Dear Vern,
You are obviously a wise and powerful being masquerading as a mortal for the benefit of all mankind. So I have a question for you.

I just bought a 1000 page book on programming in Python.
I don't want to actually read the book. I just want to know what it says.
I tried placing the book under my pillow and sleeping on it, but alas, only the Prologue was transferred to my consciousness.
Subsequent attempts to "sleep on it" yielded no further benefit.
What would you suggest?

This is an interesting question. I too have tried placing the books under my pillow without initial success. What you can do to aid in the absorption process is to read one chapter before going to bed at night, THEN place the book under your pillow.

This has two obvious benefits; first of all it helps getting to sleep due to the incredibly boring nature of the subject matter (anything you WANT to learn but are too LAZY to read about is boring enough to induce sleepiness). Secondly reading a small section before going to bed doesn't overwhelm your brain. It is sort of like "priming the pump".

----

I have a strong warning though for anyone considering this type of "sleep learning".

Recently I was struck down with the most horrific, terrible flu that I have had in ten years. I have been in bed asleep since Saturday at 8 pm till about 5pm this evening. I am only now able to barely function. I have not had any solid food for 2 days... I drink that "boost" stuff... which is actually quite tasty and convenient when you are too dizzy to stand up.

Just before I was struck down I was working on my Terminator Endoskeleton in Animation Master. During my fever driven delirious unconscious state I dreamed I was building that Terminator in Animation:Master. It was perfect. Every mesh was perfectly smooth, all the constraints worked perfectly. I had access to dream features no one else has. I could align splines with the power of just my mind. I could create bevels with the wave of my hand...

Each time I drifted awake I would "save" my dream project knowing full well there was no way to get it out of my head onto the flash drive clutched in my feverish hand no matter how hard I concentrated.

So, my warning to you all... learning in your sleep has absolutely no positive benefits in the real world. It sounds nice but it only makes for very odd dreams.

-vern

Dear Vern,
Thank you for that enlightening answer. It was like ... Woah ... it's full of stars!

Your dream was awesome. I have had similar dreams. I guess that makes us true AM geeks?

Is this v16 beta? How do I get a copy?

Actually you can do that now using Bendytoon's Zign Track and real-time "bvh" - unfortunately you have to sleep with lots of little dots on your face and all over your body.

Warning: Cameras are involved. Vern shouldn't mind that.

I have to add to my dream.

This is really strange and doesn't happy very often. My second night of delirious sleep and I had THE SAME FREAKING DREAM! Terminator endoskeleton... saving in A:M but couldn't get it out of the dream to put on my computer.

Then... suddenly... I'm at my old job. Somehow I got my old job back... my old job from 15 years ago. All new computers. I'm working on the endoskeleton again only this time I'm sure it will work because THIS IS REAL. IT IS NOT A DREAM. Then suddenly on my way home a beautiful coworker asks if I want a ride in her new sportscar (wink wink nudge nudge) Now I KNOW it's a dream and suddenly I have to get across the bridge from Philadelphia to Delaware but I missed my train... what the heck is going on???? I keep dropping my subway tokens...

... when I wake up my hands are full of coins from my pockets... I fell asleep in my clothes again... I don't really remember falling asleep... and the flash drive on my key chain is STILL empty... no beautiful woman... no sports car... no job... and I still have a slight fever...

The last thing I remember is watching AVP: Requiem on DVD... oh good GOD! The HUMANITY! Have they not destroyed both of those franchises already? It is like kicking a dead horse! Now it is "Alien VS. Predator VS. 90210". Teenagers sucking face... and then... alien face hugging! Oh good LORD!

All I can hope is that this horrible movie was a dream as well.

I think I'm high on cold medicine... woooo... all the pretty colors... Who are you two then? Are those my feet?

-vern

Phew.. With the hot woman, I thought you were going to say you had something else in your hands..