by Laura
I really, truly love the Olympics. In fact, I can now admit to my friend Julie that when she got to attend the ’96 Atlanta Games, I was not a little bit jealous. I was a whole, giant bit jealous. Someday, that will be me! But, for now, I plan on using up a lot of DVR space taping events that will be both inspiring & glorious, despite being viewed through the television.
I’m really counting on this year’s figure skating competition (I adore you, Johnny Weir!), or perhaps the giant slalom to get things off to a positive start. So far, let’s recap:
1) Brian Williams, who I also love and trust, opens up the games by showing me a poor, bloody, dying luger. Seriously? Was that image necessary? Also, since my personal danger threshold is somewhere between a merry-go-round and jaywalking, I would kind of be okay if that sport never happened again.
2) The Olympic flame thing didn’t even work. Perhaps a sign that all is not quite right with the world these days. I mean, the flame is the essential part, right? Although apparently this has happened before.
3) Unlike China, they couldn’t make millions of people huddle under tarps and “volunteer” unbelievably long hours to hoist around performance props. Although, back then, I found it a tad disturbing to witness visual proof that China could/did take over the world. So, the upside may be that Canada is still super unthreatening.
4) Although that whole icebergs melting and turning into tundra thing was pretty cool, I must say that the line-up of accompanying musical talent was a bit hit-or-miss. Plus, it was a huge oversight to leave out Avril Lavigne (ha!).
One of my favorite teachers in elementary school did an entire unit on the Games when they happened in Calgary in ’88. Now that was an Olympics – the Katarina Vitt vs. Debi Thomas showdown made all the more awesome since they both chose to skate to the same song. At the end of all our teacher’s activities, she awarded us our own medals. Since I’ve experienced life as an educator, I can appreciate the hours she must have put into spray painting round lids, affixing the Olympic rings and attaching patriotic ribbon. But, but back then, when I accidentally smudged the one I got, ruining it, I quickly switched it out with one of the bright, clean leftovers meant for an absent student. When she turned back around and angrily discovered that her handiwork had been destroyed, she demanded that the class confess. If someone saw, they never told on me. And, a symbol of one of the three bad things that I’ve done in my life, ever, stills hangs out at my house. Do I feel guilty? Not in the least – heck, I earned that gold.
Happy Olympics, everyone!
Laura
Harold
