Yo! Love the screen name, great Naughty by Nature song reference

To answer your ques:

1. DILD is working for me because I haven't gone directly into a lucid dream but have to recognize I'm dreaming before I gain lucidity. I have tried Wake-Back-to-Bed (WBTB) but not WILD yet. My schedule is similar to yours, a good time to try WBTB or WILD is during the weekends when you wake up then read, draw, write, do math, meditate etc to stimulate the mind for a while then go back to bed to try either technique.

2. I've been using a basic MILD strategy, and accomplishing my DILDs by using reality checks and setting my intention to "remember to recognize that I am dreaming." Also, about 4-5 times a day, I'll focus on becoming aware and observant of my surroundings to check for anything odd or out-of-the-ordinary. This "awareness of reality" carries over to my dreamworld, where I'll notice that certain things are out of place or they are changing in front of my eyes.

3. The "best" lucid dream I've had was before I came to the forums, it was another DILD where somehow I just knew I was dreaming instantly. I felt in complete control, I flew often, I explored the dreamworld, and had a lot of fun doing so!

Definitely read up on the different strategies, try them out on your own time - everyone is an individual, you may find that the most effective technique is a combo of 2 or a variation of any of the established ones. As Stephen LaBerge and Howard Rheingold write in Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming:

"All the many techniques and exercises presented work for some people, but how effective each exercise will be for you depends on your individual psychology and physiology. Experiment with the exercises, test them for yourself, and see what works best for you."

Sweet dreams!

-DC