Downhill Slide

10 1/2 days until Christmas break. Thank goodness. Holy guacamole I am tired.  And not the kind of tired you feel when you’ve had a long day or you didn’t sleep well. It’s the kind of tired from having a long YEAR.*laugh*

On the homefront, all is great. Princess Crybaby is getting big. She is so alert – one of her favorite activities is watching people walk by.

She wants to talk and I think it aggravates her that she can’t make her mouth form the sounds she wants to make.

Munchkin’s teeth woes continue. I fear the fact that both her parents have less then great teeth combined guarantees we will have problems with her mouth.  I should get a job now to start saving for braces.

She had a tooth filled back in April. Well, the tooth was damaged and now requires a root canal. We started that treatment this week. The endodontist was top-notch and I really liked him. He used a lot if big words and I felt like I spent the better part of his explanation with my mouth hanging open with an expression you might see Mater make….uhhhh, whut?

Before and after school soccer practice has started so I don’t see the Coach much.  I’m excited about the season and hope the boys do well and we get through it with no serious injuries.

Speaking of soccer, what on earth is up with picking Qatar for the World Cup in 2022? That’s just stupid.

Work is going well. We have our annual clean up tomorrow and, while it has morphed into something quite different than the original intent if the day, it should still be a good day.  Work, otherwise, is fast and furious.

Oh, did I mention I’m doing another show? I’ve been cast as Grace Farrell in Annie. It opens the end of January.

I’ve become a little superstitious about doing shows as somebody important to me has died in the last three shows I’ve done.  Roy Finney, my beloved friend and mentor, died during the run of My Way. I miscarried Riley doing Godspell and my sweet kitty, Oscar, died right after I found out I was cast in Annie. Weird, huh?

Well, other than the insane juggling act that is my life right now, nothing is really going on.

*hysterical laughter ensues*

If you will excuse me, I will go slip into my white jacket with the buckles on the back now….  standard uniform here, in Crazyville.

‘night, friends.

He’ll be intolerable after this…

So, as you can imagine, we’ve been watching a LOT of soccer lately.  I consider it part of my education.  *laugh*  I can’t decide if Coach is laughing when I talk about soccer because he’s happy I’m paying attention or if he’s laughing at me.  Either way, I guess it’s a good thing.  *laugh*

Here’s what I’ve learned from watching this World Cup:

1. There is very little (NO) accountability for sucky calls during games.  No sanctions on the ref and no remedy for the teams/players that bear the brunt of the mistake.  Oh, I understand that officials, like players, are human and are GOING to make mistakes but the arrogance involved in refusing to admit they’ve made a mistake is what draws the ire of the entire world.  Dudes, if you’re going to mess something up (and you will), man up and admit it. 
2. Taking a dive is apparently a completely acceptable way to waste time on the field.  I love this exerpt from a blog I found called “The Beautiful Blog:”
    Still trying to get over the disgraceful dive that cost Kaka an ejection in yesterday’s Brazil-Ivory Coast game. Never known as a dirty player, Kaka used his arm to fend off an aggressive challenge by Kader Keita. Kaka’s arm grazed his chest, but Keita went down clutching his face. The referee didn’t have a clue, missing the dive and citing Kaka (who will miss the next game) for absolutely nothing. Time and again, you’re seeing athletes trading their integrity for a yellow card. Or as Keita likes to say:
   “Oh my God! It’s my face! Hold on, it’s my heel! Call an ambulance! I can’t get up! Wait a minute, I’ve never been better!”
3. I still don’t understand offside (or offsides; WHATEVER) calls.  (I don’t think I ever will)
4. I’m pretty sure they will have vuvuzela horns in hell.  That is the most awful sound.  I don’t care if it’s a part of their tradition; audiophiles around the globe groan and stick fingers in their ears, suffering through that racket just to watch the game.  It’s been likened to the singing/chanting that goes on during other games but I beg to differ.  The monotonous drone is nothing like a song with some kind of melody. It’s not the volume, it’s the lack of tonal movement.  Coach loves them.  I hate them.  There you have it. 
5. I’m glad France is doing so poorly.  Serves them right.  And why, on earth, do they have a chicken on their jersey?
6. I want South Africa to do well, even though I know they probably won’t. 
7. Of course I want the USA to advance but I really like watching England, Portugal and Argentina play.  Does that make me a traitor?  Maybe it’s more that Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo (he’s just pretty) and Argentina has Messi and the nutzo antics of Diego Maradona – he’s bananas! 
8. I think it’s hilarious that the camera men zoom in on the players faces during the national anthems, trying to catch them crying like the North Korean player.  I mean, you can see their pores.  What’s impressive is that the players seem to totally ignore the camera.  You know, I consider myself pretty accomplished at not fixating on the camera during an interview but I don’t know that I could resist looking if it was IN. MY. FACE.  *laugh*
9. I’m falling in love with this “beautiful game.”  Dangit.  I hate it when Coach is right.