Hi everyone! I suppose I'm the newest newbie here--at least for now, anyway.
I've been trying (off and on) to have a lucid dream for quite some time. I'm 18 years old and I first became interested in lucid dreaming and astral projection when I was 14. Unfortunately I have never successfully experienced either. I hope to change that very soon. I'll be a senior in highschool next year and one of my summer goals is to have a lucid dream--at least one, if not many. I had a dream diary, and at one point I was recording two dreams a day. However, recording all the details can be cumbersome, and at some point I wasn't able to focus on lucid dreaming because school work demanded my attention. Also, I fear one of my many siblings will attain my diary and read it. They would probably point and laugh at me, especially since some of my dreams are strange and would be rather embarrasing to retell.

I hope someone will become my "buddy." I'm not entirely sure how I acquire one, but I'd love to have someone else to discuss my trials, failures, and, hopefully, successes with.

I suppose after 4 years of waiting I've lost my patience. I'm ready to have a lucid dream and fast. Last night I felt very close, and I may have actually had a lucid dream. Unfortunately I don't remember it now, so I can't be certain. In fact, I believe I've actually had lucid dreams, but, inevitably, I probably forgot them.

When I was four I had an interesting dream where I pinched myself--and felt it! I suppose that's as lucid as I've ever been. But that was so long ago, and I'm ready for some action now.

I've been trying mnemonic induction, waking up/ going back to sleep induction, the whole "mantra" thing, and "dream checks," but so far no luck. I'm going to start writing in my diary again, so maybe that'll help.