Torn up and undecided

This might be a day where I post twice, but then again it may not.

There's a little football match on today between England and my adopted home country. You'd probably assume I'd have an easier time choosing the team I want to win, but I'm honestly conflicted. Life in Germany is much more pleasant when the national side wins. That's a bit of an understatement, actually. People here have heart attacks while the national side plays. Literally. The first week I lived here, England beat Germany 5:1 (September 2001). I watched it with my Bavarian neighbour, and he really had to call paramedics. He was so upset, he had a small heart attack. Welcome to Germany, eh?

But...

It's still hard to root against the English team. I love the Premiere League. Love it. Am for Arsenal, and as a result, I despise ManU, Chelski and Liverpool. Hate them. You think hate is too strong a word? You clearly don't understand what's at stake here.

My amigo Nigel has taught me more about football than I thought I could ever retain. He and I love it when England win. And there's no question at all who Nigel's supporting today.

But I'm still on the fence. I think the German team has a better shot of winning more matches and could even win the whole thing (if not this year, then in Brazil in 2014). I'm afraid if England beats their arch nemesis today, that'll be it for them. Somehow beating Germany in a World Cup is about as good as it can get for an English fan. What's to top that? The whole cup?

Don't know if this English side really has that in them.

We'll see.

I'll write about tea later. I'm having a hard time thinking of tea. I am drinking Margaret's Hope Darjeeling, and enjoying it immensely. Second infusion is really tastier than the first. Can't believe that I can steep the same bag of black tea more than once. What a world.

You might think of me if you happen to be watching Germany v England later. I'm the one torn between two loves. Very undecided.