Ready At All Costs.

I've posted about my history and my enthusiasm for the upcoming World Cup in Germany, but I thought it would be best to also delve into my growind obsession and preparedness. You see, this only happens every 4 years, so there's a lot of build-up. There have been friendly matches and qualifying matches going on for about 2 years and I've caught a few, but not too many. The one's that I've caught have been good, but nothing compared to what's going to happen. From this very moment there's only 4 days 14 hours and 25 minutes from now. You see, that's where I am. A man that has become so focused and, I'll admit, obsessed with what is coming that I'm now a mild irritant to friends and a rash to those I come in general contact with. I have no bounds at this point, fluttering off at anybody about what team I want to win (Portugal) and why. Of course, I'm rarely able to stop at that point, continuing on a crusade to inform everyone about which team is in which group and what two teams should be able to move out of their groups and into the top 16. Who should be watched out for? What young players and teams are supposed to be able to possibly make an impression (Christiano Ronaldo and Ivory Coast, respectively)? Don't worry, I was going to tell you all that whether you asked or not.

It's not only in conversation that I'm able to annoy at large and impress in small. I've now invested not only time, but money. I've spent hours contemplating whether or not I feel I really want the official jersey, and if so, do I want to pay extra to have my favorite player's number and name put on it (I finally settled on a t-shirt and hat as I'm somewhat strapped for cash). I downloaded a World Cup ringtone, something I find abhorrent in most everyway, yet found myself nothing but ecstatic about it at the time. I bought a new television for the occasion to replace the puny 20 inch flatscreen television we had. Never, never would I watch the greatest sporting event in the world on a screen not much bigger than a dinner plate. I got a new 27 inch, high-defintition flatscreen television. This way I can not only see all the gorgeous women from Sweden and Holland who have come to supprt their teams, cheering like rabid warriors preparing for battle, but I can also see every detail of the uniforms worn by the best players playing the best sport in the world.

As for the games themselves; that was tricky. You see, the games are broadcast starting at 9 a.m. and the last game of the day ends at around 5 p.m. This isn't so good for us stateside. I work mornings and have no access to a television. I'm not sure what the schedule will be like on on the radio, so, naturally I spent a good amount of time researching cost and benefit for my boss, the owner of a bar/restaurant, to get cable and show the games. It worked. The new TV I bought, I'm taking it to work with me. It is, in all honesty, a good idea. My boss has to spend no money at all and what she gets, hopefully, is a burst in business for a month during our slowest season. Granted, I'm going to have to work through all of this, but at least I'll be in the loop.

So, this is what it has come down to. Only a couple of days left. But then what? Well, I'll have a full month of pure exctasy along with about half of the world. We'll be watching the games all at the same time and we'll celebrate, continents apart. The thing is, while writing this I've realized, I believe for the first time, that it's only going to last a month. Then I'm going to have to go back and wait. I guess that's okay though. It will be a great month no matter who holds the cup over their heads on July 9th (just please, not Germany). Besides, there's always the Premiership, Serie A, Euro Cup, Copa America, MLS, Ligue 1...