WORLD CUP HIGH FOR DEUTSCHLAND
June 30, 2006
And for other countries as well. Kofi asked why I like the German team. Here are my reasons.
Why Inez loves Germany:
1) we go there nearly every year
2) Munich is a pretty city
3) Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, is one of my favorite historical figures
4) The first foreign language i studied was German, but i never got past the basics because my dad said I sounded Chinese. Too bad i believed him, because when i tried out my German, a friend who lives in Germany said my accent fooled her, and she thought i was really German
5) Oliver Kahn!
6) Jurgen Klinsmann is cool and he will give me a flat screen Samsung tv
7) Michael Ballack!
But what about the other countries? Why does Inez love the other teams (sometimes)? Well, there are reasons for them, too.
Why Inez Loves the Czechs:
1) Because Prague is pretty
2) Because I was there when the Czechs beat the US, and the whole atmosphere was just SO COOL
3) Because Prague is pretty
4) Because they are emotion-driven players, and that resonates with a novelist like me
5) Because Prague is pretty
Why Inez loves the Ghanaians:
1) One word: Underdogs!
2) They know how to party
3) Conditional: as long as they don’t browbeat me with how they beat the Czechs, we’re fine.
Why Inez will TRY to love Brazil:
1) Kaka
2) Deceptively simple plays
3) Kaka
Why Inez will try to love the Italian team (because she loves Italy, to begin with)
1) Because Rome is a beautiful city
2) Because Florence is a beautiful city
3) Because Venice is a beautiful city
4) Because Assisi is a beautiful city
5) because Siena is a beautiful city
6) Fabio Cannavaro, team captain
7) I love Italian food
8) I cook Italian food
9) Italians are so gwapo
10) Cannavaro
11) Because Cannavaro loves Italian food
12) Because Cannavaro cooks a mean pizza
13) Because Cannavaro is so gwapo
14) Did i mention Cannavaro yet?
Watching the Germany vs. Argentina game live tonight! Go DEUTSCHLAND!!!
GHANA CELEBRATES…YES YES!
June 30, 2006
Got this lovely article from Kofi, regarding the Ghana players. Now this, dear friends, is real sportsmanship. My comments are italicized.
Grand welcoming party for Stars
Accra, June 29, GNA – The Ministry of Information and National Orientation in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports will on Friday June 30 organise a grand welcoming party for the senior national team, the Black Stars, when they arrive from the World Cup in Germany in recognition of their performance.
A statement signed for Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and National Orientation, said the welcoming party would include ministers of State and high ranking government officials.
The statement said after traditional and Christian prayers for their safe arrival and splendid performance at the World Cup, the players would be decorated with floral garlands and would be driven through some principal streets of Accra before finally converging at the Independence Square. (That’s a sight I’d love to see! Hot demmm…soccer players with flowers – IPDL)
The Stars are expected to arrive at 1830 hours.
It said after the welcoming formalities, an all night musical show, which will include various dance bands under the Musician Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), would perform for free of charge.
The statement said specially designated Metro Mass Transport buses draped in national colours would convey soccer fans from vantage points in Accra to the Airport and the Independence Square. (You Ghanaians are SO LUCKY! – IPDL)
It said the reception was part of a programme to show the government’s appreciation for the heroic exploits of the Stars at their maiden World Cup appearance.
The Stars were the only African representative to make it to the second round of the on going World Cup in Germany and in the process won the admiration of the soccer world for their brilliant showing. (Me! I admire them too! Soccer world! Woohoo! – IPDL) The Stars won two of their three group matches defeating FIFA number two ranked country Czech Republic (Can you guys just NOT mention this? – IPDL) and the United States of America before bowing out to number one ranked team and defending World Cup champions Brazil at the one sixteenth stage. (And that’s because they got stuck with a BLEEPING referee, BLEEP – IPDL)
POEMS…AGAIN
June 29, 2006
We can see through the veil that holds you back from goodness
So how can you be blind?
We tried to feed you with all things rational and right
And real
And rich
And yet you spit it all out
Not seeing
How it is us
You cast onto the pavement
***
Had I but everything that you have
I would squander no one’s love
In the name of senseless vanity
***
Had I but all the gloss you varnish
I would waste no time
In glossing and varnishing
I would love and be loved
And savor the joy
***
If I had been born you
I would not contend with sadness
Nor wrestle with Love for a chance
To be embraced by Fire
If I had been born you
I would not contend with pain
Nor beg the Fates to unspin my life
And begin again
If I had been born you
I would never be ungrateful
***
But if I had been born you
I would never have been myself
And perhaps, for that, I may be
Thankful
MONOLOGUE TO AN UNSEEN WALL
June 29, 2006
There are things I really hate in life, but won’t admit, because I know that prayer can act as the salve to all pain. But sometimes, I can just get so exasperated and quit praying, writing, or even thinking altogether. All I want is to sit in church, be quiet, look at the crucifix, and just — well, cry.
Here’s the most exasperating thing yet. There are people around me who seem to be walking through life, inconsiderate of everyone around them. I admit, I am not perfect, and I have faults which, I am sure, annoy everyone as well. But I can’t help complaining about the following:
A person who wastes other people’s hard-earned money by literally throwing away things given to that person. How dare you destroy our lives, you ungrateful wretch.
A person who believes that no one else knows relationships better, and offers opinions that are shallow to begin with — and without listening to people who have even better, more sensible input. For God’s sake — LISTEN! AND SHUT THE HELL UP!
A person who thinks no one else has bigger problems, and no one else is wiser. I know of at least one million people who haven’t had a morsel to eat. I know of another million who don’t know what a house is. And there’s the other million who don’t have a scrap of clothing on their backs. And you tell me YOU have PROBLEMS?!?!?! Hey, I have problems, too, and it would pay if you would stop and see the world beyond the 1 micrometer radius you have around you.
A person who thinks everything is a joke. Take something seriously, for once.
A person who has absolutely no taste in women. Have a bit of sense, please; and wisdom, too, while you’re at it. And please, women deserve more than to be spoken about in terms of their cup size and ass shape. Just in case you haven’t noticed, we have brains, too, and more than what you’ve got as well.
A person who thinks that women who stand up for themselves are bitches. Get a life, you idiot, preferably somewhere dark and hidden so we women don’t have to deal with pathetic losers like you.
This feels GOOD. Must do this more often.
I WOULDN’T BE BLOGGING THIS IF GHANA HAD WON
June 28, 2006
Sadly, despite all our hopes, the Brazilians of Africa lost 3-0 to the Brazilians of, er…Brazil.
That very nickname, The Brazilians of Africa, binds Ghana to a country long revered by soccer fans. Why can’t the Ghanaians simply be known as The Strong Team of Africa? The African Strong Men? The Leopards, Jaguars, or Tigers? Why should they be shackled to another team’s name and reputation?
This is what I love about soccer: you can see so many parallelisms between the Beautiful Game and Society, that you cannot help drawing analogies from the slightest referee misstep, and find ways to connect it to real life. Either that, or I’m taking the game too seriously.
Whether or not I am taking it too seriously, there are facts that DO NOT CHANGE.
1) Brazil’s second goal, scored last night right before the end of the first half, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CREDITED TO THEM. Dujkovic had EVERY REASON to protest!
2) The entire game was overseen by a biased referee. That referee loved Brazil! He couldn’t bear anyone laying the littlest finger on his darlings Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, and Carlos! Ghanaians were tumbling all over the field, but when Brazil bawled, the referee heard — and when the referee heard, the yellows and reds just got handed out.
3) That second goal did Ghana in, Kofi says, and I agree. What can be more discouraging than a biased referee who will be on your trail no matter how well you play? Why try when there’s no hope?
4) No other African team has gone as far as Ghana, and this is the sign of great things to come. They played Brazil; they now KNOW Brazil. Watch out, South Africa 2010! Ghana will be even BIGGER!!!
5) Marry me, Kaka.
There. DONE. Now, on to real life.
But not without this:
GO GERMANY!
BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF ARGENTINA!
AT LAST, I REMEMBER TO POST THIS
June 28, 2006
http://www.friendster.com/illustria
Add me! Greet me! Send me testimonials!
BRAZIL VS. GHANA
June 27, 2006
Hahaha! I’m staying till after 1:30 AM in IRRI just to watch Ghana beat the s**t out of Brazil! I hope they do!
Kofi, a friend of mine, is from Ghana, and along with Clem, we’ve been cheering the Ghana team on — and not very subtly either. We’ve been singing “Ole ole…” on the bus, and loud enough for everyone at the front of the bus to hear (front of the bus containing a guy in Brazil colors, mind you). We’ve also made up imaginary houses where the players worship us and help us out.
Welcome to my house, where I lounge oh-so-comfortably every night.
Michael Ballack (team captain, Germany) is usually in charge of making sure that my cable is up and running. He’s also the only one who stays up to wait for me because everyone else will be asleep, tired out from all the cleaning.
Ronaldinho (Brazil) and Ronaldo (Brazil) make sure that I get a good massage every night, and stay rested. Their teammate, Kaka, vaccuums my floors and mows my lawn.
The whole Croatian team is coming next week to practice on my well-manicured, Kaka-smoothened lawn, as well as to wash a few dishes. They will be joined by Lukas Podolski (Germany), who will teach them some mighty good offense; as well as David Beckham, whom I kicked out already, but who knows some mighty good t-shirt marketing.
The Croatian team is also in charge of cleaning my room. It can help them forget about their loss to Australia. Fabio Cannavaro (Team captain for Italy) is in charge of the laundry and making sure my bathroom is spick and span. In a few days, he will be assisted by Dado Prso (Croatia), Milan Baros (Czech Republic), and Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic), the latter two of whom I shall have to chat up regarding the intense, unbeatable beauty of Prague so that they will forget their defeat at the hands of the Italians and Ghanaians. You still rule, my honeys.
And because he can whip up a good gourmet meal, Cannavaro is also my cook. Pizza for me, my boy!
And next week, we’re getting a brand new Samsung flat screen TV courtesy of — who else? — Jurgen Klinsmann! Thanks, Coach!
I was reveling in the entire scene, until Kofi e-popped: “It seems you have the line up of every team in your memory…Too bad you cant play soccer…”
Stupid scoliosis.
***
I WON!
I WON A 500 PESO GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR RED BOX, TO WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINALS LIVE!!!
POEMS FOR…
June 23, 2006
For the silence
That slices through
The warmth that you once were
To an Ice Queen
is unbearable
Far better were it
That you had never stepped upon the doorstep
With careful toe
Than to open the door
Only to leave
With winter wind.
***
Oh, how they speak volumes,
The volumes you speak!
How they tell of a heart that listens not,
as the clanging cymbals and sounding gongs herald the sound
of you proclaiming your own glory
How you talk
As though no tomorrow would come
for the likes of you!
How you have sealed your ears
With the wax of some unadmitted adversity
That I
Who am not of your world
Must both dread and anticipate the words you speak.
Oh, your volumes,
Had they been as weak as thy hearing
Then thy heart might have found its home.
***
Stab
and
break
and
shatter
and
hurt
and
slay me as you please
Only
know
that
you
do
it
All for naught
When this Queen
Has long lived bleeding.
BAD TRIP
June 23, 2006
The Czech Republic is out of the World Cup. How could the WORLD #2 just be gone? What the HECK happened to Pavel Nedved? I thought Milan Baros was going to save the team after sitting the last games out with an injury? Should we just have pushed Da Rossi in to kick some sense into the Czechs?
Ha, I feel like a coach. A really bad, amateur one, but heh.
It’s not like I’m the ultimate soccer fan, though. I’ve been a moderate, watching games, playing out a few strategies in my head, and even integrating medieval soccer games into The Guild (if it gets published, watch for the first few books, where the students fight to keep their schoolmate’s nickname by playing soccer). This was back in 1998, 2 World Cups ago. I wasn’t in Europe then, and I didn’t catch any World Cup Fever.
Germany 2006, however, is different.
I CAUGHT the fever — and now, I’m ranting.
Oh, Czechia, what have you done? Who am I going to root for now?
THE WEEK AFTER
June 22, 2006
Caught nothing of PS last Sunday. Drat. This doesn’t look like a great week ahead.
Must get on with Supernatural fanfic. Am very slow. Also very sleepy and tired. I haven’t been able to sleep well these past few nights. I wonder why.
I feel so old. Where, oh where, shall I go next year? Work? Study? Can someone tell me exactly where so I don’t have to think and hope and, consequently, get hurt anymore?
Cornell sounds lovely. I like the program! PhD or MS?
USC sounds great too! Funding…need funding…
Now, for the GRE and TOEFL. Oh DEAR. OH DEAR!!!
Panic. Panic.
BACK FROM EUROPE
June 16, 2006
I want to go back to Prague.
It was THAT great.
Away from concrete jungles and mountain after mountain after green mountain, I was in literary and artistic peace. No wonder Prague has served as the backdrop for movies: it can double as any city your imagination can build.
I wonder if I should write a novel about it?
I don’t even know if I can say, with conviction, that it’s good to be home. I didn’t even have a decent birthday. Happy birthday to me. Sigh.
Travel journal to follow, as soon as I get the text and pictures in order.
