lucid

Color legend: Non-dream Dream Lucid

Lucid #5: The Darkened Clock (July 20, 2012)

I am standing at the foot of my bed in the dark. I look over at the alarm clock to see what time it is but it's gone completely dark. At first I think that there has been a power failure but I soon wonder whether I might be dreaming.

I nose pinch and can breathe through only my left nostril! (More on that later.) Still, this is enough to make me lucid. The room is deeply, oppressively dark and I feel like I'm losing the dream scene. I rub my hands together and although the dream feels more stable, the darkness in the room is deepening.

I rub my hands over my arms again and again and try to say, "Increase lucidity..." But the words only come out in this weak, breathy whisper. I want to make a break for the wall, act boldly like before, but my dream body feels faint and frail.

I go on like this for a good while, just weakening as everything fades and soon I'm awake. I quickly discover the reason that I could only breathe through the left side of my nose during the reality check -- I was sleeping face down with the right side of my face smashed against the pillow!

This was the first time I did a reality check in a dream, kind of...Let me explain.

I found myself in some familiar place but couldn't remember it, met some of my friends and...fell asleep. The shared dream was like a computer game. All of us were running from something in a strange place during the night. That place had lots of houses and all of them were made from stone. After I somehow found myself alone, did a reality check. I discovered I was dreaming, but I discovered I was dreaming in my dream within my first dream,so I wasn't aware that all of it was a dream.
I got close that night, recalling as much as I can from my dreams and doing regular reality checks paid off...kind of.


( The above isn't written in great detail since Im writing pretty late and am too tired to write the details)

not really a unique lucid dream i was pretty much in the first stage. although it was very very detailed i didnt have much of any control over anything. i tried basic telekenisis which i had mastered in other LDs but didnt do much but move some small objects a few feet. This dream started out with me being on a dirt bike, not a normal one but controlled like a normal one. i had stopped at this store much like a gift shop. it was in the middle of the desert and i went inside to check out what they had. i came across an old razor they use in barbor shops back in the 50s to shave customers faces and heads, i wanted it for a concealable weapon because i had a sense of deja vu that something bad was gonna happen in the desert. i then came to lucidity realizing how much money i had in my wallet, because i realized i am not that rich. so i proceeded to walk and and looked at my motorcycle and just looked around at the desert scenario, i was so happy i was LD agian it had been like 2 months since i could have one. i got on my bike and went fast as hell. i was tearing it up i got some air, which now thinking back may have had levitation in there kuz i was getting pretty high up. i came across i plush, green area in the desert which was like a neighborhood of some sort. i confronted a man who put a magnum up to me and i pulled out razor and cut his neck clean with one swipe and then proceeded to walk away from the dead body and go into a camper next to his house and lay down to sleep. like i said i wasnt really controlling much of this dream. my being layed down and covered up with a blanket and tried going to sleep. then some people came to the camper wondering who had killed the man, they were looking around when i came out and the about as much as i can recall..

It all began while I was in the living room of my parents home. Things looked fairly familiar and normal, only their behaviour was off. They told me that I needed to sit down because they had something important to tell me. I was more wrapped up in figuring out why things seemed odd in the upstairs, there was a blanket hanging on the wall that was never there before, and our kitchen appliances were mixed around, though they were the same models. My parents kept telling me they had to tell me something important, but I went outside on the back porch. I noticed our small pond (that is usually there) had been expanded to the whole width of the backyard, it looked fresh and I noticed one of our neighbors who does our landscaping exiting the backyard through the fence carrying a shovel. I realized that though my backyard was the same, the differences were outstanding. Coupled with the living room observations and the kitchen, it occurred to me I must have slipped into a parallel dimension. Logically it made sense, everything being similar but slightly skewed fits right into my personal beliefs of parallel dimensions. I was back in my living room, my parents told me to sit down, I sat and told them I already figured it out, they told me I wasn't supposed to be there. I asked them if this was a different dimension and they both nodded. It occurred to me that if they were here, then 'I' must be here as well.
I suddenly started hearing loud metal music coming from the basement, I ventured down the stairs with wonder if I would see myself. As I turned the corner I saw 3 guys, one with his back to me who was built curling a barbell, one spotting him, and another sitting on a weight bench just talking to the other two. The spotter saw me first, throwing him off his spot as the lifter slipped one hand and the barbell clanked down by my feet. He turned around and I saw him. Me. I saw me, looking him straight in the eyes, he looked exactly like me, with 30 more pounds of muscle. I was stunned. His friends were somewhat speechless as well. We spoke, but I lost the words, I must have told him I was from somewhere else far away yet very close to here. I began to speak of dimensions and I could tell it was over his head, he didn't have thought for metaphysics or theology, 'Great' I thought 'My other self is a meathead'
As I went back outside I was greeted by a woman with short spiky hair with several facial piercings. She was familiar and I knew immediately she knew who I was and where I was from, she told me to come with her. I sat in the backseat of some vehicle while I watched my other self walking to another vehicle 50 feet in front of us or so. I commented to the person I was sitting next that this was too real, looking at my hands and all the details of the inner car I thought to myself it was too real to be a dream. I told the one next to me that I lucid dream all the time, and that if this was a lucid dream I would be able to control things. So I looked away from my other self who was wearing a blue shirt and I spoke, he is wearing a PURPLE shirt. When I looked back his shirt was purple. Oh, well that settles it I guess I am dreaming, yet I continued down the dreamplot to see where my venture would take me. It was explained to me that this realm was governed differently than my own. What we consider to be mythic lore and magic are their science and sentient species.
Several jumps and skips, I am shown a catacomb-like city with odd transports which float on air. And many different beings. The evil queen discovers that I am in their realm and must be hunted down. She sends elementals after me/us. My spiky-haired guide has been with me all along though most details escape me. I do remember a being made of brick, only able to travel through the brick walls which are rooted all through the city. His form only manifests where he chooses to step out of the brick, but his travel is still heard through the walls. One of the elementals is on our side as he tells me of their powers and limitations. My last memory from the dream is of the queen who looks surprisingly like Maleficent mixed with an elf. I am awaken by my phone ringing.

Color legend: Non-dream Dream Lucid

Lucid #4: Flight-time Performance Anxiety (July 16, 2012)

I'm chatting with an old friend at a party who's into lucid dreaming (IWL as well as in this dream.) I tell him how things are starting to come together for me and I thank him for his help and advice. Another DC engages my friend in conversation and I wander a few feet away, for some reason deciding that I should listen to my iPod.

I try to plug the headphones into my iPod but discover that there is no headphone jack. At first, I'm suspicious that my friend has switched iPods with me but I stop when I realize how ridiculous this accusation is. I perform the nose pinch RC and become lucid. I excitedly tell my friend that apropos of our previous conversation, I'm having a lucid dream right now. He's pleased and doesn't mind when I wander away to start experimenting.

My first goal in this dream was to compare the quality of dream imagery to that of modern video games. The moment I remember this goal, a tapestry or painting on the wall suddenly changes to a gameplay movie of the early 90s shooter "DOOM". (Okay, subconscious, I'll admit that was a cute trick.) I note that the floor and ceiling are very bland with almost no texturing. The walls, furniture, and dream characters, however, are photo-realistic, well beyond what I see in video games.

I announce to the dream characters in the room that this is my lucid dream and they are about to see some flight. I attempt to jump up for flight but simply bounce off of the ceiling. Some of the dream characters cut their eyes at one another in an "is this guy for real?" way. I attempt a second jump, bounce off of the ceiling and go careening into a visibly annoyed girl with short hair and glasses. She shoves me away and I go for a third attempt, yielding one more embarrassing failure.

I rub my hands and arms to restabilize then consider having a huge storm rip the ceiling off the house so that I can salvage my reputation. Before things can get really fun, I wake up.

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Don't have much detail for this dream because i didn't record it when I woke up. Must make an effort to do so in the future, specially with awesome dreams like this.

I was with an extremely hot girl, i think she was the mega-hottie Alexis in the movie Project X. Looks like we were planning to take over the world, or some such fun.

Our plan looks like it involves building a dam wall on the one end of a city, and then flooding the entire city. i'm not exactly sure what this is meant to achieve but it seems as though I'm going along with it.

This is probably due to the fact that it's Evil Alexis' plan and... well... she's hot.

Some action happens with the general plot of the story. I think I'm secretly against the plan and am conspiring to make it fail. However, after possibly falling off a cliff (?) I seem to get over that idea.

I'm in the lookout spot with Evil Alexis and we're surveying the city that has its impending doom minutes away, Fight Club style.

We're on a bed in this lookout place now. Evil Alexis starts giving me a handjob. I'm enjoying it until her hand turns into a tentacle/monsterous claw thingy. I am rather shocked but then I guess i accept that this is one of the downsides of fraternizing with an evil demon megahottie.

Luckily the claw of doom goes away and Evil Alexis is lying half naked on the bed

I suddenly realize I am dreaming and that therefore i can have sex with her without a condom. This all came to me as a single realization.

LOL

I immediately try to start having sex with her but she's kind of denying me cause she has to do something related to the destruction of all human civilization. I'm getting kind of flustered... She doesn't seem to realize the what a unique opportunity this is for me!

Then all of I sudden we're doing it on the bed. But I slowly feel like everything is melting around me. I'm focusing desperately on the scene, trying not to let it go... But the more i try to grasp onto it the more it drifts away...

Aaaaaaand I wake up. I'm only half awake. I kind of still have the dream sitting there and feel like I could go back into it. I go back to sleep. Not sure if i went back into the dream or not though cause I didn't remember anything after this.

Was really awesome that I became lucid... Sucks that I couldn't maintain it though, only got to have sex with the hottie for a few seconds before waking up haha.

What's interesting is that I know I have the ability to wake, then go back into a dream I was just having. Done it before. I've just never recorded my dreams before so usually forget what happened.

I didn't have much control over my dream, as far as I know. I was just aware I was dreaming and just went along with what happened.

This one was my first SSILD-induced dream. It was long (for me), going 10-12 minutes.

Color legend: Non-dream Dream Lucid

Lucid #3: The Forest Compound (July 2, 2012)

I awaken to a strange noise coming from outside of our bedroom. I go into the hallway to investigate but find that this swirling green energy vortex is blocking my path back into the bedroom. I walk forward, pushing my way through it, and it feels like walking through a Chicago windstorm. It slowly dawns on me that I might be dreaming and I push my finger through my palm. I'm instantly lucid and I decide to get out of the room as fast as possible so that I can fly.

I'm feeling unusually bold so I shove myself right through the wall. The scene blanks for a moment before placing me on top of an office building. I run straight for the edge of the building, leap off, and try to fly. I fail, falling several hundred feet to the empty streets. The landing is jarring but painless. This time I try jumping straight up and find that I can jump thousands of feet into the air. The office buildings shrink into the distance below me. I can't soar but I find that I can leap across the city this way, each leap ending in an awkward crash landing. Each time that I jump, the voice of my young son giggles "Again!" even though he is not here.

I do one last clumsy leap and crash into a forested area, knocking over a tree. There's a compound nearby and I run into the first building that I see. It's a long, windowed, sunlit hallway with high ceilings and teeming with dream characters. I stop an Asian lady in her late 30's (a stranger) and tell her that I'm dreaming. She looks a little reluctant to admit this but finally confesses that I'm right. I sense that talking this frankly is an awkward bending of the rules for her. She seems very real and I feel a little bit bad for putting her in this position.

At the end of the hall I find an apartment where two identical twins who are IWL friends of mine live. I barge right in, announcing that this is all taking place in my lucid dream. One of the twins laughs and she becomes very interested in how this all works, peppering me with questions like,

"So, we're both dreaming? No? How's this work then? Will I remember this tomorrow?"
"You mean, I'm not real and you are? This is your dream? That's hilarious."
"What's going to happen to me after you wake up?" I'm caught off-guard by this and left fumbling for an answer.

The three of us chat for a while before I sense that my lucidity is slipping. I bid them goodbye and run back down the hall. On the way, I run into a guy named "Robert Lamb", the host of the "Stuff to Blow Your Mind" podcast (the place where I first heard of lucid dreaming.) I announce to him that we're in my lucid dream and without missing a beat, he says, "I hope they don't have to amputate." "Yeah, lucid dreams that last for too long cause a total loss of circulation in the dreamer's limbs, limb necrosis and eventually require amputation."

"It's really terrible," he adds helpfully.

Even though I don't believe this, I'm a little shaken up at the thought. I run further down the hall, ducking into a dark bar just before I wake up.

During my two-month dry spell between LD#1 and LD#2, I'd come up with a long list of experiments that I wanted to perform in a lucid dream. I managed to try the "level of detail" ones here.

Color legend: Non-dream Dream Lucid

Lucid Experimentation (June 24th, 2012)

I'm attending a black tie party with Wife at some palatial estate. While we're exploring the grounds, I decide that I need to use the restroom. I tell Wife I'll meet with her later and go in search of the facilities.

I find them at the top of a long walkway filled with classic arcade machines ("Millipede" was definitely there.) Through the walkway door is an enormous, low-lit video arcade filled with machines and players. I find a light switch and flip it so that I can see better. Instead of lighting the room, this winds up turning off every machine in the arcade and the angry patrons look around, cursing. Badly embarrassed, I duck into the bathroom.

A Japanese couple follows me into the bathroom but instead of berating me for my stupidity, they request help with a tapioca pudding recipe that they're working on. I suggest that we return to my kitchen to work on it. We somehow blink into the kitchen and I immediately realize that this is a dream. I push my finger through my palm to RC and the left hand stretches like taffy around my finger. The Japanese couple smiles broadly and stands back to wait for me to try whatever it was I had in mind.

I experiment with clarity, committing to memory my in-dream assessment of how detailed / realistic everything appears. I say that everything looks crystal clear and can be viewed to an arbitrary level of detail. I am unprepared for how clear everything is. I study my hands (which have an unusual bend and one extra finger on the left) as well as the brushed metal refrigerator (which I assess as 100% realistic at every level of detail I try.)

My vision briefly collapses into milky gray but I manage to restabilize by rubbing my hands over my forearms. I quickly realize that the Japanese DCs still need my help. I will their tapioca pudding recipe to be fixed and they laugh, smiling gratefully. I then think about how I can rejoin Wife at the party since I no longer know how to get there. Soon afterward, though, I find myself awake back in bed.

I quickly grab the dream journal and start excitedly writing. About three lines in, I notice unusual notations in the margin. I don't understand them and have no memory of making them. Scanning back over what I've already written, I realize I can no longer make sense of any of it. I wonder whether I am actually awake. I immediately wake up (for real this time), reality check and go for the dream journal. A great way to break a dry spell!

I've decided to journal up all of my past lucid dreams before moving into the "present day". I definitely want to record all lucid dreams here. I hope that I stick with recording non-lucids as well but my primary DJ is pen-and-paper. We'll see how it goes.

Color legend: Non-dream Dream Lucid

Lucid Kitchen Aggression (April 24th, 2012)

I'm in a false awakening, walking downstairs in my own home. I'm nearing the bottom of the stairs when I suddenly realize that the alarm is on and that I'm going to set off the motion detector if I don't stop. The worry seems to focus my mind. I look into the kitchen and see that the breakfast table has been moved several feet to the right. It suddenly occurs to me that I am dreaming.

Giddy at my own clarity of mind, I run into the kitchen, looking around for something "cool" to do. Even though I'm ostensibly a fully grown man, the only thing I want to do is wreck my kitchen with magical powers. I raise my hands from my sides, willing the kitchen island to pull out of the floor. It groans for a moment then gives a loud crack as it wrenches out of the floor. I float it around the room for a couple of seconds before excitement overtakes me. The dream scene goes to milky gray and I'm awake almost immediately.

My heart is pounding with excitement and I have trouble getting back to sleep. I know I'm hooked... and so it begins.

I can remember four dreams from last night. In the first, I was at a summer camp. It was just a day camp. I'm not sure what kind of summer camp it was, but it was indoors, in a building that looked kind of like my basement. There were a bunch of other kids and teenagers there. I recognized three people from last year - Zelda, a girl with copper-coloured skin and dark, wavy hair, and a girl and a boy whose names I couldn't remember. Zelda was wearing a yellow dress and had her hair, which fell almost to her shoulders, partially pulled back into a ponytail. She was pretty.

Anyway, the group split into two. One group went upstairs, and the other stayed downstairs. I stayed downstairs, but the people I knew went upstairs. Soon, though, I found out that I was supposed to be with the other group, so I went back upstairs to find them.

After a while, we went back downstairs into a dining area. We were seated at tables. Each person was supposed to have a "date". I hadn't known that, but I assumed my date was going to arrive anyway, even though I had no clue who my date actually was. Someone else came to my table (each table could seat, like, six people, I think), also waiting for their date.

Someone came over and handed me a piece of paper with everyone's names on it, so I could choose who I wanted as my date. I checked off the box next to the name of the boy that I knew (I can't remember his name, though). Instead of him, though, four other boys came over.

I don't remember the exact transition, but we somehow ended up on a bus, where the boys were bullying us. I figured it wasn't really a big deal, though, since I know taekwondo and felt confident I could defend myself if necessary.

In my second dream last night, I was playing Petz 5, but it was nothing like Petz 5. It didn't even have any pets in it. I was scrolling through a list of minigames. In the thumbnail image for one of them, I noticed Deku Link (from Majora's Mask). I accidentally clicked on that game. It was like a platformer, except it scrolled down (and the scrolling was automatic, so you couldn't go too fast, or else you'd fall off the bottom of the screen). Before long, I'd fallen off the bottom of the screen. Instead of restarting the level, going to a "Game Over" screen, or anything else logical, it cut to a different scene (which looked like it was from a COMPLETELY different minigame, probably the next one) in a saloon.

That's when I got that sudden "click" to lucidity.

"This isn't Petz 5, is it?" I said, not exactly asking a question but, rather, declaring it out loud.

"Nope," my brother answered. It turned out he had been behind me. We were in my parents' room, he was on the bed, and the "computer screen" was just projected onto the wall.

Even though I was already certain I was dreaming, I did the hand RC just to double-check. Six fingers. Yep, I was dreaming.

My brother said something about having been up at three in the morning to get on the bus (presumably, to the summer camp from the previous dream, even though he wasn't in that dream). I corrected him, telling him we got on the bus at seven and that I would know because I was there.

I was still lucid, but I think the dream was trying to go back on autopilot, since arguing with my brother was apparently more important than any of my LD goals.

I woke up soon after. I felt awake and fairly refreshed, even though it was still dark out, so I think that must have been the end of an REM cycle that woke me up.

I went back to sleep and had a dream which fits neatly between the other two. This time, I was on the bus back from camp. The bus had one backwards-facing seat, so I decided to sit in that one. The bus stopped in a parking lot somewhere, where my mom was waiting. I was the only person to get off at that stop. After getting off, I realized I'd left my glasses on the bus, so I ran after the bus (it was already leaving), holding up a sign that said, "You forgot someone!"

The bus stopped and let me back on. I boarded the bus, took my glasses, and left.

I had one final dream last night. I was playing Wind Waker (I think) and came across an enemy that I think was either a Darknut or an Iron Knuckle (well, one of those things with a heavy suit of armour). When I got close to it, I noticed that it briefly turned red, then blue, then attempted to fire lasers at me. I figured out that red meant deactivated, while blue meant activated.

I started fighting it, but this game had a weird control method. Like a DS game, it was controlled with a stylus. However, I was using a toothbrush (the back of it, not the part with the bristles) as the stylus... and I could somehow reach the screen just fine, even though I was sitting on my bed, and the screen was where my window should be (it was the same size, too.

Anyway, I defeated it, and it turned red. However, it turned blue again shortly after, making me have to fight it again. This kept happening every time I defeated it, except it would only get partially revived most times.

Eventually, the toothbrush got ruined from being used - rather harshly - as a stylus. I came up with a better idea for how to defeat the Darknut. My mom was in the room, so I said to her, "Get me a weapon, but nothing too sharp, so I don't accidentally damage the screen or hurt myself." What I really meant was for her to go to the kitchen and get a knife. For some reason, I thought that would make the Darknut easier to defeat.

Then, I realized that whatever I used as a controller wouldn't matter, since it was the sword I had IN the game that mattered. Realizing that, I figured I could just use my hand, but not as a stylus; the game was apparently motion-controlled now, like a Kinect rather than a DS.

However, I decided that would be a bad idea, since it could reach out of the screen and attack me if I used my hands.

If there's one thing I can do well it's driving. I can even do it while asleep!

I've taken my lucidity to a new level with this dream.

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I’m going through a nearby subdivision on the other side ofthe hill when I hear an approaching siren. The vehicle it’s attached to comesinto view and I see a Life Services truck, a vehicle similar to a largeambulance but designated for pregnant people and the needs of those withbabies. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I know it’s not right and to see such a service and thistriggers lucidity. I know I’m dreaming and though I’m still stuck in my SUV Iat least know how to solve my problem. I first think about how whenever I’mdriving things go wrong in a dream so this time I know I’ll do it right. I grabthe shift knob and put the vehicle in “Reverse”, actually making the effort tolook out the side window and see that I wasn’t going to bump the Life Servicestruck. Control of my driving is now my task.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I spent a few minutes making my reverse attempt having toalternate between reverse and forward as I inched my way out of a tight spotwithout scratching up the side panel or mirror of the other vehicle. I feltlike I was going to lose the task, particularly when I saw the LS-tech staringat me from the lawn of the house he came out of. I actually squinted andsqueezed the shift-knob harder and maintained control of the dream.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Once I was safely out of the tight spot the guy on thestreet said, “Nice job! You’re better at that than me!”[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I looked at the man and replied, “Driving is what I do best.”The man tipped his hat at me and I drove off towards a side street, looking fora new route to the big hill that would lead me home. I found the street I waslooking for and drove along the road quickly. At the end of it was the street Ineeded to be on.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Turning left I lost lucidity and suddenly my SUV turned intoa bicycle. I found myself staring at the asphalt below, a grey streak beneathmy feet on the pedals. I pushed harder to gain some speed before climbing thelarge hill, a hill that I haven’t been able to ride straight up since I was ateenager.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Jen was waiting for me at the top of the hill and as I cameup she shouted, “I don’t think you can make it! You better stop!” [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I wouldn’t listen. I was determined to get home and enjoytime with my family. Instead of pushing to go further up the hill I turnedsideways so I could make a series of switchbacks. Using the principle of alower slope and longer distance to gain elevation I was able to make it up therest of the steep hill without giving up or having to walk my bike.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]At the top I get a big hug with smiles from Jen. I’m happyto have finished the ride and I know home is just a few houses away. All Iswell.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT="Calibri"]And the dream ends.[/FONT]

Lucidity works in weird ways. This is another dream where I spent time examining an object for details I don't normally pay attention to in a dream.

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]I’m inside what appears to be a large garage or warehouse work-areaand I’m sitting on a bare concrete floor surrounded by metal components andtools. Slightly behind me and to my left is a desk that I believe is mine. Thedesk is old, metal-framed and has a wooden top. On the desk are a few papersand an old telephone, the kind with a coiled-cord handset and 12 buttons for akeypad. The workplace is illuminated by natural light coming in throughtranslucent panels and open vents near the roof. I don’t recall what I’m supposed to do atthis place of employment though I suspect it has something to do with toolsjudging by the scene. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Someone is working with me, a coworker in coveralls thatneeds my help with some object. He begins working on some piece of equipmentbut he doesn’t have the right tool to work on it or something is wrong with histools. I suspect something is also wrong with my tools and I begin to inspectthem.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I become lucid as I pull out a screwdriver, the feel of itin my hand something I’m paying a lot of attention to. The screwdriver has atransparent yellow plastic handle and the tip is interchangeable for other tipsusing a round coupling screw that fits around the tip of the screwdriver. I canfeel the heft of it and it feels like a well-balanced tool. I’m happy to see itbecause the screwdriver is similar to one I had a as kid that I used frequentlywhich brings up fond memories of taking things apart.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]Especially odd is that the tool-set became wet somehowdespite being in a tool case. This seems to also be the reason my coworker isupset. I’m not sure who got them wet or why but however they got wet the waterseems to have caused many of the tools to not function properly. I was bothered by them being wet but I waspleased my tools still worked, in particular the screwdriver. My coworker’stools were not working at all and after assembling the screwdriver I tossed itto him. He caught it in the air and muttered appreciation.[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]And then I woke up.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]

I was so happy to finally achieve TOTM! It's been difficult, and I kept trying to incubate this idea.

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]The dream begins in the elementary school cafeteria acrossthe street. I’m setting up tables and preparing for some event. I’m notnormally active with the school for stuff like this and I’m actually standingthere trying to figure out how I got roped in to helping. Normally I enjoyhelping out with classroom activities but I know I’m not a PTA member so theactions I’m performing seem wrong.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]As I lay down a tray of cupcakes I suddenly realize thereason I feel wrong is because I must be dreaming. Even the cupcakes lookwrong, as though my realization is causing the frosting to turn into blacklicorice, and I hate licorice.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I look up from the table and out the window to see a bunchof kids on their way to the cafeteria. I know I’m supposed to be working but Inow have a choice and I realize I don’t want the kids to actually make it tothe cafeteria before I do something. As I stare at them the line stops, justlike when the teacher tells the kids to pause for a moment.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Now that I have a moment I’m trying to figure out what Ineed to do. The Task of the Month idea suddenly comes into my mind and Iremember the dream journal. Looking back at the table I see a log-book thatreminds me of the one I once saw at a funeral. As I stare at it the coloreddesign along the top of the pages resolves into the words “Dream Journal” and Iknow what to do. I try and think of something that happened during the day butI can’t remember what day it is. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Is it Thurdsday? No…Sat…no, Sunday I think. Time to take outthe trash. Wait, I’m supposed to do something. My thoughts are confusing butlooking at the book again reminds me what needs to happen. I look around butthere is no pen. Usually they attach one to the book with one of thosestring-things but I don’t see one. I lift the book and even check the spine butI can’t find a pen. The only thing I have are the odd-looking cupcakes. I grabone and start smearing it across the page. At first it’s messy but I gaincontrol of my hand enough to actually make my writing legible.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Quickly I write, “I chatted with Alucinor and ccrinbamatoday on DV.” I’m impressed I can recall how to spell Alucinor because the odd lettercombination of the name ccrinbama seems easier to remember for some reason. I’mstaring at the words (which don’t look pretty at all) when I suddenly becomescared of what I did and I slam the book shut. A small amount of frosting comesout the side and I wipe it with my finger, which I then smear on my pants inlieu of a napkin. It seemed like a good idea at the time.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Turning around at the approach of a voice I shout, “Yes Ilike the cupcakes! They don’t have hair in them!” The parent facing me lookssatisfied and confused at the same time but I just presume it’s because I’m notwearing my name badge that they give you in the office. Though I wasn’t askedabout it I say, “I’ll go get it now.” [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I walk out of the cafeteria and right on out of thebuilding. I can see a fire truck coming up the street and I worry that maybeone of the kids ate a cupcake with hair and they were now choking. Still I knowthey are in good hands so I walk towards the street where a rally is going on tokeep the bicyclists from being allowed to ride and walk their dogs at the sametime. People seem really upset about it and someone actually picks up a bikeand throws it into the street. I want to help but I’m not sure which side tojoin. The decision becomes moot as the TV news shows up and people scatter inall directions not wanting to be arrested. I run but not towards my housebecause they might look for me there. Instead I run into the library but I musthave got the wrong day because a group of voters are in there and I don’t havean appointment. I look for a window to climb out and the dream ends as I wakeand need to pee.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]

I'm not used to staring at people directly, face-to-face so this dream took me by surprise.

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]In my house I’m in my living room and someone is at thedoor. I’m not expecting anyone so it’s surprising to hear the knocking. Lookingover at my front door I see a bed-sheet hanging from the ceiling over thedoorway. It appears the door is still in place but the sheet covers it on theinside and the person knocking is already inside my house. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]As I stare at this odd sight I become lucid, I know it’s notright for a sheet or a stranger to be there so I lean forward for a closerlook. My movement is more like that of a ghost flying towards the door and Ifind myself face-to-face with the visitor, a black child staring at me throughthe blue semi-transparent sheet. I don’t know the boy though he clearly hassome intent and we seem to be examining each other closely. The details of hisface are impressively visible through the fabric.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]“Who is it?” I ask him this but I’m not expecting an answer.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]“I’m David. Just David.” [/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]I still don’t know this child yet I let him in the housewithout a second thought. He walks in and sits down in my living room,seemingly known to my daughter . I stepback and watch as they share Tinker Toys and laugh while I turn around toexamine my hands. As I turn the room changes into my room in a different house,the walls gone and the sounds of laughter immediately silenced. The experienceis almost scary and briefly I attempt to ask myself, “Well, how did I gethere?” The thought barely forms when I wake up being kicked by my daughter.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]And the dream ends.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]

I had this dream on August 12th around 1PM, thankfully one hour after the comp started.

I saw some things in this dream that I'm still trying to figure out and understand what they have to do with lucidity.


[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I was in my old neighborhood in south Austin and I had anorthern destination. I knew the way to get there, even planned out a routethat should bypass some of the traffic because my planned travel time was nearrush-hour. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]However, my passenger had an alternate suggestion.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]“Why don’t you take Lisa Road?”[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]“Because going the other way will be quicker.”[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]“No, I promise it will be fast!” She said.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I gave in and instead of going down another block to themain road out of the neighborhood I turned right onto Lisa Road. In real lifethis road exists in the same place but by another name and is bordered byneighborhood houses instead of leading into the woods.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]As I move further along Lisa Road it immediately makes aturn to the left and then a sharp bend to the right over a flowing stream. Thisis the point where I start being confused by the road and my lucidity hits. Iknow I’m dreaming and I’m thinking about how glad I am that my vehicle canhandle the off-road conditions that Lisa Road is presenting me when I decideI’m tired of driving along the road I’m on.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I blink and turn my view to the left and find myself in astructure. It’s little more than a shack in the woods where I suspect homelesspeople have been hanging out and I have almost overwhelming feelings ofrevulsion of living under those conditions. Instead of running out I lookaround and I know that I will see a nicer place as I do. As I turn the roomchanges to meet my expectations and I think about how it wouldn’t be a badplace to be if you ran away from home.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Thought of living there cause me to imagine the people whowould have lived there and I conjure up an image of a young couple who had toraise their illegitimate baby there. The proof of their existence appearsbehind me and enters my view as I continue turning. They are long gone but asmall picture confirms they once lived. I feel happy that they managed to makea life under adverse conditions and even turn a rundown hobo-shack into alivable place. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]I realize that whatever I want to see appears and I becomelucid. I conjure up a baby doll that I feel would be a nice gift for that youngcouple to give to their child and I place it next to the picture, a memorial toimmortalize this image in my mind. I know it’s a dream but I feel this image isimportant and significant, a creation of my mind that represents my ability tovisit other people long gone from my life. The thought actually brings a tearto my dreaming eye.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]I wipe away the tear and find I’m alone in a run-downbuilding. The shack has changed into concrete walls and the remains of abuilding once intended for offices. I walk forward towards the window,wondering if I will see the neighborhood I recently droive through. Instead Iam at the top of a hill overlooking a narrow valley. The hills are rocky andthe ridge across from me is covered in trees. Far below is a line of cars on a dirt road bordering a small creek, asmall bridge allowing them to cross on some unknown pilgrimage to someplacearound the bend of the ridge across from me.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]As I stare at the sight I see people below crossing towardsmy side of the valley. All of them are burdened with belongings and packs ofsupplies. I feel an overwhelming urge to join them and I reach up to cry outfor their attention. I’m still lucid so I know I can.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Instead of yelling at them the ground below me slips awayand I find myself barely hanging on to the window edge. The ground below myfeet is slipping away into a hole filled with small trees and dense growth, anodd place for a forest considering my dream is dissolving into the space belowthe trees, a dream-hole hidden by foliage that I suspect also contains snakes.I’ve never experienced this before and all I can think to do is slide my bodyto the side. I’ve been through similar tight situations in real life so I knewI could escape the hole.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]My escape from certain doom worked and I looked up from thedirty floor slipping into the hole. I was still surrounded by concrete wallsthat should have been offices but the roof of the structure was gone…or perhapsnever existed, I’m not sure which. Above the building is a swirling purple sky,and while I’ve imagined some crazy skies in my life I’ve never seen one thatlooks like this maelstrom above me. I put my hand up to shield myself from thedoom I imagine will follow soon.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]And I wake up.[/FONT][/SIZE]