June 2022 – Page 13 – Michael Seidel, writer

It was a parade of dreams last night, a dreamathon of impressive vitality and quantity. Two dreams stood out. Both involved a silver car. Silver as fine, polished flatware, with two black stripes down the middle, its front end, roof profile, and general shape and size were like the Ford GT Mark IV which was used to win LeMans with drivers like Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt in the 1960s.

I first saw it in traffic. I don’t know who was traveling with me, but I was driving. Cars were nose to tail. Then came the silver Ford from the other direction. Mired in traffic as well, it cruised past, turning heads. While I’ve described it generally, it was then I spotted two unusual features: its rear wheels were completely enclosed, and it had a vertical fan mounted in its rear end. The fan was a large one, just as used in the Chapparal 2J a few years after the Mark IV, or in the Brabham BT46 Formula 1 car in 1978. (Both the Chapparal and Brabham were banned from racing after showing impressive potential.)

All of us are watching the silver Ford. I hear someone in another car behind me ask, “What is that?” Another person in a car behind me replies, “That’s a NASCAR stocker.”

I’m like, what? That ain’t no NASCAR stocker. I laughed at the suggestion.

We saw the car again later and someone repeated the NASCAR stocker identification. I said, “That’s not a NASCAR stocker. Anyone knowing anything about NASCAR would know that.”

“What is it then?” my companions asked me.

“I don’t know. It looks a lot like a Ford Mark IV, but I never heard of one modified on the back end like that.”

Later, we’re out of the cars, walking around. There is the silver Ford. As I walked over and ogled it, a young woman confirmed my name and then handed me the keys to the silver Ford.

I was perplexed. “Why?”

“You’ve been chosen.”

That answer did nothing to relieve confusion. “By who? And, yeah, why?” Then I tried giving the keys back. “Where would I drive a car like this?” I was shaking my head, but the woman walked away, leaving me with the car and keys.

Meanwhile, in another dream a while later…

My sister-in-law and her SO are with me and my wife walking along a parking lot. SIL sees the silver Ford and says, “Wow, what’s that?” Before I can reply, someone else says, “It’s a NASCAR stocker.”

As I prepare to explain, “No, it’s not a NASCAR stocker,” with the indignation deserved, my wife says, “That’s Michael’s car. It was a gift to him. Show them the keys.”

I held up the keys. “Yes, that’s my car.”

Floofword (floofinition) – 1. Human words which animals seem to understand or know.

In use: “Animals often quickly pick up floofwords like ‘no’, ‘stop’, ‘food’, ‘treat’, and ‘walk’, but will frequently demonstrate selective comprehension.”

2. Command or order issued by an animal.

In use: “When she went to get out of bed, the dog said, “Ermerumphf,” his floofword which meant, ‘Stop moving around, peasant’.”

I’m sitting on Friday, June 3, 2022. Also, sitting on my ass, and on a chair. at

First Friday of June. That means art walks around here. Wine tastings. The OSF Green Show on the Bricks.

Mild day for it. 70 is the expected high. 52 F now. Sixty percent chance of rain, and thunderstorms might come around. Sunrise was at 5:36 AM — a minute earlier — while sunset is at 8:42 PM, a minute later.

The cats are loving this weather. I opened the pet door, and they slip in and out. Eating, checking to ensure we’re not breaking any floof rules, and ensuring we’re still capable of opening cans and dispensing treats. They’re mostly sleeping outside. Papi had claimed the Boo spot and made it his own. But Tucker noticed. Guess who is now in the Boo spot? Yes, Tucker.

Today’s music was brought on by an overheard conversation. Someone said, “It happened right before my eyes.” They said this three times, using the same inflection and nuances each time. I wanted to know, “What happened before your eyes?” They never said in my hearing. Like they were deliberately withholding the info as a prank.

Hearing it, though, the neurons started humming, “Baby, What a Big Surprise” by Chicago from 1975. Within seconds, it went from a hum to the full-on song. It was still residing in my morning mental music stream.

Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask, and get the vax as needed. Stay alert and aware. Have some coffee. I know I will. Here’s the music. Cheers

I wonder what it is about a day that things feel like they’ve come together, and the day seems wealthy with promise? This Thursday, June 2, 2022, is one of those days. Nothing extraordinary in its appearance. Sunshine crept in, gentle and friendly, at 5:37 AM — same as yesterday — and the air temp is 64 F. Though cloudy, with a chance of rain, we expect a high in the upper 70s to low 80s before sunset at 8:41 PM. The felines are loving it, happy with washing and slumbering in shaded spots in the yard. I’m cool with it, too.

The neurons continue their music games, inserting “Tempted” by Squeeze (1981) into the morning mental music stream, a song which was featured just two and a half years ago. I think it might be related to a dream. As I’ve been going through the morning, a dream segment was flash like sunshine on a wave, and then is gone. It is interesting that several songs that my neurons are loading are from the 1980s, n’est pas?

Stay positive, test negative, have a wonder-filled day, or at least a satisfying or successful one. Maybe you’ll hit the trifecta and enjoy all three. Coffee time. Cheers