The Roar of the Crowd

Whoops. Hollers. Screams.

All of it coming from the living room sofa, where a middle-aged man and a college kid bounce, cheer, and clap wildly over… you got it… soccer.

Yes, the 2014 World Cup. To be specific, the Brazil-Germany match in which the home crowd was sorely disappointed by a 7-1 trouncing.

Me? A soccer fan?

Personally, I’d rather watch tennis, though I’ve caught my share of World Cup in the past week, whether I like it or not.

And no, I didn’t watch the semi-final. The sound effects were more than enough.

World Cup Overdose

Like some of my friends, I’ve had my fill of conversation on the topic of goal keepers, Teutonic coaches, why the Brits never make it to the quarter finals and other European countries do, not to mention endless recitations of soccer stats that I forget as quickly as I hear them.

Here’s what I have to say.

Are we there yet?

Right. Soon.

(Who knows… You may be skimming these words as I steal a glance at Argentina playing The Netherlands.)

And on that note, dare I mention a wee bit of friction around Ye Olde Homestead of late? No, nothing major, and yes, soccer is part of my currently cranky condition. However, the tussles are primarily over noise and interruptions, in general.

And when you work from a home office, that’s more than an annoyance. It is interference in earning a living.

Everyday Conflict

Noise and interruptions?

Sure, they’re bound to occur regardless of where and how we work. That said, I am presently residing in the midst of a testosterone-infused environment and in a very. small. space.

In order to remain productive, the resulting “creative problem-solving” on my part has included earphones, bathroom ventilators left on to increase white noise, gentle conversation, less gentle conversation, and occasionally setting up shop for a few hours at my local Starbucks.

That move was a necessity with a persnickety Internet connection, despite two (count ’em… two) visits from my local ISP.

Not only is a bumpy wifi connection not the norm in my little universe, but neither is a bumpy interpersonal connection. I’m happy to say that friction is the exception, but there is no such thing as a perfectly friction-free relationship. Everyday conflicts are inevitable; how we resolve them, critical.

Win for the Home Team?

Fortunately, what I cannot accomplish during the day, I can tackle while the rest of the household catches their 40 winks. But in the wake of scuffles over interruptions, even the nice (“how about some coffee”) kind, I may find myself in the not-so-nice “I’ve lost my train of thought and now I’m torqued” mindset.

Trust me… I am not pleasant to be around when that’s the case. So to hear laughter – “the roar of the crowd” – is a great (and grounding) gift, especially when the cheering is a pleasurable act of bonding between my son and the man in my life.

I am reminded of the nature of family. There are times when whatever we do or say, communication, as in “I need some quiet,” seems to be at cross purposes. Stepping away, regaining perspective, and trying again helps.

I also remind myself of the distinction between enduring differences and immediate differences. Butting heads – outside of soccer – is going to occur in any relationship. Immediate differences are generally easy to resolve. Enduring differences, particularly when they deal with deeply held belief systems, are a problem of another order of magnitude.

If you’re fortunate, all it takes to restore your balance is the sound of your kid (whom you love) and a man (whom you love) happily watching a ballgame, and screaming themselves hoarse, together. Then you realize that one of the reasons you love them both is for their easygoing natures, which includes interruptions (the good kind), even at the worst possible time.

Still… On my holiday list for later in the year, I’m asking for comfortable earphones – not earbuds – and a XXL-size Do Not Disturb sign for my office – one that is inviolable.

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