Conclusions DREAM CLUSTERS AS AN INDICATION OF INTENSITY IN A NEW RELATIONSHIP Because I identified the most dense dream clusters for each new character, I could look back and confirm whether the dream clusters correspond to the times of most concern in our relationships. I found they do. DREAM LAG The dream lag for new characters entering my dreams ranged from a couple weeks to 5-1/2 years from the time we met. In each case I felt the dream lag mirrored my concerns with each character. I DON'T DREAM ABOUT MOST PEOPLE I KNOW I have dozens of friends and people in my life who do not become frequent recurring dream characters. For example: Counselor - since 2008, not one dream. Chiropractor - since 2009, not one dream. Next door neighbors - since 2006, two dreams I believe this is because they don't bother me and don't try to change me, and I don't have plans to change them. The way I see it, "no drama, no dreams." I like the people I don't dream about because I don't need to spend mental energy sorting things out with them. CONTINUITY OF ONE PERSON'S DREAMS OVER TIME I still dream about the same people who were in my dreams in 1986.* I met all these people before I turned thirty. I believe I dream about my original series cast because they are my Permanent Mental Furniture (PMF). They are so dear to me they reside permanently in my subconscious mind. We all have people we think of when we need help. "What would my best friend say?" or "What would my father do if he was still here?" Permanent dream characters may be part of who we are, and how we see ourselves. I'm settled on who I am and what I think of myself, and this may be another reason I am hesitant to accept new recurring dream characters. I'm not open to people who might upend my life. Another factor - I've always lived within a few hundred miles of my birthplace, and I've stayed in touch with most of the people I've known all my life. OTHER PEOPLE MAY ACCEPT NEW RECURRING CHARACTERS MORE READILY My high threshold for new recurring dream characters would not necessarily be true for others. Many people move around more often, make new friends more easily, or may meet more people who disrupt their lives. I look forward to studying more long-term dream journals to find out how readily other people bring in new dream characters, and how long they continue to dream about their parents and lifelong friends. Introduction Part 1 - Two Professors Part 2 - Two New Friends Part 3 - Ex-Fiancé Part 4 - Statistics Part 5 - Dreams Conclusions