And here are 5 reasons why that is so:
1. You can come in (even) late(r) for work. No questions asked, everyone knows it's Euro 2004 time.

2. You can leave early (read: before 8 in my case) because everyone is aware that enough sleep is important. So it's advisable that people catch a nap before the matches at midnight.

3. You can show up in T shirts and jeans at work. With two matches played everyday, even on weekends, time is a precious commodity and is not to be wasted for small things like ironing your clothes.

4. You can surf the web more for Euro 2004 articles. After all, it's essential that you keep up with the latest news. Totti banned? Do or die for the Dutch? Portugal ready for the Iberian derby? All these are must-know updates.

5. You can have (even) long(er) coffee or cigarette breaks. Equipped with -- but not limited to -- the information you have got from item 4, of course. Hey, you cannot just take everything and anything those websites say. You are expected to compare notes with your colleagues and decide which is to believed and which is trash.

And it has been so far so good as well. Except for Italy's team jerseys. What was that? Gold -- or was it silver -- numbers on white? Come on! You'd expect better from the home country of Gucci, Armani, Versace, Valentino, and Ungaro. Note: don't worry, I did not know all these -- I simply googled them.

Since I'm already thanking God, guess what, I got a shout-out in today's Sunday Mass. From no less than the Archbishop of Singapore himself. Well, all right, it wasn't specifically directed at me, but it was so right on the money that I almost laughed out loud. Wait, isn't that LOL? Oh man, haven't read that in ages. LOL, ASL, AFK, etc. Those were the days. BTW -- hey, that's another one -- do you guys know what IIRC, CMIIW, and YMMV are?

Anyway. The Archbishop talked about types of Catholics. First the Hatch-Match-and-Dispatch Catholics. These are Catholic people who only to to church three times in their lives: for baptism, for marriage, and for funeral. The name itself is self-explanatory.

Second type: the Supermarket Catholics. These are Catholic people who selectively choose what they want to believe and do. For example, they practice fasting and abstinence, but they also use contraception for birth control.

Third type: the Inward Catholics. These are Catholic people who believe in Catholicism inwardly. What happens outside they don't care to know. They don't do premarital sex, yet they don't care if other Catholics do it.

Fourth: the Outstanding Catholics. These are not Catholic people who are outstanding, but those who prefer standing outside the church during masses. In Jakarta lots of people do this. Not here, where most of the churches are air-con'd. Standing outside shows that they practice Catholicism simply for the sake of practicing it. Church says attend Sunday Masses, so they do. Albeit late and standing outside.

The Archbishop could've mentioned a few more, but at this point I got distracted by a girl who was carrying a Hetfield-esque guitar case. Or Rhoma Irama-esque, I don't know. Because immediately my mind went to reminiscing my fav band performing One accompanied by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with Michael Kamen conducting. Man, that was my anthem back then. I can't remember anything, can't tell this is true or dream... Or as a Javanese friend sings, aku ra iling opo-opo, iki ngimpi opo tenan... Well, see, it got me distracted here also.

Back to the Archbishop and his sermon. And then, of course, we have the Real Catholics. Who not only believe and practice but also understand fully why they do what they do. Etc, etc. Actually, since I was so in Metallica mood, I half expected next came the Windows Media Catholics and Winamp Catholics. That would've been something. Hey, don't look at me, blame that gal with the guitar!

So can you guess which Catholic I am?

Oh, BTW, this morning's predictions: Schumie-Rubens one-two in Indianapolis, Greece through, and Spain out. Considering what happened in the Lakers-Pistons series, don't take it seriously. We'll see in a few hours.

Current music: Metallica - One
Current mood: happy