Thread: Task of the Month for December 2013

Oh damn CL, way to take one for the team! You know you're in the club if you'll eat fart-flavored skunk for some wings. +10 man.

And great job everyone else. I love all the different DCs and the gifts they give, and the reasons behind them lol.

Originally Posted by StephL

Ooh - what a great dream CanisLucidus!!
Do you do this often - this "I shout in a booming voice that's not my own"?

Thanks! No, this isn't something I do all that often, but it does happen occasionally when I'm super confident. I get a little theatrical in those dreams, ha ha...

Originally Posted by StephL

"orange, semi-spherical alien thing with tentacles" - loving this - maybe it would have tasted like orange?
I think, I would have taken this - because who knows what I would mean by "skunk" .. hehe.

"I still feel all crazy from my mantra and the insane confidence I had at the start of this dream."
"The world is yours"

So this instant-WILDed you? Wow!
Did you say "yours" or "mine"?

Yeah, I don't know what the orange alien would have tasted like but now it's seeming like that would have been the smarter thing to try considering how the skunk tasted. And right, as soon as I rolled over and started the mantra, the in-dream WILD began. Now keep in mind that this took placed during an NLD, and I've found (and I think you will too) that if you can convince yourself to begin a WILD attempt during an NLD, you'll immediately start transitioning into a lucid dream. I never instantly transition like this if I go from fully awake, but if you're already dreaming, WILD attempts are generally 100% and immediately successful. It's pretty awesome!

Originally Posted by OpheliaBlue

Oh damn CL, way to take one for the team! You know you're in the club if you'll eat fart-flavored skunk for some wings. +10 man.

Ha ha, thanks! I felt so hardcore after spending a lucid dream eating flatulence-flavored skunk... so worth it to finally get to try the wolf transformation! Highly recommended to anyone who is considering it! Just choose your prey more wisely than I did.

Sorry you had to eat a skunk CL...

I have a question regarding the bonus - Do we have to encounter all three spirits in one dream, or can it be over the span of 3 dreams?

I'll have to give Basic I a shot, that sounds like a good one to start on.
on wings of beginner's luck i ride

Got one last night, and just remembered to come in here and post it. I was walking around with my wife and went lucid because she said something out of character. I told her I was dreaming and she said, "That's nice." I asked her for a gift and she said, "I'll cook you dinner." The dinner kind of just appeared there on a plate, but we didn't eat much of it before......well......the rest is none of your business.

Originally Posted by CharlesD

Got one last night, and just remembered to come in here and post it. I was walking around with my wife and went lucid because she said something out of character. I told her I was dreaming and she said, "That's nice." I asked her for a gift and she said, "I'll cook you dinner." The dinner kind of just appeared there on a plate, but we didn't eat much of it before......well......the rest is none of your business.

That's so romantic I was just telling another staff member how much I love it when members "none-of-your-business" with their real life partners.

Originally Posted by DreamscapeGoat

I have a question regarding the bonus - Do we have to encounter all three spirits in one dream, or can it be over the span of 3 dreams?

I'll have to give Basic I a shot, that sounds like a good one to start on.
on wings of beginner's luck i ride

Since it's Christmas, if you manage to get all 3 ghosts before the end of the month, then it's bonus worthy. That's like one reaaaaaally drawn out DEILD chain

2nd attempt at Bonus task -
I was dreaming about a ghost playing some twisted little fear game with me and I realized that this was too ridiculous to not be a dream, so I became lucid and the dream almost instantly faded to black. I had read something that CanisLucidus did in one of his dreams the other day (spellcasting 101), "I'm sort of prancing around on the carpet using just the balls of my feet. It's very dainty-looking and super un-macho but the sensation on my feet's very vivid". When I first read that I thought it was hilarious so I had to try it. So I started doing it in this void of blackness, while trying to imagine a place to be and it really helped to increase the vividness of the dream I was making.

Christmas Past:
I waited outside for the Christmas past ghost to come talk to me, and I saw the same dream lady from my previous Christmas past dream, Amelia, walk out of some dense trees. She gave me a hug and we were instantly outside my childhood home. I walked inside with her and there were presents everywhere, a giant feast, and my parents were so lively and happy. I couldn't believe how wonderful everything felt. I looked around and I couldn't see my old dog anywhere. I was my little kid self at this point, and I asked my mom where she was and she told me, "David, don't you remember, she died a few months ago". It was my first Christmas without having her there and I started bawling my eyes out. I was heartbroken. I also remember that there were giant dough pretzels everywhere in shape of knots; knots are my dream symbol for an unresolved problem.

Then the dream faded to black again, so I started doing that cool little prancing on the balls of my feet to generate the next dream.

Christmas Present:
The dream started outside of my childhood home, I asked the dream for the ghost of Christmas present to come show me things. I heard a loud, ominous, booming voice ask me, "Do you want the priest or the judge?" I responded, "The priest, I guess". The voice said, "We'll just give you both".
A priest and a judge in cheesy 90's Christmas sweaters came out of the house and started talking to me. I asked them why I needed two Christmas present ghosts, and they told me that they were actually the same person.

They made a door in the wall and opened it up to a school. I was there, working constantly, not really enjoying Christmas. Then the school faded into these charity organizations where people were helping the homeless and some people were teaching little kids cool things. Everybody looked so happy, while there I was, miserable, working away at some school. The ghosts asked me if I was done there and if I was ready to go? I woke up

I really wanted to try the third one, but I couldn't fall back asleep, so I'll just have to try it again tonight

Spoiler for for dreams:

I told the policeman how i escaped the gungsters and found that i couldn't remember how i sat in that car. I thought that such situation might be in a dream, made RC,went out and decided to make TOTM with a present. I went back and ask the policeman for a new year present. He gave me 2 saluts and one candle. I set fire first one with my palm, but it didn't work. There wasn't any light. I upset a bit and set fire second one and wanted him to work and it gave me wonderfull fireworks with hearts! I enjoyed it and awoke.

I randomly remembered this thread in my lucid dream the night before last, but as I'd only skimmed over it and not really thought about it, I couldn't properly remember what the tasks were. Transforming into a wolf was the only thing that came to mind, but for some reason I ended up transforming into a dog instead (it felt strange having four legs, though...a lot stranger than I expected. I'll have to try the wolf one sometime, too.) A little later in the same dream, I was trying to remember the tasks again when a DC gave me a present. I hadn't asked her first, though, so I didn't count it. The present was a box of random pieces of wood. She held them out to me and told me to take one shortly before I woke up.

Last night I decided to properly look at the thread and plan to try out some of the tasks. I think I just about completed basic i and advanced i, but the dream got a little out of control:

On a jutting but stable part of the cliff, I see one of the trees, and through its dry branches and leaves, a man’s face. He’s a grown man, but the face is plain and almost childlike, smooth and hairless. He seems distant, never quite looking directly at me, but calm. For a few moments I watch him, not wanting to disturb him, but then I remember the task of the month and my desire to interact with him and see what he says or does overcomes this reluctance. “May I have a present?” I ask him, a little hazily, and he turns his head to look almost straight at me, but not quite. The next moment, without words, he holds something out towards me. I accept it, thank him, and look more closely at what he’s given me. It appears to be a fillet made of some kind of meat substitute. It looks dry and unappetising but I suppose I should try to eat it anyway.

The outside is a little tough when I bite into it, but the insides slimy. I chew, and look at what’s inside — I see pepper, onion, and what I think are tiny pieces of raw ham. It doesn’t taste as horrible as it looks, like cooked pepper with a faint hint of a meaty taste, but I’m really not sure why I’m eating it anyway and starting to remember the next task, so I forget about it and move on over the cliffs again, not wanting to try closing my eyes yet but liking the idea of trying to find a place where it’s snowing.

Flying along the beaches, before long I come to one that is covered in a thin layer of snow (and the snow is still falling, slowly) — and beyond that two adjoining beaches which are covered in a much thicker layer of snow which stays there as I approach, despite it being right next to the sea. As I get closer to the first beach, though, thinking of the snowman, I realise that there are already snowmen there, apparently forming themselves. There are many of them, and some of them are beginning to move. Since it doesn’t look like there’s much space to make another, I fly over to the next beach.

There’s space here but as I land I become aware of the shuddering noise of footsteps on the ground — at the edges of my vision I start to see passing figures in snow and realise that the snowmen on the other beach are still forming themselves, getting bigger, even leaving the beach now. Hurried because I feel that the dream is going to end soon and like I’m losing control, I start to form my own snowman, easily scooping up the snow into his shape rather than making him in the normal way. He forms much too easily and quickly, partly by himself, but I think I can say I had at least some part in making him. For some reason he’s wearing orange gloves (which I guess he formed himself, because I didn’t put them there.) I stretch out my hand towards him and he shakes it with his own orange-gloved one. He looks confused, and as though he’s trying to look over my shoulder. The footsteps come closer. The dream wavers, and then fades.

The man on the cliff and giant snowmen on a beach (lucid) - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I'm kind of tempted to try the snowman one again as the end of the dream got so hazy and felt somehow incomplete. I'll definitely try the others next time I'm lucid

Almost..
12/11
2:00am I became a wolf easy enough, I was already a wolf when I got there.. but I did not eat the rabbit, There were other wolves and we ran, Over the hills and snow and woods we ran free as birds and I asked another wolf why we were running but he didn't even notice me and we ran and ran, (I don't think wolves communicate) Then I woke up and went to the kitchen and got coffee and took it to the computer and then woke up in bed and started over back to the kitchen again.......

First of all - I stumbled over these absolutely gorgeous podcasts from Ophelia, CanisLucidus and also RareCola (is that the correct name..?)!
They are incredible - now I just need a lucid and try all these interesting things!!

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Thanks! No, this isn't something I do all that often, but it does happen occasionally when I'm super confident. I get a little theatrical in those dreams, ha ha...

I like it!

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Yeah, I don't know what the orange alien would have tasted like but now it's seeming like that would have been the smarter thing to try considering how the skunk tasted.

And right, as soon as I rolled over and started the mantra, the in-dream WILD began. Now keep in mind that this took placed during an NLD, and I've found (and I think you will too) that if you can convince yourself to begin a WILD attempt during an NLD, you'll immediately start transitioning into a lucid dream. I never instantly transition like this if I go from fully awake, but if you're already dreaming, WILD attempts are generally 100% and immediately successful. It's pretty awesome!

Ah - now I understand better - pretty cool way to do a WILD from a NLD!!

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Ha ha, thanks! I felt so hardcore after spending a lucid dream eating flatulence-flavored skunk... so worth it to finally get to try the wolf transformation! Highly recommended to anyone who is considering it! Just choose your prey more wisely than I did.

Will - hopefully - do!


Aaand: Congratulation you winged ones!!


Lovely CharlesD - none of your business...
And anotherdreamer - this is some serious dreaming you do there - I wish I was as good one day!!
Loving your fireworks with hearts, she!!
And the four feet hint as well vasiona - will try to have 4 feet - even if I do not manage the wolf this month.


Aand: Sorry - sort of - I did this in the comp-thread as well - but I wanted to ask you regular and experienced LDers - if you have some spare LD time for science - check out the lower link in my sig...

Okay, I did the 3rd part of the Bonus task (ghost of Christmas future), one of the darkest lucid dreams I've had in awhile. Just warning you!

Christmas future ghost:
After I became lucid, the dream faded to darkness again, and the dreamworld re-materialized at a crossroads. There were bushes on all sides, and trees that blocked out most of the light except for a few beams that would shine through and light up the paths. I tried to escape from going down one of the paths but the bushes were all connected by thick spider webs and that freaked me out a little bit. The Christmas future ghost appeared on one of the darker paths.

She led me into this house that had all of my family in it, and they were all celebrating and getting completely trashed. But I wasn't there. Then she made a door in the wall and led me through it into another house. This house was cold and I got the distinct feeling that it was my house. She left me there until I woke up. I looked around and there was something very peculiar about this house; there were no distinguishing characteristics about it. There were no photos, nothing on the walls, nothing in the house was alive (no plants or pets or family). It reminded me of Sam Spade's apartment in the movie The Maltese Falcon. The only defining part of the house was a briefcase that was laying on the floor. There was also a very pervading feeling of loneliness in there. I woke up only about 15 minutes ago and I can still feel that lonely feeling, it's awful

But yea, that was the 3rd part of the bonus tasks. I definitely realized a few things, as painful as it might have been to experience.

Hehe - now you triggered a picture in my head of a wolf with a cup of coffee in front of your computer - nice woblybil!

Originally Posted by anotherdreamer

I definitely realized a few things, as painful as it might have been to experience.

This above sounds like something very valuable - and congratulation on the full quintet - whoop whooop!!

:bravo:

Just did my first ToTM since joining this site! I sure hope I'm doing this right (correct me if I'm wrong!). I had done it a couple nights ago (and had only read the tasks hours before, I got pretty lucky) but since it's a bad habit of mine to write out things really long I didn't have time to write the DJ entry, oops.

Anyway, I did basic I and advanced II. I attempted advanced I as well since I had extra time in the dream, but it failed when I got side-tracked by other DCs. Most of the dream was irrelevant to the tasks (and like I said, the DJ entry is long), so I'll just post excerpts here:

Spoiler for Basic I:

It was the moment I saw all the people walking around that I suddenly recalled the task of the month. I remembered having to ask someone for a present, so at the end of one hall, I went up to a lady with long blonde hair and brown eyes, dressed casually, who looked like she was in her mid-20s, and asked politely, “Can I have a Christmas present, please?”
She smiled at me, although I somehow got the idea that the smile was a little bit condescending. She said ‘of course’ and led me down the hall to a row of shelves with loads of items, as if in a store, that I hadn’t noticed before. It was clear I was also trying to recall the other ToTMs as well, as she then picked up and held a pair of snow white jean shorts for me, and went to explaining, “These shorts will help you stay hidden in the snow, incase you ever need to. Use them wisely.”
Immediately I was flooded with twenty questions. Clearly she’s referencing to the Arctic Wolf-related task, but I can’t wear shorts as a wolf, can I? And won’t those shorts be really cold to wear in the snow since my legs will be completely bare? When will I get to use these? Why is she giving me white shorts anyway? Why are dreams so weird?
Oh, well, whatever. A gift’s a gift, so I nodded and took the pair of shorts and said, “Thank you.”
“Merry Christmas,” she replied, giving her doll-like smile once more before running off.

Spoiler for Advanced II:

I rarely ever transform into something else and therefore I was mostly winging it when I attempted to turn into an Arctic wolf. My plan was to run around the snowy field and set the expectation that I would transform into one whilst I did, so I ran through the snow, paying attention to my arms in front of me and willing them to turn into paws. For a good 10 seconds it didn’t work, but I kept my confidence up until eventually I saw my arms transition into snowy white paws and was able to run on all four legs. Success!
I slowed down and immediately pressed down against the snow, trying not to be seen by anything nearby. I immediately wished that there were trees around, as there was no place for me to hide except behind a stone that lay in the middle of the snow. I started heading towards it until I noticed a small brown bear in my peripheral vision to my right. I turned my head towards it the moment I spotted it and pressed my body down against the snow once again, hoping not to be spotted. Unfortunately (most likely due to my fear), the bear had seen me right then (bet you wish you had those shorts now, huh Maxis?), and gave me a growl as it padded towards me. Although I’d probably usually run away in these cases, I somehow felt a new sense of strength and courage as a wolf, so I launched myself towards it instead, resulting in a battle between us in the snow until I eventually killed it with a swift bite to the neck without even a scratch.
Smirking at my victory, I decided this bear would be my prey. Hey, I killed it, right? With my paw I ripped out a piece of its fur and flesh and started curiously nibbling at it. The taste was sweet and very salty, like salted apple slices, and I quite liked it. The texture on the other hand, was squishy and slimy, and though I could manage to swallow the piece down, I was repulsed by it and after a few more bites eventually decided to leave the bear for some other animals who don’t mind yucky textures to eat. With that, I left the bear in the middle of the snow-covered fields, transforming back into a human with ease as I turned around and began heading back into the building. Advanced task done.

Full DJ entry: A very long LD: ToTMs, lots of snow, and a rather interesting trio of sisters. (First entry!) - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I had a lot of fun doing this, I think I'll do ToTMs more often.

^^ WOW!!!! Great job on the tasks, especially the advanced. You guys make me really jonesing to try it!

Originally Posted by StephL

First of all - I stumbled over these absolutely gorgeous podcasts from Ophelia, CanisLucidus and also RareCola (is that the correct name..?)!
They are incredible - now I just need a lucid and try all these interesting things!!

Thanks so much, Steph, I'm really glad that you enjoyed the podcasts!

Oh, by the way, the lower link in your sig (the one about the study) didn't work for me. It looks like it might be accidentally pointing to a reply page.

Uuups - thanks CanisLucidus: this is it: http://www.dreamviews.com/research/1...ml#post2066049

Completed basic 1 and 2......
12/12
3:30pm (Vivid Lucid)
It all began in an afternoon nap in my apartment...I was wakened from my nap by painters wanting to get in and paint but I said i'm going to a party and need a shower first and they said ok, They had to get paint first anyway so I looked for the shower and it was gone and went out into the hall and down it to another hall and that does not exist and said this is a dream but continued looking for a shower and found it way at the end and showered thinking how nice the water felt and then I had nothing to put on but the bedroom should be right there so I opened the door and more hallway, littered with baskets etc and I started down it naked and people were coming then saw a tan shirt on the floor and picked it up to hold over myself and went on back to the apartment and heard something running in the bathroom and wondered if the painters had done something and a strange machine was humming away and said to myself this is not even my apartment but my bedroom was where it belonged so I got pants and shirt and went back into the hall which was now full of people in a hurry and it led to a huge lobby like a hotel with a triangle of comfortable seats and revolving doors but then it started to fade so I thought I'll try spinning for once and thought it didn't work but then things came into focus and I thought about girls naturally and a bunch of people on roller skates came down the hall but they were all boys and then a bunch of girls on bicycles came racing past wearing skirts and I sat in one of the seats so I could see up the skirts and saw only a couple with red underpants and one with white then they were gone and it faded so I spun again and thought i'm supposed to do a task but couldn't remember one at first and I was spinning with my eyes closed and remembered the ten second one so I spun with them closed at least that long then opened them wide and things came back still in the lobby and then looked for a possible Santa Claus to get a present but no Santa so I went to the revolving doors and a bunch of girls were leaving a party and had party hats on and I stopped a tall thin one with a hat and asked if she would give me her hat for Christmas but she looked reluctant to give it up and I told it was for a task in a lucid dream so she took it off and handed it to me and I gave it back saying I know you really want to keep it and the dream task is done so I don't need it now and she put it on and went out the revolving door and about then I thought i'm never going to recall all of this .. (God this thing is just starting) It started to fade and spun again with my eyes forced open and it was dizzying but in a moment I was back by the door with many people coming and going and I saw one I recognized as a lucid dreamer and said Holy Shit, Are we both dreaming? (I left out the gooey)
and spun again and I heard the cat purring in my ear and said get out of here cat and tried to push the button on the recorder that was not in my hand and said i'm still dreaming but it startled me awake then I got the recorder, No cat either..

I made a snowman. It was funny.And could speak!


Then i stood up and went outside through the wall. I wanted to make TOTM with snowman. There was little snow on the ground, but enough on the car. I made a small snowman and took it on the ground and animated. It had a big mouth like snowman in "frozen" and instead of feet it had gloves. And it was funny when it mooved with its gloves)) It said - look! Opened his mouth (it had a blue tongue) and got a piece of lego from the mouth.
Then i decided to make a snowstorm. I made strong wind and even a tornado, but there wasn't snow, so it was only strong wind. I thought that it counts like first of three step task and i can make a snowstorm next time. I turn around and found that my wind destroyed my snowman. I made it again, it was alive.

I received a gift from dc!
night one <competition> - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Funny enough, I complete the harder of the basic tasks first.

He handed me a red plastic cup, and tol me it was cookies and creme. I tilt it in my mouth, but nothing comes out. Suddenly, a burst of flavor fills my mouth and throat. I had to shut my eyes in ecstacy.

Right then, I remembered Basic Task II. I slowly counted to 10 with my fingers, still drinking from the air in the cup. When my eyes opened, the room had shifted yet again.

I was in the far corner, the room darker now. A light hum and a gentle glow permeated my senes, prompting me to go investigate. It was a computer hooked up to a toaster.

Full entry here: [DILD] Hunted Soldiers/Shifting Room - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Soo happy - 7 days nothing - and now I even managed a task!
Also the "harder" basic one.



Bit weird - I had be-mantrad and visualized and so on my most frequent dream-signs in the day - and also put intent on all but that task.
What made me lucid, was ironically one of my dream-signs, which I hadn´t worked on: being naked in public.
I thought - noo way would I be naked here - bam!

Was obvious - needed no RCing - buut: I did the hand-looking again - and first I thought - wow - they are perfect from the get-go - no need for staring them sharp - but when I counted fingers - I had one more on the right hand!
Now I´m not sure, if it was because I expected it or not - but it was an interesting sight.

And then - an attractive guy, who was standing there with a friend - came up to me - hugged me, lifted me and started swirling me around.
That´s when I closed my eyes - spontaneously - and remembered the task - and kept them closed and counted.
All the while being hugged and swirled, which felt wonderful.
And when I opened them - he put me down - and there was still the dream - so I guess it counts - even if I woke up maybe only some seconds afterwards..?
This eye-closing can be great, if you have something to feel!!


Will journal and count out for the comp later - soo happy, it started working again!!

Well, I hadn't intended to try Basic 2 - if anything, I'd been hoping for Advanced 1 - but it just sort of happened last night:

We're sitting on the floor, looking out the window. A couple of bulky men are standing outside the window. Beyond them is the parking lot and road, and beyond the road is a steep embankment going up. My wife and I are sitting right next to each other, my right arm pressed against her left. I remember the task to close my eyes for ten seconds. I get an odd feeling of excitement, that I'll be doing something I know I shouldn't be doing, but I KNOW it'll go well. I close my eyes and start counting. I focus on the feeling of my wife against my side and on the memory of what I saw. I almost see a kind of "after image". The men's shirts particularly stand out as blobs of color. I reach 10 and open my eyes. As far as I can tell, nothing has changed. I consider trying it again, except visualizing a different scene with my eyes closed; but I don't do it.

See that's cool Nazrax. Even if I just look away then back at something, it totally changes or morphs. I can't imagine what closing my eyes for ten seconds will do. I'm excited to try it though, as much as I was to try going through mirrors.

So congrats!