Soccer training: The weak foot

Image source: teachpe.com

Having a weak foot in soccer is perfectly normal. Even the greatest players in the world have a weak foot which of course, over time they’ve trained to make it stronger. And so should you. Here are a few pro tips on increasing the proficiency of your weak foot.


Juggle with the weak foot as often as you can.

Juggling is a great way to increase your control over the ball, and it’s as dazzling to see as it is to do. As such, having your weak foot get used to juggling will make it more adept in overall control when it comes to kicking.


Practice trapping and catching with the weak foot.

Trapping is such an underrated skill for soccer players. Toss the ball up and kill the bounce as soon as it lands with your weak foot. Another way of killing the bounce is catching the ball with your weak foot. Alternate between trapping and catching to increase the weak foot’s control.

Image source: myactivesg.com

Dribble with the weak foot.

Try running at different speeds, but instead of dribbling the ball forward using both feet, use only your weak foot. This is another great drill for control.


Practice free kicks using the weak foot.

This drill improves control and increases power of the weak foot. Experiment with your shots as though you were using your strong foot. Watch your form as you do this drill.


Hello, I’m John Eilermann, a World War 2 and soccer enthusiast. Follow me on Twitter for more updates.

What parents need to know about young adult lit

Image source: YouTube.

If you’re a parent and you have teenagers in your home, there’s a big chance you’ve seen a young adult novel lying in their room. Young adult (YA) literature has experienced quite a rise in popularity over the past two decades largely thanks to the massive success of the Harry Potter books. Many of the YA series have made their way to the big screen, with again, Harry Potter being the most popular of them all.


Although the YA category has only been labeled recently, there have always been books about teenagers, written for teenagers, or young adults. Books such as “The Catcher in the Rye” and “Lord of the Flies” have teen protagonists but were never called YA until many years later.

Image source: ReelRundown.com  

YA books follow a specific formula, with a main teen character, taking on challenges that teens mostly face. They are mostly about coming-of-age, where one is introduced to the world of adults. This introduction mostly takes place via an experience that seems almost ritualistic. Sex, race, politics, and religion also figure into YA lit.


It’s also worthy of note how YA lit treats adults as background characters, and many times, as the antagonists. The spotlight in YA lit is entirely on teens who are almost always struggling with emotions and ideas.


Hello, I’m John Eilermann, a St. Louis, Missouri-based student currently pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. The cross-disciplinary approach of the program enables students to take courses in philosophy, politics, and culture, while intersecting literature with history. More of my writings here.

World Cup: The future of English football is here

Image source: youtube.com

Millions of hearts were broken all across England when their team lost against Croatia in the World Cup semifinals by the slimmest of margins. Up to that point, fans of the England team all over the world were hopeful that their footballers could get the job done and see it through all the way to the finals, and bring home the Cup after half-a-century.


However, the sting of the 2-1 defeat to Croatia was only temporary as English fans knew their team had arrived. Truth be told, the English team was the youngest fielded in this year’s World Cup, which only meant that in four years, they would be mature enough to perhaps win it all.

Image source: inews.co.uk

This is a huge boost for a team that saw superstars such as Beckham, Rooney, and Gerrard one by one leave international competition. The new captain is the 25-year-old Harry Kane, who in this year’s competition showed that not only was he capable of leading this young team, he was capable of leading them to the brink of a final showdown against eventual winners, France.


Together with other young, up-and-coming football stars, Kane looks to return to the grand stage and make a run at sports’ ultimate prize. Perhaps 2022 is the year the World Cup finally comes home.


Hello, I’m John Eilermann, a huge fan of the beautiful game, football. I’m also a World War 2 enthusiast. Learn more about me and the stuff I love by following me on Twitter.

Improve your vocabulary with these tricks

Image source: Pexels.com

Having a rich vocabulary can help you convey your thoughts and feelings more specifically. Instead of saying, "I'm fine" or "it's bad", you'll be able to give more meaning to your experience. If you want to develop how you gather new words, here are some simple tricks to ensure your learning:


Learn one new word everyday

Imagine adding more than 300 words to your vocabulary bank each year. That's a lot! If you're always online, you can subscribe to dictionary apps or sites that will deliver your word of the day. Before you know it, you'll be using these words in your daily conversations and even in your writing.


Read and write

I grew up highlighting unfamiliar words on paperbacks. Why some wouldn't appreciate marks on their books, this helped me remember new additions to my word bank. To take it a step further, after finding out the meaning, I would write five sentences to ensure that I fully understood what I just learned. These days I'm grateful for e-book readers because the built-in dictionary can instantly provide the meaning to a new word with just one long click.

Image source: Pexels.com

Play word games

Playing Scrabble, Word Factory, or Wordscapes are great ways to remind us of words we know but don't really use daily. Of course, there are other games that will test your vocabulary and lead to new discoveries. But aside from jolting your memory, seeing a word while playing will lead to a discussion with friends and you'll end up using these answers in conversations. Personally, these games are the most entertaining way for me to lengthen my word list.


Learning new words doesn't need to be exhausting. You need to incorporate it with an activity you find pleasurable so it won't feel like a chore. Before you know it, you'll have more expressions to use.

Hi! John Eilermann is the name. I’m a comparative literature student from St. Louis, Missouri, and I’m enjoying my life here. For similar reads, visit this blog.

The importance of Lionel Messi to Barca

Image source: espnfc.com

Lionel Messi is considered to be one of the best footballers, not just of this generation, but of all-time. He has won dozens of awards, with only the World Cup eluding him. Be that as it may, Messi is still a hero in his home country of Argentina. And on the club level, he is considered a football god.


However, beyond the stats, awards, and accolades, just how important is Messi to the football club and the city? The short answer is, very.


The president of the football club himself, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has worked doggedly to keep his Argentine superstar in the team. With greats such as Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic in the roster, having Messi means the organization can keep its spot atop European club competition.

Image source: suitelife.com

Barcelona is just as thankful of Messi as the superstar of the city. Since joining the city’s football club in 2001, he was shown up for the team over 350 times and scored over 300 goals. He has won the Ballon d’Or on multiple occasions and has been assured of his spot in the team as long as he is able to play the game.


While much of Barca’s success in the 2000s is attributed to the trio of Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta, not having the Argentine in the group would not translate to as much success.


Hi! I'm John Eilermann, a huge football fanatic. Check out my Twitter page for more on the stuff I love.

What makes comparative literature different from other English degrees?

Image source: rayatarjomeh.com

Taking up an English degree will let you choose from a number of majors in most universities, such as, often, English literature, Creative Writing, and Comparative Literature.


English Literature is focused on an in-depth study of literature of the U.K. and the U.S., from old English and Medieval works to the Romantic, Victorian, and modern era. A Creative Writing degree requires complementary subjects in English literature but is more concerned with the actual writing of works of poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. In short, creative writing students must come up with their own collection of works to graduate.


Comparative Literature is distinct from the two as, as the first word in the phrase suggests, it is a degree informed by other fields. In other words, it cannot exist in a vacuum, but must take into account the social, cultural, economic, and historical context of a given piece of literature.

Image source: coloradocollege.edu

Comparative literature graduates will gain the same set of career advantages as those of the two other degrees, from editing, technical writing, journalism, blogging, and copy writing. But they also have the likelier chance of becoming full-fledged literary critics and translators. Their better understanding of context and interdisciplinarity make them great academicians. Many comparative literature students end up staying in the academe and choosing a career in teaching.


My name is John Eilermann, a Comparative Literature student based in St. Louis. Comparative literature may be a seen as a poor choice for a degree to some, yet I truly believe that this discipline provides the foundations for sound critical thinking that applies to all fields. Know more about me by following this Facebook page.

Sudden, flash, nano stories: What’s very short fiction?

Readers and lovers of literature have been long enjoying short fiction, with short stories in print magazines typically averaging around 7,500 words in the old days. But what about stories that have fewer than 1,000? Here’s a quick introduction to the so-called very short fiction.


Very short fiction is also usually known as flash fiction, sudden fiction, or nano stories. It’s also often called micro-fiction, micro narrative, micro-story, hint fiction, and postcard fiction. It’s composed of stories that are mostly under 1,000 words and maintain a world of their own, with many venues to explore for this kind of work online.


This category of short stories is becoming more and more popular among writers who find joy and challenge in seeing how few words can be used to create a story. As far as length goes, it’s a far cry from the forms of previous years and decades: the novella with its 20,000 to 50,000 words; the novelette with its 7,000 to 20,000; and the short story with its 1,000 to 7,000.

According to the magazine Flash Fiction Stories, its product stories are in the 500 to 1,000 word range. Others define flash fiction as stories under 2,000 words, which makes O. Henry’s popular story “The Magi” – some 70 words over the count – qualify as one. Micro fiction, too, is defined as having 100 words at the most.


Whatever it’s called and no matter the word count, very short fiction is a reality in literary production today. One can only get curious about how many readers actually share the enthusiasm of its writers in the deliberate conservation of words and the somewhat fleeting nature of such stories.


John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri is a student of comparative literature. It is his goal to develop an understanding of literary compositions regardless of boundaries such as language, culture, and tradition. Learn more on this website..

The iconic firearms of history’s great wars

Image source: world.guns.ru 

Over the past centuries, mankind has seen some of the greatest wars in history. From the American Civil War to the War on Terror, people have fought for what they believed in. Along with armed conflict comes the advancement of technology. From medicine to transport, technological breakthroughs emerge in droves.


One of the most noticeable is the firearm. Let’s have a gander at some of the most iconic firearms in the history of war.


The Greaser


The Greaser looks a lot like the grease gun of a mechanic, which is where it got its name. This was a popular weapon since it was simple, cheap, and reliable. It was America’s firearm of choice toward the end of World War 2.


The Lee-Enfield


The Lee-Enfield was a rifle that British soldiers utilized since the Napoleonic Wars. This rifle was ideal for rapid-fire strategies and stayed with the Brits until the 1900s.

              Image source: world.guns.ru 

The STENs


STEN was a submachine gun and used the same bullets as the Lee-Enfield. It was not pretty to look at, but it did its job effectively and efficiently during the early part of World War 2. Very few other guns were used as extensively.


The AK-47


Probably the most recognizable gun apart from the M-16, the AK-47 was created by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is extremely easy to use and very powerful, as well as resistant to water, dirt, and jamming.


Hello, I’m John Eilermann, a huge fan of the beautiful game, football. I’m also a World War 2 enthusiast. Learn more about me and the stuff I love by following me on Twitter.

Revisiting Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Anglo-Saxon literature covers literary writings in Old English, or from c.650 to c.1100. This is the 600-year period of Britain from the mid-5th century to the Norman Conquest of 1066, and works in this period include genres such as epic poetry, sermons, Bible translations, chronicles, and riddles. About 400 manuscripts from the Anglo-Saxon time still exist today.

Image source: RealmOfHistory.com 

There are generally two types of Old English poetry: the heroic (sourced from pre-Christian Germanic myth, history, and custom) and the Christian. Almost all Old English poetry is preserved in a mere four manuscripts – namely the Exeter Book, the Junius Manuscript, the Vercelli Book, and the Beowulf manuscript – but much of it is deemed of high literary value and quality. Old English heroic poetry, for instance, is the earliest extant in Germanic literature, serving as the closest one can come to the oral pagan literature of Germanic culture.

Beowulf, likely produced between 700 and 750, is the oldest surviving Germanic epic as well as the longest Old English poem. Other great examples of Old English poetry are The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Battle of Maldon, and The Dream of the Rood. Two popular poets from this period are Caedmon, deemed the first Old English Christian poet, and Cynewulf.

Old English poetry’s verse form is an alliterative line of four stressed syllables and an unfixed number of unstressed syllables interrupted by a caesura and arranged in one of different patterns. The lines are end-stopped and unrhymed, and the whole form lends itself to narrative, or the absence of lyric poetry in Old English.

Image source: Historic-UK.com    

John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri is a student of comparative literature. It is his goal to develop an understanding of literary compositions regardless of boundaries such as language, culture, and tradition. Learn more about English literature on this

Biblical Allusions Within C. S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe”

Image source: book-adventures.com

An allusion is a literary device wherein an author pertains to a particular subject indirectly or without explicitly mentioning it. Allusions are often used in poetry alongside metaphors. However, spotting particularly themed allusions can be difficult when discussing prose. To further explain this idea, let’s look at Biblical allusions used by C. S. Lewis in his novel “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

Midway through the narrative, Edmund betrays his siblings and joins forces with the White Witch. This is an allusion to Judas and his betrayal of Jesus with the White Witch pertaining to Satan. The White Witch’s lair is also a stark contrast to hell as it is cold, ice-filled, and yet equally filled with minions and trapped souls.

The theme of resurrection is also apparent when Aslan sacrifices himself to the White Witch, just as Jesus did in return for mankind’s redemption. In the scene, Aslan is humiliated, his mane cut away just as Jesus was stripped of his clothes when he was burdened with the cross.

Image source: narnia.wikia.com

Lastly, the dangers of the sin of gluttony appear early in the narrative when Edmund gobbles the Turkish Delights as he begins his service to the White Witch. He also does this after leaving her. This may also be symbolic of the sin of consumption committed by Adam and Eve.

Hi there! My name is John Eilermann, and I’m from St. Louis, Missouri. I’m currently working on getting a degree in comparative literature. It is my goal to develop an understanding of literary compositions regardless of boundaries such as language, culture, and tradition. For more fascinating reads on literature, visit this blog.

The Mysterious Effect Of Bradbury’s 'Fahrenheit 451'

Ray Bradbury is an icon, not just in the sci-fi community, but in world literature in general.  His novels and other literary works have gone on to sell millions upon millions of copies, have been studied in universities everywhere, and have continued to capture the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.

Some lit experts say that his crowning achievement is the novel “Fahrenheit 451.”  The message it sends to people – that people without an education can be convinced to “think” – is central to the appeal of the novel.

Image source: dragondark.co.uk

“Fahrenheit 451” is not a long novel, but it gets what it wants to say across to readers quite strongly.  While lit majors have noticed the influence of George Orwell’s “1984” on it, the same people admit the book can stand on its own quite capably.  The setting is an extreme dystopian universe where books are burned, and people are coerced away from thinking for themselves.

Though this reality seems far from the one we live in, there is a strong connection between the message and people today.  In Bradbury’s book, without spoiling it for anyone, it shows how a world, which is dangerously close to eradicating individualistic thought, can be changed by a small group of people who believe strongly enough that they can help everyone else think.

Image Source: amazon.com

If you think about that premise through and through and take a few minutes to go on social media or any online forum, you’ll gradually see how “Fahrenheit 451” figures into all of it.

Hello! My name is John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri. I’m currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. Learn more about my passion for lit by visiting this page.

A Quick Dive Into Nick Hornby’s Works

English novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and lyricist Nick Hornby has produced a number of memorable works, foremost of which are his novels “High Fidelity” and “About a Boy” and screenplays for films “An Education” and “Brooklyn.” Here’s a quick look at the writer born in Surrey, England, in April 1957 and who attended Cambridge University.

Image source: TheFamousPeople.com

Hornby’s fiction is known to be a thorough navigation of male crises, weaknesses, and even obsessions. His 1998 novel “About a Boy” zeroes in on the growing relationship between a 30-something man and a 12-year-old boy, while “How to Be Good” is an exploration of marriage, parenthood, and contemporary morals that affect these two central themes. His early works are marked by 30-something male characters who struggle with emotional maturity and move about with uncertainty in their careers and personal lives. 

It’s interesting to note that his characters are often semi-autobiographical, and sans harsh judgment or condemnation of the careless decisions they often make. His later novels such as “Juliet, Naked” in 2009 and “Funny Girl” in 2014, however, offer more insight into female characters while they continue to highlight men’s search of strong emotional connections. 

Hornby’s empathy for these celebrated characters (which mostly enjoy both critical acclaim and public popularity) extends to what he does in his personal life. When not writing, he is involved in the London organization TreeHouse School for children with autism, which he helped establish in support of his eldest son, as well as a writing mentoring program for the youth. 

Image source: AReadersHeaven.Wordpress.com

John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, is currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. Growing up, he read books by Nick Hornby, Roald Dahl, C.S Lewis, and many others. Read more articles like this here.

Getting To Know The Quirks Of P.G. Wodehouse’s Imaginings

Image source: theparisreview.org

Sir Pelham Granville Wodehouse, otherwise known as P.G. Wodehouse is an esteemed author and creator of the fictional valet, Reginald Jeeves. Wodehouse is popular for his quirky humor and his seemingly endless wit when it comes to his writings. His unparalleled innovation in creating the most memorable characters have earned him praise throughout the years.

Take for instance his recurring characters Friday, Jeeves, and Bertie Wooster, all of whom are infused with their own flavorful wackiness that offer a fresh perspective on English society during the turn of the century.

Another group of Wodehouse’s beloved characters reside in and around Blandings Castle. Lord Emsworth, his family and guests, and the Empress of Blandings are all there to tickle your funny bone.

Image source: goodreads.com

Among Wodehouse’s plays, his most memorable one would probably be wildly entertaining story of young love and mistaken identity, “Anything Goes.” Wodehouse collaborated with Guy Bolton, a fellow writer, and Cole Porter, a well-known composer, who later on helped Wodehouse turn the play into a Broadway production. “Anything Goes” was a hit both critically and publicly, and was the first time people actually discovered Wodehouse’s talent for music, as he co-wrote some of the songs with Porter.

Today, many of Wodehouse’s stories are still read and studied, and many of his plays are still being adopted. Such is the testament to a rare talent.

Hello! My name is John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, and I’m currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. For more on my passions, check out this blog.

The Enigmatic Legacy Of The Greatest Mystery Novelists

Everyone loves a good mystery. A lot of suspense thrillers that come out in cinemas nowadays have nail-biting mysteries at their core. However, mysteries have been around way before Hollywood started making these films. In fact, the greatest mystery writers of modern times were around longer than we care to think. Let’s take a look at some of the most influential mystery novel pioneers. 

Image source: historythings.com

Edgar Allan Poe 

A master at both mystery and the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe has been one of the most influential writers the world has ever known. You’d be hard-pressed to find a mystery or horror novelist today who doesn’t credit Poe as one of his inspirations. Playwrights and filmmakers have never stopped coming up with adaptations of Poe’s works. He even has a number of awards given out today in his name. 

Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the well-renowned author of the “Sherlock Holmes” series. However, his roots at and contributions to the genre go well beyond Britain’s most famous detective. Doyle’s details were so immersive that his readers felt they themselves were solving mysteries alongside Holmes and Watson. That is not an easy thing for a writer to do. 

Agatha Christie

With the exception of Shakespeare, no other author has sold more books than Agatha Christie. She is one of the first mystery authors known to effectively use plot twists and red herrings to leave readers’ mouths agape. Christie’s works will leave you suspecting everyone and everything.

Image source: feelgrafix.com

Hello! My name is John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, and I’m currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. It offers me an abundance of opportunities once I graduate and is also one of my passions. For more on literature, check out this website.