Very Heavy Material to Follow
I just don't have it in me to post something serious and thought-provoking. We could debate the effects of cussing again. Anyone? Kidding. We could discuss how the Democratic Party is like the New York Knicks: no plan to improve and ready to implode. Or we could tackle some hot theological topic like birth control as the religious right creeps closer and closer to the Catholic stance on the issue. But I'm not in the mood so let's not go there, k?
Here are some questions for you:
1) Are the people of the USA any closer to embracing soccer as the World Cup wraps up or farther away than before?
2) What summer songs are on your iPod? What are you listening to out by the pool?
3) Do you have a physical space in your house that brings you peace? (For the sake of discussion and all things tasteful, let's just go ahead and forgo any answers dealing with using the toilet.)
4) Have you seen Superman? Any good? Bad? Does that random dude who plays the Man of Steel pull it off?
5) What are your plans for the 4th? I have a friend for whom the 4th is his favorite holiday (BYoung). Is it yours? Why or why not?
I know these are heady questions. Take your time as you ponder their significance in the blog-o-sphere. After you've done this, and only after, please comment.
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Here are some questions for you:
1) Are the people of the USA any closer to embracing soccer as the World Cup wraps up or farther away than before?
2) What summer songs are on your iPod? What are you listening to out by the pool?
3) Do you have a physical space in your house that brings you peace? (For the sake of discussion and all things tasteful, let's just go ahead and forgo any answers dealing with using the toilet.)
4) Have you seen Superman? Any good? Bad? Does that random dude who plays the Man of Steel pull it off?
5) What are your plans for the 4th? I have a friend for whom the 4th is his favorite holiday (BYoung). Is it yours? Why or why not?
I know these are heady questions. Take your time as you ponder their significance in the blog-o-sphere. After you've done this, and only after, please comment.
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posted by jch at
11:38 AM
10 Comments:
1) Personally, I'm not a soccer fan. Of course, I'm not much of a fan of anything.
2) No pool, but I've been listening to Neil Young's "Living with War" album and some random Rufus Wainwright, Counting Crows, and Bob Dylan songs.
3) Um, you took my answer away. I will say, though, my favorite places are becoming those in which I am holding my daughter.
4) No.
5) My 4th plans: avoid crowds and mosquitoes and eat some watermelon. I always enjoyed the 4th, not so much because of my overwhelming patriotism, but because my church always had a great 4th party on the bay with fresh watermelon, homemade ice-cream and the watching of fireworks on boat docks. It was wonderful.
1 - I think we are still a long way from being World Cup fanatics.....but as more and more kids get involved in playing, I think interest will continue to grow.
2 - no iPod, but have music on my pda for my upcoming vacation to Germany - wide variety from contem Christian to country to old rock to new rock to jazz to classics to Broadway show tunes.
3 - usually my kitchen is a space that I can relax and get creative
4 - haven't seen it yet, but want to
5 - I'll be in Germany this 4th of July. Usually don't have much planned - it's nice to enjoy a random mid-week holiday....
After deep pondering, reflection and some personal introspection thrown in for fun, below are my answers to your questions...
1) Are the people of the USA any closer to embracing soccer as the World Cup wraps up? Yes.
2) What summer songs are on your iPod? Don't own an iPod.
3) Do you have a physical space in your house that brings you peace? Bed.
4) Have you seen Superman? No.
5) What are your plans for the 4th? None, as of yet.
1) There was hope at the local Pluckers during the USA game but still a few who couldn't figure it out. Part of the problem is have you asked an American to sit down and watch one program all the way through for 45 minutes straight without commercials?
2) Glen Philips - Mr. Lemons, David Crowder "B" Collision, Colin Hay -Going Somewhere, Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way. Favorite Song: James Taylor - Our Town (Cars Soundtrack)
3) My back porch with the Hammock and the Fan.
4) Nope waiting till Saturday to see it with a friend.
5) 4th is cool, we bbq and hang out all day and night with the neighbors. Just like a good old fashion block party. You remember getting to know your neighbors...
Oh comeon let's discuss the Knicks...:)
1) i've spoken to a lot of people on the plane about soccer, and the majority of people seem be watching AND enjoying it.
2)havn't been to the pool, but I like some music to be the soundtrack of my day, and I like Bloc Party, Basement Jaxx,the format, and the new chili peppers cd stadium arcadium. (make you fee better is a sweet tune) sweet.
3)umm..no special place.
4) not seen it, but soon.
5)i'm actually off on the 4th, so i'm really pumped to be part of something social, i'm hoping somebody is getting together for a bbq or something.
1. Soccer will be forgotten the moment the World Cup is over. The games right now are mainly on ESPN 2 for goodness sake. I direct you to this article from the NY-Times to support my theory entitled "Kicking the Soccer Habit"
2. I can't stop listening to Sufjan Stevens right now. I did do a little nostalgia downloading of some Cure and Depeche Mode stuff.
3. In my son's room rocking him to sleep. It's dark, quiet, soft music playing, and safe.
4. "Superman Returns" is legit. For what it is (a comic book movie) it has great acting, amazing special effects, and the cast really does a great job. It's not perfect, but it is a whole lot of fun. Parker Posey and Kevin Spacey are great.
5. I think we will be up at Shiloh for the fourth. Otherwise we will be on the roof of our apartment taking in the fireworks.
As for questions .33, .66, and .99 we can go for those any time your ready.
Good questions. I pondered them for many hours in my heart and mind, and here are my answers...
(1) I have greatly enjoyed the World Cup, cheering for no country in particular, just all of Latin America. And it's sad to say, but the people of the USA are rarely fans of any sport they cannot dominate. In the words of my roommate during the 2004 Summer Olymics "Total World Domination." He was only kidding.
2) The songs most recently added to my iPod that I'm greatly enjoying are "Dream" by Susan Cagle. I saw her singing on the Subway a few years ago and now she has an awesome album. And I song some of my Austin friends recorded.
3) I am generally most at peace in any of the city parks, sitting on a bench reading a book. I've been lucky enough that most of my jobs have been near parks, so that's what I do during my lunch breaks.
4) I have not seen Superman, but plan to. My friends in LA actually know Brandon Routh and so thus I am very happy with it's success thus far.
5) No plans for the 4th. I rarely celebrate the patriotic holidays. And as I've just finished reading the colonization/Revolution section of "A People's History of the United States," I may have to sit in my darkened living room in protest.
The fourth of July is MY favorite holiday too! Do fireworks also make your friend weepy? We might be kindred spirits. I'll be on some Brooklyn bank of the East River. Music-o-choice is lately Radiohead, They Might Be Giants, and Fiona Apple. Peace is on my front stoop, trying to out-stoop the neighbors. They are winning, incidentally.
I think it's so rad that you remember that my honey's favorite holiday is the Fourth! That is so cool, Joe! BTW, it's my fave holiday too. We're planning on watching Nashville fireworks show from atop a downtown building. Then maybe we'll go home and have our own fireworks show...or maybe not.
On question #1 from one who played soccer from 6 years old through college...I wish there were hope that Americans would wise up but I'm not optimistic. Check out these quotes & link a friend sent to me the other day:
"Hey- totally random, but here's a quote from an article, and the link to the full article, from an ultra-consertative website, regarding the World Cup.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/384qgmke.asp
"Soccer is the perfect game for the post-modern world. It's the quintessential expression of the nihilism that prevails in many cultures, which doubtlessly accounts for its wild popularity in Europe. Soccer is truly Seinfeldesque, a game about nothing, sport as sensation."
"DESPITE HEROIC EFFORTS of soccer moms, suburban liberals, and World Cup hype, soccer will never catch on as a big time sport in America. No game in which actually scoring goals is of such little importance could possibly occupy the attention of average Americans. Our country has yet to succumb to the nihilism, existentialism, and anomie that have overtaken Europe. A game about nothing, in which scoring is purely incidental, holds scant interest for Americans who still believe the world makes sense, that life has a larger meaning and structure, that being is not an end in itself, being qua being."
Who knew that just playing fullback for a few years could turn you into Jean Paul Sartre...I wonder of Sartre followed World Cup?
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