OK. I've said it before: I love me some cutie English boys kicking a ball. And yes, it is very shallow of me to say but there it is. And because of watching cutie boys kick a ball, I started to care where the ball went. It all started in Summer 2005...one fateful day I was checking out what channels we got with our new cable. Fox Soccer Channel? Whatever. Oh, wait. English Premier League...cutie English boys kicking a ball. Yes, kids, that's all it took. I watched on and off for that whole season (seasons run August to May, FYI) and thought I would have the summer off. Oh no, my friend. World Cup 2006! Ah shit.
So to back up a moment: after I discovered this whole new world of football (that's right I said it!), I got out a map to pick a team to root for (lame, I know). I wanted to back the team that would have been the closest to me distance-wise from where I stayed in London in 2000 for the Summer Acting Programme at the National Studio (impressed?). I have big love for London. So want to live there someday...Anyway, turns out the closest team to the University of London dorms (get used to this...I refer to London quite a lot...you're lucky I held back so far...) was Arsenal in North London. Arsenal is one of the biggies. So coolio, I'm set. I will back Arsenal and watch all of their games. But fate had other plans. Cut back to World Cup 2006. I'm rooting heavily for England and oh yeah, USA as well (ah, bless them. They weren't favored to do well and well, they didn't). England, at least, got to the quarterfinals and lost to Portugal in Penalty kicks (fucking Ronaldo). But all was not lost because I found Steven Gerrard! Number 4 on the England squad and, come to find out, number 8 and CAPTAIN of the Liverpool team (and now Steven Gerrard MBE - Member of the British Empire...Fun fact!).
Oh, I tried to stay true to my Arsenal guys but remember, when it comes to this, I'm shallow. So I became a die hard Liverpool fan. Never been to Liverpool. Only know about because of the Beatles. But I will go someday; strictly for the chance to watch a match at Anfield. I am tingly just thinking about it.
Amenities of Room 987: Steven Gerrard action figure - still pristine in box. Fox Soccer Channel set to "favorites". Ill-folded map of England on the table.
(I even think I was a good kid and brought my Lean Cuisine that day) when my coworker said that today was the day of the marketing department’s monthly potluck. The speculation over leftovers ensued. The anticipation over the “come and get it” email was torturous. Then as we were walking back to the annex, we could see people streaming out of the back doors heading to the marketing trailer. Shit! I started running. Seriously. I couldn’t let Finance get all the good stuff. And was I hungry? No, not really. I just ate. Didn’t matter, folks. It was free. And I couldn’t let the opportunity pass. 
