2010 WC Update

The group phase is over and the elimination process begins. So far the matches were mostly boring, sadly. I fell asleep halfway through England vs Algeria and Portugal vs Brazil. Thankfully, Italy vs Slovakia initiates the adrenaline flow, especially the final fifteen minutes and personally favouring the Slovaks.

Slovakia players celebrate after thumping the Italians.

As I mentioned on the previous post, I always loved to see the underdogs pawning (or at least frustrating) the favourites. Algerians holding England to draw. New Zealand keeping Italians out of bay. Swiss shocked the mighty Spaniards. I also liked to see Christiano Ronaldo falter. Too bad he got it right in the 7-0 thrashing of North Korea.

This World Cup also showed that with the globalization of football, the traditional powers of football are not guaranteed their place through. Read: Italy and the utterly disgraceful fiasco-ridden France. Finalists in 2006, they traveled back with much grimace. And while the Africans did not live up to the Waka Waka hype, they (mostly) showed that they live to fight. Thankfully, Ghana is still flying the flag for them in the knockout stages. Asians meanwhile made themselves proud, with South Korea and Japan into the last 16.

PJS lead the line for South Korea.

And then there were the frequent complains of the vuvuzela and Jabulani, especially from the European so-called big stars. They should save their breath in whining about disruptive noises and unpredictable ball flight and focus on playing.  And personally I liked the vuvuzela.

 




Jabulani ball and vuvuzela

As the competition progresses into the knockout stages, the excitement heightens to a new level. Off to watch England vs Germany.

D-Day

It was serene as usual. Little or close to no small talk or chit chats. Never mind heated discussion or debates. He and I just spend the day as usual, doing the usual stuff. In the morning, he went for his usual jogging, I was still lazing in bed. In the afternoon, he was taking his usual afternoon nap. I was surfing the internet. We had lunch together. No conversation. Then we had our durian session, with a few comments on the tastiness of the king of the fruit. In the evening, he watched the TV, I played football. We had dinner, commented on the taste of the chicken chop. The trip to and fro from Jalan Tengah was also a quiet one. Then we watched the World Cup together. Had a in sync shout of goal. Two times. Paraguay 2 Slovakia 0.

I gave him a McD glass cup as a present. Happy Father's Day, I said. Thank you, he said. That's all. Despite the sombre portrayal of our relationship, we had the deepest utmost respect for each other. Probably of this fact, we see no need of having too much conversation. Heh.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Cup Fever

Friggin' four years. And now time for the kick-off.

We the fans are of course thrilled. During my college years, there were two groups of people that watches the World Cup: The fanatic gender (read: Boys) and the you-make-me-go-OMG gender (read: Girls). The boys were in for the thrill (though the less fanatic ones just tag along) while the girls were there to bitch around which team has the most charming line-up.

Thanks to the abundant media coverage and promotion, there are always much hype. Its of course a different set of culture for fans from countries that do not (and don't even dare to dream to) participate in the World Cup. For us, we can simply choose to fancy a team and switch alliances when the favourite team did not go through. Which is so much unlike inhabitants in those participating nations. Imagine a German fan walking into an English pub for that matter.

And apart from the real showpiece, we have the sideline desserts to savior. The English media always like to focus on the footballer WAGs.  I still prefer the Latin America fans.

Sorry for digressing. Now come the big question: Who will you support in the World Cup?

Traditionally, I have always fancy England. This time is no exception. Yea they are overrated and all, but still. Teams that I would prefer to see winning (or at least go further than group stages) are Spain, Holland and Brazil. Meanwhile, I have always like watching David slaying Goliath, and I am expecting some surprises from the underdogs. So go North Korea! XD

And um, enjoy the football month!

Quiet Drive

I almost hate driving since working. I was largely clueless as to how contradicting it is to my previous nature of being a kaki kereta. Not until an hour ago that I realize that why it is as such.

Since taking up the job, I have been driving with purpose, destination and deadlines. The bright shiny helluva huge ass ball of fire adds in as the kick-in-the-teeth factor.

An unusual urge ushered me out tonight to JUST drive my car. And the long-gone familiar joy of driving started to reemerge. Instead of the boisterous need to rush, I am driving at the pace of my own liking. Instead of trying to reach a place safe and sound, I have no aims to achieved. Sounds very zen-ish eh?

So I also realize that although the joys of life can be easily murdered by the hectic and chaotic world of work, it can also be rediscovered. As long as we find the initiative to do so. Hmm. Ok, end of reflection period. Ciao.