failed reality check

Hey all,
I had a frustrating experience the other night. I did 2 reality checks in my dream, and they both failed! It's so weird-- RCs haven't ever failed me before in my dreams, but I guess there's a first time for everything.

In the dream I was at my old house (one of my dream signs), and I don't recall why, but I remember thinking that I might be dreaming. I was walking, and I put my hands out in front of me and looked at them, but they were pretty normal looking. Then, as I was walking along, I kept trying to poke my finger through my hand, but nothing was happening. I kept doing this over and over thinking, "Come on, I think I'm dreaming!" but nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Any suggestions on what to do if this happens again?? Definitely a frustrating experience! heh.

I remember when the finger count RC first stopped working for me, lol. When I first started lucid dreaming, when I looked at my hands in dreams, they would be really vague and it was really easy to tell that I was dreaming. Later my hands started looking realistic, with exactly five fingers and everything. All I can say is, count your fingers really slowly, maybe even two or three times, or even try imagining an extra finger coming into existence. It takes a little longer, but it's worth it. Also, if it looks like there might be an extra finger but you're not entirely sure if you're just imagining it, take that as a definite sign that you're dreaming, because in waking life there's no question about the number of fingers on your hand (I learned this the hard way :P ).

Try pinching your nose, closing your mouth, and then try breathing as a RC. When I do a reality check in real life, I usually do it more than once, just to be sure that I really am awake.

Thats really frustrating to have a RC fail though!

I have read a couple books on lucid dreaming, but I'm not well-versed with the terms and 'standards' as you guys. I am usually always able to pay extreme attention to detail. I'd examine a light fixture or some kind of structure and then look away to get it out of my periferal vision and then look back. Something obvious is usually different, whether it be the shape of the lamp decor, or the style of the structure. Maybe that helps?

I was dreaming I was in the mall (about half a year ago) and that was the easiest thing ever. I saw store names were really 'stupid'. Macy's was Dacy's... There was a Ronald McDonald's (McDonald's) in the food court and a lot of other weird crap. lol

Hey venusflesh, I've had this too. In fact, the only RC that works for me is the nose pinch test. My dreams can be so unbelievably vivid and realistic. My hands always look completely normal, right down to the 6 tiny wee prongs on my diamond engagement ring. It's insane how real my dreams are. They are so real that even when I do a RC in real life I can never ever be sure that I'm actually awake until I do the test. Pretty crazy huh?

I had a dream recently where I did the nose pinch test and could breathe but I just couldn't accept that it was a dream and every other test I did passed as if I was awake, eg I tried to put my arm through a wall but just felt a solid wall then I tried to fly but gravity was completely normal etc. If the nose pinch test ever stops working then I don't know what I'll do! Seriously!

Never tried the nose-pinching thing. If I can remember it, I'll give it a go :D

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Yeah on my 2nd lucid, I did the pinching the nose thing and it worked... I don't think I've done it since then in a dream. I wish I would have done that in my dream. Doh! :)

I am setting up an Outlook reminder for every hour during the work day, to remind me to do reality checks... hopefully this will help! I can't ever remember to do them anymore. :(