Dream 470

'Everyone's a Hater, Except Jay-Z'

Dream date: 7 August 2015
I am returning to my former method of dream reporting, where I break dreams down into separate, labelled dream scenes.

Scene 1: 'Cromer Road, Sheringham/Broadway, New York', -Dusk/Night
I was in NYC - I think I was on some kind of school/university trip, but had walked off on my own. The road I was on was apparently 'Broadway' but it was a composite of Broadway (where I have actually visited many years ago) and Cromer Road, in Sheringham. I was walking towards the town and was nearly at the Tescos store, when I turned around and looked at the opposite side of the road. I saw Jay-Z, who had been riding a bicycle, but had stopped (he was sitting on the bike, with his feet on the floor). He was turned around, watching me and I was aware he was attracted to me and was pleased, because he is one of my favourite musicians. I kept turning round to look at him and saw he was constantly looking back at me. I saw there were different buildings - taller ones than are present on Cromer Road - making the scene appear to be a composite of the small town and the big city at once. I noticed there were other dream characters (pedestrians) and cars in this scene, which I do not think I noticed at first. 

Scene 2: My Bedroom, Norwich - Time Unknown
I was in my bedroom in Norwich with my academic supervisor, IE, who is a youngish man, although older than I am. We were sitting on my bed, discussing something to do with my PhD thesis. I mentioned Muslim women being subjected to 'acid attacks' and my supervisor stood up and started shouting that I was 'a Republican'. I said that I was a left-wing liberal and British (i.e. not a right-wing American) and we engaged in a heated argument. IE was stood by my desk/window, gesticulating at me (i.e. waving his hands and pointing) and his voice was raised throughout. I was unable to passify him or change his mind about me. I felt both angry and affronted by my supervisor's behaviour and accusations towards me. I decided the best thing to do would be to contact my university and ask them to give me a new supervisor on the basis that my relationship with IE had broken down beyond repair.

Scene 3: A Posh Party in a Mansion with a Large Garden - Dusk/Night
I was then in a party which was held in a house with a massive ballroom. The ballroom was crowded with dream characters, all of whom were wearing formal black-tie dress and masquerade masks covering half of their faces. Most of the female dream characters were dressed in white or pale coloured ball gowns. Classical music was playing. Everyone was drinking from champagne flutes. I wandered around the ballroom and then decided to go outside. In the garden, I could see it was dusk. The garden was just one massive lawn with some lights, which looked like street lamps. There was a structure in the garden, which looked like a flight of stairs - although this led to nowhere and I could not see what was at the top. Underneath these stairs were some dream characters, sat on the grass. With them was DL. I knew all of these persons, even though I cannot recall who the other dream characters were. DL was saying to me: 'Where are the party tickets?' and he seemed angry. I am not sure if I replied or just walked off. 

I went back inside the ballroom and DL eventually came up to me. He was saying that the party was rubbish as there were not enough guests there (there seemed to be lots of guests there!). He was moaning at me and seemed to blame me for him not having a good time. I was annoyed at his behaviour and felt he was being unfair and ignorant. It transpired that I had 2 tickets to the party and he wanted to buy them from me for £15. He was reluctant (because the party was 'rubbish') and I was keen to sell them. DL then bought the tickets (which were A4 pieces of paper) from me. I decided to go back to Broadway, New York to try and find Jay-Z. I was planning to seduce him.

Scene 4: Broadway, New York - Night
I was in a car, although I am not sure who was driving. We were on Broadway, New York, but this time it looked much more like it does from memory (I have been there before) and from media images I have seen of it. I was looking out of the car window to try and spot Jay-Z. I eventually saw him standing by the side of the road with some male dream characters who were his friends. I was excited and knew Jay-Z would be pleased to see me. 

I woke up.

TIME: 03:00 - 10:30 hours (this dream took place just before I woke up)

LUCIDITY: NONE

SPECIAL NOTES: 

• REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use - see my articles on 'Cannabis & Dreaming' & 'Lucid Dreaming, Online 'Dream Explorers' & Recreational Drugs'
• I have started taking a multivitamin which contains 7.1mg of Vitamin B6 per tablet - see my article on 'Lucid Dreaming Supplements: Vitamin B6'

Dream Information:

• My PhD thesis is on 'third-party child anonymity' - it is about how human rights (privacy and freedom of expression/open justice) are balanced in cases where a child will suffer significant social or psychological harm if the media published details of their parents who are suspected/charged or convicted of serious criminal offences

Dreamsigns:

• Cromer Road in Sheringham was experienced as Broadway in New York (C - Context/ F - Form)
• I saw Jay-Z and he fancied me (C - Context)
• I would never sit on my bed with my academic supervisor and the conversation we had in the dream would never take place in real-life (IA - Inner Awareness/C - Context)
• Strange structure like a flight of stairs (F - Form)
• I was able to get to Broadway, New York, without having to travel there by crossing the Atlantic (A - Action)

Recurrent Dream Themes:
None of note

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• On 28 July 2015 I wrote a Facebook status about how I think Jay-Z is becoming more attractive with age
• The Republican Party has been in the news a lot recently due to publicity relating to the campaigns ahead of the US Elections in 2016. I oppose everything the American Republican Party represents
• On 5 August 2015 I had a meeting with my supervisor in which we discussed politics - namely how the Conservative Party want to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998, which will render my PhD thesis more difficult since I am analysing cases decided under this piece of legislation

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
This dream confused me for 2 reasons; the fact that I saw a dream scene location which was a composite of Cromer Road, Sheringham and Broadway, NYC - which look nothing alike; and the scene with my supervisor, IE. I found the latter aspect of this dream quite unsettling, as I have never had a disagreement with my supervisor before and in the dream he was accusing me of holding a political opinion/stance which is ideologically opposed to my own (I am anti-gun ownership, pro-choice, believe in a complete separation of church and state, and advocate complete equality for all, irrespective of race/ethnicity, gender, orientation etc). 

Dream 469 (FALSE AWAKENING)

'Chippenwood Bow'

Dream date: 6 August 2015 (Afternoon Nap)

The first part of my dream is not recalled - although I remember it was all in black/white/grey tones and I thought this was odd while in the dream itself. I thought: 'I never have black and white dreams'. This is the only memory I have of this dream scene - that there was no colour and I was able to recognise I was experiencing a different kind of dream than normal (I was Pre-Lucid or Semi-Lucid).

I then saw a house which was 2 storeys high and narrow. There were no surrounding houses. It was made of red brick and looked like a typical 'new build' starter home which you tend to see on many housing estates in the UK. There was a sense of emptiness looking at this house. I have created a visual representation of the house, below.

It was daylight and everything was very yellow, as if this was in the desert or a sandy area. I did not feel as if I was part of the dream scene or in this dream environment, it was more like I was looking at an image from a distance - viewing it remotely. I was telling someone (unseen) that I needed to find a name for this house and was thinking of options. I then 'realised' (suddenly) that the house was in London. I kept thinking of the name 'Saltham', which is a fictional town/city I devised for my (real-life) novel (which has a dreaming theme). I then reminded myself that 'Saltham' is not in London, so this house was not part of my fictional town/city. I started thinking about my novel and the fact that my main character needed a fictional part of London to visit (this is not actually true of my novel - my main character does not visit London and I had no plan to write a scene where she does). It then occurred to me that the house was called 'Chippenwood Bow' (I do not know what this phrase relates to or whether I have heard of it before). This dream scene was speech/thought-based with no action or movement.

I then had a false awakening. There was no sleep paralysis or anything to indicate it was a false awakening. In the false awakening, my bedroom seemed normal, as it does in real-life, although it was much darker than it should have been, which I did not acknowledge at the time, as I had taken an afternoon nap when it was light, but had not set an alarm clock to wake me, so had no notion of what time it might be. I looked at my mobile and noticed that it was 22:00 hours (when I actually woke up later, it was 21:13 hours, so this confirmed the false awakening. I also had a text from PS - which was sent around about 21:00 hours, and probably woke me up). I then heard voices of children outside my window - I am not sure if they were really there and I heard them through my sleep or whether they were part of my dream.

I then entered another dream scene. In this scene there was something happening involving me, other dream characters and some suitcases or boxes. I cannot recall any of this in any detail, so it remains hazy and mainly forgotten. In the midst of this forgotten action, I was kneeling in front of my wardrobe in my bedroom in Norwich. I was looking for any cannabis which might be in the wardrobe. My wardrobe had a wooden shelf, about a foot of so from the floor. This is not there in real-life. On the shelf there were small pieces of hash, which I was collecting, hoping there would be enough to roll a joint with. I then saw there was some cannabis (skunk) wrapped in some cellophane, but only a tiny bit. I was fiddling around with these small fragments of cannabis/hash while talking to someone (an unseen or unrecalled - not sure which) dream character who was in my room. I unwrapped the cannabis from the cellophane and noticed that there was much more than I had first thought. It seemed to get bigger before my eyes. 

I cannot remember anything else about this dream.

TIME: 18:30 - 22:00 hours (I think this dream happened towards the end of my sleep, based on the above observations)

LUCIDITY: YES - Pre/Semi-Lucid as I was able to recognise (partially) that there was something odd about me dreaming in black and white. I did not recognise the false awakening, however

SPECIAL NOTES: 

• REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use - see my articles on 'Cannabis & Dreaming' & 'Lucid Dreaming, Online 'Dream Explorers' & Recreational Drugs'
• I have started taking a multivitamin which contains 7.1mg of Vitamin B6 per tablet - see my article on 'Lucid Dreaming Supplements: Vitamin B6'

Dream Information:
None of note

Dreamsigns:

• I knew it was odd that I dreamed in black and white (IA - Inner Awareness)
• The house in the desert-like location was actually in 'London' (IA - Inner Awareness/F - Form)
• My wardrobe had a shelf (F - Form)
• The cannabis grew in size while I was looking at it (A - Action/F- Form)

Recurrent Dream Themes:

• Suitcases/boxes
• Cannabis
• My wardrobe

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

None of note

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
This dream left me with a weird feeling - it wasn't experienced the same way as my 'normal' dreams - there was a feeling of remoteness and disconnection and this left me with a sense of unease and incompleteness. The best way to describe it is that something was left unresolved in the dream and I feel as if I forgot some important or significant aspects of the final scene which might shed some light as to why I woke up thinking this. I was quite depressed when I woke up from this dream - and I assume it was as a result of dream residue.

* I am aware that I have forgotten some aspects of this dream, but if I recall them, I will record them below.

Dream 468

'Chris'

Dream date: 5 August 2015

I was sitting on a bench outside, in daylight. I was to the left side and next to me, on the right, was NN. In front of us was a building, which may have been a school. It was large and red brick and there were many dream characters in the surrounding area. 

CB came and stood in front of us. NN was in charge of CB - she was looking after him, or had some kind of special relationship with him (he appeared as he did when we were friends, so the teenaged version of him, as I have not seen him as an adult in real-life - we went to different colleges and lost touch). I asked NN what she was doing with CB and she started telling me about how great he was. I 'remembered' a real-life memory of my mum mistaking CB for a girl. I thought to myself (I cannot remember having this thought in real-life, so it must have originated in the dream itself): 'CB looks like a younger version of 'Neil' from The Young Ones'. CB then started to look more like, JCS, which confused me. The CB/JCS character was quite passive in the dream - I cannot recall him saying anything - it was just NN and I doing the conversing, while he stood and stared at us. I am not sure what he was wearing. 

I cannot recall anything else about this dream.

TIME: 06:00 - 11:00 hours (I am not sure when this dream took place)

LUCIDITY: NO

SPECIAL NOTES: 

• REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use - see my articles on 'Cannabis & Dreaming' & 'Lucid Dreaming, Online 'Dream Explorers' & Recreational Drugs'
• I have started taking a multivitamin which contains 7.1mg of Vitamin B6 per tablet - see my article on 'Lucid Dreaming Supplements: Vitamin B6'

Dream Information:

• NN is a female friend from Sheringham, who I have known my entire childhood
• CB was a male friend at high school. He was a skateboarder who liked to get stoned and had longish hair. On one occasion, CB called round to my house (when I was in high school) and my mum mistook him for a girl because he was smaller and skinnier than many of the other boys our age. This was the memory referenced in the dream. While in the process of typing this dream, I recalled the following facts about CB: he broke his arm once, skateboarding; he was hit by a bus (it drove over his foot, causing non-serious injuries); and lived in Baconsthorpe. He once asked me to write him a short horror story, and I did - about a possessed doll - which he seemed to enjoy. I liked socialising with CB because he was much nicer to get along with than many of the boys our age
• The character of 'Neil' in The Young Ones is played by Nigel Planer
• JCS is another male friend from my school year. As adults, we went on one date, but it went nowhere because I thought we were too incompatible - JCS is in the army and I was morally and politically opposed to the war in Iraq which was happening at this time. Not only am I not suitable to be the typical 'army wife' (because I do not feel I could be a supportive and committed partner of someone who was abroad fighting in a war zone or on a tour of duty for months), but also I do not like the cultural climate of the army and feel my left-wing, super-liberal political position - and his more conservative, nationalist stance would cause insurmountable problems and conflict between us

Dreamsigns:

• CB started to change into JCS (A - Action)

Recurrent Dream Themes:

• School/learning institution?
• NN as a dream character

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• I have recently discussed - and been in conversation - with various people from my high school who were part of my group of friends - this wider group included both CB and JCS
• A few days before this dream I had a conversation with PS in which I told him that HL and I do not speak to each other (in contrast to PS and I who still remain in contact). This made me think about HL and how our relationship ended (see *Recalled Dream Scene, below)

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
No specific waking thoughts and emotions, other than the idea that this dream seemed much longer than my memory of it suggests. I was also surprised that CB was a dream character as I have not had reason to think about him - and cannot remember once thinking about him - in over 10 years. I have - since recording this dream, today - tried to find him on Facebook, but I cannot see a profile for him or anyone of his name with mutual friends. I cannot locate him in my school year photo, which may be because I have overlooked him, or perhaps he was not present at school on that day. 

* I feel that I have probably forgotten some aspects of this dream, as my waking perception was that it had been much longer than a single scene. If I remember anything else, I will record it below.

* Recalled Dream Scene (6 August 2015, 03:13 hours)
I had written a status on my Facebook page and was logged onto my Facebook, looking to see if anyone had responded/replied to it. My ex-boyfriend, HL (who I am not friends with on Facebook) had written a comment (I cannot recall what it was). I was surprised, because (a) we are not friends on Facebook or in real-life; and (b) the comment was really friendly. I was double-checking to make sure I hadn't misread the profile name - because I am friends with HL's brother, PL and their names are exactly the same, except for the first letter of their first name (they rhyme!). The comment was definitely from HL.
Memory Trigger: I was on Facebook, looking at the photographs of someone who is friends with HL when I suddenly remembered this dream scene. I think the reason I forgot about it was that it seemed so 'normal' and commonplace that I accepted it as part of my real-life, rather than as part of my dream - and then, because it was banal, just forgot about it altogether, until my mind was focused on my dream memories at the same time I was browsing Facebook and specifically thinking about HL.

Dream 467

'Injecting  Some Heroin'

Dream date: 31 July 2015

I was in a room with PS - it was a room which was unfamiliar to me in real-life and we were sitting beside each other on a bed, at the top. I was sitting closest to the window/wall. I was planning to take some heroin, intravenously. I had a tourniquet on my left upper arm (a brown leather belt) and was tapping at the vein to get it to raise up. PS handed me a syringe full of heroin. I injected it (or he injected me) into the vein of my arm, but through the tourniquet first. I thought that this wasn't the way you were supposed to inject heroin and then doubted that I would get a strong effect from it, because some of it would have remained in the leather and not got through to my vein. I then stood up and got off the bed. I felt dizzy and hazy, but not the way I would expect heroin to make me feel. I was standing at the end of the bed, saying to PS: 'I don't know why people take this to block out their problems, because it's far too weak to help!' I was confused and disappointed. I was strongly aware that the heroin had no pain-relieving qualities as an opiate should. I could see some candles burning on a table next to me - the flame/smoke looked 'fizzy'.

I was then in a classroom, sitting on a desk. There were some other dream characters present - other students (unrecalled, but known to me in the dream) and a teacher. I had a thesis which had been printed and leather-bound. It was for a PhD in History of Art - and was based on the 'art' from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was sitting on a table, flicking through my 'thesis' and saw there were many black and white illustrations included, but they looked like poor quality photocopies. I was also aware that I was doing a consecutive PhD in Law (based on my actual real-life subject matter) as well. I was upset that I had 'wasted' my History of Art research funding to work on Buffy, since it is not a TV show I am interested in anymore (I used to be as a teenager) and it was 'inconsequential' and pointless to have dedicated an entire thesis to it. I wondered if my Law thesis would be better quality and felt overwhelmed by how much work I had yet to do. The teacher told me I should hand my thesis in to be marked.

I was then in a dark office - and was aware it was a law firm (criminal defence) and my place of work. I was working on a rape case and was discussing cross-examination of the complainant and prosecution witnesses. NN was present and she said she would be handling the cross-examination - working as the defence barrister. I was shocked and upset, because she had been favoured for my job, despite her not being qualified. I realised I should have done a pupillage which would give me rights of audience in Crown Court. I was so angry, I got up from the desk we were sitting at and started pacing around the room. I then walked over to another desk - this time in the corner. NN was dressed in barrister's robes, preparing for the case. AS was present. I asked him how NN had been favoured for a job which she was not qualified for, when this was something I could do. AS said NN had been fast-tracked through a short-course to prepare her to be a lawyer. I asked why I had not been given the same treatment as her and he said: 'You didn't fuck anyone'. I then decided I might use my sexuality as a means to obtain my own advantage and jumped on AS, wrapping my legs around his waist.

I was then in a supermarket, looking at a shelf. I found 2 cauliflowers, which I put in my shopping basket. They were reduced and had large yellow price stickers on them.

The scene changed and I was at my nan's house in Sheringham, in my bedroom. I was holding a book which related to a family. It was a guide to prepare me for looking after the family and I was discussing the situation with DL. I am not sure why I was tasked with caring for a family, and the dream did not offer any explanation. The book was large and pink and white on the cover. I have forgotten many aspects of this dream scene, but at one stage, I turned around and saw a small white female child behind me. She was known as 'the 7 year old mother' and I was disgusted as she was far too young for such a role.

I was then getting dressed - and put on a black dress. I was planning to meet someone - I think it was DL. I was aware that the black dress was new and I wanted to find the right shoes to wear with it. However, as DL is the same height as me (and I did not want to tower over him), this meant all the high heels I owned were out of the question, leaving me with little other choice. I was sitting in front of my wardrobe (I think it was my real-life wardrobe, which would indicate that I was in my bedroom in Norwich, although I could not tell for sure as it was dark and I could only see the wardrobe door, nothing else). I selected a pair of black ankle boots, with burgundy slouchy socks which were visible above them. I wondered if the combination of the dress and the boots/socks made my legs appear shorter and fatter (it did and would in real-life). I decided that this was the best outfit I could put together and should stick with it. I then noticed that there was a full-length mirror on the wardrobe door - this is not there in real-life (if we assume the wardrobe was the one in my real-life home, as indicated above). I left the house (I cannot recall anything else about it to indicate precise location) and went out. It was grey and rainy. I met DL.

I cannot recall anything else about this dream.

TIME: 07:00 - 14:30 hours (I am note sure when this dream took place)

LUCIDITY: NO

SPECIAL NOTES: 

• REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use - see my articles on 'Cannabis & Dreaming' & 'Lucid Dreaming, Online 'Dream Explorers' & Recreational Drugs'
• I have started taking a multivitamin which contains 7.1mg of Vitamin B6 per tablet - see my article on 'Lucid Dreaming Supplements: Vitamin B6'

Dream Information:

• PS is my ex-boyfriend
• I have undergraduate degrees in English Literature & History of Art and Law. I am currently doing a PhD in Law and have a forthcoming academic supervisory meeting
• NN is my friend from childhood - she is a trained hairdresser and mother of two
• AS is a former work colleague. Due to my synaesthesia, AS always creates the impression of a number 57 in my mind - this looks, feels and smells like cold steel/metal

Dreamsigns:

• I would never take heroin (IA - Inner Awareness)
• The burning candles looked 'fizzy' (A - Action/F- Form)
• My PhD subject matter had changed and was something which I would never write a thesis on anyway (IA - Inner Awareness)
• NN is not trained in Law (IA - Inner Awareness/C - Context)
• I was looking after a family which included a 7 year old mother (A - Action/C - Context)

Recurrent Dream Themes:

• PS as a dream character
• Drugs
• Being in a classroom or enrolled at a learning institution

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• I am writing a horror novel which involves a scene where heroin is injected 
• Shortly before this dream I had read an article on Stephen King's IT (1986) - my own novel contains the character 'Pennywise the Dancing Clown'. In the article, Derry Maine, was likened to the 'Hellmouth' which exists in Sunnydale, the fictional town which features in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• I was trying to choose the career of my main character in my novel - and had loosely decided on a PhD in History of Art
• Shortly before this dream I had been discussing synaesthesia 
• Several years ago, I did suffer from unequal treatment while working in a law firm, as my peer (who was not as far through her training as me) received benefits such as fee payment, study leave, a huge wage increase and greater responsibility as a result of an extra-marital affair (and subsequent chaotic relationship, when their respective partners found out and it came out in the open) with our much older boss (the owner of the firm). Despite me being more competent and further through my training, I received none of the support and assistance she did - because I wasn't having a sexual relationship with the boss. Shortly before this dream I was discussing this form of gender-based nepotism in the workplace, because I admit it still makes me feel bitter that I was forced to resign from my job and didn't instigate legal proceedings against my boss for unfair treatment
• I went to sleep and had this dream planning to buy 2 cauliflowers when I woke up
• I had been wondering what I should wear (just before I went to sleep) and when I woke up, I was suddenly aware (as a result of the dream) that I had a new black dress I had not yet worn!

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
I enjoyed this dream at the start because I got the chance to inject heroin, which is something I would never ever do in real-life. However, I was disappointed that the experience was not realistic (based on knowledge about the effects of drugs and anecdotes from heroin users I am friends with). The rest of the dream was pretty unexciting and did not create any lasting waking thoughts and emotions. other than annoyance and agitation at the scene in which NN was given my dream job (which I am qualified for) despite having no formal higher education qualifications outside of hairdressing - thoughts like this remind me that I have not met my own potential, leading to concerns that I have used my intellect and ability inadequately.

* I have forgotten some of the later parts of this dream, but if I recall them later, I will record them below.

Lucid Dreams, False Awakenings & the REM Rebound Effect

Here are two new videos I have made for my Youtube channel. These videos are about 4 lucid dream/false awakening experiences I had over a period of 2 weeks and the possible causes and effect relationship between lucid dreaming and various factors -  such as sleep deprivation, alcohol consumption, cannabis use and vitamin pills. I discuss the REM rebound effect.

One (top) is a longer version, with full captions providing definitions and explanations. The other (bottom) is a shorter version.

The Blog posts which relate to the content of these videos are as follows (click on the title - link will open in a new page):

Dream 459 (LUCID DREAM)

Dream 460 (DOUBLE LUCID DREAM)

DREAM 465 (WILD & FALSE AWAKENING)

DREAM 466 (FALSE AWAKENING)

WILD Technique: Wake Initiated/Induced Lucid Dreaming - Explanation & Instructions

An Introduction to False Awakenings & Dreams Within a Dream

An Introduction to Sleep Paralysis

Lucid Dream Stabilisation

Common Lucid Dream Mistakes

Influencing Your Dreams - 6 Common Stimuli

Cannabis & Dreaming

Lucid Dreaming, 'Online Dream Explorers' & Recreational Drugs

Lucid Dream Supplements - Vitamin B6

Lucid Dream Supplements - 5-HTP

Dream-Boosting Foods

Please like my videos by giving them the 'thumbs up' and subscribe to my channel! You can find the Tallulah La Ghash Youtube Channel by clicking on this link! 

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Also remember you can follow/tweet @TallulahLaGhash on Twitter.

My email address is tallulahlaghash@hotmail.co.uk.

Dream 466 (FALSE AWAKENING)

'Police Questioning'

Dream date: 29 June 2015 (Afternoon Nap)

My academic supervisor, IE, was walking around and I was following him. He was being impatient with me because I could not walk quick enough. I do not know why I had to follow him or what our actual task/goal was. I am unaware of the specific environment we were in, but it was outside and sunny.

I came back to my house, which looked different from how it normally does. I was still living in the house next to the path, on the end of a row of terraces, but it felt like these houses were in a different location - perhaps Sheringham - by appearance. However, it transpired (in dream thoughts and conclusions drawn from conversation in this scene) that I was still living on my university campus, despite appearances. As I approached my front door - which had bushes or trees surrounding it (not there in real-life), I noticed that all my colleagues were outside their front doors. They were not my actual real-life colleagues, but 'dream characters' instead, although I did not realise this at the time. There was a young, white male police officer (in uniform), with a pocket notebook, questioning people. He started to question me, and I was refusing to answer his questions. Our conversation went as follows (approximately, not precise words used):

Policeman: 'I need to question you about why you walked across the field' [the field behind my house].

Me: 'I don't need to answer your question until you tell me why you are asking' [defensive, worried].

Policeman: 'We have information that you have been walking across the field' [looking in notebook, trying to shield it from my view - I'm trying to read it to see what is written about me].

Me: 'I am not going to confirm that until you tell me why you want to know' [defiant and smug].

Policeman: 'You are suspected of committing a criminal offence'.

Me: 'What criminal offence? Unless you tell me what suspicion or evidence you have, I'm not going to answer your questions' [angry, self-righteous].

Policeman: 'You have to answer my questions about the field'.

Me: 'No I don't, I'm a lawyer and I know my legal rights. Are you going to arrest me?'

Policeman: 'I know you walk across the field. If you confess to it, we can get this sorted out quickly'.

Me: 'I'm not going to confess to anything and if you take me to court I'll plead not guilty to any criminal offence because you haven't got evidence and this is entrapment' [not really 'entrapment' but potentially misconduct; completely aware the police have no evidence of any criminal offence I may have committed].

This conversation continued for some time - fruitlessly for the police officer, as I did not crack and answer any of his questions directly. In my mind, I was aware of - and clear on - my legal rights and did not feel intimidated. I was aware that the police officer was trying to implicate me in drug use ('walking across the field') but was not explicitly saying this, hoping I would confess. I did not. I then realised the police officer was my boss, DT - still dressed as a policeman, however. The situation now seemed less tense. There was some conversation outside my house, including my 'colleagues'.

I heard the (real-life) text message alert noise on my mobile phone sound, which disturbed me in the dream state. I woke up to look at the text, feeling like I was really awake (I wasn't). This was a false awakening, although I wasn't aware at first. There was no sleep paralysis to alert me. It was daylight and my laptop (next to my bed, on a chair) was turned on - both situations I would expect in real-life as this was a daytime sleep and I had been watching my laptop before I fell asleep.

I read the text message - which (in the false awakening) was from JD. It said: 'I'm on Le Shuttle, but I'm near your stop, so you need to tell me if I should get off to come and visit you'. I thought this was odd (as 'Le Shuttle' - or the 'Eurotunnel Shuttle' is between Folkestone and Calais, and nowhere near Norwich). I then realised that I was in a false awakening and this was a 'dream text' not a real one, since it was bizarre and meaningless. I was lucid, but also felt tired and heavy-headed and did not wish to try to get out of bed and make this into a full lucid dream. My main motivation was to go back to sleep. 

I thought to myself: 'this dream has 4 parts' and I tried to recall all of them, while in the false awakening. I listed them all in my head, but then I fell straight back into a normal sleep and can remember no more. I could only remember 3 elements (or 3 distinct parts of the dream, including the false awakening) when I woke up, which means I may have forgotten an entire dream scene which I could recall in the false awakening.

TIME: 13:30 - 17:00 hours (I am not sure when this dream started, but I received the text - which I heard in my sleep, prompting the false awakening - at 16:14 hours, which is when I would approximate the false awakening to have started (lasting less than 1 minute in total)

LUCIDITY: YES - low level lucidity for a number of seconds during false awakening. Low clarity and no control

SPECIAL NOTES: 

• REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use - see my articles on 'Cannabis & Dreaming' & 'Lucid Dreaming, Online 'Dream Explorers' & Recreational Drugs'
• I ate a large amount of  cauliflower cheese shortly before this dream - cheddar cheese is rich in tryptophan (0.36g of tryptophan per 100g); and cauliflower contains tryptophan (0.01g per 100g) & choline (21.38mg per 100g) - see my article on 'Dream-boosting Foods' 
• I have started taking a multivitamin which contains 7.1mg of Vitamin B6 per tablet - see my article on 'Lucid Dreaming Supplements: Vitamin B6'

Dream Information:

• I did get a text message on my phone at the time I 'heard' it happen in my dream, prompting the false awakening. In real-life, the text message was from DL, although in the dream it was from JD

Dreamsigns:

• My house looked different and seemed to be in a different location, although it was later confirmed to be my university (F - Form)
• My colleagues were just dream characters (C - Context/F - Form)
• The police officer became my boss, DT (A - Action/F - Form)

Recurrent Dream Themes:

• Academia; being enrolled in a class or learning institution
• Police

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• I was in the process of arranging a supervisory meeting with IE at the time this dream took place
• I often walk across the field and round the lake (to the nature reserve) to smoke as it is discreet, calm and picturesque
• On the day of this dream, my boss had paid a scheduled visit to my house to check for damage/repairs - I have a sizeable hole in my wall which occurred when I kicked out in my sleep and my foot went through the plasterboard! I knew in advance that he would be wanting to look at this (because when I 'confessed' to it at a work meeting, it sounded suspicious!) It actually transpired that I just needed to get it fixed and was in no risk of being fined or charged for damage to property
• There has been a lot of publicity about the Eurotunnel Shuttle in recent times due to the panic over immigrants using it to enter the UK from France - and the drastic attempts made to stop them

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
This dream was moderately interesting, when considered as a whole - but only really because of the false awakening. It was strange because during the very brief false awakening (as soon as I became aware of the fact), I was able to remember 4 separate dream scenes, which I listed to myself in an attempt to remember them when I 'properly' woke up. I think I must have been aware that I was unable to write them down in a false awakening state, but knew that as a result of being lucid, my memory may work.

My memory did work in that I can recall the thought process and fact I was trying to commit something to memory - and I remember 'remembering' 4 scenes from the dream (including the false awakening), although when I 'really' woke up, I could only recall 2 scenes and the false awakening (therefore, 3 parts to the entire dream). I have thought long and hard about the forgotten aspect of this dream, but have had no joy in remembering anything other than what is recorded in this dream report.

I am also interested in the fact that the actual real-life sound of my text alert on my mobile (which is always beside my pillow when I sleep) was heard in the dream state and triggered the false awakening rather than waking me up. 

* Obviously, I have forgotten 1/4 of this dream - according to my own observations within the (false awakening) dream state. I know I ran through the missing 4th scene/part of this dream while in the false awakening, in an attempt to commit it to memory, but forgot it again between falling back asleep and waking up properly. I do not think I will recall this dream scene, but if I do, I will recall it below.

Dream 465 (WILD & FALSE AWAKENING)

'Drugs Are Bad'

Dream date: 28 July 2015

I decided to attempt the WILD Technique (Wake Initiated/Induced Lucid Dreaming). However, while I was starting this technique, I had a strange certainty that I would end up in a false awakening and was quite concerned. I had been looking at macabre/horror-themed things on the internet (while planning my horror novel) and was worried that some of the ideas/imagery I had seen might enter or influence the content of my dreams - and in particular, a false awakening, which always makes things far more scary for me. I did not experience either hypnagogia or sleep paralysis during the time I was trying to perform the WILD Technique - I must have fallen asleep quite quickly.

In fact, I did have a false awakening. I woke up in my bed, completely paralysed (sleep paralysis). My room looked exactly as it does in real-life - nothing was different, but I instantly knew this was a false awakening because of not being able to move and the fact there was a strange buzzing noise in the room (electronic sounding), which often occurs when I experience a false awakening. I tried to get out of bed, but I couldn't. I was quite anxious, as I was in fear that something scary might happen or a dream character might enter my room while I was paralysed. I decided I wanted to wake up and I started shouting: 'Wake up!' to myself to try and force this, but it didn't happen. I tried my hardest to get out of bed (thinking that if I could exit my room I might be able to change the dream scene and enter a proper lucid dream (this has worked before). I eventually, after much struggling, managed to throw myself onto the floor and found I could only crawl, not stand up. I was naked (in actuality I was wearing a grey boob tube and grey pyjama bottoms in real-life, and I knew this in the lucid state). I crawled to my door and found that it was half missing - the wood at the bottom was splintered as if someone had kicked it in. There was also a strange plastic laundry basket propped against the wall where my set of drawers should have been. I crawled through the hole in my door and entered the bathroom. The bathroom looked as it does in real-life, but it was really cold. I was still naked. I managed to stand up, but could not move once I was upright. I was still paralysed. I kept thinking bad thoughts about what might happen while I was unable to move, and desperately wanted to wake up. I started screaming 'Wake up!' again and eventually woke up in my bed. 

I then went back to sleep and had a normal dream. I was in the kitchen (poorly lit) of an unfamiliar house, which it transpired that I lived in with a male dream character who was a composite of RD and someone else known to me, but not recalled from the dream. RD and I had a quantity of drugs which we wanted to hide. I think we were expecting a visit from the police. Our back garden was actually a very small cemetery/graveyard (with only 1 or 2 graves, a small stone wall, some grass and some weeping willow trees). The garden was on a slope, with the graves at the lowest part, which was closest to the back of the house/the kitchen door. It was night. I looked at one of the graves and told RD that it was 'custom' for drugs to be buried in this garden. We buried some of the drugs in the earth on top of one of the graves (not deep enough to hit the coffin/casket). We then went back into the kitchen.

I told RD that we should smoke a joint, and he went to roll one. Some other dream characters (unknown to me) came into the house and through to the kitchen. RD and I told them about us burying the drugs in the carpet. I looked at the half rolled joint which was on the kitchen table. There was a lot of cannabis in it and it looked like it would be a strong one. I was about to finish rolling the joint when RD started to put some crack cocaine in it, on top of the cannabis. I was not pleased as I did not want to take Class A drugs, especially not something dangerous and addictive as crack cocaine. I said to RD: 'Why did you ruin that spliff?' and he told me he had 'made it better' and encouraged me to smoke it. Despite my reservations, I lit the joint and started smoking it. I experienced the sensation of getting high/stoned from cannabis, but not necessarily any sensation of smoking crack (which I am not sure I could imagine anyway). The dream characters were all gathered around an L-shaped work surface having conversations with one another. I was aware that I was due to got to a class/lecture of some kind.

TIME: 06:30 - 11:00 hours (this dream started as soon as I 'fell asleep' and the second non-lucid part seemed to continue almost immediately after I went back to sleep after waking)

LUCIDITY: Approximately 20% of the dream was lucid - 5 minutes out of a 20 minute dream (estimated). Good clarity but minimal control (only able to move my body in limited ways and use my voice)

SPECIAL NOTES: REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use

Dream Information:

• RD is a long-term university friend - I associate him with drugs

Dreamsigns:

• I lived in an unfamiliar house with the RD dream character (IA - Inner Awareness)

Recurrent Dream Themes:

• Cannabis
• Being enrolled in a class/learning institution

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

None of note

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
I wonder if my certainty that I might have a false awakening (I suppose I thought this might happen as it usually does when I am experiencing the REM rebound effect a few days after cannabis use has halted) made it more likely to happen. Setting a clear intention to lucid dream often helps to trigger lucidity in DILDs (Dream Initiated/Induced Lucid Dreaming), so perhaps even though I tried to perform a WILD (which often results in a false awakening for me), the idea being in my mind influenced what happened. I did not enjoy the false awakening, as I was unable to control it or make it a full lucid dream. I wish I had thought to spin around once I was in the bathroom, as this can help change a dream scene/environment or content and it may have helped me have a more enjoyable lucid experience. 

Further Articles You Might Be Interested In:

• WILD Technique: Wake Initiated/Induced Lucid Dreaming -Explanation & Instructions
• An Introduction to False Awakenings & Dreams Within a Dream
• An Introduction to Sleep Paralysis
• You may also want to watch my Youtube videos, below: 

Dream 464

'Virtual Reality Machine'

Dream date: 27 June 2015

I was in my mum and stepdad's flat in Sheringham, seated on the floor in the hallway, in front of the mirrored wardrobe. To my right was a screen - a TV or laptop. I was watching a movie - in the movie, there was a man who was being frogmarched between two prison officers in what looked like a prison shower room. In the background I could see other prisoners or male dream characters taking showers. The prisoner was dressed in a beige prison jumpsuit. 

Strapped to his leg was a metal device, with an orange plastic carrier bag hanging from it. The metal part looked like a leg brace - it was above the knee, like a garter. The rest of this leg was bare. This orange bag was filled with shit. The machine was a 'virtual reality device' which made the user experience a completely different reality without needing to use a headset - therefore their virtual environment is experienced in 360 degrees, like 'real-life'. 

The prisoner was using the virtual reality device on his leg to change a sexual experience he was having with a woman - instead of seeing him having sex, the prisoner was holding onto the side of a huge skyscraper structure made of wrought iron or scaffolding - it was as high as the Eiffel Tower and he had no safety harness (none was needed since this was virtual reality) - he started to do pull-ups. This was the physical simulation of sex. I saw him orgasm (the expression on his face and sounds he made, not an actual ejaculation). The sky behind him was a perfect blue and there was a city below him.

I then saw him, covered in soap bubbles, using parallel bars in a dark and sparsely populated gym, to do some 'dips'. This was the 'sex machine' in the gym. He was still wearing the virtual reality machine.

I was distracted from watching this bizarre movie by noises made by people also in the flat with me - including my stepdad and my nan as well as other (unseen) dream characters. My stepdad started discussing the movie with me - he had seen it before. I then decided that I needed to start the movie from the beginning and pay more attention to it this time as I could not work out the plot line or what had happened. The movie scenes described above were watched on the screen again. I was aware that this was a pornographic movie. 

I was then seated in a room with PS - I think it was a kitchen and we were sitting around a small square table. It was light - sunshine was coming in through the window which was beside us. The table was beige plastic. TS came into the room with a catalogue, open on a page which showed a metal device. It was square and silver, with buttons and switches. It was a virtual reality machine, much like the one seen in the movie I had just watched (twice) -although very different in appearance, in that it wasn't a leg brace design and didn't have the orange plastic bag of shit hanging from it. 

TS was ignoring me, only speaking to PS. She said he should buy the virtual reality device and seemed excited by the prospect. I wondered if he wanted it for the dangerous sex. The virtual reality machine cost £249. I told PS that it was not proven to work and it might be a fraud or a waste of his money (I was aware that the virtual reality machine in the movie was not necessary technologically possible). PS said that he wanted to risk it. I said: 'Wearing your own shit in a bag on your leg is disgusting!' but PS told me that this virtual reality device didn't have the orange bag of shit like in the movie. He started to use his mobile phone to order the device from the catalogue, although I disapproved. 

TIME: 07:00 - 11:00 hours (I am not sure when this dream took place)

LUCIDITY: None

SPECIAL NOTES: REM rebound effect from cannabis use

Dream Information:

• PS is my ex-boyfriend and TS is his older sister

Dreamsigns:

• The 'virtual reality device' was an impossible object and the way it operated was also impossible (A - Action/F - Form)

Recurrent Dream Themes:

• PS as a dream character

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• The day of this dream I saw an advert for Orange is the New Black
• The day of this dream I had seen an online news article which showed Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge using a virtual reality headset
• A fee days before this dream I watched an episode of The Ricky Gervais Show in which Karl Pilkington predicts everyone will be using virtual reality headsets in the future
• When writing up Dream 462 ('The Corpse in the Garden) I referred to the movie Crash (1996) which features female characters in leg braces
• The day of this dream I had watched an episode of Peep Show in which Mark refers to the adductor machine in the gym as a 'sex machine'. In the same episode he refuses to shower at the gym after a personal training session

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
This was such a bizarre dream - I enjoyed it, even though not much happened when I reflect on it (I watched the same movie twice, had a discussion about it with my stepdad and then PS ordered something from a catalogue)!

* I think I may have forgotten some aspects of this dream - in particular some parts which occurred between me watching the movie and then the scene with PS. If I recall anything further, I will record it below.

Dream 463

'Trust Me, I'm a Lawyer'

Dream date: 26 June 2015

I was in an environment which I cannot really describe because it was both inside and outside at the same time. The inside part was dark and I think there was water which was visible - perhaps a lake or the sea, or maybe just a large swimming pool. There were also steps (to the left, adjacent to the water) which led to the outside - and more water, surrounding this entire area, which was grey concrete. 

There was no visible furniture or fixtures in the inside part of the environment - only some kind of rail or barrier (I think this was what was enclosing the water) which was waist height, and a counter or surface. There may have been some blue lights, because I recall the scene was illuminated this way. The bottom of the steps were 'inside' (there was some kind of partial roof) and then at the top, there was a second open air level, which reminded me slightly of an area on my university campus (some outside steps which lead from  the road level to the 'upper walkway') and also more of the lake/sea/swimming pool. It was daylight and the sky was grey and cloudy.

I was aware that LD intended to marry me the next day. I was not happy at all. I am not sure (from what I knew to be true in the dream/my 'dream thoughts' and also what I can recall upon waking) that I was even in a proper relationship with LD - there was no sense that he was my boyfriend/fiancé, or that I had any feelings of love for him. There was just a feeling of crushing oppression and misery.

I was discussing the forthcoming marriage with dream characters - including my mum and either my nan or my stepdad. They seemed to be more positive and excited about the prospect than I was. I was trying to think of any way in which I could avoid getting married and was growing increasingly angry at LD (not present) for trying to 'trap me'. I started to argue with my family and the dream characters that I did not want to get married at all. I realised at this point that they were already dressed up for the wedding - my mum was wearing a dark rusty orange colour with a round fascinator on her head in a matching colour (not what my mum would normally wear in my opinion, but then she has never had to get dressed up for one of my (non-existent) wedding parties). 

I was pacing about, stressed and anxious. I then said: 'I can't marry him anyway, he's already married!' (this realisation came to me in an instant and seemed like the best get-out clause possible). My mum (or nan) said that this did not matter and I said (incredulously, sarcastically): 'Oh, is bigamy legal now then?' Someone (unrecalled who) said: 'He can get divorced then!' I laughed (sarcastically as I was feeling angry still) and said: 'In less than one day! That's not possible!' My family was trying to argue this point with me, and at this stage in the dream, I realised I was in the 'Blue Bar' section of my university Student Union bar, standing beside the bar. I explained that as a lawyer, I was aware of the 5 legal grounds for divorce, which is an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage caused by:

• Adultery
• Unreasonable behaviour
• Desertion (for 2 years in the last 2.5 years)
• Living separately for 2 years - agree to the divorce
• Living apart for 5 years - regardless of agreement to divorce

I gave these reasons as a form of a list, ticking them off my fingers. My nan asked how I knew this information so I said: 'I studied Family Law!' Someone said: 'The marriage could be annulled' to which I explained that it could not, as LD and his wife had lived together for approximately a year following the marriage and therefore had no right to an annulment as it was neither 'void' (not legally valid due to age, familial relationship, fraud or bigamy) or 'voidable' (defective due to a lack of consent, no consummation, presence of an STD or female pregnant by a man other than husband at time of marriage). Someone said: 'Fraud might work...' to which I responded: 'It's me being frauded!' I was becoming more helpless in trying to argue that there could be no legal marriage - and that I did not want to marry LD anyway. A male dream character (unknown to me in real-life), wearing a grey suit led me up the steps to the outside level. There was some discussion with him which I cannot recall. While we were walking up the steps, a black dog ran past us really fast.

I was then in a toy shop - it was large, with a mezzanine level. I was standing on this mezzanine floor, beside the wooden stairs. I saw that beside a display of some toys, was a basket containing white fluffy puppies. Angelina Jolie was present. She asked an employee: 'Are these for sale?' (meaning the puppies). The employee told her they were, and Angelina grabbed them and ran down the stairs and out of the shop. I was aware that she was liberating/saving them and supported her actions. I shouted to her (as she disappeared out of the store): 'You go Angelina!'

I was then in my nan's house, standing in the doorway between the living-room and the kitchen. A female (known to me, cannot recall who) was standing at the sink. This female was asking me about the chests of my ex-boyfriends (i.e. did they have chest hair?) I said that several of my ex-boyfriends had smooth chests. I then saw that I was standing next to a composite character of MT/HL (both of whom are ethnically Chinese) - I pulled up his shirt (he was also wearing blue jeans with a leather belt) to show his smooth chest.

I was then in a room which looked like a post office or a bank. There was a counter with a roped off section where customers queued, and to the side (in front of the entrance), a small table and some chairs. I was seated at the small table, with PS and some other dream characters (unrecalled). Standing in the queue to be served was a middle-aged woman with grey hair, She was quite fat and dressed in a raincoat (grey). I was telling PS and the dream characters how she was disabled, although I am not sure what her disability actually was, as it was not obvious in the dream and I did not state specifically. I then saw she was accompanied by an older black male - who closely resembled Lawrence Fishburne. I told the people I was with: 'He's auditioning with her to be angels'. We watched them stand quietly in the queue for a while and then I realised I was holding a brown envelope/letter (although I did not read the writing on the envelope). I said: 'It's her (meaning the middle-aged woman) appeal paperwork'. PS asked me what I meant and I said: 'She disagreed with a decision of the court, so she appealed'. None of my companions seemed to know what an appeal was, so I said: 'I'm a lawyer so I've handled appeals. You tell the court why the decision was wrong and then they hear the case' (this is a very simplistic explanation, but it was sufficient in the dream). 

I then woke up from this dream.

TIME: 09:30 - 14:00 hours (I woke up from this dream)

LUCIDITY: None

SPECIAL NOTES: REM rebound effect from recent cannabis use

Dream Information:

• LD is a male who I have known for a long time. We used to chat on the internet (as he lives near my home town and I live in the city, about 45 minutes away and we never met up). LD and I are still 'officially' friends, but we stopped talking because he was looking for a romantic committed relationship with a woman and I was not interested in this. He disliked my views on romance (hate it - I would prefer to have a sexual relationship without 'love') and 'slut-shamed' me for confessing that I like to make pornographic photographs for my sexual partners (of which he was not one, he never got off the bench to be fair). Paradoxically, although he said he was a 'romantic guy looking for love' and not like 'most men' who were only wanting to use women for sex (he really isn't much of a modern feminist, is he?). I made it very clear I did not want a relationship of any kind and further, I wasn't going to have sex with him. I would never have sex with someone who prioritised love and intimacy from the outset, because it doesn't excite me and leads to confusion and consequential stress if I want casual fun and the other person wants long-term commitment. Plus I was not available sexually at that point anyway. He then decided I wasn't even worth talking to as a friend (proving he was only white-knighting/trying to sweet-talk me because of an agenda he could not admit to himself) - and completely stopped all communication with me. These details are quite in-depth, but necessary to explain the strong reaction I had to the dream

Dreamsigns:

• I was being forced into a marriage which I was opposed to - although in the dream I maintained my real-life anti-marriage stance, the fact I was being forced/rail-roaded into it was an impossible scenario (IA - Inner Awareness/C - Context)
• My family seemed to doubt my knowledge of the law (IA - Inner Awareness)

Recurrent Dream Themes:
None of note

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• LD is still married to a woman who I dislike, although they are estranged, having broken up quite soon after the marriage. I was aware of their wedding, not only because I saw the photographs on Facebook and my family told me about it - and I saw him on his 'Stag Night' when my companion (a male called MS) got into a violent brawl (on the train and at the train station) with members of the Stag Party (the bride-to-be's thuggish brother and step-father). The police attended the scene and I had to do the talking (as a qualified lawyer, all my friends expect me to deal with 'the law', even when I'm clearly intoxicated, as I was that night). I had been describing the 'Fight Night' (I also fought with MS that night because he was out of control drunk and in a nasty mood) to my friend, JD - who happens to know MS and had seen him at a party recently. It may be that this conversation about MS and 'Fight Night' brought associated memories of LD, his 'Stag Night' and subsequent failed marriage
• I have been watching Peep Show Series 4 - in which the main story arc is how Mark is 'accidentally' engaged to be married to Sophie (my actual first name is Sophie!), the long-term object of his romantic obsession - but now wants to avoid marrying her at all costs as he has come to his senses
• I told JD and DL - on separate occasions in the past week - that I am 'against the concept of marriage' as anything more than a legal contract between parties to ensure their security. Being married does not make a relationship more committed or loving or stable/resilient - to me, commitment means knowing you can walk away at any point without having to legally dissolve the relationship (at a cost); and divide assets and finances - but choosing to stay in the relationship and make it work regardless. I also dislike wedding ceremonies. I do support marriage equality though - everyone should have the right to marry and be happy (or divorce and be miserable!)
• I have recently (throughout the past week) seen many parents dressed formally for the Graduation Ceremonies held at my university
• I saw a reference to 'bigamy' online the other day (in relation to a celebrity male whom I cannot recall who was under suspicion of being a bigamist). Then, more recently, I was discussing an idea for a new reality TV show with DL - where celebrity contestants would be forced to marry one another and compete at tasks to avoid the public voting them off the show. I said the celebrities' real-life spouses would watch and comment on the action from the TV studio. DL asked how the celebrities could 'marry' on the show if they were already married - and I joked that the TV production company would try and petition Parliament for bigamy to be repealed and polygamous marriage to be legalised
• I saw some online news articles about Angelina Jolie the day of this dream while reading the celebrity sections
• I am a member of various 'dog' pages on Facebook, and recently got into a debate about the private buying (as opposed to shelter-rescue) of dogs. I think buying dogs is fine - because if they are unsold, they may end up neglected, mistreated or in a shelter anyway, so buying is still 'saving' them. However, many of the group members think buying a puppy encourages unethical and cruel backyard breeding, so this is a hot topic of debate
• A few days before this dream I had a conversation with DL about male body hair and personal grooming, during which I mentioned that several of my exes had little body hair and many of my ex partners also like to de-fuzz certain parts of their body. I had mentioned that neither MT, HL or PS had chest hair
• I have recently been watching Lawrence Fishburne play 'Jack Crawford' in Hannibal
• In an episode of Peep Show which I watched the day of this dream, Jeremy receives a brown envelope containing an order that he attend jury duty at Crown Court - a credit card fraud trial

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
I had no strong waking thoughts or emotions linked to this dream. I did not enjoy the prospect of being forced into a marriage I did not want, but this scene was more frustrating than exciting or scary and the rest of the action in the dream seemed quite banal or 'flat'. I didn't really feel connected to this dream - I experienced it from the first-person perspective and was part of the action, but I felt like I was wandering through the dream environment and casually engaging with the dream characters rather than 'experiencing' the dream world on a deeper or more thought/feeling-provoking level. I would liken this dream experience to be similar to watching a bad movie, but having no power to change the channel. It's entertainment, but weak and out of your control.