I HAVE A DREAM

I've heard of 'dream-management' before. The idea is to take control of where your dreams are going by somehow recognizing you are dreaming while you are dreaming. Since most of my dreams lately have been exhausting repetitions of trying to get somewhere with someone by such and such a time (and not meeting with any success time after time), I thought this might be worth a try.

Somehow I was tired from watching eight utility poles being loaded at the maintenance yard, and then also watching them being unloaded by the horses' corral (I guess I did help them roll off the truck a couple of times, but that was it) - but I was fatigued beyond measure (yes, I am a wimp, my friends).

I tried valiantly (who was Prince Valiant? Was he an old cartoon character on television back when it was just black and white?) to get some housework done, but gave up at noon and slept for THREE HOURS.

Not straight through - the greyhound woke me up by barking her desire to go outside - the cat continually waited until I had just fallen asleep (I think he hides behind the bed and just listens for my breathing to slow down to a certain scientifically established rate) and then jumped on me (it's amazing this cat has lived as long as he has) - and my shepherd mix was having bad dreams, yipping and running in his sleep, while laying right at the foot of my bed.

So perhaps this light-doze-state is what enabled me to realize that I was dreaming while I was dreaming. I kept repeating to myself (hopefully just in the dream, not out loud) "this is just a dream, this is just a dream," and it was incredible. In the dream, I was driving like a complete maniac, but by being aware that I wasn't awake (although I know some will argue that I drive like that when I am awake), I could actually control some of it. I was driving on an imaginary coastline, and all of the incredible scenery I could somehow keep bringing back into vision. (Couldn't control my crazing driving in any way, shape or form, but at least the view was beautiful)

The question now is, do I know encourage the animals to keep waking me so I can recognize dreaming? Do I go back to sleeping in the same bedroom as my snoring mate (guarantee to NOT get a good night's rest)? Or do I just hope to achieve this Zen-like state by accident?

Any advice?