Settling Down, Part One

I liked today.

Sunday well spent, I suppose. As a nicely-put end of weekend I've always longed for, yea it happened.

It all started when a friend of mine, Robert, asked me if I was interested to catch some movies of Europe on Screen Festival. Okay. I haven't even once been to EoS in my life. Indie films aren't my thing. But I've been into new stuff lately, so I told him that I'd love to join him.

So the plan was to watch something at Erasmus Huis -Robert lives in Kuningan, and he's Dutch. Plus I never been there, so of course! I proposed us to meet earlier so we could grab something to eat, and he came up with this place I've been dying to visit but I haven't got a chance to -so tell me now Vick, what have you been doing so far??

We gathered near his place, walked down the pleasant Sunday morning, and apparently it became one of my favorite slackoffs so far.

Brunch

Brunch and Sunday are like, the sweetest couple in the world -second best to me, after my parents. When I have to get out on a lazy Sunday, it better has an essential brunch in its agenda. And this time, it was oh so delightful. Robert read my mind when he mentioned Basque, a Spanish -or Mexican?- dining in Mega Kuningan. Roasted pollo and ensalada, iced berry tea in the middle of crowd's chattering, complemented with good talks about books and projects, damn, it doesn't feel like Jakarta at all!

Movie

The brunch occurred pretty quick since we were almost late for the film. In seconds we already hit the streets, walked through Kuningan area -another highlight I really enjoyed, with great weather and locals as well as expats alike were spotted everywhere, doing sports- and reached the embassy. We watched "The Program", a movie about cyclist Lance Armstrong.

Despite the good movie itself, watching a non-commercial piece of arts apparently sent chills up my spine. Who would've thought I enjoyed it!

Coffee

The sun almost set but Robert and I still got a lot to catch up. So we decided to grab some drinks, still around Mega Kuningan -I love this neighborhood!- and talked our hearts out. About career, personal passion, the movie we just caught -and we would possibly be watching next, romance, this, that, every, thing. Seemed too much? Well that's what coffee is for. We kept talking and enjoying our sips at this Dutch styled bar, as daylight turned to shimmering darkness. Could I ask anything better to close this nice day? Yes. A typical, Sunday--

Game

I missed Liverpool's because they were aired when I was still at the bar -good thing was, the TV in that room was playing The Reds' game. So instead of Liverpool, the game that came to my enjoyment that time was, Formula One. Yes, it had caught my attention lately, as we have one racer in the competition. He didn't win the race—he didn't even manage to pass the finish line, the Russian Grand Prix, I really remembered. But then again, it was the experience that I was seeking for. The significant feeling of anticipation and excitement of being so sporty at the end of the week... that was what I cherished.

Oh, my.

Just when I thought I couldn't love my life more, the nice life I've always been dreaming about is actually here. The life I'm pretty sure I'll always have all the time if I live in New York, or London, or Tokyo, can actually be felt here, in my hometown.

Cazbar: not only good for talks, but pretty sure for writings too. I'll be back here soon enough.

Seriously.

If settling down in Jakarta this nice,

I swear I'll get rid of any possibilities

In moving out abroad

Highlight of the Cup

Entering the last two posts of World Cup 2014,

Lol I just can't stop doing this, it's just so on and on.

Well, no wonder because I guess this has been the most entertaining World Cup I ever watched so far. Losing the team I supported from the very beginning of the cup and forced me to having no preference, made me be oh-so neutral and totally objective to all the games. That's what mentally happened.

Technically, most teams served a hell of a performance! Great sets of mixture, big and small ones, all played damn great. Even to me personally, the best shows came from moderate to relatively infamous players! So fvckin mindblowing!

Now in this pre-closing post of World Cup 2014, I'd like to highlight some of the best dramas that became my personal favorites. You might think this is a shallow selection but, well, I'm just trying to be fair.

Best Goal: Tim Cahill | AUS v NED
Runner Up: James Rodriguez | COL v URU

While most people would say that James' goal against Uruguay was the best in the entire cup, I'd think that Tim Cahill's to Netherlands on the group stage was the true finest goal. The long haul pass -not even an assist- from I don't know who, arrived smoothly around his left foot and then BOOM! There went the ball to the left corner of Jasper Cillessen's goal. That was so delicate and freakin beautiful...

Now James' goal, well, I think y'all knew. Oh ya I'm talking about the first goal tho, since he scored both goals on the match. The one outside the penalty box, with the ball landed on his chest, then got executed with his left foot, ya, you eat that Suarez! Oh sorry, he wasn't even be played on the game. Sent home already so still, eat that!

Best Save: Guillermo Ochoa | Tim Howard
Runner Up: Tim Krul | NED v CRC

Okay as much as I want it to be objective, I can't really tell who wins the category. I can't even decide which save was the best because everything with either Ochoa and Howard in it, was sick! But let me try. The one I really couldn't forget from Ochoa was against Brazil. When Thiago Silva received a ball and headed it to the goal in just a very close distance, Ochoa could unbelievably blocked it. From point blank, for God's sake, he's a god!

While Tim, oh Tim... His 16 saves from Belgian assaults were all crazy incredible. He used all parts of his body to defend his goal. But the ones that blew my mind were when he used his legs. I mean, legs! He was falling down already, any player could easily score an easy goal but then who would've thought that Howard would stretch his legs and block the ball?! He's seriously my idol.

Tim Krul's saves that I mentioned, was the ones with the penalty shootout against Costa Rica. Well he didn't save all balls but, did you notice what he did before each Costa Rican players shot the balls? He walked to the right and left side of his goals like distractions, then talked to the shooters like a form of intimidation. It was a trick, he played with Costa Rican minds! This was what made me interested in his performance.

Best Game: BRA v CHI
Runner Up: GER v GHA

Actually, all matches consisting of fantastic goalkeepers with their fantastic goalkeeping performances were the best games to my preference -especially Belgium versus USA oh Lord that's one breathtaking performance I like! But then remembering the first match of the second round, Brazil against Chile, I think it was the complete set of game, with everything in it! Scores on the original 90 mins, yes. Attacks and counterattacks from both teams, yes. Entering extra time, yes. Penalty shootout, yes! Everything!!

Not to mention the drama. It was like a match of both rationality and emotion: Chilean actual better performance versus Brazilian loud crowd. Yes, I'm saying that this match showed to us that Brazilian current squad was nothing without their supporters, and Neymar's popularity-esteem. Those were the only explanations they could eventually win the penalty shootout. The match also showed us that underdog teams, represented by Chile, took a major role in this World Cup they could even tied the host team. Salute!

Now the runner up of the best game. Well, I must say that this was the most intense game in the group stage. Both physically, and mentally. The European emperor and African warrior kept tumbling each other down all game long, scoring both two goals, featuring sibling fight between Jerome and Kevin Prince Boateng, ended up with Thomas Muller's bloodbath. Remember Captain Tsubasa? This match was adapting the anime.

Best Twist: USA v POR
Runner Up: NED v MEX

I'm sorry but USA really stole my heart. And this game, was crazy. USA's boosted performances gave pains in the asses of this European big team. But Nani's early goal really trembled USA down, they couldn't even score until the half time. But then something shoved Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey they played fvckin well and each scored one goal on the second half. Entering the stoppage time, no one in this whole globe would think that USA would leave this match losing. Well, they didn't. But they didn't win either.

Substitute Silvestre Varela suddenly scored a goal in THE VERY LAST MINUTE of the match, making it ended up draw. It was really mind blowing. I can't imagine how was it like to be Americans. All cameras were shooting the benched Clint Dempsey on the last moments, the man himself couldn't even conceal his excitement of ending the game and going back to the hotel, winning. But Varela's goal, wow, it ruined everything.

Another twist was made by the Dutch, when they were facing Mexico in the round of 16. It was a tie game of 1 - 1, and they were really on the verge of entering the extra time when Rafael Marquez fouled Arjen Robben and Netherlands got a penalty gift, on the stoppage time of the second round. Klaas Jan Huntelaar, who was substituting Robin van Persie, scored the penalty and there they went. Really unfortunate for Mexico, damn, I mean, the penalty kick was so unnecessary and the fact that it was given on the very last minute of the match... It sucked big time.

Wow.

I could talk about this long enough I'd even forget the time.

This just shows how excited I always am, when it comes to World Cup.

Can't wait to start watching Liverpool soon, to fill my longing towards the cup.

Or worse yet,

Can't wait for World Cup 2018

The Round of 16 (Unexpected Teams)

This World Cup now, seriously, argh I can't even describe!

The underdogs remained wild! Five out of six big-team-versus-moderate-team matches went really tough. I repeat, FIVE!!! The other one was even flipped: the unfavorited team won over the high up in the sky one -talking about Colombia against Uruguay. The other two matches are moderate versus moderate, which Costa Rica by luck won against Greece, while Belgium and USA is entering their second round.

So yeah, I'm still mind-blown by the fact that those mediocre teams could give a hell of a game for them big nations. Chile, Mexico, Nigeria, Algeria and Switzerland. All five of them really caused pains in the asses of Brazil, Netherlands, France, Germany and Argentina. All five matches were so offensive/defensive at the same time, lack of goals, full of revenge-scorings. Three matches proceeded to the extra time, and one ended up with penalty shootout.

Boo ya, guys, you didn't win my heart at all

Those winning teams, to be honest, I prayed for their loses -especially Brazil and Argentina, of course. I mean, c'mon, they're big and full of talented players already, it's getting boring I want to see new teams crowding the semifinal rounds. And seeing them taking pains in trying to beat their opponents which world -and God- knows were technically weaker, pft, they lost my respect.

Therefore my voice ran to those who were not the favorites. Which means that all teams I supported on those five matches, yes they went home. But then at the end of each match, I always felt satisfied and proud, gave the best rounds of my applause and took my hats off for those five teams.

They're extraordinarily entertaining.

And it's crushing my heart to see them sad.

For me personally, you guys were all the winners

See, my heart is vacant now, after England left. It's easier for me since I can now support whoever I want, in each game. But then I think I have no interest in cheering for big teams so, it's now either Colombia as the one who'll be against Brazil, Costa Rica as Group D alumni, or USA if they win over Belgium after this.

This is getting much more exciting.

Nobody, even real analysts, and pros,

Can predict what will happen in each game.

This World Cup is sick!!!