World Cup 2014, Day 7: Heartbreak...

...I prefer surprises, actually.  :(
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by PAM


And so, the current World Cup holders, the Spanish La Roja, were shown the exit by the Chileans in another humbling defeat, 2-0.  Just when you thought that, after that 5-1 defeat from Oranje, there was no other way but up for the defending champs! 

It was heartbreaking... awfully so. :( I wish I could say that I was horribly surprised to see Spain getting eliminated by Chile... but that would be being unrealistic.  They performed so badly in their first Group Stage Game against the Dutch, losing in a humiliating manner

Self-doubt:  what's goin' on? (Getty Images)

.  Naturally, they were a bit broken, and filled with self-doubt.  On the other hand, Chile was victorious over Australia, in spite of a spirited challenge from the Socceroos. So, naturally, they are all fired up by a strong belief that they can beat the mighty Spanish side. 

The current champions' game plan and players combination were suspect... and so was their defense, and especially their goalkeeping (dang, Iker, sorry I have to say that). Okay, let's just say that their quality now was definitely way below theirs in the last six years when they were winning left and right.  Well, yeah, the grande Spanish coach, Vicente del Bosque, tweaked a few things here and there from their match with Oranje, to face Chile... and yet, he didn't address the biggest weakness: there was no chemistry among his players on the pitch.  The big guy, Diego Costa, was sticking out like a sore finger in the Spanish system. He was unable to finish... period.  And, Iker obviously have not regained his self-confidence after failing to stop five Dutch balls from hurting his side.  And without the natural defensive leadership of Carles Puyol in front of him, he had no one reliable enough to hold on to.   

I am not sure whether the decision to drop Xavi was a good idea... the man's movements have become slower, I give del Bosque that, but without Xavi, the Spanish side were running around without clear purpose, without clear form and shape, without clear game plan... 

The chilling grip of defeat. (Getty Images)

and, naturally, without the possibility of winning against a ferocious side like Chile.  Of course, Andrés Iniesta  and Xabi Alonso were there... but those two, for all their strengths and talents, do not have Xavi's sense of the game, its spontaneity, its dynamic transitions.  Xavi has the whole system running in his head, and he can see each one as a gear, and he can click something to snap them to connect and run like one piece.

To be fair, it wasn't just the coaching that was flawed... the guys didn't seem to be having fun, the way Chile were.  This was their biggest strength in their previous three outings, when they took home the prize: they were having so much fun on the pitch!  Their joy was so incredible, lady luck was absolutely mesmerized by them, like all of us!  I think it was this joy that made Xavi more receptive of each one on the pitch... he can feel them.  And with him conducting the play, everyone is connected to him and they played with a single mind. Tremendous teamwork that was absolutely beautiful to watch... and that's how they showed the world how beautiful a game football truly is. I hope that, in spite of this tragic result of them getting debarred from the Round of 16, the world does not forget this.

Whatever, they're out!  Nevertheless, I will always be a big La Roja fan.  Now though, I only have four in my list of faves in this World Cup... and I won't say which sides are these lest I jinx them, too! ;)  

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World Cup 2014, Day 6: Pass...

...due to work.  What else?
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by PAM


Surprise?  I think you shouldn't be... 'something's gotta give', ya know.  First of all, work

Relentless:  Equal in purpose... 0-0.  (Getty Images)

demands 'full concentration' today... second, the time difference between Brazil and the Philippines is starting to be a big factor now, my sleep hours are getting messed up.  Therefore, we slow down.  

Anyway, based on the replays I managed to have a peek at, I missed out on the Brazil-Mexico match. That looked tough.  The two sides really brought their game to each other... and they ended up with tightly locked horns, scoreless, at the final whistle, 0-0.  No matter what though, replays are simply not good enough.  No fun in them at all... except, perhaps, if one is not aware of the results yet.  But then, we watch sports for the excitement... and nothing beats watching a match live - preferably on site... which is mostly a remote possibility when we have some 'serious' work to do.

Oy, retirement... what is taking you so long??? ;)

***

World Cup 2014, Day 5: Surprises again...

...and again!
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by PAM

Just when you thought nothing as catastrophic as Spain's loss to The Netherlands in their first Group Stage game, with a scoreline as staggering as 5-1, Cristiano Ronaldo and the

The spot kick that started Germany's rout of
Portugal (Reuters).

rest of the Portugal national team went down on their knees as the mighty 'guns' of Germany sprayed them with 'bullets' of awesomeness in their first Group Stage game, 4-0!  Crissy did not get to flaunt his bullet headers, and booming kicks that send the ball so powerfully to the net, weakening it to near ripping.  In fact, Crissy did not get to do anything substantial and worth-remembering at all!  Except, of course, those camera-conscious look-at-me, look-at-me poses of thorough concentration as he prepared for a free kick... only to be blocked by a German defender with equal power, sending the ball right back at him with a comically sounding, dug! :)  To think that Crissy came out of the dressing room like a diva, shaking hands with everyone like a real superstar, Ballon d'Or 2013 winner style, it must have been really embarrassing... but then, it's CR7... and drama is his thing.      

Okay, I'm being mean.  Sorry.  It must have been really hard for him and his teammates. First of all, Thomas Muller connected a beautiful spot kick, putting the Germans in the

Without-batting-an-eyelash headbutt!

lead, barely twelve minutes or so into the first-half.  And then, just a few minutes later, the incredibly moronic (Sorry for the term.  Trust me, he deserves it.) Pepe, shoved Muller on the face, pushing the German aside with his big hand.  Muller went down on the turf clasping his face - in pain.  The referee did not see the act, and so he was uncertain what to do for a few seconds, asking his assistant if he saw the act.  Pepe then 'brilliantly' helped the referee decide what to do by stooping down to headbutt Muller, and then whispering seemingly mean stuff on Muller's face like a real villain.  Muller screamed... the referee, without a moment's hesitation, pulled something from his shirt pocket, ran to Pepe and decisively waved a red card.  Out Pepe went.  Crissy stared in disbelief. Surprised?  Nah, it's Pepe... and mental meltdown is his thing!   What is surprising is that he went on mental meltdown so early in the match... and so early in the World Cup, too.  I'm surprised at how advanced his 'stupidity' has reached... bringing his whole national team down with him on a whim like that! Didn't he realize that his teammates waited for four years, working hard, to represeht their country well in the biggest football contest on the planet? And he just blew their chances to win their first match... just like that, with a sorry headbutt!  Tsk, Pepe, tsk-tsk!

And then, still in the first half, another goal from the Germans came courtesy of Matt Hummels while Muller scored his second goal in the match on short range, 3-0.  The result of the match seemed to have been decided then.  Surprised?  That the Germans were that great?  Nah, they are that great!  That the Portuguese were losing, in spite of Crissy's presence?  Uhm, ye-eah... Crissy usually has some pride... if he can afford it. Well, not this time... no Gareth Bale, Kareem Benzema or Xabi Alonso to work with this time. 

It was easy to predict the second-half.  Muller scored his first hat-trick in World Cup 2014, 4-0.  The Germans then just ran around, winding the clock down, further humiliating Crissy and his comrades as they turned the defenseless Portuguese squad to practice mascots. The Germans completely took away Crissy's and his teammates' pride.  Their Chancellor, Angela Merkel, watched happily from the VIP box.  Can't blame the lady, I watched them with pure delight, too!  

Good job, Oktoberfest boys!

***
The US... yeah, the US!

And so, the Team USA made it not to the bottom of their Group!  Wow!  Awesome! Seriously now.  I'm not being mean... I'm being honest in sharing Team America's joy in victory in their first Group stage match - against Ghanna.  Believe it or not.  I strongly advise that you'd better believe it... 'cause they might just be here to stay awhile - they have a German coach (Jurgen Klinnsman), ya know! ;)

***

World Cup 2014, Day 4: More 'surprises'?

Yep, but very pleasant ones!
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by PAM


And so, the moment of truth has finally arrived... will Diego Maradona's 'heir apparent' finally become who he was born to be?  A hint to the answer came some 65 minutes into the first match of La Albiceleste in the 2014 FIFA World Cup - in the cavernous Maracana no less, the sacred ground of Brazilian football... Brazil's answer to Rome's Colosseum.   

The moment that millions of football fans around the world have been waiting for since 2010 in South Africa has finally came.  Lionel Messi stepped out of the dugout and into the Maracana pitch, donning the sky blue and white strip

The Albiceleste Captain and his 'army': all men
of the 'beautiful game'.

of the Argentina National Football Team.  The crowd of 74,738 erupted in cheers.  He knew what he was up against: the formidable 'giants' of the game, the towering expectations of his countrymen, and the non-believers who continue to doubt his greatness, in spite of four Ballon d'Or and other awards, and countless silverware for FC Barcelona, which he helped to amass.  He knew who were behind him: millions who believe in the 'beautiful game', and in the fact that he and his talents are an exquisite ornament that confirms the beauty of the game.  Wearing the Albiceleste Captain's arm band, the subtle but distinct swagger with which he walked as he led his Team towards the pitch spoke volume:  he felt the daunting challenge, but he felt the support of millions... and perhaps, the soft lips of destiny brushing his brows lightly - there, but not quite... and, that carried his spirit, allowed him to walk tall despite his minute physical stature.  Will destiny favor him and his supporters?  We have four weeks to find out.

In the meantime, there was the Group Stage to take care of.  The World Cup debutante, Bosnia and Herzegovina National Football Team, had a line-up menacing enough to

Own goal: The mistake borne out of inexperience
that put Bosnia on catch-up with Argentina.

make the Argentinian football fans to look up to the skies and pray for their Team to successfully clear this hurdle.  With high-quality players, the likes of Edin Dzeko, who have distinguished themselves to be highly realible in their respective roles on the pitch, say, the English Premier League in the case of Dzeko, it didn't look as easy as most would hope for. True enough, going through the newcomers was a nightmare, no straightforward approach!  Luckily, with a Messi inbound, after Sergio Aguero was brought down bad, an own goal by Sead Kolasinac put the Argentinians in the lead, 1-0, barely five minutes into the match.  This put the newcomers on a catch-up with the more experienced Argentinian squad.  However, with the 5-3-2 strategy employed by the Albiceleste boss, Alejandro Sabella, with Messi and Aguero in front, the Bosnian defense easily crowded La Pulga and El Kun everytime they got a go for the ball, rendering both forwards ineffective in finishing.  This nailed the score to 1-0 until the end of the first half.

In the second half, Sabella changed strategy, adopting a more tactically plausible format, given the tough Bosnian defense.  He brought out Gonzalo Higuain on the right wing to

The Maracana... cavernous, intimidating, exciting!

effect a 4-3-3, with more options for finishing.  It allowed Angel Di Maria to go deeper behind Aguero, using his speed and dribbling prowess more effectively to give Messi time to find his position, augmenting attack.  That sliced the Bosnian defense on Argentinian attack, giving Messi more space and better opportunity to finish more successfully.  Fernando Gago came on, too, putting cushion and creativity in the defense line as Di Maria went deeper. It seemed to be working as a few opportunities were made... but wasted, as El Kun cannot seem to control his touch on the ball.  At one point, Messi pooped a free kick... and the Argentinian fans made a disapproving sound... something that would suffocate the

The 'little magician' at work... goooooaaal!

spirit of someone made of less sturdier stuff.  Surprise?  Nah... it's the story of Messi's life, actually, having to wear the Blaugrana shirt and the Albiceleste shirt.  Luckily, he is made of stuff that All-Time Greats are made of.

And then, around the 65th minute into the match, there came an opening on the Bosnian defense, which Messi spotted quickly.  He sped forward on the left of the goalkeeper, Asmir Begovic, passing the ball to Higuain so he could lose his markers who now chased Higuain, slicing the defense further, and then changed course and sped to the left, not giving enough time to Begovic to change position and the defense to change direction.  Higuain, in a perfectly timed move, passed the ball to Messi as the 'little magician' zigzagged the defense.  La Pulga charged to the slight opening, jumping over the disconcerted defense who fell tangled as they chased him, and fired with his left foot.  GOAL!  Awesomeness!  

Maracana erupted with sheer glee!  I was on my feet, too, despite my sickness, which

Messi goal-related pandemonium: 74,738-glee!

required that I lie down for a few days. :)

More similar opportunities were created by the Albiceleste, but lady luck seemed to say that two goals should be enough, and winning does not have to mean "slicing" your opponent to pieces.  Winning  must also be a humbling experience.  In fact, just to point out that the Argentina defense is suspect, a late goal from Vedad Ibisevic, which was fired on close range went through the legs of the Albiceleste goalie, Sergio Romero.  None of Sabella's defense crew were anywhere close enough to help out Romero effectively.  To be fair, Federico Fernandez, I believe did a great job, putting away many Bosnian attempts in a decisive and 'mean defending' manner... actually, some of his moves were in the vicinity of awesomeness.  Yep, the man is quite reliable.  Perhaps, Javier Mascherano must emulate his example... and, with Fernando Gago allowed more playing time, they should be fine. 

And, to be fair to the Bosnian squad and their boss, Safet Susic, they played like old timers out there... fearless, determined, focused, composed... they showed hunger, but they also showed elegance and grace.  Good job, gentlemen!  You are one of World Cup 2014's pleasant surprises.  Carry on.   

Alright, good first game, Albiceleste.  Moving on... Nigeria and Iran must be tamed, too.  Can you whip it? :)  You'd better! 

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World Cup 2014, Day 3: Surprises, surprises...

...the really 'surprising kind'!
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by PAM


Were we really surprised by this:  As if Spain's painful loss to The Netherlands is not a huge enough shock, England went down on their knees to let Italy come through.  The Three Lions squad gave a whimper as World Cup newcomer Mario Balotelli no less headed a late goal to put the Azzuri on top, and their World Cup bid looking better than the men from the most 'successful' (read: moneyed) European Football League... the English Premier League, of course.  Oh, well... at least, in the 90s, David Beckham's good looks more than made up to the squad's being such underachiever.  Their time will come... but 2014 is not it, I think.  I did put them on my Top 5 choice to win the World Cup last month!  What can I say, I still feel strong 'affinity' with the man who 'bends it' like no one else does.  And, the Premier League must go on... and on.  Therefore, let's go on. Yawn.

Next surprise:  The Uruguay National Team took off with a zing via a 1-0 lead over the come backing Costa Rica courtesy of the now grown-up, Edinson Cavani. He used to look like an 'oversize boy' who played good football back in 2010. Now, he comes back all grown-up, complete with beautiful cheekbones and abs that would have more than made up for it if he were a so-so, and he's not a so-so either.  So, bravo!

 After the first-half, I was ready to go to bed, confident that Oscar Tabarez, one of my fave coaches, I must admit, have prepared his team enough to crush the Costa Rica challenge, in spite of the absence of his "main man", Luis Suarez, who underwent knee surgery last May, and elected to sit out the match.  Plus, judging from their performance in South Africa in 2010, when they were in the last four, and their successful finish in the Copa America in 2011, they should be fine in the Group Stage.  I have to admit though that I had to take a second look everytime Diego Forlan hesitated or steadied his footing before firing/passing the ball, giving the Costa Rica defense time to react, and how he walked around the pitch, not looking like there is urgency in the need for his strikes.  Anyway, Cavani looked fired up, so I thought they'd be fine... plus they have one goal advantage.  So, imagine my surprise in the morning when I learned that they were beaten... and beaten good, too - by Costa Rica, 1-3!  

Alright, Luis, be well and come back to Papa Oscar.  He needs you - now!

Pleasant surprise:  Colombia, of course! :)  Man, that was a beautiful match right there, as they made the Greeks suffer on Brazilian grass from not being able to match their enthusiasm, fearlessness, and their desire to have fun.  Their joy was so infectious!  And, they were even missing the injured Radamel Falcao!  Imagine that?  What a pleasant surprise! :)  Luv these guys!

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Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

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World Cup 2014, Day 2: Speaking of 'surprises'...

...Spain left the world gasping as Holland gave them a surprisingly thorough whipping.
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by PAM


There was no furia in La Roja during their opening bout with their former challenger in South Africa in 2010 - the mighty Oranje.  The flying men in orange, while still pushed and shoved unnecessarily, did not have to resort to judo and karate this time.  They beat the Red side, mostly in the second half, in a fashion so reminiscent of the Spaniards' own brand of game for the last six years or so:  just beautiful!

Intense... that's what the first 25 minutes or so was like on the pitch:  the current World Cup holders asserting their supposed dominance, dancing, creating many chances for themselves... the 2010 challengers weighing their opponents' resolve, poking their

I don't mind losing... too much, but how I wish
that the score stayed at 1-2 instead of going at 1-5.

muscled attack here and there, showing menace on counter attacks, jolting the holders. You can almost see localized electric sparks flying everywhere on the pitch.  Intense.

The Brazilian fans are also adding to the intensity... booing Diego Costa loudly, showing their disgust toward the 'traitor' who wears red instead of bright yellow.  The 'traitor' is back on Brazilian soil... with his Spanish adoptive comrades.  Everytime he made a run for the ball, the stadium erupted in loud boos.  While that didn't seem to bother Costa, it seemed to have been shifting the localized sparks of pure energy to the Oranje side.   

And, then, Costa was knocked down - hard - to the delight of the (Brazilian?) fans.  It happened in the area, and so Xabi Alonso took to the spot.  He scored, 1-0 for the Spanish side.  The intensity went one notch higher... La Roja ran faster, more menacing, created more chances.  The uber industrious, David Silva, almost took the goal

Awesomeness.  Robin van Persie's goal on-a-flight. I
nominate this to be the Best Goal in World Cup 2014.  
(Photo credit: Reuters)

tally to 2-0 from a brilliant pass courtesy of Andres Iniesta... almost.  And then, out of nowhere, several yards from Iker Casillas' goal, a speeding Robin van Persie flew in a perfectly timed flight to head a beautiful cross-field pass from Daley Blind, willing his head to power the ball in a collision while his body was on full flight in a precisely calculated move.  His body reached and slid on the turf gracefully in a beautiful dive as the ball flew over Casillas' head - goal, 1-1.  Yep, that was indeed an absolute beauty!  Whew, just sublime.  Just in case, I respectfully nominate that as Best Goal in World Cup 2014!  

Fireworks!  The men in orange and their coaching staff celebrated with gusto, with a cute high-five between RVP and Louis van Gaal, while the Spanish side tensed visibly.  Game changer?  At that point, I thought it was just to make the match a little bit exciting.  However, now that we know what we know, I was very wrong, of course!  About a minute later, the referee blew his whistle... half-time.  Silence... the tension was close to snapping.

A few minutes after the resumption of the match, Arjen Robben muscled his way through Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos, right in front of Casillas.  The slippery Dutch beat the trio and brought the tally to 1-2.  There was a simultaneous leaping of orange shirts in the crowd... as the red ones fell on their seats with a thud.  They had no idea what was about to happen.  A throw-in from Wesley Sneijder, which was tapped in to the net by Stefan de Vrij brought the tally to 1-3.  At that point, the usually supercool La Roja boss, Vicente del Bosque, was on his feet... for one thing, Casillas may have been fouled by RVP before the de Vrij goal. Casillas appealed to the referee passionately, and he was shown a yellow. Tough luck!  The Spaniards started to look dejected... and scattered, with only Andres Iniesta showing unperturbed gut, trying his luck to cut their goal deficit - to no avail.  And then  RVP went at it again, beating Casillas, this time in a clinical finish, 1-4!  Robben followed suit, tried his karate-style flying kick to score a brace - he connected, bringing the goal tally to an official rout of the current World Cup holders, 1-5! 

Fernando Torres, who was shoved in to the pitch, last minute, had a quick opportunity to cut the Dutch lead, but as cold from the bench as he probably still was, he hesitated, and let the opportunity slip.  Robben tried to bring his goal hoard to a hat-trick, but by that time, Casillas' pride and the Spanish long-distance prayer over their "San Iker", saved them from an official crash out of World Cup.  Casillas kicked, punched, shoved... and it worked, a bit too late, but, hey... it's only the Group Stage.  There is a reason to believe that staying alive is possible... except that Chile beat Australia, 3-1, putting Spain at the bottom of Group B.   

Si, Del Bosque, siempre, will be spending sleepless noches.  He needs to come up with a quick answer.  The Spanish defense is a mess... no muscle, they lacked coordination, and without Carles Puyol, no leader to look up to. Iker committed many mistakes at crucial moments.  Oh, boy, I didn't think the day would come when I'd actually say that about Iker Casillas.  The midfield is not as precise, sharp and fast as back in 2010 in South Africa, and back in 2012 when they captured their second-in-a-row European Cup.  Nope, I didn't think I'd ever have to say that, too, with Xavi Hernandez and Iniesta still active. Their front line, while filled with talented men, are not as fast and not as connected to the midfield as, say David Villa, back in 2010.  Time for major revamp?  Perhaps.  More, importantly, I guess the Spanish men should put aside their colors at home, and concentrate on just being red... and things will fall in their right places.  

Never say die, boys!  Vamos, La Roja!

***

World Cup 2014, Day 1...

...We are one!

And so we're on!  World Cup, baby!  And, it's in the 'party place', too - the colorful Brasiiiiil!  

Let's party as one... one for the beautiful game.  

Game on!

***

Saturday photo

Paradise on earth...
...achieving harmony between nature and man-made recreation.

***
Photo details:  Taken at the Green Canyon Resort, a 22-ha piece of paradise at the Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines.  Presently, the Resort is on 'soft opening', and will be on full operation by September 2014.

***

Sunday foodie...

...hello, June!
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by PAM

It looks like June comes with pleasant surprises... hmm, knock on wood, I hope I didn't speak too soon and jinxed it.  

Surprise #1:  My sister and I stopped by our usual place in the neighborhood for running errands when we noticed a hair and nails salon. Apparently, the salon had been there for a few months now, but we noticed it for the first time only today.  Just because the facade looked interesting, we decided to try their services... in a whirl of snap decision!  It turned out that the staff were insanely hilarious and friendly, we felt so at home.  We have yet to decide though whether the quality of their work are better than our usual salon (let's see how long this organic "permanent blow-dry" treatment lasts)... we'll see how it goes. Given the favorable experience from their staff's personalized and friendly approach to their clients though, we are likely to seek their services again soon, especially if the difference in quality of their services and those of our old salon is minimal. 

Surprise #2:  And this is what would justify the title of this post.  So, after our trip to the salon, my sister and I decided to grab something to eat, and we decided to go to the Old Spaghetti 

Pinoy pizza: an extraordinary dish made an ordinary
restaurant chain quite special.

House branch that was very close to the salon. Old Spaghetti House is one of those restaurant chains that I've tried before in the Bay Area of Northern California.  I didn't think it was any more special than any other restaurant chains that served Italian dishes.  So, I never had the inspiration to visit their branches here in Manila.  Therefore, I opened the menu with no expectations, I thought I just wanted an order of 'good old' seafood marinara... when I saw "Pinoy pizza".  Hmmm... slices of century egg, cured meat - Pinoy style, slices of tomato, kesong puti (mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk) sounded interesting and yummy.  So, I ordered my spaghetti, and then decided to order the Pinoy pizza - to go.  The seafood marinara was very good, and the ripe mango juice was superb... in spite of my decision not to be impressed. :)

When we got home, we decided to share the pizza with the rest of the family, and boy, I was kicking myself in the head for not ordering two!  It was very good - umami bliss!  Whoever decided the recipe of this pizza, I really think that the kesong puti was a good decision, it was rich and so flavorful.  The tomato should have been grilled though, the hint of burnt tomato skin and the heightened umami that result from the grilling would've emphasized the kesong puti flavor and the saltiness of the century egg.  But, just the same, it was good. What a pleasant surprise!

Alright, June... you are so welcome to keep bringing on the (pleasant) surprises, okay? So, please don't hesitate... just keep going!  Okay, go for it... now!

***