Strange reality: Ashtekar's variables with variations

I give a very brief review of Ashtekar‘s variables, with an emphasis on the ’'non-trivial" reality condition. As a toy model a formulation of spin 1/2 fields is presented, in which the Dirac equation appears as a reality condition. Then, some new ways to modify complex general relativity are mentioned. It is not known whether the new theories admit any reality condition at all.