I was in the building of some establishment, cement floors, plastic and chrome chairs, gray, and I walked out onto a balcony. The balcony was set in the side of a mountain belonging to a ring of mountains. It overlooked a deep valley lush in dark green evergreens, filled with fog, and tiled with blue Japanese rooftops surrounding what looked like a castle from Germany. I saw a giant sloth-like creature hanging out on an electricity line running from one side of the mountain ring to another. The creature was mossy green in colour, feathery, had the head of a sloth, but its arms and legs were thick and cylindrical like an elephant’s. I went for my camera. It jumped off the line and…didn’t fly but sort of floated (?) to the side of a tower. It could move very fast. Then it jumped again and came towards the balcony. I was scared. It was right next to me and I couldn’t look and I didn’t know what to do. Then I felt a giant, wet tongue land on my face and with its friendly lick, I woke up.

I think it was encouraging me to be all ganbatte on the thesis. Which is going okay. It feels like it will never end but I know eventually it will. How will I end with it?

Before the valley, in my dream, I had been hanging out in an old gym / greasy diner used primarily by senior citizens. They loved me being there because I was young but I acted like them. All the old men had tiny gym bags and pale hand towels slung over their shoulders.

So today while waiting for a prescription at Shoppers I contemplated being 80 and did the blood pressure check. It was low - too low? I love the feeling of my arm being squeezed as the cuff inflates.

A while before that I was jogging in the forest. Tree branches were sagging under the weight of the snow, adding little obstacles to my course. The only other people out were dog walkers - another obstacle I love. I’m not being sarcastic either. They are fun, squirmy little black, white, and golden hurdles. Otherwise, it was snow-packed-ears quiet and that was great.

I can’t wait to be done.