My Family Is Funny

Lots o' Naked

Dear Abs and Non-Abs alike,

While I'm not opposed to a fine specimen of man complete with Romanesque abs and all that jazz, I find it only slightly awkward to walk into a clothing store and be greeted by a shirtless male model. Call me old fashioned but with so many gigantor muscles floating around the store I begin to feel a little uneasy and most likely start getting red and sweaty.
That being said, if the following happened during one of my shopping experiences I would have peed my pants. Literally.

Where They're Going...

Dear Edumacation,

The current craze that is taking over Japan is not some fashion accessory nor some cutesy anime character. Though the aforementioned fads may still be quite popular, there is a rapidly increasing demand for an Indian education. Over the past several years, Japan has suffered (and is suffering) from a 'crisis of confidence'.

With the rise of the Dragon (China) and the Elephant (India), Japan is no longer viewing itself as Asia's most advanced nation. Forced into a flux, Japan's domination of the continent has been shaken as China and India gain economic weight and become technologically innovative, respectively. As a result, Japanese parents are becoming worried about their traditional systems of education which seem feeble in comparison to the general Indian curriculum. In Little Angels School, a school run by a India expatriate, two-year olds count to 20, three-year olds are introduced to computers, and five-year olds are able to multiply past 9x9, solve words problems, and write one-page English essays. Really though, this doesn't come as a huge shock once you learn that one of their textbooks is called, "Extreme Indian Arithmetic Drills." Even reading that title makes you feel empowered with Einsteinian math skills.

Sources: "Losing an Edge, Japanese Envy India's Schools"

Where I've Been...

Dear Absence (not Absinthe),

I've been around. Not doing much of anything really. A little bit of skiing here and there, mixed in with some "thanks a lattes!", with a little bit of accidental drunkeness sprinkled on top. I'm not really one for New Years resolutions but I shall try to get back on board the blog train and get my ratings back up to where they should be. FYI: I don't have ratings but if I did I could imagine them being low right now. Imagination is key.

With that being said, here is a vid-eeeey-o that Christian made of Part A of the 3-Part mix.


Enjoy!

Bubbly and the Good Life.

Dear 2007,

I find it very fitting to do what the newspapers, magazines, and now me do (too many dos in one sentence) at this time of year. As two thousand and eight approaches at a lightning speed I'm going to jot down what I remember from the past 364 days...

• I managed to go from -10 degrees to +10 degrees to +40 degrees to -5 degrees all in a few short months.

• One word: Hairspray

• I saw the mass graves of thousands, mourned the death of one, and said goodbye to a whole bunch of people more times than I can count.

• I got my feet back on the two planks which after a decade hiatus led to nothing short of glory and greatness

• I finally got a subscription to National Geographic. Boo ya.
  

• I learned to love lotus soup, artichokes and pad thai for the first time.
  

• I started kicking ass and taking names.
  

• I tied a plant ponytail.

• I got inked so I could see further.
  

• I started getting la vida back on track.

So here's to all the things I remember but can't say out loud, to all the things I've forgotten, to all the less than stellar moments, to all the fabulous times, and to the year that was.

This is the most sentimental I'm going to get about my personal life. And finally in the words of the wonderful Oscar Wilde, "The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."

Bottoms up!

La Fin. Pour Maintenant.

Dear Folks,

Unfortunately due to lack of sheer brain power I was unable to think of anything mightily awesome to write about for this last post de la semaine. Fortunately for you I'm not that good at creative writing either so you can quickly close this window and continue on with your life. But since I have your attention for the moment, I would just like to say to lay off the cookies (they're for Santa), don't pick your nose (Santa is watching), and make sure that you leave some a nice mojito out for the old man (its Santa's favorite). Alors, until next time MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY MOUNTAINING!

Over and oot.
-LP

The Boy in the Moon

Dear That Feeling,

I came across this features on the Globe and Mail website and haven't been able to 'put it down'. Ian Brown has the fascinating talent of story-telling and thus writes of his experiences with his son, Walker, who is diagnosed with a very rare genetic mutation called CFC (cardiofacio-cutaneous syndrome). This three-part series is difficult to describe without filling this sentence with overused cliched words for it is truly an incredible, humbling, and captivating story of a father's relationship with his son.

Here's a little teaser...

"Sometimes, watching him, it's like looking at the moon: You see the face of the man in the moon, but you know there's actually no man there. But if Walker is so insubstantial, why does he feel so important? What is he trying to show me?

To answer that question, I decided to look again at the life he had lived, and the way we had helped him live it — first at home, later in a special community for children like him. I climbed into a car and drove across the continent to meet other children with his syndrome.

All I really want to know is what goes on inside his off-shaped head, in his jumped-up heart. But every time I ask, he somehow persuades me to look into my own."