Attitude, Gratitude and Crazy, Crazy Dreams

/ Tuesday 19 January 2010 /
I think I have to stop drinking coffee in the afternoon.  I used to think that caffeine didn't bother me.  I would blithely drink a cup for a treat instead of dessert, and then go off to bed and fall asleep quickly.  Caffeine never kept me from falling asleep.  But staying asleep was a different story.  I would have crazy anxiety dreams where I would obsess over things like the house developing dry rot or about how I was going to pay for my daughter's university tuition or what exactly was that mole on my neck.  I would wake up many times during the night, worn out, and say to myself, enough is enough!  Go to sleep already!  Finally I realized that I was being affected by the caffeine, and I stopped drinking coffee after 6pm.  But a late afternoon cup of java is a real necessity for me, so I always have one around 3pm.


Recently, though, I've been having those same obsessive, crazy dreams that just won't quit.  Only this time they're craft related.  For example, two nights ago, I dreamed I had received the shipment of Anna Maria Horner voile that I had ordered (see the image above, that I snagged from Sew Mama Sew).  And for some reason, with great urgency, I had to cut it all into 2 1/2" squares and send it to Haiti.  I was coordinating with the Red Cross on this, and the plane was waiting on the runway to take my voile packages to Port au Prince.  All night long I was cutting voile, and every time I would be almost finished, a new stack would be uncovered and require cutting.  It was all go, rush, rush, to save lives - because in dreams it makes sense that a shattered populace would need designer fabric, right?  And a blistered thumb from the rotary cutter is a small sacrifice to make.  Sheesh!


And last night, I was dreaming about applique, which is on my list of New Year's Quilting Resolutions.  In reality, I haven't yet set on my first applique project, but in the midnight hour of last night, I was determined to applique the iconic image from Woodstock.  You know, a guitar neck with a bird on it.  Or was it an entire guitar with a bird on it?  This became a consuming question - I wonder how many calories I burned up, tossing and turning, fretting over whether it was neck-only (applique-able) or whole-guitar (not applique-able, due to skill level).  Of course, I was not at Woodstock, being only nine at the time, and I'm not remotely interested in Woodstock, but the answer to this dilemma can be solved by a simple keystroke chez Google, which is what I did to find the image posted above.  Why on earth I couldn't say calmly to myself "I'll have to Google that in the morning" is beyond me.  P.S.  As you can see, it's neck-only.  I'll get right on that applique.  NOT!
And these are only the two latest stories - can you imagine the dark night of the soul and self-torture that went on over that foundation piecing?  It was brutal!  So, yes, with the deepest regret, I think the afternoon cup of joe has got to go.  What about you?  Can you drink coffee in the afternoon?  Do you have dreams that involve quilting?

14 comments:

{ wishes, true and kind } on: 19 January 2010 at 14:32 said...

I don't usually remember my dreams, but I know I have dreamed about fabric a few times. I think as quilt makers we start to see shapes, colors, designs, inspiration all around us, so it makes sense that it would make it into our dreams. I hope that your future quilting dreams are all happy and beautiful!

{ Monica } on: 19 January 2010 at 14:48 said...

I had to give up caffeine also. For years I suffered with tiredness, severe anxiety attacks and daily headaches. I never knew what was causing it till one day I was watching a show and they talked about how caffeine causes both things I suffered from. I gave up the caffeine and all of them stopped. Go figure.

P.S. I daydream about quilting all day long. Does that count?

{ Rene' } on: 19 January 2010 at 15:03 said...

Lesly, I've been reading a lot of quilt blogs lately about weird dreams. Gotta make you wonder ! Hmmm. Of course, now that I think about it, I quilt in my dreams too. Anyway, I love coffee and drink it all day. However, I switch to decaf around 3p.m. Sometimes, I'll be really good and drink decaf all day. I do feel better when I do that. I was told it helps with hot flashes...not that I have that problem ;-) I had my kids when I was 3.

{ ktquilts } on: 19 January 2010 at 15:16 said...

Okay, I think that you also get the I Have the Wildest Dream Award!!! I dream about fabric too! Just had a post about it not long ago!

http://ktquilts4fun.blogspot.com/2010/01/friday-finish-and-more-craziness-from.html

It isn't as funny as your dream, but you aren't alone Sister!!
Blessings,
KT

{ Lara } on: 19 January 2010 at 15:30 said...

I can't drink coffee after 1pm otherwise I am up all night long. It really seems to affect me! I can however have a cup of tea at 3pm and that is enough to keep the grey matter going until 5, but lets it stop after 9... which is just about right for me.

I definitely dream about quilting. Although I always own much more fabric than I do in real life!

{ Meg } on: 19 January 2010 at 15:46 said...

I have to limit myself to no more than two cups of coffee per day, and I normally have finished those by 10am. Any more than that and my stomach starts to hate me. But caffeine? I drink caffeinated soda (yeah, I know, but it's my one vice--I'd choose it over chocolate), usually a can in the evening, and bedtime is midnight. Thus far, it hasn't had any impact on my sleep--I dream about quilting whether I've had caffeine or not!

{ Michele } on: 19 January 2010 at 16:40 said...

I can't drink coffee in the afternoon either. I remember loving after dinner coffee, but now it would just keep me up and make me think I'm still in college and can survive on three hours sleep. At least you're productive in your dreams! I hope you finish all your projects and remember our friend Google when you dream tonight!

{ Unknown } on: 19 January 2010 at 21:03 said...

Unfortunately or maybe fortunately, I can't have caffeine. There is a lot of herbal tea drinking going on here. With that said, I too have wild dreams. Don't know why or what the significance is of these dreams, but I usually remember the details just like you. Hmmm...

{ SueWis } on: 19 January 2010 at 22:05 said...

No caffeine at all for me, just decaf. And in my teen years we would go out for pizza and drink Mt. Dew, with no problems.

{ Leanne } on: 19 January 2010 at 22:35 said...

Oh my gosh, so strange. I just gave up caffeine in the afternoons because I was having the weirdest dreams - all anxiety ridden and stuff (and lots about vampires and crafting - no idea how those 2 go together). Have to say, has made a difference really quickly. Now I have a herbal tea latte/misto in the afternoons instead. Hard to give up my coffee but better for everyone if this girly gets a good nights sleep.

{ ferne } on: 20 January 2010 at 01:06 said...

I visualize fabrics to help me relax and fall asleep, but I don't have bad dreams about them. I have stopped drinking coffee past noon though because of high blood pressure.

{ Thelma } on: 20 January 2010 at 06:40 said...

OMG...it's the caffeine that's doing this??? I thought it was hormones! I didn't suspect caffeine because I have no problem falling asleep, but around 2 I'm awake...with those weird thoughts that seem like the end of the world but are really nothing come the light of day. When I do dream, they're not very creative, but sometimes, when I buy new fabric, I just can't get it out of my mind.

I'll see if no caffeine after noon helps, I'm afraid I"ll be asleep at 7 on the couch.

{ Jocey } on: 20 January 2010 at 11:04 said...

Interesting post. I used to be able to drink massive amounts of coffee and never have any problem sleeping. But when I quit smoking last June I cut down to one a day and then the odd time have another later. Huge decrease for me. But lately, every now and then I do have livid dreams and make patterns and shop fabric as well as a host of other things. I just thought I was getting insomnia. Maybe not.So now I am going to pay attention to see if I only have those problems when I sneak that second cup of java.

{ Claudia } on: 21 January 2010 at 13:36 said...

Last night I dreamed that I saw a tornado coming toward the house but instead of a funnel cloud, it was a massive black cloud. I tried to run to the next room, but could only run in slow motion. Pure anxiety dream, but I rarely drink coffee in the afternoon. I love super strong coffee in the morning and switch to tea in the PM.

I'm curious, what are you going to do with your voile?

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