No joke

[aceofkittens]

On Wednesday night, I had a very strange dream about my old mentor, Alan Dundes, a man who had a tremendous influence on my life and the shaping of my education. I had been a piss-poor student when I took his class at Cal — by the end of it, the fires of academe had been lit under me, and I turned my whole life around. I took more and more folklore classes and eventually went on to try and get my graduate degree in folklore. Alan Dundes was an inspiration to me. Not everyone agreed with his ideas, but to me, he was a mentor and a friend.

Wednesday night, or I should say morning, for night came at the end of a 6 hour drive, I dreamed that I was in the long hallway at Kroeber, and I went up to Professor Dundes' office to see him, like I had so many times before. He asked me what I was doing and I had to tell him. He was very disappointed and scolded me a little. I told him I'd gotten this job down in LA, but that I had quit it abruptly and was coming to work at Berkeley, like I had always wanted. He scolded me some more, then relented, and gave me a big bear hug, and we talked a bit about this new dream-job and the guilt I had at quitting my LA-job so abruptly.

I told some people about the dream yesterday. "Are you going to go see him while you're up home?" one asked, "You haven't gone to see him in a while." "No," I said, "He'll just be very disappointed in me for real, like he was in the dream." But, I always did love coming to see him and today, as I walked to the MUNI on my way home from my dentist appointment, I thought about maybe going over to Berkeley after all, or at least calling.

I got home, opened my computer for the first time since Wednesday, and saw a flurry of emails and I went on Yahoo News and my old mentor, Alan Dundes, died on Wednesday. He died doing what he loved, teaching. One time, we were talking and he told me: "The secret to happiness is to find something that you love doing and do it, and find someone to share it with." Alan Dundes had both.

The dream scares me. I am so sad right now. I will miss his wisdom. I am so ashamed I was too much of a wimp to go and see him. I'm so sorry.

Comments

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

The timing of your dream is spooky, but it shows your connection to him. You were so lucky to have worked with Dundes. ***hugs***

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

I think he co-wrote a book on Internet folklore, actually -- I'll try and find the name of it. {{{hugs}}}

*hug*

[bettyscout.livejournal.com]

Maybe that was him, talking to you. I think dreams like that can be a gift. Perhaps that was your saying goodbye?

Anyway, treasure it, and take heart.
ill see you tomorrow

Re: *hug*

[vaznetti]

Maybe that was him, talking to you. I think dreams like that can be a gift. Perhaps that was your saying goodbye?

I think so too -- I had a dream like this about my grandmother the night she died. It was a strange and inconclusive dream, but I'm sure it was her.

Also {{{{hug}}}} I thought of you as soon as I heard the news.

[erikred.livejournal.com]

Ah, man, I'm so sorry to hear that he's passed. Hang in there. :(

Hugs

[8ofswords.livejournal.com]

{{{{Aceofkittens}}}}

[muridae-x.livejournal.com]

{{{{{Ace of Kittens}}}}}

He sounds like a great guy, and someone that you're lucky to have known.

[spican.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear. {{{{AoK}}}}

How strange about that dream. It does seem like a good-bye of sorts, or that you somehow knew that he was taking his good-bye, anyway.

He was a friend, he cared about you, so I hope you'll be able to let those feelings of shame and fear go. Those aren't what a friend would wish to leave you with. *tight hugs*

[camille-is-here.livejournal.com]

I was shocked when I got the news. Some people you just expect to go on and on. But I know how you feel. Kenny Goldstein was my mentor at the Penn Folklore Department. I still miss him more than it is comfortable to think about.

Camille

[fillyjonk.livejournal.com]

my mom cried when Mead died...did she tell you that?

I'm very, very sorry. {{{{{{{{{AoK}}}}}}}}

off topic

[ugg-the-wandere.livejournal.com]

el lay:
arriving friday 4/8, leaving sunday 4/10