It's taking me a while to upload all the photos, but when I do, I'll post a link.  But for now, here's the pic of me with lovely Xabi.

The way it all panned out is this: I just spent the morning and afternoon drinking and enjoying the brilliant 4-1 win over the Mancs at The Sandon.  I had to check my email so we went to Lewis's.  When it closed at 5p, we walked back to the hotel to rest.  We were walking in the Docks towards the hotel when I saw Xabi talking on the phone while Nagore was pushing Jon.  Long story short, I followed them to Liverpool One, armed with a camera, and when they stopped walking, I approached them.  I politely excused myself for bothering them, then proceeded to gush about how big of a fan I was of his from the US, and how I was just in Donostia a few days ago and loved his hometown (he was pleasantly surprised!).  I also mentioned that I was sad he didn't play (which he then replied "but it was a good result!")  I then asked for a photo, which he happily posed for, with Nagore taking the picture.  I was on such a high, as I said my thank yous and goodbyes, I nearly walked into a pole!

Please excuse how I looked; it was a very long, extremely windy, and semi-drunken day.  Liverpool just killed Manchester!  And I had just met one of the best midfielders in the world!


 

OBAMA WON!!!  Gah!  I am so drunk right now for two fantastic reasons (well, bummed that I'm supposed to be in Liverpool right now, but worked preveted that, but...): I finally finished my project at work and can finally enjoy my vacation, AND OBAMA is now president of the US!  The eight flipping years of Bush badness is FINALLY coming to an end!  We can only go up from here.
 

Holy cow!   A lot has happened since the last time I wrote!  Unfortunately, this summer time has been no holiday for me, especially with everything going on with work.  However, despite working 3543546524 hours a week, I have managed to:

• enjoy the Euro finals at Nevada Smith's in NYC with many German and Spanish fans.  Leave it to Nando to finish the job! :)  The atmosphere was quite fun; there were more German fans in the bar, but the Spanish fans were much more exciting and vocal!  I did not get to celebrate the Liverpool Spaniards' win very much because the person I was with is a German National, and I spent the rest of the day trying to cheer her up.
• watch The Dark Knight at the midnight showing.  Fabulous movie!  Brie (my pseudo-roommate) has been exposing me to the greatness that is Christian Bale so we made it a date to see the epic film when it first came out.  We were champs!  Got home by 330a, and back at work less than six hours later!
• finish the LFC stats exam, got a high enough score to warrant an interview, which I did last Friday.  My fate is now in their hands!  I'm not too confident that I'll get the job, just because I researched just how much it would cost them to hire a foreigner...and it isn't cheap!  I am still researching living expenses in Liverpool, but for what LFC TV would pay me...OMG, I'd be taking a massive pay cut, only to live out my dream to work for a big football club.  We'll see!

Come to think of it...I haven't done too much...bloody work.  Today, I do hope to make it down to Newport...we rented a grass tennis court to play at the International Tennis Hall of Fame (the only place on this side of the US that has grass courts) but since it may rain, that idea may be a bust.  Oh well, I'm sure Scott, Steve, Eric and I will find something to do.

Speaking of Scott and Eric, I finally got Eric's Liverpool pics from him (I forgot my camera that day, so I completely dependent on Eric)!  Might as well share some!

It's 8a and I've already been up for 2 1/2 hours!  Mike and I have agreed to start working out everyday, so when he said that we were going to go for a run this morning, I thought he said that he'd call at 630a.  Yep...definitely called me at 530a!  It was nice though...we did 4 miles on a trail, peaceful save all the people taking walks/runs at this ungodly hour.

Last night we went to the tennis court, only to have it start raining.  We played on at first and it was quite liberating!  Made sliding on the hard court much easier :D  But the balls were getting heavier and then it started pouring, so that was the end of that!

Tuesday (I'm going backwards, haha) was the Multicultural fair at work.  It was Euro 2008 themed!  When I got to work, someone left me an awesome Van Der Sar poster and Klose poster on my desk!  I won a little min Euro football and took a few more posters.  Good food!  The England booth had fantastic chips, but no vinegar!

On Sunday, fella and I went to NYC to watch the Euro games with Cassie.  After speaking with her for 2 years, it was the first time we actually met...we didn't stop talking once during the day!  Nevada Smith's is a fantastic football bar, lots of great beer and the meat pies were delicious.  We'll be going back there for the final (regardless of who plays in it) and I definitely can't wait!  It seems so long away!

Lastly...I got a call back from LFC TV on the researcher position I applied for!  Was definitely surprised when they called!  The man had somewhat of a thick Scouse accent, but I was able to make out 95% of what he was saying.  I have a phone interview next Friday.  The man said "We typically don't interview people from overseas, but your CV was very appealing."  AH!!!  I need to brush up on my Liverpool history.

My sister graduates high school today.  Gosh I feel so old!!!

I just got back from a lovely lunch with Eric!  I received a random phone call this morning from a number I did not recognize, and when I picked up, it was Eric, the guy who went with me to the Liverpool/Sunderland match in February and who shared lots of interesting experiences in Liverpool, including drunk underaged girls around Anfield, and our crazy Disney-hating cab driver who brought us to Caesar's Palace for burgers.  Eric is back in the States now (was studying in London) so it was fun to catch up.  Crazy to think that last time I saw Eric, we were having dinner near the British Museum, and now we're having lunch in lame old Southington.

Still don't want to talk about the Champions League final (I haven't turned on my TV at work for days).  Memorial weekend was nice.  My fella, my sister, her fella, and my best friend went to a friend's house for a crawfish boil on Saturday.  Never had I ever eaten so much seafood in my life.  Brought me back to the good ol' days of college!  Mike and I also played a tennis match on Sunday.  Definitely lost that 6-1, 6-2.  I suck.  Note to self: must work on service game.

I've been driving mummy's car everywhere since she's in California right now (she has a beautiful 2008 Lexus ES 350).  It's about to rain buckets with a possibility of a hail storm.  I should probably go park that in the garage before hail starts dropping and it leaves a dent or cracks the sun roof! 

Has Euros started yet?!?!  I'll be really bummed if Xabi goes to Juve.  Because if that happens, I'll have to start finding ways to get Juve match tickets...UGH.  

Gah, it's pouring...gotta go!

What a day it's been!  I quickly realized today (like I do on all big-match days) that I am truly living in the wrong country.  My beloved Adrian came to see me today, asking me if I was getting psyched for the game (nervous was more like it) and he shared how he was quite excited to do the commentary.  Surprised to hear he wasn't in London (Derek and Tommy went to Manchester, so why not Adrian to London) but he said the Chelsea FC gave them some excuse like they "couldn't accommodate the studio staff".  What?

I've never gone through so many different emotions in one game.  One moment happy, the next moment in tears.  But in the end, Chelsea made it through and it's another freakin Chelsea/Man U matchup.  I'm taking May 21st off to spend it with Keith at a pub for the final(with either Chelsea or Liverpool in the final, I figured it was a safe bet I'd like to take the day off!).  Loved the fact that Lamps kissed his black band after his PK.  RIP Mummy Lampard.  Cracking game though...high tempo, high quality...it's what the sport is all about.  But unfortunately, someone had to lose.

I met with International Programming today and the talk went well!  I'll be meeting with the Sr Director tomorrow for a position they have opened up.  With all the craziness happening at work, I'd be more than happy for a change in jobs. 
Especially if it'll allow me to do more work with football and tennis.  I just have to start learning Spanish.......