Textbook future

The Canadian dollar is about to equal the value of the US dollar for the first time in my memory:

TORONTO — The Canadian dollar moved decisively above 99 cents US Thursday, flirting with parity with the American dollar for the first time since November 1976.

I'm no economist, and I don't know whether that's a net positive or negative for Canada, and I know it has more to do with the US dollar tanking recently, but it sort of makes me a little bit proud.

Back when I was in high school, I remember a textbook that predicted this would happen by the year 2000. When I thought ahead to 2000 and imagined my 28-year-old self, it seemed a long way off. I thought perhaps I'd be married with children, all settled-down and responsible.

Well, the dollar prediction eventually came true, 7 years late (though as of 2002, it looked like a very wrong prediction). My own expectations about my life haven't come true, though; Settled-down and responsible I'm probably not. Thank goodness for that!