Hey there, welcome (I don't believe I said that in your other topic).

I did have a post written, whixh was lost in a crash, lovely. For your second question, Lucid Seeker has pretty much explained what you need to know there. Can I just add that it's not uncommon to wake up for bried moments after dreams anyway, so if you're worried about not waking up and remembering; don't be.

As for how long it took me? I was lucky in that I got my first LD the night I first found out about them, though I didn't get regular ones for a good few months.