Sax Ma'am:
Hoping for some tips here.
I find that coming up with words is cumbersome
Try using 6 words at first - Thinking, Feeling, Seeing, Hearing, Tasting, Smelling. actually just the first 4 are the usual ones but if you smell and taste include them. Add more as you find useful...or not. when you are in a state that your super fast, then go for the da da da.
Sax Ma'am:
So that's my second question. What to do about drifting off?
Don't worry about it too much at first, no sense to beat yourself up about anything as you start out. I did most of my "meditation" in a recliner starting out and I would often drift and often sleep. I personally think that good work can happen at this subconscious level. often I would come back from these refreshed and would meditate really well. Find a balance that works. (funky cool stuff can happen on the borderline of sleep...enjoy)
Sax Ma'am:
Then there is the matter of investigating the three characteristics of my raw experiences. It seems to me that this investigation requires thinking, such as "Oh, that breath will never happen again... I wanted more out of that moment... That thought wasn't me." Am I mistaken about this? What is this investigation really supposed to be like?
It's fine to start out thinking about it and noticing opportunities to apply the 3C's I still do that but then when the habit is formed you'll find that you don't have to intellectualize it as much as discern it as it occurs.
Good luck
~D