Tag Archives: The Phil Factor

Learning to Write With Octopuses, or is it Octopi?

Posted on October 8, 2025 | 7 comments

Happy Octopus Day! And octopuses or octopi are both acceptable ways to refer to more than one octopus. What does that have to do with my writing? And do octopuses know how to write?

At this point, there are at least several octopi who could probably write better than me. It’s been a very up and down year for me which has interfered with my ability or desire to write. Coincidentally, today, World Octopus Day is the day me and my octopus friends decided that I’d step back into the ring. Do I really have octopi friends? No, …not that I’m aware of. If you are a writing octopi, please say so in the comments!

If I did have octopus friends, they would look like that picture. I wonder if the octopuses are thinking that if they had human friends, would they look like me?

That’s only one video of one octopus opening a jar. If you Google “octopus opening a jar.” you’ll find plenty more. Octopuses are smart enough to open jars. What if they realized that submarines are just big jars? That could be a problem.

In the first paragraph I wondered if octopi could write. Here’s a picture, but that depiction seems a little dubious. So at least, for now, I’m assuming I can write better than octopuses.

Also, as far as octopuses go, I have a blog and I’m not giving it up yet. Thank you for sticking with me. The future road is in progress. Today really is World Octopus Day, so if you see one, shake one of his or hers tentacles. You can do the same if you see me too.

Thanks for reading! ~Phil

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The Top Ten Reasons I Should Be The Next Pope

Posted on April 28, 2025 | 3 comments

 In a world that’s constantly changing, the papacy could use a fresh perspective — someone who understands both tradition and innovation. Enter me, a  voice of humor, wisdom (?) and everyday insight. While I may not be a cardinal (yet), I firmly believe I’m more than qualified to wear the white hat (technically called a zucchetto). Here are ten compelling reasons why I should be the next pope:

1. I Already Have a Devoted Following
More people know me internationally than any single Cardinal. By reading this, you are part of an international audience developed through years of blogging. You guys and gals are loyal, engaged, and worldwide — just like the Catholic Church’s flock. If the ability to connect with people across borders is a qualification, I’ve already done that.

2. I Have Sense of Humor
Religion doesn’t have to be solemn all the time. A pope who can tell a joke (and land it) would make Sunday services a lot more enjoyable. My humor could bridge divides and bring a little more laughter into a world that desperately needs it.

3. I Understand Modern Communication
Blogging, social media, memes — I speak the language of today. I’d be a pope who could deliver a sermon and a viral tweet. With me, the Church’s message could travel faster and farther than ever before. How many Cardinal’s do you know with Facebook, a blog, IG, and TikTok?

4. Including The Paranormal!
Everything in the Bible is paranormal stories! Jesus rose from the dead and made four fish and a loaf into a banquet! Guess what? He didn’t rise from the dead, he was a ghost. The fish and loaves multiplying were actually just ghost fish and bread! Go look up Leviticus 3:15 and there’s a paragraph where Zak Bagans is running around yelling about orbs.

5. A Little More Fashion Sense
Are you kidding me? If I’m elected Pope I’m going to shake up the fashion sensibilities of all Catholics! Do our Popes need to wear those gaudy, and so outdated dresses? One thing that I’ve never mentioned here is that I have visited the Vatican in cargo shorts, and got quite a few compliments. A Pope in cargo shorts would be so dope. I’ve got the legs to rock that look.

6. I’m Open to New Ideas
The Church has traditions dating back millennia, but it’s facing modern challenges. My open-minded, forward-thinking attitude could help bring the Catholic Church into the 21st century!

7. No Scandals Here
Unlike some candidates (I’m looking at you, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle). My background is squeaky clean. No controversy, no corruption, no skeletons in the closet. Just good blogging, good humor, and good vibes.

8. I’ve Got Great Ideas for Holidays
I’ve blogged about new holidays. Imagine a pope who could spice up the liturgical calendar with celebrations like “Paranormal Month” or “Forgiveness Friday.” Saints’ days could suddenly get a lot more interesting.

9. I’d Be the First Blogger Pope
Talk about history! I would be the first pope with a humor blog. It’s a Cinderella story for the digital age, and frankly, the movie rights alone would fund a few Vatican repairs.

10. I Might Be The First Sexiest Man Alive Who Is Also a Pope! As always I’m campaigning for People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, but why can’t I be both? Imagine someone who could connect Hollywood and modern religion

So here’s our message to the Vatican: The people have spoken (or at least blogged about it). It’s time to #MakePhilPope.

Thanks for reading and bless you!  ~Pope Phil

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Grading My 2024 Psychic Predictions

Posted on December 21, 2024 | 8 comments

That’s me in the crystal ball. I’m not the lady

Unlike most psychics, I am not afraid to review and grade my predictions for last year. If you haven’t read my 2024 psychic predictions, and want to before I tell you what I got right and wrong, CLICK HERE

(Image credit: G. Baden/Corbis via Getty Images)

1. Life on Earth will continue: Yes. I know this prediction seems like low hanging fruit, but if you search online, the psychic predictions trend is in favor for Earth’s demise. For the last eight years I have gone against the psychic community trends and predicted that this ball of dirt and apes will be here when you read my predictions next year. Grade: A+

Was I right? Maybe…

2. Lizzo will trim down with a semaglutide med, become a spokesperson for that med, and date Pete Davidson.

Was I right? Kind of. Lizzo did trim down and in an episode of South Park Cartman’s mother and friend were prescribed a weight loss medication named “Lizzo.” Here’s the video of her reaction:

She may not have become a spokesperson or admitted to using a semaglutide, but she was tied to it in pop culture and the news. I’m calling that a 50% win for my psychic powers. I saw it coming didn’t I? Grade: B, because I was wrong about her and Pete Davidson.

The war in Ukraine will end and Putin will die: I got this one wrong, although there is currently talk of a negotiated end to the war and Putin has put out his demands for the end of the war. Obviously Putin isn’t dead yet. I’ll give myself a D on this one because Putin publicizing his demands is a step towards the end. And, hey, we still have 9 days left in the year. I could still be right about his death and the war.

Royal Accounts 2019-20. EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25 File photo dated 25/12/18 

All about the Royals! I didn’t notice this, but the credits to that photo above says “dated 25/12/18.” Did I somehow pull a picture from the future? My first Royal prediction was that 76 year old King Chuck would live through this year, and he has. I also predicted that there would be rumors of marital troubles between Prince William and his wife Kate, and there was. I was spot on right about that, but it wasn’t true and I was sad to later hear about Kate’s cancer battle.

I also predicted that Prince Harry and Meghan would resolve their troubles with the family and they did. I did predict that Meghan and Harry would allow cameras into their life as they directed their own reality show. Sadly I was wrong on that so far, but I’m still hoping. Overall, I got everything right except the reality show. For my Royal predictions, I give myself a B+.

The American Presidency: I predicted that neither Trump nor Biden would be President of the United States. Joe Biden did withdraw eight months after my prediction, and although Trump won the election, he doesn’t take office until Jan. 20th, so it remains to be seen if I was right about him becoming President. Not that I would ever root for anyone’s death, but that assassination attempt almost made this prediction completely correct. Grade: B, but if Trump does not become President, in January, this changes to an A+.

2024 will be the year of U.F.O.’s  is what I predicted, and within two weeks of that prediction, there were reports of aliens in Miami. In November the United States Congress held U.F.O./alien hearings where they grilled military personnel on what is being hidden and what they know about alien spacecraft visiting Earth. Then, over the last three months the Northeast part of the United States has been inundated by drones/unidentified  aerial phenomena. Are these unknown craft alien remote reconnaissance? Grade: A

2024 will be a year of climate change cooperation: I wasn’t wrong on this one. In 2024  worldwide, a record amount of renewable electricity was generated, and over 30% of the worlds electricity came from renewable sources. It reached over 50% in Europe at one point and once Portugal ran completely on renewable energy sources for six full days. Grade A+

The A.I. Threat: I predicted that there would be some type of security incident or threat created by A.I. Fortunately I was wrong about that. Grade: F

Overall, I feel like I deserve a B+ on my 2024 predictions. What do you think? Feel free to give me a grade in the comments. Come back on Tuesday for my #2025psychicpredictions!

Have a great Sunday, and thanks for reading! ~Phil

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Ten Reasons To Hate The Holidays

Posted on November 30, 2024 | 5 comments

“You’re a mean one Mister Grinch. You really are a heel. You’re as cuddly as a cactus, you’re as charming as an eel, Mister Grinch. You’re a bad banana with a greasy black peel.”

Yup, that’s me, king of sarcasm and hater of all things jolly. I’m not saying that there aren’t things to love about the holidays. There are plenty, but c’mon, if we’re truly being honest, there are a lot of things to hate about the holidays. Here’s my top ten. (Btw, tomorrow I’ll post Ten Reasons to Love The Holidays.)

10. The holidays mess up our Amazon orders! As much as we all love Amazon, there’s nothing more frustrating than the holiday season when our orders don’t always make it to us on time.

9. Candy Canes? Yes, candy canes are one of the worst parts of the holiday season. They are delicious and I love them, but I also hate them. Candy Canes are so ridiculously sticky that after the first refreshing hit of minty-ness, you realize that your lips and fingers are covered in a demonic sticky substance.

Pic from The Jewish News of Northern California

8. Having two major religious holidays during the same month is confusing! They are both great holidays, but why can’t we have them happen at the same time, or better yet, merge them into one holiday? I never know if I should be saying Happy Hannukah or Merry Christmas. Think about it, Christmas celebrates the birthday of a certain Jewish carpenter, so why not just pick a week and call it HanChristNukahMas? Also, if you want to read an awesomely funny novel about Jesus growing up as a teenager, read Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal.  Before you buy that book, you should read my interview with the author Christopher Moore. One of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my years of blogging.

Pic & recipe can be found at Back To The Book Nutrition

7. The Nog Shortage: Much like the Fall Pumpkin Spice influx, the winter holiday season is everything nog this and nog that. It’s hard to find a beverage that doesn’t offer a nog flavored option. But if you like nog, you’re screwed about 8 weeks later. Apparently nog is such a rare and valuable commodity that it can only be offered for a limited time. I’m going to get rich by drilling a nog well in my backyard and then selling my nog at outrageous prices. I will also have a Nog Blog.

That’s a perfect pic and you can find an article about why we shouldn’t buy gifts for adults HERE

6. Buying Gifts for Adults: I came up with this idea on my own and found the above pic and USA Today column when I looked for a pic to match my Scrooge-like idea. Once you’ve been in a relationship for awhile, haven’t you either bought yourself whatever the hell you wanted to, or bought each other anything you each need. My wife and I just skip gifts and promise to buy each other whatever bauble strikes our fancy on the next vacation.

5. Holiday movies set in southern California: I hate them because the people always look so happy to go outside and hang lights on their palm trees. Jerks. They’re just flaunting their warm weather and lack of snow. If you want a holiday movie to make me happy, how about one where a bunch of So-Cal people are stranded by an avalanche in the Santa Monica mountains and they have to eat each other to survive.

Pic courtesy of Disney, duh!

4. Frozen: I don’t even have a young Disney Princess obsessed daughter and I’m sick and tired of this stupid movie. I’m sick of the songs and the pictures everywhere. I’ve never seen it and I don’t know what it’s about, but enough already! It’s just another Disney movie where the parents are dead right? I challenge Disney to make some movies where they don’t kill parents as a cheap emotional hook at the beginning.

Funniest_Memes_this-food-is-so-frozen_7263

3. Commercials: I’ve never walked out to my driveway to find a car with a bow on it. I’ve seen versions of this commercial since I was a kid, setting me up with unrealistic expectations.  Look, Bill Gates, I know you and your wife donate millions to charitable causes; just once could you skip a few mosquito nets and vaccines and have a Lexus delivered to my driveway?

2. Inconvenience: From now until January 2nd, leaving your house is going to be more inconvenient than usual. Just going out for groceries is now a Herculean task. Everything and everywhere have more people trying to do the same things.

This above scene is happening everywhere all the time right now. What is wrong with people?

1. Santa Claus: And you thought they’re milking the Batman and Spider-Man characters for all their worth? St. Nick hasn’t changed in centuries! Jeez, get that guy a cape and some superpowers. How awesome would that be if he had a nemesis that was out trying to stop him from delivering presents. God has the devil, Batman has the Joker, why can’t Santa have a nemesis?

Please put your holiday pet peeves in the comments. As always, if you enjoyed #ThePhilFactor don’t be a Grinch and share it by hitting the Facebook button below. Have a great Saturday and come back tomorrow for Ten Reasons To Love The Holidays! ~Phil

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Is Disney’s Haunted Mansion Really Haunted? Probably!

Posted on May 24, 2024 | Leave a comment

Annie Leibowitz paid tribute to Disney’s Haunted Mansion with Jack Black, Will Farrell, and Jason Segel

One thing that you may not know about me is that I’m a “Disney Adult” (click the link to find out why). I’m an adult who enjoys the Disney Parks without kids. Not by myself of course. That would be creepy and weird. My wife goes too and she likes it more than me. And we always do The Haunted Mansion ride.

Could Disney’s Haunted Mansion really be haunted? Happily, the answer is yes! No one is sure, and it can’t be proved, but… what would you say if you knew that the tombstones outside the original Haunted Mansion in California’s Disneyland had the names of the original designers of the ride?

Pic from DVCshop.com

Sure, a decorative nod to the deceased creators of the ride may not be enough to convince you. Although, if you designed this iconic ride, the peak of your life’s work, after you passed away, wouldn’t you hang around to see people enjoy it?

That’s not why I think Disney’s most popular ride is haunted though. That tombstone argument is flimsy at best. What would you say if you knew that each Haunted Mansion at all of the Disney parks across the world also contained the ashes of thousands of people who passed away?

Yes, this must come as a shock to you that wholesome Disney parks are the repository for the ashes of many, many people. Don’t believe me, google it. There’s many articles online from many respected outlets reporting that many, many grieving relatives have brought the ashes of a loved one to rest at Disney’s Haunted Mansion. That’s why I believe that there’s at least one mournful Disney loving soul that hitched a ride with their ashes and family to the Haunted Mansion.

But don’t get too sentimental about what a wonderful final resting place the Haunted Mansion would be for your family member or pet. Disney cast members have a code they say into their walkie talkies when they find ashes somewhere in the Haunted Mansion. They say “code HEPA”. Yes, HEPA like the air filter. They vacuum up the remains of your loved ones and dispose of them. Not such a sweet final resting spot is it?

The next time you go the Haunted Mansion ride you might want to look for ashes in the car seat before you hop on. And also keep an eye out for a ghost or two that looks just a little too real.  ; )

Have a great Friday! ~Phil

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Mirror, Mirror On The Wall…Be Afraid. Very Afraid

Posted on May 23, 2024 | 4 comments

Pic by Kelsey Booth

We all have mirrors in our homes. Who knew that they could be haunted? Do you remember when we were kids and there was this word of mouth legend about standing in front of a mirror and repeating the name “Bloody Mary” until a vengeful spirit appeared? I did it at school in 4th grade and I swear I saw something starting to form in the mirror before I ran out of the bathroom. Anyone else?

Photo by Stefano Pollio

Mirrors have always had a mystique in the paranormal realm, often believed to be portals to other dimensions. The fascination with mirrors and their connection to the supernatural can be traced back through many cultures for centuries. This column will delve into the folklore, superstitions and explore the role and history of mirrors in the paranormal.

Throughout history, mirrors have been considered more than just reflective surfaces. The first mirrors were pools of water, as illustrated in the Greek legend of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image and drowned while staring at himself. Interestingly, there are some scientific studies indicating that people see weird things after staring at themselves in the mirror for a while. I guess that explains the Kardashians.

In folklore and the media mirrors are associated as doorways to the spirit world. Some cultures even believe that mirrors can capture and hold spirits or serve as a doorway for entities to come into our world. This belief has led to many rituals centered around mirrors, with some even using them as tools for communication with the deceased. The idea of mirrors holding a connection to one’s soul has persisted across time and cultures.

Photo by Tuva Mathilde Løland on Unsplash

Scrying mirrors: That is not a typo. It‘s not crying, it’s scrying mirrors. The concept of scrying, or gazing into reflective surfaces to see the unknown, has deep historical roots. Mirrors have been used for scrying in various cultures, for centuries, with practitioners seeking insights into the future and glimpses of other realms and facilitating communication with spirits.

Pic from Ebay. Yes, you can go buy a scrying mirror

In some instances people have had very disturbing interactions with scrying mirrors that left them emotionally scarred for a very long time. If you get a chance, the Haunted Objects podcast featuring Greg and Dana Newkirk, has an episode, Season 1, episode 2, that discusses the history of a particular scrying mirror. Based on that episode, I have no interest in ever looking into a scrying mirror for the rest of my life. Look it up and listen. It’s a great paranormal podcast.

The legendary psychic, Nostradamus was said to have used a mirror for his psychic visions, adding to the notoriety surrounding mirrors and the supernatural.

Pic from OpenArt

Mirrors have also played a role in various cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. Feng Shui, the Chinese belief of harmonizing energy in spaces, often involves the strategic positioning of mirrors to enhance a positive energy flow.

Similarly, some believe that mirrors can ward off evil spirits when they are placed facing outward, reflecting negativity away from a space. Just the other day I saw an example of that when watching a video from a local paranormal investigation group. If you watch the video, just after the 9 minute mark, during an investigation, they decided to turn a mirror to face the wall to decrease the chance of another entity entering the already haunted home.

Pic from New Scientist.com

Whether serving as portals to other dimensions, tools for divination, or sources of fear and fascination, mirrors have transcended their practical purpose to become symbols of the unknown. As we gaze into these reflective surfaces, we are reminded that the boundary between our world and the supernatural is often blurred, leaving room for wonder and awe in the face of the unexplained.

So what do you think? Are mirrors portals to the unknown? Are they dangerous when in the wrong hands? Have you ever seen something disturbing in a mirror?

Thanks for reading! ~Phil

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The Top Ten Fictional Paranormal Shows

Posted on May 22, 2024 | Leave a comment

This isn’t a list of reality shows. Feel like watching something scary but don’t want to sit through a two hour movie? I’ve got your back. There’s nothing I enjoy more than being on the edge of my seat. I’m not talking horror or gore. I’m talking pure, can’t take your eyes off the screen, I can’t believe this is happening, suspense. Since it’s National Paranormal Month (ThePhilFactor, copyright pending), I got to thinking about the best paranormal TV shows I’ve watched. I’ve watched 8 of the 10 on the list and included the two others on reputation. This is a very subjective list, so if you have other suggestions I’d love to hear them.

Twilight Zone: This may be the original classic suspense paranormal show. I didn’t see it in it’s first run obviously, but saw it later in re-runs. It premiered in 1959, ran for four seasons, and then returned for two seasons in 2019/2020. I fly fairly regularly and I’m always tempted to yell “There’s a man on the wing!” If you get the reference, in the comments tell me what actor screamed it.

The X-Files: A 90’s classic that ran on network TV from 1993-2002 and spawned two movies in 1998 and 2008, followed by a return to the small screen for single seasons in 2016 and 2018. It was great in it’s time and improved as it grew in popularity. Not every episode was the perfect cocktail of suspense and disbelief, but it was often enough to make my list.

American-Gothic

American Gothic: Maybe I just like this because I have the painting on a tie. Which is more famous, the painting or the show? Who heard of one but not the other? The American Gothic I’m referring to ran from 1995-1998. Interestingly, it was written by 1970’s bubble gum pop singer Sean Cassidy.

My sister, Sharon, will love this. She had this poster on her wall.

I didn’t see American Gothic, but loved the title and heard others give it high praise. You win 50 points to spend in The Phil Factor gift shop if you can tell me, without looking it up, what artist did the famous painting by the same name.

Lost: Apparently I’m stuck in the 90’s. For one glorious season LOST was awesomely suspenseful and mysterious. Then the writers all seemed to lose their minds.

The Walking Dead: There’s just so many. So many zombies. Just the tiniest scratch. Any moment you could become one of them. Your group is getting picked off one by one. There could be one or one hundred around any corner. You just never know. Also the producers never know when to stop putting out new seasons.

American Horror Story: I haven’t watched this one. Yet. I plan to, No one else in my family wants to see it, except my youngest son, so I have to find some time to watch when no one else is around. That’s the best time to watch scary stuff anyway, right? In the picture on the right, over my right shoulder, that’s the original American Horror Story house. My son and I tracked it down while I was in California last year.

In Search Of… Leonard Nimoy rest in peace.  This was a late 70’s-early 80’s show that was part documentary, part reality show where they tried to debunk paranormal phenomena. As a kid I always watched it,  but it always freaked me out.

Kingdom Hospital: Also known as Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital. In 2004 this was a one season series that was based on a Danish show.  Look it up on Netflix or Hulu. Completely creepy, suspenseful and weird. I loved it.

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Stranger Things:  It was a new series in 2016. Season 4 was out in summer 2022 and there will be a season 5… next year when the kids will all be 40 years old and getting divorces.  This show set out to capture the aura of those cool, creepy 80’s Stephen King based movies and succeeded brilliantly.

Twin Peaks: As I said, I recently began re-watching the original series and it stands the test of time. It’s still awesomely creepy and weird. If you were a fan of the show and want to see a funny, hour-long spoof featuring many of the actors and actresses from the original look up the show Psych on Netflix and find the Dual Spires episode in 2010/5th season of the show. After you do that, go back and watch the entire Psych series from season 1. It’s brilliantly funny with a little suspense.

Be careful when you google “Twin Peaks”, because there is a Hooters type restaurant chain that is also named Twin Peaks. I’ve heard the food is delicious. (Btw, if Hooters and Twin Peaks would give me a backlink, that would be awesome.) Who is thinking “Why does Phil know so much about this Twin Peaks “restaurant?”

So what did I miss? What would you add to my best paranormal shows list? And, what would you take away? Please give opinions and suggestions. I’d love some good, new or old shows to watch. Have a great Wednesday! ~Phil

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An Underrated Cryptid: The Chupacabra

Posted on May 20, 2024 | 5 comments

The Chupacabra is a cryptid from Puerto Rico, Mexico and the southwestern United States. The Chupacabra (goat sucker in Spanish) was first reported in Puerto Rico in the early 1970’s. It was named Goat Sucker because it was believed to be responsible for the deaths of many livestock in Puerto Rico that were the result of the animals being seemingly drained of their blood. It is believed that the Chupacabra is some type of vampire.

Pic from Quora

I remember first hearing about the Chupacabra in the 1990’s. As soon as the word of the Puerto Rican farm animals broke, farmers in other countries began complaining of their own attacks. Animals in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and the United States were all dying similarly gruesome deaths, seemingly with no explanation.

The mysterious creature allegedly glimpsed by eyewitnesses, who describe with horror what they saw. It was a five-foot-tall creature with glowing eyes and bat-like wings, standing on its hind legs. It had spikes on its back. It smelled of sulphur.

Much like Bigfoot, there have been alleged sightings, but no one has ever found a dead Chupacabra. It has sometimes been described as having an alien appearance while others have said that it’s just a coyote with mange. That would be a disappointment, wouldn’t it?

For me, the fact that the creature has only been spotted in Spanish speaking areas makes me think that it maybe be more myth than mystery.

Have you ever heard of the Chupacabra? From what you’ve heard or read from other sources, what are your thoughts on the Chupacabra?

Happy Monday! ~Phil

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A Fun Paranormal Show

Posted on May 18, 2024 | Leave a comment

Paranormal shows are on just about every channel and they’re all basically the same aren’t they? Yelling about orbs and three people in a circle listening to static and pretending that they heard real words. “Did you hear that? It said my name!” Or, if it’s a fictional paranormal show or movie, the paranormal character is usually an evil alien or spirit terrorizing someone.

Adapted from the Dark Horse comic of the same name, first published in 2012, and written by Peter Hogan and illustrated by Steve Parkhouse, SYFY’s Resident Alien was created by Family Guy alum, Chris Sheridan.

Resident Alien is fictional and not like the previous fictional paranormal shows I’ve watched. It’s funny and insightful, and leading man Alan Tudyk plays his role absolutely perfect.

Without giving away too much, I’ll say enough to hopefully get you interested. An alien from a planet far away is sent to destroy Earth. He crash lands on Earth and isn’t able to carry out his mission. With no way home, he has to pass as a human and that’s where the humor comes in. His interpretation of humans and how they interact emotionally is brilliant. The cast is great and there’s lots of warm insightful moments.

Enjoy, and thanks for reading! ~Phil

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Lucid Dreaming? Can You Do It?

Posted on May 15, 2024 | 2 comments

Pic from WestonJolly.com

Lucid dreaming is realizing that you’re in a dream when it’s happening. This isn’t a day dream when you’re bored during a Zoom meeting for work. I’m talking full on sound asleep at night dreaming and you realize that you’re in a dream and you exert decisions and control over your actions in the dream. I used that picture above because that’s my go to move when I lucid dream. Sometimes I fly for fun and sometimes I fly when I’m avoiding danger or fighting someone. The preceding sentences are just me typing off the top of my head. Let’s see what some experts have to say about lucid dreaming.

Pic from SleepFoundation.org

According to WebMd.com: “Lucid dreams are when you know that you’re dreaming while you’re asleep. You’re aware that the events flashing through your brain aren’t really happening. But the dream feels vivid and real. You may even be able to control how the action unfolds, as if you’re directing a movie in your sleep. Studies suggest that about half of people may have had at least one lucid dream. But they probably don’t happen often, usually only a handful of times in a year.”

Have you experienced this? What do you do in your lucid dreams?

I love that picture that’s above this sentence. It accompanies a blog post from a British foundation called Drive Forward, which assists young people transitioning from foster care or residential placements to independent living. The lucid dreaming article on there seems kind of out of place, but the British are a little bit more open to alternative learning than we are in the States.

The author, Daviona Plowright , works in Service Operations at Ministry of Justice in the UK. Someone working in the Ministry of Justice writing publicly on lucid dreaming? That’s interesting in and of itself. Her column, which you can find here gives you an outline of how she pursues lucid dreams. It’s an interesting read.

I have no structure or plan for lucid dreaming. It just happens sometimes. I’m going to try her techniques in hope of increasing the frequency of my lucid dreams.

Pic from Nu Sci Magazine

An article from NuSciMagazine.com even theorizes that lucid dreaming results in more insightfulness in our waking hours. Hey, I’m all in on a little extra smarts if I lucid dream!

Some of you have read this because you’re lucid dreamers. I’d be interested in hearing more about your experiences in the comments!

I hope you’re having a great Wednesday! Thanks for reading. ~Phil

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