26 days made possible: Manchester

#26: Theatre of Dreams

I had previously written a little on my Manchester visits but this is just to cover ground on whatever that I had missed out. I am quite a jinx when it comes to watching football matches, sad to say. The last 2 times I went to Old Trafford, Man U lost the game. The first was a derby against Man City and the second was against Blackburn, which was actually the 20th (last) team ranked in the league table at that time. What bad luck to see the champion losing to the last team in the league table! LOL!

So this time round, I decided to watch 2 games, back to back home games. I bought tickets in the North Stand since I sat in the South and East stand the last 2 times. Stretford End is almost impossible to get tickets for since it is reserved for season ticket holders only. I must say that my fortunes have changed and this time round, Man U won both games! YAY!

I was very lucky to be able to get pictures with the players since they won so naturally the players will not be in a foul mood and leave hastily, I presume? But I only queued on one of the days. For the 2nd match, it was too late and I decided to head home straight after the game. Till the next time!

Man United Vs Hull, 29 November 2014

Man United Vs Stoke City, 2 December 2014

Warm up before the Hull game. 

In-play during the Stoke game. I did not take that many pictures or videos this time round because I was sitting a little too far. I had a better view when I visited in 2011 when I was seated in the South Stand. 

Phil Jones and Falcao

Ashley Young - revived his career; Paddy McNair, one of the rising young players. 

Oh, Robin Van Persie! (Left) The people in my corner kept singing his name because we wanted him to come over to do autographs or take pictures. He was very insistent in only doing an autograph or taking a photo but not both. There were way too many people so he wanted to be fair, I guess.

With Juan Mata (Right), I like him because he is a good man and inspiration. Ander Herrera and him did two different sections and I am pretty lucky that he decided to do my section. I like Ander as well cause he has been playing so well for the team. 

Con Juan. Yo gusto Juan porque él es un hombre bueno y inspiración. Ander Herrera y él fueron a dos sección y yo es suerte que él hizo mi sección. Yo gusto Ander también porque él juega tan bien para el equipo. (Spanish learning in progress)

And this memory of the 2008 Champions League Finals will always be etched in my memory¡

This was the incident that I wrote about previously when I was able to take a picture with the players who were there to do an event. 

Mega store! I did not buy that many things from the store this time round. My luggage hardly has any space for any merchandise. 

Before I sign off, the long walk from the Old Trafford tram station to the stadium and this is the first glimpse and also the last of the stadium. How I miss Old Trafford! Big game coming up this weekend! MUFC, FTW!

Fifteen

#15: Every visit is a new one

On my travels lately, I revisited a lot of the places that I have been to previously, such as Paris, London, Manchester, and Munich. However, it seems like I have never been to any of these places before. I find the things that I come across familiar but I have already forgotten most of the landmarks and directions. This is when I realise my memory can be pretty bad at times. Or perhaps I am just being selective about the things that I want to remember.

I shopped so much when I was in Manchester the last time, going to Arndale and spending three to four hours there and yet when I was trying to give my friends directions on how to get to Arndale, I simply cannot retrace the steps that I took. However, when it comes to the walk to Old Trafford from the tramway, so much memories flooded back. Despite having gone down that long walk at least five to six times, each time I make my way to the stadium, I still feel the adrenaline rush and the excitement about watching a game live again and that it was only yesterday that I had just walked down that street.

When it comes to London, I have transited via Victoria Coach station numerous times but when I had to figure my way to the railway station, the tube and the coach station, I still find myself like a first-timer. Nevertheless, I vividly remember the much coveted Oxford Street shopping. Lol.

Lastly, it is Munich. One of my many inspirations behind my desire to live my dreams is this one friend whom I had who visited Europe back in 2005 on a backpacking trip and a photo that he sent me while standing in front of Marienplatz in Munich. I remember falling in love with Munich the moment I arrived back then, with Hofbrauhus, Marienplatz, etc. Yet when I went back to Munich again this time round, the place looks different and it seems like I have never once laid foot there before.

My selective memory - how ironic.

After thoughts of my epic 49 day adventure #5

#5 Humility

Every single trip to Europe will only be completed by a football game at Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams. This visit is extremely memorable, not because of the back to back wins (at last, considering that the Man U lost on the first two occasions that I went) but of my personal experiences. I was very lucky to be able to see the stars that I have always admired, RVP and Juan Mata. :) Owing to differing time zones in Asia and Europe, I also accidentally booked the wrong air ticket back to Switzerland and ended up with an extra day in Manchester. I wanted to avoid the crowd so I went to the Megastore early and did the Stadium Tours. There happens to be an event for the first 70 supporters in line to take a photo with the players and since I was there early, I had the chance to do so! :)

My inspiration behind this post is none other than Juan Mata. :) I know he has a blog of his own and he updates it weekly or fortnightly. That made me wanted to revive this dying virtual space of mine, to have my thoughts written down and reflect many many years down the road. Through the few interactions with him, I find him a really humble person and that made me reflect on myself and the kind of person I want to be. This reflection that I did on the journey then made me realised that I can still do so much better in so many different aspects of life and I actually want to do that. Thanks for being such an inspiration, J. Mata!

Footballers are over-glorified these days because of the media - press or social ones and with huge advertisers pouring out billions to further market them. Many of them have become household names with superstars status or are simply global icons such as C.Ronaldo, W.Rooney, L.Messi, just to name a few. Week in week out, thousands of fans send them parcels or mails, ask for autographs, watch their every action closely, etc. so it is not surprising for some of them to become arrogant. However, Mata is not one of those people. He behaves like a commoner, taking we-fies with his supporters, smiles a lot, rallies people, his choice of words, expresses his own emotions - positive or negative ones. My takeaway from his humble behaviour is that we have a choice as to what kind of a person we want to be, regardless of our background (past), our social status or occupation (current), and from there shape who we will become in the (future).

As we age, we have more knowledge and life experiences and inevitably, we might think we know best. We try very hard to influence others to adopt our beliefs or give advices but most of the time, we have forgotten to keep an open mind and to listen to others. At least this is what I see in the majority of the elderly that I interacted with thus far. With great power comes great responsibility. With great responsibility comes ignorance though. We feel that we need to do many things in life right that we sometimes only believe in ourselves.

On reflection, I feel that humility is extremely important. You can become a very powerful person in your job or in your life because of your wealth, job title, social status, etc. But it is completely your choice as to how you want to treat others. If you constantly see life as journey and you have to be constantly learning along the way, you will be humble and listen to what others have to say. You will not have the "I Know It All or Best" mindset. After all, the day we shut our eyes and report to Heaven, no one will care about your wealth, your job title or social status. Not God nor the angels in Heaven.

Goodbye's the hardest word to say---Paul, David and Alex

It has been about two decades since I was first exposed to the world of soccer or football (I prefer this title). In the next one week or so, together with many of the football fanatics around the world, we will bid goodbye to three of the legends from my "girl-hood" club. Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson.

SAF's retirement came as a real shock to me last Wednesday after my physiotherapy session at AH. He was the soul of MUFC and as a ManU fan, I will terribly miss all the football action that he brought. The countless Fergie times, the rants at the referee, the chewing gum moments and not forgetting the last minute goal celebrations. Watching a man u game never fails to trigger an adrenaline rush for me. I used to think that Beckham's departure from United was a heartache that could not be matched until CRonaldo left in 2009. I was devastated that we lost one of our best players. I thought the disappointment and upset of losing CRonaldo could never be matched again until I hear of news of SAF retiring. As I watched him present his farewell speech on TV last Sunday, I too, was as emotional as he was and I believe all ManUnited fans around the world or even football fans would share my sentiments.  

SAF has been such an inspiration, legend, history-maker whatever you call it. His persistent hunger for success, his determination to elevate the club's status to not just being the biggest and richest in the world, but also with billions of fans and not forgetting being the best in England by knocking off Liverpool off their perch deserve my respect truly. With great power comes great responsibility, this cannot be more true for SAF. Gaffer as everyone in the United family calls it, he is also the dear grandfather figure for many of us who watched him since young. 

Subsequently, came the announcement of David Beckham's retirement, who was the first global football icon. When DB first left Man United, I stopped following the club's news for a while and for a moment, lost interest in football. He was the reason why I supported Man United as a young girl, vividly remembering how my brother and I used to have Man United's players' stickers pasted on erasers and played rubber wrestling. Nevertheless, I came to my senses that my heart lies with the club and not the player so I lost track of DB's achievements outside of Man United. He had not much of success on the pitch after leaving Man U, had he? But the thing I love about him is: He was a Man United fan like I do. Man U was his boyhood club and he would never play against Man U in another EPL team's shirt. His loyalty and love for the club never waver even after his departure. For that, I salute him. 

And lastly, not forgetting Paul Scholes, the last of the few one-club heroes. :) This time round, he will not put on his boots again for sure. But his achievements will be applauded worldwide by footballers and fans. 

As the Chinese saying goes, Time waits for no Man. The young boys of the miracle class of 92 of MUFC have all aged and is time for them to leave the football scene. A short 20 years it has been but it has definitely been one that is extremely fulfilling. And they all have their mentor accompanying them. Goodbye to a league of legends. Even though we will be welcoming a new crop of football icons, you will continue to live in my heart for as long as I live. For the contributions that you have made to football as a sport and the colours that you have brought to my life, I thank you for that! 

Once a Red Devil, forever a Red Devil. Old Trafford would not be the same without SAF even though we have his statute right outside the stadium. But like what he said, every book has a beginning and an ending. If you do not allow a good story to end, you will not move on to discover other good new stories that are being written. 

The Theatre of Dreams experience

It is yet another sensational return to Old Trafford! It is amazing to be here once again. Perhaps it's the acoustic of the stadium or the atmosphere, every time I step into the stadium, I feel excited and feel my adrenaline rush! :) no wonder they call the stadium the theatre of dreams. It is where you feel your dreams come true or that you are living in a dream. Sounds like inception yet again! The only difference i felt this time was the absence of C.Ronaldo in the team! :) Fortunately we have Chicharito to replace him! :p now, it's an hour away from kickoff and we should just sit back, relax and enjoy a good match! :)

Post-match
Now I really feel like 3.5 years ago. The away team scored 2 goals first and man u had to overcome the deficit. When Berbatov (my "favourite" player) scored the first goal, I was reciting to myself, "no déjà vu, please." indeed, man u did equalise and the score line became 2-2. It seemed like the dark clouds in the sky had been blown away by the cheers of the Manchester united fans or could it be that there's a silver lining in every cloud? Nope, it was none of that because Blackburn scored again to make it 3-2! Now I have resigned to fate that I will end up dejected like 3 years ago. Hordes or fans started leaving the stadium at the 83rd minute and I did have the urge too! It was way too painful to have to sit till the final whistle was being blown and coming to terms with united's loss.

The only consolation I got from the match was chicharito's signature on the ticket stub and a handshake with him! :) the feeling was so surreal! When I went to the red cafe the next day, the waiter was nice enough to console me after I told him about my encounters. He said it was a bizarre result last night and united is plagued by injuries. Once in a while, the big 4's or perhaps we should say the great 6 teams will drop points together in one weekend. I just happened to be at the "right" weekend! So he said I should not wait till 3 years to return to old Trafford and he wishes that during my 3rd visit, it will finally be a win where I could celebrate with all Manchester united fans. Shaking my legs, crossing my fingers and praying for that to happen. :)

Live your own dreams

I have always been skeptical about getting others to help fulfill my dreams. To put it crudely, I am cynical about whatever that has been said about getting help from others. Always rely on yourself. After all, we need to live our own dreams. However, about a week ago, I started to have this illusion that others revolve around my life and they actually help to shape my dreams and fulfill my dreams. So I joined a contest to garner likes. My family members and friends went all out to help me. Some broadcasted the message on their whatsapp, some risked bursting their monthly SMS limit to forward the message to their friends, others approach friends on MSN, my sister and cousin spamming their friends on facebook to get them to like or repost the message to like the photo until they got a warning from facebook that they have been posting the same message too frequently. We were leading the contest since day 1 and only 1 person came very close to us.

I have to admit that we invested a lot of energy and time into this competition. Our daily routine involved checking the website for the latest updates of the amount of likes that we have accumulated. On the 2nd last day, our likes finally crossed the 1,000 mark and we thought that we have started a revolution. :) But God hit us hard the very morning on the last day of the contest. One underdog accumulated the same number of likes as us in 8 hours time (from 418 at 1 a.m. till 1k at 9 a.m.) and in another 2 hours' time, he overtook us with 2,000 likes. In another hour, he overtook us with 3,000 likes. By 6 p.m. in the evening, he crossed the 4,000 mark. We were all disappointed and dejected, that includes my entire camp of family and friends who had done so much over the past 4 days, constantly monitoring the counter, pushing for likes, etc.

Some said, "your dream was shattered."

Another said, "I am not expecting you to bring me there, but I really want you to be there."

Another commented, "Don't give up. I have not given up. Why should you?"

And many many more...

So reality knocked finally. :) When the clock struck 12 a.m. on 19th May 2011, I need to get over this contest and return to my life. I am like Cinderella who has to wake up from the most beautiful dream ever. I will have to report to NIE, attend my enrichment classes, prepare my e-portfolio for show-and-tell next Monday. Come Saturday, I will duly switch on my television and my MIO TV set-up box at home and watch the Champion Leagues' Final. Hopefully, Manchester United will successfully lift the cup!

Halfway through the contest, I was skeptical about one of the competitor's comment on a forum, "Do your part to fulfill my dreams." Why should others do their part to fulfill your dream? What do they gain from it, especially when they are strangers? Even though I understood that, it seemed like I was not able to apply it in my own situation? So I indirectly fabricated my own disappointment and downfall. If I had not been so optimistic about the possibility of winning and actively roped in my family members and friends to help, they would not have to experience the disappointment so do I.

On a concluding note, I have always been an independent girl. I never believe that I should rely on others to help me fulfill my life's dreams. But why was I so foolish this time round? I would not think that this contest has been an epic waste of time though. As a result of me actively getting my facebook friends to help me, I reconnected with some ex-students and old friends. I knew that I once touched someone's life and she remembered it till this very day. :) I know who are the people whom I can rely on should I run into problems in future. I know who are the ones who helped me unconditionally. And of course, my family members and I are more united than ever. Together we try, United we stand. :)

Anyway, people who fail are the ones who know it all. That's what bestie told me. :)

Some day, I will fulfill my dream of watching a live Champions League final whereby Manchester United is a finalist. :) I will LIVE my OWN dreams from now on.

the power of the social media

There has been so much HooHa about the power of the social media over the last few years. The overnight success of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg's rise to fame, the power of twitter leading to the uprising in Egypt. Over the last 8 hours, I have witnessed the power of the social media too! I took part in this singtel contest for a pair of Wembley tickets to the UEFA Champions League Finals in Wembley! My family members and friends were extremely supportive. Overnight, I had 32 friends sharing the same link on their wall and asking their friends to like the photo for me too. Well, it is not an uphill task to click on the link and like a photo but is it worth their time especially when they do not get to share the prize. All they get is a word of thanks. But I am really heartened by them willing to help me out and broadcast the message to their other friends.

Thanks peeps! No amount of thanks can convey my gratitude. People who know me well will know what I value in life and the "thank you" that I said came out from the bottom of my heart.! :) Eventually, even if I did not win the football tickets, I realise that I have won something even more important in life. The love and care and concern of the people around me. :) Thanks a zillion, everyone who helped me to like the photo! I may not know you, may not have met you, may not have spoken a word to you, but the world is small. Some day if you see me along the streets, call out to me. I will be glad to be able to thank you personally. And our friendship blossoms from there! :)

Here's the link. http://miostadium.com/contests/crazyfanatics Row 5 3rd column!

Glory Glory Man United!

The ManU victory over our arch-rivals Liverpool last night certainly made my Sunday night a memorable one. 2 months ago, the same kind of euphoria filled me when Arsenal was thumped by ManU and Federer completed his 15th grand slam title on the same day.

The past 3 occasions had seen us ending up in double blows of a defeat and the sent-off of Nemanja Vidic. :( This time round, I can finally hold my head high up in front of my fellow Liver (Loser)pool friends!! Not only was the victory a sweet revenge, Chelsea-Blackburn's draw definitely added icing to the already decorated cake. :))

Since time immemorial, I had become such a huge soccer fan! I guess your childhood addictions and hobbies do follow you through life. My unspoken and eccentric passion for soccer was deep rooted in my childhood. My brother would buy packets of sticker cards from the Mama-store near my Granny's place and then we will meticulously cut out the faces and photos of the soccer players. After which, we will glue it onto those rectangular shaped erasers with countries' flags printed on it. Constructing a full soccer team was always a tough nut to crack. More often than not, the stickers were repetitive and those big stars from ManU, Arsenal, Liverpool, Blackburn (they were hot favourites back then), etc. were always difficult to get.

Giggsy is my Bro's favourite player and Becksy is mine. :)) After having their faces stuck on those erasers, we will then play football on the ground using those stickers or play rubber-wrestling with it. How stupid can we be! That was my very first encounter with soccer.

As I age, I drifted away from soccer since it was such a boyish thing but somehow the passion was re-ignited after the 2002 World Cup. Perhaps the proximity and timing of the matches played a vital role. And after the Europa experience, soccer passion runs in my blood and soul.!

Some people will perceive us as a bunch of idiots who spent tons of money purchasing the merchandise and idle away time to follow up with the latest news and stories, be ready for every weekend's action, blah blah blah. But until you actually sit down and really read into the game, you will never discover the true beauty of the game. Of course, the hunks in the games are bonuses to girls like me. :))

I can't always convince or relate to others about how soccer has become an integral part of my life, all I know is I feel for the game. When the team I support wins, it feels like I've been flown to the moon. When the team loses, I would really wanna just dig myself into my pillow and sleep. But of course, I do not get too emotional otherwise it will kill the passion for the game.

Soccer RAWKS!

Take Me Home United Road

2 Sweet Victories over the weekend, Federer + ManUnited.

Sunday was a full day of Sports action!

ManU beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium to sit comfortably in 2nd place, and a point behind the leaders Chelsea. It will be really nice to be able to win the Premier League for 4 seasons in a row, ain't it?

Last weekend, I caught a match with Brian @ the ManU Cafe @ Boat Quay. It was a really joyous occasion as we upset Hull City at home 0-4 and Rooney scored all 4 of the goals. All of us there were singing right to the tune and beat of "Take Me Home United Road" outside the bar at 1 a.m. I never foresee myself doing that in Singapore at least. It is common per se in United though. :))

This is my favourite chant among all the United Songs, much more than Glory Man United. I had picked it up when I went to Old Trafford almost 2 years ago. The chant is actually being sung to the tune of Take Me Home Country Road by John Denver. I am missing the Old Trafford pitch, missing the chanting and rowdy fans around me, missing the game, missing Europe.

Two versions, first for the upbeat lads like me who love a faster tempo and the second goes the ballad style.

The full lyrics go like this but at matches, we usually chant to Chorus I only:

Verse A:

I was born to be United,

Daddy told me, when I was just a baby;

When I was five, I went down Warwick Road;

Now I'm addicted to the only place I'll go

Chorus I

Take me home,

United Road,

To the place I belong,

To Old Trafford,

To see United,

Take me home, United Road

Verse II

All my memories,

Bobby Charlton,

Georgie Best and Cantona,

They came to us from heaven;

And at the Nou Camp in 1999,

On Matt Busby's birthday,

Oh it was party time

Chorus

I watch the Reds,

I feel the noise,

The crowd is roaring;

The Stretford End is singing

And the fans are going wild;

And when I'm gone I get a feeling

That I should've been home yesterday,

Yesterday, oh!

Love United Like WE all DO :))

Updates

Rock & Roll...

Have been extremely occupied the past 2 weeks with the term papers, project website, tutorial presentation all raining down on me. I do not deny I procrastinated quite a fair bit in the initial weeks of the special sem that led to me having to hug the Buddha's leg come the deadlines. Ever since I was back from Stockholm, I am always trying to catch up with deadlines in school, I don't know why. Perhaps it is due to the numerous tuition assignments I have on hand and also my way laid-back lifestyle that I have grown accustomed to.

Anyway, what has been going on in my life exactly other than school? LOl!

Manchester United Asia Tour 2009.
Bro and I had planned to go to Seoul for it but the tickets were snapped away the day it was released itself thus we decide to go to KL instead, near and cheaper as well. I love busking in the atmosphere inside the stadium, with the cheers and claps and singing that goes on. I will just post some photos and videos I guess...

Patrice Evra during warm-up

Nani

Michael Owen - hope he scores a lot more against LIVERPOOL! wahahaha..

Ah, my fav player after Ronaldo's departure - Macheda!

While I was in KL, I was lethargic all the time. I slept in the hotel all the time unless it was time to go for training or the match itself and of course dinner. The only time I got to shop was when it was time to check out then I went down to Bukit Bintang to walk around and shopped. The fatigue that plagued me should be attributed to all the late night stays and drinking sessions during the vacation. I sleep at 4-5 am every night having to wake up at 12-1p.m then bouncing off to school once a week on Wednesdays or to tuition in the evening. It was an extremely unhealthy lifestyle and no doubts, more pimples on my face these days!

As for tuition, sometimes I feel so fed-up and am on the verge to give up on those kids. You can see an apparent difference in motivation levels and learning attitudes between the Express and NA kids. More often than not, I feel like a nanny who has to pacify those little kids, stimulate interest and also ensure they concentrate during tuition. Majority of them have shown improvement but a handful of them are just incorrigible! They do not seem to express interest in learning and I see myself repeating the same concepts every week which gets on my nerve so much that occasionally I lose my temper and control. :( I hate to flare up during tuition because that unhappiness and anger lingers in me subsequently. :(

Now, school's starting in a week once again. I do feel excited about the start of school because it is my final semester at last!!! However, the uncertainty plaguing my honors thesis is worrying me a bit. The HT has huge implications for my graduation. I pray that everything goes on smoothly and may I be blessed with luck and determination to never give up on it. :)

Ronaldo's Song. Just before he leaves.

Just before I bounce off to bed... And before he leaves...

He plays on the left
He plays on the right
That boy Ronaldo makes England look shite



BenC a.k.a Liverpool fan showed me this.

Nonsense Transfer Market

I honestly have no clue what Real Madrid is doing exactly. First, they brought Kaka over from AC Milan, with a record transfer fee of 59.7GBP. Subsequently, they baited Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for 80GBP. Now, Zidane is being employed as a messenger to try to lure Franck Ribery to Real Madrid as well. If all of the top players in the world play in your team, what else is there to watch?! STUPID!

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I anticipated that C.Ronaldo will leave for Real Madrid this Summer. I do not deny that I feel the pinch that he's leaving because he is someone who scores like 30-40 goals a season and he is an eye-candy of mine. He is near to being irreplaceable. With him gone, no doubt it will take some time to reorganise the squad and do something in the coming season.

I hate Real Madrid! I will never buy any of their merchandise. They are a bunch of idiots! :(

Battle - Messi Vs Ronaldo?

Alright, I have to say that the Champions League finals on Wednesday night was indeed disappointing, not purely due to the fact that the team I root for lost but also because I felt it was a sub-standard CL final. There had been so much commotion and build-up to the game since many had been continuously making comparisons between darling Ronaldo and petite Messi. Perhaps many would point fingers at me saying that I am biased and favour over Ronaldo but I am just contributing my two cents worth on neutral grounds.

ManU was a disappointment that night. There was no glimpse of the ManU that dominated and outplayed Arsenal in the semi-finals at all. Instead, it was deja vu of the night when we lost to our arch-rivals, Liverpool. The defence looked so weakened despite having the rock-solid combination of Van de Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra. When I scrolled through the starting line-up, my heart skipped a beat because I saw the combination I would vote as disastrous Carrick-Anderson-Giggs. Apparently, the suspension of Fletcher resulted in this make-shift midfield. Despite having a pretty decent good season, Carrick is never the guy that you can expect a moment of brilliance from him. When you are leading, Carrick is the most effective guy to keep the pace of the game at a consistent level but when the tides are turned around, he impedes your progress because he is way too slow! To worsen things, an inexperienced Anderson was fielded. No doubts he has had contributed to us reaching the finals but he is definitely not the hard-core guy that you want to include in your team against such a seasoned Barca team who has Iniesta and Xavi bossing around the mid-field. You need people like Scholes or Fletcher who can exert the right pressure, make the tackles and break their play. Save the sissys for the Premier League games, boss!

ManU was the boss before Samuel Et'o scored. However, that moment of brilliance at the 10th minute definitely changed the game thoroughly. The winning attitude on Ronaldo's face, the never-say-die mentality of ManU and the champion aura simply vanished into thin air. I do not deny even till this moment that Barca were the better team after the 10th minute. They played their usual Catalan game, passed the ball around, kept the possession, threatened with a few run-ins into the penalty area etc. It was the sub-standard play of ManU that protrayed a glittering Barca on relative standing terms.

Under such circumstances, do not try to make comparisons between Ronaldo and Messi. Critics of Ronaldo often highlight the fact that he is never the star who shines in big games but ask yourself this question: is Messi one yet!? Everyone is denying Ronaldo of his merits and credits just because he appears to be cocky and dives quite a bit. Come on, search your soul and touch your heart, which soccer player don't dive?! Puyol was one big standing statue and display of the diving tactics that night!

Sometimes I can't help but think the Ballon d'Or is merely a big piece of pork whereby all soccer players take turns to grab his share. Messi had been coming in 2nd place behind Ronaldo in all major individual awards standing last year because the latter had helped ManU to a doubles last season whereas Barca did not get your hands on any silverware. Think about it, if ManU were to successfully retain the CL, wouldn't Ronaldo be crowned the Ballon d'Or winner again because he had assisted in rewriting history since no teams had managed to defend the CL trophy? If that had happened, wouldn't all the media and critics who are desperate to crown Messi as the best footballer hitherto, have to reset their count-down timer to 730 days instead? That seems distant and what if swine flu infects Spain and accidentally took his life away? It will be one of the greatest regret in football history to fail to acknowledge such a talented and gifted player!

I watch Messi for Barca quite regularly especially during the time when I was in Stockholm. Creativity is apparent in his play and he is daring enough to take on defenders. However, he plays a different style of football and I vote for Ronaldo's way of play. He is always the best! :)

Now that Perez has officially assumed the President post of Real Madrid, he will try to bring Ronaldo to Madrid at all cost. Despite Ronaldo himself declaring that he is happy at ManU and will still stay there after the turn of the Summer, I take those words with a pinch of salt. I identify with one of the ManU supporters who said the following:

"If he had left last Summer, I will definitely boo him if ManU ever plays against Madrid. Yet, if he choose to leave this Summer but do the appropriate thanksgiving and show his gratitude to the club, the manager, the players and the fans for all that we have given him and contributed to his transformation from a boy to a man, I will root for him and cheer him when he puts on the Madrid shirt. If he finally choose to leave when he is around 28-30 (still pretty fit and perhaps at his peak), I can fully apprehend his intentions to want to fulfil his dream of playing in Spain and be closer to his family and friends and by then he would have dedicated more than half of his career to the club that raised, supported and cared for him so much."

I can't agree more with the above! Yet, my gut feeling seems to tell me that somehow he will leave this Summer. I will miss the kind of entertaining football that he integrates into the games but I always insist that everyone has the freedom and right to pursue their own ambitions and live out their own dreams. Only when you have done so will you be able to identify with that sense of achievement and satisfaction, so go ahead, live out your own dreams!! :))

What a long piece of post full of my rants, my praises, my evaluation and nonsense concurrently....

Go ManUtd!

Last night's CL Semi-finals against Arsenal was magnificent! We simply tore Arsenal apart and proved that we were indeed better than them. What I would term as OUTCLASS them. Nasir played an influential role in ManU's defeat at Emirates Stadium last year in the Premier League. I read reports about his responsibility and the role he would take on yesterday night and he admitted that he will be playing in a more defensive way this time round. I think that must have been a blessing in disguise. Nasir's such a magician, capable of tearing apart and creating real good chances and space for himself. I love his playing style. Fabregas is equally good and deadly since he is famous for his killer passes and scoring with a BANG! What's more, Arsenal had Van Persie back in the team which is a huge morale booster. Nonetheless, we proved that we were of a better class and showed more quality football. :) I was so happy last night when we won, because that meant we were on our way to Rome for the FINALS!!!!! Ronaldo scored a brilliant free-kick from 41 yards, tell me "Isn't he the MAN?" He rocks!

So this afternoon, halfway during my self-proclaimed study break, I decided to relive last year's Champions League glory by logging on to youtube for the videos of the penalty shoot-out. Everyone should be aware that I was in Europe last year around this time of the year. In Stockholm last year, I had lots of spontaneous friends who were passionate about soccer since it is Europe's National sport! We are diverse and of course we support different teams in different leagues. Armen is a die-hard Barca fan while Damien goes for Arsenal's beautiful football and of course his compatriot, Arsene Wenger i.e. A french. For me, it is definitely ManU ManU and more ManU.!

There were countless get-togethers for soccer matches since it is usually telecast at around 8-10 pm at night. If we had a large group of people gathering together for a pre-party or celebration, the communal kitchen would usually be extremely chaotic and rowdy and you are bound to see several laptops streaming different matches at the same time. From the round of 32 till the 16, then the quarter finals and eventually semi-finals and finally finals, we never once stood each other up for the games. Classical ones were the ones against Lyon and Barca because Damien went for Lyon (after all he is a French) and Armen for Barca. During the first leg of the Lyon match in France, Lyon's Benzema scored first and that was a huge booster for Damien. I was sitting beside him watching the game on the lappy and he turned to me and said, "Ginnelle, though Benzema scored, we are still friends ain't we?" Gracious as I was, I readily acknowledged with a nod. Before the final minutes of the game, ManU equalized and I was elated. Now the tides were turned since we had an away goal and I asked Damien back the same question. We both just laughed at each other. For that moment of in accordance, I thank God for it. :)

Before the Barca match, Armen and I made a pact to watch it together at one of the pubs. The first leg was at Camp Nou and you could imagine the intensity that surrounded me in the pub because everyone else there was a Barca fan except me.! Initially Damien declared himself neutral but when he saw the anxiety and intense on my face, he was very encouraging to tell me that "If you support a team, be strong in your foothold and not let anyone around you affect you." For that, I heart him for the comfort that arise in my despair and isolation.

The 2nd leg came but this time round, I stayed back at the hostel for the game. This time round, I had Simon on my side and it felt so much better..! When Paul Scholes scored, the both of us looked at each other in disbelief and the hug that came about was unequivocal.

Finally, we were at Moscow in the twinkle of an eye. This time round, Damien missed watching the match with us in a pub. But there we were, the rest of us passionate soccer fans in another pub. I must admit it felt extremely neurotic when Frank Lampard equalised in the first half and when Ronaldo missed the penalty. Simon was there, right beside me telling me to continue to have a little faith. When John Terry mis-kicked, the two of us celebrated as though we had won the cup already. Emile was nice enough to ask us to tone down our celebrations and keep us in check. When Edwin van de Sar made a superb save against Anelka's penalty, Simon and I could no longer contained our excitement, exhilaration, pleasure whatever you called it. We were in the heat of the moment..!!

The experience that I went through back then was something so intriguing, dramatic yet momentous. Even now, almost a year after the sequence of events, they still live in me and constantly stir up emotions in me every now and then. Having gone through such a melodramatic CL's finals, there is a certain benchmark in me as to what I should expect this year. But deprived of such passionate and enthusiastic friends, will I still enjoy it as much this year?

Looking back 2008

Time flies isn't it ? Yes, 2008 has come to an end and in fact, 2009 has begun for 10 days already! Yet to me, the effective starting day of the new year is the day SCHOOL starts! Tomorrow is the beginning of a new semester. This semester isn't gonna be as splendid, as exciting as the previous one since I am spending it in NUS! :)) Wahahaha... Facing a total new challenge every year and soon, I'll be bidding my beloved NUS goodbye by the turn of the next new year (2010, hopefully!).

What happened to me in 2008? Nothing is as special as the Europe tour. I finally stepped my foot onto the beloved continent, EUROPA! It has always been my dream to be in Europe, to indulge myself in their culture, background, lifestyle etc. Two of my dreams in life was officially realised.

1. Visiting my most admired city, Paris
2. A trip to Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford @ Manchester.

Every now and then, I look through the photos of Europe and my heart skips. My presence in that continent made me feel like a dwarf, both physically and psychologically. First, in terms of height cos those Europeans are really tall and daunting. As for the psychological aspect, I realise the world is huge and gigantic and I'm just a small player of the whole universe. My contribution to the world is gonna be so insignificant that one day, should I leave, only that few hundreds of family and friends would remember me. And even if they remember me, it's only my presence that they miss and that humans are habitual animals who miss people whom they see around often and once they disappear, they miss them.

So I told myself, that when I'm back in Singapore, I want a change. A change in that I want to do something for everyone around me whom I genuinely care for. In such a way, when I leave one day, they will not just miss my physical presence and simply over it. Conversely, it'll be the gift, the effort that I put in maintaining our relationship, in making a difference, in being there when they need me. In such a way, even if I pass on some day, they will know I've had a complete and fulfilling life. I live in vain, never! :))

While I was on SEP, I made nice friends, yet they are friends whom I know leave footprints in my life yet those footprints only last for a short journey in my life. Yet, I'm glad that I met them because they provide a different perspective of life, and added wisdom and knowledge to my well-being. :) In fact, some of them are friends whom I'd love to keep forever yet the distance due to our geographical location proved too much for us to keep the friendship going. Perhaps, some day when I go back to Europe, I'll visit them. Not to forget, after meeting them, I learn to appreciate my Asian friends better! My Asian friends are people who keep to their promise, who mean every word they say yet my European ones are the exact opposite most of the time. I guess it's their culture and lifestyle, which is really laid-back to an extent that they sense no urgency and the importance of honoring your words. But it has positive drawbacks too. At least, they don't bear hard feelings in them and you can afford to be less tensed in life. :))

The first half of the year was marked by a million surprises and Dreams Came True for me and honestly, it will be one of the most remembered years in life! Yet, while I was enjoying myself, splurging on all the luxurious goods and lifestyle, people back home took a different turn. I only came to know about the problems and troubles they underwent during this period after I was back. All along, I have been very confident of myself and I am still so now. :) lol! But it was at certain moments that I realise I can be helpless in helping out people around me resolve their problems. It only made me more aware that though we can take charge of our lives, it could never be complete. There are things which we will never excel in and events that are unforeseen in life. To some, it's a challenge in life yet some people just see themselves tumbling and falling endlessly. I took big and sturdy steps in life so far. There might come a day when I see myself falling too. So should I start taking small steps instead?

Back in NUS, things change, emotions dunk. That's school in Singapore. It's always about competition, about relative standing like what I always said. I try not to let those emotions control me. I force myself to like school, to smile to those peers of mine who wear a masked face and a evil smile. I build up a defence against anyone else new to me. But I don't want to get hurt. I am glad at the end of the day, I still have the regular NUS friends who are friends whom I can trust and rely on. After last semester, they leave me though. Now, I've the few pathetic left and Pauline told me she's not staying for Honors for sure. She's my Best Friend in NUS. Someone who implicitly showed lots of support. I'm so gonna miss her! And yes, By the start of the new year in 2010, I'll bid this lifestyle that I really hate GOODBYE and it's FINALLY!!!! If I can within the pressure that mounted on me for the past 2 years, I don't see why I can't ride through this final year! :)

So is it gonna be a happy 2009 for me?!

YES IT WILL BE AND I WILL MAKE SURE IT BE ONE!

Don't YOU ever say I am a JINX again!

Happy Birthday, Weisheng! (dated 22nd May 2008)

God Damn don't ever say I am a JINX again!
Why?
Manchester United completed their DOUBLES tonight!
21st May 2008.
Now who says I am a JINX?
I was there on 10th February 2008 to catch the match and yes, they lost but so?
The accomplishments at the end of the SEASON says it all.
Now, 2007/2008 when Man Utd are double champions
I WAS IN MANCHESTER TO CATCH A GAME!

Anyway, talk a bit about the match.
As usual, went out with the group of boys to watch the soccer match at this Irish Pub.
I missed the first 10 minutes sad to say.
Was carrying my International Student ID card and the bouncer refused to let me in!
He say I could pay 5 EUR to buy that card so it wasn't a valid form of ID!
I hate that!
Everywhere else accepts that card except them!
I wanted to head back and not go out again.
But the group of friends who were with me were like
"Ginnelle, if you are not coming back, then either we head to the next pub or we will just all head back to Saltis."
I didn't want to spoil everyone's day.
A lot of coordination had been done to get everyone to meet there.
So I promise to go back, get my Passport and head back to meet them.
That was the only way to convince them to get into the bar and wait for me.
Of course I wouldn't cheat and not go back.
Missing 10 minutes of the game in exchange for 80 minutes of exciting company is DEFINITELY WORTHWHILE.
I don't want to be watching the match by myself for sure!

The atmosphere in the pub was GREAT.
That's the thing about being in Europe.
Football is such a huge thing everywhere, you see fans EVERYWHERE.
I would say there was a good balance of fans inside the pub.
Some Man Utd, some Chelsea.
But the Chelsea fans were much more rowdy
They were cheering all the time..
Especially during the penalties, I felt as though I was in Stamford Bridge?
I hate watching penalties.
It's just so random and dependent on luck.
Further, it always goes against my wishes.
But my best friend, Simon who was behind me and rooting for Man Utd as well just told me not to WORRY.
Yeah, he was right!
Honestly when Ronaldo missed the penalty, I did think all was lost.
To the extent, I nearly surrender to the claim that I AM A JINX.
But I remember what Damien said before.
"You should be proud of your team and never succumb until the last minute or when the game is over."
So I convinced myself that Chelsea is going to give way some point in the 4th or 5th penalty.

I feel sad for JT.
It's like he should be the last person to miss the penalty.
If Man Utd had lost, the same goes for Ronaldo.
They had put in so much effort for the teams they represent.
No way should the responsibility for loss be on them again!

Lalala...
No more words to say...
Manchester United are CHAMPIONS of the CHAMPIONS once again after 9 long YEARS! :)
I'll definitely have a good night's sleep...................

Where the champions are crowned

Yes! Watch tomorrow's Game!
11 May 08 at 22:00hours (Singapore Time)
A decisive one.
It's either Man utd or Chelsea that will be champions.
Let's all PRAY hard!! :)

Football is my life!

People complain that my blog is mundane.
SO I need to blog more and of course, blog stuff with more substance.

Sometimes I think I am a jinx.
My fav. team always loses when I watch them play.
From Euro 2004 to World Cup 2006
I watched England lost to Portugal twice in a row!
David Beckham missed the penalty!

Then it was Champions League's Final 2004/2005.
I am never on Liverpool's side.
I watched AC Milan giving away their 3-0 lead.
My fav. AC Milan player back then (Kaka wasn't there.) Sheva MISSED the PENALTY again!

Worst was to come.
My maiden soccer match in Man Utd.
They lost 1-2.

Last Saturday, I set off cheerfully to watch the most important match of the season.
One decisive game of who becomes Champions for the season.
Chelsea Football Club VS Manchester United Football Club.
Overjoyed when Rooney converted from Cavalhro's mistake at a freekick.
Michael Ballack tore my day apart.
He twice netted in goal and my heart sank.
Man Utd would have been crowned Champions if they won or maybe draw would be a better result.
I will be away in Italy.Greece for 2 weeks so I will miss the next 2 matches
However, I will keep myself updated.
I want this to be a doubles' season for Man Utd.
I want this season to be remembered by everyone.
So I can tell everyone proudly:
"YES! 2007/2008, the season when Man Utd was crowned Champions of Barclay's Premier League Champions and UEFA Champions League, I was there for a game." :)
At least that will really convince everyone else around me that I am not a JINX.

My brother,"Eh, I think you better don't watch the game and bring bad luck."
Peiliang,"Please tell me who you support on Monday so that I can go to Singapore Pools on Tuesday and buy the opposite team."
"So you were there. That explains why Man Utd lost to Chelsea." .... I can't rmb who said that.

I don't know why but I just love football.
It's part of my life already.

Watched the Man Utd Vs Barcelona plus Chelsea Vs Liverpool game.
Both were INSANELY GOOD!
Yes, it's during games like these that you feel your adrenaline rush!
I was so happy that Man Utd won.
Simply holding my breath towards the last 10 minutes of the games.
Neighbours who were watching with me constantly reminded me not to be complacent.
A goal within the 10 minutes is all it takes to change the outcome.
I am glad I rode through it. :)
Man Utd is on their way to MOSCOW~
That night, I'd pizza but no beer.
My french neighbour totally ordered the famous BIG pizza.
I don't think it's the best. There's another much better one.
I will convince him on that sooner or later.
Anyway, he said,"Pizza + Booze + Soccer. That's the best combination and luxury in life."
Yeah I AGREE!

As for the Chelsea game, I was lonely.
Everyone had gone to Russia.
Fortunately, I've this friend in Amsterdam who's watching too.
So we chatted on MSN as we watch.
I ain't that lonely after all.
Finally, Chelsea had their revenge!
But I think the victory is rather an insult to Jose Mourihno.
Chelsea had failed to beat Liverpool twice under his management.
It's not because Mourihno isn't good enough.
He just had POOR LUCK.
But he's really one of the best managers around. :)
I used to like Chelsea quite a fair bit because of Mourihno.
I like the way he manages the club, the confidence he has.
I love it when fans cheer for him even after he's gone.
That's because he brought unusual success to the club, to the fans.
It's great watching his expressions, his comments.
They usually startle you.

Sorry Liverpool fans, no silverware this season. BLEH! :p

21st May 2008
Moscow
UEFA Champions League 2008
Chelsea Vs Manchester United

It's revenge time!
But I don't deny seeing two English teams in the finals is kind of boring.
That would appear similar to a Premier League game. :(

Japan Week Plus City Hall Reception

Updates about the Japan week event on Tuesday night.
The event was held at the NobelMuseet, museum of Alfred Nobel's lifetime contribution to the world and the prestigious Nobel Prize today!

Kim & me were there to... basically, EAT! There wasn't a wide variety of sushi, sadly. There were only like 4 different types of sushi and 2 were sashimi, dory fish & salmon. There were also cooked-prawn sushi & salmon maki. I tried all of course, how I missed SUSHI! I am usually not a sashimi-lover but that was authentic Japanese Sushi and the salmon sashimi was FABULOUS!

After the sushi, we just walked around, looked at a few exhibits of Japan's history, key inventions and popular leisure activities like origami. Oh ya, drank sake & it wasn't too bad! There was a room reserved for drawing your personal manga protrait. There was an extremely long queue and Kim & I really wanted our personalised manga picture. We were too SLOW!

There were lots of other snacks anyway, like Japanese sweets, chips (Wasabe flavour, extremely nice!) etc. There's a type of cake which I don't really know how to describe it but it resembles those small pastry which we buy during Mooncake festival. I am bad with words. :(

Well, I walked around the museum and glance through stuffs on Alfred Nobel and he's such a genius! To become a millionaire, you don't have to work so hard actually. Haha..You should just try to win a Nobel Prize! haha. One prize is worth $10million. MR NOBEL is FILTHY RICH! All the cash that comes with the prize is part of his assets. So sad he didn't have any children but it might be a blessing in disguise- otherwise we will lose all the inventions in the world today.

Kim's senior who stays at another dorm suggested we go over as they cooked WANTON NOODLES and there were lots of leftovers. By the way, I really need to let everyone know:

71 shouts:"I found MAHJONG KAKEES!"

I played mahjong last friday with Kim's seniors & friends. They are all NUS students as well but they are doing their exchange at Stockholm University so they stay at another dorm which is just 5 minutes walk from school. They cooked Basili chicken (chicken in vinegar) when we went over with rice! That was the first time I ate rice in Stockholm. haha.. It was good I've to admit. So Kim & I said we must do something about our menu. All we have been cooking all these while is Pastas, Fried Noodles or BeeHoon & Pizza. But I don't know why, I just love PASTA & PIZZA!

Wednesday night- City Hall Reception
It was a reception held for all international exchange students, researchers etc. The weather wasn't too good last night to be honest. I was in skirt and had to walk 1km as usual. I forgot about wearing tights. The food was seriously GOOD! But everyone was like rushing and cut queues. Apparently, Singaporeans ain't the Kiasu lot! Those Europeans, Americans, Indians (since they come from all parts of the world) etc are equally KIASU! All the blabbering about them being civilised and putting down us Singaporeans? I prove that point wrong last night!

They opened the main hall, which they call it the Blue Hall but it's not in blue though and the golden room. I bet you guys must have seen the photos of the two rooms in January when I posted my visit to the City Hall. Once the welcome speech was done, everyone simply pushed and squeezed their way up to the Golden Room because they thought it was like some VIP room when it's just normal like the Blue Hall! Oh my! I didn't take pictures because the situation was kind of chaotic and I didn't have time to bother about pictures. I had to make sure I don't fall down from all the pushing! haha..

When it was time to get food, I waited half an hour yet I didn't get a single piece of food on my plate. So in the end, we had to be kiasu and cut queue before I finally get some salmon to fill my EMPTY stomach! There was this Caucasian guy who confronted one of my friends but we were definitely not in the wrong! We queued like everyone else did but we didn't get our food so we had to cut queue instead.

It was a short reception though, about 1.5hours (because it's costly to book that place) and there was no follow-up activity sad to say. But there was SOCCER! I almost forgot about it Arsenal Vs Milan. They telecast Champions League here... :) But there was only one match.

Kim's senior's friend actually gave me a web-link to watch soccer online but it didn't work with MAC! In order to be able to catch the game, you need to download this sopcast player or some other player but the installation file is in .exe which Macbook doesn't supports. I tried to view the ManUtd Vs Arsenal FA Cup game last weekend and it failed. I missed the first half game because I was trying to download Crossover which allows me to switch to Windows and hopefully i will be able to install the application but it failed. Fortunately, I have a nice neighbour!

The cute french guy was watching the match on his PC and he say I could watch his. Apparently, he decided to go have dinner because Arsenal was down 3-0 by half-time and he kinda likes Arsenal. So sad... So I watched the 2nd half of the game. Like I told my brother, when I watch soccer now and see Old Trafford, memories flood back to me. That place is like so familiar to me! I've been there! The seats, the pitch, the dugout etc etc..

Back to Champions League game-I watched the match in the common kitchen on TV with the large group of football-fanatics (students) staying at my dorm. It wasn't a good game seriously. What happened was that the french guy & another german guy brought their laptops to the kitchen and 3 matches were being viewed concurrently!

1) Arsenal Vs AC Milan on TV
2) Lyon Vs ManUtd on PC
3) Celtic Vs Barcelona on PC

Why these 3 matches? The french guy obviously supports Lyon (french team) so he wanted to watch that match. The German guy grew up in Barcelona so he's a Die-Hard Barca fan so he was watching the Barca match! The thing with the PC is that it's like 15 secs behind actual play. So there was once when I saw updates on the score on TV but I've yet to see the goal on PC. Haha.. I watched the Arsenal game for the first half and after that I switched to the ManUtd match.

Anyway, when Lyon scored, the french guy was CHEERING!

He was going:"I am sorry, Ginnelle! Man Utd don't look too good today." haha..

But when ManUtd finally scored in the 87th minute,

I was going: "I am sorry! ManUtd made a comeback. We are still friends, ain't we?" haha...

It was so important for ManUtd to get an AWAY goal!

The Arsenal match was a disappointing one seriously. I had expected some really entertaining football going on but all it was - Poor freekicks being taken, players going down easily, Adebayor missing the open header (alright, it hit the bar actually.), Kaka not in condition. The Barca & ManUtd matches were much better! I was hoping Milan will win & the french guy was rooting for Arsenal!

It's just coincidental that I dislike the teams he roots for and vice versa. I've been mentioning his name a lot i realise but if not for him, there won't be any football for me so I really need to thank him! We agreed to watch the AWAY game together for ManUtd Vs Lyon 2 weeks later! It's much more fun when two people that supports the same team watch the match together because you DOUBLE the HAPPINESS when your team wins and DIVIDES the UNHAPPINESS when your team loses. But sad to say, I've yet to find any ManUtd Fan here.

Lastly about my roomie.. At the reception, I hope she enjoyed herself. My brother says I should be nicer to her and show her more concern. I hoped I did a good job ystd at the City Hall reception by companying her throughout the reception :) Catch the photos!

The photo below: Apparently, I will say he's one of the most friendly guy in our dorm, almost making friends with everyone. I didn't take any photos with him at the Welcome Dinner because he didn't attend so when I saw him that day, we said we must take photos. He's a very NICE guy, from Switzerland. He knew he's kinda tall and in order to make the photo look better, he actually bent lower to accommodate my height. The first one was quite bad. This was the 2nd attempt. To add on to the surprise, my roomie was the one who took this photo. haha!

Ginnelle.Simon

Group photo-Mixed Nationalities: Dutch, Singaporeans, Swiss, Cambodian, Swedish & German

See my roomie? The other 2 girls are from Serbia & Hungary respectively. The Serbia girl (beside me) is another very friendly soul who makes friends with EVERYONE!

The BEST Photo: My Soccer-match provider! The French Neighbour! haha.. This was taken when the reception was about to end and everyone had finished their wine and was going around asking, "Is there any more wine?" We were the last few who still had wine left. So we said we should take a photo to signal that we are the last few CONTENDERS! We are SMART to save some towards the end. We had to take 3 shots because we didn't have a good photographer around. Why? They kept taking photos of our faces WITHOUT our WINE when the wine should have been the focus! Still, the 3rd one wasn't too good! There was one which was quite nice with the wine in the picture but he said I must delete that photo cos he felt he didn't look good in that picture. I even did a self-shot but he looked totally lost in it. He said I should pre-amp him.

Oh ya! Anyway, we are just exact opposites! We support different soccer teams and we have different preferences for wine! Red for him & White for me! I don't know but it's like my natural instinct to go for white wine. I only tried red wine once or twice. Maybe I should go for red wine the next time round!

Ginnelle.Damien

Home Sweet Home after Soccer match.... :)