I just got back from spending a week in La Mision, Baja, Mexico, to help my friend Rob with a video. The video was a flashmob dance intended to promote tourism in Baja, because lets face it - no one is going to Mexico anymore. And we just don’t understand why! Its safe, fun, cheap and the people are very friendly. Just use your commons sense and you will be fine!

Anyhow, on my last day in Baja, two amazing things happened: I won at Solitaire and I saved a baby seal’s life (hopefully). As we were all sitting around the kitchen table, waiting for Rob to cook up a delicious breakfast of eggs, aguacate, chorizo and bacon, I decided to try my hand at Solitaire. I could never get past the first few moments - each time the cards were against me. “Two minutes,” Rob announced. I had two more minutes, enough time to lay out one more hand. I moved fast, slamming the cards down, scanning the options, moving the cards to their rightful spots, putting cards from the deck down. Card by card, it was flowing smoothly. I was making it happen. I didn’t get my hopes up, but as I got the fourth ace and started placing the number cards down it was looking good. Faster. Plates were put down on the table. Five of spades onto the ace of spades pile. The smell of bacon tantalizes my nose. Placemats are down. Only a few more cards now. Everyone is at the table laughing - I won!! I won at Solitaire. Ahhh, how satisfying. And then Ralph showed me the true way to see if you won - cut the deck exactly in half and then put each card down one by one. They will seperate according to number and suit…magic!

After breakfast, Rob and I took a walk on the beach. He went boogie boarding and I went for a run. Some of the local gringos were ahead; their dogs were barking and they appeared to be yelling. I saw some movement in the sand, which riled the dogs up more. I jogged over to see what was going on. It was a baby spotted seal, with a hook in its side. The dogs were viciously attacking this unknown creature, as their owners screamed at them to stop and tried to use the leash to scare them away. The screaming intensified as the seal made it to the water and the gringos could no long protect the seal from the dogs because they were in jeans and trainers. Just as one of the dogs sank his teeth into the small seal, I ran into the cold and started splashing. The dogs were so excited and barking - but backed off as I splashed them. The two dogs circled me, still trying to get at the seal. I held them off until the little creature finally got to deep enough water where it could swim away. Sigh. Between the Mexicans with their hooks and the gringos with their animals, I am surprised that there is any sealife left!