.....All you blog and soccer junkies out there, I've been too busy watching just as you are, and also glued to Game of Thrones on the internet. Yes, I know it can also be seen on HBO if you are privy to it. This is its fourth season, so I suppose it began the same time as the last World Cup. I didn't catch it from the beginning because I didn't know about it, but if you start now you can see all the episodes before they expire. You'll be missing one of the best TV series ever! Each episode is an hour and you won't believe your eyes or your ears. Don't let Huston watch.
.....In addition I couldn't believe the soccer stupidity when Portugal was given the tying goal on a platter with only a few seconds left to play. Why was Ronaldo allowed a free rein down the right side of the pitch. Why weren't two defenders giving him a problem? Why wasn't the box filled with defenders who were defending at that point in the match? Where were they all? How did that Portuguese striker find no one guarding him from in front and on both sides? Where in hell was every one on our side there with only one minute to play? What a disaster! Now we surely either beat Germany (Ha!) or at least play them to a draw. I'm afraid neither is going to happen against that team, and USA will be on their way home, and either Portugal or Ghana will be on their way to the 16.
.....Now about mundane things; I must find something to keep my brain from shrinking after the World Cup and Thorns. I could continue writing the Great Unknown American Novel (The Lost Universe) or teach a Shakespearean play (perhaps to residents who want to get an education), or I can write another Great Unknown American musical which doesn't get performed. The problem with getting back to continue with the novel is motivation. I did know where I was going with it, but I've forgotten. The problem with teaching a play is that I don't know if I have the energy required. I was once a professional teacher able to walk up and down the aisles ( as was my style). Now I can't. And I don't know if I can teach Shakespeare sitting at a desk. And the problem with the musical is getting it performed before some idiot thinks he can do better with it. So, how am I supposed to get to 100 or at the least--to 95? Huh?
Baron, I too wonder what happened to the US defense in the last 2 minutes of stoppage time. We had a big time win over a European power in our hands, and one lapse made it all for naught. As for the Germany game, I think the US will either get a draw, or lose close, and move through to the Knockout Round due to goal differential.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy Game of Thrones, It is well written, and acted. As for what your next "adventure" should be, I am sure whatever you decide, it will be stimulating, and interesting for us to read. In other words, i have no advice to give.
Well, Baron, as you appear to have been able to walk on water, I don't think you need worry about your capacity to do anything. Or perhaps you meant AISLES not ISLES!! Or is this perhaps an English English vs. American English misunderstanding?
ReplyDeleteAs for the football, don't worry: it's only a game!
Your title: from Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach?"
Itm, I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself. I've just composed a setting of William Barnes' poem "The Wife a-Lost." As far as I can gather, no-one else has ever set it to music, and indeed, the only setting of anything by Barnes that I know is Vaughan Williams' setting of "Linden Lea." For those of you who are interested in these matters, my setting is in the Mixolydian mode. And for those of you who aren't interested in these matters, it's STILL in the Mixolydian mode. (NB This joke is not a musical one. It's a linguistic one, and is based in the syntactical error known as ellipsis.) ("Ellipsis" means leaving something out that should be in. A bit like, say, a proper defence in the last few seconds of injury time.)
Cuzzin Ruth
I really meant "isles", but if you insist on a little "a" before the "I", that's perfectly "ai" with me.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ruthie, "Dover Beach" a truly great poem describing the world as it has always been, and will always be. And for the folks that are not familiar with the quote, it ends "...where ignorant armies clash by night"
ReplyDeleteOur English team is well and truly out of the World Cup, after a lack-lustre (well, actually DISGRACEFUL) showing. However, the upside of this is that my husband and I can now relax and just watch the Cup for its quality. The game between Greece and Cote D'Ivoire was absolutely worth watching. Any of yous guys catch it?
ReplyDeleteI've now discovered that my tune is not in the Mixo - it made quite the wrong noise for that mode, so I looked long and hard to find out exactly what I'd done. I found that I'd composed a tune in the Hypomixolydian mode, without even knowing anything about this scale. Weird!
Joel - I hope you are following this with close attention, har har
Cuz Ruth
The hypo, etc.; a church mode represented on the white keys of a keyboard instrument by an ascending scale from D to D, with the final on G. I was once a world class pianist but the hypo,etc. mode destroyed my ability to play.
ReplyDeleteYes, dear Baron, the scale that you have cited is EXACTLY what my setting utilized: and I note (tee-hee!) that you are now a hypomixilodriac. Cuzzin Ruth
ReplyDeleteJust watched the Belgium vs. USA footie match on the TV. Well played, cuzzes! No obloquy attaches to failing to win such a great match. It was played in a sportsmanlike and attacking and mindful fashion. As I understand it, soccer has not long been big in your country: give it another four years, and you'll be able to take on the world. Cuz Ruth
ReplyDeleteActually, I don't think the U.S. played very well until the last 15 minutes or so. When you give up at least 18 shots on goal, you are not playing very well at all.
ReplyDeleteBelgium was clearly the better team; but USA's goalie kept them in the game until extra time. But who knows what will happen in 2018? I hope I'll be around to see it.
ReplyDeleteJoel - I don't know enough about soccer to know if you're right or not, but Mike knows lots and lots, and he thought that the USA played well. My only observation is that where it is known that a game can go to extra time, it sometimes has an unfortunate effect on one or both teams - the players are content to leave their best efforts to extra time. Clearly, this isn't a good strategy.
ReplyDeleteBaron - going back to the conclusion of your original blog-post (and I know THAT you like RELEVANCE in my comments!) it is now becoming obvious that you have SOMETHING for which to continue to live, and that's the NEXT WORLD CUP! You MUST be around to see the USA give the world the thrashing I anticipate will come its way!!
Cuzzin Ruth