More Colombia

Yesterday was a more relaxing day- we had lunch and did some shopping, where I came across this home goods store whose name made me laugh.

Colombia has the reputation of being a dangerous country, but the only dangerous aspect I´ve observed so far are the roads. They twist through mountains and ravines, with traffic flying along at high speeds- it´s a bus plunge waiting to happen. If you look closely, there is some evidence of a country with a troubled past. The police and military are everywhere, and there are some strange laws designed to increase security. For example, everyone who rides a motorcycle is required to wear a helmet and vest with the license plate number printed on them. Also, when I changed some money at the bank, they photocopied my passport and took my fingerprint. Last night at a dinner party with Caro´s frineds from college, one told us the story about how he was kidnapped. "It wasn´t for very long," he said. How long? "Eight days." Yikes!

Okay, enough sensationalism. The people are typical Latin-style friendly, greeting each other with hugs and kisses. Luckily, I haven´t attracted nearly as much attention as I thought I would. After spending two years being the star of every show in Nicaragua, it´s a relief to walk around (relatively) unnoticed. My Spanish is doing okay but not great- I understand almost everything (except for jokes- has anyone else noticed that jokes are the HARDEST thing to understand in another language? I think the main problem is that everyone tends to talk faster and start laughing as they approach the punchline, so I´m often left looking puzzled while everyone else erupts into laughter. "Hey guys, I understood everything except for the funny part at the end."), but my speech is lagging way behind my thoughts. By the time I find the words for what I want to say, the conversation has moved on, so I´ve been much quieter than normal. I´m sure many of you agree that my listening skills could use some practice...but hopefully in a couple more days I´ll return to my normal loquacious self.

Anyways, today we´re heading out for a weekend at Caro´s family farm, so no more updates for a few days. Have a happy new year, everyone!

Santa Fe de Antioquia

Yesterday, Caro, her sister, and I went to a small colonial town a couple hours outside of Medellin named Santa Fe de Antioquia. Along the way, we drove across and old, Indiana Jones style bridge. Santa Fe de Antioquia is similar to some of the small cities I had seen in southern Nicaragua, with a church, market, and a plaza in the center of the town. Here are a few pictures, including one of my favorite car I´ve seen so far, and one of me doing a taste test of Colombian beers.
At night, we went to a dinner party at Caro´s brother´s house (since she´s the youngest of nine, there is never a shortage of siblings who want to feed us). One of Caro´s cousins plays guitar in a modern salsa band, so after dinner we went to a smoky, basement bar to hear them play. Good times.

Greetings from Medellin

Not much time to write right now, but I thought I´d post a few pictures from my first day in Medellin. It´s an amazing city, situated in the bottom of a valley surrounded by steep mountains, and it´s utterly unlike anywhere I´ve ever been before. Here are some pictures from a crazy cemetery we went to and from our ride on the Metrocable, a new branch of public transportation that connects some of the poorer neighborhoods on the steep hillsides to the rest of the city.

Very Merry

Happy Birthday, MJ!

My former roomate Maria turns the big dirty 30 today.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of her.

More Christmas songs

Okay, I'm obsessed.

1. Local politicians, including Ted Kennedy, Mitt Romney, Deval Patrick, and Mayor Mumbles sing The 12 Days of Christmas.

via Bostonist

2. Earlier today, I heard a Christmas song on the radio that I LOVED as a child and haven't heard in ages. Snoopy versus the Red Baron. I searched YouTube for a video of it and two results popped up.

The first: a normal, cute Peantus cartoon montage.

The second? Ummm, a video montage of male figure skaters Evgeni Plushenko and Alexei Yagudin portraying Snoopy and the Red Baron entitled Of Course You Realize This Means War!

The internet never ceases to amaze me.

Christmas Tunes

Here are a couple of my favorites:

John Denver and the Muppets do the 12 Days of Christmas like nobody's business. Even though the video is blurry, it's still worth watching. In college, a girl who lived in my hallway had a taped copy of John Denver and the Muppets Christmas special that she had made a tape recorder next to a record player that was playing the album. While it was recording, she left the room and the record started skipping, right in the middle of Miss Piggy singing "five gold rings." She walked back into the room and fixed the problem, but the taped copy had Miss Piggy singing "GO-old" fifteen times. It was spectacular.

Fairytale of New York by the Pogues with Kristy McColl. If I ever meet a guy who will get drunk with me and sing a karaoke duet of this song on Christmas eve, well, I'd probably marry him. Even if he had teeth like Shane McGowan.

Hide your scarves, everyone

My mom: You shouldn't wear your scarf like that.
Me: Why not?
My mom: Someone could pull the end of it and strangle you.
Me: Who, Mom? Who exactly is going to pull the end of my scarf to
strangle me? The mad Boston Scarf Strangler?

My mother is nuts.

The Baby Jesus Chronicles

I saw this story on the news last night and it cracked me up. Last year, a ceramic baby Jesus was stolen from a manger in Buffalo, NY. Almost year later, the baby Jesus reappeared on the doorstep along with a photo album entitled The Baby Jesus Chronicles. Looks like the little guy went on a road trip.

Payback for Years of Looking at Pictures of Cats and Babies on Other People's Blogs

My niece Maggie with Dash.

A.I. headed to Denver

Looks like The Answer will soon be a Nugget. Too bad; I was hoping to see him on the Celtics, Timberwolves, or Clippers.

Countdown to Colombia

Busy times...I haven't finished Christmas shopping yet, barely started the cards, and I just realized that I leave for Colombia in exactly one week. I'm going for two weeks and will be traveling around with my friend Carolina. Colombia is much safer than it used to be, but it's still not the best idea for foreigners to travel there alone. We'll spend some time in her home city of Medellin, visit her family's farm, and then fly out to the Pacific where her brother owns an eco-resort. Check out the website- looks pretty awesome, huh?

I will do my best to post pictures and updates, but the area in the Pacific we're headed to is very remote- no electricity, no phones, no internet.

I wonder what Justin Timberlake is giving Cameron Diaz for Christmas this year?

Who knew JT was funny? Watch this SNL skit and you'll find out.

Sporting News

I got an email inviting me to join NFL Bloggers, which is odd because I don't really write much about the NFL. But, in case you're wondering, here is my take on the NFL:

1. I am a New England Patriots fan.
2. I love everything LaDanian Tomlinson.
3. I despise everything Manning.
4. I hope the Chargers win the Superbowl this year and Eli kicks himself for refusing to go to San Diego. Didn't Archie ever teach him that a good running back is a quarterback's best friend? Fool.

Now, onto my favorite league, the NBA: A.I. is still on the market. Knicks and Nuggets brawl. Everyone overreacts. ESPN.com calls it "revolting." Please, it was just a couple of punches and some shoving. Seems like everyone loves a good baseball fight, whereas the sporting media is quick to dump all over the NBA anytime a fight happens. I'm not condoning violence, but the Knicks-Nuggets fight was no University of Miami and Florida International University (that one deserved to be called "shameful"- Kicking, stomping, and using a helmet as a weapon?) Carmelo's the only one that looks like a jerk this time around.

I watched some college basketball this weekend for the first time all season, and man, Greg Oden looks like he's 35.

Weekend Report

Friday- After a work holiday happy hour, I did a bit of bar hopping in Central Square and ended up at the Cantab. I should go there more often, because every time I do, I have a great time. Great live music, eclectic crowd, and cheap drinks- what more can you ask for? Framingham's legendary (I believe driving a yellow Cadillac with a vanity plate that reads "NUTMAN" qualifies one as legendary) Little Joe Cook finally retired, so Diane Blue and the Fatback Band now play every Friday and Saturday.

Saturday- I had a very suburban day- purchased and set up two Christmas trees, visited babies, shopped at the mall- followed by a late soccer game. My team finally defeated our rivals in a 8-4 rout, so that was nice. After the game, my roommate and I headed to the bar across the street for a quick beer or two, slow danced with old men to Frank Sinatra on the jukebox, and ended up staying up until the wee hours with the bar staff. Aaaargh- why am I such a drunkard??

Sunday- Woke up feeling like crap, took my grandparents grocery shopping, which took up the whole afternoon. I forget that the old folks don't move around so quickly. Popped in the lab for a bit, and now I am headed home to read more of Anna Karenina and ponder why I am unable to desist from acting like I'm 22.

My greatest fear, revealed

There is one thing, and only one thing, in this world that completely and utterly terrifies me.

The Carol of the Bells.

I can't even verbalize how much that song frightens me because the mere thought of it makes me want to hide under my desk.

Medieval Manor

Last night, I went to Medieval Manor for MJ's surprise birthday party. I had never been before and didn't know much about it. Turns out it's a full theatrical show... complete with a singing king, jester, and wenches. It's definitely not for everyone- hokiness with a large dose of sexual innuendo- but our group had a lot of fun. The beer flows like water, and there is no silverware, so you have to eat everything with your hands. The food was good, too, although I ate so much of the early courses I barely touched the chicken that came at the end. Here are some pictures:

Cool Stuff

If you like Ryan Adams (whose name is unfortunately similar to Bryan Adams, not that I don't appreciate the musical genius behind "Summer of '69" and "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"), you can download or listen to an entire concert here. Highly enjoyable stuff.
(Thanks, Dan!)

You know how I love the annual dangerous toys list? Well, here are the Most Dangerous Toys of All Time. My favorite- the kiddie Atomic Energy Lab. Man, my old chemistry set pales in comparison.
(via Freakgirl)

Loads of music fans are blogging their Best of 2006 lists with tracks available for free download. Here's a good top 50 I found... it's very indie (I haven't heard of most of the bands, then again, my hipster days are long behind me.) but I did snap up #48....I Don't Feel Like Dancin' by the Scissor Sisters..one of my faves from the past year.

Lastly, intrepid travelers Kevin and Karen are in the midst of their world tour and have some great photos from India up.

All I want for Christmas...

is a trade that brings A.I. to the Celtics! Danny, if you do this for me, all will be forgiven. Just think of the possibilities....people would actually start caring about the Celtics again, a massive increase in ticket and merchandise sales (I, for one, would rush out an buy a Green Iverson jersey- I wonder if they'd unretire Dennis Johnson's 3?), and most importantly, the Celtics would start winning. Not maybe in three or four years when the young players reach their potential., but this season. Oooh, and the local sports media would have a field day....someone else besides Manny pick on. Allen being Allen. I can almost hear it already.

Here are a couple of articles speculating where The Answer will go. If he doesn't go to the C's, I'd also be happy if he went to Minnesota. I'd like to see him and KG get a chance to win a title.

Is is sad that while I was running this morning, I created this whole fantasy where A.I. got traded to Boston and I ran into him at a bar and sent him a drink to welcome him, and he was so impressed by how fun and cool I was that we became friends. I even went as far as imaging where I would take him- Hey Allen, want to go to the Hong Kong tonight? Or maybe somewhere more low key, like Matt Murphy's?

Looking for a good laptop

My desktop at home died a few months ago, and I've decided to replace it with a laptop. I've never had a laptop before and, despite this whole blogging thing, I am far from technologically savvy. Looking to spend less than a grand, and sorry Mac lovers, I'm sticking to PCs. Any recommendations or things I should know, like about batteries, wireless cards, or whatever? I've had decent luck with Dell computers in the past, but I may be able to get a lower price on Sony or Lenovo.