Has it only been two nights? Cliche as it sounds, two lifetimes just passed by as well. I haven't been getting much sleep.

What is it about sports that gets you? I found out tonight that soccer really is fun.

I didn't grow up with sports, and even today my mother didn't want me to go play b/c I might get hurt. Consequently perhaps, I grew up disliking people who played sports and athletes. That's not completely true because I had friends on cross-country teams and such, but I never felt like I was in good rapport with any physically taxing sport, soccer being one of them. I've never had confidence in anything involving teamwork with physical endurance and coordination.

But this morning, I was signed up, unexpectedly, for the soccer game our landlord was organizing at 8pm. The concierge lady said "We need strong boys! You look like a strong boy!" I always refuse this compliment in my heart, but I also usually think people say this to me to get me to move furniture. So I just accepted the compliment. She asked for my name and before I knew it, I was signed up for a soccer game.

After flip-flopping like a Democrat (oh snap, just kidding) on whether or not to play, I finally decided to go with some persuasion from a new friend. I was berating my lack of skill constantly up until the time I actually started playing. Then, I was just being genuinely bad at playing soccer.

But strangely, I had fun. I was getting into it. And after the game we played, we were friendly with the Italians we were playing with. Italians you ask? Yes. I was scared to my shoes with the prospect of playing bona fide Italian guys in soccer. They were nice however and played it a bit easier for us, especially the girls. The control they had was downright scary.

As I sat on the bench after the Italians left, I watched my schoolmates continuing to play soccer. Just for the sheer fun of it. It felt like a healthy, positive thing.

Here, I thought, is an animalistic activity that's good for you socially and physically. Animalistic? No...it's so amazingly human in its blend of mental and physical acuity. Now going out bar-hopping for a one-night stand with a Roman...that's animalistic. Here I go with the judgment again.

It was not a Friday night wasted, that's for sure. I actually got to meet Italians in a good context that didn't involve alcohol. Plus, after our landlord Gianni came back, he took us to a great gelateria popular with the locals. I had Indian Fig and Mulberry flavors, both very strong and high flavor fidelity.

All this came at a price--coming home to have my mom bite me in the ass about standing her up for dinner. Yeah, I know I'm in the wrong in principle. She said that I should call her when I get back from the game so we could go out to dinner. I got back with the second group around quarter to midnight, and she was waiting in the doorway after apparently asking my apartment mates for me. So I didn't look her in the eye the rest of the night when we actually found a place 10 minutes before closing and ate dinner.

And here I am, mixed with the blessing of athletic social interaction and good company and a strained relationship with mama.

Ciao.