Weblog:
It’s usually hit or miss when someone tells you about a dream he’s had, because depending on how well you know the person, you may or may not give a damn. But the person talking about the dream is always compelled to do so with a fevor that would not be dampend by any display of disinterest by the listener. So, with that said, I’m going to talk about a dream I just woke up from, whether you give a damn or not. 😀
My dream was in two parts. The first was about my father (who’s actually my stepfather, but in my mind he’s the only father I recognize in my life). I dreamt that he had moved into a small and cozy new house (with a spare room where my brother Dennis has moved into), and was in a jolly mood. His laughter was infectious, and his high spirits lifted my own up to the sky. He was showing me a set of photos and asked me to pick one for him to submit to the court for jury review, and in one of the photos he was in his birthday suit (although his private part covered by a cushion) and looking so happy and content–that’s the photo I picked, although I reminded him he needed to crop the photo to about mid-chest length. The whole time he looks so happy and in tune with where he’s at in his life, that I can’t help but be affected by his exuberance. Turned out the reason he was needed in court was because he had been a witness in a car accident. He had jumped out of his car in the middle of the road and ran towards two cars that had just crashed into each other, bravely helping with the rescue attempt. The dream pretty much reflected how I see my father. The last time I saw him was a couple of months ago when Elena and I went back to the States for almost a month. I felt so happy for him because he was energetic and talkative, and in great health despite a mysterious incident of heart pains that the doctor couldn’t explain. My father’s always been healthy and had a good sense of humor. He used to tell stories at the dinner table–sometimes about the his past as a poor college student attending Stanford University, his childhood in China, or funny stories about his co-workers. He’s a major positive influence in my life because he’s a responsible and compassionate person–always donating money to the needy and doing the right thing. He’s also a very practical, down to earth, and wise person–never overspends, displays any hubris, always curteous, and never gets himself into trouble.
The second part of the dream was about Steven Spielberg. I dreamt that my buddy Nadim applied for job with Spielberg and got accepted (although in the dream, Spielberg had a huge operation similar to Lucas–essentially an empire). I had also applied for a job, and got called in for a portfolio review. When I went in, I was quite nervous because I didn’t have my portfolio with me, nor even a decent sketchbook, so I asked Spielberg if he was willing to take a look at my website and he agreed. In the dream I felt such admiration and affection for him, almost like a father figure. The sheer humility was overwhelming. His wife was there too with their daughter–a little blond girl. She had commented that they needed to go soon, and I replied “Of course, if the little one doesn’t get her nap, she’ll be grouchy for the rest of the day.” We were sitting in big lounge, filled with his staff artists (the whole setup is probably much more like Lucasart or ILM), and they were reviewing some dailies and early effects shots–a film that looked like Spielberg’s foray into high fantasy a la LOTR or D&D. The scene playing was one of a forest fight, with the heroes and villains shooting arrows on horse back and running between trees in the dense woods. I thought the expressions on the actors were a little stiff, but I didn’t say anything because I knew nothing about the context of the story. Spielberg and his wife then led me to another office. While walking in the hallways, Spielberg mentioned that he was very impressed with what I said in my cover letter, particularly the sentence “I want to work for a man who knows what he wants, how to get it, and is revered for his ability to get it.” He felt that it demonstrated my understanding of him as a visionary, and also my own work ethics. I expressed my confusion because I didn’t apply for any specific job–I could be an artist, a writer, a director, a photography, or in a pinch, even a composer. Spielberg hinted that because of what I wrote in my cover letter, it’s most likely I’ll be working for him as a writer. While he was busy calling up something on his computer, I commented to his wife that no matter what happens in the future as I worked for her husband, I just wanted the experience of walking into the fire and coming out on the other end a new man–someone who took the challenge head-on, didn’t flench, and survived stronger than ever. “Or just charred and crispy,” she joked. I laughed and felt like it was the beautiful beginning of a new life at a new job. Then I woke up.
I love dreams that I wake up from feeling hopeful and encouraged. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I usually have a great day as the result. Today’s going to be a great day. 🙂
