is the title of the Official FIFA World Cup song. Sung by Il Divo and Toni Braxton. Gag me now. Please. Seriously. Granted, I haven't heard it, but quite frankly I still remember "The Cup Of Life" from '98 and in spite of its Ricky Martin-ness, I grooved to that one. I have doubts that Il Divo can come up with something groove-able, and if Toni Braxton is with them, I have visions of a soulful ballad, which, while having its time and place, certainly doesn't get me moving. Although, I suppose, plastered, getting highly emotional in some pub somewhere just might be the time for a soulful ballad. Ah well.
If you can't be bothered reading an entire post about soccer, stop now.
Mini-rant aside, I note from FIFA's website that there are now only 20 days left until the World Cup begins. Yay! The joy, the excitement! Assuming I find someplace to watch the games, that is.
One of my goals is to manage to get to Premiership game before I leave this island. And right now it's looking like my best opp will be in October when my friend B/H gets here for a bit - and we'll hopefully snag tix to a *coughliverpoolcough* game at *coughanfieldcough*. It's either that or get R to go to a *coughnewcastleunitedcough* game with me. This said friend of mine is a bit obsessed. She cried when Fowler was traded off, she cried when he was traded back on. I was there for the first one. I mean cry literally. So it MUST be a Liverpool game for her. And it MUST be at Anfield. None of this away game crap.
Don't hate me for my choice of teams - it's just what's easily available to me.
Having said this, I must say that I don't really have any sort of preference for any particular team. I mostly just watch my mouth and mind what I say, depending on who I'm with. My friend A, down in London, has a housemate, J, that loves Chelsea. So when I'm with her, I become a Chelsea supporter. My friend M down in Kent's husband is Arsenal all the way... so I'm quite content to watch the Arsenal games when I'm in their house. B/H is Liverpool all the way, so God forbid I say anything to her that's positive about any team other than the Reds. R is hardcore NUFC... I didn't grow up with any particular loyalty, so I guess in a way that makes me fairly lucky - I can watch just about any football game, not really care who wins, and still have a great time just watching the players practice their art.
Having said that, when it comes to the World Cup, there is a malleable heirarchy as to where my sympathies lie. Let's face it. Canada sucks when it comes to football. We _almost_ beat Mexico a few years ago, and that was cause for celebration. So I have happily abandoned my loyalty to my country of birth, and will admit to anyone and everyone that we suck. So, here's where my loyalties lie:
First round. England, Czech Republic, and Brazil. Luckily none of them are grouped together. No conflict of loyalties for moi this time around. England - the country of a good 50% of my ancestors. Czech Republic - country of about 25% of my ancestors (ok, well, they were actually from the part that's now Slovakia, but close enough). Brazil - well, let's face it... they're bloody good. I admire them for sheer talent and balls.
Should any of them face one another - England and Brazil trump the Czechs, but I'm not sure, to be quite honest, who I'd support in an England-Brazil matchup. Probably, given my geographic location this cup around, it'll have to be England. In my heart of hearts, though, I can't make a decision.
Le sigh.
I Am Reading
Academically: Penal Practice and Culture, 1500-1900 (ed. Devereaux and Griffiths)
For Fun: The Constant Princess (Philippa Gregory)
Pile of Books on My Windowsill: 9 - 3 read, 1 half-read, 5 unread.
If you can't be bothered reading an entire post about soccer, stop now.
Mini-rant aside, I note from FIFA's website that there are now only 20 days left until the World Cup begins. Yay! The joy, the excitement! Assuming I find someplace to watch the games, that is.
One of my goals is to manage to get to Premiership game before I leave this island. And right now it's looking like my best opp will be in October when my friend B/H gets here for a bit - and we'll hopefully snag tix to a *coughliverpoolcough* game at *coughanfieldcough*. It's either that or get R to go to a *coughnewcastleunitedcough* game with me. This said friend of mine is a bit obsessed. She cried when Fowler was traded off, she cried when he was traded back on. I was there for the first one. I mean cry literally. So it MUST be a Liverpool game for her. And it MUST be at Anfield. None of this away game crap.
Don't hate me for my choice of teams - it's just what's easily available to me.
Having said this, I must say that I don't really have any sort of preference for any particular team. I mostly just watch my mouth and mind what I say, depending on who I'm with. My friend A, down in London, has a housemate, J, that loves Chelsea. So when I'm with her, I become a Chelsea supporter. My friend M down in Kent's husband is Arsenal all the way... so I'm quite content to watch the Arsenal games when I'm in their house. B/H is Liverpool all the way, so God forbid I say anything to her that's positive about any team other than the Reds. R is hardcore NUFC... I didn't grow up with any particular loyalty, so I guess in a way that makes me fairly lucky - I can watch just about any football game, not really care who wins, and still have a great time just watching the players practice their art.
Having said that, when it comes to the World Cup, there is a malleable heirarchy as to where my sympathies lie. Let's face it. Canada sucks when it comes to football. We _almost_ beat Mexico a few years ago, and that was cause for celebration. So I have happily abandoned my loyalty to my country of birth, and will admit to anyone and everyone that we suck. So, here's where my loyalties lie:
First round. England, Czech Republic, and Brazil. Luckily none of them are grouped together. No conflict of loyalties for moi this time around. England - the country of a good 50% of my ancestors. Czech Republic - country of about 25% of my ancestors (ok, well, they were actually from the part that's now Slovakia, but close enough). Brazil - well, let's face it... they're bloody good. I admire them for sheer talent and balls.
Should any of them face one another - England and Brazil trump the Czechs, but I'm not sure, to be quite honest, who I'd support in an England-Brazil matchup. Probably, given my geographic location this cup around, it'll have to be England. In my heart of hearts, though, I can't make a decision.
Le sigh.
I Am Reading
Academically: Penal Practice and Culture, 1500-1900 (ed. Devereaux and Griffiths)
For Fun: The Constant Princess (Philippa Gregory)
Pile of Books on My Windowsill: 9 - 3 read, 1 half-read, 5 unread.
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I am not an organized sports girl, so I can't wholly relate, except knowing that your place will be as crazy as this town in a month. Apparently the Edmonton-ese respond to happiness with riots and stabbings. To think this is all a result of more daylight...
As for the VS position...there is no hired VS this year--no more CRM, or Interp-VS. Interpreters are now expected to rotate up to the front to work customer service...in costume. On any given day, there will be 2-3 interps at the train station. On a busy day, there will be 4 or 5. 5 new interps/era- 4'A' locations/era = 1 new interp. The good thing is we're only obligated to try this new system, not to keep it. If it fails, it will go into the response to the development plan. I rue the day I ever concieved that stupid booth!
Soccer isn't my game (although I'd agree that most of them are hotties), but I'm excited that you've got something to be excited about. There's nothing like getting into a team to support to give you something to talk about and to let you feel like you're a part of something big.
Just give me a few more months and you'll hear about my football seasons...
If England meet Brazil, you have to support England. Brazil knocked us out of the last World Cup and it's time for some payback...(although I'm sure they will kick our collective ass once again).
When I was in Munich it played on the radio about every third song or so. If it was that bad then I can't imagine what it will be like when things actually kick off... *gag*