Winter Olympics: 2010

Ok, let me just begin by saying, after the Beijing Opening Ceremony I did not think another country could compete, but I have to admit, Canada impressed me! Vancouver did a FABULOUS job!!! It was one of the BEST Opening Ceremonies I have EVER seen. Vancouver has won my undying admiration. It was a spectacular show by any standard. The use of light, pyrotechnics, digital imagery, and other modern technology, created a surreal atmosphere in the olympic arena. David Atkins is a genius! Granted, this is coming from someone who was watching from the comfort of her living room couch, but I can only imagine how much more fantastic it was for those actually present! One of the highlights for me was near the beginning, when it looked like there were whales, swimming beneath the surface of the ice - complete with water (or some equivalent) bursting from the floor like blow holes. Of course, being a fan of Sarah McLachlan, I also enjoyed the the whole "tree" segment. And then there were the snow boarders and skiers, suspended over a sheet mountain... honestly, I just really loved the whole thing.

I should probably admit my bias here. I am, and have always been, a huge fan of the Olympics. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that when my Mom was pregnant with me, she watched the 1980 Winter (Lake Placid - in my home state!) and Summer (Moscow) Olympics (she even came up with my name during the gymnastics... I guess you could say, I was named after a gymnast)... or maybe it was that watching the Olympics (both Summer and Winter) was a family event growing up.

Vancouver did have its share of troubles... Nothing goes off without a hitch, even a production costing upwards of $40 million. In this case it was a hydraulic system malfunction. Unfortunately, Vancouver's hitch came at a most inopportune time: the lighting of the torch - the single most important event of the opening ceremonies. One of the four pillars failed to rise, resulting in a stranded torch-bearer, holding a flame and having nothing to light. Poor Catriona LeMay Doan. =( Despite that little mishap, I think the media is making too big a deal out of it. The torch was lit, the games continue. The end... or the beginning.

It was a shock to no one that Wayne Gretzky would be one of the torch-bearers, in a country where ice hockey rules. Even one of the American ice hockey competitors was asked to guess who would carry the final flame of the 2010 games, and he named Gretzky as the "safe bet."

This year, there were a couple of traditions I picked up on that I had never noticed before.

1. Greece always leads the Parade of Nations since the Ancient Olympics games originated in Greece, and the first of the modern Olympic games was hosted by Greece in 1896.

2. The host nation enters last.

Interesting Facts:

1. No South American country has ever medaled in the Winter Olympics

2. Canada is America's largest oil importer

3. Iceland has the northernmost capitol in the world and yet has never medaled in a Winter Olympics

4. Iran brought its first female to represent at a Winter Olympics (alpine skiing)

5. 82 countries are represented at the 2010 Olympics

6. 2638 athletes arrived in Vancouver to compete in the 2010 Olympics

7. 215 of the athletes are representing the United States, surpassing Canada's 206

8. In Torino, Italy, (2006) Germany won the most medals (the US came in second and Canada was third). This year, Canada does not want to be shown up on their own turf. =)

Most touching/memorable moment:

The world gave a standing ovation in the arena as Georgia entered to honor the luge athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died on the luge track earlier in the day.

Missing Countries:

Afghanistan

Iraq

Most of the African countries

Trinidad (I guess they don't have any bob-sledders left)

There were many more missing, but these are the ones I noticed

Well, that was a great start to a great tradition. Let the games begin!!!

Oui, Oui!

Thanks to the seemingly unending snow, I have spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen. One of the things I decided to tackle was French Onion Soup. I had never tried it before, but we had a bag of onions and left over beef stock in the fridge, so it seemed like a good idea. I looked up several different recipes and realized that they all called for some kind of wine or sherry. Since we had neither in the house, we made an emergency trip to Trader Joe's in the storm, picked up some white wine and French baguettes (also got some fire wood while we were out), and I was set. The whole process took a little longer than I had expected (2 hours in all), but it was more than worth it! There is really nothing better than some hot soup, a fire, and a good movie to help weather a blizzard! =)

To Have or to Have Not

Rejection at any age hurts. In grammar school, it's being picked last in a team sport. In high school it is not being asked to the dance... or worse, being politely (or maybe not so politely) declined. As an adult (at least for most girls), it is being alone on Valentine's Day. It seems ridiculous. Most even-headed single girls, who are not out there in search of a guy merely to have a guy, are fairly content with where they are, hoping that someday Mr. Right will materialize, but not willing to settle for something less. Even these girls seem to lose their wits when February rolls around. They look around and all they see is couples... it seems like the whole world is paired off... well, almost the whole world. And suddenly, being alone on that one day of the year seems like a fate worse than death (yes, I do speak from experience). I was thinking about this as I watched yet another e-harmony commercial, and suddenly, the answer seemed so simple. It is like childhood all over again... like sitting alone at lunch, or not having anyone to play with at recess. It is not the being alone part, it is the fact that there are other people around and yet they don't want to be with YOU. It's rarely personal, but we see it that way just the same. It is rejection in yet another form... a social snub. Others want to be with someone, but that someone is just not you.

Well, here is a challenge, girls (and guys), instead of feeling sorry for yourself, look around. There are other people out there who are alone - people who feel rejected... reach out to those people and be that someone who wants to spend time with them. Make them feel loved and wanted. Because, let's be honest... we all just want to feel like we belong sometimes.

A Winter for the History Books

As a lover of history, I have always wanted to be in the middle of a historical event. What I am quickly learning is that history is more romantic in hind-sight. Once you can look back and analyze what happened, how it happened, and the events that led to it, it is exciting - it is history. Until that point, it is simply life. I have been a part of historical events. I have witnessed some amazing things, but they passed by quickly and their significance only dawned on me after the fact. Now, we are in the middle of the craziest winter this area has ever seen, and all I can think about is the fact that I am going stir crazy! I just want the snow to end. I want to be able to come and go as I please, without having to deal with digging my car out or bundle up in snow gear. It may be historical - momentous, even - but I am ready for it to be over...

Master of the Kitchen... if not My Destiny

A girl, happily in love, burns the souffle. A girl, unhappily in love, forgets to turn the oven on. ..~ Baron St. Fontanel in the 1954 version of Sabrina

I always found that quote to be amusing, though I have to question its accuracy, seeing as I burn just about everything and have NEVER been happily in love. The part that I find amusing, is that either way, she finds herself in the kitchen. Maybe it is because the movies is from the 1950s and that is where women were expected to be. But I would rather think that it is a normal to let emotions find their outlet in creative, culinary way. I can't even remember how many times life has driven me into the kitchen. It is where I find released. It is where I feel I have some control when everything else seems absurd. Maybe I am odd... but I would rather believe it is normal.

The Day After Snowmageddon

Now that the sun is back out and blindingly reflecting off the newly-fallen snow, I couldn't help but go out and get more pictures!

Old Town looks fabulous... you can even see the Masonic Temple off in the distance

The colors on the store fronts looked so vibrant under snow-covered roofs, complete with crystal-like icicles hanging from the eaves

There were quite a few cars out, but as you can see, even Washington Blvd. looks fairly quiet, even for a Sunday morning


I am a fan of churches with steeples, and in the snow, this one was just too pretty to not take a picture of!


This car obviously needs some help...


but not as much as this one...

or this one...