"A million monkeys banging on a million typewriters for a million years will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare."

When my three year-old neice used to come to me with her arms outstretched, it used to be for a hug. Now I pick her up and she points to where she wants me to take her. I've been relegated to the role of a stroller.

I've been taking my cousin Nigel to his soccer games on Tuesdays as his mom is single and doesn't have a car of her own. I must say watching a herd of 9 year-olds falling over themselves chasing after a ball is pretty damn entertaining. The latest highlight was watching a kid from the other team staring at an open net. He took a swing at the ball, missed completely and sent his shoe flying. Who needs the NHL?

Our team lost tonight though, so today instead of treating Nigel and his little brother to McDonald's, I gave them the beats as I promised before the game if they didn't win. Well they did manage to score a couple chocolate bars off me beforehand. I think this whole good cop / bad cop thing will help to make him play better. I'd make a great dad, eh?

On a side note, one of the parents asked if that was my kid on the field. Geez, only 27 and already in the market for anti-wrinkle cream.

Okay Nikki, here are the Cuba pics you asked for. Requires Powerpoint or this viewer and be paitent, it's a big file.

I played squash yesterday for the first time. A co-worker of mine has a court in the building where he lives. Man, that's a hard sport. The thing that pissed me off most was that I didn't know how to play the angles properly.

I was running all over the place while my opponent (who's about 10 feet tall) stood in the middle and batted the ball around. Now I'm all sore because it's the first semblance of excercise I've had all year. Being healthy blows.

So my trip to Cuba was awesome. I went down with three friends and we stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Veradero. The weather was low- to mid-thirties, the food was great and the drinks were cold and free.

As far as excursions go, I got out on an all-day booze cruise on a catamaran, did some snorkelling, swam with the dolphins and took out a sea-doo on the open water. We also did a day trip into Havana. The only downside was all of the people in the streets begging for money or trying to sell you stuff you didn't want. I expected it though, so it wasn't a big deal for me.

We picked a good week to go... I hear the weather was lousy here. Ah well, dem's the breaks. Now it's back to sitting in my box staring at the computer screen, planning my next vacation...

I just got back from a trip to Cuba. Guess I should have mentioned that before I left for my reader.

I'm exhausted now... need bed.