mateys, beware.

you think america has problems? 

that rapidly decreasing DOW is nothing. yesterday, i received an email from the quito consular with subject line "warden message: piracy concerns off ecuador coast." 

that's right, pirates. who even knew those still existed? 

the subject line is usually as far as i get on these warden emails, but i figured this one was worth the read. and i was right.  

The U.S. Consulate General and U.S. Embassy Ecuador wish to inform American citizens visiting or resident in Ecuador to use extreme caution when sailing near the coast of Ecuador, as there was a recent incident of armed robbery at sea off the coast of Ensenada de Pedernales, Manabi by modern day pirates. Recreational craft, merchant vessels and fishing boats are all at risk of attack by pirates. This incident highlights the continuing danger of maritime travel of the coast of Ecuador.... Before planning a trip at sea, research anti-piracy measures.

oh, ok, good to know. i will be sure and do that, warden. pirates? seriously? 

futbol.

and by that i mean soccer. and by that i mean south american soccer.

this past sunday my roommates, along with some ecuadorians, and i went to an authentic south american soccer game. deportiva quito vs. barcelona (which are both ecuadorian teams - i don't get it either). all the people i was with were going for barcelona, and they informed me it would be beneficial to my livelihood if i rooted for barcelona as well. little did i know it would be beneficial not only for my livelihood, but also for my actual life. 

i decided to go along with it since i thought barcelona's black and yellow uniforms looked cooler. 

we arrive to the stadium to find the fans seated in entirely different sections, separated by tall fences. that's interesting, i thought. 

go barcelona.

i knew soccer was a big deal here, but i had no idea just how big it was. i have never seen anything like it... streamers, flags, horns, puffs of team-colored smoke. and cheers to the tune of "llora, quito, llora." meaning, "cry, quito, cry." it was like an aggie game on crack. and that's saying something. 

the game ended in a supremely anticlimactic tie. this non-even, however, did not stop the fans from throwing pilsener bottles, trash, half-eaten hot dogs and anything else they could find over the 12-foot partitian. never had i felt so grateful for chain-link, and never had i made such an effort to exit so quickly from a jam-packed stadium. 

"some people believe soccer is a matter is a matter of life and death. i'm very disappointed with that attitude. i can assure you, it is much, much more important than that."      --bill shankley

take heed.

my sister sent me some advice on how to act now that Obama has been elected. i guess she thought i could use some help? huh. 

5 things white people shouldn't do. 

she also sent me some advice for black people. just in case i decide to become a black person, maybe? i do like fried chicken and rap music. again, huh. 

5 things black people shouldn't do. 

"see, it's not about races, just places, faces. where your blood comes from, it's where your space is. i've seen the bright get duller, i'm not going to spend my life being a color."   

-L.T.B. rap performance from MJ's Black or White

pro-life.

I just saw this video this morning on Randy Alcorn's blog. His blog highlights some critical points about Obama's stance on abortion. The video is extremely graphic but sheds light on an issue that has been somewhat overshadowed this election.




I hope you go vote today... and think and pray before you do.