Bastian Schweinsteiger after the final whistle blow. World Champions!Mario Götze: the goal scorer.
Shallow Soccer Commentary Brought to You By: Gabriela Yareliz
For those of you who have been reading my World Cup 2014 blurbs, you know Germany made my “favorites” list after seeing its skill and Mats Hummels face.
This was difficult to maintain during the France (my team) and Germany face-off, but it was hard to be mad at a team that played so well. Even Benzema clapped for them (France played very well, too). Brazil proved me right when Germany gave it the beating of its life. Brazil couldn’t keep it together without Neymar. And I will go as far to say that Argentina was its equivalent in my mind. Without Messi–Argentina would have almost nothing. I felt that if Argentina won the cup, it wouldn’t be Argentina; it would have been Messi’s cup, and I wondered if one man could take them all the way. It’s a heavy burden to carry. I have nothing against Messi; I actually think it’s messed up how much they place on this one man–this proved to #fail when everything they hoped for depended on him.
It was a fun beginning. I enjoyed seeing Merkel and Putin sitting in the same row. Random. David Beckham also made a random cameo. Argentina actually played hard tonight (the reason why they had to go into overtime).
I have seen almost every (if not every) Argentina match, and I was always bored watching them. I never found Messi’s game saving goals glorious (it always felt like Argentina was barely scraping by)–and this is coming from me, I can accept the magic when I see it.
Mats Hummels after the final whistle. Exhausted.
Mats Hummels was gorgeous and visibly tired; Muller is always legit; Schweinsteiger worked his butt off, and one of the commentators said, “I think he’s set a record for player who has been treated the most out on the field.” He was very, errr injured. And Mario Gotze– What a goal! A sub came in and showed the world the reason why he was chosen for the national team. I was sitting in the Paley Center for Media (shout-out to the Center which had a big screen, air conditioning and amazing comfy seats), in the dark, and when that goal was scored, many of us sitting in the center front screamed with euphoria that had been pent up for more than 90 minutes.
The game ended with a free kick for Argentina. Messi decided to try to make it in from where he was–> #fail, but I felt for him. Not for Argentina, but only for him. Too much pressure. Turns out one man can’t carry an entire country on his shoulders.
Can I just say that Argentina’s goalie, Romero, has got to be one of the most obnoxious men on the planet? His demeanor is just arrogant.
There were a lot of yellow cards, violent kicks, injuries, some blood and screaming.
Some things I enjoyed included: the Italian referee, Nicola Rizzoli.
He was fun to watch (I love watching the refs), and incredibly charming. I am a fan! I also became a Michael Ballack fan (commentator, former German Captain 2004-2010).
Finally, I loved how the wives and children came onto the field to celebrate with the team. The Germans recognize that what matters is to celebrate with those who you love and those who sacrifice to help you achieve.
Well deserved, Germany! To all who were criticizing me for supporting the European teams and lecturing me on how arrogant Latin American teams are the best and have always been the best, I feel vindicated…Today, you saw #EuroPower. South American teams like Brazil and Argentina were puffed up balloons just waiting to be popped.
So, I have to share! I had the exciting opportunity to strike a pose for a magazine photographer!
Don’t worry– these are not the shots. In this post are some shameless selfies of my hair and makeup before the photo session. I have been blessed enough to have one of my personal essays selected for publication in September in a magazine I grew up reading. Naturally, they needed a photo to accompany the piece.
I was so nervous.
During the weekend at Jones Beach, I got fried by the sun. On Monday, I looked like a short lobster. Not a good look. So, the prayers began asking that the red would turn to a lovely tan. It did.
When I got home from work, I started to do my makeup. At first, I thought I would do a look I had seen in a YouTube tutorial. I started to do it, but I didn’t feel like myself. I felt like an idiot. Rule of thumb, if you are applying makeup, and you feel like an idiot, stop. Out came the cotton balls and makeup remover. Round two. I decided to do my own thing.
I need to say, the photographer was so sweet, personable and amazing. I had a lovely time, and she made me feel super comfortable. I had a blast. It was actually really fun. I am no model, but I enjoyed smiling for the camera and all the passing pedestrians. It was a unique experience.
Stay tuned. I will let you know when my piece hits the newsstands!
This little one-day model is blessed.
Stay Vogue my dears.
This week, I bought a fabulous little book called La Seduction by Elaine Sciolino, a Paris-based journalist. The book is about French politics and the art of seduction (no, not the sexual kind, per se)…
This is an art I need to solidly learn. I mean, when I took the book to the register, the bookseller looked at me, down at the book, and then up at me again. I realized the book title made it look like a romance novel (or something risqué). The cover photo of some black heels didn’t help dispel the erroneous impression of the genre. I smiled and said, “It was in the France History section, I swear.” The bookseller laughed. I gave a Mona Lisa smile.
La Seduction–Day 1. 😉
“It is not enough to conquer, one must also know how to seduce.” –Voltaire, Mérope
Photo by: Associated Press
Two of my favorites: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy with Nicolas Sarkozy
Here are five confessions of truth, straight from the heart.
1] World Cup
From soccer.fusion.net banner. Karim Benzema
Antoine Griezmann, I cried with you. That was tough. France, you played magically. I will always wear that jersey with pride. Bisous, les bleus, bisous.
2] Hair
It’s so weird when you cut off two feet of hair. You look around you, and see long hair EVERYWHERE. In magazines, you see the articles about short summer haircuts titled: “Do you dare?” “Edgy and Confident”. Apparently, when you cut your hair, you are confident and bold. Hair, especially long hair, can be like a security blanket for women.
I heard someone say, “Her hair makes her beautiful. If she cut her hair, she’d be ugly.” First, that is not very nice, but it was said. The thing is, girls who hear this about themselves will look the same forever and be afraid of change.
I have cut my hair a lot, and I am no stranger to change. I will admit that long hair can take over you.
The thing about hair, whether short or long, if kept the same, it can represent your fear of change. Or fear of something… Hair is very psychological– much has been written about this. Getting rid of pounds of hair is liberating in more ways than one. Sometimes. Not always. But definitely, sometimes.
I have nothing against long hair. I will grow mine out again–because Lord knows I can’t keep a haircut; but the truth is when something is gone, you realize the value you placed on it, and the value society places on it.
For a while, I thought there was an instability in wanting change often. Every school picture of mine looks different. Maybe there is something to be said for those who like change too much? I don’t know. I guess there are two types of people, those who want to look the same and have one set look, and those who want to experiment. Either one is ok.
The one thing I have learned is that what is important is to look your best and not let someone or something dictate that. Don’t depend on things that can fade. Develop your character, let your beauty radiate through to others no matter what the hair length. Be comfortable. Be you. Be beautiful no matter what your hair length. Let beauty be defined by something else.
3] Men and Women
Recently, I saw a scenario of men and women playing very distinct roles from what I am used to. I saw a guy with a cup of water in front of him ask his girlfriend to hand it to him. I saw women get blamed for anything that happened. I saw men get taken care of as if they were children. I saw men look threatened by an educated woman. It was odd. I am used to seeing couples and men and women act as a partnership–but what I saw here was not partnership; instead, it was someone sitting back (man) and another serving to the point of exhaustion (woman).
I have to say there is a strong cultural element coming into play here, but it upset me. Sometimes people want the idea of something, but then, when reality unfolds, the dynamic is a bit disturbing. Do people realize what they subject themselves to or how they are behaving?
The truth is, it is important to find someone who shares your views on roles and partnership. If not, you’ll end up offering to make your boyfriend /or husband a sandwich four times, and he will strongly say no. Then, when you decide to sit down and eat yours, he will decide he actually wants a sandwich and will demand one from you. You will stop and make it (with love), despite the fact that it’s in front of him and he has hands. Then, when he bites into the sandwich, instead of saying thank you, he will complain about something you put in the sandwich while he looked on as you made it. (Yes, based on a true story. Can you see my expression while watching all of this?).
I have nothing against service, but I do have an issue with slavery.
4] Graduation
Ok, maybe I am not ready. I just wanted to say, we are all feeling the pressure. It is insane how we are job hunting and graduation is months away. It’s a mess. I feel like there are a bunch of choices and streets to choose from, but you must choose wisely. One choice, one path could change your life, forever.
I feel like the Arc de Triomphe
5] Exhaustion
Coming home from work is so exhausting. You don’t want to cook or clean; you just want to sit and have food magically float to you. It’s in those days of exhaustion when you thank God you don’t have children because if you did, they would eat the rice and beans you’ve been eating all week (boring but hey, it’s healthy.) or the makeshift oatmeal dinner with kale juice.
When Friday rolls around, you just want to throw a paper towel and run. Spray some perfume and relax. But life doesn’t work that way. Life is work, even outside of work.
When in New York, it’s not hard to find yourself in creepy neighborhoods. Sometimes, you will be walking down a street and that same street turns into the perfect set for a horror movie or some gangster musical.
When fear and alertness hit you, you find yourself doing the weirdest things. Maybe it’s praying the old man listening to bachata (and he is not hispanic) in the kidnapper van doesn’t kidnap you and sell your organs. Or the woman who passed you yelling to herself, you hope that when you have passed her she doesn’t turn around and come after you with a knife. You carry umbrellas on days you know it won’t rain, your keys become a permanent bracelet accessory, and sometimes, you pretend to chew on something, which adds instant toughness… oh, the art of being intimidating…
GABRIELA YARELIZ 