Newsgroups: alt.dreams,alt.dreams.lucid
Subject: Lucid Dream Transcript
Date: Sat Oct 23 20:11:20 1993

I'm posting this for two friends of mine who can't, due to a
malfunctioning news server.  It is a transcript of a conversation
between Justin, who is awake, and Patrick (his roommate) who
is asleep, and talking in his sleep.  The conversation was
transcribed by Justin.  I'll let the transcript explain the rest...
 
-----
 
Here is a rough version. Unfortunately, since it took me so long to
find time to write this , many details have faded.
My notes and stage directions are written in [] in third person.
Patrick's notes and stage directions are written in <> in first
person.
{I've added notes in brackets -- Brendan}
Our story opens around 1 or 2 am with Patrick and Justin talking
while trying to go to sleep....
 
 
 
 
 
[Conversation fades. Patrick begins snoring]
 
Justin: Snoring already?
Patrick:        Wha'?
J:      Oh sorry, just said 'snoring already?'
P:      No.
J:      You were.
P:      Oh, sorry. I guess I should go back to sleep.
{At this point, it sounds like Patrick was actually asleep, but
woke up when Justin asked the question.}
J:      Oh.
P:      I was just having a dream... something about the Egyptians,
and measuring something.
J:      And crocodiles that would eat you if you were lucky?
P:      No. Trying to measure something... by it's shadow or
something.
J:      I _think_ the Egyptians could do that...
P:      And something corrugated.
{Typical hypnogogic imagery.  The concept of corrugation is
present, and SOMEHOW connected to Egypt, but the object and the
connection are very fuzzy.}
J:      Oh.
P:      I better go to sleep. I don't know if I'm even conscious. I'm
not sure what I'm saying.
{Most probably Patrick is awake, but very tired and not thinking
clearly.}
J:      Huh??
P:      I'm not sure what I'm saying makes sense, or if I'm just
reflexively mumbling without thinking.
J:      I don't know... that's an awfully coherent thought for someone
who isn't sure what he's saying!
{Justin's assessment is accurate.}
P:      Thanks.
[pause]
{Now Patrick falls asleep and begins dreaming.  Interestingly, it
was probably the initial interruption from the hypnogogic state
that has allowed him to enter this sleep-talking phase.}
P:      What am I doing in this section of the library?
J:      WHAT?!?!?!
P:      What am I doing in the reference section of the library
<I think I checked the clock above the stairwell at this point,
or did _something_, but I don't remember clearly>
J:      ...
P:      Oh! I get it! I'm having a dream!
{Patrick reaches lucidity, possibly by not being able to explain
how he got to the library.}
J:      Oh, cool.
P:      What should I do... I think I'll go SPO
{Student Post Office.}
J:      OK
P:      I suppose you've already checked today?
J:      Don't try to get me started!
P:      [laughs] Nope, nothing in my SPO.
J:      OK
P:      It's a nice day.
<note: I remember it having been a sunny coolish fall day.  At this
point I had walked out of the Union into the courtyard...>
J:      I suppose.
[pause]
P:      Wow, I can jump pretty high. <can't remember this>
[pause]
P:      Hmmm... what should I do... what's a good thing to do in a
lucid dream?
J:      I dunno.
P:      I know! It's harpsichord time!
{Interestingly, this choice of action probably prolonged the lucid
sequence.  It is easier to maintain a lucid dream while performing
everyday activities.  More outlandish actions tend to cause
awakening or loss of lucidity for unpracticed lucid dreamers.}
J:      [giggles]
P:      Here's a harpsichord. <two manual Italian style, I _think_...>
J:      Is there anything strange about it?
P:      No.
J:      Is there a cat in it who wants you to stop hurting her feet?
P:      No! That was the clavichord!
{This is a reference to one of Patrick's previous dreams.}
J:      Is there a crocodile inside it that will eat you if you're really
nice to it?
P:      Justin, you're being silly!
<I believe I began playing Sweelinck's Praeludium Toccata>
J:      [mutters something about a pedal board (not sure if it was
heard)]
P:      I should try to play the pedal board, since this is a
dream......hmmm, I guess I can't do that even in a dream.
J:      Hmm. Interesting.
P:      I can't wait to tell Brendan about this dream....... Do you like
the music, Justin?
J:      No, it's stupid because it has no words.
P:      Justin, this is the Toccat--er, the Fugue in d minor!
{Note that the song has changed.} 
J:      Oh! *I* haven't written lyrics to that yet!
P:      Keep it that way!
J:      Except for the "Fugue!" at the beginning.
P:      We're _way_ past that.
J:      I know.
P:      Bah! I can't get any further. What should I do now?
J:      Um, I dunno, you could try those dream exercises Brendan
gave you.
P:      Like what?
J:      Like seeing how high you can jump.
P:      I already jumped.
J:      Yeah, but...
P:      What else should I do?
J:      I don't know.
P:      You know, my subconscious must be funny.
J:      Why?
P:      Well, it must be compartmentalized.
J:      Why do you say that?
P:      Because I can't tell what you're thinking.
{Richard Feynman found that lucid dreams often produce silly
rationalizations and insights that make sense within the dream,
but have little to do with reality.  If you haven't you might want
to read his essays on these subjects.  One is called _Altered
States_, I can't remember the other one's title.  Note also that
Justin has gone from a dream version of himself (presumably) to a
personification of Patrick's subconscious.}
J:      [smiling] oh?
P:      Wow, this is high!
J:      What?
P:      I'm trying that jumping thing.
<jumped approx. 100 (??) feet above the Union plaza.  Beneath me I
remember seeing the plaza, the trees with their changed and
falling leaves, and the chapel -- whose roof I clearly remember as
being a medium-grey gravelly asphault, rather like the roof
outside our room>
{Not really an accurate description of the chapel roof.}
J:      Oh, cool.
P:      This is too high. I'd better go down! ...... Wow! This takes
effort!  It's kind of like swimming! <I actually had to move my
arms and 'pull' myself down>
J:      Interesting.
P:      OK. Now what should I do, Justin?
J:      Why are you asking me? It's your dream!
P:      Yeah, but you're a manifestation of my subconscious, so you
should know what's going on!
{Patrick continues to call Justin "Justin", even though he believes
him to be a manifestation of his subconscious.} 
J:      Whatever.
P:      If I were awake, I'd log on to furry.
J:      Well, you're asleep, so you can go there in person.
P:      Hey! That's right! Thank you... OK, I'm in [some room in furry.
Max's Cottage? The Balcony?] <I'm pretty sure it was my cottage> I
can't wait to tell Justin and Brendan about this. What do you think
they'll think about this?
{Even though he is talking to Justin, Patrick doesn't realize that
Justin knows what is going on.  This suggests that he now views
Justin as his own subconscious.  This suggests that he might not
be hearing Justin speak in Justin's voice any more.} 
J:      They may have a hard time believing it.
P:      Why do you say that?
J:      Oh... no reason.
P:      Wait... what do you mean?
{Patrick somehow senses that there is something ironic in this
situation, but can't place his finger on it.}
J:      Nothing. Never mind.
[Patrick never minds. Furry scene continues. Can't remember any
events, other that Patrick looking for someone to talk to.] <I don't
remember this... perhaps I was checking to see if someone was
logged on, or maybe I went to the WCotP...  Justin notes: I _may_
have said "I wonder if anyone I know's logged on.">
J:      Oh! Campaign-world dreams are always fun.
P:      Well tough, I'm already on furry. 
[More forgotten. Patrick asks Justin a question]
J:      I don't know Patrick, I'm trying to go to sleep!
P:      Why would my subconscious want to go to sleep? Oh I get it!
You're trying to confuse me into losing lucidity like Brendan's
subconscious.
{Patrick now sees Justin only as his subconscious.}
J:      Dogs _can_ fly!
{A reference to a previous dream of mine that I posted a summary
of some time last year.}
P:      No they can't... unless I make them. Why don't you go away? <I
believe I was speaking to Justin as Justin in my dream... or maybe
as Nobody.  Justin claims I continued to call him Justin...>
{Patrick's comment is interesting.  It suggests that he sees a
manifestation of Justin, but believes him to be simply the voice of
his subconscious.}
J:      Go where?
P:      I don't know! Just go somewhere!
J:      I can't.
P:      Oh for heaven's sake! Do I have to _make_ you disappear?
J:      OK
P:      There.
J:      OK
P:      Ugh! I can't get rid of you!
J:      I am here! Inside yo' mind!
P:      Hey! What the-- Now I'm in an opera house!
<This is the Opera House in TimeMUSE.  It is a large, gilded hall
with many balconies and red curtains as I recall.  Lit by a LARGE
chandelier above... come to think of it I'd never noted the 
similarity to the POTO opera house until now :)>
{Patrick jumps on an association.}
J:      Oh, sorry.
P:      Thanks a lot. This is part of TimeMUSE. Now how do I get out
of here?
J:      I don't know.
P:      There's never anyone here. Let's see, I have to go south. OK,
here I am. Here's a waterfall.
<There must be a lacuna here:  I vaguely remember SOMETHING
happening between this last scene and the following, as the
waterfall is a RL location.  Unfortunately I must have just
wandered and/or teleported and not said anything...>
J:      Oh, isn't that by Ehlana's Castle?
P:      No, silly, this isn't Furry.
J:      Oh.
P:      I think I'll just sit here under this tree.
J:      OK.
P:      Oh! Here comes Christy. You'd better leave.
J:      Leave?
P:      Hello Christy...[note that we don not have any Dialogue for
Christy since she was (assumedly) a True Dream Personage. The
dialogue, as remembered by Justin, is more or less just like
overhearing one side of a phone conversation, and much has been
forgotten] How are you? Fine. Yes, etc. [at some point Justin
chimes in] Justin, go away!
<as I recall it was just small talk, she telling me of various things
and being generally sociable>
J:      OK, whatever [resolves to ignore and be ignored]
P:      Oh! You found your hat? That's great... Oh! I just remembered,
this is a dream.... Do you like that music?... what do you mean 'what
music?'... you can't hear it? That's the 6th Brandenburg... [more
conversation] Are you certain you can't hear that music? Really?
Are you sure?
<Note: I must have been 'hearing' this music and perhaps assumed
or realized I was still dreaming.>
[a sudden fall from bed]
{Looks like the failure of atonia was not localized to Patrick's
mouth.}
P:      OW! Ow. Ow. Ow. <note: I don't remember what caused me to
fall out of bed, but I DID hit my head on the television.>
J:      You ok?
P:      Yeah [climbs back into bed] I was having a dream... I think it
was about Christy.
J:      It was.
P:      How do you know that?!
J:      You were talking in your sleep.
P:      Oh no! I was?
J:      Yes.
P:      I'm embarrassed. I hope I didn't say anything, um...
J:      You didn't say anything embarrassing, just a lot of talk about
her hat and weather or not she could hear the music. And general
small talk.
P:      Are you sure?
J:      Yes.
P:      Ok, good.
J:      I wasn't listening much anyway.
P:      I think I went to Furry too. <I don't remember the conversation
from here on...>
J:      Yes, that was my idea.
P:      What do you mean?
J:      Let's just say you weren't the only one talking.
[etc. Semi-complete review of dream follows. It becomes evident
that Patrick can remember only very minor events from the dream,
especially the final scene, and seeing the roof of the chapel. The
overview is mostly uninteresting except the following passage:]
J:      And then I said 'Even *I* haven't written Lyrics for that!'
P:      Keep it that way!