I assure you there is no box above where I'm typing that says TITLE. This thing sucks.

You know what else sucks? The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica just denied an 8-year-old Costa Rican girl with AIDS a visa so she could go to Disneyland. The Costa Rican equivalent of the Make a Wish foundation granted this dying girl her most cherished wish, which was to meet Minnie Mouse. But guess what? People with AIDS aren't allowed visas to enter the promised land of the good ole US of A. Visa applicants are not required to take HIV tests, but if you make it known that you have HIV/AIDS (i.e., little girl whose application states that her dying wish is to go to Disneyland and meet Minnie Mouse) -- sorry, no visa.

The girl was denied twice. First, on the grounds that she had no family ties in Costa Rica that would make it more likely she would return to her home country, and not stay illegally in the U.S. She has no family here because her parents gave her AIDS and then abandoned her.

The foundation appealed, and then the second application was denied because the girl has AIDS, and people with HIV/AIDS are not allowed visas, in the interest of safeguarding the U.S. citizenry's health.

Do they think an 8-year-old girl is going to hit the streets and start turning tricks?

It's a mad, mad world, people. A mad, mad world.

How the hell do you create a title for your postings in this thing? I really wanted a title to read "Flying Numchuks" here, but I can't figure out how to do it. Geez.

So I got hit by flying numchuks the other day. My roommate and coworker Leland fancies himself a ninja journalist. He was whipping his numchuks around in the house and accidentally let them fly, and they hit me on the ass. He plays with them outside now.

Another peril of living here is being a pedestrian. You can't count on a car to stop or even slow down for you. Right near the Tico Times office there is a place we call the corner o' death. You cross this side street, and cars turn left onto it from behind you, so you can't see them coming unless you're Mad-Eye Moody. We have all almost been taken out at the corner o' death. It's particularly hard being from Vancouver, where cars will stop in the middle of a major thoroughfare and hold up traffic for a pedestrian waiting to cross. That's chivalry.

All right! All right! If ever a person had such pushy sisters as mine I would like to know about it! But because of my great love for them I will put aside my odd fear of blogging and try to do this regularly. I don't know why I fear it. Maybe because it's kind of like keeping a diary, only people can just open it up and read it any time they want. It seems kind of weird to me, don't you think? Anyway, here goes.

Being home for the holidays was a joy. You know that, my sisters. Now I am back in Costa Rica and working my tail off.

Oops, I just got a call from Shannon Mendes, a Vancouverite who arrived last night to do a photo internship at the paper. Have to sign off so I can go meet her. This was a lame first attempt, I know. I will do better next time.

Peace out.