guts 'n glory

So, I am not really athletic. Argh, I hated gym class. Like, when we played baseball, I always went and stood as far back in the field as I possibly could. Too many people shouting at me, it always freaked me out. Volleyball is my idea of pure hell. I was always like, what? You want me to hit the ball with my bare forearms? Um, ow. And I think not. The two years when we had swimming was also not my idea of a good time. Fortunately, the last two years of high school, we could pick what we wanted to do in gym class, and I always chose things like cross country skiing where we went out maybe twice if we were lucky - the rest of the time we played silly team games like pillow polo or scooter ball, things like that, and archery (no changing into manky gym clothes!) and step arobics etc. In junior high, my gym teacher hated me. I wasn't one of her star players and so was nobody. When I was made volleyball captain in class and got to pick a team, she yelled at me for picking my friends. Uh, right, because I am sure I was the only one to do that?? In high school, the gym teachers felt sorry for me, I think, since I am so hugely uncoordinated. They always thought I was "trying" and so I got pity A's for effort. Ha.


All this is really building up to say that despite all that, I really really really love the Olympics. It makes me wish I was athletic just so I could go there and compete and win (naturally). During the Olympics, I watch stuff on tv that I would never ever watch otherwise. During the Torino winter games, I found myself watching a cross country skiing race, and curling, and strangely, the gold medal hockey match (but that was mainly because the Swedish goalie was totally hot). I love the opening ceremony and the torch lighting and all of that rah rah, USA! USA! stuff. I will be glued to the swimming and diving and gymnastics in the coming weeks, and then not think about it again for another 4 years. And I love all the crazy stuff that qualifies as "Olympic Sports" - in particular, my coworker swore up and down this week that trampolining was an Olympic sport. I totally did not believe her, but I just looked it up and it's true. It was introduced as a discipline in 2000 in Sydney. They will probably televise it late at night...

I am conflicted about Chicago's Olympic bid, but if the games were to come here, you know I would totally go, just to get my Olympic junkie fix.

Opening Ceremonies are tonight! Well, actually, they are probably happening even as I type this, but whatever. Let the games begin!!