Conscious? Unconscious? Subconscious?

I rarely dream (or sleep for that matter) but, on such rare occasions, my dreams are such eerily realistic premonitions that it takes minutes for me to recognize reality. These dreams are more like vignettes which give me the chance to watch the most realistic scenario for whatever transition, question or looming deadline has been causing me the most anxiety.

These dreams do not require interpretation, there is no symbolism or free associating. It is as though my mind, free from the obligation to to process all of the stimulus of waking life, simply puzzles together of all of the bits and pieces of anxiety and "what-ifs" that circulate in my head when I am awake into the most plausible scenario; It's a manifestation of my neurosis.

Not to get too It's a Wonderful Life, but they feel like gifts from a guardian angel subconscious.

I had a boss once who would recount her dreams and make me look up interpretations on the internet. Do you remember your dreams? Are they fantastical or realistic?

Check out RadioLab's fantastic podcast on the science of sleep and dreams.

Happiness For $75,000

According to a new study, happiness and emotional well-being peaks for a family at a household income of $75,000. Economist Angus Deaton and Nobel prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman analyzed data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, and found that people reported becoming happier as their household income increased, but it plateaus at $75,000.

This study reminds me of a Radiolab segment about the effect different cages have on the brains of gorillas. Phsychologists looked at the brains of gorillas who lived in bare cages, cages with a few interactive elements and cages with lots of interactive elements. The gorillas who lived in the cages with a few interactive elements had much healthier brains than the ones who lived in bare cages, but brain health flat-lines in the moderately interactive cages.