I love love love the Olympics! The opening ceremony is always entertaining. However, this year, the opening ceremony was AMAZING. The discipline of the Chinese performers was awe-inspiring. The drums that lit up when hit at the beginning were great. And the pillars that moved up and down like machines (when they were actually people) were crazyyy! I wonder how long it took to rehearse that. And what the penalty was for not performing correctly...an arm? Leg? Your first born?
Sorry. I have problems with China, but I won't let it taint what a great performance it was. The lighting of the torch always makes me teary-eyed (seriously). It just signifies so much and I feel like a pansy for saying it, but it really makes me want world peace. Too cliché? Ok.
I have to say, the Olympics make me love America even more. I know we haven't and will never win everything, but I like to think we are better anyways. I always feel like team USA is like the bad ass of the Olympics. We do things big: big teams, big muscles, big stories, big everything. Maybe it is because we have a president who comes from a state hailing, "Everything is bigger in Texas."
Opening ceremony aside, the games are equally as fun to watch. My favorite is women's gymnastics. Growing up I was a gymnast and went on to use my skills in cheerleading in high school. I was on many competition gymnastics teams when I was younger, but quit suddenly...as I did with many sports. I used to train at the same gym as Shannon Miller. Don't know who Shannon Miller is? Were you alive in 1992 & 1996 and did you catch any of the games?
Well to summarize, she is the most decorated American gymnast. She was sick back in her day. Accompanying Miller on the USA team in 1996 was Kerri Strug. She is known for her brave second attempt on vault after injuring her ankle. Here is a little diddy to help jog your memory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIImbyIBm-s
Anyways, I idolized these women. And I thought it was all within reach. The Olympics only seemed natural for me. I was sure that I would just continue to train in gymnastics and eventually be in the Olympics. That was the only option for me. What finally provoked me to up and quit? I don't remember. But I regret it so much everyday. I miss gymnastics and I can't believe that I let such a dream die. Especially today when I see so many people my age succeeding and only smashing their dreams with a better reality (read: Michael Phelps).
So I continue to watch and love the Olympic Games with so much passion. I have taken a liking to sports I never thought would be entertaining to watch like swimming, diving, volleyball, etc. And since I let the dream of being an Olympian die, I have now reconstructed my goal and will try with all my power to make it to the Olympics as a spectator. I would love to go watch these athletes in person. I'm not sure where the games are being held in the up-coming years, but you better believe right after I hit "Publish Post" I am jetting over to Google to do some intense research.
Oh and PS - GO TEAM USA. Last night/this morning Michael Phelps and the other American water warriors won the relay race. Yay! I'm super psyched about this because the jerks over on team France talked a big game. Saying that they were coming to the race to "smash" team USA. Well HAH. Not this time pansies.
Sorry. I have problems with China, but I won't let it taint what a great performance it was. The lighting of the torch always makes me teary-eyed (seriously). It just signifies so much and I feel like a pansy for saying it, but it really makes me want world peace. Too cliché? Ok.
I have to say, the Olympics make me love America even more. I know we haven't and will never win everything, but I like to think we are better anyways. I always feel like team USA is like the bad ass of the Olympics. We do things big: big teams, big muscles, big stories, big everything. Maybe it is because we have a president who comes from a state hailing, "Everything is bigger in Texas."
Opening ceremony aside, the games are equally as fun to watch. My favorite is women's gymnastics. Growing up I was a gymnast and went on to use my skills in cheerleading in high school. I was on many competition gymnastics teams when I was younger, but quit suddenly...as I did with many sports. I used to train at the same gym as Shannon Miller. Don't know who Shannon Miller is? Were you alive in 1992 & 1996 and did you catch any of the games?
Well to summarize, she is the most decorated American gymnast. She was sick back in her day. Accompanying Miller on the USA team in 1996 was Kerri Strug. She is known for her brave second attempt on vault after injuring her ankle. Here is a little diddy to help jog your memory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIImbyIBm-s
Anyways, I idolized these women. And I thought it was all within reach. The Olympics only seemed natural for me. I was sure that I would just continue to train in gymnastics and eventually be in the Olympics. That was the only option for me. What finally provoked me to up and quit? I don't remember. But I regret it so much everyday. I miss gymnastics and I can't believe that I let such a dream die. Especially today when I see so many people my age succeeding and only smashing their dreams with a better reality (read: Michael Phelps).
So I continue to watch and love the Olympic Games with so much passion. I have taken a liking to sports I never thought would be entertaining to watch like swimming, diving, volleyball, etc. And since I let the dream of being an Olympian die, I have now reconstructed my goal and will try with all my power to make it to the Olympics as a spectator. I would love to go watch these athletes in person. I'm not sure where the games are being held in the up-coming years, but you better believe right after I hit "Publish Post" I am jetting over to Google to do some intense research.
Oh and PS - GO TEAM USA. Last night/this morning Michael Phelps and the other American water warriors won the relay race. Yay! I'm super psyched about this because the jerks over on team France talked a big game. Saying that they were coming to the race to "smash" team USA. Well HAH. Not this time pansies.
UPDATE: London will be the location of the 2012 summer Olympics. England, here I come.
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3 comments:
Oh my goshhh I used to be a competitive gymnast also and Shannon Miller was my idol! Did you see that she does Claritin commercials now?
wasn't that relay race awesome.. i love the olympics, especially the swimming.. rock on USA!!!
i love the olympics too! i think it's so very cool that the whole world comes together for this uniting thing. i totally cried watching the opening ceremonies (holy cow, i can't believe how crazy they were! i tivod it lol) but that's because i'm a pansy-girl and a wuss. i will make it to the olympics some day!! (as a spectator, of course) good post.
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