AWESOME WEEKEND

My weekend was AWESOME.
It began with soccer on Saturday. After being almost completely crippled on Friday morning I was unsure whether or not I would play any part at all in the game. However I felt fit enough during warm up to make a contribution and was hitting the ball well after having a few swings at goal during warm up with my mega-football, the Adidas +Teamgeist World Cup Final Matchball.

However no referee showed up which meant I took on the whistle blowing duty for the first half of the game. The first half ended nil all and eager to take the field I handed the reins over to a volunteer from the other team. I had good reason to be anxious given the history my team has had with 'opposition referees'. Fortunately I had no reason to complain on this occasion as the referee was so unbiased he promptly blew for a penalty after I burst into the box and had my feet clipped from behind. Croxy confidently tucked it away for 1-0 and what was looking like a very good result. However Belwest hit back with a well placed header albeit from a very shallow cross.
With 2 points potentially gone Pat won a free kick on the edge of the area I had been practising at earlier. With a small wall presenting me with a big target I tempted my luck and struck a sweet free kick. The ball found it's way around the wall but was largely straight at the keeper and at a good height for him. However the pace, or the late vision or his ill thought decision to parry or punch left him floundering as the ball powered through him and into the top of the net!
With only minutes left, my first free kick goal won us the game and fulfilled my vow to win all 3 games remaining before I left for Asia that I made after our humiliating defeat to Tuggeranong.
Straight after soccer Steph and bo Sid were waiting to head to Sydney for the ballet and we were off. The Paris Ballet Opera performance of Jewels was wonderful. Sid liked the brash, comical, sexy Rubies inspired by the NY ballet scene, and Steph and Amy both preferred the romantic arisian Emeralds act. My narrow favorite over emeralds was the majestic russian Diamonds closing act. The technique was far more demanding than that in the Bourne production of Swan Lake we saw earlier in the year, especially in Emeralds and Diamonds, but the intensity of the emotional drama in the narrative driven Swan Lake was certainly missing from the largely plotless choreography. However that is not to say there was no emotion, especially in Emeralds, which was at times breathtakingly beautiful in dance and music. The stately pas de deux in Diamonds was a highlight for me, especially the male etoile who commanded such an impressive stage presence at all times.
Following the conclusion of the ballet Sid was into the nearest bar to watch the thugby before the applause had finished :P Amy and I followed shortly after to watch the Socceroos play Singapore. We needn't have rushed. The first half was almost appallingly bad were desperately lucky not to go into the break 1-0 down after Singapore crashed a header against the bar, completely unchallenged from the corner. As it was Australia finally ground out a slender lead with Mark Viduka nodding a close range header into the net. However Singapore could have been leading 2-1 after another attack ended with a shot finding the post and, fortunately for Australia, glancing out of play. Then on came one Mr. Harry Kewell. With 30 minutes or less remaining Kewell showed what he was all about, and what Australia had been missing in the first hour, promptly scoring a goal with a low drive off of his weaker right foot and then sending in a sweet cross after a run down the left flank that landed square on Duke's head which he duly powered home for a flattering 3-0 final scoreline.
To be fair dinner was slightly less awesome. $5 cocktails in the Chamberlain Hotel (where we watched the game) was groovy. After the final whistle, with most everything shut at 11pm I partook of reheated thin and crispy vego pizza and garlic bread from Amy's empty fridge (which was actually pretty tasty) before I retired after an awesome day! :D