Phil Ringnalda, disturbed by a dream he had about RSS, asks how people who remember their dreams can live normal, productive lives. As a member of that exclusive group which regularly remembers their dreams, I felt compelled to respond, especially as Ringnalda's question brought to mind part of one of the dreams I had last night.
In the dream, I could tell that I was a senior in high school, and that it was the last day of exams. I had one math examination to go to at 2:00. My family was eating lunch. I looked at a clock and realized that it was 1:16. Since the commute to school would take at least 40 minutes, it would be virtually impossible for me to get to the exam on time.Instead of freaking out, I actually became more lucid. "It is intersession," I thought, "there are no exams." I got up from the table, and walked upstairs.
As a result, I rarely have dreams that actually bother me. The dreams that do are often those which have intensely positive experiences. When I wake up, my feelings of happiness quickly dissipate, as I realize that reality is a far more depressing place than the dreamworld I just left. That said, in general I find dreaming to be a positive experience, especially when it brings up people and events I would not normally think of.