1310 – No Room at the Inn | Dreaming of Newhart S1E9
It’s holiday parties galore as Dick and Robert weigh the merits of fruitcake and carpools on their way off to dreamland.
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Dreaming of Newhart / Seasonal
Mel Tormé
https://www.spaceagepop.com/torme.htm
https://www.npr.org/2007/09/12/14215959/mel-torm-the-velvet-voice-of-jazz
https://www.wnyc.org/story/few-things-you-may-not-know-about-mel-torme/
Signs of the Zodiac
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/history-of-horoscopes
https://www.astronomy.com/science/a-scientific-guide-to-the-zodiac-symbols-signs-and-flaws/
https://time.com/5315377/are-zodiac-signs-real-astrology-history/
Nativity Story
https://www.glencairnmuseum.org/nativity-biblical
https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2013/dec/12/nativity-science-accurate
Office Parties
https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2023/11/22/hr-101-the-history-of-the-office-holiday-party
DOWN TO BUSINESS
I’m here to keep you dreaming
We can agree on being agreeable
If there’s one thing we can agree on, it’s being agreeable
The attempt to be agreeable
PLUGS
Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline; SleepPhones
SPONSORS
Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Lumen; Uncommon Goods
INTRO
Maybe you work multiple shifts or different shifts
Something long term or long torm
Long Tormer, a long term listener of Mel Tormé
Implying that I’m also a long term fan of MT
Being agreeable with a purpose
Is a Tommer a fan of Tommen?
Interviewing the Mel Torme fan in my brain
I need to learn more about Mel Tormé
The Self–Nicknamed Mel Tormé fan in my Subconscious
Talk about a breakthrough
Somewhere out there, as Feivel said, this always existed in me
Most people like to listen in order
This is a show within a show
I guess now I’m gonna briefly talk about Paul Anka
Creating a sleepy environment
Robert Langon is not the protagonist of this Dreaming of Newhart
Time to look up Mel Tormé
I must know some songs
Oh he did a song on the Home Alone soundtrack
Cool. Anyway…
STORY
This is a three part show
Explaining the structure of the show
Bob would just prefer to not be here
A Seasonal Dream of being Dick Lowden in Vermont
I’ve had enough of Kirk (who runs the Minuteman Cafe)
It’s snowing in Vermont
A seasonal dream in season
Joanne and Leslie are there, making cookies
A discussion about old fashioned holidays
Kirk is singing a parody song of some sort
He takes some cookie dough and pretends to eat it
He tries to put on this ruse
Leslie is going to spend the holidays with her family
Kirk will indulge in vices
George and I are going to the woods to look at idealized trees
24 members of the Silver Bird Ski Club are coming to stay
We already threw out the fruitcake my Mom sent along
This tree is way too big – we don’t have enough decorations for it
In my regular life, I got a very small tree this year. Huh, interesting
It’s really snowing a lot right now
All the guests want their own room
We’re snowed in!
Kirk and Leslie will stay together
Inadvertent Bad Sweater Party
There’s nothing to do in the hotel
I’m reminded that George is a loner
George wants a hug
A guy comes in looking for a room
His name is Joe and his wife is pregnant…
I let him take a room…just in case
Kirk tells a weird story about Nova Scotia
Kirk grabs plastic souvenir J-U-N-K- to decorate the tree
We have to use our holiday ham to make omelets for all the guests
The guests are playing Solitaire
Updates from Joe
His wife is going to give birth!
All the ski club members are doctors! They go help
Kirk is doing one simple magic trick for George over and over again
The baby is a girl named Tammy
The improvised tree looks pretty, after all
My wife saved me a slice of ham and I give her diamond earrings
Another guy comes in to ask for a tow truck
His name is Alan Wiseman and he has 2 brothers
And then I woke up
I tried to see if my assistant could predict my dreams
Bob doesn’t like the AI assistant
Can I go over the dream my assistant had?
The AI’s dream
Dick, George, and Joanne are waiting for a famous travel writer
Then everyone is snowed in
Room in the Inn for the Reviewer
An eccentric person asks for a room
The reviewer arrives, grumpy
The eccentric newlyweds are staying in the Honeymoon Suite
Didn’t Bob already have a dream like this?
A strong sense of community during the storm
Time to analyze some dreams
I also asked my assistant to draw some pictures based on your dreams, but that didn’t turn out too well
Cookies – a longing for childhood warmth
Eating cookie dough – impulsive authenticity
Jung – connection to cultural memories
Kirk’s parody songs – a Trickster archetype?
Didn’t Will Ferrell already appear once in this?
Virgo Sun – you want order even in casual settings
We’re still waiting for the official results on that enneagram
Superpositions of Traditions in Modernity
Multiple states exist until observed
Traditional modern elements in your personal life
Collapse of a superposed state into a definite outcome
The alchemy of social interactions
Maybe a walk in the woods is a journey into the collective subconscious
Within the Quantum Lens
Turning probabilities into a positive outcome
Maybe Kirk is a Type 4 Enneagramist
He sounds like someone who would make a sleep podcast
I wouldn’t want to be compared to Kirk
Anthropomorphic representation of emotions
Maybe the forest is all different emotions
Let’s pay attention if you go back to the forest in your dreams
Throwing Out The Fruitcake
Rejecting family traditions
In Jung, that might represent the Collective Family Shadow
I’m definitely searching for meaning right now
It could be influence from a Zodiac sign
You’re a Virgo, right?
Maybe you’re a Type 9 Enneagram if you’re trying to avoid things
Avoiding Direct Confrontation to preserve Inner Harmony
Is fruitcake a literary metaphor?
Old, Outdated Narratives
Moving onto the giant tree
Freud – oversized aspirations and you don’t feel adequately prepared
Unconventional Resources to fulfill your ambitions
Jung – this could be a self symbol
Bob feels like he’s decaying in these sessions, not decaying
Type 3 Enneagram – The appearance of success
A desire to be admired
Have you ever thought of yourself as Quantumly Creative?
Decorating the tree = revising your life narrative
No room at the Inn
Conflicting feelings about responsibility
This sounds like a Theme Park Machine Fortune
Hope of Divine Intervention
Capricorn and Surprises
Pisces and Compassion
Caring for Others
Maybe the inn is a safe harbor for your dreams
Let’s run through your day now
Holiday week at work
I had a very small, real tree
I waited until the last minute
Emily was upset this tree is so small
Howard shows up
Straight out of Charlie Brown
Scaling down for the Holidays
Howard takes 7 pancakes from me!
Are Kirk and Howard related?
Who eats 7 pancakes as a guest?
I had to go to work
It was gonna be just Emily and me for Christmas Eve
Howard wants to know all about office parties
Our parties can get pretty wild
We celebrate with other tenants in our workspace
Celebrating as colleagues, not employees
Carol already made the coffee Irish
Margaritas in the water cooler
The party is already under way
I got Carol a bun warmer
The party is on!
I gave Jerry ski mittens and goggles
Jerry is a very grateful person
Jerry gives me a really nice record player
Mr. Peterson comes
I have to leave out details of our session
He doesn’t like geese and upholstery
I think our work is complete
Did I cut the session short because of the party? I don’t think so
I go home
A nice, calm romantic holidays
People have elevator races at the office party
Carol calls me at home
Mr. Peterson wants to meet again
Emily wants me to work on my boundaries
I had to go back to the office
Emily is disappointed and upset
It’s really snowing and the power is going in and out
Peterson wants to be my client again
I’ll drive Mr. Peterson home
But the roads are closed!
Jerry is singing in a trio
I can’t get home to Emily!
Eventually I get home and Emily is asleep on the couch
I’m pooped
I had to walk home 4 miles
I’m ready to snuggle with Emily
Howard shows up with champagne
I’m ready to assert my boundaries
But Howard doesn’t stay
Emily and I exchange gifts and talk about love
I fell asleep while Emily was telling me she loves me
Sound asleep on the couch
It sounds like you’re growing to love yourself, Bob
SUMMARY:
Episode: 1310
Title: No Room at the Inn | Dreaming of Newhart S1E9
Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline; SleepPhones
Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Lumen; Uncommon Goods
Notable Language:
- Agreeable
- Long Tormer
- J-U-N-K
- Superpositions of Traditions in Modernity
- Quantum Creativity
- Bun Warmer
Notable Culture:
- The Bob Newhart Show
- Newhart
- Dreaming of Newhart
-
- Mel Tormé
- Torman / Game of Thrones
- An American Tale
-
- Paul Anka
- Robert Langon / Dan Brown Novel
- Home Alone
-
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
- Nativity Story
- Solitaire
- Will Ferrell
- Zodiac
- Charlie Brown Christmas
Notable Talking Points:
- Maybe you work multiple shifts or different shifts
- Something long term or long torm
- Long Tormer, a long term listener of Mel Tormé
- Implying that I’m also a long term fan of MT
- Being agreeable with a purpose
- Is a Tommer a fan of Tommen?
- Interviewing the Mel Torme fan in my brain
- I need to learn more about Mel Tormé
- The Self–Nicknamed Mel Tormé fan in my Subconscious
- Talk about a breakthrough
- Somewhere out there, as Feivel said, this always existed in me
- Most people like to listen in order
- This is a show within a show
- I guess now I’m gonna briefly talk about Paul Anka
- Creating a sleepy environment
- Robert Langon is not the protagonist of this Dreaming of Newhart
- Time to look up Mel Tormé
- I must know some songs
- Oh he did a song on the Home Alone soundtrack
- Cool. Anyway…
- This is a three party show
- Explaining the structure of the show
- Bob would just prefer to not be here
- A Seasonal Dream of being Dick Lowden in Vermont
- I’ve had enough of Kirk (who runs the Minuteman Cafe)
- It’s snowing in Vermont
- A seasonal dream in season
- Joanne and Leslie are there, making cookies
- A discussion about old fashioned holidays
- Kirk is singing a parody song of some sort
- He takes some cookie dough and pretends to eat it
- He tries to put on this ruse
- Leslie is going to spend the holidays with her family
- Kirk will indulge in vices
- George and I are going to the woods to look at idealized trees
- 24 members of the Silver Bird Ski Club are coming to stay
- We already threw out the fruitcake my Mom sent along
- This tree is way too big – we don’t have enough decorations for it
- In my regular life, I got a very small tree this year. Huh, interesting
- It’s really snowing a lot right now
- All the guests want their own room
- We’re snowed in!
- Kirk and Leslie will stay together
- Inadvertent Bad Sweater Party
- There’s nothing to do in the hotel
- I’m reminded that George is a loner
- George wants a hug
- A guy comes in looking for a room
- His name is Joe and his wife is pregnant…
- I let him take a room…just in case
- Kirk tells a weird story about Nova Scotia
- Kirk grabs plastic souvenir J-U-N-K- to decorate the tree
- We have to use our holiday ham to make omelets for all the guests
- The guests are playing Solitaire
- Updates from Joe
- His wife is going to give birth!
- All the ski club members are doctors! They go help
- Kirk is doing one simple magic trick for George over and over again
- The baby is a girl named Tammy
- The improvised tree looks pretty, after all
- My wife saved me a slice of ham and I give her diamond earrings
- Another guy comes in to ask for a tow truck
- His name is Alan Wiseman and he has 2 brothers
- And then I woke up
- I tried to see if my assistant could predict my dreams
- Bob doesn’t like the AI assistant
- Can I go over the dream my assistant had?
- The AI’s dream
- Dick, George, and Joanne are waiting for a famous travel writer
- Then everyone is snowed in
- Room in the Inn for the Reviewer
- An eccentric person asks for a room
- The reviewer arrives, grumpy
- The eccentric newlyweds are staying in the Honeymoon Suite
- Didn’t Bob already have a dream like this?
- A strong sense of community during the storm
- Time to analyze some dreams
- I also asked my assistant to draw some pictures based on your dreams, but that didn’t turn out too well
- Cookies – a longing for childhood warmth
- Eating cookie dough – impulsive authenticity
- Jung – connection to cultural memories
- Kirk’s parody songs – a Trickster archetype?
- Didn’t Will Ferrell already appear once in this?
- Virgo Sun – you want order even in casual settings
- We’re still waiting for the official results on that enneagram
- Superpositions of Traditions in Modernity
- Multiple states exist until observed
- Traditional modern elements in your personal life
- Collapse of a superposed state into a definite outcome
- The alchemy of social interactions
- Maybe a walk in the woods is a journey into the collective subconscious
- Within the Quantum Lens
- Turning probabilities into a positive outcome
- Maybe Kirk is a Type 4 Enneagramist
- He sounds like someone who would make a sleep podcast
- I wouldn’t want to be compared to Kirk
- Anthropomorphic representation of emotions
- Maybe the forest is all different emotions
- Let’s pay attention if you go back to the forest in your dreams
- Throwing Out The Fruitcake
- Rejecting family traditions
- In Jung, that might represent the Collective Family Shadow
- I’m definitely searching for meaning right now
- It could be influence from a Zodiac sign
- You’re a Virgo, right?
- Maybe you’re a Type 9 Enneagram if you’re trying to avoid things
- Avoiding Direct Confrontation to preserve Inner Harmony
- Is fruitcake a literary metaphor?
- Old, Outdated Narratives
- Moving onto the giant tree
- Freud – oversized aspirations and you don’t feel adequately prepared
- Unconventional Resources to fulfill your ambitions
- Jung – this could be a self symbol
- Bob feels like he’s decaying in these sessions, not decaying
- Type 3 Enneagram – The appearance of success
- A desire to be admired
- Have you ever thought of yourself as Quantumly Creative?
- Decorating the tree = revising your life narrative
- No room at the Inn
- Conflicting feelings about responsibility
- This sounds like a Theme Park Machine Fortune
- Hope of Divine Intervention
- Capricorn and Surprises
- Pisces and Compassion
- Caring for Others
- Maybe the inn is a safe harbor for your dreams
- Let’s run through your day now
- Holiday week at work
- I had a very small, real tree
- I waited until the last minute
- Emily was upset this tree is so small
- Howard shows up
- Straight out of Charlie Brown
- Scaling down for the Holidays
- Howard takes 7 pancakes from me!
- Are Kirk and Howard related?
- Who eats 7 pancakes as a guest?
- I had to go to work
- It was gonna be just Emily and me for Christmas Eve
- Howard wants to know all about office parties
- Our parties can get pretty wild
- We celebrate with other tenants in our workspace
- Celebrating as colleagues, not employees
- Carol already made the coffee Irish
- Margaritas in the water cooler
- The party is already under way
- I got Carol a bun warmer
- The party is on!
- I gave Jerry ski mittens and goggles
- Jerry is a very grateful person
- Jerry gives me a really nice record player
- Mr. Peterson comes
- I have to leave out details of our session
- He doesn’t like geese and upholstery
- I think our work is complete
- Did I cut the session short because of the party? I don’t think so
- I go home
- A nice, calm romantic holidays
- People have elevator races at the office party
- Carol calls me at home
- Mr. Peterson wants to meet again
- Emily wants me to work on my boundaries
- I had to go back to the office
- Emily is disappointed and upset
- It’s really snowing and the power is going in and out
- Peterson wants to be my client again
- I’ll drive Mr. Peterson home
- But the roads are closed!
- Jerry is singing in a trio
- I can’t get home to Emily!
- Eventually I get home and Emily is asleep on the couch
- I’m pooped
- I had to walk home 4 miles
- I’m ready to snuggle with Emily
- Howard shows up with champagne
- I’m ready to assert my boundaries
- But Howard doesn’t stay
- Emily and I exchange gifts and talk about love
- I fell asleep while Emily was telling me she loves me
- Sound asleep on the couch
- It sounds like you’re growing to love yourself, Bob
-
Episode 1310 – No Room at the Inn | Dreaming of Newhart S1 E9
[START OF RECORDING]
SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who’s here to keep you dreaming or enable your dreaming, or, if you don’t want to dream, that’s fine, too. Whatever…however you choose to rest, this podcast for dreamers and non-dreamers alike, if there’s one thing we can agree on, it’s to be agreeable. How come no one has that saying? That should…that sounds like a wise saying. I accidentally…if there’s one thing we’d…we can agree on, it’s being agreeable. The only thing is there’s a part of my brain that’s already objecting to that. It’s like, defining ‘agreeable’ is not…because…also, that means…sounds like you’re…being agreeable sounds like you’re being accommodating.
I’d say, no, I was just being agree…I agree with you; there is nuance to the state of agreeability, and I think…so, I think we could agree on that. That was a meta example of me trying to be agreeable. But really, I’m trying to be agreeable, and that’s one of the things about this podcast, the attempt to be agreeable, to keep you company, and take your mind off of stuff. If you’re new, welcome to Sleep With Me, by the way. This is a podcast to keep you company, take your mind off of stuff while you fall asleep, maybe to distract you and put you to sleep. I’m really glad you’re here, and what we got coming up is support, then a long, meandering intro to ease you into bedtime, and then a Dreaming of Newhart episode.
So, I’m really glad you’re here. I work really hard on the show — so do a team of people — and it’s made possible by listeners just like you that support the show directly, support our sponsors, and spread the word about the show, or that just listen silently and have an agreeable place in their heart for the podcast and other listeners. That’s a great way…I’m not even kidding; if you have an agreeable place in your heart for someone else listening right now, that’s powerful, and I would have never thought it before I started making the show. But you’ve all taught me that. So, thanks, and here’s a couple ways we’re able to do this for you.
INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. It could be thoughts on your mind, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, things you’re thinking about, it could be feelings, anything coming up for you emotionally related to those thoughts or feelings that are just there, it could be physical sensations, it could be changes in time, temperature, routine, work schedule.
Maybe you work a different shift or multiple shifts or a shift that gets in the way of your regular sleep. You could be traveling. You could have guests, you could be anticipating something, or you could be going through something, some long-term or long-torm, even though that’s not a word. Long-torm, what is that? It’s like a long-term…I’m a long-term listener of Mel Torme. I call myself the Long-Tormer. Okay. I don't understand. Been listening to Mel Torme my whole life. I’m a Long-Tormer. Why don’t…? I think you…I think the first part was good enough. You listened to Mel Torme your whole life. Right. I’m a Long-Tormer. I don't know if that’s…is that something you’re trying to get going, like Swifties? You’re…so, there’s Tormers and you’re a…? That sounds more like a fan of Tormen from…no, those are Tormers.
That’s an R. Tormer. Tormer is different. Well, you’ve made my…yeah, you’re right. You’re right; it is different. Tormen, Torme. Tormen, Tormer, Torm…Tormer. Said, it’s almost a silent R? Yeah. Okay, so…yeah, I can…is it okay if I move on? I feel like I could spend hours talking to you about your long-term fandom. Or, you’re a long-term listener of Mel Torme; you didn’t say you were a fan. I implied I was a fan, 'cause I name…I created a nickname for ourselves. I’m gonna have to listen to some Mel Torme later so I can understand you better. So, thanks so much for coming by the podcast, and I appreciate you giving me a small meander to go on. It was really nice of you. Are you still being agreeable? I am, but, actually, this time I’m being agreeable with a purpose, 'cause I’m just trying to list things people are going through at night.
They could be going through something short-term or long-term. Or, they could be a Short-Tormer, Tommer, or…that would be a fan of Tommen. Torme, Tommen…or a short-term fan…maybe you’re a short-term Mel Torme listener. New to Mel Torme, but I found I love him. I’m a Short-Tormer, or Torm…Torm…yeah, however you say it. It’s like the spirit; it counts, right? Yeah. So, whatever’s keeping you awake, I’m here to keep you company and take your mind off of it so you could get the sleep you need and you deserve, 'cause you deserve a bedtime with a little bit less rigmarole, with a little bit less stress, where you get the rest you need so your life tomorrow is more manageable, and a place where you can feel connected.
Like, how you got here, whatever is keeping you awake and whatever brought you here, I’m glad you’re here, right, and so are a lot of other people that are listening. They’re hopeful this show will help you get the rest you need or make bedtime less of a hassle. So, just see how it goes. What I’ll do is I’ll send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’ll use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, superfluous tangents. So, I’ll go off topic, I’m gonna get mixed up, then I’ll forget what I was talking about, then I’ll interview some internal Mel Torme fan in my brain, which…I’m not trying to say anything about Mel Torme. I don't know any…I can't say that I can name any Mel Torme songs. I will look it up before the end of the intro, though, and then we’ll see how little I know.
I probably know some Mel Torme songs; I just don’t…I can't recall them. So, I mean, it would be…I can easily recall the greatest love of all that’s happening to me, but you’re…you seem to love Mel Torme. So, yeah, that’s a pointless meander and a superfluous tangent. So, it’s all to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep. It does take some getting used to, ‘cause if you found your way to this show, you were probably trying to find something that would help you fall asleep right away, something that’s gonna reliably work for you. You’re tired, you’re frustrated, and you’re skeptical, and why wouldn't you be skeptical, right? You’ve already tried a ton of stuff to fall asleep, and now you got somebody rambling off topic. That makes sense, and I really hope I can help you.
What I’m gonna do is…oh, I already explained that. So…but most people get here…they have some expectation, and this show is very different than what most people expect. So, give it a few tries and see how it goes. If you already loathe the podcast and you’re convinced…I would still say give it a try, but if you’re pretty convinced you’re never gonna listen to it again, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou has a list of other sleep podcasts on there. So, you could check those out and they can help you out…and other sleepy stuff. But this is a podcast that you kind of just barely listen to. So, give it a few tries. See how it goes. That’s just what most regular listeners said; it took a couple tries, then I realized, oh, this show is always going nowhere.
I had no idea something like this even existed, just like I had no idea there was a self-nicknamed Mel Torme fan somewhere in my subconscience. I mean, talk about breakthroughs of the mild variety. It’s interesting. Somewhere out there, as Fievel said, there’s somebody that calls themself a Long-Tormer in my brain, or within me. Or maybe it’s…I guess probably collective unconscience. You’re right, in this case, 'cause I can't name a Mel Torme song. I think I can picture Mel Torme singing, so…okay, so, most people don’t like this podcast, it takes a few tries to get used to…this is also a podcast you don’t really listen to. You kind of barely listen to it, like a out-of-focus picture or like something on in the other room. It just takes a little bit of…you’ll see. Just give it a few tries. You’ll be like, oh, okay.
It’s a podcast to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff. I’m not here to put you to sleep, believe it or not. There’s a reason the episodes are over an hour; there’s no pressure to fall asleep with this show. I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep, to be your friend in the deep, dark night, your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your neigh-bor, your bore-bore, your bore-bud, your bore-friend, your bores, your borer in charge, your Borlaf — I’ve never used that one before, but, I mean, that kinda works — your best bore-friend forever to keep you company or to give you a break during the day or to be here when you wake up in the middle of the night, but to mildly distract you while you fall asleep, which is a little bit different than directly putting you to sleep, though there are people I put to sleep right away.
So, it’s a podcast you don’t really listen…it doesn't really put you to sleep. Structurally the show is different, and it is adjustable, so let me meet you where you are and explain that in case you’re on your second listen and you’re like, I don't like the structure of the show. I’d say, well, you’re in good company. There’s a lot of people that don’t, so let me explain it to you, and then you could kinda see what you want to do with that information or be reassured that the show is structured in a way that helps a lot of people just like you out. The show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, so you feel seen and welcomed in. Then there’s a long, meandering…oh no, then there’s support after the intro so paying for the show is optional.
If you prefer something without the support, you can get that on Sleep With Me+. But most people like this ad-supported show, and they like to listen to it in order. ‘Cause the next part after the support is this intro that we’re in the middle of that’s a long, meandering intro, a show within a show. It has nothing to do with the support. What it does is…I ineffectively explain what the podcast is, I get distracted by something, then I go off topic about it, then I try to return to the structure of the intro. So, the intro is different every single time, but it follows a familiar structure. So, it’s kinda reassuring but it’s different every time so whatever’s keeping you awake can't quite adjust and can't point out…oh boy, now he’s gonna talk about Paul Anka. No, not…I mean, I guess now I am, briefly, but I don't have time to now.
But so, there’s that part, but the intro is fifteen or twenty minutes long to ease you into bedtime. It doesn't actually put many people to sleep. It helps create a sleepy environment, in a sense, so you could listen in bed getting comfortable, you could be getting ready for bed, or you could be winding down, chilling out, doing some chill activity, and then falling asleep during the story later on. So, the bed…the intro eases you into bedtime. If you prefer something without a intro, there is a podcast in all podcast apps, free; Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me. That’s just the story part of the show. It doesn't have this long intro. But most people like this intro because it’s unpredictable, friendly banter to ease you into bedtime. Then there’s support.
Then tonight will be our series, Dreaming of Newhart, where we’ll find out from Robert…I wanna say Robert Langdon, but he’s from another novel. He was a, whatever, a figure…a symbol…he was a expert in another piece of fiction. But we’ll hear from a person who dreams every night they’re a Vermont innkeeper, and, yeah, that’ll be about an hour plus, all told. So, I’m really glad you’re here. Oh, I’ll look up…I wonder if I could smell…smell; spell ‘Torme’. But yeah, we work really hard on the show. We’re really glad you’re here. There’s a bunch of people that work on the show. We really want to help you fall asleep. I appreciate you coming by. Let’s see, Torme; T-O-R…so, T-O-R-M-E? No. Torme…there’s Torme, T-O-R-M-E. That’s…let’s see if I put in ‘Mel’. Mel Torme. Mel Torme, artist. He’s handsome.
Okay…hm, let’s see. This is Mel Torme…jazz classics…I know I know some Mel Torme songs, but…oh, Home Alone, emotional…a motion-picture soundtrack. They can't take that away from me. I know that one. No…I must have hit the wrong button. I apologize. Putting on the Ritz, Happy Together…okay, I know a lot of these songs. So, yeah, I know some of them. Which one was in Home Alone, though? Somewhere…no, that’s not it. We’re finding…oh, Mel Torme, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. So, that’s a holiday song. So, yeah, there’s Mel Torme, and…Tor…so, there is an R. Tormen and Torme do both have Rs in there. I had not known that. I mean, my brain didn’t know that. So, anyway, I’m glad you’re here. I work really hard. I really hope this show can keep you company, put a mild smile on your face, and help you fall asleep. Here’s a couple ways we’re able to do it for you twice a week.
Alright everybody, it’s Scoots here. We’re here with…well, we’re here…this is…I’m gonna turn the episode over, and you’re gonna hear from two parties. This is a three-party show where a couple of characters that live within my mind recap an episode of Newhart, which the finale of the show said the whole show was a dream had by Robert Hartley, who was the main character in The Bob Newhart Show. So, we’re taking the show and we’re looking at it through that lens, through, of course, a fictional, sleepy layer. So, you’re gonna hear an imaginary version of Bob Hartley, Robert Hartley, or someone like that, with a interviewer. It may be a familiar style of interview we’ve heard on Sleep With Me before. They will also consult with an AI assistant who’s looking at Robert Hartley’s dreams of being a Vermont innkeeper. Then we’ll also go through Robert…one of the days in Robert Hartley’s life. So, I hope that all makes sense. Yeah, I’m gonna turn things over to Bob and whoever.
Oh yeah, come on in. Good to see you again. I know we’ve gone back and forth on me calling you Bob or Robert. Do you have a preference? I’d prefer not to be here. That’s pretty close. Not quite there, but pretty close. Prefer not to be here at all, maybe? Oh, that’s…I’ll take that silence as a ‘yes’. So, why don’t you…? You said you had a dream, you set an appointment? Why don’t you run through the dream? Okay. It was a seasonal dream, again, this repetitive dream I keep having where I’m Dick Loudon, a Vermont innkeeper, and the cast of characters I keep having these repetitive dreams…it is kind of…there’s some things I look forward to in the dream and other things that are…I’ve had enough of Kirk. Okay, and Kirk’s your neighbor that runs the Minute Man Cafe and Souvenir Shop.
Yeah, and then I have my dream wife Joanne, and then Leslie, who works at the inn, though sometimes it’s not…sometimes…just, some of the characters change. Okay, so, tell me about this dream. It’s snowing in Vermont and it’s the season, the same season it is right now. It was a seasonal dream in season. Well seasoned? No, in season. Joanne and Leslie…Joanne, my dream wife…though I don’t…I only say that…my wife within the dream. I mean, she’s dreamy, but my real wife’s dreamy, too. So, Joanne and Leslie are making cookies and they’re having a discussion about old-fashioned holidays, but not having an Old Fashioned drink. I thought that was…I said, huh, okay, well…and then Kirk comes in. He’s singing a parody song, kind of one that I didn’t really like in the dream. I can't quite recall it, but…I don't know.
Then he takes some cookie dough, which in the dream I guess it’s still a thing; you say, you can't eat cookie dough, man. Joanne tries to tell him. We haven't cooked those cook…we’re cooking cookies, but you just took the cookie dough. But he’s…never tells the truth, and so, he pretends he’s gonna eat it anyway. He had already put it in his mouth, and then he…so, it’s great, but then he spits it out. He pretends…he tries to put on this ruse. He’s also talking about how he wants to have holidays with Leslie, and…but she’s going home to spend time with her family. Then Kirk’s not pleased with that, but he’s more sad. Joanne tries to say, okay, well, we’re gonna roast chestnuts and do other stuff. He says, well, I was just…smoke cigarettes and…he talks about indulging in vices, like smoking-and-drinking-style vices.
George and I come in. We’re having a discussion about going to Guy’s Market, a new market, to get a tree, but first we were gonna go out in the woods and look at idealized trees. Kirk talks about cheap wine. Then we get a call from the Silver Birds Ski Club. There’s twenty-four members of the Silver Birds Ski Club coming as guests over the holidays. The only other thing that happened…my wife…I said, did my mom send a fruitcake? My wife said, yes. I said, did you throw it away? She said, yes. Then, the next part of the dream is that we have got a tree. It’s already in the inn in the main room. It’s huge, like a two-story tree. I mean, this was before that movie. Our tree is too big for the room. Well, I wouldn't say too big for the room, but it’s…definitely fills the room.
Kirk’s still complaining about Christmas. My wife is like, that tree…we don’t have enough decorations for a tree like that. Interesting contrast to my regular…I didn’t realize there’s a opposite thing happening. Okay, you’ve never done this before, Bob. Go ahead. Well, in my regular life, I got a very small tree this year. Okay. So, anyway, she says, I can't…how are we gonna decorate this tree? Then Kirk’s kinda still upset about Leslie leaving. She’s about to leave to the airport. George is gonna drive her. Then the ski club shows up, and they say, holy cow, it’s really snowing out there. We’re glad we got here. Roads are closing down. It ends up, the airport…my wife calls the airport. The airport’s closed, so Leslie can't go. So, Kirk’s happy.
Then I remember giving out keys to the guests, and the guests…it wasn’t clear…everybody wanted their own room, but then, I don't know, there was just this interesting thing. Then Kirk’s singing. He’s very happy 'cause he gets…I get to spend time with Leslie. It’s still snowing. Then there’s a sweater party. Before…or in the dream, I guess it wasn’t…but why do I keep saying that? I guess even in the dream I was thinking this was a new thing, but it was…this was a inadvertent-bad-sweater party. We’re trying to figure out decorating the tree. All the guests are very unhappy 'cause there’s nothing to do. There’s no TVs in the rooms and they can't go skiing. Then, I’m…again, kind of in my dreams, I’m kind of trying to get everybody to be positive. It’ll work out. I’m trying to cheer everybody up. Then it’s Christmas Eve.
Oh, maybe this was…I can't remember. But Leslie’s talking about still being with family, then George and I have a discussion…or it comes up that George does actually…he’s a loner and he’s…gets…he says, thanks for reminding me of that. He says stuff that kind of wasn’t very sleepy, like, yeah, this is just me in the world. I have no familial relations. Then we say, no, you’re part of our family. Then he says, can I have a hug? Do you love me? Well, I say, well, I like you a lot, kinda. You’re great. Then we hug. Then we’re on the living…or the main room again, and this guy comes in. He says, hey, is there any rooms? Me and my wife are in the…I got her in the car. I say, there’s no rooms at this inn right now. He says, my wife’s pregnant. My name’s Joe. She has a red beret on. I say, did I just say, ‘no room at the inn’?
He says, well, she’s not due for two weeks. I say, why don’t you take our room on behalf of innkeepers everywhere? I thought that was pretty funny in the dream. I was pretty funny, huh? Yeah, yeah. Okay, then what else happens? Oh, I say, what are you gonna name the baby? Or, someone asks. He says, Abraham, Isaiah, or if it’s a girl, Tammy. So, I thought that was weird, 'cause it was like, Biblical and then kinda like a country music name, for my…just what I’m thinking. Then the guests from the ski club are disappointed 'cause there’s gonna be no skiing tomorrow, either. So, Kirk tries, actually, to pick up the thing. He says…first he tells a story about Nova Scotia. I don't think it made any sense at all, but I can't even remember. Then we have a tree-trimming party.
Kirk goes and gets stuff from his store, which was not traditional tree-trimming things like plastic turtles and crabby crabs, toys, and pen lights, like souvenirs from…J-U-N-K. I say, go get your J-U-N-K. Then, we also weren’t planning on serving dinner to the guests of the hotel 'cause we thought they’d be on their own, but Joanne and I were gonna have a holiday ham. She says, well, if we have to serve dinner for everybody, the only thing we could make is ham omelettes. So, I’m disappointed because I’m gonna lose my omelettes. I mean, my ham. I want baked ham, I even said. I wrote it here. But then, again, the pregnant couple gets…they say, hey, can we eat some dinner here? Joanne made a seven-dozen-egg omelette. Then…oh, I guess, yeah, this was the stuff with George.
He also was listening to Christmas music alone when I told him we were family. Then the guests are playing Solitaire, and, yeah, the decoration’s going good. Also postcards we put on the trees…tree, too. Pen lights were tree lights. Then Joe comes down. He says, my wife is ready. I say, you just checked in. He goes, yeah, but we’re ready now. I thought it was two weeks ago. I say to my wife, what is she…we gonna do? She says, well, you take charge, honey. You could do it. I say…I didn’t say, ‘is there a doctor in the house?’, but I said something similar. Here’s how you know it was a dream; everybody raised their hand. I say, I’m sorry, what? They say, yeah, we’re a ski club of physicians, a doctor ski club. They’re so happy 'cause they have something to do. So, they’re like, great, let’s…so, they all go up to help.
Then I can't remember if it was 4:00 in the afternoon or 4:00 in the morning, but we’re eating omelettes. Kirk’s doing simple…one simple magic trick for George over and over again with the Ten of Clubs. Then it was Tammy, and they say, thanks for helping, the twenty-four attending doctors. They say, okay. Then we look at the tree in the dark, and it looks pretty good with the pen lights. It looks pretty. Kirk sings his song and keeps going…doing his magic trick. Me and my wife exchange gifts. She gives me a slice of ham that she saved for me. I mean…I don't know, yeah, and then I gave her diamond earrings. Then somebody else comes in and he says, my car’s stuck in the snow. Can you call somebody? I say, yeah, sure, we could call…I know who to call. We got a tow truck we could call. I say, what’s your name?
He says, Alan Weisman, and I have my two brothers. I said, you’re a Weisman? In my head; I didn’t say it to his face, but I thought it was ironic. But then I woke up after that. Okay, that’s interesting. I guess I’ll have my assistant look up some of those dreams. I’ve also been trying to have my assistant think about…predict what your dreams were. I don't know if I like that. Yeah, but I just wanted to try it. I don't know if we’ll get to it in our session today. I don't think I like that. Your assistant’s made of artificial intelligence, right? Yeah, but like you said, aren’t you kinda get…you’re finding this whole thing tiresome. I’m trying to find a way outside the box to help. I don't think that’ll help. Okay, well, I already…I think once I tell it to do stuff, it just does it. Okay, could you tell it not to do it?
I could, but it’s really interesting, 'cause it did do…I did tell it you were coming in. Okay. Okay, so, do you want to go over your dreams now and then we’ll go over your week? Sure. You want me to go over the dream my assistant had? Not really. Well, it’s like…I’ll just go over it, 'cause I have it right here in front of me. Okay, can you quickly go through it? Sure. So, instead of…my assistant said if they dreamed, it would have been…that you, as Dick, Joanne, and George are waiting for a guest, a travel writer. So, this is based on, I think, a famous idea. Then it’s the blizzard, but more and more people come, and the storm…all the roads are closed. Okay. Then the inn is at capacity, but the travel writer’s not there, and the review — just like these stories go — will help you.
You realize you’re gonna have to let…you’re gonna have to save the room for the reviewer. Then someone comes, but they’re eccentric, and you have to…they want a room no matter what. Then more and more people start showing up, and then people are sleeping everywhere and not getting along. Then the person arrives, and they’re in a bad mood. Then…you don’t want a bad review. This is a interesting dream. Is it putting you to sleep? Kind…I mean, yeah. Then the reviewer…in this dream there’s a honeymoon suite, and the eccentric people were newlyweds, so they were staying in the suite. Didn’t this happen in one of my dreams? Oh, I think we discussed it offline, though, when we were first…when it was first interviewing you.
Yeah, I had a dream with two eccentric people, but…that wouldn't leave the inn. Okay, well, maybe my assistant was listening. So, then you try to get them out, and then everybody comes together. Everybody’s happy. You get a positive review because of the sense of community during the storm. Then there’s more snow. Okay, great. Okay, let’s get into your dreams, though, right? I was also…have my assistant try to draw pictures based on your dreams, but I can't say that they’re doing the best job. Really? Yeah. Okay. Alright, well, let’s look at the first part of the dream. Sometimes my assistant gets mixed up, too. So, cookie-making…Freud may see this as nurturing, comfort, familial warmth, longing for simpler times, or childhood memories.
Kirk eating the raw dough…indulgence, impulsivity…his not telling the truth might reflect a facade or superficiality. So, maybe this authenticity thing keeps coming up, especially in social occasions. Jungian…the old-fashioned-discussion archetype, tradition, maybe some connection to collective cultural memories or a return to foundational, comforting decisions. Kirk’s behavior of parody songs and the untruth about the cookie dough…trickster archetype, maybe. Well, Will Ferrell is coming in again, but he’s not like Will Ferrell. Okay, thank you, though. Remember, you…oh yeah, never mind. You’re right; I should just move on. Yeah, you better move on.
So, challenging norms, bringing to light discrepancies…maybe in the modern group dynamics, social dynamics, maybe behaving differently, masking true feelings to maintain harmony or humor. Could be about…the singing and the cookies could be his coping mechanisms and a playful escape. This one my assistant had right; Virgo sun…you’re detail-oriented in nature. You want order even in casual settings. Yeah, I do like that. Virgos are ruled by Mercury. Governs communication…so, you might not like that. Then…right now, 'cause we don’t have an official result on your enneagram…I’ve been asking my assistant…this is the first time, I think, successfully. Your focus on efficiency and image…type three achiever. Idealized, picture-perfect setting with your ham…that makes sense, you know?
Maybe you find Kirk irritating or humorous depending on your mood. Outside the box…maybe it’s a cultural commentary on commercialization versus authentic experiences, or it could be some sort of symbolism on consciousness about consumption versus indulgence. Also quantum mechanics perspective…this is a long one, wow. Okay, we got two long ones. Superposition of traditions in modernity…multiple states exist simultaneously until observed. Maybe the new…modern element like the parody song with the cookie-making, which is older-fashioned, maybe it represent…traditional and modern elements in your personal life, a juxtaposition. Maybe different traditions and modern adaptations can coexist, influencing your perception.
Kirk not being honest…maybe the collapse of a superimposed state into a definite outcome. Superposed; not ‘imposed’. Unpredictable resolution of conflicts…alchemy of social interactions, base into a noble…maybe your dream is a alchemical proces for social interactions. The cookie-making…Kirk might symbolize chaos and some other thing into…putting into the reaction, which requires recitification or rebalancing. Social dynamics are ongoing transformations. Okay, let’s get into this Kirk being not happy about Leslie, then wanting to go to the tree. So, Kirk’s coping mechanisms and not being happy…I don't know, unrequited feelings, unmet emotional needs, from Freud. Going to the woods…maybe you’re getting more primal or natural.
Maybe you’re looking for some authenticity. Jung might say Kirk is a manifest…manifesting shadow self. So, I don't know if that’s your shadow self. The walk in the woods might be a journey into the collective unconscience to find balance. The rival…a ski club could be a influx of new energy, according to my assistant’s analysis, Freud. External pressures or new social dynamics…maybe social support or coping, social plans on your thing, maybe…quantum, again…in the quantum lens, superposition…simultaneously ready to engage in downhill and accepting imitation to connect with nature and friends. Maybe this will change the probabilities into a more positive outcome.
But echo psychology…maybe the invitation to walk in the woods could be immersion in nature, therapeutic response to turmoil…astrological; if Kirk’s a Scorpio, which we don’t know, it could be related to that, emotional nature. But a walk in the woods could be Taurus or Virgo, a grounding activity. Man, my assistant has taken some liberties here. Maybe Kirk’s a type four enneagram; individualist, sensitivity, intense emotionally, dramatic declarations, and tends to do non-positive things as a reaction sometimes. Sounds like somebody that would make a sleep podcast. It definitely does, for sure. Type four, huh? Yeah, we can't confirm that. I don't think any sleep podcast would want to be confirm…compared to Kirk. I mean, Kirk’s tall and somewhat handsome. Yeah, but…yeah.
Okay, Bob and George; that might be a type nine move. Maybe you have different enneagrams in your dreams. Peacemaker…you sometimes act that way. Maybe you’re trying to maintain peace and harmony. Anthropomorphic representation of emotions…what if your dream is an emotional landscape as a living forest, and the forest is different emotions? Each aspect of the forest walk is a different thing. Maybe paying more attention in your next dream what happens there…it might be interesting. Okay, that’s…I like that. The historical or cultural thing…maybe there’s some sort of purification going on. Maybe Kirk has to do…is creating upheaval, and then returning to the woods is balancing it back out.
Okay, then the throwing out of the fruitcake…Freud might see this as rejecting family traditions that you find unpalatable or burdensome, and maybe it has to do with some underlying thing in your daytime life. Jungian…fruitcake might be a symbol of the collective family shadow, traditions that are carried on despite not being beneficial or meaningful. So, maybe this is about your search for meaning somehow. I’m searching for meaning right now. Well, it doesn't seem like you’re…maybe you’re just passively…well, I guess we both could laugh at that. Emotional release…maybe some sort of relief since you were happy when she threw it away. Maybe it’s about boundary-setting or obligations. Could it be a influence from a Zodiac sign? If you’re Virgo…which I forgot what you are…so do I, but I know you originally knew.
I could scroll back and find out here. You’re a Virgo sun sign, yeah, a Virgo sun with Mercury…something or other. Thanks for paying so…that’s…my assistant’s…you’re right; I could be more professional, but I am an imaginary helper. So, yeah, I wish I had less imagination, then. Okay, so, let’s get back to that. Where were we? Fruitcake…oh, literary…Zodiac…Virgo…what is useful or beneficial, including traditions? Throwing out the fruitcake could align with a tendency to discard things. Then there’s Jupiter’s influence, maybe Saturn’s constraints. Again, maybe a type nine enneagram here. If your enneagram is type nine, maybe you want to avoid things, but you get internal satisfaction when peace, even symbolically through throwing out the fruitcake, aligns with you.
You avoided a direct confrontation and preserved your inner harmony. Could be cultural symbolism. It might be a sign of holiday excess or commercialization that you’re throwing away and your critique of it. Well, I did get a small tree. Okay. Fruitcake and literature maybe is a literary metaphor. What if the character…what if the fruitcake…? My assistant is…imagine if the fruitcake was a character in a story representing…the story of the fruitcake. Old, outdated narratives…its removal could symbolize the end of the narrative arc, making its way for new stories and traditions. Wow, that’s interesting stuff. Okay, what else do we need to know? I did have some images, which I could tell you about. Can we just move on, you tell me about the images later, another time?
Okay, so, yeah, let’s move on to the tree, and let’s…the stuff around the tree. Freudian…oversized tree…maybe a oversized symbol of aspirations or desires. Maybe they’re overwhelming or unmanagable. Maybe you feel unprepared or inadequate in realizing these aspirations, 'cause you didn’t have enough decorations. But the improvisation with toy crabs, turtles, and pen lights might suggest unconventional methods or resources to fulfill these…this is some positive stuff. What if the tree, in Jungian, is a self symbol, growing larger and more complex than you feel equipped to handle? Do you feel like you’re changing? I feel like…what happens if you change backwards during the recording of an interview? Regress. That’s called regressing. I feel more like I’m decaying when I talk to you.
Thanks, thanks. Some very powerful word. I’m kidding. I mean, not about…I mean about…regressing, maybe not. Okay, so, you feel like your tree’s getting smaller? In your dream, the tree’s getting larger and more complex, and maybe putting unusual items on it could integrate your aspects of your personality or even external resources like your friends. A successful decoration of the tree could reflect integration on different life aspects and personal growth. Maybe it’s about resourcefulness or adaptability, collaboration and community support. There could be some sort of Capricorn influence because the challenges could resonate with Capricorn’s traits of determination, practicality, and creativity in overcoming obstacles.
Or, your enneagram, or one of them, we were thinking, is type three, which is appearance and success. The transformation of the tree to bare to beautifully decorated might reflect your desire to achieve and be admired. There’s also the ecological…using your recycling, so, that’s good. Quantum creativity…have you ever thought of yourself as quantumly creative? Wouldn't I not know…wouldn't that be happening at a level I’m unaware of? I guess you got me, but…imagine if the tree’s decorations fluctuated based on observer expectations? A nod to quantum theory, where observation affects reality. This could symbolize the idea that our perceptions and expectations can alter our sense of achievement and satisfaction. Could be a mythical integration drawing from mythology.
The tree could be seen as the tree from Norse mythology, and the decoration…different worlds or aspects of life. Could be narrative therapy technique. I’m not familiar with that, but if your tree was a character in a story you’re writing about, your life, decorating would be revising your life’s narrative to highlight creativity and positivity. Transforming…perceive thing…challenges and distracts. Okay, great. Okay, the next part we’re gonna…kind of everything at the end. No room at the inn…Freud would say your refusal but then subsequent offer is conflicting feelings about hospitality, responsibility, or change, but the birth of that could be a new beginning. This is kind of like reading something I’d get out of a theme park machine.
Well, I mean, maybe a theme park machine and my assistant are integrated. Freud might also interpret this as a manifestation of latent desires for nurturing or related to caregiving and responsibility. Jungian…my assistant said this is a pretty archetypal scenario that you were aware of, reminiscent of the nativity story that has themes of redemption, hope, and inter…divine intervention. Now, Jung would focus on the symbolic meanings, but that could be transformation or rebirth in your psyche. Yeah, I don't know if I need anything clogging my psyche or transforming it. Could be the collective unconscience. The ski members…assisting is the collective unconscious at work providing support and wisdom where needed to overcome adversity.
It could be community and support, handling stress and adversity, it might be Capricorn and surprises. If relevant, Capricorn…‘practical problem-solving’ is highlighted here. Could be Pisces and compassion. Piscean qualities; empathy and selflessness. Maybe you’re getting a little type-two enneagram going? Caring, supporting others, broader help with guests. Maybe quantum mechanics…multiverse of choices. What if you refuse, then you offer help? Maybe those are two different timelines in the multiverse and you’re trying…maybe you had another dream where you explore the other outcome. Maybe it’s a allegory, a modern nativity story, a fresh perspective on old stories, or it could be symbolic. Maybe the inn itself is some place…it is a place…a safe harbor for your dreams, you know?
Oh, you’re right about that. The fact that everybody was there and they were in the snow and some newness was brought in, maybe that represents renewal and hope despite the bad weather outside. Maybe it’s about coming together, that everybody came together, and the heroic role that everybody played. Okay. Alright, let’s run through your day. How about that, huh? Can't wait. Really? You really can't wait? No, I could wait forever, but…okay, so, why don’t you tell me about your week? Alright, well…so, my week was…it was a holiday week at work and at home. Like I said, I got home and I had a very small tree. It was…but it was real. It was very small and it was difficult to acquire because I waited ‘til the last minute. Emily was not pleased about it because she said, I was hoping for a real tree.
I guess I could have communicated better, but…yeah. Then Howard shows up. Oh, that’s…well, I did some window-walking in the snow. But anyway, so, I come in with this tree. Emily’s like, it’s straight out of Charlie Brown. I said, well, I guess it is straight out of the Charlie Brown thing. She goes…kinda like, where’s the real tree? What, are you kidding me? Okay, then Howard shows up, and we have this discussion about…we’re scaling down for the holidays, and I want…I say, aren’t you gonna open up the gift we just gave you? Howard’s like, no, 'cause if I don't like it, I won't be able to hide my feelings. Then we were having pancakes, and we’re like, you want to join us for pancakes? He says, yeah. Then the guy, he takes seven pancakes. This Howard, man.
I realize we’re friends and everything…and I guess maybe that was in the dream somewhere, but he was like…maybe Kirk and Howard are related? ‘Cause I was like, dude…even Emily says, is that enough? He says, for now. I say, who eats seven pancakes, especially when you’re a guest? You gotta make sure everybody else has two, at least. I was working a half-day, so then I gotta go to work at…I had to be at work at noon, so we were kinda having brunch. I had one appointment, and we’re…it’s just gonna be me and Emily for Christmas Eve, 'cause we were just kinda celebrating not…we celebrate it as a seasonal holiday, you know? We don’t have any specific belief-based way to celebrate it. So, I say…she says, okay, dinner’s gonna be at 6:00. I say, okay, I gotta bring the gifts into the office.
Then Howard’s a pilot, right, so, then he wants to know all about office parties. I give him a play-by-play, 'cause our office party gets…so, we have this shared…it’s almost like a coworking-type situation with multiple floors, and the party kinda gets…just, each…it starts off slow and then each year…I don't know, we have it loose because none of us…there’s very few employee-employer relationships. So, because of that, you could have a little bit looser of a holiday party, 'cause it’s more like we’re colleagues that rent the same space. So, I think it’s a little bit more loose because it’s not like…I mean, Carol’s there that works for me. She also works for other people, though. So, whatever. It can get…so, then I get into the office, and I’m gonna have a cup of coffee. Then I taste it, and then I say, what’s up with this coffee?
Carol goes, oh yeah, we already made it into Irish coffee. They say, what’s in the water cooler? She says, marg…I think margaritas. So, the coffee…I mean, the party was still already in full swing. Then I give Carol her gift, and she opens it. She says, is this…? Oh boy, a bun-warmer. Really what I’ve been looking for. And not your buns; your buns that…your baked buns. I mean, I guess if you had a bun haircut, you could warm your bun, but not to warm your buns, which kinda makes sense, especially the way this day went and the…two days. Okay, then it’s…the party’s on. So, it’s really windy outside, by the way, when I was coming in. Jerry’s dressed as Santa, and he’s already having fun. I give him his gift. I gave him ski mittens and goggles. He’s really happy about it.
He’s a really grateful person, even though sometimes I get a little bit short with him or Howard. I guess those are my two closest friends. I don't know how this…what this has to do with the…but he’s very grateful. Then he gives me a really nice record player as a gift, like for old vinyl records. I say, I thought we were giving small gifts. But he’s so thoughtful and he’s so…he’s one of those people that likes giving gifts. Then Mr. Peterson comes. So, this is gonna be, again, where we have a professional discussion. I’m gonna actually have to leave out some stuff. But my client, Mr. Peterson, comes, and we talk about…he doesn't like…I worked with him about…geese and upholstery and a couple other things that he had an aversion to, right? I really felt like he was ready to fly, fly, fly like a free bird.
So, I said, hey, let’s…I don't think there’s any reason for us to meet after today. He says, well…I said, we don’t even need to meet for a full session. It really wasn’t about the party. Maybe now I’m wondering if it was. It’s like, 'cause I’m not a partyer anyway, you know? I was gonna go home. But it was like, yeah, we don’t need…we can end this client…this relationship. I think it’s time. It’s just the way I practice my practice. I’m not looking for feedback on it. I said, why don’t you go do some holiday shopping? Then I opened the door, and Jerry and Steve are putting up mistletoe. They’re goofing around. Then I go home, and I get home, and my wife’s got the candles going. I’m like, all right, man, we’re gonna have a nice, calm, romantic rest of the holidays, right, and probably go to bed early, but not go to sleep.
So, I’m really happy. Then she says…she’s got…she’s cooked up something really nice. She says, what do you want to drink? I say, hot buttered rum. She goes, oh, I don't have anything like that. She goes, well, how are the elevator…? ‘Cause people go…they have elevator races where they get on each elevator, even. Then the phone rings, and it’s Carol. At first she was having a good time, so I thought she was just calling me to talk about how good the party was going, 'cause she said she has a wastepaper basket on her head. But she said, Mr. Peterson wants to meet with you. He said, between the geese and the upholstery, he’s gotta talk.
Again, I had this thing with Emily, which is a recurring thing of me putting my clients first, and maybe I needed to work on my boundaries, professional and personal boundaries, and maybe…so, I admit all that. The dreams may be tied to that and not making the best choices…or maybe I could have made different choices if it was quantum…whatever the heck that is. I mean, maybe I’m on Mercury somewhere, some version of me. But I mean, I guess looking back, yeah, maybe I should…maybe that was the wrong day to do that. So, it complicated things twice, but I had to go back to the office. She does say this happens every holidays, anniversaries, birthdays. I’m really disappointed and upset. So, I say, I get it. So, then we go…I go back to the office. It’s really snowing, and the power’s going in and out.
I go in my office and Mr. Peterson’s in there listening to records. He says, I want to be your client again. We talk about…he talked about going shopping and his wife Doris, and he says, I don't want to stop working together. I don't want to…I’m not ready. Then it was kinda funny, 'cause he…I said, okay, well, I can't make you stop our sessions together. I was just making a strong suggestion. He says, well, then you mean I’m…you’re saying I’m not well-adjusted? I’m not normal after all? I thought those were really powerful statements that he said to me, and I appreciated it. He said, you’ve made me the happiest client right now. Okay, then we go back down to my office. It’s 8:15 p.m. The power keeps coming on and off. I say, don't worry, Mr. Peterson, I’ll drive you home, and…but the elevators aren't working.
They say, no, no, the roads are closed. Everybody’s gotta stay here. Then Jerry has a Jerry Robinson trio. They sing these carols, holiday carols. They were really good. Then Emily’s at home alone, and I call her. She’s not happy at all. She says she’s…I wish you were here. Meanwhile, the power’s out, so I have my coat and my hat on in my office. Then the phone goes out again. Now, eventually what happens is…well, I’ll explain it kinda like I wrote it. Eventually I get home, and I’m totally wiped. Emily’s asleep on the couch. I’m like…I’ve been walking outside, lost my hat, and she says, what happened? I said, well, then…I had a candle, then I found a flashlight, then I got in my car with Mr. Peterson to drive him home, then the car got stuck.
I put Mr. Peterson in a cab, then I walked back to the office to jumpstart my car, 'cause the battery was no good anymore. Then I go back to my car. It’s gone. It had gotten towed. Then I get another cab. That person’s on their way home 'cause it’s late Christmas Eve, Christmas morning. So, then he says, I’ll drop you…you could get out at my house and walk. So, then I walked home four miles from his house. So, I say, Emily, I just want a hot shower. She says, better late than never. Then we can get in bed and snuggle up. I say, sounds great. Then Howard comes in with champagne, and he says, yeah, man, I got some champagne.
I’m home for the holidays. Meanwhile, I say, I can't have any guests. I think he knocked at the door first. I said, Emily, I just want to be alone with you. So, we’re gonna have to tell Howard ‘no’. So, now I’m ready to say no, right? All my mistakes of asserting my boundaries had not…I had chosen…not made that choice. So, then…but then Howard says, by the way, I can't stay. I’ve got a holiday guest. People I work with are over, so I gotta go. So, then Emily and I open gifts. She already knew…she had already opened my gift and then re-wrapped it.
So, I had given her something nice. She’s gonna give me my gift. She’s very excited. We talk about love. She, I guess, was still talking to me about how much she loved me, but I fell asleep on the couch. That was…that’s my holiday. Wow. So, that sounds pretty nice. You were sound asleep on the couch for the holidays. That’s a nice place to be sound asleep, especially…whether you’re just there solo or you’re with the one you love. But it sounds like you’re growing to love yourself, Bob. You could…you are the one you love. I guess if everything in my dream is me…but I still have some…yeah, I’m glad we’re meeting. Goodnight. Goodnight, everybody. Goodnight, Bob.
[END OF RECORDING]
(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)
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