The world has gone sort of gray and fuzzy. I'm Slightly Out of Focus. The daily routine becomes a monotone roar in my ears, the nightly escape an ever more out of control attempt to drown out one din with another. I'm not wandering lost, not yet. I'm still reasonably centered, but the things that were once important have faded away. The new things that are becoming important (or that I want to become important) are far away, in the distance, not even particularly shiny, just hazy black shapes that I only endeavor to move towards when there's nothing better to do. There's always something else to do, better or not. Life isn't joyless, but it's not really joyful, either. Small pleasures have become the only pleasures. Mild irritations become raging fires of anger that fade moments after they started. I snap at a lot of people. I forget things. I have no patience. I hurt people's feelings on accident.

I am Slightly Out of Focus. Don't tell anyone, I'm hoping it won't last.

"The Land of the Free, The Home of the Brave, is in the Round of Eight" - World Cup announcers.

We did it! I stayed up late after work and I watched it all! (check out the time stamp!) The United States has never advanced to the quarterfinals in the history of the World Cup. EVER! Just watch how many people go football crazy now. For the record, I went nuts before all of ya'll bandwagoners! By the end of this game Mexico started to get down right nasty. 10 yellow cards in the game, almost all of them in the second half. The Mexican captain, known to be a classy player, intentionally headbutted the U.S.' Kobe Jones in the throat in the 84th minute and got red carded. Granted, Mexico put up a firece attack and got rogered just a bit on what looked like a bad non-call by the officials on a handball inside the box that would have led to a penalty kick. Still, if the Mexican team honestly thinks it can make two goals on one penalty kick, I say bring everyone back and let them take it. Way to go team! Next up, Germany, legendary for its goalkeepers. I've set all out clocks to the locales that The U.S. might play if they continue to advance, and I am officially a football hooligan. I feel the urge to break things and trample people, but I will refrain.

I'll ask again though, seriously, who wants to trade shirts?

Ahhh summer time is here, and movies are everywhere. Check out the New Reviews.

I used to openly make fun of soccer. I played it as a child, but the fanaticism of the international fan has been lost on me for most of my life. Those people are out of control.

Or so I thought.

It's World Cup Time and I am addicted. Hooked. I simply can't get enough. I watch every match I can. I record the US games at 6:45 in the morning. I watched Brazil play in the middle of the night. Whatever strange little neuron makes people go crazy for running around chasing a white ball for an hour and a half and trying desperately to bash things with your head has fired in my brain. I am a Football fan. I know the lingo even.

Who wants to trade shirts?

(Also, we have a new winner, check her out)