Brand New Colony.

Well well well... You check the scores right? Shava´s first goal for Arsenal. A real piece of a master´s work. I can´t remember the last time I saw someone (on our team) give such a beautiful solo performance. A weird match all in all, if I´d started to bet, Eboue on scoring sheet twice wouldn´t have been the first thing in my mind. He has scored three times for us this season (league only) and I can think of a couple of assists. So, in a way I can see why Wenger trusts him. Still not my favourite though. Bendtner was having the worst off day a striker can have. He must have missed five or six scoring opportunities. And I think the crowd booed to him when he was subbed. Again. I feel sorry for him, he´s still young and he can be good, but everyone has a bad day. It was nice to see Theo again, he seems to work very well with Arshavin. (I keep thinking of this midfield/forwards with Theo and Vela on wings, Cesc and Nasri in the middle and Eduardo up front, Arshavin just behind him. And that sounds dirty if you want to think it that way... It could work really well. No need to get more strikers or midfielders. Maybe not even a DMF since Denilson seems to be doing quite good. He and Song were having a terrific match and frankly, can´t remember the last time. Maybe spring brings out the best of them all. This is horrible, but I haven´t even missed Adebayor. I remembered him when someone asked when he´s going to be back. Strange. The pressure is on Aston Villa now, let´s see how they entertain the neighbours tomorrow. First time I want Spurs to win...

I finished Stieg Larsson´s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. You should definitely read it, I enjoyed it very much. Might seem like a boring story in the beginning, but I like the way it works the weak parts. I went to our local bookstore today, for the first time in four years, to see if they had the second book so I could read it. But no. So I keep doing like before and buy my books online. It´s easy. Too easy, judging by the looks of my bookshelf which is full and I have no idea where to shove the next pieces I´ll get. Just like with my DVDs. Right now I´m piling them on my player, but eventually I have to come up with a better place.

I saw some guys I used to go to school with. By seeing I mean I saw them when Mum was getting the lottery ticket, but didn´t speak to them. I just know the other lost his money because he was putting his money on the wins of Swansea and Hoffenheim. (Swansea lost and Hoffenheim drew.) And then I saw this one guy on the grocery store and he sure did look different from the last time I saw him. Well, people change. In a way it was gun to see them, but I haven´t really missed them. At all.

More when I´m up to it. Take care!

Listening to: Modwheelmood - Thursday

Such Great Heights.

I know, I promised this a bit earlier, but do not kill me for stalling once again :) Frankly, I cannot remember the last time I wrote something, but let´s see what I´ve been doing.

First. Arsenal. After that 0-0 four times in a row they managed to beat WBA last week and then Burnley on Sunday. I loved Sunday´s match. For many reasons, strating with Eduardo as captain and scoring an unbelievable goal. You really wouldn´t think the man was out from the pitch almost a year. Someone on BBC chat said: "100% international, 100% genius - great to have you back Eddie" and I could not agree more. Really, you do not even realise how much you miss someone until he´s back. (Dudu played last night too, but that in a bit.) Sunday was great. Vela´s chip to the goal was sweet for a guy of my age and I think we all can give Eboue a rest for a while.

So, last night. If you obsessively check UCL results like I do, you know already it was torture. 1-0 to Roma after full time and extra time meaning penalties. I cannot stand penalties. I´m not going to list all the emotions I went throught last night, but it included everything from wanting to throw up to euphoric crying. I can´t even tell if they played well or not, I have kind of forgotten the little details. Nor do I really remember the penalties. I was once thinking myself who I´d let take Arsenal penalties (given all of them were fit to play) and the list was something like RVP, Ade, Dudu, Shava, Cesc, Nasri, Rosicky, Walcott. Four of them did take a penalty last night (Dudu missing his, but he had the honour of being first with all the pressure), but when the likes of Denilson, Sagna, Diaby and Toure net in penalties for us... What can I say, they are good at it. I never doubt we have good penalty takers. We´d win Spurs anyday. (I mean, who managed for them... Corluka?) Crocked stars are getting fit (Dudu and Theo already are :D) and I am feeling optimistic. We won´t win the league, but won´t end up on the relegation zone either. Now if only Pompey would manage to drag themselves out of the bottom...

Then then. Movies. I have watched a huge bunch of them. And all good too, I do not watch bad movies. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, V for Vendetta, Gomorra, Benny & Joon, Children of Men... All fabulous movies and very different too. Well, okay, V for Vendetta and Children of Men have the same kind of idea, got from a different perspective and it´s not the same at all. And Gomorra is great, even if it resembles more a documentary than a movie. I can recommend all of them. Jesse James has music by Nick Cave, so it´s even more great.

I haven´t been reading that much lately, but I did start Stieg Larsson´s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (?) the other day. I´m not sure if that is the English title, but I remember seeing that one somewhere. Literal translation of the name would be "Men Who Hate Women". 100 pages in and nothing has really happened, but the build up seems really good and I´m convinced I have read it in a couple of weeks. Swedish crime novels are always good. I´m also reading a book for the university entrance exams and so far I have liked it. Yes, liked. It´s weird since I didn´t really care about that topic bac in high school, but I guess it´s the different way the writers approach it this time that makes me like it. At least I´m not suffering when reading it :)

And. I did mention I was in Tallinn. A quick weekend trip with my Mum, nothing special, but it was nice. A small break to the every day routine. It still looked the same it did the last time I was in town, but now I found a nice park that had this snow park for kids. I don´t really know what to tell about Tallinn, since I´ve been there so many times that it´s almost like some sort of second home. The food was still excellent though.

Don´t know what else I should write about. Ask me, I´ll answer. Until next time, take care!

Listening to: Foo Fighters - Everlong

Ok, I´m sorry all. Football has been so fucking boring lately (0-0, 0-0, 0-0... you know) I haven´t felt like posting. But, since I travelled last weekend I think you deserve to know something about that. BUT. Forgive me for being a tease, I´ll post a nice proper post later since it´s way past midnight here and I have been up more than I should.

Endlessly, She Said.

By now I think I´m over my huge emotional rollercoaster and can write something comprehensive. And I promise to try a long post, since it has been a while. Too long.

So, emotional rollercoaster. People who know shouldn´t need an explanation, but it all sums up in one name: Eduardo. He made his comeback at Grove last night when Arsenal beat Cardiff 4-0 and it was one of the most awesome matches this season. I literally screamed out loud when I turned on the channel and saw him coming out of the tunnel (and most likely woke up my parents too, but I don´t care) and then I cried. The first time. I have only good things to say about the men on the pitch last night, but I can tell it was probably the most emotional game I have ever watched. I had a big romantic wish to see Dud make his comeback at home in front of the people who love him and his hard work back to the opening and thank god Wenger made it true.

So, yeah. I think it was Times that started their article with the words "some storylines are just meant to be" and I couldn´t agree more. No one in the entire team would have deserved the first goal more then Eduardo. Then I cried the second time. And I cried long. But so did he. I have to say, it was a magnificent goal and the way he plays together with Vela is sweet. That cross the Mexican gave him... One of the reason´s why I love Arsenal. And can I just say that after the penalty Dudu netted (like he´d miss it), I loved it how he went to hug the fitness coach. Can a 25-year-old man be adorable? It truly was Dudu´s night. There might have been 22 players on the pitch, but there was only one star. Not understating Bendtner´s or Van Persie´s goals by any means, but they have been around. RVP is getting good with his right foot too, I am looking forward wether professor will play Dudu and RVP as forwards with Vela and Nasri on the wings, because if it works all together as it works in pieces, there shouldn´t be any problems. Midfield, um yeah, there were Denilson and Song in the middle. Denilson is really growing to the role he is given and improves by every match. Not such a helpless case he seemed at some point. Song on the other hand, well, let´s just say I hope Arshavin is there soon.

Bendter played a good match, 1+1 isn´t bad at all. Could have scored twice, but I think that would have been too much hoped for. Defense, well. Let´s just say that about six months ago, I wouldn´t have believed I´m almost praising Gallas. Ever since he lost the band he has been almost every time been playing absolutely well. He and Toure aren´t the best central midfield duo Gunners have, but yesterday they made it work. And Toure seemed to be on a really nice attacking mood too. Sagna is always awesome, that being said I am glad Kieran Gibbs got to play. He is still young (which one of them isn´t...), but he seems to have a special eye to the game and I like it. Not once did I miss Clichy. And Fabianski, he had an easy night, but the little he had to do, he did good. Very calm and steady performance. The entire team seemed to be enjoying themselves and I liked it. It was the Arsenal-football that made them famous. For a change it was lovely to see them do like this, score and play beautifully after the hard times. We´ll see what happens on Saturday.

Enough with emotion filled football and other things too.

I wasn´t having such a good day yesterday (that was before the kick off) and I don´t know why. You know, kind of back to how I felt in January. And I didn´t like it. It passed quite fast, which I´m glad of and I don´t want the feeling to come back. I still do have trouble falling asleep, but I don´t know if there is anything I can do about.

I have been reading quite a lot. Finally finished The Basque History of the World and I liked it a lot, so thanks to John for recommending it. Funny thing is, when I finally got to the part where it was about founding ETA, I had forgotten the entire organization. Really changed my views on Basques. Then I finished the Arturo Perez-Reverte book I was writing about earlier. A typical novel of his, unexpected ending and a clever plot. Not to mention now I want to go to Prado even more I did before. Seriously, if you haven´t read his works before, I suggest you take a look at them. Of course, what I like and what others find good are two completely different things. The n I read this book called Sarah´s Key over the weekend. Set in France during WWII and modern day, it´s a story about France´s participation of the Holocaust. Even with the subject, it´s very easy to read and gives a new perspective. I have read so many novels about Poland and Germany and Czechoslovakia and others during the war, that I found this refreshing. I am always open to new recommended reading, though I have a few books I need to read. The entrance exam books for starters.

Nothing else much. I probably write more on weekend if I don´t come up with something that I absolutely have to share. Until that, take care!

Listening to: Pearl Jam - Betterman

Light On.

Oh my God, what a derby it was. I cannot believe I am actually kind of happy with a draw, a 0-0 draw on top of it. Then again, I would have been extremely miserable if Spurs had won. Okay. Eboue got sent off on the first half and I´m not even surprised. When he got his first yellow I knew he´d take another one too. I hate being right on this kind of things. And Ade is injured. Looked like a hamstring injury, which is never ever good. Fine, we have forwards, but one more wouldn´t hurt that much. No idea yet how long until he´s back, but we´re playing Roma in two weeks... Scary. I also hate how those Spurs fans were gloating when Ade was down. Fuck you, it could have been a lot worse. They couldn´t keep their mouths shut either when Clichy was bleeding from his head. That isn´t football culture, that is just being evil. All the more reasons to hate Spurs and everything that goes with them. Two injured players, but thankfully Gibbs covered the last minutes for Clichy really well. I might have said it before, but the lad has talent and I really like watching him on the pitch.

Almunia was probably playing the best match of the season, his saves were just amazing. I know I have said bad things about him in the past, but right now he is doing exactly what he needs to do. Gallas was great and I´m glad we didn´t sell him. I don´t care if he is a prick, he can play well enough to be in the opening XI. Bendtner is improving, better match after match. Van Persie and Nasri weren´t that awesome today, but it might have something to do with thw fact that it was 11 vs 10 men. A lot of defending since Spurs were the more attacking team this time around. That said, midfield did good in my opinion. Arsenal is still unbeaten in 11 matches, but if we keep getting just one point every match, it won´t get us back in top 4. Unless Chelsea keeps fucking it up too, because at the moment we are fighting with them of the 4th place. This season is far from boring. Better next time guys. I´m happy and proud of you, you didn´t let that biggest matter of a joke Keane score :D (And now I´m watching this match on rerun. Canal+ has logic. It just ended like 15 minutes ago. Not complaining that much. And for once it was over fast, usually Arsenal matches seem to last for ages.)

That was about it. I have nothing more to say today, this was all I could concentrate on today. You have no idea how many times i glanced the clock in a pizzeria while I was waiting to get my pizza just to make sure I wouldn´t miss the start. Many times and I didn´t miss. Mum did call me like two minutes before the kick off to ask if I had eaten anything and then she remembered "Oh, isn´t the match starting about now?" Me: "Yeah, it is so I´m just gonna hang up on you see you later okay bye." They are doing a family friends tour with Dad today, I have no idea when they´ll be home, but I guess I get to watch this match again :P

More when I have something to say. Take care!

Listening to: Kent - Spökstad

Walk This Way.

Hmm, I seem to have neglegted this one a bit lately. Apologies. I just haven´t had anything intelligent to say I guess. Not that I have that much now either, but I feel like writing.

For no apparent reason I have been really happy for three days now. Yesterday of course because it was really sunny and the day was lovely. Monday, I don´t know and today mostly because Arsenal makes me happy :). A nice change after all the moodiness last month. Spring is getting closer and makes miracles. I am hoping for a nice sunny day for tomorrow too, I love waking up watching the sun shine through my window. Damn, I am not this happy :D

I did some baking again. I like it, since I can´t properly cook. I have to be good at something. And making pizza doesn´t count as cooking in my books.

I have been reading a book by Arturo Perez-Reverte, I have no idea what it is in English as I am too lazy to check the title... It´s about a Flamish painting and a chess match on the painting and as usual it becomes a murder story. I like it. A lot. He writes well and makes me get into things I know very little about. Fine, I have played chess, but haven´t learned any of those fancy moves and hardly know the difference between check and mate. Actually, I could take my chess board out from the closet and see if Dad is up for a game. Mum doesn´t play it, too mathematical for her. But the book. It´s an old one, but a good read. And I have really good movies waiting to be watched. Maybe I´ll use Saturday afternoon to watch them since I have nothing better to do.

And I need to write a bit about Andrei Arshavin. Or Andrey, as they chose to write it at Arsenal. Either way, welcome to the Gunner family, you Russian cult player. I know it will take some time for him to get used to the English playing style and to the fact that he isn´t the biggest star of the team. But I want to believe he actually ads some creativity to the game and helps us. Not to mention, we´ll have a total killer midfield when everyone is fit. Arshavin, Fabregas, Eduardo, Nasri, Walcott, Rosicky, Vela, Ramsey, Wilshire... And since some of them play as forwards too... Attacking style maybe? I can´t wait. Just the shere fact that Wenger agree to buy someone who is ready to play, in his prime is amazing. Does he do that? Shame we won´t see him on Sunday againts Spurs since he´s back in Russia to tie some loose ends. Maybe the FA Cup replay with Cardiff. A home match, sweet. Kind of would have loved to see him this weekend, as now we have the again Spur-man Keane there. I´m not happy about that. Thank God the derby is only twice a season.

More when I have something to gush about. Enjoy the winter, it´s going to be over soon! Take care!

Listening to: Carpark North - Transparent & Glasslike

Come Alive.

What can I say about last night´s match? Well, the last time I was this happy about one point was back in October. It´s one point, could have lost all three. Actully, it was so close Arsenal didn´t lose them all. If we didn´t have this super-fit flamin´ Van Persie, Gunners would be screwed. Big time. I´m not saying they are awesome now, because they really are not. Last night was awful (I hate weekday matches). Diaby and Song in the midfield?! Seriously, Wenger must have lost his mind. Diaby shouldn´t be in the opening XI and Song isn´t much better. Why do we have Ramsey, Vela, Wilshire if they never get to play. I don´t know how a midfield of Ramsey-Denilson-Nasri-Vela would work (mostly because I haven´t paid attention to wether Ramsey is rightie or leftie...), but Nasri needs to be in the middle when we don´t have Cesc and Denilson is no winger. Far from it. I cannot believe I´m not concerned about the defence so much anymore, it works if they all have a good day, if not... Well, in that case Tim Cahill gets to score his 100th goal. Bendtner as a supersub is ok, but Ade needs to work on something, his attitude maybe. Hello, you are supposed to be a striker! Van Persie gets all the credit he deserves, once again he was the best man of the team on the pitch and did what he was supposed to. I´m just worried that when it´s his turn to rest (because he needs to, eventually) or he gets injured again... Not good. 1-1 is a fair result and it´s a point. Could have been better though. West Ham on Saturday.

Also, I watched the rerun on Wigan-Liverpool today (yes, I do that, I´m lame) and I got to say, Mido´s penalty was clever. That´s all.

I haven´t done anything, so I have nothing else to write about. More later. Take care!

Listening to: MGMT - Kids