You'd think since I walk so much I could figure out which side of the road to do it on (Day 19)

Top 5 reasons it's obvious I'm a foreigner:
5. I can't pay for anything without taking a good several minutes to figure out what denomination each damn coin is. And I'm Canadian, I can't imagine how hard this would be for Americans.
4. I'm never on my cell phone. Usually I am with all of the few people who know my phone number.
3. I don't speak in fortnights, poofs, mates or dunas (a duna is a comforter).
2. I love baseball more than anything.
1. Every time I try to cross the street I run the very real risk of almost dying. I just can't seem to get a hang of this other-side-of-the-road concept.

There are several other obvious reasons that I clearly don't belong here, but those are the Top 5 I am going to go with right now.

And like a true tourist this morning I decided to bask in the sun and soak up some rays. When I got out of bed in the morning, after a mediocre sleep which is pretty good for my standards here, I figured what better way to start the morning than to head down to the pool and get some sun? If I'm going to be wearing shorts every day maybe I should help my legs get past the translucent stage.

With a book and my iPod in hand I spent a couple hours in and out of the pool, though I'm not sure really how much of a tan I got. It's better than nothing though. And by nothing I mean it's way better than being at home with snow and freezing rain and grey skies. No thank you.

When I came back up to the apartment I talked to Erin for awhile about her Saturday night and she mentioned that she would soon be heading to a couple of stores if I wanted to come with her. She wanted to get some more dishware, which I believed she called 'crockery' or something like that. I said I would most certainly join her. I don't know that I needed anything, but it's nice to have the opportunity to figure that out when you're with someone who has a car.

After she'd had lunch and I'd had a shower we headed to some little kind of mall, though I'm sure that's not what they would call it here. I ended up getting a couple things at a grocery store but that was it. Erin got some dishes and we were on our way back.

Carl had texted before we had left to tell me that he was bored and wanted to do something. Obviously I am the curer of all things boredom so I'd told him I would get back to him when I returned from the store with Erin. I did and he of course, didn't answer. Obviously not bored enough to answer the phone.

When he called me back he asked if I wanted to head to South Bank and meet him there because he was going to check out some of the weekend shops they had set up. So I set out for South Bank. Before I even got there Carl was telling me he was about to head back home so I told him to grab a milkshake and just wait it out. He did. So we walked around for awhile and then went to the arcade at the movie theatre to shoot some hoops.

I think Carl played the basketball game once by himself before we decided to make a competition out of it. It was too bad we didn't think of a bet before the first game though because I'm pretty sure I doubled his score. I thought he was taking it easy on me and I think he thought he was too because we had to play again. I did even better the second time. We quit after that, probably either because Carl's a big baby or because I don't have it in me to try and mend any man's bruised ego. Or perhaps it was because Carl had to go for dinner.

He had plans with his roommate for dinner but being at the movie theatre had made us want to head back later in the evening with plans to see Moneyball. Again. So we decided to meet before the movie for another game of basketball, this time with the stakes high. Loser would buy the movie tickets, and as it turned out, the concessions too.

By the way, I don't know if I mentioned this before but the movies here come out way later than at home. And it really doesn't seem like there are too many new ones coming out. I think our options have been pretty much Moneyball or Twilight the entire time I've been here. I don't have any clue as to why they come out at such different times here but they do. Not awesome.

I walked back home and stayed there for like an hour before I turned right back around and went back to South Bank. I think I have definitely filled my walking quota for the week. One way to South Bank is a little over four kilometres, so by the end of the day when I eventually made it back home I had probably walked almost 17K. Add that to the 15K on Saturday and 5K on Friday and I am going to have to get new running shoes at some point during my stay.

We met at the theatre and the competition was on. I once again bettered my score and once again beat Carl. He asked how I was doing it and I told him my secret. Bank shots. Here he was trying to get nothing but net with every shot, failing miserably. With those kinds of games you have to bank it. That was my strategy and it obviously worked. I think he's still convinced that I was cheating or something. So for those of you scoring at home, the Sunday night arcade basketball score stands at 3-0 for me over Carl.

Carl paid for the movie and the popcorn and awesome slushie I had, much to his dismay. But I was going to reap the benefits of the bet while I could. And likely try to rub it in his face for a few more days. Or forever, who knows.

The movie must have started with a billion commercials before the previews even started. It was probably the longest wait for a movie I've ever had. Good thing we'd both seen Moneyball before and were in no hurry, though I did think at a couple points that Carl might fall asleep. If you're looking for a review on the movie, my opinion is varied.

The first time I saw it I think I read too much into it. I had been listening to critiques, reading reviews, and preparing for everything I was about to witness. I knew that there were several parts that weren't going to be accurate to the game of baseball or the happenings that go on in the front office of ball organizations. I was prepared for that. But because of my preparedness I think I thought about everything a little too much.

The next time I saw the movie I took it more for what it was, a Hollywood film with Brad Pitt trying to touch some hearts with a little baseball added in here and there. I enjoyed it much more that time. This viewing was my third and I think I will be actually seeing the movie again later this week with Erin because she hasn't seen it yet and really wants to. And third time's a charm I guess because I enjoyed it. Though I did interrupt Carl's viewing pleasure a few times, first to talk about my love for Billy Koch when he saved 31 games in his rookie year of 1999, and then to mention that Frank Menechino had come in to pitch for the Blue Jays one time in 2004 (this is a feat because he is an infielder).

But it was a good movie experience and thanks to my hoop skills it was free. I'd call that a good night out.

Afterward I think Carl was reluctant to let me walk home. He tried to convince me to get a cab but I didn't think that was necessary. Don't worry though mom because like I told Carl, all the streets I use to get to South Bank are huge and well-lit and have tons of people around. At all times of the day. I was safe and sound. He made me promise to text him when I got home though and I did.

So now I have two moms. Great. Don't worry real mom, it's not a stiff competition.