2010 Recap; 2011 - Bring it On!

It's pretty damn sad when you get excited over an email announcing the sale at Sainsbury's. lol. Sainsbury's? Really?

But then, what else am I supposed to get excited about? I ordered some new bling, was promised it would be delivered in one day. One day later, I am blingless. Bear with me then as I jump up and down over the prospect of ordering pasta and orange juice at half price.

So another day has come and gone and today I did zero studying. My mind was just not in it. I woke up late, feeling groggy after taking stronger medication last night, and I just never really got into the swing of things. My email to the course director is still to be penned because it is alarming that in essence I have not even been afforded a hiatus from school work between semesters. I have been given 2 weeks off from the commute, but not from work. Not a robot, people. I cannot tend to my health as I would like because I am doomed to study every waking hour? Really?

High heel porn - I miss these shoes.

And another year has come and is almost gone. I cannot remember all the highs and lows of 2010 but there were some points that are kinda hard to miss. Let's see, I planned and executed my awesome vacation to Italy, and no Italians were harmed in the making of said vacation. I was an ardent fitness maven once more. I really love the gym. Really miss the gym. What else? Oh, happy year - it was a World Cup year. No explanation needed! Helped with the planning and hosting of the long overdue high school reunion - reuniting the best and brightest and most beautiful girls on the planet after eons. I gained a new cute nephew and became a first time aunt. I loved my job, hated my job, did well at my job, quit my job, and moved to the other side of the world, away from my world, my life, my people!!!! Moved miles away, with no job, barely any disposable income for the lifestyle I am used to, and paid people to be inconvenienced daily via assignments, studying and odd people. In case you could not ascertain the last part - I became a Masters student. lol. And after only blogging about my career, I started this blog in May to blog about life outside of the office. It's a good thing seeing that I have no job at the moment. lol

The other bits, which I do not blog about, went through some upheaval but all things happen for a reason I say. Leaving trash in the past and moving forward with only shiny, bright optimism.

I don't make resolutions - to be a better person, to diet or any of that crap. I do just try to learn from my mistakes and move past them, and try to make the new year more memorable than the last. And to be happy. And to ensure that the people I love most are happy and healthy. That's it really. Hopefully I will fall in love with London all over again in 2011 because as it is now, between school and illness and winter, London and I are headed for divorce. A bitter bitter divorce. More free time in semester two and good health, should be the therapy we need to keep the love alive.

Health. Hmm...there's a concept. I am on cup #100 of lemon flu tea and now I also have some weird stomach bug that is really keeping me on the NHS watchlist, so it's fun times at Casa de Estudiante. Really hoping to be at least 85% to ring in 2011 but if not, I know that the next 365 days have a lot of promise because I will it to be so.

Happy New Year guys.

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Flight 2-1 to the USA, now boarding!!!

The USA crashed out of the World Cup today and many people screamed Good Riddance. The Americans wonder why many don't like them when it comes to international sporting activities and I don't know about other people, but I can hardly stand the commentary and the we are the greatest, we are the best, and if we lose, it's not because the other team was better, but because we had a bad day mentality. Yes, there is talent, but talent without humility and sportsmanship is wasted.

I was channel surfing and heard the dude with the microphone on ESPN (cannot call him an unbiased sports journalist) say How can a country one-tenth the size of America beat the USA? I mean....wow. The level of arrogance is mind numbing and worse, America is home to many immigrants from small nations - immigrants that contribute to their economy. This flippant, arrogant statement really floored me. Especially coming from people whose team features players from countries even smaller than Ghana, including Trinidad and Tobago. I guess when it's not so shocking when it suits them.

 Take the Olympics. The 100m finals. The premier event of all track events. Usain Bolt is from an island way smaller than Ghana and runs circles around their best athletes on a bad day. The results table above just shows that. A Jamaican and a Trini beat an American into third. Shocking. And then for good measure, a dude from the Neth. Antilles, 2 more Jamaicans and another Trini decided to show the other American how it's done. Their total populations probably cannot fit in Alaska. But hey...they beat 'em. USA's World Champion in the 400m hurdles, Kerron Clement is from an island smaller than Ghana...my island. So yes, I am a bit miffed that these people continuously assert themselves as the greatest athletes the world has ever seen and it is incredulous that people from countries with smaller budgets, less resources but a whole lot of heart and pride can drub the USA in a sport that they have not even fully embraced. Shocker! I guess they have gotten so used to being kings in CONCACAF, a region with teams from countries so much smaller and with less financial resources than theirs, that the fact that a "small" African nation could send them packing is too much for their imaginations to handle.

Ghana played some spectacular football today and it was a well deserved win. I hope the USA at least gets first class seats on Air "Got my Ass Kicked" back to the States, as opposed to the French who sadly were relegated to economy after their dismal showing. I mean, coming from a country so much larger than Ghana in every way, shape and form, except on the field, this is the least they can do.

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Boys and Beans

Cooking after a long day at work, and then after sitting another couple hours in traffic is a real buzzkill, when all you want to do is take a shower, and get snuggly. It's no wonder I don't yet have a husband and some brown kids, because they would starve and be dead...or worse...be put to work in the kitchen! But I came home and if I am to stick to a healthy lunch tomorrow, I am going to have to cook it myself, or risk eating some bacteria infested junk from the food courts in Port of Spain. Luckily I steamed enough veggies last night so I just need to cook some peas. But oh,  I am tired. This World Cup will be the death of me. Any rest I should have gotten this weekend went up in a poof of football smoke. I watched all 3 games yesterday and missed the Sunday afternoon nap and still went to bed after 10, so yeah...not bubbly smurf or Iron Chef smurf at the moment.

But as an aside, though they will most likely not win the World Cup, especially after the beating they took yesterday, I just want to congratulate the Australian team for being such a good looking, well dressed bunch. Your kits were unique, stylish and sexy.

So I opened a tin of peas. Just a small note to Happi - I was not happy after opening this can, because it specfically said light red kidney beans, which is what I specifically wanted because they cook better and more importantly, faster. These beans were NOT light red. If I get to bed late because of these dark red beans, I want my money back!

I enjoy cooking but it has been a long time since I put down a spread. These days I mostly cook for myself and then it's quick and easy things and if I am lucky, a one pot meal. Soups are easiest. No mess, no stress. Dinner today was a pop in the microwave (in this case, pop in the pot to boil cause still gots no microwave) 4-minute Nissin noodle meal. Life saver, lemme tell you. I can look past the MSG and sodium on days like this. Reminds me of my university days - one pot meals and microwave dinners. Not the most exciting meals but when you wake up at 3.20am, they are the most convenient. I have also not had a manicure or facial in months, so it's sufferation right across the board.

Maybe I will decompress this weekend with some cooking. Some damn it to hell, beatdown, put me in house cooking! And football...let's not forget the football.

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It ain't easy being Green

So the big game was today. The Mighty Lions were taking on the team from the USA, the "soccer" nation. The game eventually ended very disappointingly, with the USA pulling back a goal with the help of the English goalkeeper, Robert Green, who clearly was thinking about getting some tonight instead of thinking about holding on to the damn ball. This goal hopefully will not be his legacy.



Need a still?

Another? Yep. This dude will probably not be sleeping very well tonight. It ain't easy being Green.

But another disturbing component of this game was the USA kit. I swear, they just needed to step up and go "I am Carlos Bocanegra. Miss USA...or...umm...Mr USA." What's the beauty pageeant sash like stripe about? Very not cool for a bunch of burly football men. Their red kit is the same style, with a blue sash.

But thankfully Becks kept it manly and sexy.

The Argentines thankfully pulled off a win this morning so my Saturday, which was adjusted, swapping shopping and wine bar, for leftovers and football, was not a total bust. Diego Maradona looks pretty good for a man who has been to crack and back.

Habib Bellaid plays with Algeria tomorrow (Kay, are you ready?), so the eye candy moment would be during that game. But the Germans also play tomorrow so I am in full football loving mode then. And I am now, with the excitement of one Habib-esque guy, in full vacation countdown mode as well.

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The Men of the World Cup, for the ladies

So the World Cup kicks off today and though I am a true football fan, I am also a woman and I have girlfriends who don't care about the game or formations or goals. Just the players. Just some hot hard body, so different from the beer bellied signifcant other next to you on the couch, and the best part is - he is too wrapped up in the game to see you drooling. So here are some of the players you ladies should look for over the next month.

Though I am NOT a USA fan, this dude is hot. Carlos Bocanegra. Sweet Lord...where can I get one?

The Italian skipper...my man. Mmm. Fabio Canavarro. (yummy)

Another hot Italian. Lord have mercy. Claudio Marchisio.

The Algerians are WELL represented by this chocolate decadence. Habib Bellaid. Thanks Kay. He is so cute. Nah dread...he sweet.

From the Spanish side, Cesc Fabregas. Love how that name just rolls off the tongue too. Fabregas.

He kinda looks like 12, and is not too far from it, but he's cute still. Gregory Van der Wiel of the Netherlands. My inner cougar is roaring.

Youann Gourcruff will kick off for the Les Bleus.

After some resistance, I have decided to add pretty boy Thierry. The Frenchman would do better to play fairly during this tournament though.

From Team Ghana, and for Bingi, Kevin Prince Boateng.

The Brazilians, thank God, have Kaka. Ronaldinho is great but he will not be missed by the female gapers.

I am not too enthralled by him, and I think he is too cocky, but the women seem to love him. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

And he shall be missed. Becks!

Who would you add to this list?

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Channelling my inner leopard

I think the 2010 mascot for the FIFA World Cup is so hot. I dunno, but Zakumi the footballing leopard reminds me of myself. Don't you think? Spunky, loads of attitude and of course, loves football. I think South Africa did really well to have a fun and likeable mascot where other mascots have crashed and burned.

Reeeeeeeally trying to channel my inner Zakumi this week but it has been a struggle. Still battling a bit of a cough but much much better today. I think old age may be getting the best of me because I used to boast in my blue-skied youth that I never got things like the common cold or flu. This is the second or third time in recent months that I have been sick. Adulthood bites. The stresses and frustrations of work and the hustle of a life crammed into one short weekend have done me in and here I am - a slave to the Theraflu and romancing the pillows early o'clock. The meds were also doing strange things to my stomach and talk about feeling drabulous. Add some other big people life issues and the week has not been a winner. But thank God for World Cup and the England vs USA game this weekend because life seems sunny once more. It's why I suggest that adults also love mascots and shit like sports because we can celebrate that inner child that seems to be suppressed and maimed by the ins and outs of daily and sometimes crappy adult life. But in the end, God is great and things happen as they should. So onward we go. Zakumi, the world and me.

And hey, the leopard and I have one other thing in common. We rock the cat print! Told you, spunky and lots of attitude.

In case you're a fan like me, someone pointed me to this awesome WC calendar. And in case you were confused, I will be supporting England in that match.

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