Growing up in an Italian family, there is almost no way to avoid soccer. It becomes a topic during most get togethers and seems to punctuate every Sunday meal with the family. It’s in the blood.
Every four years we are blessed with the wondrous event known as the World Cup. I remember many a summer afternoon sitting in front of someone’s television watching the game of the day. Occasionally we’d watch at my aunt’s house and it would be a reunion of sorts – everyone coming to her place to see each other and to yell at the TV together.
On some occasions the men and the women watched separately as the women undeniably yelled at the referees a little more than the men. Although the men made more guttural noises during the matches – awwwws when their teams missed a goal, oooohs when the opposing team just missed making a goal. It was great fun and I have fond memories of some world cups. Notably the 1982 Italy win when everyone went out into the streets with their cars and motorcycles honking horns and screaming. I don’t think anyone went to sleep before 4 am that night.
Four years ago will be remembered by my husband as the year when I yelled so loud for a goal that I woke my dog. This year is the year when I still yell at the TV but need to leave the room when his team is losing so as not make him more nervous. We have very different soccer watching styles. He’s far quieter than I am and I need to yell at the coaches or at the TV when I get frustrated.
I do enjoy watching soccer most of the time but I don’t watch it with the intensity that I do when the world cup is on. All the TVs in every house are showing the match and all chores are done while watching the teams on the field.
This year, I’d like for an underdog to win but it’s not looking that promising. I hope the rest of the games are exciting to watch and that they are as memorable as some of the matches so far have been.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Out, Out Damned Spot
My husband and I love to eat. I thoroughly enjoy cooking; it relaxes me completely. The creativity that comes with cooking is also something that fulfills me when I’m not being creative in other areas of my life. My husband also likes to cook and it can be a fun experience to eat what he’s concocted.
But we also love to eat out. I especially like to try different cuisines and restaurants. It is one of my favorite aspects of living in New York City – the sheer assortment of cultures and restaurants out there.
I think my husband likes to try new things too. I can often tell exactly how much he likes a restaurant by the number of spots he gets on his clothes. The more stains a shirt has, the more he has enjoyed his meal. If my husband doesn’t christen a shirt with a spot, the meal probably wasn’t that good. He most definitely will not recommend it to others. Plus, without the proof on his shirt or pants, what can he possibly show to convince them?
I try to keep my clothes in the best shape possible. But there is the occasional white shirt that gets christened with a yummy tomato sauce or an energizing coffee drink. It happens to all of us. Maybe instead of getting those spots out, we can make a collage of our best meals?
But we also love to eat out. I especially like to try different cuisines and restaurants. It is one of my favorite aspects of living in New York City – the sheer assortment of cultures and restaurants out there.
I think my husband likes to try new things too. I can often tell exactly how much he likes a restaurant by the number of spots he gets on his clothes. The more stains a shirt has, the more he has enjoyed his meal. If my husband doesn’t christen a shirt with a spot, the meal probably wasn’t that good. He most definitely will not recommend it to others. Plus, without the proof on his shirt or pants, what can he possibly show to convince them?
I try to keep my clothes in the best shape possible. But there is the occasional white shirt that gets christened with a yummy tomato sauce or an energizing coffee drink. It happens to all of us. Maybe instead of getting those spots out, we can make a collage of our best meals?
Friday, June 18, 2010
Inner Struggle
I had a really bad day yesterday. Work was horrendous on so many levels and it just put me in such a bad mood. I found myself meditating and talking to myself to get myself out of the funk I was in. I was truly disappointed with myself because I was practicing some new techniques since my vacation.
After I got back from vacation I had told myself that I would try to be more positive and not let things get to me so much. I’ve been dealing with a lot of the physical effects of stress these last two years that I really needed to find a way to not let things get to me as much. So after a week and two days of being more relaxed and happier due to my new found positivistic attitude, it went straight to the dumpster by about 10 am yesterday morning.
What makes me so frustrated about this mood going into the trash is that it’s tiring to be upset. Then talking myself into a good mood also makes me tired. All these conversations within my own head are just as exhausting at times as just letting the emotion be. But being angry isn’t a great way to be either. And talking to oneself, even if it’s inside my own head, probably isn’t a way to stay sane either.
Another example of this inner talk happened a few weeks ago. Someone I know did something that really upset me and made me feel horrible. I felt like the ugliest duckling ever. But instead of letting it get to me, I spent a couple hours talking to myself into thoughts of:
“It’s their problem, not mine”
“They don’t realize what they have”
“They are selfish and have no idea how stupid they are being”
It worked for the most part but those days sure were tiring. I don’t think an intense workout would have made my body feel as tired as my mind did during that period.
Most times it really is mind over matter and it’s the strength of mind that gets us through a lot of things. But you’ll never hear me deny the toll this inner struggle takes on a person.
After I got back from vacation I had told myself that I would try to be more positive and not let things get to me so much. I’ve been dealing with a lot of the physical effects of stress these last two years that I really needed to find a way to not let things get to me as much. So after a week and two days of being more relaxed and happier due to my new found positivistic attitude, it went straight to the dumpster by about 10 am yesterday morning.
What makes me so frustrated about this mood going into the trash is that it’s tiring to be upset. Then talking myself into a good mood also makes me tired. All these conversations within my own head are just as exhausting at times as just letting the emotion be. But being angry isn’t a great way to be either. And talking to oneself, even if it’s inside my own head, probably isn’t a way to stay sane either.
Another example of this inner talk happened a few weeks ago. Someone I know did something that really upset me and made me feel horrible. I felt like the ugliest duckling ever. But instead of letting it get to me, I spent a couple hours talking to myself into thoughts of:
“It’s their problem, not mine”
“They don’t realize what they have”
“They are selfish and have no idea how stupid they are being”
It worked for the most part but those days sure were tiring. I don’t think an intense workout would have made my body feel as tired as my mind did during that period.
Most times it really is mind over matter and it’s the strength of mind that gets us through a lot of things. But you’ll never hear me deny the toll this inner struggle takes on a person.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Cherchez La Femme (Francaise)
This entry has very little to do with the French language. It was mostly based on a thought I had earlier today.
One of my good friends, Jimmy, would always say that French girls acted a certain way. And for the most part I agreed with him. French girls do have a tendency to act in a way that makes the stereotype true. They pout, they complain, they are moody and sometimes need a lot of attention. I know this after spending time in France and having a number of French female students. However I got confirmation from Jimmy and we sometimes say this about a mutual friend who is a very French female, which makes sense because she’s French.
However, lately I’m starting to see this behavior a lot with American girls. I’m thinking of one person in particular and how they have been acting for the last two days. It’s driving me a little batty because the pouting, the negativity and the need for attention is not something I do. And it’s not something I tolerate too much outside of France either. So I thought I would write this for my friend, Jimmy. Jimmy…this isn’t appealing or attractive in women. You are right!
One of my good friends, Jimmy, would always say that French girls acted a certain way. And for the most part I agreed with him. French girls do have a tendency to act in a way that makes the stereotype true. They pout, they complain, they are moody and sometimes need a lot of attention. I know this after spending time in France and having a number of French female students. However I got confirmation from Jimmy and we sometimes say this about a mutual friend who is a very French female, which makes sense because she’s French.
However, lately I’m starting to see this behavior a lot with American girls. I’m thinking of one person in particular and how they have been acting for the last two days. It’s driving me a little batty because the pouting, the negativity and the need for attention is not something I do. And it’s not something I tolerate too much outside of France either. So I thought I would write this for my friend, Jimmy. Jimmy…this isn’t appealing or attractive in women. You are right!
Don't Drink the Water
You are probably thinking this has something to do with Monteczuma’s revenge. Oh but it doesn’t. This fun and exciting topic is being bought to you by “Pelvic Sonogram”.
I recently went to the ‘lady’ doctor, as my mom calls it, for my yearly exam. I told her I had some female issues and she sent me to get a pelvic sonogram. In order to get a pelvic combined sonogram, they need to go trace around your stomach with this machine to see the outside view of the uterus and stuff. Then they go inside you with a probe to check the inside view. (I’m trying not to be graphic but I’m not sure it’s working)
In order to do the outside view, you need to have a full bladder. They tell you to drink lots of water before you go for this sonogram. (Something about the sonic waves from the machine gives a clearer picture through liquid.) I’m fine with drinking lots of water; I normally do. But having to wait 2 hours for the sonogram with a full bladder was not a joyous event in the least. I found I couldn’t sit without wanting to run to the bathroom and I couldn’t stand without the urge to tinkle. It was truly annoying and uncomfortable.
Sadly though, I had to go back for another pelvic sonogram when my original one showed some abnormalities. So this time around, I didn’t drink as much water because I was afraid I’d have to wait a while before they would do the tests. Nope, not this time. They took me immediately! And of course, my bladder wasn’t full enough. So I had to drink 2 bottles of water and then I had to wait until my bladder became full.
Then when I went in for the exam I thought my bladder was going to explode because the technician kept pressing on my stomach to get a better picture. Well, needless to say, I hope no one else has to ever go through this experience. I hope the test results come out positively…but in the meantime, do drink the water…it’s good for you. Just be careful if you go for a pelvic combined ultrasound.
I recently went to the ‘lady’ doctor, as my mom calls it, for my yearly exam. I told her I had some female issues and she sent me to get a pelvic sonogram. In order to get a pelvic combined sonogram, they need to go trace around your stomach with this machine to see the outside view of the uterus and stuff. Then they go inside you with a probe to check the inside view. (I’m trying not to be graphic but I’m not sure it’s working)
In order to do the outside view, you need to have a full bladder. They tell you to drink lots of water before you go for this sonogram. (Something about the sonic waves from the machine gives a clearer picture through liquid.) I’m fine with drinking lots of water; I normally do. But having to wait 2 hours for the sonogram with a full bladder was not a joyous event in the least. I found I couldn’t sit without wanting to run to the bathroom and I couldn’t stand without the urge to tinkle. It was truly annoying and uncomfortable.
Sadly though, I had to go back for another pelvic sonogram when my original one showed some abnormalities. So this time around, I didn’t drink as much water because I was afraid I’d have to wait a while before they would do the tests. Nope, not this time. They took me immediately! And of course, my bladder wasn’t full enough. So I had to drink 2 bottles of water and then I had to wait until my bladder became full.
Then when I went in for the exam I thought my bladder was going to explode because the technician kept pressing on my stomach to get a better picture. Well, needless to say, I hope no one else has to ever go through this experience. I hope the test results come out positively…but in the meantime, do drink the water…it’s good for you. Just be careful if you go for a pelvic combined ultrasound.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Flirting with Disaster
After having an in-depth conversation with a friend at work, I realized that flirting is a very tricky thing. Sometimes it seems so obvious and other times, it could be construed in a completely harmless way.
Part of this discussion came up because we were disagreeing about someone’s flirting tactics (you can tell I have a lot of work to do, I’m sure). He clearly thought they were flirting whereas I thought they might just be innocent comments. The person in question was asking the other person a number of questions and she took that to be flirting. I took it to be natural curiosity because I know I ask people lots of questions. I don’t flirt with people in general….but when I do it’s very obvious to me.
So it brought me to the question of why does it seem like some people flirt with everything and everyone that moves, while others don’t seem to flirt at all?
In my relatively short time on this earth, I’ve noticed that certain groups of people flirt a lot more than others. Not really sure why except that it might be a cultural teaching. I find it incredibly annoying when I see it because it just comes on so strong and seems so false. It would be hard to tell when and if those people really are interested. At the same time, if they are flirting with everyone, then what does that suggest to the flirtee? Or is it that these people are being nice but they don’t know how strongly they are coming on?
Let’s investigate. If a person flirts with me and everyone else, how would I know that they were flirting with me, right? If a person flirts with only me, then I can guess that they are flirting with me and only me. Then if they flirt with me and only me, then I might follow through with the flirting if I feel like I want to pursue that. Is it me or does my method seem too straightforward and logical?
Here’s an example: This girl that I know bats her eyelashes at everyone, EVERYONE! Gender doesn’t matter at all. And she calls everyone sweetie. She often wonders why all these guys hit on her and why the guys she’s interested in never respond. She also has trouble figuring out why women are always yelling at her to not call them ‘sweetie’. She’s an example of an overly flirtatious person, who should probably only flirt with the men she’s interested in. But maybe I’m too practical. She’s obviously winning in some situations where the flirting with everyone comes in handy.
Maybe she’s thinking that flirting on a mass scale could be planting many seeds in hope that at least one person will respond. But people respond, it’s just not the people she wants to respond. I guess this is one of those topics that will forever make me ponder.
Part of this discussion came up because we were disagreeing about someone’s flirting tactics (you can tell I have a lot of work to do, I’m sure). He clearly thought they were flirting whereas I thought they might just be innocent comments. The person in question was asking the other person a number of questions and she took that to be flirting. I took it to be natural curiosity because I know I ask people lots of questions. I don’t flirt with people in general….but when I do it’s very obvious to me.
So it brought me to the question of why does it seem like some people flirt with everything and everyone that moves, while others don’t seem to flirt at all?
In my relatively short time on this earth, I’ve noticed that certain groups of people flirt a lot more than others. Not really sure why except that it might be a cultural teaching. I find it incredibly annoying when I see it because it just comes on so strong and seems so false. It would be hard to tell when and if those people really are interested. At the same time, if they are flirting with everyone, then what does that suggest to the flirtee? Or is it that these people are being nice but they don’t know how strongly they are coming on?
Let’s investigate. If a person flirts with me and everyone else, how would I know that they were flirting with me, right? If a person flirts with only me, then I can guess that they are flirting with me and only me. Then if they flirt with me and only me, then I might follow through with the flirting if I feel like I want to pursue that. Is it me or does my method seem too straightforward and logical?
Here’s an example: This girl that I know bats her eyelashes at everyone, EVERYONE! Gender doesn’t matter at all. And she calls everyone sweetie. She often wonders why all these guys hit on her and why the guys she’s interested in never respond. She also has trouble figuring out why women are always yelling at her to not call them ‘sweetie’. She’s an example of an overly flirtatious person, who should probably only flirt with the men she’s interested in. But maybe I’m too practical. She’s obviously winning in some situations where the flirting with everyone comes in handy.
Maybe she’s thinking that flirting on a mass scale could be planting many seeds in hope that at least one person will respond. But people respond, it’s just not the people she wants to respond. I guess this is one of those topics that will forever make me ponder.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Gag Gift
A couple of months ago a dear friend came to visit me in the city. During an early morning tv informercial bombardment campaign, she saw a plug for a product that really took anchor in her mind. She mentioned this product to me during our brunch and I was notably impressed by what it was claiming. We made a few jokes about this product and how some people could use it but I left it at that.
A few days later, I got an email from my friend telling me more about this product. I was a little surprised because I didn’t think that this product had made such an impression on my friend. But obviously it had! I took a look at the product’s website again and I could see the advantages of this product.
I left the idea of this product on the backburner until I realized that my friend’s birthday was soon approaching. ‘What do I get her?,” I kept thinking. Until finally one day the logical gift appeared in my brain! Get her the product from the informercial!
Hesitation surrounded me. I really wanted to get her a gift she would use but getting her this product could suggest a big pool of problems. Would it suggest that I thought she needed to lose weight? Would it be offensive to her? I ask around and in the pit of my stomach, I knew she’s get a laugh but my brain wasn’t so sure. I worried she would ‘de-friend’ me.
Luckily though, she loved the gift and laughed about it. I felt super happy that not only was it a funny gift but one with a little bit of thought behind it. It’s always fun to give gag gifts to your friends.
A few days later, I got an email from my friend telling me more about this product. I was a little surprised because I didn’t think that this product had made such an impression on my friend. But obviously it had! I took a look at the product’s website again and I could see the advantages of this product.
I left the idea of this product on the backburner until I realized that my friend’s birthday was soon approaching. ‘What do I get her?,” I kept thinking. Until finally one day the logical gift appeared in my brain! Get her the product from the informercial!
Hesitation surrounded me. I really wanted to get her a gift she would use but getting her this product could suggest a big pool of problems. Would it suggest that I thought she needed to lose weight? Would it be offensive to her? I ask around and in the pit of my stomach, I knew she’s get a laugh but my brain wasn’t so sure. I worried she would ‘de-friend’ me.
Luckily though, she loved the gift and laughed about it. I felt super happy that not only was it a funny gift but one with a little bit of thought behind it. It’s always fun to give gag gifts to your friends.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Not a Banner Month
May came and went. Not entirely sure how that happened...I'm not happy with my blog production in May...June doesn't look so hot either.
Need to get moving....will be more productive shortly.
Need to get moving....will be more productive shortly.
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