- posted by gail @ 10:23 PM 0 comments

 
Rest in peace Elmo Baruch Punk, mummy loves you very much.

Elmo passed away on the 22nd of January 2007. Born on the 10th of June 2004, she was 2 years, 7 months and 12 days old when she passed on. She will be dearly missed by her mummy.

God bless you darling. I miss you very much and I love you.

We had many great times Elmo and me, and she never failed to make me smile with her feisty nature, and at the same time, warm my heart by her gentleness towards me.

Like curling up and lying in my hand, just peacefully resting
Like running out to see what happened what she hears me crying
Like running out to greet me when i come home from school
Like licking my hand when i am in tears or need cheering up
Like licking me when i tell her i love her very much
Like diving into her cage and squeaking and moving quickly in a zig zag manner to chase the insect out of her home
Like moving around her tissue paper when she wants to sleep in another corner of her cage
Like saving a piece of tissue to use as a blanket to cover herself
Like running on her wheel and then running to sit on her food trough (which serves as a lift in which i carry her out of her cage) and then checking to see if i've noticed her and am coming to take her out. If I do, she gets all happy and excited. If I don't, she runs back to the wheel again to see if she can get my attention with the noise created by the wheel
Like curling up in a corner of my bed to nap
Like digging on my bedsheet
Like throwing sawdust out of her cage and squeaking loudly if she is unhappy
Like smiling or licking me if she's happy
Like brushing me off, literally, if she wants me to go away
Like sulking when she has to take a bath
Like rubbing her little head and ears and sucking her toes
Like being upset at having her picture taken, unless she has been given a snack to which she then happily shows off her little treat and smiles
Like when she got lost and i prayed to God that i could find her, and i said out loud "elmo if you can hear mummy, please make a noise" to which she squeaked in reply and james the interior designer came, cut a whole in the wood, and rescued her
Like when she looked sad and ashamed and didn't dare look me in the eye after being found, but i told her that it was alright, mummy's happy you're safe now and she cheered up immediately
Like when the vet said she was a very cute hamster
Like when the people at the vet said she was very tame as she just lay there rest on my hands while waiting for her turn to see the doctor
Like when she behaved herself and stood still as i stroked her whilst getting a jab
Like when her first home was a fish tank and then a plastic container and she didn't like it one bit and would squeak and bite a lot
Like when she calmed down when i bought her her cage
Like when we watched the general election results together, she lying on my hand, me watching the news
Like when she climbs onto my laptop and sniffs at it, and bites the computer's mouse
Like when we moved house to my godmother's place during the court case and i had to hide her cage in the bathroom
Like when both of us were so happy to finally get to go home
Like how she sleeps in her cage right next to my bed
Like how she didn't like the tiny plastic teddy bear i bought for her, and stomped on it and tried to bury it
Like how she liked to run around my room, and-praise God-i could find her later on
Like how she didn't like the Christmas bear
Like how taking photographs made her sulk, unles she was bribed with food or snacks
Like how she didn't like wasabe peas: she greedily bit into it, and on realising it was spicy, rushed to drink water, and then stepped on the pea and tried to bury it
Like how she tried to bite me when i offered her another wasabe pea
Like how she didn't want to sit on gemma's hand and so she curled up even tighter in my hand
Like how she likes it when i stroke her head
Like how she always eats breakfast at 6 something in the morning
Like how she loves her star shaped petfood
Like how she is incredibly naturally toilet trained and very hygenic
Like how she likes lying in the little plastic house in her cage
Like how she was determined to get out of the barrier i built and would try to dig, but upon realising that didn't work, ran to my pencil box, sat there and thought long and hard of a new method
Like how she loved to dive onto the edge of my bed from the edge of my table
Like how she was happy when she was returned home to me
Like how she looked so peaceful sleeping
Like how she licked me just before i went to school on the day she died, and when i told her that i loved her very much, she, though weak, licked me all the more
Like how she curled up onto her food saucer, slept and died.
Like how she loves me and i love her too.

I miss darling. Mummy misses you very much.

Rest in peace k. I'll see you in Heaven when i get there.

Love.
Gail
- posted by gail @ 9:44 PM 0 comments

 
These days i've been a bit stressed, and while typing this, i'm staring at my little darling superhero elmo baruch punk who is cozily snuggled into the mess of tissue paper she surrounds herself with. Her tissue pile has been moved from the bottom right corner of her cage to the top left one so i guess that she's been busy moving it. She's a very persistent little creature :) And a darling to boot!

Otherwise, my best friend has been the school photocopying machine. Every evening, i spend sometime with it, stroking it, being with it, getting to know it on a one to one basis. It's our quality time together.

Tomorrow and saturday i have 2 fashion shows to attend so at least that gives me a breather. And there's always other measures of getting things off my chest e.g. shopping, crying, and big hugs :) Today i met a well loved friend who helped me with my photocopying. PHEW. Praise the Lord for His tender mercies :) Thanks Daddy :)

I think i am very blessed. I get invited to fashion shows and art shows. I'm driven around by a driver or my parents. I get to buy what i want when i want. I get to eat at swanky restuarants for breakfast-lunch-tea-dinner-supper. I have a personal trainer. I have memberships and get to go to exclusive clubs. And that's not all. I am very fortunate. Thanks DAD!!! :) I love you!

The week after is family court day. I will trust you Daddy God that it will be all alright.

There's also much work to be done. I can't wait for the end of the semester. Gosh, how time passes so fast.

But till then, it's back to work.
- posted by gail @ 6:04 AM 0 comments

 
I miss you, you know.

So many things have happened that I'll probably never tell you about. Like the fashion show (another 2 up this weekend), the 2 jenny's i got to know (1 at church, 1 at gym), the new drs, pastor/cousellor, my shopping, school, that my research is over, the new guy at school, my friends overseas, the kid i teach, the parties i had, just being with my sister, art shows, and the court case and more couselling.

Do i need that much couselling?

There's another court case this week on the 5th of october. I'm a bit worried. Will be calling up to check if it's been postponed.

And how's your job been? And how are you?

I intended to write earlier, but somehow, I just never got around to doing it. I guess it's easier to blog when you're not so active. Speaking of which, i think that most statesmen/women would actually be bloggers if they grew up in our generation. Most presidents keep diaries. They'll probably blog too, perhaps not a public blog, but maybe a private online diary? Or a coded one?

Somehow i'm a bit nervous about the case, but i'll leave it in God's hands. Abba daddy help me k?

I have a paper later. I have to go to town too. Maybe i'll see you. Maybe not.

Elmo's doing great. I love her very much. There's a new guy now, he makes me nervous. Truth is, i'm a bit scared of him. At least you don't bite. You're mild. And you don't yell.

Love.
- posted by gail @ 3:21 PM 0 comments

 
To all the guys i have loved before:

You guys are going, and it somehow feels that a bit of me is going to. I saw you through 2 years of national service or school or work, perhaps not at your side, but i was there aware of when you went in and when you left, and perhaps unbeknowest to you, i still remembered you and kept track of your progress.

You remembered my 1st 2 years in university, and my how we've changed. We look different, act different, think different. All in the name of growing up.

And now you guys are going going gone. Some to study, some to work, none staying behind, but leaving a yearning in my heart. I'm not sure what i'm yearning for exactly-- perhaps it was the chance to get to know you guys better, or maybe the chance to apologise, or to resolve matters, to tell you i loved you, to spend more time with you, to kiss you, to hug you, or just being with you.

And now, with time nearly up, i wish i could call you and say all the things my heart is brimming with-- words unsaid and yet omnipresent-- and you would never know my true feelings, but i probably wouldn't want you to know either. You mightn't had known how to reciprocate, and i might not have been mature enough to handle the emotions at hand.

And now you've grown, each in your own little way, and you're moving on to a new phase in life.

And soon it will be my turn.

All in 2 years, so much has changed.

To all the guys i have loved before, good bye and God bless.
- posted by gail @ 12:19 PM 0 comments

 
The holidays are almost over.

And while there was a period of pain. I think for most of it, i had a lot of fun. There was soccer, shopping, breakfasts, teabreaks, elaborate dinners.

Here's a list of favs:

1. World Cup-- Whoot! Germany and italy, you were my favs.
2. Breakfasts--- at toast, at regent hotel, at crystal jade, at home.. it felt good having a nice leisurely breakfast
3. Shopping!--- new clothes, shoes, bags, magazines, cds, books!!
4. Sleeping--- 19hrs of uninterrupted rest. Ahh...
5. New Creation Church--- I've learnt so so much! Praise God :)
6. Praying for people and helping them with their problems
7. Watching movies--- oldies, newies, from black and white to oscar contenders, it was cozing up to the silver screen
8. Spending time with loved ones--- incomparable. Just love it
9. Reading time--- of magazines and books at a nice and leisurely pace
10. Parties!--- birthday season, homecoming parties, farewell parties, it's nice to hang around sometime
11. Just being.

Thank you Abba for such a lovely time. I am very grateful, and i love you and thank you for this :D In Jesus' name I praise you for forgiving me for all my sins--- past, present and future--- and for making me the righteousness of God in Christ. I thank you Abba for your bountiful grace, i love you and i thank you for loving me, no matter what i do. In Jesus' name i pray all these, Amen!
- posted by gail @ 8:15 AM 0 comments

 
Read my lips: the taunt that made Zidane snap
BY Matt Hughes

Our correspondent finds out what may have caused a great player to lose his head in such spectacular style


Watch video reports at Times Online TV

WITH his monkish mien backed by a sense of brooding menace, Zinédine Zidane has always been something of an enigma, so it is perhaps fitting that the final act of his career should be the source of such mystery.



Just why did a man blessed with complete control of a football lose his head in such a violent manner at such a crucial moment, boring it into the chest of Marco Materazzi?

As L’Equipe summed up the moment of madness with a headline of “Regrets Éternels”, a day of endless questioning began. With many conflicting versions of events circling on the internet and in the world’s media, The Times enlisted the help of an expert lip reader, Jessica Rees, to determine the precise nature of the dialogue that caused Zidane to react in such a manner.

After an exhaustive study of the match video, and with the help of an Italian translator, Rees claimed that Materazzi called Zidane “the son of a terrorist whore” before adding “so just f*** off” for good measure, supporting the natural assumption that the Frenchman must have been grievously insulted.

As the son of two Algerian immigrants, the 34-year-old is proud of his North African roots, dedicating France’s 1998 World Cup win to “all Algerians who are proud of their flag and all those who have made sacrifices for their family but who have never abandoned their own culture”, so such a slur would certainly explain, if not justify, his violent response.

When asked about the allegations on his return to Rome, Materazzi issued a vehement denial, while sources close to the player emphasised that he had not been accused of racism before, pointing to his close friendship with Obafemi Martins, the Nigeria and Inter Milan striker.

“It is absolutely not true,” Materazzi said. “I did not call him a terrorist. I’m ignorant. I don’t even know what the word means. The whole world saw what happened on live TV.”

Zidane was understandably keeping his counsel, but his agent, Alain Migliaccio, indicated that he had responded to extreme provocation. The Real Madrid midfield player is expected to break his silence in the coming days, with his dark mood at least temporarily lifted by yesterday’s news that he had won the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament.

“I know Zizou well and even though he hasn’t told me exactly what Materazzi said, I know that he was provoked,” Migliaccio said. “Materazzi said something very grave to him, I don’t know what it was.

“When he is calmer, he will speak. When I saw him at 2am he was very sad, he didn’t want to end his career like this. He was simply very sad. He was very sad for everything that happened, but this is life. He is a human being, not a god.”

With little in the way of hard evidence, Giovanni Melandri, the Italian Minister for Sport, was still urged to investigate, although such demands seem to be down to political opportunism rather than anything else. “If it were true, it would be a reprehensible act, which would not reflect the fair play that Italy and Materazzi himself showed during the tournament,” Riccardo Villari, a centre-left MP, said. “It would risk uselessly inflaming passions and creating tensions.”

With the racial allegations particularly sensitive, the other speculative suggestions as to Materazzi’s offending words were no less offensive, also focusing on Zidane’s father, Smaïl. Zidane is close to both of his elderly parents, who live in a house he bought for them outside his native Marseilles, and is thought to have phoned his mother every day during the tournament.

Another explanation being widely circulated yesterday was that Materazzi had insulted the memory of one of Zidane’s closest confidants and former coaches, Jean Varraud. The former AS Cannes coach died of cancer shortly before the tournament.

With Materazzi denying all such charges, sources close to the Italy defender even claimed that he had been insulted. Several Italian newspapers claimed yesterday that Zidane had insulted the Inter Milan player’s mother, with Materazzi retorting that the Frenchman “made love to his sister”.

Giuseppe Materazzi, the Italy player’s father, added to the intrigue by insisting that his son had been provoked. The 32-year-old is thought to be sensitive when it comes to the memory of his mother, who died when he was a young boy.

“Marco told me to enjoy the moment and put off all explanations on the incident until he returns,” Materazzi Sr said. “He just told me he had been provoked, the way he often has in recent years. It’s as if they have it in for him. In the last two seasons, Marco has always been on the receiving end, as you can see from his injuries.”

Fifa insisted that video replays played no part in Zidane being sent off. The incident was missed by Horacio Elizondo, the Argentine referee, and his assistants, but spotted by Luis Medina Cantalejo, the fourth official from Spain. "The fourth referee saw the incident with his own eyes and told the referee and the assistant referee through their headsets," Andreas Herren, a Fifa spokesman, said, adding that the fourth official had no access to video replays.

Amid the furore, one unpalatable truth has been lost — that Zidane has acted in this way before - as a record of 14 sending-offs in his career testifies. And as Varraud has recalled, his protégé’s first weeks at Cannes were spent mainly on cleaning duty as a punishment for punching an opponent who had mocked his ghetto origins.

Perhaps the only person unsurprised by Zidane’s final fall from grace was the French rock singer, Jean-Louis Murat, who prophetically encapsulated the essence of one of his heroes, a street fighter from a Marseilles council block who could play football with god-like grace.

“Nobody knows if Zidane is good or bad,” Murat said several years ago. “He smiles like Saint Teresa and grimaces like a serial killer.”

An enigma to the very end.


Additional reporting by Charles Bremner in Paris and Martin Penner in Rome




THE WRONG GOODBYE
Step-by-step guide to the France icon's ignominious end
4.50pm: Leaves city-centre hotel on team bus.

5.25: Arrives at stadium to hero’s welcome.

5.50: Inspects pitch, the big stage for his final farewell.

6.25: Team warm-up; casually strokes ball around as if not a care in the world.

6.58: Wins toss of coin. Asks Italy to kick off.

7min: Dinks home penalty via crossbar. Looks sheepishly over shoulder at assistant referee to check that ball crossed line. Nonchalantly raises right arm in triumph.

19: Marco Materazzi equalises.

24: Balked by Simone Perrotta on edge of Italy area. Grimaces, but no foul.

57: Volleys goal attempt against Gennaro Gattuso.

80: Jumps, falls awkwardly on shoulder. Sits up, winces, glances in direction of bench as if to say: “I’m finished.” False alarm.

104: Passes to Willy Sagnol, sprints for return cross and heads powerfully. Holds head in hands after Gianluigi Buffon spectacularly tips ball over.

109: Countdown, ignition. Tangles with Materazzi, apparently harmlessly, going for cross. Play has moved down the pitch when Zidane exchanges words with Materazzi, walks away and smiles wistfully. Continues to walk, but, as Materazzi appears to mumble further remarks, turns and launches forceful headbutt into Italian’s chest.

110: Stands impassively as Buffon races from his area and remonstrates. Horacio Elizondo, the referee, has not seen the incident and neither have many players. Vague look of bemusement on face of “Zizou” as Materazzi receives treatment and Elizondo wanders over to touchline to consult assistant, who has been advised by the fourth official. Argentine official reaches for back pocket, returns to scene of crime and issues red card. Camera cuts to Raymond Domenech, the France coach, sarcastically applauding.

111: Zidane slopes off, passing World Cup trophy.

112: Referee restarts match with drop ball. It has taken 3½minutes to restore order.

115: Conspiracy theorists on television claim Materazzi tweaked Frenchman’s nipple.

9.35pm: Penalties. No Zidane, the spot-kick specialist.

9.37: David Trezeguet misses.

9.41: Fabio Grosso beats Fabien Barthez to win shoot-out 5-3 and World Cup.

9.55: France players collect runners-up medals. Barthez, the stand-in captain, leads them up to podium. Zidane is absent.

10.40: France players start to emerge from dressing-room. Zidane nowhere to be seen. “I haven’t seen him,” Sagnol says. Nor has Trezeguet. “What we have to remember is that he is an extraordinarily good player,” he says.

11.05: Team coach leaves stadium for hotel. Still no sign of Zidane. The inquest rages on. Adieu, Zizou.

RUSSELL KEMPSON

SEEING RED
What happens when the mist descends

Zinédine Zidane’s brilliant career ended in ignominy when he was sent off in the World Cup final. Here are five famous incidents when the red mist descended.

July 2006: Wayne Rooney is sent off for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho, the Portugal defender, and then pushing Cristiano Ronaldo, his Manchester United team-mate, in the quarter-finals.

June 1998: David Beckham was vilified by England fans after his sending-off in the World Cup finals against Argentina. England lost on penalties after he was shown the red card for kicking out at Diego Simeone.

June 2002: Claudio Caniggia, the Argentina forward, was on the substitutes’ bench waiting to be involved in a World Cup group match against Sweden when he took offence to a decision by Ali Bujsaim, the referee, and shouted abuse. He was shown the red card.

June 1994: With Brazil being held goalless in a World Cup round of 16 match against the United States, the hosts, Leonardo took out his frustration by elbowing Tab Ramos. The blow fractured Ramos’s skull and Leonardo was banned from the rest of the tournament.

June 1990: Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler were sent off in a niggly World Cup match between Holland and Germany. Rijkaard had been angered by a challenge from Völler and took out his frustration by spitting at the Germany forward. Völler retorted and the red cards came out.

YOU'RE EVEN WORSE THAN VINNIE...

Zinédine Zidane has been sent off 14 times in his career, two more than Vinnie Jones. Here are those red cards in full . . .

Sep 1993: Marcel Desailly, the Marseilles defender, punches him and the Bordeaux midfield player retaliates in kind.

Aug 1995: Slaps Thorsten Fink, a Karlsruhe player, in the face.

Oct 1995: Sees red for a tackle from behind on Frédéric Mendy, a Martigues player.

Sep 1996: At Juventus, sent off against Perugia after two bookings.

Jan 1997: Punches Enrico Chiesa, of Parma.

June 1998: Stamps on Fuad Amin, the Saudi Arabia captain, during World Cup finals.

Oct 1998: Commits a two-footed challenge on Paolo Sousa, the Inter Milan player.

Oct 1999: Receives a second yellow card for diving against AS Roma.

Sep 2000: Late challenge on Emerson, the Deportivo La Coruña midfield player, in Champions League.

Oct 2000: Butts Jochen Kientz, of SV Hamburg, and receives five-match ban.

Feb 2004: First sending-off at Real Madrid for thrusting hand into face of Pablo Alfaro, the Seville defender.

May 2004: Sent off for second booking after a rash challenge on Djalminha, the Deportivo midfield player.

April 2005: Tries to punch Quique Álvarez, the Villarreal defender.

July 2006: Butts Marco Materazzi in chest during World Cup final

GARY JACOB.
- posted by gail @ 12:47 PM 0 comments

 
YAY!!!!!!!!!! FORZA ITALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Muahahahah. The final and the 3rd/4th place playoff was the stuff of drama. The 3rd/4th place match went 1st. Germany versus portugal. Germany 3, portugal 1. YAY!!!!!!!!! Go mannschaft :) so funny--- petit scored an own goal. Hahahaha. And bastian schweinsteiger got 2 in. I love the german team. Fav teams--- brazil, germany and italy, and except for brazil, the rest had a very good showing indeed. Germany won a bronze and topped the list of the most number of goals scored, with lucas podolski being the best young player, and miroslav klose winning the golden shoe. The bronze may have come as a disappointment after they beat argentina in the penalty shootout, but coming from a team that was dismissed as hopeless prior to the worldcup, being able to hold down italy 118th minute of the semis, and later beat portugal 3-1, i would say it was impressive. Danke for the excellent football. I really enjoyed every minute of watching you guys play, though sometimes i think lehmann is daydreaming at his end of the pitch.

I also like italy and they won the world cup. Heh. The match was, as kim possible would put it, so the drama. Zidane headbutted materazzi. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Hilarious! I just stood there and laughed and laughed. Till now, thinking of it still tickles me. One moment he was smirking to himself, the next, he turned around and charged at the italian defender, who fell back in a nice physics action-reaction motion. Then buffon was there rubbing zidane's head, presumably saying, "you can't do that man. heads are for scoring goals, not for getting red cards". Aww. Zizou didn't even stay on to watch the match, nor go up to collect his silver medal. He gave his skipper's armband to -gasp- fabien barthez! (WHY NOT MAKELELE OR THURMAN! BARTHEZ OF ALL PEOPLE!!!) And so italy won on penalty shoot out, having had the not-so-experienced david trezequet miss the net. And the french cried.

In this worldcup, diving was at an all time high.

Here's a segment i call "Diving for non-swimmers".

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk2B-i8Psdg&search=world%20cup%20dives

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMeqYTKHQvY&search=world%20cup%20dives

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKUV0JIqVnY&search=world%20cup%20dives

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48KxomccYNU&search=henry%20dive (thierry henry's dive against spain's puyol)

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYa3lx1m79A&search=ronaldo%20dive (cristiano ronaldo's dive against germany in the 3rd/4th placing match)

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59o42QgVkco&search=italy%20dive (Malouda's dive against italy. was awarded a penalty which was a bit harsh, but the referee "made up" for it by denying france a penalty against italy later on)

And last but not least, the infamous headbutt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHW5-zMC97I&search=zidane
- posted by gail @ 11:17 AM 0 comments

 
My world cup analysis
Yippee! Italy is going to win the world cup. Why? Cos they have 1. the best goalie in the world, compared to france's les lousy aka fabien barthez also know as butterfinger barthez and barthez the buffoon. Strange but the italian goalie, who only let in 1 goal in the whole world cup, is called buffon, but no, NOT AT ALL A BUFFOON. 2. They have a very fluid style of playing and are very good at passing the ball, unlike the french who can get a bit sloppy at times. 3. The french are a bit overdramatic when it comes to dribbling, and they hao lian here and there, and oops, ball go into opponents feet.

Portugal. Too bad. I think you guys like to dive. And i rather france win than you. hehehe. But i thank you for your help in getting rid of england, which were yucks.

Germany, sad to see you lose, but i think you guys have nothing to be ashamed of. You guys had the best scorer in the world cup--- miroslav klose--- and you guys started out very inexperienced but you progressed very fast, and you made it to the semis and BEAT ARGENTINA!!! I love your coach and your strikers, but sometimes i think your goalie is daydreaming and you guys tend to forget about your defense in the rush to attack. Nvm, i wish you well in euro 2008, and i hope you guys would have matured much by then to be superfootballers :)

France france... I forgave you cos of your insipring match against the spanish signors. But you do have to do something about your goalie. He is rather strange. But your coach is to be admired for his composure. And zizou, sagnol, henry, mekele (or was it meleke) and malouda were great. You guys do have a good defence. I just wonder how you will match up with the azzuri.

Two calm coaches. Two teams with very strong defences. One has an excellent goalie. The other has a pretty--- to put it nicely--- unpredictable one. Who will win? It seems obvious right?

No. It football, nothing is really for sure.

Marcello lippi. Gianluigi Buffon. Dont disappoint.
- posted by gail @ 4:49 PM 0 comments