Football-Immune

Does not caring the slightest about the World Cup make me a traitor? I'm incapable of sitting through 90 minutes of football - equally incompetent of sitting through 5. I'm immune to this World Cup fever that has spread across the globe and currently has masses building their days around matches and even messing up with their sleep to make up for the time difference. 

My total indifference has made people question my patriotism, when the truth is that I couldn't love Spain more! I just think that support takes many forms and believe that holding a flag on one hand, a strong drink on the other whilst letting out of your mouth outrageous words, is not the best way of holding your country's back. Instead, I shop locally, I absorb the morning sun, I take public transport, I savour the juicy tomatoes... you get the idea...

It's just that I'm not into football. But not like those who say the same and then find themselves glued to the screen whenever a major match is on. I actually try my very very best to avoid any kind of streaming of this sport. I still remember the awkward conversations when Dublin taxi drivers learned where I came from:

"So do you support Madrid or Barcelona?"
"Hmmm... You see? I'm not very much into football"
"Oh, that Messi guy is good, isn't he?"
"Ehm.."
"He must damn be! With all that money he is paid.."
"Hmm"
"And that Ronaldo guy!" 

I can only imagine the kind of conversations I would be having now on the back of that taxi. Because, what happens when your team is no longer running for the World Cup? Who do you support? Are you still supposed to watch the matches? Do you feel embarrassed by your nationality? Do you stop liking your country?

All the suffering and disappointments I save myself from by completely ignoring anything related to football!

Jet Lag is the New Hangover

Severely dehydrated. Struggling for words. Head and muscle (every. single. one. of. them.) ache. Lightheaded. Weak... Hangover? No; jet lag. 

I'm just back from a business trip to the other side of the world. A trip short enough to not fully adjust, but long enough to have left part behind. I think a part of me has been lost in every time zone from here to there and back. Now I'll just need to wait for the pieces to catch up with the cardboard version of myself sitting here.

I don't know what time it is of what day. I don't even care, for that matter. I just want to go under the duvet and hide there until tomorrow. That and my Mam. Maaam!! 

Yeh, you might want the exact same thing (plus greasy junk food) if you were out partying last night. But hangover is the price you have to pay for a night out having fun! There's nothing fun about spending 15 hours between airports (plural), flights (plural) and queues (plural: check-in, security, toilets, boarding, disembarking, etc.) 

Ok, let's be fair. It wasn't that bad. I have to stay positive and look on the bright side:

• the 3 airports I was in had Wi-Fi, so I didn't even have to work on my life-work balance

• my bag reached the same destination as I did. Both ways.

• I did not missed my connection. In fact, I spent more than 3 hours waiting for a 45 min flight home

• I was able to change my middle seat for an aisle seat

• with my headphones on, the (constant and extremely loud) screams of the baby were 'differed'

• my vegetarian food was always served before the rest (it was still tasteless crap, but I still got the "I wish I was you" look from the passengers around me)

• the flight attendant gave me a second blanket, so I didn't lose any toes to a/c frost

• no threatening devices/substances were found in my hand luggage after it was embarrassingly completely emptied in front of the whole London Heathrow airport

• despite absurdly feeling a mixture of anxiety and guilt, I was able to provide the correct answer when the cops (that's how they are called there) in the security check asked my name

Oh, well, at least I'm certain that I didn't text my ex, said anything which can be then held against me or hugged others proclaiming them my best friends ever.

*Note: Any grammatical errors and nonsense in this post can be fully attributed to severe jet lag conditions. Be nice and avoid judging me solely on the content of this post. Highly appreciated.