Hey hun, first of all to DV It's great you found the site!

Second... don't sweat it, pretty much everyone can lucid dream but it can take a long time to have your first one. I stopped the practice for a while last year and when I started again it took me quite a few weeks to have one. When you are new it can take even longer. However once you start having them you tend to get on a roll and have them regularly. It does take a little perserverence at first but you are right about 'trying to hard'. Indeed you need to put mental effort in, but if you allow yourself to get frustrated and impatient you will probably only hinder your success. Just relax and remember that there's always going to be another chance the next night when the sun inevitably sets again! It will happen eventually.

I think you mean 'circadian rhythm' not your 'biological clock' and don't worry about this at all. It doesn't matter how long you had the swimming schedule for, your circadian rhythm will adjust I can absolutely assure you.

Also don't worry about having a dream about having a lucid dream. Even experienced LDers will do this sort of thing sometimes. I've done this. In fact, I've done worse; I once told my mum she should be doing a reality test during one of my dreams! I've also complained to a DC (Dream Character) about how I didn't manage to get lucid last night. I've also stood and looked around in a dream thinking about what I would do if this was a dream and wished it was because it would be such a cool place to get lucid in. I've also thought to myself 'wow this is the sort of thing that happens in my dreams'. All without getting lucid!

The main reasons it is good to recall and record your dreams is that it gives you insight to your personal dreamlife and it allows you to determine your personal dreamsigns which then become cues for Reality Testing. You don't actually need to write them down. Recording them is fine. The important thing is to regularly revisit past dreams in order to pick out recurring themes/activities. These become your dreamsigns and so you train yourself to do a reality test when they occur in RL. That way you will most likely do a RT when they happen in your dream.

Don't worry, you will have a lucid dream at some point, and it could be really soon, tonight even. Keep in touch with your progress