2.12.2010

Vancouver or Bust

The Olympic Winter Games.


The competition.

The camaraderie.

The complete dedication to the TV for the next 17 days.

I love the Olympics, and the Winter Games are definitely my favorite. Ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, curling – I can’t think of a category I don’t enjoy.

But … is it just me, or did the Olympics seem like a bigger deal when we were younger? And I mean as a nation, not personally. I remember watching them with my family, and even as a teenager I would arrange my plans in order to be home to enjoy the competition, but nowadays it just doesn’t seem to have the same … I don’t know … importance? I’m not sure if that’s the word I’m looking for, but do you get what I mean?

When I was growing up it was like the world stopped when the Olypmics were happening. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. To me, at least. And it makes me sad, though I hope I'm wrong. I love the idea of our worldwide family enjoying something together. Puts us all in community and brings our common humanity to the forefront for awhile. No politics or presidents or leaders or what-have-you. Just our global family enjoying a little friendly competition.

If everyone will slow down long enough to watch.

I think the Olympics are a ton of fun, and Hubby and I will be parked in front of the TV for the duration, foregoing our favorite shows in order to delight in the awesome spectacle of athletic prowess and national pride. We’ll cheer for underdogs, get misty-eyed when our National Anthem is played while Old Glory is hoisted behind our winner (well, probably not Hubby), hold our breath when the figure skaters throw themselves into the air to complete their triple lutz-triple toeloop combination (seriously, they make me so nervous, I can hardly watch!), groan when a speed skater loses footing and crashes into the sideboards, laugh and cheer on the curling folks (I love this sport, but it makes me giggle - guys with brooms and yelling, it's too funny). It’s nerve-wracking! Nail-biting! Exhilarating. It’s so much fun!

Just for the record: my favorite opening ceremony for the Winter Games was Lillehammer in 1994. (I miss G&G, don't you?)

And the Summer Games in Beijing 2 years ago - their opening ceremony was seriously amazing!! (Plus, the swimming competition had me on the edge of my seat! Will Michael Phelps win another gold? It was crazy!)

You can go to the Vancouver Olympic website for a schedule of events here.  (I'm printing one out for the fridge. Y'all know I'm a dork, right?)

And if I am absent here for a few days, you'll know why.

Let the Games begin!