So we've come over to the 'Land of the Free' for a couple of weeks for two reasons: firstly to meet my new 6 wk old neice and then secondly to usher one of my best mates down the aisle. Its all exciting stuff!
This is my fourth visit to the states and this time i thought i'd try and engross myself further in the american culture. On the first night to try and avoid jetlag - i joined in with a bunch of college students and played kickball. Its meant to be baseball with a foot(soccer)ball. Essentially its just rounders. I have no idea what triple plays are or foul balls but i can kick and catch. The strangest thing was that we turn up to this college field to play and there are these bunch of guys playing cricket. Yes - cricket!! The game of the village green has finally made it across the Atlantic, the americans have finally become patient enough for the '5 day game that can still end in a draw!!' Ok, so on closer inspection they were all Indian but you never know it might become a college craze.
The next night i had the pleasure of attending a ballet recital. 2 of my neices were performing. They're almost 4 and spent about 1 and half minutes of a 2 hr show on stage. I had to sit through the rest and oh my gosh can the Americans whoop it all up. You know the 'Go girl!' thing and the whoop calling when one of the performances was all star spangled banner. Its a bit cringe worthy really.
the final thing is and i knew it before i came over but 0 people are excited by the world cup here. i mean it is on a couple of TV channels but no one really cares. i have had the pleasure of seeing a US game and now an England game and the american commentary is excrutiating to listen to. i guess the list of broadcasters in the UK goes something like this: At number 1 we have the good old bbc and the MOTD crew, then comes Andy Gray and the boys of Sky Sports, followed by (although nowhere near) by ITV, way way at the bottom (and it saddens me) is Liverpool legend John Barnes and Channel 5. Ok so the American coverage is like 10 times worse than Channel 5. I mean 'what the heck is goal differential?' Its just funny!! I pray to God we get through to the Semis so i my memory of this world cup can be redeemed by Motty. On todays result - 'we're rubbish' but what a goal from Cole and good to see Stevie G score but my one big questions is 'Whats the point of Theo Walcott?'
http://www.hurtwood.demon.co.uk/Fun/copter.swf
I haven't managed to get past 1178
I am glad that I am still only 26 years old this morning. If i had entered middle age, I am not sure that my heart could take being a Liverpool fan. Not content with producing the best UEFA Cup final, the best Champions League final we've now got the best FA Cup final in recent memory. These rollercoaster matches are difficult to deal with. After Reina's double save at the start of the second half, I texted a mate who supports West Ham to say "I'd cracked and could not cope any more." His respones "Me too. Lets stop the game a call it a draw." It's not fair that teams have to lose these type of games but the fact that Liverpool have the trophies in their cabinet makes the match suddenly beautiful. Imagine how it must feel to support Alaves, AC Milan and West Ham the morning after the night before. But i don't have to, in the main because of a Man called Gerrard. If I'm honest i'd given up, they were all knackered and a goal did not seem possible. I'm still not sure how he managed to score that goal, to be so incapacitated by cramp but to hit the ball so sweetly from 35 yrds out that the keeper didn't move. Unbelievable!!. So we won the first final in Cardiff and now we've won the last, football has this strange capacity to dot i's and cross t's.
I have had the words of a Damien Rice song go through my head for the last couple of weeks. "Why do you sing Hallelujah, when it means nothing to you?" The lyrics of the irish lad have once again made me contemplate why I'm a Christian. A friend recently said, "We're all a little less Christian than we used to be!" In truth I may not have the self-righteousness of youth but my faith in the message of the cross has not diminished.
Ultimately it comes down to this. When I am alone in my own thoughts at night and I view life around me and whether it be right or it be wrong I believe that there is a God responsible for all of this. If thats the case then what is this God like? I haven't a clue but I am offered a choice. I find that the God of the bible, the God depicted on the cross is the one that makes most sense to me. The God who persues relationship. I do get frustrated because if there really is a God and I have a relationship with him through Jesus, then I can't but help think there should be a much greater impact in my life. But I love the Jars of Clay lyrics. "I aint giving up on giving you the chance to blow my mind!" So in the meantime it says in Micah "What does the Lord require of you - "to act justly, to love mercy to walk humbly before your God." and thatts not a bad creed to live by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga9-otFN0zk&search=sociedad
Just a clip of Mark Gonzales scoring a wonder goal. Exciting prospect for next year,
You have to check this out. I can not wait for the world cup!!! Make sure you check out the Brazilian Ping Pong clip with Ronaldinho. Is it real? Just incredible.
http://nikefootball.nike.com/nikefootball/siteshell/index.jsp#,en,0;jogatv,,1