Real-life coincidences not so enjoyable

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César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
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Aguascalientes, Mexico
I read "Under The Dome" during December vacations. I was visiting my parents in my hometown, where there is rarely any cloud in sight. Except last year, when cold weather everywhere kept the sky full of clouds and weird colors, which made me think of the strange weather conditions described in the book.

Well, now I am reading "The Stand" (about 1 quarter now, so I hope one of these coincidences goes away soon).

I started remembering my dreams every night. And I got super sick. :a17:

I think the subconscious helps some. If I think about dreams, perhaps that tells my mind to dream more, or to remember better.

But I also think another factor is simply the cold (as it is January). I love cold, because I feel more energized. But when I want to sleep, "energized" is not a good way to feel. So I do not sleep so deeply, which might help in remembering what I was dreaming.

Of course, things are not as nice when the cold also brings this super flu that makes it so difficult to breathe... :cold:

These are the only books were I recall having these coincidences, but they were the two latest books I read. If this will keep happening, I wonder which books would not be safe to read anymore, hahahaha.

Has anyone else had this kind of "augmented reality" while reading some books? Has it been good or bad? For me, everlasting clouds that change the color of the sky and having dreams is good. Respiratory difficulties is definitely bad.:a11:
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I read "Under The Dome" during December vacations. I was visiting my parents in my hometown, where there is rarely any cloud in sight. Except last year, when cold weather everywhere kept the sky full of clouds and weird colors, which made me think of the strange weather conditions described in the book.

Well, now I am reading "The Stand" (about 1 quarter now, so I hope one of these coincidences goes away soon).

I started remembering my dreams every night. And I got super sick. :a17:

I think the subconscious helps some. If I think about dreams, perhaps that tells my mind to dream more, or to remember better.

But I also think another factor is simply the cold (as it is January). I love cold, because I feel more energized. But when I want to sleep, "energized" is not a good way to feel. So I do not sleep so deeply, which might help in remembering what I was dreaming.

Of course, things are not as nice when the cold also brings this super flu that makes it so difficult to breathe... :cold:

These are the only books were I recall having these coincidences, but they were the two latest books I read. If this will keep happening, I wonder which books would not be safe to read anymore, hahahaha.

Has anyone else had this kind of "augmented reality" while reading some books? Has it been good or bad? For me, everlasting clouds that change the color of the sky and having dreams is good. Respiratory difficulties is definitely bad.:a11:
...only when I read Cujo, and had this strange yen for kibble all the time.....
 

César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
4,416
44
Aguascalientes, Mexico
Ha! Then again, TV commercials make dog food look way better than human food (the real thing looks different, though, as is common with many TV commercials). :chargrined:

Thinking about one of my favorites, "Duma Key". That one would not be a good book to have coincidences happen. Even if we take out the accident, there is all this anger all the time at the start of the book. :cower:
 

Anduan Pirate Princess

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2015
768
5,977
41
Rhode Island
...only when I read Cujo, and had this strange yen for kibble all the time.....
:snicker:

I can remember reading the first part of The Stand, and the descriptions of the illness were so well done that it's easy to make the jump to feeling sick yourself through the power of suggestion, much like when you're stuck in the office with a sick coworker and suddenly every sneeze is sure proof that you've caught it from them. Of course, actually getting the flu does suck.

I tend to absorb whatever is happening in a book I'm reading and apply it immediate to my own life. I'm not sure what that says about me besides that I'm easily swayed and self-absorbed, but whatever. For instance, I am reading Anna Karenina right now, and it's causing me to irrationally scrutinize my marriage and obsess over the fashions of Russian nobility. :wink:
 

César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
4,416
44
Aguascalientes, Mexico
:snicker:

I can remember reading the first part of The Stand, and the descriptions of the illness were so well done that it's easy to make the jump to feeling sick yourself through the power of suggestion, much like when you're stuck in the office with a sick coworker and suddenly every sneeze is sure proof that you've caught it from them. Of course, actually getting the flu does suck.

I tend to absorb whatever is happening in a book I'm reading and apply it immediate to my own life. I'm not sure what that says about me besides that I'm easily swayed and self-absorbed, but whatever. For instance, I am reading Anna Karenina right now, and it's causing me to irrationally scrutinize my marriage and obsess over the fashions of Russian nobility. :wink:

When the whole office actually gets the flu, it is like a concert of coughing. It does help the feelings of a Captain Trips epidemic, that's for sure.

Russian fashion. Sounds interesting. And if your marriage comes clean after scrutinizing it to that degree, then you can be happier. :barbershop_quartet_member:
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
79
Just north of Duma Key
Ha! Then again, TV commercials make dog food look way better than human food (the real thing looks different, though, as is common with many TV commercials). :chargrined:

Thinking about one of my favorites, "Duma Key". That one would not be a good book to have coincidences happen. Even if we take out the accident, there is all this anger all the time at the start of the book. :cower:

Living on the Gulf coast of Florida, reading Duma Key and SK's description of the afternoon storms always brought about an eerie feeling.They are so real compared to the storms we get each day during rainy season. Tropical storms cause panic attacks and I had to keep telling myself it is just a story-- a darn good one that is spot on in description!
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
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United States
I was driving my Monte Carlo down a dirt road shortcut, a private drive. My car got stuck on what turned out to be a discarded roll of carpet. It sounds ridiculous, but it happened. When I got out to see I heard barking dogs. Three St. Bernards, separated by chainlength fence, were not happy about my trespassing. I had to leave my car and get to another house for help, and I wasn't in danger, of course, but I did get a shiver. Needless to say I walked rather quickly.
 

César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
4,416
44
Aguascalientes, Mexico
I was driving my Monte Carlo down a dirt road shortcut, a private drive. My car got stuck on what turned out to be a discarded roll of carpet. It sounds ridiculous, but it happened. When I got out to see I heard barking dogs. Three St. Bernards, separated by chainlength fence, were not happy about my trespassing. I had to leave my car and get to another house for help, and I wasn't in danger, of course, but I did get a shiver. Needless to say I walked rather quickly.

And what book was that related from? There are a lot of SK books I have not read yet. :a11: