I went to bed pissed last night. It was partly because of what happened to Kate and partly because a simple oil change and tire rotation on the family truckster ended in a quote for a grand to fix things that we just fixed last year. Predictably, I had a dream that reflected my somnolent attitude. Unpredictably, I remembered it and it's another doozy.

I'm standing in front of a desk in a big room, like a cafeteria. Old Old Boss is sitting behind the desk in his oh-so-comfy big ass executive leather chair. Now this is Old Old Boss, not Old Boss. That is, he's from the company I left in Buffalo to come down to Atlanta. In real life we had parted on good terms and, though we haven't stayed in close contact, the few times we've spoke or written have been very cordial. Dream Old Old Boss was like that - friendly and smiling. Decent start for a dream.

He talks for a little while about how great it is to have me working there and then just sort of stops talking. This is where the dream starts to go downhill. It's obvious to me that the conversation is over but he hasn't really ended it. It would be disrespectful for me to just leave so I stand there expectantly waiting for him to continue or conclude. The silence gets uncomfortable so I take the initiative and offer a hand for shaking and say something like "Thanks, it's great working here. I guess I'll see you later." He smiles and shakes my hand. As I'm turning to go he calls me back, says "You'll need this" and hands me a short report.

I walk out the door into the hallway. The hallway is odd - like in a high school with lockers lining the walls. There are lots of people walking to and fro. I look at the report and suddenly understand that I was just in my review. That silence from his was just him waiting for me to ask for a raise. I blew it! No raise! Sonofabeetch!

I turn around to go back and talk to him again. Maybe I can explain that I was confused or something and bring up the raise. As I walk back I start reading the report. The first item is Product Quality and has a rating of 2.4. The written explanation for the rating is "Software hangs. Too many bugs." I look at other items and most of them have ratings in the 3.6 to 3.9 area. I go to the back page and see that the scale is from 2 to 4.

I stop walking. I was not a software analyst at that job, I was the Executive Assistant. I did most of the custom programming but it was well outside my job description - not an item that would be number one on my review. Then I realize that this review is for my current job. Old Old Boss just did a job review for my position in software QA! I've received a review with a rating of almost as absolutely low as you can get in my primary area of responsibility.

Now I'm pissed. First of all Old Old Boss, nice as he could be, was not what you would call a technofile. He knew his industry backwards and forwards and he knew people well but he was not kin to the computer. How the hell could he possibly review my work in a pure technology field? Second, I do damn fine work. Since I took over QA on my product line the incidence of reported bugs has gone way down, customer satisfaction with new releases is way up and (most telling) the overall incidence of bugs found in new release features is at an all time low.

And I was rated 2.4 on a scale of 2 to 4?! Now I was furious and stormed back into the room ready to rant and rave. I get in the cafeteria sized room and it's now a bloody cafeteria with tables, serving line and lots of people eating their lunches. I stand there fuming. No Old Old Boss to confront over the unfair review, no recourse possible, I'm helpless to combat the situation at all.

Then I woke up. Pissed. Anybody care to conjecture just what the heck is going on with my id and ego here?

I just realized something odd. Maybe it isn't so unpredictable that I remembered this dream. I picked the name for this blog from a conversation I had with G. He was late for our car pool and said he was waylaid by a snooze button dream. That was the first time I'd heard the term and it really tickled me so I used it here as my title. Since I started this blog I have remembered more dreams than any other time in my life. The couple I've written about and quite a few others that haven't made the cut. Maybe because I have an outlet to share them so there is a value to remembering them? Maybe just because the word 'dream' is in my face several times a day? Maybe just because I'm writing again each day so the creative juices are flowing? I don't know but I'd be interested in finding out.