I'm not the biggest fan of live music in the world. I have to really like a band — and know it well — to enjoy a band or a singer performing live. I'm not into musicals, and I get very quickly annoyed when someone's whistling or singing near me (unless it's a song I really like a lot, and they're singing well).

So last night we were at Laredo's — good food, your bog-standard Mexican restaurante — when this Mariachi band starts belting out songs at a nearby table. After three loud songs, they did "Happy Birthday", so we figured they'd been called in for a special occasion. But no, they proceeded to do three songs to each of the tables between where they were and where we were. We finished quickly and paid the check just in time to say "Sorry we're leaving" as they rolled up to our table, smiling and strumming.

Were we being total gringo uncultured bozos? Were we sniffing in the face of a proud cultural tradition? Or do folks in Mexico get annoyed when the loud singing people with guitars approach, too? Does this even happen in non-tourist Mexico? I felt a little rude, but then aren't they being rude for assuming we'd rather hear them shriek Guantanamera instead of having a nice conversation during Friday-night dinner after a long, stressful week?

Suffice to say that I will not return to Laredo's on Friday or Saturday night, unless I hear that they have discontinued the unsolicited Mariachi music at the tables. (I wouldn't mind if they were off to the side or something — I'd probably even tip, then, too. But get out of my face while I'm eating!)

TimeWaster™

Be sure to read the Onion "News in Photos" headline from whence the picture there was swiped.

Today I'm listening to: More Kombat!!