Do we carry our past lives with us into this life.....or is each return a clean slate ....do we have the same lessons over and over ...or do we choose new ones?

That is a very very good question.
I like your use of the word "carry".
In some ways, I think that the lessons learned from a former life are very very useful.
But more often than not, if it is the lessons NOT learned in past lives are the ones that we carry with us.  
The weight of past failures.  This is the burden that we carry with us into this lifetime.
It is important to learn from the past but it is equally important to not let the past rule our future.

If I may employ a Buddhist parable at this point:
There was a man who had to cross river wide and deep. he thought for many days on how he could accomplish this.  at length, he cut down some bamboo and lashed together enough to make raft that was big enough to support his weight and he set off across the river.  Despite the fast-moving eddies and some treacherous undercurrents he made it across the river.  
Upon reaching the other side the man exclaimed "What a wonderful raft I have made! Whis thing is really useful! I'm going to take it with me wherever I go."

I think we can all easily see the point of this parable.

It is only when we cast off the past and fully embrace the present moment that we can truly advance.
In addition, there are some people who believe that life is not about learning (because you already know everything).  Life is about EXPERIENCING
Maybe there is something in a previous lifetime that you did not EXPERIENCE fully and so we have returned  in this lifetime to experience it.
The only way we can experience life is to maintain our conscious mind in the "now moment".

"Life is about EXPERIENCING "

"Maybe there is something in a previous lifetime that you did not EXPERIENCE fully and so we have returned  in this lifetime to experience it."

"The only way we can experience life is to maintain our conscious mind in the "now moment"."

beautiful words Omnicron Solaris! ...we choose our experiences in life....sounds so much nicer than learning lessons.....

...a reader once told me i have done this before.....perhaps this time around i chose to  experience it more fully...

very thought provoking...thank you!

I agree... living in the moment is the only way to be...   ...in this moment all is well....

peace my friend..

Hey no problem!  I like to help out.
I never did like the idea that this place was a school.
Because if that is true that I will never graduate because I have made just too many damn mistakes.
I have improved a lot in the last few years but before that most people agree that I was a complete and total git.

Actually they called me much worse than that I can't repeat the language they used here because I'd probably get flagged for an inappropriate use of language.

This paradigm of experiencing and furthermore learning from your experiences removes any guilt that one might have about their mistakes.
This does not mean that I do not believe in karma I just believe that karma is like gasoline in the engine. It simply provides the energy required to make things happen in the world.
The thing that is making the events happen the thing that is at the steering wheel and you might say is your own conscious mind and your own conscious thoughts and decisions that you make from moment to moment.

Who would a person go about remembering their past life? I think that could be inspirational or it could be detrimental. The question is, "Do I want to take that chance?" Another question. Can a spirit from that life attach itself to you if you go back and remember?