New Year's Tentative Plans

I didn't make a new year's resolution this year, but, as you know, I have quite a few tentative plans up my sleeve. One is proving particularly difficult to achieve: good posture. I've come to realize that it doesn't matter how slick you dress if you insist on slouching around like a cave man. While I think I walk just fine (shoulders back and all that), my sitting posture is the pits. I make every attempt to sit up straight, but I revert to the slouch seconds after the correction. I think this game will go on for months before I've achieved a consistent up-right position. Any suggestions? Maybe I should sit at the computer with books on my head?

The other plan that I have in the works is my effort to take people's recommendations seriously. There isn't enough time in the day to do everything my buddies recommend, but if I can't follow up on the suggestion, I can write it down for a rainy day. For instance, I just finished reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, which Imtiaz recommended over three years ago. I've also acquired a copy of the original Japanese version of the movie Shall We Dance?; my mom told me to watch it last year. There are three reasons for this plan. First, I want people to take my recommendations seriously, so I'm leading by example. Second, I imagine sharing books, music and movies with buddies (long distance and otherwise) makes for closer relationships. Third, people I know have great taste.

I just realized that I forgot to tell you that Michael and I saw Michael Bolton and his giant diamond earring while were in Cabo. Michael. Bolton. He was in the restricted balcony at Cabo Wabo (Sammy Hagar's night club) and we can't prove it because we forgot our camera. We saw Sammy Hagar too, but somehow it seems less important than Michael Bolton. We also saw this guy. When I say we saw a real cross-section of Mexico, I mean it.

Canada's New Boondoggle

Did you hear the story about the public servant who was fired for refusing to use the Conservative phrase "Canada's New Government" in official correspondence? It happened last September, and now Rick Mercer has posted the email exchange that got the guy fired (it was originally published in Harper's. Why an American magazine?). It is an excellent, excellent two-minute read, and I highly recommend it, even if you aren't planning to join the public service. You'll be pleased to know that the scientist, Andrew Okulitch, was rehired after the misunderstanding.

Did I stutter?

Before Christmas I was having a conversation with Michael about how I don't like parodies. It was a sweeping statement that was brought on by Weird Al Yankovic. Strangely, later that day I searched YouTube for the video of a song called Stutter Rap. I performed this song as an airband when I was 12 or 13 with a few girlfriends in Rosetown (I remember Marla was in the "band," but who else? I don't recall). We had no idea what the song was about, but we performed it with zeal during the annual airband competition at the arena. Yes, there was such a competition in Rosetown. We didn't win, but at least I found the video 14 years after the fact. I also found out that the song is a parody of the Beastie Boys. How 'bout that? It's worth watching, if only to imagine the airband version.



Another funny thing about this song is one of the "rappers" - Tony Hawks - wrote a book called Round Ireland with a Fridge, which my Ireland family gave me a few years back. It's hilarious, as you can imagine, and I highly recommend it.

Look forward to an upcoming post about a new tentative plan of mine: respect people's recommendations.

Finally, some proof

I posted some Mexican photos over at Flickr (this is where I'll be posting photos from now on) in no particular order. Why don't you have a look? Also, here's a map of the places we explored, in case you are wondering. We flew into La Paz (near the bottom) and spent five nights there. Then we spent one night in San José del Cabo and three nights in Cabo San Lucas. We also spent a couple of afternoons in Todos Santos. Michael and I also planned to go to this place called Cabo Pulmo (not on the map, but would be under the cartoon boat), but we were discouraged after our car sunk into some sand at a random beach (we got pulled out by a big truck). While driving back to Cabo with our heads between our legs, we got a flat tire (a Parisian surfer and his New York girlfriend assisted us). Aside from those vehicular adventures, the trip was stress-free, and many margaritas were had in all of your names.

Prelude

I'm too overwhelmed to write about our action-packed holidays. For now, before I run to my web-design class, let me say that Michael and I are thankful to have such great families. We spent Christmas with my family in Victoria (sans Shannon and Chris) and New Years with Michael's family in La Paz, Mexico.

¡Mexico!

Michael and I are in San José del Cabo and we've got tentative plans to go snorkeling tomorrow! We're on our own now after five great days with the family. Now we have five days to do as we please. We've got many options, what with having access to the car, but I think there will be a lot of beach time ahead. You'll all be pleased to know that we're as pale as ever. And no stomach sickness (yet)! And I never got rabies from looking at that stray dog like the travel nurse said I would! And it's 2007!