You know when you don’t even know how or when it happened, but somehow you have subscribed yourself to, let’s say, Amazon Prime Video and you kind of ignored the e-mails from Amazon, because… Amazon, but, then, one day, you accidentally (not) open the e-mail and boom, you see you are so subscribed?

My first instinct was to end the subscription because of all the other subscriptions and the fomo that comes with them. Instantly, though, Vlad crossed my mind. Vlad is a very fun guy I bump into and have a great time with, spontaneously, each time. Vlad was there when a birthday cake dropped from my hands while a lot of people were singing Happy Birthday at midnight. Not to me and not my fault, but that’s another (one of the most embarrassing of my life, but so fun to remember now) story.

The connection between this Amazon Prime Video (my God, wouldn’t Prime be easier?) subscription and Vlad is a delightful discussion we, briefly, were trying to have during a concert. Cristina, what do you think is the deal with Pep Guardiola’s style? I mean, his white some kind of neckband, the white some kind of cuffs. You know him, right? Fireworks fired up inside because – aside from being at a concert and waiting for it to begin (oh maaan! I hope concerts will be possible in the very near future, oh maaan, oh maaan!) – I entered with him a space I enjoyed in a space I already had been enjoying so much. Oh man, oh man! We were talking about a great guy – Pep Guardiola – I happened to have noticed here and there and even if I didn’t know that much about him, I could tell he was a great guy. But then, the more I found out about him, the more I got fascinated with him. Just like with each time I discover a beautiful soul. Anyway, this man is one of the best football (soccer) coaches ever and on top of that, he has an unique sense of style. In clothing, as I first noticed on my own, googling, but then also in coaching, I nowadays discover through this documentary Vlad told me about when back at the concert (oh man, oh man!). And yes, it is on Prime and if you want to take a break from Downton Abbey or Ozark or whatever it is you are watching, I suggest you watch All Or Nothing: Manchester City.

With Pep, like with any other authentic person, the style is, in fact, his soul showing up and doing the trick.

Definitely, Pep hearing it and externalizing it through those very subtle details is a game he plays (just like when we were kids and genuinely played) and chooses to share with the rest of the world.

Style is not about Look at me, style is about This is me.

And this is where clothes help us all (when we choose to) do that. Some of us don’t really care about that and think that it is not important and it really isn’t when you choose to believe it is not. Think of Steve Jobs. There was only one Steve Jobs, though. Yet, some of us find this part of being aware of the things our souls talk through us, very interesting. Part of who we are. Truly. It (the style) becomes your hands – let’s say – and what is more romantic than holding hands? Freely. Kissing, duh.

So, yes, I guess we are talking about romance. These details Pep chooses for himself (the white some kind of neckband, the white some kind of cuffs) are subtleties the romantic in him shares with the romantics in us. Magic happens when these subtleties (unique to each person) lock eyes and hold hands by the end of a meeting. Or a first impression thing even. At work. Ideally. Or over a coffee thing. Ooor a ‘happily ever after’. Anything.

It takes courage to be yourself. Courage is romantic, is showing life you love life. Because, newsflash, we’re all wobbly and we’d better be! But newsflash, we’re in this together.

The rivalry between Pep Guardiola and José Murihno is like a metaphor for life, however. They both have style and this is how we can all, once again, be in awe of life and the one love we all, actually, share. Dream of. It is only a matter of ways to express it into the world, share it with the world. Life is a matter of choices and every choice you make makes you. And there’s only two ways to do that, really. Through love or fear.

Their contrasting styles were on full display, All Or Nothing.

Everyone sees Guardiola as this creative artist, the “Michelangelo of the technical area”, but actually he’s a winner, All Or Nothing.

It’s fascinating how their styles are called attacking football and park the buss. And it might seem shocking at first, but Pep’s is the attacking one. But it’s true, when you come think about it. Isn’t this precisely how in life is? You have to be a worrier for love. There, I said it. 

Lady Gaga said in an interview once: Life is beautiful, but sometimes you have to be a pitbull! 

Manchester City, Pep’s team, won. In the documentary. And, well, real life. The two hugged in the end. And it’s not only fair-play to do so in sports, obviously, but it shows, once again, just how the world is built. There are a lot of elements in Mendeleev’s table. 118 to be precise. Ok, so not seven billion, but still!

Guardiola doesn’t understand the concept of parking the bus, he just unleashes the Ferraris, All Or Nothing.

…While wearing his simple grey or black sweaters and almost without exception with a white some kind of neckband, the white some kind of cuffs underneath. A white detail near the face always (always) brightens up anyone’s face. However, the white must be a cold white for a cold skin tone or an off-white for a warm skin tone. It’s that little extra that brings a subtle je ne sais quoi to Pep’s style. Aside from a very relaxed (but still) etiquette through his white t-shirt or shirt, the white details supports even more the light coming from his soul and through his eyes. His love for what he does. For people. Players. His passion. Fierceness. Confidence in the light within. Tone. Warmth. Fierce warmth.

Be a team, guys, be a team!, Pep in All Or Nothing.

Watching this documentary on football not only reminded me of the energy I remember experiencing on the stadiums, during the football matches (or concerts, oh man, oh man!) I myself went to a couple of times, but also of the excitement, from back in the days in middle school, when the whole world felt like was watching the big championships. I even had favourite players. It then, just like nowadays going through this whole pandemic, felt like we are one. Came and come one.

Anything we do is about being here mentally, not just physically, as Pep Guardiola always says. This pandemic felt like a brick humankind needed and let’s hope that the damage done is not for nothing. Absolutely every human being is inspiring, when getting dressed (or undressed), when holding hands and so on.

Cause I’m the left eye, you‘re the right. Would it not be madness to fight?

And if we think about it, Vlad, below is really what we could have only discussed. But no, we chose the romance, because there isn’t really anything else.

Vlad, m-ai întrebat ce mai face Oz în Paris și instantaneu mi-ai pus zâmbetul pe buze.

And since you don’t have any social media account, this is for you, Vlad! Wahaha!

Be a team, guys, be a team!