Summer and Soccer, What More Could You Ask For?

Summertime is wonderful time! I am really enjoying the time I have off. I cannot remember the last time I had so much free time. I am actually able to keep the apartment clean and all laundry stays caught up. The living room and kitchen haven't been this organized since Christmas Break, I love it! The past couple of weeks since getting home from Florida has been all about girl's camp. This year's theme is "It's a Jungle Out There!" I have been to almost every single store to find safari/jungle themed things. Hobby Lobby has been my best friend. I love walking through that place when I have a chore in mind. Hobby Lobby has some kind of power over me or something. I am not a creative person so I steer clear of places like Hobby Lobby unless I really have to go there. These past couple of weeks as I have been looking for stuff I have had a flood of ideas and creativeness. I am not finished with all my projects yet, but it's getting there. I am so excited that I had at not one, but several creative thoughts! That never, and I mean never, happens to me. Maybe there is some latent creativity and all I need to do is walk around Hobby Lobby to unleash the creativeness. Things are coming together and I am getting more and more excited and stressed as camp rolls around. A couple more weeks and it will all be over so I better take in all the fun now before it's all gone for another year.

The World Cup! It has been the most amazing World Cup ever! I mean, Italy and France two nations that have recently won the World Cup are out the first round! Two of the favorites gone. Thrown out like yesterday's garbage. Brazil, of course, is still in it. It is very hard for them to go our first round and sometimes it's hard to get them out in the elimination rounds too. The story so far though has been the USA. They tied England 1-1, then they come from behind and tie Slovenia 2-2 (they actually beat Slovenia but one of the goals was called back for no reason) and then, in a do or die situation, they beat Algeria 1-0 in stoppage time to win the group and move on to the round of 16. The USA, again, had a goal taken back. It's absolutely ridiculous the reffing that is going on. Two game winning goals in two games that are called back when there was no foul or off-sides to be called. I really think there is some personal biases against the USA by the referees that call their games. The refs have been tough this year, tougher than I have ever seen them, but they have not been this unfair. The problem also lies in the refs not having to answer for the calls they make. They never have to explain one call. In some cases, it's justified because it's a clear foul or something else happening, but in the cases of the USA there were no fouls being committed by the USA, but by the Slovenians, and the goal was taken back and the ref could not give a reason why. Leland keep saying they need to have a review system during the games, but this is soccer. There are no time-outs there is only stoppage time for injuries and cards. It's the purity of the sport that I love about it. I do not care for the fakers that roll around like they are in agony until the foul is called or card given, it only cheapens the game and is also one reason why soccer will never be a powerhouse sport in the USA. If you can't take a hit and you have be cheap to win, then you are not a real athlete and need to be in a career that you can handle. But, anyway, the World Cup has been amazing and I am loving every minute of it!

• It's been a little funny seeing all these people that could not care less about soccer all of a sudden becoming a soccer fans. Actually, it's a little annoying. If you can only like a sport every four years then why bother, you make a mockery of all that is decent in the sport. Either live it and love at all years, or don't. Stop jumping on the bandwagon!