Shortcuts: The Mastodon and Sweden Edition

Let’s do some math.

 

David Villa + Fernando Torres + Xavi + Xabi Alonso + Iker Casillas + Andres Iniesta + Carles Puyol = ESP 0: 1 SUI.

 

But, but, but…SIGH.

 

That was two days ago.  Since then, France is on the verge of elimination (quel horreur!) after a humiliating defeat by Mexico, and mighty Germany was upset by Serbia, with a little help from a red card.

 

And the injuries!  Ferdinand, Ballack, Buffon (who I thought was amazing in the 2006 final), Drogba, even perhaps Fernando Torres (gasp!).

 

As Rob Smyth of the Guardian said, I’m off to see if the world is still on its axis.

 

***

 

In other news, the Argentines rout the South Koreans.  Lionel Messi (Messidona?) was brilliant.  He may not have scored the goals, but he did a lot of work setting them up.  I don't know much about football, but the way this kid moves with the ball is absolutely beautiful.  I think I've just converted to the cult of Leo.

 

Maradona:  Stick with me kid, and I'll take you places.

Messi: Right.  Can I get up now?

Will Diego Maradona lead Argentina to another World Cup?  So far, the Argentines are the only ones who have won two games, which puts them at the top of the standings.  Let’s see how well Brazil does in their next match.

 

***

This post started with “Mamma Mia” and a very random conversation.

 

Being truly pooped after a morning of watching my adorable cousin (I didn’t even do the real work – I was actually the stroller’s nanny), I finally settled down to watch Meryl Streep belting “Oh can’t you hear me darling, can’t you hear me, SOS!”  I’m always a sucker for anything that has Colin Firth in it.  And I don’t really need to justify why I am watching “Mamma Mia.”

 

So the conversation flowed from Meryl, to Pierce (and his extremely limited vocal abilities), to Colin (yay, Colin!), to Stellan Skaarsgard, to Alexander Skaarsgard, to ABBA, to Ace of Base, to IKEA, to Sweden…you get the picture.  Then my cousin commented about how the last few items above should be in a list the top things that came out of Sweden.  

I am ashamed to say that my knowledge of Sweden is confined to Europop and the components of a smorgasbord (thanks to a random Swedish cookbook at my aunt’s).  A couple of my students remedied that by teaching me how to say “skitsnack.”  Which in hindsight is probably not the best thing one should teach your professor to say…

1. ABBA.  When I was three years old, I knew that ABBA was from Sweden, though I had no idea where Sweden was.  I also knew they had a king because ABBA sang for the king J. 

2. Ace of Base.  If (that’s a big IF) ABBA were the Beatles, then Ace of Base would be Oasis.  Everyone claims to hate “The Sign” but I am willing to bet that they can pretty much sing the first verse and the refrain.  Can everyone say “Oh Sally can wait” in Swedish?  Skitsnack?  Oh well…

3.  Stellan Skarsgard.  But only by virtue of fathering Alexander Skarsgard.

 

4.    Alexander Skarsgard.  He doesn’t even need to act well.  He can just prance around bare-chested and people would give him a standing ovation.  Which is why he is always prancing around bare-chested in “True Blood.”

5. IKEA.  I wasn’t sure if I should give this last spot to IKEA or to Swedish meatballs.  Then I realized my dining table, my bed, my bookshelf, my dresser, the shelf for the television, my boxes, my plates, my tea lights, my clothes hamper, my hangers, my mirror, and heck, even my Swedish meatballs are all from IKEA.

 

***

 

Because I miss my PAPPY DOG…

 

And because I miss Toby…

Football photos from the NY Times, the Guardian and the Daily Mail.  Everything else I got on a random Google search.  So none of them are mine (except for Pappy), and I promise next time to be better at listing.