Ten on Tuesday: 10 Thoughts On The 2014 Winter Olympics
1. In regard to any Olympics on NBC, I hope they never change the theme. I never tire of hearing it.
Bugler's Dream by Leo Arnaud
2. We don't have cable, so the only televised coverage at our house is on plain old over-the-airwaves NBC. I record everything and then FF through a lot of it. Sometimes I'm sorry that I'm not forced to sit through and learn all the ins and outs of, oh, let's say BIATHLON or LUGE.
3. I've been known to delete entire "afternoons" of competition. The Tivo only holds so much! And I only have so much time to watch. And while I may have some interest in one cross-country ski race, subsequent contests are far less riveting (and that may not even be proper use of the word); if I'm paying attention during the FFing, though, I'll stop and watch any finish in any sport.
3. I love love love Mary Carillo! I love her energy, her humor, her wonderful people/place/travel stories. I always stop FFing for those.
4. I'm a big sap. I love the athlete profiles and stories, clips from childhood, awkward stages. I stop for as many of them as I can, too. Athlete profiles have always been one of my favorites parts, even when I was a young girl. They are all regular people, except that they are not… they are extraordinary in their focus, dedication, and determination. Gee, wouldn't that be cool? I think I always wished that I might feel so driven… about anything.
5. Don't you love short-track speed skating!? Actually, almost all of the speed skating, and possibly because I'm from Wisconsin, having agonized and cheered every race with the likes of Dan Jansen, Eric Heiden, and Bonnie Blair.
http://player.history.com/pservice/embed-player/?siteId=hist&tPid=21098772
6. I really enjoyed Tom Brokaw's "Space Race" piece. It re-awakened some feelings and memories that I'm still processing and about which I can feel quite emotional. When I watch the film of those old Apollo missions, I still feel the same excitement of LIFT-OFF that I felt as a 5th grader when our teacher would bring her portable TV to school for every launch so we could watch them live. (Never mind a TV in every classroom, there wasn't even a TV in the AV Room, land of mimeograph machines and filmstrip projectors!) I remember my parents waking us up to watch Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. I remember that we won; we beat the Russians to the moon! I remember knowing astronauts' names — at least some of them — they were heroes! A present-day astronaut was shown in that story and I was sad, almost embarrassed, that I didn't have a clue what his or any current astronaut's name was.
7. Also, because of that piece, I think I've fallen a little bit in love with Tom Stafford and Alexei Leonov. I find their friendship/relationship (more like family) incredibly heart-warming and so very full of hope for us all.
8. Alexei. Olga. Irina. Sergei. Ludmila. Ekaterina. The Olympic games of my childhood were every-4-year glimpses into another world! Russia, East Germany, were… Communist. Enormous. So very Mysterious! Sometimes I miss the tension and drama. Katarina Witt!
9. Figure skating is one of my favorite Winter Olympics "sports." For only about the third time since cutting the cord, I am missing cable for the live commentary of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, which I hear is among the best, and especially because while Tom Hammond and Scott Hamilton are okay in my book, I cannot stand Sandra Bezic and don't feel any chemistry there at all.
10. I love a little pomp & circumstance, and the spirit of the Opening & Closing Ceremonies — very different from one another! My mother was a student of Russian history in the mid-'60s, and she even had the opportunity to go to Russia in the mid-'70s; I'll never forget her taking me to see Doctor Zhivago and the history lessons she whispered in my ear throughout the whole movie! I'm grateful, not only for the fond memory but also for the knowledge; I am certain that I knew more about Russia — some recent history, at least — than any of my classmates (or teachers) or friends, and I was interested, too. I thought they handled their less than popular history during the Opening quite well. It certainly wasn't an easy thing… and, to critics, wouldn't it be interesting to see how the U.S. handled some of the unsavory bits of their own history in a similar exercise.
So, I'm off to do some more of the sewing to which the knitting has succumbed. Photo of baby modeling Demne (one of my favorites)… because I can, and because BABY!
Your list is great but it flew out of my head after seeing the picture of your adorable grandson at the end. He is delicious.
You nailed it! I have enjoyed the new commentators. Also did you see Mary’s story about the Russian nesting dolls? …and of course, BABY FTW!
Nicely said. We flip from Olympics to other things as we haven’t had much time to watch or cared to record. Your memories bring back memories of my own! Great list.
Demne is such a handsome color,especially on BABY! He’s quite the dapper dude.
I am happy we don’t have to worry about the East German (or the Russian or the anyone) judge any more in figure skating. We don’t have cable either — so THAT’S why I didn’t recognize Johnny Weir’s name when I saw it a few days ago.
I, too, love the athlete profiles. After hearing/watching them, I often say, “Awww! I hope they win the gold!” It doesn’t matter which country they’re from.
Johnny Weir is from the county I live in. 🙂
My daughter is all, USA! As I get older, I am happy for every athlete who medals because I know it took a lot of work and sacrifice, and I know that they have family and friends and country people who are thrilled at their win. Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled when we win a medal, it’s just that I now have a different perspective than I did when I was younger.