He slept, making no noise apart from the sound of his breathing. His eyes were flicking under his eyelids. He was in REM sleep.
Sleeping on a problem allowed his mind to be open to ideas not hindered by realities of the waking world. Some of his greatest hypotheses had been devised while sleeping.
He almost had the answer to cold fusion. He could provide the world with a cheap, clean source of power.
In his dream state, he spoke, “I have it! The secret is to…”
…the alarm went off…
He woke. His solution was lost. It was time to feed his baby.
Ross's Writing Blog 
Sally-Jayne
August 30, 2011 at 17:42
This made me laugh. It’s so true to life – we all achieve such greatness in our sleep only to lose it the minute the alarm goes off. I have written the most amazing novels in my sleep an not been able to remember even the name of the main character when I woke up 😦
Ross Mannell
August 30, 2011 at 17:55
Thanks for the comment.
It’s amazing how much we achieve in our dreams. Did he find a way to make a successful cold fusion device? We’d have to wait for another dream. 🙂
Lynda Dixon
August 30, 2011 at 20:23
A good piece of writing. I love the idea that we can solve the world’s mysteries whilst asleep.
Ross Mannell
August 31, 2011 at 02:06
Thanks for the comment.
The mind is an amazing thing. Many times I have slept on a problem only to wake with a solution. Was it dreaming or simply giving the mind a chance to rest that helped? 🙂
Anna Halford
August 31, 2011 at 01:37
I’m sure many great ideas have been interrupted by an unwelcome alarm. Super read.
Ross Mannell
August 31, 2011 at 02:10
Thanks for the comment.
We can be super heroes, solve the world’s problems, invent something to save the world from pollution, cure cancer but then reality strikes as the alarm wakes us or is the dream state of sleep the true reality and the rest just a figment of our waking mind? 😉
Julia
August 31, 2011 at 04:45
Oh I know how that feels (not the fusion thingy of course!) The number of great ideas I’ve had only to lose them when I’ve woken! Well written Ross – really scientific! Great to see you keeping up with the challenges!
Ross Mannell
August 31, 2011 at 22:41
Thanks for the comment.
Been busy times over the last three weeks with video/DVD work for schools. I make time for the 100WCGU and now also for Saturday Centus but have been pushed for time to also add comments for others. Much of the current DVD work is now winding down so I hope commenting might increase soon. 🙂
Lisa (Woman Wielding Words)
September 2, 2011 at 03:14
I hate that. Not the writing, of course, the waking up at crucial moments part. I’ve written so many books in my sleep I could line a book shelf with them. Or, this morning, I was so close to understanding something (I’m not even sure what) but the morning intruded. Dream journals don’t work, and so the brilliance (or at least it seems brilliant) is lost. Sigh.
Nice, true post.
Ross Mannell
September 2, 2011 at 12:19
Thanks for the comment.
It’s a feeling many of us have had on waking to an alarm. I know sleeping on a problem can work for me although those brilliant ideas when dreaming probably wouldn’t work in the real world but at least we can create possibilities.
Susan Mann
September 2, 2011 at 22:09
Aww I feel bad for him, but yes so true to life. This is a great piece. x
Ross Mannell
September 2, 2011 at 22:24
Thanks for the comment.
I wonder how many times people have been at that “Eureka!” moment only to lose it because of something disturbing the thought? An alarm is a rougher way to wake yet we sometimes need one to remind us there are others things to do in the day. 🙂
Judie
September 3, 2011 at 07:26
Ross, I have what I call “epic dreams” that seem to go on all night long, with many chapters and characters. Occasionally the characters appear in other dreams, and I recognize them while I am sleeping, but if I saw one on the street one day, I would think nothing of it. I actually have solved a few problems in my sleep, but it is definitely not the norm!! I really enjoyed this. Oh, I have no mechanical alarm to wake me up–only a wet nose nudging me!!
Ross Mannell
September 3, 2011 at 10:24
Thanks for the comment.
Yes, I’ve heard of epic dreams. If we could only record what happens they could be the making of novels providing they make sense outside the dream world. Many times I’ve slept on a problem and woken through the night or in the morning with a solution. Seems the mind isn’t hindered by reality when asleep so it can stretch the limits. 🙂
Gill
September 5, 2011 at 02:31
How frustrating for him! I like the short link back to reality . . .
Ross Mannell
September 5, 2011 at 06:10
Thanks for the comment.
We can conquer so much in our dreams only to wake to everyday reality. 🙂
robinhawke
September 5, 2011 at 07:13
Forgetting solutions, so easy to do! Robin
Ross Mannell
September 5, 2011 at 09:31
Thanks for the comment.
🙂 I suppose it could be worse if you discovered the solution but forgot the question.