Context

I can't believe I watched the Super Bowl, well part of it. I had come home from work and was going to watch a weird German film but just couldn't concentrate, so I sent a "lift off" text to all the family. At the time I didn't know the Seahawks had already scored. Later Ian called and said he was with colleagues watching the game at a little Irish pub in Tuscon Arizona that was flying Seahawks flags, he knew it was appropriate.

On the drive home Seahawks flags were flying every where. Twelfth man symbols were every where from lights shining in 20 story buildings to the local fruit stand. Cars, Starbucks, Boeing, McDonalds, the tiny nail shop, even Onlineshoes.com was in on the action. Remember I don't have a TV wired to the world, but people were so obsessed, so worked up by anticipation, excitement, fear, joy, fun, fellowship that finally I couldn't stand it anymore and found the game on Fox Internet. If Ian could do it so could I. Have you ever seen a goose watch a football game? Well, that image will give you an idea of me watching the Super Bowl all by myself. Context.

I have never watched a football game in my life and all I understood was the smiles, the score, and the sadness of Peyton Manning. I made the mistake of mentioning on Monday morning I felt sorry for the man and was almost stoned. I didn't make that mistake twice. Christian explained to me, in detail, how I didn't need to feel sorry for him, he has earned and deserves his place in football history. Now I know.

Today is the victory parade, 50% of the people I know are taking off work. Look for Stephanie and Connor they will be amid all the tears, laughter, raucousness, cheers, smiles and people who called in sick to work. Ian has to go to work at the downtown Seattle Market, he is worried about travel time and parking.

My two favorite Super Bowl stories: I love stories.

When Stephanie realized the game would be between The Seahawks and The Broncos she proposed a "family" wager to her myriad Colorado cousins. One of her cousins responded that she was up for the wager but didn't know how good of a job she would do raising Connor.

My friend James from work was a little late getting to his brothers house for a watch party. He is standing outside ringing the doorbell listening to this amazing amount of cheering and laughter coming from his large Filipino family inside. He is frantically ringing the bell, let me in, let me in. What is going on? Let me in. No one could hear him because The Seahawks had scored.

Context. In some of the Facebook jabber someone was very accusing of Johnny-come-lately fans. That was me, a fan for one game, but I loved the journey, the fun, the excitement, the anticipation. Whew, I hope I don't ever have to do that again.

Context: Think about bird poop. How many times has a bird flown over and didn't poop on your head?

Context is interesting. What we would call a mediocre dinner might feed a family of four for a week in some parts of the world. I saw a clip from the movie Babies and there was a goat drinking out of the baby's bath, hum that might not be so good in downtown New York, but it works for the Mongolian Steppes. Natural in one context, nasty in another. Or how would you react if you saw a woman riding behind a man holding an infant on a motorcycle and no one in helmets? Not good. Yet we see photographs of this image almost daily in India or China. Context.

Remember that children's book What Good Luck, What Bad Luck, well this was a conversation I had with a woman the other day:

Her; I'm going to have a short work week.
Me: That's great.
Her: Well, my son is having surgery.
Me: Sorry.
Her: No, it's a good thing.
Me: Oh, great.
Her: He was in a terrible traffic accident.
       He was riding his bicycle without a helmet.
Me: How awful.
Her: He survived.

Like I said, context.

I finally watched the weird German movie: The Wall. It was weird, wonderful, poetic, beautiful, chilling.
Or lighter fare: In a World, much less weird. It was funny, sweet, interesting, and very very good.