This Is My Life

I don't dream about zombies as often as you'd think. I especially don't dream about zombie situations that feel realistic, that wake me up in the night, heart beating hard against my chest, sweat lightly beading on my forehead. Most times the dream is just that, a dream, where as every now and then it's too real, too gritty, nightmarish.

Last night I had one of the worst I've ever had. I remember it clearly, know how it started, how it ended, the feelings it elicited, and even the music playing in the background.

Yes, sometimes my dreams have soundtracks to them.

I wish I knew the first thing about writing a screenplay. This dream is so strong in my mind that I think I could write a rather terrifying movie out of it. By "terrifying" I don't mean the Hollywood version that includes buckets of gore, but instead the kind of movie that you watch and feel fine about afterward. You leave the theater thinking it was a good movie. You get out of your car and start walking to your front door when your brain clicks on. Did you just see movement out of the corner of your eye? Maybe your breathing starts to get a little heavier as the adrenaline kicks in. Is there a zombie around the corner? HOW WILL YOU SURVIVE!?

Oh, it was wind in the tree. Heh. Silly brain.

Seriously, I want to write this movie. Wish I had the talent and know-how.

I watch Top Chef every season. It's one of very few reality shows that I like and watch. Basically, a bunch of contestants have to cook lots of food in different and exciting ways in order to get on to the next round. Sometimes they work in teams, and sometimes individually.

Last night, I had a dream that Tom Colicchio (he's one of the judges) came over to my parent's house with Stephanie from this season. They ate dinner that my mom cooked, and Tom turned to me.

"Do you want to be a Top Chef?"

Well, of course I did, so I asked him what I had to do.

"You have to go head-to-head with Stephanie, and make me another course, using whatever you can get your hands on. You have a half hour. Go!"

As I rushed frantically around my parent's house to find something to serve Tom, Stephanie and her sous chef Dale (also a contestant from this season) went to the store to buy some stuff. I didn't have money, or time, and so I had to go with what I had in the house.

All I really remember from that point forward is rushing around the house muttering "I can't believe I'm making Tom Collicio Jello Pudding. Dear God, what am I doing?" It didn't help that the instructions on the pudding box, instead of telling me how much milk to add to the powder, told me how many tablespoons of xanthan gum to mix in.

And then I added grapes to the vanilla pudding.

What the hell?