Thursday last, a lecture at a local gallery by local author....
It's on the UFO experience, abduction, dream paralysis, ET contact via the dreamworld, etc.
Why not, I live in Nelson, if you're gonna live here might as well drink the Kool-Aid.
The author/lecturer, he's promised a 1 hour lecture and - by an hour and a half I've had it, silently tip-toe-out and grab my shoes and run for the street.
He's a transplanted American living in the Valley with his wife, and - while not a PHD or Therapist hints at his education by saying his message was too important to further his studies with a PHD...
Basically, without him spelling it out (and there were any number of "abductees" in a room with a dozen people) - his "Theory" is that people are confusing the hypnopompic/hypnogogic state with abduction experiences. Only he's not going to say so because everyone lives in their own reality...
One of the abductees, herself a "Therapist" living on the North Shore, reports a dozen abductions...
I personally would want disclosure from any therapist that believed they had been abducted by aliens even once, let alone a dozen times, but she's pretty passionate and annoyed by it. You would be too.
Notable lines: ”I don’t want to get into ‘Too Much Science’” and, towards closing (always towards closing...) he asks the audience to consider what "Drove them to be here" and a younger member volunteers that the author drove him, in his car...a completely literal answer to a figurative question.
Pretty much sums it up, and he glosses over it.
He's a very handsome young man, fit, tight trousers, dress shirt, maybe 30 years old, immaculately coifed, large effeminate glasses, a forelock that he twirls suggestively...again he mentions his wife...
I guess if you're buying the UFO thing you'll buy anything, although I'm a big fan of knowing yourself before attempting to help others. Which is the purpose of this talk, to promote his books (more than 1), and offer his services ("I'm not a Therapist") which - without saying out loud (don't confront people with other facts) would involve him listening and helping the 'patient' realize they probably had a certain type of dream experience known variously as the Old Hag or Sleep Paralysis...
I mean, there's nothing new, original or even novel here, what is amazing is how un-self-conscious he is and how much time and effort he's spent spinning his wheels and trying to persuade others he has the answers...
It's too much even for me, hence the tip-toed departure, and the self indulgent nature of his "lecture" wherein he roamed freely past the clock and showed no sign of losing steam even when I left.
Anyways, that was the "Full Nelson", my community soak in weirdness, today, a well-earned day off, there's a rock show at the Prestige, Pride week kicks off in Lakeside Park with a BBQ (and he won't be there, because while he figured out the UFO-Dream Paralysis connection he's still a bit short figuring out a few things about himself) and a dance-party, free, DJ in the park, and so my day off today should be relatively normal and full...