Amazing article on the Argentina/Mexico game from the International Herald Tribune.

Argentina 2, Mexico 1: An otherworldly day finishes with a bang

Mexico just lost. I am sad--proud, too. I thought Argentina would win this game right off. But the Mexican players performed and delivered--all of them played so hard.

Disappointment stinks.

There's No Crying in Yoga

My sister and I signed up for Pilates and Yoga classes this summer. Pilates is twice a week, yoga on Saturday mornings. I like both, but I think I like Pilates a little more. Anyway, years ago, I found a great yoga instructor and began practicing regularly at her studio. This was during my skinny-fat stage. I'm not sure if that had any influence on the fact that I was actually pretty good at the positions and flexibility and balance. But then I moved out-of-town and I really disliked the new teacher who (I swear) had an attitude.

Well, you all know about me and my body issues (perhaps a little too much). So getting back into yoga after so long is challenging because I am not at the same level as before. Problem is, I am not a patient person in particular situations, nor do I easily give up just because of a little muscle pain. Last week, I was sore at that part of the leg/thigh where it meets the lower stomach (alright, on me, the lower gut) due to this weird hip-flexor movements in Pilates. I was dealing with the soreness, not complaining or anything. Unfortunately, the yoga instructor decided to focus on sitting positions (straight back, thumbs touching at lower back, stomach in, chest out, legs straight in front of you, foot flexed, knees down), just the kind of positions that stressed my already-stressed thighs. My frustration level grew along with the burning feeling. Contributing to that frustration was my teacher who made no mention of modifications for the position (to make it a little easier) and took her sweet time working the room making corrections while everyone else held on for dear life. I purposely settled myself on the side of the group so I wouldn't feel competitive with anybody. Other people weren't the problem. It was my stubborn brain competing with my body--a relationship already fraught with resentment and dislike. Thirty minutes of standoff between my brain saying DO IT and my body saying LEAVE ME ALONE.

I can't throw a ball, I absolutely hate running, I will never, ever opt for exercise over a nap. Yet I'm realizing that exercising is not all about physical abilities. Hmm, turns out, I'm not so great with the mental part either.

Luckily, with each moment of discomfort came an inkling of relief as the muscles loosened. And, the soreness was completely gone a few hours after the class. AND today's class was the first time where I felt challenged, but not defeated.

Maybe my brain and body agreed to a cease-fire and are one step closer to peace.

Soccer highs & lows

The US is out. I watched the game yesterday with a nervous feeling. They had to win in order to move on. Unfortunately, the team just didn't seem to be on the same page. They showed bursts of expert playing--passes completed, forward attacks, and then...not much. Except for that goal--hope returned! One more goal was very do-able until that penalty-from-nowhere and Ghana scored. 2-1 going into the half. One goal do-able, two goals against a team who would inevitably turn super defensive, hmmm...

So, where to spread the blame? Some blame the players--which reminds me, where was Donovan? It was sad to see Reyna leave the game with an injury. American players have talent and athleticism, but maybe having limited exposure to European level of competition prevents them from gaining higher level professional experience. Much blame placed on Bruce Arena for mismanaging games. He did seem to delay key substitutions and I don't like how he called specific players out after the loss to the Czechs. I think he deserves loads of credit for holding onto the coaching position for 8 years and building the team and talent. In the long run, his contributions shouldn't be overshadowed by this disappointing finish. Is it time for a new chapter in coaching? I think so.

Now, did the US deserve to move to the Round of 16? Tricky debate. Based on how the US played in their 3 games, my vote is no. Really, every team in the World Cup deserves to move on by the basic fact that they qualified. Whether or not a team actually does, well, it's not about the FIFA ranking or that happened in the last World Cup, it's about performance and delivery. Ghana delivered, as did Australia and Ecuador (all teams who weren't predicted to do well). Sure, there are teams who moved on with so-so performances (Mexico, I'm thinking of you. And the Americanista in me feels compelled to point out that Omar Bravo, who missed the penalty shot in the last game, plays for Guadalajara). Hence the fickle and unpredictable nature of the World Cup. In the end (as I've so often heard and read), the game can be won or lost as it is being played.

I'm already looking forward to the next round starting on Saturday. I'm going for Ecuador who I think has a chance against England (really!) and Australia who also has a chance over Italy(double really!). I'd love to say Mexico will win over Argentina, but based on the first round... no. Ghana and Brazil...another no for Ghana. Argentina and Brazil are way too strong. Hey, who knows, I could very easily be absolutely wrong. Just gotta tune in and see.

A Few Quick Notes

I'm cooking up pasta before G. gets home, so no time for the topic that has been weighing on my mind for awhile now...my thoughts on pizza. I love pizza and think I'm quite an expert on the delicious little meal. I was going to do this whole thing on frozen pizza and still want to...someday. Wish I could say my article revisions have kept me busy, but no--more like a cross between World Cup and these goshdarn summer school classes. They seriously are driving me crazy. I've finally settled into the pace and feel comfortable with the students. Sure it took me three weeks and these are the last two weeks, but better late than never??

G. and I had our first argument related to the World Cup, more specifically, whether the US team could be described as playing "well" in their game against Italy. I said yes, they played ten times better than the first game. G. said no, bringing up the fact that the US hasn't scored a single goal, got their one goal by sheer luck, and should not move ahead into the round of 16. I said that's the nature of the World Cup and one of the many reasons why it's a fascinating phenomenon. There's more to the story, like me feeling that G. was patronizing me, which I'm super sensitive to and whenever I sense it, I tend to overreact. Soccer is the first sport I've shown any interest in and actually have researched (tactics, players, teams), so I think I know a thing or two. And I would like to share that thing or two with others and be taken seriously. Is that so wrong?

Well, I've gone World Cup cukoo. And there are still a couple of weeks left. These next rounds are even more exciting because they are elimination rounds. I'm excited. Maybe you aren't excited and wish I would move to other subjects like Filo's latest encounter with a cat or how I almost started crying in yoga (out of frustration, which is so wrong because yoga is all about not judging your own abilities). That stuff is coming. Promise.

Let's hear it for Ghana!!

Wow. G. and I just finished watching the Ghana/Czech Republic game. What an upset! The Ghana win makes the rest of Group E's games very interesting. This game reinforces the idea that anything can happen in the World Cup, especially when underdog teams like Ghana take on a team like the Czechs. The Ghana win inspires hope for the upcoming US/Italy game. Sure, the US were in a coma in the game against the Czechs, but an underdog can beat a powerhouse. It won't be easy. The Italians are expert players, they are fast, defensive, aggressive and they are in the running for The Best Soccer Hair Ever. For a greater understanding of how important soccer hair is to a team's success, see this article Bleach It Like Beckham. (Argentina has great hair, too. Related to their success, Hmm???)

Before the World Cup, I couldn't watch two soccer games in a row. Of course, those games were from the Mexican soccer league, so the excitement and skill level was a little low (no offense). Since the World Cup started, I've been watching as many games as possible. There is so much to see and study and follow, no matter what teams are playing. And you see such beautiful, graceful moves. It is the Beautiful Game, no doubt. Just watch highlights of the Argentine goals against Serbia & Montenegro. Especially the pass backward (technical term????) that resulted in a goal. Yesterday, G. and I saw repeats of that backward pass at yesterday's El Paso Patriots game.

I haven't decided which team I want to move past the next round of 16 yet. I want the US to play an awesome game, of course, and would like to see Mexico pick up the pace, too. I want the American non-soccer-watching public to appreciate the US team's efforts in such a competitive, pressure situation. Whatever the case, the US/Italy game will be another opportunity to watch some amazing plays. I'm so excited!!!

Here's a great blog from a soccer expert/reporter, Roger Cohen, The Beautiful Game.

Anxiety

I got a three page email of comments for my article. The hard copy is totally written up with copyediting notes. I am trying very, very hard not to feel overwhelmed, which leads to feeling incompetent, which leads to me doubting I can handle graduate school again. I just have to remind myself that if publishing an article was easy, then everybody would do it.

I wish it were Friday already.

Join SPEBSQSA today!

I found this tidbit in a local newspaper. Check out the group's former name:

Border Chorders — The El Paso men’s barbershop and a cappella group rehearses at
7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at University Presbyterian Church, 244 N. Resler. Director is
Bob Calderon. New singers are always welcome. Information: Dave Meier,
751-9617. The Border Chorders are the El Paso chapter of the Barbershop
Harmony Society (formerly known as the Society for the Preservation and
Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, or SPEBSQSA).

SPEBSQSA has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

Vamos al mundial!!!!!

I can't believe I haven't posted about the World Cup. It started on Friday and I am obsessed. Alright, maybe not obsessed--preoccupied? Whatever the case, I followed two games on my laptop Friday while my classes were doing group work, watched all the games I could yesterday and today. I would watch all the games this week if it weren't for pesky work, which is taking way too much of my time.

I encourage anybody to watch a World Cup match, even if you are have only a slight interest in soccer. Strange and wonderful things happen during these matches--weak teams endure attack upon attack without faltering (like Sweden/Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday), strong teams make amazing single plays (Argentina/Ivory Coast). The games are really exciting with expert announcers speaking in Spanish. ABC/ESPN aren't so bad, but you get a lot of World Cup "fun facts."

And Mexico won today! They still have a lot of work ahead of them, still, a win is major. Lavolpe does know what he's doing...

What can I say? I love it! Tomorrow is a big game for the US. They literally MUST win against the Czech Republic (not so easy). Unfortunately, I'll be in class. Tonight, I have to finish writing an exam. Summer school is tiring.

More soon, good luck US team!

Hello Stranger

I never meant to be away for so long. I thought I would post a lot during my mini-break from classes. Instead of the deep lounging that usually takes place during vacays, G. and I were busy with some important stuff, but a lot of unimportant stuff got in the way, too. We ended up having people over a lot, staying up really late every night, drinking, eating-not-so-great, and alternating hours of laziness with more hours of being really busy. On the eve of classes starting up again, we both felt exhausted and unprepared.

Do you ever go through phases of treating yourself really badly? Maybe not intentionally--neglect just builds up over the weeks until you just feel like absolute shit? That was me last week as I adjusted to lecturing for four straight hours everyday, Monday thru Friday. It wasn't so much the lecturing that got to me, but having to be prepared to lecture for the same class everyday. All of my lectures are written out, but there is a lot of lecture revision and setting up video segments and slideshows. I'm not so experienced to lecture off the cuff about both early and late US History--I need outlines, I need to review the outlines and the textbook. During a regular 16 week semester, I have more time to do this prep work. Summer classes are four weeks only, so the pace is quicker.

My own (sad little version) of a rockstar lifestyle caught up with me and now I'm suffering from a cold. I should be asleep, but cold medicine does funny things to my head, like make have super weird dreams and what-the-fuck?-hallucinations. I finally had to get up and try to clear my head--literally, with kleenex after kleenex, and figuratively, by getting back to blogging.

Following Joel's brilliant model, I'm going to offer up a confession to make up for my absence. It's not a sleazy confession by any means (see Joel's blog for that little nugget), it might even be considered sweet. Anyway, my confession is that I still have a blanket from my childhood and I still sleep with it. I never named it or called it anything other than 'Blanket' for the 27 years that it's been with me. Blanket was my constant companion as a kid. There's a classic story of my parent's having to drive back home an hour into a roadtrip because I forgot my Blanket and was crying inconsolably in the backseat. I was 15-- HA! JUST KIDDING, I was 8. By now, Blanket is not much more than some fluff and bits of material in pillowcase, but I just can't let it go. I remember this family friend who suggested that my parents and I cut a piece of Blanket off every night and throw it away in order to get rid of my dependence. At the time (hell, even now), this idea was absolutely horrible. Blanket is my ultimate comfort, waiting patiently for me by my pillow whenever I have a migraine, feel fat and ugly, if my lecture fell flat, when I seriously wonder what the hell I'm doing, if G. ever acts like an idiot (rare, but we all have our moments, no?), or if I just want to nap. By now, I don't travel with Blanket or take it with me in the car or anything. But, I don't ever feel truly comfortable and ready to sleep without it. Really, wouldn't we all be much better off if everybody had a Blanket?

Stay tuned for news about my new hair-do, the World Cup (5 days, 4 hours, 10 minutes to go), a new segment called "This Week in Pizza" (I eat it every week anyway and have some strong opinions that must be shared with the blogging world, if only to make them semi-legitimate and not just the rantings of a pizza-fanatic), and lots of cheesecake pics of Filomena.