103

When plotting out our vacations over the next few years, 2010 becomes one of those interesting years. Cathy has always been a big fan of the Olympics and with the Winter Games in Vancouver that year it's an awfully tempting vacation. She would have to take time off from work, which is always a pain when you're a teacher, but I know she's thinking about it.

On the other hand, I'd love to go and see the World Cup. I'm not sure there is anything that can beat the spectacle of one month of soccer with hundreds of thousands of fans in one country alone going mad, living and dying with the team no matter how remote the chance they have of winning.

It's in South Africa, which wouldn't be my first choice to visit, but it's still tempting.

I mentioned this to a friend of mine in the United States and she responded there was a decent chance she was going with some of her friends. So there's nothing locked in yet, but there is the possibility.

The amusing part was when she said I could go and cheer for Canada. I quipped at the time "They're ranked 82nd in the world. Iraq is ahead of them and the last time I checked most of Iraq's soccer fields are landmined." It was a good line. After all, how much further down the rankings could Canada fall?

Live and learn. 103rd. Jesus Christ. I mean when Guyana (No. 95) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (No. 100) are ahead of you, and they probably have a population smaller than Mount Pearl, maybe you ought to be concerned.

At some point shouldn't someone become mortally embarrassed about this? I appreciate that Canada has always been a winter sports country, especially in hockey and curling, but still...