the maple leaf and me...

for the last year, Canada has been tugging at my coattails.

until just a minute ago, i suspected it was about a guy. but, maybe it's got nothing to do with him at all. maybe he was just one more of the insane number of coincidences and Hindenburg-sized hints.

as we all know, i've got a good healthy fantasy built around the northern portion of the continent. within mere weeks of meeting above mentioned gentleman, i was in a fierce struggle over whether to take a vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine or Halifax, Nova Scotia? struggle... mull... indecision.

then, like Zeus dropping gifts from Mt Olympus, a Canadian bought me a beer.... and i became distracted. well... he was charming, kind and armed with a wit that was only rivaled by his intellect. so, you can imagine how this might've become an easy detour.

nonetheless, Canada is all around me. in fact, it has come up so much and so often that i barely note it anymore. i just assume... it's from there, about there, going there, coming from there. for pete's sake, somehow, it's bound to be Canadian. the universe, my karma, God... whomever or whatever you subscribe to... is flashing Las Vegas-sized directional signs.

so, please, Powers That Be... be aware that i've heard you. i'm going, i'm going.

now, can i please get some good old-fashioned Midwestern peace?