Not much time to play today. Luckily, Morgane and I went to the beach yesterday and hung out. Today I have a long day at school and I must prepare a three-minute reading for tonight and revise my screenplay outline for tomorrow. It turns out that most of the work for the outline is happening in my head. This makes me feel like I’m not accomplishing anything. Panic!

Cecile and I got sidetracked on the way to school. A bunch of motorcycle cops zoomed by and one stopped and ordered us to turn off the main drag. We watched as a heavily protected motorcade passed by – about fifteen black sedans and vans escorted by well-trained motorcyle police. Cecile saw a Japanese flag. We followed them to UBC and then had to give up the chase and go to class.

Cecile picked me up and we drove with the top down all the way to UBC (not our tops, the car…). Then I headed past the Museum of Anthropology, down a million steps to the beach. I passed the sign: Clothing Optional Beach Ahead.

The beach sounded like a beach. I wanted to call Ghis to tell him where I was and let him hear it. We both love this beach. But my phone was out of minutes, so I sat down on a log and tried to guess what my password was so I could buy ten more minutes. My phone service is in French, so when I admitted that I didn’t know my password, I had to say, “Je ne sais pas.” It didn’t work so I said it louder. And louder.

Beside me was a man intent on filling a bucket with sand. Every time he filled the bucket to the brim, he would take it and dump it in another spot. Weirdo, I thought. I yelled at my phone on last time. “Je ne sais pas!” Then I climbed the one million stairs and went to class.

On the way home, Cecile and I decided to take the Burrard Street Bridge. While we were stuck in traffic we watched people running across the bridge in their underwear. Some of them had superhero capes on as well. Some men were wearing bras, some women wore giant men’s briefs. It was some kind of fund-raising run, so Cecile honked and I waved her red scarf to encourage them.

I am making my movie into a twenty-minute short film. Everyone in class liked my premise and found it original.

I’ve been getting more tired every day and so has Morgane. Last night she had trouble getting to sleep and this morning her head was hurting. I stayed home from school, but then she seemed fine so she’s gone off to gymnastics. I think I needed the rest anyways. It’s hard to tell which one of us has the problem since we react to each other’s moods.

The weather is sunny and beautiful. I am going to take Morgane to the Squamish Pow-wow on Sunday. Still haven’t been to the beach. If I don’t get there soon, I’m going to have a tantrum!

I finally went for a walk in the forest, the same forest that used to be my spiritual solace. I love the way the forests here in Vancouver are full of ferns, moss, salmonberries, and huge, towering trees. I love the way the rivers are so cold the water is slightly green. Lots of people were out jogging with their dogs. I was happy to not see a bear. I looked carefully at the forest, wondering what I could find to take a picture of. Then I saw my salmonberry and I remember how I loved eating them when I was young. I also took a picture of skunk cabbage and a photograph showing the reflection of the trees in a mud puddle. Just the act of taking photographs made me walk more slowly and look at everything more carefully.

We searched the wall for familiar names and found the names of our creative writing teachers. This is part of their past, but when we look, we see our future. We too will soon start writing our theses. Some of us have already started. Some of us are searching for thesis supervisors. All of us are wondering how much work it will take.

It’s easy to go to school when it’s raining. Morgane is going to gymnastics inside and spending good time with my parents. I am learning the art of screenwriting.

Pumpkin the cat has come in and is cosying up to everyone in the house.

I have learned that romantic comedies have dual protagonists, that North Americans love movies about anti-heroes, and that a good short-cut for summing up the theme of your screenplay is to ask yourself what instructions you want to shout at the main character. “Love yourself!” “Be a better person!” “Embrace yourself, faults and all!” “Forgive others.” “Forgive yourself.”

We will workshop my movie tomorrow.

Morgane got inspired this morning. I cut out circles and other shapes and she pasted them together. I love it when she is concentrating on her art and she starts to hum as if her brain is generating music like cars generate exhaust. I made the caterpillar a tent and she made him a map. I made him some monkey bars and she made him a cuckoo clock. She says he has five rings because he is five years old.

Today I had dinner and got to meet some of the new people studying creative writing this summer at UBC. It’s really stimulating to talk with so many creative people. No wonder I am bored so often with normal life. I can’t stop chatting or making jokes when I am with them. It’s also fun to meet people who have come from all across Canada and even the United States and a few other countries. Tomorrow we have some seminars and panels, then on Tuesday we start our workshopping courses. I will be working on revising an outline for a movie. Maybe we’ll even watch some bits of movies in class. Popcorn?

This is summer. When was the last time you spent an entire day outside? Yesterday, Morgane, Grandpa Glen and I went to Alice Lake, just past Squamish. The sea to sky highway leading to Whistler has been improved in preparation for the 2010 Olympics. The lake is perfect for families. We swam, we walked around the entire lake, we played in the playground, and we made some great new friends.

Vancouver has a lot of healthy food. We had a great family dinner at Munch Family Restaurant. The center of the restaurant is a play area with only Waldorf- type toys – toys for pretend play, toys made of wood and silk and felt. Morgane met another little girl and together they became chefs. In the meantime, we three adults sipped our drinks and tasted garlicky hummous with olives. Morgane ate carrot sticks and whole-wheat mac & cheese. Also on the menu were quinoa and organic turkey meatballs. The only problem was Morgane never wanted to eat. She only wanted to play.

Yesterday was our first full day in Vancouver. It’s an amazing place when the sun is shining. We went to a park which had every kind of tree possible and lots of shade for us to sit in. In Vancouver, it’s hot in the sun, but cool in the shade unlike Montreal. I leaned against a tree and got sap in my hair. Oh well, I wanted to cut it anyway. Then, while we were playing in the park, a crow stole our cookies and ate them.

The park still has its old merry-go-round and it was Morgane’s first time playing on one. She fell off three times, but didn’t mind too much. It brought back memories to be pushing the merry-go-round, holding on and running with it until it’s turning too fast to keep up.

We were driving back when I spotted a girl’s bike for sale on the side of the road. It turned out to be a perfect fit. Fifteen dollars later we put it in the trunk and took it home.