I don't Just Watch for the Ice Dancing

My first memory of the Olympic Games is from 1976- Dorothy Hamill won the gold for women's figure skating and spawned a new hair style that swept the nation (and my 4th grade classroom.) The 1976 Summer Games,(they held both winter and summer games in the same year until the 1990's) showed the USA celebrating it's Bicentennial and gave us Miss Perfect 10, Romanian Gymnast Nadia Comaneci as well as a new use for the theme to The Young and the Restless. Back then, I wanted to be a figure skater and a gymnast. And a speed skater and a cyclist, a bobsledder and a high-jumper. I tried them all except the bobsledding, but growing up in the snow-belt, we were able to improvise ;)

As a child, watching the Olympics was a family event- something that kept our minds off the never-ending energy crisis, the continued threats from Communist nations, the growing concerns with Iran, and the political and socioeconomic fallout from one of the most protested and deadly wars in history. Isn't it weird that thirty years later, we are still concerned with three of these things?

I always watch the Olympics and not just for the sports. I am one of those saps that watches for the human interest stories and has to wipe tears away as the young athlete from Younameitstan finally overcomes physical/economical/political obstacles to represent their country in these games of champions. I consider these 10-14 days a learning experience where I can take in historical and political information about the host country and most of the countries represented. I can see the differences in a Unified Germany and a dismantled Soviet Union. I can see Iraqi athletes compete for the first time without treat of death if they fail. I can see how athletes compete without benefit of enhanced substances. I can see my own history.

I usually glue myself to the television during the Olympic Games, especially for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. There is just something special about the Parade of Nations- all those athletes representing their countries- that gets me every single time. The first Olympics that Mrs. CB and I watched as a couple were the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. We picked up a bottle of Australian Shiraz and drank it as we watched the Opening Ceremonies.We have continues that tradition through Salt Lake City and Athens. Tonight, we gave up hockey tickets so we can drink a nice Italian wine and watch the athletes parade in. We will watch the games as time allows, but we'll make a special attempt to watch the closing ceremonies. I celebrate thirty years of history with these games. Thirty years of my life.

I don't Just Watch for the Ice Dancing

My first memory of the Olympic Games is from 1976- Dorothy Hamill won the gold for women's figure skating and spawned a new hair style that swept the nation (and my 4th grade classroom.) The 1976 Summer Games,(they held both winter and summer games in the same year until the 1990's) showed the USA celebrating it's Bicentennial and gave us Miss Perfect 10, Romanian Gymnast Nadia Comaneci as well as a new use for the theme to The Young and the Restless. Back then, I wanted to be a figure skater and a gymnast. And a speed skater and a cyclist, a bobsledder and a high-jumper. I tried them all except the bobsledding, but growing up in the snow-belt, we were able to improvise ;)

As a child, watching the Olympics was a family event- something that kept our minds off the never-ending energy crisis, the continued threats from Communist nations, the growing concerns with Iran, and the political and socioeconomic fallout from one of the most protested and deadly wars in history. Isn't it weird that thirty years later, we are still concerned with three of these things?

I always watch the Olympics and not just for the sports. I am one of those saps that watches for the human interest stories and has to wipe tears away as the young athlete from Younameitstan finally overcomes physical/economical/political obstacles to represent their country in these games of champions. I consider these 10-14 days a learning experience where I can take in historical and political information about the host country and most of the countries represented. I can see the differences in a Unified Germany and a dismantled Soviet Union. I can see Iraqi athletes compete for the first time without treat of death if they fail. I can see how athletes compete without benefit of enhanced substances. I can see my own history.

I usually glue myself to the television during the Olympic Games, especially for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. There is just something special about the Parade of Nations- all those athletes representing their countries- that gets me every single time. The first Olympics that Mrs. CB and I watched as a couple were the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. We picked up a bottle of Australian Shiraz and drank it as we watched the Opening Ceremonies.We have continues that tradition through Salt Lake City and Athens. Tonight, we gave up hockey tickets so we can drink a nice Italian wine and watch the athletes parade in. We will watch the games as time allows, but we'll make a special attempt to watch the closing ceremonies. I celebrate thirty years of history with these games. Thirty years of my life.

I'm a doll, baby!

yanked from celluloidson




Of course I forgot to get the code that linked the pic, so make your own here

I'm a doll, baby!

yanked from celluloidson




Of course I forgot to get the code that linked the pic, so make your own here