Girl Anachronicles

The FIFA World Cup… I remember the first time I was aware of this magnificent sporting event in 1998: I was hanging around in my house (I lived with Dad back then), and I suddenly heard a big commotion erupting from his room. This was unusual because my father and his wife are usually pretty quiet when left to their own. I popped my head in and saw them laying on their bed, side by side, with big grins and luminous eyes. I had to ask. What they answered: “¡La copa mundial, niña!”. I didn’t sit to watch in 1998, but I came around to doing this in 2002, and I was hooked. The rush from the crowd, the orgasmic celebration whenever a goal was made, the noise, the music, the cheering … it was like a huge party being celebrated around a sporting event… way more exciting than any other sporting event. Mind you, I’m no fan of sports, but I’m a fan of excitement, so this was attractive to me.

..and I will never forget Ronaldo's haircut. WTF, dude?!..

This year, the World Cup is being held in South Africa. All’s been excitement as it usually is with one small particular variation that’s caught the attention of everyone watching: the vuvuzela. The first instance I heard a mention of it was a complaint from one viewer who was way beyond annoyed by the constant sound of the vuvuzelas. Apparently, everyone and their mother has a vuvuzela at the World Cup, and everyone seems to be blowing their own at the same time. I wonder how many idiots have passed out from blowing their vuvuzelas too hard or too long. It also makes me happy that so many healthy lungs are running around in this globe.

Sopla ese cuerno, marafaca!

During the first match I was able to watch this year, I was wondering what the vuvuzela would sound like. I had heard it was a major disruption on the transmission, that it was an unbearable noise that couldn’t be put in the background. I waited for it … and I waited … and then I realized: “…wait, what’s that hum-drum noise on the background? Is that an airplane?” I watched a whole match without asking … and then it dawned on me: “Oh! The vuvuzelas!”

Best. Facebook. Group. Ever!

It wasn’t intolerable, it wasn’t painful to hear … it was just… like an airplane. And hey! I LOVE airplanes! I love the noise an airplane makes when they take off. So, it comes to bear that I also like the sound of vuvuzelas.

Today, I kept thinking about that, mainly because so many people keep making such a big deal out of the vuvuzelas. I realized that I tend to like these kinds of noise: engines, sirens (well, when I’m not trying to talk on the phone), airplanes, noise music, oscillators … vuvuzelas. What is it in my head that makes me like cacophony? I don’t know, but it even excites me at times. I guess it has something to do with the inner ear.

… and I have to admit that even the noise of gunfire, although knowing the dangers that it entails makes it all the more horrid to me. The beauty of the thunder, the terror of lightning.