wet suits and climbing gear

I forgot. I forgot that I needed all that stuff for August. I had remembered some of the stuff, but--

In my dream, I was both attending a semi-meeting about an upcoming trip I was going to take. It wasn't quite clear what type of trip it was, but it was clear that it was not purely for pleasure. Some rescue mission? It didn't feel quite like a church missions trip, which I've been on before. But let's get back to the dream.

As I remembered what I had to take, I was no longer in the meeting, but I could see myself, along with a large group of people, actually performing the tasks that would be required of us. I needed a wet suit and water shoes, because we would be rafting (boating? my memory isn't quite clear) down a deep gorge--beautiful, but deep, with fast, white water. This was the part I had forgotten--that going down this river was the only passage to get to where we were going. Since I'd have to carry everything with me, I'd also need a lightweight, waterproof backpack. The part I had vaguely remembered was the climbing.

When we got to our destination in the river--a section in the gorge where the cliff faces were unbelievably steep--we would bank our rafts (canoes?) and get out our climbing equipment. In waking, I can't remember what I needed to prepare for climbing this cliff, but in the dream, it was the one thing that I did have. In order to get to our destination, we would have to climb this cliff face. I could see myself preparing to climb it, see others of our group (which, for some reason, had grown smaller) already climbing or milling around on the bottom with me. As my mind returned to the meeting at hand, I thought, "Well, at least I've been working out. But my shoulders and arms may need a lot more work before I can climb that cliff."

In a different scene, my mom (who, in waking, I realize looks nothing like my real mom) takes me shopping to prepare for the trip. She is complaining the entire time that she doesn't understand why I like to read so much. The only reason she agreed to get me the four books we are purchasing is that I am out of things to read. I plan on taking these on my trip, but worry a little that they might be too heavy to take rafting and climbing.

I've had this dream before, all but the last scene. It's a beautiful, exhilirating dream to have. The scenery at the place where I'm heading is gorgeous--like the rain forests in Trinidad & Tobago, but a little less green. That makes sense, since all I am looking at are a raging river and cliff faces.

I actually think some dreams have meaning, while others are just--dreams. I'm sure someone else would probably think it meant that the task I'm facing--getting my portfolio done by noon on Monday (which means I have to have it done on Sunday so I can work out Monday morning)--is an insurmountable task. But I don't think it has anything to do with that, because this didn't seem impossible or incredibly taxing in my dream. It was something I was excited about, looking forward to, and certain I could do. I don't really think it meant a thing, but it was such a cool dream that I just wanted to share it.

P.S. The meeting with my advisor went well yesterday. I didn't have a full draft for him, but he loved my ideas for the short paper. He only wants two pages by tomorrow; I am going to try to finish an entire draft today. I don't see any other time I could do it unless I spend all day Saturday freaking out on it. Therefore, I cancelled my office hours and am not planning on attending the class I'm taking. That way all I'll have to do is teach from 2:00 - 5:00 and will be able to get a lot done. Alright. Guess it's time to start my day.