Messi. Oh. My. God.

I haven't posted in a damn long time but I saw something today that left me at once breathless and gleeful, despite the fact that Arsenal FC was on the recieving end of a truly legendary performance. The word 'legend' is bandied about rather recklessly at times, but it has to be said, it barely scrapes the surface to describe what was on display in Barcelona earlier today. Anybody who saw it will be speaking of it for years to come. It was to the point that I tried (in vain) to get our niece to utter her first word... and I truly wanted it to be 'Messi'.

There wasn't a lot in it from the standpoint of an Arsenal supporter. I sat there thinking that I didn't want to hear any moaning and whinging about referees missing calls or favoring Barca. I've grown weary of that sort of thing in recent years. The whole idea of 'we never lose, we only get robbed', or that piss poor excuse Arsenal fans always seem to bring up: that 'our' players don't get protection from the referees. Protection? These are grown men, for the most part, getting paid a handsome wage. They need protection? That just doesn't inspire much hope in me.

I also think it's absolutely pathetic that any acknowledgment of the other side's superiority on the night is now completely disregarded. What's so hard about admitting that 'we just weren't good enough'? Because, you know, only one team can say they're the best anyway. When it's all said and done, we ALL just weren't good enough.

I don't want to hear any excuses. I just witnessed the best footballer I've ever seen in my entire life. That's all that needs to be said. Lionel Messi is the best. End of story. He's also a damn sight easier to stomach than some of the other recent pretenders to the throne of 'Best in the World'. There's an air of humility about him which stands in stark contrast to the preening, posing, and downright unprofessionalism as displayed by one or two idiot 'geniuses' who seemed to be more concerned with their own personal glory than that time honored ideal which fans rave about: the love of the game. Of course, I could be wrong. In a few years time we may find out that Lionel Messi is a complete shite of epic proportions, say, like Tiger. But I highly doubt it. I'll put the new house on it; Lionel Messi is and will always be a football purist's dream.

Arsene Wenger echoed my thoughts during the match; that Messi's performance was so unreal that he seemed more like his doppelganger on FIFA 10, as if being played by a 14 year old geek hyped up on a gallon of Mountain Dew. I've honestly never seen anything like it. As an Arsenal fan I could complain about rubbish defending, but no, I won't do that. I could bring up the fact that Arsenal has been ravaged by injury (when AREN'T they?), but no, I won't do that either. None of that really matters. Messi would have slashed and burned anybody who was placed in front of him tonight. No, no bitching here. I feel lucky to be able to say that I saw one of the best of all time put in a performance that completely blurred the lines between sport and art. It was the stuff myths are made of and one that will be used as proof in those timeless debates over beers to cement the argument that yes, in fact, Lionel Messi was the best of all time. It may border on blasphemy, but I have no problem doing it, never have. I may well be a prisoner of the moment, but what I saw with my own eyes today looked like pretty compelling evidence.

Lionel Messi. Oh. My. God.

The Handball and a C that needs to STFU

France v Republic of Ireland.



The scandal that is Thierry Henry handling the effing ball is in full swing and I, for one, actually saw the shit LIVE, so there. I felt it was a grave injustice, but nothing is predictble in football, and who knows what would have happened if the goal had been disallowed. Unlike most of the ruckus and vomitus being spewed, it would NOT have assured the Republic of Ireland their passage to the World Cup. It would have simply led to more extra time and then inevitably the coin flip that is the penalty shoot-out. That goal only denied the Irish an opportunity, which I suppose is all they wanted anyway.

It is a shame though. I invested time and emotion into the Boys in Green and what a way to have the 'dream' shattered... and by (in my fucking opinion) the Best Arsenal Player Ever. Wow. I don't know what to feel in truth. I agree somewhat with Thierry's half-arse explanation that it was the ref's call to make, but it's also HIS responsibility as a player to be honest and not effing CHEAT. It's kind of like that Eduardo fiasco from earlier in the season, and I'm finding it increasingly hard to defend their actions.

I do find another similarity in the embarassingly indignant reaction coming from all quarters at this point. There are C's who didn't even KNOW the play-off was being contested that are now contorting in outrage at the... goal... or the play... or the guy... he did something... he TOUCHED the ball, by God! It's really over the top. I admit, I was stunned into silence as the final whistle blew. I felt as though I'd witnessed something very wrong, but FFS, it wasn't a CRIME. Worse things happen in alleyways in this city on a nightly basis. But much like Eduardo's bullshit move, this 'thing' happened during the most interesting football match being played on a weeknight. That is, most eyes were upon it, and giving that the match had moved into extra time, I'm going on a limb somewhat in assuming that it was the only match being played ANYWHERE at that hour. With Ireland leading 1-nil and the teams even at a goal a piece on aggregate, well... it doesn't take much in the way of brain power to figure out that something special might be a-brewing, so why not have a look?

And then to see what? Thierry Henry cynically cheat. Cos fuck knows that's all he's now going to be remembered for. Just like Zidane's bizarre melt-down in extra time (again!) in the last World Cup final against Italy, his career is going to be narrowed down to a split second of carelessness. Yes, carelessness. Do I think he did it deliberately? How the hell should I know? I DO think it may have been down to fatigue more than anything else. Maybe he figured why not try it, it's so blatant, the ref HAS to call it. I don't know. I'm not defending him either, I'm just saying...

And as far as Irish justice minister Dermot Ahern is concerned, he who said, "we should put the powers that be in the cosy world of FIFA on the spot and demand a replay"... Seriously, fucking shameless opportunist... this man can kiss my ENTIRE ass.

Intense Tedium and Dodgy Vans

Oh no, not again.

I find myself saying this FAR too often nowadays. It's due to the neighbor and his severe lack of imagination. I mean, seriously, what the FUCK is it with the Doors? They were relevant 40 years ago but THIS guy is at it hammer and tongs with this shit. To make matters worse, it's only 4 songs he chooses from. It's disturbing. Now, I have to admit, I had my Doors phase a few years back. It was fueled by evenings (and sometimes afternoons) sipping gin. It all went down quite nicely to be honest. A gin buzz (ahem, or being well pissed on it) and Morrison's pretentious poetry went well hand in hand... really. But THIS shit?



'Roadhouse Blues', 'LA Woman', 'Break on Through to the Other Side', and of course, 'Light My Fire' are the tracks that make up the entire playlist. JAYSUS!! Over and over again. What a crap DJ. It's fine if you dig those songs, but SAVE them for a certain moment when you can really relish them and DON'T wear them out. Any person with ANY grey matter should be ill of those tunes by now. 'LA Woman' IS a brilliant track but not 5 or 6 times an evening. It becomes downright offensive... not to mention intensely tedious.

Ah, the hell with it...



Moving along...

Now, I've been belligerent at times with a reader of this blog on account of her decision to eat food from what I consider to be a highly dubious, and dare I say, 'dodgy' van. I could not FATHOM such a thing and was absolutely SCANDALIZED at such a brazen choice on her part. However, I'm one to talk, right? Since I've been here in the Biggest City in The World (tm), I've been eating at dodgy STANDS, FFS! Shit, the way I see it, at least that van has wheels to fuck off on in case the health inspectors pitch up!

Lila... The Legend.

Graceful. Radiant. Inspiring.



What more can I say? I can dig through a dictionary or a thesaurus, or both, and still not come up with the adequate terms to describe the experience of Lila Downs. I DID live it Saturday night however. What a performer. Never a dull moment. Sheer brilliance. What a voice. Powerful. Sentimental. Forceful. What range. She can make ANY song hers if she so pleases. And she does.

Much credit should go to her backing band. Her husband and all, what a sound it is that emanates from their souls. It was like gang busters when Lila took the stage to 'Black Magic Woman', the song that gives the current tour it's name. From the outset it was energy and emotion, and something intangible that few artists I've ever seen can manage. That feeling of immediate intimacy, Lila Downs pulls it off; makes you in the audience feel as if YOU are the most important element in the proceedings. She makes YOU feel like a star. Her smile reaches into you and shows you how much she LOVES what she's doing and that she's doing it for YOU.

She's only massive, innit. Truly well amazing.

I Dig Our Curtains

We had a nice weekend. We were up early on Saturday, spent the day with family and the night with fam and friends. A well-pissed welcome for yours truly. I don't even want to HARBOR a guess as to how many beers I swilled that night. We got home round 4.30 and all I can remember is getting into my PJs and into bed and it was lights fucking out. I don't even think we said 'good night'. Yun said the same thing happened to her. It was a long day.

We were drinking coffee in Tok's at noon Sunday then hit Soriana for a damn FAN cos I can't deal with non-circulating air, FFS! Heat I can take, stagnant air, no fucking chance. We finally got our awesome curtains up, curtains that were sewn and sorted by my suegra in what seemed like a matter of hours. It MUST be said, they ARE hands-down the classiest curtains in the building. I commented last night that we may not have the biggest apartment in the world, but it damn sure won't be short on style, dammit. Oh yes, we DO have taste. And I really can't wait to get the Frida portraits up.

The Roof and the Same Old Song...

I've been here for... 5 days. FIVE DAYS?! Holy Christ... I hadn't realized that. Oh well, it's probably best not to keep count. The apartment could use some help. It's roomy... if you're an effing parakeet. There's no place or space for me to go and brood. I guess I could go sit up on the roof with the gas tank, hold hands and watch the stars twinkle or something.

This city is massive and I mean in size, not necessarily in coolness. In fact I've found very little in the way of coolnes as yet. Like today... I have never heard so much shit music during the course of one afternoon in my entire LIFE! And this wasn't in my house either, it was coming from the neighbors downstairs. The tunes in my place were OK. They would probably grade higher, but I'm gonna swear AGAIN... If I hear this Manoo Chow one more time I honestly think I'm going to heave lunch and likely internal organs from a great height, well, the 3rd floor balcony anyway. Fucking hell, REALLY... Can one person fool so any others with what to me, the untrained ear, sounds like the same fucking song over and over again?*



*Disclaimer- I actually used to dig it too!

'Last' things and reminiscing with Christy Moore...

As I've been feeling no pressure about the Big Shift, I've had time to look around and take in the last of whatever I'm doing. I had the last haircut yesterday and I'll have the last dump tomorrow or so. I'll watch my last sporting event tonight and watch my last nasty unhealthy shit-dose of cable news at some point. And of course I'm referring to the Fox News shite. I WILL miss Maddow and them though, gotta admit that.

It's a rainy day in DeepSouth, and just TOO perfectly dramatic for reminiscing and all sorts of similar time-wasting endeavors. If it was a film, it'd be considered time-worn and overdone. Then I've got Christy Moore singing about 'Veronica' over here. Bloody hell, if I had a bottle of Jameson I'd fucking well miss my flight, drowned in memories that'd been dug up in my well-pissed state..... oh yes, I'd have a fuck of a time making my flight... TOMORROW!!