

  • Sabrina A. Fish
    March 10, 2014 - 6:18 pm · Reply

    My subconscious is a snitch. I talk in my sleep and have crazy dreams when I don’t write often enough. The hub says he always knows when the rest of my busy life gets in my way because he wakes up on those nights with me babbling in his ear. LOL! I think your subconscious is telling on you like mine does me. So get more writing in, lady!

    • Rebekah Loper
      March 10, 2014 - 8:55 pm · Reply

      Hahaha, maybe writing more will help! I’ve often thought I should take up dream journaling, also. I just lack the motivation to actually do it. Sometimes other writing is hard enough…

  • Laura Weymouth
    March 10, 2014 - 8:03 pm · Reply

    I have to say, when you have a small child who can’t tell time, springing ahead is far preferable to falling back! Sooo much better to have her sleeping an hour later as opposed to waking an hour early 😛

  • Maria Zannini
    March 10, 2014 - 8:46 pm · Reply

    I live in bizarro-land when it comes to weird dreams. I understand how it can disrupt your sleep too. Sometimes I have to take a sleeping pill just to force my brain to take a break. I’m sure I still dream that crazy stuff, but the sleeping pill keeps me asleep. Once I break the pattern, I’m back to normal again.

    –unless someone is about to die. Then I keep having weird dreams until that person or pet dies. Very stressful.

    • Rebekah Loper
      March 10, 2014 - 8:58 pm · Reply

      I think I’m going to try some Valerian tonight, and see if it helps me.

      I hardly rested at all right before Tabby died. When I did sleep, the dreams were tormented, and that was IF I slept. I usually kept waking up in the night terrified that he wasn’t breathing anymore. And then I would just wake up at night and realize he really WAS gone. Fortunately, that’s been easing up, but I think my brain has forgotten how to actually sleep.

  • Michelle
    March 10, 2014 - 11:08 pm · Reply

    *hugs* That sucks about the dreams. For some reason, it always feels like I sleep worse when they’re really vivid. And good job on your goals. You’re doing great! 🙂

  • gapark
    March 11, 2014 - 11:17 am · Reply

    Rub some Lavender essential oil on the bottom of your feet before bed…my daughter’s dog was keeping her up all night and they just got a cheap lavender scented plug in from Walmart and the dog slept all night!
    You sure have a lot of irons in the fire! I don’t think I could keep up with so many blogging challenges…Gail at Making Life An Art

    • Rebekah Loper
      March 13, 2014 - 8:39 am · Reply

      Haha, well like I said, farmer’s sleep schedules follow the sunrise/sunset, it really doesn’t matter what the clock says. So there’s no reason for this madness. >_<

  • Lissa Clouser
    March 15, 2014 - 7:55 am · Reply

    You, dear, very much deserve naps. Lots of them. And for the Universe to give you a break already. (I thought all of us Ferrets had very stern words with the Universe at the end of last year? It seems it didn’t listen.)

    I can only tell you that we’re here for you no matter WHAT the Universe throws your way and that hopefully things will, very soon, start allowing you to catch up, or heck, even break even without eating up your rest and sanity. Allllllll the hugs coming your way.

  • LadyJai
    March 17, 2014 - 10:02 am · Reply

    I wonder if that’s contagious? I’ve had really weird dreams too. Also, if I wake up in the middle of the night, I can’t go back to sleep. This is not working so well for the day job! LOL Hubs has been having sleeping issues as well. He’s waking up every 20 mins which doesn’t allow him to go into REM, which is really bad. He’s had a migraine since the 4th and finally he gave up his stubbornness and let me take him to the ER last night. His migraine lessened and he was able to sleep and DREAM!

    Progress is still progress. Here’s hoping you hear something from your secret project! Ugh! Not hearing anything is really a huge GRRRRRRRRRRRR

What do you think?

About Rebekah

Rebekah Loper writes character-driven epic fantasy featuring resilient women in trying and impossible circumstances who just want to save themselves but usually end up saving the world, often while falling in love.
She lives in Tulsa, OK with her husband, dog, two formerly feral cats, a small flock of feathered dragons (...chickens. They're chickens), and an extensive tea collection. When she's not writing, she battles the Oklahoma elements in an effort to create a productive, permaculture urban homestead.