HAPPY NEW YEAR

Another year has come to an end. It was an eventful year, and it was an especially long year. My boss took a sabbatical this year, so my duties were even greater than usual. That couple with innumerable grant submissions made for much work and little downtime.

Kathleen and the kids took several vacations without me since I had so many deadlines. However, we were able to escape for a much needed, sun-filled vacation in San Diego this week. It was a great opportunity to recharge the battery, unplug to the extent that that is possible, and just be a tourist. Many animals and Lego exhibits were seen, and many Mexican dinners were consumed.

Today, on this last day of 2011, I spent time with the kids and Kathleen's sister. I managed to fit in some time for myself and went to the gym and watched some soccer. We went to the park and kicked the ball around, and now we are watching Harry Potter. All of this might sounds quite.... quotidian, but it was much-needed and a great way to finish the year.

I am not one for resolutions, but there are a few things I vow to do in 2012. I will do a better job of seeing my family and friends and staying in touch. Iwill try to be a more thoughtful husband and patient father. I will try to sign off from work and the Internet once I come home each night. I will put the IPad away and go back to reading more books- at least one per month. I will exercise more regularly and try to increase my flexibility. I will be a more focused principal investigator.

There is no guarantee that I will get all of this done, but I can assure you I will try. Here's to the end of 2011. I hope that 2012 is healthy and happy for me and for you.

AVATAR

The kids and I are obviously huge Barca fans. Each of us has adopted a player as our own. By that I mean we each identify with a particular player on the team. Nicholas is Xavi. Cate is Messi. I am Iniesta. After each match, I give the kids a post-game update and let them know how we each did. It is kind of cute.

Therefore, when I saw action figures of these three players for sale on a soccer site, I had to get them. The figures arrived a few days after Christmas. Santa and the elves were very busy, so Santa shipped them rather than delivering them. Wink. Wink. However, we were grateful to receive them finally, and neither the kids nor I minded the delay.

Introducing avatars for Cate, Nicholas, and me!

THE KING OF CLUBS

Yesterday was the Final of the World Club Cup Championship in Yokohama. This competition pitted the best teams from each of the habitable continents against each other. Barca and the famed Brazilian team Santos met in the Championship. There was a great deal of hype and build-up because each team has its "superstar"- Messi for Barca and the nineteen year-old phenomenon Neymar for Santos.

In the end, though, the match was about one team versus another, and it was no contest. Barca played without a true forward. They positioned three men in defense and seven men in the midfield, or center of the pitch. This enabled them to dominate possession and to work the ball majestically up the field in balletic motion. Messi scored twice. Xavi and Fabregas, both true midfielders, added one apiece. The 4-0 scoreline was anything but an overstatement. See the goals here.

One person clearly in awe was Neymar, who has been linked to moves to several European clubs including Barca and Real Madrid. He reportedly said to the Barca coach Pep Guardiola after the match, "Take me to Barca!"

Unlike Neymar, people may still doubt that this Barca team is the best club team to ever play this game. No achievement to date has quieted their criticism. I have two words for those people: Stayed tuned!

Let's hope that this is just beginning... Forca Barca!

ANOTHER MASTERPIECE

This past weekend, Barcelona faced Real Madrid in another edition of el clasico, the name for their rivalry. Only twenty seconds into the match, Real scored on a giveaway from the Barca keeper. However, from that moment on Barca were in control.

Despite being one goal down at Madrid's stadium, Barca moved a defender into an offensive position. This allowed them to dominate the heart of the pitch known as the midfield. This move paid off because Barca equalized around the thirtieth minute and scored two additional goals in the second half for a well-deserved 3-1 victory. Their performance can only be described as symphonic or melodic, and they made it clear that they are still the best club in the world.

Win or lose, they have a lifelong fan in me and in Nicholas, who was so inspired by Barca that he drew the masterpiece above. In it, his favorite player Xavi is holding two medals. I think Xavi is going to need a few more hands...

Forca Barca!