Men and Football

This piece is for all the girls out there who’s got their men passionate about football.

Why do women think that men are so obsessed with watching sport on TV?

Men answers, “Because for a long period of our lives, when we’re not engaged in – or having much luck with the pursuit of them, it’s the only thing we’ve got to do.. or we can do.”

I am writing this because the FIFA Fever is still so, so hot that it’s making all the men in our lives stucked in front of the television screen and momentarily lives in a world where no one, but only them and their favorite teams, exists.

Football rocks the men’s world.. or I might as well say: Football rocks the world of men. Whatever!

I could always smile with the thought of how the football fever takes over every corner of the men’s lives. There’s the anticipation and the excitement and the glory! But with their team losing the game, a big-time downer for real! They could always cry and are really broken-hearted when their teams get dumped out.. ”when their million-pound players can’t seem to kick the ball on target from 10.9 metres, losing dramatically but crushingly on penalty shootouts..” – well, that’s according to Mr. G*Nice who considers football as the ‘other’ love of his life.

And in one month after every four years, we ‘ladies’ have to accept that there is something else that is as important in our men’s lives as we are. We should have realized this on a much ‘matured’ level of our minds even prior to kick-off. It is a passion that we cannot take away from them and don’t dare ask them to choose between you and football! That’s a very big ‘No!’.

“Football fills their lives with tremendous highs and crushing lows.” And yes, tears.. “football makes the tears in men flow out of joy and despair.” Every game was a roller-coaster ride, the FIFA World Cup even more. The same guy says, “It is a fireball of nervous energy, with sweaty palms, twitching away in a world of my own. I am unable to express anything in anything less than a scream, and looked animated like the Tazmanian Devil on a Red Bull.”

There’s always the fire and it’s burning hot as ever. This, we ‘ladies’ have to know and really understand.

And don’t dare tell them, “It’s just a game!”

Because it’s not just a game.

Post Script: One night, I met a guy friend after one of the few last matches in the FIFA World Cup 2010 Round of 16 and unluckily, his favorite team lost the game. Knowing that, with my intention to express my sympathy, I greeted him with, "Oh, our team lost.." with a hug to match. He replied me with, "Please don't remind me. It's painful." The expression on his face is unexplainable.

* G*Nice is a columnist in Friday magazine (Gulf News).

How Do You Know Whether Its Infatuation or Real Love?

This was an excerpt from a Friday mag, in the popular G*Nice column which has been my all-time-favorite page in the magazine.

One of his readers threw this killer question which says, "How do you know whether the feelings you have is infatuation or real love?". And he proposed that the potential answer, if there's such a thing.. a mighty complex thing, is personal to each of us.

He wrote...

"I guess that all hook-ups start with infatuation which is officially defined as 'a foolish, unreasoning or extravagant passion or attraction'. Surely some things in life should be driven by emotions alone, above all other more logical rationale. If that makes me foolish and unreasoning, then so be it."

"I mean, it's not like buying a car - where mileage, previous owners and a scratch on the body work are key considerations. Where relationships are concerned, my advice is just jump in and see how it feels when you are driving, how well it handles on the open road with the top down, and more importantly, how it handles on sharp bends, wet roads and heavy traffic!"

"The only part of the definition that I am totally feeling is the extravagant passion/attraction, which should be omnipresent at all times if initial infatuation develops into that crazy little thing called love."

"Infatuation might have that feeling of the short-lived about it and if it does, then that's the thing to place your trust in - just enjoy it for what it is. Like ice cream."

Like ice cream?

"Most of us love ice cream and can gorge ourselves on it with great pleasure but there comes a time when we know that we have to balance our diet with something that's a bit more nutritious."

"You never stop loving ice cream and should never deny yourself that pleasure, but we all know that it best exists when consumed alongside other foodstuffs rich with vitamins, minerals and goodness."

"I think that infatuation is much like the instant hit that you get from the perfect snack at just the right time, whereas real love delivers the all-consuming hit that you can only get from a truly awesome meal that has all the flavours that make the lips tingle and the stomach full to the point of a contented tummy patting and ultimately the loosening of the belt!"

True!

Single Saturdays (Part 1)

This is not from the general view of men. I’ll have to make that clear before I would get violent reactions out of this blog. But this is from one lonely guys’ sentiment who’s on the lookout for the perfect woman (in his own terms) to add ‘life’ to his life.. or maybe, to the Saturdays of his life? Inspired by Matt Dunn, the author of ‘From here to Paternity’.

Another Single Saturday? It is when he would open his eyes on a Saturday morning and climbing across the empty side of his double-bed, making his way wearily into the bathroom. Surely, he would feel how Single Saturdays suck.

And for someone who hates Single Saturdays, it remains to be always the same. Waking up sometime around 8, which is the same waking time as it on weekdays, and seeing that there’s no one to spend the morning in the bed with. So he had to get up straight away, chuck some clothes on and step out to get the paper and a hot cup of coffee.. then heading straight back home for breakfast and his usual pathetic attempt at the crossword.

In an hour, he’ll change into his workout gear and head over to the gym, in the vain hope that his Single Saturday might ‘magically’ turn into a Couple Saturday. Because guys doesn’t go to the gym on Saturdays for a workout! But he’d go because he’s hoping that he’ll bump into this gorgeous single girl who’s stuck in the same lonely routine like him.. and they’ll get chatting and maybe one of them will suggest a coffee or a drink or even a dinner.

But of course, there could hardly be any gorgeous single girl at the gym on a Saturday morning. They’ve all been snapped up, or they’ve snapped up someone themselves. So, instead, he’ll spend an hour mixing it up between the weights and the machines while watching obscure sport on the TV screens dotted around the room but always keeping one eye on who’s coming in through, just in case.

Then he’d be back home for lunch because no one likes going out to eat on their own, particularly on a weekend. And because he couldn’t face trudging around the malls on a Saturday either mainly because he’d have to keep pushing past all the loved-up couples who jam the town centre during weekends. So lunch will be followed by an afternoon in front of the TV watching football with a beer or two.

Freedom? He used to think. He can do whatever he want. He’s got no commitments. No need to be somewhere at some specific time, or to do anything he don’t want simply because his girlfriend might fancy it. (This is the best part of being single, yah!?)

But he’s grown tired of it. Tired of constantly being on the lookout for someone who might be a girlfriend material.. Tired of not being able to meet a woman without summing her up, giving her marks out of 10.. wondering if she’s single and flirting with her if she is – and sometimes, even if she isn’t. And tired of going through the same motions time & time again, only to watch the relationship fail because they probably weren’t right for each other in the first place! And only got together because they both hated the idea of Single Saturdays!?

And the reason it’s tiring for him is because of the pressure on him being a single guy. Every time he’d meet a woman, the stress starts. If he think she’s attractive, then he can’t possibly relate to her as a normal human being. There’s always this hidden – in some cases, not so hidden.. agenda of wondering if he would ask her out, and more importantly – wondering what their chances of success would be if he did. He can’t help thinking of every single woman he meet as a sex object, because quite frankly, that’s exactly what they are to him. Even if he doesn’t think they’re attractive, he still feel duty-bound to flirt just a little because if he’s half-decent then he wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings. And because women hardly ever, in fact – never, ask men out, he know that he’s safe to do that.

All of it – the nice car, good flat, gym memberships, dressing well, long runs in the evening.. they’re not really to make him feel better (.. and I don’t agree with this!) They’ve all got to do with attracting the opposite sex (Again, this is from one single guy’s point of view and definitely not from you) .. and they’re tiring, too.

So, Single Saturdays, anyone? Or whatever the day of your weekend is….

Photo Credit:  reelmovienews.com

Umbrella

In Dubai, rain seemed to be unusual for everyone. This morning when I went down my building, the rain was pouring a little hard and one really needs an umbrella (if not a raincoat) so as not to be soaked wet by the rain. A few people are walking on the same street as I am and mostly ladies, of course, got their umbrellas to protect them from the rain. Some guys are there with their hooded jackets or caps and a few are just running around.

When I reached the bus stop, the shed was occupied by men without anything to protect them from the pouring rain. One lady was outside the shed plus me. I guess, we have to spare the slot for these guys. When the bus came, the guys all run towards it and again, we have to give way for them not to be soaked too much with the rain. We’ve got umbrellas, anyway.

When I got down the bus after a few stops, there was this two guys who in their decent office attires were chatting while waiting for their ride. Neat looking guys chatting under the rain but with their long-handled black umbrellas. I passed by them but after a few steps, I stopped and looked back. It is admirable to see these guys how they look so neat and composed in the rain. I can’t help smiling.

Then I thought about what’s wrong with the male specie and umbrellas (at least when it's raining). Only a few would want to carry one. It is not a question of masculinity, I guess, if guys would carry an umbrella. If it may not be the point, then the second possible reason on my mind is laziness. A lot of guys would rather put on their jackets and head on in the rain, running from building to building to find cover.

How I can appreciate people who knows how to take care of themselves. And it is evident in the umbrellas you carry… at least, when it is raining.

Again, I thought of the two guys and smiled.