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My Gold Medal Is On Sack of Flour! I love the Olympics. Sports that I would never normally watch, sports that are never normally televised, I watch with intensity during the Olympics. I love the whole thing about the world coming together in the spirit of competition. I often root for the underdogs as well as my own countrymen. For instance, there is always someone who has been training for an event in their own country where they don't even have the facilities to compete properly... For instance there is always someone in swimming who has never been in an Olympic sized pool before. I just have to cheer them on. It takes a lot of courage to compete under a situation like that. I also root for people I feel like I know. For instance, I will probably considered quite a traitor to my own country but I will be rooting for China as well as the US in Basketball. This is because Yao Ming is competing for China. Yao may be Chinese but he's one of ours, as the star player of the Houston Rockets. How could I not root for him to do well, especially knowing how crappy his country will treat him if he doesn't do well. I am also rooting for the US's own Dara Torres tonight. Not because she is from the US but because she is a 41 years old mom and still competing against girls half her age. And not just competing, she has a good chance to medal!! You go girl!! I have been a fan of the Olympics since I was a . Oh how I wanted to be the next Olga Korbet when I was a young girl! I always imagined myself standing on that podium as my national anthem played. Tonight Michael Phelps won the 400 m individual medley in world record time. It was no surprise. The guy is part dolphin! During the medal ceremony, he stood smiling with his hand over his heart. He left out a bit of a laugh when the national anthem was cut short. In fact, the national anthem had been edited weirdly and was a mere version of the true song. I have always fantasized how I would react if that was me up there on that platform. For one thing, my hand would definitely be on my heart and even though I have a really crappy singing voice, I would be singing every word of the anthem. In fact, if I had been Michael tonight, I would have just kept on singing the last two lines even after the music cut off. And I'd probably cry through it all as well. Heck, sometimes when I watch the medal ceremonies I stand up and cry with the athletes as our national anthem plays. Yep, I am a whimp but I also cry when watching some commercials as well. How about you? |
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Well, let me give you a quick update. The US women swept all the medals in fencing yesterday! God bless you Pete!
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Oh the opening ceremonies were something else. They did this thing with boxes that I could have sworn was all done with electronics but it all powered by people instead. I can't even come up with the words to describe. It was amazing!! It's 4:06am and I am praying that you are resting soundly and peacefully at this hour Lynn! God bless you!!
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Lately I've been engaged in anti-death penalty... if you look at Amnesty's sites you will see that while people are enjoying Olympics, 100's of others are being put to death! I don't think TV will show that! Just a thought! 
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Lately I've been engaged in anti-death penalty... if you look at Amnesty's sites you will see that while people are enjoying Olympics, 100's of others are being put to death! I don't think TV will show that! Just a thought! I think a lot of us feel powerless to do anything about so many injustices in the world... persecuted people around the world, child slavery, the list goes on... For the past several years I have been involved in writing letters to Congress as well as to various companies regarding the horrific child s e x tourism industry abroad and praying for tougher laws to punish Americans who think children are for their personal sick perversions and enjoyment. Even with prayer, donations and letters, I know my efforts are sadly not enough.
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Just as "individuals" we can't do much in all circumstances, but "collectively" one has better chances to be heard. As for this Amnesty action lately, at least it "reminds" people of things that one actually doesn't think about and forget. They have had a TV "commercial" where they invite people to send an sms worth something like 50 cents. And it's touchy, because one sees three rather young sighing (Muslim) girls with handcuffs, walking towards the nooses that a masked executioner is checking; then one girl walks up a little footstool... and they put the noose around her neck and with tears in her eyes she looks up into heaven... while the crowd around film and take pictures with their private cell phones... like it was an entertainment performance. Sharing a few cents for a campaign to win media attention wouldn't certainly stop anything over night, but it will certainly give attention to these "dark sides" that we usually don't see or we prefer not to get involved in. International events like the Olympics now, are opportunities to forward a nation other "humanitarian" common interests than just collaboration in a meeting for sporting contests. United we stand, divided we fall.
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Just as "individuals" we can't do much in all circumstances, but "collectively" one has better chances to be heard. As for this Amnesty action lately, at least it "reminds" people of things that one actually doesn't think about and forget. They have had a TV "commercial" where they invite people to send an sms worth something like 50 cents. And it's touchy, because one sees three rather young sighing (Muslim) girls with handcuffs, walking towards the nooses that a masked executioner is checking; then one girl walks up a little footstool... and they put the noose around her neck and with tears in her eyes she looks up into heaven... while the crowd around film and take pictures with their private cell phones... like it was an entertainment performance. Sharing a few cents for a campaign to win media attention wouldn't certainly stop anything over night, but it will certainly give attention to these "dark sides" that we usually don't see or we prefer not to get involved in. International events like the Olympics now, are opportunities to forward a nation other "humanitarian" common interests than just collaboration in a meeting for sporting contests. United we stand, divided we fall.
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8/11/2008 6:26 pm |
Corrie the opening was awesome. I didn't realize until today that the fireworks were electronic. It was so exciting when the US swim team won. We are designed like God-- fully human, fully alive.
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Corrie the opening was awesome. I didn't realize until today that the fireworks were electronic. It was so exciting when the US swim team won. And in the opening, the thing with the boxes! What precision!! I was blown away!!
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8/12/2008 4:30 pm |
I feel the same way Corrie. They all work so hard to get there. I felt so bad for the mom of the girl who hurt her ankle and couldn't perform the floor exercises in the gymnastics competition. I want to laugh and cry with them also. We are designed like God-- fully human, fully alive.
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I feel the same way Corrie. They all work so hard to get there. I felt so bad for the mom of the girl who hurt her ankle and couldn't perform the floor exercises in the gymnastics competition. I want to laugh and cry with them also.
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